www.hanscomparkchurch.org

Staff/Volunteers

ZACH ANDERSON Pastor

JANNENE SASS Music Director

CINDY KEISER Office Manager

PAGE MOORE Treasurer

MARLYS LUBASH Financial Secretary & Membership Secretary

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Contact Us

4444 Frances StreetOmaha, NE 68105Phone: 402.553.3312Fax: 402.553.3313

info@hanscomparkchurch.orgwww.hanscomparkchurch.org

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“…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”These words from John’s Gospel account seem ring true as we start away into a new year, and begin our Lenten journey in February. Many committees and teams took January to evaluate and look at our work in 2014 before jumping into 2015 visioning. What did we come away with? We are a truly blessed people at Hanscom Park UMC. Yes, we have our challenges, and we find our-selves looking constantly to be better messengers of God’s word, but in the end, we are blessed.

So often it is easy for us to point out the negative, look at what’s wrong, and fret over the unknown future. This is especially true when looking at finances and budgets. Reports from the Stewardship and Finance Team will be later in the newsletter, but I’ll highlight a few things. In November of 2014 we thought we’d be in a place at year-end that saw us with a $20,000 shortage for our budget. When the committee met in January, it appears that number was actually around $4,000. Were we short of our budget, and paying our Mission Shares, yes. However, it is nothing short of amazing the way people responded in the final two months of the year to bring us to this relatively small shortfall. The 52% of Mission Shares we paid in 2014 is a 20% increase over 2013. We would like to be at 100%, but we are making strides to get there.

You see, there are gifts all around us. Abundance should be our word of the year in 2015. We have an abundance of riches around us, riches to discover, and blessings yet to come. When we look towards the future with an attitude of “Abundance” we begin to recognize more of what God is doing around us. Jesus calls us to follow him, and to have life abundantly in his name. May we realize these blessings in the coming days, week, months, and years.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Zach

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

SUNDAY8:45 a.m. Sunday School10:00 a.m. Worship 11:15 a.m. Yoga

MONDAY10:30 a.m. Tai Chi Advanced

TUESDAY6:00 p.m. Yoga

WEDNESDAY10:30 a.m. Tai Chi Advanced5:45 p.m. Dinner6:15 p.m. Creative Night6:30 p.m. Praise Team /Choir7:00 p.m. Yoga7:30 p.m. Band

2 5:30 PM Worship Team Meeting

4 5:00 PM SHARE Orders

5 6:30 PM 4H

7 9:00 AM SHARE Orders

9 5:30 PM Stewardship & Finance Meeting 6:30 PM Christian Education Meeting Mission Team Mtg Trustees Meeting 7:30 PM Church Council Meeting

11 7:00 PM MIM & MIM Youth

12 9:30 AM Busy Bees 7:30 PM Audubon Society in St. Andrew’s Hall

15 4:00 PM Mardi Gras

16 Newsletter Articles Due

18 7:00 PM Ash Wednesday Service

19 10 AM Book Study

21 10:15 AM SHARE Distribution

22 4:00 PM Cub Scouts in St. Andrew’s

25 6:00 PM Book Study

26 10:00 AM Book Study

Monthly Calendar

ORDERSFebruary 4 5 p.m.February 7 9 a.m.

DISTRIBUTION DAYFebruary 21 10:15 a.m.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICEFebruary 18 7 p.m.

MARDI GRASSunday, February 15 4 p.m.

Soup supper following

Missouri River District Administrative Assistant to Retire

Catherine McGowan, administrative assistant for the Missouri River District in Omaha, Nebraska, is retiring in February. A farewell retirement gathering will be at the Gretna UMC, 11457 S 204th St., Gretna, Nebraska, 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 15. All are invited to attend this farewell celebration.

“I have been blessed to know so many very special people during my employment at the district. It has been through your support and dedication to our work, celebrating our God and sharing, through our words and actions, the joys that He brings to each of us that has made my employment so fulfilling,” said McGowan. “Thank you all!”

Surprise Card ShowerBob Enck has asked for those who know his wife Sally to do him a “big favor”. Sally’s 80th birthday is February 23. He would like to give her a SURPRISE card shower to honor the milestone. Cards can be sent to their address at

Sally Enck 36 Ironweed Drive Pueblo, CO 81001

If you would prefer to email her around that day, their email is rsenck@msn.com. I know she will appreciate hearing from you!

