Messenger for May 2017
Pastor Mary
Flowers. April showers bring May flowers, so they say…Some of our April showers
have been solid and some liquid but all have refreshed the soil and provided welcome
moisture to our lakes, rivers, streams and all the amazing living creations that grow!
Often I peer out of our large picture window in Ely’s Fellowship Hall to see if any of the
long anticipated daffodils are blooming yet but, so far, no. However, Mendham’s
Sunrise Lodge, where the Phelps Church had Easter breakfast, has lots of daffodils up
but none blooming yet. But, it won’t be long now….
Before moving Up North, Mike and I actually lived in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio where we
were blessed to have close by, a lovely pond and a 1-mile hike (one way) on a ridge through the woods
to Hale Farm & Village which is a restored historic site which reflects life in the 1860’s, about the time of
the Civil War. With our two Labs “Misty” and “Happy” we made that hike frequently—except in the
dead of winter when it would be too slippery. One thing you learn when you walk the same trail over
and over again is that you become much more aware of the seasonal changes. One time there would
be lots of the earliest wildflower Spring Beauties. The next time they would be totally gone and there
would be many May apples, the wildflowers that look like umbrellas. And so it would go. Often I had
my Wildflower Guide with me so I could try to identify the beautiful plants we were seeing. It was fun
and now Mike and I look forward to exploring the hiking areas around here to see what fabulous ‘wild
things’ God has bestowed. (If you know anyone who is a ‘mushroom expert’ for our area, I would love
to take a hike to learn from him or her. Near to where we lived in Charlevoix, MI located on Lake
Michigan, a neighboring town always had a Morel Mushroom Festival and, yum, so good to eat!)
Flowers. Do you have a favorite flower? My mother was a rose woman so, as her daughter, whenever
a special occasion came along like Mother’s Day, I started by just buying 1 rose with my own money and
then graduated to buying mother a rose bush each year. By the time we left our childhood home in
Livonia, MI, the front yard’s white picket fence was covered in climbing roses! Now I love roses as much
as my mother did. At our Ohio home, I have five or six climbing red and pink rose bushes I’ll pass on….
My father loved lilacs. They always smell so fragrant on the bush but whenever I cut off the flowers and
put them in a water-filled vase, they seem to be finished in a day or two—then I’m sorry I cut them.
Usually in each home where we’ve lived, I’ve always plant a lilac bush and once in TN, I planted a lilac
tree. Recently, I was blessed to purchase a nice watercolor of lilacs on a white picket fence at a ‘green
store’ in Eagle River. Our OH daughter Melinda is very fond of ‘green stores’ which is what she calls any
store that recycles. With two high school boys and a middle school girl, she dresses her family very well
by shopping ‘green’ and she says, “I save a lot of green (cash), too!” Plus, when her kids outgrow their
clothes, she always drops them off clean at a ‘green store’ and the good keeps getting played forward.
Flowers. Most of my life I’ve taken them for granted. Then one day I woke up and I really started
‘seeing’ flowers. Perhaps I thought getting to know flowers would take too much time and energy—but
I am pretty good at knowing about trees and shrubs as I’ve landscaped wherever we have lived. But
discovering the wonder of flowers has only happened in the last ten years. I always knew the flowers I
liked but I didn’t pay much attention to others. Now I want to have flowers everywhere! In our home
here, the second bedroom will become my creative space and it will be filled with images of flowers!
I can hardly wait to begin to go out and purchase some flowers and plants here and to begin ‘decorate’
our yard with flowering plants. If you have any advice for me on what grows well here—both flowers
and vegetables—I’d be happy if you passed it on to me. Bob Wilson has promised to share some
rhubarb with me. I hope to tail Dick Mendham once or twice for I hear that he turns Sunrise Lodge into
a blooming paradise! And Sue Zick has already offered to take me flower shopping with her. How many
of you garden with flowers, fruits or vegetables? Could we all get together and have a chat or a tour?
