Pastor’s
Page
Pastor’s
Page
Recently
a member of the church has been telling me about an unusual “God Sighting.”
It
seems that this spring a morning dove is courting a relationship with him. One morning while at work a particular mourning dove started
a nest on the windshield of his red car while he was at work.
When he was readying to leave work he witnessed this “God Sighting”.
Carefully he removed the beginnings of a fine nest from the windshield,
got in his car and drove home.
The
next day he returned to work and parked in a near spot remembering the morning
dove. That afternoon the morning
dove had once again started a nest on his windshield.
Now what is he to do?
Once
again he carefully removed the started nest and went home.
The third day came and he thought about the morning dove on his way to
work. When he parked he waited to
see and sure enough here came the morning dove, eager to get to work nest
building.
The
fourth day, our member parked on the other side of the building in a different
lot, hoping to discourage the bird, but by afternoon, the morning dove had
located his car once again. This
continued all week.
Well
the hope was that over the weekend, the morning dove might give up and find a
new place to nest. Our church
member shared this phenomenon with us in worship.
It raised my curiosity.
What
would happen on Monday of the second week?
When next I saw our member I asked him and he said, “You won’t
believe this!” Monday I drove my
green truck to work certain to confuse the morning dove so she’d nest
elsewhere but by afternoon, here she was building a nest in the same windshield
location on my green truck. She has
not bothered any other vehicles.
OK,
any of you have ideas about this morning dove?
Here’s
what I make of this “God Sighting”.
God
is always searching and seeking us out. We
belong to God and God loves us with an unconditional love.
God is relentless in offering to us grace and mercy and wants us in
return to worship and honor God; serving God in all that we do.
God will go to extreme measures to show us this love.
At
the same time, it is always our choice. In
creation God made us humans and gave us freewill to choose.
In Joshua 24, we are reminded that each day we must choose who we will
serve. It’s always our choice.
Joshua tells us that “he and his household will serve the Lord”.
In
1 Peter we are reminded that we are a “chosen race”.
God chose us when we were born but we must daily choose to love and serve
God.
A
mourning dove on a spring day diligently nest building offers to us a gift; a
chance to see God in our midst.
A God Sighting.
My
thanks to Dan Pogacsnik for sharing this joy preceding our prayer concerns and
for keeping me enlightened about the daily encounters with this precious
creature made by God. I hope I got
the story as accurate
as possible. Forgive me if I’ve
taken liberties in the retelling.
We
are God’s own people.
Rev. Joyce Schroer
————-
My
definition of “God Sighting”: Some
unusual way that God makes Godself known in an every day event.
If we are not paying attention we miss God in our very presence.
From
the Desk of the Moderator
Dear Friends,
As
I was getting ready for work this morning, I began thinking about God and how
thankful I am to be apart of First Congregational U.C.C.
· What
are we thankful for?
· What
challenges do we face?
· What
is God’s direction for us?
The
BIG WHITE CHURCH has been here for over 185 years through recessions
and a great depression.
YET,
we continue the mission GOD has given us.
· To spread the “Good News” of Jesus
Christ
· To share our resources
· To face
our special needs
· To tell our
story to others and
the opportunity
· To worship together Sunday in God’s house.
Last
Sunday, a five year old asked me “since this is God’s house”; “Where is
God’s bedroom”? In the words of
a Brooks and Dunn song “GOD MUST BE BUSY”.
God never sleeps and hears our every prayer. As I explained to this
child, how God never sleeps he believed me because he said
“God has everything
else here; a living room, a kitchen, toys, books, TV’s, music, friends,
stories, bathrooms and a yard with a playground”.
Jesus
tells us in Matthew 22:37, the greatest commandments are
“to love God and to love our neighbor as yourself”.
Let’s tell our story, invite
and welcome more to join us.
Sunday
school for everyone starts at 9:15a.m. Sunday morning,
worship service at
10:30a.m. and
Fellowship hour
following worship.
See
you next Sunday!
In Christ’s Love,
Deb Oehling
Tea
Party for Mothers and Daughters
Wednesday,
May 7, 2008 at 7:00p.m.
In
the Fowler Room
Reservation
needed by May 5 sign up or call
Pauline Malone 419.588.2170
****Please
note the date change***
Women's
fellowship is not having any bake sale in May.
