Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ

Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ

TRUMPET NEWSLETTER

September 2021 • Volume 891

On the Journey . . . Rev. Dr. Bob Gross OCC

When I was a kid, whenever someone was going on a vacation or heading out on a new adventure, “Bon Voyage!” is what people said. I’d even heard an occasional, “Happy Trails.” They were wishing people a good journey. Such comments were offered with a sense of joy and anticipation of what will be. Nowadays, it’s much more common for people to say, “Safe Travels,” or “Traveling Mercies.” These comments seem to be motivated more by fear than adventure. There’s danger out there, these comments warn, so be careful, stay safe.

We are now at a fork in the path. We will each go our separate ways. How will we bid our farewells? With joy and anticipation for what may yet be, or fear of the struggles that lie ahead?

In the story books this is where we each go off and live happily ever-after. Real life is not that simple. And yet, I believe there is hope.

Yes, the next few steps will be difficult. You will be unsettled for a time with pulpit supply ministers and, eventually an Interim Pastor, before a Settled Pastor arrives. And yet, there’s hope. I hope that during this time you will discover the gifts within the dark wood. I hope you will discover who you are in a new light, for a new day. I hope that you will share your individual voices, your hopes and dreams in open and honest ways, so that together you may more fully engage the fullness of life and mission as a congregation.

It will be no different for me, or my family, getting to know a new congregation, finding where I fit in God’s plan for their life. And yet, I hope that God will continue to lead, as God has led in the past. I will miss all of you, especially those with whom I worked most closely. I imagine you will miss me too. Therefore, we must make a clean break when I leave.

My last Sunday in worship will be on September 26. I pray that you can be there. My last day at E&R will be on September 30. I will begin at Grace Congregational United Church of Christ in Two Rivers, WI on October 1. When I leave E&R, I will cease to be your Pastor and, therefore, will refrain from contact for the period of one year.

This isn’t because of some rule from the Association, although it is. It’s because it’s the right thing to do. I need to let you go so that you can grieve as necessary, prepare for, and welcome your new Pastor. At the same time, you need to let me go so that I can be available to get to know and become the Pastor of another congregation.

If I run into you in, or around, Waukesha, (in-person or online), I will be happy to see you. I will be happy to know how you are doing. I will be happy to catch you up on how my family is doing and, if you want, we can discuss the Packers. However, I will not discuss church business. I can be a friend, but no longer your Pastor.

My biggest hope is that I will see you all again, someday. On this side of the Jordan or the other. There, we can share our joys, struggles, and triumphs.

Here is a poem by Michael W. Smith, slightly paraphrased, (without regard to meter), by me:

Packing up the dreams God planted In the fertile soil we share,

I can’t believe the hopes God’s granted Means this chapter in our lives is through.

But we’ll keep you close as always, It won’t even seem we’ve parted

‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways Will keep the love that keeps us strong.

And friends are friends forever When God’s sovereign over them.

And a friend will not say never ‘Cause the welcome will not end.

Though it’s hard to let you go, In God’s hands we know,

That a lifetime’s not too long To live as friends.

Bon Voyage!

Would you like a visit? At home or at the church? I’m here through the month of September. There’s still time. Please give me a call, (440) 506-3258, text, or an e-mail, [email protected]. I can come to you, we could chat on the phone, we could also Zoom, whichever you prefer. I look forward to hearing from you.

mailto:[email protected]

Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ, 413 Wisconsin Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186 Page 2

On Behalf of your Church Council Toni Knutson, Council President

Dear members and friends of Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ, In the days that have elapsed since Rev. Robert Gross gave us his resignation letter, we have been keenly aware of God's new calling for him even as we have experienced a sense of loss. It is not easy to think about ending a Spirit-filled six-year ministry. These next week’s together will be a precious time. As of now Pastor Bob’s last sermon will be on Sunday, September 26, 2021, plans are in the works to give him a nice send off and time for members to give him well wishes. The members of Council have already been approached by some of you with the haunting question, "Our pastor is leaving ... what will we do?'' We want to assure you that we have already been in touch with the Associate Conference Minister for our area, Rev. Lorraine Ceniceros. Lorraine came out to church to meet with myself, Rick Sasse and Dan DeKarske about UCC procedures during a time of pastoral transition. She suggested that we share with you this brief overview: 1. The UCC will select an interim pastor to provide continuity in worship, pastoral care and program/staff oversight. Rev. Ceniceros will advise us on this process; she has assured us that an excellent candidate, who offers the specialized skills needed during a transition time is being sought, they can’t give us a date but we’re at the top of the list. Lorraine will contact us as soon as one becomes available. These pastors will not be a candidate for the ''settled" position. Until an interim is available, we have a list of Pulpit Supply ministers we are contacting to fill in until the Interim is available.

