Inquirer’s Class

What does it mean to be a member of UPC? How do you become a member? Do I want to be a member? If you have been considering any of these questions, join us on January 22 and 29 at 7:00 pm to learn more about becoming a UPC member. Please RSVP to the church office. Childcare is available upon request.
The “E” word – Evangelism  

What is it really? Do we all have to do it? How? Join us for a 7-week study using “Engage: Gospel” beginning Jan 6 at 9:00 am and 7:00 pm. Study guides available at the first meeting for $5. Childcare available at 7:00 pm upon request.
C4 MISSION TRIP

Please be p raying for the C4 Mission Trip, January 12-18, working with Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County, Florida. They will be traveling with Pastor Michelle and Len Lutz. Congratulations to Cam Collamer and Kathleen Shuster who graduated from UW this past December.
THANK YOU!

UPC wholeheartedly thanks Pastor Michelle and our staff members, Nikki Rogers, Michelle Harris, Lorinda O’Hashi and Donna Marburger for all their efforts throughout this past year.

We also give particular thanks to two volunteers that put in countless hours behind the scenes to keep UPC finances, worship services and other sanctuary events running smoothly—Sincere thanks to Susan Bulgrin as Treasurer and Peter Lindahl as Sound System Operator. 

We are grateful for all of you and everything you contribute to the life of this congregation! 
From Congregational Life

~UPC's Christmas Eve dinner was offered by our Congregational Life team. Lori O'Hashi graciously prepared turkey pot pie for dinner to about 40 people. Salad, drinks and good cheer were also abound. Gathering to celebrate the birth of our Savoir made for a very special evening. Thanks to everyone who shared this meal! Also thanks to Nikki Rogers, Elizabeth Williams and Hillary Utton for setup and serving.

~Look for news of a Game Night at UPC! Congregational Life is looking to host a fun evening toward the end of January where we gather to play games and share in fun. We'll have information emailed and in the bulletins once we have plans finalized.  

~Congregational Life would like to hear from those who gather for coffee hour, specifically those who gather after the 10:30 service in the North Lounge. We are analyzing our 2020 budget and looking at gaps in the sign up Nikki keeps for Sundays. For those who regularly attend, we'd like to hear from you about what works well and what concerns you have. Please email Hillary at  hillaryutton@gmail.com  with your comments by January 13th!
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Happy New Year from Christian Education! We have a lot of exciting things to look forward to over the next few months. LOGOS will start back up on January 8 th . Pastor Michelle will be leading a confirmation class for sophomores through seniors in high school. If you have a child in this age range, Michelle Harris will be in contact. In January and February Pastor Michelle will also lead a 7-week PC USA study called "Engage: Gospel" It discusses what evangelism is and how to tell your story. The group will meet on Mondays at 9 am and 7 pm. We hope to see you there!
FAMILY PROMISE

UPC will once again host family Promise January 12-19.
Currently there are 2 families in the program.
Both are single mothers with 1 child. One mother is diabetic and gluten free.


If you have any questions about Family Promise please see Jennifer Painter, Kyle & Jennifer Power or Michelle Harris.
WISHING YOU A JOYOUS NEW YEAR
FROM TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES

Your support for Laramie’s annual Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Holiday sale raised over $11,000 for the artisans in developing countries whose livelihoods depend on these sales. On their behalf, thank you so much , and may the new year bring you joy!

EVENING CIRCLE

We will meet Thursday, January 9th at 7:00 pm at UPC Fireplace Lounge. We will be studying Lesson Four of the Horizon Bible Study book "Love Carved In Stone". Please join us for good fun, food & fellowship. It is never to late to join! Please contact the church at upclaramie@gmail.com or 742-2061 for information.
Mary Martha Circle

Mary Martha Circle will meet Wednesday, January 15 th  at 1:00 pm in the home of Janice Shuster, 530 Beaufort St. #119 .    We will continue our study of the Ten Commandments with “thou shall not kill”.  Sara Clute will lead us in Lesson 5.  Lois Irving is our co-hostess.   All women are invited to join us for prayer, study and fellowship.  Please let Janice, 745-3132,  jmshust@outlook.com   or Lois, 742-3130,  irving.ll2u@yahoo.com  know if you are planning on attending.  We hope you will join us.
REBEKAH CIRCLE

We will meet on Thursday Jan. 23 at 10:00 AM. Linda Haynes's will be the hostess. Please call her if you can help out with our treats and to RSVP. We will be discussing Lesson 5  Words of Love---- Don't kill each other
FOC & STEWARDSHIP

How UPC stands financially at the end of Novemeber 2019: Total Income $223,883.59 99.38%. Total Expenses $232,753.38 103.29%.
MISSION HIGHLIGHTS

