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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.

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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

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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 stjohnsfcnewsletter@gmail.com

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: stjohnsuccfc@gmail.com

Newsletter: stjohnsfcnewsletter@gmail.com

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.

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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