April 2016 Newsletter

Faith Matters
A publication of Norwalk First United Methodist Church
April 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We need to reach new people for Christ and
we cannot do it staying within the walls of the
church. Our church today is no longer our
parents’ church. In 1955, the church and the
culture were identical. We were a Christian
nation with Christian values and morals. All
church members had to do then was stand at the
door of their church and wait for people to come.
Churches were full. The bad news now is that it’s
no longer 1955.
According to “AmericanChurch.org” less than
20% of the U.S. population will attend church this
weekend. In Ohio, 17.9% will attend. The fastestgrowing segment of Americans is the group
claiming “No Religion.” As of 2012, this group
comprised 20% of Americans! Thirty-two percent
of the people under the age of 30 check “No
Religion.” Seventy percent of the people between
OUR VISION STATEMENT
We open our doors to all
to join us as we attempt to
the ages of 18-22 drop out of church, never to
return. In the U.S. between 1990 – 2010, 125,000
churches closed. And now, 80%-85% of current
churches are experiencing numerical decline.
Some of the most common signs of this
decline are living in the past, being preoccupied
with budgets and buildings, exhausted church
members, an inward focus, and a mission
emphasis that is now on survival. If we remain
stuck in the great times of the church in 1955, we
will continue to decline. I don’t want that to
happen and I hope you don’t either.
We have a new ministry team, “Reaching
New People,” that will soon meet after the twoday workshop we just attended at Collins United
Methodist Church led by Paul Nickerson, a
nationally known church growth expert and
coach. He will continue to coach our team of nine
over the next year about reaching new people for
Christ. In 2016, reaching new people in the
community is different. No more 1955. Watch for
more ideas to bring about church growth as this
ministry team moves forward. This isn’t your
parents’ church anymore! ~ Pastor Brian
address our weaknesses
and enhance our strengths
while using our unique
spiritual gifts in service
to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
(419) 668-1938
norwalkfirstumchurch@gmail.com
www.norwalkfirstumc.com
April Birthdays...
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
Audrey Rose
Jordan Bodde
Zoey Corfman
Catherine Hazelwood
Angie Kirk
Addie Mannino
Mike Meinke
Roxanne Walker
Laura Hahn
Triton Arnett
Jillian Ballard
Rebecca Roth
Geri Stelzer
Debe Gelvin
Bob Gentzel
Chris Jackson
Joanne Waugh
Beverly Pickworth
Abby Brutsche
Courtney Hinckley
Charlotte Young
Tyler Jackson
Mary Jo Hazelwood
Alexis Van Giesen
Alicia Casselberry
Ric Thorpe
Henry Lasch
Raygan Moffit
Kayla Pelham
Sharon Ward
Phyllis Zieber
16 Riley Helton
Max Nickoli
Pat Wetzel
17 Richard Blackburn
Anah Freeman
19 Don Everman
Louise Haydn
Linda Williams
20 Caitlyn Alley
Ethan Caldwell
Evan Caldwell
21 Aaron Christophel
Jim Rolsten
22 Elle Ballard
Vicki Knight
Paul Phillips
Jeffrey Sutton
Zach Usselman
23 Orion DeYoe
Lucas Dotson
Rosalie Rakosky
24 Jeff Laycock
Addison Moffit
25 Pamela Van Giesen
26 Lisa Hull
Bruce Kurtz
Betty Pothorski
27 Linda Johns
28 Chris Berry
29 Kelly Caldwell
30 Lynn Horning
and Anniversaries
7
10
11
12
13
16
19
22
23
24
26
United Methodist Women’s
Jon & Judy Nutter
Tom & Suzi Skoglund
Dave & Bette Livingston
Dick & Gloria Vogt
Bruce & Patricia Kurtz
Ray & Lillie Cook
Scott & Sarah Christophel
Ric & Paula Thorpe
Dale & Alta Ehresman
Joshua & Rachel Schlotterer
Bob & Karen Berry
Jeffrey & Deborah Sutton
Gail & Beverly Pickworth
Mark & Shirlene Zorn
Tom & Barb Silcox
Thursday, April 14th 9-7 pm
Friday, April 15th
9-7 pm
Saturday, April 16th 9-2 pm
Donations welcome…
Items may be dropped off from
8:30-3:30 p.m. during the week
(closed for lunch noon—1:00 p.m.)
After 1:00 p.m., ring the door bell!
