Summer Worship Time Continues through August

Worship begins at 9:30am, and there will be no Sunday School classes until September 7^th. Come and enjoy the fellowship of your church family.

Church Office Summer Hours

The office is open Tuesday through Friday from 8am to 1pm. Michael will usually be in the office from 9:30am. till noon, and some afternoons. If there is no answer at the church office, you may leave a message, or call him on his cell phone at 521-7436.

Food Pantry Sundays

We will receive donations for the Food Pantry on August 3^rd and 10^th. In August the Salvation Army would like us to donate detergent and dish soap. A cart will be in the west entrance to receive the gifts.

Church Council and Committee Meetings

Most Committees will meet on Wednesday, August 20^th at the time indicated on the calendar. All committee members are urged to gather on the 20^th at 7:00 p.m. in the church dining room to share their committee reports.

The Church Council will meet on Wednesday, August 20^th following the committee reports

Winds of Change This Fall

The Worship Committee has been busy planning some new and exciting activities for this fall – and actually some of them are starting even sooner. So, what’s up?

• Video Projection in Worship – starting now
• Nooma – A spiritual growth resource / a series of short videos with titles like Rain, Trees, Noise, Kickball, Dust, etc.
  • The first video – Rain – will be shown during worship on August 24
  • The video and discussion series will begin on September 7
• Sunday Morning Schedule –

            beginning September 7

•   9:15 – Choir Rehearsal
• 10:00 – Worship
• 11:00 – Refreshments
• 11:15 – Sunday School and Nooma

School Supply Drive 

The Salvation Army Back to School Program provides much needed school supplies for children whose families can’t afford them. Last year the Salvation Army provided 220 backpacks full of supplies – and the need continues to grow.

Supplies needed are pencils, pens, notebook paper, folders, erasers, crayons, rulers, back packs, etc. Please bring school supplies to church on Sunday, August 3rd. The Salvation Army will distribute backpacks with supplies in them the week before school starts which is sooner than you may think. Newton school begins on August 18! There will be a big box disguised as a back pack to put your supplies in on Sunday, August 3^rd.

Come Celebrate with the Reynolds Children

The Reynolds Children will be appearing at our church on Sunday evening, August 24 at 6:30 p.m. for a special evening of music, poetry, scripture recitation and testimony. The family is made up of ten children, all under the age of fourteen, playing a variety of instruments, accompanied by their mother on piano and father on guitar. They’ve put together something special, “Just for You.”

A free will offering will be taken for them. For more information contact Carolyn Hobbs at 641-792-2687.

Following the program a reception will be held so that you may meet the family. We are inviting the community to this special program so please invite your friends and neighbors.

Volunteers Needed To Deliver Meals

Our Congregation is responsible for the delivery of week-end Meals on Wheels, usually no more than to 15 to 20 individuals, during the month of August. Please contact Duane Hobbs (792-2687) if you are willing to help one week-end as part of a delivery team.

Meals are prepared by Skiff Medical Center and are ready by 11 a.m. This project is part of our ecumenical outreach through Mission Coalition.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Morning Circle

            Morning Circle’s next meeting will be in September. Elizabeth Pierschbacher and Lucile Powers will be the co-chairs for the 2008-2009 season.

Our Church’s Wider Mission Offering

Please see the enclosed brochure for a description of how OCWM contributions support the mission and ministry of the United Church of Christ. In 2007 Congregational United Church of Christ reduced our budgeted contribution to OCWM from $13,400 to $10,000. The ministry of the wider church is still important, and we want to give each member of the church an opportunity to provide additional support for OCWM beyond what we are currently able to budget. If you would like to make a contribution, please use the enclosed envelope and return it to the church at your convenience.

Fall 2008 Women’s Gathering

of the Central Association

This Fall’s Gathering will be held Saturday September 27^th at Plymouth United Church of Christ

in Des Moines.

We’ll be Celebrating Creation, enjoying old friends and making new ones. Our guest minister/artist is Jackie Perry, Associate Pastor of First Congregational Church (UCC) in Moline, IL.

All women are invited for a day of fun and inspiration, beginning with coffee and registration at 9 am and closing at 3 pm. (You don’t need to be part of an organized women’s group.) More information will come later. Mark the date on your calendar, and do plan to be with us!

