Our Newsletter: A Time to Share
A Time to Share
Fall Newsletter
Fall Birthdays and Anniversaries
September
4—Jim Siverling
19—Kayla and Ben Glenn
25–Debby and Paul Davis
26–Lewis Miller
28–Susan Miller
30–Gail Klusmeyer
October
6—Kayla Poulsen Glenn
14–Marty Smith
22–JoAnn Sullivan
November
5—Keith and Laura Herigon
6—Joan Schupp
26–Julie Pasley
Fall Volunteers
Custodians:
September—David Smith
October—Lewis Miller
November—Jim Siverling
Communion:
Sept. 14—Jim Siverling/Brooks Poulsen
Oct. 5—David Smith/Carolyn Eichelberger
Nov. 2—Lewis and Susan Miller
Potluck Hosts:
Sept. 28—Marty Smith/Kayla Glenn
Oct. 26–Susan Miller/Debby Davis
Nov. 30—Cathy Marshall/Carolyn Eichelberger
Best Choice Labels 
Julie Pasley coordinates our participation in the Best Choice Save-A-Label Program. All we need to do is cut around the UPC symbols and give them to Julie. Be sure to include only Best Choice products!
Fall Calendar
Sundays—Worship, 10:45
Mondays—Discussion Group, Maggie’s, 5:30
————————————
Sun. Sep. 7—David Smith, Worship Leader
Sun. Sep. 14—Worship with communion
Session Meeting, noon
Sun. Sep.28—Potluck after worship
Sun. Oct.5—Worship with communion
Sun. Oct. 12—Session meeting, noon
Sun. Oct. 26—Potluck after worship
Sun. Nov. 2—Worship with communion
Sun. Nov. 9—Session meeting, noon
Thurs. Nov. 27—Thanksgiving Day
Sun. Nov. 30—Advent begins
Ongoing Responsibilities
Thanks to these volunteers for helping to keep us running “decently and in good order!”
Pastor: Rev. Tad Schuldt
Musician: Tammy Poulsen
Choir Director/Bulletin Board: Debby Davis
Choir: Bob & Joanie Bosma, Paul Davis, Susan Miller
Bulletin Typist: Julie Pasley
Ministerial Alliance: Gail Klusmeyer
Session Members: Jim Siverling, Cathy Marshall & Marty Smith; Susan Miller (Clerk), David Smith (Treasurer)
Session Notes
At its June and August meetings, the Session:
- Continued discussion of the Soup/Sandwich fundraiser in December and agreed to host, provided help with strenuous duties could be obtained.
- Approved use of the Reception Room by the Friends of the Library Board until their building renovation is complete.
- Discussed weed control in the space between our building and the New Life in Christ Ministries.
- Approved final Building Insurance coverage (June 12 renewal date). Our annual premium is $10,656.
- Approved Worship Leaders for Tad’s vacation and study leave.
- Discussed substituting the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Project for Samaritan Purse’s Operation Christmas Child this year.
- Approved $1092.37 for air conditioner maintenance.
- Installed a sensor for water leaks, as suggested by Church Mutual, our insurance carrier.
Session did not meet in July.
Treasurer’s Report
Checking Balance 3/31/25 $17,324.96
Apr. Receipts $ 8,168.00
Apr. Expenses -$10,508.50
May Receipts $ 6,458.00
May Expenses -$ 9,166.55
June Receipts $10,451.00
June Expenses -$ 8,682.24
July Receipts $ 6,471.00
July Expenses -$ 8,421.40
Checking Balance 07/31/25 $12,686.23
Lifelong Learners
“If you don’t have the wisdom that goes with knowledge, you are only a walking encyclopedia,” wrote Jack Wellman, a Kansas pastor. “A book of knowledge is useless without the wisdom to know how to apply that knowledge…Information without transformation leads only to frustration.”
As another school year begins, here’s a prayer for students of all ages: All-wise, all-knowing God, make us willing learners and seekers of your wisdom, not for the gain of knowledge for its own sake, but that we might handle every situation we face with the wisdom of Christ. –Adapted from The Wired Word
Taking “Awe” Breaks
Many of us are juggling so many things that we are run by our lives rather than living them as gifts from God. What if we could learn to stop for a moment a few times each day? What if in those moments we could decide to notice the sheer miracle of being alive? We would then be taking “awe” breaks rather than coffee breaks! –Gunilla Norris
A Better Life
By Rabbi Steve Leder
Whenever I ask a room full of people to raise their hands if they would like an extra seven-and-a-half weeks each year of mindfulness and peace, every hand in the room goes up. We all want to catch a break and catch our breath, to quell our ambitions enough to allow for contentment and time with the people we love. This heaven on earth actually already exists for everyone who wants to dwell there for one-seventh of their lives. It is called the Sabbath.
The root meaning of the word Sabbath is “to cease” or “stop.” It is a day created by not creating, and it is the first thing the Bible ever describes as “holy.” Light, sea and sky, land and animals, even people, are referred to as “good” or “very good,” but only the Sabbath—a day of stillness, study, and joy—is sacred. Many cultures and faiths embrace a weekly Day of Rest. The Sabbath is the elevation of our souls above the otherwise unrelenting and terrible news, traffic, inflation, political bickering, gossip, hate, anxiety, and nonsense we normalize by calling it “life,” all the while feeling it sucking the life out of us minute by
exhausting minute. Whatever else it is that we do during the frenzy of our weeks and years, we were surely meant for days of rest.
If you want a better life, consider the Sabbath and what you will refrain from doing one day a week to make it a regular part of your life. Here are some suggestions: Stay off social media. Don’t shop to numb or gratify yourself with stuff you don’t need. Put down your phone…for real! Set aside the bills for the day. Avoid traffic. Avoid all conflicts with others. The Sabbath is created by the yes behind every no; the do behind every don’t. When you rid your life of the profane, you make room for the holy. You get together with the people you love for a walk, a talk, or a candlelight dinner with warm bread and wine on the table. You talk about things that matter, count your blessings, say “I love you,” sing, walk, play, read, pray, meditate, nap, and then say “I love you” some more. This is the way to live one-seventh of our lives in heaven on earth.
