the interpreter su aint nited stephens church of christ · anam cara is a gaelic phrase that means...

E-MAIL USReverend Kyle Carnes

Tina L. Scott-Bus. Manager

Kelly Krembs-Admin. Asst.

Jason Chandler-Facilities Mgr.

Mary Pat Campbell-Interim Pastoral Associate

The Interpreter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Weekly Offering 2

Ushers Expenditures 2

New Book Study 2

Pine Crest 2

Special Gifts 3

Welcome Spring 3

Feed Your Spirit 4

Food For Kids 4

Christian Education 5

Scrip 5

May Birthdays 6

May Calendar 7

Upcoming Events 8

Humor 8

Saint Stephens Swag 9

Weekly Calendar 10

LINK UPUCC

WI Conference

NW Association

April 24, 2018

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 8-4:30 | Fri 8-4 Rev. Kyle Carnes, Senior Minister

The Interpreter Saint Stephens United Church of Christ

903 E 2nd St Merrill WI 54452

Office: 715-536-7322

Pastoral Care Needs:715.575.3191

A TRIP THROUGH CELTIC SPIRITUALITY

This past Sunday I mentioned the phrase “thin places.” It’s a phrase that comes from the Celtic tradition and it has to do with the places where it seems like God and humanity come close. Places where it seems like the usual distance between God is gone, but the space between the divine and us, is thin, as though there’s no distance at all. These “thin places” can be actual locations, they can be relationships, they can be a particular moment. Often when we come across one of these “thin places,” there’s usually an accompanying experience that becomes informative, if not directive in some way, to the way we view the world and the spiritual reality of this life we live.

I’ve always been intrigued by this particular idea of “thin places,” and I’ve always been curious about the tradition and spirituality of the Celts more broadly. Their history is from the islands of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and in May, I will be traveling to northern England and Scotland with a colleague to experience and study more about this tradition.

As I try to mention each time I travel because of the program, this is being paid for through the funds of the Pension Boards of the UCC because of my participation in their Next Generation Leadership Initiative. It’s an initiative that was started in 2010 by the PBUCC to help equip young clergy in their first or second call who were within their first five years of ordained ministry at the time of application. It’s a 10 year program and this is now the sixth year of the program for me. The first four years were prescribed for us with a weeklong intensive in the winter and then another unique experience in the spring or summer. We also attended General Synod twice - the bi-annual gathering of the denomination.

The last six years of the 10 year program are self-directed, meaning that we are given an allotment of money, we propose a plan for continuing education and submit it to the Pension Boards for approval. Last year, I went to Chicago for a clergy clinic offered by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. This year I was looking for something different.

My colleague and I will travel to London and then drive to Northern England where we’ll spend three days on retreat at a place called the Northumbria Community - an intentional Christian Community. Then we will make a pilgrimage for four days along a route called St. Cuthbert’s Way. (More to come about this.) Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be talking about the trip and Celtic spirituality so that I can pass along what I’m learning and what I experience on the trip. So we can hopefully grow together.

As the first step in sharing this journey, the next book we’ll be reading on Wednesday nights is called Anam Cara by John O’Donahue. Anam Cara is a Gaelic phrase that means “soul friend.” It’s a book that is deeply rooted in the Celtic tradition and also shines a spiritual light on life, and relationships in particular. Books are available in the office if you’d like to join in the book study, or just read on your own.

My hope is that over the next few weeks we can learn more together. Personally, my goal is to discover more about a tradition other than our own, so that I might learn more about our tradition through the lens of another. I hope to have my own sense of the Spirit deepened in ways that become instructive for how I understand my own life of faith and spirituality, and how we humans function as spiritual beings more broadly.

I solicit your prayers for this journey, and I pray that we might all find the Spirit at work in new and powerful ways. May the Spirit continue to move and work through us and Saint Stephens UCC. God is not yet done with us or with this community, so our work continues as well. Thank you for all that you do.

Blessings,

Kyle

April 24, 2018THE INTERPRETER Saint STEPHENS

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.

