First Congregational Church UCC
"The Big White Church in Berlin Heights"

The Steeple News February 2008

185^th Anniversary of First Congregational Church and Society

February marks the month when our church came into being.  We will be celebrating all month with the women and the men – looking to the future and remembering our past.  Sunday February 24^th will be the BIG CELEBRATION!  We will have Rev. Dan Busch, our Northwest Ohio Association minister with us in worship and following that we will have a “Potluck” dinner in the Fowler Room.  Tell your friends and neighbors and invite everyone you know to be with us on that day.

Pastor’s Page

It won’t be long now until our Mission to Mexico.  This will be my fifth trip to Tijuana and my fifth week working at Esperanza.  My husband Steve counts this as his 10^th trip.  A decade of mission work done in Mexico.  WOW!!

At first Steve went with the group from the church in Archbold.  After the first year, he had no desire to return, then something happened…a friend stopped him at the fair and asked him to reconsider and go along again.  God speaks to us through friends.  He did and has been hooked ever since.

After 5 times of going without me, he finally convinced me to go along too.  Honestly, I rather enjoyed the week at home to myself and what could I do building houses?  I anticipated being more of a hindrance than a help but finally I gave in and agreed to see what attracted him to return every year.

The first time I crossed the border into Mexico I was stunned.  Homes made of old garage doors nailed together along with scraps of plywood and shipping crates were covered with blue tarps.  They dotted the mountainside.  The contrast of green grass and palm trees that greeted us at the San Diego airport soon gave way to scrub brush and dirt covered hills.  Shacks upon shacks lined the hillsides as far as the eye could see and garbage…garbage everywhere…old rubber tires used as foundations…old TV consoles dug into the side of hills to make stair steps…people chattering on in a tongue I couldn’t understand …everything seemed strange and alien.

Five years has passed.  It’s so different now.  I guess it really looks the same as it did the first time I entered the country but I don’t see it anymore.  Instead, I see progress made.  Such as a garbage truck picking up trash along the way.  A courtyard with pretty roses growing in a chipped flower urn.  And a stick house now replaced with an Esperanza home.  (In five years I have met 10 new families.)  Now I see faces of people I recognize.   I have learned some basic Spanish words enough to get by. 

I am anxious to return.  I can’t wait to see the familiar faces and share the smiles and hugs.  It is a good feeling to sweat from doing physically hard work and at the end of the week the tears of joy flow. 

Why do we go to Esperanza?  Because that is what Jesus is calling us to do.  As a servant of Jesus Christ we are charged by God to bring justice to all the earth.  If we look at our mission trip as working to bring justice to this corner of God’s earth , it may not seem like we make a difference (especially when you look at the millions of people who still live in the hillside shacks), but it does makes a difference to the family we work with.  We go back because in doing so God is changing us and God is bringing hope (Esperanza) to someone who otherwise might lose all hope.

Hold us in prayer February 2 – 9, 2008

In Christ we work and live,

Rev. Joyce Schroer

Volunteers Needed:  We give to the church in many different ways.   Some of the most meaningful ways are when we give our ourselves.  This new sign-up sheets are posted on the bulletin board.  Sign Up to be a Coffee Fellowship Host, Nursery Caregiver, Scripture Reader, Children’s message, Altar flowers, or an Acolyte.

Women’s Fellowship Workdays

The next workday will be Tuesday February 26^th.  At our workdays there are jobs for everyone.  Cutting out labels, sewing quilt blocks, cleaning the kitchen, etc.  Workday’s end with lunch together.  All women of the church are invited to come and participate .  For information contact Pauline Malone. 

Holy Encounters

The women of the church will lead worship on February 3^rd.  Holy encounters most often come in the most ordinary happenings of our daily lives.  What a wonderful affirmation of God’s working through us and using us as vessels for ministry.  Join us for worship at 10:30 AM.

Threads of Wisdom

On March 7-9 will be a Women’s Retreat.  It will be held this year at Prettyman Cabin at Pilgrim Hills.  The program will be based on stories out of Jonah and Ruth.  As God speaks to us through these wonderful Bible stories I’m confident that our faith will be woven together in rich and varied ways, much like a tapestry. 

There will be time to explore the woods, walk the labyrinth, and get back in touch with God’s Spirit. 

A sign-up sheet will be posted.  Cost is $50.00 for the two nights.  If you choose only to stay one night it will be $35.00.  Come when you can, stay as long as possible, leave when you must.

God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding

World Day of Prayer 2008 will be on March 7^th.  Details will be announced in February.

One Great Hour of Sharing

A massive rainstorm stalled over Washington and Oregon causing record level flooding in residential areas in both states. Officials are scrambling to assist residents stranded when the Chehalis River spilled over its banks on Monday December 3. Helicopters have rescued dozens of residents from rooftops, and many communities are cut off from ground transportation.

Cream of Sharing Soup

Each year the Sunday school children bring in a special offering for One Great Hour of Sharing.  Sharing is something kids learn to do from the time they are toddlers.  This year for each $.25 they bring in, a “soup label” will be displayed on the sanctuary wall.  Start bringing your offering on February 3^rd.  We will collect this offering for 5 Sundays.

How many cans of soup can we share? 

On the last Sunday of our offering – March 2 – along with the offering we would like each child/adult to bring in a real can of soup.  We will pour all the soup together and share with one another during coffee fellowship.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day

Once again we are invited to be the guests at Lakeview UMC for Pancakes on Shrove Tueday, February 5^th at 6:00 PM.  A sign-up sheet is posted.  Reservations need to be made by January 31^st. 

Ash Wednesday Services

TBA 

Outdoor Ministries Summer Camp Catalog for Pilgrim Hills and Templed Hills has arrived!

Stop by the church office to check it out or see www.ocucc.org for details.

A Lenten Study

On Wednesdays, Feb. 20th and 27^th, and Mar. 5^th and 12^th we will have a Lenten Study beginning at 7:00 PM.  The topic will be “Troubled Waters”.  We will look at scriptures dealing with the gift of water and view a new video produced for ABC-TV by the United Church of Christ.

NuVizion and 100 for $1000

NuVizion United Church of Christ in Toledo, Ohio continues as a faithful worshipping community.  They are Northwest Ohio’s newest church start and dear to our hearts here in Berlin Heights since we have a connection to their pastor and his family.  (In case you didn’t know, Pastor Will’s wife, Shelley, is one of our own Smith clan.)

In February, NuVizion UCC will be our mission project and we have been challenged to stretch to a HUGE goal.  It is called 100 for $1000.

On most Sundays in Berlin Heights we average pretty close to 100 people in worship. That counts every man, woman, and child…even babies.  If we would each give $10 and there are 100 people in worship, we’d be making a gift of $1000 to the ministry of NuVizion!!

10 dollars x 100 people = a priceless gift in ministry and mission

Help us reach this goal!  Put your special offering in an envelope and put it in the NuVizion box located in the Narthex on either Feb. 3^rd or Feb. 10th.  Offerings can also be sent to the church office marked “NuVizion”. 

Easter Flowers Order Form – (insert when available)