St. Paul’s
United Church of Christ German Township
8701 Big Cynthiana Rd
Evansville, IN 47720
2023

Non-Profit
Organization
U. S. Postage
Evansville, IN
Permit No. 1564

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, German Township
Church: 812-963-3394 Fax: 812-963-3447
Office Hours 9:00am-2:00pm Monday-Thursday
Church Staff
Pastor Reverend Terry Farmer 812-602-3571
Pastoral Assistant Jessica Minor 812-430-6326
Accompanist Rayna Brown 812-449-7952
Choir Director Noah Farmer 812-963-3394
Nursery Attendant Kinsey Peralta 812-963-3394
Office Administrator & Bookkeeper Norma Helm 812-963-3394
Custodian Vickie White 812-963-3394
Church Council
President Donna Schmidt Sheila Bender David Wires
Vice President Myron Razor Steve Sampson Ruby Deutsch
Secretary Beth Gilles Bonnie Garwood
Treasurer Susan Henze Jeffrey Tillman
Trustees
Steve Sampson Tony Steurer
Gary Johnson Randy Ricketts
Ron Tillman Keith Ahrens
Sound System, Bonnie Garwood

Individuals At Home
Bettye Conley-10445 St. Wendel Road-Evansville, IN 47720
Bill Moad-5538 #6 School Road-Evansville, IN 47720
Marian Coghill-9701 Big Cynthiana Road-Evansville, IN 47720
Emaline Alexander-10490 Wilsey Road-New Harmony, IN 47631
Helen Johnson-8900 #6 School Road– Evansville, IN 47720
Geneva Johnson-5106 Orchard Road– Evansville, IN 47720
Mark and Sun Wortman-1917 Jeanette Avenue– Evansville, IN 47714
Joyce Herron-5705 N Happe Road-Evansville, IN 47720
Glenna Hale-5718 Plainview Dr.– Evansville, IN 47720
Marilyn Schneider-6416Big Cynthiana Road-Evansville, IN 47720
Please remember our members and friends of
St. Paul’s with a card, phone call, or visit.

NURSING/REHAB/RETIREMENT HOME
Holiday Retirement Village-812-429-0701
1200 W. Buena Vista-47710
Peggy Pingel-Apartment 113
Heritage Nursing Home-812-429-0700
1201 W. Buena Vista –47710
Dorothy Hopple-Room 106
North River Health Campus-812-876-7256
811 E. Baseline Road-Evansville, IN 47725
Don & Eva Lasher-Room 516

9/2	Kaylynn Jones	9/21	Whitney Stinnett
9/4	Helen Johnson	9/21	Geneva Johnson
9/5	Jason Nix	9/23	Elaine Goebel
9/6	Jeff Garrison	9/23	Pat McDonald
9/6	Linda Messel	9/24	Morgan Bobbitt
9/6	Shirley Tillman	9/25	Daniel Weyer
9/7	Carla Lovell	9/25	Carla Carter Wolfe
9/10	Emma Paul	9/26	Lucas Bobbitt
9/10	Janet Johnson	9/27	Becky Brammer
9/15	Scott Yestingsmeier	9/28	Jay Buente
9/16	LaVern Jones	9/30	Becky Deutsch
9/17	Megan Huck	9/30	Krista Nix
9/18	Shirley Besing

The men and women serving our country
Jonathon and Joshua Kelly -grandsons of Jim & Joan Baughn & nephews of Leonard & Roberta Lenfers
August Clarry - great– grandson of
Roland & Alice Garland
Jacob Toelle-great nephew of Deborah Schneider
Joseph Hale-grandson of Glenna Hale Ryan Skeels-son of Charlie and Beth Skeels
Keelan Calvert and Gary Huggins– nephews of Arthur & Ellie Lukenheimer
Ryan Grover, US Marine– grandson
of Gene and Elaine Goebel

Our own Ryan Bender will be “shipping out” with Evansville’s LST 325 as it makes a month long journey and visits various ports to help others learn about this part of our city’s story and the important role this type of vessel played in WW II. They leave August 23 and return September 22. We send our best wishes to Ryan and the crew as they make this trip in their historic vessel.

St Paul’s United Church of Christ
FINANCIAL REPORT
June, 2023
2021

	Income
		Contributions		13,594.16
		Other Income		205.00
	Total Income			13,389.16
	Expenses
		Payroll & Benefits		15,525.45
		Administrative Expenses		1,242.80
		Church Property Maintenance		4,492.47
		Outreach & Missions		2,088.06
		Nurture & Discipleship		0.00
		Worship & Church Renewal		100.00
		Congregational Life		757.33
		New Playground		513.01
	Total Expenses			24,719.12

Welcome to new members Susan and Daryl Hoppel! Daryl grew up at St. Paul’s and the couple was married in our church just over 40 years ago. They have recently relocated to our area from Tennessee and have moved their membership by letter of transfer from their United Methodist church in Manchester. We are delighted to have them reunite with us and look forward to establishing relationships with them. And as an extra benefit, Daryl has joined our choir!

