From Your Pastor

November 2019 Newsletter Volume 20, Issue 11

From Your Pastor

Table of Contents Sixteen autumns ago, I was in the process of seeking a new church to serve. Having been in the search process for a couple of years, I was From Your Pastor 1 Joys & Concerns 2 feeling discouraged that I would never find the right match. And then November Lectionary Texts 2 one day I received in the mail a one-page description of the United Hanging of the Greens 2 Church of Christ, Midland. As I held that page in my hand, I knew that Ushers Needed 2 this was the church I would one day serve. Eight months later, that November Calendar 3 New Members 4 premonition came true as I was called to serve as the pastor of this con- Daylight Savings Time 5 gregation. From my very first meeting with the members of the search Congregational Meeting 5 committee, to the present moment, it has been a joy being a part of this November Benevolence 5 faith community. Thanksgiving Baskets 6 Thanksgiving Invitation 6 The month of November, when we celebrate the holiday known as Sharing Tree 7 Women’s Christmas Party 7 Thanksgiving, offers the perfect opportunity to share my gratitude. I am Civil Rights Events 8 thankful for the wonderful staff members of this church. Janet Davis is Children’s Christmas Party 8 filled with great knowledge about the details that keep this church run- Dine with Nine 9 ning smoothly. She welcomes church members and visitors with warmth Educational Ministries 10 Church Family Choir 11 and caring. Jennifer Ringgold radiates enthusiasm as she ministers to CROP Walk Results 11 the children and youth of this church. Under her leadership she has cre- Founders Series 12 ated amazing opportunities for our young people. Jim Hohmeyer’s gifts Adult Study Opportunity 13 as a musician precede him wherever he goes. His talent and creativity Advent Program 13 Lofty News 14 add much to the service of worship. Tom and Crystal Ewer, (who are not The Lunch Bunch 14 official staff members,) keep the building clean and bright. They do so Social Concerns 15 with warm smiles. Did You Know? 16 Financial Summary 17 I am thankful for the people who serve as officers and board and com- Social Concerns Web Pages 18 mittee members. This church runs so smoothly due to the talents and November Birthdays 19 Book Club 19 the commitments of countless individuals. I appreciate that whenever a Keeping Up to Date 19 task arises, there is always someone who steps up to address it. Book Sale 19 Rummage Sale 20 I am thankful for every individual in this church. Every person contrib- Paul Bunyan Day 21 utes to this community of faith in unique ways. What a privilege it is to serve a church where people care deeply about each other as well as those beyond the church’s doors. I am thankful that this is a church that welcomes new people with open arms. At a recent Bible study, participants shared their belief that this is a church where people can be authentic and where we strive to live out the inclusive love of Christ. They said that our authenticity includes sharing the broken pieces of our lives. There are not a lot of places in life where people feel free to do that. How grateful I am that sixteen years ago my journey with this church be- gan. Peace,

Roger

Joys & Concerns November Lectionary Texts November 3 Jake Eichhorn continues to receive physical Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 Psalm 119:137-144 therapy at Stratford Rehab. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 Wendy Franz had an emergency appendecto- Luke 19:1-10 my on October 11. November 10 Our thoughts and prayers are with John, Chris- Haggai 1:15b-2:9 tine, Conner, Sera and Addison DiMuro upon Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 the death of John’s brother, David DiMuro on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 13-17 Luke 20:27-38 October 3. Our thoughts and prayers are with Amy November 17 Hutchinson upon the death of her mother, Isaiah 65:17-25 Isaiah 12 Sonja McGettrick, on October 21. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19

November 24 Jeremiah 23:1-6 Luke 1:68-79 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43

Hanging of the Greens 2019

The Hanging of the Greens and annual family pizza party is scheduled for Monday, December 2 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Plan for a fun family-oriented time decorating the tree and placing Christmas décor. The Board of Fine Arts has planned to include international symbols of Christmas this year. See a member of the Board of Fine Arts is you have items you might be willing to loan for the season.

