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The Lamplighter August 2018 • Salem United Church of Christ • Higginsville, Missouri

FROM THE BOARD OF ELDERS

For many years, Salem, other churches and other organizations have participated in the Festival of Sharing. The Festival of Sharing is a cooperative response to world hunger, poverty and injustice and seeks to raise awareness of its cause and to address solutions. The Festival of Sharing is an interfaith, regional celebration and gathering of resources that will be held Saturday, October 13. When people of faith come together, our sharing makes a positive and powerful difference in the lives of people in need. Members of Salem have participated in the Festi-val of Sharing through many different projects and causes, including quilts made by our quilters for the auction, coupons, blankets, specialized packets that are passed out following a disaster or other incident, along with church members donating time and labor for repackaging and loading bulk produce items that are distributed to those in need. This year the Board of Elders have chosen two projects that we are asking members of Salem to participate with. They are “Missouri Paper Product Pack and Missouri Personal Hygiene Pack”. Attached with this article is a description of how they benefit those who truly need our help. Please consider donating any of the many items involved with these packets that are listed. A container has been placed in the back of the sanctuary to collect your items. We will accumulate them and deliver them on October 13, 2018.

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August 2018 The Lamplighter Page 2

OUR FRIENDS AND CHURCH FAMILY

IN CARE FACILITIES Listed below are our members and friends (at the time of printing of the Lamplighter) now residing or recovering at our local and sur-rounding community nursing homes and care facilities. A card or visit from a church family member would be a delightful surprise! Meyer Care Center, 1201 W. 19th St., Higginsville, MO 64037 Mary Kirchhoff Glenn Nowack Pat Pence Clifford Peck Anna Marie Rinne Warner Schelp Robert “Cobb” Souder Gene Starke Earl Struchtemeyer Bob Tankesley Lutheran Good Shepherd Home, 202 SW St., Concordia, MO 64020 Winnie Knehans Jake Stoecklin Ann Nuelle Country Oak Village, 101 Cross Creek Drive, Grain Valley, MO 64029 Viola Meinershagen Riverbend Heights Rehab & Health, Lexington Nursing Home, 1221 South Highway 13, Lexington, MO 64067 Mark Gieselman Addington Place of Lee’s Summit, 2160 SE Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 Roberta Summers (Apt. 212)

(Roberta’s mailing address is Rob-erta Summers, C/O Carrie Tunison, 1207 SE Brookwood St., Lee’s Sum-mit, MO 64063.)

Women’s Fellowship Circle

Schedules for August

Esther Circle – August 1, 10:00 a.m., at Vida Mehrhoff’s apartment, hostess Vida Mehrhoff, program Ginny Bertz.

Ruth Circle – August 1, 2:00 p.m., at Arlene Long’s home, hostess Arlene Long.

Eve Circle – August 7, 7:00 p.m., at Sharon Telgemeier’s home, hostess and program Sharon Telgemeier. Please meet at church at 6:30 p.m. if you would like to share a ride.

Special Days in August

August 4 YOM return from Imperial PA

August 5 148th Anniversary Sunday for Salem UCC

THANK YOU

Jamie Smith for planning our sum-mer music. That was a huge commit-ment and we really appreciate all you do.

Thank you to everyone that has and will share their talent of music with us this summer.

THANK YOU NOTE:

I would like to say “THANK YOU” to family, friends, and church family for the cards, phone calls, visits, and flowers that I have received since my surgery and since returning home. I greatly appreciat-ed it.

Karen Homfeld

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP NEWS:

Keri Borchers, Sharon Hoefer, and Wendy Jensen are the co-chairmen of the Service Committee. Thank you ladies for volunteering.

