God is Still

Speaking...

Brookings United Church of Christ

WWW.BROOKINGSUCC.ORG

Brookingsucc@brookings.net

605 697 2882

Rev. Wade Schemmel

Pastor

Email:

buccpastor@swiftel.net

Office Phone:

605-697-2882

Cell Phone:

701-934-2051

As I look at it. . .

“Whoever

you are,

wherever

you are on

life’s jour-

ney, you are

welcome

here”

Issue 6 JUNE 2015 MAY 2015

828 8th Street South

Brookings, SD 57006

Brookingsucc.org

605.697.2882

828 8th St. South

Brookings, SD 57006

ISSUE

6

To the frustration of many we do not find in the Bible a clear understanding of how the church is to be structured. While we have the vision of the vine, and com-ments about the living grace filled lives we do not have an outline of how the church is to be structured. The end result is a vast buffet of organizational struc-tures for the church. We have some that have a very clear strong powerful struc-ture. The power of the church lies in the structure and the state and national bod-ies that enforce it. Some have a structure that is outlined in their history and by-laws. The structure for this kind of church is found not in the people but in the documents that guide the life and mission of the church. The other type has little or no state and national structure and the strength of this church is found in the local congregations. The role of national and state organizations is to facilitate and resource the local congregations. While I know that we are a part of one of these “Type” of church I would like to risk the heretical statement that when it comes to being a faith community that embodies the living Christ, congregational structure is not the issue. As Martin Luther King Jr. highlighted, the challenge facing faith communities is not to have the perfect structure but to become a “beloved community”. Dr. King’s vision pulls together a number of Biblical themes that challenge congre-gations to become communities where all are welcome. Dr. King calls us to be-come communities that not only welcome diversity, but to seek it. Congregations that reach out to those most often left in the margins. A “Beloved Community” according to Dr. King is a congregation that truly cares about those that are within its circle and those that are part of the larger community. The challenge and the privilege that we face is to radically welcome all to become part of our worshipping and serving community. We are called not to be afraid, but to be enthusiastically faithful. Do not be scared off by someone’s color, or lan-guage or gender or orientation. Do not shy away because someone smells a bit strong. We are challenged to embrace all whom we would meet as kinfolk in the family of God. May our Redeemer’s vision live in our lives and our actions as we strive to become that beloved community. Namaste Wade Schemmel

Mother’s Day

2015

Sue & Isla

Hay

Special Music

on Mother’s

Day~

”Never Alone”:by

Jim Brickman

Josie Dokken,

Torie Dokken,

lecsia Dokken,

Kim Dokken-

Salzman, and

Tyson Salzman

Children’s Message on Mother’s Day, May 10th, 2015. All

got involved and enjoyed taking their selfie pictures during

the worship service.

Moderator’s Report JUNE 2015

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

YOGA Class Noon

2

BUCC Cleaning Carpets

3 Bible Study

11:30—1 pm

4 Weekender

Worship 7 pm

5 6

7 Adult Study 9 Worship 10

Fellowship 11

Mission

Statement

Vote

8

9

10 Bible Study

11:30—1 pm

11

Faithful

Crafters 2 pm

12

13

14 Communion

Adult Study 9

Worship 10 Fellowship 11

15

16

Council

Meeting 5:30 pm

17 Bible Study

11:30—1 pm

Night Out

5:30 pm

18

19

20

21 Adult Study 9 Worship 10 Fellowship 11 Father’s Day

22 23

24 Bible Study

11:30-1 pm

25

Faithful

Crafters 2 pm

26

27

28 Adult Study 9

Worship 10

Fellowship 11

29

30

NOTES FROM THE MAY CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

The mission statement has completed its work and revised the church mission state-

ment to reflect Open and Affirming status. A portion of the statement will be used on

all of the church’s correspondence: “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s

journey, you are welcome here.”

The final day of Sunday School will be May 31st. Alternative Sunday School for the

summer is being planned.