Flowers. Think about getting some flowers in your life. Each one will bring a hidden smile out of you!
Happy May! Happy Mother’s Day! Happy Fishing Opener! Happy Northwoods Singers Concert here on
May 18 at 7 PM, Happy Summer Launch in Land O’ Lakes on May 27 where I will be doing a “Blessing of
the Pets” service in our church yard at 1 PM, and also appearing in “Our Town” (I have just a few lines)
at Northland Pines High School’s auditorium at 7 PM! May is shaping up to be just the ‘blooming’ kind
of month for which we all have been waiting and one which we will all thoroughly enjoy!
Mike and I will be away for a while in May as we still have much unfinished business in OH with more
packing & moving plus painting. We will be going to our eldest grandchild Isaac’s high school
graduation and Mike has an important eye appointment in Cincinnati. Rev. Steve Russell will preach
and be my back-up then.
Pastor Installation and Potluck
Pastor Mary will be installed as our permanent pastor on June 4th during the
10:30 worship service.
A potluck lunch at Ely will follow. Please make a note on your calendar to
attend, and start planning a tasty dish to share!
Relay for Life -Calling All Walkers!
Ely is putting together a team – Ely Believers - to walk in the Relay for Life at Eagle
River High
School on June 16. We welcome anyone who would like to participate in this annual event as walkers
and those who cannot walk but would like to make a donation. There is a sign-up sheet in fellowship
hall. If you are a cancer survivor, please indicate that when you sign up. More information will be
forthcoming but please mark your calendar for June 16 and plan to come out and join Ely Believers to
honor those who have fought or are fighting cancer, lost their life to cancer and those who have been
care givers to a cancer patient. It is a very moving experience.
THANK YOU, BLESS YOU! THANK YOU, DEAR LORD, FOR BLESSING ALL THE SPECIAL LENTEN &
EASTER SERVICES WE DID FOR YOU! Our special season began with a solemn Ash Wednesday service
here at Ely; through Palm Sunday where this year we waved local boughs of cedar and pine to welcome
Jesus; proceeded through Maundy Thursday’s service of shadows, followed by a delicious soup supper
here with three hearty homemade soups and lots of good bread; to the Community’s Ecumenical Good
Friday service in Eagle River at 1 PM; to Sunrise Lodge where the Phelps Congregational Church enjoyed
Easter breakfast before our uplifting Easter worship at church with pretty Easter flowers; and then Ely
offered a fine Easter breakfast to anyone free of charge prior to our joyful Easter worship in our
beautifully flowered sanctuary with our real flower-decorated cross complete with butterflies! This
year I told the Easter story through the eyes of Mary Magdalene who followed Jesus throughout his
ministry and was there even at the end and was the first to see our risen Lord! “Jesus said to her, ‘Do
not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to
them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went
and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them what he said.” John 20:17-18
We are grateful for all of the exceptional Lenten and Easter music—our praise goes to Ely’s Pam for
choosing it & to Linda for her accompaniment! And the Ely choir was such a fine part of all that was
spectacular! Also, we are grateful to Phelps’ Lisa and Kay for their gifts of music to the Phelps Church!
Moderator’s Note – May
Those of us who have spent the winter here are enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of
spring’s arrival. It’s like a breath of fresh air, just as the return of snowbirds gives our
church a breath of fresh air. Each Sunday one can hear the excitement as more folks return from their
winter retreats. This will be the first opportunity for many to meet Pastor Mary and Mike.
Those of us who have gotten to know Mike and appreciate having him participate in worship services
and sing in the choir are happy to welcome him back after his month-long absence to take care of
packing things up in Ohio. Many thanks to those who helped unload the truck when Mike arrived back
in the northwoods. We don’t envy Pastor Mary and Mike the job of unpacking all those boxes!
