Newsletter

April 17, 2025

issue # 16

"Blessing Always"

Association Minister Message

Rev. Daniel L. Busch

     EASTER—the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, a precise moment and yet it happens over and over again forever. The foundation of the Christian faith is resurrection, an act that declares that death is overcome by eternal life and evil loses its power to goodness and mercy. Resurrection happens when reconciliation, peace, justice, and forgiveness are realized again and again and again and again.

     God’s resurrection power transforms us and brings meaning and purpose in our lives. So often we live in the tombs of despair, conflict, and unhealthy relationships, even preparing the burial mixtures of oil and spices to cover up the decomposition of faith, hope, and love that is lacking with God and others.

     The good news is that the stones that keep us in our tombs have been rolled away and resurrection—new life—life itself—is restored! The resurrected Christ is in our midst. We are called into the community of faith as a creation of God, God’s beloved, called as a member of God’s family. Jesus delivers us from “the tyranny of the demonic.” The resurrection faith reminds us that nothing, and “no-thing,” can separate us from God’s love. Henry T. Smart, songwriter, wrote, “Now let the heavens be joyful, let earth its song begin, the whole world keep high triumph, and all that is therein; Let all things seen and unseen their notes of gladness blend, for Christ again has risen, our joy that has no end.”

BLESSINGS ALWAYS!

Easter Greetings to you

From your Northwest Ohio Association Staff:

Kim Nye, Office Administrator; Deb Long, Bookkeeper;

Rev. Daniel L. Busch, Association Minister

Travel with Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister



Apr. 27-Zion, Bettsville at 9:30 a.m.

Apr. 27-Celina, New Church Start

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

From Kim Nye, NWOA Office Administrator

Please keep my family in your prayers. My husband will be undergoing brain cancer surgery on Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025.

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)

Time, Talent and Treasures

TimeTalentandTreasures.docx

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

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 image above 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!

Members of the Heartland Conference Disaster Response Team, including team partners from the Ohio Region Disciples of Christ, attended the Ohio VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) annual conference at the Byxbe Center, Delaware, Ohio. The conference focused on the 4C’s of VOAD…Cooperation, Communication, Coordination, Collaboration. DRT members present were Ed Karges, Tim McCollum, Dwaine Hemphill, Dave Zerby, Dennis Landaw, Kevin Gehres. 

Your generous gift makes our ministry possible.