the messenger september 2015
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september
2015
FROM PASTOR JERRY’S DESK
Never-Before Revealed Secrets of the Bible!
In 1997, a book called The Bible Code was published by a journalist named
Michael Drosnin. The point of the book was that the original Hebrew text of
the Old Testament contained secret messages, many of which foretold the
future.
Sometimes this code could be retrieved by counting “equidistant letters.”
Suppose you took every fiftieth Hebrew letter in Genesis (not counting
spaces) and then put them together, adding spaces where necessary. It might
spell out a secret message! Or here’s another way it might work. Put all the
Hebrew letters of a Bible book in rows, with the same number of letters (say
100) in each row, and print them in squares with justified margins. It would
look like a Word Search puzzle. Then, just as with a Word Search, you try
reading it backwards and forwards, up and down, and diagonally. Amaz-
ingly, words appear! By this method, Drosnin found that the ancient Hebrew
manuscripts predicted the assassinations of both JFK and Yitzhak Rabin! (In
the consonantal Hebrew: YPhK and RBN.) The book sold millions of copies.
But it’s just possible that Drosnin was working with a few suspect
presuppositions. For instance, he presupposes that God was involved in the
writing of the books right down to the individual letters. He also presupposes
that the apparent meaning of scripture – the stories, songs, laws, teachings,
and speeches – are at one level just a pretext for other, hidden, messages.
And he presupposes that the current events of about the turn of the 21st
century were just so darn important to God that the writing of the Bible was
shaped by God’s need to insert messages about our time in books written
thousands of years earlier. Think about it! The Bible predicts JFK’s death!
We must be incredibly important if even the Bible is really all about us!
As I say, I think all these presuppositions are, shall we say, suspect. But
Drosnin worked with one other premise, which I believe is accurate. He
presupposed that people would uncritically accept any rubbish so long as it
had the word “Bible” attached to it. That much, at least, is true.
Why is that? Because we know that the Bible is somehow from God, but we
don’t really know what’s in it. Why don’t we know the Bible? Because, let’s
face it, it’s hard. It’s written in literary forms that we aren’t familiar with,
using strange metaphors, referring to people and places we’ve never heard
of. It’s long, and it’s confusing. It already feels like a secret code to us, so
Drosnin’s bilge sounds credible.
This fall, we’re going to try to make the Bible more accessible, in two ways.
First of all, on Wednesday nights and during Sunday education time, I’ll be
repeating my Scripture Core class, surveying the actual content of the Bible
and showing how it fits together. Second, in my sermons, I’m going to talk
about strategies for approaching the Bible, with sensitivity to its own time as
well as to ours. I’m going to talk about what the Bible really is – and what it
isn’t. Because the Bible actually matters – not as a weapon or a gimmick, but
as a doorway to discovering God yesterday, today, and forever.
Sunday, September 20
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Morality Tale or Story”
2 Samuel 11-12
Sunday, September 27, United Methodist Women
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Prescription or Description”
1 Corinthians 11:2-16
*We observe Open Communion. All are welcome at
God’s table.
Sermon Series: The Problem with the Bible
Sunday, September 6
8:00am - Morning Chapel with Communion*
10:00am - Worship with Communion*
“What Do We Do with This Stuff?”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Sunday, September 13
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Science or Meaning”
Genesis 2:18-25
Other Events: First day of Sunday Morning classes
Church Purpose:Church Purpose:Church Purpose:
Live and Share God's LoveLive and Share God's Love
NON PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 542
WAUSAU, WI 54403
The Messenger First United Methodist Church of Wausau
903 Third Street
Wausau, WI 54403
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone 715 842-2201 Website: www.fumcwausau.org
STAFF
Pastor: Gerald Morris
jerry@fumcwausau.org
Faith Formation/Music Coordinator: Martie Pahris
martie@fumcwausau.org
Accounts & Records Supervisor: Karen Kellbach
karen@fumcwausau.org
Secretary: Arlene Trull
arlene@fumcwausau.org
Building Engineer: Andy White
903 Third St; Wausau, WI 54403
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs - 9:00am-4:00pm
Web-site: www.fumcwausau.org
E-mail: fumc@fumcwausau.org
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To the Members of First UMC,
Thank you so much for your warm welcome to First UMC
and to Wausau! I really appreciated Dan Marzu, Jerry
Evans, Jerry Morris and Mike Zahn helping load and
unload my furniture and belongings.
My first week here was VBS! That was a great
opportunity to get to know some of the children, youth
and adults. I look forward to working with your children
and youth as we learn about God and grow in our relationship with God and with each other
through Faith Quest, Confirmation, Children’s Music and other opportunities.
I am also excited about starting rehearsals with the Chancel Choir and the Jubilate Ringers. I
am going through music and am looking forward to preparing for leading our church in
worship of our loving and gracious God.
One of our first challenges is finding an accompanist. Please be in prayer as we seek someone
who will compliment the ministry and worship of our church.
Thank you again for the opportunity to minister with you in this place,
Martie
WE PRAY TOGETHER - NOW
LET’S PLAY TOGETHER! We are
taking a bus trip to see Christmas on
the Farm by the Clauson Family on
Saturday, December 5th? The cost for
the show, dinner & transportation is
$61 per adult and $38 per child (12 and
under). Family & friends are welcome!
Full payment will be due by October
15th. A deposit of $20 each will hold
your spot. Checks should be made to
FUMC. This will be fun for the whole
family. Please let the Office (842-
2201) or John Ohnstad (845-1366)
know - or indicate your interest by
signing up in the Parlor.
Page 10
Resources for Ministry Financial Update - JULY 2015 YTD
FUMC Wired
Website: fumcwausau.org
With links to the weekly sermon
(text and podcast)
facebook.com/WausauFUMC
WiFi Network: FUMC Public
(password: fumcpublic)
Revenue Expense
Pledged Offering $ 140,336.46 Salaries & Benefits $ 137,274.78
Non-Pledged Offering $ 26,315.90 Programming $ 13,929.64
Other $ 32,181.57 Apportionments to Conference $ 31,136.00
Building Operating Expenses $ 33,303.24
Total Revenue $ 198,833.93 Total Expenses $ 215,643.66
Net YTD $ -16,809.73
YTD 2015 Pledged & Non-Pledged Offerings compared to YTD 2014 1,073.00 lower
YTD 2015 Total Expenses compared to YTD 2014 14,325.71 lower
YTD 2015 Other Income compared to YTD 2014 13,654.72 higher
YTD 2015 Endowment Transfer compared to 2014 15,000.00 higher
2015 Financial Audit Report
Every few years, we bring in an outside auditor to look over
our books, examine our processes, and make suggestions.
