The Class of 2017 was honored on Sunday, April 30. The graduates present for the service were: (front row) Bryce Borer, Katie Ellard, Haley Nolde, Shawna Mell; (back row) Gabby Coviello, Jake Estrada, Madeline Huntimer, Halleˋ Tophoj, Parker Reil, Christopher Knudsen, Kacey Jaeger.

FIRST UNITED FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCHMETHODIST CHURCH

Ministry TeamMinistry TeamMinistry Team

Ministers The Worshiping Congregation

Pastor

Chuck Rager

Christian Education Director Renee Meyer

Administrative Secretary

LaVerne Schimpf

Custodian Ginny Volberding

Newsletter Editor

Karen Nenstiel

District Superintendent Kay Alnor

Bishop of Great Plains

Conference Ruben Saenz, Jr.

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153 www.methodistchurchogallala.com

TTHEHE MMESSENGERESSENGER

First United Methodist ChurchFirst United Methodist Church

Pastor’s Page 2

From Our Mailbox 3

Newsletter Deadline 3

United Methodist Women 4

Marriage Vow Renewal 4

FunFest Follow-Up 5

An Activity Page 6

Scholarship Winners 7

Bible Study Puzzle 8

Stewards for June 9

IN THIS ISSUE

Members of the Confirmation Class of 2017 were received into full membership of Ogallala First United Methodist Church on Sunday, May 21. In the Class picture above are: Courtney Berol, Milan Coggins, Lay Leader Jonnie Peterson, Josie Coggins, Makenna Eisenzimmer, Pastor Chuck Rager, Sierra Knaub, Truman Knudsen, and Danielle Nolde.

As you read this newsletter I will be

getting ready to attend Annual Conference

2017.

Annual Conference is when all the United Methodist Pastors in our Great

Plains Conference (which encompasses all of Nebraska and all of Kansas) and one lay

person from each of the churches in our Conference gather together. We will discuss

items of business and concern relating to our Conference and vote on many issues

relating to our Conference. Jonnie Peterson serves as the Lay Delegate from Ogallala

United Methodist Church.

Annual Conference this year is June 6 through June 10 and will be held in

Grand Island, Nebraska .

At Annual Conference this year we will vote on where the new Conference

office will be located. We currently have three Conference offices: Lincoln, Topeka

and Wichita. The Conference Board of Trustees is coming with a recommendation of

where this one new office should be located, and we will vote to approve or disapprove

this recommendation. Thus, we will go from three sites to one. As I write this the rec-

ommended site has not yet been revealed.

Effective July 1, we will no longer have a District Superintendent located in

Ogallala. Our current D.S., Rev. Kay Alnor, is retiring and moving back to her home

state of Pennsylvania after Annual Conference concludes. The District Parsonage,

where she lives in Ogallala, will be sold and the proceeds go to the Conference since

the Conference owns the house. We will learn more about our future structure in the

Great West District after Annual Conference. Will there be a District office in Ogallala

as there is now? If so, will that office still be downtown, or will the Bishop relocate that

office to an available room at Ogallala United Methodist Church? What will my role as

a Network Leader guiding some United Methodist Churches in our area look like?

These questions and more will be answered at and/or after Annual Conference 2017.

One thing we do know is that the District Superintendent for our area will be Rev. Cin-

dy Karges, whose office is in Kearney. She currently serves as District Superintendent

for the Gateway District headquartered in Kearney and will now have an expanded

area.

After Annual Conference is completed Jonnie Peterson will give a report as

to these items and more that were covered at our meeting in Grand Island.

In the midst of all the questions mentioned above, there are some things I

know. I know that I am looking forward to the great things that we will continue to do

together at Ogallala U.M.C. I am excited about what new opportunities God will pre-

sent to us in the future and how we can respond to those opportunities. I know that I

am looking forward to hearing about what great adventures our eight church campers

have this summer. I know that we will pray, work and laugh together.

I know that my wife and I continue to be delighted to serve this community of

faith and abide in your midst!

See you in church,

Pastor Chuck Rager

Page 2 June, 2017

“Bee”

The bee symbolizes various

traits across cultures and

faiths, including community,

industry and resurrection.

Its sting may represent

judgment, while its honey

calls to mind the sweetness

of divine riches. Multiple

times in the Old Testament,

the Promised Land is

described as “flowing with

milk and honey” (e.g.,

Exodus 3:8), and the Psalms

declare God’s words

“sweeter than

honey” (19:10; 119:103).

