Weekly newsletter from Memorial Presbyterian Church, Appleton, WI
Thursday, February 16, 2017
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The Spring Primary Election is this Tuesday, Feb. 21. Remember that MPC is the polling station for
District #4, so if you stop at the church that day, be prepared for increased traffic and activity.
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Make the Bible Come Alive
with a Trip to the Holy Land!
Informational Presentation
Sunday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.
Adult Education Room
CRE Greg Braatz is exploring the possibility of leading a congregational trip to the Holy Land in January 2018. With an Israeli licensed guide we will explore:
- Bethlehem - Jesus' birthplace
- Nazareth - the home of Mary, Joseph and Jesus
- Galilee region - the base of Jesus' ministry
- Jerusalem - the place of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and much more, including Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Temple Mount, and the Holocaust Museum
If you think you might be interested, join Greg in the Adult Education Room on Sunday, February 26 at 11:30 a.m. Greg will cover:
- Trip in greater detail
- Cost estimates
- Safety
- Next steps
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Rest. Renew. Reconnect.
Pastor Mike will be taking sabbatical leave from May 1 through September 5, 2017. For more information on how Pastor Mike and the church are planning for this sabbatical, click
here for the brochure that has been prepared by the Session and Sabbatical Support Team.
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Reaching Out To Our Neighbors
"I sought my soul, but my soul could not see me; I sought my God, but my God eluded me; I sought my neighbor and I found all three." William Blake
The theme for this year's Lenten study is "Reaching out to Our Neighbors." We have invited several agencies from the area to help us understand our neighbor's situation, what their group is doing in the Fox Valley, and how we might be able to better serve our neighbors. We have an exciting, diverse and timely line-up speakers:
- March 5 - Pastor Mike and Greg will introduce "Reaching Out to Our Neighbors." A light dinner will be served.
- March 12 - St. Joseph's Food Pantry: Hunger in the Valley
- March 19 - Warming Shelter: Homelessness in the Valley, presented by Scott Peeples
- March 26 - World Relief Services Fox Valley: Immigrants in the Valley, presented by Tami McLaughlin
- April 2 - What is Happening at Lawrence University, with Linda Morgan-Clement, Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life (This session will be held at Lawrence Center for Spiritual and Religious Life.)
- April 9 - Congregational Discussion: "What Do We Do With All of This Information", with a potluck dinner.
All sessions will be Sunday evenings at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you there!
The entire law can be summed up in a single commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself (Galatians 5:14).
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Youth and Children News
Sunday School (Age 4 through Grade 6)
This Sunday the children will continue in their series exploring Jesus' life with the lesson, "Jesus Walks on Water," based on Matthew 14:22-33. Parents, if you'd like to take a look at some at-home activities for this Sunday's lesson, click here.
For those new to MPC, children ages 4 through those entering 6th grade meet together in the 4 Yr - Grade 6 Classroom in the lower level on Sunday mornings at 8:45 am. The hour includes the weekly lesson while the kids enjoy a banana, music time, and lesson-based activity.
Kinderchurch Worship (Age 3 - Grade 2)
This Sunday's Kinderchurch lesson is "The Unmerciful Servant," based on Matthew 18:21-35.
Kinderchurch is an
age-appropriate worship experience provided for children ages 3 through Grade 2. Children attend worship with their parents for about 15 minutes, and then move to the Kinderchurch room as a group on those Sundays when communion is not being served.
Prayer Buddy Program
Kids, remember to check the mailbox this Sunday to see if there's a note from your Prayer Buddy. And Adult Prayer Buddies, there are some cards in your mailbox, as well, so check it out!
Youth Fellowship
The creative juices are flowing in Youth Fellowship as we begin to work on Youth Sunday! We've put off our series "Can I ask that?" for a little bit while we focus on putting together our program for Sunday, March 19. With some help from Pastor Mike, we were able to get a good foundation to build off of for the next few weeks. If you are in middle or high school and would like to join us, we meet on Wednesday nights from 6-7:30 downstairs in the youth room. We would love to see you there!