After all, the money we manage was entrusted to us by you
for ministry. We had an audit in 2012, and this past month we
had an accountant from Hack CPA come out and spend two
weeks with Karen Kellbach, our Financial Records
Supervisor. Here is a summary of his report.
Gary, the accountant, did find a few discrepancies that he
could not reconcile. In the end, we had to adjust our balance
by adding $254.66 to our books. That’s how far we had gotten
off balance in three years. Gary’s comment on this: “A high
degree of accuracy by your current financial records
supervisor is indicated by there being few errors found
and that the requiredamount of adjustment was a
relatively small dollaramount considering that last time
we assisted with a reconciliation was August 31, 2012.”
Gary did make some suggestions on things that the finance
committee can work on: consolidating and updating our
policies into a single document, establishing a regular external
review of bills paid by electronic fund transfer, and most of
all training a second person as a back-up to Karen Kellbach.
So long as she is the only one who knows how to perform
many of our financial tasks, we are exposed to considerable
risk of confusion.
So there are some things to work on. But you needed to know
that we are continuing to be careful with the money you give,
that Karen has (again) been shown to be trustworthy. Part of
your stewardship is to give financially to the church; part of
our stewardship to you is to be faithful and careful with those
gifts.
September 12 - Church Workday
On Saturday, September 12, between 8:00am
and 2:00pm, the Board of Trustees and the
Aesthetics Committee invite everyone to drop by
the church and help with some deep cleaning and
small maintenance. Donuts will be provided in
the morning, and we will grill lunch in the
courtyard. Quilters are especially invited to use
their talents to create a new banner for the
Fellowship Hall.
Yes, we know it’s ArtRageous Weekend. It will
already be a good day to be downtown. Spend
some of the day with us, and then enjoy the
attractions and exhibits that start two blocks
away.
CARE
Page 3
Savvy Seniors
will meet at
11:30am on
M o n d a y ,
September 14 (not on the 7th, which is Labor
Day), at Red Eye on Washington
Street.
Milestones
Deaths: Several of our members
are grieving for loved ones who
have died. We grieve with them.
We grieve with Joe Riehle, whose
mother, Belle Riehle, died June 6.
We grieve also with Carrie
Hockerman, whose grandmother,
Ethel Cairns, died on July 4.
We grieve with Sue Carole
Volovsek, whose mother-in-law,
Olga Volovsek, died on July 21.
And we grieve with Beth Rohland,
who lost two family members in
one week. Beth’s cousin, Deanna
Witte, died on August 2, and then
Beth’s grandmother, Wilma
Gilmore, died on August 5.
Be in prayer for all who mourn,
especially these we know and love.
Baptism: But we also rejoice. We
welcomed Wynter Tesch into our
fellowship on August 23 through
the Sacrament of Baptism. Wynter
will begin our Confirmation
program this fall as she seeks to
deepen her faith in Christ. A Dementia-Friendly Church - Special Class Offered
Through the Downtown Memory Café, First UMC Wausau has already
reached out to the seniors of our community who struggle with memory loss
issues - in themselves and their loved ones. But is there more we can do?
Starting Wednesday evening, September 9, Cindy Wachsmuth of Azura
Memory Care (and a regular volunteer at our Memory Café) will offer a four-
session exploration of dementia for those seeking to help, especially in the
church. Sessions include “Praising Beyond Dementia” and “Cognitive
Rehabilitation and Memory Enhancement: Evidence-Based Interventions for
Older Adults.” People interested in working with our Memory Café, this class
is ideal for you, as it is for those who are dealing with dementia personally.
Class will begin at 6:00pm, September 9, 16, 23, and 30, after dinner at
5:15pm.
* Signifies an honored elder in a senior facility. We invite you this month to
remember these members in your prayers.
1 Janet Wyrick Jace Cole 2 Jerry Evans Chloé Larson 3 Morgan Stamp 4 Dawn Decker Jerry Volkman 6 Will Wyrick 7 Ray Nowaczyk Kathryn Schmidt 8 Rob Rybarczyk 10 John Burke 11 Grace Wylie 12 Barbara Day Sue Carole Volovsek
14 Dan Emmerich Julia Ebert
16 Betty Fraser* Cheyenne Schepp Ginny Grothe
17 Jim Boelz Bruce Brandenburg Patty Gokey
18 Ann Harmon
19 MaDonna McMahan Joyce Scheffler Curt Day Jessica Wenzel
20 Leah Stratton
21 Florence Ross* Mary Borchardt Dave Branson Martie Pahris
22 Catherine Koss
23 Lawrence Muelver
24 Dave Seiser Cathy Hamblin
25 Bernadette Bruner
26 Betsy Larson
27 Nick Harvey Dennis Sauer Lisa Dahl
28 Leslie Waterman
29 Kay Harmon
30 Doris Carlson James Wadinski Porter Emmerich
CARE / OUTREACH
UNITED
METHODIST
WOMEN
Circle Meetings
September 3 - Love-Hope Circle
5:30pm - Chang Garden
7:00pm - Church Parlor
September 9 - Mary-Faith Circle
9:15am - Church Parlor.
Other Upcoming Events
August 27
6:30pm - Executive Committee
September 2
9:30am - Sunshine Gals
September 19
9:00am - District Annual Gathering;
Wisconsin Rapids
September 27
UMW Sunday
September 29
6:30pm - Unit Meeting
Page 4
GROWING FAITH
COMMUNITY GARDEN
The ecumenical community garden
that our church supports, along with a
half-dozen other downtown churches,
is looking for volunteers to help with
the watering and harvesting of the
vegetables.
We also need straw bales! The
community garden is looking for straw
bales for next year’s garden. If you
are interested in volunteering or have
bales that you would like to donate or
that we can purchase, please contact
Jeff at 715-571-3418 or 715-848-
8378 .
Part of caring for each other is getting to know each other outside of
church - as real people. Preferably real people with hot dogs, hot cocoa,
and marshmallows. Here’s your chance!
September 27, after church, join a caravan to Willow
Springs Gardens (5480 Hillcrest Drive, off Highway K) for
an afternoon of fall games and fun. Good for kids, for
parents, for singles, for all.
Cost: $6/adult or $2/child
(The Packers play Monday of that week.)
Mission u Report
Wisconsin United Methodist Women’s Mission u wrapped up Friday, July
25, with an Overview Day of spiritual growth, hymns, and fellowship.
The 4-Day event with three studies was held at the Westwood Conference
Center in Wausau July 20-24. Including Overview Day, 200 people
attended Mission u. Between the 4-Day event and Overview Day, $2,143
was raised for the UMW Mission Pledge and $900 was raised for United
Methodist Children's Services.