Confirmation for 7th and 8

th graders is being planned.

The church carpet will be cleaned at 5:30 p.m. on June 2nd. Furniture will need to be

moved out of the way after the church service on May 31st. Volunteers are welcome to

help with moving furniture, cleaning, or the loan of a carpet cleaning machine.

Yoga classes at the church on Mondays over the noon hour will begin soon.

Weekender worship services will be this summer on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. The

theme is “The Ten Commandments for the 21st Century.”

A youth group for younger children (4th, 5

th, 6

th grade) is being considered.

Volunteers are being sought to tape the sermons and publish them on YouTube.

Ruby Wilson, BUCC Council Secretary

By: Kristi Prunty

Moderator

UCC CONFERENCE

ANNUAL MEETING

Sioux Falls 5-7th

Upcoming Events in the month of June

We continue to set prepare to place

our worship services on you tube.

Thanks to a number of volunteers

things are beginning to look like we

will soon have our services there for

all to see. We are still looking for a

few more volunteers to assist us in

this exciting development.

Beginning June 1st at 12:00 Noon

all are invited to come to the edu-

cation wing of our church to share

in beginner yoga classes. The clas-

ses will be an opportunity for all

that are interest experience the

physical and spiritual gifts of yoga.

June 2nd

, at 5:30 pm BUCC will be

shampooing/steaming the carpets in

the sanctuary. Anyone who has a

steamer or a shampooer and are

available are more than welcome to

join us and help out or even lend any

equipment that would aid us in this

endeavor. Any questions, please call

the church office.

Beginning June 4th all are invited

to come and share in

“Weekender Worship”. The ser-

vices that will take place on

Thursday Evening beginning at

7:00 will follow a different for-

mat than the Sunday morning

worship. The theme for the ser-

vice will be the 10 command-

ments for the 21st century. All are

invited to come and share.

The South Dakota Conference United

Church of Christ will be meeting the

weekend of June 5 – 7 in Sioux Falls.

Any who would be interested in at-

tending as a guest are invited to con-

tact the church office.

June 21st is the fourth Sunday of

Pentecost and Father’s Day as well.

Try to wear green this Sunday.

Happy Father’s Day!

June 25th is the 58th Anniversary

of the United Church of Christ!

Congratulations to the UCC!

We will be sharing the sacrament of

Holy Communion on Sunday June

14th. All are invited to come and

share in this very special time as we

gather about the table that our Re-

deemer has set. Any who cannot

be with us but

who wish to re-

ceive the elements

of this sacrament

are invited to call

the church office

and make arrange-

ments.

There will be a congregational meeting June 7th fol-

lowing the service of worship. The purpose of the

meeting will be to adopt the mission statement that

supports the decision to become Open and Affirm-

ing. Copies of the mission statement have been sent

out and are available on the table in the worship ar-

ea.

June 25-26th will be a national

gathering to celebrate 30 years

of ONA in Cleveland, Ohio. To

support or donate online please

go to

www.openandaffirming.org/

about/donate/.

JUNE

Anniversaries:

9 Dave & Julie Huebner

19 Fred & Christie Delfanian

27 Darin & Tammy Dobrenski

30 Chad & Laura Gloege

217 4TH Street

BROOKINGS, SD 57006

605.692.5007

IMMEDIATE NEEDS:

Crackers Canned Fruit

Carrots (canned)

Cereal

Spag. Sauce

Egg Noodles

Refried Beans

Instant Oatmeal

Tomato Sauce

HARVEST TABLE:

A warm-no-cost meal served every Monday

night from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the First

United Methodist Community Life Center,

The meal is offered for anyone in the communi-

ty looking for good food and fellowship! If you

have questions, contact Vonda Kirkham, Harvest

Table Director, 692 4345.

