January 19, 2006

Ninety-two teens attended the Auglaize Valley Region's Winter Break All-Niter Youth Event on January 15 at the Celina YMCA.  The event featured many swimming, basketball, racquetball, volleyball, big group games, movies, tons of pizza, and late night worship led by the praise band from First UCC, New Knoxville.  Will Stuart, pastor of Nu-Vizion Christian Fellowship UCC, Toledo, was the keynote speaker.

Yearbook reports were mailed on Jan. 6^th, so every church should have this white envelope, marked ANNUAL REPORT FORMS on someone’s desk by this time. These reports need to be completed and returned to Northwest by February 3.  Please try to meet this deadline.

Congratulations to First Congregational UCC in Berlin Heights and Trinity UCC in McCutchenville for returning their forms,  first!

REVISITING, REVIVING and RENEWING THE CALL  A Day of Reflection and Recommitment for licensed, lay and ordained ministers serving Northwest Ohio Association will take place on Thursday, February 23 from 10 – 4 pm at First UCC in Findlay.  Cost is $10 which will pay for lunch and the speaker, Rev. Bill Barndt. Bill will be sharing astute thoughts on the nature of ministry and ways of keeping alive a joyful sense of adventure. You may register with the flyer in the monthly mailing or by emailing joan@nwoa.org and paying at the door.  To keep faith with the call, ministers of NWOA need spiritual refreshment and encouragement. Come enjoy the day!

The Ordination of Bradley McKibben will take place on February 5 at 3:00 pm at First UCC, 248 Harding Way West, Galion. All Authorized Ministers are welcome to attend this special day of ordination, robed and with Red Stoles. Come enjoy this day with Bradley and his family!

Installation at First UCC, Shelby

Rev. Rich Rader will be installed at First UCC in Shelby on March 12, 2006 at 3:00 pm.

Please return your CUE Goal with your OCWM Goal sheet to the Northwest Ohio Association.

Auglaize Valley Regional Leadership Empowerment Day – February 26 at The Oasis at West Elm UCC, Lima, OH. See flyer at bottom of this newsletter!

Lay School of Religion will begin a Spring Theology Course  “So –What do you think? (About God)” on Feb. 7 at 7:15 pm here at the Association Office.  See monthly mailing for registration.

Junior High Youth Event – Sponsored by the NWOA Faith Formation Team “Body Building” will be held at Pilgrim Hills Camp on February 19 and 20^th (President’s Day Weekend). Cost is $55 per person (youth and adults)  Registration Forms were mailed to all churches.  Questions please contact Rev. Joel Fetter at Peace Community in Waldo  740-726-2808 or email dce@peacecommunityucc.org

General Synod Delegates – Class of 2009.

Attend two General Synods: 2007 and 2009

For the Class of 2009 -  2 Clergywomen, 2 Clergymen, 2 Laywomen, 1 Layman

Note of those above – 1 needs to fit each category  -  Under 19   &    19 through 29

Must be a member of  a UCC church in the Northwest Ohio Association

General Synod will be in Hartford, Connecticut in 2007. 

If you are interested contact Donna Overholt, Nomination Committee chairperson 419-447-0572

Tom Paton Award will be presented at the Ohio Conference Annual Gathering on June 16 -17 at Heidelberg College.  A Form has been sent to all persons receiving the Monthly mailing.  Please remember if your church is applying for the award to send a letter outlining the things your congregation has done and intends to do with the completed form to the Association Office.  The Witness and Proclamation Ministry Team would like to receive this form and letter by March 1 if at all possible.

RECENT EMAIL & MAIL CHANGES and ADDITIONS

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

Prayer Requests

Rev. Walter Clausing, 99 years old from St. Marys, was hospitalized for pneumonia last week but is now back to Otterbein Care Center doing well. 

Pam McSherley (wife of Rev. Lon McSherley, St. John’s Mansfield) passed away on Monday, January 16 of an extended illness. The funeral is today, Thursday, Jan. 19 at Hill Funeral Home, 220 S. State Street, Westerville, Ohio at 1:00 P.M.  A Service of Celebration will be held at St. John’s UCC in Mansfield, soon. Please remember Lon and his family during this time of loss.

Lloyd Bollenbacher, the brother of the Rev. Cliff Bollenbacher, Marion passed away. Please remember the Bollenbacher family.

The Rev. Richard A. Wolff has passed away.  A Service will be held on January 28 at St. Paul UCC, 9715 E. River Rd., Elyria at 2:00 pm with a gathering after the service to greet the family. Contributions may be made to the Wolff Program for Theological Education.