2. While waiting for an interim, the Council will be preparing a survey for all of you. Our hope is that every member will fill it out and return it. This will be a critical tool in choosing a search committee to initiate a search process for a new pastor in accordance with our bylaws. Once in place, the Search Committee will invite all of you to be part of a self-study that will identify our church's pastoral needs. And they will then develop a church profile for our potential candidates.

3. Our Conference office will advertise our vacancy among UCC clergy all across the country. Our search committee will read ministerial profiles, screen candidates, conduct interviews, check references, and eventually select a candidate who’ll be recommended to the entire congregation. Also, we are checking with the UCC to see if we could get videos of sample sermons from more than one candidate.

We’re posting this article so you will know that we are taking steps to think about our future. We will keep you informed on a regular basis. For now, let us express our gratitude to God for Bob’s ministry and enter into a time of celebration with him and his family. Please keep them in your prayers, even as you know from experience, that he will be praying for us.

In closing, our congregation's traditional practice of “calling" a pastor affirms the active presence of God's Spirit in the search process. We will prayerfully seek a pastor with particular gifts and skills while recognizing that candidates are also engaged in a Spirit-led discernment process. Thus, our church enters into a covenant with a new pastor always knowing that God may sometimes call that pastor to a new ministry setting.


September Notes from Sunday school Mary Ann Proffitt, Christian Ed Director

“Deep Sea Discovery: Diving into the Bible”

Vacation Bible

School – was a

great success with a lot of faith, fun & friends! We had 30 valiant knights who

completed the quest to discover the pieces of the king’s armor! They also learned to “Be strong in the Lord, and the strength of His power.”

It was a great week at North Castle with a lot of fun water games, cool art projects, delicious snacks & interactive stories to help us learn

each night. We also supported the Waukesha Back-to-School drive by donating lots of new school

supplies! We finished the week with a Family Feast & Festival where we dined on hot dogs and barbecue, praised God with a few more songs and Bible Stories from our favorite dragon “Sparky” & played some carnival games complete with ice bowling and pinatas.

VBS THANK

YOU! A huge

thank you to all those who contributed to VBS this year in

some way, whether it was by donating supplies/snacks, volunteering, or prayers! It was greatly appreciated! I would also like to thank all the parents, grandparents & guardians that brought their children to VBS every night! You & your kids are awesome! Thank you for sharing them with us & we hope you’ll join us again next year!!

Summer Sunday School

– We’ve now finished our “Summer Road Trip” & have learned a lot about Moses & the Israelites journey out of slavery. We ended the summer watching the movie “Prince of Egypt” & enjoyed freshly popped popcorn & juice boxes! We had a great summer of learning & fun!

NEW SUNDAY

SCHOOL THEME OPEN

HOUSE!!! The whole

congregation is invited to an Open House on Sunday, September 12 after worship! In light of this last year’s challenges, we decided to change

things up a bit & are doing a makeover of our SS space with a brand-new theme! Come upstairs & see the new décor & all the work the youth group & congregation

members have put into making our upstairs space exciting & fun! You don’t want to miss it! Our past theme was “Deep Sea Discovery: Diving into the Bible” but the new theme is a surprise!

We’re also excited about a brand-new preschool/

kindergarten

curriculum that is engaging & fun! Kids will enjoy

new songs, watch short video clips, make crafts & play games all while learning the stories of the Bible & the valuable lessons they teach us!!! You’ll just have to come for the first day of Sunday school, September 12 to experience all the new adventures!


Sunday School Décor Construction Help Needed:

Fri, September 3 • 6 - 9 pm

Fri, September 10 • 6 - 9 pm

Sat, September 11 • 9 am - 4 pm

Food will be provided for both Saturday dates. We’ll be painting, building, rearranging & organizing the Sunday school space. The whole congregation is welcome to come help us!!! It will be a great time of fellowship & creativity!

