Saron United Church of Christ

W3830 County Road J

Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085

Rev. Dr. Ernest Huntzinger, Interim Pastor Church: 920-467-6202 Home: 920-803-6519 Cell: 630-632-1274

Judy Knuth—Newsletter Editor Phone: 920-893-0391 jjknuth57@excel.net

Barb Post—Administrative Assistant Phone: 920-467-6202 barb@saronucc.org

Kari Mooney—Financial Secretary kari@saronucc.org

Church Phone: 920-467-6202 Saron Website: www.saronucc.org

JANUARY 2018

Entering Newness

We come upon the New Year like strangers in a new land. We’re uncertain about what’s to come. We well know what

happened in the past when we found ourselves in trying circumstances. We reached out to the familiar and held close the things that

brought us if nothing else, comfort. Nevertheless, we venture forth into the yet unknown and assume that as things worked out for us

in the past, they will work for us in the future. It’s a sort of a blind faith that we rely upon. So, we put one foot before the other and

depending on our mood at the moment, we put a smile on our faces and trudge on. This attitude I must declare is mine, and for all I

know, it just might be uniquely – mine. To add some color to attitude I might add a dash of resolutions to my journey into the new. I

will no longer eat so many sweets; drink no more than one or two, again depending on my mood, glasses of whatever; no longer buy

what I can’t afford; no longer be dazzled by sleight of hand or misrepresented facts… I will in fact turn over a new leaf in the New

Year. Except, where does one find a new leaf in this weather? Except, again – except in a potted plant that from time to time I forget

to water or nourish. Ah! It folds back on me this attitude I have about how I relate to newness. It seems I bear a responsibility to what

unfolds before me. Often times, the way I relate to my world lends credence to what I expect from it.

If I don’t have hope within myself, there’s little to affirm that I’ll find it out there. If I fail to nurture my faith there’s little to

reckon that it will come to me. I cannot stand still and wait for things to happen that will be good for me. I must be about doing good

to receive goodness. I must be about being alive to my world in order for it to come alive for me. If I determine that I won’t exercise

my body there’s a big fat chance it won’t respond to my desire to keep healthy.

Dear me, if all these things depend on me perhaps I’ll just decide not to enter the New Year. But that’s not an option. The

new will come whether I want it to come or not and, having seen what occurs when one does not or cannot see anything ahead, it is

incumbent that I participate in newness. So, I seek to renew my strength by being alive to that which nurtures me. I seek to gather

truths that will not fail me when the temptation to believe in lies presents itself. I will honor what is decent and not seek to justify what

is verifiably, indecent. Morality is not an option for a world easily turned aside to what’s immoral to make a point.

In our New Year as we experience newness, I have this desire to not only seek out what is honorable and trustworthy, not

only to support what is decent and dependable, not only to shake my head when I hear that which is deplorably untrue and indecent,

but to speak up and nourish that which has served me and my world with hope, with truth, with decency all the days of my life. I

think it has to be part of the newness in this New Year that I take with me on my continuing journey.

Blessings on You and Yours in the New Year.

Ernie

Page 2 The Tidings

Nominations for Elected Leaders

The Consistory of Saron Church is made up of three elders (who are responsible for the congregation's spiritual life), three deacons (who are responsible for the stewardship of finances & property), the treasurer (who oversees the financial security of the church), & the pastor.

The nominees for elder are: Janine Gardapee & Mike Walsh

The nominees for deacon are: Matt Boedecker & David Rautmann

The Consistory requests the trustees to carry out repair and maintenance projects around the church building and grounds.

The nominees for trustee are: Corey Albright & Wade Sebald

The Christian Education Board chooses the Sunday School curriculum, recruits and trains teachers, and plans Vacation Bible School and the Christmas program. (We need one 3-year- and one 1-year – the person receiving the most votes will be the 3-year term, next most votes will be the 1-year term)

The nominees for Christian Education Board are: Ashley Schmidt, Jordan Theobald, & Heather Zimbal

The Cemetery Board is responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery and its funds.

The nominees for the Cemetery Board are: Jack Hanke (Inc.) & DuWayne Nohl

The Endowment Committee is responsible for congregational awareness and prudent investing of Saron's Endowment Funds.

The nominees for Endowment Committee are: Jacob Barthels & Susan Blasel

The Pastor Parish Relations Committee meets at least quarterly with the pastor to ensure a healthy relationship between the pastor and the congregation. (2 needed)

The nominees for the Pastor Parish Relations Committee are: Jill Adamavich, Judy Knuth, Robin Lindquist

The Annual Meeting of Saron United Church of Christ

will be held Sunday, January 28th,2018, at 11:15 a.m.

The Tidings Page 3

Advent Angel Tree

If you attended church on Sunday, December 17

th you were greeted by a multitude of gifts

under the Christmas tree. It was a sight to behold! The generosity of the members of Saron

UCC is truly amazing. We have brightened the lives of many children and their families in the

Sheboygan County Head Start Program and some Seniors from Pine Haven this Christmas.

Also thank you to the people who gave cash donations.

We used the money to purchase a few gifts we needed.

We are so thankful for your kindness during this Christmas season!!!

