The Country Church Herald
St.
Mark's UCC

AUGUST, 2010

From the Pastor

The month of August brings us an opportunity in worship that we treasure. On Sunday, the 8th, we will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This special time of worship reminds us of Jesus’ love for us. On the night of his betrayal, which began the process leading to his crucifixion, our Savior started this sacred practice by which we remember his work of salvation.

This is a perfect time to invite someone of your family or neighborhood to worship. Let us remember that this Sacrament is vital to our faith and that our Savior gave this to all believers.

Also, I write to follow up on last month’s article about the Deaconess movement in our church history.

In the coming months of October and November, there are more opportunities to share and learn about the European roots of our church.

On Sunday, October 3, we have the opportunity to have the Reverend Stephan Lewis, a pastor of the United Reformed Church (URC) in England, visit us. The URC is similar to our Pilgrim and Puritan ancestors of the faith in that they broke away from the Church of England. Let us remember that our Pilgrim and Puritan faith ancestors represent the Congregational side of the United Church of Christ. We have an ecumenical partnership with the URC.

I need a volunteer to provide one night of housing, Saturday, the 2nd, for Pastor Lewis.

In November, probably around the 7th-9th, visitors from Germany will be present in Wisconsin. This year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Wallace in Reichenbach, Germany. Pastor Nollau in 1837 immigrated to the U.S. and in September 1840 gathered local pastors from the St. Louis, Missouri area to form the German Evangelical Church Society of the West. This group eventually gave birth to the Deaconess movement to care for the sick. Also homes for the elderly, disabled, and orphans were begun in order to love God and love our neighbor.

There will be more details shared about this November visit as they become available.

We have a strong history of compassion following our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice in this service of the past and seek to continue this ministry of service to those in need.

The most effective way of continuing this ministry of compassion is through the meeting/exceeding of Our Church’s Wider Mission goal.

See you in church,

Pastor Kesting

 

 

 

Monthly Highlights From Our Church Groups

 

St. Mark’s Consistory

July 13, 2010

President Mark Jurk called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Rev Kesting led the group in a short prayer.  Secretary’s report was read.  Motion was made by Jerry Thiel to accept the minutes as read, seconded by Joel Schnelle.  Treasurer’s report was presented.  Motion made by Joel Schnelle to accept treasurer’s report, seconded by Jerry Thiel.  Both motions passed. 

Building and Grounds

A new coat rack has been installed in the basement.  Thank you, Mark and Jerry.  Holes have been discovered in the culvert in the north entrance.  Jerry will patch it up next week.  Panko sealed the new doors and no further leaks have been discovered.

Old Business

The Evangelism Committee continues to send out letters to prospective members.  Thank you to Wes Wassell and Dave Heckmann for supply ministry during Pastor Kesting’s involvement in the workcamp.  Judy reported that the workcamp experience was a positive one.  Thank you to all who supplied food and monetary donations. 

New Business

Home communions have been completed.  Housing is needed to host URC Pastor Stephen Lewis from England/Wales on Saturday, Oct 2.  Reservations are due by July 28 to attend Timber Rattlers game on August 14.  A coffee hour will follow July 25 worship to celebrate the 95th birthday of Helen Sommer.  Congratulations and happy birthday wishes to Helen!

 

The next consistory meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 17, at 7:00 p.m.  A motion was made by Jerry Thiel and seconded by Patti Taylor to adjourn the meeting at 8:32 p.m.  Motion passed.

 

Judy Steinbeck, Secretary

 

 

St. Mark's Sunday School News

     Sunday school starts in September, and we are still in need of a teacher!  This could be a shared position, with two people teaching on a rotating basis.  No special skills are required, other than an enjoyment of children and an interest in sharing Bible teachings with them.  Please consider this – we need your help!!

We need a meeting to get organized for the fall. After worship on Sundays seems to work best. Thus, Sunday, the 29th after worship. Teachers, call Pastor, 693-8361, if you cannot make this meeting.

 

 

Deanne Schultz, Sunday School Newsletter Coordinator

 

 

 

 

Youth News

 

Volleyball

We have been having a lot of fun this summer. We have many players. We thank our cheering section for their support.

In terms of the August 1st Tournament, we are hosting this event this year. The plans are taking shape. We have many people volunteer to help us for which we are grateful. We will need a cheering section on the 1st. The tournament occurs at the courts behind the VFW Hall in Cleveland.

