November 2014 ... Faith UCC ...

November 2014
Faith UCC
970 N. Loop 337
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Glimpses of Faith Newsletter
Church Phone 625-6761
www.faithuccnb.org
Rev. Scott B. Martin, Pastor
Cell Phone 515-2866
Rev. Ray Bizer, Pastor Emeritus
_____________________________________________________
Recently the UCC statistical profile of the whole
denomination came out. Here are some facts from it that
give an over view of our denomination. We currently have
5,116 active congregations across the U.S. with
979,239 members. Pennsylvania has both the most churches and the most members. 63% of
UCC members are female and 37% male. 43% are lifelong UCC members.
From 2008 to 2013 392 churches either closed or left the UCC and 130 congregations
were either started or joined us. Churches that were started between 2008 experienced on
average a growth of 5 members. Churches organized prior to 2000 tended to experience a
decline in membership. Faith UCC was organized in 1966. We added 17 new members last
year and have added 10 so far this year. We are bucking the average. Over two thirds of UCC
churches were organized before 1900. 20% were organized between 1900 and 1969 and 10%
were organized in the last 32 years.
Membership Size: 41.3% of all UCC churches reported less than 100 members. This includes
Faith UCC. 34% of UCC churches had a worship attendance of 51-100 on an average Sunday.
44.1 of UCC churches had 50 or fewer in worship. Faith UCC is currently averaging over 60 in
worship.
Open and Affirming: In the last 5 years there was a 32.6% increase in churches that are
officially Open and Affirming. As of August 2014 1,173 UCC churches were ONA. Faith UCC
has been ONA for more than 5 years now.
Ministers: As of August 31, 2014 there were 7,823 active, authorized ministers in the UCC.
Of these 54.1% are 60 or over and 29.1% are between 50 and 59. That means 83.2% of active
UCC ministers are over 50! 53% of active UCC ministers are male and 47% are female. In
the last 10 years the percentage of female ministers has increased from 33.4% to 47.7%! From
2010-2014 the average tenure of a pastor retiring or moving was 8 1/2 years.
Offerings: 53.4% of UCC churches take up the Neighbors In Need offering. 40.2% take up
the Strengthen the Church offering. 50% take up the Christmas offering. 65.5% take up the
One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Here at Faith UCC we are a 5 for 5 church, contributing to
OCWM and all four of the special offerings. From 2009 to 2013 national basic support that goes
to our headquarters in Cleveland fell by 21.3%. Support of conferences decreased by 8.9%
New Churches: 52% of new UCC churches follow an alternative model of ministry such as an
emerging church or seeker ministry model. They worship at other times than Sunday morning
and in nonchurch settings. In general they attracted new and younger members than our older
established, traditional churches. In our newer churches 33% are LGBT, 61% female, and 55%
are college graduates, 31% were previously unchurched, 16% were former Roman Catholics.
The Rev. Paul Mohr Celebrates 65th Anniversary of Ordination
By: the Rev. Douglas Anders - Conference Minister (from conference e-newsletter)
The Rev. Paul Mohr was honored last Sunday at St. Peter's Church of Coupland UCC (a church
by the way that his father as well as Paul served). The Rev. Bill Royster shared during the after
lunch program that Paul served nine UCC churches in his ministry career and started three
UCC New Church Starts. I asked him to provide me a list of those churches. For those of you
who know Paul, you might be interested where some of those 65 years took him.
1. Friedens E and R UCC, Riesel Built New Church Building
2. Redeemer UCC, Zuehl Planned New Church Building
3. Founded (Planting Pastor) Church of the Good Shepherd, Albuquerque, MN Built New
Church Building
4. Union Cong'l UCC, Friona Built New Church Building
5. While in Friona, Founded (Planting Pastor) United Cong'l UCC, Lubbock (Held Services on
Tuesday Night)
6. Co-Founded (Planting Pastor) Faith United Church, New Braunfels
It failed and then Paul was called by Conference to re-start it.
7. Bethel Church UCC, Houston
8. First Cong'l UCC, Pueblo, CO
9. St. Peter's Church of Coupland UCC
Seven of the nine churches that Paul served as Pastor and Teacher were in the South Central
Conference. We are grateful for his many years of faithful ministry. As I said last Sunday it is
rare and high honor that any UCC Pastor is honored for 65 years of ordained ministry. We give
thanks for Paul's caring, dedicated and committed ministry to
the UCC and to this Conference.