PINE CRESTThe April Pine Crest worship service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, April 26. Members scheduled to assist residents to the service are Kathy Case, Linda Hass, and Penny Hommerding. Rev. Kyle Carnes will lead the worship service, and Darlene Johnson is the pianist.

SOUND BOOTH AT SAINT STEPHENS?

Does Saint Stephens even have a sound booth? We’re still looking for a few more volunteers to help make our Audio/Visual “Sound Booth”

a reality so we can begin projecting during our worship services.

Qualifications required: A willingness to learn!

Call the office and, once we get a group of volunteers identified, we’ll arrange a training session and set up a rotating schedule. We will need one person for each worship service. Once our volunteers are trained, we can begin projecting during our worship services!

USHERS EXPENDITURESMany of you support the Ushers fundraisers, like the cash raffle held each year. So the Ushers wanted you to know what they do with the funds raised. From time to time, as needs in the church arise, funds are disbursed to meet those needs. For instance, recently the Ushers purchased some new coffee pots needed for the kitchen. And most recently, the Ushers donated $500 to Food For Kids! Thanks, Ushers!

NEW BOOK STUDY!Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM (following worship service) in the Kuck Lounge for our book study. You’re officially invited!

We will begin a new study on Wednesday, April 24, as we read Anam Cara ~ A Book of Celtic Wisdom. Stop in the office to pick up a copy of the book.

APRIL 15 OFFERINGAs most of you know by now, the officers of the council and the staff decided that for everyone’s safety, in the midst of our late spring snow storm, it would be best to cancel all services and activities at the church on Sunday, April 15. We pray that you were able to stay warm and spend some extra time with family.

We also want to remind you that just because we cancelled Sunday morning events, that regular operations and programming, of course, continued throughout the week. All hourly employees, utilities, publications, and programs continued as normal for the rest of the week.

Even though it can seem like most of our resources are used on Sundays, actually, in terms of expenses, Sunday is the second lowest use of resources in any given week, after Saturday.

So, we humbly and sincerely ask that you remember that we live mostly from one week to the next as a congregation in terms of income and expenses; therefore, we cannot do without the thousands of dollars that come in through the offering for even one week. As you find yourself back in church this Sunday and throughout the week, we ask that you would remember this week’s offering as well as April 15th’s. This will help insure that we do not get to the summer without enough money to pay the church’s weekly bills.

Many of you have already responded to this request, and this is the last time we’ll post this request, and we want to thank all of you for your generosity, support, and faithfulness to the life, worship, mission, and ministry of Saint Stephens UCC! We are all needed and in this together.



Special gifts in honor or in memory will be printed with the dollar figures shown unless otherwise specified.

Memorials $500.00 in loving memory of my wife, Lisa, from John Fischer $25.00 in memory of Lisa Berndt Fischer from Jerry & Elmira Krause $10.00 in memory of Jean Fredrich from Jeff & Sue Kraft

Capital Improvement $20.00 in memory of Jean Fredrich from John & Gloria Schenzel

Anniversary $100.00 in memory of Jerome Harbath from Ruth & Family

New Roof $10.00 in memory of Lisa Berndt Fischer from Betty & Daniel Krause $50.00 in memory of my husband, Kenny, for the 14th anniversary of his death on April 20 and for his 85th birthday on April 29 from Eunice Schubert

Radio $190.00 in honor of our 65th wedding anniversary on July 18 from Rev. Dale & Jackie Kuck $190.00 in memory of Roger Nelson on our wedding anniversary from Mari Nelson $190.00 in honor of Evelyn Bjorklund’s birthday from the Bjorklund and Myska Families

New Organ $10.00 in memory of Lisa Berndt Fischer from Lois Latzig $25.00 in memory of Mike Mosser for his April birthday from Jerry & Carol Plautz $30.00 in honor of my mother, Bernice Perry, for her 94th birthday on April 19 from Randy Perry

Food For Kids $50.00 in memory of our parents, Marvin & Delores Hass $25.00 in memory of Jean Fredrich from Ewald & Marilyn Katke

SPECIAL GIFTS

WELCOME SPRING!The snow is finally melting. The sun is shining! It looks like Spring might be here to stay. Get outside and enjoy it ... Go for a walk with a friend. Sit out in the sun for a cup of coffee to start your day. Pull out the grill and fire it up with friends. Turn off the tv and those electronic devices and enjoy good company, conversation, laughter, and the fresh air we’ve been longing for for so very long. Live in the moment and enjoy the here and now ...

