fumc messenger 2 15
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FEBUARY
2015
FROM PASTOR JERRY’S DESK
Magic, Meaning, and Mystery
In the early days of the Reformation, three great leaders came together to talk
about supporting each other. These three were Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and
John Calvin. It didn’t work; the three had too many theological differences
themselves to work together. What was the primary difference between them?
The meaning and significance of Communion. The Church remains divided on
what to make of this central practice in our faith – not just three views, but a
thousand. Let me offer a wider picture. Imagine a spectrum, with the words
Magic and Meaning at the two ends.
MAGIC MEANING
On one extreme are those who see Communion as having an almost magical
power. The bread and the cup are like salvation pills, and if you take them
regularly, your sins are forgiven. It doesn’t matter if you understand what
Communion is about. It doesn’t even matter if you repent of your sins. All that
matters is that the right words were said over them by the right personnel. This
magical view has never been the official doctrine of any church, but it has been a
common popular understanding. Picture a pre-Vatican II Catholic priest, back to
the congregation, mumbling words in Latin then handing out wafers to envision
this extreme.
On the other extreme is the view that I grew up with in the Southern Baptist
Convention. There I was taught that Communion had no power at all. All that
mattered was its meaning. We didn’t even call it a sacrament. It was an
“ordinance,” which we did because Jesus told us to, and the only purpose it
served was to illustrate the story of Jesus’ death for our sins. It was an acted-out
sermon illustration, nothing more. Result: we did Communion as seldom as
possible, because it was basically pointless and just made us late to the Piccadilly
Cafeteria after church.
Fortunately, somewhere between these extremes is another possible understand-
ing. Yes, the meaning of Communion matters, but it is more than an object
lesson. I have seen its power too often. I think of Jim, the old gentleman with
mental illness who only let me into his tiny apartment because I brought him
Communion. Through sharing the bread and cup, we became friends. I think of
Geraldine, who on her deathbed responded to almost nothing, but who stretched
forward for Communion. She could only swallow thickened liquids at that point,
so I gently anointed her lips with the Blood of Christ, that she could taste and see
how gracious the Lord is. Neither of these two saints experienced the presence of
God in the sacrament as a point of doctrine. They experienced Christ directly.
Here is the middle ground.
MAGIC MYSTERY MEANING
As Christians, we follow Jesus of Nazareth, who was entirely human, and yet was
something more. How perfect, then, that we remember this Lord in a Sacrament
that consists of sharing normal bread and juice – but that is yet something more.
Through the Season of Lent, we will be holding a weekly lunch hour Communion
in the Chapel on Thursdays – beginning on the 19th. Come taste and see how
gracious the Lord is.
Ash Wednesday, February 18
12:15pm - Noon hour service in Chapel
7:00pm - Joint Service at First Presbyterian Church
Lenten Sermon Series: “Means of Grace”
Sunday, February 22
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Means of Grace”
Mark 12:28-34
* * * * * * *
Throughout Lent, we will have a
Thursday noon-hour Communion
service in the Chapel, 12:15 - 12:45 pm -
begins February 19 and concludes March 19.
*We observe Open Communion. All are welcome at
God’s table.
Sunday, February 1
8:00am - Morning Chapel with Communion *
10:00am - Worship with Communion*
“Different People?”
Isaiah 56:3-8
Sunday, February 8
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“A Faithful People”
Daniel 6
Sunday, February 15
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“A New People”
Acts 10:1-8
Church Purpose:Church Purpose:Church Purpose:
Live and Share God's LoveLive and Share God's Love
NON PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 542
WAUSAU, WI 54403
The Messenger First United Methodist Church of Wausau
903 Third Street
Wausau, WI 54403
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone 715 842-2201 Website: www.fumcwausau.org
STAFF
Pastor: Gerald Morris
Music Ministry Coordinator: Susan Hamilton
Faith Formation Coordinator: Leo Jacoby
Building Engineer: Andy White
Accounts & Records Supervisor: Karen Kellbach
Secretary: Arlene Trull
903 Third St; Wausau, WI 54403
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs - 9:00am-4:00pm
Web-site: www.fumcwausau.org
E-mail: [email protected]
I cannot begin to say thank you enough for the generous spirit of First United Methodist Church. No matter where I turn – you are willing to give and give freely. I praise God that people still exist that ask nothing in return. I am truly witnessing the generous spirit of God – He gives and asks nothing in return except that we are obedient to his law and love one another as He has loved us. - Susan
To practical matters – no sooner is the Christ child born than it is onward to His death, crucifixion and resurrection. Planning is well underway for a series of beautiful and significant Lenten and Easter services. Our Ash Wednesday service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, February 18th. Again this year, we will share this service with First Presbyterian Church and Grace UCC.
The choir is in full swing! The Jubilate Bells have many exciting numbers in store for the congregation. During the Lenten season and Holy Week, you will experience the passion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through scriptures, symbols and music.
Wednesday, February 18th - Ash Wednesday Worship Services:
12:15pm - FUMC Memorial Chapel
7:00pm - First Presbyterian Church with combined choirs
from Grace UCC, First Presbyterian Church and
our own Chancel Choir
Each year the Wisconsin River Chapter of the American Guild of Organists hosts a
series of organ concerts during Lent. We will be holding the recitals on Fridays.
The dates are February 27th, March 6th, 13th, 20th, and 28th. These recitals are
approximately 30 minutes long and will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 501 Stewart
Ave. Recitals begin at 12:15pm.
Bob and Joan Keener
Chad, Mandy,
Cheyenne, and Brynn
Shepp
OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:
2015 United Methodist Women Sunday
Officers for the coming year and Special Recognition Pin to Sara Roquemore
UMW Sunshine Gals led
by Arlene Trull
Ray Nowaczky, John
Ohnstad and Project
Ramp Up
Pastor Jerry unlocks the
Book of Revelation
Diane Zahn creates a beat
with the children Youth Lock-In and Breakfast
“Teenagers in the Kitchen”
Following the lock-in, our youth helped with the Personal
Needs Closet
Page 10
Resources for Ministry Financial Update - December 2014 YTD
FUMC Wired
Website: fumcwausau.org
With links to the weekly sermon
(text and podcast)
facebook.com/WausauFUMC
WiFi Network: FUMC Public
(password: fumcpublic)
Revenue Expense
Pledged Offering $ 245,109.90 Salaries & Benefits $ 229,592.16
Non-Pledged Offering $ 53,321.18 Programming $ 30,208.49
Other $ 82,394.83 Apportionments to Conference $ 54,948.00
Building Operating Expenses $ 66,077.26
Total Revenue $ 380,825.91 Total Expenses $ 380,825.91
Net YTD $ 0.00
YTD 2014 Pledged & Non-Pledged Offerings compared to YTD 2013 4,051.72 higher
YTD 2014 Total Expenses compared to YTD 2013 1,193.92 lower
YTD 2014 Other Income compared to YTD 2013 6,063.12 higher
YTD 2014 Endowment Transfer compared to 2013 9,922.11 higher
On Being Good Neighbors
When Jesus said to love our neighbors as
ourselves, did he really mean those people
across the back fence? Or, in the case of our
church, across the parking lot? Evidently so.
