COMING EVENTS

Children
& Youth
Sunday
April 26th

Sunday May 3rd:

Newsletter of the United Church of Primghar

April, 2015 - Volume 4

Alive, Alive, Alive forevermore

South OBrien
Baccalaureate Services
Wednesday,
May 13th
SOS High
School Gym
Paullina

WWW Ends
Wednesday, April 29th
We will have a fun
night with games to promote
summer camp.

COLLEGE GRADUATES
If you have a college student graduating this year,
please call the office with
details for publication in
the June Newsletter.

Administrative Council:
The following people are on the Administrative Council and the areas they represent.
Chairperson: Benny Ebel
Vice-chairperson: Corey Gillespie
Clerk (Secretary): Beth Wittrock
Finance: Connie Huffman
Missions & Outreach: Bill Ker sting, J ane McDowell, Beth Wittr ock
PPR: Cor ey Gillespie, Mike J ones, J ane McDowell
Spiritual Formation: Haley Bottjen
Trustees: Benny Ebel, Cindy J ansma
UCW: J ane McDowell
Worship: Matt Rohwer
We are still in need of two people who would be willing to serve on our Administrative Council.
Joint Pastor Parish Relations Committee
At their January meeting the Administrative Council approved having a joint PPR with Archer UMC. This
joint PPR will be comprised of 8 people from each church, will monthly alternating sites, have co-chairs (one
from each church) and be responsible for making all pastoral and administrative assistant decisions. UCPs
PPR:
Co-Chairperson: Mike Jones (Bill Engeltjes is the other Co-Chairperson from Archer UMC)
Jan Gaudian, Corey Gillespie, Sue McCauley, Jane McDowell, Jim Thompson, Ladonna Wittrock
We are still in need of one more person to serve on this Joint Committee
Teams/Associates to the Administrative Council (Would like 3 in each category):
Missions & Outreach:
Trustees: Peter Eldridge, Lee Irvine, Steve Wittrock
Spiritual Formation: Clara Black, Shirley Jones,
Worship: Evelyn Bruns, Courtney Vander Pol
Nominations: Mar ge Hunt, J ulie J ohannsen, Joan Thompson
Paying Treasurers: Lor etta Edwar ds, Ben Eldr idge
Receiving Treasurers: Donna Dawson, Kim Tewes, J oan Thompson, Shar on Roos,
UCC Representative: Emily Waund
UMC Representative: J ane McDowell

These are the words of a familiar chorus heard around Easter. But, they are meaningless, unless we finish the thought-My Jesus is alive! We celebrate the Living Christ
...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we gather to worship (Sunday and/or Wednesdays)
-lifting up the glorious name of our Lord and Savior. Praying over Joys and Concerns, we remember that Jesus
is alive praying for us, and with us.

...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we spend time together around Gods Word. In
Wild Wednesday Worship. In Bible Studies. In Vacation Bible School. In Junior High Youth Group. In Senior
High Youth Group. We discover the living Christ as he comes alive to us in the Bible.
...Not just on Easter-we celebrate the Living Christ every time we reach out to meet the needs of others. Through
the food & other items consistently given to Upper Des Moines. Through special offerings (like Heifer Project,
PET, Blankets). Through providing materials needed for others-shoes for Soles for Souls; health, school, sewing,
layette, and birthing kits for many, space and time for Love INC classes, and many other ways. We discover the
living Christ as we reach out to his children around the world.
But...what would this community miss if we were not here? I believe that the presence of Christ is more real,
more alive because you are here-living out your faith in meaningful ways. During 2014 our average combined
worship attendance (Wednesdays at 7:00pm, and Sundays at 9:00am) increased from 90 to 107 people, we have
had a continuous adult Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 6:15, and in the Fall of 2014 we became a second
site for Love In the Name of Christ classes. Living out our faith in meaningful ways is what the church is all
about. May we commit ourselves to following the Living Christ wherever he leads.
By now it is no secret that this church is struggling financially. During our Annual Meeting in 2015 the question
was raised about our 2014 Apportionment Payments. We paid 25% of our apportionments in 2014. During our
February meeting the Administrative Council voted that we would pay 10% of our general income toward our
apportionments (giving 5% to each conference). However, when paying bills on February 24th, it became necessary to borrow $4,500 to cover general expenses (and we have not made any payments on our 2015 apportionments). When I really looked at the financial report that was given for our Annual Meeting I discovered that in
2014 we spent $2,688.06 less than we did in 2013, but we paid $12,557.87 less in Denomination Support. So,
where did the increase of almost $10,000 come from in our expenditures in 2014? The bulk of the increase,
$6,700+ can be found in the Building & Maintenance/Trustees area (i.e. Building Supplies and Maintenance,
Church & Parsonage Insurance, Lawn Care, Church Repairs, Parsonage Repairs, Snow Removal, Natural Gas,
Phone, City utilities, Computer/upgrade, etc.) We also had smaller increases in Worship, Spiritual Formation,
Leadership, and Administration. Whenever there is a specific financial need, you come through. Thank You. An
envelope is included with this newsletter for those who feel led to give an extra Easter Gift this year, so that we
might continue to meet all of our financial obligations and church needs.
Thank you for allowing me to be your pastor, and I look forward to the blessings God has in store for us-as we
allow the Living Christ to live in and through us!
~Pastor Cory

