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Care
Family Camp
Come join us this summer for family camp on July 15-17 at Pine Lake Wildwood Campground. The cost is $70 per camper vehicle and $35 per tent. A deposit of $35 for camper vehicles and $20 for tents is due by June 5.
Everyone is welcome! Make plans now to be a part of this fun-filled weekend.
First UMC of Wausau also offers Online Worship!
Did you know that most new church visitors have first visited us online? Offering online worship is the new "front door" to reach out to and welcome new guests and members. It also offers existing members the benefits of staying connected even if you're out of town or under the weather.
Our Sunday service is live-streamed at 10 am on our YouTube channel at this link: https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstUMCofWausau.
 By mid-afternoon on Sundays, the video is fully uploaded to watch anytime. Please be sure to click the red "Subscribe" button. It also helps us share God's grace and truth with more people when you click the "Like" button and write a comment every time you watch a worship video. Unfortunately, we don't know who is joining us online unless you comment on YouTube or keep us updated via phone or email. Please let us know how when you're virtually present. Thank you for we can spiritually support you even only able to be connecting and supporting Christ's mission together!
Cultural Orientation and English Language Learning for Refugees
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays several rooms upstairs are being used to welcome dozens of new Afghan refugees. Classes are from 10-11:30 and 12:30-2 for adults, and their pre-school children enjoy playing nearby. New Beginnings for Refugees is overseeing these educational programs, with Mary Testin as the Coordinator. There are over 40 fully-vetted and trained volunteer teachers for English Language Learners (ELL). They also could use some volunteers (with back ground checks) to help with caring for and inspiring the preschoolers. Please contact Mary at 715-581-8111 if you're interested in helping.
Awning and Concrete Repair Project
The Trustees would like to make the entrances to the church from the parking lot safer, the signage clearer, and the north side of the building more visually welcoming. After reviewing our options, we would like to repair the concrete, widen the slope to the entrance by the Sanctuary and install large powder-coated aluminum awnings that completely cover the accessible entries to the two main entrances from parking lot. Both awnings would have a fascia with 8" lettering to lead guests to the right door. the
This project will cost about $20,000 in donations to protect better our most-used entrances and welcome people to our church. Please write "awnings" in a check memo with any support you can give or see Bruce Brandenburg or Pastor Rebecca with questions. Thank you!
 NEW PRODUCTS-- Mission-Driven—in the UMW cabinet!
Coffees--Just in for Spring!
Organic LoveBuzz, med-dark roast whole bean ($8.00/12 oz) New!
Organic Mama Tierra light roast ground coffee from Oaxaca, Mexico ($10.00/16 oz bag) New!
We still offer 12 oz bags of ground decaf—$9.00 and regular Cafe Salvador—$8.00
Prefer Tea?
All varieties of our organic teas are $4.00/box. Try the English Breakfast for a little boost or Jasmine Green (New!). If you want a relaxing herbal cup, try Rooibos, Ginger or Peppermint (New!).
Chocolate treats for your Easter basket!
Pick your favorite organic, Fair Trade chocolate bars for $3.00 ea. in these flavors:
Dark Chocolate Lemon Ginger
Dark Chocolate Orange
Dark Chocolate Mint Crunch (New!)
Panama Extra Dark
Dark Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt (New!)
Milk Chocolate
Chocolate with Coconut Milk (vegan, soy and gluten-free) (New!)
Your purchase helps our UMW mission projects, UMCOR, and supports farmer-owned coffee cooperatives in Central America and Mexico, as well as small tea farms in India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Thank you for shopping BY CAUSE!
Prayer Corner
We grieve this month at the loss of former member Muriel Lambert, who died May 20th.
Congratulations to Ken & Marian Attoe on their 50th
wedding anniversary, June 10th.
The Messenger
Our next newsletter will be a combination of the middle of July (7/18-8/31) and the full month of August (8/1-8/31). If you have any articles to submit, please have those into the office by June 27th.
Thank you.
Missions
June: Mission Guatemala
We do not have plans to resume our trips, but we continue to provide ongoing support for the mission in Guatemala with personal needs, clothing, and education. Donate loose change, put cash in the small brown envelopes in the pews or write Mission Guatemala the memo line of your check.
July: Claire’s Critter Closet
We assist families in need by providing pet supplies for their critters large and small. Claire’s Critter closet is open twice a month at scheduled times to pick up needed pet supplies. Donate loose change, put cash in the small brown envelopes in the pews or write Claire’s Critter Closet the memo line of your
check.
Congratulations 2021-2022 Graduates!