Ushers Needed for December Each Sunday, ushers play an important part of the morning service. This opportunity is an easy and rewarding way to serve our congregation and we need your help! From welcoming congregants as they enter the sanctuary, helping young acolytes, serving communion, and collecting offerings, ushers play many important roles. A few new ushers are needed to help out in December, including our special services on Christmas Eve. Please contact Kyle Bagnall

2 November 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 All Saints’ Day 2 Covenant Association Meeting Daylight Savings Time Ends—Set your clocks back one hour before bed 8 p AA

3 New Member & All 4 5 6 7 8 9 Saints’ 10 a Paint & Palette 9 a Staff Meeting 7 a Bible Study 9 a—1 p J. Sunday 12:30 p Saving 12 n Adult Study 12:30 p Bible Study Baumgras SAI 10 a Worship Jesus 1:30 p Fine Arts 6:15 p Music 11 a Fellowship 4:15 Pastoral Rela- Committee 2 p Service Saturday 11:30 a Saving Jesus tions Committee 7 p Choir 8 p AA 4 p Service Saturday 8 p AA Rehearsal

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 10 a Worship 10 a Paint & Palette 9 a Staff Meeting 7 a Bible Study Congregational Mtg 12:30 p Saving 12 n Adult Study 12:30 Bible Study 11 a Fellowship Jesus 6:15 p Worship 6:15 p B. Curnutt 7 p Choir 11:30 a Saving Jesus 5 p Growth 7:15 p Christian 7 p Trustees Rehearsal 4 p Founders Series & Nurture Comm 7 p Social Concerns 8 p AA 5:30 Confirmation 7 p Book Club 7:30 p Deacons 8 p AA

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 10 a Worship 10 a Paint & Palette 9 a Staff Meeting 7 a Bible Study 11 a Fellowship 12:30 p Saving 12 n Adult Study 12:30 p Bible Study 11:30 a Saving Jesus Jesus 1 p ROMEOs 4 p Interfaith Friends 1 p Juliets 7 p Choir 8 p AA Rehearsal 8 p AA 7:15 p Church Council 24 25 26 27 28 Thanksgiving 29 30 10 a Worship 10 a Paint & Palette 9 a Staff Meeting Day 11 a Fellowship 12:30 p Saving Office Closes at Office Closed Office Closed 11:30 a Saving Jesus Jesus 12 Noon 4 p Youth Group Thanksgiving 8 p AA 5:30 p Confirmation Gathering 8 p AA & Meal

On Sunday, November 3 we welcomed the following new members to the church:

Janet Acheson and Deb VanKuiken 4325 Cruz Drive Midland, Michigan 48642

Elizabeth Baldwin 710 Kenny Court Midland, Michigan 48640

Karen Beckwith 4506 Wild Pine Court S Midland, Michigan 48642

The Rev. Pam Buchholz * 256 East Youngs Court

Midland, Michigan 48640

Joey Casteel 4118 Hancock Midland, Michigan 48642

Linda Siemsen 5902 Wildflower Circle Midland, Michigan 48642

Allison Wilcox 5202 Sturgeon Creek Parkway Midland, Michigan 48642

Carol Willis 610 Walnut Street Midland, Michigan 48640

* United Methodist clergy are not members of a local church, instead their membership is with the Annual Conference. So, while Pam has not officially joined the UCC, she has made a public commitment to this church.

4 Daylight Savings Time Ends November 3, 2019

Set your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.

Please join us for the Annual Congregational Meeting of the United Church of Christ, Midland on November 10, 2019. This meeting will take place in the sanctuary immediately following the service of worship. The purpose of this meeting is to present the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year and to elect a slate of new officers.

Benevolence Giving for November

Your Gift Does Make A Difference The special offering for November is the Pastor’s Emergency Fund. Through our pastor, your resources can minister to the immediate needs of our Midland neighbors. UCC Midland averages 1-5 phone calls per week from individuals and families requesting help. Our church responds promptly to those seeking assistance with basic necessities or emergency needs. Gifts generally have been limited to $50-$100 to be used for such things as apartment rental fees and utilities. Requests typically come from individuals or families that are unexpectedly unemployed, under- employed, or dealing with steep medical costs. UCC Midland does not limit support to church members and friends, as is the case with many other churches. If you would like to give to the Pastor’s Emergency Fund, simply put a note on the memo line of your check and place it in the offering plate or drop off your check in the church office. Your generosity is appreciated by those in our community.

