July 18 - sonkaucc.org - Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky ...
July 18 - sonkaucc.org - Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky ...
July 18 - sonkaucc.org - Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky ...
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SNIPPETS <strong>July</strong> <strong>18</strong>, 2011<br />
SOUTHWEST OHIO NORTHERN KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION<br />
OHIO CONFERENCEUNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST<br />
‘From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth,<br />
and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the<br />
places where they would live.’ (Acts 17:26)<br />
* SONKA EVENTS / NOTICES *<br />
Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise God!)<br />
Travel Team Has Memorable Visit to SONKA’s Kenyan Friends<br />
SONKA’s Kenya Travel<br />
Team returned from Africa<br />
<strong>July</strong> 6, weary but happy<br />
about the visit to the<br />
association’s partners in<br />
Rubate. Many are praising<br />
God for having had the<br />
opportunity to visit and<br />
fellowship with people from<br />
the remote Kenyan village.<br />
Members of the team would<br />
like to share their experiences<br />
with SONKA churches and<br />
update them on the Rubate<br />
Hospital, which people from<br />
this association helped to<br />
fund. Team members are<br />
available for worship services<br />
or mission moments. Email<br />
Lollie Kasulones of the<br />
Global Partnership Team at<br />
Lollie@fuse.net to schedule a<br />
visit. (More photos, page 3.)<br />
SONKA travelers and hospital staff gather in front of the Rubate facility.<br />
Churches Team Up to Offer Free Summer Lunch Program<br />
United Church of South Vienna and Plattsburg UCC in South Charleston have joined forces again this<br />
summer to offer Tabitha’s Lunch, a free summer lunch for children of the area offered Tuesdays and<br />
Thursdays at 12 noon. Children, accompanied by a parent or adult guardian, can select a sandwich, a fruit,<br />
a snack and a drink at the United Church of South Vienna, UCC, fellowship hall at 227 East Main St.<br />
The program was conceived by South Vienna Pastor Scott<br />
Griswold and former Plattsburg Pastor Glennyce Grindstaff,<br />
who were concerned about the children who receive free<br />
lunches during the school year, but don’t have access to that<br />
federal program during the summer months. Tabitha’s<br />
Lunch began in 2010 to fill that gap. While the school<br />
district notified parents of children who qualify for the<br />
federal school lunch program of Tabitha’s Lunch, the<br />
churches turn no child away. The program this year started<br />
June 7 and will continue until school resumes in August.<br />
Last Thurday, the church served 27 lunches. Tabitha’s<br />
Lunch was named after Tabitha in Acts 9, who was<br />
“devoted to good works.”<br />
Lynne Wise
THIS WEEK<br />
SONKA’s Summer Stewardship Event this Wednesday<br />
SONKA’S annual Summer Stewardship Event will be held this Wednesday, <strong>July</strong> 20, at 7 p.m. at Oak<br />
Creek UCC in Kettering. Ministry and Mission in Uncertain Times will be the theme of<br />
the workshop, presented by Sandy Lueschen Lindahl, <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference Minister for<br />
Financial Development. The annual stewardship event is free, but registration is required.<br />
To register, go to the SONKA website, www.<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong>, and click on the registration link<br />
on the home page, or call the SONKA office if you don’t have computer access. The workshop<br />
to be presented was developed by the Alban Institute to assist clergy and church leaders in offering<br />
care and guidance to their congregations, both at the personal and institutional levels.<br />
NEW! Lunch and Learn Program<br />
Christ Church UCC in Fort Thomas, KY, will<br />
begin a new Lunch and Learn Program Tuesday,<br />
<strong>July</strong> 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church.<br />
Lunch, at a cost of $5, will be provided, and a<br />
speaker, suitable for all ages, will be featured at<br />
each gathering. The <strong>July</strong> 19 speaker will be<br />
Dave Maile, owner of Greenfield Plant Farm,<br />
who will talk about perennials, house plants and<br />
gardening in general. Dave has a master’s<br />
degree in horticulture from <strong>Ohio</strong> State<br />
University. Call the church for reservations at<br />
859/4412565. Future plans include a travel<br />
lunch opportunity.<br />
Highlands at County Fair<br />
Once again Highlands UCC in Springfield will<br />
operate the White House at the Clark County<br />
Fair, scheduled this year for <strong>July</strong> 2229. The<br />
people at<br />
Highlands have<br />
served<br />
nutritious food<br />
to the fair goers<br />
since 1955.<br />
Work shifts run<br />
from 6 a.m. to<br />
12 midnight<br />
and involve<br />
dozens of<br />