And as it happens, we have good neighbors.
Sure there have been conflicts - usually times
when we all wanted to use the parking lot at
the same time, a problem usually due to poor
communication - but we have stuck to it and
kept trying to sort things out together.
It still took us by surprise to discover last
month that the Marathon County Historical
Society had budgeted money in 2015 to help us
pay for snow removal in the Fulton lot. Thank
you MCHS! Good neighbors matter.
Lay Leaders at First
The United Methodist Church runs on the commitment and
energy of its laity, or it doesn’t run at all. Without the time
and effort given by those who volunteer in our ministries
and serve on our teams and committees, we wouldn’t even
be able to survive, let alone continue looking for new
ministries and ways to serve God and others, as we do.
Some of our lay leaders plan and carry out the ministries of
the church on what we call the “Program Teams.” Others
have the less glamorous but just as necessary task of making
sure we go about our ministry prudently - these are what we
call the “Resource Teams.” There is not space on this page
to list all our volunteers (a full list is in the office), but here
are the people who have begun new roles in 2015:
Lay Leader
Mike Zahn
Lay Representative to Conf.
Bonnie Goertz
Lay Circuit Representative
Jennifer Johnson
Ministries Council
Danielle Del Conte
Lay Leadership Team
Gary Getzin
Mission Team
Tom Kelley
Faith Formation Team
Mary Virginia Quarles
Welcome / Communications
Brittney Johnson
Karen Beck
Staff-Parish
Mark Johnson (Chair)
Mark Milne
Finance
Eldon Horton
Stan Schacht
Pivet Scholarship
Jack Zei
CARE
Page 3
Savvy Seniors
will meet at 11:30
am at El Mezcal
Restaurant on Rib
Mountain Drive
o n M o n d a y ,
February 2.
Milestones
Deaths: We grieve this month with
the loss of these members of our
church or of our families.
David Johnston, husband of our
member Jacquelyn Johnston, now
living in Lake Tomahawk, died on
December 5, 2014.
Ruth Church, long-time member
of our congregation, died December
26, 2014.
Martha Horton, mother of Eldon
Horton, died on January 6.
Irene Rayborn, mother of Dick
Rayborn, grandmother of Jennifer
Smith, died on January 7.
Mary Christianson, sister of Gary
Getzin, died on January 15.
Births: And we rejoice with
Nathaniel and Christine (Rye)
Melville, on the birth of their
daughter, Emalee Marie Melville,
on January 11.
Community Garden?
The churches of Downtown Wausau are exploring a new avenue for working
together for the sake of others: a community garden. The Roman Catholic
parish of St Michael’s and Resurrection owns a couple of acres off Townline
Road that they would like to make available for this purpose. We could
grow fresh food there to give away through local food pantries. This could
empower people who have no access to tillable land to grow food for
themselves. We could introduce children to the joy and miracle of fresh
food that you have nurtured yourself.
Here’s what we need, though. We need one or two people from the different
churches who feel strongly enough about this idea to sit down together and
organize it. If you are that person, contact Pastor Jerry.
1 Carrie Asplund Bill Owen Fran Plaza 2 Thomas Schmoldt 7 Warren Fabel Gregory Chang Susan Chang Geraldine Slock Ethan Morris 8 Jason Majernik 9 Tom Bedora Jordan Fischer 10 Sarah Cowan Cameron Milne Autumn Seiser
12 Josie Rybarczyk Jason Weiland 14 Cati Quiros 16 Erik Anderson Anjali Dvorak 17 Damon Cole 18 Krista Maguire 19 Anna Schreiber 20 Victoria Osen Bob Rybarczyk Ben Kissinger
21 Jaden Love Marley Butler 22 Elsie Campbell 23 Pat Higgins 25 Kirke Sauer Sue Marquardt Danielle Del Conte 27 Bernice Kohlman Wes Ebert David Quiros 28 Patricia Krause Lelynd Hassberg 29 Heather Miller
Ramp Up Marathon County
A new ministry is forming here in our area - with some of our members
among the founding fathers. Ramp Up Marathon County has the goal of
building ramps on homes to make them handicap-accessible, enabling
seniors to remain longer in the homes they love. RUMC and our church
are studying the possibility of working in official partnership. Our own
Ray Nowaczyk has been with the group from the beginning and so far
has involved Wes Ebert, Jerry Evans, and John Ohnstad. But there is
room for more. There is a need for volunteers for all tasks, from design
and lead carpenter to sealing and fixing lunch.
Volunteers will be trained
on all tools and tasks and
only need to complete
those tasks they are com-
fortable with.
Pictured at left are Ray
Nowaczyk and John
Ohnstad, working on a
ramp last fall.
CARE / OUTREACH UNITED
METHODIST
WOMEN
Circle Meetings:
February 11
Mary Faith Circle - 9:30am
February 12
Love Hope Circle - 5:30pm
- Hiawatha Restaurant
Other Upcoming Events:
February 1
Souper Bowl Sunday
February 4
Sunshine Gals - 9:30am
February 5
Executive Committee - 6:30pm
February 27-28
Spiritual Growth Retreat - St.
Anthony’s Spiritual Center
(Call Diane Zahn at
715-470-3084 for more
information.)
Page 4
A Grateful Guest
The December gathering of the Downtown Memory Café had gone well.
The theme had been “Games,” and our guests had laughed and played
and mostly just talked around the tables for an hour and a half. There
were 26 guests that day. That was down slightly from the high of 30 we
had had in November; but of those 26, five were there for the first time.
Five people had heard about this safe place where they could relax and
talk without worrying about whether they had said the wrong thing, and
they had come to see.
There is nothing very complicated about what happens during the
Memory Café. The sessions are so simple, in fact, that it can feel
strange that it has attracted so much attention and so many guests. It’s
really just an hour of chatting with friends. But then you think, What if
you no longer had the chance to chat with friends? How would you feel
about being given the gift of doing that again?
After the café was done, Maggie Schoenfeld came up to me with
something in her hands. “Jerry,” she said, “I have a donation. One of
our new people asked me if we needed any money to support our work.
I told him that it was all covered, and there was no charge, but he
wanted to give us something anyway.” Then she handed me two
crumpled dollar bills. That’s how one person felt about the gift of the
Memory Café.
Souper Bowl Sunday
Plan on soup for lunch
this Sunday, February 1.
The UMW will have
soup for sale
in the Parlor
all Sunday morning.
Page 9
Disciples in the Making ...All the Time
Wednesday ChurchFamily Nights Two more nights of our Winter Wednesday series with
a meal catered by The Mint Café: February 4: Swiss Steak February 11: Roast Turkey ...followed by Children’s Music Class, 5:45-6:15pm;
children’s activities until 7:30pm; and adult study of the Book of Revelation with Pastor Jerry.
February 18: We begin the season of Lent with a 12:15pm service in Chapel; and a 7:00pm Joint Service at First Presbyterian Church. (No meal here before service.)
