November 29, 2006
Office Hours at Northwest Association office 8 – 4 pm.
Email Address for Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister dlbusch@nwoa.org
Rev. Daniel Busch is in Florida to attend the National Search and Call Gathering and will return to Tiffin on Monday Dec. 4th. Wonder if the SUN is shining in Florida?
Prayer Requests
Rev. Larry Blunden will have vein surgery on his leg Friday, Dec. 1st. Please pray for a speedy recovery.
Rev. Phil Hart – Transitional Interim Ohio Conference Minister
Last Friday the Board of Directors of the Ohio Conference elected the Rev. Phil Hart to become the Transitional Interim Conference Minister of the Ohio Conference. Phil has his ordained ministerial Standing in the Central Southeast Ohio Association. He will begin his duties on Tuesday, January 2, 2007.
Phil is a 1992 graduate of Wright State University with a BA in Psychology, the Asbury Theological Seminary with a MDiv in 1995 and a Master of Theology in 1997. He also earned a Masters in Communication at Ohio University in 2001.
Phil will also be the part-time Director of a three year Youth Compassion Initiative with the National Youth Advocacy Project (NYAP) program which recently received a $750,000 grant from the federal government to help the churches of the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ and the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church to expand their capacities to help disadvantaged and at risk youth in Ohio.
The focus of Phil's work as he serves as Transitional Interim Conference Minister is the Model of Redefinition for Ohio Conference and our progress toward the goals of transition developed by the Leaders Forum and adopted by the Ohio Conference Board of Directors. Phil will serve until the new Conference Minister is called and arrives in the Ohio Conference some time in 2007.
Background Check
The United Church of Christ is making a significant addition to the Ministerial Profile. A National Criminal Background check will be required to be attached to a Ministerial Profile before it can be circulated. Any Ministerial Profile begun after December 15, 2006 must have a criminal background attached. The United Church of Christ is committed to creating safe environments where all people are protected from abusive behavior by those who are called to serve. The UCC first began requiring Ministerial Profiles to contain an attached Background Check and Release Form in 1994. This form was updated in 1996 when it became the Background Disclosure Form. Both of these forms asked that authorized ministers self-report any history of ecclesiastical discipline and any criminal record other than acts of civil disobedience. Now the UCC has contracted with Oxford Document Management to conduct national criminal background checks so there is uniformity across the entire church. The cost of the background check is $140.00. This cost will initially be paid by the authorized minister and it is anticipated that when a call is extended, the calling body will reimburse the minister for this cost.
The Association’s financial books for 2006 will be closed Monday, January 8, 2007. Please see that money to be recorded for 2006 is received by this date. It is helpful if checks sent are dated December 31, 2006 so that there is no confusion of intent.
Ohio Ministries Convocation
The 2007 Ohio Ministries Convocation is January 22 and 23 at the University Plaza Hotel in Columbus. The theme this year is Religion and Science and the keynoter is John Haught, of the Department of Theology at Georgetown University. His two keynotes are “Evolution and Faith: What is at Stake?” and “Science, Theology and the Search for cosmic Purpose”. Some very interesting workshops are also scheduled for the event. United Church of Christ participants are invited to a Monday noon luncheon hosted by the Ohio Conference. A separate registration is required for the noon meal. To register for the luncheon please contact Pam Brown in our Conference office. PamelaB@OCUCC.ORG
History and Polity Course at METHESCO
A United Church of Christ History and Polity course will be offered in the spring at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. The Rev Paul Baumer will again be teaching the course. The course design is to meet Friday evening from 6:30 to 9:00 and Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on 5 weekends beginning Friday night September 9.
Winter Break All-Niter regional youth event will be Sunday, January 14, 2007 from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. at the Celina YMCA. Rev. Darryl Kistler, Heidelberg College Campus Minister will be the keynote speaker during late night worship. Registration materials will be mailed out soon.
Leadership Empowerment Day will be held on Sunday, February 25, 3007 at Oasis on West Elm UCC, Lima, and will include helpful workshops, worship, a resource store, networking and fellowship.
