Keeping Us Connected in Christ"
Northwest Ohio Association,
United Church of Christ
March 9, 2005
Sandusky Valley Region had their Marchfest last Sunday. Focusing on “Connections” about fifty people gathered for connecting through worship and fellowship, as well as exploring specific “connecting points” or ways churches might work together. Thanks to the leaders of the day and the host church St. John’s UCC, Baseline.
Request for Stewardship Stories. For the past several months, the Stewardship and Caring Ministry Team has included an article in the Monthly Mailing entitled Seeds for Stewardship. They are seeking stories from your church on how you encourage stewardship. Stewardship includes the sharing of our money, but also our time and talents. Send stories to the Association Office.
Assistance is needed for General Synod delegates. There are 13 folks from NWOA who are part of the Ohio Conference delegation to General Synod (July 1-5, 2005; Atlanta). Because of the decline in giving to OCWM, the National Covenanted Ministries, that has provided some financial assistance to conference delegations as well as underwriting various other costs, is not able to provide as much financial support. The total cost per delegate is estimated at $1,000 (registration, transportation, hotel, food, etc.) The Ohio Conference is able to provide some support. However, we are anticipating that delegates may need to pay about $700 in costs. It is an honor to be a General Synod delegate. Letters are being written to the local churches of the delegates to encourage ways to support the delegate from their congregation. However, we invite all Association churches to assist with the cost. If you or your church would like to contribute, checks can be made payable to the Association with a memo for General Synod delegates. We will disburse the money to the delegates from NWOA according to need. The following are the delegates from NWOA: Jan Bechtel, Bill Chidester, Patrick Chitwood, Kay Mooney Cox, Rick Dorsch, Karla Frost, Peni Gray, Frank Isaacs, Ben McKibben, Glenn Melter, Roger Perl, Tom Quellhorst, and Annette Schroer.
The UCC TV Ads
have begun on the following cable TV stations:
ABC Family, AMC, A&E, BBC, BET, CNN, CNN Headline, Discovery, Hallmark,
History Channel, Nick at Night, TBS, TNT, TV Land. The exact times are
listed on the UCC website (www.ucc.org).
However, station air times are subject to change. The commercial ad which
is running is the “bouncer” ad. Although many church people prefer the
“steeple” ad, the “bouncer” ad has been most effective in reaching the
target audience – folks not involved in a church. This is about
evangelism! TV ads are an opportunity for churches to build upon with their
own evangelism efforts.
What can we do to make
the most of this moment? The list below is from the UCC website.
1. Pray. And enlist others to pray that this effort will expand God's
extravagant welcome and radical hospitality.
2. Stay on message. Take each opportunity when asked questions about
the campaign to proclaim the message of God's welcome and to invite people.
Every word spent publicly criticizing any aspect of the campaign will
reflect negatively on the effort, and it does nothing to invite anyone to
experience God's welcome.
3. Renew your commitment to the principles learned during (the God is
Still Speaking) training to welcome absolutely everyone and to find ways to
get seekers to the best spiritual home for them - even if you have to refer
them elsewhere.
4. Measure and compare it with the same time last year. You cannot manage
what you cannot measure. Measure numbers of guests, church attendance,
giving, and other measures of engagement that interest you.
5. Work your local media. There are sample releases and angles you can
work locally. This will be much more important this time because it will not
be a hot story on the national level.
6. Show your signs and colors. Fly your banners prominently and encourage
members to wear and use God is Still Speaking items at group events to make
a statement that re-enforces the message on TV. There are now comma lapel
pins as well!
7. Show your support for the campaign financially, if you have not
already done so. Our decision to go ahead means that we will continue to
raise the rest of the funds we need to pay for the campaign. Every day we
continue to receive your gifts. Thanks for keeping all our hopes and dreams
alive - and . . . expect a miracle. They are God's specialty.
The UCC has released the Ad on nearly 50 of the most widely-read blogs. A blog is short for “web log” which is basically an online journal that, typically, is updated daily with chronological posting by the site’s author. It is considered the “next great revolution in journalism.” An estimated 1 million people will view the UCC ad through the blog advertisements. For more information, check the UCC website.
The Association office has received over $33,000 from our local churches to support the relief efforts following the tsunami in southern Asia. Thank you!
Association Annual Meeting registration materials will be in the mail this week. Look for them! The date is April 30, 2005 at St. John’s UCC, Kenton. The theme: God is Still Speaking: Past and Present.
A four-year consumer boycott of Taco Bell restaurants ended March 8 with an announcement that the restaurant's parent company, Yum Brands, based in Louisville, Ky., would take significant steps to improve income and working conditions for those who pick tomatoes used by the fast-food giant. The boycott was support by the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, along with several other denominations. For more details, check the UCC website (www.ucc.org).
RECENT EMAIL & MAIL CHANGES and ADDITIONS
If your personal (or church) email address or mailing address has recently changed, let us know!
Pastor Jim Michaels – Union UCC, Bascom & St. John’s UCC, Fostoria
email theyoke@bright.net
Prayer Requests
Deadlines and Meeting Dates
Upcoming
March
10 Auglaize Valley Regional Clergy
Lima Memorial 11:30 am
12 Association Cabinet 9:30 – 2:30 pm
12 Flight School Shiloh UCC, Dayton
15 Lay School 7:15 pm
17 Search Committee 9:30 am
19 Flight School St. John’s, Mansfield
19 Flight School Trinity Methodist, Defiance
25 Office Closed – Good Friday
30 Firelands Clergy 9-11 am
1st UCC in Sandusky
31 Faith Formation 10 -2 pm