Grace and Peace to you all!
Sometimes less is more…A Prayer of Acceptance by Wendell Berry
“The summer ends, and it is time to face another way.”
Maker of the Seasons, thank you for all that autumn teaches us. Change our focus so that we see not only what we are leaving behind, but also the harvest and the plentitude that our lives hold. May our hearts grow freer and our lives more peaceful as we resonate with, and respond to, the many teachings this season offers to us.
Blessings,
Pastor Beth
|
|
Thanks for those sponsoring altar flowers in October: Dan & Sarah Montgomery and Wayne & Rosemary Lohse.
Thank you to Wayne & Rosemary Lohse for also sponsoring the October Grace Notes.
Thank you to all who pitched in to help serve the Fenner family by serving and cleaning up the luncheon following Donald's funeral. It was a lovely expression of how we as the church are called to care for one another.
Dear Grace UCC,
Helping Kids is humbled by all the generous donations of school supplies. Kindness is a small gesture that make all the difference, thank you for making a difference. Because of your kindness Helping Kids was able to supply kids in need with all the needed school supplies this year. This year Helping Kids gave out 93 backpacks filled with school supplies and hygiene products. I’d also like to thank Laurie Joa for all her help with this year’s school drive, I greatly appreciate everything you have done. Our greatest blessing is to receive God’s love, and our greatest privilege is to give it away to others, and I’m thanking God for all your kindness and support to Helping Kids throughout the years. May God watch over and bless you all with love, peace, and joy. From the bottom of my heart I thank you. God’s Richest Blessings, Kathy Rowe – Helping Kids
Thank you to Kelly Kasten for coordinating the Rally Day potluck. Your hospitality mindedness is much appreciated.
Thank you to all the people who helped with Donald’s funeral. We thank you for your donations of food and your endless help in the kitchen. Thank you to Pastor Beth for the many visits to the hospital and nursing home and while Donald was in hospice care. Thank you.
-The family of Donald Fenner
Thank you to Marge Horneck and property committee for coordinating the removal of the cedar tree behind the parsonage. Thanks to Paul Green for cleanup and removal.
Thank you to Lois Ann Meyer for the donation of an insulated coffee pot.
Thank you to Chuck Ebert for fixing the threshold and weatherstripping in the northwest exit.
Thank you to our new IT coordinator, David Rabe. He has been working diligently to get us upgraded, including a new location for the a/v materials which offers more room in the front of the church.
Thank you to the family of Elaine Hartung generously donated a Bible printed entirely in German.
Thank you to Dan Petzke for the new logo for Grace.
Thank you Sandy and David Rabe for organizing and setting up Sunday School areas.
Thank you to the donor(s) who wish to remain anonymous for the beautiful arrangements in the narthex and on the window sills in the sanctuary.
There are a number of things that just ‘happen’ here at Grace. For those who give of their time and talent to make things happen – whether anonymously or whether I may have accidentally not included, please know that we are thankful for your generosity! Please let Pastor Beth know if there are any errors or omissions.
|
|
 |
We extend our Christian sympathy to the families of
Donald Fenner who entered into life eternal on Sept 14, 2019
and
Gerald Mueller who entered into life eternal on Sept, 24, 2019
|
Please remember that if you admitted to the hospital and would like a visit from Pastor Beth, please contact her directly (cell 920-371-8018). Between HIPPA and the busyness of the hospital staff, oftentimes the hospital doesn’t call, therefore Pastor Beth would appreciate a direct call from you or your family to ensure timely visitation and pastoral care.
|
|
|
|
Do you have a prayer request that you would like to share with Pastor Beth? Please reach out at any time
rev.beth.petzke@gmail.com
or
920-371-8018. All prayer requests will be kept confidential unless permission to share with the congregation is given.
|
|
Shop with SCRIP!
Kwik Trip cards are available in the church office. With scrip, you’re paying face value and you’re getting face value. Make your giving go farther! Pick up SCRIP the next time you're at church.
|
|
10/2
Confirmation Class
Sr Choir
10/3
Sundaes on Thursdays
10/6
World Communion Sunday
Neighbors in Need offering
8am Worship
8:45 Sunday School
10am Worship
10/9
Confirmation Class
Sr Choir
10/10
Sundaes on Thursdays
10/12
Emmaus Meal
10/13
8am Worship
8:45 Sunday School
10am Worship
10/15
Church Council Mtg
10/16
Confirmation Class
Sr Choir
10/17
Sundaes on Thursdays
10/20
8am Worship
8:45 Sunday School
10am Worship
10/22
Grace Notes articles due
10/23
Confirmation Class
Sr Choir
10/24
Sundaes on Thursdays
10/27
8am Worship
8:45 Sunday School
10am Worship
10/30
Confirmation Class
Sr Choir
10/31
Sundaes on Thursdays
11/3
All Saints
8am Worship
8:45 Sunday School
10am Worship
|
Sundaes on Thursdays
Pastor Beth will be offering contemporary worship at 6:30 p.m. and will last approximately 30 minutes. Following worship, we will have a time of fellowship to include sundaes. All are welcome!
|
Helping Kids
needs your help!
|
We now subscribe to large print Upper Room devotionals. You are welcome to pick up a copy in the foyer.
|
|
Tues., Oct. 8, 2019 11 a.m.