Jean Nelson

Plymouth Women’s Fellowship

Women’s Gathering Chair

(jnelson@ecity.net)

Friends of the Newton Public Library

The church received a letter asking people to consider joining. Friends of the Library help to provide educational programs for children and adults through volunteer service at various times throughout the year. Please see the brochure and list of volunteer opportunities posted on the bulletin board or call 792-4108 for more information.

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Cookies and Bars are needed for the reception following the Reynolds Family program. Talk to Marilyn Deppe (792-3234) if you can provide some.

Congratulations Fuller Scholarship Recipients!

The Fuller Scholarship and Memorial Committee have awarded Fuller Scholarships for the 2008-2009 school year. Seven students are receiving scholarships this year, totaling $9,000.00. Students receiving scholarships are:

Ashley Christenson will attend her first year at the University of Northern Iowa with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish.  Her parents are Jim and Linda Christenson.

Kendra Haack will attend her first year at CentralCollege with a major in Spanish and Pre Med. Her parents are Tammy Vasseau and Troy Haack and her grandparents are Mark and Diane Babcock.

Craynes  McGinley  will attend his first year at DMACC in Newton and major in Business.  His parents are Steve and Bonnie McGinley.

Katie Schober will attend her second year at SimpsonCollege and participate in their English program along with the study of Chinese cultures and the Mandarin language.  Her parents are Steve and Sara Schober.

Jon Dack will be a senior at CaliforniaStateUniversity, MontereyBayCollege and is majoring in Business Management. His parents are Michael and Frances Dack.

Jill Sawin.  Jill will be a senior at the University of Iowa and is majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Human Relations and Business. Her parents are Jerry and Jamie Sawin.

Brad Thomas.  Brad will be a senior at IowaStateUniversity and is majoring in mechanical engineering along with an interest in music acoustics. His parents are Bruce and Bev Thomas.

Eve Fuller fulfilled the wishes of her husband, Max, and her own by leaving the bulk of their estate to our church to establish scholarships for the “youth” of our members.  As stipulated in the will, to be eligible for these scholarships, the student’s parents must be a member of this church and the student’s intention must be to complete a four year program at an accredited college or university.

Since the inception of awarding these scholarships in 1996, a total of $102,250.00 has been awarded.

Health Ministry

It seems like summer just began and

here we are in the month that school starts! In between floods, winds and other storms, I hope you have found time to be refreshed. Somewhere in the Open Door you will find an announcement about a collection of school supplies in which we will be participating.

Another way to help your family help your children get ready to go back-to-school is by making sure they have healthcare coverage. If you or someone you know has children with no health insurance coverage you may want to consider enrolling in the” hawk-I” program offered by the State of Iowa. There are many families who are eligible, but they are either unaware or assume they earn too much money to qualify. A family of four with an income of $41,000 or more may qualify. In these days of rising costs for gasoline, food and other household expenses, don’t overlook the importance of having health care coverage for your kids.

I have complete packets of information and application, and they are also in the pamphlet rack near the West entrance of the church.

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Hospice of JasperCounty is sponsoring a program called “Growing Through Grief”. The sessions will be held August 5, 7, 12 and 14^th, and are for any child (grades 1-6) who has experienced the death of a loved one. The group will meet at the TributeCenter,

Pre-registration is required with Jennifer Barnett at 787-3074.

This program is designed to help children express their feelings and develop skills for coping with loss.

Shalom.

Carolyn Hobbs, Parish Nurse

Choir Members Kick-Off Season

(Early announcement so you may save the date)

A Kick-Off for this season’s choir will be held at 6:30pm Thursday, September 4^th at Larry & Judy Brody’s home. All current choir members, spouses & significant others, and anyone else who would like to sing in the choir this season are invited to come for a time of fellowship and dessert.

Reflections on Immigration

Written by Bruce and Linda Hanson - June 24

We are currently on home assignment, living in Iowa, and visiting churches in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois after completing our first term as missionaries in Honduras.

On May 12 the largest immigration raid in US history took place at Agriprocessor, Inc. in the community of Postville, Iowa. Almost 400 people were detained and charged with both criminal and civil crimes.

As a missionary I have seen the poverty that drives people in Latin America to seek to work in the United States, and I know that legal options for entry into the United States are not available for these individuals. As a person of faith, I am called to speak out in concern for the people affected by this raid.

