February 2012

The Gifts God Brings Us

Even after ten years of witnessing amazing individual’s talents and gifts of the people of GLO spring forth, I continue to be awed by the talents that appear right when we need them! There are far too many examples of name or list here, and I don’t want to slight anyone, but recent examples illustrate my point dramatically….that God is watching out for this little church and continues to bless us with both existing and new treasures in the people who join our faith community.

As we approached this winter’s snow and ice season, we were still reeling at the high costs last winter of snow and ice removal. Our church building is busy most nights and some days, and to put it simply, we broke the budget last winter. The winter was a bad one and the snow plow company we used was especially liberal with the salt. They did a good job; it was simply very costly given the rough season and how literally they took us when we asked for the parking lot to be cleared of ice.

Property Team Chair Von Over found the best company she could, in midst doing all of the myriad other tasks on her ‘Property’ plate…she is perhaps one of the busiest volunteers in the church due to that position. Von and David’s talents have transformed the physical plant of the church…they are two of those amazing examples.

This year Von decided to delegate snow removal to someone with the time and interest to research more other alternatives for snow removal. Rick Reynolds stepped up to volunteer to research and develop the contract, and monitor this year’s snow removal process. Rick has done a wonderful job already, landing a more reasonable bid and has been monitoring the job being done and continues to ‘tweek’ a very complicated snow removal process during what has become a very busy weekly meeting schedule here at GLO. Rick’s passion and talent for organization and effective use of budget was the gift we needed and God provided!

Recently, due to our organist, Shirley Anguilo, needing to stay at home on Sundays with her husband, Mike, we were without an organist to play with David, our pianist. Out of what seemed like nowhere, Ruth Pieger steps up and offers her talents as organist. Who knew? None of us were aware she was trained as an organist. Once again, God provided the gift of Ruth right when we needed her!

And as I watch new folks continue to walk through our doors each month, I’m excited to see what gifts God has in store for GLO. All of this is the essence of and the reasons for community. All of you bring powerful gifts to offer to your faith community. And as those gifts continue to grow and develop, our ministries grow in effectiveness and capability and creativity.

You are all phenomenal! These few examples I shared here are just a small representation of the gifts that have been brought to bear at GLO to make us a thriving, exciting, effective mission-focused community of faith; a place of sacred healing and wholeness.

Let us thank and praise God every day for the gift of GLO—it’s people!

Bountiful Blessings, Pastor Dan

From the Treasurer

Thank you for the Acme receipts we have received to date! Please keep bringing them in and placing them in the designated envelopes as we can submit receipts dated from September 24, 2011 through February 11, 2012. I need to present them to Acme by March 3 so please bring in all receipts by February 18-20. We will receive a 5% rebate on the eligible total submitted.

I gave the December 2011 report at the January Consistory meeting. Below is a summary of the report:

Our December expenses exceeded our budget by a bit, in part due to some quarterly bills which were paid reflecting an increase for 2012. On the whole we did a great job to really close the gap on our deficit in the weekly offering received vs. the budgeted weekly amount.

For the year 2011 Weekly Offering received =$94,905

2011 Budgeted Weekly Offering =$97,538

Final deficit for 2011=$2,633

Possible New 12-Step Specific Bible Class

Pastor Dan is considering forming a new bible Class for folks at GLO who are members of 12-step groups. The class would have an emphasis on the bible and its relationship to 12-step principles, and will be offered at a time and/or place to honor anonymity. Please let Pastor Dan know if you would be interested in attending such a class on Saturday mornings or late afternoons, or on Sunday afternoons.

Healing and Wholeness Team

The Healing and Wholeness Team will meet Saturday, February 25, at 10:00 a.m. in the old Consistory room. We will be defining the meaning and purpose of Healing and Wholeness and discussing what needs Healing and Wholeness can provide here at GLO. Topics will include how to coordinate after care for those in need due to surgeries and/or illness, the possibility of providing / coordinating transportation to doctor appointments, coordinating visitation and any suggestions or ideas as the spirit moves us. If anyone has an interest, or gifts they would like to share in this ministry please join us!

Many thanks for the privilege to serve.

In God’s love,

Lynn Reynolds

Chair: Healing and Wholeness

Do you feel the Music?
Music plays an important part in connecting with our feelings.  GLOians certainly appreciate this point.  As well, GLO musicians are keen on making more music in a variety of ways.  

