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Sundays 9:00 am: Traditional

11:00 am: Contemporary

April Newsletter

Greetings! I hope you are doing well and coping with the stressful changes we’ve all been going through these past few weeks. Since most of the events and activities I would normally announce here are on hold or cancelled, this will be an abbreviated version of the regular newsletter. When we start to get things back to normal, I’ll send you an updated newsletter.

Palm Sunday and Easter Services have been cancelled. All services and group meetings have been cancelled until further notice.

Friedens continues to provide pastoral care to our members. Rev. Andrew has been working hard to create special video lessons, sermons, and even live Sunday services on Facebook! You can find these on our website www.friedensuccwarrenton.com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/friedensuccwarrenton . He is also still available to visit by phone if you are in need. We also have a wonderful group of volunteers from our church ready to help with running errands for those who can’t or shouldn’t be out at this time. If you or someone you know needs that kind of assistance, please call Kim Moreau at 636-297-5902 or send her an email at kimmoreau111@gmail.com. These volunteers will be glad to help with grocery shopping or getting medication or whatever you might need help with.

There are things we can all do to help out during this time: 1) Reach out to your friends and neighbors. Give them a call or send a note. Video chat if you can.

Send funny pictures. No one needs to feel alone in this. 2) Don’t forget to send your offerings to the church! There are still bills to pay whether we have

services or not. You can send a check or use electronic giving (there are instructions on how to e-give inside).

3) Take care of yourself . Take time to pray and seek God’s help through these times. He will give you strength.

God Bless you all! Pam Bryant (Office Manager)

http://www.friedensuccwarrenton.comhttps://www.facebook.com/friedensuccwarrenton

Rev. Andrew Lovins…..……....Senior Pastor

Pam Bryant .....…………….Office Manager

Peggy Williams……..……..Church Organist

Guy Schreck………..Chancel Choir Director

Susie Rowan……….….Praise Band Director

Bill Petersmeyer……..….Bell Choir Director

Susie Rowan….……...…….…..Accompanist

Ned Quest...................................Accompanist

Madison Hunke...................................Nursery

Our Church Staff

Katie Moreau ........………......……President

Bill Tappmeyer.....……….......Vice-President

Glenda Buxton …….....…..........….Secretary

Karen Gentry..... …...............…......Treasurer

2020 Council Officers

These numbers are for both services and are approximate.

March 2020

3/1 167 3/8 161 3/15 103

facebook.com/friedensuccwarrenton

Check out our website:

www.friedensuccwarrenton.com

Monthly Financial Report

February Month Year-To-Date

Income $16,367.31 $34,429.31

Expenses $16,837.68 $39,888.48

Net Income $ -470.37 $ -5,459.17

Go to our website, click the “Donate Online” button, create a profile, and schedule your electronic giving.

http://www.facebook.com/friedensuccwarrentonhttp://www.friedensuccwarrenton.comhttp://www.friedensuccwarrenton.com/

Easter Lilies Even though we will not be able to use them to decorate our Easter services, there will still be Easter lilies available for purchase if you would like to buy one in memory or in honor of a loved one. Please fill out the order form and send it in to the office. The list of donors will be given out at our first service back in church.

Office Closed

The church office is closed but Pastor Andrew and Office Manager Pam will still be working from home. If you need to contact us, send an email, text or leave a phone message and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible. The pastor will be following this weekly schedule of teaching opportunities: Tuesday - Thursday : A Devotional via Facebook Livestream @ 9 AM Wednesday: Bible Study via Zoom @ 7 PM Friday: Catechism on Youtube Sunday: Live Message via Facebook Livestream @ 9 AM

Fishin’ Mission

The Spring Fishin’ Mission which was scheduled for April 13 has been cancelled.

Easter Breakfast The Social Committee has cancelled Easter breakfast. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help.

News and Announcements

Confirmation Confirmation Sunday has been postponed to Pentecost Sunday, May 31st.

A Word From Our Pastor

Mark 4:35-41

A plane full of retirees headed for Florida was gripped with fear when the pilot announced, "Two of our engines are on fire; we are flying through a heavy fog, visibility is limited."

The passengers were numb with fear, except for one, a semi-retired minister.

"Now, keep calm, folks," he says. "Let's all bow our heads and pray."

Immediately, the group bows their heads, except a fellow near the back.

"Why aren't you bowing your head?" the minister asks.

"Well, I don't know how to pray."

"Well, do something religious!" barks another passenger.

So, the man gets up and starts down the aisle, passing his hat.

