January 30, 2000
Mission Team Returns to Honduras
Sutphins, A Portrait of Christian Living
February's Classical Interlude
The 157th Annual Meeting of First Congregational ChurchWauwatosa took place on the snowy evening of January 19, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Treasurer's Report
Following dinner and a couple of procedural items, Diane Houriet presented the Treasurer's Report. She first noted that approximately 1/6 of the year's donations were made in the last 14 days of the year, creating some difficult situations as expenses are evenly dispersed throughout the year. She asked that members try to give donations a bit earlier in the year. She also mentioned that the church has updated to a computerized check writing system which will provide much more financial information.
While the church managed to keep overall expenses within budget for the year, it was noted that many of the operating expenses, such as utility costs, continue to rise. Additionally, the Congregational Investment Trust only yielded a 3% return due to a difficult stock market last year (the trust invests in common stocksapproximately 60% and fixed income securitiesapproximately 40%).
Congregational Home Update
Charlie Nelson, administrator of Congregational Home, presented the Home's report, updating members on four initiatives undertaken in 1999. The first was the renovation of the Health Care Center (2nd floor of the original building). This area which was more than 25 years old, received a major uplift. New drywall, furniture and carpet provided a needed update. In addition, the floor has been divided into two areas; one for the medically needy and one for those with dementia/Alzheimer's. This change has enabled a more comfortable environment for each area.
The second initiative was a complete kitchen replacement. Due to the building additions and other programs, the kitchen is now serving twice as many people as it did only a few years back. A part of the original building with appliances 25+ years old, this project is expected to take 810 months to complete, at a cost of approximately $750,000.
The third initiative was a bold undertaking by the Board of Directors a few months back. Congregational Home, along with many businesses, has struggled with a labor shortage problem. Finally needing to resort to pool help, they were unable to provide the level of service they found acceptable. The Board increased the starting rate of nursing assistant positions making it $2.00/hr. higher than others across the state, which successfully resulted in more, high-quality applicants.
The final initiative, called "Well-Spring" is a quality improvement program spearheaded by Congregational Home. Along with a number of other facilities across the state, the Home will systematically collect data pertaining to the quality of care so it can deliver hard proof of quality as compared to other facilities across the state.
A special presentation was then made by Dave Swanson and Lonnie Richardson on behalf of the whole church to thank Lee Jacobi and Betty Dethmers for 25 years of a superb music ministry here at the church. Lee took the opportunity to thank the church, referring to his beginning with First Congregational Church as "life changing." Betty was unable to be in attendance.
Steve Hayes presented the By-Law changes recommended by the Long Range Planning Committee. The changes which were passed included changing the election year to shadow the program year (necessitating a May election meeting) and reducing the size of most Boards, among other things. Most changes were to alleviate problems encountered by the Nominating Committee in filling leadership positions within the church.
Char Schweitzer, chairperson of Stewardship, presented the Stewardship report. While there is a small increase over last year's pledges, she noted a need to provide more information to the congregation regarding the needs of the church, prior to the canvass beginning.
Steve Hayes then presented a balanced budget for 2000, noting that the budget was balanced mainly by cutting benevolence spending and suggested more discussion be given to this topic prior to next year's meeting. The 2000 budget was passed as presented.
Rev. Lonnie Richardson presented the Minister's report. He stressed the importance of each individual's role in coming together in the Congregational Way. He noted that First Church has stepped up to many challenges this year working to connect people to God, but said more needs to be done. He urged each person to question what God calls First Congregational Church to do at this time and consider what investments we are prepared to make to realize God's future.
Before adjourning the meeting, Merrill York thanked the congregation for support over the past year and reviewed his goals as moderator for 1999. While most have been achieved, he noted that more work needs to be done in the area of determining appropriate giving according to the needs of the church.
See you in May when we elect new officers. *
The meeting of the membership is the Congregational Way. We cannot look
to a hierarchy; 475 Riverside Drive in New York, Headquarters in Cincinnati,
or Nashville for answers or blame to the Way. The fullest expression of
the church
of Jesus Christ resides here. We
are the church. The holy buck stops here! There's no consecrated bishop
and there's no place for those who act like lay
bishops either.
Jesus said, "All power and authority is yours..." We have to deal with that commissioned freedom of Jesus. It's the hardest task for the Christian who chooses not to live in isolation. For those of us who covenant together, it is a choice for community. As we live for Christian community let's remember the pilgrim's way of accountability and faithfulness towards the gathered people of God; not away from them. *
Yours in His Service,
Lonnie
Over the past few weeks, several items of value two cameras and a new man's jacket have "disappeared" from the church. These items belong to various members who felt it was safe to leave them unattended briefly. Unfortunately, this happens even in the church.