CHOIR
The choir is the primary source for weekly musical expression and always benefits from additional singers.  To a certain extent the value of the sound you hear on Sunday is based upon the blend of voices meaning more than one or two on the same part brings a strength of color and quality that just isn’t there with only a few singers.  We are always unconditionally delighted to receive folks into the choir.  The time commitment is modest indeed and flexibility allows for a host of ways to participate.  We know that the likely places to find candidates include family, friends and neighbors.  We also encourage students, as well as those who’ve either sung previously in school or in the shower, to simply give it a try.

INSTRUMENTALISTS
In the same vein, we’re excited to be envisaging groupings of instrumentalists at all skill levels.  The wind group just sprung up and would be really pleased to have you join us with that trombone, trumpet, cornet, french horn, tuba, euphonium, clarinet, drums, kazoo, etc.  Making advent music for the GLO Christmas dinner would be one example of how to enjoy the creativity.  Folks we’ve heard from recently who have picked up an instrument at some time in their lives would be great candidates.  The opportunities for making music are really low threat and are lots of fun.  If you or someone you know might like to find out more about how to participate, let Don Kaser or me know of your interest and we’ll take it from there.

Dave Evans

Family Promise Week

Families will be joining us for another week of service on February 19-26. If anyone would like to volunteer by providing a meal, or spending the night, or driving the van, please call Jane Nickerson at 330-825-0552. Although we have lots of volunteers who usually fulfill their function during these weeks, there is always room and need for new folks to get involved in this very special mission and ministry.

Agape Bags Distribution Resumes

Our distribution of household products (Agape Bags) will begin again this month. If you know of folks in our community who can use an Agape Bag let Rick Thome know. Anyone at GLO or those who use the GLO building are invited to receive a bag of products that include:

Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent

Bar Soap

Kitchen Trash Bags

Dish Detergent

Toilet Paper

Please consider bringing these donated items on Sundays, depositing them in the box provided.

Altar Flowers

There are open Sundays on the 2012 Altar Flower Calendar. Take this opportunity to honor or remember your loved one and take the flowers home following the worship service. The cost is just $25, paid by check or cash, given to Treasurer, Ruth Kaser. The calendar is posted on the bulletin board next to the offices.

Esther Ryan Shoe Fund Spaghetti Dinner & Basket Raffle

You are invited to attend this annual fund raiser on Friday, February 17 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Prince of Peace Church, 1263 Shannon Ave. in Barberton. The cost of the meal, which is still cooked by the Barberton Fire Fighters, is $6 for adults and $3 for children.

The new location this year is now wheelchair accessible and has a larger dinner seating capacity.

BACM

Our item for February is potato products, rice, noodles or box dinners.

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January 2012

Leaning Toward the Future

On December 26, 2011, Marty Copenhaver on the UCC Daily Devotional offered this take on a verse from Philippians 3:12-16 reading:

"This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."

For many, this season is laced with nostalgia. We might glamorize the old days, perhaps being, in John Irving's phrase, "nostalgic for a time that never was." Or, it might be more like it was for my father, who, this time every year, would evidence the effects of a potent mixture of nostalgia and melancholy.

In either case, nostalgia is always suspect from a Christian point of view. That's because we affirm that the good old days--even when they really were good--are nothing compared to what God has in store for us. Even the triumphs and joys of the past will be surpassed by what is to come. That is the understanding that allows the Apostle Paul to testify:  "This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."

The Christian gospel, though rooted in history, is always forward-leaning. We lean like plants lean toward a window, even though they may never have seen the sun. We lean, with longing hearts, toward God's vision of the kingdom to come.

"Thy kingdom come," we pray. It is not here yet. That's why it is still a prayer. But, thank God, sometimes we are given a foretaste. And that is just what this season can offer sometimes--a blessed foretaste of what is to come

I couldn’t agree more. It’s so easy to become pessimistic and discouraged about the future. But history has proven over and over again that God continues to reign in and through history and the continual present…hope always erupts and change always happens, and it isn’t always a bad thing which pessimists like us to believe.

You and I as individuals and as a church must also ‘lean forward’ to what lies ahead. Tough economic times and so many things that compete with the mission of the Church, have not and will not stop the work we have to do and the positive outcomes that are promised. We have been gifted many blessings at GLO over the past 10 years and God has much more in store for us! Believe it! Pray for it! Live it! 2012 promises to be even more exciting!