Women’s
Fellowship packaged 22 school kits and 37 baby kits for CWS.
RADA
Cutlery – From a Paring Knife to a French Chef
Mother’s
Day will be here soon—do you need a great gift idea?
Women’s Fellowship will have RADA Cutlery available for sale in the
Fowler Room on Sundays in May. Not
only are there knives, but there are also specialty stirrers, spatulas, pizza
cutters, and knife sharpeners.
Check out our selection for your Mom!
“All
I am or can be, I owe to my angel mother.”
Abraham Lincoln
Plastic Bottles
The
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has set a national goal to recycle 25
percent of our national waste. Some plastics can be recycled through curbside
recycling, grocery
store drop bins or drop-off centers. A raised number (1 through 7) in a triangle
on the bottom of most plastic containers tells you what type of plastic it is
and if it can be recycled.
· In
2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods
or movie tickets.
· Plastic
bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill.
· If everyone in NYC gave up plastic water bottles for one week they would save 24 million bottles from being land filled; one month would save 112 million bottles and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.
www.epa.gov
www.recycleitnow.net
Did
You Know:
· For every ton of paper that is recycled,
the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough
electricity to power an average house for six months.
· You can run a TV for six hours on the
amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
· By recycling just one glass bottle, you
save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.
www.gogreeninitative.org
Community Memorial Day Service
Berlin Heights Kiwanis Pancake
Breakfast is
Monday, May
26th
from 7:00 –
11:00 AM.
The Parade begins at 9:00 AM.
Habitat
For Humanity
We
have received a nice ‘thank you’ from Habitat For Humanity for
donations
to the ReStore and for those who have volunteers or given
financial
donations recently. The Re-Store is
located at the corner of
Rt.
250 and Mason Rd. Their hours are: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
from
10am—4pm.
They
have reduced rates on building materials.
Check
out the ReStore when you have a chance.
Let’s
Join Others
National
Day of Prayer
will
be held on
Thursday,
May 1st.
on the Milan Village Square at 7 PM.
This
year we will gather around the Flagpole in a circle of prayer. The agenda will
be, the Pledge Allegiance to the Flag, singing the Star Spangled Banner, then
have people lead in prayer as they feel led by the Holy Spirit, and conclude
with the singing, God Bless America.
Remember
in Prayer
Anna and Ken Wargo, Angie (a co-worker
friend of Marianne Snyder’s), Jim Statzer (Pauline Malone’s uncle), Laura
Unger, Diddy Vartorella, Betty Hofacker (Katie Schroer’s aunt), Cindy Hillman
(Pat Carson’s daughter), Jeff Sutton, Bob Booth, Jim Schwetz (Trish
Bragdon’s Dad), Jennifer Burnham Weitzel, Don Smith, Marge Morner, Rob
Stilgenbauer, Faye Waldron.
Congratulations
to New Parents
· Lorrin Ratti has a new baby girl named
Jayden Joy.
· Amy and Gilbert Chambers have a new baby
girl, Addison
· Stephen and Molly Gornek have a new baby
girl, Liza Jane.
Blanket
Sunday is May 11th. $5.00
buys one blanket.
Your
blanket gifts make a world of difference for millions of people around the
globe. Last year folks who
donated to the Blanket Fund signed a quilt square.
The quilt is now completed
and will be presented and dedicated during worship on Mother’s Day this year.
Something to hold on to…HOPE.
And a $5.00 blanket!
· Your
world has been torn apart, and your immediate wish for your children is a warm
place to sleep, a Church World Service $5.00 blanket is something to hold on to,
along with the hope for a better tomorrow.
· When
your home has been washed away by torrential rains, and a barren hillside offers
the only shelter from a howling wind, a blanket is something to hold on to,
along with the hope for brighter days ahead.
Hope never dies.
But sometimes it needs a little help.
So the CWS Blanket Program continues to purchase and ship blankets
worldwide, and to support a variety of self-help textile-oriented development
projects through our partner agencies.
Thanks to your Blanket Program gifts, we
are able to provide comfort and warmth –something to hold on to along with the
hope—for neighbors in need around the block, and around the world.
