The MessengerVolume 9, Issue 1 Winter 2019

Greetings!

Another year has past and Christmas has come and gone. This year we focused on the “wonder” of Advent and Christmas. The wonder of a star, the wonder of a name, the wonder of a manger, the wonder of a promise, and the wonder of hope.

This Christmas season truly was a wonder. We began with the Advent Sing, then to the Sunday morning practices and worship, the Country Church Tour, the piano recital, the Christmas Program, the worship service and program and Christmas Eve candlelight service. This isn’t even counting the council meetings, confirmation, the collection of non-perishables for the food pantry and myriad of other things that just happened over the Advent and Christmas Season.

The “wonder” of Christmas is truly that “once we believe anything is possible”. How true this statement is for each of us. The season was a “wonder”ful reminder that we are truly never alone. That Emanuel - which means God with us - was sent to this earth to be in a relationship with us so that we are never alone.

In the bleak, cold mid-winter it is easy to feel that we are alone -but we are not. God is with us. If you find yourself feeling alone, I may suggest several things that you can do to manifest God’s will in you. Visit a church member or friend in a long -term care facility, call an old friend, purchase cards and send them to random people, volunteer at the senior center, fix dinner for the busy family next door or simply spend time in prayer for others.

The wonder of the season is that God is with us and if we are in a relationship with God - then we are with others. This is not just a message for Christmas - but the entire year.

God came to us as a child to experience life as we understand it. God is with us not only at Christmas but the whole year through.

Rodney

The Messenger 1

The Messenger 2

Sermon Topics for 2019

1/6 – Epiphany1/13-Following Hard After God1/20- Possessing Nothing1/27- Removing the Veil2/3- Apprehending God2/10- The Universal Presence2/17-The Speaking Voice2/24 – Gaze of the Soul3/3-Creator and Creature3/10-Gift of Desperation3/17- Miracle of Abundance3/24-Miracles on the Water3/31 –Jesus our Healer4/7 – Two for One Miracle4/14 – Lent4/21 – Easter – Grand Miracle4/28- Parable of the River5/5 –God’s Gracious Anger5/12-Godless Living5/19-Godless Judging5/26-Vacation 6/2- Calling the Corpses6/9-Love and Justice Meet6/16- Credit Due6/30 – Major League Grace7/7- Priviledge of Paupers7/14- Grace Works7/21 – Turning Yourself In7/28 – Sufficient Grace8/4– Civil War of the Soul8/11 - Heaviness of Hatred8/18- Aboard the Fellowship8/25- What We Want to Know9/1-Peace You Long For9/8 – Heroes and Stories9/15 – Peace of Memory9/22- Reimanging Enemies9/29– Peace of Following10/6 -Connecting10/13– Peace of Simplicity10/20 – Timeout for Growups10/27-Magic of Compounding11/3 – Peace in Every Word11/10-Turblulent Peace11/17 – Practical Peace11/24 - ???12/1 – Advent12/8- Advent12/15 – Advent12/22 - Advent12/29– Advent

Church Calendar

January *Paula Givens 6th – Epiphany – Sunday School and Worship

with Communion - Epiphany Party – Church supplies stew and drinks – side dishes and desserts are appreciated. Following worship

13th - Sunday School and Worship – Installation of Church Council

20th -Sunday School and Worship – Congregational Meeting

27th - Sunday School and Worship

February * Travis Clifton 3rd - Sunday School and Worship- Communion 10th - Sunday School and Worship – Council

Meeting following worship 16th – 9:30 am – Bean Supper Prep 17th - Sunday School and Worship – Ham and

Bean Supper – 3:30-7:00 pm 23rd – 5:30 pm – Family Movie Night 24th - Sunday School and Worship

March * Renee Asher 3rd - Sunday School and Worship – Communion 6th – Ash Wednesday – Lent Begins 10th - Sunday School and Worship – Lenten

Study 17th - Sunday School and Worship – Lenten Study 24th - Sunday School and Worship – Lenten

Study

The United Church of Christ has begun a campaign over the next two years entitled the 3 Great

Loves. Love of Neighbor Love of Creation Love of Children

How will we respond? Take part in a collection for the local food pantry?

Expand our children’s programs?Recycle more things from our wastebaskets?

What can we do?