The road of life

God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory. —St. Augustine

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August 2018 The Lamplighter

Margaret L. Soendker

Linda Amor

Jessica Fette

Janice Williams

Ruth Baker

Kyla Fisher

Amber Thomas

Abby Fiene

B.J. Salyer

Anthony Thaller

Roger Erdman

Bessie Begemann

Shawn Davenport

Alivia Kumm

George Lefman

Danny Lefman

Charlie Camp

Tracy Fiene

Emily Moore

Mark Dryer

Derek Augustine

Frank Riekhof

Susan Augustine

Dixie Thaller

John Koenig

Teresa Alberswerth

Mark Gross

Elsie Robinette

Jana Nowack

Brooklyn Bergsieker

Courtney Bergsieker

Jadyn Swartz

Easton Dull

Peggy Pragman

Bob Rauch

Julia Gillie

Jamie Nichols

Kimberly Nevels

Mary Brueggenjohann

Dennis Wahn

Lowell Dickmeier

Harold Hoflander

Judi Knipmeyer

J. J. Brockman

Suellen Rinne

Miranda Fiene

Ethan McCabe

Natalie Fiene

Bob Stephenson

Rickie Goring

Brent Fette II

Jill Warren

Gene Starke

Blake Carminucci

Brandon Wentland

Blayke Baxter

Sevier Hoefer

Anne Kreigh

Mary Milligan

Dru Iles

Hayes Niemeier

Amanda Wentland

Scott Cretzmeyer

Carolyn Rauch

Teagan Steinkuhler

Felicia Leonard

Michael Jordan

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Best Wishes for August Birthdays go to...

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Looking up

World-renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) stated: “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.” His sentiment is especially fitting for August, when many people try to count the falling stars of the Perseid meteor shower. As a self-proclaimed atheist, Hawking relied on science to answer “what makes the uni-verse exist.” Yet many Christians believe that while science shows how things happen or were created, our faith tells who made them so. Deuteronomy 4:19 (NIV) declares: “And when you look up to the sky and see ... the heavenly array — do not be en-ticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations un-der heaven.” We can be grateful for the work of scientists and the wonders their study reveals, but instead of “bowing down” to nature, we worship its Creator and Ruler — the Lord of heaven and earth.

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From the Church Records

Financial Report:

General Fund Balance 6/01/18

Current deposits

Current expenses

Current Fund Balance 6/30/18

$12,999

$13,980

$17,403

$ 9,576

Building Fund:

Current Fund Balance 6/01/18

Current deposits

Current expenses

Current Fund Balance 6/30/18

$11,229

$ 7

$ 160

$11,076

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O.C.W.M. (Member Contributions for June) $294

August 2018

8:30 a.m. June Attendance 10:00 a.m.

32 6-3-18 103

39 6-10-18 71

23 6-17-18 90

25 6-24-18 65

30 Average

Total Average 112

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JOHN KNOX VILLAGE AND MEYER CARE CENTER BIBLE STUDY

There won’t be any Bible Study during August. It will resume in September with Greg Fine (Baptist) leading. HARVESTERS SCHEDULE First Assembly of God Church of Higginsville hosts a Harvesters Community Food Network distribution of food on the third Thursday of every month. The work day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends approximately at Noon. After the food is distributed, volunteers are asked to stay and help clean up the area. Anyone willing to help is asked to call 660-584-3372, (First Presbyterian Church), and leave your name, phone number, and mailing ad-dress. Wear comfortable clothes.

TA TRUCK STOP-CONCORDIA COUNTRY PRIDE:

Travel Centers of America-Concordia, MO-Country Pride Restaurant has a Church Program! We are offering 10% of your ticket price to be donated back to your local church. All you have to do is come in to dine with us, eat, and inform your server that you would like to participate in the program, give your church’s name, your name, and we will take care of the rest! Come see and enjoy our new buffets and get one of our Buffet Punch Cards –buy 5, get 1 free!

Harvest time!

With harvest underway or imminent, fields of ripe grain, tall cornstalks and soybeans turning brown recall Jesus’ words to the disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38, ESV). Nowadays farmers use fewer laborers and bigger machines than in decades past. But what about harvests of faith? Leading people to know God’s love can’t be done “mechanically.” Studies show that newspaper ads or door-hangers left anonymously are less effective at bringing people to church than a warm personal invite. Right after urging his disciples to pray for harvest workers — in a classic instance of “You might be God’s answer to your own prayer!” — Jesus sends them out as those very laborers! How will they work the harvest? Not by guilting people into faith. Not by pronouncing judgment or biblical law. But by using Jesus’ authority to counter evil, illness and brokenness among those they befriend. Ponder and pray about where Jesus is sending you as his laborer to cultivate and reap Christian faith and assurance of God’s love.

