Columbus United Methodist Church

222 S. Dickason Blvd. Columbus, WI 53925

April, 2011

In This Issue
From the Pastor Save the Date April Usher Schedule Scripture Readers for April April Fellowship Time Schedule April Anniversaries April Birthdays Lent All-Church Lunch and Calendar Planning Retreat Upcoming Sermon Topics April Children & Youth Ministries Twelve Alternatives to Lashing Out at Your Child UMW News Lenten Soup Supper Easter Sunrise Service Maundy Thursday New Procedures for Stock Donations A Stewardship Message World Day of Prayer Mission Offering for April Ecopalms Brie SheardFuture Missionary Calendar
Our purpose is to: Follow Jesus Together We do this by: Opening our hearts to people and to Christ in worship and fellowship, so that we know God and each other more fully, Opening our minds to deepen our Christian faith, understand our heritage, and think together to solve common problems, and Opening our doors in welcome and hospitality, even as we go out of those doors to invite people into God's church and be in service to all of our neighbors everywhere.

Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 8 Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 12 Page 13

The Voice
From the Pastor
When I talk to a couple about a wedding, I have some basic requirements. One of them is that the music, if it contains words, must at least be about mutual relationship. Its even better if it talks about our relationship to God. The reason I do that is because Ive had occasions where couples would like to use a song that is about a one-sided love. Whether its pop/rock or country and western, a song about one person pining after another is not the message that you want to remember twenty years into marriage. I am reminded daily of how important mutual relationship is. When, in business, politics, religion or education we think that our need is more important than someone elses well, then, our relationship stumbles. Its not hard to see why. Relationships are mutual, or they dont matter. I am proud to be part of a church that is doing well with relationships. We work and pray together. Recently, we have had such a variety of people newcomers and long-time church members come together in many efforts. Not only that, but when one person is unable to continue in a task, someone else steps up to fill their place. I marvel at how God is working in things from ushering to Sunday School, to the Ash Wednesday soup supper. God is definitely working in our relationships. I pray that those mutual relationships within the body of Christ grow stronger and stronger. Pastor Jim

Page 2

Save the Date

On May 22nd, we will have the Friesland Mens Chorus here at the 9:00 a.m. service. The 10:30 a.m. worship service will be the celebration of Confirmation. Please mark your calendars for this important day!

Our deepest sympathy to MaryBeth Shea, Miles & Kerrie Shea, and the entire Shea family upon the death of Ron Shea in March. The funeral was held at our church on Saturday, March 12th. Pastor Jim Cotter officiated. Our church was completely filled. That was a wonderful testament to a man and a family who are well-loved.

The Voice is the monthly newsletter of the Columbus United Methodist Church. Please send all correspondence to: PO Box 392, Columbus, WI 53925-0392. Pastor: Jim Cotter Secretary: Wanda Guenther Church Office......920-623-3625 (Office Hours: Monday thru Friday from 10-3) Pastors home phone......920-623-9641 E-Mail: columbusumc@wisconsinumc.org Website: ............................. www.cbusumc.com Pastors E-Mail: jcotter@wisconsinumc.org

The Voice

Page 3

April Usher Schedule

April 3rd: April 10th: April 17th: April 24th: Orville & Beverly Karow and Lyle & Louise Elske Jim & Judy Vale and Marlo Gaddo Tim & Julie Jensen and Dan & Beth Burnard Rita Jordan, Stuart Smith, Dave Stricker and Richard Sheard 1

Happy April Birthdays!

Lyle Elske Dave Luepke Nick Sharrow Tom Basten Jamie Kasmiski Sarah Venden Peggy Goetsch Judy Kluetzman Sean Bennett Dan Roe Mike Lange Brittany Luepke Louise Sampson Dorothy Hake 16 Diane Bleich Kevin Theede 17 Brittany Rego 19 Katie Bodie 20 Karen White Jody Wuserbarth 21 Adam Guenther 23 Greg Tiedt 24 Stuart Smith 26 Gail McCoy 27 Mitchell Feucht Andrew Feucht 29 Robert Sanks 30 Brianna Emerson

3 6 10 12 14 15

Jesus prayed. Jesus observed the Sabbath (mostly). Jesus celebrated the Judean holidays. Jesus practiced the spiritual life of a Hebrew male of his time. What does that mean for us? How can we learn from the spiritual practices that Jesus himself practiced? That's the theme of our Ecumenical Lenten Services in 2011. Ecumenical Lenten services will take place on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m., preceded by a soup supper at each church, serving from 5:30 to 6:30. All are invited to this shared worship. The offerings taken will be divided into equal thirds among Kindred Kids, Salvation Army and the Ecumenical Association.

