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January
2007 Calendar
Click
here for the
Current Smyrna
Calendar.
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Update
Your Newsletter
Smyrna UCC is happy to send newsletters to anyone
interested in receiving them. Through the miracle of technology,
you can have your newsletter delivered electronically to your
e-mail. Or for those who prefer the tactile sensation of paper,
the post office stands ready.
Let us know your preference (or if you wish to be dropped from
the mailing list) by e-mailing smyrnaucc@canby.com or writing to
Smyrna UCC, 31119 South Canby-Marquam Hwy, Canby, OR 97013. |
Thinking About
Membership?
We would like to take in new members on
Palm Sunday, March 16th. Palm Sunday is a great day for a celebration-
both a parade for Jesus and a celebration of new members.
If you are interested in becoming a member of Smyrna please speak with
Pastor Dave. We will have one class at a time convenient for everyone
who would like to join. The class will provide background information on
both Smyrna and the United Church of Christ.
Membership can be through confession of faith if you are not currently a
member of a church or through letter of transfer from your previous
church. If you have never been baptized, we can also arrange for a
Baptism service.
Feel free to talk with Pastor Dave after the service or call him at
(503) 651-2131.
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Christmas Caroling
UCYer's - Andrew Mahar, Kirstan Gano, and Koty Sipes along with
The Rev. Dave Akers, Barbara Daniels, Sandra Mahar, Scott &
Angie Stierle, Christine & Virgil Foster, and Florence Pease all
went Christmas Caroling, on Dec. 16th, at Hope
Village and along Hwy. 170. We caroled some ladies at Hope
Village, Mickey Hester, Ruth Hepler, & Milda Kellands, Ernie &
Ethel Henderson, Bob Kyrk, and Blanche & Ron Lindland. Virgil
played his recorder, while the rest of us all sang some
wonderful Christmas Carols and passed out some Christmas
Ornaments & Candy Canes to everyone. A fun time was enjoyed by
all!
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Smyrna’s Stitch Club Basket Work
The Smyrna Stitch
Club met on Monday, December 17 at the Friendship House with 13
in attendance. We enjoyed some relaxing time together, sharing
some holiday ideas, sampling good food and planning ahead for
next year.
We assembled 15
holiday food baskets for special people in our community and
arranged for their delivery. We also had 12 poinsettias to
distribute.
A big “thank you”
to all our members who baked and brought goodies to include in
the food baskets. And thank you to Don and Murlene Liechty’s
daughter, Barb, and son-in-law for providing us with baskets
throughout the year.
Our next meeting will be on Monday,
February 4 at my house. I would like to invite anyone interested
to join us. By the way, you don’t need to stitch in order to
come to Stitch Club!
—Elaine Daniels— |
The
Annual Reports deadline is upon us!
Reports
from Church Officers, Boards and Committees are due on January 5, 2008
for the 2007 Annual Reports Book. If you are a member of a board or
committee, make sure someone on the board or committee is writing a
report!
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Women’s Fellowship News
The last meeting of Women’s
Fellowship for 2007 was held on Thursday, December 13, after
their Community Dinner. For those of you who enjoyed the dinner
but did not stay for the business meeting, I wanted to share all
the wonderful things the group decided to do this holiday
season.
In the spirit of giving, it was
voted to give $200 to the Heifer Project, $250 to the Clackamas
County Women’s Shelter and $450 to help families in our area.
Mark your calendar for January
10 as this is the next Women’s Fellowship Dinner. It’s a great
way to help support the worthwhile activities of this group.
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 We
would like to thank everyone who helped (some with very little warning!)
with the wedding and reception for Amber and Dylan. Thank you Christine,
Levonne, and Patricia. Thank you Bob for your hours of help during the
rehearsal and wedding set-up and clean-up. Thanks Joel for your
beautiful organ music and assistance in printing up the programs for the
wedding service. There were many more and only space limits the printed
list. The list in our hearts goes on and on.
--Jeannie
and Don Rogers, Amber and Dylan Ferris
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Happy New Year from
Carol and her Cabbage Patch Doll family and her Teddy Bear
Family.
