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January / February21 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service

Youth Sunday Men’s Barber Shop group singing

31 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

February 1 (Thurs.) 9:30 am – Guild 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

4 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service

Holy Communion NO – Adult Bible Study

7 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* NO – Lakeshore Living Service 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

8 (Thurs.) 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

11 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service Youth Sunday

Valentine presentation 14 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study*

3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS 5:30 pm – Annual Ash Wednesday

SOUP SUPPER then…

7:00 pm: Ash Wednesday Service

15 (Thurs.) 9:30 am – Guild 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

18 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service First Sunday of LENT

NO – Adult Study Chit Chat articles due

21 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* 9:30 am – Session Meeting 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS 22 (Thurs.) 1:30 pm – Handbell practice

25 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service Second Sunday of LENT

28 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

*- meets at Hogan’s Store

DutiesUshersJan. 21 John & Hope DoughertyJan. 28 Bill & Margo PerkinsFEB. 4 John & Kay SuffronFeb. 11 Bob & Pauline RiderFeb. 18 Bob & Pauline RiderFeb. 25 John & Hope Dougherty

Liturgist: Jan. 21 Vic OuimetteJan. 28 Nan BlochFEB. 4 Mid SharpeFeb. 11 Axle Jacobs Feb. 18 Mid SharpeFeb. 25 David Foster

Communion Person FEB. – Margo Perkins Lay Leader: Jan. 21 & 28 Helyn WoolfFEB. 4 Nan BlochFeb. 11 Mary WatkinsFeb. 18 Margo PerkinsFeb. 25 Kay Suffron

CountersJan. 21 Bob Bridges and Eric KosterJan. 28 Dave Lukas and Carol BohlinFEB. 4 Mid Sharpe and Sharon LukasFeb. 11 Vince Hoehn and Sharon BridgesFeb. 18 Bob Bridges and Eric KosterFeb. 25 Dave Lukas and DuWayne Schumacher

LENTSESSION MEMBERS 2018

Clerk Lois Bauers: 715-904-3105Nan Bloch: 715-356-9410, Eric Koster: 715-686-7300Dick Smith: 715-686-7686, Dave Vogt: 715-686-7418John Suffron: 715-686-2668, Joyce Hoehn: 715-543-

8350Margo Perkins: 715-686-2035,Joan Ouimette: 715-476-

3887Dave Edgcomb: 715-663-0952, Kay Krans: 715-499-

7538DuWayne Schumacher (Treas.): 715-686-2074

DEACONS 2018Mary Watkins: 715-686-2212Sharon Lukas: 715-686-2244

Carmen Farwell: 715-686-7480Jan Schumacher: 715-686-2074

Robert Rider: 715-686-2620 Rose King: 715-583-9979

MEMBERSHIP/January 2018Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas was filled with the Blessings of the new born Christ, hope and love of family and friends. Hopefully you have recovered from the hustle & bustle and over eating of the season! Now, we can get back to our normal-(?) schedule and health and fitness.

I always think The Hanging of the Greens is organized chaos. I am always amazed when it all comes together and looks so beautiful. Once again, it was a very productive day that took us just over 1 hour. When we sit down to enjoy our lunch and happy chatter, I look around and I am so grateful for the smiling faces and fellowship that we so much enjoy sharing. Job well done! Thank you, thank you.

By now, we have taken it all down and are relaxing in our beautiful Sanctuary. As fun and festive as it is, we do enjoy the comforts of our familiar home. Again, thank you for your hard work, enthusiasm and shared fellowship of a good meal. Rest up, we will do this again in 11 months.