FEEDING

BROOKINGS

Bags of food are distributed

every Thursday from 4:00—5:00 p.m. at the

Ascension Lutheran Church

2030 3rd Street 692-6565

JUNE food item of the month:

Pasta & Rice (box ‘Helper’ meals)

If you have participated in the weekly Harvest Table, you

know that it is more than a hot meal for those in need. They

also distribute food stuffs and supplies for families to get

through the week, such as soap, toothpaste, diapers and

baby wipes to name a few. The number of people being

served each week has grown significantly over the last few

years. In July 285 people were served a hot meal, grocery

items were distributed to 145 households, 110 packages of

diapers and baby wipes were handed out to families all at no

cost to the families. The cupboards are BARE!! The Harvest

Table is desperately in need of supplies. Non-perishable

foods, (canned goods, pasta, rice, peanut butter, beans, cere-

al, baby food, formula, fruits and juice, canned meat and

other pantry staples), personal care items (soap, toothpaste

and brushes, shampoo, mouthwash), baby supplies (diapers

and baby wipes are especially needed), paper goods (paper

towels, toilet paper). The needs run the gamut. If you need it

for your house, the Harvest Table probably needs it as well.

If you aren’t sure what is most needed, money is always “the

right size and color.” With your tax-deductible donations,

the Harvest Table staff can shop for what is needed the most.

Pantry is open:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

1:00 - 4:30pm

Celebrate!Birthdays in June1

January July

Stuart & Melissa Apland

Kathy Apland

Jihong Cole-Dai

Steve & Kristi Prunty

Dennis & Darlene Dokken

February August

Chris & Sue Hay

Clarence & Darlene Bauer

Kyle & Tiffany Eide

Larry Rogers & Ruth Harper

Matt Chang & Brandy Donaldson

March September

Chad & Laura Gloege

Susan Helvig

Dave & Julie Huebner

Christina & Justin Wiemer

Shanta Messerli

If anyone has any concerns or possible conflicts,

Please contact the church office 605.697.2882

Or at brookingsucc@brookings.net. Thank You!

Ministry Teams 2015

April October

Jim & Joanne Satterlee

Leonard & Norita Henneman

Don & Nancy Marshall

Scott Meyer & Taylor Mertz

Steve & Jean Chappell

May November

Jim & Ruby Wilson

Helen Anderson

Brenda & Carl Kline

Doug & Mary Ward

Raul & Marisol Galvan-Murillo

June December

Tom & Susan Rosen

Loye Holmes

Randy & Marlene DeBoer

Wade & Peg Schemmel

Linda Langner

Special dedication of food items~

During each month we collect food for three special ministries that distribute

food to those in need. These include “Feeding Brookings” “The Food Pan-

try” and “The Harvest Table”. There are receptacles and carts to receive

each of these offerings. That food will be dedicated each 3rd Sunday and will

be distributed shortly after that. Help us to have nice full bins to share and

dedicate.

1 Nicholas Ward

5 Carolyn Brandt

7 Dona Steele

16 Tammy Dobrenski

19 Melissa Apland

22 Natalie Brandt

29 Norita Henneman

Proposed Mission Statement: Vote June 7th

BROOKINGS UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION STATEMENT

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

The Brookings United Church of Christ is a diverse community of faithful believers in God’s desire for a caring world. We seek to be an example of Christ by:

supporting one another’s lifetime spiritual journey through study, worship,

prayer and dialogue

serving our local community through ecumenical, interfaith and individual

means

working toward a just and peaceful world, beginning with our own families,

our church and our community

and participating with the larger church ministry in state, nation and

international efforts

The Brookings United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming inclusive, joyful and supportive congregation.

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE

MISSION MOMENT:

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE

Rachelle

Starling’s

Baby Shower

May 17th,

2015

On May 24th, Pentecost Sunday

BUCC was blessed to have a guest

speaker, Ram Neupane.

He is from Nepal and shared a great

deal of information with the congre-

gation about the struggles the people

of Nepal are having.

PENTECOST

SUNDAY:

MAY 24th, 2015

BUCC

Pentecost

Tree