My
doll family is getting bigger. The new doll’s names are Connie
and Andrea.
When I go out I ride the Tri-Met Lift bus and see different
places. I go on weekly visits to Starbucks coffee store and
American Dream Pizza Parlor. I went on outings with the group
from home to the Value Village Store, Gresham History Museum,
and the Alpaca Farm.
In 2007, I went to Canby, Oregon to put flowers on my parents’
graves on Memorial Day weekend. I went to a dinner party at the
Melody Ballroom to honor Father John as he retired. I also went
on a picnic to Laurelhurst Park with others from my church. I
went to the Cruise-in at Eastport Plaza to see all the old cars
on display.
In October I moved to a new foster home. My new address is below.
Again this year I sold a lot of my handcrafts at the All Saints
Bazaar which was held the first weekend in November. Just
recently I went to the Providence Festival of the Trees at the
Convention Center with a group from ElderPlace.
I hope you have a Happy 2008!
Carol Loe
3131 SE 115th Ave
Portland OR 97266 |
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Mickey and
Ron Hester
Jack and
Willa Kieling
Gale
Blatchford
Helen Kappler
Jude Strader
Norton
Nicholson
Blanche
Lindland
Eleanor
Holbrook
Larry Sano
Dick Cheadle
Kent Fisher
Greg Hall
Linda Melcher
Arlene
Peterson
Carl Menkel
Mark Hall
Laurie
Chilcote.
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No matter who you are,
or where you are on life’s journey,
you are welcome here.
Mission Statement
Smyrna United Church of Christ is striving to be:
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A place of peace where we teach the word of God and the story of God’s
love. |
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A spiritual haven where we accept and care for all humanity in an
outreach of grace. |
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A lighthouse of God’s light, where worship, teaching, learning and
spiritual growth take place in community powered by thought and action. |
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A Christian people, working for God’s realm in ecumenical
harmony with other people of faith and conviction. |
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More
Blessings
My mother drilled the need to write Thank
You notes at an early age. One Christmas my present was a typewriter—
perfect for writing Thank You notes on Christmas Day.
My first five months at Smyrna have been a blessing. You have welcomed
me into your homes and into your fellowship, and supported my
ordination. Several of you have taken me up on my offer to have members
go with me on my calls. We have blessed the animals, celebrated
Halloween, and enjoyed watching the talents of our Sunday School
children present an Old Fashioned Christmas. Thanks!
While we are still enjoying the warm feelings of Christmas, Lent is
almost upon us. Ash Wednesday is early this year- February 6th. Just
prior to Lent is the Super Bowl, on February 3rd. No, we are not going
to make a football game into a church holiday. Instead, we are going to
join with young Christians in a celebration called “Souper Bowl”. Since
1990, young people have been collecting money in soup pots on Super Bowl
Sunday to support local hunger related charities. Over 41 million
dollars have been raised so far. We will hold a special collection on
February 3rd to support the Molalla Service Center.
Our Lenten plans include a pancake super on the Tuesday before Ash
Wednesday (February 5th) followed by a service including putting on the
Ash cross on our foreheads.
For the 5 Wednesdays between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday we will meet
on Wednesday evenings at 6PM for a light soup supper and a study of a
book together. (I am still previewing the books- more to come!) On
Maundy Thursday, March 20, we will gather at 7PM for a foot washing
service. Easter Sunday we will have a special breakfast, followed by a
9AM service so everyone can have plenty of time to be with their
families on this special day.
As always, let me know if you would like me to visit, of if there are
ways our church can be supportive.
Peace,
--- Pastor Dave
DavidAkers@smyrna-ucc.org
Pastor
Dave’s Ordination
On December 1, 2007, Pastor Dave Akers was ordained at Smyrna United
Church of Christ. Rev. Allen Holt, a long time member of Smyrna; Rev.
Jim Ruyle, and Rev. John Gantt, Interim Conference Minister of the
Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ, for leading
the service. Rev. Jim Roth, from St. James UCC in Limerick, PA– Dave and
Jean’s home church—was a guest speaker.
Please
click here to see
more photos taken at this event.