A blessed New Year to you all!

Pastor Dan

2012 Consistory Meets to Elect Officers

The 2012 Consistory will meet Saturday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. The officers will be elected at that meeting, and this year’s work will begin. Your new Consistory is:

Ray Morgan, Rhonda McGuire, Nancy Bracht, John Seever, Don Cammel, Janet VonGunten, Lori Oliver, Ruth Pieger, Wayne Pressler, Cindy Cammel, Jeff Johansen, Kathy Spence, David Evans, Joyce Halter, Lynn Reynolds, Nancy Kirby, Von Over, Rick Thome, Ruth Kaser, Dan Young.

Winter Soup and Salad Lunch

On Sunday, January 15, following the worship service, we will enjoy our delicious annual Soup and Salad Lunch in Fellowship Hall. There will be signup sheets for about nine or ten folks to bring their favorite soup recipes and the rest of us will bring salads and bread. This has been a favorite feast at GLO for several years now, as the soups are always scrumptious! Please join us!

Bible Study

The Tuesday evening Bible Study will continue through the winter and spring months, at 6:00 p.m. Pastor Dan usually focuses on one of the three lectionary texts from the previous Sunday worship, going into more depth and life application. At the end he leads folks through an intercessory prayer for GLO folks, the church and the nation and world. Please try and attend some of these interesting study sessions.

From the Treasurer

The year is almost over; the 2012 envelope boxes have been distributed. January will find me preparing the 2011 giving statements so they can be completed and distributed by the end of the month.

Thank you for the Acme receipts we have received to date- keep bringing them in and placing them in as we can submit receipts dated from September 24, 2011 through February 11, 2012. I need to present them to Acme by March 3 so please bring in all receipts by February 18-20 so I have a chance to tally them – we will receive a 5% rebate on the eligible total submitted.

The 2012 Flower Sign-Up has been received and some dates have already been selected. Look for sign-up opportunities in January.

Below a summary of the information provided to Consistory at the November meeting:

Hearts and Hands Offering

In your yearly offering boxes, you will find two Hearts and Hands envelopes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this special fund, I'll try my best to explain it to you.

This money is used for outreach ministries, such as Family Promise (IHN), Open M, Miller Avenue UCC, and also our own church families who find themselves in need of money for rent, electric bills, or gasoline to get back and forth from work.

For Family Promise, Betty Easterling buys cereal, bread, juice, milk, fresh fruit, lunch meat, and cheese, just to mention a few items. This adds up when we have four or five families with good appetites staying with us for a week.

Like Miller Avenue, we provide hot lunches three times a year for Open M. Reverend Dan just received a letter from Rev. Tom Gerstenlaur asking for help with requests for water bill assistance and for support with rent for a young battered mother. We also assist with the summer Bible school at Miller Avenue UCC by giving money to Nancy Kirby to purchase milk, cereal, and juice for the children who attend each morning. 

I hope this explains why the two little envelopes in the front of your offering boxes are so very important for us in carrying out these outreach ministries. We try to give whenever asked.  

If ever you find yourself in need of a little financial help, please feel free to speak with Reverend Dan, Wayne Pressler, or myself, Tookie.

Christmas Families

A big thank-you to our congregation for the generous gifts for our three families.  They were very appreciative of the many gifts delivered just before Christmas.  It's a hard time for families without a job or on disability, or even surviving on minimum wage jobs, so it is a privilege for us to help those in need.  It gives us a good feeling to deliver new clothing and toys to children and some help to the parents.  Thanks again for your wonderful support of this project.

Pat Pressler and Nancy Bracht

CHILDREN'S EDUCATION

What a wonderful feeling to share our bounty with others!   Thanks to our youngsters in Sunday School, our caring congregation, and the 10 troops of girl scouts meeting at GLO, we were able to deliver 47 bags or boxes containing hundreds of toys, toiletries and teen items to the children and teens in the Summit Lake Community area (Miller Ave. UCC Church included).  It took 2 van loads!  Our Missions Ministry Coordinator, Nancy Kirby, and Pastor Tom, said that if we delivered the gifts to the community center and Michael Starks, Community Organizer for the Summit Lake Neighborhood Assoc., it would be guaranteed to be given to those who needed them.  It was obvious after seeing the quantity of items donated that you all heard the call and "dug deep"!  Again thank you all for your involvement and generosity.

