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The Brotherhood For Greg by Debra Hatch

He walked the beach at Normandy, the Military man, he knelt and plucked the seashells that were scattered on the sand.

He closed his eyes and listened as he held one to his ear, he heard the final exhale of a soldier who'd died here.

He felt the heavy debt he owed sink deep into his chest, he wondered why the fates took them while he had been so blessed.

He wept inside their losses and hung his head in shame, he’d never know their stories, he couldn’t ease their pain.

He felt himself unworthy to walk this hallowed earth, where so many of his countrymen had died before his birth.

His blood had never soaked the ground of any foreign shore, he felt he was not fit to honor those who’d gone before.

He gazed upon the seashell that was cradled in his palm, he heard the faintest whisper, he felt the strangest calm.

The cool wind off the ocean blew a voice across his cheek, it said ”Good morning, stranger, might I have a chance to speak?”

He knew the voice at once although he didn’t know its name, it once had been a friend of his, a brother, just the same.

It said, “I’m glad you’re here again, you know I stayed that day, and it has been so many years since you have gone away.

“We’ve stood together many times since history began, we’ve fought and died, and lived to laugh in oh so many lands.

“Sometimes we both survived the day to greet the coming night, sometimes we gave ourselves away and left the rest to fight.

“We’ll meet again, we always do, with different names and eyes, I’ll be the friend you like at once, although you won’t know why.

“The kinship of the Brotherhood can never be denied, it walks with every soldier, it carries on with pride.

“When you step into a uniform, you don’t wear threads and seams, you carry all our lives with you, and live our unborn dreams.

“You wear the symbol of our gift, the greatest we could give, so show your honor every day in way in which you live.”

H walked the beach at Normandy, the Military man, he carried home the seashells that he’d plucked from off the sand.

He carried home the hopes of strangers that he’d known before, he carried all their dreams with him, and he kept them ever more.

FIRST UNITED FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCHMETHODIST CHURCH

Ministry TeamMinistry TeamMinistry Team

Ministers The Worshiping Congregation

Pastor

Chuck Rager

Christian Education Director Renee Meyer

Administrative Secretary

LaVerne Schimpf

Custodian Ginny Volberding

Newsletter Editor

Karen Nenstiel

District Superintendent Kay Alnor

Bishop of Great Plains

Conference Ruben Saenz, Jr.

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153 www.methodistchurchogallala.com

TTHEHE MMESSENGERESSENGER

First United Methodist ChurchFirst United Methodist Church

Pastor’s Page 2

“Did You Know?” 3

Meetings This Month 3

United Methodist Women 4

Christmas Angel Store 4

Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh 5

An Activity Page 6

Youth Activities 7

October Baptisms 7

Heritage Sunday 8

Newsletter Deadline 10

Stewards for November 11

IN THIS ISSUE

LOOKING AHEAD:

1. Sunday, November 6, we will honor the Veterans in attendance at

our Sunday morning service.

2. Sunday, November 13, at the 9 A.M. service we will dedicate Me-

morials received this year.

3. Sunday, November 20, we have two baptisms at our 9 A.M. service.

4. We will do the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh project again this year.

See details in this newsletter.

5. Our next Sing-a-Long at Wel-Cov and Indian Hills is Sunday after-

noon, December 4. Wel-Cov is at 2:15 P.M. and Indian Hills is at 3 P.M.

6. Charge Conference is Sunday evening, December 4, at 7 P.M.

Everyone is welcome.

7. Sunday School Christmas program is on Sunday, December 11,

during the 11:15 service.

8. Christmas Eve services are at 5 P.M. and 7 P.M.

9. Christmas is on Sunday and we have one service at 9 A.M. that day.

10. Your support of our church is greatly appreciated.

See Me Sunday,

Rev. Chuck Rager

November, 2016

“Keys”

A key symbolizes the

church’s authority to

forgive sins in Jesus’

name. In Matthew

16:19 (ESV), Jesus says

to Peter, who would

come to represent the

Christian church, “I will

give you the keys of

the kingdom of

heaven, and whatever

you bind on earth shall

be bound in heaven,

and whatever you

loose on earth shall be

loosed in heaven.”

Christian

Symbols

The Messenger

Board of Trustees on Wednes-

day, November 2, 7:00 p.m.

Finance Committee on Thurs-

day, November 3, 5:00 p.m.

Missions Outreach Committee

on Wednesday, November 9,

5:30 p.m.

Administrative Council on

Wednesday, November 16, 7:00

Meetings This Month Daylight Saving

Time ends at

2:00 A.M.

on Sunday,

November 6 Turn your clocks

back one hour on

Saturday night

Did you know that if you have friends and family who live outside of this area

they can join us in worship via the internet? We livestream our 9:00 a.m. service every

Sunday morning. We have people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and

many points in between that drop in and worship with us. Evelyn Lovercheck takes

bulletins to Indian Hills Care Center and watches the service on the BIG screen with

the residents there.