APRIL
BIRTHDAYS &
ANNIVERSARIES

Quarters!
Bring your quarters with you to church to
put in the quarter bank. The children
would like to raise enough money to buy
an animal. Every quarter helps us reach
our goal!
Adopt a Child
Vacation Bible School (VBS) this year will be
held at the United Church of Primghar July
13-16. In an effort to raise our portion of
the funds needed we are sponsoring Adopt
a Child. Each child is $30. Coffee fellowship
on April 5th will also be going towards the
VBS program. UCPs share of the program
this year is $500. Any support would be
greatly appreciated.
UCW will meet April 8th at 2
p.m. Hostesses ar e Fer n Rosenboom, Rhonda Rosenboom &
Delores Ginger. Devotions by Bea
Powers and Program by Connie
Huffman.
Evening Circle will meet April 28th at 7:00 p.m.
Hostess is Pastor Cory, Program by Marian Ginger
and Devotions by LaNan Eldridge.
Faith Circle will meet April 22nd at 2:00 p.m.
Hostess is Arlene Wittrock & Ann Stroeble, Devotions by Bea Powers.

INCOME 2015
January $5,008
February $6,002.50
March 1st-22nd$6,071.60
Budget for 2015138,196.49
Average Monthly Expenditure
$11,516.37

1 Jan Gaudian
4 Shirley Fernstrum
6 Ladonna Wittrock
7 LaNan Eldridge, Mitchell Enger,
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Fritzsche, Mr. & Mrs. Dale Fulk
8 Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Jansma
9 Ashli Sohn
10 Charles Bruns, Jr., Susan Smith
11 Kurt Edwards
14 Pastor Cory Allard
15 Gretchen Engelmeyer, Deanna Smith Herrar
16 Anne Wright
17 Jim Steffens
18 Wilma Reese, Aubree Eldridge
21 Mr. & Mrs. Charles Bruns, Jr.
22 Tim Wittrock
23 Kevin Brown
24 Jean Edwards
25 Allison Meyer
26 Darwin Gaudian
27 Glen Wittrock, Drew Wittrock, Noah Wittrock
28 Nell Kammerer, Kim Hintz,
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Wittrock

Camp Fundraiser
th

Sunday, April 26
10:0012:30pm
Join us for an egg bake brunch to help
send children to camp!

APRIL USHERS
5th Benny Ebel, Jack Black & Helen Lucas
12th & 19th Corey & Jodi Gillespie & Pete Eldridge
26th
Youth & Children
SOS Graduates &
Youth Sponsors
Pizza Party
Wednesday, April 22nd
7:00pm Pizza Ranch

APRIL GREETERS
SOUTH DOOR
5th Mike & Shirley Jones
12th Leon & Marge Hunt
19th Rodney & Myrna Heimensen
26th Youth & Children

SUN

MON

WWW
Schedule

Sunday
Schedule

5:30 WWW Music

9:00am UCP
Worship
9:30am Archer
Sunday School
10:30am Archer
UMC Worship

5
7:30 am Sunrise
Service Archer
UMC
9:00 am UCP
Worship
10:30 amArcher
UCP Worship

12

13

TUES
1

THURS
2

15

10
Pastor Corys
Day Off

11

16

17
Pastor Corys
Day Off

18

24
9:00am Newsletter Assembly

25
Sohn/Gesink
Wedding

4:00 pm Confirmation
WWW

19
Archer Board
meeting after worship
7:00 pm UCP Administrative Council Mtg.

20
7:30 pm Joint
PPR Meeting
at Archer
UMC

21

26
Children &
Youth Sunday
Brunch
10:00am to 12
pm

27

28
7:00pm Evening Circle

April Acolyte
Taryn Hintz
Matt Edwards
Shelby Enger
Breanna Bottjen

22
23
2:00 pm Faith
Circle
4:00 pm Confirmation
WWW
7:00 pm SOS Seniors Pizza Party
29
4:00pm Confirmation
Last WWW

SAT
4

2:00pm UCW
4:00 pm Confirmation
WWW

14

FRI
3
Pastor Corys
Day Off
Noon Ecumenical
Worship Service
at Catholic
Church

7:00 am Primghar 7:00 pm

3:00 pm VBS
Meeting at UCP

5th
12th
19th
26th

WED

Pastor Corys
Day Off

30

Liturgists
April 5th Shirley Fernstrum
April 12th Emily Waund
April 19th Donna Dawson
April 26th Children & Youth

APRIL
NURSERY WORKERS
5th Shir ley J ones
12th Bar b Rohwer
19th WE NEED YOU!!
27th