TTHEHE MM - Amazon S3 · Becky Plate Scholarship Committee Chairperson The Tuesday Morning Bible...

FIRST UNITED FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCHMETHODIST CHURCH

MMMINISTRYINISTRYINISTRY TTTEAMEAMEAM

Ministers The Worshiping Congregation

Pastor

Chuck Rager

Christian Education Director Renee Meyer

Administrative Secretary

LaVerne Schimpf

Custodian Ginny Volberding

District Superintendent

Kay Alnor

Bishop of Great Plains Conference

Scott J. Jones

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153 www.methodistchurchogallala.com

TTHEHE MMESSENGERESSENGER

First United Methodist ChurchFirst United Methodist Church

Pastor’s Page 2

Worship Committee 3

Meetings This Month 3

Adult Bible Studies 3

United Methodist Women 4

From Our Mailbox 5

An Activity Page 6

Record Sums for NUMB 7

Youth Group Gatherings 8

Stewards for September 9

IN THIS ISSUE

Put your team together and join us for a culinary trip around the world!

Teams will be invited to prepare a dish or dishes representing your fa-

vorite food item of a specific region. Teams can be made up of fami-

lies, committees, youth group members, Bible Study members or

friends. Let your imaginations run wild! Do you know a favorite Ger-

man, Italian, Cajun, Spanish, Cuban, American or Himalayan dish? Let

us savor the flavor!

Each team will have a chance to win a prize for best decorations, as

well as best costumes and best food!

A free will offering will be collected that will be used towards the ex-

penses of preparing the dishes. Any proceeds above and beyond those

expenses can go to the Methodist project of the year!

Please remember there is only one worship service on September 13,

so everyone is invited to join us at 9:00 a.m. for worship and then come

to Fellowship Hall for the food and fellowship! Hope to see you there!

Sunday, September 13

10:00 a.m.

Fellowship Hall

Second Annual Dinner Around the World sponsored by your

Sunday School Program

For more information contact Renee at (308)284-8455 or cell (308)289-5421

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

A STATEMENT FROM BISHOP

SCOTT J. JONES

THANK YOU.

Thank you to the persons

on the Board of Trustees and

other persons who help care for

our church building. There is

work that is being done around

the window wells to keep water

from getting into the Fellowship

Hall when we experience heavy

rains like we have had this sum-

mer. There is upkeep on the tenant house next to the church that is being cared for,

and the parsonage will likely see driveway repairs this fall. There are numerous other

tasks being tended to that pertain to our church building, and I appreciate each person

who is helping do these tasks in various ways.

Thank you to the persons on the Missions Outreach Committee who are gearing

up for the Angel Store at Christmas time and the Coat Drive. We distributed a lot of

coats last year, and it was a greatly needed ministry. Thanks to everyone who helped

in these areas.

Thank you to the persons who contribute to and help serve meals when needed

at the church. The first meals we commonly think of are the funeral lunches, but there

are others, too. We will host the Great West District Fall Clergy gathering soon, and a

meal will be served that day. We take our turns at the annual Lenten lunches, and

there are meetings that occasionally require a lunch. Thank you to all for contributing

to helping with these various lunches.

Thank you to those who serve as greeters and ushers. Your willingness to help

persons feel welcome goes beyond the door of the church every Sunday morning.

Thank you to those persons who help with the Time for Younger Persons on

Sunday mornings at our 9 A.M. worship service. Your ministry allows our precious

children to know that they are loved and cared for.

Thank you to our Sunday School teachers and our Youth Group leaders. Your

investment of time and energy in the lives of our young people makes an impact on

them which they will only fully realize with time.

Thank you to everyone who helps in the various and numerous other capacities

to help make our church a beautiful building, a welcoming presence, a place of minis-

try, a place that is cared for financially, a place of worship and a place of caring.

Thank you to my wife. Thank you for understanding my work as a pastor and

for your support. Your support is greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU,

Rev Chuck Rager

September, 2015

“Nimbus”

The nimbus is a halo of

light often shown in art

behind the head of a

religious figure such as

Mary, Joseph, the

disciples, the four

evangelists and so

forth. Though often

just a simple circle, one

with three rays

symbolizes the Trinity,

so this style of nimbus

— or a triangular one

— may be seen behind

Christ.