Joyce Halter

Thank You

A big thanks for your generous Christmas Love Offering! Your generosity always amazes us!
Pastor Dan

BACM

Our item for January is canned fruit.

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December 2011

We’ve all heard so many Christmas sermons, read the Christmas Story in the Bible so many times. With the commercialism of Christmas, it’s not always easy to truly grasp the genuine meaning and power of the Christmas Event and the Advent that leads up to it…all of the anticipation, all of the hope building to a powerful climax…waiting in joyous expectation. Rather than offer yet another personal reflection this time of year, I’m choosing to share a special poem called “Original Blessing” from Kathie Collins’ Jubilee.

You announced your presence with a gush of water and blood,

A cry so wailful, a protest so full-bodied,

Your ribs shook and your chin quivered.

Your voice registered disdain for the world’s coldness.

And the people ran to your side. Covered your nakedness.

Wiped from you the residue of your long journey.

Blessed you. Embraced you. Adored you.

Looked upon you as oracle.

Promised to make the world worthy of you.

For some days, weeks even, your holiness reigned.

Your coming was perceived miracle. Your tears blessing.

Your smile delight. But the people grew tired.

You asked so much from them. They shushed your lamenting.

Left you sleeping in an inner sanctum.

Turned to other gods. Gods who filled their big screens with images of luxury.

Gods who promised to make them happy…

The people forgot your blessing. Forgot their promises of a better world.

Forgot the miracle of your birth.

And did you forget too? Become one of them? Worship the big screen and the mall? Await with them some other savior who might fix the world or end it?

Your original blessing still resides. Your original complaint breathes yet.

Embrace them both. Refuse to be swaddled in blankets of complacency.

Cry out again. Prophesy to the masses. Protest the world’s meanness.

Immerse yourself in this river of madness.

Drown in the world’s despair that you might be born again—

That the world might be reborn through you.

May this year’s Advent period of waiting and anticipation and the joy and hope of Christmas be exactly what you and our world needs…a Blessed Christmas to you and yours!

Pastor Dan

GLO Family Christmas Dinner

Our annual GLO Family Christmas Dinner will be on Saturday, December 10^th at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Absolutely everyone is invited…anyone who in any way considers themselves GLO family…and of course to us that means anyone who walks through our doors! All we ask is that you sign up on the sheet in the Narthex/Lobby so we can get an idea of numbers to prepare for, and we ask you to consider bringing a salad or dessert of some kind. Sara Johansen and Tookie Mullen and volunteers will prepare the rest. We especially would need to know how many kids are coming as we hope to have Mrs. Claus drop in with gifts! Grandkids, nieces, nephews welcome! Just let us know please…

GLO Going Gluten-Free Bread

Now that more and more folks are experiencing problems with regular and wheat flour, including some folks who are very allergic, we will now use Gluten-Free bread for Holy Communion. If anyone has other food allergy issues which affect communion elements, please let Pastor Dan know!

Your 2012 GLO Consistory, Including Ministry Team Chairs

Nancy Bracht (Congregational Events) Don Cammel

Cindy Cammel David Evans (Worship Arts)

Joyce Halter (Spiritual Formation) Jeff Johansen

Ruth Kaser (Treasurer) Nancy Kirby (Local Missions)

Rhonda McGuire Ray Morgan

Von Over (Property) Lori Oliver

Ruth Pieger Wayne Pressler (Social Justice)

Lynn Reynolds (Healing and Wholeness) Kathy Spence

John Seever Rick Thome (Evangelism)

Janet VonGunten Dan Young (Pastor)

Consistory Officers will be elected by the Consistory at its first meeting January.

Christmas Eve Service…Winter’s Grace

Our terrific GLO Choir will present the new cantata Winter’s Grace for our Christmas Eve Service, with the singing of a few carols at the beginning of the service. The service begins at 7:00 p.m., so please invite your family and friends for a very special message in word and music!

Christmas Day Worship

Yes, Christmas Day is on Sunday this year, and so we will have a very special music-filled worship service that very special morning. We know you all have your usual Christmas morning traditions and plans, but we ask you to consider making an exception this year as it’s so rare we get to worship together on Christmas Day. Invite your family and friends to come and make the day memorable. Our GLO Brass/Wind Ensemble will be highlighted as we sing a service of word and carols!

