The Lamplighter

PASTORS PIECE Zion United Church of Christ July 2012 Inside This Issue
Conference Annual Gathering Experience"
I invite you to check out Conference Minister Rev. Jeffrey Whitman's letter about the CAG in the MMSUCC e Courier, if you can, or ask someone for a hard copy. This was my first Conference Annual Gathering with Missouri Mid-South Conference, and I was pleasantly surprised. Drury University was a fabulous host, and I discovered that in a dorm area with four rooms, I was next to Elaine Hudson, Martha Hawthorne, and Linda Stenger. Good group. In the Student Center booths and vendors were set up for books from Eden Seminary, UCC t-shirts and dress shirts, items made in various parts of the world--an opportunity to help support our neighbors across the great water. Hand-made baskets, jewelry, hats, ornaments, bathing needs, many things reflecting our partnership fighting poverty and oppression. There was an opportunity to share first and ongoing experiences with the Missouri Mid-South Conference in an oral history video, and clips were shown during Worship. Pianist Paul Wescott from Prince of Peace UCC in St. Louis provided incredible music--literally tickling the ivories as we worshiped in song before, and during our business meetings. The food was great. A new budget was passed and the hard work and dedication to good stewardship was exemplified in both reductions of spending and reduction of projected deficit for the year. Officers were elected and thanked for their service. Significant anniversaries of churches and persons were celebrated. We were able to speak up and speak out. We experienced the culmination of the work of the Creative Faith Project, of which Zion UCC Mayview was a part, and saw our ideas come to fruition in experiential Worship that was incredibly moving.

1 2 3 4 5 6 8

Pastors Piece Palm of Prayer Worship Ways Community, County & Conference Clamor This Months Events Butterfly Room

7 Celebration Occasions
Worship Whirl

Zion United Church of ChristEstablished 1880 105 N. Mary, Mayview, Missouri 64071-8224 Phone and FAX: (660) 237 - 4355

Liturgical movement from the Cafe' Team accompanied reading of the Scripture that formed our theme: "For Such a Time As This" from the Book of Esther, including Esther 4:1216: "When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: 'Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?' Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" Dr. Kenneth Samuel, our keynote speaker, presented a sermon on Vashti, Esther's predecessor, who set the stage for saying "No!" to the powers of greed and lust. This set the stage for Esther to also move forth in courage and take a stand for the Jews at the potential extermination of herself, her family and fellow Jews. If you haven't read the OT Book of Esther recently, I invite you to have a read--you may be surprised at its relevance to life today! We live each day in such a time, where our voices need to say "No!" to the powers that dominate our economy and culture. Our hands need to say "No!" to the gathering of material things that burden us with debt and a misdirected desire for satisfaction. Our feet need to move toward the needs of our community in Mayview, and beyond as we are able--but it all begins right here. And first of all, our hearts must know the love and forgiveness that is given so freely and in unlimited supply from our Source, the God of all creation. Come to Conference Annual Gathering next year, if you can, and receive its inspiration! Blessings, peace, and love, Pastor Kristin
11-13Don't

The Lamplighter

Palm of Prayer
The Lord's love never ends; his mercies never stop. 23 They are new every morning; LORD, your loyalty is great. Lamentations 3:22-23
22

(NCV)

Concerns
Please continue to surround in love and prayer, the families and friends grieving the deaths of LT Ross, Raymond Doss, Ward Dittmer, & Gary Oetting. Those experiencing health difficulties &/or recovering from surgery: Virgil Koch, Mary Rehmsmeyer, Dennis Knysmeyer, Elsie Simmons, Montana Carter, Sara Inman, Alisha Kendall, Colton Johnston, Chris Green, Jason Lindon, Leo Barresi & Mary Howerton.

