The Steeple

NOVEMBER 2017 FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WINTERSET, IA The mission of the First United Presbyterian Church is to make disciples

of all people for the glory of God through teaching, caring and worshiping

As we come again to August, we have reason to think back upon the past two years. It

was in August of 2015 that our pastor, Jim Howland, announced his intention to leave

our church and explore new opportunities for himself that were at that time unknown to

him. In his last sermon preached at our church, he used this text. Of course, he was

speaking of his personal trust that God had plans for his life and would provide for his

future. However, this passage and his sermon also has had great prescience for our

congregation.

When an individual or a congregation is in the middle of uncertainty, and perhaps a bit

of fear and anxiety, it is difficult to see the hand of God at work or to trust that God

holds our future and that future is filled with hope. Certainly there was reason for

uncertainty and anxiety in August of 2015. It seemed that our church was going the way

of other mainline protestant churches in smaller towns. Our congregation was aging.

We had no young families; we had no Sunday school for the children and youth. Our

financial situation was serious. We had been taking from our savings to pay our pastor

and bills so much, that at the rate we were going, only a couple of years would be needed

to totally exhaust our savings. We had no working committees on our Session and no

persons outside of the Session were stepping forward with plans and ideas. Two or three

people assisted Jim in handling the issues of the church. Indeed, it did seem a bit

hopeless and the only thought that seemed to bring encouragement was the dream that

somehow a new pastor could be found who would revitalize our church.

Although our path as a church through the past two years has not always been smooth or

without a bit of disagreement or even conflict, a comparison of where we stand today as

a church is an amazing glimpse of the Spirit at work in this congregation bringing us

truly a future with hope. We have just the right people, in the right places, willing to

work together and positively to create a new future. We have been blessed to have the

continuity of the Rev. Don Elly leading us in worship once a month and the leadership

and direction of the Rev. Dave Endriss moderating our Session. We have an amazing

group of people leading worship as liturgists, and in proclaiming the Word through our

Sunday message. We have a choir and the beginnings of the children’s bell choir.

“Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house

of the slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of

anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water beneath the earth. “

Exodus 20:1-4

Reflection

Fear versus Love

The Ten Commandments were delivered in a scene made for Hollywood with plenty of special effects.

There is a mountain on fire with smoke, lightning, trumpets, and thunder. The Israelites are

overwhelmed with fear and they ask Moses, "Can you speak for us? If we have to communicate directly

with God we will die.” Moses says, "Don't be afraid, God is just trying to scare you into not sinning.” The

Ten Commandments are very helpful. The first four are directives for how to live in good relationship

with God and the last six are directives for living in good relationship with others; and fear is an

effective motivator. It was what the Israelite’s needed at that time to survive and grow as a people.

Fast forward 1,475 years to Jesus's ministry. Spiritually, things have developed and matured. Jesus gives

us a new commandment: to “love one another.” He says, “The entire law and the prophets is summed up

in the two great commandments: to love God and to love one another” (Matthew 22:36-40). If we follow

these two, the ten commandments will be covered. Richard Rohr points out that this new seemingly

more simplified commandment is much harder. He states that we start anew and we fail every day to

really love. “Only by living in love, in communion—God in us and we in God—do we find, every once in a

while, a love flowing through us and toward us and from us that is bigger than our own.”

Instead of fear being my motivation, I am going to choose loving well as a goal for each new day.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank you for how you modeled love to us through your life and sacrifice. Help us live lives

of loving you, our neighbors, and ourselves every day. Please give us a sense of your holy spirit helping

us at every turn to love well. Amen.

Written by Thomas Schemper

Director, Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being

Hands to God 6 p.m.

Tuesday, November 14th

MADONNA CIRCLE 7:00 p.m.

November 6th

5:00 p.m. November 1st

ATTENTION

PRESBYTERIAN MEMBERS!

If you are the parents or foster parents of young

children through the junior high age…We hope

you can have your child in church the week of

their birthday. Their name will now be listed in

the church bulletin along with the adult

birthdays!

We hope this service will make their birthday

extra special!

August 2017 First United Presbyterian Church Winterset, Iowa

Tid Bits from PW… PW met Sunday, October 8, 2017 after Fellowship in the Sanctuary with nine women present. Items discussed included:

PW purchasing and producing, with Chery W.’s help, 20 notecard packets for the Covered Bridge Church Tour’s souvenir table.

An update on the Covered Bridge Church Tours

An update on the Swedish Dinner which has been planned for Dec. 13 with more information coming later

An update on the Birthday Bags created by Judy R. and Suzanne N.