The mother of Rae Maurer of Marion (Lenora Holfelder) passed away on December 30.  Please remember Rae, Tom and their family in this time of loss.

Deadlines and Meeting Dates

Upcoming

January – 2006

19      Church Development Team 10-2pm

19      Witness and Proclamation Team10-1pm

21      NWOA Cabinet 9:30 – 2 pm

23-24  Ohio Ministries Convocation

26      Sandusky Valley RCT  5 pm  St. John’s UCC, Bucyrus

31      Lakeshore Regional Clergy 11-1 pm  Holiday Inn - Fremont

February

2        Defiance Clergy Cluster 11:30 -1:00 pm  Defiance College

3        Heidelberg Women here at NWOA  9:30 am

4        Re-Up your License 10 -2 pm

5        Bradley McKibben’s Ordination  3:00 pm First UCC, Galion

6        Sandusky Valley Clergy 11:30 am Pour House, Upper Sandusky

7        Church and Ministry

7        Lay School 7:15 pm

8        Timely Topics 10:30 – 1:30 pm

8        Stewardship & Caring Team 2-4 pm

9        Monthly Mailing Deadline

9        Auglaize Valley South Clergy 11:30 am  Lima Hospital

11      Finance and Budget

14      Maumee Bay Clergy 9:30 am Faith UCC, Toledo

Auglaize Valley Region

Leadership Empowerment Day

Sunday, February 26, 2006     2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

The Oasis on West Elm United Church of Christ, 1606 W. Elm Street, Lima, Ohio

What’s the purpose?

To energize and equip local church leaders with transformational leadership skills and program ideas that will help your congregation to better live and witness the love of God in your own community.

Who’s invited?

Clergy and lay leaders  (both youth and adults) engaged in ministry throughout the life of your church.

Schedule:

2:00 p.m.          Registration - $2.00 per person 

Leadership Empowerment Resource Store opens

2:30 p.m.          Opening Worship & Keynote – Rev. Daniel Busch

3:00 p.m.          Workshops – Session #1

4:15 p.m.          Workshops – Session #2

5:15 p.m.          Table Talk with Supper

6:00 p.m.          Closing Hymn and Benediction

Proposed Workshops for Leadership Empowerment Day

First Session Workshops and Leaders

1.     Music Wars: How to Bridge the Divide

Leader: Joan McConnell – Organist, Trinity UCC, Tiffin, OH

2.     Keeping Christian Unity in a Divided Church

Leader: Rev. Robert Chase – Proclamation, Identity, and Communication Ministry Minister & Team Leader, Publisher United Church News

3.     Forum for Church Moderators & Church Council Presidents

Leader: Rev. Daniel Busch – Northwest Ohio Association Minister, Tiffin, OH

4.     Leading Contemporary Worship & Song Selection

Leader:  Mitch Reed – Associate Pastor, First UCC, New Knoxville, OH

5.     Keeping Them Connected: Ministry to College Students

Leader: Rev. Janice Bechtel – Campus Minister, Defiance College, Defiance, OH

6.     Purpose Driven Youth Ministry

Leader: Rev. Ron Shifley – Pastor, Spencerville UCC, Spencerville, OH

7.     Multiply Your Ministry: Moving From Sitting to Serving

Leader. Rev. Barry Bordenkircher – E4 Church Coaching (www.e4churchcoaching.com)

Second Session  Workshops & Leaders

1.     Music Wars: How to Bridge the Divide

Leader: Joan McConnell – Organist, Trinity UCC, Tiffin, OH

2.     Keeping Christian Unity in a Divided Church

Leader: Rev. Robert Chase – Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry Minister & Team Leader, Publisher United Church News

3.     Hurricane Rebuilding in New Orleans

Leader: Rev. Jeanette Tangeman – Buckland UCC, Buckland, OH

4.     Rotation Model Sunday School: Taking It to the Next Level

Leader: Rev. Ron Shifley – Pastor, Spencerville UCC, Spencerville, OH

5.     Teen Leadership… a Workshop Just For Teens!

Leader: Mitch Reed – Associate Pastor, First UCC, New Knoxville, OH

6.     Forum for Choir Directors: Taking Your Choir to the Next Level

Leader: Jack Hansbrough – Choir Director, St. Paul UCC, New Bremen, OH

7.     The Right Sound & Projection Equipment Makes the Difference

Leaders: Bruce Klucharich & Robert Eiber – Media Integrators Inc., Oakwood Village, OH

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