The Country
Church Herald
St. Mark's UCC
FEBRUARY,
2012
From the
Pastor
Lent begins with
Ash Wednesday worship at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s. The
Sacrament of Holy Communion will be shared.
Lent is a season
of preparation for the events of Holy Week in which our Savior died and was
Resurrected for us. What can we do in preparation? Our attendance in worship is
central. Also, here are a few suggestions for this time and any time: end a
quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Encourage a younger person. Keep a
promise. Listen. Try understanding the other person. Be kind; be gentle. You
can add to this list. Let us talk about your additions.
Also, I share
passages of scripture to aid our preparations.
February 22 Matthew 9: 9-13 Mercy
February 23 Matthew 18:
32-35 Forgiveness
February 24 Luke 6:
32-36 Mercy
February 25 Matthew 23: 23-24 Mercy is priority
February 26 Mark 8:
31-33 Jesus knows
that God is with him
February 27 Mark 14:
35-36 Jesus prays
February 28 John 9: 1-5 Jesus
as light of the world
February 29 John 16: 17-22 Jesus will be
resurrected
Let us talk about
these passages. They have the themes of mercy and Jesus sharing his life with
us.
May God be with us
in this Lenten season
Faithfully,
Pastor Kesting
Monthly
Highlights From Our Church Groups
St. Mark’s Consistory
January 10, 2012
President Glenn
Grunwald called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm. Pastor Kesting led the group in a short
prayer. Secretary's report was
read. Motion was made by Bob Vandoske to
accept the minutes as read, seconded by Jason Bramstedt. Treasurer's report was presented by Patty
Taylor. Motion was made by Bob Vandoske
to accept the treasurer's report, seconded by Marlene Kammann. Both motions were passed.
Building and Grounds
Glenn reported
that the new doors should be installed approximately January 20. Glenn will call Jason, Bob, and Joel when
arrangements are set so that someone is present.
Old Business
The Evangelism
Committee continues work on attracting new members. There will be a fellowship coffee hour after
church on January 22 after the annual meeting to celebrate the "mortgage
burning". The following events were
evaluated: Christmas Eve service (Thank
you to the choir for all of the work put into preparing for the program.) and
the Vandoske baptism. The suggestion box
was empty. The Worship Committee will meet on March 11. A new consistory representative is
needed. Pastor Kesting's next session
with Dr Christensen is scheduled for January 24. Pastor Kesting requests that people continue
to use the prayer basket. Marlene
reported that the Scrip program was a success for the first half year that it
has been running. Marlene suggested
assigning a purpose for the profit. She
will present the idea of using the money for our parking lot fund at the annual
meeting. No date has been set yet for
amending the constitution. Marlene will
contact members of the committee sometime during the first quarter of
2012. Final details were addressed for
the annual meeting. The following
information is needed: agenda, budget,
treasurer's reports, minutes from last year's meeting, Sunday School
financials, and membership list. New
consistory nominees are David Grunwald and Amy Summers. Elections will take place at the annual
meeting on January 22. Pastor Kesting
suggested increasing the OCWM goal by $100 since we met the goal this year and
we haven't increased the amount in a few years.
New goal of $5,400 will be presented for approval by the congregation at
the annual meeting.
New Business
Home communions
have restarted. The joint consistory
meeting will take place here at 7:00 pm on Monday, February 20. An inspection of the elevator will be done
after this meeting. Patty will discuss
the copy machine contract with Ross. The
next consistory meeting will take place on Feb. 14 at 7:00. Patty Taylor made a motion to adjourn the
meeting, seconded by Joel Schnelle.
Motion passed. Meeting was
adjourned at 8:50.
Judy
Steinbeck, Secretary
St. Mark’s
Sunday School
We had our meeting
on January 8th and planned our bake sale for March 11th. Please share your favorite baked good! We are hoping to buy necessities for a needy
family with the proceeds.
We also planned
the Spring Brunch for May 6th with more information to follow and we
are starting to think about something special to make our moms for Mother's
Day.
Dave Aardappel has
agreed to continue teaching new songs and will share with the
congregation.
Our new curriculum
that started in mid January is stories from Matthew and Acts.
Don't forget to
quiz your child to see how many of the Ten Commandments they can remember!
Our 6th,
7th and 8th graders are writing to Dyvonney, our sponsor
child from Haiti.
Please remember to
check the candle lighting schedule weekly.
Julie Herrmann,
Sunday School Newsletter Coordinator
Youth News
We had no outside
activity due to the weather.