S T E W A R D S H I P & F I N A N C E

Blessings in 2015!

According to Goggle the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions made were:- lose weight - fall in love- get organized - learn something exciting- quit smoking - spend less, save more- enjoy life to the fullest - help others achieve their dreams- stay fit and healthy - spend more time with family

45% make a New Year’s Resolutions. 46% of those are still successful in their resolution 6 months later.

Studies show that we move toward what we constantly see. Most resolutions fail because there is no plan, no vision and we do not take enough action.

As we start a new year in the church, I was thinking about the new committee chairs, the new committee members and the decisions that these teams will face in the next year. What are their resolutions for Hanscom Park Church?

These leadership teams will be setting budgets, looking at ways to enhance the worship experience, setting financial goals and looking at ways to improve the church building & grounds.

To be successful in keeping resolutions, experts suggest you keep something in front of you to remind you what you are aiming for. Pnoranbo oauo “where there is no vision your dream will die with it.”

Whatever your resolution be, I pray that you keep our church leadership in your prayers. Prayerfully consider the goals for Hanscom Park and what action you can take to help achieve these goals. Thank you,

Darla Berger, Chair Stewardship & Finance

Lenten Book StudyJoin Pastor Zach in studying “Renegade Gospel: The Rebel Jesus” this Lent. This 6-week study will be offered on Wednesday Evenings at 6 pm and Thursday Mornings at 10:00am. Central to the Christian faith is a man who denies all our pre-conceived notions about what God should look like. Joining his movement will mean coming to terms with the real Jesus, the rebel Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. The rebel Jesus came with a renegade gos-pel to start a revolution. You and I are invited to be a part. In Renegade Gospel, pastor and author Mike Slaughter presents Jesus and his challenging message to inspire us during Lent, Easter, and through the year. Read the red letters and discover Jesus all over again.

Thursday Mornings at 10 am: February 19, 26; March 5, 12, 19, 26

Wednesday Evenings at 6 pm: February 25; March 4, 11, 18, 25; April 1

Surprise Card Shower

Bob Enck has asked for those who know his wife Sally to do him a “big favor”. Sally’s 80th birthday is February 23. He would like to give her a SURPRISE card shower to honor the milestone. Cards can be sent to their address at

Sally Enck

36 Ironweed Drive

Pueblo, CO 81001

If you would prefer to email her around that day, their email is rsenck@msn.com. I know she will appreciate hearing from you!

Missouri River District Administrative Assistant to Retire

Catherine McGowan, administrative assistant for the Missouri River District in Omaha, Nebraska, is retiring in February. A farewell retirement gathering will be at the Gretna UMC, 11457 S 204th St., Gretna, Nebraska, 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 15. All are invited to attend this farewell celebration.

"I have been blessed to know so many very special people during my employment at the district. It has been through your support and dedication to our work, celebrating our God and sharing, through our words and actions, the joys that He brings to each of us that has made my employment so fulfilling,” said McGowan. “Thank you all!"

Financial ReportOur budget for 2014 was $286,407. We ended the year short of meeting that budget by $4,000. While we never like ending the year in the red, we feel grateful as in November we were down over $20,000.

Budget for 2015 is $283,266. As of 1-12-1 we have pledges for $181,237 of our 2015 budget.

Things that look good for 2015: » Pledges are up from 2014. » Forging the Future will be paid off this year. Remaining balance of $8,000. » The 2015 budget is almost $3,000 lower than in 2014 budget.

Challenges for 2015: » We still have over 80 family units that do not pledge to the church budget. » We are still short $60,000 of pledges in order to meet this year’s budget.

Thank you for all you do to support the church and its missions. We could not so this work with your support. Thank you

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Love is in the air. right now millions are humming,

Ooh baby love, my baby love

I need you, oh how I need you

But all you do is treat me bad

Break my heart and leave me sad

Tell me, what did I do wrong

To make you stay away so long…

Here we sit at the make it or break it cross roads of any relationship, Valentine’s Day. Roses? Card? Candy? Dinner? Movie? Even the most hardened husband with years of marital bliss under his belt shutters and sweats contemplating how to succeed at this time of year.

