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SNIPPETS Feb. 13, 2012
SOUTHWEST OHIO NORTHERN KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION
OHIO CONFERENCE­UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
‘I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of
knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake I have suffered
the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish,
in order that I may gain Christ.’
(from Philippians 3:8­9)
* SONKA EVENTS / NOTICES *
Dayton Day of Caring Brunches to Take Bite Out of Hunger
A decades­old tradition in many Dayton area churches, including several in SONKA, the annual Day of
Caring Pancake Brunches are scheduled this year for Sunday, Feb. 26. The event raises money to help the
hungry and homeless, with all proceeds going to hunger
and housing coalitions within the counties where the
brunches take place. Currently more than 600
volunteers help with brunches at more than 60 sites in
Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Hamilton and Clinton
counties.
Flipping flapjacks for a Day of Caring Brunch at
Polk Grove UCC is member Ed Shoemaker.
Shiloh UCC in north Dayton, Polk Grove UCC in
Vandalia, First UCC in Troy, Eaton UCC in Eaton and
Oak Creek UCC in Kettering are among the SONKA
churches which will host Day of Caring Brunches. (See
schedule, page 2.) The menu always includes pancakes
with sausages and beverages at a cost of $6 per adult,
and $4 for seniors and children. About $500,000 has
been raised by the brunches to date, benefitting such
agencies as The Foodbank, the F.I.S.H. Pantry, St.
Vincent De Paul, the Emergency Housing Coalition and
others. Churches interested in hosting a brunch this
year may sign up on the Day of Caring website at
www.dayofcaring.us.
The Day of Caring was founded in 1991 by a
Beavercreek woman, Jan Venkayya, as a way of giving
the community a hands­on means to address problems of hunger and homelessness. –Lynne Wise
Gathering Workshop
Presenters Wanted
There is still time to propose a
workshop for the April 28
SONKA Spring Gathering.
Anyone who has knowledge to
share which is consistent with the
meeting’s “Church: Come Alive”
theme is asked to contact Sherry
Scheuerman of the Worship and
Planning Team by Feb. 20.
Email her at
sscheuerman@woh.rr.com or call
her at 937/339­3134. The Spring
Gathering is traditionally a
“festival of workshops.”
Several from Eaton UCC good naturedly don sports jerseys for worship
on Super Bowl Sunday, which is also Souper Bowl Sunday in many
churches, a special day in which collections are taken up to help the
disadvantaged. Eaton members enjoyed observing both.

Message from Rev. Ruth
SONKA Needs New Webmaster; Churches Asked to Refer
The SONKA office is searching for a new webmaster, someone who can frequently update the association’s
website at least weekly with information mainly provided by Communications Coordinator Lynne Wise.
We are seeking competent candidates. At the recent Boundaries training three pastors told the Association
Minister they knew somebody who would be good as a new SONKA webmaster. I said to have them apply.
I did not write down any names and none have applied yet. If you were one of those three – or if you also
know good possibilities – please contact me or have the potential webmaster make the contact. This is very
part­time but we do pay a minimal hourly stipend. It is helpful to have a person who understands churches,
but it is essential to have a person who is technically competent in websites and detail­oriented enough to
maintain it well.
Ruth Brandon, Association Minister
THIS WEEK
SONKA Office Holiday Closing
The SONKA office in Centerville will be
closed Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of the
Presidents’ Day holiday. The next issue of
the Snippets newsletter will be published
Tuesday, Feb. 21.
American Spiritual Ensemble
The American Spiritual Ensemble will
perform in Cincinnati tonight, Feb. 13, at 7
p.m. at a free concert at St. Peter in Chains
Cathedral in downtown Cincinnati on Elm
Street between 7th and 8th Streets at 7.
Several pastors and churches have contributed
to the SONKA sponsorship of the event. The
ensemble is dedicated to keeping the
American Negro Spiritual alive and is
comprised of world­class singers.
Senior Housing Info Fair
Shiloh UCC in north Dayton will have a
Senior Housing Options Information Fair on
Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 2­4 p.m.
Representatives from local senior living
facilities will be available to answer questions
about options. Individual consultations may be
arranged to help families looking for solutions
for care of loved ones. For more information,
call the church at 937/277­8953.