Joys
Baby Elen Dickey, and Jason and Michelle Bayless as they await their new baby. The newly wedded couple Erin Nolte and Cory Robinette; 50th Anniversary for Ron and Virginia Bertz; and Matt Elder turns 16. We offer our prayers for complete healing, and celebrate in the joy of healing and new life!

burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Romans 12:11 The Message (MSG)

Adam was spending the day naming all the creatures in the garden when he realized he was alone as a human being. Then came the very last creature and he named it "frog". He spoke to the frog in his loneliness and asked it if it had any ideas as to how he could not be so lonely. To Adam's surprise, the frog opened it's mouth and replied, "Rib-It!", then the rest was history

Zion UCC Worship Ways

Board of Christian Ed
Vacation Bible School Operation Overboard will meet for one day, Saturday, July 28, from 9am-3:30pm. We are currently looking for new Sunday School material. A majority of the congregation liked discussion based and application of the Bible to real life events. Summer Sunday School continues with a start time of 8:45 AM with food and fellowship; activities beginning at 9:15 AM . Summer Sunday School Schedule: July 1st: CASA July 8th: Bible Trivia July 15th: Service in the park July 22nd: Make and Take it July 29th: VBS Presentation August 5th: Visitation Sunday 12th: Olympics 19th: Hymn Sing 26th: Veggie Tales Group Sunday School will be held on 3rd Sunday of every month (Contemporary Sunday). Mission offering for Emmaus Home will be collected during morning fellowship on July 1st. The next committee meeting will be held July 10th, at 7 PM. Food for thought: Prayer for returning Sunday school teachers and finding new teacher, new youth fellowship leader.

The Lamplighter

Youth Yak
YOUTH SPONSORS

We are actively seeking Youth Sponsors for 2012-2013!! This position requires only a few hours each month, and is very rewarding. Not to mention, its a great way to get involved with the kiddos!! To find out more about this opportunity, or to offer your talents in this area, please see Pastor Kristin or a member of the Board of Christian Ed. We hope you will prayerfully consider embracing this opportunity. Thank you.
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.

NEW IN THE LIBRARY

Experiencing Grief, by H. Norman Wright Wild at Heart Discovering the Secret of a Mans Soul, by John Eldredge (controversial) "The Beautiful Marriage" - Hope for those who struggle--CD's Messages by Ray Cortese (fabulous!) For teensFalling Apart, 100 Days of Getting It Together and Faith, 100 Days of Finding Truth

~Galileo Galilei
12

Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12 Good News Translation (GNT)

The Lamplighter

Mission Committee
UpdateThe Mission Committee has assembled 10 complete Church World Service School Kits with the items donated! The primary need for School Kits is spiral or tape-bound notebooks of ruled paper (8x10) ADDITIONAL SCHOOL KIT NEEDS: Blunt childs scissors 30-centimeter rulers (12) Boxes of 24 crayons Pencil sharpeners (hand-held) UpdateThree completed Missouri Baby Bundle Packs have been assembled! The primary need for more Baby Bundle Packs is diapers (newborn to six-month size - cloth or disposable). ADDITIONAL BABY BUNDLE NEEDS: (all new born to 6-month size) Sweater or sweatshirt Undershirts or onesies Sleepers or 1 piece gown Keep saving those bar code labels from Best Choice products for the Festival of Sharing. Thanks so much! In Christs love, The Mission Committee

Community, County & Conference Clamor

Mayview Ministerial Alliance
Worship in the Park on Sunday, July 15 at 10 AM. The Ministerial Alliance will provide brisket, bread and drinks. Please bring a SALAD or a DESSERT. Fellowship, Pie Auction and Pot Luck at Community Center afterwards. Should be a great weekend! Please join us!

