x21 1 Linen Moder, 1859 Fn 712488209 Paonane 712407 270, eee) Canuary 2007 ee 1 2 3 4 . 6 ta ates are Now Yo? Day serotom || ae | se] ee soning atte | (EEE]] bate | 8 [Waters Bonne & Gane Daten) as ¢ 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ee wos | TST sass (eres eae aa 23 24 25 semis | \ 29 aoe iad ree enierae a tenes ten cm, | on woth | eget | ny stont ee cat, | wy ton Fellowsip- 1100"I never make New Year's Resolutions, anymore," the man told me, “I never keep them, anyway." Ican remember all too many resolutions I've made and let slip away, too. But I believe New Year's resolutions are worth making. Let me tell you why. First, we all need changes. Some we find very hard to admit to ourselves. I've heard people who say, "have no regrets about my life. IFT had It to do over, I'd do it the same way again.” But that attitude is way too blind and self-serving so far as I'm concerned. There is great power in confession--to ourselves, to God, to athers. Owning up to our fallures is the first, painful step on the road to something better. ‘ Second, when we change calendars Is a good time for reassessment. How did last year go? What do I want to do differently this year? This time of year always reminds me of a passage of Scripture, better understood by farniers Uiant suburbanites: "Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among thorns” (Jer 4:3). Tt makes sense. The more land you put into production, the more prosperous you'll be. But some of us are stupid enough to try to sow seeds in land overrun by star thistle without breaking up the soll and taking care to root out the thors as they come up. Call it laziness. Call it stupidity. Let me ask you a serious question. What percentage of your life Is producing something of value to God? How much "unplowed ground" do you have that ought to be broken up in this coming year and made useful? Reassessment. The brink of a new year Is a good time for reassessment. ‘Third, New Year's is an excellent time far mid-course corrections. Sure, we might fail in what we set out to do, but if we fal to plan, the old saw goes, then we plan to fall. If you're so fearful of failure that you never set up your row of tin cans to shoot at, you're not very likely to hit any at all, Failure is not the end. For the person who determines to learn from it, fallure is a friend. (One of my heroes in the Bible Is the Apostle Paul. Talk about fallure! Throughout his life he was opposed, persecuted, shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, deserted by trusted co-workers, slandered, and scorned. Sometimes it seemed that projects to which he had devoted years were turning to dust before his eyes. But during from one of his stints in prison, we can see from one of his letters an unwillingness to quit. "Forgetting what is behind," he wrote, "and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14, NIV) No wonder he made @ mark on his world. He stopped looking back, and loaked forward instead. He didn't let the fear of failure keep him from trying again. Fourth, New Year's is a time to learn to rely more heavily on the grace of God. Now I've met a few self-made men and women and so have you, but so often these people seem proud and driven, There is another way: beginning to trust In God's help. One more secret from the Apostle Paul: "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength," he said (Phil 4:13, NIV). And ‘God's strength saw him through a lot~through pain, through joy, and through accomplishment. If this last year, you didn't practice relying on the Lord 2s much as you should have, there is no ‘time like the present to make a New Year's resolution. In fact, why don't you say a short prayer right now--use these words f you like: "Dear God, I want the new year to be different for me.” [Now spell out in prayer some of the changes you'd like to see. And close this way: "Lord Jesus, I know that I'm going to needa lot of help for this. So right now I place myself in your hands. Help me to recelve Your strength, Amen." Good. Now you've got a much better chance of a Happy New Year. Dr, Ralph F, Wilson¢vents in our Church Life January 4 ~ Group 3:16, Minden, 6-7:30 January 8 - Annual Meeting January 10 - MOPS, 6-7:30 January 1. — Good News Club, 4—5:00 January 18 — Group 3:16, Neola, 6-7:30 January Usher List February Usher List Kyle Sas Amal, Febmuy 5.2017 Jeff & Sherri Guerero, Elie Brazeal, Syiney Murley Art & Kris Brockhot? cu ote Ge Dlen eu 12.2017 Keiser Trey Rone January 15.2017 ‘resist & Suplie Diver Echmary 19.2017 David & Cindy Manhart January 22,2016 Dan & Peggy Manhart 2i6o, Richard & Allison Maassen January 29.2016 Gary & Karl WedelA Minden United Church of Christ Monthly Mission Fund Report Savings Account # “SO3¢4s—~ Balance On Hand Date: Z-l\e|>_ s\as.4o Receipts: FL 2 9-7 sve BG -rsssed 536 oo M17. s_ 72.00 _ ‘Interest From Savings Account | Sa ot ie Otte Deas ee Borowed Money Reuned fom Genel Chath Checking 3-2) ‘Total Receipts 3373.00 Withdrawals: B90 TC Tater Gils (ads SO ___ Mol Warne Wendy $909 “ID Nevaeh lessen § 200 Amount Tented te Estate Fund Checking Account $C) ‘Amount Transied to General Church Checking Acct, $_O. Toul Withdrawals: “s_ U4 D. Balance On Hand Date:_[}-]2-1b s.LF4D Submitted by und Treasurer UCC Mission Fund SavingsA Look BuUDe1 << 1 2016 Sale Total Income-$28, 500 (approx.)