Tomorrow, I will be attending my final Session Meeting. Yes, it has been 6 years. I will leave that meeting with bitter sweet memories. It has been six years chuck full of enriching memories that come with hard work, dedication, frustration, productive procedures, lasting friendships, feelings of accomplishments, and, best of all, wonderful interactions with potential and actual new members. I still have members that have not yet made the Chit Chat. I do plan to sit down and “introduce” you to people that, hopefully, you already know. This has been the best part of my job. They tell me their deepest secrets, and I share what I can. The opportunity for the one on one with these wide eyed newbies is truly a gift to me. As I look back, I am in awe of the committee of people that I have had to work with. We saw us all smile for pictures in our beautiful Church Directory, we hung and took down six years worth of Christmas Decorations, we tried introducing a Congregational picnic following Fleazaar, we met for Inquirer’s Gatherings and installed new members and recently we completed a new informational brochure to introduce interested people to our church and the functions we have to offer. I would like to thank our original committee, Audrey Winchell, who we sadly said goodbye to in December, 2015, Rose King, Lois Bauers and, of course, Pastor Chips. The beautiful new faces who volunteered to come on board are Nan Bloch, Adele Duranso, Margo Perkins and Dick Smith. Your new Membership Chair will have enthusiastic support. So, you will still hear from me in future Chit Chats but please welcome and embrace the Session Member who is on board to chair the Membership Committee.

As I said, when I leave that meeting, I will be sad to miss the experience to interact with this close knit group that I have been a part of, but uplifted and confident that the Lord still has plans for me. I plan to step back and take a deep breath but my opportunities are wide open and I love my “church family” more than ever.

Thank you for your love and support,Helyn Woolf, Retiring Membership Chairlady

February 2018I would like to thank you all for your enthusiasm and organization as we decorated our worship and fellowship areas for the Christmas Season. We hung the greens with care and enjoyed them for 6 weeks. As I write this, we are planning to take it all down, pack it away, enjoy lunch together and gear up to do this all over again in 11 months. I would also like to thank you for the years of support, participation and love I have received as I served on your Session as Membership Chairlady. We have Hung the Greens and taken them down. We welcomed six years worth of new, happy members.

Dear God,

Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for all that you’ve allowed into our lives this past year, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day.

We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight.

We ask for your wisdom, for your strength and power to be constantly present within us. We pray you would make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. Give us ability beyond what we feel able, let your gifts flow freely through us, so that you would be honored by our lives, and others would be drawn to you.

We pray that you’d keep us far from the snares and traps of temptations, and whisper in our heart when we need to stand our ground.

We pray for your protection over our families and friends. We ask for your hand to cover us and keep us distanced from the evil intent of the enemy; that you would be a barrier to surround us, that we’d be safe in your hands.

We ask that you will help us to be consistent and faithful.

Forgive us for the times we have worked so hard to be self-sufficient, forgetting our need for you, living independent of your spirit. Forgive us for letting fear and worry control our minds. We confess our need for you and that you make all things new in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives, for this coming year. We pray for your refreshing over us.

We ask that you would provide for our needs, we ask for your grace and favor. We pray for your blessings to cover us,

Help us to be generous and kind, help us to look to the needs of others and not be consumed by only our own.

May we be lovers of truth, may the fruits of your spirit be evident in our lives – your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Shine your light in us, through us, over us. May we make a difference in this world, for your glory and purposes. We hope to reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs your presence and healing.

To you be glory and honor, in this New Year, and forever.In Jesus’ name

Amen

Membership Continued:

We all smiled pretty for our new pictorial directory. We enjoyed a Congregational picnic with friends and volunteers to celebrate all of the hard work toward Fleazaar. We have created a new informational booklet to offer your friends and all who would like to learn more about our church and the family of people who make it a welcoming house to worship. I have truly been Blessed and encouraged by all of our members, friends and Pastor Chips.

Now, with just as much enthusiasm and love, I would like you to greet and congratulate Dave Edgcomb as he joins your Session and becomes your new Membership Chairman. His initiation is working with us to take down the Christmas bling. Please thank him for coming on board.

One of the best parts of my responsibilities has been to introduce you to our new members with a little insight into who they are and how they came to join our family. On September 10, we welcomed several new members and I am just getting to give a big welcome to Phil St. Claire. Phil grew up in Rockford, IL with 3 brothers and one sister. He grew up as a Baptist but eventually became a member of the Presbyterian Church in Rockford.

