St. Peter's Evangelical UCC Newsletter P.O. Box 250, 303 NE Pine St., Billings, MO 65610 Web page: www.stpetersucc.us

Pastor Kemery Baldwin--Cell phone 417-619-4145 Fellowship Hall & Office 417 744-2701

Sunday School 9:30 AM Worship Service 10:30 AM

March 2015 Pastoral Reflections

The season of Lent is typically a time of reflection, increased devotion, generosity and

spiritual discipline. In simple terms, we are to take time to strengthen our relationship with

God. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and continues until the great celebration of Easter.

To encourage our Lenten journey or pilgrimage, we have ordered daily devotional booklets

titled Into The Wilderness. These have brief readings for each day in Lent and are yours for

the taking, reading and pondering. Additionally, coin boxes are available to help us collect

for The Society of St. Andrew and their gleaning and food distribution ministries. Our confir-

mation class is leading this Lenten mission project.

Wednesday evening Lenten services continue to be shared among Billings United Methodist

Church, St. Peter’s Evangelical UCC and with Billings Christian Church hosting the Ash Wed-

nesday service as well as Good Friday upcoming. Please see the schedule for Wednesday

as well as Holy Week services and Easter Sunrise hosted by the Billings Ministerial Alliance

elsewhere in this newsletter. It is March and it is hard to let the month pass by without a mention of St. Patrick’s Day.

There is that saying: “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” and then there are those of us

who can claim Irish as an ancestral heritage. My mother’s last name was Magee: the Isle of

Magee juts out above Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Thanks to a friend and her

knowledge of genealogy searches, we found an ancestor back to the tenth generation:

David Calhoun, born in 1690 in Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland who died in 1780

in Litchfield, Connecticut. Yes, my sisters and I have visited Northern Ireland. There are at

least “Forty Shades of Green” as the saying and song goes. But enough about Ireland…for

now St. Patrick: Considered the patron saint of Ireland, Patrick’s life remains somewhat of a

mystery, yet we have stories and legends about him and we have liturgy and prayers ascrib-

ed to him. What follows is known as The First Prayer of St. Patrick.

As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me. May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me. May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me. A prayer for the month of March and the season of Lent.

In the power and the peace of Jesus,

Rev. Kemery Baldwin

ST. PETER'S EVANGELICAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Financial Report January 2015 CASH ON HAND JANUARY 1, 2015 $28,068.88

RECEIPTS: Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 TOTAL

Current Exp. OCWM Loose Siding washing Building Fund Organ Fund

1,795.00 25.00 40.00 50.00 50.00

1649.00 25.00 2.00 50.00

930.00 145.00 6.00 50.00

1,755.00 25.00 55.00 300.00 50.00

6,129.00 220.00 103.00 300.00 50.00 200.00

TOTALS 1,960.00 1,726.00 1,131.00 2,185.00 7,002.00

RENTAL INCOME -- INTEREST INCOME 2.80

TOTAL CASH ON HAND AND MONTHLY RECEIPTS $ 35,073.68

ST. PETER'S EVANGELICAL UCC

Actual Analysis 2015

January February March April May June July August September October November December

6,235

4,827

YTD 6,235 4,827 DIFFERENCE = 1,408

ACTUAL RECEIPTS FOR ACTUAL DISBURSEMENTS CURRENT EXPENSES FOR CURRENT EXPENSES

MARCH 2015

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Communion

9:30 AM SS

10:30 AM Worship

2 3

10 AM

Bible Study

4

7 PM

Lenten Service

Methodist Church

5

7 PM

Choir Practice

6

10 AM

World Day of Prayer

St. Peter's

Bring a dish

7

8

9:30 AM SS

10:30 AM Worship

9

7 PM

Board Meeting

10

10 AM

Bible Study

11

7 PM

Lenten Service

St. Peter's

12

7 PM

Choir Practice

13 14

10 AM

Friendship Guild

15

9:30 AM SS

10:30 AM Worship

16 17

St. Patrick's Day

10 AM

Bible Study

18

7 PM

Lenten Service

Methodist Church

19

7 PM

Choir Practice

20

First Day of Spring

21

22

9:30 AM SS

10:30 AM Worship

23 24

10 AM

Bible Study

25

7 PM

Lenten Service

St. Peter's

26

7 PM

Choir Practice

27 28

29

Palm Sunday

9:30 AM SS

10:30 AM Worship

30 31

10 AM

Bible Study

St. Patrick's Day

The Board met on Monday evening at 7:00 PM on February 9, 2015 in the Fellowship Hall. All

