Volume 12 Issue 10
www.stjohnsmc.
WISDOM HUNTERS APPLYING UNCHANGING TRUTH IN A CHANGING WORLD
"For your love is ever before me, and I walk
continually in your truth." --Psalm 26:3
Walk in truth and be lead by love. These are twins
of wise living. Love is our leader and truth our motivator. Love is our strategy and truth our tactic. Love
is our goal and truth our inspiration. Love is our encouragement and truth our obedience. We need both
to become better followers of Jesus. We are not under
the bondage of the law, but we are under the sweet
constraints of grace. Love, without truth, can be deceived with every new form of teaching. It can be
easily swayed by emotion instead of remaining stable
and confident in Christ. Truth without love becomes
judgmental and harsh. It goes through the right motions while resentment builds unabated. Love and
truth work together so we are able to live a compelling Christian life. They bring us into balance.
This is why we look forward to the love of God as a
guide for our faith. Faith trusts God to accomplish
His own decrees. This is why we do not have to steal,
for we know God will provide for His children. This
is why we do not have to get back at others in revenge, because God can and will handle them in His
timing and in His way. This is what it means to be led
by the love of God. You can trust God’s love to dispense justice when appropriate, and extend grace and
forgiveness as needed. He sees the bigger picture and
knows what is necessary to draw others closer to
Christ. This is why we look ahead to the love of God.
When we look to love as the leader, we trust.
We follow love with faith.
Secondly, we walk grounded in truth. Truth governs our faith. Truth keeps us rooted in reality. It is
obedience to God’s truth that proves our love for
Him. Truth takes us back to the question, “What does
the Almighty think I should be and do?” We walk in
truth because it preserves us from sinful behavior. It
is the assurance of God’s promises that causes us to
imitate them as well as believe. Like a pilot who depends on instruments, radar, radio and GPS (Global
Positioning System) to guide him on the best path to
the right destination, so we walk in truth expecting
October 2012
the Lord’s best outcome. Some talk of truth, but it
is much better to walk in truth. Some vow to do
better in the future, but their resolutions come to
nothing. Avoid those who say one thing and do another.
A companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs
13:20). Stay away from those who stray from the
truth. It may be a pastor, teacher, friend, or business client who handles the truth loosely. They lie
even when the truth will do. These are vain people.
Do not sit with them and be drawn in by their charisma. They are deceptive. However, those who
walk in the truth will at times tell you things you
do not want to hear. They are your internist on
eternal matters. So listen when they prescribe doses
of truth. The medicine may be bitter, but if applied,
it will heal your heart. Therefore, walk in truth, and
walk with those who walk in truth. Love leads and
truth follows. Go with God. Go to Him often and
receive gladly His infinite love and insightful truth.
He is both.
Grace & Peace, Pastor Bill
THANK YOU!
Thank you to the following individuals:
Beth Ann Ast, Les Ast, Chad Cable, Scott
Corder, Mike Dill, Debi Ingram, Jim Ingram, Nicki Madden, Spenser Shaffer,
and Marque Steinhagen for all of your
hard work helping me shingle the roof on
the gazebo on Saturday, August 25, 2012.
Unfortunately, the excessive heat made it
impossible to compete the project in one
day, as we would have ruined the shingles that were already down. Another
thank you to my grandma, Ruth
Deutscher, for baking the Pineapple Upside Down cake for the crew’s lunch. All
of the help was greatly appreciated.
Thanks again, Jake Ingram
PRAYER CONCERNS
Arbors of Michigan City
Carol Schultz
Joan Staffel
Settlers House
Dorothy Johnson
Clare Bridge Cottage, Alterra
Ruth Daschbach
June Hapke
Hamilton Grove Retirement Community
Lucille Crutchfield
Mildred M. Hanson
Rittenhouse
Lillian Hill
Beatrice Miller
Lifecare Center of Michigan City
Libby Rogers
DEEPEST CONDOLENCES
St. John’s wishes to extend deepest condolences to the families of members Mrs. Dorothy
Peckat, Mrs. Betty Stevenson and Mr. Eldon
Schlundt who recently entered eternal life. We
pray God’s peace and comfort on the Peckat,
Stevenson and Schlundt families.
USHERS FOR OCTOBER
Ushers for October are Betty Johnson, Phyllis
Nowatzke, Betty Bauer, Karen Lawrenz, Christine Dombrowsky, and Phil Smith.
RUMMAGE SALE
The next rummage sale at St. John’s is
scheduled for April 25-27, 2013.
COMMUNION SERVERS
Communion servers for Sunday, October 7th are: Phil
Smith, Tony Holt, Elaine & Bob Burkhart, Carol Brandon, Sandy Cook, Jerry Montgomery, and Beth Ann Ast.