James Duginski - Wausau East High School and
Recipient of the Pivet Scholarship Award
Hannah Marquardt - Wausau West High School
Anjali Dvorak - Bachelor of Science, University of New Mexico
Karli Johnson - Bachelor of Music Education, UW Stevens Point
Danielle Del Conte - Master of Science, Marquette University
Julia Ebert - PhD in Computer Science, Harvard University
Miranda Zahn - PhD in School Psychology, UW Madison
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Hi FUMC!
Thanks to the support from the church and the Pivet Scholarship, I was able to graduate from the University of New Mexico with my bachelor’s degree in Biology and Spanish, with a minor in psychology. Not only that, I also managed to do so a semester early! The last few years I’ve spent in Albuquerque have been life changing. I started as a high school graduate and college freshman in the on-campus housing and ended up living in my own apartment at graduation! So much has happened in the last four years, and I’ve grown so much as a person. And, because of the support I’ve gotten, I’ve been able to achieve all this debt-free. I have so much appreciation and gratitude for the opportunities I’ve had throughout my academic career, and my way of giving back has manifested itself in service to my community. Last summer, I served in AmeriCorps at the local food bank in
Albuquerque. I spent over 450 hours working in the warehouse, preparing food boxes, as well as leading mobile food pantries while the world has been living through the pandemic. This summer I will be returning to this role and serving again, because it was so rewarding and worthwhile to me the first time. Another recent development in my life was the decision to pursue an MBA. I started in January and so far, it’s been great! I’m looking forward to continuing this path and being able to use my knowledge and skills to enrich my community.
Anjali Dvorak
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Wednesday Ecumenical Prayer Vigils for Ukraine
It is heart-wrenching to see the suffering in and around Ukraine. As people of faith, we come together to pray for those being those who are brutal or afflicted, those who are serving, and even blinded by propaganda. During Lent we prayed at noon on Wednesdays, but we're adjusting our schedule from noon to 5 pm on only the 3rd Wednesday of the month to hopefully welcome more people to join in prayer together. Here are upcoming dates and places with services at 5 pm lasting for about 30 minutes each.
Please join together in prayer as a way to unite as Christians in support of peace, freedom, safety, and healing.
May 18, 5pm - Grace United Church of Christ
June 15, 5pm - First Unitarian Universalist Church
July 20, 5pm - First United Methodist Church
Due to the increase in COVID cases this month, we will meet at
church in the courtyard for lunch at 11:30 on Monday, June 6th.
Bring a sack lunch and a beverage. Be ready to enjoy a nice afternoon of fellowship. If we have inclement weather, we will meet inside.
The first Monday in July is the 4th so I have moved Savvy Seniors to Monday, July 11th at 11:30. We will meet at El Tequila Salsa in Rib Mountain. I will put out a notification of any changes prior to meeting. Any questions please call
Vicki at 715-571-3009.
Random Thoughts
by Mike Zahn
June/July 2022
A Letter Home
See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each person will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Isaiah 32:1-2
Dear First Church family,
Having answered God’s call to tiptoe out into the waters of pastoral ministry, I was promptly thrown into the deep end. On my starting day I officiated a funeral for a prominent member of Christ Church in Merrill. Thanks to some guidance from Pastor Rebecca, Pastor Jerry and Jesus, we had a very meaningful Celebration of Life for her family and friends. The family really appreciated that the church now had an appointed pastor that could do the service- they did not know what they would have done otherwise, as it was their mother’s desire to have the funeral service at her church with the church’s pastor. This is all to say that I realized, God had called me for that
moment and gave me everything to do what needed to be done—thank you God!
I miss you all and part of me will always be at First Church, but there is a lot to do in Merrill and Gleason and that is where I am meant to be right now. May you and I-- in Wausau, in Merrill, in Gleason-- be like streams of water in the desert to the world around us.
Grace, mercy and peace,
Mike Zahn
Display Cases
Would you like to show us your treasures in the church display case outside the office? We would love to see it!
Artwork; Collections; Antiques; Photos; anything you would like to share.
Check out the beautiful bunny collection by Andrea Anderson currently in the display cases.
If you want to learn more about staying safe on-line, here are a few links to some good information....
A few more tips on keeping your computer safe.
Always update your operating system (Windows 10 or Apple OSX) and keep it updated by installing the Security Updates that Microsoft or Apple sends you. Both Microsoft and Apple have gotten very good at protecting your PC or Mac if you keep them updated. That means when you get a software update notifications from them you should install them, especially those that are titled Security Updates.
If your PC seems to be running slower than it used to you may have been infected with Malware or Adware. There's some excellent free software that can be used to scan your hard drive a find it and quarantine/remove it.
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