SUPPORT FIRST UNITED?S MINISTRIES THROUGH ITS BUDGET. We are operating on a deficit budget for 2018: the expense budget is $15,000 greater than the projected income. If you haven?t supported First United financially in the past, will you consider doing so this year? If you already give, will you consider increasing your giving, even if it is just adding an extra dollar or two each week? That may not seem like much, but collectively, our giving can enhance the long-term health of our beloved faith community.?
OFFERING ENVELOPES. If you have pledged to support First United, you have a box of offering envelopes with your name on it! Please pick up your box outside the front Sanctuary doors, if you haven?t already, and to start using them when you give. This helps with our record keeping and ensures your gifts are properly credited to you. If you haven?t pledged, you can pick up a box without a name on it ? just write your name on the sheet nearby so we know what number you took. Thank you!?
THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE (NC) is working to fill vacancies on the Boards in preparation for this year?s elections. ? ?The Council has set May 6 as the date the congregation will vote to elect the nominated slate; thus the closing date for nominations from the congregation is April 29th.? According to the?By-laws:? “Members of the congregation may submit nominations for church offices to the Nominating Committee during the period from the announcement of the Nominating Committee until one week prior to the election. Nominations from the congregation must be made in writing. Persons nominated by the congregation must declare their willingness to serve before they can be placed on the ballot.”
We would welcome?your input.? Self-nominations are always appropriate.? You may send your nomination on/before April 29 to any of the NC members:? Pat Martin (Co-Chair), pat0304martin@comcast.net; Sara Ivey Lucas (Co-Chair), sivey@indiana.edu; Laura Kao: laura_b_kao@hotmail.com; Sam Troxal: stroxal@yahoo.com; Hallie Devido: halharmo@indiana.edu; and Hopi Stosberg hopi@stosberg.com.?
INFORMATION FOR YOU. The church council wants you to know:
- Current laws in the State of Indiana prohibit firearms on First United property at
any time because we have a school on site?our Head Start facility.
- The state legislature is currently considering a bill that would allow firearms in
churches that also have schools on site unless the church has a policy
prohibiting them.
- You can follow the status of this bill here:
https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/bills/senate/33 .
The boards and council have begun discussing how to respond if this bill passes, and how to continue the conversations already in process about gun violence in our country.
If you would like to share your thoughts, please reach out ?to Rob Potter (President), Mary Peckham (Vice President), any church board chair : Hopi Stosberg (Christian Ed), Eric Metzler (Christian Worship), Sam Troxal (Outreach), Laura Kao (Building & Grounds), or John Spain (Committee on Community Development).
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CARD WRITERS – Get your pens poised!? Please stop by Room 6 on your way to Fellowship Hall after morning worship on Sunday February 25.? Jean Peters and Laura Kao will be there to show you the supplies and to give a hand-out of how we’re going to do this card-writing ministry.??
MONTHLY POTLUCKS.? Bring yourself and a dish for food and fellowship. Potlucks will be after service on the following dates: March 18, April 15, May 27, June 10, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18, and December 16.
To help ensure a diverse food offering at the potluck, let us know what type of dish you are bringing. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board outside Jack?s office. Questions? Contact Laura Kao laura_b_kao@hotmail.com or Hopi Stosberg hopi@stosberg.com
SPIRITUAL READING AND DISCUSSION GROUP. Beginning on Saturday, March 3, and continuing on the first Saturday of each month thereafter, a new spiritual reading and discussion group will convene at First United. ?Our first book will be Beyond Religion, by the Dalai Lama. We will read and discuss two chapters each month. Subsequent books will be chosen by group members, who will take turns leading the discussion. All are welcome to attend!
Time: 11:00-12:30, first Saturday of the month
Place: Roger Williams room
Facilitator: Youshin Choi For more information, contact Youshin at youschoi@gmail.com.
LENTEN FLOWERS. As many of you are aware, we are doing something very different this Lent for flowers.? We have 15 saplings in the church in pots and 3 in water.? Hopefully, over the course of the next 6 weeks these will begin to leaf out.? At the end of Lent these can be planted.? We invite you to purchase a sapling in honor of someone or in thanksgiving or just as a gift to yourself or a friend.? The potted saplings are $10 each; we also have 9 bare root saplings for $5 each that you can put into your own pot until the weather is appropriate to put them outside (these should be purchased and potted soon).? The saplings are all native plants: redbud, flowering dogwood and re-osier dogwood (a shrub).? Please see after church or contact either Pat Martin (pat0304martin@comcast.net) or Janice Lilly (janicelilly@alumni.iu.edu).
NO STEP COMMUNION SERVICE. If you would like to serve Communion but are not comfortable negotiating the steps up to and down from the altar, be not afraid! ?We welcome anyone who would like to serve but avoid steps.? We will set up Communion so that you may come forward and sit in the first pew.? When it?s time to distribute the elements, we will happily bring them to you and allow you to distribute as usual.? If this service is of interest to you, just sign up and let Florence Shelton know so that we can prepare accordingly. Eric Metzler, Chair, Board of Christian Worship
FRIDAYS AT FIRST UNITED
Just Friday: Just Friday is a monthly discussion group taking place on the last Friday of each month from 7-9 p.m. Each evening there will be a media presentation and we will discuss various issues relating to Justice. There will be light refreshment, no child care provided. From February-May there will be a focus on health and justice. There are many justice issues related to health, including access to quality care, health insurance, and availability of healthy food. We will focus discussion and media in the following areas:
February 23: Access to care-economic conditions
March 23: Equal Treatment-issues of discrimination
April 27: Navigating the System-You need a phd for that!
May 25: Healthy Food-can you buy that near you?
If you have any questions, please contact Hopi Stosberg or Derek Roe.
MINISTER OF CARE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 25, IS NORM OVERLY.? A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their home.
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