We just upgraded our connections, routers and

phone lines in the balcony during October so our

broadcast is better than ever!

Tell your out of town friends and relatives that all they have to do is go to our

church website — www.methodistchurchogallala.com — and click on the link that says

“Watch Us Live,” and they can worship with us every Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m.

Mountain Time. I believe they will be impressed with the quality of the pictures and

sounds that our technology is able to produce, especially after our recent upgrades.

Pastor Chuck

What a GREAT day we had on Her-

itage Sunday, October 9th. It was won-

derful to have the Bishop and Maye

here, and the Bishop was so generous

in his praise of all that this congregation

is doing in ministry. He was very im-

pressed with you.

The Banquet was wonderful, and

the meal was delicious. A Big THANKS

to everyone who helped make this day

the truly great event that it was. A spe-

cial thanks to Jo Teaford for organizing

all the things related to the banquet.

She had lots of wonderful helpers, and

Jo was a SUPERB leader and organiz-

er.

Thank you all and God Bless You. I

am so proud to be your Pastor.

Pastor Chuck

Heritage Sunday Review

WORSHIP STREAMING

DID YOU KNOW?

. . . to the following persons who worked and/or furnished food for

the Great Plains District Clergy luncheon on October 17, 2016:

Jennifer Blackman Twila Haney Betty Kupper

Karen Nelson Bev Armour Rose Holechek Sharen Terry

Thank You . . . .

November, 2016

United Methodist Women

November meetings

WORLD THANK

OFFERING

UMW General

Thursday, November 10

12:00 noon

luncheon and meeting

in Fellowship Hall

Circle 1


9:00 am

(B. Johnson)

Circle 3


2:00 pm

Hess Lounge

Circle 5

Monday, November 21

6:00 pm

Hess Lunge

United Methodist Women in Service and Mission

The nominating committee thanks

all who agreed to take their office or

position for another year. That made it

an easy task for them, again thanks.

November is the month when we

give our Thank Offering. It can be giv-

en to your circle chairman or given at

the general meeting November 10.

Mona Radcliffe

UMW President

Our Christian love and sympathy to the family of:

Marlene Brown, who died on October 14, 2016.

The Christmas Angel Store will

mark its 17th year of service to families

in the community, on Saturday, Decem-

ber 10. The Store, sponsored by the

Missions Outreach Committee, aims to

assist families who need a little help

with gifts and Christmas spirit.

The store will be held at the Arter-

burn Youth Cabin on Saturday, Decem-

ber 10, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

. . . to the following persons who worked and/or furnished food for the dinner preceding

the Link Union concert on October 25, 2016:

Barbara Nootz Jean Slagle Milly Schwasinger Ruth Hermance

Mona Radcliffe Judi Davis Bea Hatch Chris Snyder

Thanks also to the Missions Outreach Committee for providing and serving coffee and

treats for everyone after the concert.

As always, the

success of the store

depends upon contri-

butions and help from many volunteers.

If you would like to donate, gifts may be

brought to the church. To make a mon-

etary donation, please mark “Angel

Store” on the memo line of your check.

To volunteer or to get more infor-

mation, please contact MOC Chairper-

son, Gigi Berol (289-5111).

Making Preparations for the Christmas Angel Store

The Messenger

The Finance Committee is leading our annual effort again this year that will

allow us to honor/remember special persons AND raise funds for our church. The pro-

ject is called Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, and your participation is vital to its suc-

cess. We will be decorating the two evergreen trees in front of the church on the west

side with blue and white Christmas lights. You may sponsor a blue light bulb in

memory of someone who has died, and you may sponsor a white light bulb in honor of

someone who is still living. The suggested donation to sponsor each light bulb is ten

dollars ($10). It is our intent that each light will be in memory or in honor of one person.

What a marvelous scene we will have on the trees in front of our church when

the lights are illuminated the week of Christmas, and what an awesome sight to come

to church on Christmas Eve and see the fully lit trees in blue and white splendor! The

more bulbs that are sponsored, the more awesome will be the trees. We hope to see

more white lights in honor of living persons this year. Also, all the proceeds will be ap-

plied to programs within our church.