Information on the Holiday Hop to be held Nov. 18 from 8:30-1:30

An update on the Christmas Child Shoebox Mission project which was kicked off the first of Oct. and will run through Nov. 12 when filled boxes will be dedicated during our regular church service

Thank Offering Service being set for Nov. 19 – women volunteers will be needed to participate in that service – offering going that Sunday to the PW Thank Offering. Sheryl P. will revamp the PW preplanned service to fit our worship needs

Developing a 2018 PW Budget Committee to build a new budget proposal to be voted on in Nov. (members: JoAnne C., Ruth R., Rae D., and Deb K.)

Development of a 2018 PW Officer Nominating Committee to meet and find women to serve as moderator, secretary, and treasurer for 2018 (members: Pam D. and Deb K.)

A possible Dinner/Speaker meeting was discussed for some time in Jan.

A very productive meeting was adjourned at 1:00 with another short meeting set for Nov. 19 after church to vote on the new 2018 budget and new officers. Submitted by Deb Kneller, PW Vice Moderator/Treasurer

CHOIR PRACTICE!

Choir Practice will resume on

Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. in the

sanctuary, under the leadership of David Negley. We are so grateful to David for volunteering to lead our choir again this

year.

Please come and join us. Come make a joyful noise to the

Lord!

The decorating committee is needing nativities to help in the decorating for the Christmas season in the Fellowship Hall. If you have any nativity sets you are not using, please share them with us! You can bring them to the Fellowship Hall anytime between November and December. Note: Please label your nativity set or box with your name on it.

CHILDREN’S BELL CHOIR

WE ARE PRACTICING EVERY

SUNDAY, IMMEDIATLEY AFTER

SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR 15

MINUTES.

OUR FIRST PERFORMANCE WILL

BE NOVEMBER 19TH!

LET YOUR CHILDREN BE PART OF

THE WORSHIP SERVICE!

REMEMBER THOSE WHO SERVE

Let us keep the men and women who are currently serving our nation in the Middle East

in our prayers.

We give thanks to God and rejoice for the

safe return of all the men and women from the

Winterset area who have faithfully served.

If you are aware of someone serving our

nation in the armed forces and would like to

add their name, please contact the church

office at 462-3261.

THE PRAYER & PRAISE PAGE

EXTENDED COMMUNION

PRAYER AND PRAISE!

PRAYER REQUESTS

ATTENTION: If you have prayer requests you can now call the church office at 462-3261 or email wfupcprayer@gmail.com. This site will be checked twice a day and prayer requests will be forwarded to the church membership.

PRAISE This is an opportunity for anyone to submit to the Steeple before the deadline (21st of each month), a prayer that has been answered or a praise of what God has done for you recently. Please send your article to the church office at churchsecretary3261@gmail.com, or bring it by the church office during office hours (Tues-Fri., 8:00-1:00 p.m. or see calendar for summer hours)

PRAISES!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all

comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we

can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we

ourselves receive from God. II Cor. 1:3-4

Prayer is. . . 1. The first step to knowing Jesus Christ 2. Recognizing the presence of God 3. Man’s means to know God intimately 4. The laying hold of God’s promise 5. The soul on its knees 6. The path to strength and peace 7. Man’s means to touch God 8. God’s gift of power 9. Giving God access to our need 10. The key to the miraculous 11. The very breath of spirit

Please lift the following people in prayer this month: 11/1 Gentry Landers

11/2 Macy Landers

11/3 Maxwell Landers

11/4 Gail Leeper

11/5 Sally Leeper

11/6 Carli Macumber

11/7 Cooper Macumber

11/8 Phil Macumber

11/9 Shirley Macumber

11/10 Lois Martin

11/11 Elsie McDonald

11/12 Tish McKee

11/13 Darla Milllhollin

11/14 Paul Millhollin

11/15 Pat Montross

11/16 Layla Neal

11/17 Abigaylle Negley

11/18 Brennan Negley

11/19 David Negley

11/20 David Michael Negley

11/21 DeAnne Negley

11/22 Natalie Negley

11/23 Elaine Newton

11/24 Robert Newton

11/25 Suzanne Null

11/26 Carol Parker

11/27 Shirley Parkins

11/28 Ann Pashek

11/29 Connor Pashek

11/30 Ellie Pashek

“Be joyful always,

Pray continually,

Give Thanks in all

circumstances.”

I Thess. 5:16-18

Winterset Presbyterian Church Presents…

“Walking into Church” History Tours

Including pipe organ renditions of cinematic soundtracks

Did you miss it? It was a huge success during the

Covered Bridges Festival! Thank you to the

following who made this a big hit!

Connie Banks

Pam Deichmann

Pat Dickerson

Brian Dickerson

Dean Schantz

Lori Ryner

Hannah Puderbaugh

Rae de Reginer

And the many others who helped with the little

things that made this a huge success!