THANK YOU!
I would like to thank the many members of the St. John's
family for the well wishes, the telephone calls, the cards,
the visits, and most of all, the countless prayers that have
seen me through my heart surgery and on my way to recovery. I was blessed by your prayers. I also need to
thank the superb medical experts and support personnel at
St. Anthony Hospital here in Michigan City. What a fantastic group. God Bless each and everyone of You.
Sincerely, Kent Lange
NOW THAT’S SMART MONEY
You can now financially support St. John’s
while making everyday purchases including groceries, gas, restaurants, home improvement, and entertainment. By planning
ahead, an average family can contribute
about $500 a year with no additional cost. Interested? See
the red pocket folder on the bulletin board for more information, and mark your calendar for October 11th!
UNITY HOSPICE
Unity Hospice is seeking volunteers to visit terminally ill
patients and/or perform office duties. All are welcome to
volunteer. Please call 877-769-6789 for more information.
ANNOUNCEMENT--NEW OPPORTUNITY!
There is a table between the narthex and the chapel that
makes available to our members a variety of miscellaneous
cards to send to each other. It is a chance to let others know
you are thinking about them. There are Birthday Cards, Get
Well Cards, Thinking of you cards and Blank cards. There is
also a listing of our members with addresses in the black
folder. Once you think of someone, fill out a card, address
the envelope, you simply put it in the basket so we can mail
it.
It is an easy way to let some of our “Family” know how
important they are to us. Please take a moment to fill out a
card for someone. If you have any questions, please let us
know. Spiritual Life Committee
THANK YOU!
St. John’s designated August 19, 2012 as Compassion International Compassion Sunday. I want to thank the members of the congregation who opened their hearts and
“changed the story” for eight children living in extreme poverty. On behalf of Compassion International, my sister Kim
Ritter, David, Carolina, Patience, Stephen, Luis, Kelly, Ani
and Koumbou we are eternally grateful.
Thank you to everyone who made Compassion Sunday
such a blessing to me and the children who were sponsored.
Jan Lubiniecki
WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S
God gives us many opportunities to serve. We are
invited to join in these community efforts. Please
consider responding to our neighbors’ needs by joining in the Walk To End Alzheimer’s, Sunday, October 7, at Washington Park. Registration: 12:30 p.m.
Contact Louise Thompson, 219-464-9600
ALZHEIMER’S, “THE MIDDLE STAGES”
The Alzheimer’s Association’s “Living With Alzheimer’s-the Middle Stages” next meeting is Wed., Oct. 17th, at 6:30
p.m. in Fellowship Hall.
LET’S KEEP IT CLEAN
Your help is appreciated in keeping our church clean, safe
and ready to serve God. Many volunteers are
working tirelessly to cleanup and organize our
house of worship. You can help by removing,
recycling or donating items you may have
stored around the church. The Salvation Army
stands ready to accept donations all year long
and their mission is to share the love of Jesus
Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in
the community. Please give them a chance to further this
great mission.
STEWARDSHIP-PROMISE TO GOD
Stewardship can be a difficult decision
to be made in serving God at St. John’s
UCC. Many times we become engrossed
in so many activities in our own little
world that we forget our promise to God--that promise is to share
our substance and abundance with others. Sharing with others is
difficult to practice because it demands that we share our fortunes
and resources for the improvement in the lives of other human beings.
Our decisions about money are accurate reflections of our values.
We use money entrusted to us by God for the things we believe are
important. So our decision about giving money for God’s work
will show how important--or unimportant--Christian faith and mission are in our lives.
Your decision about giving to the work of the church is not an
easy decision. But it does give the opportunity to deepen your
commitment to Christ, to express your gratitude for all of God’s
gifts, and to grow through your generosity toward the work of
Christ’s church.
You the members of St. John’s UCC have been challenged in the
past years--the present year--and the years that hopefully lie ahead.
Your committed giving is what will make St. John’s UCC continue
to grow in God’s work.
The Christian tithe (1/10) is not a rule to be enforced by compulsion, but a joyful privilege, a practice of faith, a voluntary covenant
between you and God. To deny the tithe to God is not to trust God.
Only through prayer--conversation with God--and your commitment to God will you obtain that level of giving that returns to God
that which already belongs to God. So, hopefully, you won’t cheat
or rob God.
So the good news is, God is patiently waiting to help you in discovering the way to commit your “first fruits of your labors to
God.”
Stewardship will always be a challenge in your life, so place your
faith, hope, trust, and love in God. Give your life to God.