February 25: Resume mid-week gatherings at FUMC with a focus on “Practicing Our Faith” (see description below). We are not scheduling catered meals from The Mint Café during Lent, but we are open to suggestions to share some simple Lenten repast before the adult class. Let us know your meal preferences for five Wednesdays between Ash Wednesday and Holy Week.
PRACTICING OUR FAITH Lent is a time for examining ourselves and our own
spiritual walks, and there are as many different ways to approach this time as there are individuals.
We will explore one way to look at our faith journeys during worship on Sunday mornings. We will examine other approaches on five Wednesday evenings in Lent
from February 25 to March 25 at 6:15pm in the Parlor.
Adults and older youth are invited to these informal discussions. To get a head start readers may borrow or buy a book we will be using: Practicing Our Faith, edited by Dorothy Bass. Let us know if you want us to order a copy for you from Janke Bookstore ($16 with discount.) Find other resources at www.practicingourfaith.org
Adult Bible Study — Every Sunday You are always welcome to drop in on the ongoing
Bible study that meets in the B. K. Smith Room during the education hour, 8:45-9:45am each Sunday.
February topics are “Stewardship for Life”
Feb. 1: Feasting and Fasting (Daniel 1:5, 8-17; Matthew 6:16-18; 9:9-17)
Feb. 8: Serving Neighbors, Serving God (Luke 10:25-34)
Feb. 15: Serving the Least (Matthew 25:31-46)
Feb. 22: Clothed and Ready (Ephesians 6:10-20)
Faith Quest Children in grades 2-5 just completed a study of the ten
commandments and now are learning about parables.
WESLEYAN RETREAT February 27 (5:15pm) to February
28 (3:00pm) the churches of our Circuit 9 retreat to Pine Lake Conference Center to explore our Methodist heri-tage. Ideal for our confirmands and any-one else who wants to know more about who we are. Find a complete schedule, sign-up sheet and registration form in the Parlor or ask that one be sent to you. The deadline for return of the form and fee to Christ UMC in Merrill is February 16.
Fee for three meals, lodging and materials is $35 (14 and younger) or $50 (over 14). Adults can upgrade to a room with bath in the Retreat Center ($65 single or $35 double occupancy).
Don’t let expense keep you away. Ask for scholarship assistance from FUMC. Winter or summer Pine Lake Camp, near Westfield, is worth the trip! We can car pool!
WINTER FAMILY CAMP Mark February 20-21 on your calendar for the FUMC
“Family Winter Camp,” a fun-filled weekend for all ages! Details and sign-up are available in the Parlor. We will meet at FUMC Friday Night, at 5:30pm, for a potluck dinner, board games, "campfire", and fellowship. Option is to sleep over at church or in your home.
On Saturday, we will make breakfast for overnight campers; others can join us by 9:00am for small groups to go sledding and other activities depending on interest and equipment (sleigh ride, snowshoeing, skiing down hill or cross country).
Campers are asked to bring winter enthusiasm and a donation for the Personal Needs Closet.
Sylvan Hill Tubing We thank St. Anne’s and other
Catholic churches for inviting our youth for a tubing night, January 28. Several of our youth expressed interest in going.
LOVE IN FEBRUARY! We have shifted an opportunity for couples to enrich
their relationship from Wednesday Night to Sunday after worship. First try: Sunday, February 1, at 11:15am in the Fellowship Hall—bring some food to share for a light brunch (or buy and heat up some UMW soup). After we eat couples will practice guided conversation while any children enjoy a movie in the Theater Room. Participants will decide on additional gatherings, and a date night or other option for Valentine’s Day, Saturday the 14th.
Youth or adults who can help supervise the nursery for
a Date Night, please talk to Leo.
FAITH FORMATION
Page 8
God Is Forming All of Us...
Youth Lock-In — Friday, January 23 Seven youth had fun: Ali buul, Karli Johnson, Chloé,
Lincoln and London Larson, Jaden Love, Courtney Rohland! Their comments: “Was awesome, had lots of fun, everyone was fun all night;” “Exciting;” “Always fun!!!” “Fun to be at.” Rumor is the girls got more sleep than the boys this time.
In the morning after breakfast, youth assisted with the Personal Needs Closet. Comments: “Nice to help other people.” “Fun, good to help people in need.” “Boys could have helped more.”
Suggestions for future lock-ins: arranging swim time at the YMCA; play hide ‘n seek in all the building’s dark nooks and crannies; play a treasure hunt; invite a friend and bring more people to have games with.
We appreciate the initiative of the Larsons to ask for another lock-in; generosity of adult companions: Carrie Hockerman (night watch,) Leo Jacoby, Jen Marzu (early shift,) and Mike Zahn; and our youth’s outreach service.
I-Statements — A Conversation Tip Accepting responsibility for your feelings is one of the
most important communication skills you can acquire. A good rule of thumb is: "If you have a problem, make an I-Statement. Instead, we tend to blame others for making us feel the way we do. It is important to be aware that personal opinions sound like facts when one uses a form of "am" or "is," such as "you are...," "I am...," "it is..." and so on. Furthermore, in addition to sounding factual, such statements imply the whole person is a certain way and will be forever. Example: "You are selfish" is a pronouncement which implies that there are no unselfish traits anywhere in the person's personality.
It would be much more accurate and effective to say: "I resent it when you make plans for the entire family without asking what the rest of us want to do."
I-Statements include: 1) "I feel… (state your emotion); 2) when you….(describe their behavior or under what conditions you feel this way); 3) because… (explain why their behavior or the conditions cause you to feel this way). I-Statements are more constructive than command-ing, threatening, moralizing, judging, ultimatums, mind-reading or other behaviors that create defensiveness.
--> htttp://www.austincc.edu/colangelo/1318/istatements.htm
Community Shabbat On Friday, January 23, Mt. Sinai Congregation hosted
their annual Community Shabbat. Seventeen adults and youth from FUMC prayed the traditional weekly service with our Jewish neighbors. Many prayers and hymns were in Hebrew, and one in Aramaic. Two words rang a bell with Methodist ears: “alleluia” and “amen.”
Youth attending were Ali buul, Karli Johnson, Jaden Love, Courtney Rohland, Remi and Danielle Taylor. They found the experience “fun” and “interesting.” Karli said, “It was a good experience, very different, but different is good!”
Courtney especially enjoyed seeing the Torah Scrolls; how they are “dressed” like a high priest with a robe, belt and crown; encased in the Holy Ark (Aron haKodesh—the holiest place in the Synagogue); and brought out and processed around the room before a reading.
Each Shabbat, a portion of the Torah is read, advancing until the entire five books of Moses are completed. This week Rabbi Dan Danson read from the Shemot ("names") (we know as the Book of Exodus—"The Road Out").
In his remarks, Rabbi Danson shared that glimmers of hope shine from the Mideast, such as his daughter studying there and volunteering at a Palestinian refugee camp. Christian and Muslim friends joined her for dinner and a discussion in which they discovered they have more in common than differences.