Also, coats, hats and boots are often taken by mistake (so many of them look alike!) Be sure to check that you get the right belongings. It is also helpful when we are trying to return items to the proper owner if a business card or slip of paper with your name is in a pocket. *
Members of our Church are planning a February visit to the Congregational Mission in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Tom and Barb Jarchow, Paul and Kris Schulze will be traveling there on February 13th. Paul and Barb will work with the new dentists there and Kris will help with the sewing school. Tom will be engaged in pre construction planning prior to February 24th arrival of the second team which currently consists of: Dick Berger, Sandy Ford, Steve Houriet, and John Stuhler, M.D. John and Sandy will help in the medical clinic and Dick and Steve will be working with the construction project.
Planning for the construction projects is ongoing at this time. Three projects are under consideration. The Mission has identified two homes for reconstruction. There is a partially completed apartment building on the Mission grounds which was used to house refugees following the October 1998 hurricane. And, the Mission medical staff would like a birthing area at the clinic.
To keep up to date on the activities of the mission team, check in to our Church's Internet Web Site at www.firstchurchtosa.org and look under "Outreach." The team will be filing daily illustrated reports while they are in Honduras. A follow-up article will also appear in the Columns.
"Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves."
James 1:22
Ray and Marjorie Sutphin have been members of First Congregational Church for nearly 30 years. Until they retired, Marjorie worked as a medical technologist and Ray as an engineer for the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They have one son and one daughter and three grandchildren. They have served on the Board of Deacons, Marjorie is an active member of Circle 7 and Ray is Secretary of the Retired Men's Club, a member of Suburban Retired Men's Club, a Mason and part of a Barber Shop Quartet. They have also been active in the community... Jaycees, Junior Women's Club, professional societies, Scout Master. On the surface, they have quietly led good lives. But they have shown themselves to be quite heroic, exemplifying Christian living.
Ray's sister, Dixie Lee, and family live in Stonewall, North Carolina where they built their own log cabin. In 1999, this very rural, depressed area, close to the shore, was hit extremely hard by a series of three hurricanes in less than 2 months Dennis, Floyd and Irene. The greatest impact came from Floyd which dumped 20 inches of rain in one day, raising rivers in the area to 25 feet over flood level. The contaminated flood water washed out nearly everything. Thankfully, the home of Dixie Lee and family, built up 10 feet on a platform, survived the devastation and became a center for the relief efforts. "They believe they survived in order to help others," said Marjorie.
Extremely active members of Stonewall United Methodist Church, a small church which shares a minister with 4 other churches, they immediately began doing all they could to help. So have the Sutphins. Ray and Marjorie have collected donations, washed and mended clothing, sewed blankets, packed shipments, written letters and much more.
Beginning in September, 1999, Marjorie and Ray, along with their daughter Laurie Abt, have worked tirelessly raising cash, food and clothing donations for the relief efforts. Ray's sister's house has served as somewhat of a distribution center as donations came in. Vouchers for donated food, clothing, and building materials were distributed. Dixie Lee and husband Gatlin enlisted the aid of church members plus a designee from Pamlico County to help in the distribution of items to the neediest of families. Their children and grandchildren helped send individual acknowledgments to each donor, as did the Sutphins.
The relief effort, which will be an ongoing need for a long time to come, undergoes many phases to meet different needs of rebuilding. Initially, with so many people in shelters, bedding supplies were in great need. Marjorie knew that St. Edmund's rummage sale often had quite a bit of bedding as one of the members is a hotel owner. When the Sutphins went to purchase some, St. Edmund's heard the story and donated 100 lbs. of sheets and pillow cases. Through friends, relatives, neighbors and some 30 sources, 1500 lbs. of bedding, food and clothing were quickly collected. After encountering problems trying to ship to a specific area via the Salvation Army and Red Cross, they decided to use UPS. Meadowbrook Church, where Laurie Abt is a member absorbed the cost of the first shipment in addition to being responsible for about half of the donations which were shipped. It was a very timely shipment as food was quite low and people of the area were reduced to wearing plastic bags as they washed their only clothing...that which they wore on their backs.
Following the initial shipment, Marjorie contacted the Governor's office of NC which put her in touch with Church2Church, an organization formed to link damaged churches with those able to help.
"When Hurricane Floyd devastated Eastern North Carolina, it not only destroyed homes and farmland, it also severely damaged the bedrock of our communities...our house of worship," said NC Sec. Moore. It's our faith communities that help us all get through this kind of disaster, and we need congregations in other parts of the state to lend a hand to get these churches open."
