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Volume 5, Issue 5 May 2020
St. John’s United Church of Christ
A message from the Consistory President:
Hello Everyone! It seems like forever since we have seen each other face to face
and said “Hello, how are you!”. With Gov Evers “Stay at Home” order, we will con-
tinue to not have worship services until later in May. My goal, at this time, is to
HOPEFULLY have worship on May 31st. Again, this is all based on if the “stay at
home” order is lifted. It is possible that it could only partially be lift or extended in
full. We will know later in the month. At that time, if we are able, we will also have
our Confirmands confirmed on that Sunday, May 31st .
I would like to let you know that the parsonage has been vacated. It shows normal
wear and tear and will have to be updated and painted. I will be having the Trus-
tees go through and make a list of what needs to be done. This will be done in
time as there is no immediate rush.
The consistory met this week via Zoom. This was an interesting meeting because
many of us have not done this before. Technology!!
Lastly, I have been in contact with Rob McDougall, our Association Minister, and he
has given us a name of someone who would be willing to do some interim work.
We have not had a chance to contact or interview this person yet but it is a start. I
would like to thank everyone, volunteers and church members, for their continued
help and patience in these trying times. A special thank you to Rev. Betsy Miller
Ruben for providing our Palm Sunday and Easter Services that we were able to
watch on line. Many thanks also to Cindy Ziegler for videotaping these services and
uploading them for us. Please pray that the current health concerns improve so
that we can get back to our normal way of life.
Dale Schmidtknecht
The church is only as good as its
leadership. If you care about
the church’s future, consider
offering your time and
talent to St. John’s. Please
contact Dale Schmidtknecht if
you are interested in a position
with the Church.
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Volunteer List for May
Ushers Vira Mae Engel-Stuber
Dale Schmidtknecht LuAnn Schmidtknecht
Greeters—No Services 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24
31 David & Sue Schaffner
Money Counter Sandy & Tom Ruben
Flowers and Communion
Sherry Guenther
Tentative Confirmation Date: May 31
(Pending Stay at Home Order)
Mother’s Day
The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first
celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a
memorial for her mother at St Andrew's
Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia.
In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a
proclamation designating Mother's Day,
held on the second Sunday in May, as a
national holiday to honor mothers.
3
Food Shelf Report for March 2020
806 Lbs. of Food Distributed
Averages 15 Lbs. of food per person
54 Total People Helped
17 Households Helped
14 Children
28 Adults
12 Seniors
6 First time visitors
The food shelf recently moved to the
main floor of the church, easing the
transfer of supplies. It looks great!
There is a sign on the church doors
with a number to call to arrange a
prepacked box of food. Once the
Pandemic is over, we should be able to
get back to our normal schedule and
routine. If you know of someone in
need, please let them know about us!
Thank you for your continued donations!
God Bless!
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of
May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day and
commemorates all men and women who have died in
military service for the United States. Many
people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial
Day and it is traditionally seen as the start of the
summer season.
Thank you to all of our service men and women!
We appreciate your dedication and sacrifices for
our country and our freedoms.
Memorial Day ~ May 25th
4
Stewardship Moment from the Deacons~
Unprecedented times. We do not gather now in church. We do not meet in church groups to serve
others, with the exception of St. John’s food shelf. While some say we are “social distancing”, oth-ers say it better as “spacious solidarity”. We are “The Church”, even though separated. Several years ago
the United Church of Christ rolled out the campaign, “Be the Church”. Yes, during this time each of us, in
our own way “Be the Church”, as we conduct our daily lives with individual, but meaningful expressions of
caring to help others…in thought, word, and deed.
A much deserved THANK YOU to Betsy Miller-Ruben for leading Palm Sunday and Easter services. Hopefully you were able to view them online. If you didn’t get the chance, they are available on St. John’s website at www.stjohnsfcwi.com. The Easter service was held at the Eagle Valley Church. Many thanks to all who made those services possible! There are so many talented people in our lives! Jeannette & Donna Beck would like to thank Judy Boehm and LuAnn Schmidtknecht for their acts of kind-ness they’ve shown during the Covid-19 crisis. Please email the newsletter at [email protected]
if you have stories or acts of kindness you’d like to share!
The Wisconsin UCC Newsletter is a wonderful resource. To sign up for the newsletter, go to
www.wcucc.org, click on the Menu on the upper left and then click Contact.
There are many benefits for St. John’s members
and friends while our church services are suspend-ed. Click on the Menu on upper left , then click
“Coronavirus Resources”. Then click Live Streamed/Virtual Worship Services. Over 50
Wisconsin churches have video recordings of their services to share.
There are many valuable resources available,
please explore the entire website!