Something Missing? Fall is definitely here and cooler temperatures may have you looking for a coat or jacket to ward off the chill. We have a collection of coats, jackets, scarves and other assorted items that have been left at the church over the past year...please check coat closets and racks for your missing items.

5 The Board of Christian Community

Thanksgiving Food Baskets —

Helping our community in need:

The Board of Christian Community invites you to once again help families in need here in Midland County. We are participating in the Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive. We will be collecting any packaged or canned food, nonperish- able items, personal care items, as well as, cash and check donations. Checks should be made out to the United Church of Christ, Midland with Thanksgiving Pantry in the memo line. Checks and cash will be used to purchase turkeys. These donations will help provide for over 400 families this year.

Items will be collected from November 3 until November 24 when the items are delivered to the Aldersgate United Methodist Church. The Board of Christian Community thanks you all for your concern and support of families in need in our community.

Food needs: Canned fruits & Vegetables, Cereal, Spaghetti Sauce, Noodles, Boxed potatoes, Rice, Canned Soups, Dessert Mixes, Juices, Stuffing, Jell-O, and Pie Mixes.

Personal Care Needs: Shampoo, Conditioner, Bar soap, Deodorant, Combs, Hair brushes, Razor/ Shaving cream, Toilet paper, Tooth paste, Tooth brushes, Laundry detergent.

A Thanksgiving Time Gathering of Friends

Each Thanksgiving we gather with friends and family. We take time to pause and reflect on what it is that we are thankful for. We are so thankful for the friends and family we have at the United Church of Christ, Midland. We look forward to spending Thanksgiving Day having dinner and connecting with you. All are invited. Each year this group has grown and we still have room for more.

The dinner was started because we had several people who did not want to cook for just a few, but wanted the traditional Thanksgiving feast. So if you do not want to cook a large dinner and want to be a part of dinner, conversation and fun please consider joining us. We will have a sign- up sheet in the hallway. If you want to make a dish to pass please let us know what you will bring. The turkey will be provided. Do not feel you have to make a dish to attend; we ALWAYS have too much food. And we always have leftovers.

Amy and Shawn McDonald

6 The Sharing Tree 2019

Sharing Tree Tags will be out the weekend of November 3 and should be returned to the church by December 1, 2019. This is a wonderful way to directly support those in need in our community. The Sharing Tree Program is led by the United Way of Midland County. Requests for gifts are given by nonprofits in the community or schools for individual and families. Each year I use sharing tree to help clients in need that I work with at Family and Children’s Services. This year has been especially demanding and I personally have submitted 40 gift requests. I know our community is generous and I thank you all for the support This year there are two ways to give back through the Sharing Tree Program.

Traditional Tags (Green)

We know that for many, picking out a tag from the tree and taking that trip to the store to buy a special gift for a family or child in need is a tradition of its own that continues to be at the heart of our program. Gifts should be around $30 in value.

Online Impact Store

Through the ease and convince of the online Impact Store, community members who don’t have access to a tree—or may not have time to shop for a gift—have the option to purchase critical basic need items for families in our community. Items such as transporta- tion tickets, utility money orders, clothing, cleaning supplies, baby supplies, etc. This is a great opportunity to reach more people in our community and offers an impactful and easy way to participate. Starting November 2 until December 23 you can go online at www.sharingtreemidland.com to buy needed items.

Amy McDonald

The Women’s Christmas Party will be held on

Monday, December 9, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.

The holidays are a special time of year filled with parties, family, and friends and of course food. Perhaps that’s what makes this time of year so exciting for many. Once again, the Women of the UCC will gather for a Christmas celebration and fellowship. We will meet and celebrate in the parlor here at church.