Time Change: Fall Back Saturday
Night, Nov. 1st
Remember the weekend of Sunday, November 2 (Saturday night before going to bed) is our
Fall-Back weekend, gaining one hour of sleep and setting clocks back one hour back. Don't be
the only one who comes to church one hour early (and be really, really early for the worship
service). Fall back on Saturday night, November 1.
November Birthdays
11-4 Ray Bizer
11-5 Denise Leonhardt
11-10 Lacy Clark
11-12 Ava Perry-Clark
11-19 Barbara Jaroszewski
11-22 Hunter Leber
11-22 Steve Anderson
11-30 Leo Gates
11-30 Larissa Hunley
If your birthday is not on here let the pastor know so we can get you on the list for next
year.
At the Lord's Table at Back Bay Mission
Today,(10/15) there we were all gathered in the BBM Micah Center sitting together and
eating together around all of the tables. We were eating Sheppard's Pie, Cole, slaw, tea,
cornbread and brownies for dessert.
The room was full and buzzing. The voices in the room were muted except for Roxanne's
voice. She is always definitely in charge in the Micah Center and keeps our guests in order !
Everyone was served and it was done orderly.
I was sat next to a man that I remember from last year when I was here working the front desk
of the Micah Center. Everyone had their showers before lunch. They had spread the word that
there was free food being served today. There were no announcements posted anywhere that I
could see. anyone who came was welcomed.
I forced myself to participate fully. I don't like Sheppard's Pie and
the cornbread was not cooked by a Southerner..but some of the
pieces were browned enough. So, I got in near the back of the line
and was served a hearty portion of 'Shepherd's Pie". I asked some
questions during the conversation and listened a lot to the
conversations going on around me.
Later I looked around the room. I saw the Acting Executive Director,
Volunteers from various parts of the US, handicapped, black and
white, mentally ill, skinny and fat, old and young, sad eyes and
happy eyes, and other staff members from the admin. office ......all
of us sharing a meal together...... talking and laughing. Everyone
could come back for refills as much as they wanted
And I saw what heaven looks like. This is the kingdom of God! Hallelujah...All of God's children
having fun together.
Gratefully,
Hulen Brown
P.S. Wil & Hulen will be back from their two months as UCC Volunteers in Service the end of
October. Be sure and ask them about Back Bay Mission and being a long term volunteer.
Pastor Scott and Sheila Angerer will be joining a work camp group from the South Central
Conference at Back Bay Mission November 17-21st.
A thank you note was received from Back Bay Mission for our monthly contribution of $86.75.
At the conclusion of the letter they write "At BBM we always remember that poverty has a
human face, and that every person who walks through our doors is, first and foremost, a
precious child of a loving God. Thank you again for partnering with us through your
generous gift. We --and those we serve--are ever grateful." Kenny Washington, Interim
Executive Director
Family Promise News Items
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT FAMILY PROMISE
AND HAVE FUN AT THE SAME TIME!
MAMA MIA! is the next Family Promise Fun Flix movie to be shown at the Alamo Drafthouse
November 18, at 6:30 pm.
This One-Showing-Only event will be a Sing-Along. Tickets can be purchased ahead through
a Ticket Donation Link: www.fpgnb.org/enjoy-flix.php or tickets will be available the evening of
the event at the Drafthouse, 651 North Business Loop 35. The donation for tickets is $15 per
person.
LANDSCAPING WORKDAY, SATURDAY,NOV 1, 9-11
A first workday at the site of the new Family Promise Day Center will be held on All
Saints day, November 1st, from 9-ll a.m. Come to 295 Rosewood ready to help with the
first steps in developing a lovely landscape plan prepared for us by Dwight Micklethwait,.
Bring gloves, shovel, rake, and a wheelbarrow, if you have one. Most importantly,
bring yourself! Please let Karen Dietz know if you will be able to come. We want to
have enough breakfast tacos and water bottles to keep you energized! You can reach her
at 830-626-6833 or karenpdietz@gmail.com.
