Outreach

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...

March Missions Offering

Our loose change offerings have supported our mission projects over past years. But with not meeting for the past year those donations have declined.

We continue to provide assistance to those in need but the available funds are diminished. I would like to encourage everyone who is able to, send a check or drop a donation in the secure mail slot at the Third Street entrance.

For March the donation will be used to support Mission Guatemala. They provide personal needs, clothing and education to community members.

Ray Nowaczyk

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.

Donations from Peyton's Promise for the Personal Needs Closet

Our Vision:

Led by God to change lives and transform the world.

Downtown Memory Café

We are teaming up with the Center for Visual Arts to offer it’s first online Zoom ART PROJECT. Invitations have been mailed and special kits dropped off to participant’s homes. Date: Thursday October 15, 2020 Time: 10:30am-Noon Place: Virtual Event If you know of someone with dementia who might enjoy this unique “social event,” please contact Maggie Schoenfeld at 715-842-9809. This person will likely need assistance with a computer. Kits are available to be dropped off through October 14.

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 Maggie 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.

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

Donations for Warming Center

Thank you for the recent donations you have given to the Warming Center. Please take items to the Catholic Charities office at 540 S. Third Ave, Wausau on Wednesdays from 9am-2pm. They can be reached at 715.849.3311, 9am-4pm. Please note that they cannot accept bed linens, blankets, pillows, etc. They welcome donations of hand and foot warmers, warm clean socks, new underwear, and thermal underwear.

News from United Methodist Women:

We have volunteered to furnish one meal a month for the Warming Center (2nd Wednesday).

If you are able to help us make our guests welcome by furnishing a hot meal, your help would be appreciated.

How? By furnishing ingredients or providing an entre’, salad, or dessert. Checks are also helpful. For additional information, contact Barbara Ritchie at 1-715-205-4622 or email barbjack57@msn.com. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could commit to TWO meals a month?

UMW Soup Sale

A heart-warming Soup Sale is happening---

March 20 & 21 (Sat./Sun.) 2:00-4:00 pm

Order a quart or two of your favorite homemade soup, lovingly crafted by our United Methodist Women. We sell our soups so we can support United Methodist missions like Harbor House Crisis Shelter in Superior, Wisconsin. Harbor House provides hospitable shelter, transitional living and services for homeless women and families.

WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT AND ENJOY THIS YEAR:

By or before March 18...

Mail or drop off this form with your payment to: UMW, First UM Church, 903 Third Street, Wausau, WI 54403
Call Margaret Getzin with your order at 715-842-9254, pay at pick-up.
Unable to get out and would like a free, safe delivery? Please ask!

Click on image below to download Order Form.

Random Thoughts

by Mike Zahn
February 2021

When a Dog Comes Into Your Life

But the Angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

We were there with our five grandsons when our daughter and son-in-law brought home a special Valentine’s Day present yesterday—a puppy! What a time of great joy!! One of them com- mented that having a new dog will really change their lives. I’m sure that will be absolutely true, and it will make a joyous, loving household even better. No doubt there will be challenges, but the joys will far outweigh them.

What if we were to change the word “dog” to “God”? If bringing a new dog into our lives promises such joy, how much greater will our joy be when we invite the God of the universe, in the form of Jesus, into our lives? We may seem fine without Jesus, but how much better would it be if we were to bring Him home to live in our souls? I have found this to be absolutely true. With all of life’s challenges, the joy of knowing Jesus as my best friend helps me overcome those challenges, and changes my life for the better.

Speaking of dogs (and cats). . . Claire’s Critter Closet is off to a good start—in the first three times since it has been open, we have had over two dozen visits, which have provided food, litter, toys and beds for at least 50 pets! If you would like to help, or provide donations for Claire’s
Critter Closet, please contact the church office. Thanks to everyone who has already contributed to launching this new ministry!

Equal Exchange Coffee/Tea Update

As the weather now turns cooler, it’s time to put the coffee pot on again. Even though we have not been at church for some time, the Equal Exchange coffee and tea are still available. This is a project of the United Methodist Women which supports our mission projects while supporting small farmers who grow the coffee.

“Equal Exchange is an alternative trade organization made up of small farmers, Equal Exchange worker-owners and you! Together we are building supply chains that work for all of us and the planet we share.” (from the website)

We have ground regular, ground decaf along with English Breakfast tea, Ginger tea, Black Chai tea, and Roobis tea. There are also still a few bars of chocolate in the dark Lemon ginger flavor and plain milk chocolate.

Please stop by and pick up some of these products and enjoy them as you settle down with a good book or quiet time. We thank you as the needs of the world continue and we can play a part in supporting them through this endeavor.