Newsletter of the United Church of Primghar April, 2015 - Volume 4

Children

& Youth

Sunday

April 26th Alive, Alive, Alive forevermore

These are the words of a familiar chorus heard around Easter. But, they are meaningless, unless we fin-

ish the thought-My Jesus is alive! We celebrate the Living Christ

...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we gather to worship (Sunday and/or Wednesdays)

-lifting up the glorious name of our Lord and Savior. Praying over Joys and Concerns, we remember that Jesus

is alive praying for us, and with us.

...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we spend time together around Gods Word. In

Wild Wednesday Worship. In Bible Studies. In Vacation Bible School. In Junior High Youth Group. In Senior

High Youth Group. We discover the living Christ as he comes alive to us in the Bible.

...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we reach out to meet the needs of others. Through

the food & other items consistently given to Upper Des Moines. Through special offerings (like Heifer Project,

PET, Blankets). Through providing materials needed for others-shoes for Soles for Souls; health, school, sewing,

layette, and birthing kits for many, space and time for Love INC classes, and many other ways. We discover the

living Christ as we reach out to his children around the world.

But...what would this community miss if we were not here? I believe that the presence of Christ is more real,

more alive because you are here-living out your faith in meaningful ways. During 2014 our average combined

worship attendance (Wednesdays at 7:00pm, and Sundays at 9:00am) increased from 90 to 107 people, we have

had a continuous adult Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 6:15, and in the Fall of 2014 we became a second

site for Love In the Name of Christ classes. Living out our faith in meaningful ways is what the church is all

about. May we commit ourselves to following the Living Christ wherever he leads.

By now it is no secret that this church is struggling financially. During our Annual Meeting in 2015 the question

was raised about our 2014 Apportionment Payments. We paid 25% of our apportionments in 2014. During our

February meeting the Administrative Council voted that we would pay 10% of our general income toward our

apportionments (giving 5% to each conference). However, when paying bills on February 24th, it became neces-

sary to borrow $4,500 to cover general expenses (and we have not made any payments on our 2015 apportion-

ments). When I really looked at the financial report that was given for our Annual Meeting I discovered that in

2014 we spent $2,688.06 less than we did in 2013, but we paid $12,557.87 less in Denomination Support. So,

where did the increase of almost $10,000 come from in our expenditures in 2014? The bulk of the increase,

$6,700+ can be found in the Building & Maintenance/Trustees area (i.e. Building Supplies and Maintenance,

Church & Parsonage Insurance, Lawn Care, Church Repairs, Parsonage Repairs, Snow Removal, Natural Gas,

Phone, City utilities, Computer/upgrade, etc.) We also had smaller increases in Worship, Spiritual Formation,

Leadership, and Administration. Whenever there is a specific financial need, you come through. Thank You. An

envelope is included with this newsletter for those who feel led to give an extra Easter Gift this year, so that we

might continue to meet all of our financial obligations and church needs.

Thank you for allowing me to be your pastor, and I look forward to the blessings God has in store for us-as we

allow the Living Christ to live in and through us!

~Pastor Cory

COMING EVENTS

WWW Ends

Wednesday, April 29th

We will have a fun

night with games to promote

summer camp.

South OBrien

Baccalaureate Services

Wednesday,

May 13th

SOS High

School Gym

Paullina

COLLEGE GRADUATES If you have a college stu-

dent graduating this year,

please call the office with

details for publication in

the June Newsletter.

Sunday May 3rd:

Confirmation Sunday &

High School Senior Graduate Recognition

Confirmands: Mercedes Babb, Hunter Irwin & Jordan Niewenhuis

Graduates: Tayla Coady, Mitchel Fulk, Victor Irwin, Brittany Langfitt &Ashley Vander Pol

Administrative Council:

The following people are on the Administrative Council and the areas they represent.

Chairperson: Benny Ebel Vice-chairperson: Corey Gillespie Clerk (Secretary): Beth Wittrock

Finance: Connie Huffman

Missions & Outreach: Bill Kersting, Jane McDowell, Beth Wittrock

PPR: Corey Gillespie, Mike Jones, Jane McDowell

Spiritual Formation: Haley Bottjen

Trustees: Benny Ebel, Cindy Jansma

UCW: Jane McDowell

Worship: Matt Rohwer

We are still in need of two people who would be willing to serve on our Administrative Council.

Joint Pastor Parish Relations Committee

At their January meeting the Administrative Council approved having a joint PPR with Archer UMC. This

joint PPR will be comprised of 8 people from each church, will monthly alternating sites, have co-chairs (one

from each church) and be responsible for making all pastoral and administrative assistant decisions. UCPs

PPR:

Co-Chairperson: Mike Jones (Bill Engeltjes is the other Co-Chairperson from Archer UMC)

Jan Gaudian, Corey Gillespie, Sue McCauley, Jane McDowell, Jim Thompson, Ladonna Wittrock

We are still in need of one more person to serve on this Joint Committee

Teams/Associates to the Administrative Council (Would like 3 in each category): Missions & Outreach:

