Page | 1

Tower Notes –August 2019

Celebrating 174 years of Community Based Ministry

First Congregational United Church of Christ

An Open & Affirming and Immigrant Welcoming Church 54 South Jackson Street, Janesville, Wisconsin 53548

Telephone: (608) 752-8716

E-mail: firstcon@janesvilleucc.org Website: www.janesvilleucc.org

Like us on Facebook: Janesville UCC

Rev. Tanya Sadagopan

E-mail: firstconpastor@janesvilleucc.org

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37

Greetings Members and Friends of Janesville UCC!

In June many of us attended the largest gathering of the United Church

of Christ at the 2019 General Synod which focused on the theme, “Let Your

Light Shine!” What light shines in you? How does God’s light shine through

you to the world around you? If you were a lighthouse of God’s love, on whom

does that love light fall?

When the sun shines and the air warms the earth, it seems the best of who we are comes alive! We

spend quality time with the ones we love. We travel and explore, we picnic, and we play in water. We

explore the beauty of God’s world and find ourselves renewed. In short, we live our lives to the fullest in

the summertime. What does it mean to love our God to the fullest? How might we imagine our faith if we

were to take on loving the Holy One with all of our HEART, with all of our MIND, and with all of our

SOUL? These are the questions we will explore this month in worship.

We will also be out and about this month! Look for us at the National Night Out against Crime on

August 6th. Come celebrate our inclusive ministries at the ROCK THE PRIDE FEST in Beloit on August

24th. And enjoy our live praise music on our church lawn on August 25th! We will enjoy pie and ice cream

along with games for kids and families of all ages. Celebrate your faith, invite your friends and family, and

love your life fully in the LIGHT OF GOD.

We are getting ready for the 175th Anniversary Celebration and making the place

as beautiful as possible. Our front doors are getting a facelift, our interior spaces are

looking even brighter, and our landscaping is shaping up nicely thanks to our many

amazing volunteers!

Pastor’s Message

Page | 2

This month we are also celebrating a new member to our staff team—Ashley Cuevas our Digital

Communications Coordinator. You will see her out and about with a camera and video recorder in hand.

She will be creating a marketing plan and bringing the message of our inclusive ministries to Janesville.

Stop in and offer your support and don’t forget to SMILE for the camera!

Be well, celebrate your faith, and see you SUNDAY!

Pastor Tanya

Worship in August

Aug 4: Theme: Lord of Light: General Synod Aug 18: Theme: Love the Lord with your Heart

Liturgist: Nancy Hough Liturgist: Barbara Bendlin

Coffee Hour: Bill & Mary Williams Coffee Hour: Gary & Karen Teubert

Aug 11: Theme: Love the Lord with your Mind Aug 25: Theme: Love the Lord with your Soul

Liturgist: Mike Rundle Coffee Hour: Outdoor Service

Coffee Hour: Mike & Gale Rundle Membership Ministry

Thank you to our ushers in July: Wayne & Lynda Olson, Jim & Janet Hay.

Thank you to July coffee hour hosts: Diane Henrichs, Becky Kingsbury, Brittney Mansur,

Linda Stehura.

Thank you to July liturgists: Nancy Stabb, Pat Scott, George Tucker, Nathan Roehl.

Thank you to all the acolytes, greeters, and extra ushers for stepping up at the last minute.

Thought for the month: Don’t ruin a good day by thinking about a bad day.

Let it go.

Those who helped at the Town Square Bike Race on Tuesday, June 25th:

Dave Arndt, Bill Williams, Bo Klotz, Gene & Jeanine Fry, David Murray,

Jean Schollmeier, Jim & Janet Hay, Linda Stehura, Becky Kingsbury,

Andrew Driscoll and Greg Anderson.

September Tower Notes:

Articles due ~ Aug 22

Page | 3

August BIRTHDAYS, Happy Day to All!

1 Ashley Cuevas 9 Louise Elliott 24 Mary Williams

1 Lois Puerner 10 Lynda Olson 25 Megan Condon

2 Faye Bidwell 18 Ethan Dieckhoff 27 Jim Soddy

2 Joey Swenson 19 Sarah Hemm 28 Carole Kettle-Gardner

3 Charlotte Hopkins 20 Janet Carlson 30 Jan Kinnaman

5 Mark Carlson 23 Gregg Kingsbury 31 Bill Fitzgerald

6 Garret Baird 24 Christine Hopkins

August ANNIVERSARIES, Congratulations

2 Dave & Jane Lennox 11 Nancy & Robert Restivo

7 Lyle & Judith Anderson 12 Dar & Bill Zentz

7 Ted & Jan Kinnaman 18 Steve & Denise Essen

7 George & Roberta Tucker 25 Ed & Karen Atkins

8 Chris & Kristi Law 28 Gary & Karen Teubert

As we are fed at Christ’s table we go out to feed others. Our total contribution

for July was 62 pounds. Thank you to everyone who contributed food and

money.