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MPC Kids to Appear in
Anne of Avonlea
Get your tickets today for the upcoming performance of
Anne of Avonlea, with MPC's own
Meara and Aoife Marinan in the cast. It will be performed
at St. Norbert College's Hall of Fine Arts Webb Theatre from
February 23-26. This is
the first dramatization of L. M. Montgomery's famous novel which has been read and loved by millions since its publication. The little girl of "Green Gables" has become a grown-up school teacher of seventeen. How she faces the first real problems of her life form the basis of Ms. Carlisle's faithful adaptation. Tickets may be purchased at this site.
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Scholarship Opportunities
Three scholarships are available to members of Memorial Presbyterian Church. To learn more about these scholarships and the application procedures, click on the links below. Selection is based on church involvement, community activities, leadership, and academic achievement. All application materials are due by Friday, April 28, 2017, and recipients will be notified by June 15th
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The Huss Family Memorial Scholarship provides financial assistance to individuals belonging to Memorial Presbyterian Church who are pursuing higher education in a college or university. It is intended to help entering college freshmen with expenses related to beginning a college career with an award not to exceed $1,000. For more information on this scholarship, click here. For an application form, click here.
The Presbyterian College Scholarship was created in 1979 by an individual grant of $10,000. The intent of the donor is to provide an endowment that would grant funds to students attending an accredited Presbyterian college. For more detailed information on the scholarship, click here. For an application form, click here.
The Ellmaker Scholarship was established to financially assist a person who is enrolled in a seminary program, with the intention of entering a Presbyterian ministry, such as Pastor, Director of Christian Education, Minister of Music, etc. For more detailed information on the scholarship, click here. For an application form, click here.
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Volunteer Opportunities with Deacon Ministry Teams
Did you know that you can be a part of some amazing teams that have nothing to do with green or gold or purple...or whatever?! You can! The deacons are divided into four ministry teams that serve our church community. You can be "on call" to help out when you can . . . no pressure, no long-term commitment, no stress. You would be notified by email or phone when a need arises which could mean baking for or serving at a funeral reception, sending cards to some folks needing a bit of cheer, contributing food or assisting in planning a fun fellowship event, or being part of a small group that visits some homebound church members. You can decline if the timing is not right for you, and help when you can! And you can choose a ministry that fits your interests and skills.
Here are brief descriptions of the teams and the Deacon Team Leaders to contact:
Member Care
Extend the compassion and support to members on an ongoing basis. This might include sending cards, mentoring a new family, making phone calls, or delivering Advent or Lenten gifts.
Fellowship
Keep church members and friends connected to each other through fellowship activities. This might include planning or advertising an event, providing food, or helping at an event.
Life Events
Support members and friends when a special event (such as a funeral, special recognition, or wedding) is planned. This might include baking, serving, setting up, or decorating.
Visitation
Share God's love, care and concern to those who cannot attend church. This might include joining a meal train, assisting the Pastor in home communion, making phone calls, or assisting the visitation team by visiting homebound members in pairs.
Thank you for considering joining us! ~
Becky O'Connor, Deacon Moderator
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It's an Exciting Year for Adult Education!
Here is our schedule for the month of February:
Sunday Mornings, 8:45 a.m.
- February 19 - Living the Question 2.0 - Embracing Mystery, led by Kathy Privatt
- February 26 - Sunday Times
Making Sense of Scripture (Mondays, 12:00 noon)
- February 20 - How can I read the Bible with greater understanding
- February 27 - Is there a center to the Bible?
- March 6 - What kind of authority does the Bible hold?
Covenant Bible Study (Tuesdays, 12:00 noon
- February 21 - Psalms - Praise and Lament: Bring everything to God in prayer
- February 28 - Job - Tragedy: God's role in human suffering
- March 7 - Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel: Crisis and Starting Over
If you are interested in participating in any of these studies but haven't joined in, please do so! You can contact
Greg Braatz
about how to jump in.
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Per Capita Payment
The 2017 per capita rate has gone up to $35 per member, due on March 31st to the Presbytery of Winnebago. Please contribute $35 for every MPC member in your household. For your convenience, you may pay online here. Thank you!
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Worship Team is Looking for YOU!