The event will start at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 9th. Please bring an appetizer dish to pass if you are able. We will provide drinks and serving items.

If you have not had a chance to join in the fun, you should consider joining us this years. The ever popular and sometimes competitive White Elephant gift exchange will be a part of the night along with all the tasty food. No one has ever left hungry from the Women’s Christmas party! Please bring a small gift for the exchange.

We look forward to see you all here. A sign-up sheet will be posted. Questions, please contact Amy McDonald at email [email protected] or phone (989) 506-3734.

7 Upcoming Community Events on Civil Rights

Two events at Midland Center for the Arts focus on social activist women particularly the civil rights movement. On Wednesday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m., the Center will screen the documentary American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs followed by a panel discussion on women in the 20th century civil rights battles. This event is free. On Saturday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m., the Center Stage Choirs present Portraits of the Unsung featuring premiere perfor- mances of commissioned pieces about Rosa Parks, Viola Liuzzo, and Grace Lee Boggs as well as several songs familiar to audiences. Immediately prior to the concert, the award- winning composer of these pieces, Joel Thompson, will deliver a talk. Tickets prices for the concert are $15 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased from MCFTA at https:// www.mcfta.org/event/potraits-of-the-unsung/e26805/ or by call- ing or visiting the box office at 631-8250 during hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays or 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sat- urday. Events include participants from United Church of Christ. Jennifer Vannette is a post-film panelist, and several UCC choir members – Peg and Bill Stokes, Kim Steinke, Jan Baumgras and Jan Northup – sing with the MCFTA Center Stage Chorale. - UCC Social Concerns Committee

Dine With Nine 2020 or Lunch with a Bunch

Looking for a great way to get to know people in the UCC a little better? Are you interested in a way to fill a chilly winter evening (or afternoon) with warm conversation and a shared meal? Sign up sheets will be available in the hallway to the Fellowship Hall throughout the month of Novem- ber. You can sign up to participate in any or all of the three Dine With Nine or Lunch with a Bunch gatherings. Anyone is welcome!

Here’s how it works:

*Sign-up will be available through November 24th. Fill in your information for each of the months you would like to participate.

*If you are willing to host and are flexible on timing, sign up for each month you would be available. Hosts are only assigned to one month. (If you are willing to host more than one month in case of host shortages, please make note of this).

*Participants will be organized into groups and assigned to hosts (approximately 7-9 peo- th ple in total). Lists of these assignments will be e-mailed by December 14 .

*Hosts will contact the participants within their group to arrange the date, time, and menu for the given month. While hosts will determine the primary menu, all participants will contribute dishes to the dinner.

*Any questions, please contact Diane Merrick ([email protected]) or any other member of the Board of Christian Community.

From the Director of Educational Ministries

Dearest friends,

I am fortunate to continually find myself in awe of the wisdom that springs forth from the young people in our midst.

It is a tremendous joy to not only work with youth in this local church, but to facilitate their interac- tion with other UCC youth from across the state of Michigan.

At our most recent gathering of the MI Conference… I read We Pray for Children by Ina Hughs and then asked the twenty-two youth in attendance.

“How are the children?” I then asked the follow-up question -

This was their response: “What are the children hungry for?”

Not innocent And this is what they said: Searching In poverty Hungry for help Diverse Hungry to fit in Tired Hungry for education Stressed Hungry for food Misunderstood Hungry for change Anxious Hungry for love Worried Hungry for justice Unheard Hungry for action Dreaming Hungry for victory Sad Hungry for safety Hopeful Hungry for acceptance Fearless Hungry for forgiveness Afraid Hungry for validation Underestimated Hungry for leaders Angry Hungry for friends Underrepresented Powerless and Hungry.

They spoke from their own hearts, recognizing the struggles of their own lives, people they know, and struggles they have only learned about from other sources. This list that they generated in less than five minutes is filled with power.

These youth are keenly aware of injustice and inequity. They only know a world interconnected with technology. They have an inclusive global mindset, and they are poised to change the world if we stand alongside them.