-best sale we've ever had! 2016 Giving is up 4.5% ‘We will start the year 2016 with about $5,000 in the bank. Twice as much as last year! [As Pastor Brian sald at the budget meeting it is hard to decide how to inform people of where ‘our budget stands. How co you let people know when things aren't looking so good and not have everything sound deom and gloom? Of course telling people is easy when the budget looks good, as it does now, because you want to shout t from the mountain tops. What the ‘church board and Pastor Brian decided is that it's best to get the numbers out there so people an be informed of how the church is doing.good or nat s0 good. All that isto say thatthe church board will continue to put in the Cornerstone where our budget stands compared ta years past and inform the church family of items to come. Be on the lookout for fundraisers forthe parking lot, and also for some exciting ways you can possibly start ving to the church electronically. All oaks good now, as far as budget i concerned, and it will stay that way ifthe church family continues to prayerfully and consciously consider their siving to God. In Christ's Service, Minden UCC Board ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING 12/11/16 Pastor Brian reviewed all that had happened in the past year and that the giving was up 4 % 9, Richard Dau brought the meeting to order. The budget was reviewed. Crystal Rodenburg made the motion to approve the budget and Charlie Leaders seconded it. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned. Joyce Olson, ClerkMINDEN UCC BOARD MEETING 12/14/36 Membersin ttendsnee: Richard Dau, Pam Danker, Joyce Olson, Pastor Bian Bran *The Sunday Schools ready forthe Christmas Program on December 18° “No church on Sunday, December 256 * We are lokng fora new Sunday School Superintendent * The chureh auction and daner was very good. The best total deposit we have ever had * Elise Haightis moving to Avoca Asst Ung, ‘Maureen Olsen has gone to Midlands in Coun Buts for rab, ‘The 3:16 kids willbe goingto the Avoca Care Center to Christmas Caro fr thelr next meeting. * The fod pantry isin needof flour and sugar Upcoming event will be Stley’s in March, ‘Adjourned. Cornerstone: 12/27/36 Newt Meeting: anuary 2, 2017 Joyee Olson, Clerk January Scripture Readings January 1 —Bocesases 31-13, Psalm 8, Revelations 21:1-6a, Matthew 2531-46 January 8 Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 29, Aets 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17, January 15 ~ Istah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-1, 1 Corinthians 1:19, John 1:29-42 January 22 — Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1, 4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 412-23 January 29 Micah 6:1-8, Psalm 15, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew $:1-12 af Annual Meeting January 8, 2017Indice 329 was Jens ong ly, kingdom hese A.A mer sing sed BA mudd wal Yee D Hiden rsre E.Ameicant wha finds «pad BA fhig ot G Allee ‘hove ‘+ Marcin Luther King Je Bethy Observance, | Jeary 16, 2017 Pea eae Cini Umi 1825 2077 | Pugzje! | Wie ]@ word that ts each defini. Then lace he letarsin the numbered boxes tora Bestude one | | | ‘fhe special stares Jus shares in ations. | | The color o coat Flowor with thorns Woman's Sunday garment Vogetabie ina pod _ | Alight for my = Electric fish Dark goon gem CII C0 a I LL] sounicout he ile tke sd plan free impr; 0 view the aes ealverobe scentalico | ‘lea invensry oes au pldge eco purpose dsr, Thee being one che ae will ely benew, difernesnd Now eer nt nae cpl bt Go, ae pole ‘bur put your fall ruse only in God.” be | —towrece Wak | + Lauper che thew fo he human Vicor Hugo | “tmadeatenYutrescton to ext rocol Hlcmnvoxandteghele uptoCie a eo aca Subeeribers can dontoas these sithamencnmermite by SMart fam aa wove | Newsletter” ACTIVITIES PAGE VOLUME 38, NUMBER 1 MASON JAR nigh|iGhT ieee crmmanaran, meneame Light == Oo ae ‘too pan pase, mm World Ina weld ill of in and darkness, how can we find our way? ‘Discover Jesus answer in Jon 812, NIV Doct: ko oa fae msg ones. Then ead conte Bese ao ‘What you noo: Work tea with good ventilation + Mason je * Clear glue char works ongisss + Pairs * Glass somes ‘Telighe endl Lighter { Adule supervsion What you do: 1. Searing a the top ofthe jz brush gle om a small Pres glass tones onto the ge in ou. Let dy. HN 812, NW 3. Continue gluing stone. feall ection, antl the entire jars covered. oo dye ss pou oops or, uney oes ss no oo PHOM AO NBT, OA inside. Light with adule help. veo79 00781[MINDEN UNITED CEURCH OF CHRIST Receipt and Expense forthe Month of November Balance in Bank Novenbr 1, 2016 Income: Envelopes & Looe Ofeings Sandy School Loan fom Bak Hall Reta Special Offerings Church Sole donations Micallneous: Points (Church Aton &Lanch ‘Tota come Expenses: ‘ocwat Salaries ‘Travel Expense EMSB - Principal ese —ntrest Soci Security —Fastr Worship Supplies tles—Chuch Postage Ofc Supls Copier “Tranter to Parking Lot Custodian Suplie Maiteninee ‘Grounds Parsonage ‘cash far Sale (Cristian Ea. Deprtent, Sum Sch. Material ‘Other: Community Club Hall Rent, Mineo Total Expenses Balance in Bank November30, 2016 5 5913.00 230 200.00 152500 158.00 27,1180 32000 a9m30 a3 17,200.00 amas 1500 039 105,89 000 8667 40000 S 1760.03 8 3496117 $23,37657 5 1335068THE CORNERSTONE NoN-FROFI? onc. | U,S. Postage PAID MINDEN, TOWA Permit #7 Return Service Requested Maited December 27, 2016 | Spirit! Lovet FORGIVE! "Keep THE SPIRIT"