Christian

Symbols

The Messenger

Board of Trustees on

Wednesday, September 2,

7:00 p.m.

Finance Committee on

Thursday, September 3, 6:30

p.m.

Administrative Council on

Wednesday, September 16,

7:00 p.m.

Meetings This Month Monday,

September 7,2015

Your Church

Office will be

closed

We have a choir director! Chancel

Choir will start the third Sunday, Sep-

tember 20, so please join us in the choir

room at 8:00 a.m. to rehearse and meet

Scott Reffert. Scott is new to Ogallala

and the school system, so let's give him

a big welcome!

Thank you to all who sponsored the

Gordon Mote concert. The music was

just amazing, as only Gordon can pre-

sent it. His crew is friendly and effi-

cient. Thank you also to Jeff and

Renee for helping with sound, and to

Shirley and Roger Rankin for helping

put dinner on the table for them. Doris

Keller was recognized by Gordon for

her potatoes that were a hit with

him ! Thank you all !

One more thank you, collectively, to

everyone who has done special music

this summer. It is an important part of

our service!

Sharon Samp

Worship Chairperson

Worship Committee

The children of Phil and Betty

Dowling have given a sizeable gift to

the Dowling Family Scholarship. Dan,

Rebecca, Chuck, and Jeff have recently

donated more than $18,000 to add to

the scholarship fund that was started in

memory of their parents in 2003.

Phil and Betty Dowling were long-

time Ogallala residents and faithful

members of the Ogallala United Meth-

odist Church. Chuck Dowling wrote,

“The church and education were

very important to our parents so

there is really no better way to

honor their legacy than through

this scholarship.”

The scholarship committee is most

appreciative of this donation and thank

the Dowling children for their generosi-

ty.

Becky Plate

Scholarship Committee Chairperson

The Tuesday Morning Bible

Study will resume meeting on Septem-

ber 15, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., in Fel-

lowship Hall. Pastor Chuck will contin-

ue to lead the study of the book of Gen-

esis.

The Adult Sunday School class

will begin the Fall season on Sunday,

September 20, using James. W.

Moore’s book, “Do You Have Alligator

Arms?” Suggested donation for each

book is $10.00. The class meets in Fel-

lowship Hall at 10:15 a.m.

Family Makes Gift to Scholarship Fund

tees, or who wants to be switched or

removed, please contact her at 284-

3212 or call 284-2130 to let me know.

We would like to keep this updated as

much as possible.

A special “thank you” to Shirlee

Knispel for her donation of an oscillating

fan in the church kitchen. She has re-

quested that the fan not be removed

from its location. It is above the sink on

the east side and will be a tremendous

aid in keeping the kitchen more com-

fortable.

The Great West District Annual

UMW Meeting is to be held in Oshkosh

on October 10. I hope that our officers

and members will plan to attend. We

should be receiving more details about

this later this month.

Hope to see you on September 10!

Jean Slagle

UMW President

. . . to the following persons who worked and/or furnished food

for the Jim Jeffres funeral luncheon on July 31, 2015:

Mildred Zimmerman Shirlee Knispel Cena Graves

Karon Holscher Sherri Walker Jonnie Peterson

Mary Steinwart Jane Terrell Leta Lindauer Pam Abbott

Judy Markussen Janice Cerny Davanne Moul Sue Schimonitz

Ramona Upright Corine Sexson June Nielsen Jane Ruppert

Bobbi Nilsen Ginny Steinke Sheila Turner Ginny Volberding

Joan Speck Claudia Stevenson Lynn Nelson

Thank You . . . .

September, 2015

United Methodist Women

May meetings

UMW General

Thursday, September 10

12:00 noon

potluck luncheon and meeting

in Fellowship Hall

Circle 1


9:00 pm, Steinke

Circle 3


2:00 pm, Hess Lounge

Circle 4

Meets as called

Circle 5

Monday, September 21

6:00 pm, Hess Lounge

United Methodist Women in Service and Mission

Our summer break is over. I hope

everyone had a great time.