NEW! RVCC Cluster 1 Meeting
The River Valley Covenant Cluster, SONKA
Cluster 1, will meet Thursday, Feb. 16, at 11
a.m. at The Gathering UCC, 1431 Main St.,
Over­the­Rhine, Cincinnati.
Music on the Avenue Concerts
The Music on the Avenue series of free
concerts at St. John UCC in Bellevue, KY will
continue this Friday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m., as the
church welcomes the Phillips­Hofeldt Piano
Trio. Everyone is welcome.
NEW! Mardi Gras at Nashville
Nashville UCC in West Milton will have a
Mardi Gras Family Fun Night on Sunday, Feb.
19, from 6:30­8:30 p.m. The
party, suitable for all ages, will
include a Mardi Gras trivia
contest, mask making and treats.
Churches in Dayton Area Schedule Day of Caring Brunches
Day of Caring Pancake Brunches, with proceeds going to help local hunger and homelessness efforts (See
related story, page 1), are scheduled in the following SONKA churches on Sunday, Feb. 26:
­ Polk Grove, 9190 Frederick Rd., Dayton, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
­ Shiloh, 5300 Philadelphia Dr., Dayton, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
­ Eaton, 113 W. Decatur St., Eaton, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
­ Oak Creek, 5280 Bigger Rd., Kettering, 9 a.m. to noon.
­ First UCC, 120 S. Market St., Troy, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with proceeds
going to support the church’s Backpack Program.
In addition, members of St. John’s UCC in Germantown are encouraged to
support the Day of Caring Pancake Brunch at Germantown United Methodist
Church, 525 Farmersville Pk., Germantown, with serving from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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FYI: Pulpit Updates
St. John’s UCC in Dayton will say goodbye to its
fun­loving “interim, interim pastor,” Mike
Carman, who stepped in last fall to lead the
church while it searched for an interim. SONKA
minister Andrew Bierkan will serve as the
interim pastor at St. John’s, and will begin his
pastorate there tomorrow, Feb. 14. Mike leaves
the church with some colorful memories, such as
the Sunday Christmas service he preached wearing
a nightshirt, reindeer headgear and doggie
slippers, accompanied by his pet dog. Mike had
invited the entire congregation to attend worship
on Christmas morning wearing whatever they had
on when it was time to leave for church. This
“come as you are” invitation was apparently not
taken as seriously by the members as it was by the
pastor (See photo at r.), who really grabbed their
attention that morning.
Derek Terry, currently a minister in the AME, is
the new pastor at St. Peter’s UCC in the Pleasant
Ridge neighborhood of Cincinnati.
Todd Peterson, former SONKA moderator, was
granted licensure by the association and will serve
in a pastoral role as a licensed minister at
Lakeview UCC in Maineville while he pursues his
Master of Divinity degree at Bethany Theological
Seminary
Association Minister to Retire
Ruth Brandon, who has been Association
Minister in SONKA since 2006, announced she
will retire June 30. Ruth plans to eventually
move to the state of Washington, where her son
and his family reside. The Association Covenant
Team (ACT) accepted her resignation with regret
at its Feb. 4 meeting. The search for an interim
association minister will begin soon.
She also expresses thanks to all who sent cards,
and email and Facebook messages, on the
occasion of her 70 th birthday Feb. 12, including
those who celebrated with her at the Feb. 12
meeting with UCC General Minister and
President Geoffrey Black at David’s UCC.
NEW! First­Cincy Sauerkraut Dinner
First UCC in Cincinnati will have a Sauerkraut
Dinner Saturday, Feb. 25. The church again
will have two seatings: 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased at church or by
calling the church (513/541­7302, ext. 10).
Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $5 for those 7
­12 years; and under 6, free.
Neighbors in Need Grants
Available for Justice Programs
Any UCC church which has funding needs for a
special justice program within its community may
apply now for a Neighbors in Need (NIN) Grant. NIN
is a mission offering of the UCC which supports works
of justice and compassion. Two thirds of NIN receipts
support programs and direct grants through Justice and
Witness Ministries. Churches and organizations may
receive up to $3,000 over the course of three
consecutive years.