Scripture Readers for the Month of April

April 3rd: April 10th: April 17th: April 24th: Dan Roe Winfred Mandody Eileen Bennett Julie Jensen

Fellowship Time Schedule April Volunteers

April 3rd: The Glasbrenner Family Jim & Judy Vale Eileen Bennett No Coffee Hour

April Anniversaries
4/16 4/20 4/21 4/27 4/28 Pat & Eileen Bennett Kelly & Barb Green Dan & Bobbie Rake Jason & Karissa Guenther Joe & Louise Sampson

April 10th: April 17th: Palm Sunday April 24th: Easter Sunday

The Voice
All-Church Lunch and Calendar Planning
Oh no! Calendar planning? Oh yes! It will be great. First, at about 11:45, well have a lunch of sub sandwiches together. Well enjoy good conversation together. Then well look at some copies of the church calendar (with some dates already filled in) and plan ahead. If you want a date on the calendar, please come to the meeting. Well be planning ahead through May of 2012. Some things we may want to schedule:

Page 4

Retreat Sponsored by Peoples United Methodist Church in Oregon

God MotherCan we call God Mother? Friday, May 20th, 6:308:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21st, 9:00 a.m.4:00 p.m. Explore female images of God in the Bible and Christian tradition, led by Marianne Cotter, an elder in the Wisconsin Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Activities include worship, Bible study, guided meditation, exploring feminine images of God in Church tradition, personal reflection and

Christmas caroling A community-wide invite a friend to worship weekend (Sept. 17-18) Easter egg hunt Spring church cleanup Vacation Bible School Holy Humor Sunday All-Church Picnic Christian Holy Days (Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, etc.) Special things for Veterans Day, Mothers Day, etc.

storytelling. Participants are invited to bring a Bible and a picture of their mothers. All other materials will be provided. There is no fee for this retreat. However we ask a donation be made to the Susannah Wesley Community Center, a United Methodistrelated social services agency in Honolulu, Hawaii which fights human trafficking: Peoples United Methodist Church, 103 N. Alpine Pkway, Oregon, WI 53575 RSVP to rotte@wisconsinumc.org Registration deadline: May 14th For more information contact marianne@wisconsinumc.org This retreat is for both women and men.

The Wills & Gifts Committee of our church is pleased to present you this Wish List. If there are any additional items you believe should be on this list, call the church office at 623-3625. These are opportunities for special giving. Columbus United Methodist Church Wills & Gifts Wish List Bulletin Sponsor VOICE Sponsor Gift Bibles for 1st & 3rd Graders Child care for Praise Band Rehearsals 7 Confirmation Picture Frames & Matting (each frame holds six pictures) Seasonal silk flower arrangement for Sanctuary Easter/Wedding Altar Cloth and Pulpit & Lectern Paraments Wellness FundCounseling $15.00 per week $50.00 per month $13.00 each $15.00 per week $230.00 each frame (or sponsor one picture at $40.00) $35.00 to $40.00 each $2800.00 Various Amounts

The Voice
Upcoming Sermon Topics
Sunday, April 3rd: Wednesday, April 6th: Holy Communion, Jim gone, Patsy Roe preaches

Page 5

Lenten Service at Faith Lutheran Church, Pastor Jim Cotter preaching, Shabat Shalom Nakedness and Poverty, Job 24:1-11, Isaiah 20:1-6, Matthew 25:34-40 Lenten Service at Wisconsin Academy SDA, Pastor Floyd Laabs preaching, Pray This Way Palm Sunday, The Nakedness of the Cross, Matthew 27:27-36, Isaiah 53:1-12, Children will participate at 10:30 service Maundy Thursday Services: 7:00 p.m.Olivet Congregational U.C.C.Tenebrae Service (Columbus UMC & Church of the Nazarene participating)

Sunday, April 10th:

Wednesday, April 13th:

Sunday, April 17th:

Thursday, April 21st:

Friday, April 22nd:

Good Friday Services: 1:00 p.m.First Presbyterian Church, Pastor Wayne Hull preaching, Are you Jelln? 7:00 p.m.Faith Lutheran Church, Taize Service, Theme: Meditation on the Crucified Christ Holy Saturday Services: 7:45 p.m.Faith Lutheran Church After 8:00 p.m.St. Jerome Catholic Church Easter Sunday, 6:00 a.m.Easter Sunrise Service at Hillside Cemetery, plus our regular 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services with an Easter Egg Hunt between them