You will find God’s grace there!

LEAVE A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL ...If you would like to leave a legacy gift ... something that will continue to do good work beyond your lifetime ... we hope you will consider including a gift to Saint Stephens United Church of Christ in your will or living trust. Such a gift is referred to as a charitable bequest. It is easy to do and requires only a few sentences in your will or trust designating Saint Stephens United Church of Christ as a beneficiary. And, you can change your mind at any time during your lifetime by simply changing your will or trust.



FEED YOUR SPIRIT . . .Sorry, That’s Not My Gift

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” - I Corinthians 12: 1

I’m having second thoughts on spiritual gifts.

For a time now, we’ve been saying -- I’ve been saying -- that folks need to discern their particular gifts and be supported in exercising those gifts. We have done gift discernment inventories. We have offered gift discernment workshops.

And sometimes that’s been terrific. Some people have named a gift they hadn’t recognized and claimed a ministry that had their name written all over it.

Hallelujah!

But sometimes this has gone sideways. As in, the dishes need to be washed. The trash wants taking out. The notes for the meeting need to be taken and distributed. Or someone has to ask people for a pledge for next year’s budget.

And people say, “Sorry -- not my gift.”

Sometimes there’s stuff that just needs to be done. Sometimes -- well, really, all the time -- there are mundane things that need to happen so the group, family, church, etc. can function. Someone has to show up to unlock the door. Someone has to take the food donations to the food bank. Someone has to count the offering.

Sometimes, in fact, it may even be good for us to do stuff -- service -- that has no glory in it, that isn’t really fulfilling for us. We do it because it needs to be done. We serve, whether the task at hand is exactly our thing or not. And maybe we even forget about ourselves while we’re doing it -- which may, in the end, be at least part of the point of service in the first place.

Prayer

God, grant me grace so to lose myself in service to you that I may be truly found. Amen.

By Tony Robinson

FOOD FOR KIDS - DONATIONS NEEDEDFunds to purchase food for the Food For Kids program Saint Stephens adopted nearly a year ago are running low. This isn’t something we budget for. We must raise all the funds required to purchase funds for this program, and now we need funds to complete the 2017-2018 academic year. You can help!

How, you ask? Let us count the ways ...

1. Talk to your employer to see if they would become a one-time or sustaining sponsor to help maintain or grow this program in our community.

2. If you belong to a group or organization, ask that organization to make a donation (either one time or regularly) to help feed kids in our community.

3. Create and run a fundraiser for this worthy cause, with all proceeds going to Food For Kids. You can do this yourself, with a group of friends or family, or as part of a larger organization. Get creative!

4. Make a donation to Food For Kids. Make your check payable to: Food for Kids and drop it into the collection plate or drop it off or mail it to the church office.

Hargrave Appliance, Merrill Radio Shack, and VIP Office Products will send a percentage of your purchase of $100 or more (when you use cash or a check) to Saint Stephens. Miller Furniture also participates in the Scrip program in this same manner. Just tell whichever store you are shopping at that you belong to Saint Stephens

when you pay!



NURSERY NEWSNursery care is available during our 9:00 AM worship service. Feel free to bring your little ones ages 0 - 2 to the nursery where our adult volunteers will be happy to care for them during the service. (If you have not already done so, please complete an enrollment form for your child.)

7th & 8th GRADERS ...

Please mark your calendar for our May Faith Formation classes and join us at 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 13, and Sunday, May 20. See you all in class!

7th & 8th GradeFaith Formation

SUNDAY SCHOOLNEWS

Sunday School children welcome at 9:00 AM Sunday morning! Parents, please take your children to their classrooms before service.