Youth Group News Mary Ann Proffitt

A Huge Thank You to the adult

chaperones that helped us out on our Mission Day: Mary Gross & Dawn & Christopher Faulk! Your help was greatly appreciated!!

Mission Day Recap

We had a great day of mission work! We worked at St. Vinnies for 2 hours cleaning shelves, had lunch at Culvers & then went to Walmart to shop for items to fill the birthday boxes. We then took the purchases to church where we boxed & wrapped them up. They will be taken to Parent’s Place in Waukesha for those families that can’t afford birthday presents. We then had a time of reflection on the day & volunteering. We were supposed to finish the day harvesting food at the Green Power Garden, but the rain prevented us from helping there. We hope we can help there yet this fall.

Noah’s Ark Waterpark Trip

Due to lack of students able to attend, event was cancelled.

Youth Group Meeting

Sunday, September 12 after church in Youth Room from 10:30am – 12:30pm

We’ll be painting canvases for the youth room the last hour of the meeting. Youth group meetings are

typically the second Sunday of every month at 10:30 am. These meetings are to discuss mission work, events & activities & are for student’s 7th grade through high school. Everyone is welcome!

Confirmation Meeting

Sunday, September 19 at 10:30 am in person in the youth room.

The first confirmation class will be an informational meeting that all students are required to attend. At least one parent should also plan on attending. We’ll be going over the schedule, requirements & answering any questions you might have.

Members in need . . .

The Valentine family is in urgent need of some helping hands at their home on Racine Ave in Waukesha. They are in the middle of fixing up their home to sell, but Mr. Valentine is

currently in the hospital. Are you or do you know someone that could help as a Contractor or with yardwork, painting, siding, etc? They have funds available to modestly pay anyone willing & available to help. Please get in touch with Carrie Valentine at 262-370-3055 at your earliest convenience to see how you can help!

Thank You, Thank You!!

We received a thank you letter from the Hope Center:

“Thank you very much for your gracious donation. Hope Center is dedicated to preventing homelessness by

providing basic needs – food, clothing & shelter.

With your continued support, we’re making a difference.

Our guests, volunteers & staff, along with our Board of Directors, thank you for your support of those in need in

Waukesha County.”

Sincerely, Ralph Zick, Executive Director

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We received a thank you letter from Family Service

“Thank you for the generous donation to Family Service’s Big Yellow House (BYH) in support of our programs for children. Your gift will go far in helping to keep a safe

haven for traumatized children & their families. The BYH is a welcoming & emotionally safe place for

children who are comforted by its warm colors & soothing murals on the wall. Therapy rooms feel & look like a children’s room which makes it easier for them to

share their feelings & thoughts. On behalf of the children & their families who come to

the BYH for help after suffering the trauma of child abuse, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Sincerely, Krystal Wynter, Executive Director


Family Fun Time Events Greg & Mary Ann Proffitt

Brewers vs. Cardinals Game

Sunday, September 5 Game time 1:10 pm.

We’ll meet in the church parking lot & leave after worship for tailgating. The Proffitt's will provide the hot dogs/brats & burgers. Please bring a dish to pass such as chips, salads, fruit, vegetables, condiments, or buns etc. It’s 2010’s Ryan Braun Bobblehead day! Please let Mary Ann know if you’d like to purchase the last ticket! Hope you’ll consider joining in on the fun!

Book Club

Tuesday, September 14 6:30 pm • in person at church

We’ll be reading “News of the World” by Paulette Jiles. “It is 1870 & Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. An elderly widower who has lived through three wars & fought in two of them, the captain enjoys his rootless, solitary existence.

In Wichita Falls, he is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna’s parents & sister; sparing the little girl, they raised her as one of their own. Recently rescued by the U.S. army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home she knows.

Their 400-mile journey south through unsettled territory & unforgiving terrain proves difficult & at times dangerous. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes & refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forging a bond that marks the difference between life & death in this treacherous land.

Arriving in San Antonio, the reunion is neither happy nor welcome. The captain must hand Johanna over to an aunt & uncle she does not remember—strangers who regard her as an unwanted burden. A respectable man, Captain Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon the girl to her fate or become—in the eyes of the law—a kidnapper himself.”

We hope that you will join us for some exciting conversation, fellowship & dessert.