 

 

           

Grow Through Fellowship

 

Todd Paul

Critically acclaimed songwriter, entertainer, composer, arranger, and singer Todd Paul will be at St. Peter’s UCC in Kiel on Tuesday, August 3 at 7pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and available at St. Peter’s UCC, Delta Publications, and Bank First National. Tickets are $20 at the door.

 

 

News to Know

 

For Your Information

Pick n Save stores have the “We Care” program where this business donates back 1% of grocery purchases. St. Mark’s has a number 786960. Please consider using this number to donate to St. Mark’s when using your “Saver’s Club” card.

 

 

St. Mark’s Mission Fest

The date is Sunday, September 19. In preparation for this event which will feature a presentation of our mission trip, the Consistory seeks volunteers. If you wish to help in a specific task or responsibility, please contact a member of the Consistory before August 15th.

 

 

Suggestion Box – St. Mark’s

This new part of our church is located near the sink in the narthex. Paper and pen are provided for your thoughts, etc. about worship or any other part of St. Mark’s. Your thoughts are welcome

 

Rummage Sale

     Please join us for bargains galore at the Salem Plankroad UCC Rummage Sale on Saturday, August 14 from 8am-3pm.

 

 

 

 

Save The Date

     The CROP Walk is scheduled for Sunday, October 10th. There will be more details shared soon.



 

 

 

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.

 

 

Iowa Re-visited

 

A mission trip taken by Pastor Kesting, Pat and Noreen Flook, Granddaughter Amber Akright, Tim and Trevor Schueler, JoAnn Grant, Bruce Opitz, Wendy Hartmann, Tim, Deanne and Steven Schultz, Judy Steinbeck, and Deb Kracht (Immanuel U.C.C.)

  

   On Sunday, June 27 our group of 14 left for Cedar Rapids, Iowa to assist in any way we could due to the 2008 flood. After floods of the magnitude they endured it can take 8-10 years to recover.

   When we arrived at Hope U.C.C. in Hiawatha, Iowa Pastor Fritz Melburg greeted us and gave us a run-down on what happened to the area and told us a bit about their church. We were not the first volunteer group to be hosted by Hope U.C.C. We then got settled in -- some will be sleeping in a Sunday school room, family room, sanctuary, hallway, narthex and even a coat room. We are pleased that the church is air-conditioned, with the exception being the kitchen and fellowship hall. This year we provided our own meals and with the generosity of congregation members, family food was prepared ahead of time for us and money was donated to go out for pizza -- none of us went hungry! In the evening Pastor Kesting led us in a time of prayer and devotions. The book “Meeting God in the Ruins” will continue to be our source for our nightly devotion time.

   W spent the rest of the evening taking walks, some to the fire station where we will be showering this week. We shared our thoughts about what the coming week will bring.

 

Monday, June 28 -- After breakfast and making our lunches for the day we headed into Cedar Rapids to the Community Resource Center for orientation and work assignments. We met with Dan the construction coordinator. He told us that because of the fast snowmelt and then the torrential rains the Cedar River crested at 31 feet -- 11 feet above the flood stage. Now, 2 years later, 1000 homes are yet to be repaired or torn down. There are also another 1000 to be torn down near the levy. One of the many sad things is that it could take 3 to 5 more years before some people get any money.

Work assignments were given out- Pat, JoAnn and Deb will go to a home to paint and do trim work, Wendy, Bruce, and Amber will go to a home to do drywall and paneling work in a basement. Tim and Trevor will do a closet project for an elderly couple. Pastor, the Schutz’s, Noreen and Judy will work on the Moore’s house -- framing and siding needs to be done. At the end of our workday we returned supplies and tools to the Resource Center -- each day we will pick up and take back supplies. We all returned to church, had much needed showers, had supper and devotions. Time now to relax and talk about our day.

Tuesday, June 29 -- We picked up supplies and headed over to our respective homes. Amber will join Pat, Deb, and JoAnn. Tim and Trevor will also work at the Moore house as their closet project needs to be done in stages. The two Tims are so very patient with those of us who are willing but have no carpentry skills. Deanne is determined to try as many power tools that she can! Some of the day’s frustrations include the need to do over previous volunteers’ work, Wendy and Bruce had to contend with sewer smell all day and due to some changes Deb, Amber, And Pat will join the Moore house crew and JoAnn will join Wendy and Bruce. We are having our pizza night this evening so that the Schultz’s can join us as they need to leave Wednesday afternoon due to family commitments.