Christian

Symbols

Unlike an earthly prince, God didn’t take a high-and-mighty title,

notes 17th-century British preacher Thomas Watson. Instead, God calls

himself Father to encourage us to pray to him.

But God isn’t just any father. Watson offers these reasons why

God is “the best Father”:

He is the most ancient (Daniel 7:9).

He is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

He is the wisest (Romans 16:27).

He is the most loving (Zephaniah 3:17; 1 John 4:16).

He has unsearchable riches (Ephesians 3:8).

He can reform his children (Acts 9:11).

He never dies (1 Timothy 6:16; Revelation 1:8).

Page 3 The Messenger

“When a father

gives to his son,

both laugh;

when a son gives

to his father,

both cry.”

~~William Shakespeare

Pentecost, June 4, 2017

Trinity Sunday, June 11, 2017

Flag Day, June 14, 2017

Father’s Day, June 18, 2017

First day of summer, June 20,

2017

Special Days in June

The Best Father

Thank you for streaming the ser-

vice. I attend every Sunday. It is good

to be able to attend my home church,

even though I do not live there any

more.

God bless and keep you,

Marita Donner

From Our Mailbox

If you have ideas, pictures or

articles to submit for the July, 2017,

issue of The Messenger, please

have them turned in no later than

Tuesday June 20, 2017. Earlier

submissions would definitely be ac-

cepted and appreciated!

Submissions may be made to

the Church Office, or you may e-

mail them directly to your newsletter

editor at:

umcnewsletter@qwestoffice.net.

Thanks so much for your help!

deserving members who have

served and witnessed within our

congregation, and the Dedicated

Light recipient will be an-

nounced. Come and share this spe-

cial day with the UMW.

Mona Radcliffe

UMW President

Page 4 June, 2017

United Methodist Women in Service and Mission

Sunday, June 11, will be United

Methodist Women Sunday this

year. We are privileged to have

Lisa Heinert as our special speak-

er. Lisa works with a school in Zim-

babwe, helping to secure funds for

the children to get an education.

The UMW will present Special

Mission Recognition pins to three

Last month’s picture and story

about the new acolyte robes stated that

the four new robes were purchased with

funds given by the men’s group, Cow-

boy Capital Consultants.

In fact, the United Methodist Wom-

en paid for two of the acolyte robes,

while the CCC gift paid for the other two

robes.

We apologize for the misunder-

standing and any inconvenience it may

have caused.

~~Messenger Editor

United Methodist

Women’s groups will

resume monthly

meetings in

September.

Have a great summer! Marriage Vow Renewal Ceremony

If you can answer yes to ANY of

these questions, you might want to par-

ticipate in our Marriage Vow

Renewal Service on Friday,

July 7, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at

Ogallala United Methodist

Church. Plan and mark your

calendars now.

Talk with your spouse, and if

you would like to participate in

this Marriage Vow Renewal

Service, please visit with me. If

you have renewed your vows

before, you may still take part in

this service and renew your love and

commitment again.

Rev. Chuck Rager

Have you been married for some

time now? Have you gained a greater

appreciation for the person that

you married? Have you a better

understanding of the true love

needed to make a marriage last?

Have you felt a desire to recom-

mit yourself to your marriage and

your spouse? Have you experi-

enced joy and celebration in

your marriage, and you want

celebrate those blessings?

Have you endured tough times

together, and you want to

acknowledge your spouse and God’s

presence that sustained you in those

challenges?

A Correction

While hanging out with her father in

his workshop, a preschooler tried to

imitate him by using a tape measure.

When she couldn’t quite reach the dis-

tance she wanted to measure between

herself and an object, she moved the

object closer to her!

No matter how much we try to fina-

gle God’s rules, his standard of holiness

won’t be moved. As sinful beings, we

can’t reach that standard on our own.

We’re stuck without Jesus’ grace.

Thank God that he helps us measure

up!

Measuring Up

The Messenger Page 5

Another FunFest in the Memory Books

Thank you to each and everyone

who helped to make the “Garage Sale”

a success. It is a huge project and

couldn’t be done without you! As team

leaders, Nancy and I appreciate every

single thing you do!

Sincerely,

Mary Steinwart and Nancy Drake

Fun Fest 2017 brought back the

new Waffleman and almost doubled

breakfast participation.

What a worthwhile event, allowing

us to make new friends and get to know

old ones a little better. A lot of hard

work goes into the planning and there

are so many people involved it is easier

to say thank you to everyone.

