Pastor's Message - Tower Notes -February 2022 - Janesville UCC
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Tower Notes –February 2022
Celebrating 177 years of Community Based Ministry
First Congregational United Church of Christ
An Open & Affirming and Immigrant Welcoming Church
54 South Jackson Street, Janesville, Wisconsin 53548
Telephone: (608) 752-8716
E-mail: janesvilleucc@janesvilleucc.org
Website: www.janesvilleucc.org
Like us on Facebook: Janesville UCC
Rev. Dr. Tanya Sadagopan
E-mail: revtanya@janesvilleucc.org
Pastor’s Message
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35
Dear Members and Friends of Janesville UCC!
February is a month when love is in the air! We are beginning a “Share the Love” campaign at
our church. I pray this newsletter finds you in good spirits and filled with joy and hope that
makes my own heart sing! As you begin to think about the many ways you share love, in what
ways do you love your church? We want to hear from you! From the Christian Education
department, Our CE Director Jamie will be delivering packages to our families inviting each of
them to create a “Share the Love” project. Stephanie, our new Digital Communications
Coordinator, will be sharing within our Social Media campaign invitations for you to share
specific reasons about what you love about your church to put on our “heart tree”! And I will
focus my State of the Church address on ways we have “Shared the Love” this past year. Join
us as we celebrate love this month.
February 13th after worship at 11:10 am we will be having our Virtual Annual Church Meeting.
This will take place via Zoom and dial in phone conference call. We will share our staff reports,
end of year budget for 2021 and projected budget for 2022. We will hear about new projects
proposed for 2022 and learn of plans for the upcoming sabbatical time this Spring and Summer.
Great news is that COVID cases due to the Omicron variant have started to fall at a rapid pace.
Further, our new audio/video broadcasting system has been installed and our staff and
volunteers are being trained to use it! Additionally, we have received 500 KN95 masks for our
church use to help keep everyone safe. We will be handing these out at our Community Meal as
well as at church for anyone who would like them.
With all these safety measures in place, President Debra Cox and myself feel confident that
with falling COVID numbers it will be safe to resume in-person worship on Sunday February
20th and to share this service live using our new broadcasting system. We have been
discouraged by this new wave of the pandemic, but we are doing all we can to care for the body
and soul of the church during this challenging time.
Broadcasting our worship services live should not only be of better sound and video quality,
they will be shared on Facebook and YouTube simultaneously. For those in our membership
who wish to tune in, a YouTube link will be included in our bulletins when they are sent out.
Friends, Jesus reminds us that his commandment to love one
another includes loving ourselves. 1John 4:8 reminds us that
God is Love. For these reasons and more, we share in these
ministries, projects, and programs to encourage each of us to
Share the Love with ourselves and our community.
You are beloved to God, to me, and to your church!
Pastor Tanya
Worship in February
February 6: Jesus Heals John 4:46-54; 5:1-18
February 13: Feeding 5000, Bread of Life John 6: 1-14; 33-35
February 20: Living Water John 7:37-52
February 27: Jesus is the Light John 8: 1-12
Thank you to our January liturgists: Nathan Roehl, Sarah Beers and Brittney Mansur.
If you would like to be a liturgist, contact Diane Holtz, jdmholtz@charter.net
or logon to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084aaba722a0f85-liturgist
Thank you for continuing to participate in worship! Your contribution is greatly
appreciated. I am looking to fill the calendar for March. Diane
The next Community Meal will be on Saturday February 5th from
4:00 – 5:00. Brown bag lunches will be available that include cheesy
egg bake, biscuit/jelly, mandarin orange, rice krispie bars.
Guests can drive up to the back door and meals will be delivered to
their vehicle. Contact Bonnie Stalker or Nancy Stabb at for more
information.
February BIRTHDAYS, Happy Day to All!
