January 19, 2007
Email Address for Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister dlbusch@nwoa.org
Rev. Daniel Busch was the guest preacher at The Congregational Community Church in Monroeville on Sunday January 14th and will be preaching this Sunday at St. John’s UCC in Mansfield with two services at 9:00 and 10:30 am.
Prayer Requests
The niece of Rev. Terry Kohanski was killed in an automobile accident on Christmas Eve. Please pray for this family during their time of loss.
The wife of Rev. Jim Van Brussels supply pastor at Faith UCC in Toledo is in need of prayers due to an on going illness.
Rev. Cathy Wirth will be installed on January 28th as Pastor at Bloomville UCC in Bloomville beginning at 3:00 pm. All are welcome!
Rev. Catherine Costello will be installed on March 11th as Pastor at St. Paul’s UCC in Rockford beginning at 3:00 pm. All are welcome!
The Yearbook Forms are on your desk! The National yearbook forms were mailed to each church on Dec. 22. Please return the completed forms to the Northwest Ohio Association office by Feb.3, 2007.
Spring 2007 Lay School of Religion begins Feb. 6th. Course offering New Testament – Instructor Gale Green. See attachment for registration.
TIMELY TOPICS
The Church’s response to the crisis in the Middle East
Peter Makari, Ph.D., Executive, Middle East and Europe, Global Ministries.
Wed., Jan. 31, 2007
Location: Northwest Ohio Association, 416 Wentz St., Tiffin, OH 44883
Time: 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. No Cost!
Bring a brown bag lunch (beverages are available)
Auglaize Valley 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. Look for registration and workshops attached to this email.
Winter Break All-Niter
Fifty-six teens from the Auglaize Valley Region gathered at the Celina YMCA on January 14-15 for the Winter Break All-Niter regional youth event. Churches participating included: Buckland UCC, Immanuel UCC, Kettlersville, St. Paul UCC, New Bremen, First UCC, New Knoxville, St. Paul UCC, Rockford and Spencerville UCC. Worship was led by praise band members from Spencerville UCC and First UCC, New Knoxville. Pastor Chuck Moeller, Immanuel UCC, Kettlersville, was the keynote speaker substituting for Rev. Darryl Kistler, Heidelberg College Campus Minister was stranded by an ice storm in Texas. The event included late night worship, swimming, basketball, volleyball, big group games and a lot of time for fun and fellowship. Special thanks go out to all of the churches participating and donating snacks for the event. Winter Break All-Niter 2008 will be held at the Celina YMCA January 13-14, 2008.
Inspiring Generosity & Planned Giving Event
On March 31 at First UCC in Findlay the Stewardship & Caring Team will sponsor Inspiring Generosity & Planned Giving. Key note speakers will be Margaret Mills – Minister for Stewardship, Education & Youth with the Western Reserve & Eastern Ohio Association and Nancy Ackley – Minister for Capital Campaigns & Financial Development with the Western Reserve & Eastern Ohio Association. Registration will begin at 9:00 am. See the attachment to register.
Effective Teaching Workshop
On March 24 at Trinity UCC in Tiffin a workshop will be offered “Effective Teaching”. Keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Marian Plant, Coordinator for the Defiance College Design for Leadership. See attachment for more information.
Needed item in New Orleans
Donations of new or gently used books, pre-K through high school, of teachers' resources, gift cards from Home Depot or monetary gifts would be greatly appreciated by those of us going as a work team to New Orleans March 16. The books and teacher resources (remember, they have lost almost everything) are disbursed by the Book Ministry of Good Shepherd UCC where we stay. We handle the gift cards and monetary donations. No administrative costs are ever involved. All donations go directly to the people. Please contact Rev. Jeanette Tangeman, tangeman@ohiolink.net, 419-657-2196, for further information. Thank you so much.
Finding support for interim ministry
On Monday, March 19, the Interim Ministry Working Group of the Ohio Conference and the Christian Church in Ohio (Disciples of Christ) are offering a workshop for interim ministers and those who are inquiring about the possibility of interim ministry. The Rev. Char Burch will be the keynote presenter on the theme “Where Do We Find Emotional, Financial and Personal Support for Interim Ministry?” Char is an intentional interim minister with over 20 years of experience in local churches and judicatory settings. She is known to many in Ohio because of her long-term interim as the Association Minister in Northwest Ohio. Char presently is serving as the Interim Conference Minister in the Missouri-Mid South Conference.