New Year’s Eve

Join us on December 31 for our New Year’s Eve service at 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Gifts

We have adopted three families for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  They were appreciative of the food we delivered for Thanksgiving and beyond.  The Angel Tree in the Narthex has tags with suggestions for Christmas for the seven children involved and we are suggesting gift cards for the six parents (Target, Walmart, Penney's). Please turn the Angel tag over to show only the recipient's name and tape it to the outside of the package--we have color-coded the tags so it is easier to sort them for each family.

If you do not care to shop, monetary donations may be given to Pat Pressler or Nancy Bracht and they can shop for you.  Also, while the parents gave us sizes, it is a good idea to include a gift receipt in the package since sizes can vary according to make.  Once again we appreciate your generosity in providing for families in need.

Pat and Nancy

Poinsettias

The Poinsettia is a popular Christmas plant and is popular also among our GLO family members. We will again be ordering the Poinsettias from a local Norton business-Dayton's Nursery. Enclosed is the order form. Please make your checks payable to Grace UCC or G.L.O. and place "Poinsettia" in the memo field. The price for the 6-1/2" pots is $8.00 

Children's Education

During this advent season, the Sunday School children are busy getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, as well as preparing the donated toys for distribution to the children of Miller Avenue UCC Church.

Thanks to our congregation and a very generous supply of toys donated by the Girl Scouts, we hope to make a lot of young people very happy this Christmas.

We are low on items for the preteens and teen youth.  For those who wish to contribute, some suggestions for this age level include: games, footballs or basketballs, Sports Illustrated for Kids magazines, comic books, lip balm or other personal grooming products for girls, or hair accessories. Anything given will be greatly appreciated. The collection box will be available in the narthex for a couple more Sundays.  

There will not be any regular Sunday School session Christmas morning as we would like the children to join their families and the congregation in church.  

NOTE: For those planning to bring children to the GLO Christmas Party on Saturday December 10, please list the names and ages of the children attending.

Thank you,

Joyce Halter

Healing and Wholeness Ministry

Come January 2012 as Chair of Healing and Wholeness I will be looking to build a team. As a Healing and Wholeness ministry we will coordinate after care in the form of meals, visits, phone calls and possible transportation if and when someone has surgery, illness or just needs some support.

We will also work with the Pastor to provide two services of Healing and Wholeness per calendar year, not an easy task with the full calendar at GLO, but one I’m certain we can accomplish with God’s help.

Healing and Wholeness is a ministry we all take part in with genuine concern for one another when there is need, and a weekly list of prayer concerns in our bulletin. Having a Healing and Wholeness Ministry Team will provide an expanded presence of care and support to those in need, and bring fullness to our current direction as a Sacred Place of Healing.

I ask each of you to prayerfully consider serving on the Healing and Wholeness Ministry Team. It just might be the perfect fit for you and your God given gifts and talents.
 
In God’s Love,
Lynn Reynolds
Chair GLO Healing & Wholeness
330-753-5315 / jlpoet@att.net

BACM

Our item for December is canned meat-tuna, beef stew, etc.

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November 2011

Thankful for a God Who Actually Helps!

I was playing a word game this morning via Facebook and for the last two days the current games I’m playing wouldn’t show up on the screen/page. That has never happened playing the game. So I went to the “Help” page, scanned the list of options of ‘trouble’ and my problem wasn’t there. So I went to the choice “If your problem is not listed here” and clicked. I was then asked to fill in a bunch of identifiers for the Facebook Troubleshooter to be able to answer my problem.

As I was sending the request for help, I couldn’t help but notice the metaphor for some of my prayers to my Life Troubleshooter. So often when I’m in the throes of a real dilemma, I find myself getting on my knees and ‘scanning’ the usual topics of prayer requests I pray frequently as a person of faith and as a pastor/shepherd of a congregation, and pray with a kind of ‘I know You’ve heard this before, God, but could you please intervene here again and help me/him/her’ approach.

Then there are those times when the problem is something new or deeper or more confounding for me or for someone I care about, or for the world. Just how should I word this prayer? I stumble around trying to find the right words, then not dissimilar from my Facebook Troubleshooter help request, I finally just describe the situation as I see it, as I’m frustrated by it, as I’m perplexed by it; and sort of ‘click’ the ‘help button’ of prayer that suggests, ‘God, here’s the problem, I don’t have an answer in my usual repertoire, so here You go…I trust you to take care of it and let me know what I ought to do to help!’