Holy Week was very special due to the work of Pastor Mary and the worship committee. After a
meaningful Maundy Thursday service everyone enjoyed a meal of soup and bread. Pastor Mary
participated in the Good Friday ecumenical service at St. Peters Church in Eagle River. On Saturday
morning the church was buzzing with activity as some ladies made preparations for the Easter breakfast
and others worked on the flowers for the Easter cross. Many folks attended the breakfast and
attendance for worship was recorded as 71 people and 1 dog. (Wes Kiley’s daughter trains companion
dogs and she has certainly trained this dog well.) If you attended Easter Sunday worship you enjoyed
wonderful, uplifting music by the choir and even a visit from Mary Magdalene. Many thanks to all who
played a part in making Holy Week special for our little church.
We thank Elsie Mendham for filling in when Pastor Mary was away on April 23 rd. We all learned
something about Elsie’s life journey and how her faith helped her through it. Good lessons for all of us.
Thank you, Elsie!
April was a month filled with prayers for those who lost members of their family and those who
underwent major surgery. We continue to keep them in our hearts. That’s what a family does! As we
wait for more snowbirds to return and the daffodils to bloom outside fellowship hall we say thanks to
God for the promise of new life inside and outside our church! Come and be part of the new life!
Thank you! from the Phelps Sophomore class to all those that supported their successful fundraising
breakfast at the Sunrise Lodge April 22nd.
Accolades from Pastor Mary-THANK YOU Barb Wilkinson for letting us use the Lenten bulletin covers that you designed in calligraphy for
your former church in IL. Your work is beautiful and we appreciated you for sharing it with us!
THANK YOU to the following Lay Leaders/Readers during Lent: Sig Bakke, Barb Wilkinson, Nancy Bailey, Elsie
Mendham, Bob Bailey and Steve Wilkinson. Please contact me if you would like to be a Lay Leader for an
upcoming Sunday. I know that you enjoy having my Mike lead, but others are welcome also!
THANK YOU to Elsie Mendham for bringing the message on Sunday, April 23, while Mike and I were away.
Elsie shared a story with me that she wrote a while ago and I was so impressed with it, I asked her to share it
in worship. The more we share our stories, the better we will know one another and the closer we will
become as a loving and caring church family. Have you a story about your walk with God that you would be
willing to share? I know that Dave Zick has done this and it was very well received!
IF you have some art that you can photograph (or photos themselves) that you think would make a beautiful
bulletin cover, please feel free to pass them on to me or to Debbie. We are pleased to share all the talents
of our members at all times! Life here is just so magnificent with all the woods, streams, rivers and lakes
that any way we can thank God for it and reflect it on our bulletin covers is a blessing! So please bring your
favorite photos in and we will credit you with your art.
Hats Off to Debbie Arpke
by Kathy Floriano
Wednesday, April 26th was National Administrative Professionals Day (or as it used to be known – National
Secretaries Day). It’s a day to celebrate the people who make things easier for the rest of us and keep us
organized so everything runs smoothly. We all know that in our church that person is Debbie Arpke. Debbie
comes with an excellent background in business and handles everything with a professional touch. She is
quiet and unassuming and has a great sense of humor.
Debbie not only does things for the pastor, she deals with lots of paperwork, phone calls, computer tasks,
financial records and visitors who drop in…. all in a polite, efficient manner. She adds her special touches to
make the newsletter more interesting and interjects her sense of humor to keep us chuckling. On top of all
this, she and her husband, Dennis, keep our church looking spotless.
Debbie has been a real blessing to our church. We especially relied on her this past year as we went through
pastoral transitions. Next time you see Debbie, please let her know how much we appreciate her and
everything she does for our church. THANK YOU, DEBBIE!
Disclaimer: Article is published as provided and as is without any warranties of fact.