I have much in common with that man and the disciples. I'm not on a plane but the sea of life. A storm is raging, Jesus is asleep. When I need Jesus most, He's asleep. Why? "Lord, don't you care if we drown," the disciple's squeal (v38). We shouldn't be so harsh in our judgment of the disciples. A fraction of fear is good.

There's a brain disease that destroys the capacity to fear. Two almond-like structures on the side of our brain, called the amygdala, harness the ability to fear. In a Current Biology journal, a woman named SM, feels no fear, even when threatened with a gun. She is shown horror movies, put in dangerous circumstances, but she's cool as a cucumber. They took SM to an exotic pet store with poisonous snakes. SM claims to dislike the snakes, but when she saw them she was overcome with curiosity, repeatedly asking to touch the snakes. SM's fearless attitude is not a blessing; it's evidence that all is not well with her brain.

I've spent a lot of time in year past trying to remove the fear from people's faith, taking Jesus' question as a condemnation of fearful living. Yet, the disciples are not the subject of Jesus' criticism because they are afraid. They fear the wrong thing. They are scared Jesus doesn't love them. It's behind every act of disobedience, the fear God doesn't love us. And it's a lie; the cross tells us God loves us. "God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8)

You've heard it before. You know how we preachers say it. Have you got a storm in your life? Jeeeeezus can calm the storm! We talk about Jesus like he's Prozac on a stick. He died for you to make everything smooth as a laxative, only He doesn't. The real danger on the water that day was not the waves lapping over the boat. The threat on the water is Jesus. Do you notice, after Jesus' rebukes the wind and the waves, the fear isn't gone? The disciples are more afraid of the calm than the storm. "They feared a great fear" (v41) it says.

We have lost a sense of holy, healthy fear. We speak of God flippantly, like God is our "buddy." Listen to some people talk, and you'd think they carry God around in their pocket, and they pull Him out anytime they need a parking space closer to the door. God is like their pet dog, "Sparky." God is to be feared. Not feared in the same way you might fear a storm. God is uncontrollable like a storm, but a storm can't love you. God is more powerful than a typhoon, but a typhoon can't love you. God is mightier than a tornado, but a tornado can't love you. So, the disciples "fear a great fear" for a man who can do what Jesus does is unsettling.

We think when Jesus steps into our life, everything is about to get calmer. Not so. When Jesus is in our boat, rough water is ahead, but we have His presence. The wind howls, the boat rocks for to Jesus, our wholeness is as vital as our happiness. It's not my job, nor is it Jesus' to erase all fear. The storm may be so frightening it scares the hell out of you. We may have some hell in us that needs to go!

We do a baptism, a confirmation, we imagine a straight line from the cradle to the grave, a path covered with roses. Jesus sends us like He sent His disciples into a storm. He didn't create the storm, but He uses it. Like when you remodel a house, before construction, there's deconstruction. Old carpet gets removed, walls come down, and in between, there's disorientation. You don't know where to find anything. Stuff is everywhere: paint cans, drywall, dust, and mess. Ask, "what does God need to deconstruct in my life?" for me to become more whole, a fully integrated person, transformed by love! Don't be a coward, face the fear. Leverage it for growth.

Ten years ago, I nearly died. I ran through a red light on Paseo Drive in KC, MO. There was a five-car pileup. Several were taken to the hospital, leaving them and me with lasting injuries. The accident was so mindless I was accused of drunkenness. My car was totaled, my insurance skyrocketed. My error: falling asleep at the wheel because I had been working two jobs, 14 hours a day, pursuing "success." I was afraid, rightly so. I learned why Jesus snoozes while we squirm. "Sometimes, the godliest thing in the universe is a good night's sleep." Got a big decision to make? Overloaded, weighed down, burned out? Obey the example of Jesus. "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes – including you."

"Don't you care if we drown?" the disciples ask. Jesus does. He cares enough to be on the journey with you. He cares, and you can "cast your care on Him" (1 Pet 5:7). Jesus cares enough to teach us the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov 9:10).

April Servants

HEAD USHER

Milton Wulff

USHERS

Mark & Heather Schutte Roger & Lisa Devenport

GREETERS

April 19 Lynn & Kathy Bade April 26 Stan Miller, Carol Perry

LITURGISTS

April 19 Clinton Owenby April 26 Wayne Bullard

ACOLYTES

April 19 Grace & Emma Owenby April 26 Mark & Johnathan Jaspering

USHERS

April 19 Kathy Miltenberger, Peg Phillips April 26 Ron & Suzie Cosgrove

GREETERS

April 19 Les Bakameyer, Edna Surls April 26 Dot Toerper, Mary Lou Fuller

COFFEE HOUR

April 19 Karla Bryant, Rose Marie England April 26 Katie Moreau

9:00 am Worship Service 11:00 am Worship Service

Go to our website, click the “Donate Online” button, create a profile, and schedule your

electronic giving.