Help Wanted - UCC Disaster Ministry Office, New Orleans
The UCC Disaster Ministry Office in New Orleans is entering the rebuilding phase of work and ministry with families in the affected areas of New Orleans. In order to provide quality service, work and assistance to families, the UCC Disaster Office is in search of licensed professional tradespersons to work with the UCC Disaster Office in the following capacities.
Master Commercial Electrician. Lead crews in completely rewiring two UCC churches and rewiring another church’s fellowship hall in order to accommodate additional use and work groups. Work will include removal of existing damaged wiring, planning and installing complete service to the building, both rough in and finish.
Master Residential Electrician. Lead crews in rewiring UCC church members’ homes. Work will include removal of existing damaged wiring, planning and installing complete service to the home, both rough in and finish.
Master Plumber. Work in UCC churches and church members’ homes, repairing and replacing water and/or gas lines. Installation of rough in plumbing and finish installation of equipment and fixtures.
Licensed HVAC Technician. The work required includes complete installation of HVAC equipment in one church and work in church members’ homes. In most instances, the work involves complete installation of an HVAC system.
People in these positions will work with the UCC Disaster Office and New Orleans permitting and inspection departments in order to insure quality and maintain standards of Orleans Parish.
This is a volunteer opportunity. In order to expedite the work, individuals are welcome to plan a trip to New Orleans as soon as possible. Expected length of stay is two weeks. The duration is flexible dependent on work load and schedule.
The UCC Disaster Office will purchase needed equipment, tools and supplies and will work with the city permitting office to obtain licenses for each individual. The UCC Disaster Office will supply housing during the person’s stay and will work out logistics of travel while in New Orleans. In certain cases the UCC Disaster Office will pay for the person’s travel to and from their home.
Interested people are invited to contact Rev. Alan Coe, Minister for Disaster Recovery in New Orleans at 830-832-2222 or revacoe@yahoo.com.
Update your web page
Would you like to update your church webpage, ask
webinfo@nwoa.org for help. Visit
www.nwoa.org for more Association
information.
Monthly Mailing
The monthly mailing will be sent over the email by request only. If you would like to receive the mailing by email please contact Joan Davidson at joan@nwoa.org.
Help us meet our OCWM Goal for 2006
Goal for 2006 - $ 495,000 (as of Oct. 06) $ 308,004
MESSIAH SING
St. Paul United Church of Christ Wapakoneta will sponsor an Area Wide Messiah Sing on Sunday, December 17 at 3 PM. Soprano Michelle McHaffie, Mezzo Soprano Mary Beth Poulimenos, Tenor Jake SanGeorge and Baritone Damion Stout, all professional musicians, will offer solos from Handel's Oratorio, “The Messiah.” Anyone who wishes may join in the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Pianist Thomas Szor and organist Karen Joseph will provide accompaniment. The concert is funded by the Donald and Irene Seitz Endowment and is free. The public is invited. A reception will follow. St. Paul United Church of Christ is located at 101 South Perry Street in downtown Wapakoneta.
Historic Lyme Village, Bellevue
Take in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Christmas past. Visit the decorated log cabins, one-room school house, Detterman Log Church, 1836 Seymour farmhouse, The John & Alvina Schaeffer Museum in the Old Groton Township Hall and the 1880’s Wright Mansion decked out in Holiday splendor by The Victorian Guild of Lyme Village. Admission: $5/Adults $3/Children ages 6-12 www.lymevillage.com
Christmas Lantern Tour – Sat. Dec. 16th 6-9 pm
Christmas of Yesteryear – Sun., Dec. 17th 1-5 pm Wed., Dec. 27th 1-5 pm
Deadlines and Meeting Dates
Upcoming
December
4 Sandusky Valley Clergy
Fairhaven Community, Upper Sandusky
5 Church and Ministry
5 Holiday Luncheon at Fairhaven
5 Lay School 7:15 p.m.
7 Nominating Committee Meeting 9:30 am
7 Support Committee Meeting Tiffin 11 am
8 Monthly Mailing Deadline
9 Cabinet 9:30-2 p.m.
11 Deans Meeting 10:00 am
14 Auglaize Valley South Clergy
19 Lay School 7:15 p.m.
25-29 Office Closed
************************************************************************
If you wish to be deleted from this mailing list, please contact joan@nwoa.org
Don’t forget to visit our website at www.nwoa.org