At least one Muslim was present at the Shabbat (Ali, Dan & Jen’s houseguest) so we, too, were bridging across different faith traditions.
Ask adults who participated about their experience: Bob & Yvonne Firary, Bonnie Goertz, Leo Jacoby, Mark & Jen Johnson, Dan & Jen Marzu, Beth Rohland, Gbemi Taylor, and Mike Zahn. Shalom!
PIVET SCHOLARSHIP!
All full members entering college or graduate school
this fall are invited to apply for the Helen & Leonard
Pivet Scholarship, a four-year renewable grant. Both
beginning and continuing students are encouraged to
apply. Application forms are in the Office or on the
website, and are due in the church office by 4:00pm,
Monday, March 2. Pro Tip: Start early to give your
references time to write their letters.
OUTREACH
Guatemala Mission Trip
One of the most powerful growing experiences for a Christian is a
mission trip. Getting away from one’s day to day life and spending
a concerted block of time serving others can be a life-changing
time. This is why we take our Confirmands on a mission trip.
This is why we always support the Red Cliff mission trip in June.
We’ve been trying for a couple of years now to take the next step
and sponsor an overseas mission trip. Most of you know how that
turned out: South Sudan fell into Civil War before we could make
it to work at Africa ELI. That’s ongoing. The state department
has just issued another South Sudan travel warning.
But another possibility has come up. The Mosinee United
Methodist Church has invited us to join them on the mission trip
that they have planned for Guatemala during Thanksgiving Week
(Nov. 21-29). The trip is to “Mission Guatemala,” an established
United Methodist project in San Andres Semetabaj, in the
highlands. They operate a medical clinic, a dental clinic, a
preschool, a nutrition center, and two feeding centers.
Mission Guatemala is set up for mission groups and has a hostel
there, where local meals cooked according to US food safety
standards are served. Tasks are varied - from working with
children to doing construction, to helping in their feeding and
community ministries. Because of the wide range of tasks,
children as young as 8 (accompanied by parents) are welcome.
The cost, including airfare, is only about $1,500 per person.
Are you interested? Anyone who would like to be a part of this
trip should contact Pastor Jerry or Jen Marzu for more information
(and/or check out www.missionguatemala.com). Whether we will
be sending anyone from our congregation or not, we intend to join
Mosinee in fund-raising to help out those who would like to go
but for whom the cost is a barrier.
But it sure would be nice to send some of our own people.
February Mission Offering
Personal Needs Closet
In February, our special mission offering
will go to support one of our own
ministries, the Personal Needs Closet.
This should hardly be surprising. We
designate two different months a year for
the PNC, besides all the collections of
toilet paper and shampoo and so on.
But here’s what you need to know: the
PNC is broke. As time has passed, and we
have started new ministries, this outreach
has sort of faded into the background in
many of our minds, and some its support
has slipped. We have a separate fund,
designated for the PNC, from which our
leadership team shops to fill in all the
blanks on our shelves.
At the start of 2014, that fund had $584.28
in it. Over the course of the year, we
contributed $2,988.70. That’s a lot, but
it’s considerably less than the year before.
Meanwhile, we spent $4,429.96 in 2014,
which means that we are $856.98 in the
red to start 2015.
As you give in February, remember this
ministry and the thousands of lives it has
touched since we began it in 2010.
Page 5
Bring 4th Food
On February 22,
the canned and other
non-perishable foods
we collect will be given
to the First
Presbyterian Church
food pantry.
FEBRUARY 2015 Next Month
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion 8:30am Souper Bowl Sunday - UMW Fundraiser 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship - Communion 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 11:15am Family Brunch, Couples’ Conversation, Children’s Movie 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
2 11:30am Savvy Seniors - El Mezcal 3:00pm Communion, The Gardens 6:00pm Yoga
3
10:00am Program Staff
4
9:30am Sunshine Gals 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
5 8:30am AA 10:30am PNC Steering Committee 1:00pm Wills & Memorials Committee 6:30pm UMW Executive Committee
6
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
7
8
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
9
6:00pm Yoga
10 10:00am Full Staff 1:00pm Personal Needs Closet Open 5:30pm Board of Trustees
11 9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
12
8:30am AA 2:00pm Worship - Forest Park 5:30pm Love Hope UMW Circle - Hiawatha Restaurant
13
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
14
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due 8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
16
6:00pm Yoga
17 10:00am Program Staff 6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations Committee 7:00pm Finance Committee
18 ASH WEDNESDAY 12:15pm Ash Wednesday Worship 7:00pm Ash Wednesday Worship - First Presbyterian Church
19 8:30am AA 10:30am Downtown Memory Café 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel 6:00pm Missions Team 6:30pm Worship Design Team
20
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 5:30pm Family Winter Camp w/potluck
21
9:00am Family Winter Camp
22 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
23
6:00pm Yoga 7:00pm Ministries Council
24
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering 6:00pm Faith Formation 7:00pm Welcome and Communications
25
6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
26 8:30am AA 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel
27 Office Closed 5:15pm Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 4:00pm UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St Anthony’s Spirituality Center
28 Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 8:00am UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St. Anthony’s Spirituality Center 9:00am Personal Needs Closet Open
Page 6
FEBRUARY 2015 Next Month
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion 8:30am Souper Bowl Sunday - UMW Fundraiser 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship - Communion 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 11:15am Family Brunch, Couples’ Conversation, Children’s Movie 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
2 11:30am Savvy Seniors - El Mezcal 3:00pm Communion, The Gardens 6:00pm Yoga
3
10:00am Program Staff
4
9:30am Sunshine Gals 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
5 8:30am AA 10:30am PNC Steering Committee 1:00pm Wills & Memorials Committee 6:30pm UMW Executive Committee
6
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
7
8
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
9
6:00pm Yoga
10 10:00am Full Staff 1:00pm Personal Needs Closet Open 5:30pm Board of Trustees
11 9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
12
8:30am AA 2:00pm Worship - Forest Park 5:30pm Love Hope UMW Circle - Hiawatha Restaurant
13
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
14
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due 8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
16
6:00pm Yoga
17 10:00am Program Staff 6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations Committee 7:00pm Finance Committee
18 ASH WEDNESDAY 12:15pm Ash Wednesday Worship 7:00pm Ash Wednesday Worship - First Presbyterian Church
19 8:30am AA 10:30am Downtown Memory Café 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel 6:00pm Missions Team 6:30pm Worship Design Team
20
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 5:30pm Family Winter Camp w/potluck
21
9:00am Family Winter Camp
22 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
23
6:00pm Yoga 7:00pm Ministries Council
24
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering 6:00pm Faith Formation 7:00pm Welcome and Communications
25
6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
26 8:30am AA 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel
27 Office Closed 5:15pm Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 4:00pm UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St Anthony’s Spirituality Center