KNEELING IN BETHLEHEM
...We are freed to free others. We are affirmed to affirm others. We are loved to love others. We are family; we are community. We are the church triumphant-you, me, anyone who would come unto the Lord-renewed, redirected, empowered to change things and lives together in love and wholeness. We are the Lord's church, the church of justice and mercy, the people sent to open prisons, to heal the sick to clothe the naked to feed the hungry to reconcile to be alleluias when there is no music. The mantle is upon our shoulders. Joy is apparent in our living. We have been commissioned to be the church of Jesus Christ. ~Ann Weems

Council Clippings
Take a moment to visit the beautiful basement. Sheet rock is done and the lighting is almost complete. We like to believe that Zion is open to everyone--but recently we have experienced an unwelcome visitor--raccoon. Starting in Sept. Pastor Kristin will lead a group bible study class on the third Sunday of the month (Contemporary Worship Sunday). On July 1 the Mission offering will be collected for Emmaus Home. Exciting news is that in May, an average of 76 folks attended Sunday morning worship services. With the basement project nearing completion, the monies received to date is about $5900 less than expenses. Anyone interested in contributing to the project be sure to do so by July 8. Any amount not covered will be taken from the Memorial fund as previously decided at the Annual Meeting. Remember Church Council minutes are posted on the bulletin board across from the church office. Praise Him, Praise Him, all ye little children-God is LOVE Ruth Dierking

The Lamplighter

This Months Events

S.S.8:45 AM Worship10:00 AM

Coming in August August 8, 2012 Angie Lawson out of office

July 2, 2012 Outlook Club, 1:30 pm July 4, 2012 Independence Day July 10, 2012 Board of Christian Ed, 7 pm July 12, 2012 Church Council, 7:30 pm July 14, 2012 Mayview Picnic July 15, 2012 Mayview Ministerial AllianceWorship in the Park 10 AM Immediately following is a Potluck Meal at the Community Center July 23, 2012 Lafayette Cluster at Grand Pass, 7:30 pm July 24, 2012 SAIL 7 pm

August 5, 2012 Visitation SundayNo services at Zion

Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com

July 28, 2012 VBSOperation Overboard Carnival Following July 29August 8,2012 Pastor Kristin on vacation

The Umbrella of Marriage

Lighting a unity candle, a common wedding ritual, symbolizes the bride and groom becoming one. The "I, me, mine" of each individual doesn't disappear entirely, but the two are drawn under the umbrella of "we, us, ours." When troubles inevitably come, the partners can take shelter together. Many years into marriage, a wife underwent medical tests for troubling symptoms. Her husband accompanied her to the follow-up consultation. Later, when a friend asked how the appointment went, the husband replied, "We have multiple sclerosis." There was no slow, careful word-choosing. After years under the umbrella of marriage, the man's pronoun selection was automatic: "We have multiple sclerosis." His wife smiled, even as a tear fell. She would be neither under the umbrella alone nor left out in the rain. They would weather this storm together. Source: Salem UCC Newsletter

Butterfly Room
THE HOPE
A close friend, the other day, asked me why bereaved parents often talk about hope. After all, she inquired, isnt it a little too late to be hopeful? In one sense, of course, shes right. We hoped our sick child would recover. He didnt. We hoped our daughter would live a long and happy life. It wasnt to be. What then is this hope bereaved parents speak of? Most national anthems extol the beauty of their country or the pride of military victories. The Israelis sing HaTikva. It speaks of a deep spirit yearning in ones heart. It sings of the desire to be free. I think this is the essence of the hope bereaved parents seek. We hope the spirit of our children, if not their presence, will continue to live on in our hearts. We hope for the day we will have the emotional freedom to reconnect with life, enjoy the beauty of the world, and appreciate, without caveats, the memories we carry of our precious sons and daughters. We hope to be reunited with our children in the hereafter. HaTikva, as you might have guessed, means The Hope. Perhaps there is a lesson here for us. The people who sing HaTikva have been the subject of so much suffering and sadness and yet they still sing of hope. Can we not also sing? Editor Source: A Journey Together, BP/USA http://www.bereavedparentsusa.org

The Lamplighter

Expression Session
Thank You's
Dear Zion Church Family, I wish to express my appreciation for your loving concern during my recent injury of a dislocated elbow. Your cards and phone calls ere very much appreciated. Thank you and Gods blessings, Ginny Bertz Just want to thank Zion UCC for the cards and prayers of so many of your members. It meant a lot to Calvin and I. Our 64th anniversary would have been May 30th. Best Wishes Always, Emma Sanders Tebbenkamp