CONFIRMATION 2017-2018 Offering envelopes for the confirmation class students are in the office on the counter labeled with your name. Please stop in and pick up your box.

Camp Moose on the Loose! Mark your calendars for

Vacation Bible School 2018July 9 - 13

NURSERY HELPERS WANTEDHave you ever thought of helping out in the nursery? If you love to snuggle on those little ones and can pass a background check, we’d love to have your help in nursery once or twice each month. Please contact Sally Woller at 715.921.2405 or call the church office at 715.536.7322.

SCRIP ... For seeds and seedlings, flowers, trees, landscaping,mulch, rock, edging, andeverything related to gettingyour garden growing ...Walmart, Fleet Farm, AceHardware, and Home Depot... ALL sell all these things intheir gardening centers AND theyparticipate in the Scrip program! So plant and grow your garden and grow a little free money for Saint Stephens at the same time! It’s a win-win for everyone! A little green all around!

We want to acknowledge and celebrate your special days, and we’re starting with

birthdays! Send your church friends birthday wishes, whether in person, via email, or by

sending one of those wonderful cards you can hold in your hands by mail!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

MAY BIRTHDAYS

May 1 Harriet HenrichMay 1 Sandy MosserMay 1 James BadeauMay 2 Charles ReinhardtMay 2 Nila OestreichMay 2 Gary MosserMay 2 Janice SchillerMay 2 Cheryl Ziemke-FischerMay 2 Amanda HoeftMay 2 Gavin LemkeMay 3 Kevin MootzMay 3 Lucas HoffmanMay 4 Gary WolffMay 4 Sussie OsnessMay 4 Madisen WeixMay 5 Lavern SabatkeMay 5 Bob GrulingMay 5 Cindy GeissMay 5 David ReistMay 6 John RathkeMay 6 Amy DingesMay 6 Andy AmentMay 6 Michelle SalterMay 6 Sarah JoergerMay 6 Sara RajekMay 6 Britney RajekMay 7 Mildred BurrowsMay 7 David SchwartzmanMay 7 Wayne EricksonMay 8 Joann SauerMay 10 Zach AndersonMay 11 Kara TeskyMay 11 Leah ZastrowMay 11 Myria KludyMay 12 Valerie AlftMay 13 Ruth HarbathMay 13 Thorynn SobergMay 14 Phyllis NeyMay 14 Dave PyanMay 14 Anneliese BerndtMay 14 Alex GehrkeMay 15 Eugene RoweMay 15 Valerie Amelse

May 15 Izabella NelsonMay 16 Barbara GolischMay 16 Tiffany PetersonMay 16 Matthew BuckMay 17 Sheryl KnospeMay 17 Joseph RodemeierMay 17 Peter SchuetzeMay 18 Nicole TrumblayMay 19 Juanita ArndtMay 19 Robert HoeftMay 19 Theresa GarciaMay 20 Kathy BadeauMay 20 Garrett SchulzMay 21 Kaitlin BonnellMay 22 Hugh HanigMay 23 Steve Ament, Jr.May 24 Delores BungeMay 24 William GrefeMay 24 Jillette HansonMay 24 Cory EisnerMay 24 Paul BuckMay 24 Britney GableMay 25 Betty HansonMay 25 Martha HaltinnerMay 25 Mary K. PetersMay 25 Sandra BeaudryMay 27 Todd Osness May 27 Lincoln ZerbeMay 28 Mickayla KlothMay 29 Kelly WallaceMay 29 Jerry CowartMay 29 Matt BrockMay 29 Alisha ScantlinMay 29 James RampartMay 30 Leota DavisMay 30 Carol WeberMay 30 Jennifer BrooksMay 31 Eleanor FehlbergMay 31 Jill ReinhardtMay 31 Courtney AndersonMay 31 Ryan TrumblayMay 31 Khloe Rajek

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday

each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.