In the morning, there will be a separate workshop led by the Rev. Dr. Anthony Carpenter for those who are new to interim ministry or who are just considering the possibility of interim ministry. The workshop will be offered at East Columbus Christian Church just east of Interstate 270 and north of Main Street. The workshop is from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The cost is $20.00 which includes the noon meal. You may register for the workshop by calling Joyce Decker at the Ohio Conference (800-282-0740 or 614-885-0722) or emailing her at joyced@ocucc.org.
IRS Mileage rate figure for 2007 is 48.5 cents per mile.
Outdoor Ministries—Ohio Conference UCC
Spring work days at the camps will be held as follows:
March 3—Pilgrim Hills
March 24—Templed Hills
Each work day will begin at 9 a.m.
More information to come.
Speakers Available
Outdoor Ministries’ Speakers Bureau has people in each association ready to come to share their excitement about this ministry. Each person will also be prepared to share information regarding the Board of Directors’ Blue Ribbon Panel Recommendations for Outdoor Ministries return to financial balance. Call Outdoor Ministries at 800-282-0740 or email cynthias@ocucc.org to schedule a visitor.
Minister for Outdoor Ministries Available
Rev. Cynthia Speller is available to visit your congregation on a Sunday morning (and many other times, as well.). She is available to preach and share in worship, chat with youth and adults during the Sunday School time or spend time with a mission committee. To schedule Cynthia’s visit with your congregation call Outdoor Ministries 800-282-0740 or email cynthias@ocucc.org.
PILGRIMS OF HOPE STUDY AND SOLIDARITY TOUR - June 11-24, 2007
This is a unique opportunity to not only see the holy sites but to also meet
the Living Stones, Christians in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron. We
will also meet with Muslim leaders, and Jewish peace organizations. Rev.
Mitri Raheb of the International Center of Bethlehem; Nobel Peace Prize
nominees, Archbishop Abuna Elias Chacour and Jewish peace activist Jeff
Halper; Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan; Sabeel Theology Center's Fr. Naim
Ateek; and others. We'll also visit Nazareth, the Mount of the Beatitudes,
the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and others. Our first information meeting
will be Sunday, February 4, 1:00pm, at Plymouth Congregational Church, 501
W. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN. For more information, contact Dr. Michael
Spath, 260-456-8920, or at lmspath@msn.com.
The next Day With God and Self is Tuesday March 13. You are invited to join us for a day-long retreat that offers a variety of ways to connect with God. Offerings include corporate worship, teachings on spiritual disciplines; time for personal reflection, silence, and encountering nature.This year we are using Praying With Thomas Merton, by Wayne Simsic as our resource for the retreats.
Registration is 9:30 AM, departure by 5 PM. Cost is $25. If you would like to arrive the night before, add $34.00 for lodging. Registration is made through the Ohio Conference Office, phone 800-282-0740. For more information call Janet Burkhart, 330-682-37
Ministerial Partner Standing Retreat
Wednesday March 21 and Thursday March 22 there will be a Ministerial Partner Standing Retreat. It will be held at the Christian Church in Ohio offices in Columbus. The Christian Church in Ohio (Disciples of Christ) requires participation in this event if a UCC authorized minister seeks Ordained Ministerial Partner Standing with the Disciples. The Regional office will be handling the registration this year. The cost of the two day event is $25.00 which includes the two lunches and materials.
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.
Deadlines and Meeting Dates
Upcoming
January – 2007
25 Witness & Proclamation 10-1 p.m.
28 Rev. Cathy Wirth Installation at Bloomville UCC, Bloomville 3:00pm
31 Timely Topics 10:30 a.m. Tiffin Crisis in the Middle East
February
2 Heidelberg Women Mtg Tiffin 9:30
3 Finance & Budget Mtg 9-12
5 Sandusky Valley Clergy
6 Church & Ministry Team Meeting
6 Lay School 7:15 pm
9 Monthly Mailing Deadline
10 Cabinet Mtg Tiffin 9:30 – 2:00
12 Lakeshore RCT Castalia 5 pm
14 Timely Topics 10:30 a.m. Tiffin “Our Whole Lives” Speaker Rev. Wendy Schindler-Chasney
19 Office Closed/President’s Day
20 Personnel Committee 1:00 p.m.
20 Lay School 7:15 pm
24 Re-Up Your License Event 9:30 registration
25 Leadership Empowerment Day The Oasis at West Elm, Lima
26 Deans Mtg 10:00 a.m.
28 Lakeshore Clergy 11:00 am Holiday Inn
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