Our MOC is sponsoring a mission event before worship on Sunday, September 10. We will meet for a light breakfast and join together and fill 200 school kits to be distributed by Church World Service here and overseas. Come grab a donut and pitch in to fill some bags. All needed supplies will be on hand. We just need your help and prayers for those who will benefit from our work. It will be a great time of fellowship sweetened by the joy of helping others.

Operation Clean Sweep continues apace. There are new items appearing weekly in the social hall for your consideration. Please feel free to take items for which you have a use. Items in the social hall are being donated/disposed of that have been there more than 3 weeks. So do not delay if there is a treasure that you have your eye on.

Harrison Stuart Field
August 9, 2023
Weighed 8 lbs. 5.7ozs
Length 21 inches
Parents: Benjamin & Victoria Field
Grandparents: Kathy & Richard Moseley
Great-Grandparents: Emaline & Jerry (deceased) Alexander

Head Trustee, Steve Sampson:
Gazebo staining finished, treated for insects and ants.
New flowers planted.
Sprayed gravel, cracks and sand filter for weeds
Lynn Johnson removed excess dirt from the playground area. He used some to fill in low places in cemetery. Also moved weeds away from area. Poison ivy still problem
Weeded around shelter house and scout building. Steve and Dave Henze worked in nature preserve, removing fallen trees and making new paths.
Stimmed low limbs hindering mowing and hanging over shelter
Stencils for handicapped parking arrived. 2 new spaces marked as handicapped
Morrow HVAC repaired air conditioner coil
Spray painted sidewalk to highlight uneven places
Discussed getting rid of obsolete/non-working outside freezer. Jeff made a motion. Sheila seconded. Motion carried
VP’s report: Myron Razor (in his absence, we discussed
Use of large print Bible passages
Find out which members serve for 2- or 4-year terms
President’s report: Donna Schmidt
Discuss date for nursery dedication
Members of the building committee are Lynn Johnson-chair, David Henze, Ron Tillman, Donna Schmitt, Gary Johnson, Mary Ellen Damm, Natalie Skeels, Janice Rickets and Terry Farmer-Ex-officio. Sheila made a motion to accept. David seconded. Motion carried.
Discussed Belize fundraiser-declined
Bonnie:
Ushers
Sound system – see pastor’s notes
The Ministry of Opportunities Committee: Sheila Bender
Has blueprints for sound system – see info in pastor’s report
The church picnic will be on 7/8/23. Side dishes and desserts will be potluck
Make school kits to be distributed in September
Ruby Deutsch
Serve lunch at St. Paul’s Episcopal every other month
Get info on building beds for those in need
Jeff Tillman: operation clean sweep
Went through church recommending who should decide what/where to keep items
Confirmation items-maybe move to an archive room or library
How to dispose of obsolete/no-longer-useful items
Tentative date to claim not needed items is 9/1/23
David Wires
7:22 – meeting adjourned. Next meeting in July or August

Church Council Meeting
June 22, 2023
Members present: Sheila Bender, Ruby Deutsch, Terry Farmer, Bonnie Garwood, Beth Gilles, Susan Henze, Steve Sampson, Donna Schmidt, Jeff Tillman & David Wires.
Absent: Myron Razor
6:00 Donna called meeting to order
Pastor Terry Farmer opened in prayer.
Secretary’s Report: Beth Gilles
Sheila Bender made a motion to accept last month’s minutes
David Wires seconded
Motion carried
Treasurer’s Report: Susan Henze
Income $15,972.46 General Fund $140,824.88
Expenses $20,450.94 Capital Fund $1,013,895.87
Pastor’s Report for June 2023
Since the date of my last report, May 22, 2023, I have spent significant time on the following:
Worship planning, choir, the 3M, and the Study Window
ETSA clergy circle
ETSA Association Cabinet
Good Sam Membership meeting
Chautauqua planning and presentation
ETSA mission planning meeting
Hospital visits, member calls
Nursery relocation
VBS preparation
Sound system issues
Meeting with FFF and Beyond for planning
Emergency Coverage for vacationing pastors
Construction drawing review
I would like to discuss authorization for moving ahead with the sound system improvement.
I have been asked about offering an estate planning Chautauqua and I would like to receive feedback on this.
Lindsey Schmitt is coming to speak about estate planning
Quotes from Concept Sound funding from Memorial Fund, $10.000.00 – Sheila Bender made a motion to accept. Susan Henze seconded. Motion carried.
(continue)