Asking about the well-being of children is a brilliant indicator of community health. This list shows many areas where we can help the community, and also many places we can find hope. I wonder how we might continue to ‘feed’ and care for the children? ~ jenn

10 Youth@Annual Meeting 2018 Youth@Annual Meeting 2019

YOU ARE INVITED… All those wishing to share their voices in song are invited to participate in our seasonal Church Family Choir. This short-term choir is open to anyone, of any age, who would like to commit to rehearsals and singing for the Children and Youth Advent Program on Sunday December 8.

On December 8, the Church Family Choir will sing a multi-part Choir piece. All voices are welcome!!

Rehearsals are from 11:15-11:30 a.m. - immediately following worship Sunday, November 3 - Sunday, December 1 in the UCC Parlor (children will also rehearse during the Annual Meeting on November 10) Please email [email protected] for more information if desired

The United Church of Christ, Midland Youth Group and advisors collected a total of $2,133.00 in donations for the 47th Annual Midland Area CROP Walk for Hunger.

11 Music Committee to Host Founders Series Concert November 10

Gershwin and Friends

The next UCC Founders Series concert is at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 10, 2019 in the sanctuary. Husband and wife musicians Collin and Erin Whitfield will perform the music of one of their favorite songwriters and composers, George Gershwin. The Whit- fields chose Gershwin because, in Erin’s words, “Not only did George and his brother Ira pen some of America's most memorable songs, but George also contributed a sig- nificant body of work to the concert repertoire. He achieved a blend of jazz and classical styles that was unprecedented and remains unsurpassed to this day. Collin will perform the greatest of those achievements by Gershwin, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, as the finale. The program will also include some music by other treasured American songwriters.” The

concert is open to all. A free will offering will be collected.

The Whitfields are graduates of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), Collin with a Bachelor of Music Composition and Erin with a Master of Music. Collin’s award-winning composition, Eclipse will be premiered by the Berkeley Symphony and SFCM musicians in January 2020. Collins talents include con- ducting, singing, and piano. He is Director of Music Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Saginaw and is working on a Masters Degree in Organ Performance at Central Michigan University. Erin’s undergraduate degree is in vocal performance. She has performed numerous opera and musical theater roles in Tacoma and in the Saginaw Bay area. Erin and Collin sang solo roles in the community produc- tion of Rob Gardner’s “Lamb of God Oratorio” in the spring of 2019 at Midland Center for the Arts. Erin describes her role as Mary Magdalene in “Lamb of God” as a highlight in her career, and her golden voice enchanted the audience with her lyrical rendition of “Gloria”.

An Important Reminder

To All Church Boards, Committees and Church Council Please remember to forward minutes of your meetings to the church office each month. We are required to keep these minutes available for the congregation. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Six week Adult Study Opportunity continues through November 18 -

come when you are able!

This fall adults can delve into the first six weeks of a twelve week curriculum from Living the Questions called Saving Jesus. This fall class is being taught by Rev. Pam Buchholz. Due to class- room sizing limitation, Pam has agreed to run the class on Sun- days after worship, AND Monday afternoons simultaneously. Here is your invitation to Saving Jesus:

Short-term Study: Saving Jesus (From the Church) When? Sunday mornings, 11:30 – 12:45, October 13 – November 17 or Monday afternoons, 12:30 – 1:45, October 14 – November 18 Where? Blue Door Room Why? To learn more about the times in which Jesus lived and to explore the truths of his teachings and what they say to us today. Leader? Rev. Pam Buchholz “We’re having a culture war and Jesus happens to be one of the weapons tossed about by both sides.” (Amy-Jill Levine) In this DVD-based study you will hear from many progressive voices. Because of space limita- tions and to allow for better discussion, class size is limited to twenty-four. You may choose either the Sunday morning or Monday afternoon class. For additional information contact Pam at [email protected] or Jenn at [email protected]

Children and Youth will present

Bethlehem Barn

On Sunday, December 8, 2019 during the 10:00 a.m. service of worship for our annual Advent Program