It is always amazing to arrive and

look around and see the quantity and

quality of the donations not only to the

Silent Auction but to the Bake Sale, the

Country Store, the Plant Sale, and the

Garage Sale.

We were very excited this year that

the items not sold at the end were

picked up by the Salvation Army and

are hoping that they are able to hire a

new truck driver – Shawn’s last day was

a week after our event – so we can

make them a part of our annual event.

This year Fun Fest earned a little

over $15,300 and the committee has so

far selected the following projects:

Tithe $1,530, Christian Education $500,

Boiler Fund $1,200, Roof for the Par-

sonage and Garage $9,500.

Vern Schimpf

Answer: D (See Matthew 28:19.)

Page 6 June, 2017

A Bible Quiz

An Activity Page for Younger People

A. Romans; Paul

B. 1 Peter; Simon Peter

C. The Acts of the Apostles; Luke

D. Matthew; Jesus

Tuesday,

June 20, 2017

The “Trinitarian formula” occurs only once in the

Bible. In which New Testament book do we read

“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of

the Holy Spirit,” and who said these words?

The Messenger Page 7

Due to the generosity of several

former and current Ogallala UMC mem-

bers, the following scholarships were

recently awarded:

THE DOWLING SCHOLARSHIP:

Katie Ellard – she will be attending

Southeast Community College,

working toward a Dental Assistance

degree, and playing volleyball.

Elizabeth Meyer – she is a non-

traditional student, returning to col-

lege after 10 years, at Mid Plains

Community College and pursuing a

degree in Psychology.

Haley Nolde – she will be attending

Concordia University, studying En-

vironmental Science, and playing

golf.

Parker Reil – he will be attending

UNL with a major in Film and News

Media.

DRAUCKER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP:

Bryce Borer – he will attend Doane

College, study Business Admin-

istration and Computer Science,

and play football.

Deidre Volberding – she is a non-

traditional student, taking on-line

classes toward a teaching certifi-

cate.

These six students are a diverse,

highly qualified, and well deserving

group. Congratulations!

2017 UMC Scholarships Awarded

Children’s Moment with Pastor Chuck on

Confirmation Sunday

Blessing of the Animals

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Page 8 June, 2017

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers

Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth

(1,2) Samuel (1,2) Kings

(1,2) Chronicles Ezra

Nehemiah Esther Job

Psalms Proverbs

Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon

Isaiah Jeremiah

Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos

Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum

Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai

Zechariah Malachi

A Little Something Extra for Summer Fun

June 4 Greeters Buck & Judy Markussen, Roger & Judi Adkins Fellowship VBS Wrap-Up Nursery Carmen Troxel Acolyte Parker Catlin, Payton Catlin Children’s Moment Jonnie Peterson Ushers Group 1: John Stulich, Lonnie Peters, Craig Draucker, Jeff Peterson, Jim Persinger June 11 Greeters United Methodist Women Fellowship United Methodist Women Nursery Rose & Ryan Holechek Acolyte Andrea Bassett Children’s Moment Ginny Steinke Ushers United Methodist Women June 18 Greeters Lyle & Barbara Nootz, Brian & Claudia Stevenson Fellowship Terry & Gwen Johnson Nursery Shalee Krajewski Acolyte Claudia Rhoades Children’s Moment Penny Benda Ushers Group 3: Dennis & Teresa Davis, John & Sharon York, Todd & Kim Peterson, Wendell & Ramona Upright June 25 Greeters Cena Graves, Judy Cross Fellowship ? ? ? ? Nursery ? ? ? ? Acolyte Kallie Eisenzimmer Children’s Moment Pastor Chuck Rager Ushers Group 4: Roger Rankin, Pete Peterson, Phil Armstrong, Ken Meyer July 2 Greeters Ted & Jean Slagle, Don & Shirley Bassett Fellowship Penny Benda Nursery ? ? ? ? Acolyte Abigayle Bassett Children’s Moment Bea Hatch Ushers Group 5: Jim Glenn, Mike Samuelson, Gerold Radcliffe, Todd Benda, Shawn Haney July 9 Greeters Doug & Linda Fuller, L.D. & Sherri Walker Fellowship Chuck & Nancy Graff Nursery ? ? ? ? Acolyte Kaden Walker Children’s Moment Carmen Troxel Ushers Group 6: Larry & Shirley Schlem, Lyle & Barbara Nootz, Chuck & Nancy Graff, Larry & Doris Keller, John & Shelia Turner

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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