Newsletter

April 24, 2025

issue # 17

"Blessing Always"

Association Minister Message

Rev. Daniel L. Busch

INDEED. Christians have experienced another Easter. Church attendance is always at its peak on Easter, and the following Sunday is usually called “low Sunday” because of the low attendance at worship. Our Christian faith is built on Resurrection, claiming death had no power over Jesus, does not have power over us, and evil, meanness, sin, or any of those things that destroy us or relationships also have no power to dominate and claim us. Throughout the centuries since claiming Jesus rose from the dead, it is INDEED Christ’s transforming resurrection that gives meaning and purpose to being Christ’s community of faith. We hear, affirm, and proclaim “Christ is risen…INDEED!”

INDEED, it depicts a sense of affirmation and assurance. This Sunday’s Gospel reading from John 20 reveals an interesting portrayal of Jesus’ disciple Thomas. Thomas has been given the label “the doubter.” He was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to the other disciples and Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t’ believe.” (John 20:24). We have been taught that the opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty. Certainty is the arrogance of not allowing God’s Spirit to provide unlimited possibilities of a future that is not ours but God’s future. It was Thomas (and the other disciples) who were willing to follow Jesus anywhere, yet abandoned Jesus when authorities threatened their lives, too. It was Thomas’ skepticism that sought affirmation of the holy, not self-identified or self-serving achievements.

INDEED: Thomas was transformed—again—when he encountered the Risen Christ and said, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas was also called ”Didymus,” the Twin, given a second chance to follow Jesus, not as doubter but now proclaimer of the Good News of God’s Amazing Grace. It is when we encounter Jesus that our fears are changed into affirmation, our dreams into realities, our possibilities into transformation, and our pain and sufferings into ministries of care and inclusion. “Christ is Risen…INDEED!” in the midst of fragility, doubting, and certainly on our life’s journey that allow us to become the community of faith together--INDEED! BLESSINGS ALWAYS.

Travel with Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister



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

Apr. 27-3:00 p.m. 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, Susan Bishop

From Kim Nye, NWOA Office Administrator

Please keep my husband & our family in your prayers. He is home from the hospital recovering & has another journey ahead. Please keep him in your prayers.

Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Peace Community UCC, 4061 Columbus Sandusky Rd. S. Rt. 98, Marion, Ohio 43302

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

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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

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