zz a> cadre nga ue 054 x2 Lr st conti srone |) December 2017 “werammace & y Ph 724820 Prog 72 7 270 TTT 2 9 ‘Goes 16 17 “lis [19 [20 [27 |22—«*| 23, Soe —] ce | | Se | ar] a se fe ae eae a ie, => 24 Do ae oe toed, (cssaeeie— & me cad Faeeom, =| |= = ait io |Minister's Musings Past minister's musings have focused on what it means to call yourself @ Christian and what God may ask of us f we call ourselves Christians. This month | want to focus on what it means to support our church. 'm not worried about the definition of membership. What| am interested in is if You consider Minden UCC your spiritual home then how do you support the church? \What does it mean to he part of a church? The easy answer of course is regular attendance during worship and supporting the church financially. Obviously, we invest time, energy and money into things we find important. Therefore, if we find the ministry of Minden UCC tobe of importance we have to invest our time and our money. Easy enough... but can sense another question..how. much? How much indeed? Fist a snarky answer, how much time and money is our eternal fe worth? Of, that question migit not be far. But, f we are grateful for what Jesus’ sacrifice did for us now and when we die how dowe quantify that? I suppose we can't puta number on it, Let's get a couple things out ofthe way frst. No, you don't have to support a church to be a Christian. Yes, Plenty of people sitting in church pews may or may not be Christians and may or may not act ike Christians, But, if we are serious about our spiritual journey and building a relationship with God then being part ofa church isa major component ofthat journey and relationship. Frankly, the Bible says Let's tackle the time isue fist. We are invited to invest our time and energy ina the church life. That investment must gobeyond Sunday mornings. Sunday mornings are important, but there is ‘more to our church life together. What volunteer opportunites are there atthe church? What ‘ministries do you see could use some help? What ministrles do you see that we could start? God calls, all of us to be ministers and to share inthe ministry ofthe church. Does your ministry expand beyond Sunday morning? Supporting ur church family requires regular worship attendance and finding a ‘ministry to support and/or butd up. Now the tough one...money. How much should I give? 1 hope we all understand that Jesus talks alot about money and how we are called to return to God a significant portion of what we've been blessed with. way to ve backis to financially support the church you call your spiritual home. Is tthe only way? No..but it isan important way. As stated above we invest our money into things We find important. Does your investment inthe church you call home show you find its ministry Important? 1 can't give you a percentage or a dollar amount that you need to meet. Frankly its diferent foreach giver. What! would ask you Is do you give more to your church home than you do for entertainment or weckly coffee? Ifyou were to break dow your spending where would your ‘church giving rank? That rank il be one Indicator of the importance you truly place on supporting your church home, Its good to think seriously about your support from time to time, Hasitinereased in recent years..both time and financialy? Have you ever thought about what It means to support the church? ‘Away to think about time and money..do you notice each month the amount of time you've invested and/or the amount of money you've invested inthe church or are both simply whatever is left over when everything else is taken care of. Is God frst, last or somewhere in between in your life? 6 OLEvents in our Church Life December 3—Red Cross Blood Drive 1:00 December 6 - Group 3:16, Minden, 6-7:30 December 10 ~ Congregational Budget Meeting December 17~ Sunday School Christmas Program December 20 - Group 3:16, Neola, 6-7:30 December 24 ~ Christmas Eve Service 10:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Parking Lot Loan Info Starting Loan amount: $36,500 “5 year loan at 