We need to get
organized for the Chili Dinner which is Sunday, March 4th. A letter
has been sent sharing about a meeting on Sunday, February 12th, 7:00
p.m.
at St. James. Be ready to volunteer for we need your help.
Grow Through
Fellowship
Chili Dinner
The Choir and
Youth Group of Bethlehem UCC, Kiel, is hosting a
Chili Supper on Wednesday, Feb. 1st from 3:30-7pm.
Advance Tickets:
Adults, $5.50 and Children $3
At the Door:
Adults, $6 and Children $3
Call Kert/Christy
– 894-7077
Perch Fry
Holy Trinity
Parish, School Hill, is having its 11th Annual Perch Fry on Friday,
February 17 serving from 3:30-8pm. Carryouts
available from 11am–1pm and 3:30-8pm by calling 773-2380.
Grilled Cheese plates also available. Homemade tortes, raffles, silent auction
and the HT Lounge.
Fiddler on the Roof
The Lakeland College Mission House Center cordially invites
you to Fiddler on the Roof, The Musical on March 23 at 7:30pm in the Bradley Fine Arts Center. There is a UCC
Fellowship Reception at 5:45pm featuring hor
d’oeuvres and desserts in the Laun Center Black Room.
$10 for adults, $5
for senior citizens and non-Lakeland students. Ticket Discount Advance Purchase
Only.
If interested,
contact Pastor by March 14.
News to Know
Weather Cancellations
As winter has
arrived, there is the possibility of cancellations due to weather.
For St.
Mark’s cancellations will be shared on WOMT, WCUB, WHBL or 98.1 FM, the
Cleveland station.
For St. James, you
will be called by a member of the Consistory.
If your power is
out or if you have any questions, please call Pastor’s cell phone,
920-207-7209.
.
Save the Date –
Sunday, March 4th
On this Sunday,
the Lakeland Singers will be sharing musically at both churches. Also, this is
the day of the Youth Chili Dinner, Sunday School Bake Sale/Raffle/Pic-A-Mint at
St. James. Your attendance is encouraged.
St. Mark’s Prayer
Basket
Please continue to
place your requests in this basket at the back of church or give them to
Pastor. He will honor your requests.
Drug Disposal
This year,
Manitowoc County HCE, better known to many of you as Extension Homemakers, is
undertaking an effort to get families to dispose of old or unused drugs. Our
nearest collection site will be the Cleveland Fire Dept. on Thursday, March 1,
from 1-5pm. Other collection
sites and dates will be posted at both churches. Please clean out your medicine
cabinets! Items must be in their original containers. You may block out your name
on the drug container, but keep the drug name visible. In addition to
prescription medications, over the counter medications, controlled substances,
and veterinary medications will be accepted. For more information or questions,
contact Manitowoc County Recycling Center at 683-4333.
Bible Study
We are beginning a
study of the Book of Acts. Everyone is welcome. Further notice will be shared
in the Sunday bulletin before our gathering.
St. Mark’s Annual
Report Corrections
On the membership list,
please note the following corrections:
Verna Knoener
– died
Amy Schnelle is
now Amy Clemens
Graduations
Katie Belitz
received her Master of Science in Education from the School Psychology program
at the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s
Commencement on December 17, 2011. Katie will
continue her education at UW-Stout pursuing her Educational Specialist degree.
<
Matt Lutze has
graduated from Fox Valley Tech with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is seeking
employment.
Brandon Cyr has graduated
from UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. He is
currently looking for employment.
Thank You to St.
Mark’s
Sheboygan County
Health & Human Services sent a thank you to St. Mark’s for the generous
gifts given during the holiday season.
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are
needed to read scripture in worship at both churches. Pastor will work with you
in terms of the readings. Please call him at 207-7209.
Favorite Hymns
If you have a favorite
hymn that you wish to be a part of worship, please share this in the Suggestion
Box or offering plate. Your request will be honored as soon as possible. Also,
it may be a part of a time of hymn sing.
Student Addresses
We seek to stay in contact with our
students. Please call 693-8361 to share this information.
Cell Phone
Pastor has a cell
phone which he carries with him except on worship times. The number is
920-207-7209.
Please remember that the church office phone number is 920-693-8361. There is
an answering machine on this number.
New
Confidentiality Laws
There have been
some recent changes to the confidentiality laws. These changes make it
difficult for pastors (and also other people) to obtain information about
anyone in the Hospital. If you or a loved one will be in the hospital and wish
pastor to know about it, please call him at 693-8361. Otherwise he may not be
able to find out.