The Sutphins efforts continued. And as they spread the word, more help arrived. Heritage Christian School collected donations of food and clothing. When the Sutphins repacked the items for shipping (they have also washed and mended donated clothing), they found cash tucked into pockets of the garments, $1 10.00 amounts, along with notes of encouragement, drawings of angels, etc. from the children.
Circle 7 here at FCC donated $100 from the treasury which Marjorie used to purchase 12 bolts of polar fleece. She began by making several trips into the West Allis Jo Ann Fabrics Store to use coupons which could only be used on a single visit. When asked by the salesperson why she was making so many trips in and out, Marjorie relayed the story and the store provided an additional discount. From the fabric, Marjorie spent the next three days sewing 40 blankets which were boxed for 30 of the poorest families in the area and sent two days before Christmas. The UPS office worker who also recognized Marjorie and Ray (now sending their third shipment of boxes) heard the story and provided a $1.00 per box discount, a total of $81. Marjorie said the money will be used to buy more fabric for blankets.
As more people have heard from the Sutphins, more donations have been received. One family did not give gifts to each other at Christmas, but instead donated the equivalent amount of money to the project for flood relief. Another family, not financially well-off themselves, was told that they would be receiving a personal "thank you" letter from the Sutphins (as all donors have) which they could use as proof for a tax deduction. Their response was, "That's not necessary, God knows."
The need continues. In many areas, contamination was so widespread that rebuilding efforts will just begin this spring/summer. And as many of the families in the area were so "low-income," they were denied extra Federal loan assistance determined bad risks. This is compounded by the fact that some businesses moved out of the area rather than rebuilding, causing loss of employment.
In January, the Sutphins came to the Board of Benevolences at FCC which donated $1,500 to Stonewall United Methodist Church to aid flood victims. Others in the church are trying to find means to help with the shipping efforts.
If you would like to aid in this effort, the Sutphins are collecting clothing in good condition or cash. "Children's clothing is especially needed," said Marjorie. Donations for this clothing drive can either be brought to the church or directly to the Sutphins, 2207 North 119th Street, Wauwatosa.
"We never set out to act heroically," said Marjorie, "we just wanted to do our part to help one small corner." *
The second of this season's 4 O'clocks will be held on Sunday, February 27, 2000 in Friendship Lounge at First Congregational Church. This Classical Interlude features Jerry Loughney and Betty Dethmers.
Jerry Loughney was awarded his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in violin from UWMilwaukee. His principal teachers include Pat Anders, Ralph Evans of the Fine Arts Quartet and Jerome Franke of the Milwaukee Symphony. Jerry is a winner of the Civic Music Association's Young Artist Competition.
Mrs. Dethmers needs no introduction to First Congregational Church. She has served as organist and accompanist at First Church since 1974. She is also active as an accompanist in Milwaukee for a number of artists. She is the founder and conductor of the Church Street Singers and maintains a large and active studio of piano students.
This concert series is designed to showcase a variety of performers in an intimate, informal setting. The performances will be approximately 45 minutes in length and will be followed by a reception and the opportunity to meet the performers.
Make your plans now. Invite your friends! Also set aside March 26 for broadway music selections presented by Chad Larget and Leslie Fitzwater. *
Visitation Training
Wednesday, February 9, 16 & 23 at 7:00, Dr. Goldsmith and Rev. Rust will team up to offer another opportunity for those interested in joining the Visitation Ministry program.
The course focuses on practical directions for offering visits in a variety
of settings: hospital calls, home visits for shut-ins, retirement centers
and nursing homes, as well as other settings where the church brings the
message of the Gospel. The classes cover general caring through visitation
in addition to
visits to the sick, dying, and persons with special needs. Participants
are asked to attend all three sessions.
Orientation for Those Considering Membership
Beginning March 19 at 10:00 a.m., Rev. Richardson will be leading a five-week series of classes for those considering membership. The first four classes are entitled, "What Brings Us to This Place?" "Historic Christian Faith," "A People of God in Action," and "An Invitation and Opportunity." The classes give participants a chance to become better acquainted with Congregationalism, particularly this church. The final session is a trip to a worship service at Congregational Home. Those interested in becoming members at First Congregational Church may participate in New Member Sunday, May 7, at the 8:45 and 11:00 services.
LENTEN CLASSES
The Ancient Gospels and the Modern Quest for Historical Jesus
Dan Schowalter, PhD will lead this study of the Gospels which runs for five weeks, beginning March 12, at 10:00 Sunday mornings. The course outline is:
March 12: Examining the Gospels: What the New Testament tells us, and what it does not.