Would you like to be a part of a forum to share your thoughts, inspirations and visions about the worship life of MPC? Do you have a creative flair for arranging flowers, selecting or even creating banners, and/or decorating the church for special holidays such as Christmas? Would you like to be a part of planning regular and alternative worship services? Are you interested in supporting the music programming? Do you want to help provide ongoing feedback on how to improve the congregational worship service?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions then WE NEED YOU! The Worship Team is looking for a few good men and women to join us. We meet monthly, usually the last Tuesday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Contact Shirley Collins at 920-731-7098 or collins.wi@earthlink.net
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Help for the Homeless Drive
February 19 - March 12
This Sunday will begin the collection of new hygiene and cleaning items for local crisis agencies through The Family Radio's annual
Help for the Homeless
hygiene drive from February 19 - March 12. Please place your donations in the
Help for the Homeless
collection box located in the east hallway by March 12.
Supplying these items to local shelters will help them direct their limited funds to providing qualified staff, counseling, food and shelter to those they serve. Most urgently needed items are cleaning supplies, laundry soap, garbage bags, dental and hair care, baby diapers, paper products, and feminine care.
Your donations will remain in this community
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Note: Food Share (formerly Food Stamps) does not cover the cost of non-food items such as soap and diapers. More information can be obtained at this site, or call 800-236-9364.
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Salvation Army Collection
Our next monthly collection to fill the Salvation Army's shelves is this Sunday, February 19. Why not consider some canned soup, or hot cocoa mixes to warm up these cold days?
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Pray Without Ceasing
Wednesday Morning Prayer Group
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours."
Mark 11:24
The MPC Prayer Group meets every Wednesday from 10:00 am - 11:00 am, in the Chapel, praying for our families, our church, our community, and our world. We are here to pray for anything you might need. Please let your prayer request be made known by writing it down in a note and placing it in the prayer request box in the church office, or email to the Group Coordinator, Connie Olson. All requests are confidential. If you would like to join the group, please also contact Connie.
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This week, let us pray for...
- Shirley Collins is recovering nicely from her fall. Her hand surgery went well but there will be a long recovery process.
- Sue Neal and her family are mourning the loss of Sue's brother. A memorial service is planned for late April.
- Ellen Wright is home and recovering from surgery.
- Connie Volkman is continuing her recovery from knee replacement surgery.
- Josh Carson is home and recovering from extensive back surgery.
- Cathy Hatfield is happy to report that her daughter Natalle's procedure went well this morning. Please pray for continued good results.
- Continued prayers for baby Maggie. The medical team found three small holes in Maggie's heart and will be evaluating her soon to determine if she will grow out of this or if she'll need surgery.
- Pat Spindler asks for prayers for her son, Doug, who is looking for a job.
- Mary Francis' brother-in-law, Larry, has completed his chemotherapy and expects to begin a radiation regimen in mid-March.
- John Koskinen's father is in hospice care.
If you have a prayer request, please send it to
Paula Hoglund
for inclusion in next week's communication.
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Sunday Morning Volunteers Needed
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Many thanks to all of our Sunday Morning volunteers! If you are unable to serve on the day you are scheduled, please arrange for a
substitute
and email the church office with any changes. For a full schedule and volunteer contact information, click here.
Volunteers Needed
We are in need of volunteers for the following positions in the regular Sunday schedule:
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1
Greeter
- 1 General Ushers
- 2 Communion Preparers (work as a team, 3-4 times per year)
If you are able to assist with any of these positions, please
email the church office. Thank you!
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Sunday, February 19
Greeters: Marie Desens, Francie Kopecky, Sonja Song
Head Usher: Jim Bowman
Ushers: Emily Guttenberg, John Koskinen, Russ & Ruth Truettner
Scripture Reader: Cathy Hatfield
Kinderchurch: Kathy Privatt, Leader; Dolly Manning, Greeter
Coffee Hosts: Jeff and Kathy Privatt
Counters: Gayle Hardt, Marty Ward
Sunday, February 26
Greeters: Sarah Beard, Jeanne & Peter Ryerson
Head Usher: Tom Guttenberg
Ushers: Patti Athanas, Hannah Herzog, Kathryn Herzog, Quinn Shaffer
Scripture Reader: Tom Neal
Kinderchurch: Pam Dodge, Leader; Paige Kempf, Greeter
Coffee Hosts: Rosemary & Scott Fraser
Counters: Francie Kopecky, Sonja Song
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Last Call for Lost & Found Items
There are just a few items left on the Lost & Found table.
Any unclaimed items still remaining on the table on Monday, February 20 will be donated.