REAL PRAYER
Prayer is a direction of life, a focusing of one's most personal and deepest attention Godward. The purpose is to love God and learn to know him so well that our wills and our actions, will be more and more aligned with his, until even our subconscious reactions and purposes will have the mark of his love, his life, about them. Prayer is no longer an "activity." It [becomes] the continuing language of that relationship God designed to fulfill a human life. ~Keith Miller, the Taste of New Wine
My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson

Faith isnt the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. Its simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step. ~Joni Erickson Tada
3

Reminder!
The deadline for submissions for the August newsletter is Wednesday, July 18, 2012. Send your submissions to: jennyj36@yahoo.com or zionuccsecretary@hotmail.com or Call (660) 237-4923

Let us thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through His loving-kindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 New Life Version (NLV)

The Lamplighter

Celebration Occasions
July Birthdays Pastor
Date 5 6 9 10 11 15 16 18 Birthday Tyler Sanders Chris Wildschuetz Leo Barresi Dalton Koch Karen Neher Connie Sanders Scott Alvested Garrett Fiegenbaum B. J. Begeman Tom Kurtz Virgil Koch Angie Wildschuetz Caroline Krueger Kenneth Jungerman Ashton Wildschuetz Caitlin Ehlert ElDean Dickmeyer Martha Hawthorne Kevin Dierking Wayne Hoefer 29 Tanner Burns Darrell & Lori Fiegenbaum Tuesday 8:00 AMNoon Wednesday 6:008:00 PM Thursday 8:00 AMNoon Wednesday 5:009:00 PM

Office Hours
Secretary

Serving Souls
July 1 8 15 22 ACOLYTES Adam Hoefer Leah Wagner Austin Aardema Faigh Seth Bayless GREETERS Carrie Begemann Elaine Hudson Mike & Amy Burns Dwight & Denise Dickmeyer Russell & Ruth Dierking

20 25 27 28 29 30

The poor country pastor was livid when he confronted his wife with the receipt for a $250 dress she had bought. "How could you do this!" he exclaimed. "I don't know," she wailed, "I was standing in the store looking at the dress. Then I found myself trying it on. It was like the Devil was whispering to me, 'Gee, you look great in that dress. You should buy it."Well," the pastor persisted, "You know how to deal with him! Just tell him, "Get behind me, Satan!" I did," replied his wife, "but then he said "It looks great from back here, too!"

Administrative Affairs
Pastor Kristin Aardema Faigh Wayne Hoefer Council President Angie Lawson Church Secretary Jenny Holt Newsletter Editor Teresa Begemann Organist Connie Sanders Custodian (660) 237- 4902 pastorkristinatzion@yahoo.com cell (660) 641-1038 (660) 237- 4386

(660) 237- 4355 zionuccsecretary@hotmail.com (660) 237 - 4923 or (816) 267 - 2508 jennyj36@yahoo.com (816) 633 - 4133 tjbegemann@yahoo.com (660) 237 - 4246 cjsanders77@yahoo.com

July Anniversaries
5 6 14 23 31 Leo & Maggie Barresi Brad & Rachel Begemann Jason & Jessica Wade Josh & Tiffany Amos Roger & Tricia Russell Todd & Michelle Smith

Zion United Church of Christ 105 North Mary St. Mayview, Missouri 64071-8224 Generous - Loving - Dedicated Christians Sunday School 9:00 am Worship at 10:30 am

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

The Lamplighter July 2012

Become a Fan of Zion UCC!!! Find us at www.facebook.com

Facebook

Worship Whirl
Traditional Worship Contemporary Worship Sunday School Communion Church Council Board of Christian Education SAIL (Serving All in Love) 10:00 AM 10:00 AM 8:45 AM 10:00AM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM Sundays Monthly - 3rd Sunday Sundays Monthly 1st Sunday & Special Holidays Monthly Monthly Monthly - 4th Tuesday