On Overview Day, Michelle Hopp led a Bible Study on Luke 13:10-17
talking about Jesus’ loving interpretation of the law, Dr. Larry Goebel
talked about John 9:1-41 and disability theology, and Rev. Fernando Siaba
led the cultural study on Latin America. Finally, Laura Ida and Rev. Mary
Kathryn Pearce summarized the “Created for Happiness” study.
SAVE October 4TH FOR THE WAUSAU AREA CROP WALK
For the 38th year, area residents have an opportunity to participate in an
anti-hunger walk that benefits people in need around the world as well as
those receiving assistance from our local food pantries.
CROP is a relief effort of Church World Service. Twenty-five percent of
the funds raised will go to The Salvation Army, The Neighbors Place and
local pantries. Walkers or their sponsors may choose one of 180 cooper-
ating religious and non-sectarian relief organizations (see Interaction.org).
We will walk the first Sunday in October, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the
Marathon Park bandstand. There will be 2k, 5k and 10k routes to
accommodate walkers of all ages and abilities. For more information or to
request a pledge envelope, call Margaret Getzin at 715-842-9254.
Page 9
Conference and Connections
Introducing Forrest Wells
In 2014, the Wisconsin Annual Conference voted to
re-organize our district structure and add one District
Superintendent to the four we already had. The
Conference was responding to the sense that churches
no longer knew their DS. Often it felt that a DS only had
time to deal with churches in crisis. But churches that
were doing well - or even just getting by - are also a part
of our conference connection.
Through this change, we are now a part of a new
district called the North Central District, and we have a
new DS, Forrest Wells, who is already living here in
Wausau. Since we should be seeing him regularly, you
should know a little about him.
Forrest comes to this role after serving as the Lead
Pastor at the Cargill UMC in Janesville; but before that,
he was a District Superintendent in the Madison area.
He knows this area though. One of his first appoint-
ments was in Plover.
Forrest is known in the Conference as a listener,
someone who can work well with others despite
personality and theological differences. He is a member
of the “Clergy Covenant Team,” which was formed for
the purpose of teaching ministers how to get along with
each other. He approaches the superintendency as a
pastor first and administrator second.
Just before taking his new role, Forrest took a sabbatical
leave. Half of his planned leave - a trip to the Galapagos
Islands - was cancelled when the boat he was supposed
to take sank; but before that, he spent several weeks in
Turkey in the ancient cities that witnessed the rise of the
church. Here is Forrest on that trip:
Join Bishop Jung on a Pilgrimage
to the Holy Land
Join Bishop Jung on a ten-day journey to the Biblical
Lands of Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan February
16-25, 2016. Extend the trip with the option of an
additional four days to explore more of the Wonders
of Jordan and Petra. Flights will depart from Chicago
to Tel Aviv. For any questions, contact Rev. Forrest
Wells at frwells@wisconsinumc.org. For more
information or to register, go to the conference
website: www.wisconsinumc.org/Resources/
Documents/ENews/HolyLand2016.pdf.
Church Conference, 2015
For the sake of those who did not grow up United
Methodist: here’s what a church conference is. This is
an annual meeting at which all church members can vote
and at which we take care of certain annual business
matters. These include: updating membership, present-
ing our team and committee leadership for the next year,
voting on the pastor’s salary, and so on. Even more than
this, though, it can be a time of worshiping together,
celebrating our ministry, and imagining our future. The
church conference takes place in the fall of every year.
One of the first signs of Forrest Wells’s pastoral
approach to his new position as District Superintendent
is that he wants to lead the annual church conference for
every church. This, of course, used to be the normal
arrangement; but in recent years, we have been meeting
in a circuit-wide day of conferences where the
conferences themselves were led by elders from other
churches. This year our church conference will be just
us, will be held in our own building, and will be led by
our District Superintendent.
What that means, though, is that Forrest has to spread
out the conferences with the 55 churches he serves over
several months - which means some churches are having
their church conferences much earlier than usual. Like
us. Our church conference will be on October 12 in
our Parlor. Forrest will meet with the Staff-Parish
Relations Committee at 6:15pm, and the conference
itself will begin at 7:00pm.
Again, all are invited, but it is especially important for
our leaders to be there. Mark this date.
FAITH FORMATION
Page 8
FAITH QUEST Faith Groups: 8:45–9:45am;
Worship at 8:00 and 10:00am
DIG INTO THE BIBLE, CALL OF THE DISCIPLES September 13-October 11, 2015
Grades 2 through 5
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.’
And immediately they left their nets and
followed him.” Mark 1:17-18
VBS 2015
G-Force: God’s Love in Action
We had a great time at VBS, August 3-7, led
by a team from North Central College. Joining
with First Presbyterian Church, we had 17
children, 3 youth, and several adults who
participated. The children learned about God’s
love for all of us and that we are to share that
love with others. Special thanks to Kirsten
Hornby and the adults who prepared dinner for
us each evening. Please take a look at the
pictures from VBS on the second page.
Children’s Music
From September 9 through October 28
we will be having a children’s music
activity on Wednesday evenings from
5:45 - 6:30. We will be learning about
God’s grace and love through music.
This will be for children in kindergarten
through 5th grade. At 6:30pm, the
children will move to the Theater Room
to watch a video until 7:00pm. Please
encourage your child or children to
attend.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
If you would be willing to volunteer to
teach children on Sunday mornings, be a
shepherd in Faith Quest, help provide
child care during worship services, or
show the children a video on Wednesday
evenings, please contact Martie at the
church. The more people we have
involved, the better. Thank you.
Scripture Core Class
Three years ago, Pastor Jerry taught the
Scripture Core class, covering the entire
arc of the Bible’s story and how it is
connected, in eight sessions. This class
will be offered again this fall, on both
Wednesday nights (September 9 through
October 28 at 6:00 following supper at
5:15) and Sunday mornings (8:45-
9:45am). All classes will meet in Room
101 (by the 3rd Street entrance).
Confirmation
At First UMC, Confirmation is no longer a year-long
class for 8th graders. Confirmation is a process - which
may begin as early as 6th grade or as late as adulthood
and continues until its goals are met. An information
meeting, explaining our process, is meeting at 11:15am
in the B. K. Smith Room on Sunday, August 30. If you
are interested in knowing more and can’t make that
session though, please contact Jerry or Martie.
OUTREACH
A Ministry Story - Pastor Jerry
We got a call at the church. A woman - let’s call her Sandy - was looking
for help for her family of five. Her husband, a welder, had gotten laid off
three months ago. He had just been called back to work, and she had just
gotten a job herself, but they had bills piled up and rent due. Worse, the
house they had been renting for three years was falling apart, and the
landlord had done nothing. WPS had just shut off their power, the electrical
system was so unsafe, and they had nowhere to go.