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CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

June 21, 2018 – 7:30 pm The regular meeting of the Salem Church Council was held Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 7:30 pm in the Board Room. The members present were Pastor Tommy, Delbert Goetz, Felicia Leonard, Kevin Berry, Peggy Pragman, Marc Jensen, and Barb Nolte. Ronnie Bergsicker was unable to attend.

President Delbert Goetz called the meeting to order. Pastor opened with devotion from Psalms 9 and prayer. Minutes were read and ap-proved. Felicia gave the treasurer’s report with balances of $12,998 in General Fund and $12,229 in Build-ing and Grounds Fund. The Pastor’s mileage of 387 miles for $210.92 was presented for payment. Motion was made and seconded to approve the treasurer’s report. Motion to pay bills also made and seconded.

In Pastor’s report he presided at the wedding of Emily Jensen and Brent Kusgen on May 19th. This coming Sat. he will preside at the wedding of Amanda Gash and Bran-don Wentland. Amanda is a member at Salem. Pastor wanted to extend a HUGE Thank You to Rev. Andy Mockridge for being available to step in to offer pastoral care to the fami-lies of Louise Salyer and Wilma Dieckhoff while he was gone to Washington, DC, attending the Festi-val of Homiletics. Funerals were held for Louise Salyer and Wilma Dieckhoff shortly after he returned from D.C. Both funerals were very meaningful and Thanks to the Salem Church Elders making sure every-thing went smoothly. Pastor attended the Conference Annual Gathering of the Missouri Mid-South Conference in Columbia. Cindy Nuelle, Judi and Denise Knipmeyer also attended the conference. On Sunday, June 17th

Pastor participated in the ordination of Paul Lafferty in K.C. Pastor and Crys-tal will be on vacation next week and will be gone July 1st. Guest preacher will be Rev. Ron Sebring, and on July 29th, Jane Fisler Hoffman will preach while Tommy is away with YOM.

Correspondence: A request for dona-tion from Higginsville Senior Center. Motion was made and seconded to wait and donate in Nov., as we did last year.

Christian Ed: Delbert reported on VBS was lower number than last year, but was enjoyed be everyone. Rally Day will be Sept 9th; Youth Sunday will be Oct.21 with theme of “Super He-roes”. June’s absence was also dis-cussed. Building and Grounds: Kevin reported faucet at parsonage repaired. Nothing else. Cemetery: Barb report-ed no meeting, but great amount of helpers for clean-up day. Memorial: Peggy reported no meeting. Steward-ship: Ronnie reported no meeting. Evangelism: Felicia reported no meet-ing. Worship: Next meeting will be June 27 @ 6p.m. Marc will be new council representative attending. Ush-ers: Barb and Marc reported: Good.

Unfinished Business: More discus-sion of copier contract and motion was made and seconded to change to dif-ferent company. Dividing of commit-tees is as follows: Delbert Goetz-Christian Ed, Kevin Berry-B&G, Barb Nolte-Cemetery, Marc Jensen-Worship, and rest will remain the same. Kitchen is ready for painting, and Delbert suggested getting volun-teers. Waiting on cabinets.

New Business: US Bank requires someone to be the constant benefac-tor, so seating council President will take that roll. Replacing Janice Hoefer on Council was discussed. After re-viewing by-laws, the council made the decision to ask Eric Schloman, who received the 3rd highest votes in

Jan., at the Congregational meet-ing, if he would consider finish-ing out this year of Janice’s posi-tion. Then in January there will be three positions to fill on Council. Delbert will contact Er-ic. Sarah will be on vacation July21-29th. She will get subs for the office.

Announcements:

Next Council Meeting Date: July 19, 2018, 7:30p.m.

There being no further busi-ness, the meeting was adjourned by saying the “Lord’s Prayer”.