1 Tessa Hopkins 9 Olivia Swenson 22 Julie Budrow
1 Joan Rost 10 Beau Scott 24 Lenore Curcio
2 Gale Rundle 16 Willa Bagley 25 Kayla Hartung
2 Erin Stalker 16 Desiree Halonen 26 Diane Henrichs
4 Andrea McCabe 16 Patty York 26 Jean Schollmeier
4 Brantly Trumpy 18 Lucas Contreras 27 Katherine Bagley
6 Nancy Seely 19 Dean Smith 28 Josh Grossen
February ANNIVERSARIES, Congratulations If your name ever gets
14 Ronald & Laurie Hull missed from the birthday
or anniversary list, please
let Becky know.
Feb. 13th Church Annual Meeting 11:10 am
Due to continued high COVID cases in Rock County and to accommodate all
those who wish to attend, our Annual Meeting will again be held virtually via
Zoom this year. Our President Debra Cox will lead the meeting. Voting will
happen via Zoom polls, chat responses, and verbal responses for those joining
via phone.
We look forward to seeing and hearing all of you then!
Please email or call with any questions.
The Annual Report will be emailed by February 7th to church members. If you need a printed copy,
stop by the church on Tues or Wed, February 8th – 9th or call and one will be sent to you.
As we are fed at Christ’s table we go out to feed others.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed.
Life is an echo…
what you send out,
you get back!
ECHO February Needs:
Diapers (sz 4-6) Toothbrushes Spaghettios
Peanut butter & jelly Feminine products Razors
Spaghetti & sauce Deodorant Toilet paper
Mac & Cheese Dish soap Canned Tuna/Chicken
Brown paper bags Shampoo Soup
Canned meats Breakfast bars Laundry Soap
IMMIGRANT RELIEF FUND
Please strongly consider a donation in February to the YWCA Immigrant Relief Fund. In 2020-21,local
churches along with the Immigrant Outreach fund, helped 115 families with money for food, rent
assistance and gas cards. Jill Gant & Nancy Stabb are in communication with Ginna Isunza, The Immigrant
Outreach Program Director, at our local YWCA. Due to continuing issues with COVID-19, Latino
families are in greater need than ever. Without a Social Security card, safety net programs are often
unavailable to immigrants. Our fellow workers often have the lowest paying work.
You may use easy tithe, cash in designated envelopes or checks to donate. Jill Gant
We recently had a very special guest visit our church. Tatsuya, a Master
Piano Artisan of the Shigeru Kawai piano company, came from Japan
to voice and tune the grand piano in our historic sanctuary. We are
grateful to our donors, the Briggs, McWilliams, and Nobiensky
families, who made the purchase of this extraordinary instrument
possible in 2018.
It was such a fascinating process to witness!
Consistory minutes from January 25th The church has ended the year in an excellent financial position. Member contributions exceeded the budgeted amount by around $7,800. With both 2021 income and expenses about $10,000 over budget, the church ended the year with only a $275.50 deficit in an annual budget of approximately $271,000. The annual meeting will be held on ZOOM on February 13. Almost all ministry and committee positions for 2022 have been filled! The congregation will confirm the recommendations of the nominating committee at the annual meeting. Consistory accepted the annual 2022 budget proposal and will recommend this proposal to the congregation for a vote at the annual meeting. The church will contract with the Verdin Bell Company to undertake improvements to the bell tower chimes. An endowment from the Anderson family will fund this work. Five hundred N95 masks have been donated to the church; one hundred of the masks are set aside for community meal participants. Also, the church has been invited to host another COVID vaccine clinic. The sound and video upgrade in the sanctuary is almost complete. See the church’s Facebook page for a demonstration of the new camera system. The Afghan family that the church supported has settled into their Milwaukee home. The church welcomed Stephanie Natale as the new digital communications coordinator. The children’s Christmas activities were a success. Nine families participated in the Christmas program, and fifty persons attended the family Christmas Eve service. Once this COVID surge has passed, the Christian Education Ministry hopes to reactivate the OWL (Our Whole Lives) program and install the peace pole. Membership Ministry has reviewed the church membership rolls. As always, Pastor Tanya continues to reach out to provide pastoral care. Submitted by Linda Stehura We care about our community & church families! We have 500 KN95 to share! Our thanks go to the Dane County Public Health Department for this donation. We continue to strive to do our part to protect you, our members and friends, so we can return to worship in person as soon as possible! Thought for the month: The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.