13 Lofty News

Organ Update The Virtual Pipe Organ sub-committee met again to discuss the on-site visits by 3 independent experts on sound reproduction and organ design. Their proposals will be considered as we develop a preliminary construction plan suitable for the Midland UCC sanctuary. Meanwhile, a grant application for $20,000 was submitted to the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation for potential funding by year end. If approved, Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ support components will be purchased in the first quarter 2020, with assembly and testing to follow throughout the year. Due to our unique physical structure and acoustics, several iterations may be necessary to locate and fine tune a multiple speaker configuration. Choir Members and Their Instruments Choir members use their vocal instruments every week, but do they play any other instruments? With the excitement and anticipation of a new church organ our thoughts turned to whether, and what instruments, our choir members had learned to play and which instruments they wish they had learned to play. Not surprisingly the piano was the instrument most commonly learned, but the others include the accordion, clarinet, oboe, cymbals, cello, viola, hand bells, ukulele, guitar, violin, hammered dulcimer, bass, trumpet, French horn, mellophone, concert bells, marimba, xylophone, chimes, tambourine, bass drum and flute. Among the instruments members wish they had learned to play were piano, guitar, Celtic harp, harp, ukulele, cello, snare drum and saxophone. Most of the choir members who played an instrument started at a fairly young age with the young- est being three years old. Quite a few learned an instrument as part of a school sponsored program. And one of our musical couples met in their school band! While on the subject of instruments, if you have a piano to donate consider www.pianoadoption.com. November 10th The UCC orchestra will be playing the Jupiter Symphony by Mozart and the choir will be singing the Veni Sancte Spiritu by Mozart, written when he was twelve, accompanied by the orchestra.

Deborah Clarke Reeves

The Lunch Bunch On Tuesday, November 19th, the ROMEOs will meet at Whichcraft, locat- ed at 124 Ashman at 1:00 p.m. The Juliets will meet on Tuesday, November 19th, at 1:00 p.m. at Grand Traverse Pie Company on North Saginaw Road. We hope you will be able to join us. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Rhodes or Sondi Geminder.

14 Social Concerns Committee

What Does the Social Concerns Committee Do?

The Social Concerns Committee at UCC Midland, by design, functions as a flexible task force. Its work is not limited to any one area of social concern, but rather it maintains the church’s capacity to respond to established and emerging needs, whether local, national, or global. The issues addressed by the Committee during the past three years include flood restoration support, gun violence prevention, and advocacy training.

Established in the church’s policies and procedures, the Committee holds monthly meetings September – June, and members frequently communicate electronically between meetings in order to maintain forward movement, to spread information, and to take action.

When Rev. Pancost or any member of the congregation becomes aware of a need related to social justice, they can notify Committee communications liaison Pam Buchholz, who passes on requests for help in a timely manner. An example of the Committee’s function is to let UCC members know, via this article, that Midland Recyclers is in current need of financial support, since its ability to raise operating funds by selling recycled items has diminished recently.

The Committee supports such ongoing activities as volunteering at the Shelterhouse Resale Shop (which raises operating funds for the shelter), food pantry volunteerism, the Interfaith Friends group, and the Kids’ Coalition Against Hunger.

As you know, the Committee raises funds by selling books donated by members of the congregation, in order to maintain the financial means required by some initiatives, such as purchasing cleaning supplies which we donated to areas struck by hurricanes last year.

In addition to donating books, many UCC members respond to needs that the Committee communi- cates through Sunday bulletins, announcements, and the Social Concerns page on the UCC Midland website. This page is frequently updated, and includes information about denomination-wide initiatives as well as local needs and efforts.

The Committee is making an appeal this fall to add permanent members. The effort needed to address a given need ranges from small to enormous, and we would love to have the capacity to say “yes” to as many requests as possible.

In an effort to make attendance at meetings feasible for more people, the Committee has just established a monthly meeting schedule which alternates morning and evening times. If you feel called to make an impact on social needs through a cooperative effort with fellow UCC members, we hope that you will be able to join us in the Parlor at the times shown below (no meeting this December ):

November 13 7:00 p.m. January 8 10:00 a.m. February 12 7:00 p.m. March 11 10:00 a.m. April 8 7:00 p.m May 13 10:00 a.m.

