From the Desk of the Pastor
We leave the harshness of winter behind and enjoy the warmth of the sunshine with the reminder of new life in the freshness of spring.
Our Lenten season began with our Ash Wednesday service and continued with five of our Lenten weekly gatherings, with a light soup supper followed by a movie or discussion. On the sixth Wednesday of Lent the youth led the worship and offered the message in “The Ragman”. I was grateful for the positive responses given!
During Lent we received into membership 15 new members – 10 on March 9th and 5 on April 13th. We welcome to our church family:
Cliff and Lynn Calhoun
Jim and Sally Cook
Michael and Barb Francis
Seth and Stevie Simonson
Michael Schum
Vanessa Wilhelm
Joe Foster
Roger, Cathy, Emily Sarah Lehman
We are happy all of you are here!
Of course this past week has been one of rest following Holy Week. After six worship services, home communions and visits, I had a delightful time celebrating Easter dinner with my family in Louisville;
also enjoying dinner Monday night with dear friends and former pastor.
But now, I am back, rested, and ready for summer. We have our Homecoming chicken dinner, Bible school, Indiana-Kentucky Conference Annual Meeting, Pond Service, summer camps, and Regional Youth Event to look forward to.
We also have two youth applying to represent us as Young Ambassadors with the IN-KY Conference: Danielle Hountz, daughter of Dan and Tina Hountz, and Stefanie Ratliff, daughter of Randy and Tracey Ratliff. We will be hearing more from these young ladies in the future. (Be sure to check out the article in this newsletter about this program!) Please take another envelop off the youth board in support of our youth!
Thank you, the members, for all you have done and are doing to make St. Jacob’s UCC and St. John’s UCC such vital churches in our community!
~Pastor Lynne
~ Where Kids Discover God’s Love~
Be ye fishers of men - you catch them & He'll clean them.
Westphalia Partnership
Submitted by ikcucc
Since 1992, the IKC-EKvW (Evangelical Church of Westphalia) Partnership Working Group works with the UCC Committee in Westphalia, Germany to implement the partnership between these two judicatories.
During the first decade, we had various exchanges in order to become acquainted, and in 2000 comprised a set of goals to work on together. Visits back and forth between church officials and other delegations, church to church partnerships and the Young Ambassadors program comprise most of our partnership activities. Each year, representatives from either the Ohio Conference or the Indiana-Kentucky Conference attend the annual UCC Forum in Westphalia, always on a topic of mutual interest.
We are now preparing for our sixth generation of Young Ambassadors – a faith exchange during which approximately 15 ambassadors are chosen from each country to befriend each other, and on successive summers spend three weeks together, first in the US and then in Germany. Bible study, faith discussions, mission projects and fun comprise the activities the students engage in each summer.
One year is spent in preparation and earning money, and the year between and following the second summer is spent in visiting churches throughout the Conference, sharing the program.
Young Ambassadors Generation 6
We are seeking 15 outstanding youth (ages 16-21) from our Indiana-Kentucky Conference churches to represent us in Generation 6 of our Young Ambassadors program. This opportunity will allow these young people to grow in their Christian faith with each other and with the 15 German youth who will be knitted into a unique community. Previous participants can testify to this life-changing experience. We will be hosting the German youth in July of 2015 and our youth will be in Germany in July of 2016.
~ J ~ J ~ J ~
I really like living in your church! There are some yummy crumbs for me to eat. You must have some really good cooks here, for my waistline is growing! I try to clean up behind myself… but sometimes people come in, so I have to run and hide. Please accept my apology for any messes you find! Speaking of people catching me, there’s this man with a white beard (the ladies call him Louie), and he comes in and works on things. A few weeks ago he and his helper (a lady named Jane) built a shelf in the room behind the altar, and this week he was here again working on a door. He scared me this time, because he almost caught me, but I was able to hide under that big piece of furniture and watch. I hope to see some more of you… but you won’t see me!
Thank you for supporting the Strengthen the Church special mission offering — one of four such offerings within the UCC. The offering date is Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2014.
Each day, visions and dreams are created in the hearts of many in the United Church of Christ. Through the Strengthen the Church offering, these visions and dreams can become a reality.
As God calls our congregations to be "church" in new ways, your generous gifts will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches, and develop spiritual life in our youth and young adults. Because of this offering, many more will hear the good news that "God is still speaking."
All gifts are directed to activities and programs within your local Conference, as well as the UCC's national ministries. Be sure to wear RED!
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday
St. Jacob’s May Food Pantry Collection:
Canned Fruit / 1 / 2 / 3
Youth bake cookies 10am
St. John’s hall
4
Youth Meeting
after worship at St. John’s / 5
St. John’s
Board Mtg
6:30pm / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
11
/ 12 / 13 / 14
Women’s Circle at Kim G’s house / 15
Merom
Summer Camp
Registrations
Due / 16 / 17
18
Honor Graduates / 19 / 20
St. Jacob’s Trustees Mtg 7pm / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24
25 / 26
Memorial Day / 27 / 28 / 29
Ascension Day / 30 / 31
St. Jacob’s June Collection:
Laundry & Dish Soaps
June 2014
1
St. John’s Homecoming
No Sunday School
10am worship
11am dinner / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
IKC Education Day & Annual Meeting / 6
IKC Education Day & Annual Meeting / 7
IKC Education Day & Annual Meeting
8
Pentecost
VBS Begins!
SonTreasure Island
6-8:30pm / 9
VBS:
SonTreasure Island
6-8:30pm / 10
VBS:
SonTreasure Island
6-8:30pm / 11
VBS:
SonTreasure Island
6-8:30pm / 12
VBS:
SonTreasure Island
6-8:30pm / 13 / 14
Flag Day
15
Trinity Sunday
/ 16 / 17 / 18 / 19
Walterman-Cook Rehearsal / 20
Walterman-Cook Wedding / 21
Summer Begins!
22
Pond Service
10:30am - Ratliff’s
No Sunday School or Penntown service / 23 / 24 / 25
57th Anniversary of the United Church of Christ / 26 / 27 / 28
29 / 30 / Printfree.com
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