"Celebrating God's Presence, Serving All People"
United Church News August 2nd, 2019
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For the 13th time since February, the ministry of United Church and/or the Bargain Basket has been featured in a local news publication. Most recently, the  Marco Eagle  noted the Bargain Basket's involvement in Camp Able (click on link below to read the article). Once again, the Bargain Basket opened it's doors to those in need for a free shopping spree that enabled campers to each select a few favorite outfits. Whereas you are probably aware of the Bargain Basket's outstanding sales success, what you may not know is that the Bargain Basket has likewise been enormously successful in it's strategic giving of free merchandise to charities in need. In 2018 alone, the Bargain Basket gave away $23,132.00 of free merchandise to local charities. By participating in initiatives like Camp Able, we think we can even beat that number in 2019! Good churches keep score by how much they take in. Great churches keep score by how much they give away. Thanks be to God for all our volunteers, donors, and shoppers at the Bargain Basket who help to make United Church so great.

In Christ,
Pastor Mark  
This Sunday's Sermon Title and Scripture Reading
Worship Sunday at 10am
Bells
Sunday, August 4th
"Heaven's Bakery Is Open Tomorrow"

Scripture :
Luke 12: 13-21

Reader : Judy Daye
Deacons : Dave and Joanie Fuller
Ushers : Wes and Karen Blackwell
Greeters: Marie Dowling and Mary Jane Irvine

Music:
The handbell choir will be ringing this Sunday, what a treat!
Debbie Lord
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past week, Debbie Lord resigned from her position as Assistant Manager at the Bargain Basket. In upcoming months, Debbie will be moving to Pennsylvania to be closer to her son and daughter. Her last work day with us will be September 20th.

For the last four years, Debbie has been a dedicated and faithful member of United Church's staff. In 2016, Debbie began at United Church in the role of Finance Assistant, a position she held for two years. In 2018, Debbie transitioned to a new role as assistant manager/Saturday manager at the Bargain Basket. Throughout her tenure at UCMI, Debbie was an extraordinary blessing to me, to the staff, and to the congregation. She was a conscientious steward of United Church's finances, and a detailed and thorough assistant manager at the Bargain Basket. During Debbie's time as assistant manager of the Bargain Basket, Saturday sales at the store skyrocketed 10.8% 

On Sunday, September 8th during worship, Bargain Basket Manager Samantha Kopren and I plan to honor Debbie and her service at United Church. Following worship, a special fellowship hour in the narthex hosted by the Bargain Basket Committee has been planned. I hope you will all join me in sharing with Debbie your heartfelt appreciation for her faithful work over the years--work that has made United Church and the Bargain Basket what it is today.

In Christ, 

Pastor Mark
Children's Church
Susanne Golden's "Dare to Be a Daniel" curriculum continues this week with Daniel, Chapter 4. Children are learning the story of Daniel in the Old Testament and are being challenged to live faithfully amidst an often wayward world.

Lesson: Nebuchadnezzar's Madness
Teachers: Sheila Sawyer and Susan Ngondo
Blessing of the Backpacks - August 11th

Attention parents and grandparents:

Pastor Mark and Pastor Kathy will be hosting a back to school Blessing of the Backpacks ceremony during worship on Sunday, August 11th. Children are asked to bring their backpack to worship on the 11th, as the blessing will take place immediately prior to the children's message. Get the school year off with the right start with God! 
Focused Prayer Summer Study
Pastor Kathy's "Focused Prayer" course continues this Tuesday, August 6th in the Sanctuary.

This simple training technique allows us to bow our natural thoughts, to the super-natual power of God’s word where we can simply soak in our Heavenly Father’s divine love!

Each “Focused Prayer” session lasts 30 minutes. The text for this class will be a very familiar scripture, “The Lord’s Prayer”. We will be allowing Christ’s teaching of this prayer to his disciples to expand our hearts, minds and spirits.

Come, participate in a refreshing, life changing prayer experience and allow “The Lord’s Prayer” to revive you as never before!
Bargain Basket Update
Back to school is not just for kids! Adults can update their fall wardrobe too at a fraction of the cost.

Stop by the Bargain Basket for Thrifty Thursday on Thursday, August 8th for 50% off all clothing!
Undy Sunday
August is "Back to School" month and school staff members and nurses continue to remind us of the surprising number of young students who lack decent, or sometimes any, underwear and socks.

This Sunday, August 4th and next Sunday, August 11th, please bring donations of new underwear and socks to service. There will be collection containers marked "Undy Sunday" within the Narthex. Thank you!
Summer Book Discussions
Join Pastor Mark Williams on Wednesday, August 21st at 10am in the Sunset Conference Room for a discussion on Kevin Roose's The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester.

As a sophomore at Brown University, Kevin Roose spent his days fitting right in with Brown's free-spirited, ultra-liberal student body. But when Roose leaves his Ivy League confines to spend a semester at Liberty University, a conservative Baptist school in Lynchburg, Virginia, obedience is no longer optional. Hoping to connect with his evangelical peers, Roose decides to enroll at Liberty as a new transfer student, chronicling his adventures in this daring report from the front lines of America's culture war. His journey takes him from an evangelical hip-hop concert to a spring break mission trip to Daytona Beach (where he learns to preach the gospel to partying coeds). He meets pastors' kids, closet doubters, Christian rebels, and conducts what would be the last print interview of Rev. Falwell's life.
In The Coming Week at UCMI

Tuesday, August 6th
  • 10 AM Focused Prayer Summer Study (Sanctuary)

Wednesday, August 7th
  • 3 PM Social Events Committee Meeting (SCR)

Click on the link below to see what the next few months have to offer at UCMI!
Online Giving
To all those who would like to use our Online Giving Program, while up North for the summer or for the convenience, please click on the link below to see how you can do so.
Upcoming Birthdays
8/2 - Paul Axelson
8/5 - Jim Kilpatrick
8/7 - Tom Lenard

We hope your special day is filled with fun surrounded by the ones you love most!
We're sorry we missed your birthday! If you do not see your birthday listed in the e-news please check with the church office to see if we have all of your info!