4% interest -Payments quarterly-Feb., May, Aug., Nov, “The 4 paymentsare $2031.21 each Money to pay off the loan comes from 3 areas: specified donations to the parking lot fund, uundesignated donations to church that the board directs to parking lot fund, and finaly all proceeds from our church dinners go to the parking lot fund. NO general fund money or offerings go towards the parking lot fund. $29,868.22-Left on parking lot notePOINSETTIAS InMemory oF om, Uncle Jay. ‘Quincey, Macie, Colbie, Hank & Cal Schneckloth (6" red) Jay Dollen “Jodi & Riley Dollen (6"mable) Shirly de Gene Quit. sresenseeeesd-Oti & Darrell Chaton (8" red) Mabel & Jake Schwenien... ‘Lori & Darrell Charltoa (8" red). Merlin Da... Delotes Dan & Family (8" red) LeRoy Kadel, Pastor Denny, Parents & Friends Lynn Peterson (6” xed) (Clifford & Velma Fohtson.sorsrnsnnte ‘Delores Dau & Féimily (6” marble) Frode & Melba Jensen stmunseseesco Mike & Sally Dea (6" 16d) Meriynn Bintz, Adolph & Lydia Bintz.... Carolyn Bintz (6° marble) Gifford & Linda Schnepel & Ted Dau, Delores Dau & Family (6" marble) Bill & Evie Ploen Bill & Evie Ploen... Sara Amold (8” marble) ‘Sara Amold (8 pink) ‘Marilyn, Parents & fiends... “Chae Leaders (6” marble) Grandpa Louie Kruger... wc Tracey & Wyatt Roane (8” red) Verne & Vera Beebe. “vvoinelle Beebe (8" red) Harley & Shirley Nisen......0- The Nitsen, Davison and Miller Families (8" red) In Honor OF ; Given by My Mom, Eva Manhat.o..rsensese [Linda Manhact (6° red) Annual Meeting January th 2018RESIDENTS OF CARE CENTERS and RETIREMENT HOUSING and HOMEBOUND ‘The following is list of names and address ofthe residents, frends, and members. AVOCA Lois Kahler, Apt.22 Eloise Haight ‘Avoca Nursing & Rehab Center ‘Northerest Living Center 610 East York Road, Rove 57 3A Northerest Drive ‘Avoca, Jowa 51521 Council Bluffs, Iowa $1503 ‘COUNCIL BLUFRS Judy Nibsen ‘Abe Van Roskel, 3" Floor “Hansen House Bethany Lutheran 2331 Nash Blvd, 7 Elliot Steet Council Bluffs, Towa $1501 Council Blufs, Towa 51503 Ruth Geiger Risen Son Village 3000 Risen Son Blvd Council Bluffs, ows 51503 December Scripture Readings December 3~ Isaiah 6: 9, Psalm 80:1-1, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:39, Mark 13:24-37 December 10 —Isainh 40:1-11, Psalm 85:12, 8-13,2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 121-8 December 17— Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126 or Luke 1:47-55, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19.28 December 24 ~2 Samuel:1-11, 16, Luke 1:47-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 December 31 ~Issiah 61: )-62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 44-7, Luke 2NOW OPEN!!!!!! BONNIE DOLLEN’S OFFICE Bonnie will be available for fellowship or if you just need someone to talk to. WHERE: Office is located at top of stairs of the education wing. WHEN: Every 3" Friday of the month starting Dec. 15, 2017 | 4-ldgen FREE: coffee and hugs provided Bonnie can be reached at (402)639-7916 io (Congregational Budget Setting Meeting December 10, 2017 Following Worship Everyone WelcomeMinden United Church of Christ Budgets: Outreach Ministry MOPS. (continued 2018) Msealancous (donations, spec evnts) "TOTAL QUTREACHMRNISTRY BUDGET Ministerial Support ase Salary ‘Social Securyedcare Offset (7.5% base salary $ housing) Pensonannaty Heath insurance Dental insure Ue insirana and disbilyicome bene Cnning Educatin(uhs, pay, oe) Housing Mlowance& Units ‘Sabbatcalisin Savings Account "TOTAL MINISTERIAL SUFPORT BUDGET Wiorkmarts Compensation (Chur Phone (Copa sitonance fies suppes (ape, ete) Postage (cope Fund ‘Worship Suppes (Umer Room, te) Assocston& Conference expenses Youth Camp ‘Secretary's slay (based on 1 week) 16.25 hi) Pulp Suppty Social Socuy and Medeare "TOTAL ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES BUDGET Property (stoi clay at $250 por month Custos Supplies Ineuranes (church &peonage) (Chueh Utes Grounds Maintenance (mowing, snom remo) aintanance church & parsoncge) TOTAL PROPERTY EXPENSES BUDGET Music Department Organist Selay use ‘TOTAL