Newsletter

February 6, 2025

issue # 6

"Blessing Always"

Association Minister Message

Rev. Daniel L. Busch

      EXHAUSTION. “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.” (Luke 5:5). Often we are so EXHAUSTED mentally, physically, and spiritually that nothing more gets done. Fatigue sets in and work and play come to a standstill, and often relationships with family and friends are tense. We are annoyed by others (and ourselves) because of being irritated at what seems like unreasonable demands. Others get the brunt of our irritation because we are EXHAUSTED mentally, physically, and spiritually.

     The disciples in Luke’s story are EXHAUSTED from fishing all day and disappointed that they caught nothing. They came back to the docks and were cleaning their gear for the next day’s fishing when Jesus gets into Simon Peter’s boat, still preaching to the crowds who followed Him, and soon instructs the fishermen to “put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” In spite of being EXHAUSTED and discouraged, the fishermen do as Jesus says. Amazingly they caught so many fish that their nets were falling apart, and they had to call other fishermen to come and help them with the catch. However, there is more to the story than catching fish.

     Jesus disturbed the normal and the tools of the fishing trade were torn apart. Our lives are never the same following Jesus who changes us, especially when we are EXHAUSTED, weary of the day’s routines and responsibilities. It is Jesus’ call that gives new meaning to what we have done, are doing, and will be doing. The first disciples still were in the catching occupation but were now “catching” people for the sake of the Gospel and Good News of transformation. “They left everything and followed Jesus.”

     Jesus gathers us in nets of God’s embrace, God’s affirmation, and God’s Spirit that make all things new. Are we willing to give up everything to follow Jesus? When we are EXHAUSTED, terrified, strained, self-centered, sinful, arrogant, rude, and with hurt minds, bodies, and spirits, with Jesus’ love we find recovery. We are called to go to the “deep” where God’s amazing grace rescues us and turns things around, and we, too, fish for people. “Let’s go fishing!” BLESSINGS ALWAYS.

Now Open! UCC Yearbook Reporting

The UCC Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data (CARDD) is now collecting data for the 2024 UCC Yearbook! You can create an account to enter statistics in the new UCC Database and Directories through Friday, March 21. PLEASE NOTE: Since this is a brand new system, there may be unexpected issues - updates will be provided as they are received!

Your church can download instructions and visit the Yearbook reference page with the buttons below. These were updated, so please re-download if you have already saved the previous version! An email with further details has been sent. If you have any questions, need a hard copy of instructions or data forms mailed to your church, please contact Kim Nye, Northwest Ohio Association kim@nwoa.org

Celebrations / Changes

Word has been received from El Salvador that they have elected a new bishop,

Rev. Guadalupe Cortez de Huezo on Thursday, December 5th, 2025. Installation will be held on Sunday, January 12, 2025. Our prayers & blessings to her.

Prayer Concerns / Request

Continuing prayer for: Dee Schroer, Rev. Daniel Johnson, Rev. Jim Garner,

Rev. Hafidha Saadiqah, Rev. Randall Forester, Rev. Gale Gebhart, Rev. Don Giesmann, Rev. David Culp, Peggy George, Rev. Martin Stiffler and family, Rev. Diane Christopherson, Rev. David Voll, Pastor Amy Kinney, Rev. Adrian Sunday, Rev. Jeanette Tangeman, Rev. Patrick McKinney, Regena Mummert, Pastor Amy Kinney, Rev. Marge Mair-Hansen

Please keep in your prayers:

Rev. David Voll was in the hospital. Please keep him in your prayers.

Wilma Farmer was in the hospital. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thank you:

MONTHLY ARTICLES

NEIGHBORS IN NEED 2024

"BECAUSE OF YOU OUR CHURCH CHANGES LIVES"

"WHAT IS OCWM AND WHY DOES IT MATTER"

The Stewardship and Generosity Team continues to work hard at finding ways to give you and your church resourcess for enhancing the giving of your congregations. We encourage you to explore the following links:

To donate to Ukraine:

Global Partners - Heartland Conference UCC (heartlanducc.org)

Resources from the Heartland Conference

Generosity & Stewardship - Heartland Conference UCC (heartlanducc.org)

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

Stay informed through Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/593773784349506

TEAM ARTICLES

Back Bay Mission Long-Term Volunteer

Solar Powered Lantern by Alice Chun

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

With the release of his new book, Yes, Love, Thank You: Meditative Prayers and Pictures to Blossom Your Heart, the Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins and the Rev. Cassidy Hall sit down to talk about prayer, spiritual practices, and new entryways into our interactions with the Divine.

Ministry Within Wildfires

As California wildfires continue, so does the call to care for one another.

Disaster Response Network Update

Many of us have the folks affected by the California wildfires on our hearts and minds. With 27 confirmed deaths, dozens more missing, over 45 square miles burnt, and tens of thousands under evacuation orders, the question of “How can we help?” is one that our Heartland Conference Disaster Response Team often hears. Another question that is often asked is, “Has it affected any of our UCC churches and members? 

It has indeed affected thousands of our UCC brothers and sisters, with one example being the Altadena Community Church, a historic UCC church that not only served the faith community, but housed community outreach programs as well. The pictures shown below, are the before, and tragic aftermath of the fire that destroyed the church. 

So how can we help? There are two ways we can best help at this time. The first is through direct giving at support.ucc.org. Financial support is the most critical at this point in time. The other way to help, is to continue to support the Church World Service buckets & kits program. Our Heartland Conference has been strong supporter of creating buckets & kits, and continuing to do so helps both tornado, hurricane, and fire disasters…among others. The lists have been updated, and can be found at cwskits.org. Additionally, we have re-established our CWS Depot at the Disciples of Christ Camp Christian, located about 10 minutes north of Marysville, Ohio. 

Your Heartland Conference Disaster Response Team will continue to monitor ways to assist in these disasters. Please keep everyone affected by recent disasters in your prayers, as we continue to serve others. 

Kevin Gehres 

Heartland Conference Disaster Response Coordinator

We have officially launched the UCC's 2025 Climate Hope Art Contest for children and youth. Our theme this year is “Planting Seeds of Hope.” We’ll accept art submissions from February 2nd to March 14th. Like last year, we will have 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 now for your church to participate!

We will send you a PDF of the art contest page on which artists will create their masterpieces. We are looking forward to seeing the amazing creativity and talent of our children once again.

With gratitude for each of you,

Sue Mueller

Lead Climate Hope Organizer

United Church of Christ

Attention Members in Discernment!

Brown Scholarship Application Available

The Richard and Helen Brown Endowment for Church Leadership provides funding for students seeking a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or equivalent. Potential Brown Scholars must demonstrate at least a year of active membership in a United Church of Christ (UCC) church and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0.

For those interested in becoming a Brown Scholar for the 2025-2026 academic year, eligible candidates may submit an online application beginning December 1 each year. The deadline to submit applications is March 1, 2025. Click here to apply for the scholarship.

To learn more about Brown Endowment Continuing Education Grant, please contact us at brown@ucfunds.org.

Mission Moments

Use Mission Moments every week to tell a story about your congregation’s connection with the wider church. Each issue – which is designed to be inserted with your newsletter or Sunday worship bulletin – is an effective way to inform your members about what they make possible through their gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission.

Reclaiming Scripture

General Synod 35 keynote speaker is a minister at the intersection of faith and civic engagement.

Your generous gift makes our ministry possible.