Sunday School and Youth Group News
Janesville UCC Church Families:
Be on the lookout for a message about a BIG surprise coming your
way! This surprise will be an unexpected way to give and receive
the bounty of God’s Love just in time for Valentine’s Day!
Jamie will make delivery arrangements with everyone via text for
the weekend of Feb. 11-13.
2022 Church Camp Registration is Now Open!
There are exciting opportunities awaiting you at our wonderful local UCC Church
camps at Daycholah on Green Lake (formerly known as Pilgrim Center), Moon
Beach in St. Germain, and Cedar Valley in Washington County. There are
camps for all ages and interests to explore faith and to have fun surrounded
by the beauty of God’s creation. The camp staff is hard at work to ensure a safe,
fun, and meaningful experience for all!
Visit ucci.org for the 2022 camp schedule and registration information.
There are camp scholarship opportunities available through our church and the
UCCI Board. Please contact Jamie Dieckhoff at jamie@janesvilleucc.org for information.
Join us for Weekly Virtual Story Time with Lindsey
Each week Lindsey will share an inspiring picture book as we celebrate Black
History Month and Valentine’s Day this month. Her posts will be uploaded weekly
so families can watch them as their schedules allow.
Grades 6-12: Join us for a virtual meeting on Thursday, February 17th from 6:00-
7:00pm. The link will be sent to families prior to the meeting.
Do you still have any items for the ECHO food drive? Let Jamie know, and she
will arrange a pick up: jamie@janesvilleucc.org
Greetings members and friends of First Congregational Janesville, I hope this message finds you well. For those who might not be familiar with me, my name is Shaun Drefahl and I am a member of this church and also UCC clergy serving as a chaplain in the US Navy Reserves. I have spent some time deployed in Djibouti and I am writing to thank you for your prayers and support. You took it upon yourselves to donate some (much needed) juice packets, bug repellent, and sunscreen. I have included an image of me giving some of the sunscreen to our friendly neighborhood Red Cross representative, Joy, with gratitude! Additional pictures are of the chapel space, my kit, the fire department sign the day I did a memorial service for one of their members who passed away when he was home, and the camp bus stop sponsored by the Camp Diversity Team. I can share more pictures and details in the coming months when I am settling back into a normal routine at home. For now I will just say that I have met some amazing people and been blessed to do some incredibly rewarding work. It was a big support knowing I was in your prayers and it has been great seeing all the work our church has been doing while I was away. Blessings, Shaun
First Congregational Church
54 South Jackson Street
Janesville, WI 53548
This page was
attached to the
Tower Notes that
were mailed.
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Office Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday Mornings 9:00 - 1:00 or by appointment.
Ministers All Members of First Congregational UCC
Pastor Rev. Dr. Tanya Sadagopan
Christian Ed. Director Jamie Dieckhoff
Music Director Dr. Brian Knutson
Organist David Newman
Digital Communications Stephanie Natale
Secretary Becky Kingsbury
Bookkeeper Denise Caldwell
Nursery Coordinator Lindsey Anderson
Custodian Matthew Charlet
Church Leadership & Volunteers
President Debi Cox
Treasurer Bo Klotz
Finance Chair David Arndt
Volunteer Coordinator Diane Holtz
Gardeners Nancy Stabb, Ken Forbeck, Barbara Bendlin, Jeanine Fry
Lawn Mowers: Greg Shebesta, Mark Carlson, Bill Williams,
Ian & Dave Groth, Doug Newton
You can also read