Receive Your
Church Newsletter Online
If you are
interested in receiving your monthly newsletter strictly via the Internet
instead of the hard copy please send an e-mail stating such to Karen Marx at
skmarx@tds.net. Each month an e-mail will be sent to notify you when the
updated Country Church Herald is available Online.
Pine Ridge Mission Trip
Our mission trip
this year will be going to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation just outside of the Badlands in South Dakota. We will be going
to Re-Member, a non-profit, non-evangelical Mission that “Seeks
to heal the wounds of the past – to Re-Member, by putting back together
that which is broken and to build hope for the future”. It is the second
trip there for three of us, and this tear eight will be able to experience life
on the “Rez”. We are all very excited to be going! At this time we
don’t know if we will again be building and installing bunk beds in homes
or building handicap ramps, replacing trailer skirting, or building outhouses.
We do know that a very important part of our week will be to immerse ourselves
in the Lakota culture and to learn why things are the way they are on the
“Rez”. Due to the higher cost of going on this mission we will be
having some fundraisers. At this time we have a Bray Fry/Bake Sale scheduled
for Sat. March 24 at the Piggly Wiggly store in Sheboygan Falls. We will keep you
informed with the details and about further events.
Due to the
deplorable living conditions at Pine Ridge, there are many basic needs for the
people there. With your help we would like to collect as many of the
“Give-Away”/Donation items on the following list. As you can see
the needs are great! Wópila (Many
Thanks)
Winter coats,
boots (like new is fine)
Blankets, Pillows,
School Supplies
Personal care
items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, hypoallergenic
lotion, adult Depends (med. and lg.), washcloths, hairbrushes, and combs
Quilts, Baby
blankets, lap robes, reading glasses (all strengths), and needlework magnifiers
Porcupine Clinic
Community Health Nurse is always in need of:
Diapers (sz.
1,3,4), baby shampoo, baby body wash, baby lotion, onesies (newborn care is
done in home by nurse), powdered protein drinks, soaps/body wash(especially
Dove skin care products for cancer patients), crafting supplies such as jewelry
clasps, sinew, beading wire w/ crimping beads, seed beads, horn beads,
amulets(turtles, bears, etc.), leather-especially natural hides like deer or
elk, but all are great (both tanned and raw - raw is used in drum making).
ST. MARK'S
FEBRUARY USHERS
Jim & Patty Taylor, chairs
Warren Vandoske
Steve Schnelle
Wally Taylor
Ron & Sue Vandoske
ST. MARK'S
MIDWEEK LENTEN USHERS
Scott Siekman, chair
Allen Gabsch
Steve Gabsch
Bob Gumm, Jr.
Gary Kaestner
Eugene Maeuser
FEBRUARY CANDLE LIGHTERS
5 – Elizabeth Hartmann, Nathan Roelse
12 – Johnathan Grunwald, Cole Herrmann
19 – Lindsay Summers, Alex Trowbridge
26 – Jed Goedeke, Abby Herrmann
ST. MARK'S MARCH
USHERS
Jim & Patty Taylor, chairs
Warren Vandoske
Steve Schnelle
Wally Taylor
Ron & Sue Vandoske
ST. MARK'S
FEBRUARY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays
2 - Kathryn
Jaehnig
4 - Mark Jurk
5 - Judy
Steinbeck
8 - Trevor
Schueler
9 - Hillary
Hermann, Ron Vandoske
10 - Jon
Herrmann, Sue Vandoske
16 - Cole
Herrmann
18 - Karen
Spindler
19 - Robert
Schnell
21 - Linda
Schroeder, Reid Vandoske
22 - Scott Dexter
23 - Betty Sixel,
Bob Goedeke
25 - Melvin
Jaehnig, Bill Roelse
26 - Amy Summers
28 - Gary Sixel
29 - Walter
Taylor
Anniversaries
None
SHARING IN SYMPATHY….
Our sympathy to Judy
Steinbeck and family on the death of her stepfather, Elroy Broehm, on January
7.
Our sympathy to
Gordon Karstaedt and family on the death of his sister-in-law LaVerne who died
on January 14.
Our sympathy to
Mary Ellen Schnelle and family on the death of her brother-in-law Eugene
Schnelle on January 11.
If there is a
correction for the birthday or anniversary list, please contact the church
office at 693-8361.
Thank you.
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