Crafter's Corner

Saturday, Sept. 25 9 am to 8:30 pm in person, at church

Come and craft the afternoon away! Bring your favorite crafts and join in an afternoon of fellowship and fun! We’ll be having tacos so please bring a taco topping or side dish to pass. Suggestions include shredded lettuce, diced onions, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa, taco sauce, black olives, sour cream, soft/hard shells, taco dip, nacho chips, queso sauce, guacamole, chips, snacks, fruit, veggies and dip, desserts etc. Invite a friend or two and come for lunch or stay for the whole day! Everyone is welcome. Sign up at the welcome table!

Afternoon Bible Study

I’m so looking forward to beginning our Women’s Bible study again on Monday, September 13 from 1 to 2/2:30pm at church in the youth room upstairs. Everyone is welcome! We’ll be finishing our study on “Twelve Women of the Bible” & will be looking at the stories of 6 women of the New Testament. If you’re interested in going on this faith journey into the New Testament, please contact Mary Ann Proffitt. Evening Bible Study

This is a wonderful time to get involved in the study of the Bible! Our Evening Study, via zoom will begin Wednesday, September 15 from 7 to 8:30 pm. Please note the day & time change from last year. We will be using the Bible study “Pray Like This: Living the Lord’s Prayer”. “Prayer is the most dynamic discipline in the life of a believer. Yet it may be the most misunderstood & the least taught. This six-session study shows believers that following Jesus' Model Prayer will lead them to fall more in love with God & grow in their desire to engage in conversation with Him.” If you are interested in growing your prayer life, please consider this study & contact Mary Ann Proffitt.


Women’s Fellowship Sue Manzke, President

Hello everyone from Women’s Fellowship!! We hope you’re enjoying the last few weeks of summer!! Fall is just around the corner, and we have a number of fun things in the works!

Please remember we have a beautiful library

here at church. It is in the West hallway near the exit on your right. It

was closed during the pandemic however it is open for your use now!! Take some time to check it out. There are many nice books in there. A reminder that we do have a service that we call Angels Express. It is

designed for anyone in need of a meal or two due to illness, new baby or whatever might prevent you from cooking for you or your family. If you know of someone or if you are that person, please contact Pat Kruse at 262-527-4027 and she’ll take it from there. We are hoping to make someone’s life a bit easier!! Pat would love to hear from you!!

Our Cookbook project is coming

along really well! We are hoping to have it available for the Holiday Craft Fair on November 13th!! Tell your friends it is coming soon!

Speaking of the Holiday Craft Fair, it is November

13th from 9 am until 4 pm. We have some amazing crafters lined up. Twenty booths will be filled. There will also be a light lunch available for shoppers and crafters. Be sure to tell your friends and relatives about this fun event.

The Christmas

Clearing Council

barrels will be delivered on or before November 1st. They will be with us until December 8th. They

will also be happy to receive gift cards or cash donations. If you’d like, we are willing to shop for you. Gift cards and money can be given to Sue Manzke or Brigette in the office. Our annual Hat/Mitten/Scarf tree

will go up early/mid-November and the last day to bring items in will be Sunday, December 5th. We’ll then take all the items to the Hope Center.

We’ll be selling Kringles again

this year for $10 each on November 7th, 14th & 21st!! There will be someone at the Welcome Table to help you with your order. Payment is due at the time of order. If you’d like to have

a sheet to take with you to sell at work or to your family, please let Sue Manzke know and she’ll get you one. Please tell your friends about them . . . we’d be happy to take their order as well.

Keep watching for more news to come on our Women’s Retreat on Saturday, November 6th.

Giving Tree

A friendly reminder that the Giving Tree exists to help members in need. Please reach out to Pastor Bob & we’ll see how we can help.

As you can see, we have a lot going on with Women’s Fellowship. We’d love to have more ladies come and join us. Our next meeting is Monday, October 4th at 6:30 pm. The more the merrier!!


Welcoming Ministry Ron Knutson

In what ways should Christians be prepared to step outside their comfort zone?

ANSW Christ asks His followers to die to themselves, to take up their crosses and follow after Him (Matthew 16:24). Taking up a cross and dying to self are not “comfortable” actions and Christians should always be willing to step outside their comfort zone into any situation God may place them.

In a certain sense, the very act of becoming a Christian can put one in unfamiliar territory. Christ calls His followers to stop seeking earthly riches (Matthew 6:19), to not worry about the future (Luke 12:22)& to live sacrificially to seek the good of others (Matthew 22:39), all of which run contrary to the values of the world. These teachings call Christians to live a lifestyle radically different from what they were accustomed to before their conversion.

Placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ for salvation requires a big step outside our comfort zone. We are naturally bent away from God in our very nature (Romans 3:10–18), and our natural inclination is to rely on ourselves in some way to be saved: we think we can just be good people or that our wealth proves God’s favor or that by performing certain actions we can “cancel out” our sins. But this is insufficient. To surrender ourselves completely to God, to place our faith exclusively in Jesus Christ to save us, requires us to deny our instinct to save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8). In this sense, all Christians step outside their comfort zones simply by becoming Christians.

But what about our day-to-day lives? Having given ourselves over to Christ, how should we be stepping outside our comfort zones? It may mean associating with people we previously saw as uncomfortably different or even threatening—helping the homeless at a soup kitchen or taking part in a prison ministry. It may mean being seen in places or with people that society looks down on—working at a halfway house or discussing Christ in a seedy bar with alcoholics. It may mean moving to a foreign country or simply breaching the subject of salvation with a group of irreligious friends. The point is we should not cease serving Christ merely because of our discomfort. We should be willing to place ourselves in new situations, even uncomfortable ones, for the sake of seeing the Kingdom advance.

The apostles sacrificed everything in order to serve God (Matthew 19:27), and they willingly went into situations where they could be arrested, threatened, and possibly killed (Acts 4:1–3; 7:54–60; 21:13).

Undoubtedly, they put themselves well outside their normal routine and did things far beyond their comfort zones. As Christians, we, too, should be willing to go into radically uncomfortable circumstances if that’s what is required to serve God the way He desires.

This doesn’t mean that every action we take as Christians should make us uncomfortable. What it does mean is that we are called to serve God regardless of our comfort level, and we should never shrink from a chance to serve God merely because it is “outside” our wanted routine.

We should consider how we can best serve God through our talents, even if the best way to serve Him is in a new or daunting situation. A person with the gift of teaching should not seek to only teach those she is comfortable with, neglecting more “undesirable” students. A person with the gift of evangelism should not avoid speaking to prison inmates simply because he is uncomfortable in that environment. If we can best serve God in a certain way, we must trust that God will see to it that things work out for our good and for His plan (Romans 8:28).

All Christians, then, should be willing to step outside of their comfort zones, though that might mean a variety of things from person to person. Whether we are leaving the country to work as a missionary in an underdeveloped country or simply stirring up the courage to talk to our fellow office-workers about Christ, we can have confidence that God will neither leave us nor forsake us. Even when we are in a new and uncomfortable situation, His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

As summer quickly comes to a close and the trees begin to change, will you take the measures necessary to confidently travel to new destinations in your faith journey. It is my hope that we can all learn to cultivate a life of

Contemplation and Compassion. Follow the example of Jesus and show compassion to all God’s creation. Read the bible. Pray. Take time to be in God’s presence. Please feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] or by phone 262-424-0496.



Community Outreach & Vitality Committees Dan & Kris DeKarske, Mary Gross, Brian Van Buren, Sue Kuhtz & Ron & Toni Knutson

Our Backpack/School Supply Drive

Thank you to all for the Backpack School Supply Drive donations. Community Outreach delivered 20 very full bags of supplies to the Waukesha School District August 16th. All very much appreciated!! In addition, the Backpack Coalition of Waukesha County also received monetary donations from our Congregation. Also, thank you to Mary Ann Proffitt and our VBS participants for their donations.

Family Promise:

Please donate items from their Wish List (link noted below) & send items directly to them or mail gift cards for Aldi/Walmart to: Family Promise, PO Box 66, Waukesha 53187

(https://tinyurl.com/Amazon-FamilyPromise)

Food Pantry of Waukesha:

. . . is still in need of the items listed below. Please drop off donations at 1301 Sentry Dr. For more info, please call 262-522-2374.

BIG 8 TO DONATE LIST • Whole Grain Cereal • Canned Fruits in Juice • Shelf Stable Proteins (Stews, Tuna, Chicken, Tofu) • Canned Pasta with Meat • Ready-to-eat Soup • Shelf Stable Soy/Almond Milk • Low Sodium Canned Veggies • Soaps & Toilet Paper

They’d also appreciate donations of Baby Cereal & Formula in addition to larger size diapers.