From the time of elementary children we have stressed over this love offering. Worrying whether or not your box will be filled with the cards sporting Spider Man or Elsa. Elated or defeated. Happy spouse or a night on the couch. Do you ever put this amount of importance on your relationship with Jesus? Ever wake up in the middle of the night sweating about what Jesus would think? Well, I know He has worried about it.

The bible is full of verses about God’s love for us beginning with the ever popular John 3:16 displayed at every sporting event in the modern era. But aren’t words just platitudes? Do they matter? Let’s look at Jesus’ actions instead. Jesus came out speaking, teaching and healing like a modern day rock star to the masses on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This busy day was at the end of a 2 year stint of traveling around teaching. The masses showed up unexpected and uninvited this day so Jesus fed all 5000 of them with 5 loaves of bread and some fish. They even had leftovers. After that all he wanted to do was find a desolate place to pray and reflect so he sent his disciples ahead across the Sea of Galilee. That’s when the disciples got into trouble crossing the Sea. The winds blew against the boat making headway impossible and the disciples cried in frustration. Jesus so loved us, he, tired mind you, got up and WALKED on WATER to get to his followers and comfort them. If that is not a case of someone committed to a relationship I don’t know what is.

If you walked on water for your partner, you might even get a pass on the next Valentine Day (don’t take the pass, it’s a trick). He so loves you that he didn’t say, “Haven’t I done enough?!” No, he got up in the middle of the night and made a miracle, calmed the weather and delivered the people safely. Wow. The words “I’m not worthy” come to find. The worst part is the disciples in the boat when seeing Jesus panicked and were afraid thinking he was an apparition. Jesus didn’t get mad or upset, instead he got into the boat and talked to them. Just to soothe them and help them to understand about their own faith.

So, as you get ready for Valentine’s Day show Him some of your love and commitment by looking beyond this holiday at everything coming up right after it. In a flurry of activity we will move from love to Mardi Gras to the Lenten Season where we can find His Everlasting Love.

God Bless, boB

SAVE THIS DATEOn March 15th Hanscom Park Church will have a wedding party honoring Pastor Zach and Nicole.

We will gather for a festive meal after church on Sunday, March 15th

Meat and beverages will be provided. Plan to bring sides, salads, and desserts.

There will be an opportunity to bring a LOVE OFFERING for Pastor Zach and Nicole.

Youth Update

Watch closely as the youth will be participating in many new and surprising areas this year.

We will start with a celebration of the birthday of the Boy Scout’s (February 8, 1910) by helping with services on February 8, followed with a soup luncheon.

The very next Sunday the youth will be helping with water and a performance at Mardi Gras on the afternoon of February 15.

This will also be the time to officially roll out the Stock Certificates for this years mission trip to Lake Traverse. Then, in March, even more surprises.

Stay tuned.

SAVE

THIS

DATE

On March 15th

Hanscom Park Church

Will have a wedding party

Honoring Pastor Zach and Nicole.

We will gather for a festive meal

after church on Sunday, March 15th

Meat and beverages will be provided.

Plan to bring sides, salads, and desserts.

There will be an opportunity to bring a

LOVE OFFERING for Pastor Zach and Nicole.

Plan to come to the party on MARCH 15TH

For a celebration after the 10:00 a.m. worship

Please do not forget to put the date on your calendar

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGEPAIDOMAHA NEPERMIT NO. 330

4444 Frances StreetOmaha, NE 68105

www.hanscomparkchurch.org

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS2 Jean Cox3 Glenn Chapp5 Paul Tripp

Michelle Madsen6 Norman Hineline

Lee Ellen Hughart10 Ed Kohout

Gina Evans11 Ian Laing12 Cale Christopherson14 Julie Zachmeyer

Samantha Mashek15 Carin Ellefson16 Sean Buck18 Marita Grebl19 Veretta Kohout

Kimberly Bowen21 Greg Marcum

22 Tracy Loucks24 Dale Shenefelt

Andy Sass26 Jerry Coldwell27 Kristine Beebee28 Gary Ellefson29 Vivian Phillips

Christy Serfass

SERVICES

February 18th7:00pm