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St. Paul’s United Church of Christ

214 Dugan St N * PO Box 374, Welcome, MN 56181

Phone: 507-728-8248

Email: stpaulucc1@frontiernet.net Website: http://stpaulwelcome.org

Interim Pastor: Rev. Wayne Fritzinger * Phone # 712-263-0241 * email: wdfritz@midco.net

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June 13, 2018

Members present: Eric Hanson, JoAnn Wohlhuter, Pastor Wayne, Linda Schultz, Justin Portz, Jim Kluver,

Pam Jagodzinske, Greg Wohlhuter, Steve Olsen

Meeting was called to order and opened with a word of prayer. Council minutes from May meeting were read.

Financial Secretary and Treasurer’s reports were presented. $1058 was paid for the bus to the Twins game.

One bill was presented for mowing. Checking account balance is $8,522.12. Motion by Steve, second by

Justin to approve reports as presented.

Pastor Wayne talked about his recovery after hip surgery. He thanked everyone for their prayers. He is doing

a sermon series on I Corinthians. Fritzinger’s are planning a vacation in July but will be here for communion

Sunday. Russ Steele could possibly do worship for the remaining Sundays.

Old Business:

Vacation Bible School will be held July 29- August 2. Theme this year is “Shipwrecked - Jesus Rescues”

A church member will talk with Oeschle’s about the property line between the church and old Karl property.

New Business:

Discussed a new crack in the floor by the front entrance. Will do some investigating and decide best plan for

handling it.

We need a driver for our church float in the Welcome parade on July 21.

Need to set up a work day/evening and possibly a work Sunday.

Motion by Steve, second by Jim to present a $50 Visa card to Marlene for her many years of service with St.

Paul’s. All in favor.

Root beer floats will be served for Father’s Day during fellowship time.

Hamburgers and hot dogs will be on the menu for community worship on July 22. Worship service will be held

at St. Paul’s.

Boat ride August 19 or 26 at 4 PM with a meal afterwards.

Next meeting will be July 11 at 7 PM.

Motion by JoAnn, second by Linda to adjourn. All in favor.

Meeting closed with The Lord’s Prayer.

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Freedom: Not To Be Abused

Point to Ponder July 2018

Last month in “Point to Ponder,” I wrote about the topic of Freedom and how men and women have given their lives so that we might live free to pursue our dreams. Freedom is based on the found-ing principles of our nation as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. These are the two most important documents in the history of our country.

For this Fourth of July, 2018, I want to address another perspective to our freedom. I want to begin from the spiritual side of freedom. Paul, in Romans 6 addresses the issue. He has just expound-ed on the doctrine of grace. He explains that for the true believer in Christ where sin exists in their life so does God’s grace. In fact, he explains that when sin grows grace grows even more. Grace is God’s unmerited kindness, love and forgiveness. “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded , grace abounded much more. (Romans 5:28)

Some opposed Paul’s inspired teaching and perverted that verse by saying, in essence, “If that is true lets sin even more so that grace can grow even more. Paul writes, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1) I will never forget the impact that verse had on me during my seminary days because I had to do an entire Master’s Degree dissertation on Romans 6 and 7 and defend it during oral exams before my seminary professors.

The lessons of Romans 5, 6 and 7 are clear: Grace is not a license to sin. The teaching of the Bible in the spiritual realm is equally clear in the natural realm and in the realm of citizenship and free-dom. It is doubly important at this critical time in our nation when once again, in my opinion, we are losing our moral bearings and are adrift with no moral compass to direct in the right way.

We have reason to celebrate our independence and our freedom. Freedom is a grand thing and it is what makes America great. We don’t need to rediscover the wheel on this one. But it is a tragedy when I begin to think only of my freedom and not yours. You have heard it said, “Your rights (freedom) ends where my nose begins.”

When as individuals or as a nation we begin to disrespect one another’s rights and freedom and begin to trample on one another’s freedoms as free citizens of already the greatest nation on the face of the earth, we have started down a dangerous and very slippery slope toward anarchy.

America is to be a kind, respectful, compassionate nation in treating all people, regardless of skin color, their language their national origins, with love and care. This is what makes our nation great and it always will. This is what separates us from barbaric and cruel nations run savage dictators and mad men and women. I am praying for a kind and compassionate, respectful nation this Fourth of July.

Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Wayne Fritzinger

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Vacation Bible School July 29—Aug. 2 6:30—8:00 pm

Ages:

3 yr old—thru—completed 5th Grade

As the old song goes, ‘I am the church, you are the church, we are the

church together’. Many hands make a church run better, so wanting

to let everyone know of all the ways you can volunteer to help at our

church.

