"Blessing Always"
Association Minister Message
Rev. Daniel L. Busch
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GET UP. The Christian Faith is experience, sharing, memory, and witness to the mighty acts of God in each one of our lives and all of our lives together. God’s blessings are both human and divine and offers us the opportunity to be blessed beyond our imaginations. Rich with amazing images and stories the Twenty-third Psalm is probably the most recognized of all scriptures of the Abrahamic traditions with its image of God being our Shepherd. However, to be identified as sheep/lambs could be very insulting, since sheep are not considered very intelligent, followers, distracted and frightened easily, lose their way often, and often isolate one of its members.
This Sunday also recognizes influential people who have guided our faith development and pointed us to the love of God as our Shepherd. In Acts 9 is a story of an early Christian saint, Tabitha or Dorcas: “Her life overflowed with good works on behalf of those in need.” (Acts 9:36). Tabatha becomes ill and dies, and the early Christian followers call Peter, who was nearby, to come and comfort them on the loss of Tabitha. Peter arrives, goes to where Tabatha was laid, dismisses her crying friends, kneels and prays. Peter turns to the body and says, “Get up!” Tabatha was raised up, alive again.
The political and social climate around us have made compassion negative with so many concerned about personal comfort, power, and prestige. Care, concern, and sharing have become narcissistic and self-motivated. We are called to “get up” from all that is trying to destroy God’s creation, relationships with one another, and all that makes us less than God has created us to be. We follow the Good Shepherd who leads us to places of amazing grace, out of the darkest valleys of destruction, and welcomes us around the family table of nourishment for our minds, bodies, and souls. God’s cup of blessings overflows, and “Yes, goodness and mercy will pursue us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the Lord’s house as long as we live.” (Psalm 23:6). God’s love, mercy, and justice is confirmed in Jesus, and we are resurrection people, God making all things new over and over again in us, through us, and with us in all our relationships. “Get up.” BLESSINGS ALWAYS.
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Travel with Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister
May 11, 2025-First UCC, Marblehead at 10:30 am
May 18, 2025-First UCC, Marion at 11:00 am
May 25, 2025-St. Paul UCC, Wapakoneta at 10:15 am
June 1, 2025-Presbyterian, Defiance at 9:30 am
une 1, 2025-St. John's, Defiance at 11:00 am
June 22, 2025-Wapak
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Prayer Concerns / Request
Continuing prayer for: Dee Schroer, Rev. Daniel Johnson, Rev. Jim Garner, Rev. Don Corbin, Rev. Randall Forester, Rev. Gale Gebhart, Rev. Don Giesmann, Rev. David Culp, Peggy George, Rev. Diane Christopherson, Rev. David Voll, Rev. Adrian Sunday, Rev. Patrick McKinney, Regena Mummert, Rev. Mike Ebersole, Susan Bishop, Lenore Kure (Car Accident-home recovering), Rev. Diane Thomas is hospitalized.
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At the NWOA 62nd Annual Meeting, the Becoming WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) resolution was passed. This means that the NWOA made a public commitment to involve people with mental health experiences in all aspects of the association's activities and events.
I pledged to be the NWOA's WISE facilitator to guide congregations through the WISE process. To begin, you can open the link to the resolution. Notice there are links to resources on page two. Also, there are additional resource pages from the Hearland Conference and the United Church of Christ.
https://www.nwoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Wise-Complete.pdf
I am available to answer your questions and respond to your comments about Becoming WISE.
Please feel free to reach out to me.
Fred Coulter
Witness & Proclamation Ministry Team
419 260-7076
fcoulter@defiane.edu
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THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
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2025 OCWM Giving Goal - $250,000
(Goal approved at the 62nd Annual Meeting)
OCWM giving Through Mar. 2025 -$32,887.63
Supporting OCWM...
Creating A Just World for All!
Thank You!
Please see all 2025 donations are dated no later than December 31, 2025, if considered 2025 donation. All donations received after January 8th will be considered 2026 donations.
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CHURCH TREASURER
Church Remittance Form - please use this form when sending donations to/through the Association Office.
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IRS Standard Mileage Rates for 2024
- 70 cents per mile for business use
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations
| | | VISIT THOSE CHURCHES OFFERING SUNDAY SERVICE ONLINE | | NWOA Stewardship and Generosity Ministry Team | | | | |
If you want to jump start your thinking about Stewardship and Generosity, our 5 videos collection of topics covered with noted consultant Don Hill is available. As you click on the resources page, a short synopsis of each video is available. Can be used effectively in small group settings or you can take a segment for use in worship.