Board Members were present including Pastor Kemery Baldwin and Pastoral Intern Samantha Nichols. Minutes from the January meeting and the treasurer’s report were discussed and approved, followed by the Pastor’s report and an update on Youth Activities by Samantha. Discussion took place regarding the Lenten season and activities/services being planned. Pastor will finalize arrangements after the Ministerial Alliance meeting to be attended soon. (Schedule of Lenten Services was provided on Sunday, February 15, 2015). Dialog is continuing re-garding renting the Parsonage. Anyone who may know of a candi-date to rent the Parsonage (less the three rooms currently being used), should contact a board member. Plans are to finalize an up-dated draft Church directory soon. This draft will be circulated among members to allow for changes, corrections before printing a final version for membership use. A concentrated effort is going to be made to increase the use of the St Peter’s UCC Website. This would include posting more Church news and information to the site and encouraging members to frequent the web site more often. Also, to tell more about who/what St Peter’s UCC Church is, to possibly attract new members and or visitors. Church Committees are being reviewed and a new listing will be published soon updat-ing members. Ash Wednesday is almost here, kicking off the Len-ten Season leading up to Easter. It is a special time of the year, spiritually in particular, but also a time when our Church Family expands to include friends and neighbors from other local churches. It is also a great sign that Spring is not very far down the road. Sam Schaumann, Board Pres.

St Peter’s UCC Board Report

February 9, 2015

The choir is working on several songs for the coming months. We plan to sing some of our favorite hymns, a medley called "I Saw the Light", "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone"), and more songs from Hope Publishing. Our practices are moving to Thursdays at 7PM during Lent. We would love it if you would come sing with us!

Cindy

The February 14, 2015 Friendship Guild Meeting was called to order by President Diane Zell with 10 members present. Cindy Wagemann gave the devotion entitled "Give Thanks For A Grateful Heart." The card report was given with 5 sympathy and 4 get-well cards being sent. Chris Rauch gave the December secretary report, because we did not meet in January because of cold weather. The minutes were approved as read. Charlene Rumley gave the treasurer's report with a balance of $1,982.20. Pastor Baldwin reported meeting with the Ministerial Alliance. World Day of Prayer will be March 6 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter's. There will be a bring-a-dish meal after the meeting. All are welcome to come. Ash Wednesday is February 18 at 7:00 PM at the Christian Church and Rev. Baldwin will bring the message. She also showed us the Lenten schedule for the Easter season. Under old business, Diane reported that she along with BHS counselor Katie Whitehead delivered a Christmas Wal-Mart gift card to the family that we had helped at Thanksgiving. We also helped a family in need of food and help with their utility bill. Under new business, motion was passed to give a memorial gift in memory of Dot Reed to the Youth Group. Plans are being made for a Taco Night to help raise funds for Relay For Life. Taco Night will be April 24, at 6:30. After our meeting we celebrated Valentines Day by playing games and enjoying refreshments. While we were eating, Cindy gave our topic. We closed with the Lord' Prayer. Our next meeting is March 14, 2015 at 10:00 AM.

Diane Zell, Pres.

Let us all welcome our new members, David and Denise Hampton, who joined our church Sunday Feb. 8, 2015. We are very pleased and happy to have you back with us!!

We are also happy to wel-come Brian and Tracy Bengsch back with us.

World Day of Prayer

March 6, 2015

St. Peter’s Evangelical UCC

10:30 a.m. Prayer Service

Jesus Said, “Do you Understand What I

Have Done For You?” Written by the women of the Bahamas

Potluck Luncheon Following

Rather than sacrificing something for Lent — especially something easy and spiritually insignificant, such as chocolate — Patty Kirk, in Guideposts magazine, suggests finding new ways to indulge in God’s presence. Surely one can do this by having extra devotions or attending Lenten worship services. But Kirk offers these ideas: • Spend time outdoors, sensing God’s magnificence. • Spend time with others, extending generosity and compassion. Remember Jesus’ promise that when you care for others, you care for him (Matthew 25:31-46). • Pray for the “little things,” coming before God in childlike trust and feeling peace. • Watch attentively for God’s answers to prayer, and receive them as reminders of his presence. • Turn anxiety into prayer. As you frame concerns as prayers and entrust them to God, you “sacrifice” the tendency to wallow in worry.

Indulge for Lent?

Mindy Bacon, Bruce Baker; Mary Burkhart & family; Wyville Deeds; Jean Ebert; Jett Engelbrecht; Lia Farber; Carolyn Garcia; David Hampton; Faye Inmon; Clifford Kastendieck; Mae Kennedy; Angie Little; Matthew Logan; Gene McConnell; the family of Darla McCracken; JoAnn McGehee; Louis Owen; Becky Pannucci, DeWayne Haws, & Sierra Watson; Roger & Kristyl Paterson & family; the family of Travis Phinney; Roger Rill; Seth Rumley; Charles Schatz; Raymond & Ella Schultz; Connie Smallwood; Ann Staiger; Cody Verch; Margie Verch and family; Ronnie Wagemann; Marie Wallace and sister Phyllis; and Mary Zoller.

