Newsletter

February, 2018

We desire to make Disciples of Christ

by nurturing ourselves and reaching out to

others.

A Note from our Pastor

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.”

1 John 3:1

Dear Friends in Christ,

The month of February is often a dark, dreary and dull month of the year. It’s the middle of

winter. Spring is still weeks away. Two things help make February tolerable; it is short and it

contains Valentine’s Day right in the middle. Card shops, candy shops and flower shops must

be grateful for Valentine’s Day as it redeems an otherwise very slow month of shoppers.

Valentine’s Day is a fun day for friends, families and lovers as it gives an opportunity for the

expression of love, admiration and appreciation. Of course, these expressions should be evident

throughout the year, but February 14 prompts us to be creative and generous in our loving

expressions and we often do so with flowers, cards, chocolates, jewelry and other personal gifts

that say “I love you.”

The Bible includes a beautiful love letter in the Epistle of 1 John. In it the Apostle writes of the

great love of God that is lavished upon us through our adoption as sons and daughters of God.

Our adoption comes about not because we are so good looking or so well behaved, but because

we are so loved. We don’t earn it and we don’t deserve it, but we gladly receive it through faith

in Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

And speak about a gift “that goes on giving”! God’s love for us, and adoption of us, includes the

gift of eternal life…a love and life that never ends! Elsewhere, the Apostle John writes it this

way. “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (Jesus Christ), that whosoever

believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (continued…)

May you be blessed this February with marvelous expressions of love and affection. Most of all,

may you be blessed in knowing the love of God in Jesus Christ. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Blessings,

Wade Panse, Pastor

From Pastor Sheila Baker:

In writing this article for the February Newsletter, I realized that one month of 2018 has already come and gone. How has your 2018 been so far? Mine has been filled with God sightings and trying to stay well with the flu all around us.

February 14 is a special day - Valentine's Day....but this year we will celebrate it differently, because it is also Ash Wednesday...the beginning of the Lenten Season within the church. Cassopolis UMC will be hosting the community Ash Wednesday service and I pray that you attend and bring a guest with you.

In reflecting on Valentine's Day, which brings the topic of "love" to mind, there is one verse in the Bible that comes to my mind, it is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

This, to me, is the true meaning of love...God loves you and I so much...that he gave his one and only Son...that whoever believes in him.....

This Lenten Season I pray that we renew and strengthen our belief in God....

Please check the newsletter and bulletin for community church events that will be taking place during the Season of Lent. We will be teaming up with the Church of God and the Presbyterian Church and will have several community suppers with short devotionals, along with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services...all of these events will draw us as a community of churches, as followers of Jesus Christ, ever more closer together as we renew and strengthen our belief in God.

My hope and my prayer for the Lenten Season is this: I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith, And be closer drawn to Thee. Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the Cross where Thou has died; Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

May we all be drawn closer to one another and closer to God during this Lenten Season.........

See you in church..............Pastor Sheila

A note from you church secretary:

All is well in the office of the church. Pastor Sheila Baker has graciously stepped-up to lead our

worship during Wade’s absence, and she and I work together really well. On Monday I send her

a blank bulletin, and she sends it back to me with hymns, scripture and message topic. Pastor

Sheila has also joined with Pastor Kaszar from the Presbyterian Church and Pastor Lyle from the

Church of God, and together they are planning our community Ash Wednesday, Good Friday

and Maundy Thursday services. Thank you to Sheila & Keith Baker for their faithfulness. (See

the upcoming February and March calendars for the dates of these services.) Pastor Wade and

Patti will be back with us on Easter morning.

From my position as church secretary, I can see how busy many of our committees are,

especially the Trustees. Their work keeps our buildings (church and parsonage) in good

condition, including everyday maintenance and major improvements. The new members of this

committee are Larry Garver, Sherry Hilden and Michael Watts, along with “old” members Donna

Borst, Sue Loux, Zack May-Fox and chair of the committee Mike Fox.

If you need something and the church office is not open, please feel free to call me at home

269-445-8391 or Char Hiemstra 269-445-2334.

Vicki Beebe, Church Secretary

In the event of inclement weather, church closings will be

announced on WSBT on Sunday mornings. You will also receive

an email.

Our church, in partnership with the Church of God and

the Presbyterian Church, will be offering soup suppers

and devotions on each Wednesday during Lent,

beginning ON February 21. (No meal or devotion on Ash

Wednesday or March 28.) The meal will be served at 6

PM, followed by a short Lenten devotion. Please join us

HERE on the 21st, with future locations to be announced.

Also, don’t forget Ash Wednesday service is also here on

February 14.

Correspondence:

Thank you! We appreciate your support and donation! Have a wonderful 2018. Kim Kramer, Domestic & Sexual Abuse Services

To the amazing Cassopolis United Methodist Church family: I so appreciate all the blessings my parents received for the past two years especially. The church has been a mighty presence in their lives. My parents have loved this church for many years through all its many and varied transitions and the church has loved my parents. I have been awed and grateful for all the meals, the cards, the visits, the encouragement, the concern, and the prayers for Mom and Dad. The day of Dad’s funeral, so many members and friends from the church came to pay their respects, despite the terrible weather. My mom felt so comforted. Thank you for all you have done for Mom and Dad. You truly are servants of God. In Christ’s Love, SuEllen and Herb Streich

(Jim & Millie Kollar’s Arizona daughter)

Sweetheart Dance On Friday evening, February 16, our church will again host a

dance for the residents of the local LADD Homes and members of the Special Olympics teams.

Bob and Kelley Nickel will chair this event, but need your help. Please ask them what you can do to help. And be sure

to come to the dance and enjoy the music, food and fun!