Life is an echo... what you send out,

you get back! ECHO August Needs: School Supplies

Money Toothbrushes Peanut butter & jelly Feminine products Volunteers Needed at ECHO Spaghetti sauce Deodorant For set-up Monday, 8/19/19 – Thursday,

Mac & Cheese Dish soap 8/22/19 and for the school supply

Brown paper bags Shampoo distribution on Friday, August 23rd.

Breakfast bars Laundry Soap Please call Fran at the ECHO Office

Twisty Ties Fans 754-5333. Razors Tuna

Toilet Paper Diapers (size 3-6)

Tuesday August 6th 5:00 – 8:00

corner of Wall and Jackson Streets.

Volunteers needed to help hand out

treats and assist with games.

Sign-up sheet is in the Fireside Room.

If your name ever gets

missed from the birthday

or anniversary list, please

let Becky know.

Page | 4

The next Community Meal will be held on Saturday

August 3rd

at 4:00. The menu will be chili dogs,

veggie salad, chips, pickles, watermelon, ice cream

bars, and a beverage.

Contact Bonnie Stalker or Nancy Stabb for more

information or to help out.

LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY VIGIL

On Friday, July 12, at 9PM local time, In 700 cities across the U.S. and around the world, candlelight vigils were held to protest the U.S. Detention Centers holding immigrants, especially children, and the conditions and treatment of these people. One of the cities was Whitewater. Patty and I learned of this from Carolyn Brandeen, and attended, along with Carolyn and her guests and about 200 others. There were songs and speeches in both English and Spanish, and a pathway lighted by luminaries, with reflection stations along the way regarding the conditions at the Detention Centers. It was a very moving experience, with the call to use our own voices in protest. I invite you to leave messages at the following:

Senate and House numbers:

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson: (414) 276-7282 or (202)224-5323

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (608) 264-5338 or (202) 224-5653

U.S. Representative Bryan Steil (608)752-4050 or (202) 225-3031

Diane Henrichs

(Carolyn Brandeen)

Page | 5

Sunday School and Youth Group News

Thank you to all who helped to make our 2018-2019 Sunday

School year special!

We are so blessed to have wonderful volunteers and families who

continue to make Christian Education a priority in our church!

We need teachers for the 2019-2020 Sunday School year. See

Pastor Tanya if you can help out.

Regular Sunday School classes will resume on September 8th.

SUMMER PROGRAM 2019:

Stories to Spark the Spirit Through August 25

Join us each Sunday this summer as we hear a special story

and do an activity that will feed our souls and teach us new

stories of faith and fresh ways to see God’s world.

Weekly classes will start following the Children’s Moment in

worship with dismissal at the close of the service. Sessions

will be geared for Pre-K to 5th graders, but youth are

welcome to come and lend a helping hand!

It’s not too late!

Check Out Church Camps for Summer 2019! Visit ucci.org for the 2019 camp schedule and registration information.

There are generous camp scholarship opportunities available through our

church and the UCCI Board, and some campers may be able to attend for

little or NO cost!

Please contact Jamie Dieckhoff at 608-352-3773 for more information.

Page | 6

Consistory did not meet in July

Membership Ministry has created a new program looking for current church members to help new

members feel at home by partnering with them as they get to know other church members and begin to

participate in the life of the church. Please consider becoming a partner!

Being a Partner

Welcome the new member with a note or by phone. Meet him or her at a Sunday service as soon as possible. Find out what the new member is seeking from joining the church. Tell the new member about small groups and committees that may be of interest and

introduce him or her to individuals who participate in these groups or committees. Introduce the new member to staff, elected leaders, and others in the congregation. Invite the new member to church events and offer to sit with him or her. Be able to explain church governance to the new member.

It’s been said that a new person doesn’t really feel at home in a church until he or she knows where the garbage bags are kept—in other words, the nitty gritty of keeping the church running. Include the new member in coffee hour preparation, kitchen work for meals, yard work, clean-up days, moving furniture, office duties, etc.

*Inside cleanup Saturday, August 17th. Need pick-up trucks, and many hands. *Outdoor Service, Sunday August 25th 10:00, Membership Ministry will serve pie and ice cream.