We will be meeting on September

10 for General. I hope many of you can

be there, and if you are not now a mem-

ber of UMW, you are sincerely invited to

attend. We meet at noon on the sec-

ond Thursday for lunch, a business

meeting, and a program.

Our four Circles will also be resum-

ing meetings this month, and we invite

you to become a part of one of these

groups. Circle 1 meets the fourth

Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in

members’ homes. Circle 3 meets the

third Thursday at 2:00 p.m. in Hess

Lounge. Circle 4 meets after the Gen-

eral meeting, when necessary; and Cir-

cle 5 meets on the third Monday at 6:00

p.m. in Hess Lounge.

Bonnie Taylor has requested that

anyone wanting to be added to the Fu-

neral Dinner/Special Events Commit-

Our Christian love and sympathy to the family of:

Jim Jeffres, who died on July 27, 2015.

“Be prepared for God to direct you to something you do not like,

and teach you to like it!” ~~ J.I. Packer

The Messenger

Dear Church family,

Thank you so very much for the

many prayers, cards, well wishes,

meals and visits I received this past

month after my knee replacement sur-

gery. It meant so much to have my

church family come through for me (and

Chuck), especially when we don't have

family here. I am progressing slowly,

but surely. Thank you again for all of

your support. I feel so blessed.

Sincerely,

Roberta Rager We wish to thank all of our church

family for the prayers, cards, gifts and

visits while I was in Linden Court recov-

ering from my two broken arms. All of

your kindness was greatly appreciated.

A special thank you to Rev. Chuck for

his visits and prayers.

Thank you to all of you who attend-

ed our 50th anniversary open House

and those who sent cards.

May God bless everyone of you!

Barbara and Lyle Nootz

A very special thank you to all who

made my retirement day special with

cards and best wishes. To recap these

last five years at the church, it was

more a “calling” than a job.

The “thank you” cake made the day

complete. All this time I had the best

help in the world — my wife, Charlotte.

We did do our best!!

Herb Ruser

“The day the

power of love

overrules the

love of power,

the world will

know peace.”

~~Mahatma Gandhi

Come join us at Camp Norwesca

for our annual BBQ Fundraiser! This

year we are serving up authentic BBQ

and FRIED BREAD! There will be

games and activities for the whole fami-

ly to enjoy — ladder ball, cardboard

slide, 3-legged race, watermelon eating

contest, live music, GAGA ball, bake

sale, a LIVE auction, and much more!

Church Service: 11:00 AM

Lunch: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM

LIVE Auction: 1:00 PM

Purchase tickets from your church

(see Dave Baltzell) or at the gate. For

every thirty tickets your church sells the

Camp Norwesca site council will donate

$50.00 towards a campership to use for

one or more campers.

Camp Norwesca Plans

Annual BBQ Fundraiser

The Paxton Fellowship of Christian

Athletes invites you to join their FCA

Faithfest on Saturday, September 5, at

Loper Memorial Park on Main Street in

Paxton. Hamburgers will be served by

the Paxton Optimists, beginning at 4:30

p.m. MDT

Entertainment will feature the music

group VOTA, along with comedian Rich

Praytor. The concert will begin at 5:00

p.m. A free will donation will be taken

to benefit the Paxton FCA.

For more information, call Dale

Schroeder at (308)289-4878.

Labor Day Weekend

Faithfest in Paxton

Answer: D. (See Mark 5:25-29.)

September, 2015

A Bible Quiz

An Activity Page for Younger People

When Jesus was on his way to heal a young girl,

who touched his clothing, and why?

A. The girl’s father, to urge Jesus to hurry.

B. A boy; he was in awe of Jesus and just wanted to

meet him.

C. Many people; they couldn’t help it because it was

so crowded.

D. A woman in the crowd; she hoped that doing so

would heal her.

Fall Sunday School

Classes begin on

Sunday,

September 20,

10:15 A.M.

The Messenger

The Nebraska United Methodist Bike Ride for Hunger (NUMB Ride) celebrated its 20th

anniversary with a loop ride starting June 27 and ending July 1 in Ogallala. A single-year record

total of $75,000 was raised by 148 registered riders.

