August 2020

The Cornerstone

Minden United Church of Christ

Pastor Brian Wohlhuter
Phone 712-483-2903
Parsonage 712-407-2370
106 Lincoln St. Box 218, Minden, IA 51553
Web page:mindenucc.com
Email: mindenucc@walnutel.net

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Worship 10:00 a.m.
Communion

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Worship 10:00 a.m.
Board Meeting 11:15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Worship 10:00 a.m.

23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Worship 10:00 a.m.
Ice Cream Social 11:00 - 12:30,
outdoor seating and boxes to go

30 31
Worship 10:00 a.m.
 Obituary for
Judith Karrel Nihsen

October 24, 1935 - April 6, 2020

Full Obituary Pending

Survivors include her children Nick

(Lorie) Nihsen of Poplar Bluff, MO; Kelly
(Mark) Martin of Shelby, IA; David (Kerri)
Nihsen of Omaha, NE; 12 grandchildren;
18 great grandchildren

Imogene A. Rodenburg, age 91, of Avoca, Iowa,

formerly of Minden, Iowa passed away June 21, 2020 Obituary for Imogene A.
at Avoca Specialty Care In Avoca, Iowa. Rodenburg
Imogene was born October 21, 1928 in Council
Bluffs to the late J. Alpha and Edith (Neighbors)
Core. She attended Carson, Iowa High School.
Imogene married Raymond “Bud” Rodenburg on
February 9, 1946 in Council Bluffs. They were
blessed with four children. Imogene was a farm wife
and mother and worked as a cashier at the Blue &
White Grocery and the Kopper Kettle Restaurant both
in Minden. She was a member of Mt. Hope United
Methodist Church.

In addition to her parents, Imogene was preceded in

death by her husband, Bud Rodenburg in 2008; son,
Michael Rodenburg in 2016; sisters, Aileen Core and
Nadine Butera; brothers, Ray and Bob Core.

Imogene is survived by her daughters, Linda (Ronny)

Kay, Sharon (Bob) Siebels all of Minden, Iowa, Pat
(Mark) Cavanaugh of Midlothian, Texas; 10
grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; nieces and
nephew
 Jimmie Darlene Driver was born on February 27,
1952 to James and Emily (Rodgers) Lemons in
Madison, Tennessee. She was baptized at the Minden
United Church of Christ in Minden, Iowa and attended
Obituary for Jimmie
grade school in Minden and Avoca and then "Toe" Driver
graduated from Tri-Center High School with the class
of 1970. Toe was united into marriage to Lynn Driver
in Neola, Iowa on August 9th, 1969. To this union
three sons were born: Chadwick, Bradley and Derek.

Toe spent most of her days helping out at the Minden

Café and Bowl. She loved going to the casino, golfing
and her favorite was socializing.

Toe passed away surrounded by her loving family on

Tuesday, June 16, 2020 having attained the age of
sixty-eight years, three months and twenty days. She
was preceded in death by her parents James and
Emily; sister Marcia and brother-in-law Steve Ploen.

Left to honor her here on earth are her husband of fifty

years Lynn Driver of Neola, Iowa; sons Chadwick
(Kelli) Driver of LaVista, Nebraska; Bradley (Tressa)
Driver of Minden, Iowa; Derek Driver (Trisha
Boughton) of Neola, Iowa; grandchildren Taylor Driver
of Cherokee, Iowa; Nolan and Sophie Driver of
Minden, Iowa; Ella Boughton of Minden, Iowa; sisters
Patricia Paulsen of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Theresa
(Randy) Petersen of Logan, Iowa; nieces and
nephews, other family and many, many friends.