28 Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 8:00am UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St. Anthony’s Spirituality Center 9:00am Personal Needs Closet Open
Page 7
FEBRUARY 2015 Next Month
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion 8:30am Souper Bowl Sunday - UMW Fundraiser 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship - Communion 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 11:15am Family Brunch, Couples’ Conversation, Children’s Movie 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
2 11:30am Savvy Seniors - El Mezcal 3:00pm Communion, The Gardens 6:00pm Yoga
3
10:00am Program Staff
4
9:30am Sunshine Gals 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
5 8:30am AA 10:30am PNC Steering Committee 1:00pm Wills & Memorials Committee 6:30pm UMW Executive Committee
6
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
7
8
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
9
6:00pm Yoga
10 10:00am Full Staff 1:00pm Personal Needs Closet Open 5:30pm Board of Trustees
11 9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
12
8:30am AA 2:00pm Worship - Forest Park 5:30pm Love Hope UMW Circle - Hiawatha Restaurant
13
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
14
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due 8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
16
6:00pm Yoga
17 10:00am Program Staff 6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations Committee 7:00pm Finance Committee
18 ASH WEDNESDAY 12:15pm Ash Wednesday Worship 7:00pm Ash Wednesday Worship - First Presbyterian Church
19 8:30am AA 10:30am Downtown Memory Café 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel 6:00pm Missions Team 6:30pm Worship Design Team
20
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 5:30pm Family Winter Camp w/potluck
21
9:00am Family Winter Camp
22 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
23
6:00pm Yoga 7:00pm Ministries Council
24
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering 6:00pm Faith Formation 7:00pm Welcome and Communications
25
6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
26 8:30am AA 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel
27 Office Closed 5:15pm Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 4:00pm UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St Anthony’s Spirituality Center
28 Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 8:00am UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St. Anthony’s Spirituality Center 9:00am Personal Needs Closet Open
Page 6
FEBRUARY 2015 Next Month
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion 8:30am Souper Bowl Sunday - UMW Fundraiser 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship - Communion 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 11:15am Family Brunch, Couples’ Conversation, Children’s Movie 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
2 11:30am Savvy Seniors - El Mezcal 3:00pm Communion, The Gardens 6:00pm Yoga
3
10:00am Program Staff
4
9:30am Sunshine Gals 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
5 8:30am AA 10:30am PNC Steering Committee 1:00pm Wills & Memorials Committee 6:30pm UMW Executive Committee
6
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
7
8
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
9
6:00pm Yoga
10 10:00am Full Staff 1:00pm Personal Needs Closet Open 5:30pm Board of Trustees
11 9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle 5:15pm Meal 5:45pm Children's Music Class 6:15pm Adult Class 6:15pm Nursery / Children’s Activities 6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
12
8:30am AA 2:00pm Worship - Forest Park 5:30pm Love Hope UMW Circle - Hiawatha Restaurant
13
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class
14
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due 8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
16
6:00pm Yoga
17 10:00am Program Staff 6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations Committee 7:00pm Finance Committee
18 ASH WEDNESDAY 12:15pm Ash Wednesday Worship 7:00pm Ash Wednesday Worship - First Presbyterian Church
19 8:30am AA 10:30am Downtown Memory Café 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel 6:00pm Missions Team 6:30pm Worship Design Team
20
Office Closed 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 5:30pm Family Winter Camp w/potluck
21
9:00am Family Winter Camp
22 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
8:00am Morning Chapel 8:45am Education Hour 10:00am Worship 10:00am New Life UMC Worship 11:00am Coffee Hour 1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
23
6:00pm Yoga 7:00pm Ministries Council
24
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering 6:00pm Faith Formation 7:00pm Welcome and Communications
25
6:30pm Jubilate Bells 7:30pm Chancel Choir
26 8:30am AA 12:15pm Lenten Communion Chapel
27 Office Closed 5:15pm Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 4:00pm New Life UMC Class 4:00pm UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St Anthony’s Spirituality Center
28 Wesleyan Retreat - Pine Lake 8:00am UMW Spiritual Prayer Retreat - St. Anthony’s Spirituality Center 9:00am Personal Needs Closet Open
Page 7
FAITH FORMATION
Page 8
God Is Forming All of Us...
Youth Lock-In — Friday, January 23 Seven youth had fun: Ali buul, Karli Johnson, Chloé,
Lincoln and London Larson, Jaden Love, Courtney Rohland! Their comments: “Was awesome, had lots of fun, everyone was fun all night;” “Exciting;” “Always fun!!!” “Fun to be at.” Rumor is the girls got more sleep than the boys this time.
In the morning after breakfast, youth assisted with the Personal Needs Closet. Comments: “Nice to help other people.” “Fun, good to help people in need.” “Boys could have helped more.”
Suggestions for future lock-ins: arranging swim time at the YMCA; play hide ‘n seek in all the building’s dark nooks and crannies; play a treasure hunt; invite a friend and bring more people to have games with.
We appreciate the initiative of the Larsons to ask for another lock-in; generosity of adult companions: Carrie Hockerman (night watch,) Leo Jacoby, Jen Marzu (early shift,) and Mike Zahn; and our youth’s outreach service.
I-Statements — A Conversation Tip Accepting responsibility for your feelings is one of the
most important communication skills you can acquire. A good rule of thumb is: "If you have a problem, make an I-Statement. Instead, we tend to blame others for making us feel the way we do. It is important to be aware that personal opinions sound like facts when one uses a form of "am" or "is," such as "you are...," "I am...," "it is..." and so on. Furthermore, in addition to sounding factual, such statements imply the whole person is a certain way and will be forever. Example: "You are selfish" is a pronouncement which implies that there are no unselfish traits anywhere in the person's personality.
It would be much more accurate and effective to say: "I resent it when you make plans for the entire family without asking what the rest of us want to do."
I-Statements include: 1) "I feel… (state your emotion); 2) when you….(describe their behavior or under what conditions you feel this way); 3) because… (explain why their behavior or the conditions cause you to feel this way). I-Statements are more constructive than command-ing, threatening, moralizing, judging, ultimatums, mind-reading or other behaviors that create defensiveness.
--> htttp://www.austincc.edu/colangelo/1318/istatements.htm
Community Shabbat On Friday, January 23, Mt. Sinai Congregation hosted
their annual Community Shabbat. Seventeen adults and youth from FUMC prayed the traditional weekly service with our Jewish neighbors. Many prayers and hymns were in Hebrew, and one in Aramaic. Two words rang a bell with Methodist ears: “alleluia” and “amen.”
Youth attending were Ali buul, Karli Johnson, Jaden Love, Courtney Rohland, Remi and Danielle Taylor. They found the experience “fun” and “interesting.” Karli said, “It was a good experience, very different, but different is good!”
Courtney especially enjoyed seeing the Torah Scrolls; how they are “dressed” like a high priest with a robe, belt and crown; encased in the Holy Ark (Aron haKodesh—the holiest place in the Synagogue); and brought out and processed around the room before a reading.
Each Shabbat, a portion of the Torah is read, advancing until the entire five books of Moses are completed. This week Rabbi Dan Danson read from the Shemot ("names") (we know as the Book of Exodus—"The Road Out").