April

Anniversaries Years

April 1 Alan & Claudia Kimbel 35

April 9 Dale & Ginnie Schoen 54

April 12 Jessica & Brandon Heitgerd 6

April 22 Mel & Lena Stiegman 59

April 23 Darrell & Joyce Dothage 54

April 25 Larry & Karen Corder 39

April 26 Tony & Jane Wilbas 45

April 30 Jeffrey & Janet Butcher 43

FRIEDENS United Church of Christ

“Alive with the Spirit and love of God.”

313 East Main St.

Warrenton MO 63383-2007

636-456-8218

Email us at:

office@friedensuccwarrenton.com

The April Servants list is being provided in case services resume at that time. It

does not mean that there will be services then.

mailto:office@friedensuccwarrenton.com

April Birthdays

EASTER LILY ORDER FORM

COST: $12.00 EACH

Orders need to be returned to the church office by Monday, April 6, 2020

NAME ____________________________________________________________________________

HOW MANY PLANTS? ______________________________________________________________

IN MEMORY OF __________________________________________________________________

IN HONOR OF _____________________________________________________________________

IN CELEBRATION OF ____________________________

01—Debbie Groeper Nathan Nordwald 04—Jenna Moeller 05—Eli Garrett 06—Adam Hachman 07—Gloria Luecke 08—Angela Hunke 09—Tony Lanzone Rachel Polston 10—Benjamin Owenby 11—Kenneth Toerper 13—Clinton Owenby 17—Claudia Kimbel Jill Nordwald

18—Kevin Ockerhausen Bill Petersmeyer 21—Kathy Bade 24—Gloria Avis Kristin Brockfeld 25—Edwin Albright Christy Bonstell Malinda Niermann 28—Morgan Greer Helen Pherigo 30—Robert Hill John Hill

Giving By Text Message

Forgot your checkbook? Don’t carry cash? Couldn’t come to church service? You now have the option to text your offering! To donate by Text Message:

1) Text to phone number 636-303-1505 2) In the message, enter a donation amount, including the $ (dollar sign) 3) It will respond with a link to the registration website. Tap on the link and fill out

your name and credit/debit card info. You only have to do this part once. It will remember you when you text in the future.

4) It will acknowledge your gift and give you the option to set up repeating donations. You’re done!

E-Giving at Friedens

For many years now, Friedens has provided an option for giving electronically on our website and more recently through text messaging. We use a company called Vanco which is used by churches and other businesses all over the country to process payments through credit/debit cards and direct deposit. We never see your credit card or bank information, we are just notified of who gave, when and how much. If you are interested in giving this way, instructions for giving by text message and online follow. It has proven to be very safe and convenient. Of course, we are still happy to receive donations the old fashioned way too!

How to Sign Up for E-Giving

E-Giving is an easy way to make your offerings to the church directly from your checking account, savings

account or from a credit card, instead of writing a check or giving cash. You can select a one-time offering,

or set up a recurring offering. You can also use e-giving to make donations to the Celebration Band, the

Building Fund, Mission funds, or the Youth Mission Trip. You can cancel or change your recurring offering

at any time.

Here is a step by step guide to enrolling in E-Giving:

1. The easiest way to start the process is from the Friedens’ website at friedensuccwarrenton.com. Open the

web browser of your choice (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc) and enter the address.

2. Click on the button.

3. This will take you to a screen that lets you pick

when, to what, and how much you will donate.

If you want to make an offering, enter the

amount after Offerings. If you want to donate

to the Building Fund, enter the amount after

Building Fund and so on. You may give to

more than one category. Then you can select

how often you want to donate: One time,

weekly, or monthly, from the menu next to

Donation Frequency. Then pick when the

donation is to be made (or in the case of recurring donations, when you want your donations to start).

4. Review your entries and if everything is ok, click on

5. On the next screen, you enter your name and address

and decide where you want the donation to be taken from:

your checking, savings, or credit card. If you click the

Checking button under Account Type, you’ll see something

like the image on the right. If you pick Credit/Debit card, it

will ask you to fill out that information.

6. There is a button. If you are

making a one-time donation, you may not want to bother to

set up a profile and create a password. If you are making a

recurring donation, you will want to create a password so

that you can easily make changes online. If you are going to

create a password, click on this button before you continue.

7. Review your entries and when you are satisfied, click on

8. You’re done!

http://www.friedensuccwarrenton.com