November 16, 2005

 

 

 

 

NWOA Web page.  Check it out, new and improved.  Please send any updated information to joan@nwoa.org.

 

Jr. High Youth Association Event!   February 19-20 @ Pilgrim Hills
Attention Pastors, Christian Educators, and Youth Leaders!! Some of you may have wondered what happened to the Fall Jr. High Youth Event like we have had the last several years. The answer...the Faith Formation team decided to do something different. We are going to offer a weekend at camp in February.  The theme will be "Body Building". Among the experiences, youth will have the chance to participate in an action challenge course, community building activities and a night hike. The cost will be $55 for each person (both youth and adults). A flyer will be arriving in the mail soon!  Watch for more details. Contact Joel Fetter at Peace Community, Waldo (740-726-2808) or by e-mail (dce@peacecommunityucc.org)

 

The Auglaize Valley Regional Banner will be at Emanuel UCC in New Bavaria on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27.

 

Peace Team Presentation

Thursday November 17, 2005         7:00 p.m. Pilgrim Church UCC

1375 Sylvania Ave – Toledo, Ohio 43612  419-478-6012 Contact Rev. Dr. Lawrence Michael Cameron, OAC

What happened in Toledo, Ohio this past month might have not occurred if there was an active Toledo Peace Team on the scene.  At least, viewing similar situations in other places, one can see that the presence of a non-violent, Peace team that promotes and actively engages in violence reduction tactics things can turn out differently.

The Michigan Peace Team (www.michiganpeaceteam.org) has been invited to Toledo, Ohio by Pilgrim Church’s Senior Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Michael Cameron, to present a lecture on what their Peace team does and what successes they have had in the past working in situations where the KKK and other hate groups rallied.

This presentation will take place at Pilgrim Church on Thursday November 17, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in their main Sanctuary and the public is encouraged and invited to attend.  This will be an introduction to the use of non-violent peace tactics and see if there is enough interest to form a Toledo Peace Team.

Pastor Cameron first met the leader of the Michigan Peace Team (MPT) back in 1997 when he was with the Christian Peace Team heading to Hebron, Israel to monitor human rights violations on the West Bank and to “get in the way” of the military bulldozers that were destroying Palestinian homes. Fr. Peter Daughtry is the head of the MPT and will be one of the evenings presenters.  Father Peter, is a 68 year old Roman Catholic priest who has been a full time peacemaker for 27 years and with Michigan Peace Team since its founding in 1993. He currently resides in Lansing, Michigan. He has been on peace teams in Bosnia, Haiti, Chiapas in Mexico, and Palestine. He is an MPT nonviolence trainer. Peter coordinates the MPT Faith Community Peace Team Project. Peter was in Israel/Palestine from July 1-17, 2002. He was part of a peace team that lived in Al Fara' Refugee Camp and documented the human rights situation. Fr. Peter, along with the MPT, has trained Peace Makers throughout the world.

Sheri  Wander will also be a presenter from MPT she is 33 years old and has a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Kent State University. She has extensive experience providing conflict management and peer mediation programs for high-risk adolescents. Sheri lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan and is Co-Coordinator of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice in Ann Arbor. She is also an MPT nonviolence Lead Trainer.  Sheri was in Israel/Palestine from August 1-14, 2002 as a nonviolence trainer. She also served as a human shield for endangered families in Dheisheh Refugee Camp.

Those interested in Peace and Non-violent interventions are encouraged to attend this information session and help us determine if there is enough interest and calling to form a Toledo Peace Team, or at least have the training.

 

VIRGINIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY is hosting a Summer Collegium; a
nine-day intensive residential program, ecumenical in scope, for clergy
in mid-career serving small parishes (average worship attendance 100 or
fewer). The Collegium will serve 25 clergy, along with their spouses or
partners, addressing the specific needs of clergy and clergy households
committed to small-church ministry. It is fully funded through the Lilly
Endowment and is offered to participants at no cost. For more
information, go to their website www.vts.edu/education/collegium/. 

 

 

WORSHIP LEADERS ARE NEEDED for weekly 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning
worship services held at the Church House in Cleveland for the upcoming
program year. If you are interested in leading an approximately
30-minute long service, please contact Lorin Cope for available dates on
the schedule.  (copel@ucc.org or 216-736-2190)

 

“Sexual Minorities in the Church”

Dr. Greg Carey, Professor of New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary, guest of Gettysburg Association Meeting, Penn Central Conference, addresses Marriage Equality Resolution from the Biblical and Historical Perspectives. The disk “Sexual Minorities in the Church” is available to view at the Association office or you may call the Penn Central Conference at 717-652-1560 to purchase.  Disk $12  Video $10  .

 

PASTORAL CHANGES/CELEBRATIONS

REV. WALTER CLAUSING (St. Mary’s) will be 99 years old on December 6th.  There is an open house being given for him on December 4th from 2 to 4 pm at Otterbein Retirement Center - he would welcome anyone who would like to come.  For those who would like to drop him a card his address there is:  Otterbein Retirement Community, 11300 Circle Dr., St. Marys, OH 45885.

 

TERRY KOHANSKI will be ordained at First UCC in Findlay on Dec. 4 at 3:00 pm.

 

REV. SUSAN TAYLOR will serve Faith UCC in Toledo as Designated Minister.

 

REV. ED SHELLY is serving Wakeman Congregational UCC in Wakeman during their interim time.

 

REV. CLIFF BOLLENBACHER is serving Buckland UCC as Interim Minister.

 

BUCKLAND UCC will remain in the UCC. They did not attain the 2/3 vote needed to withdraw.

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RECENT EMAIL & MAIL CHANGES and ADDITIONS

If your personal (or church) email address or mailing address has recently changed, let us know!

 

 

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Prayer Requests

KELLY WILLS LAPLANTE, the daughter of Rev. Steve Wills, St. Peter’s Church in New Bremen is in need of our prayers as she is under observation for 4-6 weeks before any invasive measures are taken.

Please keep St. Peter’s Church in New Bremen and Columbus Grove Church in your prayers.  They have decided to leave the UCC.

 

St. John’s UCC, Archbold has taken a vote to leave the UCC. Remember Archbold in your prayers.

 

 

Deadlines and Meeting Dates

 

 

Upcoming

 

November

17      Faith Formation 10 - 2 pm

17      Church Development Team 2-4 pm

17      Executive Committee 4 pm

18-20  Ohio Conference Fall Youth Event

24-25  Office Closed

29      Deans Meeting  10 – 1 pm

29      Nominating Committee 2 – 4 pm

30      Firelands Clergy

 

December

4        Terri Kohanski Ordination First UCC, Findlay  3:00 pm

5        Sandusky Valley Clergy- Pour House Upper Sandusky 11:30 am

6        Church and Ministry

6        Retired Clergy Holiday Event

6        Lay School 7:15 pm, Auglaize Valley South Clergy, Lima Hospital 11:30 am

9        Monthly Mailing Deadline

13      Maumee Bay Clergy Park, Toledo

14      Witness & Proclamation Team, 12:30 – 2:30 pm

14      Stewardship & Caring Team 2-4 pm

15      Church Development Team 10-2pm

20      Lay School  7:15 pm

 

 

 

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