Newsletter

December 5, 2024

issue # 47

"Blessing Always"

Association Minister Message

Rev. Daniel L. Busch

      MESSENGER/MESSAGE. The commercialism of Christmas has replaced the sacred with things and profit. Several TV stations have been showing Christmas themed movies for over a month already. Christmas’ MESSAGE is the incarnation of Christ that should not be limited to one day but every day of the year. Every season of the church year affirms Christ is with us, INDEED. It is the MESSAGE of each season to engage us in ways of knowing Jesus Christ as both fully divine and human, Savior and Brother. God calls us to be MESSENGERS of the Good News of God’s transformational power of love in our living, relationships with one another, and to be reflections of God who creates us in God’s image.

     In Luke 3:4, Jesus’ second Cousin John (the Baptist), is a MESSENGER who announces the coming of Jesus. Jesus had a MESSAGE to bring salvation and peace to every person and the world. John declares, “Prepare the way of/for the Lord; make his paths straight.” (Luke 3:4). Advent is the season of preparation and anticipation for Emmanuel, “God with us.” Jesus’ MESSAGE conflicted with those who depended on military strength, dominance and power over others, and self-serving authority.

     The Second Sunday of Advent traditionally is the Sunday of “Peace.” In the UCC Book of Worship, the litany for Lighting the Second in Advent declares, “We gather around the Advent wreath today knowing that we are not perfect—that we all make mistakes and do bad things. Only Jesus obeyed God fully. Jesus helps us to live as God wants us to live. Jesus gives us peace.” The Christian faith offers an alternative to accumulation of goods, narcissism, and greed. The Christian MESSAGE is compassion, generosity, care, peace, and love. We become the MESSENGERS who seek and call one another to be united as a faith community and world, caring for one another with love, respect, peace, and extravagant welcome. “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Isaiah’s words in Luke 3:3-6). We are God’s MESSENGERS who, with God’s help, can transform the world to be BLESSINGS ALWAYS.

Church Treasurer Alert

2024 Donation Deadline-January 8, 2025

Please see all 2024 donations are dated no later than December 31, 2024, if considered 2024 donation. All donations received after January 8th

will be considered 2025 donations.

Travel with Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister

Dec. 8-Preaching at St. John's UCC, Holgate 10:15 am worship.

Dec. 15-St. John's UCC, Baseline special event.

Dec 22 - Attending Farewell at St. Paul's UCC St. Mary's at 10:00 am.

Jan. 5-Preaching at St. Paul UCC, St. Marys 10 am.

A jazz Christmas concert will be held on December 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Sycamore UCC, 300 S. Sycamore St., Sycamore Ohio to benefit S.A.R.A.’s (Sharing America Resources Abroad) continued efforts in Ukraine. Donations received will be used for projects in Mukachevo, a city in western Ukraine that S.A.R.A. has worked within for a number of years. Since the time Russia attacked Ukraine, Mukachevo has experienced an influx of eastern Ukrainians, mostly women and children, who have had to flee their homes. The city of approximately 85,000 is now also accommodating 39,000 such individuals. Attacks on the country’s power plants and lack of resources are causing power outages. These outages are expected to increase as winter sets in. One of the projects that will benefit from this concert is the funding of portable solar lamps that can be used to provide lighting during outages. Specifically, some lanterns will go to a newly opened center in Mukachevo that serves displaced eastern Ukrainian families.

Jazz Connection, a collective of some of the finest jazz musicians in the north central Ohio area, will be providing the entertainment on December 8^th. The concert will feature Darrin Harvey (Pastor at Sycamore UCC) on trombone and vocals; arrangements by McCray Martin, who will be on keyboards, synthesizer, and percussion; Jeffrey Boyd on trumpet and flugelhorn; Paul Martin on bass; Jason Kamp on drum set; and special guest Ukrainian pianist, Tom Lugoloobi. 

Come enjoy an evening of festive music to set the holiday mood while supporting our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

Celebrations / Changes

Dec. 8th Tammy Vajen will be honored as a graduate of the Lay School of Religion at the Sunday morning service at St. John's UCC, Holgate at 10:15 am.

Rev. Rhonda Hainer will celebrate her ministry with the congregation at St. Paul's UCC, St. Marys on December 22, 2024 during Morning worship at 10:00 am.

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, Rev. Jeff King, 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

Prayers are appreciated for Rev. Jeanette Tangeman's her upcoming surgery December 4, 2024.

Rev. Adrian Sunday, retired living in Westerville is hospitalized with health concerns. Please keep him in your prayers.

UCC Hymnals to Give Away

St. John's UCC, Mansfield

Call the church secretary DaLynn

for more information 419-522-2813

LOOKING FOR "THE NEW CENTURY HYMNAL"

Copyright © 1995 The Pilgrim Press

First UCC in Galion is in need of 25 more New Century Hymnals.