Strengthen
the Church
Dear
Friends,
What
does the church mean to you? Mission?
Compassion? Community?...Praise? Prayer? Peace?
We could sit in a circle asking that question and come up with as many
different answers as people! But
the value at the heart of every answer would likely be the same: LOVE. Our church
is love.
When
I think about how the church’s love – God’s love –has transformed and
nourished me, I want to share it. I
want others to feel the blessings of grace and acceptance, to know the joy of
service and the freedom to live fully in God’s moment –whether it brings joy
or sorrow, struggle or laughter.
Each
year, we receive a special offering that helps the church’s love to grow and
thrive. Called Strengthen the
Church, this offering funds new congregations and renews existing ones. It supports programs for youth and young adults and nurtures
current and future leaders. And
this year, for the first time, it will aid the God is Still Speaking Ministry
and its message of
Inclusivity.
We
will receive a special offering on May 25th.
I invite you to celebrate with us by giving to Strengthen the Church. Your generous gift today ensures a vibrant church tomorrow.
Spread
the Love. Strengthen the Church.
God
is Still Speaking,
ANGEL
FOOD MINISTRIES
MAY
2008
Open
to Everyone
Cost
$30.00 Regular Menu
1.5 lb.
Bacon Wrapped Beef Filet (4 x 6 oz.)
2.5 lb. Breaded
Chicken Breast Filets
1.5 lb. Bone-In
Pork Steaks (4 x 6 oz.)
28 oz. Salisbury
Steak Dinner Entrée
2.5 lb. Beef
and Bean Burritos (10 x 4 oz.)
2 lb.
Popcorn Chicken
9.5 oz.
Stouffer’s Flat Bread Pizza
16 oz.
Cauliflower & Carrot Blend
15 oz.
Corn Niblets
16 oz.
Green Beans
2 lb.
Fresh Onions
29 oz.
Pears
32 oz.
Borden 2%
Reduced Fat Shelf-Stable Milk
9 oz.
Breakfast Cereal
8 oz.
Corn Muffin Mix
16 oz.
Bean Soup Mix
1
Dozen Eggs
1
Dessert Item
Must
order Regular Menu to order Specials.
Order Dates: 4/26
10-11 BHCC
5/13
11-1 BHCC; 5/14 5-6 BHCC, and 5/18 following worship in Fowler Room
Distribution Day:
Saturday,
May 31 BHCC 10-11.
MAY SPECIAL #1
7 lb. Grill Box
$20.00
1.75 lb. Chicken Breast Kebob
Kit (makes 6-8 Kebobs)
1.5 lb.Chicken Breast, 4 oz.
Vegetables (Onions, Peppers) & Skewers
1.25 lb. Ribeye
Steaks (2 x 10 oz.)
2 lb.
Thick Cut Pork Chops (4 x 8 oz.)
2 lb.
Beef Hamburger Steaks (4 x 8 oz.)
MAY
SPECIAL #2
5 lb.
Steak Box $20.00
1.5 lb.
Bone-In New York Strip Steaks (2 x 12 oz.)
1.5 lb.
Bone-In Ribeye Steaks (2 x 12 oz.)
2 lb.
Sirloin Strips (4 x 8 oz.)
MAY
SPECIAL #3
12 lb. Chicken Combo Box $20.00
5 lb (avg) Whole
Chicken
2 lb.
Breaded Chicken Tenders
30 oz.
Individually Vacuum Packed Boneless Skinless
Chicken Breasts (6 x 5 oz.)
1 lb.
Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Wings
2 lb.
Chicken Breast Nuggets
If you have questions, please
call Evelyn Johns or Barb Bement.
Thank
You
Dear Trustees,
Thanks so much for your donation to the
ReStore. Our store enables our
Habitat
affiliate to build more homes for families in need.
Sincerely, Nancy Smith
To Bob and Barb Bement and First Congregational U.C.C. Esperanza
Mission
Thank you for taking the time to share the
story of your experience in Mexico.
And thank you especially for the use of
your photos.
Please pass my gratitude on to the rest of
the group.
It was a pleasure to meet
all of you.
Sincerely, Jennifer
Grathwol Sandusky Register
We want to express our appreciation to Boy
Scout Troop 236 for playing “pick up stick” in the church yard.