Place your items in the hallway by
the kitchen coat racks.
A New Role for Pastor Brian
Rev. Dr. Brian C. Oglesbee has been appointed by the East Ohio
Conference Resident Bishop John Hopkins and confirmed by the
Board of Ordained Ministry of the East Ohio Conference to be the
new Chair of the Order of Elders for the East Ohio Conference
beginning July 1, 2016, and lasting for the quadrennium. This
position is in addition to the appointment he holds at Norwalk
First UMC. The Chair of the Order of Elders is responsible for
working with the Chair of the Order of Deacons and with the
President of the Fellowship of Associate and Licensed Local
Pastors to maintain the clergy covenants we uphold at ordination
and to provide workshops, retreats, and dinners that strengthen
the pastoral self-care, spiritual growth, and physical well-being of
the Elders in the East Ohio Conference. The chairs of the two
orders and the fellowship will set the vision for the clergy for the
next four years as the Conference welcomes a new Bishop into the
East Ohio Conference. Also, as part of the position, Rev. Oglesbee
will represent the Order of Elders on the East Ohio Conference
Board of Ordained Ministry that interviews new clergy.
Please pray for Pastor Brian as he begins this new ministry.
First United Methodist Church family,
UMW NEWS
With my last semester of college coming to an end,
this package is a nice reminder of all your love and
support. I have always looked forward to this time
of year because of your sweet treats and kind words.
Thank you so much. I love you all and I am very
thankful you’re in my life. ~ Emily McKillips
The ladies resumed their meetings on
March 2nd with a Lenten program and a
Sacrificial Meal. They voted to give $2,000
to the Capital Fund Matching Funds
Campaign and $200 to Aaron Phillips for
his mission trip.
***
Their next meeting will be April 6th for a
tour of the Norwalk Area Food Bank, and
each lady is asked to bring a nonperishable item to donate. (Suggestions are
ketchup, mustard, mayo, juice, tuna fish,
canned meats and vegetables.) They will
meet in fellowship Hall at 10:00 a.m. for a
brief business meeting and then carpool
and use the church van to go to the food
bank.
To the World’s Greatest Church Family,
Thank you for the flowers, prayers, cards, and
thoughtful notes in support of our family in the loss
of my brother, Earl Sams. It was touching to hear
from all of you. The family really appreciated it, and
we did, too. ~ Frank & Dorothy Sams and Family
***
To Our Church Family,
We miss you all — and you, too, Pastor Brian.
Love you! ~ The Kochs (Larry & Diane)
***
Dear Church Family,
I would like to thank you for the care package. It is
always great to hear what is going on back home
while I am at school. Thank you again!
God bless ~ Mason Berry
***
Dear Friends at Norwalk First,
Thank you for your kind contribution to the Bishop
and Mrs. Hopkins Celebration Fund.
~ James Skinner, Episcopacy Committee
***
Thank you so much for the wonderful care package!
I truly appreciate the wonderful welcome into this
church family and the open arms you have used to
embrace my family and me. God bless you all, and I
hope to see you all soon! ~ Ben Lewis
Reminder that April is Prayer and SelfDenial Month, so ladies are asked to bring
their donation to their respective circle
meeting.
UMW Sunday is April 17th, with guest
speaker Jackie Mayer. Remember to have
ushers and greeters available from your
circles.
The Spring Rummage Sale is April 14-16.
Donations of good, clean clothing and flea
market items are being accepted now.
Circle Meetings for April are:
Monday, April 18th at 7:00 p.m.
Naomi-Ruth Circle
Tuesday, April 19th at 1:00 p.m.
Wesleyan Circle
Office Hours:
8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
May 2016 newsletter deadline:
April 22nd
1st Kids in the Word
Let’s Go to
2016 has brought some excitement to 1st Kids. We have grown
week after week and the 1st Kids’ Team has grown into an
ALL-STAR Team with the close of the second semester. We
have so many people to thank! God’s blessings to each of you
and prayers for a safe summer. We’re looking forward to
September when 1st Kids will begin again!
Summer Camp!