Volunteers
Needed
The middle two Sundays in January are waiting for
volunteers to step forward and supply flowers and/or coffee hour. If you
can fill the need, put your name on the Sign-up sheet in the Narthex.
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Christmas for
Our Troops
UCY would like to thank everyone
for giving some much needed items to our Troops overseas, so
they can have a better Christmas. I
took about 10 bags of items to the Molalla collection site, and
the ladies there were overcome with joy. I am sure the Troops
will greatly appreciate everything we all gave them.
----Sandra J. Mahar |
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Annual
Reports deadline coming up
In the midst of the busy Christmas
Season, comes this reminder: Reports from Church Officers,
Boards and Committees are due on January 5, 2008 for the 2007
Annual Reports Book. If you are a member of a board or
committee, make sure someone on the board or committee is
writing a report! |
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January
Lectionary Readings
The following
readings will be the basis for January’s sermons:
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January 6 (Epiphany)
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12 |
January 20
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42 |
January 13
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17 |
January 27
Isaiah 9:1-4
Psalm 27:1-9
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 4:12-23 |
Construction Begins Spring 2008
The Building Committee held a
kickoff of the fundraising for the new project on December 2
during which time the congregation was introduced to our
contractor, Tommy Riedman of Mt. angel. Everyone was asked to
visualize how the new addition would fit onto the existing
structure and given an opportunity to ask questions of the
committee and the contractor.
The committee also introduced a
plan for raising the money needed for this project. They are
asking members and friends
to make
direct donations and/or pledges for a period extending to March
31, 2008. After that time the response will be assessed. We will
pay off the remaining outstanding notes from the Edmunds
property purchase, $46,000, and reissue notes to our members for
fixed periods of time in various denominations. If we need more
money than that, we will be able to borrow from the Cornerstone
Fund of the UCC.
The committee announces that we have received an anonymous
pledge of $20,000 for the Pastor’s Study and a pledge of $100
per month for 60 months and another of $30 per month. It is our
tradition to step up and respond when we decide to do something.
No one will be calling on you. Please look over the
pledge/donation sheet that accompanies this report and return it
to Irene Schriever, treasurer.
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Smyrna Building
Project
In order to help raise the money for this project I will:
Donate a lump sum $____________
Make monthly contributions of $_________ for ____ months/years
I would like to buy:___
window(s) at $250
___ door (s) at 200
___ outside door set $1,500
___ Classroom at $15,000
___ Pastor’s Study $20,000
___ Church Office $20,000
Name ____________________________
Please return to Irene Schriever
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It was an
Old-fashioned Christmas
The Children's Old Fashioned Christmas
Program was a success. With around 50 guests, the church choir and about
a dozen children, we all had fun participating in the singing part of
the play. The children that participated were Andrew Mahar, Kirstan Gano,
Tonnee Parish, Jordan Wolf, Paul and Emily Yoder, Lincoln and Lucia
Bangs, Danielle and Caitlynn Schuebel, and Tessa Frost. Grandma and
Grandpa were performed by Chuck and Helen Odell.
There was a soup supper following the play with homemade clam chowder
and potato soup from Barbara Daniels and Linda Dunn. We would like to
thank everyone for all their help in the play and the supper before and
during the program. A special thanks to Audrey Yoder, who helped me
write the script for the play, make the set, and help with the
children's practices. Kudos for a job well done.
Angela Stierle, Christian Ed Chair
Sandra
Mahar took pictures of the Christmas program.
Click here
to see them. |
Treasurer’s Report
Beginning Bal 9/30/07 $15,613.76
Receipts
6,083.35
Expenditures
(11,508.09)
Ending Bal 10/31/07 10,189.02
— Irene Schriever
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You may also choose to view a very
colorful version at our church website,
www.smyrna-ucc.org . If you would prefer it to
the printed edition, we can arrange that too. You will be
reminded each month when a new Behold!! is available.
Contact
smyrnaucc@canby.com
or
behold-email@smyrna-ucc.org
Announcements are available on our
website each week as well.
In order to avoid an interruption,
let us know if you have a change of address. |
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