Saturday, April 23rd:

Sunday, April 24th:

The Voice
April News & Notes: Children and Youth Ministries Coordinator

Page 6

Sunday School We will be working on our Lenten and Easter Rotation. We will create special arts and crafts projects, enjoy great learning games, and make good use of the ovens in our kitchen as we work on our Bread of Life Lesson. The focus will be on some of the names of Jesus we find as we study Lent and Easter. These include Jesus as the Way, Truth, Life, Gate, Door and Resurrection. We are excited to learn and study together! April 17th is the Palm Sunday 10:30 Childrens Service!! This is sure to be a very meaningful worship experience. We hope you will attend. April 24th will be the annual Easter Egg (treat) Hunt at 10 am. This will take place during the Fellowship time between the 9 and 10:30 Service. Sunday School will be at the regular 10:30 time slot. Family Friendly Friday Film is an Easter Special EVENT Join us Friday April 15th at 7 pm .for Twas The Night Before Easter (* Veggie Tale special!!), Doors open at 6:45. There will be supervised games and activities as children arrive. We will be Tie Dying Easter Eggs !!. .Each child will get to make and take one (at least) of these very unique creations home. There will be other arts and crafts fun for everyone. We welcome volunteers to provide a simple snack, set up, clean up, and help during the film. This Mission of caring is going and growing! J. . April is National Prevention of Child Abuse Month . Throughout the scriptures we find references on how we are to care for, protect, and love the children. Jesus calls us today! As a community of faith let us do all we can to support and strengthen all families. ***Please take time to read the article I have enclosed in this newsletter on Twelve Ways to Prevent Child Abuse. Share it with everyone you know as we work together to love and protect all children. A Parent Pledge from Guide My Feet by Marian Wright Edelman, well known child advocate, is a good reminder for us. I promise to Listen to my children Communicate with my children Teach my children right from wrong and be a good role model for them Spend time with and pay attention to my children Educate my children in mind, body, and soul Work to provide a stable family life for my children Pray for and see God in my children and in all children Vote for my children to ensure them fair opportunity Speak out for my and other peoples childrens needs. May God our example of the almighty and loving parent guide our feet as we strive to live as the kind of person we are called to be. Blessings to you. Mary Baker

The Voice

Page 7

Twelve Alternatives to Lashing Out at Your Child

The next time everyday pressures build up to the point where you feel like lashing out -STOP! Try any of these simple alternatives. You'll feel better... and so will your child. Take a deep breath... and another. Then remember you are the adult. Close your eyes and imagine you're hearing what your child is about to hear. Press your lips together and count to 10... or better yet, to 20. Put your child in a time-out chair (remember this rule: one time-out minute for each year of age.)

Put yourself in a time-out chair. Think about why you are angry: is it your child, or is your child simply a convenient target for your anger?

Phone a friend. If someone can watch the children, go outside and take a walk. Take a hot bath or splash cold water on your face. Hug a pillow. Turn on some music. Maybe even sing along.

Pick up a pencil and write down as many helpful words as you can think of. Save the list. Call for prevention information: 1-800-CHILDREN

The Voice

Page 8

UMW NEWS
On March 10th we were treated to a presentation about School of Christian Mission by Julie Miehe the schools co-ordinator for the conference. It was a wonderfully informative talk, as she shared her history of her connection to SOCM. Thank you Julie, hope to see you this summer. By the way, SOCM is the first week in August this year and drive-in day is at the end of the week. See the sign-up sheets on the UMW bulletin board. We took a new UMW Membership photo in the entryway which should be on the bulletin board soon! It was nice of our guests Julie Miehe and Marianne Cotter to take those pictures for us. Thanks again! Excitement for this month is another presentation. This time we will hear from Katie-Herr Yang who will tell us all the news about the Hmong House of Good News in Milwaukee. Some of you were on the field trip last spring. This should remind you of the great time we had there (and the egg rolls-yum!). Please come to the event and listen to what is new and exciting! The one thing we need to decide is when to have our mini-retreat this summer. Please give it some thought and let us know what your ideas are. It proves to be a great time to bond. Enjoy the coming spring. Peace. Your UMW President, Peggy Goetsch