Your donations to the food pantry are very important and St. Joseph's would like to thank everyone who donated. Our next collection day will be March 1st. All donations of canned foods, paper goods, or cash are appreciated.

Second Sunday in Lent, March 1 Lenten Service, March 4--7 PM World Day of Prayer, March 6 Third Sunday in Lent, March 8 Daylight-Saving Time Begins March 8 Girl Scout Sunday, March 8 Lenten Service, March 11--7 PM Ladies Guild Meeting, March 14-10 AM Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 15 Lenten Service, March 18--7 PM First Day of Spring, March 20 Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 22 Lenten Service, March 25--7 PM Palm/Passion Sunday, March 29 Holy Week, March 29-April 4

Special Dates

April Newsletter Deadline

All articles must be received by noon on March

20th to be in the April Newsletter.

Please send all articles for the April Newsletter

to: Jane Staiger at email: the6js@mowisp.net

Temporary Editor

Forgive Yourself If the Lord Jesus Christ has washed you in his own blood and forgiven you all your sins, how dare you refuse to forgive yourself? —Francis MacNutt

A New Spring

Botanists say that trees need the powerful March winds to flex their trunks and main branches, so that the sap is drawn up to nourish the budding leaves. Perhaps we need the gales of life in the same way, though we dislike enduring them. A blustery period in our fortunes is often the prelude to a new spring of life and health, success and happiness, when we keep steadfast in faith and look to the good in spite of appearances. —Jane Truax

In response to the question “Can I be a Christian without joining the church?” someone once said it’s as possible as being: A student who will not go to school. A soldier who will not join an army. A citizen who does not pay taxes or vote. A salesman with no customers. An explorer with no base camp. A seaman on a ship without a crew. A businessman on a deserted island. An author without readers. A tuba player without an orchestra. A parent without a family. A football player without a team. A politician who is a hermit. A scientist who does not share his findings. A bee without a hive.

—Author unknown

A Churchless Christian

Life involves lots of waiting. We wait in groups, in lines, in cars. We wait for packages, for the bus, for the sun to rise. We wait in doctors’ offices, at the post office, at the DMV. Waiting implies we’re at someone else’s mercy, but it’s also usually linked to hope. Perhaps that’s why Paul Tillich called waiting a meta-phor for faith. Why would one wait if there weren’t the firm belief that the object of one’s wait will eventually materialize? Waiting can be enervating, which is why Isaiah 40:31 is so promising: “They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Yet waiting is tough if you have nothing to do while waiting. That’s why Jesus, when talking about waiting, also talked about working — work for the night is coming. Sometimes it’s less tiring to work than it is to wait. There’s a lot of waiting during Lent. You’re waiting for a payoff. You’re waiting for the Resurrection. You’re waiting for spiritual growth. And then you realize this isn’t waiting at all. It’s life. It’s joy. It’s opportunity. It’s blessing. —Timothy Merrill

The Waiting Game

Readers and Scripture Text

03/01 Danny Hutter Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalms 22:23-25; Romans 4:13-25 03/08 Mary Beyer Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 03/15 Sam Schaumann Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 03/22 Sherry Coker Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 03/29 David Rauch Mark 11:1-11(Palms); Mark 14:1-15(Passion); Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philppians 2:5-11 04/05 Sam Faris Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18 04/12 Diane Zell Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1- 2:2; John 20:19-31

3-02 Todd Steinmann 3-03 Mackenzie Ryan 3-07 Andrea Schultz 3-09 Mary Zoller 3-11 Austin Heath 3-15 Alexandra Heath 3-18 Samuel Faris 3-20 Brenda Rumley 3-20 James Rumley 3-26 Jadyn Dziwanowski 3-27 Jane Staiger 3-20 Susie Briscoe 3-31 Angie Mays

03/01 Sherry Coker & Nick Dzwanowski 03/08 John & Jane Staiger 03/15 Mark & Andrea Schultz 03/22 Mary Beyer & Gale Boswell 03/29 Mary Lou & Danny Hutter 04/05 James & Charlene Rumley 04/12 Sam & Debbie Schaumann

3-16-02 Justin and Janelle Heath 3-23-07 Daniel and Susan Wilkins 3-25-06 Allan and Jennifer Williams

3/01/15 Mark Schultz

4/05/15 Jeff Ware

03/01 Schaumann 03/08 John Wagemann 03/15 Amber Tinsley 03/22 Schaumann 03/29 John Wagemann 04/05 Amber Tinsley 04/12 Schaumann

03/01 Kayla Rumley 03/08 Nick Dzwanowski 03/15 Jonathan Jones 03/22 Jadyn Dzwanowski 03/29 Kayla Rumley 04/05 Nick Dziwanowski 04/12 Jonathan Jones

St. Peter's Evangelical UCC 303 Northeast Pine St. Post Office Box 250 Billings, MO 65610

Join us For Sunday School at 9:30 AM And Church Services at 10:30 AM