September 3	14th Sunday after Pentecost and Communion Sunday
Message	The Turn
Scripture	Matthew 16:21-28
September 10	15th Sunday after Pentecost
Message	Asking A Lot
Scripture	Matthew 18:15-35
September 17	16th Sunday after Pentecost
Message	A Deal is a Deal, But I’d Like a Better One
Scripture	Matthew 20:1-16
September 24	17th Sunday after Pentecost
Message	Can We Take Him Back to the Baby Shop?
Scripture	Jonah 3:10:-4:11

Sunday Service is now livestreamed at 10am. We will still send out the email link post to Facebook and on the website later in the day on Sunday. But you can subscribe to our YouTube channel or just find us on YouTube if you do not wish to wait for the link to be made available in one of these other ways. If you have any questions please feel free to call the office.

Our next Chautauqua is Tuesday, September 19 at 6:00 pm. By request, it is on the topic of estate planning. Our speakers will be attorney Lindsay Schmitt and our own David Henze. Invite your friends and neighbors out to hear what is possible in making arrangements for the disposition of our property and the care of our loved ones during our lifetimes and upon our death. You may be surprised to learn of the variety of tools that are available today, many of which were not years ago. And as life has become more complicated, we may be surprised by the issues we may not have thought about that need our careful attention. Come, learn, and enjoy the fellowship of the evening.

Next Meeting
September 26, 2023
5:30pm

St. Paul’s News
NN

stpaulgtchurch@gmail.com / www.stpaulsgermantownhip.org / Find us on Facebook St. Paul’s UCC German Township

Study Window for September 2023
Looking out my Study Window, I am worried about Matt. 12: 36.
Oh, I agree with those of you who immediately thought, there are a lot of passages he should be thinking about. But this one caught my eye when I saw it used for a daily reflection written by Quinn Caldwell who is the Chaplain of the Protestant Cooperative Ministry at Cornell University. Here is how one translation reports the words of Jesus in this passage: “I tell you, on the day of judgement you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter.”
Yikes! I am sure I utter many, many careless words. And those words can rack up a lot of harm. I may be in trouble. (Thank God for forgiveness!) But I am certain that Jesus is not happy with this use of the gift of speech. Jesus loves me, all of us for that matter, but he wants me to do better.
I have been around churches long enough to compile some pretty eyewatering examples of thoughtless words doing significant damage to the faith of an individual or even to the ministry of an entire church. A few times, the unfortunate use of language was due to a deliberate, if intemperate, choice. The blow may have landed, but everyone lost. More frequently it is due to a lack of thought, an appreciation for context, a lack of understanding, or something less than complete knowledge. We are all prone to think we know more than we do, to know better than others, to speak before we think, or to speak about matters that should be confidential in places where there is no privacy. We are also more prone to complain than to appreciate.
The Greeks developed the idea of logos. The idea that words have a real and tangible ability to create reality. We see this when God speaks the world into being. But we miss that our own less-than-divine use of words may have the same power. A person fed a steady diet of demeaning words will form a view of themselves that is consistent with the image of them that the words form. Words that are necessary to form lasting relationships can also be used to destroy them in the blink of an eye. The failure to speak at the right moment can allow undesirable consequences to follow where they could have been avoided. A less than appreciative word in response to someone’s hard work and good intentions can be the final straw of discouragement. Being told that a truth is a lie and a lie is the truth has always been the stock-in-trade of tyrants throughout history. Words are powerful.
Fortunately, the reference that Jesus makes to an accounting is not just talking about one side of the ledger. To give an “accounting” means to take into account the “credits” along with the “debits.” Here is where Jesus gives us the chance to improve our account for that day. We are going to have careless words to answer for. We are human. I expect it may be a pretty long list. But happily, we have the opportunity to add entries on the positive side.
Rev. Caldwell suggest some ways this might be done. He writes “…even if I can’t take away all the damage my careless words have wrought, it will still matter when I say things like:
“I’m sorry.”
“What can I do?”
“I owe you repair. I’d like to do _________.”
“I didn’t know then. I know better now.”
“I really regret saying that. I wasn’t thinking. You deserve better.”
Note that all of these suggestions require direct communication with the one we have hurt. Not just some private regret or a private resolution to do better in the future. All churches work hard to minister to members and to be attractive and inviting to new ones. But all churches also lose members due to things that are badly said or badly handled. To be sure, we are called to offer grace when we are offended. But we are also called to carefulness and thoughtfulness. Guarding our tongues may result in protecting the heart of another beloved child of God. A well-spoken word may uplift that same heart in a dark moment.
Speak peace. Encourage one another. Talk about what God has done for you.
Blessings.
Pastor Terry

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