First United Methodist Church in the Wausau Community and World
Click on the button below to view a list of our church's outreach and mission opportunities...
MAY Mission Offering
The May Mission offering this year will help support the work of the annual Community Christmas Dinner, held now at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ on Christmas Day.
And, remember, any coin you put - loose - into the offering plate goes directly to the monthly mission without any extra effort on your part!
Next week, you will receive information about our Special Giving Day for the six United Methodist Special Sundays offering. This year, the Missions Team decided to try this rather than six Sundays interspersed throughout the year.
Remember that the Mission Offering must be clearly marked. Either write a note on your check or use the brown envelopes in the back of the pew. Just loose change in the offering plate will not go to the monthly offering.
Our Vision:
Led by God to change lives and transform the world.
Downtown Memory Café
We celebrated five years of outreach ministry in May of this year. We meet the 3rd Thursday of each month. Memory Cafés are for those experiencing early stage dementia, mild memory loss or cognitive impairment – accompanied by their care partners, family or friends. Sing-alongs, programs, conversation, activities and refreshments are offered each month by dementia-trained volunteers. Consider escorting a friend or loved one to a Downtown Memory Café. Free!
For more information, please contact the church office at 715.842.2201; or Charles Schoenfeld at 715-842- 9809, or memorycafe@fumcwausau.org
Campbell’s Labels
and
Milk Moola Caps
Many of us have been saving labels from Campbell’s cans to be redeemed by Northcott Neighborhood House in Milwaukee. This month, Campbell’s is discontinuing this program, so we will no longer be collecting those at the church.
Also, please bring in any “Milk Moola” caps from milk purchased at Kwik Trip stores as soon as possible. The caps will be taken to Mission u in Wisconsin Rapids July 24th.
UMW, Making Mission Practical
Fair Trade - Equal Exchange Coffee. This is a small gesture you can make to provide fair wages to coffee, tea, and cocoa producers throughout the world. It can be your personal mission project!
Tanzanian Jubilee Coffee and Café’ Salvador are regular drip grind coffee and are the most popular. Decaf, drip grind, organic whole bean and flavored coffees are available also, as are organic hot cocoa mix and herbal/organic tea. Supplies are in the cupboard next to the fireplace in the parlor.
Regular ground - $8
Whole bean - $8
Ground flavored - $9
All decaf - $9
All teas - $4
Hot Chocolate - $6
Organic very dark Chocolate bars - $3
To purchase take your product, place the money (check or cash) in a brown envelope (in the cupboard) and put the envelope in the drop slot near the church office.
Newsletter
We would like to fill up the pages of our newsletter. If there is an event, celebration or piece of news you would like to share, please call the office at 715-842-2201 or email joan@fumcwausau.org
The Walk:
Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life.
An Adult & Youth Study
How do we walk with Christ—daily follow him, grow in him, and faithfully serve him? In the Gospels, Jesus modeled for us the Christian spiritual life. The apostles taught it in their writings. And the Church has, through the last 2,000 years, sought to pursue this Christian spiritual life.
In The Walk, the author focuses on five essential spiritual practices rooted in Jesus’ own walk with God and taught throughout the New Testament—worship, study, serving, giving, and bearing witness to our faith. Each is intended as part of our daily walk with Christ while also being an essential part of growing together in the church.
This study begins on Wednesday, May 6th at 4pm. Watch a 20 minute video each week online before- hand (Jayneann will send you the link) and join the conversation on Zoom—via your computer, tablet or phone. Contact Jayneann with questions or interest.
Giving
“In remembrance of me, heal the sick” TFWS 2254
May 2020
And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them,‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’(Matthew 25:39-40)
In the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, when pagans far out-numbered Christians, a pair of epidemics rocked the Roman Empire. After the second in 252 AD, Dionysius (190?-264), Bishop of Alexandria, wrote in an Easter letter how Christians had behaved better toward the sick, than had the pagans. The pagans had run from the sick, abandoned relatives, ejected the dying from their homes and left the dead in the streets. In contrast, Christians diligently ministered to the sick and prepared the dead for burial. As a result, many Christians, themselves, became ill and died; it was a death akin to martyrdom, in the Bishop’s opinion.