Lenten Soup Supper

Our Fellowship Hall was host to approximately 90+ diners on March 9th for a Chili-Soup Supper. Many volunteers from the church body helped from cooking to serving to clean-up and monetary donations. A big Thank You to all. The weather was beautiful for that Ash Wednesday Lenten service. Pastor Bob Moberg, Faith Lutheran Church, gave the sermon. Pastor Floyd Laabs, Church of the Nazarene; Steve Smith, Fall River UMC; Mina Kenevan, Olivet Cong. U.C.C.; Pastor Wayne Hull, Fall River UMC; Pat Wendt, First Presbyterian Church; Patsy Roe, Columbus UMC; Sandra Schieble, Faith Lutheran Church; and Pastor Lisa Nelson, Faith Lutheran Church; were the Liturgists. There was a lot of great music. Proceeds from the supper and donations came to $374.00. Many thanks to the Soup Supper Committee! WAY TO GO!!

The Voice
We invite you to provide a lily to decorate our Sanctuary during the Easter season. These plants may be given in memory of or in honor of someone (please be sure to include this information on the clipboard). The plants are available at $14.00 each and you may place your order through Palm Sunday on the clipboard to be passed around on Sunday mornings or by calling the Church Office at 623-3625. The lilies may be taken home after the worship service on Easter Sunday.

Page 9

New Front Light Timer

The canopy lights may be turned on in the entryway for evening events. The timer is simple to use. If you would like instructions, please see Mike Toth, Pastor Jim or Wanda.

I would like to thank our church family for their thoughts and prayers offered for me and my children who have both recovered. In appreciation, Ann Ehlenfeldt

Easter Sunrise Service

On Easter Day, April 24, Olivet UCC will join us at 6 a.m. for an Easter sunrise service at the chapel in Hillside Cemetery on N. Lewis Street in Columbus. You may park in the cemetery and enter the back door of the chapel. This is the first time were using the cemetery chapel for this purpose, so we want to thank the cemetery association and the city for the use of the building. The worship service will be brief, and consist mostly of Scripture readings, stories and hymns. All are welcome.

Recruiting Servers for Communion

Have you sometimes thought that you'd like to be a Communion server but weren't sure just how to do it? Have you thought to yourself, "I can't do that, because I don't know what to say?" Perhaps the Lord has been nudging you to serve in this ministry. Here's your chance to volunteer! We'll be passing the clipboards and using a method similar to that of Scripturereader volunteers. Select a month, make a note of it, and pass it on. We'll have a brief session soon to provide some simple training and answer any questions you may have. Questions??? Call Patsy Roe, 623-9110, for more information.

Maundy Thursday
We will join Olivet UCC for worship services on Maundy Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at Olivet. This will be a service which focuses on the reading of the passion story (the story of Jesus suffering and death). As candles are extinguished, we will focus on the gifts that come to us by way of the cross of Christ.

Office Hours
The hours for the church office have been changed. The new hours are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Voice
New Procedure For Stock Donations
The Church benefits greatly from gifts of stock (equities or mutual funds) and you as a donor can also benefit from avoiding the capital gains tax on appreciated stock donated to the church. We encourage these gifts. We have made a change to the procedure for doing this. We no longer use Scottrade and instead ask those interested in donating stock to call I-888-903-9863 which is the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation. The phone will most likely be answered by Karen Woods who will talk you through the process and handle the entire activity. She will have you download a form or will mail one to you. That form will drive the process. You will be asked your name and other pertinent information but you can also remain anonymous if you like. You can specify if you want the stock sold immediately or held for the church to decide when to sell it (your choice here). If you want the stock held and also want it used for a specific cause, that can be arranged. A foundation account can be created to hold the stock or its proceeds if you want it sold immediately. Our church will gain two important benefits from having the Foundation handle these transactions. First, we will not be charged a brokerage fee for the sale whenever the sale takes place. Secondly, unless you choose to remain anonymous, your donation will be credited to you in our church rolls without risk of omission or error. Please direct any questions to the Finance Committee or simply call the Foundation using the number above. Thanks Dave Stricker - Finance Committee

