Care

Deaths: We grieve this month with the loss of these members of our church or of our families.

Charlie Schoenfeld, a long time member of our congregation, died Sunday, January 19.

Myrtle Foster, surviving spouse of the Rev. Lloyd Foster, who served First Church from 1978 to 1985, died Thursday, January 2.

The Messenger

Newsletter will continue to be available in print and in electronic forms.

We count on being able to know what is happening in the life of our church!

Mail delivery will continue to be available. What will change is that the church will ask you to cover the first-class postage. As of January 1, we are no longer eligible for bulk mail.

We ask that you contribute $6 to the church if you would like a paper newsletter mailed to your home. We will also welcome gifts to defray the cost of mailings to our homebound and shut-in friends. We don’t want them to feel forgotten!

Alternatively, you can still read The Messenger online or you can pick up a paper copy at the church.
Please indicate your preference on the form of page 9 of this newsletter and return to the office.

This change will take effect with the mailing of our February newsletter.

Our church has a social group for seniors over the age of 55 who enjoy light conversation and food. We meet on the first Monday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at a chosen restaurant. The restaurants rotate monthly to provide a variety of venues and foods. The group is open to singles and couples and averages around 20 each month. If you enjoy fun people, this group is for you. Please join us, we are the Savvy Seniors.

Vicki Nowaczyk

Savvy Seniors will meet at 11:30am on Monday, February 3 at the Great Dane, Wausau

United Methodist Women

United Methodist Women (UMW) is a faith-based membership organization of women within The United Methodist Church. UMW members are committed to growing as disciples of Jesus Christ in community with other women and advocating on behalf of women, children and youth around the world. United Methodist Women has been in mission for more than 140 years. They are…

A community of women whose purpose is …

to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ
to develop a creative supportive fellowship
to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church

Once a month UMW members meet in small groups called "circles." Please consider joining us! There is probably a circle that meets your interests and schedule:

February 2

Morning

Soup-er Bowl Sunday Chili Sale (during Education Hour & Coffee Hour)

February 12

9:30am

Mary Faith Circle

February 13

2:00pm

Love/Hope Circle (note time change)

February 23

6:00pm

Justa Circle

Fun Visiting

Pine Lake United Methodist Camp

Fellowship

The Sunshine Gals loved taking their warmth to the residents at The Gardens and Mount View Care Center the past years. We have spread our sunshine with music, sharing readings and our thoughts, adding laughter and smiles, conversing with memories, and showing our care through our handshakes. We have become good friends with the common cause of spreading love.

If you would like to join us and take part in this ministry of our church, we would truly welcome you!!! Please call me if you have questions at 715.359.7756.

Arlene Trull

Downtown Memory Cafe 2019 Events

January 17: “Turnin’ Wood!” Join us as we meet “woodmaster” Bob Stavran for a wood turning demonstration!

February 21: “Antiques Roadshow!” Wondering about the value of something you own? Local expert appraiser Jim Schaefer will be here to entertain and help us figure it out!

March 21: “For Your Listening Pleasure…” Reminisce together over some Golden Age of Radio favorites like The Shadow…Roy Rogers…Tarzan and more!

April 18: “Our Story” Evoke memories at the downtown Wausau Library as we look at a history of Wausau on microfilm and in local books. Why not create a story of our own!?

May 16: “Happy 5th Birthday Downtown Memory Café!” Back by popular demand, welcome well-known ragtime piano entertainer, Jim Radloff. This promises to be a toe-tapping birthday party!

June 20 “Beauty in Sound” Local mother-daughter harpists Kirsten and Claire Hornby will melt our stress away at this Cafe!

July 18: “Picnic in the Park!” Hot dog! We will be back at River Street Park in Rothschild for a picnic under the shelter and perhaps a stroll along the river?

August 15: “Going to the Fair!” Peplin 4-H Club members will bring the fair to us with animals, vegetable judging and more!

September 19: “Little Red Schoolhouse” Anna Straub from the Marathon County Historical Society will take us on a trip back in time when we meet at Marathon Park’s one-room schoolhouse.