Hope Center Meal Serving Opportunities:

Continued Support is needed for the Hope Center meal programs for the remainder of the year. Many of the other churches in the community have not resumed volunteering, so our group is truly needed to

step up. There are several opportunities to help out:

Sunday, September 12th 1:45 to 3:30 pm

Wednesday, October 20th 5 to 7 pm

Sunday, November 28th 1:45 to 3:30 pm. Please sign-up at the Welcome table to volunteer (need 4-5 people), provide a cake (need 4-5) &/or milk (need 7 gallons) or contact Toni Perez at [email protected] or 262-893-9020.

The Women’s Center:

Their Wish List includes Gift cards to Walmart, Walgreens, Target &/or Kohl’s to name a few. Gift cards can be mailed or dropped off at 505 N East Ave., Waukesha. Other priority items

needed are latex free gloves, Bounty paper towels & Tracfone 60 min. cards for 90 days of service. Call first if dropping off at 262-547-4600.

Hebron Housing Services

By donating a monetary gift instead of physical products, HH is able to direct funds to restock items as needed. Please send donations to: 1166 Quail Ct, Suite 400, Pewaukee 53072 or at: www.hebronhouse.org/donate. (262-549-8720)

Looking to get involved in a way you never have before? Prayerfully consider joining the Community Outreach Committee to help a little or a lot depending on what your schedule allows!! Grab a friend & join us today.

https://tinyurl.com/Amazon-FamilyPromise


http://www.hebronhouse.org/donate


Haiti Appeal Project Most of you have been watching the devastation happening in Haiti, it pulls at many heartstrings. But for some of us, it brings back the memories of two wonderful members, pillars of our church, Dick Anderson and Peter Van Horn. They were very involved in helping to rebuild Haiti after disasters and establishing a nursing school, spending weeks at a time there.

Serving Schedule Brigette Unger, Church Office

Thank you all for your faithful commitment to our serving teams. We couldn’t do it without you. Below are the assigned servers for September.

4th quarter requests are due to the office no later than Sunday, October 3rd.

** Friendly remember that it is your responsibility if you need to make a change & to notify the office of the change as soon as possible.

The UCC has created a "Haiti Appeal" where they are collecting much needed funds to help the people of Haiti. The Benevolence committee has met and will be donating $1000 to the project out of their emergency budget. We challenge our members to add to this whatever they can comfortably spare. Maybe we can match or exceed the $1000! There are special envelopes on the tables outside the main sanctuary doors for any donations.

Servers needed!

We’re still in need of 2 or 3 people to join each of the SOUNDBOARD, USHER & CHILDCARE serving teams: If interested, please reach out to the church office. For SB: Training is provided & you’ll shadow another server for 2 weeks, or more, if needed & then be added to the rotation as little or as often as your schedule allows.

Please make checks payable to E & R Church & we’ll send a check for the total collected. Thank you.


Council Meeting Minutes – Aug 9, 2021 Recorded by Julie Bessler

Present: Toni Knutson, Julie Bessler, Terry Sasse, Rob Shutko, Sue Buyatt, George Golding, Nancy Witt, Ray LaBarge, Mark Maile, Scott Donovan, Toni Perez Guests: Rick Sasse, Gordon Heilert, Mary Ann Proffitt, Rev. Bob Absent: Dennis Hink, Trish Bakalars, Gary Giese, Bonnie Stojadinovic, Gather on a Zoom meeting Call Meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. by Toni K. Opening Prayer/Member Prayer: by Toni K & included a prayer for members Jim Horrell, Dennis Hink, Linda Hink, Mark Maile & all homebound members. 1. Visioning: ONA (moved to later in the year)

i. What do we mean by “address ONA”? (Break out session)

ii. Reconvene & document thoughts. iii. What’s next?

2. Special Council Meeting July26, 2021: Approved. Motion by Terry S. Second Sue B. Motion Accept Unanimous.

3. Treasurer’s Report: See report in office. Mary Ann closed out both Sunday School & Youth Group accounts. Motion by Ray L. Second Terry S. Motion Passed Unanimous.