GRR! GRR! Did you hear that person behind you during worship service?? You could hear their stomach growling so loud!

Better tell them about SUNDAY MORNING BREAKFAST!

8:30 a.m.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY

MORNING!

9:00 A.M.

For all ages!!

CONFIRMATION IS HAPPENING NOW!

Confirmation class is for 6th grade and older who have not yet been confirmed! New this year is a

corresponding adult class covering the same topics in greater detail, specially recommended for parents,

mentors and all who want to expand your knowledge, explore your faith, learn about the Christian and

Presbyterian traditions, and grow in community with one another.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

EVERY SUNDAY @ 5:30 P.M. IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL

It’s not too late to include your child or join in reviewing what your faith is all about!

THANK YOU FROM CRISP!

Dear Presbyterian

Congregation,

Thank you so much for your

very generous donation to

C.R.I.S.P. for School Supplies

4 Kids!

You have helped many

children toward a good start to

the new school year! We

appreciate you!

C.R.I.S.P staff

Lynn, Carol and Angela

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

Birthdays

Anniversaries

Anniversaries

May God’s joy and peace be with you.

Christmas Child Shoeboxes are due no

later than November 12th.

During the worship service we will be

dedicating these boxes before they are

shipped off to children in another

country.

HOW MANY TIMES IS THE WORD

“THANKSGIVING” IN THE BIBLE?

King James 30

NIV 32

New English 29

English Standard 38

NLT 31

THANK OFFERING

NOVEMBER 19TH

Join in this Special Service by the PW

Women focusing on the Thank Offering.

A time to be thankful for all we have

received by God’s grace and to give to

others in need.

11/03 Virginia Kimberlin 11/05 Michael Howland 11/05 Kit Schantz 11/07 Robert Grandfield 11/11 Joyce Turner 11/13 Rae de Regnier 11/14 Keith Tucker 11/18 Dean Schantz 11/20 Brennan Negley 11/26 Zach Fleming 11/30 Paul Bruett

11/21 Russ & Teresa Fleming 11/22 Paul & Darla Millhollin

BOARD OF ELDERS

Class of 2017

Larry Raney

Pat Dickerson

Kevin de Regnier

Jake Al-Mazroa (Youth Elder)

Class of 2018

Sheryl Puderbaugh

Hal Jackson

Don Stanley

Class of 2019

Laura Silverthorn

Wendy Sawyer

Paul Millhollin

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

FALL/WINTER HOURS! OFFICE DAYS & HOURS

TUES, WED, THURS

10:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M.

Office closed for lunch 12:30-1:00 P.M.

Phone: 515/462-3261

Fax: 515/462-1562

Email: churchsecretary3261@gmail.com

OUR WEBSITE

Visit our website at www.wintersetpresbyterian.org find a

podcast, go to our website and click on the “Resources” tab.

A menu will drop down and you can select “Sermons”. A new

page will open and you can see the available sermons listed by

date. You can also see the focus scripture the sermon is based

on and the sermon where you can listen to the Prayer for

Illumination, the Old and New Testament readings and the

sermon. To title. Just click on the title of the sermon and

listen.

Now you can listen any time and any place you have access to

the web, it even works on a smart phone!

CHURCH STAFF Mike Dickerson, Financial Secretary

Nancy Raney, Financial Secretary Assistant Shane Pashek, Treasurer Steve Walker, Custodian

Chery White, Administrative Assistant

NOVEMBER USHERS

Larry & Nancy Raney

PROVIDING ELEMENTS OF COMMUNION Joyce Turner

EXTENDED COMMUNION

Teams of elders from our church will be taking the sacrament immediately after

the service to our homebound members.

Homebound members will be contacted during the week before communion is

served to ask if they would like to receive communion.

The names of those receiving

communion at home will be read during the communion service, bringing them into our fellowship around the table.

Teams of elders will take the

communion elements to the homes, after the service, after previously

arranging a convenient time with those being served.

CHURCH PIPE ORGAN

Our pipe organ is need of repair. Consider

contributing to the expense of repairing the

organ and continuing the beautiful music

played every Sunday. There are pledge cards

in the narthex. If making your donation by

check, please note on your check for organ

repair. Thank You!

500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

REFORMATION

ANNUAL HOLIDAY HOP

November 18th 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

This is a great fund raiser opportunity for

us! Please finish up your craft items and

start making and baking your goodies!

Also, don’t forget to bring lightly used

Christmas decorations to sell!

Come celebrate with St.

Joseph Catholic, First

United Methodist and St.

Paul Lutheran Church the

500th Anniversary of the

Reformation.