We do have a small fund, supplied entirely by your donations, by which we
can help people one time. So we began working with her. Sandy arranged
for a place at an extended stay motel starting on Friday, when her husband
got his paycheck, and we arranged to pay for two nights in a hotel until that
time. (When she needed one more night, a member who was in the office
paid for that night from her own pocket.)
But that’s not the end of the story. When Sandy came to the office to meet
us and pick up the checks we had made out to the hotel, she began telling
me about the state of the rental home they had had to flee, about the outlets
that sparked and once started a fire when used, about the upstairs floors that
sagged when her children walked on them, about the falling plaster. A
shadow appeared at my elbow. It was Karen Kellbach, our Financial
Records Supervisor, who also (as it happens) is the City Council representa-
tive for District 8. Karen took over the questioning. Who is the landlord?
How has he responded? He said, “Just don’t use the upstairs”? Really?
The upshot is that Karen went with Sandy that day to view the home, after
which Karen got on the phone with the city inspectors, who came out the
next morning and condemned the home as unfit for human habitation.
Karen has delivered that report to the proper authorities and is working on
“rent abatement” for Sandy’s family.
As of this writing, Sandy’s family has found a new home, a farmhouse that
they love and that they are paying much less rent for. Whether you knew it
or not, this is the sort of thing you are a part of at your church.
September Mission
Offering
Personal Needs Closet
Twice a year, we designate our
monthly mission offering to our
own Personal Needs Closet. So far
in 2015, we have been visited 446
times by over two hundred
different families. That adds up to
837 individuals that we have
helped through this ministry.
In February, the last time the PNC
was our Mission Offering, we held
a large drive and you gave
generously, pulling the PNC
account out of the red and giving
us a solid foundation. That founda-
tion has held. We are still in the
black in the PNC account.
But it’s getting low again. This
month, we continue to support this
ministry that has had such a huge
impact on so many lives.
Remember that for cash to go to
the monthly Mission Offering, it
needs to be in one of the small
brown envelopes in the pew.
Bring 4th Food
On August 23,
the Fourth Sunday of the
month, remember
to bring canned goods.
This month we support
the
Presbyterian Food Pantry.
Page 5
Point In Time Count / Project Connect
On July 29-30, for the fourth time now, our church served as the base for the
Housing and Homelessness Coalition’s semi-annual count of the county’s
homeless population. The count went all night and then early in the morning,
our church served breakfast to all who came - both volunteers and homeless -
while representatives from different programs and agencies met with those
who live without roofs, to help them find other options.
This year, the teams counted 17 people sleeping outside, which is almost
double the number counted last July. We served about 60 breakfasts. Thank
you to Gwen Carey for heading up the breakfast team.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
30
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Confirmation Meeting
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
4:00pm Community Dinner - First
Presbyterian Church
5:00pm Downtown Churches' Picnic - 400
Block
31
6:00pm Yoga
7:00pm Ministries Council
1
10:00am Program Staff
1:00pm Visitation Team
2:00pm Worship - Mt View
3:00pm Worship - Kennedy Park
2
9:30am Sunshine Gals
7:15pm Chancel Choir
3
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
4
Office Closed
5
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
6
8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship - Communion
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
7 LABOR DAY
Office Closed
6:00pm Yoga
8
10:00am Full Staff
1:00pm Personal Needs Closet
Open
5:30pm Board of Trustees
9
9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
10
8:30am AA
2:00pm Worship - Forest Park
5:30pm Love Hope UMW
Circle - Chang Garden
6:00pm Guatemala Mission
Meeting
11
Office Closed
12
8:00am Church Work Day
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
13
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
14
11:30am Savvy Seniors
- Red Eye
6:00pm Yoga
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due
10:00am Program Staff
6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations
Committee
7:00pm Finance Committee
16
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
17
8:30am AA
10:30am Downtown Memory
Cafe
6:00pm Missions Team
6:30pm Worship Design Team
18
Office Closed
19
8:30am District UMW Annual
Gathering - WI Rapids
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
20
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
21
6:00pm Yoga
22
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering
6:00pm Care Council
7:00pm Welcome and
Communications
23
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
24
8:30am AA
25
Office Closed
26
9:00am Personal Needs Closet
Open
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
27 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
UMW Sunday
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
12:00pm Hayride & Corn Maze - Willow
Springs Garden
28
6:00pm Yoga
29
6:30pm UMW Unit Meeting
30
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
1
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
6:30pm UMW Executive
Committee
2
Office Closed
3
Page 6
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
30
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Confirmation Meeting
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
4:00pm Community Dinner - First
Presbyterian Church
5:00pm Downtown Churches' Picnic - 400
Block
31
6:00pm Yoga
7:00pm Ministries Council
1
10:00am Program Staff
1:00pm Visitation Team
2:00pm Worship - Mt View
3:00pm Worship - Kennedy Park
2
9:30am Sunshine Gals
7:15pm Chancel Choir
3
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
4
Office Closed
5
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
6
8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship - Communion
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
7 LABOR DAY
Office Closed
6:00pm Yoga
8
10:00am Full Staff
1:00pm Personal Needs Closet
Open
5:30pm Board of Trustees
9
9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
10
8:30am AA
2:00pm Worship - Forest Park
5:30pm Love Hope UMW
Circle - Chang Garden
6:00pm Guatemala Mission
Meeting
11
Office Closed
12
8:00am Church Work Day
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
13
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
14
11:30am Savvy Seniors
- Red Eye
6:00pm Yoga
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due
10:00am Program Staff
6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations
Committee
7:00pm Finance Committee
16
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
17
8:30am AA
10:30am Downtown Memory
Cafe
6:00pm Missions Team
6:30pm Worship Design Team
18
Office Closed
19
8:30am District UMW Annual
Gathering - WI Rapids
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
20
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
21
6:00pm Yoga
22
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering
6:00pm Care Council
7:00pm Welcome and
Communications
23
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
24
8:30am AA
25
Office Closed
26
9:00am Personal Needs Closet
Open
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
27 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
UMW Sunday
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
12:00pm Hayride & Corn Maze - Willow
Springs Garden
28
6:00pm Yoga
29
6:30pm UMW Unit Meeting
30
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
1
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
6:30pm UMW Executive
Committee
2
Office Closed
3
Page 7
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
30
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Confirmation Meeting