KITCHEN CREW: led by Pat Taylor, Joanne Waugh,
Betty Holb, Mandy Fresch, Emma Freeman, and Jean
Rock
DRIVERS: Ric Thorpe, Kay Fletcher, Corrine Opper, John
& Lynne Horrigan, and Bob & Linda Markel
SNACK & ACTIVITIES: Dianna Laughlin and Catherine
Alley
WORSHIP SKILLS: Carol Phillips
TEACHERS: Lynne Horrigan, Kay Fletcher, Susie Scheele,
Emma Freeman, Marcia Rinner, Linda Williams, Beth
Winemiller, and Susie Nardecchia
TABLE PARENTS: Linda Williams, Ben Kenny, Susie and
Don Nardecchia, Doris Newman, Hope Dotson, Jenna
Thorpe, Catherine Alley, Dianna Laughlin, Dee &
Bobb Witt, Bob & Linda Markel, John & Lynne
Horrigan, Kay Fletcher
CLEAN UP CREW: Rick and Beth Winemiller
1ST KIDS’ DIRECTOR: Paula Thorpe
ALL AROUND HELPER WHO DEALS WITH US ALL:
LaMar Zieber
Parents,
Thank you as well, for entrusting your child’s Christian
education to Norwalk First. We do not take the privilege of
sharing the Gospel lightly with your child. Sharing God’s love is
the one most important thing in this world, and in the
next. We encourage you now that 1st Kids has ended to
consider Sunday School, and don’t forget Vacation Bible School
is the week of JULY 18th in the mornings!
With all the excitement of our 1st Kids Ministry, we need to slow
down to thank a group of ladies that have shared their time
and skills with the 1st Kids’ Family as part of our precious
Kitchen Crew. These special ladies have decided to give others
the opportunity to serve and are stepping down. They found
ways to feed us by making the best chicken noodle soup to a
spectacular Thanksgiving meal and beyond, and we have
been truly blessed by their presence ~ Pat Taylor, Joanne
Waugh, Betty Holb, and Mandy Fresch.
&
Want a chance to tour the sites, talk to the
staff, and see what is being offered for
2016 Summer Camp?
Check out East Ohio Conference Camps at:
www.eocsummercamps.org.
See DeAnn McKillips, Christian Ed. Director,
for Summer Camp details.
Saturday, April 30th, is the “Race at the Rock” in
support of Flat Rock Homes. For the past two
years we have had a WONDERFUL team consisting
of the Confirmation Class and the congregation. This
year, we need ALL of your help!
Check out the table in the Rotunda for information.
Be involved by registering as a walker or runner
or simply support our fabulous team with your
donation.
You get a t-shirt to wear at the race!
Mark your calendar and call or text DeAnn McKillips,
419.681.0704, to REGISTER TODAY!
April 10th will be the Chili & Pie Cook Off where the
Confirmation Class challenges the congregation to a
chili cook off… or if you think your pies are the best,
we’ll take that challenge, too! Get your pots and
best recipes ready ‘cause they are lookin’ for you!
Enter a crockpot full of chili, or a pie, OR BOTH!!!
e
i
P
It’s on, congregation. The Confirmation Class is ready to
see who makes the best! Registration forms are in your Sunday
bulletin, or see DeAnn.
Healthy Habits
April 2016
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is managing church property to help
the congregation be effective in its ministries.
Progress on Projects:
The fan in the sanctuary's attic has been repaired, and is
again recirculating heated air for the comfort of our
services and to help the efficiency of our heating system.
The piping from the old boiler system was removed and
sold as scrap metal, with the proceeds being added to the
Preservation/Maintenance Fund.
After reviewing the church's insurance program and
quotes from different companies, the Trustees decided our
current coverage was adequate and the best value, and
voted to stay with the current provider.
Regarding repairs and cosmetic improvements to the
Youth Room, the church has received a generous donation
from the General Fabrication Corporation (GFC). GFC had
installed fluorescent lighting for a customer, who then
made other decisions. The lighting was never used, but
GFC had to remove it. Subsequently, GFC has given our
church enough T8 fluorescent light fixtures to completely
replace and upgrade all the ceiling lights in the Youth
Room.
The Trustees compared several quotes to repair the roof
over the Education Wing, and voted to accept the proposal
by Janotta & Herner to replace the shingles, soffit, fascia,
and gutters. Although the work has yet to be scheduled,
this project will be funded by a portion of the money
bequeathed by the Baque family and a specific grant from
the Ernsthausen Charitable Foundation.
Janotta & Herner will also upgrade and replace a small
access door to the roof. (The current door is impervious to
neither weather nor critter.) Money for this fix will come
from the Preservation/Maintenance Fund.