There will be a joint choir

led by David Negley.

NOVEMBER 9TH , 7:00 P.M.

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN

CHURCH

Our Madison County CROP walk committee met Tuesday, October 24th to finalize the 2017 walk. I am so proud that our church totals for money and canned goods collected were higher than last year, but a little disappointed that Brian Dickerson was the only member of our church to join the walk itself. That's something we need to work on for next year (our 12th one), so SAVE the date of Sunday, September 23, 2018 and start training!

Presentations will be made during church services on Sunday, October 29th for the following:

MONEY RAISED (county total $5230):

1st place goes to St. Paul Lutheran Church with a total of $2601

2nd place goes to......FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH with a total of $1255!! For the second year in a row--YEAH!!

(Brian raised 76% while JoAnn raised 24%---only because Brian was out of town for 2 weeks!)

3rd place money raised goes to First Christian Church, with First United Methodist Church coming in 4th place.

We DO contact all county churches for participation, but obviously that's another thing we need to work on.

CANNED GOODS COLLECTION:

1st place goes to First Christian Church, as it should because they send their youth out a couple evenings to collect. What a great idea!

2nd place goes to.......FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (we were 3rd last year)....YEAH!!

3rd place goes to St. Paul Lutheran Church, with First United Methodist Church coming in 4th place.

THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to either Brian or me for the 2017 Madison County CROP walk.

G. JoAnn Collins

View more pictures of events and people on the bulletin board in the hallway!

Youth Message with Deb Kneller

October 19th

Deb invites the children to the party. Everyone is invited! We have to get ready for the party by

reading, praying, and learning about God! It will be a splendid gathering!

PICTURES OF OUR CHURCH

Submitted by Gaylene Blankers

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

Teachers and students in the Confirmation Classes

L-R, front: Laura Silverthorn, Colt Slocum, Layla Neal, Alexi Wilcox

L-R back: Zach Fleming, David Michael Negley, Connor Pashek, Ellie Pashek, Jodi Tymeson

Confirmation Students and Teachers getting into the depths of our beliefs and doctrine, while Ruth Reed observes.

Leaders and Planners coming together!

L-R, clockwise: Teresa Fleming, Rae de Regnier, Sheryl Puderbaugh, Dee Negley and Tish

McKee.

Reminder Regarding Announcements Please submit your announcements to the church office, in person or by email, no later than Wednesday, email address: churchsecretary3261@gmail.com or to the worship leader before the start of the morning worship service. Thank you

Sexual Misconduct Policy has been approved by Session. Individuals working with youth or adults with disabilities must participate in training and have a background check. Our church is an exemplar for this policy as not many others have policies in place.

LaTisha McKee has requested membership in our church. She will be formally accepted on Nov. 12 during worship.

The confirmation class has started. There are 7 youth and several adults attending.

Congregational Meeting to review the budget, nominations/election of officers and Nominating Committee for 2018 will be held along with communion on November 12, 2018.

December Session meeting will be held on December 19 at 7:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. Elder Training will be held December 19 at 6:00 PM. Evaluation and approval of new elders will be during the December Session meeting. Ordination and Installation will be at our worship meeting in January, 2018.

Session Record Review passed without exception.

Thanks! Laura

OCTOBER 24, 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

EVENING

GUILD 5:00 P.M

Choir practice 7:00 p.m.

7:00 P.M. Property & Finance Meeting

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 31st Sunday In Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship 5:30 p.m. Confirmation Classes

7:00 p.m. Madonna Circle

Church office open 10-5

Church office Closed

Choir practice 7:00 p.m. Church office Closed

500th Anniversary Of the Reformation Service @ St. Paul Lutheran, 7:00 p.m.

Church office open 10-5

Church office open 10-5

JUGS 8:30 A.M

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship

5:30 p.m. Confirmation Classes

6:00 p.m. Hands to God

Choir practice

7:00 p.m.

HOLIDAY HOP 8:30 AM-1:30 PM

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship- THANKS OFFERING

CHRISTMAS CHILD SHOE BOXES DUE PW MEETING AFTER FELLOWSHIP TIME 5:30 p.m. Confirmation Classes

STEEPLE DEADLINE

Calendar dates due

THANKSGIVING

DAY

26 27 28 29 30 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship

5:30 p.m. Confirmation Classes

7:00 p.m. Session Meeting

Choir practice 7:00 p.m.

Bus Tour

Lunch

First United Presbyterian Church

210 W. Green Street

Winterset, Iowa 50273

Phone: 515-462-3261

Churchsecretary3261@gmail.com

www.wintersetpresbyterian.org

MAY 2017

WORSHIP TIMES

Sunday School – 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service – 10:15 a.m.