PLANT AND GROW! LANDSCAPE/XERISCAPE AT THE NEW
FAMILY PROMISE DAY CENTER
We have an opportunity to provide gifts toward the landscaping of the new Family Promise Day
Center! Move-in days are planned for early December. Help welcome our guests and delight
our new neighbors by sharing a gift toward the purchase of landscape plants: trees, shrubs,
and perennials .
Landscape plans have been drawn up by Dwight Mickelthwait, landscape architect, who has
given Family Promise the gift of a beautiful design. Costs for the plantings range from $100
for trees to $5 for grasses and perennials. Chinquapin oaks, desert willows, sweet acacias
and sages, rosemarys, ornamental grasses, bi-color irises, and more are part of the plan. What
a beautiful way to honor a friend or family member! We want to acknowledge your gifts
toward this effort so please put "landscaping" in the memo line of your check made to
FPGNB. We will see that it is received and acknowledged.
We at Faith Church are hoping to use money left from the 4-1-Earth offering last year to
provide funds for a Chinquapin oak tree to be planted in a corner of the new play ground
area, providing shade for guest children over the coming years. Join us with your own gift.
Do share this invitation with friends and family as well as members of local garden clubs so we
can "get the word out"! Thank you.
CHILD CARE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR "NEW BRAUNFELS WORKS"
Family Promise needs childcare volunteers during New Braunfels Works classes! This
will enable parents to participate in this vital employability program while knowing their children
are safe and happy. Volunteers will have the use of McKenna Children's Museum while
the parents attend class in another part of the building. All classes and child care will be
provided at: McKenna Events Center, 801 W. San Antonio St. here in town
town. Most classes are
from 10 a.m. until 12:30.
More information and a contact email can be found on the kiosk in the narthex.
nart
For
questions or to volunteer contact: Kendra, ksimswakeman@connectionsnonprofit.org.
ksimswakeman@connectionsnonprofit.org
One more way to make a difference in another person's life! Thank you.
Faith UCC Christmas Party at Slumber Falls
Camp December 13th
John and Michael Reinert are organizing a Christmas
party at Slumber Falls Camp for Saturday, December 13th
from 6-9
9 p.m. They will provide the turkey and dressing any
you are invited to provide side dishes, salads, appetizers or a
desert. Also, if you have any pictures taken at the church or
church events during 2014 please email them to the Reinerts thereinertfamily@me.com They
will use them to put together an power point program on 2014 at Faith. Luke will help lead us in
some Christmas
ristmas carols. Mark your calendars now! O Come All Ye Faithful!
Holiday Children’s Choir Coming Soon!
Calling all kiddos who love to sing! We’d be thrilled to have
you lend your joyful voices to the Children’s Choir. Reed
Hoke has generously
ously agreed to take on this project and will be working with the Christian Ed Committee
to put together a Children’s Choir just in time for Christmas. Please stay tuned in
the coming weeks as we get more information to you about practice times in
December.
With thanks and excitement,
The Christian Education Committee
November Worship Assistants
11-2
Liturgist: Bob Manning
Greeter: Nicolle Clark
Acolyte: Grace Perry
Hospitality: Shirley Manning
Council Rep: Karen Dietz
AV: Joe Ward
Ushers: Karen Dietz; Mikki Ward; Bob Manning; Tim Marlow
Children's Ch: Michelle &Nicolle Perry-Clark
11-9
LIturgist: Sheila Angerer
Greeter: Louie Heras
Communion: Mikki Ward
Acolyte: Larissa Hunley
Hospitality: Chrissy Gossett
Council Rep: David Reed
AV: Jan Hunley
Ushers: David Reed; Sheila Angerer; Jim Gossett; Louie Heras
Children's Church: Kathy Leber & Julia Allison
11-16
Liturgist: Florence Burns
Greeter: John Reinert
Acolyte: Jakob Beauchamp
Hospitality: Mary Jean Owen
Council Rep: Michael Reinert
AV: Tim Marlow
Ushers: Michael & John Reinert; Bill & Florence Burns
Children's Ch: Joe Ward & Wil & Hulen Brown
11-23 Liturgist: Donna Myer
Council Rep: Judy Anderson
Greeter: Michelle Perry
AV: Mikki Ward
Acolyte: Quinn Perry
Hospitality: Vicky Geisler
Ushers: David Myer; Michelle Perry; Nicolle Clark; Joe Ward
Children's Ch: Julia Allison & Rachel Adams
11-30 Liturgist: Wil Brown
Council Rep: Mikki Ward
Greeter: Joe Ward
Acolyte: Adam Gossett
Hospitality: Mikki Ward
AV: Kyle Kramm
Ushers: Joe & Mikki Ward; Wil & Hulen Brown
Children's Ch: Frank & Karen Dietz
If you cannot serve on the designated date/dates shown, please try to find a substitute. If that is
not possible, please call Joseph Ward (830-305-0214) or leave a message at the church office
(830-625-6761) as soon as possible. If you would like to be added or deleted from any portion
of this worship assistant list, please contact Joseph Ward at 830-305-0214.