4. Giving Tree Report: Report due in October for third quarter.

5. Financial Secretary Report: No Report 6. Investment Committee: No Report. 7. Budget Committee: No Report. Budgets due

August 31st. 8. Christian Ed/Youth: See Report in office. Noah’s

Ark outing cancelled. 9. Board of Christian Ed: No Report. 10. Sunday School: See Report in office. 11. VBS: MaryAnn will put together a PowerPoint for

the congregation. 12. Senior Pastor Report: See Report in office. 13. Elders: No Report 14. Trustees: See Report in office. George G to replace

two lights in Council Room. Scott D will be replacing two dehumidifiers in the basement. George G is working with the plumber on the grease trap & drains.

15. Deacons: No Report. 16. Personnel: No Report. 17. Vitality Committee: No Report. Currently this

committee is not active, they only have 2 members. 18. Outreach Committee: See Beyond Sundays. 19. Welcoming Ministry: No Report. 20. Stewardship Committee: Met in August, they are

planning the fall Stewardship drive. 21. Membership Committee: No Report

22. Security Committee: No Report 23. Scholarship Committee: See Spreadsheet on file.

Came in $13,500 under budget. 12 undergrads & 3 graduates.

Callie Knoll received the Hart Scholarship; Lora Witt received the Stiles Scholarship.

Motion by Ray L. Second Toni P. Vote: 5 approved, 5 abstained. Motion passed.

24. Benevolence Committee: Mary Gross will need to be replaced as chair. Committee needs 1 more member.

25. Pastoral Relations: No Report. 26. Nominating Committee: No Report. The committee

still needs two more members. Recommendations were requested. They normally only meet approximately 3 times per year. Toni P. agreed to serve on the committee.

27. Council Size Task Force: See minutes from the Task Force’s meeting in June. The Task Force did recommend reducing the Council size from five to four of each of the Deacons, Trustees, and Elders. Council was polled and the result was the majority felt the Council should not be changed, though the Task Force was commended for doing their work. It was also recommended to consider a bylaw change in the event the Nominating Committee is only able to secure a less than plurality nominees for a Council position. It was suggested that nominations from the floor should be able to address without the need for a bylaw to allow a single candidate on the ballot.

28. Andrew Club: No Report 29. History: No Report. 30. New Business: Revisited wearing masks in the

building again. Poll vote taken to 1. Make masks mandatory. 2. Keep masks optional. 5 votes to

keep masks, 5 votes to keep masks optional. Toni K broke the tie, masks to remain optional. 31. Old Business: Ray L. has met with a person to

quote new phone system. Close Meeting to Council Only: All non-Council

members were excused. Prayer for next meeting: Dennis Hink Reports due to Brigette ON or BEFORE September 8, 2021 Next meeting scheduled for September 13, 2021 at 7 pm Council Minutes Review Procedure (adopted Jan 2020): Send out minutes following Council meeting by Tuesday morning, Council has through Wednesday evening to send corrections, a new email with all edits will be sent Thursday evening for approval, email vote to be taken within two days of email being sent, email notification of vote to be sent by Council president, added to the bottom of the minutes report. Approved online: Motion by: Julie B. Second by: Terry S. Approvals: 9 No Responses: 6 Abstain: 1


Budget Meeting A reminder to all church groups that Budgets are due to Ron Knutson at [email protected] or to the church office by September 6th.

Shelby Support Committee:

As you may know, Shelby Perez has taken a job in Israel & we’d like to form a committee that would meet with her via zoom periodically so that she can stay connected to her home church & know we’re supporting her in her mission as well. There is an 8-hour time difference, so we’d probably try & connect with her after church or maybe a Saturday morning every month or every other month. Please contact Mary Ann Proffitt if you’re interested. We hope to start connecting next month!

2022 Envelopes:

If you haven’t already, please fill out this brief google form ASAP, to let us know your envelope preference for 2022: https://tinyurl.com/Envelopes2022 Thank you!

Stewardship

Want to get a head start on making your pledge for next year. Click on this link to go to the: Stewardship Pledge Drive 2022 - Google Forms or Scan the QR Code below:

About Our Church . . .

“Our Mission is to foster the spiritual growth of a community of devoted followers of Christ.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ

413 Wisconsin Ave, Waukesha WI 53186 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please feel free to contact us by any of the methods below to let us know of a birth, death or hospitalization, change of name/address/phone/email or to schedule an event!