In his remarks, Rabbi Danson shared that glimmers of hope shine from the Mideast, such as his daughter studying there and volunteering at a Palestinian refugee camp. Christian and Muslim friends joined her for dinner and a discussion in which they discovered they have more in common than differences.
At least one Muslim was present at the Shabbat (Ali, Dan & Jen’s houseguest) so we, too, were bridging across different faith traditions.
Ask adults who participated about their experience: Bob & Yvonne Firary, Bonnie Goertz, Leo Jacoby, Mark & Jen Johnson, Dan & Jen Marzu, Beth Rohland, Gbemi Taylor, and Mike Zahn. Shalom!
PIVET SCHOLARSHIP!
All full members entering college or graduate school
this fall are invited to apply for the Helen & Leonard
Pivet Scholarship, a four-year renewable grant. Both
beginning and continuing students are encouraged to
apply. Application forms are in the Office or on the
website, and are due in the church office by 4:00pm,
Monday, March 2. Pro Tip: Start early to give your
references time to write their letters.
OUTREACH
Guatemala Mission Trip
One of the most powerful growing experiences for a Christian is a
mission trip. Getting away from one’s day to day life and spending
a concerted block of time serving others can be a life-changing
time. This is why we take our Confirmands on a mission trip.
This is why we always support the Red Cliff mission trip in June.
We’ve been trying for a couple of years now to take the next step
and sponsor an overseas mission trip. Most of you know how that
turned out: South Sudan fell into Civil War before we could make
it to work at Africa ELI. That’s ongoing. The state department
has just issued another South Sudan travel warning.
But another possibility has come up. The Mosinee United
Methodist Church has invited us to join them on the mission trip
that they have planned for Guatemala during Thanksgiving Week
(Nov. 21-29). The trip is to “Mission Guatemala,” an established
United Methodist project in San Andres Semetabaj, in the
highlands. They operate a medical clinic, a dental clinic, a
preschool, a nutrition center, and two feeding centers.
Mission Guatemala is set up for mission groups and has a hostel
there, where local meals cooked according to US food safety
standards are served. Tasks are varied - from working with
children to doing construction, to helping in their feeding and
community ministries. Because of the wide range of tasks,
children as young as 8 (accompanied by parents) are welcome.
The cost, including airfare, is only about $1,500 per person.
Are you interested? Anyone who would like to be a part of this
trip should contact Pastor Jerry or Jen Marzu for more information
(and/or check out www.missionguatemala.com). Whether we will
be sending anyone from our congregation or not, we intend to join
Mosinee in fund-raising to help out those who would like to go
but for whom the cost is a barrier.
But it sure would be nice to send some of our own people.
February Mission Offering
Personal Needs Closet
In February, our special mission offering
will go to support one of our own
ministries, the Personal Needs Closet.
This should hardly be surprising. We
designate two different months a year for
the PNC, besides all the collections of
toilet paper and shampoo and so on.
But here’s what you need to know: the
PNC is broke. As time has passed, and we
have started new ministries, this outreach
has sort of faded into the background in
many of our minds, and some its support
has slipped. We have a separate fund,
designated for the PNC, from which our
leadership team shops to fill in all the
blanks on our shelves.
At the start of 2014, that fund had $584.28
in it. Over the course of the year, we
contributed $2,988.70. That’s a lot, but
it’s considerably less than the year before.
Meanwhile, we spent $4,429.96 in 2014,
which means that we are $856.98 in the
red to start 2015.
As you give in February, remember this
ministry and the thousands of lives it has
touched since we began it in 2010.
Page 5
Bring 4th Food
On February 22,
the canned and other
non-perishable foods
we collect will be given
to the First
Presbyterian Church
food pantry.
Ramp Up Marathon County
A new ministry is forming here in our area - with some of our members
among the founding fathers. Ramp Up Marathon County has the goal of
building ramps on homes to make them handicap-accessible, enabling
seniors to remain longer in the homes they love. RUMC and our church
are studying the possibility of working in official partnership. Our own
Ray Nowaczyk has been with the group from the beginning and so far
has involved Wes Ebert, Jerry Evans, and John Ohnstad. But there is
room for more. There is a need for volunteers for all tasks, from design
and lead carpenter to sealing and fixing lunch.
Volunteers will be trained
on all tools and tasks and
only need to complete
those tasks they are com-
fortable with.
Pictured at left are Ray
Nowaczyk and John
Ohnstad, working on a
ramp last fall.
CARE / OUTREACH UNITED
METHODIST
WOMEN
Circle Meetings:
February 11
Mary Faith Circle - 9:30am
February 12
Love Hope Circle - 5:30pm
- Hiawatha Restaurant
Other Upcoming Events:
February 1
Souper Bowl Sunday
February 4
Sunshine Gals - 9:30am
February 5
Executive Committee - 6:30pm
February 27-28
Spiritual Growth Retreat - St.
Anthony’s Spiritual Center
(Call Diane Zahn at
715-470-3084 for more
information.)
Page 4
A Grateful Guest
The December gathering of the Downtown Memory Café had gone well.
The theme had been “Games,” and our guests had laughed and played
and mostly just talked around the tables for an hour and a half. There
were 26 guests that day. That was down slightly from the high of 30 we
had had in November; but of those 26, five were there for the first time.
Five people had heard about this safe place where they could relax and
talk without worrying about whether they had said the wrong thing, and
they had come to see.
There is nothing very complicated about what happens during the
Memory Café. The sessions are so simple, in fact, that it can feel
strange that it has attracted so much attention and so many guests. It’s
really just an hour of chatting with friends. But then you think, What if
you no longer had the chance to chat with friends? How would you feel
about being given the gift of doing that again?
After the café was done, Maggie Schoenfeld came up to me with
something in her hands. “Jerry,” she said, “I have a donation. One of
our new people asked me if we needed any money to support our work.
I told him that it was all covered, and there was no charge, but he
wanted to give us something anyway.” Then she handed me two
crumpled dollar bills. That’s how one person felt about the gift of the
Memory Café.
Souper Bowl Sunday
Plan on soup for lunch
this Sunday, February 1.
The UMW will have
soup for sale
in the Parlor
all Sunday morning.
Page 9
Disciples in the Making ...All the Time
Wednesday ChurchFamily Nights Two more nights of our Winter Wednesday series with
a meal catered by The Mint Café: February 4: Swiss Steak February 11: Roast Turkey ...followed by Children’s Music Class, 5:45-6:15pm;
children’s activities until 7:30pm; and adult study of the Book of Revelation with Pastor Jerry.
February 18: We begin the season of Lent with a 12:15pm service in Chapel; and a 7:00pm Joint Service at First Presbyterian Church. (No meal here before service.)
February 25: Resume mid-week gatherings at FUMC with a focus on “Practicing Our Faith” (see description below). We are not scheduling catered meals from The Mint Café during Lent, but we are open to suggestions to share some simple Lenten repast before the adult class. Let us know your meal preferences for five Wednesdays between Ash Wednesday and Holy Week.