And...Coming SOON to a Rotunda near you:
The Board of Trustees present, in breathtaking color,
“Your Trustees Working Hard for You”
A chart depicting PROJECTS, LOCATIONS,
STATUS, and COSTS!
Living in the present is a big key to living a
stress-less life. The present moment is
where life can be found and if you don’t
arrive there, you miss your appointment
with life. If we spend too much of our time
and energy dwelling on the past and
worrying about the future, we miss the gift
of the moment we have. This week take a
few minutes to just breathe deeply and
slowly while enjoying the calm and peaceful
feeling of being in the moment. (taken in
part from Healthful Hints Vol. 2 by Helene
Elaine Vander Werff RN-C, MRE.)
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is
enough for today.” Matthew 6:34
In Christian Sympathy
Prayers for Pat Wetzel and family in the loss
of Dick Wetzel, who entered God’s rest
February 28th. Prayers for the Brooks Family
in the loss of Bev’s father, Lee Buckingham,
who entered God’s rest March 13th. Prayers
for the family of Natalie Smetzer, who
entered God’s rest March 23rd.
Baptisms
On March 20th we celebrated the baptism of
Faith Case and Noelle Jackson from the 2016
Confirmation Class.
Thank you
Thank you to everyone who contributed to
our recent food drive in support of the
Norwalk Area Food Bank. The food and
monetary donations were a welcome relief
to those who try to help as many needy
people as possible. 760 food items were
collected!
We are accepting scholarship
applications from students needing
financial assistance. The Scholarship
Committee believes in nurturing and
supporting graduates who are
members of our congregation. It is
our hope that through the
contribution to their higher
education, they will continue to grow in their Christian faith. We
believe that any graduate who is an active member of our church
should be eligible for a scholarship if he or she applies. A full-time
or part-time student attending a two or four-year or trade school will
be acceptable. The student must be working toward a degree.
Applications are available outside the church office door in the
folder marked “Scholarship.” You can request an application by
emailing the church office: norwalkfirstumchurch@gmail.com
Yoga Class
Mondays in April
11:00 a.m. - noon
~ Rotunda ~
Hello Friends,
I wanted to let you all know I will be
teaching a four-week yoga session
every Monday in April. No registration
necessary, and it is donation based
(suggestion is $5 but we appreciate
anything you would like to offer!)
~ Nikki Lacerna, Instructor
Deadline: June 19th at Noon
* Late applications will not be accepted. *
Scholarship Donations
We thank you, church family, for your faithful support in the past
and encourage you to continue supporting our students in their
financial need. If you are interested in donating to the Scholarship
Fund, please mark your envelope “Scholarship” and place it in the
offering plate or mail your donation to the church office.
Stitches of Love will not meet April
14th due to the Rummage Sale. Our
next gathering will be Thursday,
April 28th from 9:30-2:00 p.m. in
the kitchen “nook.” Come and enjoy
a potluck! We’ll do some craft
projects then enjoy a meal together.
Call Linda Newsom with any
questions. All are welcome.
Sanctuary Building Committee Update
We want to keep the congregation abreast of what is happening with the Sanctuary Building
Committee and the progress we are making.
First—Thanks for all the support and kind words concerning the dome cover project. This first step in
our renovation project is complete and, even better, totally paid for thanks to your generous support.
The new dome cover should serve us well for several generations.
Second—The next step in this project is to seal the exterior of the building and make it water-proof.
We expect an estimate of the cost for this in about a month and are told that it will be very expensive.
This phase of our project is not funded at this time.
Third—We recently met with Janotta & Herner, who are acting as project managers for this entire
project, and their architect concerning the renovation of the interior of the Sanctuary and expect to
have drawings back from them in several weeks.
Obviously, all this will be very expensive. Please thoughtfully and prayerfully consider how much you
can help to support this very important project.
First United Methodist Church
60 West Main St.
Norwalk, OH 44857
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 15
NORWALK, OH
Sandusky Choral Society
presents their
Sermon Schedule
April 3
“Let’s Call This Meeting to Order”
Acts 15:1-21
April 10
“God Strengthens and Encourages”
Acts 15:22-35
April 17 / UMW Sunday
“Because He Is at My Right Hand”
Psalm 16:8
April 24
“A Methodist Loves God”
Matthew 22:36-38
Spring Concert
Friday, April 22nd / 7:30 p.m.
Norwalk First United Methodist
Sanctuary
Tickets are $6.00
(available at the door)