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Community Notices
Zion Lutheran to Host Inaugural Recital
Zion Lutheran Church invites you to join them for the Inaugural Recital of their new pipe organ this Sunday, February 19 at 3:00 p.m. The guest organist will be Dr. John Schwandt. The church is located at 912 N. Oneida St. in Appleton. For more information, contact the church at 920-739-3104 or send them an email.
Augustana Choir to Perform on February 20
First English Lutheran Church is hosting a performance of the Augustana Choir Tour 2017 on Monday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m. A reception will follow the concert, and a freewill offering accepted. For more information on this talented choir, visit their
website.
ThedaCare at Home Seeks Volunteers
ThedaCare at Home is seeking hospice volunteers in Appleton and the surrounding communities to assist in caring for terminally ill patients and their families. Volunteers visit patients in their homes, at nursing facilities and at the Hospice Residence and Cherry Meadows. The next 12-hour volunteer training session begins on March 20th. These sessions build on a volunteer's knowledge and skills to learn about hospice philosophy, comfort care and communication. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Jane Shea at 920-716-6387 or send her an
email.
APD Accepting Applications for Crossing Guards
The Appleton Police Department is currently accepting applications for Regular and Alternate crossing guards. This is a great opportunity to play an important part in ensuring child safety in our neighborhoods. The starting pay rate is $13.07 per hour for 2017. Interested applicants should submit an on-line application no later than Sunday, March 12, 2017. Resumes without an application will not be considered. Applications can be completed online at www.appleton.org.
17th Annual Human Race Invites Organizations to Register
The 17th Annual Human Race by Community First Credit Union is accepting registrations for non-profit teams. The race is a non-competitive 5k or 1 mile walk/run benefitting local non-profit organizations. Non-profits, church groups, clubs and other interested organizations can register to raise funds in the Human Race by contacting the Volunteer Center at 920-832-9360 or
kristin.cates@volunteercenter.net
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The race will be held on Saturday, May 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on the Thrivent Financial Grounds at 4321 N. Ballard Road in Appleton. The Thrivent grounds and walkways are handicap and stroller accessible and pets are welcome. All race participants have the opportunity to raise funds and support one of almost 50 different local nonprofits in a single walk/run event. The Volunteer Center of East Central Wisconsin presents the fundraiser and coordinates the marketing, advertising, event logistics, materials and more.
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Events This Week
Sunday, February 19
8:45 am Education
10:00 am Worship Service
10:15 am Kinderchurch
11:15 am Fellowship
Monday, February 20
12:00 pm Bible Study
1:00 pm Visitation Teams
6:30 pm Property Team
7:00 pm Mission Outreach
Tuesday, February 21
ELECT
ION
DAY
6:30 am Good News Women
9:30 am Staff Meeting
12:00 pm Covenant Study
6:00 pm Fellowship Meeting
6:30 pm Board of Deacons
Wednesday, February 22
10:00 am Prayer Team
5:45 pm Handbell Choir
6:00 pm Youth Group
7:00 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, February 23
6:30 am All Things Considered Men's Forum
Sunday, February 26
8:45 am Christian Education
10:00 am Worship Service
10:15 am Kinderchurch
11:00 am Fellowship
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Upcoming
Worship Services
Sunday, February 19
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
10:00 am Worship Service
Guest Preacher:
Rev. Dr. Linda Morgan-Clement
Dean of Spiritual and
Religious Life
Lawrence University
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Sunday, February 26
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
10:00 am Worship Service
Luke 9:28-45
Greg Braatz,
Commissioned Ruling Elder
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Wednesday, March 1
Ash Wednesday
7:00 p.m. Service
Luke 9:51-62
God's Steadfast Love:
Costs to be Counted
Pastor Mike Goodwin
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Sunday, March 5
1st Sunday in Lent
10:00 am Worship Service
Luke 10:25-42
God's Steadfast Love:
Being a Neighbor
Pastor Mike Goodwin
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Donate Here
Secure, online
credit and debit
card donations
to Memorial Presbyterian are easy!
Click
here
to
make recurring or one-time donations.
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Contact the Staff
Commissioned Ruling Elder
Resident Christian Educator
Office Manager
Bookkeeper
Sherry Meyer
Custodian
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The Memo from Memorial is published every Thursday.
Deadline for notices is Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. Send all i
nformation to
or contact the church office at
920-734-1787.
The January-March 2017 quarterly publication of The Chimes is available here.
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