March 19: Entrance Points: The Gospels of Mark and Thomas
March 26: Editorials: The Gospels of Matthew and Luke
April 2: Elaboration: The Gospel of John
April 9: Exploration: The Gospels and the Search for Jesus
The Prophets - Israel's Spokesmen for God
Also a five-week Lenten class, this one is led by Phil Landis Wednesday evenings at 7:00, beginning March 15. The Prophets is an examination, against an historical background, of the calling of the prophets, their role in Israel's religious and political life, and their message, theology and relevance.
The course will cover the Near Eastern background of prophecy, a review of Israel's history, discussion of the prophetic concept beginning with Moses, discussion of what prophecy was and was not, and much more. Isaiah will be the principal text studied. *
The lower level renovation project is under way. The Renovation Committee is currently working on design details and construction documents prior to requesting bids for the actual construction.
As directed by the Church Council, the committee is focusing its design efforts on the music practice areas because of the limited amount of funds available for the project. The committee anticipates that the project will be conducted during the summer of this year.
Due to the limitations of funding, the committee would be very receptive to any additional donations of either cash or in-kind services. Examples of in-kind services which would be of interest would be items such as carpeting, lighting fixtures, doors and millwork or professional services such as painting. Anyone interested in making a donation may contact the church office at 258-7375 or committee chairman, Doug Jacobson at 786-7781. *
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa will sponsor a Blood Drive on Tuesday, February 15 from 3:307:30 p.m.
The Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin provides all the blood and blood components for patients in 32 area hospitals which translates to 125,000 pints of blood each year. Thirty percent of that total comes directly from mobile drives such as this one.
If you're interested in being a donor, contact the church office at 258-7375. *
March 8 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service
April 20 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service
April 21 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Service
April 23 8:45 and 11:00 Easter Sunday Services
The Lent Sunday Morning Sermon series by Rev. Lonnie Richardson is titled, "The Faces of Jesus."
Sunday 10:00 a.m., March 12April 9th, The Ancient Gospels and the Modern Quest for Historical Jesus
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., March 15April 12, The Prophets - Israel's Spokesmen for God. There will be a fellowship meal at the church at 6:00 p.m. before each class. *
Circle Meetings
Circle 7: Tuesday, February 8, 12:00 luncheon at Pat Gibson's, program by Rev. Chris Rygh
Circle 8: Tuesday, February 1, 11:30 at Congregational Home -
lunch with second floor residents. Please call Mercedes Richardson at Congregational
Home,
781-0550, if you will be attending.
Circle 12: Wednesday, February 2, 12:00 at church - lunch and a program, "Switzerland by Rail." Please call reservations to Marie Baumgart, 774-9806.
Moms of Preschoolers
(InfantPre-kindergarten)
Come for coffee February 13, at 9:45 in the Social Hall. You will have the opportunity to meet other moms and learn about the possibility of starting a church-based evening group that meets the unique needs of moms with preschoolers. The program is hosted by Parish Health Ministry.
Souper Bowl of Caring
was started in 1990 as a way of helping Soup Kitchens and Food Pantries. Last year more than 11,300 congregations across the country donated $2.5 million. Several of our members suggested to our Board of Benevolences that we join the efforts this year. It's simple. On Sunday, January 30, we will have a few large "soup pots" in the church. Everyone who attends services on January 30 is asked to toss $1 in a kettle. All donations will be given to St. Vincent Meal Program. Let's make our "Souper Bowl Sunday" a winner!
Church Funnies
A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, looking at the old pages as he turned them. Then something fell out of the Bible and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages. "Momma, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked.
With astonishment in the young boy's voice he answered, "It's Adam's suit!!"
www.FirstChurchTosa.org
Editor, Beth Linscott
Communications Committee
Jennifer Wakefield - Chairperson,
Mary York, Bruce Smith, John O'Meara, Char Schweitzer
*
Rev. Lonnie Richardson, Senior Minister
Rev. Dr. Charles Goldsmith, Minister of Pastoral Care
Kathryn Rust, Associate Minister
Rev. Chris Rygh, Associate Minister
Rani Gusho, Administrator
Lee Jacobi, Director of Music
Betty Dethmers, Organist
Michelle Jackson, Parish Nurse
Betsy Isenberg, Secretary
Nancy Gross, Secretary
Charles Nelson, Administrator, Congregational Home, Inc.
Rev. Norman S. Ream, Minister Emeritus
*
Vol. 9, Issue 1