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Birthdays
1 Faye Conners 1 Riley Ratz
1 Bert Schaffner 1 Ivy Mohlke
2 Beverly Engel 2 Michelle Holliman
5 Don Stettler
8 John Stettler 10 Paul Ehmcke
10 Jan Schaffner 10 Richard Kennerly
11 Kashes Franz
12 Jo Muench 12 Sandy Ruben
14 Byron Hoch 16 Kathy Bowman
18 Angeli Engel
18 Luke Schaffner 18 Tyson Ely
19 Blake Maier 19 Chelsea Clark
22 Deanna Wiersgalla 23 Connie Sayler
23 Loren Ziegler
25 Mike Schmidtknecht 26 Tina Schowalter
27 Jacob Jandro 27 Gunner Eckelberg
28 Brian Mattison
28 Ken Engel 31 Carl Brommerich
Anniversaries
2 Paul & Ruth Ehmcke
3 Marvin & Carol Colbenson 4 Mark & Tiffany Schaffner
9 Brian & Lisa Wolfe 21 Neal & Diane Schaffner
Prayers For
Olivia Pelley
Jeff Baertsch
Michael Bischoff Lavonne Buchholz
John Reiter John Onken
Betsy Miller-Ruben Lois Krause
Cherish Thorne
Margaret Dietrich Merf Klebig
Bernie Duellman Jana Robey
Kelsey Ewing
Cynthia West Barbara Juszczak
Dale Kennebeck Tom Hansen
Amy Burke
Pete Mueller Gladys Macoy
Eddie Neitzert Aaron Tadewald
Paula Trego Jared & Erin Cords’
Family
Pati Harm Randy Knecht
Ruth Ehmcke
Please keep the family
& friends of Betty Miller in your thoughts &
prayers.
Contact Information:
St. John’s United Church of Christ
303 S Hill St., PO Box 130
Fountain City, WI 54629-0130
608-687-3277
Website: www.stjohnsfcwi.com
Church Office: [email protected]
Newsletter: [email protected]
If you would rather not receive “From the Hill”, if you know of
someone who would like to receive it, or if you have a change to your email address, please contact the
newsletter and we will take care of your request.
You may also send information or articles to be included in upcoming
newsletters.
6
eGiving ~ Online giving is user friendly!
Visit St. John’s website page at www.stjohnsfcwi.com, click on the eGiving link on the main page. You will see this screen:
Create Your Online Profile and fill out the Donation section. You can Log In at any time to make changes or cancel online giving once church services resume if you prefer to donate at church.
Church Finances:
Thank you for your continued financial support! Every trip to the Post Office brings gratitude because there is more than
just bills in the mailbox. Your mailed in checks and online donations from St. John’s website are appreciated in this time
without Sunday services. You haven’t forgotten the church with everything else that is going on in your daily life.
We all look forward to the time when we have a Pastor and our worship leaders can enjoy services from the pews. We
continue to maintain the day to day operations of the church and pay recurring monthly expenses. Each of you plays an
important part in sustaining our church’s future and church community. St. John’s is blessed to have your support and
prayers as we look forward to opening our doors again, seeing your grateful smiles and hearing beautiful music.
Thank you!
Judy Boehm, Treasurer
Cindy Ziegler, Financial Secretary
Suggestions in this time of separation ~ Daily Activities *Call family and friends or video chat—the visual connection.
*One Minute Kindness—send an email or text a genuine compliment or gratitude to someone. *Exercise and Fresh Air—refresh the body, mind and spirit.
*Minimize worry by limiting negativity. *Journal writing daily bits and pieces of thoughts, concerns, dreams, to do’s, etc.
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When the news of the Corona Virus causes you to stress, You don't need to worry!
You don't need to fret! Just: “Sing, sing a song. Sing out loud, Sing out strong, Sing of good times, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad.... Just sing, sing a song.” (Sung by the Carpenters) ————————————————————————————————- When you want someone to talk to ~ Sing: “I come to the garden alone... And the voice I hear, Falling on my ear, Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me...” “In The Garden”/(Miles) ————————————————————————————————- When you feel lonely ~ Sing: “What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!... Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share?” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”(Scriven/Converse) ————————————————————————————————- When you feel unloved or unappreciated ~ Sing: “Jesus loves me, this I know, For the Bible tells me so.” “Jesus Loves Me”/(Warner/Bradbury) ————————————————————————————————- When you fear the future ~ Sing: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone!” “Because He Lives”/(Gaither) ————————————————————————————————- “Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life.” “Wonderful Words of Life”/(Bliss)
When you are discouraged ~ Sing: “Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come?... When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.” “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”(Martin/Gabriel) ———————————————————————————— When you lack hope ~ Sing: “My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name.” “The Solid Rock”/(Mote/Bradbury) ————————————————————————————
When you desire peace ~ Sing: “Peace, peace! Wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above! Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, In fathomless billows of love.” “Wonderful Peace”(Cornell/Cooper) ———————————————————————————— When you feel overwhelmed ~ Sing: “O Lord, my God, when I in awe some wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,... Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!” “How Great Thou Art”/(Hine)
A Spiritual Musical Remedy to the “Making-Us-Sick” Pandemic ~ by Ruth Ehmcke