Now that’s where my Facebook Troubleshooter metaphor breaks down. The FB Troubleshooter may or may not understand my request, and may or may not be able to fix it, and may respond with, ‘it’s in your computer…sorry.’

My experience with God is that God will provide whatever is needed whether I realize it or not. That is, if I sincerely release it for Divine grace to touch it, and then listen intentionally for guidance about my role in it, any steps I need to take to help make God’s will, God’s outcome, possible.

It’s about co-creating, co-working with God to have positive impact in my own situation, in others’ situations, in the world itself. Turning it over in prayer to the Troubleshooter doesn’t mean washing my hands of any responsibility or sweat in the future. In fact, the very step of prayerful surrender very probably will require even more work on my part than I had bargained for. As powerful as God is, my experience is that God uses my energies, actually needs my energies, to enhance intercessory prayer potential.

I’m simply not one of those Christians who believe that everything is already in God’s plan, all events, all outcomes and all possibilities already determined and known by God. My experience with God doesn’t support that assumption. Rather, it’s more about God still very much alive in the world and acting and responding to the creation God loves so much. You and I do impact God as God continues to speak and act in my world, in your world, in our world.

So simply ‘clicking’ the ‘Help’ button gets God’s attention, but my willingness to release the problem to God (instead of trying to control the outcome), and listening for things I can do to help God’s process of healing, transformation, resolve is the best I can do.

One of the many things for which I’m grateful to God this Thanksgiving is God’s faithfulness to be the help I need whenever, wherever I need it! May your Thanksgiving be blessed and real for you this year!

(From my Blog at revdanyel.wordpress.com, you’re welcome to ‘Follow’ my blog where I write about things I’m thinking about on any given day…maybe not always relevant to you, but some days I might hit on something that makes some sense in your life too.)

Stewardship Campaign: A Path With a View

Beginning October 30 and running for three weeks will be GLO’s Stewardship Campaign, A Path With a View, based on the beautiful painting with the same name by our own Anna Ramsey. The painting hangs in Fellowship Hall as inspiration to all who meet in there all through the week. We are utilizing the theme this year for our planned time to think seriously about how and what we each give to God and to God’s church in gratitude for all God has done for us. It’s a time we reflect on what we have to give in time, talent and treasure throughout the coming year. Each week’s bulletin will have an insert about Stewardship and someone will speak a moment during the offering about their own personal experience with giving. You will also receive “pledge” cards that will be between only you and God, making a commitment as to the gifts you plan to give in time, talent and treasure for 2012. You will not turn them in, it’s only a tool for you to use privately in your relationship with God.

Thanks to Lynn Reynolds, Anna Ramsey, Rick Reynolds for their time and effort in producing this year’s Stewardship Campaign for GLO!

Annual Congregational Meeting Early This Year!

Our annual Congregational Meeting will be Sunday, November 13, immediately following the worship service in the Sanctuary. It will also be our final week of our GLO Stewardship Campaign. We will approve the 2012 Budget and Ministry Action Plan, as well as elect new Consistory members. So please plan on attending this important worship and meeting! In the past we have tried to convene the meeting in December, but this year planned ahead so we could leave December free for all of our Advent/Christmas activities!

Please save your Acme receipts

We can earn a 5% return on our purchases of Acme store brands. These brands include: Acme Fresh Market, Academix, Domestix, Electrix, Food Club, Full Circle, Paws, Top Care, ValuTime and World Classics. Last year our rebate check was $221.

The register receipt redemption dates for the Cash Back Program are from September 24, 2011, through February 11, 2012. I have placed brown envelopes on the bulletin boards for the receipts. They are located at the front and rear bulletin boards and are labeled Acme Community Cash Back.

September Treasury Report

I presented the September figures as well as the proposed 2012 budget at the October Consistory meeting. The September report was approved with some recommended additions. The 2012 budget was also approved with some recommended additions and will be presented for final approval at the November Consistory Meeting. The 2012 budget as well as the 2012 MAP will be presented at the Annual Congregational Meeting on November 13.

Below are the September highlights.