Highlands UCC members, their families and<br />
friends. The White House is a major fundraiser<br />
for the Springfield church. The Clark County<br />
Fair takes place at the fairgrounds on South<br />
Charleston Pike.<br />
NEW! Troy Family Fun Night<br />
First UCC in Troy will have a Family Fun<br />
Night at the church on Friday, <strong>July</strong> 22, from 6<br />
9 p.m., featuring<br />
homemade food, a<br />
large selection of<br />
desserts, games for<br />
all ages, door prizes<br />
and raffles. In<br />
addition, a variety of<br />
vendors will be present, including<br />
representatives from Pampered Chef, Lia<br />
Sophia, Party Lite Candles, Tomboy Tools and<br />
more. Family and friends are invited.<br />
David’s Rummage Sale<br />
David’s UCC in Kettering will have its annual<br />
rummage sale <strong>July</strong> 2223 at the church, 170<br />
West David Rd. The hours on Friday, <strong>July</strong> 22,<br />
will be noon to 6 p.m. On Saturday, the<br />
rummage sale will be held 9 a.m. to noon.<br />
NEW! Union Church Ice Cream Social<br />
St. John’s Westminster Union Church in Delhi<br />
Township will have an ice cream social<br />
Sunday, <strong>July</strong> 24, beginning at 6 p.m. The<br />
event will feature homemade and UDF ice<br />
cream with toppings and cookies.<br />
SONKA InCare Student to be Ordained at West Virginia Church<br />
SONKA InCare Candidate Forrest “Cutch” McAtee will be ordained to ministry in the UCC by SONKA<br />
during a service at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in St. Albans, WV, Sunday, <strong>July</strong> 31, at<br />
4:30 p.m. Cutch has been called to serve the St. Albans DoC church as an associate pastor, and will soon<br />
transfer his standing in SONKA to the Central Southeast <strong>Ohio</strong> Association, which includes this region of<br />
West Virginia. Cross Creek Community Church Pastor Mike Castle will participate in the service, as<br />
representative of the local church which sponsored Cutch. First Christian Church (DoC) is located at<br />
2121 Kanawha Terrace, St. Albans, WV. Anyone who wishes to receive more information or to RSVP<br />
may contact Cutch at cutchmcatee@hotmail.com.<br />
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Travelers’ Photos Hold Memories of Inspiring Trip to Kenya<br />
Kenya Travel Team members Lisa Gagel of Cross<br />
Creek Church, adult leader, and Anna Ulrich of Nexus,<br />
youth traveler, captured some memorable moments on<br />
camera during their recent trip to Rubate. Pastor Dan<br />
WeyandGeise of First UCC, Cincinnati, (at l.) is given<br />
the honor of breaking ground for the new hospital<br />
m<strong>org</strong>ue. Each SONKA visitor took a turn with the hoe<br />
after Dan. The m<strong>org</strong>ue is being constructed with funds<br />
donated by SONKA people and churches, and will be<br />
equipped by the Kenyans. Four youth travelers (below,<br />
l. to r.), Amanda Krebs, Becky Clausing, Anna Ulrich<br />
and Beth Clausing, celebrate reaching the equator in<br />
Kenya, a long way from O – H – I – O and decidedly<br />
colder on top on the mountain they traversed.<br />
Look for more from our travelers<br />
in next week’s Snippets!<br />
NEW! Reading Survivors Group<br />
St. John UCC in Reading has a Survivor Lunch<br />
Bunch which will meet at the church at noon on<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 28. The group is open to anyone<br />
who has lost a spouse, a relative, a friend, a pet<br />
or a job. Participants are asked to bring a brown<br />
bag lunch and an open heart. Call the church for<br />
more information at 513/8211740.<br />
NEW! Greenmont Outdoor Worship<br />
GreenmontOak Park UCC in Kettering will<br />
have an outdoor worship service in in the park<br />
at Greenmont Village beginning at 10:45 a.m.<br />
COMING UP<br />
on Sunday, Aug. 7. A picnic will follow, with<br />
games, singing and lots of good food.<br />
GS 28 Briefing at Nashville<br />
Nashville UCC Pastor Lynn Labs, who was a<br />
delegate to the recent General Synod of the<br />
UCC, will report on the actions at GS28 and<br />
answer questions on Sunday, Aug. 7, beginning<br />
at 5 p.m. at the church. Cluster 8 churches have<br />
been especially invited, but all are welcome to<br />
attend. A light dinner will be served, with a free<br />
will offering taken to offset expenses. Call the<br />
church office to RSVP at 937/6985867.<br />
New in SONKA Library: Books of Children’s Sermons<br />
The Shining Light and Wipe the Tears, two books from The Pilgrim Press containing children’s sermons,<br />
have been added to the SONKA library collection. The Shining Light, by Randy<br />
Hammer, a UCC minister and pastor, contains 26 children’s sermons with ideas for<br />
related activities. The selections are intended for children from kindergarten<br />
through the earlier elementary school years, and include titles such as “Going out<br />
on a Limb,” “Peer Pressure,” “Filled with the Spirit” and “Little but Large.”<br />