Page 10

A STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE FOR YOUR CHURCH #264 Give each what would keep (them) above want, and bestow all the rest in such a manner as would be most for the glory of God. - John Wesley Dont let this happen to you! A few years ago Karen inherited shares of stock from the estate of a family friend. All the paperwork was completed by the estate lawyers and Karen received notice when the shares had been transferred to her name. When her church was in the process of a building campaign, Karen entered on her pledge card that she had stock she would like to redeem in order to pay her pledge. No one from the finance committee or church office contacted her to help her gift the stock to the church! She didnt know who to contact in the secular world either so she left the stock invested. Years later she read in her church newsletter that the Wisconsin U.M. Foundation could process gifts of stock, which meant she could avoid paying capital gains taxes. She also could avoid paying a selling fee or commission. She was amazed! By following the Foundations simple procedure, she could actually make a larger gift to her church than if she had sold the gift of stock herself and written a check to the church for the proceeds. In 2010, the Foundation assisted 73 people in giving $529,811 in stock gifts to 42 different churches and ministries. Thats an average gift of $12,614 per church, or over $1,000/month! By making these gifts through the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation, these individuals made sure that 100% of the proceeds from the sale were used for ministry. For more information on how you can make a gift of appreciated stock to your favorite church or United Methodist ministry, please find the most current securities processing form on our website at http:// www.wumf.org/assets/ProcessingStockGifts.pdf. Be sure to call us or send us a copy of the form so that we can process your gift as quickly as possible. Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation 750 Windsor Street, Ste. 305, P.O. Box 620 Sun Prairie, WI 53590-0620 1-888-903-9863 or wumf@wumf.org

The Voice
World Day of Prayer
World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of women of many faith traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March. The Columbus-Fall River celebration of World Day of Prayer was held at Columbus United Methodist Church on Friday, March 4, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. There was a Fellowship Hour after the service. Participants in leadership roles came from several local churches.

Page 11

This years theme was How Many Loaves Have You? Bread is central to the daily life of the Chilean women and sharing bread is a universal sign of hospitality. Enduring a devastating earthquake in February, 2010, and two other earthquakes since January, 2011, the women of Chile further encourage us to enter a process that draws us into the Bible, into the context of Chile and into the real situations of our lives and communities. How many loaves have you? What are your gifts? What can you share? These are questions we are asked to ponder as we reflect on the meaning of the theme, How Many Loaves Have You? Women from most of our local churches participated in the program. Ann Breitenbach, Toby Vincent, Deb Schilling, Alice Schmidt, Mary Carpenter and Mary Baker were instrumental in putting the program together. Mary Baker used her considerable talents in decorating the sanctuary and fellowship hall in the bright colors used by the Chilean women. Liz ODonnell baked all of the delicious bread (staying with the theme of the program) and served after the program during a fellowship time. Approximately 34 women (including those in the program) were in attendance at the service.

Thank you for your generosity!

It is sometimes a good thing to be reminded of how our giving adds up. In 2010, United Methodists in Wisconsin contributed over $477,000 to Haiti through United Methodist Committee on Relief. This was part of a total designated mission giving through The Advance of $1.45 million, none of which was used for administration, but all went directly to where it was needed. In addition to this, $65,858 went to One Great Hour of Sharing, which provides for the administrative costs of The Advance. The above figures are all above and beyond our requested shared offerings (apportionments), which amounted to 6.5 million for ministry in Wisconsin and beyond. Our ministry is multiplied as we give together!

The Voice
Mission Offering for April

Page 12

One Great Hour of Sharing (April 3, 2011) is one of the six church-wide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church. One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) enables the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to live out its mission to alleviate human suffering. UMCOR is the humanitarian arm of The United Methodist Church. OGHS gifts underwrite UMCOR's "costs of doing business," meaning that every penny of every gift you make to a specific UMCOR project will be spent on that project-not on office administrative costs. This enables UMCOR to respond to natural or human made disasters. The OGHS offering makes ministries available in the United States and across the globe. In 81 countries in all, you assure the United Methodist Church is in the lead to alleviate suffering through OGHS. Restoration. Healing. Hope. Jesus teaches us to bring healing and restoration wherever we can. That's what we can all do through the work of UMCOR. Remember -- you can also donate on-line to UMCOR anytime at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/ Your Missions Committee

The Church and Health Ministry

Church Health Services, Inc. is sponsoring The Church and Health Ministry seminar to be held at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital on Saturday, April 9th, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $15.00 per personmaterials and lunch are included in the cost. The featured presenters are Dr. Mike and Lois Auguston, Family Physician and Clinical Nurse Specialist. The seminar will focus on advancing health and healing in the local churchwholeness. Its a one day training for lay people, clergy and health professionals. Training highlights include:

Ecopalms
Did you know that the typical palms used on Palm Sunday actually contribute to deforestation in the rain forest? Thats because the palm fronds may be harvested in ways that kill the plants. So we this year are ordering palms through eco-palms for these reasons: Harvesting groups receive 5 to 6 times the normal payment per frond. Eco-Palms are purchased directly from the communities, which lessens the impact of the fluctuating market and allows value-added processing to take place within the community. A typical Eco-Palm is harvested in the forest by men and processed by women in the community. This increases employment opportunities for women in the community and helps them contribute to their familys financial stability. Without a market for the palms the forests are at risk of being converted to agricultural fields.