Bill & Florence Burns
to Lead Holy Land Tour
March 2- 12, 2015
Join Rev. Dr. Bill and Florence Burns for a
Journey Through the Bible. This 11 day tour to the
Holy Land takes place March 2 through March 12.
The cost starts from $3,446 (from Austin) Your
journey includes: basic tour & guided sight seeing; round trip airfare from Austin; fuel
surcharges and government taxes; administration fees; entrace fees; gratuties and program
fees; daily buffet breakfast and dinner; deluxe motorcoaches; first class hotels and much, much
more. (All prices refelct a 4% cash discount) This trip is part of Educational Opportunities tours
which have been conducting tours for 40 years. Trip brochures are available on the kiosk
with a daily schedule of places to be visited. Three possible add on tours to Cairo, a Nile
cruise, or Jordan can be added to the end of your tour.
Thanks for the Birthday Good Wishes
I would like to thank the congregation for all their
birthday good wishes and for the card and gift card! I
would also like to thank you for remembering Pastor
Apprecitation month! It is a privilege to serve this
church and to be with you on this journey of faith.
Ken Triesch Scholarship Fund
Thanks to all of you who contributed to the
TLU Scholarship to honor Ken Triesch for his
many years of service to Faith UCC, to the
wider church and community. We collected
$1,120. This was split between two freshmen
music students at Texas Lutheran University.
The studen on the left is Robert Tschoepe from
New Braunfels. The student on the right is
Zachary Ayers from Marion. Robert is a vocal student and Zachary plays an instrument. Along
with their check the students received a folder with a picture and a brief bio of Ken Triesch. It
was a great joy to present this scholarship to the students on Thursday, October 30th and to
help support the next generation of musicians and vocalists.
IN NOVEMBER I THINK ABOUT WHY I PLAY THE NATIVE-AMERICAN TYPE FLUTE
Donna Foster Myer, October 2014
I became fascinated by the native American flute because of who I married. I became
enamored with its use in spiritual settings because of who I am.
In November 1966, at our first married Thanksgiving dinner, David and I celebrated with
friends in a way that has continued through our marriage ... by focusing on the cultures
present at that first joint fall harvest festival near the Atlantic Ocean shore. We did (and still
do) this because David has an ancestor who was a native of the new land and because my
family has a clear linage that leads back England and to those with whom the holiday of
Thanksgiving is linked.
I am the biological, philosophical and religious descendant of a group of religious dissenters
from the Church of England -- they called themselves Brownists. Their leaders taught that "God
has yet more light and truth to send forth from his word" and they believed strongly that
individual congregations should be able to choose their own "teachers" and define their own
beliefs. Arrested frequently by the official Church of England, imprisoned, fined, harassed and
impoverished, these people have been called Pilgrims in our history books and often confused
in people's minds with the "Puritans. " Actually much different from the "Puritans" who were
Scottish Christians , the Brownist separatist families chose to take a long one way religious
journey of discovery (indeed, a pilgrimage). They crossed the Atlantic Ocean aboard a small
and overcrowded ship called the Mayflower, in order to find a place to worship God where no
government had defined a state approved religion or state prohibited religions.
David's ancestor was a member of an Eastern seacoast nation just south of the New England
settlements. A great great grandmother (or more greats perhaps) was of the Lenni -Lenape
nation - an indigenous people who lived along the Delaware River in Eastern Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and New York. Of course the European settlers called them "Delaware Indians".
Their name of themselves (as was common of most nations on the continent) meant " the TRUE
people." Since I knew so much about my ancestors, eventually I set out to learn more about
David's ancestors. What I found fascinated me.
