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Hen House Weekly E-News
December 26, 2025
Why Hen House? The friendly chatter before Worship on Sundays reminds us of a Hen House! Since Jesus identified himself as a Mother Hen and, as an historical farm church, we enjoy being God's ‘Hen House’ and welcome everyone (town, urban, and rural) to our Worship and other programs - and invite you to even make Zwingli your Church home. The United Church of Christ values all people!
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Merry Christmas!
In the Church calendar, the season of Christmas runs from December 25 to January 6, when the Church celebrates the visit of the Wise Men which is known as Epiphany. So, there literally are 12 days of Christmas, like the song! For those interested, it is believed that The Twelve Days of Christmas song first appeared in England in the 1700's and while some see Christian symbolism in the song, that is not certain.
On Sunday, December 28, Zwingli Worship will be a Carol Sing-a-long! Many thanks to those of you who shared songs with me -- and to our wonderful pianist, Becky, who will be playing them on Sunday for us to sing along to!
One of my favorite carols is O Holy Night. I've always loved it, especially the phrase that says, "and the soul felt its worth". Isn't that what Christmas is about -- that Jesus comes to awaken us to our worth as beloved children of God? Many years ago when I was in seminary, I came home for Christmas. When services were cancelled due to a winter storm, my Mom and siblings and I decided to take a spontaneous Christmas Eve Worship to a dear elderly friend (a member of the church) who lived at a local senior apartment building. She passed the word around and others from her building joined us. I had learned O Holy Night on guitar and was able to play it (imperfectly) -- and we all sang along despite the challenges of the high notes. That night I had the sense that bringing a service to our friend and her friends was a reminder to them of their worth. And, in turn, their gratitude reminded us of our worth. It seems to me that there are many 'storms' in life that threaten the truth of Christmas, but the songs of Christmas help us to weather these 'storms' and to be inspired over and over again.
I hope you will join us on Sunday as we sing together! And invite your friends and family for this joyful way to celebrate during the 12 days of Christmas!
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Prayer List
Today, we invite you to keep in prayer:
Those suffering from drought, famine, accidents, fires, storms, flooding, tornados, excessive heat, violence, homelessness, illness, war in their communities.
Nations in crisis: Nigeria, U.S. - Venezuela tensions, Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, The Congo, Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. Prayers for those countries, farmers, companies and consumers who are affected by the escalating trade war. The people of Pine Ridge Reservation and all Native Peoples.
For wise, compassionate leadership in our Executive, legislative and judicial branches of govt, and citizen action. For Civil Servants, immigrants, international students, and others facing uncertainty under the policies of the new administration and now under this government shutdown.
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Dec. 28 - Christmas Carol Sing-a-long
Jan. 4 - Worship with Holy Communion; Friendship Time following the service
Jan. 25 - As usual, our Annual Meeting will be held after worship on the last Sunday of January, the 25th. Please mark your calendars! We will have annual reports ready for you by Sunday, January 11.
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New, used Christmas tree needed
If you or anyone you know has a large artificial tree that you don't need, we would like it for the church. The one we have sheds a lot of needles every year and they're very hard to pick up (a ton of static makes them stick to everything!). Thanks for checking!
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HEIFER PROJECT!!
The Heifer giving project is now underway. We are doing something we have done in the past which was donating towards one main item which is Water. You can put loose $$ or checks payable to: Zwingli UCC-Paoli - (put Heifer donation in the memo) in a box with a open slot on the display. All monies received will be added up at the end of December and sent in one check to HEIFER on behalf of Zwingli UCC-Paoli. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
| | The Rev. Franz Rigert, Conference Minister, Wisconsin Conference UCC, recently sent a message to congregations throughout Wisconsin. In it he says, "For many of us the road has felt weary since the beginning of COVID, nearly six years ago. We have endured so many challenges and so much change. Yet despite it all, we keep the faith. Despite it all, we sing with joy. Despite it all, we cling to hope. Despite it all, we share the love of Jesus. Joy comes not in the absence of trouble, but in the fullness of God’s grace. So may it be for you!" To read the entire letter, click here. | | |
Ways to Care for Yourself if Grieving Loved Ones this Holiday Season
The Wisconsin Conference UCC Older Adult Ministry Group has provided information to support those who are grieving a recent loss -- or a loss from years past. They also provide information for those who want to support others who are grieving. Check it out here.
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Weather Cancellations this Winter
It's winter in Wisconsin so we want to remind you that if the weather looks bad, be sure to check your email or FB (Zwingli UCC - Paoli) on Sunday mornings. We will send out an email or post a message by 8 am on Sunday. We do have a list of those who don't have access to email or FB and prefer a text or phone call (if you aren't sure if you are on this list, please contact our pastor to check).
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Respiratory Virus Season is Here!
While the Dane County Public Health Dept says respiratory illness are low right now, the UW Covid hotline says they are getting more calls since September. The Public Health Dept has limited knowledge of illnesses. So we are definitely in the season of respiratory illness. Take good care of yourselves and if you are feeling ill, take proper precautions to get the medical help you need and to prevent spreading what you have! This dashboard is updated every Thursday with the information they do have: https://publichealthmdc.com/your-health/respiratory-illness/dashboard
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In September some of our members wrote Advocacy Cards for the Climate Hope Campaign. We received this thank you this week:
To the Congregation at Zwingli UCC,
THANK YOU for being a part of the work of advocating for policies that protect and respect our environment! Your postcards have been delivered We look forward to future collaboration on building a just world for all! Keep up the good work!
Mike Neuroth & the DC Team
United Church of Christ
Office of Public Policy & Advocacy
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Opportunities for Citizen Advocacy through letters to Congress
The United Church of Christ offers us the opportunity to learn more about bills before Congress and voice our opinions to our legislators. They make it very easy to send an email. Check out the many topics on their page: https://www.ucc.org/action-center/. The most recent ones are: This Advent, take action to prevent Israeli Settlement Construction in the West Bank; Urge Congress to Stand Up Against Gun Violence; and Affordable Healthcare for All: Extend ACA Tax Credits! Scroll down the page to find others that you might want to express your opinion about.
| | The Southern Region of the Wisconsin Conference UCC publishes Shalom, a monthly e-newsletter featuring events and happenings within the Conference, including Zwingli. Click here to check it out! | | | | |