FROM OUTREACH:

Thanks to the friends and members who helped deliver Meals on Wheels in July:

Diane Henrichs, LInda Stehura, Bonnie Stalker, Greg Anderson, Karel and Jim Cripe, Jeanine

Fry, Joellyn Merz, Nancy Restivo, Darlene Zentz, Dean Smith, Tom Clippert, Barb Cullen,

Carole Kies, Carolyn Brandeen, Bo Klotz.

Thanks to members who contributed to Health Net in June. We collected over $400.

Page | 7

SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED

It is that time of the year to start our school supplies collection for students AND teachers. Outreach

Ministry is starting the collection now as the back to school specials are beginning and we will

continue the collection through August. Our collection will be for two schools that are in our

neighborhood- Wilson Elementary School and the Rock River Charter School. Both schools have very

high rates of poverty amongst their students. Donated school supplies can be placed in the bins which

can be found in the front of our sanctuary. You can find the requested school supplies below.

If you wish to make a monetary donation, make the check out to First Congregational UCC and put

student supplies on the memo line. Thank you.

Rock River Charter School

Supply List:

College ruled loose leaf

notebooks

Single subject notebooks

Pencils and Pens

Pink pearl erasers

Kleenex

Clorox wipes

Hand sanitizer

Two pocket folders

NECESSARY ITEMS AMOUNT FOR ALL GRADES

Back Pack or School Bag No Wheels 1

Colored pencils (Crayola) 10-12 Colors 1

Crayons NO FLUORESCENTS! CRAYOLA 2 Boxes of 24

Eraser Pink Pearl 1

Glue Large Bottle (Elmer's Washable) 1

Glue Sticks 2

Markers (Crayola Classic Broadline) Washable 1 Box

Spiral Notebook (wide ruled) 1

Pencils, #2 Wood only 1 Package

Plain Pocket Folders (Bottom Packets) 1 for Grades K-2

3 for Grades 3-5

Ruler (1/16 scale & metric) 1 for Gr 1-5

School Supply Box 1

Scissors (Fiskars) 1

Tennis Shoes (for gym, to be kept at school) 1

1 1/2" Binder 1 for K-2 & 4-5

Large Box of Kleenex 3

Zip-top plastic bags (1 gallon size freezer) 1

Zip top plastic bags (1 box quart size) freezer 1

Zip-top plastic bags (snack size) 1 box 1

Clorox wipes 1

Anti-bacterial hand gel 1

OPTIONAL ITEMS

Tacky Glue 1 Bottle 1

1 Ream of Copier Paper White or any Color 1

Pen Blue or Black 1

Paint Smock or Old Shirt 1

Page | 8

Yellow Brick Road

Beloit Pride Fest

Saturday August 24th 10:00 – 6:00

Help Pastor Tanya hand out popsicles!

Sign-up sheet is in the Fireside Room or call the office.

(pictures from last year)

Meet our new staff member:

Ashley Cuevas joined us in July of 2019 in our newly created Digital Communications Coordinator position. She studied communication, public relations, and advertising at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. With a love of art, Ashley developed hobbies including photography and painting. These, in turn, inspired her to capture the authentic moments of life. Ashley’s newfound hobbies and her desire to engage socially encouraged her to work with nonprofits and with the youth during a Service Break Experience in Los Angeles, California. Along with a love of art, Ashley has a

love of animals including her fur-child Laz.

Page | 9

This page was attached

to the Tower Notes that

were mailed.

August 25

First Congregational United Church of Christ 54 South Jackson Street, Janesville, Wisconsin 53548

Telephone: (608) 752-8716

An Open & Affirming and

Immigrant Welcoming Church

E-Mail: firstcon@janesvilleucc.org Website: www.janesvilleucc.org

Like us on Facebook: Janesville UCC Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 am to 1 pm; Closed Fridays

Ministers All Members of First Congregational UCC

Pastor Rev. Tanya Sadagopan

Christian Ed. Director Jamie Dieckhoff

Music Director Dr. Brian Knutson

Organist David Newman

Digital Communications Ashley Cuevas

Secretary Becky Kingsbury

Bookkeeper Denise Caldwell

Custodian Andrew Driscoll

Nursery Coordinator Katie Keim

Church Leadership & Volunteers

President Mike Rundle

Treasurer Bo Klotz

Finance Chair George Tucker

Gardener Carole Kies

Lawn Mowing Schollmeiers, Greg Shebesta, Mark Carlson, Bill Williams,

Ian & Dave Groth, Doug Newton

First Congregational Church

54 South Jackson Street

Janesville, WI 53548