Phil honorably served in the Army from 1970-1973, spending a year and a half in Germany. He then spent his career as an electoral engineer working for UTC Aerospace. During this time, he raised 3 daughters; Michelle who has six children and home schools them all; Ariana who has two children and is a music teacher; Julianne, who as well as her husband, is a graphic artist. Phil also spent many years as a Volunteer Fire Fighter. We have many volunteer emergency personnel with us and I am sure he could share some stories. Phil, we gratefully thank you for your service in our Armed Forces and as a much appreciated emergency services volunteer.

About 15 plus, give or take a year, Phil was attending a meeting in Rockford. As fate has it, he met Ellen, his wonderful companion. You will see her on occasion, attending church with Phil. Ellen belongs to the Catholic church and at times, Phil will attend her church. Ellen has a home on Rest Lake in Manitowish Waters where Phil has enjoyed his opportunities to visit for 14 years. He and Ellen have made this their full time home for the past year. During this time, Phil designed and remodeled this house into their dream home. They have added a second floor, rebuilt the boat house and, of course, Phil has done all of the electrical work. Now that they are in the north woods full time, they enjoy biking, their pontoon boat as they cruise the Manitowish Waters Chain, and they kayak. He told me they paddle and pedal. I didn’t know there were kayaks that pedal! In the winter, they also enjoy snowshoeing. They are both active in the Lions and Lioness and also enjoy attending the presentations at the Discovery Center. Ellen plays Mahjong, and Phil participates in Geo Cacheing. He is the first person I have met involved in this activity and what I learned from him is fascinating. He maintains many sites but will probably have to give up his interests in the Rockford area. It is just too far to maintain.

As with all of our members, you will have a very interesting visit with Phil and Ellen. Look for them and share a cup of coffee.

Respectfully & lovingly submitted, Former Membership Chairlady!Helyn Woolf

THANK YOU…from Hope DoughertyI want to extend my deepest gratitude to Pastor Chips and all of you who were at church on

the Sunday before Thanksgiving, when my engine caught fire!Several of you helped immensely! And all offered me comfort, and that was appreciated!

It was a scary situation and could have been worse had it not been for the quick thinking of several people. You are my heroes! It is a comfort to know that these small communities take care of their own. You are all in my heart and prayers. Thank you.

Greetings Friends…Reverends Stephen and Nancy Russell ill provide Sabbatical Coverage.

As many of you have no doubt heard, our pastor, the Rev. Chips Paulson is taking a three-month sabbatical leave. The term “sabbatical” is taken from the word “Sabbath” which is understood as a day set a part, traditionally understood as a day of rest devoted to God. Within the church sabbatical leave is most commonly offered to pastors after a time of service of 6 or 7 years. Pastors use this time for renewal, reflection, refreshment of spirit. Chips has served this congregation for over 20 years and is well deserving of this leave. We pray that it will indeed be a time of renewal and refreshment for Chips.

While Rev. Paulson is gone our church will be served by the Revs. Stephen and Nancy Russell. They have been worshipping members here for the last 3+ years since their respective retirements. The Russells are ordained ministers with standing in the United Church of Christ. They have served churches of several denominations, including United Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran. They served churches as a clergy couple for 25 years before Stephen went into specialized ministry as a full time hospice chaplain and Nancy continued her ministry in parish settings.

Many of you have come to know the Russells in worship, as they have both led worship during Rev. Paulson’s vacation leave. Or you may have encountered them working Fleazaar, or seen them volunteering at the Koller library or the Discovery Center. They will be leading worship, teaching Confirmation and providing pastoral care as needed. If you need to be in touch with the Russells their home phone # is 715-686-2500 and emails revnjr2@gmail.com or chapscr2@gmail.com. (Please note that the number listed in the church directory is no longer in service.)