The wise persons came to honor the new born Christ child and brought gifts of

gold, frankincense and myrrh to him. You can follow the wise persons’ model and give

these gifts to our church in thankfulness for the presence of Christ in your life and in

our world today. There will be an insert in the Christmas Eve bulletin notating who has

sponsored bulbs and a list of the persons’ names who are being honored and remem-

bered. Please complete the registration form and return it to the church office by De-

cember 7,

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh 2016

I/we would like to dedicate these lights for the 2016 “Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh”

trees:

Please indicate:

In honor of OR In memory of ____________________________________________








Number of bulbs sponsored ______ Given by ______________________________

Please use additional sheets of paper to add more memorial lights.

Return all forms and donations should to the Church Office by December 7, 2016

Give a gift of love this

Christmas~~ honor a friend or loved one with a gift to your church’s

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh project

Answer: B (See Psalm 103:2, ESV.)

November, 2016

A Bible Quiz

An Activity Page for Younger People

A. people

B. soul

C. heart

D. children

Fill in the blank to complete this verse from

a psalm of thanksgiving:

“Bless the LORD, O my ______, and

forget not all his benefits.”

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more — a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be thy praise.

—George Herbert

The Messenger

meets on

Wednesday, November 2,

and Wednesday,

November 16, at 7:00 P.M.

in Fellowship Hall

The SONSHINE SINGERS

will present special music in

the 9:00 worship service on

Sunday, November 13.

Rehearsal will be on Friday,

November 11, at 4:00 p.m.

On Sunday, October 23, Pastor Chuck baptized two children into the church

family. Marissa Fay Juarez (picture on left) is the daughter of Luis and Heidi Juarez.

Marley Stella Spencer is the daughter of Kristani Mitchell.

The congregation of Ogallala First United Methodist Church welcomes Marissa

and Marley as they grow in stature and in faith.

October Baptisms

About two-thirds of Americans say eating Thanksgiving leftovers is more im-portant than eating the actual holiday meal. That’s one of the few times people hope food is left on the table.

When it comes to giving out blessings, God doesn’t want any leftovers to re-main. In Genesis 12:2, God blesses Abraham so he will be a blessing to others.

Charles Stanley writes: “A hoarded blessing is never enjoyed as richly as a shared one. Using your gift to meet someone else’s need glorifies God by demonstrat-ing his grace at work in your life. Don’t let his generous provisions end with you. Pass them on and discover the joy of a never-ending cycle of blessings.”

Use It All Up

Heritage Sunday Celebration on October 9, 2016

November, 2016

told him it was just a jet trail, but the boy

replied, “Not to me. It’s beautiful.”

That was an “aha!” moment for Hill.

“Why couldn’t a rainbow be white?” she

asks. “Maybe it was time to shift my

thinking. Perhaps there are ‘rainbows’

all around us; but since we only see

them a piece at a time, we mistake

them for something else. Miracles hap-

pen. We may not always notice them,

but they exist, and the choice to recog-

nize a miracle is up to each of us.”

Members and friends of Ogallala

First United Methodist Church had rea-

son to celebrate on Sunday, October 9,

as they marked 130 years of Methodist/

United Methodist ministry in the com-

munity. The congregation has been

worshipping in the current sanctuary for

65 years.

Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr., newly ap-

pointed to the Great Plains Conference,

was the speaker for they day, so Pastor

Chuck got to sit back and relax!

A special dinner, held at the Quality

Inn, followed the worship service. Din-

ers were treated to special music by

pianist Lisa Albee, a group of volunteer

adults and the younger group of Son-

Shilne Singers.

Longtime members of the United

Methodist Church were honored with

certificates and pins. Thirty-four mem-

bers were recognized for 50-59 years of

service, fifty-one members in the 60–

74 year group and four loyal stalwarts

who have been a part of the Church for

75 years or more.

Great fun was had by all!!

When Joan Luise Hill’s son sur-

vived a dire medical diagnosis, two

friends recognized that divine interven-

tion had occurred. Hill wasn’t so sure,

though. “How could I have experienced

a personal miracle in today’s world?”

she writes in The Miracle Chase

(Sterling Ethos). “Wasn’t that some-

thing that only happened in the Bible or

to someone else?”

Then one day, during a visit to the

park, Hill learned a lesson about every-

day miracles. “There’s a white rain-

bow!” shouted her 5-year-old son. She

50-59 year members

Sunday,

October 9

Everyday Miracles

The Messenger

Election Day Tuesday,

November 8

130 Years of Methodism in Ogallala, Nebraska

humans to completely forget harm done

to us, even when we want to forgive.

On the other hand, like Barton, we

can consciously choose not to ruminate

on an offense, as a cow does its cud.

We can opt not to bring up past hurts

during present disagreements, and we

can intentionally not recount someone’s

sin to a third party, hoping they’ll take

our side. In the process of “choosing to

forget” the wrong done to us, surely

we’ll also find it easier to forgive.

60-74 year members

Celebrating Our Heritage!