Menachem Mendel Schneerson

MAY

SUN

DAY

MO

ND

AYTU

ESDAY

WED

NESD

AYTH

UR

SDAY

FRID

AYSATU

RD

AY

112:00 Staff Meeting

4:30 Food For Kids

Meeting

29:30 Former PA

LS6:00 W

orship with

Com

munion

7:00 Choir

39:00 Merrill M

inisterium

9:30 Former PA

LS5:00 A

erobics6:00 C

himes

4 12:00 Alcoholics

Anonym

ous

5

6 Food Pantry Sunday9:00 W

orship with

Com

munion

9:00 Sunday School6:00 C

ub Scout Pack 502

7 9:30 Form

er PALS

5:00 Dinner @

Five5:00 A

erobics6:00 C

hurch & M

inistry


99:30 Former PA

LS6:00 W

orship with

Com

munion

7:00 Choir

109:30 Former PA

LS5:00 A

erobics6:00 C

himes

1112:00 Alcoholics

Anonym

ous

12

13 Mother’s D

ay9:00 W

orship 9:00 Sunday School9:00 7th &

8th Grade

Faith Formation

149:30 Former PA

LS5:00 A

erobics5:00 D

inner @ Five

5:15 Exec. Com

mittee

6:00 Church C

ouncil


10:00 Merrill D

istrict M

eeting2:00 Jenny Tow

ers

16 9:30 Form

er PALS

6:00 Worship w

ith C

omm

union7:00 C

hoir

17 9:30 Form

er PALS

5:00 Aerobics

5:00 Girl Scout

Troop 70756:00 C

himes

1812:00 Alcoholics

Anonym

ous

19

20 9:00 W

orship 9:00 Sunday School9:00 7th &

8th Grade

Faith Formation

6:00 Cub Scout Pack 502

219:30 Former PA

LS5:00 A

erobics5:00 D

inner @ Five

6:00 Monday Teacher

School


4:30 Worship Team

23 9:30 Form

er PALS

6:00 Worship w

ith C

omm

union

24 9:30 Form

er PALS

2:00 Pine Crest

5:00 Aerobics

6:00 Chim

es

25 12:00 A

lcoholics A

nonymous

26

27 9:00 W

orship9:00 Sunday School

28 Mem

orial Day

Offi

ce Closed

5:00 Dinner @

Five


309:30 Former PA

LS6:00 W

orship with

Com

munion

31

12

A Time To

Plant ...



THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 29 - Worship at 9:00 AM, with Nursery; Sunday School; Coffee Hour following Worship

DINNER @ FIVE Every Monday at 5:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall EVERY WEDNESDAY: 6:00 PM Worship

NEW BOOK STUDY BEGINS: Wednesday, April 25, at 7:00 PM in the Kuck LoungeVACATION BIBLE SCHOOL - July 9-13

UPCOMING EVENTS

Can you sponsor a Coffee Hour? Sign up on the kiosk in the Kuck Lounge. Coffee Hour will continue

during the summer months and all year long.

ALTAR FLOWERS NEEDEDWe are in need of sponsors to provide flowers on the altar for our Sunday worship services. Our flower calendar has LOTS of openings. Please call or sign up in the office to sponsor flowers.

ELECTRONIC GIVING It’s the easiest way to give! Email Tina to get the easy peasy instructions so you can set it up. Everyone who has tried it thinks it’s great. Just set it and forget it!

Remember ...

SCRIP costs you NOTHING to use in

place of cash!

CONTRIBUTION ENVELOPES FOR 20182018 contribution envelopes are now available in the office during normal business hours.

Wausau Lyric Choir Spring Concert

The Wausau Lyric Choir will perform its Spring 2018 concert

-- Songs of Faith, Hope and Love -- at First Presbyterian Church

(406 Grant Street, downtown Wausau) on Saturday, April 28, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, April 29, at 3:00 PM.

There is no charge to attend the concert, but free will donations will be accepted. No-charge tickets are available from Choir members, at the Performing Arts Foundation (401 N. 4th Street, Wausau, 715.842.0988), and at the door.



