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TRIVIA NIGHT

Sat, Jan 28

6:30pm ~ Fellowship Hall

Check out our ad on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0k3BS70us&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

January ePonderings
from Pastor Paul

HAPPY OLD YEAR! --  That sounds rather strange…. “Happy OLD Year” !    But when I think about our ministry, our lives, our work we share I can’t be anything but happy and joyful for the year(s) we have celebrated in the past.   Before we move forward and welcome the freshness of the new year, I want to lift up, with GREAT THANKS , the blessings and gifts that have so abundantly been shared to create the ministry – this place called Peace United Church of Christ.  Your generosity of Time-Talent-Treasure has overwhelmed me and inspired me as I’ve watched how you have cared for one another, and reached out beyond the walls of the church to touch lives of so many.   So, Happy OLD Year!!!

One of the key elements of this past “OLD” year is the strength and vitality of this church.  You have shared your lives, your passions, your dreams, your hopes, and most importantly, YOUR FAITH.  Through your giving we have been able to establish an incredibly strong foundation on which to build our ministry for the new year and beyond.  There are several “markers” of the strength and vitality of our congregation…. The number of new members who are welcomed into the life and ministry of Peace UCC, the number of baptisms we preside over, the number of people who engage in worship, small groups, Bible Study, mission and ministry!  It is amazing how God is using each of you in such a vital way to change and transform lives!

One of the most exciting vitality markers stems from our most recent Financial Stewardship Campaign.   The recent “WE GIVE BECAUSE….” elicited an incredible response from so many of you.  First of all, I want to personally thank each of you for your financial support… and because of your love and passion for the future ministry of Peace United Church of Christ, a positive financial footing is in place for 2012!  The number of pledge units has increased from 125 to 155.  Our PLEDGE giving for the General Fund for 2012 is over $264,000 and has INCREASED 17%  (to date) from the 2011 year-end total pledged.    In addition, our 2012 OCWM (Our Churches Wider Mission) pledge has increased by over $5,000 to a total of over $22,000.    All I can say when I see these numbers and the other wonderful ministry taking place is THANK YOU to all of you who support Peace United Church of Christ through your Time-Talent- and Treasure, and THANK YOU to God for the opportunity to minister and be part of the Body of Christ!

This wonderful diversity of giving is a reflection of what has been done, but also the expectation of what is to come… So, we should say “Happy OLD Year” as we celebrate the ministry and gifts of the past, but we should also be saying, “HAPPY NEW YEAR” because God has set before us all of the possibilities of ministry, sharing, caring, loving, and giving that God calls us to be about in our lives and ministry in the future.   Together we will share the vision and dream of what is coming next.   Drawing on the faithful foundation, we are now in a position of taking the next steps to many dreams that have been lifted up.

HAPPY OLD YEAR!   HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Peace,

Pastor Paul