Members of your Session

Special Events:January 21st – Youth Sunday, Men’s Barber Shop to sing during worship serviceFebruary 4th – Holy CommunionFebruary 11th – Youth Sunday (Valentine presentation)February 14th – 5:30 – 6:30 pm - SOUP SUPPER

7:00 pm – Ash Wednesday Worship ServiceFebruary 18th – LENT begins

Christian Education Continued:

CALLING ALL 2018 SUMMER CAMPERSNow is the time to start thinking about attending a wonderful summer camp experience. I have received information from the Clearwater Forest Camp in Deerwood Minnesota, as well as Covenant Bible Camp in Iron River, MI. We also have funds available to help with tuition if the necessary forms are completed.See Adele or Lois for the brochure if interested.

MISSION 2018 By the time you read this Christmas will be a memory….but we wanted to take one more chance to THANK all the people who donated to the Christmas for Kids Program with their money or their time.  And THANKS to Our Lady Queen of Peace who have partnered with us on this project.  It truly is a labor of love that benefited 24 families and 58 children from North Lakeland School, Camp Jorn, and the Mercer Food Pantry this year, providing gifts and food vouchers for a Christmas meal. 19 shoppers from MWPCC and 5 shoppers from OLQP did the shopping.  Bob Becker is the contact at the Catholic Church and helped to raise funds from OLQP and coordinated the shoppers on their end as well as helped deliver the gifts to the elementary school. This program would not be the success it is without the assistance from all the shoppers from our church and "elves" that help along the way. It’s truly a “Christmas Miracle” for many of these families at a time when they need to stretch their already limited funds to go farther.

Happy New Year!!  Mary Koster, Nancy Russell, and Kristin Semmerling

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Winter has finally arrived with fresh snow falling daily. As we start a new year may we pause and thank God for our many blessings in our beautiful North Woods. We have had NO fires, NO hurricanes, and NO earthquakes, just beautiful weather this summer, and now a beautiful sparkling whit landscape.We were thankful for our ability to send a generous check to our Presbyterian Disaster Fund to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. All available funds were dispersed for 2017, in December. This included 23 local charities, 6 national, and 7 international. A complete listing will be in the Annual Report.

The loose change for the end of December went to the Boulder Food Pantry. A delivery of canned goods was delivered to the Mercer Food Pantry the 2nd week of December, and many, tiny knitted children’s hats to DOVE. Thanks to the person who spent many hours knitting these hats.

Hope you had a blessed Christmas and 2018 will be a year full of peace and joy for you and your families.Once again, thank you for your generous giving of time and money.

Respectfully submitted,Joan Ouimette

The Loose Coins for January through March will go to the Mercer Food Pantry

WESTMINSTER GUILDIn December and January, our Bible Study lessons concentrated on God’s “messengers”

(angels) as part of the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us, and on the written and oral “traditions” that are an important part of our religious history and that point to the life and work of Jesus. Just as a reminder — our Bible Study is AWESOME, and although there is a continuous theme from September through May each year, each month’s lesson can stand on its own, so please consider joining us. Generally, our Bible Study is the first Thursday of each month, but for February alone, the date is CHANGED to February 8 — 9:30 AM in the Fireside Room. Please come.

On the activity planning side of things, Plans are under way for our Soup Supper in conjunction with the Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 14. Westminster Guild, together with our youth group, will serve the soup supper at 6:00 PM on that evening, and the service will follow at 7:00 PM. Please mark your calendars and plan to at tend.

We are also giving some thought to sponsoring an “Art Show” in May or September of 2019, to showcase the work of the MANY members of our congregation who are so very talented. Any proceeds from such a sale would be earmarked for a worthy church project. Please let us know your thoughts.

Wishing all of you warmth, good health, and all of God’s blessings in this new year!