Spring Clean-up at Church
Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 4th, to help do a quick spring
clean-up at church. We will start at 9:00 and with many hands we
should be done within an hour. All we have to do in the yard is pick up some dirt clumps from the
snowplow and spruce up the landscape areas. There is one window that has to be replaced and some
of the windows will need to be washed. Hope to see you there!
“Musings from Yesterday”
by Phyllis Gottmann
Do you, or any of your family or friends remember the old Community House? Later called the
Town Hall? Well, I do!
It was on the site of the present fire department barn and was the center of everything that
went on in the town. Town board meetings, school affairs, potlucks, sewing circles, even basketball
games, also Ladies Aid and Woman’s Club. (Men did not do “club-by” things in those days). However,
when Ernie Carlson brought his wife to Ladies Aid he always sat in. The ladies told my grandma, Lena
Dickman, that the only reason for this was so he could “give them his opinions and set them straight!”
Church services were quite an event. On Saturdays the Seventh Day Adventists held their
services. Then on Sunday mornings the newly formed Land O’Lakes Community Church (as we were
known then) had our services. I can still remember my grandma holding my hand as we filed in passing
the Catholics as they were coming out from Mass. Sometimes people were still sweeping up from the
basketball game held there the night before.
Yes, it was an exciting and memorable time!
The Northwoods Singers and the Northwoods Youth Choir are teaming up to celebrate
the arrival of spring in glorious song with two performances of “All Things Heaven and Earth.”
Singers of all ages from throughout the Northwoods and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will lift
their voices. Performances will be Thursday, May 18, at 7 pm at Ely Memorial United Church of
Christ on Hwy B in Land O' Lakes and Sunday, May 21, at 4 pm at Prince of Peace Lutheran
Church on Hwy 70 W, Eagle River.
The Northwoods Singers and the Northwoods Youth Choir are under the direction of Dr. Pamalyn
Lee and accompanied by Linda Brainard, Eagle River, piano and Sara Ehlert, Alpha MI, piano
and flute, plus a lively percussion ensemble. Both concerts are free and refreshments will be
served following the performances. A Free-Will offering will be taken at each concert.
This season's melodies feature a wide range of genres. Broadway and film favorites such as
"Some Enchanted Evening," "The Impossible Dream," and "Moon River," will join folk favorites like
"The Rattlin' Bog" and "Pineywood Mountain," along with contemporary compositions such as
"The Meadowlark," and "You Raise Me Up," to name only a few.
All concerts are free and a free will offering will be gladly accepted. Refreshments will follow
each concert.
Prayer Concerns
John Clarke
Bob Pierce Bob Wahlbech Chuck Battin R.D. & Dorothy Aikins
Esther Starszak Mimi & Tom Allmann Mary Ann Lang Debbie Olson
Stacy Huddle – Niece of Barb & Steve Wilkinson
The family of Mary Lou Ullestad – Bob Wilson’s sister
Our U.C.C. Congregations in Phelps, Three Lakes, St. Germain, Eagle River, and Land O’Lakes
Our Homebound: Burt Wedow Everett Crass Jack Brandt
If you have someone you would like to add to the prayer list and have their permission to do so, please email or Call the
office. 715-547-3980 [email protected]
Wanted:
High Chair for our little people who might dine with us.
Vehicle for a member of the community who is in need of
transportation (see Pastor Mary for details.
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Financial Standing March 31, 2017
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Account Balances as of March 31, 2017
Pledges
$
5,422.00
Debit Card Account
$
728.30
Prepaid Pledges for 2017
$
1,933.35
General Checking
$
21,812.46
Loose Collections/Donation
$
726.00
Endowment Fund
$
252,186.88
Women’s Fellowship Support
$
404.00
Memorial Fund
$
5,006.06
Phelps Church
$
1,202.92
Sabbatical Account
$
62,463.69
Total Income
$
9,688.27
Attendance
Total Expenses
$ 14,646.25
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March
March
March
1st 29
5th 33
12th 33
March
March
19th
37
26th
27
Total 159
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