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
4:00pm Community Dinner - First
Presbyterian Church
5:00pm Downtown Churches' Picnic - 400
Block
31
6:00pm Yoga
7:00pm Ministries Council
1
10:00am Program Staff
1:00pm Visitation Team
2:00pm Worship - Mt View
3:00pm Worship - Kennedy Park
2
9:30am Sunshine Gals
7:15pm Chancel Choir
3
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
4
Office Closed
5
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
6
8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship - Communion
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
7 LABOR DAY
Office Closed
6:00pm Yoga
8
10:00am Full Staff
1:00pm Personal Needs Closet
Open
5:30pm Board of Trustees
9
9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
10
8:30am AA
2:00pm Worship - Forest Park
5:30pm Love Hope UMW
Circle - Chang Garden
6:00pm Guatemala Mission
Meeting
11
Office Closed
12
8:00am Church Work Day
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
13
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
14
11:30am Savvy Seniors
- Red Eye
6:00pm Yoga
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due
10:00am Program Staff
6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations
Committee
7:00pm Finance Committee
16
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
17
8:30am AA
10:30am Downtown Memory
Cafe
6:00pm Missions Team
6:30pm Worship Design Team
18
Office Closed
19
8:30am District UMW Annual
Gathering - WI Rapids
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
20
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
21
6:00pm Yoga
22
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering
6:00pm Care Council
7:00pm Welcome and
Communications
23
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
24
8:30am AA
25
Office Closed
26
9:00am Personal Needs Closet
Open
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
27 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
UMW Sunday
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
12:00pm Hayride & Corn Maze - Willow
Springs Garden
28
6:00pm Yoga
29
6:30pm UMW Unit Meeting
30
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
1
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
6:30pm UMW Executive
Committee
2
Office Closed
3
Page 6
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
30
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Confirmation Meeting
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
4:00pm Community Dinner - First
Presbyterian Church
5:00pm Downtown Churches' Picnic - 400
Block
31
6:00pm Yoga
7:00pm Ministries Council
1
10:00am Program Staff
1:00pm Visitation Team
2:00pm Worship - Mt View
3:00pm Worship - Kennedy Park
2
9:30am Sunshine Gals
7:15pm Chancel Choir
3
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
4
Office Closed
5
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
6
8:00am Morning Chapel - Communion
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship - Communion
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
7 LABOR DAY
Office Closed
6:00pm Yoga
8
10:00am Full Staff
1:00pm Personal Needs Closet
Open
5:30pm Board of Trustees
9
9:30am Mary Faith UMW Circle
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
10
8:30am AA
2:00pm Worship - Forest Park
5:30pm Love Hope UMW
Circle - Chang Garden
6:00pm Guatemala Mission
Meeting
11
Office Closed
12
8:00am Church Work Day
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
13
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
14
11:30am Savvy Seniors
- Red Eye
6:00pm Yoga
15
8:00am Messenger Articles Due
10:00am Program Staff
6:00pm Staff-Parish Relations
Committee
7:00pm Finance Committee
16
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
17
8:30am AA
10:30am Downtown Memory
Cafe
6:00pm Missions Team
6:30pm Worship Design Team
18
Office Closed
19
8:30am District UMW Annual
Gathering - WI Rapids
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
20
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
21
6:00pm Yoga
22
1:00pm Prayer Shawl Gathering
6:00pm Care Council
7:00pm Welcome and
Communications
23
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
24
8:30am AA
25
Office Closed
26
9:00am Personal Needs Closet
Open
10:00am Working in Growing
Faith Community
Garden
27 BRING 4th FOOD SUNDAY
UMW Sunday
8:00am Morning Chapel
8:45am Adult Education Hour
10:00am New Life UMC Worship - Chapel
10:00am Worship
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm Grapevine Faith Alliance Worship
12:00pm Hayride & Corn Maze - Willow
Springs Garden
28
6:00pm Yoga
29
6:30pm UMW Unit Meeting
30
5:15pm Meal
5:45pm Children’s Music
6:00pm Adult Classes
6:30pm Children’s Bells
6:30pm Jubilate Bells
7:15pm Chancel Choir
1
8:30am AA
10:30am PNC Steering
Committee
6:30pm UMW Executive
Committee
2
Office Closed
3
Page 7
FAITH FORMATION
Page 8
FAITH QUEST Faith Groups: 8:45–9:45am;
Worship at 8:00 and 10:00am
DIG INTO THE BIBLE, CALL OF THE DISCIPLES September 13-October 11, 2015
Grades 2 through 5
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.’
And immediately they left their nets and
followed him.” Mark 1:17-18
VBS 2015
G-Force: God’s Love in Action
We had a great time at VBS, August 3-7, led
by a team from North Central College. Joining
with First Presbyterian Church, we had 17
children, 3 youth, and several adults who
participated. The children learned about God’s
love for all of us and that we are to share that
love with others. Special thanks to Kirsten
Hornby and the adults who prepared dinner for
us each evening. Please take a look at the
pictures from VBS on the second page.
Children’s Music
From September 9 through October 28
we will be having a children’s music
activity on Wednesday evenings from
5:45 - 6:30. We will be learning about
God’s grace and love through music.
This will be for children in kindergarten
through 5th grade. At 6:30pm, the
children will move to the Theater Room
to watch a video until 7:00pm. Please
encourage your child or children to
attend.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
If you would be willing to volunteer to
teach children on Sunday mornings, be a
shepherd in Faith Quest, help provide
child care during worship services, or
show the children a video on Wednesday
evenings, please contact Martie at the
church. The more people we have
involved, the better. Thank you.
Scripture Core Class
Three years ago, Pastor Jerry taught the
Scripture Core class, covering the entire
arc of the Bible’s story and how it is
connected, in eight sessions. This class
will be offered again this fall, on both
Wednesday nights (September 9 through
October 28 at 6:00 following supper at
5:15) and Sunday mornings (8:45-
9:45am). All classes will meet in Room
101 (by the 3rd Street entrance).
Confirmation
At First UMC, Confirmation is no longer a year-long
class for 8th graders. Confirmation is a process - which
may begin as early as 6th grade or as late as adulthood
and continues until its goals are met. An information
meeting, explaining our process, is meeting at 11:15am
in the B. K. Smith Room on Sunday, August 30. If you
are interested in knowing more and can’t make that
session though, please contact Jerry or Martie.
OUTREACH
A Ministry Story - Pastor Jerry
We got a call at the church. A woman - let’s call her Sandy - was looking
for help for her family of five. Her husband, a welder, had gotten laid off
three months ago. He had just been called back to work, and she had just
gotten a job herself, but they had bills piled up and rent due. Worse, the
house they had been renting for three years was falling apart, and the
landlord had done nothing. WPS had just shut off their power, the electrical
system was so unsafe, and they had nowhere to go.
We do have a small fund, supplied entirely by your donations, by which we
can help people one time. So we began working with her. Sandy arranged
for a place at an extended stay motel starting on Friday, when her husband
got his paycheck, and we arranged to pay for two nights in a hotel until that
time. (When she needed one more night, a member who was in the office
paid for that night from her own pocket.)