READ SCRIPTURE DO THE SUNDAY MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS SING IN THE CHOIR

KEEP THE ALTAR CANDLES FULL OF OIL SET UP FOR BLUE JEAN SUNDAY WORSHIP

KEEP THE OUTSIDE SIGN UP TO DATE WITH INFORMATION CHANGE NARTHEX BULLETIN BOARD

MAKE THE WEEKLY BULLETIN AND / OR MONTHY NEWSLETTER TEACH SUNDAY SCHOOL

HELP WITH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL USHER FOR FUNERALS CAN YOU PLAY THE PIANO ???

DRIVE THE CHURCH FLOAT — July 21 in the Welcome parade

In conjunction with the

Welcome Summer Festival

SUNDAY, July 22 - 10 am

St. Paul Fellowship Hall

Hot dogs/ burgers and all the fixings to follow.

(Food furnished by Trinity and St. Paul’s)

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JULY CALENDAR: Sunday Worship @ 9 am

Sunday, July 1 Communion / Benevolent offering

Wednesday, July 4 Happy Birthday America

Sunday, July 8 Worship, Russ Steele leading service

Wednesday, July 10 7 pm Council meeting

Saturday, July 14 Twins baseball game

Sunday, July 15 Worship, Russ Steele leading service

Thursday, July 19 12-5 pm Red Cross Mobile blood drive

Saturday, July 21 Welcome Summer Festival

1:30 - 3:30 pm Trinity’s Pie and Ice Cream Social & root beer floats

4 pm Parade

Sunday, July 22 10 am Community Worship in Fellowship Hall— burgers/hot dogs to follow

Sunday, July 29 Blue Jean Sunday, worship in Fellowship Hall

Sunday, July 29 — Thursday, Aug.2 Vacation Bible School 6:30—8 pm Fellowship Hall

Take me out to the ballgame — Take

me out with the crowd . . .

Saturday, July 14 we’re going. Game

time is 1:10 pm with the bus leaving at

8:30 am

There will be a Red Cross Blood drive in

Welcome on Thursday, July 19. They

will be parking their bus in front of the

church, and taking donations in that.

You can go online and register for a time

or call the American Red Cross at 1-800-

733-2767 and make an appointment.

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USHERS FELLOWSHIP SERVERS

JULY - Food buyer—Greg Wohlhuter 236-2416. Please call if you would like to

furnish treats for coffee time 1 Alec and Hunter Thompson Greg and Lisa Wohlhuter 8 Don and Rhonda Rudolph Vicki Nelsen, Gary and Marsha Williams 15 Joan Andersen / Dee Hartwig John and Arla Ringeisen 22 10 am Community Worship Picnic dinner 29 Steve Olsen Council food buyer AUG - Food buyer—Vicki Nelsen 236-7081. Please call if you would like to

furnish treats for coffee time 5 Roger and Linda Schultz Eric Hanson and Kelley Clark

1 Bailey Behrens 6 John and Arla Ringeisen 3 Chris Hanson 4 Helen Fisher 17 Charlie and Dawn Abel 5 Doug Storbeck 7 Sarah Kluver 7 Brandon Kluver 12 Shirley Juhl 20 Jeremy Ebeling 26 Lowell Fisher 26 JoAnn Wohlhuter 31 Vicki Nelsen

Please remember our shut-ins, home-bound and assisted living members

Goldfinch: Lakeview Methodist Homebound Temperance Lake Ridge Alice Minick Elsie Simon Rhetis Rosenberg Mel Schmidt Pat Koenecke

If you or a loved one, or someone

you know is in the hospital and

would like a visit from Pastor

Wayne, please let him know.

Due to HIPAA laws and privacy,

this prevents the hospital

from giving out this infor-

mation.

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St. Paul’s UCC

214 Dugan St N * PO Box 374

Welcome, MN 56181

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

If you have moved or are moving, please notify the church office so we are not

charged postage expenses for Change of Address. Thank you !

ROADSIDE REMINDERS OF GOD’S WORD

SIGNS OF FAITHSIGNS OF FAITH

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will neve enter it”child will neve enter it” Mark 10:14Mark 10:14--1515

Are you putting “adult barriers” in the way of your relationship with God? Whenever you Are you putting “adult barriers” in the way of your relationship with God? Whenever you

see a CHILDREN AT PLAY sign, reflect on Jesus’ words and how our faith must be like a child; see a CHILDREN AT PLAY sign, reflect on Jesus’ words and how our faith must be like a child;

accepting, energizing, learning, and loving.accepting, energizing, learning, and loving.

Prayer: Jesus, give me faith like a child, eager to listen to our guidance.Prayer: Jesus, give me faith like a child, eager to listen to our guidance.