August 23 - 30, 2024

"I will put my teaching in their minds and write it on their hearts..."

Jeremiah 31:33

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Below are the weekly programs. You can find brief descriptions of these weekly programs on our website. Clickable links are in blue and italicized.

SUNDAY Morning Worship, 10 am in person and via Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/97010988439 Password: betogether

SUNDAY, 11:30 a.m. Bible Study in person and on Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/262314649 NO Bible Study Aug. 25, Sept. 1, or Sept. 15

MONDAY - FRIDAY, 8 am Morning Devotion

https://zoom.us/j/94276813637

Below are the upcoming non-weekly events on the calendar happening at McFarland UCC for about the next month. All events are on the McFarland UCC calendar with Zoom links and additional information in the details/description area. Click the event on the McFarland UCC calendar to see the details.

Thursday, August 29, NO in person office hours

Saturday, August 31, 1:30 - 3:00 pm, Healing Prayer Team Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Sunday, September 1, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, NO Teen Youth Monthly Meeting.

Tuesday, September 3, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Racial Justice Care Team Monthly Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Wednesday, September 4, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Outreach Funds Quarterly Committee Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Thursday, September 5, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, SaLT Monthly Meeting - Rescheduled from 9/12, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Saturday, September 7, 9:00 - 11:00 pm, Befrienders Orientation, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Sunday, September 8, 10:00 am, Worship, Birthday and Communion Sunday

Sunday, September 8, Monthly Younger Youth Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, September 11, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Healing Prayer Service (In person & Online), Sanctuary

Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 - 9:00 pm, Befrienders Training Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Thursday, September 12, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, AFinding Common Ground and Changing Hearts and Minds, Sanctuary

Sunday, September 15, 10:00 am Outdoor Worship Service

Tuesday, August 17, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Creation Care Team Bi-Monthly Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Wednesday, September 18, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Befrienders Training Meeting, (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Prayer Requests? Contact Jean Duchrow or Lavon Geasland.

Thank you to this weekend's volunteers!

Greeters/Ushers: Jean & Daryl Kleckner

Hospitality Hosts: Tracy Donohue

News at McFarland UCC

(Note: Clickable links are blue and italicized.)

Greeters/Ushers are needed, especially on Sept. 1 (Labor Day Weekend) & 15 (Outdoor Service). Please sign up online or email Becky Cohen if you're available and willing to volunteer.

Kitchen Hospitality help is needed also! Please sign up online or email Joan Jacobsen if you're available and willing to volunteer.

Sing!

The MUCC choir will resume rehearsals on Sunday, September 10. We rehearse every Sunday at 9:00 am, and we sing at about one worship service per month. We welcome back previous singers and always welcome new ones! You do not need to have any experience or the ability to read music. The only requirement is enthusiasm! If you have any questions, speak with or email Tom Ludwig.

Pre-registration is requested so sufficient materials may be available. Questions? Contact Amy Cavi, Becky Cohen, or Kathy Schwenn.

Click Here to Pre-Register

PLEASE Help: Request extended

There haven't been many photos submitted so the deadline is being extended to September 15. We need you help! Our goal is to update our bulletin board in the fellowship area and our website with fresh photos of our vibrant community! Find recent photos or take photos and submit them to Ginger, our administrative assistant, via email or her office mailbox. If photos are provided, it will be assumed that you grant us permission to have and use the photo. If the photo contains an image of a minor, a parent/guardian will be asked to sign a Minor Photo Release Form.

Let's showcase our "A Church With Heart" spirit!

A Special Opportunity to Celebrate the Life of Cathy Carlson - Sept. 15

Rev. Cathy Carlson, a member of our church and beloved spouse of our own Pastor Mike Bausch, passed away August 8. Our heart goes out to Mike and his family, and we will continue to hold them in our prayers.

Our congregation will be hosting a celebration of Cathy's life during and after Sunday morning worship on Sunday, September 15. The worship is scheduled to be outside, and Mike and his musical group, "The Hoot 'n Annie String Band" will lead our worship service as they have previously. The service itself will feature music and themes that Cathy loved personally and that were at the heart of Cathy's work in all the churches she served throughout her many years of ministry. We'll host a simple meal after worship during which memories of Cathy will be shared. Please contact organizer Joan Jacobsen if you'd like to help out.

We Can Help Kids in Uganda By Providing Clean Wells

On Saturday, September 21, the Walk-4-Water event at the McFarland boardwalk will raise funds to provide desperately needed wells in Uganda.

Ron Vandeberg from McFarland Lutheran Church – and one of the organizers of Walk-4-Water – says, “This is how I was moved during a mission trip in March 2024 to Uganda. It all started when Hillary Malo, director of Water and Sanitary Hygiene for Hope-4-Kids in Uganda, said, ‘Thank you for providing us with so many wells. You have saved hundreds of lives.’

Wow! I had often thought in terms of the number of dollars given to the cause of drilling wells; not so much about the number of lives saved by providing clean, safe water. When considering that nearly 50% of children die before age 5 due to dirty drinking water in those villages, it's easy to see how the 11 wells we have provided so far have saved hundreds of lives."

Here is a link to a video clip that shows the water situation in one rural village, fortunately now supplied with a well due to a donation by the Brandom family from California.

Our next Walk-4-Water fundraising event is September 21 in McFarland at McDaniel Park. You can get more information about the villages that will get wells, register for the walk, or donate towards drilling 2 more wells by going to this link.

And we have some exciting news. From now until September 8, a family that wishes to remain anonymous is providing a dollar-for-dollar match of all donations up to $10,500. If we raise $10,500 for one well, another complete well will be provided. A silent auction will also be part of the event. More clean water means more lives are saved, and more Wow for your dollar!

Please consider donating to save the lives of children who otherwise have no choice but to drink contaminated water.

Thank you so much. And for an interesting experience, consider going on our next mission trip to Uganda. The date of the trip is not set, but perhaps March 2025.

Weekly Creation Care Tips

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

This week’s Tip: Creation Care Newsletter: Do you know that WI UCC offers a statewide creation care newsletter called Kairos Call to Action. View prior issues here.