PRACTICING OUR FAITH Lent is a time for examining ourselves and our own
spiritual walks, and there are as many different ways to approach this time as there are individuals.
We will explore one way to look at our faith journeys during worship on Sunday mornings. We will examine other approaches on five Wednesday evenings in Lent
from February 25 to March 25 at 6:15pm in the Parlor.
Adults and older youth are invited to these informal discussions. To get a head start readers may borrow or buy a book we will be using: Practicing Our Faith, edited by Dorothy Bass. Let us know if you want us to order a copy for you from Janke Bookstore ($16 with discount.) Find other resources at www.practicingourfaith.org
Adult Bible Study — Every Sunday You are always welcome to drop in on the ongoing
Bible study that meets in the B. K. Smith Room during the education hour, 8:45-9:45am each Sunday.
February topics are “Stewardship for Life”
Feb. 1: Feasting and Fasting (Daniel 1:5, 8-17; Matthew 6:16-18; 9:9-17)
Feb. 8: Serving Neighbors, Serving God (Luke 10:25-34)
Feb. 15: Serving the Least (Matthew 25:31-46)
Feb. 22: Clothed and Ready (Ephesians 6:10-20)
Faith Quest Children in grades 2-5 just completed a study of the ten
commandments and now are learning about parables.
WESLEYAN RETREAT February 27 (5:15pm) to February
28 (3:00pm) the churches of our Circuit 9 retreat to Pine Lake Conference Center to explore our Methodist heri-tage. Ideal for our confirmands and any-one else who wants to know more about who we are. Find a complete schedule, sign-up sheet and registration form in the Parlor or ask that one be sent to you. The deadline for return of the form and fee to Christ UMC in Merrill is February 16.
Fee for three meals, lodging and materials is $35 (14 and younger) or $50 (over 14). Adults can upgrade to a room with bath in the Retreat Center ($65 single or $35 double occupancy).
Don’t let expense keep you away. Ask for scholarship assistance from FUMC. Winter or summer Pine Lake Camp, near Westfield, is worth the trip! We can car pool!
WINTER FAMILY CAMP Mark February 20-21 on your calendar for the FUMC
“Family Winter Camp,” a fun-filled weekend for all ages! Details and sign-up are available in the Parlor. We will meet at FUMC Friday Night, at 5:30pm, for a potluck dinner, board games, "campfire", and fellowship. Option is to sleep over at church or in your home.
On Saturday, we will make breakfast for overnight campers; others can join us by 9:00am for small groups to go sledding and other activities depending on interest and equipment (sleigh ride, snowshoeing, skiing down hill or cross country).
Campers are asked to bring winter enthusiasm and a donation for the Personal Needs Closet.
Sylvan Hill Tubing We thank St. Anne’s and other
Catholic churches for inviting our youth for a tubing night, January 28. Several of our youth expressed interest in going.
LOVE IN FEBRUARY! We have shifted an opportunity for couples to enrich
their relationship from Wednesday Night to Sunday after worship. First try: Sunday, February 1, at 11:15am in the Fellowship Hall—bring some food to share for a light brunch (or buy and heat up some UMW soup). After we eat couples will practice guided conversation while any children enjoy a movie in the Theater Room. Participants will decide on additional gatherings, and a date night or other option for Valentine’s Day, Saturday the 14th.
Youth or adults who can help supervise the nursery for
a Date Night, please talk to Leo.
Page 10
Resources for Ministry Financial Update - December 2014 YTD
FUMC Wired
Website: fumcwausau.org
With links to the weekly sermon
(text and podcast)
facebook.com/WausauFUMC
WiFi Network: FUMC Public
(password: fumcpublic)
Revenue Expense
Pledged Offering $ 245,109.90 Salaries & Benefits $ 229,592.16
Non-Pledged Offering $ 53,321.18 Programming $ 30,208.49
Other $ 82,394.83 Apportionments to Conference $ 54,948.00
Building Operating Expenses $ 66,077.26
Total Revenue $ 380,825.91 Total Expenses $ 380,825.91
Net YTD $ 0.00
YTD 2014 Pledged & Non-Pledged Offerings compared to YTD 2013 4,051.72 higher
YTD 2014 Total Expenses compared to YTD 2013 1,193.92 lower
YTD 2014 Other Income compared to YTD 2013 6,063.12 higher
YTD 2014 Endowment Transfer compared to 2013 9,922.11 higher
On Being Good Neighbors
When Jesus said to love our neighbors as
ourselves, did he really mean those people
across the back fence? Or, in the case of our
church, across the parking lot? Evidently so.
And as it happens, we have good neighbors.
Sure there have been conflicts - usually times
when we all wanted to use the parking lot at
the same time, a problem usually due to poor
communication - but we have stuck to it and
kept trying to sort things out together.
It still took us by surprise to discover last
month that the Marathon County Historical
Society had budgeted money in 2015 to help us
pay for snow removal in the Fulton lot. Thank
you MCHS! Good neighbors matter.
Lay Leaders at First
The United Methodist Church runs on the commitment and
energy of its laity, or it doesn’t run at all. Without the time
and effort given by those who volunteer in our ministries
and serve on our teams and committees, we wouldn’t even
be able to survive, let alone continue looking for new
ministries and ways to serve God and others, as we do.
Some of our lay leaders plan and carry out the ministries of
the church on what we call the “Program Teams.” Others
have the less glamorous but just as necessary task of making
sure we go about our ministry prudently - these are what we
call the “Resource Teams.” There is not space on this page
to list all our volunteers (a full list is in the office), but here
are the people who have begun new roles in 2015:
Lay Leader
Mike Zahn
Lay Representative to Conf.
Bonnie Goertz
Lay Circuit Representative
Jennifer Johnson
Ministries Council
Danielle Del Conte
Lay Leadership Team
Gary Getzin
Mission Team
Tom Kelley
Faith Formation Team
Mary Virginia Quarles
Welcome / Communications
Brittney Johnson
Karen Beck
Staff-Parish
Mark Johnson (Chair)
Mark Milne
Finance
Eldon Horton
Stan Schacht
Pivet Scholarship
Jack Zei
CARE
Page 3
Savvy Seniors
will meet at 11:30
am at El Mezcal
Restaurant on Rib
Mountain Drive
o n M o n d a y ,
February 2.
Milestones
Deaths: We grieve this month with
the loss of these members of our
church or of our families.
David Johnston, husband of our
member Jacquelyn Johnston, now
living in Lake Tomahawk, died on
December 5, 2014.
Ruth Church, long-time member
of our congregation, died December
26, 2014.
Martha Horton, mother of Eldon
Horton, died on January 6.
Irene Rayborn, mother of Dick
Rayborn, grandmother of Jennifer
Smith, died on January 7.
Mary Christianson, sister of Gary
Getzin, died on January 15.
Births: And we rejoice with
Nathaniel and Christine (Rye)
Melville, on the birth of their
daughter, Emalee Marie Melville,
on January 11.
Community Garden?