Wipe the Tears, written by a trio from Active Learning Associates, Inc., offers 30<br />
children’s sermons on death. Intended for children in kindergarten through the<br />
higher elementary grades, the sermons deal with some tough topics, such as war,<br />
suicide, natural disasters and terminal illness.<br />
Both volumes may be borrowed from the SONKA office.<br />
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* UCC NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE *<br />
NEW! Senior High Fall Youth Event<br />
This year the <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference’s Senior High<br />
Fall Youth Event will be held Nov. <strong>18</strong>20 at<br />
Pilgrim Hills Camp. The theme will be “Let<br />
Justice Roll,” and musicians and leaders will<br />
include Andra Moran and Stephen Daniel King.<br />
Each November, the <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference offers a<br />
retreat for senior high youth, their advisors and<br />
pastors. It’s an experience of personal selfdiscovery<br />
and enjoyment which includes<br />
worship, speakers, bands, workshops and Bible<br />
study. Senior high is defined as 9th through 12th<br />
grades. For more on this event, contact Margaret<br />
Mills at mmills@wraucc.<strong>org</strong>.<br />
NEW! Day with God and Self<br />
The next Day with God and Self, a retreat<br />
opportunity offered by the <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference, will<br />
be Saturday, Sept. 10, at Pilgrim Hills Camp.<br />
The cost for the day is $30, or $40 if you would<br />
like to come the night before. For registration<br />
call the <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference office at 800/2820740,<br />
or go to www.ocucc.<strong>org</strong>. For more information,<br />
call Janet Burkhart at 330/6823791.<br />
Widening the Welcome Confab<br />
The second Widening the Welcome Conference,<br />
sponsored by the UCC’s Disabilities Ministries<br />
and Mental Illness Network, will be held in <strong>Ohio</strong><br />
this year Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 in Columbus. <strong>Ohio</strong><br />
Conference Minister Bob Molsberry and<br />
SONKA minister Terri Tyson will be among the<br />
featured leaders at this national conference.<br />
Eighteen workshops will be offered on topics<br />
such as creating an A2A team at your church,<br />
interventions for returning military and Mental<br />
Health 101. Early registration at $115 is<br />
available until Sept. 9. For details or to<br />
register, go to WideningWelcome<br />
GLAUCE Meeting Details<br />
“The DNA of an Inclusive Church” will be the<br />
theme of the GLAUCE meeting as United<br />
Church Educators from the Great Lakes<br />
Association, which includes our area, get<br />
together in Angola, IN Oct. 1113. The event<br />
will take place at Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon<br />
State Park. Sessions are planned on “What Is<br />
your DNA?” and “The Teaching Ministry as an<br />
Agent of<br />
Change.”<br />
Workshops<br />
Balloons soar at the ’10 meeting.<br />
will include<br />
“Getting<br />
People<br />
Connected<br />
and<br />
Helping<br />
Them Stay<br />
that Way,”<br />
“Personal<br />
Care Boundaries,” and “Justice LED,” among<br />
others. The member cost is $315. Registration<br />
must be received by Sept. 9. To learn more, go<br />
to http://auceuwcc.<strong>org</strong>. To register, call Jan<br />
Davis at 920/4996901.<br />
* PRAYER REQUEST *<br />
Please hold in prayer <strong>Ohio</strong> Conference Minister Bob Molsberry and his family. Bob’s mother, Connie,<br />
died <strong>July</strong> 10 died in Grinnell, IA. A memorial service will be held later in the fall.<br />
* SWAP SHOP *<br />
Wanted: St. John UCC in Reading is looking for any unused letters and numbers for a church sign.<br />
These are plastic, 4" letters, clear background, to slide in a church sign. Call the church at 5138211740.<br />
Christ Church UCC in Ft. Thomas has 56 red pew cushions in good condition to give away to any church<br />
which can use them and can pick them up. The cushions are 15 inches by 8 feet. Call 859/4412565 or<br />
email admin@christchurchuccft.<strong>org</strong>.<br />
Association Minister Ruth Brandon: ruthb@<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong><br />
Snippets Editor Lynne Wise: lynnew@<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong><br />
Bookkeeper Wilda Peters: wildap@<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong><br />
Registrar Jim Hill: jimh@<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong><br />
SONKA: 937/4388050 or Toll Free: 888/6319578<br />
SONKA WEBSITE: www.<strong>sonkaucc</strong>.<strong>org</strong><br />
NATIONAL UCC WEBSITE: www.ucc.<strong>org</strong><br />
OHIO CONFERENCE WEBSITE: www.ocucc.<strong>org</strong><br />
Where in the World is Rev. Ruth?<br />
Association Minister Ruth Brandon will be on vacation <strong>July</strong> 22 through 29.<br />
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