But that’s not the end of the story. When Sandy came to the office to meet
us and pick up the checks we had made out to the hotel, she began telling
me about the state of the rental home they had had to flee, about the outlets
that sparked and once started a fire when used, about the upstairs floors that
sagged when her children walked on them, about the falling plaster. A
shadow appeared at my elbow. It was Karen Kellbach, our Financial
Records Supervisor, who also (as it happens) is the City Council representa-
tive for District 8. Karen took over the questioning. Who is the landlord?
How has he responded? He said, “Just don’t use the upstairs”? Really?
The upshot is that Karen went with Sandy that day to view the home, after
which Karen got on the phone with the city inspectors, who came out the
next morning and condemned the home as unfit for human habitation.
Karen has delivered that report to the proper authorities and is working on
“rent abatement” for Sandy’s family.
As of this writing, Sandy’s family has found a new home, a farmhouse that
they love and that they are paying much less rent for. Whether you knew it
or not, this is the sort of thing you are a part of at your church.
September Mission
Offering
Personal Needs Closet
Twice a year, we designate our
monthly mission offering to our
own Personal Needs Closet. So far
in 2015, we have been visited 446
times by over two hundred
different families. That adds up to
837 individuals that we have
helped through this ministry.
In February, the last time the PNC
was our Mission Offering, we held
a large drive and you gave
generously, pulling the PNC
account out of the red and giving
us a solid foundation. That founda-
tion has held. We are still in the
black in the PNC account.
But it’s getting low again. This
month, we continue to support this
ministry that has had such a huge
impact on so many lives.
Remember that for cash to go to
the monthly Mission Offering, it
needs to be in one of the small
brown envelopes in the pew.
Bring 4th Food
On August 23,
the Fourth Sunday of the
month, remember
to bring canned goods.
This month we support
the
Presbyterian Food Pantry.
Page 5
Point In Time Count / Project Connect
On July 29-30, for the fourth time now, our church served as the base for the
Housing and Homelessness Coalition’s semi-annual count of the county’s
homeless population. The count went all night and then early in the morning,
our church served breakfast to all who came - both volunteers and homeless -
while representatives from different programs and agencies met with those
who live without roofs, to help them find other options.
This year, the teams counted 17 people sleeping outside, which is almost
double the number counted last July. We served about 60 breakfasts. Thank
you to Gwen Carey for heading up the breakfast team.
CARE / OUTREACH
UNITED
METHODIST
WOMEN
Circle Meetings
September 3 - Love-Hope Circle
5:30pm - Chang Garden
7:00pm - Church Parlor
September 9 - Mary-Faith Circle
9:15am - Church Parlor.
Other Upcoming Events
August 27
6:30pm - Executive Committee
September 2
9:30am - Sunshine Gals
September 19
9:00am - District Annual Gathering;
Wisconsin Rapids
September 27
UMW Sunday
September 29
6:30pm - Unit Meeting
Page 4
GROWING FAITH
COMMUNITY GARDEN
The ecumenical community garden
that our church supports, along with a
half-dozen other downtown churches,
is looking for volunteers to help with
the watering and harvesting of the
vegetables.
We also need straw bales! The
community garden is looking for straw
bales for next year’s garden. If you
are interested in volunteering or have
bales that you would like to donate or
that we can purchase, please contact
Jeff at 715-571-3418 or 715-848-
8378 .
Part of caring for each other is getting to know each other outside of
church - as real people. Preferably real people with hot dogs, hot cocoa,
and marshmallows. Here’s your chance!
September 27, after church, join a caravan to Willow
Springs Gardens (5480 Hillcrest Drive, off Highway K) for
an afternoon of fall games and fun. Good for kids, for
parents, for singles, for all.
Cost: $6/adult or $2/child
(The Packers play Monday of that week.)
Mission u Report
Wisconsin United Methodist Women’s Mission u wrapped up Friday, July
25, with an Overview Day of spiritual growth, hymns, and fellowship.
The 4-Day event with three studies was held at the Westwood Conference
Center in Wausau July 20-24. Including Overview Day, 200 people
attended Mission u. Between the 4-Day event and Overview Day, $2,143
was raised for the UMW Mission Pledge and $900 was raised for United
Methodist Children's Services.
On Overview Day, Michelle Hopp led a Bible Study on Luke 13:10-17
talking about Jesus’ loving interpretation of the law, Dr. Larry Goebel
talked about John 9:1-41 and disability theology, and Rev. Fernando Siaba
led the cultural study on Latin America. Finally, Laura Ida and Rev. Mary
Kathryn Pearce summarized the “Created for Happiness” study.
SAVE October 4TH FOR THE WAUSAU AREA CROP WALK
For the 38th year, area residents have an opportunity to participate in an
anti-hunger walk that benefits people in need around the world as well as
those receiving assistance from our local food pantries.
CROP is a relief effort of Church World Service. Twenty-five percent of
the funds raised will go to The Salvation Army, The Neighbors Place and
local pantries. Walkers or their sponsors may choose one of 180 cooper-
ating religious and non-sectarian relief organizations (see Interaction.org).
We will walk the first Sunday in October, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the
Marathon Park bandstand. There will be 2k, 5k and 10k routes to
accommodate walkers of all ages and abilities. For more information or to
request a pledge envelope, call Margaret Getzin at 715-842-9254.
Page 9
Conference and Connections
Introducing Forrest Wells
In 2014, the Wisconsin Annual Conference voted to
re-organize our district structure and add one District
Superintendent to the four we already had. The
Conference was responding to the sense that churches
no longer knew their DS. Often it felt that a DS only had
time to deal with churches in crisis. But churches that
were doing well - or even just getting by - are also a part
of our conference connection.
Through this change, we are now a part of a new
district called the North Central District, and we have a
new DS, Forrest Wells, who is already living here in
Wausau. Since we should be seeing him regularly, you
should know a little about him.
Forrest comes to this role after serving as the Lead
Pastor at the Cargill UMC in Janesville; but before that,
he was a District Superintendent in the Madison area.
He knows this area though. One of his first appoint-
ments was in Plover.
Forrest is known in the Conference as a listener,
someone who can work well with others despite
personality and theological differences. He is a member
of the “Clergy Covenant Team,” which was formed for
the purpose of teaching ministers how to get along with
each other. He approaches the superintendency as a
pastor first and administrator second.