October 17: “Our Fine Feathered Friends” We take flight with help from The Raptor Education Group of Antigo, bringing 4 birds and what promises to be a wing-flapper of a program!

November 21: “The Apple of your Eye” Olivia Telschow from Helene’s Hilltop Orchard will provide bushels and pecks of apple fun!

December 19: “Ho Ho Ho, Who Wouldn’t Go?” Holiday-themed!

Thank You

Many special thanks to Bonnie Goertz, Paula Hauber and Andy White for taking down and putting away all of the Christmas decorations.

Building an Inclusive Church

A Workshop on the Basics of the Reconciling Process Saturday, March 28th, 10am –4pm Trinity UMC, 11123 Vilas Avenue, Madison

Come learn the basics of building an LGBTQ-inclusive community and meet other Reconciling United Methodists in your region. Here are topics we will cover:

LGBTQ 101 ~ Intersectional Justice How to Build an Inclusive Church or Community
Engaging Conflict Well ~ Being an Slly
The Ministry of a Reconciling Process Coach

Reconciling ministries will have a session on deepening engagement and creative witness.

Rev. Dr. Israel I. Alvaran (he/him) is a gay UMC clergy person from the Philippines Conference serving as the Reconciling Process & Western Regional Organizer at RMN.

Free Registration. Lunch/snacks provided. Donations accepted. You can learn more about the

Reconciling Ministries Network, becoming a Reconciling Church or a Reconciling Individual at rmnetwork.org.

Jubilate Handbells at 2510

Worship Design: What is it?

A few years ago I had a lunchtime conversation with some friends at work and the discussion came around to church committees. I mentioned that I was on the Worship Design Team at FUMC. There was a slight pause and then my friend remarked, "Oh, the committee that picks out the prayers and hymns."

Well, not exactly. We might make a hymn suggestion or two, but our Director of Music Martie Pahris does her job exceedingly well and Pastor Jayneann has the sermon series well-planned.

Part of our team's job is to work with the pastor and director of music to plan and implement different worship styles. We have coordinated Messy Church events, created visuals to accompany a theme or scripture. We explored the idea of using all gluten-free elements and implemented that in our Communion service. Dramatic readings and skits are some of the other worship items we have helped put together. We give input to other committees on worship-related matters, like the sound and lighting systems in the chapel and sanctuary. Worship Design is a really interesting, re-warding church committee to serve on. Members share their likes and dislikes with us and so we learn, laugh, pray and grow, striving to live and share God's love in service, joy and hope.

Margaret Getzin

Prayer Shawl Group

The Prayer Shawl group exists to comfort, support or celebrate our congregation and their friends or family. A dedicated group knits, crochets or sews the soft shawls to be given to those who have need. We meet the fourth Tuesday from 1-2:30 in front of the fireplace.

Each year we also give about a dozen shawls to the Women’s Community or Haven in Merrill. Monetary or yarn donations are always welcome. New members can join at any time. If you have any questions, please contact me at 715-536-6399.Marian Attoe

God’s Grace in the Midst of Trouble

by Mike Zahn February 2020

The Apostle Paul suffered many hardships in his life. Paul was an amazing disciple of Jesus Christ.The Hornby/Strong family has also been suffering many hardships. And they are also amazing disciples of Jesus Christ. I have watched and read and been inspired by their strength and love and faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Our church’s mission is to“ live as a community where God is forming deeply committed followers of Christ.” They are showing us the way by doing just that, as led by the Spirit. There are times I weep in sorrow for the troubles they are going through, but even more, there are times I weep with joy for the incredible grace with which they face those troubles.

Paul writes these wonderful words of encouragement: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. . . Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10,16-18

First Church's Facebook Page

Please take a look at our church Facebook page! We currently have a meal train up for the Hornbys with opportunities to help with a meal. Some of our other activities are listed there as well.

If you have something you would like to put on the FB page, let Jen Johnson know. She will make all attempts to post it. Her number is 715-470-2527