Trustees: Peter Eldridge, Lee Irvine, Steve Wittrock

Spiritual Formation: Clara Black, Shirley Jones,

Worship: Evelyn Bruns, Courtney Vander Pol

Nominations: Marge Hunt, Julie Johannsen, Joan Thompson

Paying Treasurers: Loretta Edwards, Ben Eldr idge

Receiving Treasurers: Donna Dawson, Kim Tewes, Joan Thompson, Sharon Roos,

UCC Representative: Emily Waund

UMC Representative: Jane McDowell

WWW

Schedule 5:30 WWW Music

5:45pm Dinner

6:15pm Classes

7:00pm Worship

Sunday

Schedule 9:00am UCP

Worship

9:30am Archer

Sunday School

10:30am Archer

UMC Worship

1 7:00 am Primghar

& Archer Lenten

Breakfasts

4:00 pm Confirma-

tion

WWW

2 7:00 pm

Maundy Thurs-

day Service at

Archer UMC

3

Pastor Corys

Day Off

Noon Ecumenical

Worship Service

at Catholic

Church

4

5

7:30 am Sunrise

Service Archer

UMC

9:00 am UCP

Worship

10:30 amArcher

UCP Worship

6

7

8

2:00pm UCW

4:00 pm Confirma-

tion

WWW

9

10

Pastor Corys

Day Off

11

12

3:00 pm VBS

Meeting at UCP

13

14

15

4:00 pm Confirma-

tion

WWW

16

17

Pastor Corys

Day Off

18

19

Archer Board

meeting after wor-

ship

7:00 pm UCP Ad-

ministrative Coun-

cil Mtg.

20

7:30 pm Joint

PPR Meeting

at Archer

UMC

21

22

2:00 pm Faith

Circle

4:00 pm Confirma-

tion

WWW

7:00 pm SOS Sen-

iors Pizza Party

23

24

9:00am Newslet-

ter Assembly

Pastor Corys

Day Off

25

Sohn/Gesink

Wedding

26

Children &

Youth Sunday

Brunch

10:00am to 12

pm

27

28

7:00pm Even-

ing Circle

29

4:00pm Confirma-

tion

Last WWW

30

Quarters! Bring your quarters with you to church to

put in the quarter bank. The children

would like to raise enough money to buy

an animal. Every quarter helps us reach

our goal!

Adopt a Child Vacation Bible School (VBS) this year will be held at the United Church of Primghar July 13-16. In an effort to raise our portion of the funds needed we are sponsoring Adopt a Child. Each child is $30. Coffee fellowship on April 5th will also be going towards the VBS program. UCPs share of the program this year is $500. Any support would be greatly appreciated.

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

APRIL

NURSERY WORKERS

5th Shir ley Jones

12th Barb Rohwer

19th WE NEED YOU!!

27th

APRIL

BIRTHDAYS &

ANNIVERSARIES 1 Jan Gaudian

4 Shirley Fernstrum

6 Ladonna Wittrock

7 LaNan Eldridge, Mitchell Enger,

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Fritzsche, Mr. & Mrs. Dale Fulk

8 Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Jansma

9 Ashli Sohn

10 Charles Bruns, Jr., Susan Smith

11 Kurt Edwards

14 Pastor Cory Allard

15 Gretchen Engelmeyer, Deanna Smith Herrar

16 Anne Wright

17 Jim Steffens

18 Wilma Reese, Aubree Eldridge

21 Mr. & Mrs. Charles Bruns, Jr.

22 Tim Wittrock

23 Kevin Brown

24 Jean Edwards

25 Allison Meyer

26 Darwin Gaudian

27 Glen Wittrock, Drew Wittrock, Noah Wittrock

28 Nell Kammerer, Kim Hintz,

Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Wittrock

UCW will meet April 8th at 2

p.m. Hostesses are Fern Rosen-

boom, Rhonda Rosenboom &

Delores Ginger. Devotions by Bea

Powers and Program by Connie

Huffman.

Evening Circle will meet April 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Hostess is Pastor Cory, Program by Marian Ginger

and Devotions by LaNan Eldridge.

Faith Circle will meet April 22nd at 2:00 p.m.

Hostess is Arlene Wittrock & Ann Stroeble, Devo-

tions by Bea Powers.

Camp Fundraiser

Sunday, April 26th

10:0012:30pm

Join us for an egg bake brunch to help

send children to camp!

April Acolyte 5th Taryn Hintz

12th Matt Edwards

19th Shelby Enger

26th Breanna Bottjen

SOS Graduates &

Youth Sponsors

Pizza Party

Wednesday, April 22nd

7:00pm Pizza Ranch

APRIL GREETERS

SOUTH DOOR

5th Mike & Shirley Jones

12th Leon & Marge Hunt

19th Rodney & Myrna Heimensen

26th Youth & Children

INCOME 2015

January $5,008

February $6,002.50

March 1st-22nd$6,071.60

Budget for 2015138,196.49

Average Monthly Expenditure

$11,516.37

APRIL USHERS

5th Benny Ebel, Jack Black & Helen Lucas

12th & 19th Corey & Jodi Gillespie & Pete Eldridge

26th Youth & Children

Liturgists

April 5th Shirley Fernstrum

April 12th Emily Waund

April 19th Donna Dawson

April 26th Children & Youth