Clara Barton, founder of the Ameri-

can Red Cross, was said to never hold

grudges. One day someone reminded

her of an offense that another person

had committed against her. “Don’t you

remember?” the friend pressed. “No,”

Barton replied. “I distinctly remember

forgetting that.”

Forgiving and forgetting are not pre-

cisely the same. While God declares

that he’ll “remember [our] sin no

more” (Jeremiah 31:34), it’s tough for

Forgive and Let Go

If you have ideas, pictures or

articles to submit for the December

issue of The Messenger, please

have them turned in no later than

Friday, November 18, 2016. This

is a little earlier than the usual dead-

line because of the Thanksgiving

holiday. Earlier submissions would

definitely be accepted and appreci-

ated!

Submissions may be made to

the Church Office, or you may e-

mail them directly to your newsletter

editor at:

[email protected].

Thanks so much for your help!

November, 2016

Love in Action

Fiddler on the Roof, the 1964 musi-

cal about an Orthodox Jewish family

navigating cultural change, includes a

duet by the main character, Tevye, and

his wife, Golde. As they watch their

daughters marry for love, they contem-

plate their own arranged marriage.

“Do you love me?” Tevye sings.

After first deflecting the question, Golde

recounts the many things she’s done for

or with him during 25 years together —

cooked, cleaned, endured hardships,

raised a family. She concludes, “If that’s

not love, what is?”

When Jesus speaks of love, he us-

es a word that might be better translat-

ed as “serve.” Above all, love is an ac-

tion. Sometimes we feel loving; some-

times not. But Jesus calls us always to

act lovingly. And in the end, serving is

the best way to show our love.

Safeway Community Giving

Cards are still available. This is a way

of helping your church raise money

simply by doing your normal grocery

shopping at the Safeway store. Each

card is sold for $5.00 and is pre-loaded

with $5.00 of purchasing power. You

may reload the card at any time and as

often as you like.

Talk to Teresa Davis (284-8262) or

any Finance Committee member for

more information about the Safeway

cards. Cards are available for purchase

in the Church Office anytime during reg-

ular office hours.

Safeway Cards Available

Answer Key to Puzzle on

Page 6

FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER

18

YOUR CHURCH

OFFICE WILL BE

CLOSED

ON THURSDAY,

NOVEMBER 24.

AND FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER 25

Nov. 6 Greeters 9:00 Roger & Judi Adkins, Barbara Draucker Fellowship Penny Benda Nursery 9:00 Judy Cross, Kelly Smith Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Jonnie Peterson Ushers 9:00 Group 1: John Stulich, Lonnie Peters Craig Draucker, Jeff Peterson, Jim Persinger Nov. 13 Greeters 9:00 Dennis & Teresa Davis, Lyle & Barbara Nootz Fellowship Carmen Troxel Nursery 9:00 Shelly Reil Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Pastor Chuck Rager Ushers 9:00 Group 2: Steve Shull, Burrell Albee, Terry Johnson, Jerry Speck, Richard Johnson Nov. 20 Greeters 9:00 Brian & Claudia Stevenson, Cena Graves Fellowship Herb & Karen Knudsen Nursery 9:00 Ken & Chris Snyder Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Penny Benda Ushers 9:00 Group 3: Dennis & Teresa Davis, John & Sharon York, Todd & Kim Peterson, Wendell & Ramona Upright Nov. 27 Greeters 9:00 Judy Cross, Ted & Jean Slagle Fellowship ? ? ? ? Nursery 9:00 Ryan & Rose Holechek Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Ginny Steinke Ushers 9:00 Group 4: Roger Rankin, Pete Peterson, Phil Armstrong Ken Meyer Dec. 4 Greeters 9:00 Don & Shirley Bassett, Doug & Linda Fuller Fellowship Larry & Shirley Schlem, Doris Keller Nursery 9:00 Collette Van Borkum Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Carmen Troxel Ushers 9:00 Group 5: Jim Glenn, Mike Samuelson, Gerold Radcliffe, Todd Benda Dec. 11 Greeters 9:00 L.D. & Sherri Walker, Bev Johnson Fellowship Ted & Jean Slagle Nursery 9:00 Shalee Krajewski Acolyte 9:00 TBA Children’s Moment 9:00 Jonnie Peterson Ushers 9:00 Group 6: Larry & Shirley Schlem,Lyle & Barbara Nootz, Chuck & Nancy Graff, Larry & Doris Keller, John & Sheila Turner

If you would like to have your name added to the rosters for any of the service opportunities listed above, please contact the church office.

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Permit No. 74

Our Vision: “To be a dynamic church, sharing and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ”

Our Mission: “To love God, love each other and extend that love beyond our church”

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