MUSIC DEPT, EXPENSES BUDGET Christian Education Department Curriculum materia (Sunday Scnoo)) ‘Vacation Bible School Bibles Confirmation ‘TOTAL CHRISTIAY ED. BUDGET ‘ToTALauDGET 200 200 1200 450 300 3600 $5424 32,000 ‘400 $815 18248 $3,000 3200 38,500 37,000 32.000 St.800 201500 $800 ‘100 5700 1,500 $500 5200, 200 32,400 $115,885 16 s3e40 $492 ‘200 34532 $38,040 $3,784 37,458 $8981 4,080 $708 3000 sue S729 3000 3750 3600 +3000 $900 $450 5150 3800 37.865 32.000 $400 S31 $16,348 $3,000 $250, $8,550 37,000 32,000 $1,800 320,600 600 100 $700 $1,500 $500 200 200 $2,400 2017, 018 proposed budget 53640 $4140 $300 5200 200 34a $4340, 338,808 $38,808.00, 33.85848 385948 37,603.38 $7,603.28 $14,295.00 $1,080.00 $814.85 '3200.00, si1gi240 $1162.40 37350089 $78,402.80 $1,000 $1,000, ‘400 400 840 200 3700 3700 1,000 $1,000 $800 $600 5150 180 3800 3600 2008 $8,151 32000 $2,000, $400 200 3850, 3850 S16543 516551 $3,000 9250 38.550 $7,000 32,000 31,000 193800, 600 800 00 $100 3700 3700 $1500 $1500 00 $600 200 3200 200 $200 $2400 $2,400, $116,107 $118,172.60 $122,108.00Sunday School | Christmas Program December 17, 2017Christmas Eve Service HSH ML LIL LMI I IMIG ere Ke « GGG OOO OH WO OO Oe , 2017 December 24 6 6 *, oa * * EG WOO 0 OO 0 0 0 OOO © WO: OO OY eaten ate a tata e a aaa sata tae eter a tetera etetet ee "s*are%e%o™UCC Sunday School pagina’ The month Novenber os etd to rest project arte nth auaton wel being pees forthe ocaming Css agent SOLD Tis yea, ofthe dases had nada items thatwerevldn ast oben Some ofthe cses fads towels acarame ape bast narod Ang ace nd rio dig ameta see this touching and unique etonmante, Final 2 sec shovt Ou the flouing aes who oe racy donating her tata ep outwith the th (wade dss sara Als, Par Done, dion Oow an Bonne Bal Thank You sara cron, Sunday Seba Siqeratondent rmashatandck@yaboo.cmn Auction Projects Emma Splichal 4-8 Grade|| A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the church sale. A special thanks to Pam Danker and Mary Campbell for making the delicious meal. Shout out to Kaylee Schneckloth, Sara Amold and Jody Miles for writing and mailing the letters to the area businesses, putting together many baskets with the donations, and for ——— helping organize the kids during the ‘TunFhte Unio Auber seesedurer auction, Thank you to Richard and Vivian ees for delivering the posters around to different towns. We could continue to list names, but we don’t have space. ‘Thanks to everyone who helped on Sunday and Saturday! We had fantastic help setting up Satu'day, during the dinner & auction and cleaning up after the day's festivities. Thank you to all who brought donations, collected donations from area businesses, ate dinner, and helped us in any way. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! December Usher List January Usher List December 3.2017 January 7.2018 Dave Fischer, Mona McDonald, David Storjohann, Charles Leaders, ‘Dean & Joyce Olson ‘Lyn Peterson, Walter Chambers December 10,2017 Somuary 14,2018 Jeff & Sherri Guerrero ‘Ast & Kris Brockhoff December 17,2017 Jonuaey 21,2018 Carroll & Karen Olsen deny & Amanda Murley ‘December 24,2017 January 28, 2018 10,00 am, ~ Dana & Meridith Martens Tim & Doreen Koch {6:00 pam. ~ Kaylee Sshnecktoth Family ‘December 31,2017 Pam Danker, Carolyn Siebels‘Aholiness invasion ‘Aiea eam ing? acon, nd be prom of bet tat Share coming in 7 Tgibinaon The ZI, vel ora) mythlogy of eur age has ‘pon usnew iseven more Spoeelar erent net ‘fhe tied Kind but of deen Kind altogeber An Invasion of holies, That what Adveate abou "Froevc Buachner, Th Cle ne Bel Everlasting joy Tia Ohh Siu for Sal apr, Kaen Ae alle fs partly dfcle Christa er er husband Iiftand berm divore proceding. sKien andher | thre young chile sup their te she fought ears sd secrey tucked aside certain ormment sich sone encencing "Our Fist Chriss Tighe Soveral day lates, a neighbor sopped by with a gold =| NON-PROFIT ORG, U.S. Postage MINDEN, TOWA Permit #7 Return Service Requested Mallet Noiember 27, a0 Spirit! Lovet FORGIVE! "KEEP THE SPIRIT" Mire "BE YOURSELF" &/ Bout