Phone: (262) 547-2424 Email: [email protected] Fax: (262) 547-2870 Web: www.uccwaukesha.org

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Office Hours: Monday- Friday • 8am – 12pm

Sunday Worship: 9:00am Holy Communion/Family Sunday: First Sunday of

each month. Kids stay in church with parents. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Office Staff: Senior Pastor: Bob Gross (C) 440-506-3258 Office Manager: Brigette Unger (W) 262-547-2424 Christian Ed Director: Mary Ann Proffitt Youth Group Leader: Mary Ann Proffitt Trailblazer’s Leader: Shelby Perez Confirmation Leaders: Mary Ann Proffitt/Rev. Bob Gross Treasurer: Sue Buyatt Organist: Rueck Ruecktenwald Choir Director: Chris Wray Music Coordinator/Pianist: Joel Matthys Custodian: Don Backler

Classes, Groups, Clubs, Meetings: (Meeting on Zoom or meeting in person** or on hold) Coffee Hour: Every Sunday beginning 9.12.21 • 10 am Confirmation Class: 1st. 3rd, 5th Sun (Sep-May) • 10:30 am Trailblazers Class: 2nd & 4th Sun (Sept-May) • 9 am Youth Group Meeting: 2nd Sunday • 10:30am Evangelical Choir Practice: Every Sunday • 10:30 am Hand Bells Practice: Every Sunday • 10:30 am **Counting: Every Monday morning • 9 am Women’s Bible Study: Mondays at 1 pm (Sept-May) Women’s Fellowship: 1st Mon of even mths • 6:30 pm Council Meeting: 2nd Mon of the month • 7 pm Christian Board of Ed: 3rd Mon of odd months • 7 pm Staff Meeting: Every Tuesday •10 am Women’s Bible Study: Weds at 7 pm (Sept-May) Trustee Meeting: 1st Tuesday of month • 6 pm Book Club: 1st Tuesday of odd months • 6:30 pm Oak Hill Terrace: 3rd Tue of odd months: 3:15 pm Investment Comm. Mtg: Quarterly on Tues • 6:30 pm **Bible Study: Wed 1 pm (Oct-May) In person Andrew Club: 3rd Wed of even months: 2:30 pm Crafter’s Corner: Sat of odd months • 9 am - 8 pm Welcoming Ministry: Dates vary, as needed • 6:30 pm

~Please watch weekly bulletin for exceptions to schedule. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Trumpet Articles: are due the 3rd Monday of month. Trumpet Stuffing: last Wednesday of month • 10:30am


https://tinyurl.com/Envelopes2022

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14TH_jSkc3KAWW8cLJhLoqM5NSL7iQHft9dBhDHYGiE4/edit

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14TH_jSkc3KAWW8cLJhLoqM5NSL7iQHft9dBhDHYGiE4/edit


http://www.uccwaukesha.org/

https://tinyurl.com/yy9pqlrr


9/3 Sydney Demerath (20) Dan Steffen Carrie Valentine

9/4 Sheri Donovan George Golding

9/5 Janet Horrell Rueck Ruecktenwald

9/6 Charles Somann (4)

9/7 Michaela Faulk (14) Emma Witt (21)

9/8 Kerri Montgomery Laurie Theama

9/9 Jordan Schroeder (12)

9/10 Jerrod Hink Kinly Hink (7) Jan Wickersham

9/11 Chantelle Somann (12) Natalie Van Buren

9/12 Bethany Price Rachael Schwind

----------------------------------------- 9/5 Scott & Sheri Donovan (34) Jim & Janet Horrell (29)

9/9 Mark & Anna Maile (26)

9/14 Mark & Heather Bartolotta (19)

9/17 Tom & Bonnie Dowling Jr (33) Dick & Bobbie Werning (61)

9/14 Gordy Heilert

9/15 Jackson Phipps (11)

9/16 Don Backler

Brooklyn LaBarge (5) Phil Schmocker

9/17 Joe Cook

9/18 Trisha Somann

9/19 Terry Sasse

9/21 Cooper Horbinski (12)

9/22 Emily Jussila

9/24 Melinda Davis

Joan Vetta

9/25 Bonnie Dowling

Della Wolf (5)

9/26 Renae Fillinger

Jamie Knoll Parvati Wagner (13) Piper Wagner (13) Isobel Wray (101)

9/30 Frank Schmocker

------------------------------------------ 9/22 Wayne & Renae Fillinger (3) Linda & Barry Hink (48)

9/23 Mike & Janice Suchecki (32)

9/30 Chad & Julie Werning (4)

Documents

Evangelical & Reformed United Church of Christ