From the Pastor


I hope you will join us for Worship and Community this Sunday -- and for the Annual Congregational Meeting following Worship (I'm told there will be refreshments too -- thank you to those who are providing them)!


In Worship we will be welcoming 3 new members into our congregation! One of them is me and just as I said in my first sermon in June, I am grateful to join you in the little boat known as Zwingli UCC, Paoli! We will also be reflecting on the scripture where St. Paul calls the Church the Body of Christ. Shortly before this passage, he talks about the many gifts members of the Church are given to share for the common good. To help you in your preparation for Worship, I share this poem by Steve Garnaas-Homes (it refers to Jesus turning water into wine so is a good follow-up to last Sunday's Worship):


To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit

for the common good.

               —1 Corinthians 12.7


What gifts you have—your humor, your patience,

your love of beauty, your trust—

are not for you.

They are for the common good.


Jesus did not turn water into wine for himself.


Your spiritual gifts are whatever ways

the Spirit moves in you—

maybe a talent or ability,

maybe just the way you come at the world.

Your gifts include what you think of as weakness:

your ready tears, your slow pace, your silence;

the world needs those, too.


The community needs your gifts,

needs all of who you are.

Not the pretend parts,

the things you do to fit in

or to keep people from reacting.

But the real you, Spirit alive in you

in all her peculiar ways.


It’s not arrogant to share that with the world.

It’s evangelism.

Trust the God that lives in you.


(unfoldinglight.net)


May we each be about this kind of evangelism!


Blessings,

Karla

January 26

 Annual Meeting following the Worship Service


Hard copies of the annual report are available at the church.

One copy per family.

Please Sign up to provide Refreshments

(goodies, coffee and a juice)

for Friendship Time on the first Sunday of the month!


We thank Sue Bovre for providing refreshments all Fall (and those who made contributions). Hopefully we can give her a break and others can sign up for upcoming First Sundays: Feb. 2, May 4, June 1. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.

UCC Health and Human Service Sunday


On Sunday, January 26 we will be joining the UCC in recognizing Health and Human Service Sunday. As stated on their website, The Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM) is committed to:


Our Mission—Advancing the work of all health and human service ministries of the United Church of Christ in creating a just, caring and compassionate world.

Our Vision—Together, we create a just, caring and compassionate world.

Our Values—We live out our “Unshakable” Beliefs every day through our ministries:


CHHSM shares this embodied prayer practice to help us care more deeply for a part of our body that tends to over-work: the amygdala! 

Many congregations are looking for ways to help the victims of the wildfires that have devastated Southern California.


The most expedient way to provide financial support to the relief effort is through the Wisconsin Conference. Individuals who wish to contribute can go to the Conference website, www.wcucc.org and click the “Donate” button. You will be taken directly to the page where contributions to wildfire relief are accepted. You can also donate by check to Zwingli UCC - Paoli with "California Fire" in the memo line. We will forward the money to the Conference.


Funds collected by the Conference will be forwarded to Church World Service, whose Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery team provides resources to people in need, limited temporary housing, and technical assistance to organizations on the ground.

The United Church of Christ has officially launched the 2025 Climate Hope Art Contest for children and youth. The theme this year is “Planting Seeds of Hope.” Art submissions will be accepted from February 2nd to March 14th.


Like last year, there will be winners for different age groups and an overall winner who will receive an all-expense paid trip to visit Washington, DC with a parent or guardian. (Last year's winner had two members of congress personally ask her for a poster of her artwork, so that they could hang it in their offices!) The winning art will additionally serve as the logo for UCC Climate Hope advocacy work throughout 2025.


Register and submit your entry by clicking here. You will be sent a PDF of the art contest page on which artists will create their masterpieces.

 

Feel free to share this contest with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who might want to enter on behalf of Zwingli. And if they enter, please share their entry with Pastor Karla so Zwingli has a copy and knows who has submitted an entry.

With respiratory illnesses on the rise, it's time to refresh the basics. If you're experiencing symptoms like sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and/or runny nose --- Stay home. Mask up!


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As winter continues, please use your best judgement in determining whether it is safe for you to venture out to worship or another church event. In the event of inclement weather, Pastor Karla and Council President Petra Streiff will decide whether to cancel worship no later than 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. 


In the event of a cancellation, the Council will send out an email, and post it on social media, and those without email will be called. If the church event is on a school day, we will follow guidelines of the local school district. If you have any concerns for your safety, please stay home! And if you are stuck at home during a storm, and are in danger or need assistance, please let us know so we can get you the help you need.

 
church closeup


Zwingli United Church of Christ

www.paoliucc.com

https://www.facebook.com/zwingliuccpaoli/

zwingliuccpaoli@gmail.com

PO Box 530, Belleville, WI 53508


 
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"A small church with a big

and open heart!"


Pastor

Rev. Karla Schmidt

pastor.zwingliuccpaoli@gmail.com

608-572-4557



Kathie Wagner, Administrative Assistant

zwingliuccpaoli@gmail.com

Phone: 608-845-5641