The Adamsville Road Church of God is again offering the

GriefShare support group on Wednesday evenings, 6:30 – 8

PM, from March 7 thru May 30, 2018. The church is located at 51287 County Rd 7 (Adamsville

Rd), Elkhart, IN.

For more information please contact Vicki Follett at 269-462-1355 or at

Vicki.follett@comcast.net

Registration fee is $20, with scholarships available.

Fliers are available in our church office or in Wood Fellowship Hall.

ROLL OUT THE CARPET!! Our Trustee, Finance and Church Leadership committees have approved

the purchase and installation of new carpet for our sanctuary, along with

the replacement of the pew seat pads. Samples of the new carpet and

fabric may be seen in the office or the display in Wood Hall. Half of this

project will be paid with our church savings, and half with fundraisers.

The first available fundraiser is the Roll out the Carpet sale – Buy a

square of carpet (or any portion of a square) for $100. There are 144

squares available for purchase, and the chart in Wood Hall will be filled

in as purchases are made. You may also drop loose change in the

Change for Carpet Change jug, and some other fundraisers will be

announced later.

The carpet will not be purchased until half of the expense has been met,

so our motto is, “Buy early and often.”

Jim Kollar and Bob Zillmer memorials are contributing to this project!

See any trustee if you have questions or comments.

(Fundraising ideas are welcome)

Memorial services for former members Robert Gowin and Betty Hayslip have been arranged.

Betty’s service will be a graveside service at 11 AM on April 7, with a light lunch following.

Bob’s service will be here on May 5, also at 11 AM and followed by a light luncheon.

Lenten Service Schedule

Ash Wednesday, February 14, here 7 PM

Maundy Thursday, March 29, Church of God 7 PM

Good Friday, March 30, Presbyterian Church 7 PM

Also each Wednesday’s soup and devotions. Watch the weekly bulletins and monthly

newsletters for more information, and see notice in this newsletter.

FOR OUR SAFETY….

Once again we want to remind you that our downstairs back door will be locked on

Sunday mornings at 10:05 AM. If you are running late, as often happens with all of

us, just follow the path around to the front door and join in the worship.

We have found it necessary to do this for the protection of our youth who gather

downstairs, and our upstairs congregation.

Thank you for your understanding.

A big thank you to Carl & Jane

Moraw for donating the Kuerig

coffee maker for our fellowship

time. You are welcome to bring in

hot chocolate or other hot drink

pods for use during fellowship.

After graduating from high school in 1966, L J came north to visit his aunt in Chicago. While in

Chicago he was offered a job as a newspaper distributor for the Evanston Review. He worked

that job for six months, but then met the president of the Ernton Hotel. He was hired as a

banquet waiter there for $1.85 an hour. With tips he made “more money that I had ever

dreamed,” and sent $100 every two weeks to his mother in Mississippi for savings.

In 1967, at age 19, L J married his high school sweetheart, and they made their home in Chicago.

L J continued working at the Ernton Hotel until he was 21, when a friend suggested he get a job

with the Chicago Transit Authority. L J drove bus there for 27 years, until retiring in 1994.

At age 49 L J was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and was encouraged to take early retirement

from the CTA. Later he learned that he could also receive his Social Security, so that helped him

in his retirement.

The Starlings had four children, two girls and two boys. One daughter passed away in 2014, but

the other three live in Oklahoma and Chicago. With 11 grandchildren, L J says that “holidays are

very noisy and chaotic.” But he very much enjoys visiting his family.

In 2000, after 33 years of marriage, L J’s wife said she wanted to move to New York. They were

divorced. At that time a grandson, James, was living in Cassopolis and attending Southwestern

Michigan College. He suggested his grandfather move here long enough to “get his head

together following the divorce.” L J found an apartment in town close to the banks, post office

and stores, and was one day walking past our church. A woman was standing outside and

invited him to service on Sunday. L J said he had been looking at our church anyway, and decided

to take her up on the invitation. After being raised Baptist in Mississippi, where he and his family

walked a mile to and from church on Sundays and Wednesdays, and attending Baptist churches

in Chicago, L J loves our little congregation. He said he felt so welcomed here, he knew he had

found his church home. (continued…)

L J Starling

L J Starling was born a twin on January 8, 1948 in Weir,

Mississippi. His brother, born 10.5 minutes after L J, was

names J L. When asked if they are identical, L J says, “Almost,

but I am the best looking!” He has two brothers and one

sister.

L J is such a blessing to our church family. He is willing to help where he can – counting money

each week, ushering – and he has become a good friend to many. We are thankful to the

mystery woman who invited L J to join us in worship.

__________________________________________________________________

Our monthly calendar lists church events, and also the birthdays and anniversaries or our members and

friends. If you birthday or anniversary does not appear on the calendar, please let the office know. Or

better still, please jot your name, birthday and other important date on a paper and place it in the

offering. This is especially important for our newer attendees. Thank you.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Greg Connelly

2

JoLynn Watts

3

Jane Moraw

4 Worship - 10 AM

Communion

5

6

7

Larry Garver

8

Liana Heath

9

10

Mary Nelson

11 Worship - 10 AM

12

13

14

Valentine’s Day

Ash Wednesday service here,

7 PM

15

16

LADD/Special Olympics

Sweetheart Dance here,

5:45 PM

17

Kelley Nickel

18 Worship - 10 AM

Noisy offering-Special

Olympics

19

20

21

Lenten soup supper and

devotion here, 6 PM

22

Jim Beebe

23

24

Lutheran Church Food Pantry 11:30

– 1:00

25 Worship - 10 AM

Pat Hayden

26

27

Aleah Dahlgren

28

Lenten soup supper & devotion,

location to be announced.

February 2018