Obituary for Maureen R. Olsen

Maureen Rene Olsen age 69, Neola, Iowa passed

away Sunday April 5, 2020 at her residence.
Maureen was the owner and publisher of the Neola
Gazette. She is preceded in death by father, Max
Olsen, M.D. in 1991 and mother, Carolyn Elaine
Olsen in 2008.
 ICE CREAM SOCIAL
August 23, 2020

Hot Dogs, Welcome

Hamburgers, Chips,
Homemade Ice Cream

11:00 - 12:30, Minden United Church of Christ

Minden, Iowa 712-483-2903
Outdoor Seating and Boxes To Go
Free Will Donation
 Minden United Church of Christ Board Mee3ng, July 12th, 2020
Those a=ending: Gretchen, Pastor Brian, Bonnie, Jerry, Carroll, Rod, Michelle, and Pam
Treasurer’s report-even with the balance in checking, there are a few checks that have been wri@en but not been
cashed. SDll have $10,000 in account from last year’s sale. Also have money in the building fund and a $5,000 CD for
any emergency issues for the building. MoDon Jerry—2nd Michelle to approve treasurer’s report
Pastor’s report-no vacaDon bible school, sDll talking about Sunday school, 3 weddings coming up, taking vacaDon last
week in July through first Sunday in August. August 2nd-no in church service but will sDll have online church. SDll taking
classes for funeral director 2 Summer courses, 2 classes this Fall/Winter, and 1 Spring class. GraduaDon 1 semester
behind than expected due to slowing the course intake.
Parsonage water pressure at kitchen sink is very slow. When Steve came to fix the plumbing downstairs for the washer,
gave a bid for replacing galvanized from the kitchen and the 2 bathrooms $1500 with PEX plumbing. Pam moved and
Michelle seconded to have these repairs made to the house- coming out of the building fund. MoDon passed.
Trustee’s report—steps under the front door are solid. So, a suggesDon would be to grind down about 4 inches and put
ultra-decking over the cement since it has a good foundaDon and would cost too much to tear out the steps. Around
the door is a cement fixture which is supported by the steps also, we do not want to disturb that, or we will have bigger
problems. We will also put up handrails. We are going to see what grinding down the steps about 4 inches and puYng
the decking on will cost from esDmates that board members will get.
Unfinished business-Paying Gayle and Debbie was discussed. Due to Covid Deb has been working from home and Gayle
is coming in on Monday and Fridays. It was agreed that Debbie will get half pay working from home and Gayle will be
paid as normal. We also appreciate the help of Michelle and Rod for helping Gayle with the church upkeep.
Free will Ice Cream Social will be August 23rd. We will have tables outside if you want to social distance yourself and sDll
visit. The hamburgers, hotdogs, bag of chips, and a to go container of ice cream will be in a to go bag for either siYng
outside or going home. Pam will get items from Sam’s, Gretchen will get the buns, Pastor Brian will order meat and ice
cream mix, and Jerry will get the chips.
Selling of church property: a community member has approached the church to buy the land across the street, south
(tree area) for access to their farm land. This area is about an acre and has been assessed by a couple of real estate
agents for value. We will send a le@er to all the congregaDon for an open bid and any serious objecDons. In a given
period, if we haven’t heard from anyone in the congregaDon, we will accept the offer from this person(s). We can sDll
park across the street for church acDviDes, since the shoulder belongs to the county/town. The board feels that this
would be a good decision selling this land for liability reasons.
There are people/kids that 4 wheel/bike/motorcycle on our land and we could be responsible for any injuries.
The person(s) interested in this land will pay for all paperwork to put the land in their name. We would just sign off
from the parcel and receive a check. The final amount has not yet been approved by the board. Look for a le@er to me
emailed and mailed for further info.
The fall church sale was talked about and we will have further discussions in the near future.
 Learning — and
laughing — on
the fly
Faced with the sudden move to live
streamed church services, many pastors and
worship leaders had to learn new technology
quickly during the pandemic.
As they were “winging it,” bloopers and
bobbles added levity to the tense time.

For instance, a fake tree fell on a drummer

while a worship song was being
broadcast from Georgia. After getting too
close to a candle, a vicar in England
had to pause to extinguish flames from his
sweater. And several preachers
appeared on screen with cartoon-like
features after inadvertently turning on
social media filters.

“This wasn’t planned,” wrote the pastor

about the falling ficus, which didn’t
cause injury but quickly went viral. “But
God used it to bring laughter to the
hearts of many. For that, we are thankful.”
 This is the answer to
the Puzzle elsewhere in
this newsletter!

Minden United Church of Christ

Box 218, 106 Lincoln Street
Minden, Iowa 51553