Our scriptures are clear. We are called to welcome the stranger among us (Matthew 25:38). We are reminded that we must not forget to keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters or to forget to entertain strangers, "for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."(Hebrews 13:2) We are to remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering (Hebrews 13:3). Deuteronomy 10:17-18 tells us that God defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are not to oppress those who are aliens, "for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt" (Exodus 23:9). We remember that Jesus was also a refugee, an immigrant and an asylum seeker in the beginnings of his life as he fled prosecution from Herod (Matthew 2:13-15)

I visited Postville and spoke with the members of the community who have sought sanctuary at St. Bridget's Catholic Church. From Fatima I heard: No soy criminal. I am not a criminal. She explained that she only wanted a better life for her children, and told of losing a child to a treatable illness because they didn't have enough money to feed her adequately or attend to her medical needs in the rural Guatemalan community where they came from. She said they had worked hard to be good citizens, had paid their taxes, and participated in their community. Estoy triste, she said. Estoy muy triste. I am sad. I am very sad. She has lived in Postville for four years.

I ask your prayers for the people whose lives have been torn apart by this raid, by the hundreds who will be deported back to a life of miserable poverty where basics human needs are not available, to those left behind here in the United States without a means of support, for children separated from their parents and uprooted from their community, and for the schools and businesses and churches in Postville who mourn the loss of their Latino neighbors and friends.

I urge members of the Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ to call for an end to the ICE raids. I urge members to speak with our government officials and demand that fair immigration policies be implemented that allow us to legally incorporate immigrants seeking relief from unbearable poverty into our communities and workplaces, and assure their dignified and respectful treatment.

Linda Hanson

Missionary with Common Global Ministries, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Currently in Coralville, Iowa

Bruce and Linda Hanson are assigned to the Christian Commission on Development (CCD) to serve the Honduran Theological Community (CTH).  Bruce is teaching HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care, while Linda is teaching theological courses.

Jasper County Concert Association

For the past two years Frances and I have enjoyed attending a wide variety of concerts here in Newton, and also in Indianola and Marshalltown. This is one of the most amazing bargains that I can remember seeing. For $30 for an adult, $10 for a student, or $70 for a whole family, you can purchase tickets to four concerts in Newton, four concerts in Indianola, and five concerts in Marshalltown. The programs this coming year will vary from Russian singers and dancers; to trumpet, piano, and violin; to blue grass; to handbells; to Chinese dancers. See the enclosed insert for more information.

- Michael Dack

Pastor’s Pick

(Stories from the Internet)

Here’s the beginning of another story I’ve picked off the internet. You’ll find the rest of the story on our church website at  www.uccnewton.org. (We also have printed copies available for those who don’t have access to the internet.)

A Bedside Visit

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing beside his bed. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The old man smiled and seemed to breathe a bit easier.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night, the young Marine sat there in the dimly lighted room, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused.

(To read the rest of the story visit our website at  www.uccnewton.org and click on the Pastor’s Message link. If you lack internet access, you can get a copy in the church office.)

Congratulations

Drew & Melinda Shipley are the parents of a baby boy, Donovan Wayne Shipley,born May 30^th in Davenport.He weighed 9 lbs, and was 21 inches long. Drew is Brenda Wilson’s nephew, and Bailee Shipley’s brother. Drew was home for the birth. Drew’s address is:

Sgt Andrew Shipley

345th CSB 186th MPCO

Unit 42199

APO AE 09342

Hats Off to …

Cheryl Hybl on being named the 2008 Science Teacher of the Year by the NortheastGeorgiaYouthScience & TechnologyCenter. She has been teaching two years at RabunCountyMiddle School and 16 years overall. She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, the national teaching sorority, and was a presenter at the 2007 National Lighthouse Conference held in Washington, D.C.

Cheryl Hybl, daughter of Pearl Perryman and the late Jack Perryman, grew up in this church and is married to Pat Hybl’s son, Tom. Cheryl & Tom are both 1969 graduates of NewtonHigh School. They live in Clayton, Georgia.

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Each month, we would like to celebrate the accomplishments of our folks and their families. If you or a member of your family, or another family in the church, has something to celebrate, please call, e-mail, or write the church office and let us know. Addresses and phone numbers are on the outside of the newsletter.