Mission House Lecture: Presenter will be Shane Claiborne, speaker, author, social activist and co-director of Red Letter Christians
|
Dear friends,
Fall brings a number of beginnings: a new school year, crisp autumn mornings, and the Neighbors in Need Special Mission Offering!
As you may know, Neighbors in Need is a special mission offering that supports the ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of Neighbors in Needs funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of this offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Local Church Ministries (JLCM) to provide grants for a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects.
Thank you for your previous support of Neighbors in Need. Your generosity supports initiatives and ministries throughout the country. Our congregation will receive and bless the offering on October 6, World Communion Sunday.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
With deep gratitude,
The National Ministries of the United Church of Christ
|
October Worship Participants
Ushers
1
0/6 8am: Rick Weeden
10am: Deb & Larry Ter Maat, and Tiffany Ter Maat
10am: Betty Musil, Richard & Carol Schoneman
10/20 8am: Glenn & Cathy Valenstein
10am: Mike & Lisa Rolloff and Judy Kummer
10/27 8am: Paul Green
10am: A
nneke & Tom Teaters and Dan Montgomery
11/3 8am: A
nn Ebert
10am: Deb & Larry Ter Maat and Tiffany Ter Maat
Acolytes
10/6 Anna Becker
10/13 Matthew Leonhard
10/20 Janna Fenger
10/27 Allie Finney
11/3 Allie Finney
Liturgists
10/6 Marge Horneck
10/13 Phylis Preder
10/20 Pat Forkner
10/27 David Rabe
11/3 Marge Horneck
|
|
The United Churchmen & Women Scholarship Banquet is planned for Oct 17
th
.
Tickets can be purchased from the church office.
|
|
Sponsorship is another way to support the ministries and outreach of the church. Through sponsorship of Grace Notes, worship bulletins, altar flowers, or Bridgeway meals you help the church fulfill its mission. Donations made to sponsorship can be sent to the church office or placed in the offering plate with a notation of what you're sponsoring. Thank you for your generosity. We couldn't do it without you!
|
|
Altar flowers can be sponsored to mark a special occasion in your life or 'just because'. Flowers can be sponsored for a Sunday for $37.50 or you can bring your own flowers. Click the button below to claim a week and specify any colors and kinds of flowers you prefer. Following 10am worship you are welcome to take the flowers home to enjoy throughout the week.
|
|
By sponsoring Grace Notes you ensure that important information gets out to our church family, strengthening communication and fostering a sense of belonging. You can sponsor the Grace Notes newsletter for a month for $40. To signup to sponsor Grace Notes click the button below.
|
|
As a church, we support the ministry of Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization (SCIO) One of the ways we partner with them in ministry is by sponsoring a meal once a month to cover the costs of feeding the families staying at Bridgeway House. A donation of $40 provides the groceries needed to provide a nutritious meal for the women and children living there.
|
|
A month's worth of worship bulletins can be sponsored for $40. Click the button below to be a sponsor.
|
|
Ushers are on the front lines of welcoming and hospitality in the life of the church.
|
|
Host a coffee hour/fellowship time. It’s as simple as signing up in the narthex and bringing some “goodies.” What is important – that we get together.
|
|
Over the summer and into the fall we have been able to complete several projects due in great part to the generosity of the people of Grace to ensure the physical structure of Grace is tended to as well as to feed the hearts and souls of the people of Grace and beyond. Finances regularly come under review and we endeavor to present a budget for 2020 that preserves the physical structure of Grace and the spiritual structure.
The Holy Spirit is alive and well at Grace. It can be felt in Sunday School class, in the choir hall, in Tai Chi class, in the kitchen, in communion, and around the table whenever we gather. We need to continue to be open to this spirit.
You might have expected something different in this corner? Minutes that reflect projects begun, ended, tabled; bills paid, challenged, pending; committees thrive, challenge, etc. Our greatest challenge is to keep our eyes focused on the windows of Grace for those old, old stories, and see them with new eyes, new ideas, a different perspective.
Our next Council meeting is on October 15
th
at 5:30pm. All is well. We are blessed.
Submitted by Sandy Rabe, Council President and member
|
|
When I was first approached by Chuck Ebert about joining the church council here at Grace, I had many feelings, none of which were exactly positive. First, I wasn’t really happy that someone had thrown my name into the ring. “What is this?!” I remember thinking. Whatever happened to just volunteering for things? I felt like my hand was being forced. Second, I was living a pretty hectic life at the time: Raising two small children, working full-time, and taking online courses toward my bachelor’s degree. Adding one more thing to my plate was not at all appealing. There was also the fact that I’m not always the best about attending church regularly. But, like any good Christian (maybe just an OK Christian), the guilt of saying no was also something I couldn’t bear.