If you have extra or are no longer using what you have

and would like to pass them on,

please contact First UCC, Galion at 419-468-4380.

MONTHLY ARTICLES

The Christmas Fund

The Christmas Fund (originally “Veterans of the Cross”), in existence since 1902, offers congregations an opportunity to reach out compassionately and provide assistance to those who have faithfully served the church and find themselves facing unexpected financial needs.

In the spirit of love, we invite and encourage everyone to prayerfully consider and support this year’s appeal, and to spread the word so that others in your church will also join in this vital ministry. The Christmas Fund is one of the Five for Five special offering opportunities we have in the United Church of Christ. This Christmas season, please consider your generous support to this vital ministry!

In Christ’s Service,

Stewardship & Generosity Ministry Team

Rev. Jerald Fenske

St. Stephen UCC, Sandusky

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)

Stay informed through Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/593773784349506

MONTHLY ARTICLES

As Christians, let us love those who have recently immigrated from Haiti.

Jesus expects no less of us.

Thanks for the Hills

Make Someone's Day

Praying With Our Feet

How to Know a Person: the Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

Defiance Equality Foundation for Inclusion's (DEFI)

Back Bay Mission Long-Term Volunteer

Solar Powered Lantern by Alice Chun

Do This: Communion for Just and Courageous Living

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

Announcing the launch of a new book of prayers and photography by

our Heartland Conference Minister, the Rev. Dr. Dave Long-Higgins, 

Yes, Love, Thank You - A Meditation Portal to Blossom Your Heart!  

After years of offering prayers and photographs to invite people into a deeper awareness of the alive presence of God's love, this collection offers 60 of Pastor Dave's prayers and pictures to invite the reader to discover the deep movement of God in every season of life. The prayers and photos are grouped into three sections: Yes, Love, and Thank You. Each section is offered as a reminder of God's affirmation, desire, and call. The book will soon be published through Amazon and available on or after December 5th. Pastor Dave, with his wife, Beth, have decided that proceeds from this book will go to the Heartland Conference to support the shared work of our covenant.

In his book "Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy," Sam Daley-Harris writes about people who have successfully brought about social change and become changed themselves in the process. Join us for this webinar as Daley-Harris shares his stories and wisdom gained from years of leading and coaching advocacy organizations. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on Wednesday, December 11^th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it.



One can’t help but see the current “climate” of hurricane disasters, and wonder what the Heartland Conference is doing? Thus, I wanted to share several things related to this.

First, on Sept. 28, the CWS semi was filled during the Heartland Conference Annual Gathering. For our part, our 2024 goal was 2,024 buckets & kits. As that semi rolled out of the parking lot, it left with 2,334 buckets and kits that came from our Depot, our churches, and our partners! There were lots of other buckets and kits, besides ours…at the same time, CWS was filling trucks at its New Windsor, Maryland warehouse, in anticipation of hurricane Helene. 

Secondly, CWS did respond by sending 3,296 cleanup buckets and 4,360 hygiene kits to Florida and North Carolina. However, this has resulted in their reserve stock being very low. If your church feels God’s nudge to continue to assist with buckets and kits, please do so…and then let our Heartland Conference Disaster Response Team know! If you haven’t had the chance to assist with the creation of buckets and kits, now is a perfect time to respond! Our Templed Hills Depot continues to be open to receive these until the end of November. At that time, we will transition to Camp Christian, having established our Depot site there, as well as housing our pickup and 2 trailers. 

So…”how can I help?” Prayer. Monetary Donations (sent through the UCC Global HOPE website, or sent to the Heartland Conference with a Helene/Milton notation), CWS cleanup buckets & personal hygiene kits. 

Currently, many of the affected areas are still in the initial phase of Search & Rescue. Others are in the Immediate Needs phase, with organizations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, Samaritans Purse, Team Rubicon, etc. providing basic needs. Eventually, it will transition into the Recovery Phase, which is where faith-based organizations typically plug themselves in. Stay tuned for more information to come, when we have it.

Thank you. 

Heartland Conference Disaster Team

Kevin Gehres, Disaster Response Coordinator

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.

Register by November 30 for courses beginning in January 2025 at the current tuition cost of $350 for 6-week courses, $475 for 9-week courses, and $625 for the 12-week UCC History and Polity course. This offer only applies to courses beginning in January 2025.

Beginning December 1, prices for courses starting January or later will be $375 for 6-week courses, $500 for 9-week courses, and $650 for the 12-week UCC History & Polity course. 

You may also contact the Academic Dean, Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver (RuthShaver@PATHWAYSTheological.org) or the Registrar, Rev. Melissa Ashmore (registrar@PATHWAYSTheological.org) with your questions.

Your generous gift makes our ministry possible.