Respectfully submitted

Peggy Pragman,

Council Secretary

CHURCH INFORMATION Tommy’s email: tlfaris@ctcis.net Tommy’s cell phone: 816-352-2052 Church Telephone: 660-584-3603 Church Email: salemucc@ctcis.net Church Website: salemucchigginsville.org Fax number: 660-584-5666

PASTORAL VISITS OR PRAYERS

Anyone who would like a pasto-ral visit or are in need of prayers, please call the church office,

TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE

Transportation is available to any worship service. Please call the church office to make arrange-ments, (660) 584-3603.

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August 2018 Page 6

It is time again for

Summer Special Music!

If you play an instrument or enjoy singing and would like to share your musical talent during the sum-mer worship service, please call the Church Office and leave your name and phone number. Jamie Smith will then contact you to schedule a Sunday for you to share your mu-sic. You may also contact Jamie directly at 660-232-4470 to sched-ule a time to share. Thank you for considering sharing your talent!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Memorial Committee is asking for volunteers to wa-ter the flower pots at the front doors of the church. If you are in-terested please call Mary Homfeld, 584-3060.

NEWS FROM

YOUTH ON MISSION

GIVING TREE PROJECT: Youth on Mission again invites you to be a part of our giving tree project which offers our campers’ talents to you for your chosen donation. We would like to offer our talents to make your life a little easier ALL YEAR LONG. Do you have a task that needs to be done? Our campers will complete it for you and you may make a donation to Youth on Mission with what you think is an appropriate donation. Call Delbert Goetz at 660-641-6773 and he will find a camper to do the work!

Please join us if you are under the age of 10. Summer Sunday school begins June 3, when the Sunday worship service time changes to 10:00. We will meet in the sanctu-ary overflow, after the children's message.

WE EXTEND OUR

SYMPATHY TO:

The family of David Thaller. David passed away, Wednesday, July 4. His funeral was held Saturday, July 7, at Salem.

ALSO

The family of Myrna Fette. Myrna passed away, Tuesday, July 10. Her funeral was held Friday, July 13, here at Salem.

ALSO

The family of Shirley Nowack. Shirley passed away, Thursday, July 12. Her visitation was held Tues-day, July 17 at Salem and her funeral was held Wednesday, July 18, here at Salem.

ALSO

Sevier Hoefer and family. Sevier’s father, Frosty Hoefer, passed away, Tuesday, July 17.

Five gifts from God

Love makes our friends a little dearer. Joy makes our hearts a little light-er. Faith makes our paths a little clearer. Hope makes our lives a little brighter. Peace brings us all a little nearer. —Author unknown

T.H.I.N.K.

British evangelist Alan Redpath suggested these five helpful ques-tions to ask yourself before you speak: T — Is it True? H — Is it Helpful? I — Is it Inspiring? N — Is it Necessary? K — Is it Kind?

To tell the truth

To prepare for a sermon on hones-ty, a pastor asked church members to read Joshua 25. The next week, he asked, “How many of you read it?” Half the hands in the church went up. “Great,” the pastor said. “You’re the ones I want to talk to…because Joshua has only 24 chapters.” —From The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Charles Swindoll

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Salem United Church of Christ

1500 Main Street

Higginsville MO 64037

Non-Profit Organization

POSTAGE PAID

Permit NO. 104

Higginsville MO 64037

Return Service Requested

The Lamplighter

August • Salem United Church of Christ • Higginsville, Missouri

The Lamplighter

Is a monthly newsletter of :

Salem United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Tommy Faris Delbert Goetz, President

1500 Main Street Pastor Church Council

Higginsville, MO 64037 Sarah J. Berry Mark Gross, President

(660) 584-3603 Secretary Board of Elders

Fax: 584-5666 Doris Jane Stoner Judi Knipmeyer, President

E-Mail: salemucc@ctcis.net Organist Board of Christian Education

Early Worship Jamie Smith June Howell

8:30 a.m. Music Director Christian Education Coordinator

Worship with Anne Iles Lindsey Rolf, Volunteer

Sunday School Youth Music Director Assistant Church Secretary

10:00 a.m. Lowell Grumke

Custodian