Medical Model and the Faith Community Building Rapport and Planning with Pastors Developing the Health Ministry Team Health Belief Model Congregational Surveys Community Resources and much more

For more information, email karlaj@churchclinic.org or call Church Health Services at (920) 887-1766. The registration deadline is April 4th.

The Voice
Brie SheardFuture Missionary
Dear Pastor Jim & Congregation,

Page 13

Greetings from snowy Massachusetts! I am writing this letter to update you about my life and to share with you about an opportunity this summer that I truly believe God has handcrafted for me. The opportunity will bring together three significant areas of my life: my experience in ministry and the church, my past and current higher educational studies, and a future in full time missions work. Currently I am a second year master's degree student at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which is located a few miles north east of Boston in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Here I am pursuing degrees in Biblical languages and in world missions and evangelism. I am blessed not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom as I participate in Gordon-Conwell community events, international missions conferences, church Bible studies, outreaches to Harvard University, and networking with people in the body of Christ from a variety of denominations and backgrounds. This summer I will be participating in another rich learning experience outside the classroom as I travel to Vienna, Austria with World Harvest Mission. I will be in a group made up of three other interns and we will be partnering with the World Harvest Mission church planting team already located in Vienna. While it might seem extraneous to plant churches or send missionaries to Western Europe, the need for the truth of Jesus Christ and discipleship is great. Like the majority of Western Europe, Vienna is marked by a steady decrease in church attendance, a postmodern ideology where pluralism reigns, and a worldview that sees the institutional church as out of date. My time in Austria will be structured around three types of experiences: relational ministry through interaction with Austrians and internationals, engaging the city and the culture, and personal growth/ discipleship. What I am most looking forward to in these areas is participating in weekly church events, building relationships with unbelievers and believers, hosting outreach events, taking a short course in conversational German, discipling, and times of personal and corporate prayer. Working with the church planting team will be a priceless time of equipping and growth as I look ahead to full time missions work in Western Europe after the completion of my degree programs. In order to make this opportunity a reality, I need your help. I am asking first and foremost for your prayer support. Pray for our team's awareness of what God is doing in Vienna and receptive hearts not only for those our team will minister to, but also for the team members as we listen and grow. Secondly, I am inviting you to partner with me financially. The trip's cost is $5275 which includes a roundtrip ticket, food & lodging, local transportation, ministry expenses, pocket money, and an administrative fee. Any amount will make an impact whether that is $25, $50, $100, or more. Thank you for your continued interest in and support of my life and ministry. Blessings, Brie J. Sheard

(We have an opportunity to support one of our own as she prepares for missionary service. If you would like to donate to Bries efforts, you may give through the church until April 17th. Please mark your check Brie Sheard. We will then forward all the donations together. Or you may give online at www.whm.org/give/give-to-a-missionary; click on Sheard, Brie. Donations are tax deductible.)

The Voice
Columbus United Methodist Church
PO Box 392 Columbus, WI 53925-0392
___________________________ RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

NONPROFIT U.S. Postage PAID Columbus, WI 53925 Permit No. 1

Upcoming events you might want to know about!

Wednesday, April 6th:

Soup Supper at Faith Lutheran ChurchServing 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m.Lenten Service at Faith Lutheran Church Wednesday, April 13th: Soup Supper at Wisconsin Academy SDA ChurchServing 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14th: 7:00 p.m.UMW Meeting Friday, April 15th: Family-Friendly Friday Night FilmEaster Special Event Saturday, April 16th: Church Clean-Up Day Maundy Thursday, April 21st: 7:00 p.m.Olivet Congregational U.C.C. Good Friday, April 22nd: 1:00 p.m.Service at First Presbyterian Church 7:00 p.m.Service at Faith Lutheran Church Sunday, April 24th: 6:00 a.m.Easter Sunrise Service at Hillside Cemetery 9:00 a.m.Easter Worship Service 10:00 a.m.Easter Egg Hunt 10:30 a.m.Easter Worship Service Friday, April 29th:: Confirmation Class Lock-InOvernight