Permission is granted for the churches of Northwest Ohio Association, UCC to use the series as they wish with proper credit given.
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Stewardship Ideas
Epiphany Greetings to you from your NWOA Stewardship & Generosity Team! At our last meeting we were sharing stories of ways our current or previous churches engaged our congregations in activities that promoted Stewardship. While we could fill numerous pages with stories, I have been asked to choose a sampling to include in a brief article for this month’s Vine.
Mission Moments are used at a number of our churches including Sylvania UCC. These are given in worship. Whenever there is an opportunity to talk about an experience that has made a positive difference in some way, it is shared with the congregation. Examples might be people sharing after a Habitat for Humanity workday, or helping out at Grace Community Center in Toledo.
While Mission Moments are scheduled in advance, Concerns and Celebrations are shared spontaneously by people in worship. These would involve recent experiences that the church was involved in that were especially meaningful to someone. They allow others to see the church at work and to see firsthand the impact those activities have on their members and friends.
St. John’s UCC Tiffin engage their children in a stewardship exercise that teaches both the children and the adults the importance of sharing their God given gifts with others. They have a monthly Noisy Offering collected by the kids whereby coins are tossed into cute pails held by smiling children who say thank you to everyone.
During Vacation Bible School, Buckland UCC receives a coin offering from the children each day that is donated to various charities.
These are but a few of the many stewardship stories we shared. We pray these may assist you in the ministry you provide in your local church setting. Blessings as you journey into this new year and explore ways in which to continue the ministry that is vital to your congregation and beyond!
In Christ’s Service,
Stewardship & Generosity Ministry Team
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From the Pastoral Relations Working Group
of the NWOA Church and Ministry Team
Spiritual Directors
Learn more
Anti-Racism and White Privilege
Learn more
We hope that these resources meet the needs of pastors looking for resources to begin conversations regarding anti-racism within their congregations. If you have other ideas for how we may assist in bringing resources/training to you regarding this topic, please contact Nanette Warnecke-Flood at nanettef@syctelco.com
READ ON FOR MORE RESOURCES
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Want an easy way to connect with The Heartland Conference's resources and news?
Add this QR Code to your church's bulletin or print material. From here you can access our website, newsletter, email our staff, register for camp, and more!
This QR code will be regularly updates in time for things like Annual Gathering Registration and other primary conference events.
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Click on the Video above to Meet our Delegates!
Beth Gedert, Ella Davis, & Suzy Lefelhocz!
Over the next few months we will be introducing you to our Heartland Conference General Synod delegates! These servants of the church are giving of their time and energy to serve on our behalf in the national assembly of the United Church of Christ.
We encourage you and your congregations to support them financially through this year’s Strengthen the Church offering. Strengthen the Church is the one national offering for which the Conference can retain half of what is given for needs within our conference community.
The cost per delegate is around $1,800 to register, house, feed, and provide transportation. Each delegate’s registration fee has been paid from Conference funds and a stipend is being given to each delegate by the Heartland Conference and National UCC. Yet this stipend will not completely cover a delegate’s costs.
You may give by clicking the button below or using the QR code.
Short videos, featuring our delegates, are available for use in worship and other media platforms to aid in your promotion of this special offering. Bulletin inserts and slides for projection are coming soon!
| | PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc. offers a full range of theological courses which embrace your doubts and questions while giving you a firm foundation. For more information visit us at: www.PATHWAYSTheological.org | PATHWAYS Theological Education continues expanding its offerings. Look for information coming soon on the Environmental Justice Certificate, the Advanced Faith Formation Practitioner's Certificate, and new preaching and Bible courses in conjunction with the Southern New England UCC Conference Project Proclaim (funded by the Lilly Foundation). Go to the website to see a schedule of upcoming courses. | | | Your generous gift makes our ministry possible. | |
Stay Connected
Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister
cell: 419-934-5386 email: dlbusch@nwoa.org
Kim Nye, Office Administrator/Search Coordinator
email: kim@nwoa.org
Deb Long, Bookkeeper
email: deb@nwoa.org
OFFICE PHONE: 419-447-8323
OFFICE EMAIL: office@nwoa.org
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