This year boasted more than a dozen riders raising more than $1,000 each, also quali-

fying them for a free registration for next year’s ride scheduled for south-central Nebraska. The

20-year total raised by the ride is $791,000.

“I know that within the next few years we will break the $1 million mark in support of

hunger projects in Nebraska and around the world,” said Ride Director and Blue River District

Superintendent Bill Ritter.

This year’s ride supported Heartland Food Banks, Heifer International, Bread for the

World and the Agriculture program at African University in Zimbabwe.

Hunger is still a significant issue in Nebraska, Kansas and beyond. According to Feed-

ing America, an organization known as the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization with more

than 200 food banks and 60,000 affiliated food pantries, approximately 49 million Americans live

in households that struggle to have food on the table on a daily basis. Almost 16 million of those

people are children.

“I rode Sunday for the hungry people in Nebraska who depend on the Food Banks,”

Route Director Greg Bakewell said. “On Monday I rode to help give a pair of farm animals to

people in South America, on Tuesday I rode to help Bread for the World advocate on behalf of

those who do not have a voice, and on Wednesday I rode so that Africa University might have a

strong program to help farmers.”

There were 38 first-time riders this year, adding new camaraderie to the ride. The

NUMB Ride honored Larry Lienemann and John Leibman, both long-time riders who passed

away this year.

Other highlights included:

Two days ridden in Colorado, included the “best day” from Haxtun, Colorado, to

Imperial, Nebraska – downhill, wind to the back, smooth roads and no hills.

The ride from Sidney to Haxtun was deemed the “worst day,” with 6,938 expansion

joints on the roads, although some riders considered Imperial to Ogallala – with

wind and heat in the face – to be the worst day.

Host towns of Ogallala, Sidney, Haxtun and Imperial extended radical hospitality.

NUMB would not be complete without its nightly talent shows. This year’s ride included

a fireworks display in Sidney, a puppet show in Haxtun, juggling in Imperial and great music

throughout.

Story by Kathryn Witte

News Release from www.greatplainsumc.org

Riders huddled together

in the Ogallala, Nebraska,

sanctuary for the annual

group photo the Saturday

night of the ride.

Record Sum Raised for NUMB

September, 2015

We need your help in keeping our

contact data up-to-date! Please be

sure to keep the church in mind when

you have changes in home address, e-

mail address, or phone numbers.

The Post Office will forward first-class

mail for you, but newsletters are re-

turned, and the church must pay extra

postage on each returned item. You

can help us avoid that expense.

If you have a seasonal change of

address, it is helpful if you will let us

know when you are leaving and when

you will return.

Thanks for your participation!

Address Updates

IT'S THAT WONDERFUL TIME OF

YEAR! Time to start Youth Group

gatherings! If you are in grades 6

through 12 and are ready to learn more

about God’s love, we encourage you to

join us. Shalee, Jeff and I are anxious

to get things rolling.

Our first meeting will be Wednes-

day, September 16 at 7:00 p.m., and

we will continue meeting on the first and

Youth Group Gatherings to Begin Again third Wednesdays of each month at

7:00 p.m. in the church basement.

We encourage you to invite your

friends! All we ask is that you come

with open hearts, open minds and a

desire to have fun and fellowship to-

gether.

See you all the 15th!

Jenn Tophoj

Youth Group Coordinator

Safeway Community Giving

Cards are still available. This is a way

of helping your church raise money

simply by dong your normal grocery

shopping at the Safeway store. Each

card is sold for $5.00 and is pre-loaded

with $5.00 of purchasing power. You

may reload the card at any time and as

often as you like.

Talk to Teresa Davis (284-8262) or

any Finance Committee member for

more information about the Safeway

cards. Cards are available for purchase

in the Church Office anytime during reg-

ular office hours.

Safeway Cards Available

If you have ideas, articles or pic-

tures to submit for the July issue of The

Messenger, please have them turned in

no later than Monday September 21.

Earlier submissions would definitely be

welcomed and appreciated!