Grant applications are available on­line at
www.ucc.org/nin. Applications must be received
before March 31. The NIN page also lists many of the
grant recipients from prior years. For more
information about these grants, email nin@ucc.org.
COMING UP
SONKA
minister Mike
Carman leaves
St. John’s in
Dayton with
some
unforgettable
moments in
ministry.
NEW! Interim Pastors Meeting
SONKA interim pastors will meet on
Thursday, Feb. 23, at 11:30 a.m. at the
association office in Centerville. Participants
are asked to bring brown bag lunches and get
ready for informal sharing and fellowship.
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NEW! UTS Song/Hymn Contest
United Theological Seminary in Dayton is
conducting its first song­ and hymn­writing
contest, New Songs and Hymns for Renewal.
Writers and composers are invited to submit
songs or hymns with themes of church
renewal or personal spiritual renewal by April
20. Cash prizes will be awarded and the
winning compositions will be
performed at the seminary’s Music
Ministry Convocation in June. For
details, including guidelines, prizes
and application information, go to
http://united.edu/MusicCompetition
/NewSongs­and­Hymns­for­
Renewal/menu­id­639.html
* NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE *
NEW! Spring Lantern Fellowship
“Jesus According to a Woman” will be the
theme of the Spring Lantern Fellowship retreat
Women from the Conference enjoy some of the
activities at the Fall Lantern Fellowship retreat.
for women of the Ohio Conference, to be held
April 20­22 at Pilgrim Hills Camp. Kathryn
Ketchum, ordained minister and church choir
director, will lead the program, which will
explore how God has used women to proclaim
the power of the gospel. Plenty of activities,
with many opportunities to enjoy the beautiful
outdoor setting, are part of the retreat, including
skits, a secret sister exchange, camp activities
and communion. The cost is $135, and
registration forms may be found on the Ohio
Conference website, www.ocucc.org.
NEW! Emergent Mainliners Webinar
The Center for Progressive Christianity will
offer a webinar directed at those who have one
foot in the mainline church and one foot in the
emergent church movement. It will be
available Thursday, Feb. 16, at noon. The
Hyphenateds: How Emergence Christianity is
Re­Traditioning Mainline Practices will be led
by Phil Snider, award­winning author and
speaker who focuses on the intersections of
religion and postmodernism in relationship to
community practices and traditions. His books
include Toward a Hopeful Future (winner of
the 2011 Mayflower Award), and The
Hyphenateds. According to Snider, emergent
Christianity is one of the driving forces
shaping the future of Christianity. The webinar
will offer a vision of the ways in which the
Church might undergo the transformation
necessary to faithfully embody the love of
Christ in the midst of an ever­changing
postmodern world. The cost is $9.99. Go to
http://progressiverenewal.org/ to register.
* PRAYER REQUEST *
Please pray for SONKA minister Mike Carman, who is just completing his “interim, interim pastorate” at
St. John’s UCC in Dayton. Mike was hospitalized last week for a brain bleed and is expected to be
discharged today, well on his way to full recovery.
A memorial service to honor the life of Pastor Paul Aultman, who died Feb. 6 at the age of 93 (See Prayer
Request email of Feb. 7) will be held in June 17 at Fellowship Chapel in Lebanon at 10:30 a.m. The month
was chosen due to the desire to include the many Fellowship Chapel members who winter in Florida in the
service.
A praise: Julie Peterson, daughter of Christ Church, UCC Pastor Dave Schwab and wife, Bonnie, received
a good report from tests at Cleveland Clinic recently. An angiogram tested negative. Julie’s family
appreciates SONKA friends’ prayers and support.
Association Minister Ruth Brandon: ruthb@sonkaucc.org
Snippets Editor Lynne Wise: lynnew@sonkaucc.org
Bookkeeper Wilda Peters: wildap@sonkaucc.org
Registrar Jim Hill: jimh@sonkaucc.org
SONKA: 937/438­8050 or Toll Free: 888/631­9578
SONKA WEBSITE: www.sonkaucc.org
NATIONAL UCC WEBSITE: www.ucc.org
OHIO CONFERENCE WEBSITE: www.ocucc.org
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