Obviously I ended up saying yes, and here we are today. The experience I was so anxious and unsure about has actually been a positive experience in many ways-many more positive feelings than the negative feelings I initially had. I have gained friendships. I have mentors. I am stepping up to the plate to be a helper, which one of my hero’s, Fred Rogers always told us to look for. I get to spend time with my children and others as a Sunday school teacher, I can rock out with Curt Joa on guitar during music time, and I feel a sense of responsibility when I help serve communion.
One thing I want to stress is how much FUN council can be. We have a lot of laughs at our meetings, we bring pizza, cookies, and Pastor Beth usually has some chocolates stashed in her office. Our current president, Sandy Rabe, hosted a lovely and unique dinner party for us, where her chef-hubby David made us all sorts of Italian delicacies. (He then made us order them off a menu all written in Italian!)
We flex our creative sides by taking turns finding reflections to begin our meetings. We try our best to treat each other with respect and dignity as outlined in our council covenant. We also try to be respectful of each other’s time and keep our monthly meetings to two hours at most.
If you are considering a spot on our Grace Church Council, please reach out to any of our council members. We can share some more insights and answer any questions you may have. As I said, as a busy young mother, I wasn’t sure I was cut out for church council. But I took a leap of faith, and happily, I haven’t looked back.
God Bless,
Tahna Jensen, Grace Church Council Vice-President
|
|
To prepare for Consecration Sunday on November 17, 2019 pouches will be delivered to the homes of members of the church. We are asking each person to consider their gifts of time and financial support of Grace United Church of Christ in thanksgiving of what God has so generously given us. Please complete the pledge form (one side of the form will need to be completed, signed and placed back into the envelope and the other side is for your records.) and time, talents, & abilities survey (one per person) and placed back in the envelope with your name on it, seal it and place your envelope back in the pouch. Mark your name off the outside of the bag and quickly relay the entire pouch to the next family whose name appears on the route.
Talking about giving can be uncomfortable, we ask that as members of the church each of us prayerfully consider how you can support the life and ministries of the church. We, the people are the church so it's up to us. Please consider increasing your gifts of time, talent and treasure.
If you have any questions, please contact stewardship team members
Paul Green (920-948-5418) or Mike Rolloff (920-917-0079).
Thank you and May God Bless You and Keep You Always! Your support of the church with both ministry participation and generous financial support is essential to keep Grace UCC growing strong!
-
Paul Green, Stewardship Chair
|
|
WHAT I LEARNED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
YES:
The story of Noah and the Ark.
YES:
The kids said, “didn’t we learn about this last year?” and I said…
YES! Yes, we did
. But as you and I both know – there are always things in bible stories – just like in books and movies – we don’t always see everything the first time around.
Enjoy this new twist on an old story. You might just see something new in this old, old story. I did! I always do. Just another reason why I love teaching Sunday School.
Submitted by Sandy Rabe, teacher and student
|
|
The 2019-2020 year is underway for the Grace Children’s Choir. We’ve been practicing, and our first date is tentatively scheduled for October 13th when these wonderful children will be singing our version of The Doxology. In November we’ll be doing one called I Like to Think That’s the Way Jesus Was. Other anticipated highlights of the year will include our Christmas song, Palm Sunday when we’ll wear our robes, and our encore Sunday on Mother’s Day. Come hear us!
-Curt Joa, Children's Choir Director
|
|
Contractors will be working on a couple of projects in and around the church grounds in the coming weeks. First, Bugz Lawncare will be removing the three Ash trees on the east lawn, due to Emerald Ash Borer. Second, Dave Petrauski Roofing has been contracted to replace roofing on two areas at the NE side of the church. These are necessary maintenance projects discovered last winter.
Beginning Oct 6th there will be older tables and folding chairs available in the Church Fellowship Hall. You are welcome to take any that you wish on a first come basis. Free will donations will be appreciated. The tables and chairs that are not claimed will be donated and/or taken to resale shops. If you have donation ideas please let us know.
Please feel free to contact us with any property concerns. Our property team is always looking for additional members to share time and talent.
-Property Committee
Chuck Ebert, Dave Rabe, Lisa Rolloff, Larry TerMaat, Marge Horneck, Chair
|
|
|
October's Mission of the month is the Emmaus Meal at the Salvation Army scheduled for Saturday, October 12th. Volunteers to help serve meals, set up and clean up, provide food or monetary donations and homemade cookies and bars! We have posted sign-up sheets on the bulletin board for your convenience.
Please have all food donations in the church kitchen by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 11th.
-
The Missions Committee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