October 14, 2012, is Stewardship Sunday. At this time you will
be asked to make a financial pledge to do the work of God through
St. John’s UCC. Please remember not to cheat God. Remember,
all the gifts and blessings that have been provided and given to you
are from God. God will never let you down: there will always be
enough to meet your needs.
Jesus spoke more about the rewards of giving than any other subject, so as you prepare to make your pledge for God’s work, may
you always feel great joy, peace, and love in your heart, soul, and
mind, and let October 14th be a memorable day in your life.
One final thought--Malachi 3:8--Will anyone rob God? Yet you
are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing You?’ In your
tithes and offerings!”
God’s blessings.
In Christian love, Bob Rumsey
PRAYER LIST--PLEASE UPDATE!
Please help us keep our prayer list on the back of the Sunday bulletins current and up to date. Please call the office if
you know of anyone listed who may now be removed from
the list, or of anyone not listed needing to be uplifted in prayer. Also, as circumstances change and the person no longer
needs to be listed, please call the office and let either Joyce or
Nicole know that they may be removed from the listing.
Thank you!
FUNDS CLARIFICATION:
“UNITED CHURCH FOUNDATION FUND”
This fund is a long-term investment in the
future of St. John’s.
“UNITY FOUNDATION FUND”
We use only the interest from this fund. The interest
gained from the previous year is divided between the
Deacon’s Fund (for those in need belonging to St. John’s
Church) and the Home Benevolence Fund (for those in
need in the Michigan City/LaPorte community). You
may also direct your donation specifically to either
Deacon’s Fund or Home Benevolence.
ST. JOHN’S UCC
~ TWO ENDOWMENT FUNDS ~
St. John’s UCC has been blessed with the establishment of two endowment funds. The interest
earned from these two funds helps to support the
Benevolent and Deacon’s Funds and also helps
with other church expenses. The principals are to
remain invested in their respective funds.
The two funds are identified as follows:
1. United Church Foundation: The United
Church Foundation was established in the 4th
quarter of 1997 (Oct.-Nov.-Dec.) with an investment from two individuals that totaled
$1,500.00. The Fund has continued to grow
since then by individuals
making gifts to the Fund.
To give to this fund, do the following:
Make your check payable to: St. John’s UCC,
and in the lower left hand corner of the check,
write in “The United Church Foundation.”
2. Unity Foundation of LaPorte County: The
account with Unity was established in December of 1995 with a donation of $5,000 by one
individual. The Fund has continued to grow
with a number of donations over the years.
To give to this fund, do the following:
Make your check payable to St. John’s UCC and
in the lower left hand of the check write in “Unity
Foundation of LaPorte County.”
God’s blessings to all in support of these
two funds. In Christian love, Bob Rumsey
“A TASTE OF EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS,
SMART COOKIES FOR THE BUSY FAMILY”
Thur., Nov. 1, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Community Bldg., LaPorte County Fairgrounds
You are cordially invited to learn more about Extension
Homemakers, what clubs they offer, and how it can benefit you. All are welcome! Please call 324-9407 for more
information and to make a reservation.
St. John’s United Church of Christ
101 St. John Rd
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 872-9121
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
MICHIGAN CITY, IN
PERMIT NO. 96
Return Service Requested
~ GO M.A.D. ACTIVITES FOR OCTOBER ~
1. SWAP and COAT DONATION DAY
October 6, 2012, 9:00 - 12:00 noon.
Bring in your old smoke detectors and swap for new ones, two per home!
Also, in conjunction with the Mayor’s winter coat collection drive, we will be collecting winter coats which
will be cleaned and then donated to the Mayor’s coat drive. Just come to the driveway at St. John’s to take
part in this Smoke Detector Swap and Coat donation day!
2. T-SHIRT PAINTING FOR CHRISTMAS BOXES (CHRISTMAS CHILD SHOEBOXES)
Sunday, October 14th, Fellowship Hall, 11:30 am
3.FREE ALL-CHURCH CHILI LUNCH
Sunday, October 21st, Fellowship Hall, after 10 am service
THE SEARCH IS ON
We will soon be advertising for a full-time music ministry leader.
Please pray that God will guide us in making the best decision we can to serve and glorify His great
name.
INNER GROWTH 2012 CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
Mark your calendars for Oct. 12 & 13, 2012, the dates of the upcoming Inner Growth
Women’s Conference, which will take place at Clarion Inn & Suites, Michigan City.
Please check the bulletin boards for flyers with complete information.
FIND OUT ABOUT 4-H!
4-H Open House, Thursday, November 15
Small Projects Building, LaPorte County Fairgrounds, 2581 W. SR 2, LaPorte
Drop in any time between 3 -7:00 p.m.