The Women’s Guild

Cookie Sale

The Women’s Guild would like to send a big

THANK YOU to all those who purchased

cookies and button picture frames and

Christmas cards of the church.

The money made will help support projects

that we do.

Page 4 The Tidings

Sunday, December 31st, 2017. One service only at 10:15 a.m. Holy Communion will

be celebrated.

ALSO: This is the last day for your contributions to be credited to 2017.

ATTENTION ALL GROUPS/COMMITTEES with financial accounts you must submit a

year-end report to Kari Mooney, the Financial Secretary by JANUARY 7th. 2018.

PORPOSED BUDGET MEETING will take place between services at 9:00 a.m. on

Sunday, January 21st, 2018.

ANNUAL MEETING—SUNDAY, JANUARY 28th, 2018, following the 10:15 a.m. worship

service.

Help Us Undecorate The Christmas Trees

The undecorating of the trees and church will take

place on January 7th, 2018, immediately following

the 10:15 a.m. service. All are invited to help.

WHAT TO DO IF WE ARE HAVING BAD WEATHER

Winter is here! We hate to cancel worship, but if we

need to, Tune in to WHBL 1330 AM radio (Sheboygan),

Milwaukee TV Stations 4 (WTMJ), FOX 6, 12 (WISN),

or Green Bay TV Stations 5 (WFRV), or 11 (WLUK);

call the church office to listen for a cancellation

message (467-6202) or check the church website for a

cancellation notice (www.saronucc.org).

The Tidings Page 5

A Message From Becky Charbonneau

Planning is happening for the Spring Semester of music at

Saron. If you would like to provide special music at Saron,

please contact Becky Charbonneau at 946-8345. It can be

vocal, piano, or instrumental in nature.

To my Saron Church family,

Thank you for your many cards, calls, and visits - it means a lot to

have such a caring church family!

Jola Erdey

Those who are homebound or in care centers: Verna Groene, (Prairie Crossing), Janice Hartmann (Pine Haven, Haven Drive Campus), Norb Meyer (Pine Haven, Haven Drive Campus), Janet Klemme (Pine Haven Assisted Living, Giddings Ave. Campus), Ilene Struve (Rocky Knoll), Marilyn Perronne (at home), Mae Schmidt (at home), Beverly Kleinhans (at home)….

We extend our Christian

Sympathy to the family of

Diane Klemme Christensen

Thusius (Don Klemme’s

sister) who passed away on

November 10, 2017.

Jordon Rick

(U.S. Marine Corps)

Christopher Kletzien

(U.S. Army)

Brandon Gumm

(U.S. Army)

Something of Interest

Lakeland University, in partnership with the Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC) in Milwaukee, is

sponsoring an educational trip to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Chicago on

Saturday, Mar. 3, 2018. Complete details are available on the flyer on the kiosk in the narthex. Registration

deadline to Lakeland University (with payment of $12.00 per person) is February 16th, 2018. There are

limited seats and is a first-come, first-served basis.

Page 6 The Tidings

Happy Anniversary We hope you keep the following couples in your prayers as they celebrate

their Anniversary this month. If we missed your special day or reported a wrong date please let us

know by calling the church office at (467-6202 or e-mail barb@saronucc.org).

January 11 Glenn & Linda Ubbelohde

January 12 Art & Janet Lammers—55 yrs.

January 19 Jay & Jill Grosshuesch

January 23 Mark & Linda Shaw

January 24 Doug & Jill Daun

January 26 Don & Judy Ryan

Happy Birthday We hope you keep the following people in your prayers as they celebrate their

Birthday this month. If we missed your special day or reported a wrong date please let us know by

calling the church office at (467-6202 or e-mail barb@saronucc.org).

January 2 Kris Nohl

January 3 Carrie Nickel

Bob Travis

January 4 Milton Braun

January 5 Jamie Haack

January 6 Elise Casadonte

Craig Grosshuesch

January 7 Matt Meinnert

January 8 Randy Sixel

January 9 Ed Schmidt

January 10 Dave Boldt

Marcus Dumke

Jill Farnum

January 11 Dorene Hanke

Waylon Kwekkeboom

January 12 Tim Feldmann

Jay Pike

January 13 Jan Binder

Du Wayne Nohl

Emma Pike

Haley Rautmann

Lois Schlichting

January 14 Kari DeHart

Glenn Nohl

Coleson Trumm

Linda Wieck

Kathie Zittel

January 15 Lily Bohn

Izzy Dassow

John Yellstrom

January 17 Nathan Roehl

January 18 Katie Haas

Ken Justinger

Laura Rautmann

January 19 Roberta Coppersmith

David Oostdyk

Russell Reichert

January 20 Jackson Jetzer

Dan Roehrborn

January 21 Karla Kletzien

Kalvin Kuzulka

Kendrick Kuzulka

Matt Wilke

January 24 Lisa Bunke

Sarah Gonzales

Shirley Schmidt

January 26 Reid Harper

Brynn Harper

January 27 Jeff Lubach

Marlene Mohr

January 28 Rich Koller

Carleigh Milz

January 29 Matt Boedecker

Ryan Herzog

Carl Lindquist

January 30 Virginia Braun

Bill Gardapee

Kurt Mauk

Bentley Schmidt

January 31 Katelyn DeHart

Duane Hitsman