Submissions may be made to the

Church Office, or you may send them

directly to your newsletter editor at

[email protected].

Thanks so much for your help!

We must remem-

ber throughout

our lives that in

God’s sight there

are no little people and no lit-

tle places. Only one thing is

important — to be consecrated

persons in God’s place for us, at

each moment.

~~Francis Schaeffer,

No Little People

Sept. 6 Greeters 9:00 Cena Graves, Milly Schwasinger Fellowship Norma Schrack, Marge Blaase

Nursery 9:00 ? ? ? ? Acolyte 9:00 Ian Shaw Children’s Moment 9:00 Pastor Chuck Rager Ushers 9:00 Group 10: Fred Olmsted, Dave Sheldon Todd Neill, Dave Baltzell, Maury Whittemore, Cena Graves, Sharen Terry Sept.13 Greeters 9:00 Roger & Judi Adkins, Barbara Draucker Fellowship “Dinner around the World” Nursery 9:00 Tammy Higgins, Annie Bassett Acolyte 9:00 Ryder Smith Children’s Moment 9:00 Carmen Troxel Ushers 9:00 Group 1: John Stulich, Lonnie Peters, Craig Draucker, Jeff Peterson, Jim Persinger Sept. 20 Greeters 9:00 Dennis & Teresa Davis, Brian & Claudia Stevenson Fellowship Voloice & Beverly Schroder Nursery 9:00 Larry & Mary Cumming Acolyte 9:00 Grace VanBorkum Children’s Moment 9:00 Ginny Steinke Ushers 9:00 Group 2: Steve Shull, Ken Howard, Terry Johnson, Jerry Speck, Burrell Albee Sept. 27 Greeters 9:00 Judy Cross, Larry & Mary Cumming Fellowship Roger & Judi Adkins

Nursery 9:00 Judy Markussen, Shelly Reil Acolyte 9:00 Tyler Benda Children’s Moment 9:00 Jonnie Peterson Ushers 9:00 Group 3: Dennis & Teresa Davis, John & Sharon York, Todd & Kim Peterson, Wendell & Ramon Upright Oct. 4 Greeters 9:00 Don & Shirley Bassett, Ted & Jean Slagle Fellowship Doris Hickam, Sharen Terry Nursery 9:00 Pete & Jonnie Peterson, Sally Pankonin Acolyte 9:00 Mason & Cedric Knudsen Children’s Moment 9:00 Michelle Kimberly-Rhoades Ushers 9:00 Group 4: Larry Cumming, Pete Peterson, Phil Armstrong, Roger Rankin, Ken Meyer Oct. 11 Greeters 9:00 Doug & Linda Fuller, Herb & Karen Knudsen Fellowship Teresa Davis, Judy Markussen

Nursery 9:00 Shirley & Roger Rankin Acolyte 9:00 Tristan Lumpkin Children’s Moment 9:00 Penny Benda Ushers 9:00 Group 5: Jim Glenn, Gerold Radcliffe, Todd Benda, Carl Dietz

If you would like to have your name added to the rosters for any of the service opportunities listed above, please contact the church office.

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The Messenger Page The Messenger

STEWARDS FOR SEPTEMBER, 2015

One Service at 9:00 a.m., followed by

“Dinner around the World” in

Fellowship Hall —

Please come!!

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NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

OGALLALA, NEBRASKA

Permit No. 74

Our Vision: “To be a dynamic church, sharing and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ”

Our Mission: “To love God, love each other and extend that love beyond our church”

“Dinner around the World” Sunday, September 13, 2015

T H E M E S S E N G E R

F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

4 2 1 N O R T H S P R U C E P . O . B O X 9 1 6

O G A L L A L A , N E B R A S K A 6 9 1 5 3

R E T U R N S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

Confirmation Classes for this year will begin on

Wednesday, September 2, at 6:00 p.m.

Confirmation is for young persons in

grade 8 and above. We will meet the

first Wednesday of each month in the

Fellowship Hall downstairs.

A parent should plan to attend with

their young person.

TTHEHE MM - Amazon S3 · Becky Plate Scholarship Committee Chairperson The Tuesday Morning Bible...

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