2018 CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS/OFFICERS

President Kent ReinhardtVice President Cliff WilliamsTreasurer Marge JohnsonSecretary Beth Houle Kristine Bowe Tyler Drake Kevin Golisch Jennifer Oestreich Kristine Smith Judy Heath Janet Schaefer Christopher StammClergy: Rev. Kyle Carnes

COUNCIL/FISCAL TRANSPARENCYEver wonder what goes on behind the scenes? Wish you could be a fly on the wall at a Church Council meeting? Curious about church finances? Your Church Council wants you to know you can get a copy of the most recent Minutes and Treasurer’s Report at any time, by request. Simply call Tina in the church office to get a copy.

TEXT TO GIVE! It’s as Easy as 1-2-3!Have a “smart” cell phone? Then you can donate to Saint Stephens by sending a Text. It’s Simple. Here’s all you need to do:

Text SaintStephens (no spaces in between) to 73256

You will get a reply message with a link. Tap the link.

Follow the prompts.

12

3

At 5 PM Monday

3-Meat Pizza, Cheesy Bread Lettuce Salad

Dessert (when available) and Beverages

OPEN SPONSORSHIP DATES

Flowers Sign up in Office

May 20, 27 June 10, 24

Radio Ministry Call the Office

May 20, 27 June 3, 17, 24

Coffee Hour May 13, 20, 27

June 3, 10, 17, 24

SAINT STEPHENS SWAG

Saint Stephens logo’d stainless mugs: $20

Saint Stephens logo’d umbrellas: $20

Saint Stephens logo’d pens: FREE

Stop in the office to get your Saint Stephens logo’d merchandise. Practical stuff, great gifts, just plain cool.

CAN YOU HELP DELIVER MEALS AND SMILES?The Aging & Disability Resource Center needs people to deliver hot meals and bright smiles to older, homebound adults throughout Lincoln County. Routes are Monday through Friday and typically take about an hour. Mileage reimbursement is given at $.54 per mile.You can make a difference!

Remember ...

SCRIP costs you NOTHING to use in place of cash!

SUNDAY, APRIL 29 ... Fifth Sunday of Easter- Rev. Kyle Carnes

Worship at 9:00 AM, Nursery Available, Sunday School, Coffee Hour to Follow

Musicians are Darlene Johnson, the Choir, and Special Music. Flowers on the altar are in memory of our children, Scott Berndt and Lisa Berndt

Fischer, from Arlo & Eunice Berndt. Radio Ministry is in memory of Rueben & Dorothy Koehler from Dennis &

Ione Koehler. Coffee Hour is sponsored by the Schroeder, Bertagnoli, and Kohnhorst Families.

Nursery will be staffed by Lottie Ziemke, Molly Lyon, and Jennifer Porath.

For subscriptions, removals or changes of address: 715-536-7322 or [email protected] PROVIDES THE BEST SERVICE.

WEEKLY CALENDARMONDAY, APRIL 30 9:30 Former PALS 5:00 Aerobics 5:00 Dinner @ Five

TUESDAY, MAY 1 12:00 Staff Meeting 4:30 Food For Kids Meeting

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 9:30 Former PALS 6:00 Worship 7:00 Choir

THURSDAY, MAY 3 9:30 Former PALS 5:00 Aerobics 6:00 Chimes

FRIDAY, MAY 4 12:00 Alcoholics Anonymous

THE

INTE

RPR

ETER

ST S

TEPH

ENS

UN

ITED

CH

UR

CH

OF

CH

RIS

T ST STEPHENS UCC US POSTAGE PAID 903 E SECOND ST NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION MERRILL WI 54452 PERMIT #10 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED MERRILL WI 54452-2576

Pastoral Care Telephone Number: 715.575.3191.

Please add this number to the contacts in your cell phone or keep with your other important or emergency telephone numbers.

Know someone who is searching for a church home? Invite them to worship with us ... or to an event here at Saint Stephens. Reach out!

the interpreter su aint nited stephens church of christ · anam cara is a gaelic phrase that means...

Documents