The churches of Downtown Wausau are exploring a new avenue for working
together for the sake of others: a community garden. The Roman Catholic
parish of St Michael’s and Resurrection owns a couple of acres off Townline
Road that they would like to make available for this purpose. We could
grow fresh food there to give away through local food pantries. This could
empower people who have no access to tillable land to grow food for
themselves. We could introduce children to the joy and miracle of fresh
food that you have nurtured yourself.
Here’s what we need, though. We need one or two people from the different
churches who feel strongly enough about this idea to sit down together and
organize it. If you are that person, contact Pastor Jerry.
1 Carrie Asplund Bill Owen Fran Plaza 2 Thomas Schmoldt 7 Warren Fabel Gregory Chang Susan Chang Geraldine Slock Ethan Morris 8 Jason Majernik 9 Tom Bedora Jordan Fischer 10 Sarah Cowan Cameron Milne Autumn Seiser
12 Josie Rybarczyk Jason Weiland 14 Cati Quiros 16 Erik Anderson Anjali Dvorak 17 Damon Cole 18 Krista Maguire 19 Anna Schreiber 20 Victoria Osen Bob Rybarczyk Ben Kissinger
21 Jaden Love Marley Butler 22 Elsie Campbell 23 Pat Higgins 25 Kirke Sauer Sue Marquardt Danielle Del Conte 27 Bernice Kohlman Wes Ebert David Quiros 28 Patricia Krause Lelynd Hassberg 29 Heather Miller
STAFF
Pastor: Gerald Morris
Music Ministry Coordinator: Susan Hamilton
Faith Formation Coordinator: Leo Jacoby
Building Engineer: Andy White
Accounts & Records Supervisor: Karen Kellbach
Secretary: Arlene Trull
903 Third St; Wausau, WI 54403
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs - 9:00am-4:00pm
Web-site: www.fumcwausau.org
E-mail: [email protected]
I cannot begin to say thank you enough for the generous spirit of First United Methodist Church. No matter where I turn – you are willing to give and give freely. I praise God that people still exist that ask nothing in return. I am truly witnessing the generous spirit of God – He gives and asks nothing in return except that we are obedient to his law and love one another as He has loved us. - Susan
To practical matters – no sooner is the Christ child born than it is onward to His death, crucifixion and resurrection. Planning is well underway for a series of beautiful and significant Lenten and Easter services. Our Ash Wednesday service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, February 18th. Again this year, we will share this service with First Presbyterian Church and Grace UCC.
The choir is in full swing! The Jubilate Bells have many exciting numbers in store for the congregation. During the Lenten season and Holy Week, you will experience the passion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through scriptures, symbols and music.
Wednesday, February 18th - Ash Wednesday Worship Services:
12:15pm - FUMC Memorial Chapel
7:00pm - First Presbyterian Church with combined choirs
from Grace UCC, First Presbyterian Church and
our own Chancel Choir
Each year the Wisconsin River Chapter of the American Guild of Organists hosts a
series of organ concerts during Lent. We will be holding the recitals on Fridays.
The dates are February 27th, March 6th, 13th, 20th, and 28th. These recitals are
approximately 30 minutes long and will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 501 Stewart
Ave. Recitals begin at 12:15pm.
Bob and Joan Keener
Chad, Mandy,
Cheyenne, and Brynn
Shepp
OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:
2015 United Methodist Women Sunday
Officers for the coming year and Special Recognition Pin to Sara Roquemore
UMW Sunshine Gals led
by Arlene Trull
Ray Nowaczky, John
Ohnstad and Project
Ramp Up
Pastor Jerry unlocks the
Book of Revelation
Diane Zahn creates a beat
with the children Youth Lock-In and Breakfast
“Teenagers in the Kitchen”
Following the lock-in, our youth helped with the Personal
Needs Closet
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FEBUARY
2015
FROM PASTOR JERRY’S DESK
Magic, Meaning, and Mystery
In the early days of the Reformation, three great leaders came together to talk
about supporting each other. These three were Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and
John Calvin. It didn’t work; the three had too many theological differences
themselves to work together. What was the primary difference between them?
The meaning and significance of Communion. The Church remains divided on
what to make of this central practice in our faith – not just three views, but a
thousand. Let me offer a wider picture. Imagine a spectrum, with the words
Magic and Meaning at the two ends.
MAGIC MEANING
On one extreme are those who see Communion as having an almost magical
power. The bread and the cup are like salvation pills, and if you take them
regularly, your sins are forgiven. It doesn’t matter if you understand what
Communion is about. It doesn’t even matter if you repent of your sins. All that
matters is that the right words were said over them by the right personnel. This
magical view has never been the official doctrine of any church, but it has been a
common popular understanding. Picture a pre-Vatican II Catholic priest, back to
the congregation, mumbling words in Latin then handing out wafers to envision
this extreme.
On the other extreme is the view that I grew up with in the Southern Baptist
Convention. There I was taught that Communion had no power at all. All that
mattered was its meaning. We didn’t even call it a sacrament. It was an
“ordinance,” which we did because Jesus told us to, and the only purpose it
served was to illustrate the story of Jesus’ death for our sins. It was an acted-out
sermon illustration, nothing more. Result: we did Communion as seldom as
possible, because it was basically pointless and just made us late to the Piccadilly
Cafeteria after church.
Fortunately, somewhere between these extremes is another possible understand-
ing. Yes, the meaning of Communion matters, but it is more than an object
lesson. I have seen its power too often. I think of Jim, the old gentleman with
mental illness who only let me into his tiny apartment because I brought him
Communion. Through sharing the bread and cup, we became friends. I think of
Geraldine, who on her deathbed responded to almost nothing, but who stretched
forward for Communion. She could only swallow thickened liquids at that point,
so I gently anointed her lips with the Blood of Christ, that she could taste and see
how gracious the Lord is. Neither of these two saints experienced the presence of
God in the sacrament as a point of doctrine. They experienced Christ directly.
Here is the middle ground.
MAGIC MYSTERY MEANING
As Christians, we follow Jesus of Nazareth, who was entirely human, and yet was
something more. How perfect, then, that we remember this Lord in a Sacrament
that consists of sharing normal bread and juice – but that is yet something more.
Through the Season of Lent, we will be holding a weekly lunch hour Communion
in the Chapel on Thursdays – beginning on the 19th. Come taste and see how
gracious the Lord is.
Ash Wednesday, February 18
12:15pm - Noon hour service in Chapel
7:00pm - Joint Service at First Presbyterian Church
Lenten Sermon Series: “Means of Grace”
Sunday, February 22
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Means of Grace”
Mark 12:28-34
* * * * * * *
Throughout Lent, we will have a
Thursday noon-hour Communion
service in the Chapel, 12:15 - 12:45 pm -
begins February 19 and concludes March 19.
*We observe Open Communion. All are welcome at
God’s table.
Sunday, February 1
8:00am - Morning Chapel with Communion *
10:00am - Worship with Communion*
“Different People?”
Isaiah 56:3-8
Sunday, February 8
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“A Faithful People”
Daniel 6
Sunday, February 15
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“A New People”
Acts 10:1-8
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