A core of 6 – 8 members are able to attend both morning and evening meetings, so continuity is maintained even though some individuals cannot attend monthly. The Chairs make every effort to limit each meeting to one hour, including starting on time, sticking to an agenda, and delegating work to be done outside of meetings. Please join us!

Sarah Gorman 15 DID YOU KNOW?...

The Benevolence Committee is a sub-committee of the Deacons and is charged with the distribu- tion of funds from the general budget of the church to a variety of local, national, and international causes and charities. Benevolence comes from the Latin word benevolentia. The root bene means ‘well’ and volo means ‘to wish or will’. Our church values charitable acts and gift-giving in the spirit of loving our neighbor. This year we are offering gifts to 25 different organizations totaling $72,652.00 or roughly 20% of our general budget. In recent years the benevolence fund has represented 17-20% of the general budget. This money does not include special monthly offerings or memorial funds, the former funding specific causes and the latter funding church projects with the permission of families of our deceased members. The organizations that are selected for benevolence funding support the greater church and UCC seminaries, as well as hunger, health, housing, education, and justice causes. The Pastor’s Discretionary Fund is also included on the benevolence list. Many of the causes we support have a long history of funding, but the list is fluid. This year we added three new charities, including the American Indian College Fund, Foster Closet, and the Innocence Project. Some years, charities are deleted from the list. For example, the local homeless project, New Hope Village, was unable to launch successfully. The Syrian Refugee Relocation effort also stalled due to restrictive immigration guidelines. Alternative charities were selected to replace these causes. Each year, our list is reviewed with the intent of assuring good stewardship of the donated funds. National and international charities are checked with independent watch-dog groups such as Charity Watch, to assess how the charitable dollars we donate are actually being spent. The portion of total expenses that are spent on programs, the cost to raise $100, and the years of available assets are some of the factors that figure into our inclusion of a given charity. In the case of local charities, such as the Open Door, a phone call is placed to the director to discuss the scope of the mission and pertinent financial details. Charities are often suggested by the congregation and are subsequently researched. Most recently the director of Home To Stay (formerly Midland Area Homes) attended a Deacon’s meeting to review her agency’s work and finances. United Church of Christ, Midland is unique in the scope of our benevolence giving. For many years we have been recognized by the UCC Conference as one of the most generous contribu- tors to the greater church. Sheree Clark Lovell for the Benevolence Committee

16 Financial Summary

September 30, 2019 (75% of Budget Year

Remember This When Scheduling Meetings and Events at UCC As we enter the fall season at the UCC, please remember to contact the church office prior to scheduling meetings and events to be held in the church or on the church grounds! Please don’t assume that space is always available. We are fortunate to have such a busy and useful facility and it is utilized by not only ourselves, but several groups and individuals in our community. We make every attempt to meet the needs of those requesting space, and we quite often schedule months in advance. Your help is needed to enable maximum usage with minimal inconvenience to everyone.

Social Concerns Committee

Check Out the New Social Concerns Web Pages!

The Social Concerns web pages have a new look. As you know, UCC is quite active on social issues, so we have added two sections to the Social Concerns web pages to make it easier to find information about current activities. Go to the local UCC web site, uccmidland.org, and click on the Social Concerns menu item to bring up a drop-down list menu of sections.

Recently added drop-down menu items:

• Getting Involved at UCC – Updated as needed, here you’ll find opportunities to participate in church-wide activities. These can be on-going such as supporting the food pantry and Shelterhouse Resale Shop, or they can be short-term such as the recent campaign to end gun violence.

• Getting Involved Individually - Updated at least monthly, this is for people looking for ideas on what an individual can do. New suggestions are usually posted monthly about actions you can do on your own such as writing your Congress persons about climate change. (Monthly postings are also mentioned in the newsletter.)