With so many hand the task was completed quickly preceding their Monday
night meeting. Don Leonard is the
Scout Master.
Thanks to all the scouts we appreciate the ways you have
reverence for God.
First Congregational U.C.C. Berlin
Heights
Partner’s in Christ’s Ministry,
I am writing to thank you for your
generous support of the Reverend Richard and Rachael Wolff Scholarship fund for
Theological education. Your church
has been a faithful supporter of Seminary education for our future Pastors and
leaders through the Wolff Fund.
Sincerely Rev. Dr. Kevan S.
Franklin
Chair, Wolff Fund for Theological Education
Parish
News
May
2008
Have
you ever been struck by the random
acts of kindness done by others? A hug
during the passing of
the peace. The list of
possibilities is endless. What a perfect time to do something random for
someone else! Kindness, Pass it on!
Here
are a few examples: give a flower, eat lunch with someone new, listen with your
heart, visit a sick friend, sweep a neighbor’s walk or pick up left over
sticks and trash from the winter in their yard, offer that hug, give a small but
unexpected gift, make a new friend, say hello, pick up litter along the road or
in the park, say “Hello”, call a lonely person, open a door for someone,
help carry a load, plant a tree, pass on a kindness, buy someone’s meal, cheer
up a friend, thank a teacher, give blood, read to a child, leave or send a
thank-you note, offer your seat, tip generously, be tolerant, let another go
first, bake cookies for emergency workers or public safety workers, tutor a
student, give a compliment, pay the next driver’s tool, lend a hand, give a
balloon to a child, offer a ride, celebrate the day, respect
others, encourage a child, walk a dog, do a favor, forgive mistakes,
drive courteously, share a smile and Do One Act of Kindness Every Day!
“Give
and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together and
running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will
be measured to you.”
Luke 6:38.
Love in Christ, Deb Oehling
News
from Point of Light Missions
Victory
Temple Soup Kitchen Volunteer
Sign-Up Is posted. On the third Thursday’s,
April – September, we send 3 or so
volunteers to help prepare or serve food at Victory Kitchen. You need to arrive around 11:30 AM and work until 2:30 or
3:00 pm. Take a turn and see how
rewarding this mission really is.
Esperanza
Mission Trip 2009
It’s
official – we are now accepting applications for the 2009 Esperanza (Tijuana)
mission trip which will depart on January 31st and return on
February 7th in 2009. We
plan to divide our group, taking a maximum of 32 people. The cost this year has increased to $700.00 per person.
This includes
airfare, van rental, lodging, and meals.
We
are asking for a $100 non-refundable deposit as soon as possible to reserve your
space. $300 will be due in
September and an additional $300 will be due in December.
Feel free to contact Steve Schroer if you have any questions.
News
From Mexico: I want to send you a note to let you know
of my special opportunity. I will
be traveling to Africa as part of a mission trip sponsored by a church in
Seattle, Washington. They are
paying my way. We will be working
in a community where the water quality is poor.
We will be digging a well. I
am also trying to raise extra money to meet my families day to day needs while I
am gone. Please keep me in your
prayers so that through my experience I will be a better leader and make your
next visit more meaningful. Paz,
Eduardo Zavala-Reyes
Volunteer co-ordinator for Esperanza in Mexico
Baccalaureate
Services For Edison High School
Friday
May 30th
at 5:00 PM
at
Edison United Methodist Church, Milan, Ohio
Graduating
seniors are planning this service as we give thanks to God for the young people
about to graduate this year from Edison High School.
The community, family and friends are invited to attend this service.
Congratulations
High School Graduates
Christopher
Drake
Noah
Hill
Rylie
Holler
Kellen
Link
Matthew
Lux
Jeremy
Wyant
Kellen
Link invites his church family to
an open house following his graduation exercises at Huron High School.
It will be held at his home on May 25th. Time
will be announced.
Esperanza
Annual Golf Scramble
May
18th @ 3:00 PM
at
High Acres on Frailey Rd.
Point
of Light Missions is making plans for our
annual golf outing, scheduled for May 18th. This is one of our biggest fund raisers for mission work.