The sociologist of religion Rodney Stark, in the Rise of Christianity, has argued that this behavior of early Christians, and similar behavior during other epidemics, was critically important in the early growth of Christianity and its displacement of pagan polytheism. Christians survived at higher rates, the plague disrupted their communities less, they exhibited less fear, and they helped those in dire need. The pagans noticed and in subsequent years, the ranks of Christianity swelled.
One can only hope that history will remember the service and witness of our generation of Christians in the time of the coronavirus epidemic. Did we pray together, did we continue to worship, though from afar, did we give to financially support the mission and ministry of the church?
Did we support charities caring for the poor and sick, did we help teach the children home from school, did we help the laid off and furloughed apply for benefits, and did we help the disenfranchised vote, and so on? You are the answer to my questions.
Jim Wells, Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation
Visit the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation at www.wumf.org or Facebook/wumf.org
Or call 1-888-903-9863
On Becoming a Reconciling Chruch
When we can gather again, we will be voting in our congregation to determine if we will be a reconciling congregation. Our Ministries Council has already ap- proved a welcoming statement:
“In response to God’s unconditional love for all people made known to us in Jesus Christ, we are called to be a welcoming and affirming community. We, the first United Methodist Church of Wausau are believers and seekers who include and welcome persons of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and physical and mental abilities. Whatever your story we embrace who you are. We welcome into the full life of this church all those who God sends us. Centered in Christ, we commit ourselves to building and living as a community where all are loved.”
We have had a churchwide survey taken, have had several listening sessions, Laura Goetz, an LBGTQ advocate has spoken to the church on behalf of PFLAG, and Wes Ebert has told a personal story showing that there are individuals that are affected by this issue close to our congregation. It is now time for us as a congregation to take a definite and positive step forward to indicate to LGBTQ+ community that they are welcome in our church. As leader of the reconciling team I have heard little criticism over this step that our church will be taking. If there is anyone who is reluctant to see us publicly take a position pro- claiming that we are open to all in this church, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Jayneann, Jen Johnson, Margaret Getzin or others on this team with questions or criticisms.
I believe as United Methodists we have a responsibility to reach out to minister to and build a diverse community within our Church. This is what calling our- selves a reconciling community will help foster.
Gary Getzin
Please Consider Helping
Since this coronavirus emergency began, First Church has been sending weekly connections messages via email and USPS mail to say that “We’re here for you” and to remind us that church is we are and what we do rather than a building.
Being good stewards of our resources, we had not budgeted postage costs for communications during a pandemic. If you are able to contribute toward these costs, please consider doing so.
Point in Time Count. 30 volunteers identified 6 individuals in the community as being homeless.
Dear First United Methodist Church,
On behalf of the clients, staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities, I’d like to thank you for your recent donation of toilet paper for the Wausau Warming Center. Your attentiveness to the needs of struggling men & women in our community is greatly appreciated, as it will help us to meet their most pressing needs immediately. We are honored to have you join us as we work to serve Christ in them!
In Christ,
Roberto Partarrius, Executive Director
Dear First Methodist Church,
We are writing to express our deepest thanks for your recent donation to The Open Door. Generous gifts from donors like you provide the financial & moral support needed to continue our mission.
With your faithful financial contributions over the years, you’ve demonstrated your deep commitment to our work of aiding men & women coming out of incarceration and trying to rebuild their lives. Your gift is already being used to help individuals meet their basic needs so they can gain employment, housing and find a purpose. Many of our guests are just looking for a second chance and donors like you make this possible.
Thank you again for your compassionate sup- port. We hope that you will continue to partner with us in our commitment to offer a second (or more) chance to those looking to make a positive change in their lives.
With Warmest regards, Anne Drow
Executive Director