Wednesday, June 30 -- Work continues at all the homes. Things are moving along, perhaps not as fast as we’d like but moving nonetheless. Pastor is our “go-to guy” on the chop saw, he’s working hard at all that’s thrown his way, Trevor and Noreen went over to paint the closet project, Amber, Judy, and Deb are trying their hands at siding. The skills of our young men, Trevor and Steven, continue to amaze us. Now that Pat has joined the crew we have another skilled person to help. Jeff and Joan Moore, now living in an RV next to their home, brought over a couple of their pets to visit us -- a ferret and Kiki the skunk. I’m sure it was the closest any of us have ever been to a skunk! Pastor Melburg joined us for supper tonight. We all enjoyed visiting with him.

 

Thursday, July 1 -- Another beautiful day here in Iowa. It has been in the 70s and low 80s all week. Siding was again a big part of the day at the Moore house. Amber and Noreen did a lot of “go for this and that” and Amber tried some dumpster diving. Wendy, Bruce, and JoAnn had a productive day at their house. They have been working in very cramped quarters and doing lots of stairs in order to do their cutting. You go JoAnn! We were told about a hot air balloon display in town tonight, but we were all too tired to go.

Friday, July 2 -- Can it be that this is our last work day? The time has flown by. Wendy, Bruce, JoAnn, Deb, Tim, and Trevor all need to leave for home after the work day due to family things. It was a busy day at both houses as everyone wants to accomplish as much as possible before leaving. I think Deb and Judy learned to like siding a house. Jeff Moore said he would email us pictures of his home when it is finished. We’re a small group for supper tonight. We will pack up and head home tomorrow.

Saturday, July 3 -- We were on the road by 8:30 AM. It has been a good week. Every mission trip is special and has its own unique experiences. We learn to go with ‘the flow’. I’m sure that we all feel that in our small way we did make a difference as well as made some new friends and had a lot of laughs along the way.

Where is God going to send us next year? WILL YOU JOIN US?

 

*Mark your calendars -- we will do a presentation at St. Mark’s Mission Fest on September 19th. We also plan to do presentations at St. James, Immanuel, and Bethel.

We wish to sincerely thank everyone who so generously sponsored our trip with gifts of money, meal donations and gift cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ST. MARK'S AUGUST USHERS

Gene & Kathy Kaestner, chairs

Marlene Kammann

Jane Vandoske

Ben Grunwald

Steven Schultz

 

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST  - NO CANDLELIGHTERS NEEDED

 

ST. MARK'S SEPTEMBER USHERS

Glenn Grunwald, chair

Wayne & Ann Grunwald Fred Bitter

Kay Bitter

Bob Vandoske

Mike Summers

 

SEPTEMBER CANDLELIGHTERS

5 – Elly Goedeke, Jed Goedeke

12 – Abby Herrmann, Courtney Binversie

19 – Alicia Schueler, Cole Herrmann

26 – Johnathan Grunwald, Katharine Grunwald

 

 

ST. MARK'S AUGUST CELEBRATIONS

Birthdays

1  - Larry Heling

3  - Jay Sommer

4 - Ashlyn Hundt

5  - Keith Sixel

8  - Lyle Schmidt

9  - Debbie Brickner, Courtney Binversie

12 - Sarah Hartmann

13  - Shirley Guenther

15  - Mary Goedeke

18  - Julie Herrmann

23 - Gertrude Free

26 - Alicia Schueler, Dylan Videtic

27 - Maggie Hayon

28 - Bradley Grunwald, Faith Grunwald, Hazel Schuette, Deidre Sommer

Anniversaries

9 - Ray & Debbie Brickner

10 - Richard & Linda Schroeder

11 - Howard & Erin Spiess

16 - Brett & Carrie Damrow

20 - Glenn & Terri Grunwald

21 - Mike & Janice Marcheske

22 - Larry & Denise Heling

26 - Gerald & Jola Thiel

 

 

OUR SYMPATHY TO…

Our sympathy to Allen Gabsch, Doris Sprenger, Julianne Luebke, and their families on the death of their brother-in-law Edward Kretsch on June 28.

 

Our sympathy to Tim Schultz and family on the death of his mother, JoAnn, on July 5.

 

 

Our sympathy to the family of Wilbur Goeke who died July 3. Pastor Kesting officiated at the Entombment services on July 10 at Knollwood Chapel.

 

Our sympathy to the Brickner family on the death of Debbie’s sister, Lynda Berg, on July 13.

 

 

 

 

If there is a correction for the birthday or anniversary list, please contact the church office, 693-8361. Thank you.

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