If you can’t be there that day but would like to help support this
event you can sponsor a “hole” for $50.00. What this means is, you and/or
your family will be recognized
with a flyer at your “hole”. If this is something you would like to do,
simply make the check out to Point of Light Missions and note that it is for a
“hole” sponsorship. Thank
for your continued support!
Submitted
Points of Light
The
Amherst Community Chorus
Presents:
A
Celtic Celebration
Friday,
May 23
St. Joseph Social Hall
200 St. Joseph Dr. Amherst OH
Admission Adult $4.00 Sr.
Citizens $3.00
Students: $2.00, Children 5 and under FREE.
Please
join us for refreshments following concert.
Submitted
by Lou Ann Gioffre
Race
For The Cure
Relay
for Life
Dear
Friends,
Please
help me out. “Ricky Relay” a hamster
is sitting on my desk! He must stay here for 24 hours, the whole weekend if you
get him on Friday (that means he goes home with me), until $5.00 is paid to have
him removed. If anything goes wrong with him, you can be fined $50.00. If
he dies the fine is $100.00.
Ricky is helping us “Race for the Cure” for Relay for Life. Now
how inappropriate is it for Ricky to be on the desk of the epidemiologist (a
person who deals with the study of the causes and control of preventable
diseases) just think of the “Germs” he can emit. Please give me your check
for $5.00 made out to “Relay for Life” at my attention and I will see that
our team gets the funds. It is a long time until Relay for Life starts on June
20th. Things could get very stinky and dirty between now and then.
Yuck!
On a
brighter note, I also have the Luminary forms for Relay. If you would like to
order a luminary ($5 each) or need to register as a survivor please see me.
Thanks,
Deb Oehling.
Serving
the Lord
* Have
you noticed all the people who participate in leading worship by being lay
readers in church?
* Have
you enjoyed the delicious cookies and refreshments after worship?
* Have
you noticed the adults who leave to go to the nursery and take care of these
young disciples each Sunday?
Let me tell you about these people…They
are incredible!!
If you’d like to join in this number,
don’t wait to be asked, sign up on the list posted on the bulletin board.
There are lots of dates available this summer.
PHONES
IN CHURCH
A
man in Topeka , Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the
country. He started by flying to San Francisco and started working east
from there.
Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and making
notes.
He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued with a
sign, which read "Calls: $10,000 a minute."
Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The
pastor answered that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to
heaven and if he pays the price he can talk directly to GOD.
The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way. As he continued to
visit churches in Seattle , Dallas , St. Louis , Chicago , Milwaukee , and
around the United States , he found more phones, with the same sign, and
the same answer from each pastor.
Finally, he arrived in Ohio , upon entering a church in Columbus , Ohio ,
behold - he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time,
the sign read "Calls: 35 cents."
Fascinated, he asked to talk to the pastor, "Reverend, I have been in
cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden
telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I
could talk to GOD, but in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a
minute. Your sign reads only 35 cents a call.
Why?"
I love this part...We love Ohio .............
The pastor, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in Ohio now ......
You're in God's Country, It's a local call."
American
by Birth - A Buckeye by the Grace of God.
Submitted by Pat Carson
Sunday
School Breakfast
Sunday,
May 18th
Our Sunday School year is quickly coming
to an end on May 18th. This is our
annual Sunday School Breakfast. Everyone:
teachers and students are invited to come join us for breakfast in the
Fowler Room beginning at 9:15 AM sponsored by the Board of Christian Education.
Thank you to the following people who have shared in the educational
ministry.
· Nursery
- Monica Klarer and Wendy Harper
· K-1st
- Misty McDonald
· 2nd
& 3rd Denise Leonard
· 4th
& 5th - Lisa Robson
· 6th,
7th, 8th - Bobette Nemire and Joanne Grech
· High
School - Jeff McDonald
· Bible
Class - Phil Grech
· Adult
- Lawrence Johns
August— Back Bay Mission Trip
Final
plans are being made for a mission trip to Back Bay
mission at 1012 Division
Street, Biloxi, MS 39530.
· August
10th through August 16
First
Congregational UCC in Berlin Heights, OH
and First
United Church of Christ in Sauk, WI are scheduled to work together to assist
Back Bay mission and the surrounding community.
Contact Becky
Coleman for more information.