Kay SuffronModerator

January/February Birthdays:

Jan. 22nd Rose King, Wyatt Frandy, 24th Lenore Bartling, Joel Schroeter, 25th Mark Orlowski, Angie Jacobs, 26th Rosemary Rennhack,

27th Jeff Semmerling, Bobbie Behnke, Richard Straus, 28th Dale Ekdahl,

FEB. 1st Chrystel Paulson, 2nd Marion Jacobs, Hayle Woolf, 3rd Lee Leeder, 4th Helyn Woolf, 6th Vanessa Hahn, 7th Julie Detling, 8th Mark Kayser, Journey Jacobs,

9th Heidi Jahnke, Jake Schilling, 10th Mary Watkins, Pauline Rider, 11th Ruth Horner, Ana Erickson, 12th Andrew Spencer, Thomas Spencer, 13th Aggie Ripley, Dave Vogt, Amy Slone,

14th Becky Kayser, Daniel Slone, 15th Parker Sharpe, 16th Tom Larum, Liliana Gindorff, 17th Renee Jager, 19th Mary Willson, 20th Kristin Semmerling, 22nd Maren Moll, Susan Glynn,

23rd Carol Bohlin, 24th Winnie Carlson, 25th Steve Jacobs, 26th Jasmin Erickson, 27th Luke Schilling Kadence Knipp, (29th Judy Erickson)

January/February Anniversaries:

Jan. 25th Bud & Judy Denton, FEB. 2nd Mark & Dawn Halliburton, 4th John & Kay Suffron, 10th Mark & Marjean Schuelke,

12th Paul & Jessie Chaney, 14th Bud & Judy Arnold, John & Ann Wilson, 17th Bob & Bar Schroeder,

19th Dick & Elaine Newton

Manitowish Waters CommunityPresbyterian ChurchPO Box 69Manitowish Waters, WI 54545

January/February

2018Office Hours:

Monday through Friday = 9:00 am till noon715-543-2998

Rev. Chips 715-776-2998manwtrschurch@centurytel.net

www.mwcpc.org

Lent Begins February 18th

Lord, it feels like we are embarking on a Lenten journey together, you and I...

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Making Room for Change

Welcome to 2018. At the beginning of a new year we often

resolve to make changes in our lives. Even if we are not fond

of New Years resolutions, and whether we wish it or not,

change will come, and change is difficult. Franciscan priest,

Fr. Richard Rohr notes we often think of change as a

transformation associated with new beginnings, but he warns

us that quite often that transformation actually comes when

something old falls apart. Here is how he describes it: “The

pain of something old falling apart—disruption and chaos—

invites the soul to listen at a deeper level. It invites and

sometimes forces the soul to go to a new place because the old place is not working anymore. The mystics use many words to describe this chaos: fire, darkness, death, emptiness, abandonment, trial, the Evil One. Whatever it is, it does not feel good and it does not feel like God. We will do anything to keep the old thing from falling apart.”

“This is when we need patience, guidance, and the freedom to let go instead of tightening our controls and certitudes.” He continues later, “Transformation usually includes a disconcerting reorientation. Change can either help people to find a new meaning, or it can cause people to close down and turn bitter. The difference is determined by the quality of our inner life, or what we call “spirituality.” Change of itself just happens; spiritual transformation is an active process of letting go, living in the confusing dark space for a while, and allowing yourself to be spit up on a new and unexpected shore. You can see why Jonah in the belly of the whale is such an important symbol for many Jews and Christians.”

Spiritual transformation is not something we can add to our lives like a new devotional with our morningcoffee. Room has to be made in our lives for the new to enter. Jesus said that we cannot put new wine into old wineskins, because the already stretched skins will not be able to handle the fermenting expansion of the new wine and they will be torn open or burst. Neale Donald Walsch describes it wonderfully in the following poem:

Yearning for a new way will not produce it. Only ending the old way can do that.You cannot hold onto the old, all the while declaring that you want something new.The old will defy the new;The old will deny the new;The old will decry the new.There is only one way to bring in the new. You must make room for it.

If we want transforming changes in our lives in 2018, some of the old will have to go to make room for the new. Whatever the upcoming year brings to us, we can trust Christ’s transforming Spirit is present and continually active right in the heart of our changes and transformations. That Spirit will help us release what is old and no longer working, and will assist us in receiving that which is new. May each of us rest in the Spirit’s presence in those transforming changes.

Have a grace-filled New Year, Chips