Sympathy is extended to the family of Eddie and Tammy Clardy, and Nick and Keisha Panagos in the loss of Eddie’s Sister and Keisha’s Aunt – Kitty Clardy Prindle.

Sympathy is extended to the family of Kelly Crites.

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Thank you to all who assisted with: Videoing the sermons for the website Prepping, cooking, serving and donating to the Chili and Stew Supper Decorating and undecorating the church for Christmas Assisting with the Christmas Country Church Tour Assisting with the Christmas Program – teaching children to sing, arranging costumes, assisting children with their parts

and/or singing in the choir Assisting with the children’s goodie bags and the apples and oranges for Christmas Serving on the church council Replacing the timer and bulb for the decoration on the hill Cleaning the cemetery Setting up table and chairs for various events Fixing the Fellowship Hall Door Serving in any way that builds the potential of St. John’s UCC Helping with the Epiphany Party Purchasing storage containers for decoration storage Setting up the accounts for myeoffering Keeping the webpage up to date and current Shoveling the snow off the sidewalks

And I am sure there are things that have been missed!

The Messenger 4

Special Music 20191/6 – George Cozby1/13-Men’s Quartet1/20- Don and Anna Lee Hahs1/27- Given’s2/3- Carol McDowell2/10- Choir2/17-Cliftons2/24 – Pensel’s3/3-Bud and Maxine Fellows3/10- Choir3/17- Don and Anna Lee Hahs3/24- Men’s Quartet3/31 – George Cozby4/7 – Larry and Bev Koehler4/14 – Lohmann’s4/21- Choir4/28 – Pensel’s5/5 – Given’s5/12- Choir5/19-Bud and Maxine Fellows5/26 - Lohmann’s6/2- Men’s Quartet6/9- Choir6/16- Carol McDowell6/23- Don and Anna Lee Hahs6/3 –Pensel’s 7/7- George Cozby7/14- Choir7/21 – Children7/28 – Bud and Maxine Fellows8/11 – Choir8/18 - Clifton’s8/25- Given’s9/1- George Cozby9/8-Choir9/15 – Men’s Quartet9/22 – Larry and Bev Koehler9/29- Pensel’s10/6 – Lohmann’s10/13 - Choir 10/20 – Carol McDowell10/27 – Don and Anna Lee Hahs11/3 – George Cozby11/10 - Choir11/17 – Lohmann’s11/24 – Given’s12/1 – Choir12/8-George Cozby12/15 – Pensel’s12/22 - Choir12/29– Larry and Bev Koehler

This is NOT an exhaustive list. We have many people with great talent. – If you wish to share with us – please let us know. Also – anyone may switch at anytime.

Ham and Bean DinnerFebruary 18, 2019

3:30 – 7:00

Adults $7.00Children 6-12 $3.00

Children Under 6 Complimentary

Cemetery AssociationAnnouncement

The official plat of the cemetery has numerous reserved spots marked on it. However, they are simply marked

reserved without any names for whom the grave is reserved.

If you have reserved a plot – please contact Cheri Sander573-579-6048

in order to assist with the identification.

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WelcomeOn November 16th St. John’s

JanUnited Church of Christ welcomed:

Susan LoennekeBen, Krissy and Nick Loenneke

Bernita ShrumCarol McDowell

If you wish to have your offering electronically debited please visit:

www.stjohnsfruitland.com

Follow the link to set up your private account.

On Jan

On 1/3/19 St. John’s UCC donated a truck load of good and $750 to the Jackson Ministerial Food Pantry.This was collected through the reverse Advent Calendar.

St. John’s 1st Epiphany PartyFood

FellowshipChristmas Trivia

BingoFun!

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St. John’s United Church of Christ

Christmas Program and Contata

The Messenger 7

Important Dates January 20th – Congregational

Meeting- following worship February 10th – Council

Meeting – following worship February 16th – 9:30 am Bean

Supper Preparation February 17th – 3:30-7:00 Ham

and Bean Supper February 23rd – 5:30 pm

Family Movie Night Lenten Study following

Worship each Sunday from 3/6-4/16

If you wish to have your offering electronically debited please visit:

www.stjohnsfruitland.com

Follow the link to set up your private account or scan the QR code

below.

St. John’s United Church of Christ781 State Hwy FFJackson, MO 63755

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED