April 28 - May 5, 2023

A New Streamlined Pulse format!

A few folks suggested the Pulse was getting too full of information and too long, so our office administrator Ginger has come up with this slightly shorter and more compact approach. Let us know what you think or if you have suggestions for a better way to set things up. And thanks Ginger!

Below are weekly programs. You can find brief descriptions of these weekly programs on our website:

SUNDAY Morning, 10 am Zoom Worship

https://zoom.us/j/97010988439 Password: betogether

SUNDAY , 11:30 a.m. Bible Study  in person and on zoom

https://zoom.us/j/262314649

MONDAY - FRIDAY, 8 am Morning Devotion

https://zoom.us/j/94276813637

WEDNESDAY Eve., 6:30 pm Midweek Inhale Spiritual Practices

https://zoom.us/j/123020606

Below are the upcoming events on the calendar that are not weekly. All events are on the McFarland UCC calendar with Zoom links and additional information in the details/description area. Click the event on the McFarland UCC calendar to see the details.

Tuesday, May 2 6:30 – 7:30pm, Racial Justice Team Meeting in Multipurpose Room (In person & Online)

Saturday, May 6 9:00 – 11:00am, Meet and Greet Harriet and Andrea, Fellowship Space

Saturday, May 6 9:00am – 12:00pm, Spring Clean Up (Inside & Outside) with lunch to follow

Sunday, May 7 5:30 – 7:00pm, Teen Youth Meeting (in person)

Thursday, May 11 6:00 – 8:00pm, SaLT Meeting (In person & Online) - Multipurpose Room

Sunday, May 14 5:30 – 6:45pm, Younger Youth Meeting (12 and under)

Tuesday, May 16 6:30 – 7:30pm, Green Team Meeting (In person & Online) Multipurpose room

Thursday, May 18 6:30 – 7:00pm, NION Monthly Meeting (Online only)

Change in SaLT Leadership

The Servant and Leadership Team (SaLT) would like to share with everyone that the team has undergone a change in leadership. Heather Blackmore, who was serving as this year’s Moderator, stepped down due to personal reasons and Colleen Krattiger agreed to assume this position for the remainder of Heather’s term. Colleen was already serving in a SaLT ‘Member At Large’ position for this year’s term and the decision was made to leave her position open for the remainder of this year. Colleen was the MUCC Moderator in 2021 and as a result, we believe she will be able to seamlessly transition into this leadership role. Should anyone have questions or concerns about this change, please feel free to touch base with Pastor Bryan or any member of the leadership team.

Would You Like To Join Our Church?

We'll be receiving new members once again during morning worship on Sunday, May 7th.

If you would like to become an official member of our congregation with others on that day, please let me (Pastor Bryan) know and I will be in touch with you to answer any questions you might have about what this involves.

Something New: There will be a brief gathering after worship on Sunday, April 30th, for those who would like to join the following week. This is an invitaiton and not a requirement. If you can't make this meeting just let Pastor Bryan know and it will not prevent you from being able to join on May 7th.

The Prairies Have Been Burned!

Good Oak Ecological Services came on April 27 and did a controlled burn of our two prairie plots. Native plants are coming up, as they were not harmed by the burn. Spring is here!

MUCC Spring Clean Up 2023

Saturday, May 6th, 8:00-12:00

(Rain Date is May 13th, Same Time)

Lunch at Noon

 Feel free to bring any tools that you would like to use for these tasks.

Inside:

• Clean windows.
• Touch up paint on walls.
• Remove spider webs.
• Steam clean sanctuary chairs.

 Outside:

• Clean windows.
• Trim trees/bushes.
• Cut down dead trees in our woods and clean up.
• Pick up sticks from yard and rake where needed.
• Spread black dirt/seed/straw cover.
• Stain shed and paint garage door.
• Remove Christmas lights from pine tree.
• Put out lawn furniture (swing, picnic table).

Come enjoy the fellowship and help us clean things up. Come for whatever portion of this you can.

Some Recent Church Highlights

Martha Olsen places in the "Chili Cookoff" at SS Morris Community AME Church on April 15th. A lovely outing that gave members of our congregation and SS Morris, a predominantly African American congregation, a chance to get to know each other. Pastor Bryan still thinks Marcus Murphy was robbed.

Farrel Smith was crowned "The Trash Talk King" (or something like that) as we presented our new trash and recycling boxes during worship on April 16th. Farrel has been picking through our church trash to separate recyclables from trash for years. We are hoping to relieve him of this task by being more intentional about how we throw things out at church. Thanks Farrel!

We dedicated the 5 new trees planted on the church grounds after church on April 23rd. Thanks to the Blackmores, Fischers, Haggertys, and Anne Ross for the dedications of these trees that represent our commitment to honoring and loving the earth and living in such a way that the generations to come will also have a beautiful earth to cherish and enjoy.

Meet and Greet -

Harriet and Andrea Are Coming!

Our McFarland UCC community has had the delightful opportunity to get to see and know Harriet Taylor and Andrea Burgard of Silver Spring, Maryland when they began to attend worship, Bible study, and morning devotions via Zoom.

All are invited to attend a “Meet and Greet” with Harriet and Andrea on Saturday, May 6, 9 am – 11 am in the church fellowship space. Refreshments will be served. Stop by and say hello.

Harriet and Andrea will be attending worship on Sunday, May 7 to participate in all of Sunday’s activities, including Bible study and becoming members during worship.

If you have any questions about Harriet and Andrea’s visit in May, feel free to contact either Joan Jacobsen (608-669-7944) or Julie Woodward (608-669-7844).

Green Team Book Read -

Speak with the Earth and it Will Teach You by Daniel Cooperrider



Memorial UCC in Fitchburg has invited MUCC to join them in book discussions. 

Please join us in reading this book. “It is not enough appreciated how much of an outdoor book the Bible is,” wrote author Wendell Berry. Author Daniel Cooperrider illustrates his point with beautiful narrative- - like a stroll through the woods - - Speak with the Earth analyzes the Bible’s treatment of nature and intersperses this analysis with the author's own reflections on experiences in nature. 

Daniel Cooperrider is a local UCC Pastor.

You can read his bio here - https://www.danielcooperrider.com/bio.

You can see a trailer on this book here - https://youtu.be/5VLET7Rrltg 



Book discussions

Rivers -Sunday, May 7 at 11:30 ish at Lake Farm County Park, Madison

Mountains - Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 at Memorial UCC, Fitchburg

Trees - Wednesday, May 31 at 6:30 at McFarland UCC, McFarland

Clouds - Wednesday, June 14 at 6:30 location TBD

A Few Words From Pastor Bryan

And Portia Nelson

I know that the lengthiest part of the Pulse each week is this section at the bottom from me! I deliberately put my little weekly article at the end of the newsletter so that you don't have to scroll through it or read it if you don't want to!

But quite a few of you have let me know that you look forward to these weekly messages, so I'll keep doing them as I have been.

That being said, in the spirit of brevity this week, I'm going to share with you a breif piece called "Autobiography In 5 Short Chapters" that I just love. It was written by Portia Nelson (1920-2001) an actress, singer/songwriter, and author. She played the cantankerous nun in "Sound of Music," and was on the Soap Opera "All My Children." She's probably best known for this "autobiography" which was published in her book, There's A Hole In My Sidewalk. Give it a read and I think you'll agree it has A LOT to say in very few words. And, I think it also has a lot to do with how God keeps teaching us, expanding our awareness, and growing our hearts.

Blessings everyone, and I hope to see you this Sunday!

Bryan

Autobiography In 5 Short Chapters

By Portia Nelson

1.  I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk

I fall in.

I am lost… I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

2.  I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don’t see it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I’m in the same place.

But it isn’t my fault.

It still takes me a long time to get out.

3.  I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in… it’s a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

4.  I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

5.  I walk down another street.