Just before taking his new role, Forrest took a sabbatical
leave. Half of his planned leave - a trip to the Galapagos
Islands - was cancelled when the boat he was supposed
to take sank; but before that, he spent several weeks in
Turkey in the ancient cities that witnessed the rise of the
church. Here is Forrest on that trip:
Join Bishop Jung on a Pilgrimage
to the Holy Land
Join Bishop Jung on a ten-day journey to the Biblical
Lands of Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan February
16-25, 2016. Extend the trip with the option of an
additional four days to explore more of the Wonders
of Jordan and Petra. Flights will depart from Chicago
to Tel Aviv. For any questions, contact Rev. Forrest
Wells at frwells@wisconsinumc.org. For more
information or to register, go to the conference
website: www.wisconsinumc.org/Resources/
Documents/ENews/HolyLand2016.pdf.
Church Conference, 2015
For the sake of those who did not grow up United
Methodist: here’s what a church conference is. This is
an annual meeting at which all church members can vote
and at which we take care of certain annual business
matters. These include: updating membership, present-
ing our team and committee leadership for the next year,
voting on the pastor’s salary, and so on. Even more than
this, though, it can be a time of worshiping together,
celebrating our ministry, and imagining our future. The
church conference takes place in the fall of every year.
One of the first signs of Forrest Wells’s pastoral
approach to his new position as District Superintendent
is that he wants to lead the annual church conference for
every church. This, of course, used to be the normal
arrangement; but in recent years, we have been meeting
in a circuit-wide day of conferences where the
conferences themselves were led by elders from other
churches. This year our church conference will be just
us, will be held in our own building, and will be led by
our District Superintendent.
What that means, though, is that Forrest has to spread
out the conferences with the 55 churches he serves over
several months - which means some churches are having
their church conferences much earlier than usual. Like
us. Our church conference will be on October 12 in
our Parlor. Forrest will meet with the Staff-Parish
Relations Committee at 6:15pm, and the conference
itself will begin at 7:00pm.
Again, all are invited, but it is especially important for
our leaders to be there. Mark this date.
Page 10
Resources for Ministry Financial Update - JULY 2015 YTD
FUMC Wired
Website: fumcwausau.org
With links to the weekly sermon
(text and podcast)
facebook.com/WausauFUMC
WiFi Network: FUMC Public
(password: fumcpublic)
Revenue Expense
Pledged Offering $ 140,336.46 Salaries & Benefits $ 137,274.78
Non-Pledged Offering $ 26,315.90 Programming $ 13,929.64
Other $ 32,181.57 Apportionments to Conference $ 31,136.00
Building Operating Expenses $ 33,303.24
Total Revenue $ 198,833.93 Total Expenses $ 215,643.66
Net YTD $ -16,809.73
YTD 2015 Pledged & Non-Pledged Offerings compared to YTD 2014 1,073.00 lower
YTD 2015 Total Expenses compared to YTD 2014 14,325.71 lower
YTD 2015 Other Income compared to YTD 2014 13,654.72 higher
YTD 2015 Endowment Transfer compared to 2014 15,000.00 higher
2015 Financial Audit Report
Every few years, we bring in an outside auditor to look over
our books, examine our processes, and make suggestions.
After all, the money we manage was entrusted to us by you
for ministry. We had an audit in 2012, and this past month we
had an accountant from Hack CPA come out and spend two
weeks with Karen Kellbach, our Financial Records
Supervisor. Here is a summary of his report.
Gary, the accountant, did find a few discrepancies that he
could not reconcile. In the end, we had to adjust our balance
by adding $254.66 to our books. That’s how far we had gotten
off balance in three years. Gary’s comment on this: “A high
degree of accuracy by your current financial records
supervisor is indicated by there being few errors found
and that the requiredamount of adjustment was a
relatively small dollaramount considering that last time
we assisted with a reconciliation was August 31, 2012.”
Gary did make some suggestions on things that the finance
committee can work on: consolidating and updating our
policies into a single document, establishing a regular external
review of bills paid by electronic fund transfer, and most of
all training a second person as a back-up to Karen Kellbach.
So long as she is the only one who knows how to perform
many of our financial tasks, we are exposed to considerable
risk of confusion.
So there are some things to work on. But you needed to know
that we are continuing to be careful with the money you give,
that Karen has (again) been shown to be trustworthy. Part of
your stewardship is to give financially to the church; part of
our stewardship to you is to be faithful and careful with those
gifts.
September 12 - Church Workday
On Saturday, September 12, between 8:00am
and 2:00pm, the Board of Trustees and the
Aesthetics Committee invite everyone to drop by
the church and help with some deep cleaning and
small maintenance. Donuts will be provided in
the morning, and we will grill lunch in the
courtyard. Quilters are especially invited to use
their talents to create a new banner for the
Fellowship Hall.
Yes, we know it’s ArtRageous Weekend. It will
already be a good day to be downtown. Spend
some of the day with us, and then enjoy the
attractions and exhibits that start two blocks
away.
CARE
Page 3
Savvy Seniors
will meet at
11:30am on
M o n d a y ,
September 14 (not on the 7th, which is Labor
Day), at Red Eye on Washington
Street.
Milestones
Deaths: Several of our members
are grieving for loved ones who
have died. We grieve with them.
We grieve with Joe Riehle, whose
mother, Belle Riehle, died June 6.
We grieve also with Carrie
Hockerman, whose grandmother,
Ethel Cairns, died on July 4.
We grieve with Sue Carole
Volovsek, whose mother-in-law,
Olga Volovsek, died on July 21.
And we grieve with Beth Rohland,
who lost two family members in
one week. Beth’s cousin, Deanna
Witte, died on August 2, and then
Beth’s grandmother, Wilma
Gilmore, died on August 5.
Be in prayer for all who mourn,
especially these we know and love.
Baptism: But we also rejoice. We
welcomed Wynter Tesch into our
fellowship on August 23 through
the Sacrament of Baptism. Wynter
will begin our Confirmation
program this fall as she seeks to
deepen her faith in Christ. A Dementia-Friendly Church - Special Class Offered
Through the Downtown Memory Café, First UMC Wausau has already
reached out to the seniors of our community who struggle with memory loss
issues - in themselves and their loved ones. But is there more we can do?
Starting Wednesday evening, September 9, Cindy Wachsmuth of Azura
Memory Care (and a regular volunteer at our Memory Café) will offer a four-
session exploration of dementia for those seeking to help, especially in the
church. Sessions include “Praising Beyond Dementia” and “Cognitive
Rehabilitation and Memory Enhancement: Evidence-Based Interventions for
Older Adults.” People interested in working with our Memory Café, this class
is ideal for you, as it is for those who are dealing with dementia personally.
Class will begin at 6:00pm, September 9, 16, 23, and 30, after dinner at
5:15pm.
* Signifies an honored elder in a senior facility. We invite you this month to
remember these members in your prayers.
