Turning Points - ucc-cong-pierre.org

1 Inside this issue: Cottage Meetings Welcome Back Sunday Choir and Sunday School Mexican Potluck Emerging Ministries Summit Neighbors In Need World Communion and New Members Confirmation Mentors Sunday School Donations Project Connect Kids Page Church Officers First Congregational United Church of Christ * Day Breitag Moderator * Ken Pickering Vice Moderator * Sandra Kangas Clerk * Brenda Paul Treasurer * Chuck Kruse Financial Secretary Wherever you are on life s journey you are welcome here Turning Points No matter our age or generation, all of us face Turning Points in life .

2 In fact, life itself is a journey filled with crossroads. Sometimes the Turning point feels daunting, other times joyful, some moments a little mysterious. What I love about seeing life as a series of steps and turns is the opportunity each transitional moment offers for spiritual reflec-tion. No matter what our unique Turning point is today, each of us has the chance to let it transform us. As the new school year begins, Turning Points for students, parents, and teachers bring plenty of joy and uncertainty. The joy of a new school, a new class, a new college, a new teacher, a new friend. The uncertainty of changing friendships, a new course-load, unfamiliar surroundings, and personal expectations of success.

3 If this is you, or if you are in a position of support for someone experiencing this transitional moment, be as-sured that transformation is on the way. Perhaps your Turning point is not a new school year, but a new companion or home or career. Or maybe it s the vulnerability of a recent loss. It could be a celebratory life milestone or an anniversary that brings grief. Maybe your crossroads is filled with hap-piness, or deep longing, or questions of health and longevity and spiritual fulfillment. No matter what brings about this Turning point for you, be assured that transformation is on the way. Here s how I know: We follow a resurrected Redeemer, and he provides hope that turn-ing Points can lead to transformation.

4 His story testifies to the hope of new life on the other side of the pain. What new life might God intend for you to discover at this turn-ing point in your life ? What hope might see you through this crossroads moment? Can we as a faith community support you? Can you support someone else through their crossroads? My greatest hope for us as a faith community is that we will see one another through these Turning Points . life transitions are daunting, but they can also be transformative with the right spiritual support and care. And as we reflect back on our lives, may we give God thanks and praise for the opportunity to do this journey alongside one an-other.

5 Pastor Emily Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 or Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-9 Psalm 15 James 1:17-27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 Psalm 125 or Isaiah 35:4-7a Psalm 146 James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17 Mark 7:24-37 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Proverbs 1:20-33 Psalm 19 or Isaiah 50:4-91a or Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1 Psalm 116:1-9 James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Proverbs 31:10-31 Psalm 1 or Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22 or Jeremiah 11:18-20 Psalm 54 James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Ester 7:1-6, 9-10;9:20-22 Psalm 124 or Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 Psalms 19:7-14 James 5:13-20 Mark 9:38-50 COTTAGE MEETINGS IT S TIME to sign up for a cottage meeting!

6 Together we will CONNECT and CELEBRATE our GIFTS, CLARIFY our MISSION, and COLLABORATE on NEW MINISTRY GOALS. We have several gracious hosts and a variety of dates and times. We hope you are able to make one of these cottage meet-ings work in your schedule! If not, and you d like to host one yourself, please let Pastor Emily know. Sign-up sheets are in the back of the sanctuary AND you are welcome to respond to our email announcement to sign-up as well. Carol Jennings Wed. Sept. 19 at 10:00am-noon Larry & Gail Lyngstad Thurs. Sept. 20 at 7:00-9:00pm Gary Cutler Mon. Sept. 24 at 3:00-5:00pm Phyllis & Dana Peterson Thurs. Oct. 4 at 1:30-3:30pm Shirley Halligan Thurs.

7 Oct. 11 at 6:30-8:30pm Cherlyn & Larry Christiansen Thurs. Oct. 18 at 7:00-9:00pm Sandra Kangas Mon. Oct. 22 at 7:00-9:00pm Jeannette Beemer Wed. Oct. 24 at 1:00-3:00pm Day Breitag Mon Nov. 5 at 2:00-4:00pm CONFIRMATION MENTORS Our 8th and 9th graders are beginning a new confir-mation series, and we are looking for church members interested in serving as mentors! Con-firmation will meet Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm, and mentors will be invited to join our group once/month. For more details, please contact Pas-tor Emily. We d like to have a robust list of willing mentors to pair with confirmands. THANK YOU! Welcome Back Sunday September 9, 2018 We are welcoming back the Choir and the Sunday School with a Mexican Potluck/Picnic.

8 Coordinated by the Deacon s who are furnishing Pork Carnitas, tortillas and trim-mings and asking the fellowship to fill in with dishes to pass, garden produce and Mexican themed are suggestions. Board of Trustees Meeting Thursday, August 9, 2018 Wherever you are on life s journey you are welcome here PROJECT CONNECT Sponsored by the SD Housing Development Authority When: September 25, 2018 Where: Faith Lutheran Church Time: 3:00-7:00pm Project Connect is a one-stop service center providing employment assistance, haircuts, family portraits, dental screenings, a hot meal, veteran services, state services and more for friends and neighbors in our communities.

9 Having access to many services under one roof assists some of our neighbors in need to create a better life for their families. Project Connect is largely volunteer and donation-run. If you d like to get involved by contribut-ing financially or with volunteering for the event, please let Pastor Emily know! The minutes for the August Trustees meeting and the Executive Council will be printed in the October news-letter. Sandra is on vacation. Congratulations Jim Pollock With a record attendance of 83 artists at the Plein Air Paint Out held in DeSmet, James Pollock, of Pierre was honored with the Harvey Dunn Award. Artists from six states, including Mississippi, Michigan, Wis-consin, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, painted on the DeSmet prairies and around the community.

10 The Harvey Dunn Award is an annual prestigious honor presented to the artist who fulfills the ideals of the renowned artist it is named for. Harvey, born on a homestead farm near DeSmet in Manchester, was a successful illustrator, teacher, and was selected by the American Expeditionary Forces as an official art-ist during WWI. Dunn had a gift of being able to capture the beauty of the wildflowers, grasses, sunrises, sunsets, dra-matic clouds and moods of the prairie that he cap-tured with oils. The Harvey Dunn Society brings ac-knowledgment of the amazing legacy of this very tal-ented artist and historian through this award. A legacy of faith National Grandparents Day became an official obser-vance in 1978, thanks largely to the lobbying efforts of Marian McQuade, a West Virginian who had 15 chil-dren and 43 grandchildren during 60 years of mar-riage.