Anyone can suggest additions to these Getting Involved pages. To be included, activities need to first be approved by either the local or national UCC but do not necessarily have to be lead by the Social Concerns Committee. If you have something you’d like added, please contact Jan Baumgras.

Slightly revamped drop-menu items:

• Social Concerns Committee – Updated as needed, this page is where you’ll find general information about the UCC Social Concerns Committee and long-standing projects. Some of the core committee members are listed, and you can speak to any of them with questions or ideas. Anyone can join this committee as either a regular or temporary member. (Watch for a separate article about the committee.)

• Conversations on Race – This describes a program held at UCC concerning racial issues.

Thank you to Shawn McDonald for implementing these and ongoing changes!

Jan Baumgras Social Concerns Committee

18 Book Club Meets November 11 On Monday, November 11th, we will be at the home of Debbie Hayes to discuss Happy Birthday Barbara Kingsolver’s Unshel- tered. In December we meet on the 9th to discuss Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. The location is still to be determined.

November Birthdays

Julie Ratcliffe November 7 Meagan Spyker November 8 Barb McGregor November 9 Sam Ringgold November 11 Lynn Weimer ` November 11 Jon Truitt November 12 Lily Taylor November 18 Jim Williams November 20 Ben Fergin November 20

Keeping Up-to-Date SOCIAL with the CONCERNS

Congregation BOOK SALE Please add to your church directories: 1. NEW AND INTERESTING BOOKS ARE BEING ADDED OFTEN! Joey Casteel’s phone number was 2. CHANGE IN DONATION SITE. incorrectly listed in October. Donations are now to be put in the blue Please change it to: bin found under the table between the book shelves. 989-259-8234 Please advise the office of any updates or corrections needed in our directory!

Newsletter Deadline is the 18th day of each month!

Bulletin Deadline is Wednesday morning of each week!

The Rummage Sale is over!

Well folks we did it. We pulled off another rummage sale! Thanks to the 50-plus volunteers that helped set up, staff the sale, dropped off food and tear down (including the youth group)! Special thanks to the Board of Christian Community for pulled pork and macaroni and cheese, Shier’s Deli & Catering who brought in lunch to order, Sue Rhodes for her chili, Bev Moyer for her chicken chili and Janet for her yummy salad! I know I may have forgotten other people who helped, my apologies! To Bob and Gwen Snyder, Sue Rhodes, Sondi Geminder and Connie Lesiewicz who comprised the core team, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Your willingness to help despite what- ever was going on in your own lives made mine easier. Shoutouts as well to Octavia Cabey, Kim Steinke and Andy Ault for making sure the financial end of things went smoothly. And Janet Davis, you are a gem! Prior to expenses we took in $3003.05. That’s lower than previous years, but we still made money and had some fun! Lucille and her friend Becky brought in jewelry sales that helped the grand total. A couple of unique items were too valuable to have in the sale so they were pulled. I’m working on the best way to bring in their maximum value. Once I’ve done that the total will be ad- justed. The leftover merchandise was donated to the following organizations. SOS Animal Rescue took our shoes (no not for dogs to chew on) and some linens. A good portion of the baby clothes went to a foster closet. The majority of it was going to be trailered down to the Flint Salvation Army but I “happened” to find an agency in Beaverton called Helping Hands Mission. They are very much like Shelterhouse Resale Shop but have a food pantry as well. Their website is http:// helpinghandmissionoutreach.org if you’d like to check them out.

I’ll be scheduling a wrap-up meeting in the near future to discuss what went well, opportunities for improvement etc. All are invited to attend and contribute their input. You can also e-mail me at [email protected].

In closing, we are in need of “new blood” for the team. While Bob, Gwen, Sue Rhodes and Connie have been instrumental in the success of past sales, they’d rather take on more of a consulting role. I’ll be reaching out to some of you personally, but if anyone would like to volun- teer it would be a big help. You know how to find me! Your 2019 Rummage Sale Chairperson,

Sue Tipler

UCC Volunteers

made The 1ST Annual

Paul Bunyan Day

a huge success !

A meal, fun, fellowship and wonderful participants made this autumn work day!

Thank You All!