1 Janet Wyrick Jace Cole 2 Jerry Evans Chloé Larson 3 Morgan Stamp 4 Dawn Decker Jerry Volkman 6 Will Wyrick 7 Ray Nowaczyk Kathryn Schmidt 8 Rob Rybarczyk 10 John Burke 11 Grace Wylie 12 Barbara Day Sue Carole Volovsek
14 Dan Emmerich Julia Ebert
16 Betty Fraser* Cheyenne Schepp Ginny Grothe
17 Jim Boelz Bruce Brandenburg Patty Gokey
18 Ann Harmon
19 MaDonna McMahan Joyce Scheffler Curt Day Jessica Wenzel
20 Leah Stratton
21 Florence Ross* Mary Borchardt Dave Branson Martie Pahris
22 Catherine Koss
23 Lawrence Muelver
24 Dave Seiser Cathy Hamblin
25 Bernadette Bruner
26 Betsy Larson
27 Nick Harvey Dennis Sauer Lisa Dahl
28 Leslie Waterman
29 Kay Harmon
30 Doris Carlson James Wadinski Porter Emmerich
STAFF
Pastor: Gerald Morris
jerry@fumcwausau.org
Faith Formation/Music Coordinator: Martie Pahris
martie@fumcwausau.org
Accounts & Records Supervisor: Karen Kellbach
karen@fumcwausau.org
Secretary: Arlene Trull
arlene@fumcwausau.org
Building Engineer: Andy White
903 Third St; Wausau, WI 54403
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs - 9:00am-4:00pm
Web-site: www.fumcwausau.org
E-mail: fumc@fumcwausau.org
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To the Members of First UMC,
Thank you so much for your warm welcome to First UMC
and to Wausau! I really appreciated Dan Marzu, Jerry
Evans, Jerry Morris and Mike Zahn helping load and
unload my furniture and belongings.
My first week here was VBS! That was a great
opportunity to get to know some of the children, youth
and adults. I look forward to working with your children
and youth as we learn about God and grow in our relationship with God and with each other
through Faith Quest, Confirmation, Children’s Music and other opportunities.
I am also excited about starting rehearsals with the Chancel Choir and the Jubilate Ringers. I
am going through music and am looking forward to preparing for leading our church in
worship of our loving and gracious God.
One of our first challenges is finding an accompanist. Please be in prayer as we seek someone
who will compliment the ministry and worship of our church.
Thank you again for the opportunity to minister with you in this place,
Martie
WE PRAY TOGETHER - NOW
LET’S PLAY TOGETHER! We are
taking a bus trip to see Christmas on
the Farm by the Clauson Family on
Saturday, December 5th? The cost for
the show, dinner & transportation is
$61 per adult and $38 per child (12 and
under). Family & friends are welcome!
Full payment will be due by October
15th. A deposit of $20 each will hold
your spot. Checks should be made to
FUMC. This will be fun for the whole
family. Please let the Office (842-
2201) or John Ohnstad (845-1366)
know - or indicate your interest by
signing up in the Parlor.
TH
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september
2015
FROM PASTOR JERRY’S DESK
Never-Before Revealed Secrets of the Bible!
In 1997, a book called The Bible Code was published by a journalist named
Michael Drosnin. The point of the book was that the original Hebrew text of
the Old Testament contained secret messages, many of which foretold the
future.
Sometimes this code could be retrieved by counting “equidistant letters.”
Suppose you took every fiftieth Hebrew letter in Genesis (not counting
spaces) and then put them together, adding spaces where necessary. It might
spell out a secret message! Or here’s another way it might work. Put all the
Hebrew letters of a Bible book in rows, with the same number of letters (say
100) in each row, and print them in squares with justified margins. It would
look like a Word Search puzzle. Then, just as with a Word Search, you try
reading it backwards and forwards, up and down, and diagonally. Amaz-
ingly, words appear! By this method, Drosnin found that the ancient Hebrew
manuscripts predicted the assassinations of both JFK and Yitzhak Rabin! (In
the consonantal Hebrew: YPhK and RBN.) The book sold millions of copies.
But it’s just possible that Drosnin was working with a few suspect
presuppositions. For instance, he presupposes that God was involved in the
writing of the books right down to the individual letters. He also presupposes
that the apparent meaning of scripture – the stories, songs, laws, teachings,
and speeches – are at one level just a pretext for other, hidden, messages.
And he presupposes that the current events of about the turn of the 21st
century were just so darn important to God that the writing of the Bible was
shaped by God’s need to insert messages about our time in books written
thousands of years earlier. Think about it! The Bible predicts JFK’s death!
We must be incredibly important if even the Bible is really all about us!
As I say, I think all these presuppositions are, shall we say, suspect. But
Drosnin worked with one other premise, which I believe is accurate. He
presupposed that people would uncritically accept any rubbish so long as it
had the word “Bible” attached to it. That much, at least, is true.
Why is that? Because we know that the Bible is somehow from God, but we
don’t really know what’s in it. Why don’t we know the Bible? Because, let’s
face it, it’s hard. It’s written in literary forms that we aren’t familiar with,
using strange metaphors, referring to people and places we’ve never heard
of. It’s long, and it’s confusing. It already feels like a secret code to us, so
Drosnin’s bilge sounds credible.
This fall, we’re going to try to make the Bible more accessible, in two ways.
First of all, on Wednesday nights and during Sunday education time, I’ll be
repeating my Scripture Core class, surveying the actual content of the Bible
and showing how it fits together. Second, in my sermons, I’m going to talk
about strategies for approaching the Bible, with sensitivity to its own time as
well as to ours. I’m going to talk about what the Bible really is – and what it
isn’t. Because the Bible actually matters – not as a weapon or a gimmick, but
as a doorway to discovering God yesterday, today, and forever.
Sunday, September 20
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Morality Tale or Story”
2 Samuel 11-12
Sunday, September 27, United Methodist Women
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Prescription or Description”
1 Corinthians 11:2-16
*We observe Open Communion. All are welcome at
God’s table.
Sermon Series: The Problem with the Bible
Sunday, September 6
8:00am - Morning Chapel with Communion*
10:00am - Worship with Communion*
“What Do We Do with This Stuff?”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Sunday, September 13
8:00am - Morning Chapel
10:00am - Worship
“Science or Meaning”
Genesis 2:18-25
Other Events: First day of Sunday Morning classes
Church Purpose:Church Purpose:Church Purpose:
Live and Share God's LoveLive and Share God's Love
NON PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 542
WAUSAU, WI 54403
The Messenger First United Methodist Church of Wausau
903 Third Street
Wausau, WI 54403
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone 715 842-2201 Website: www.fumcwausau.org
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