Mission hopes everyone had a blessed and joyful Christmas
Many thanks to everyone who helped out with the Cookie/Free Trade Sale, donated to the Christmas Joy and Christmas Ever offerings, and participated in any way with Community Holidays.
  • The amount collected for PCUSA’s minority leadership and support for church workers through the Christmas Joy offering will be announced as soon as the final count is available.
  • The Christmas Eve Offering will be sent to support Haven House, the transitional housing for young people who have aged out of the foster care system.
  • The “take” from the Cookie/Free Trade Sale will be figured out as soon as the consignment vs wholesale figures are taken into account and the expenses are covered. The remaining consignment items will be returned to Serrv, the left-over coffee has been bought by the church so we’ll be drinking it soon, certain food items as well as a case of pecans that was donated by a member were donated to the Food Pantry, the remaining nuts are being frozen and are available for purchase, and 100% of the Frontier Soup Mixes were sold. All profits will be donated directly to Family Promise (our loose change offering is available to support the needs of the UPC Coordinators).
  • The spirit of generosity was again evident in UPC’s participation in Community Holidays. Nancy Lick went to take the remaining tags in order to purchase any uncovered gifts and found that for the first time all had been taken. The church filled the requests of 17 applications that involved 41 individuals between the ages of 2 months and 91. Two UPC donors provided the program with nearly 140 new books as well as a cookies and candy for the cookie boxes given to each family/individual. Last year’s budget surplus was able to provide each family with children with a gift card for $20 for Safeway to help with their Christmas dinner. This year, the program was able to provide $30 Safeway gifts cards to each family and individual served by the program. Nancy Lick spent the morning of the distribution checking folks out and distributing the cards. One young woman broke down when she received the gift card as her husband had just received a diagnosis of cancer and could no longer work to support his young family. Another woman became very emotional as her husband lost his job the previous week. God’s love was present with the gifts provided by our congregation, the Mission members and others who attended the planning meetings and sorted our gifts, the movers who got our gifts over to the Baptist Church, the packing of the cookie boxes, and the volunteers who arrived to help with distribution. This project indeed takes a village. God Bless Us, Everyone. Tiny Tim
  • On the Thursday prior to their Christmas dinner distribution, UPC checked with the Interfaith director and learned that they were short on stuffing. UPC provided 4 cases of Turkey Stove Top.
  • Thanks to the Vancampen’s and another donor, Interfaith has received over 75 new and used children’s books from UPC.
  • Social Justice Workshops
Sunday, January 26 th , 11:45 a.m. Nancy Weidel and Rev. Roger McDaniel will report out on their findings on their November trip to the border where they met with a representative from the Border Patrol as well as individuals being held in detention. Many of us have read Roger’s series in the  Boomerang  relating his experiences. Lunch will be served.
  • Saturday, February 15th at 10:30 a.m. All members of UPC and members of the community are encouraged to join with Presbyterians from throughout Wyoming for a 4 hour seminar on Wyoming’s partnership with Syria and Lebanon. Lunch will be served.
  • Mission will be conducting UPC’s annual drive for winter jackets for the Boys and Girls Club. Check out your closets to see if there’s a clean and wearable jacket that you aren’t using any longer. Remembers that some of the teens that are served by the Club are adult sizes and children sizes are also needed.   The jackets can be left in the room off of the Greet and Meet area. Many thanks.
  • UPC will be providing the dinner for the volunteers at the Downtown Clinic on Wednesday, January 15th. This dinner is provided by UPC every third Wednesday of the month (the Methodists do the 2nd Wednesday) when the doctors, nurses, etc. arrive directly from their offices without stopping for dinner. It’s the busiest time with the most volunteers for the Clinic. If anyone is willing to make a salad or dessert, please contact Nancy Lick at sadielady2@charter.net   
  • Don't forget to bring cans of soup for the Food Pantry on "Souper Sunday" February 2nd!
EQUAL EXCHANGE

If you are in need of product from Equal Exchange, Lorinda O'Hashi will be ordering in the future. Please E-mail,  LorindaO@aol.com  or leave a message in the Church Office of your needs.
Church Contact Info

To contact the church staff click on a name below.


Clerk of Session    Carole Hertz

Church Office or 
Nikki Rogers      Nikki Rogers

Children's 
Ministry          Michelle Harris

Music 
Ministry           Lorinda O'Hashi
CHURCH OFFICE

The church office will be open Monday-Friday 8:00-3:00. Rev. Michelle Bacon's office hours are 9:00-5:00 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
and 12:00-5:00 Wednesday.
Reports & Session Minutes

T he UPC Session Minutes and reports can be read at our website at  upclaramie.org/minutes/
Calendar of Events at UPC

For a full calendar of events click on the calendar link. If you or your group wants to add something to the UPC calendar please bring it or send to the church office for it to go f or approval at the following Wednesday staff meeting.
Make a Donation

UPC is please to offer online gi ving opportunities. For more information click on-line giving


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