Income: $25 -weekly flowers, $165-12 Step Recovery Group Donations, $6,716-Weekly Offering=$6,906. We also received $505 in the Memorial Fund, and the $560 for the rental property

Expenses:

Administrative Ministry: $513 electric, $671 gas, $163 improvements/repairs, $1,401 property insurance, $175 janitor, $24 janitor supplies, $40 trash, $560 rental property=$3,547

Church Office: $80 internet, $363 the 2012 envelopes, $99 copies, $163 copier lease, $46 postage, $57 telephone=$808

Pastor: $60 cell, $15 EOA Conference, $125 car allowance, $3,323 salary/housing, $3,940 life/health/annuity=$7,462

Hearts &Hands=$200

Worship Ministries: $300 choir director, $100 flowers, $373 music, $240 musicians=$1,013.

Total Expense for September=$13,030

Where we stand:

September weekly offering received =$6,716; September Budget-weekly offering=$7,350

September deficit=$634.Year to date weekly offering received=$65,144, year to date weekly offering needed=$73,616. Year to date deficit=$8,472.

Since the October Consistory meeting we have received some contributions towards reduction of the deficit. Our year to date deficit now =$4,383. If anyone feels moved to make their year end contributions earlier than year end, it is always appreciated.

Children’s Education

Sunday School Christmas Mission Project:

Again this holiday season our GLO youth will be donating and collecting new and nearly new toys for the youth of Miller Ave. UCC Church.  This mission project, started last year, enriched the lives of many youngsters in the Miller Ave. area.  Hopefully too, our GLO youth benefited from their efforts at sharing and charity. 

If you are able to help with this mission, it would be greatly appreciated.  We purchase some excellent toys from Goodwill and the Salvation Army and go through many AA and AAA batteries to restore them.  All the toys are then cleaned, sorted, checked over, and put into gift bags marked with a theme and age level.  Last year our youth especially enjoyed checking out the toys and gathering them into about 100 bags.  A marked box will be available in the narthex for those able to make donations of toys, batteries, or large gift bags.

Our ten Girl Scout groups who meet at GLO have graciously offered to bring in donations of toys to their Thanksgiving celebration on November 17.  Thank you, Rhiannon Deryck and troop leaders for promoting our cause.

The values that these toys play in the developing child’s mind go beyond the obvious.  For it is through play and toys that we learn how things work and how to navigate our world and grow.   Each bag with a theme will also include a book or two to enrich the learning process.

One thing we learned last year is that we didn't have enough for the teenagers who were present at the give away at Miller Ave. Church.   Basketballs, electronic games, teenage girl's grooming products, jewelry or anything that would appeal to a teen would also be greatly appreciated.

I can't stress enough how happy these children, parents, and grandparents who can't afford these items are when they receive these bags of toys and books.

Thank you.

Joyce Halter

Property Team 

We had our fall clean up this last Saturday.  We managed to clean up all the piled up leaves and debris by the shed and thanks to Mr. Culp a friend of the church, he hauled away two dump truck loads for us; got all the furniture moved out of the office so we can begin to paint; and we put down weed & feed on the lawn. Attendance was a little disappointing, I wish to thank the Easterlings, Jim Koehler, Bob Murgatroyd, and Jessica, one of our newer faces in the church.  We couldn't have gotten any of that done without them.  Also a special thank you to Herb Mullen for gathering up all the leaves this fall.  There are still some smaller jobs that still need doing so if anyone is looking for something they can do, please let me know. 

We will be working in the office in the next few weeks, painting and doing some electrical improvements, so please bear with us, all good things take time.  

                                                                                         Dave &Von Over

ELECTION DAY BAKE-SALE

We need baked goods and volunteers in two or three hour shifts to help sell items at the bake sale on Nov. 8.

Since we are expecting a high turnout for this November election, the more we have to sell, the better the profit!  You'd be surprised to see how many voters count on buying something delicious from us.  For those unaware, the profits from this sale are part of what we depend upon for planned income in our budget.

If you are able to donate baked goods, please bring them to the church on Monday evening, November 7, between 7:00-9:00 p.m. or early Tuesday morning, November 8.  A volunteer sign-up sheet will be available in the narthex for those able to give of their time or baked goods.

If you have any further questions, please contact Ruth Pieger at 330-848-6869 or Joyce Halter at 330-697-3281. Thank you.

Thanksgiving Baskets

We will again be providing Thanksgiving baskets to area families. The choir will donate the perishable items and the congregation will provide the staples. Please bring them to church on Sunday, November 20.

BACM

Our item for November is spaghetti and spaghetti sauce.

Time Change

Please remember to set your clocks back on Saturday night, November 5. Daylight Savings Time ends on November 6.