It is one thing to be fascinated by a culture and an instrument and another to "take it up." Most
directly, I play the NA flute because a Cherokee Indian in a South Carolina gym met me in the
weight room and handed me a NA flute. The conversation went like this:
Cherokee Mike: My wife says you are interested in the NA flute. Here .. (hands me a flute - wood handmade)
ME: This is beautiful!
Cherokee Mike: play something
ME: I don't know how
Cherokee Mike : treat it like a recorder to start - but no sharps or flats.
ME: I don't know any songs
by heart.
Cherokee Mike: Just play anything that comes to mind.
ME (no words ... just baffled expression)
Cherokee Mike: Look - you either can or can't play this kind of flute. It is not about learning, it is about
"being."
I play "something"... Cherokee Mike listens.
flute player
Cherokee Mike: go buy your own flute - you are a
Across the northern American continent, the indigenous peoples played a "flute" that was NOT
like the European recorder. The NA flutes are made more like a little organ pipe. They make
sound less like a whistle and more like blowing across the top
of, but not into, a soda bottle. The blown air sets up a
resonance vibration in the lower chamber of the flute. (I think
this resonance can be a way to think about me and God - as
well as music) The instrument plays in ONE key and tone
quality - determined by the size and material of the chambers;
thus each instrument was and is unique. Of course these
flutes originally did not use the key and pitch structure used in
European music so each flute played specific notes that were
NOT from the "do re mi" scale. They sounded and many still
sound - different even from each other.
The flutes played by those who lived along the Atlantic ocean
existed in similar form all across the continental areas we call
the United States and they were used in a variety of ways most common was to play for specific formal community
events: dances, preparation for battles, and other
celebrations. Specific tunes were memorized and passed
down the way stories were ... from elder to younger specialists.
But in the 1990s I found a reference in a small LenniLenape museum near where David grew up
which said the Leni Lenape saw their flutes in a very different way . They saw their flutes as
ways to interact with the spirits of both the environment and of the creation -- as well as to
interact with the spirits of the the people around them. Much of the music played was
spontaneous and not written down or preplanned. A player sat in a place, soaked up the
ambiance there, and let their fingers play something that felt right for that time and place.
Occasionally a flute player might develop a song for a specific feeling or person; used in this way
flutes were instruments of courtship and expressers of emotion and belief. Some important
cultural tunes were memorized and passed on - but for most players the playing of the flute was
personal and spiritual and spontaneous.
Up to that time I had been playing tunes passed down by various native nations, which had been
transposed into some form readable by current day musicians. I began instead to take my flute
with me as I traveled for my work and to sit and play it spontaneously. It became a way to interact
with the unknowable. And over time I became aware of its similarity to open forms of prayer and
other silent forms of community connection. That is what led me to play in more formal religious
spaces and times - and in the presence of other people.
And it all started because I married a man with LenniLenape ancestor and worshiped in a
denomination with direct Congregationalist connections to my ancestors.
I would like to make the following offer - if you would like to enlarge your own set of spiritual
resources, I would be glad to teach individuals or a group how to make this instrument enrich you
spiritual life. It is all about letting go of self- evaluation, thinking not of performance but of
connection, letting go of words as the only form of communication that is meaningful, becoming
immersed in your surroundings, and becoming a little bit more cross cultural.
11-1 Family Promise Work Day at the Day Center 9-11 a.m.
11-2 Worship 10:30 a.m. - Children's Church 10:45 a.m. - Confirmation Noon to 2 p.m.
NB Community Chorus at NB Presbyterian 3 p.m. (tickets $7)
11-5 Church Council 6:30 p.m.
11-9 Worship & Ainsley Nipper Baptism 10:30 a.m. - Children's Church 10:45 a.m. Confirmation Noon-2 p.m.
11-16 Worship 10:30 a.m. Children's Church 10:45 a.m.
NO CONFIRMATION TODAY
11-16-11-22 Back Bay Mission Work Camp (Pastor Scott)
11-20 PFLAG in Seguin meets at 7 p.m. (Ask pastor Scott for location)
11-21 SOS Food Bank 1-4 p.m. (Volunteers need!)
11-23 Worship 10:30 a.m.
Children's Church 10:45 a.m.
Confirmation Noon - 2 p.m.
11-27 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
11-30 Worship 10:45 a.m. Children's Church 10:45 a.m. NO Confirmation Today