United Church of Warsaw

Some ‘truths’ become crystal clear through experience. For example, anyone in a hurry to drive someplace knows that highway crews can intuit when you are running late for an appointment, and what route you will rush to take for that journey, so they can set up ‘road works’ to help you reflect on your time management skills. This is a truth born from experience. And I don’t care what statisticians say – if I butter a piece of bread and drop it on the floor (Bonnie is not home for this experiment or the bread would never hit the floor!), the likelihood of it landing butter-side-down increases dramatically IF the kitchen floor is newly washed. Experience taught me this truth.

All joking aside, we learn many valuable lessons through experience. One personal lesson learned through many years of ministry is the same lesson the UC Warsaw family has been learning and living throughout many years of faithful service: God provides us, right here and now, with the necessary resources for our ministry – our job is to be good stewards of those resources. We often waste valuable time and energy looking for magic solutions to ministry challenges, when all the necessary resources are right before us, waiting to be discovered, developed and fully utilized. After all, God is in this journey with us and wants the ministry to succeed – it only makes sense that God will provide all the ‘raw materials’ we need in order to experience a vibrant, inspirited ministry!

From its earliest days, this church has been committed to a ministry of care and compassionate action – the social gospel at its brightest and best. Whether in advocating the end of slavery and taking concrete steps to make that happen, or working today to help free people from the oppression of poverty, the United Church of Warsaw has not turned away from the call to care and offer hospitality. Our building does not sit empty and lifeless during the week. Rather, it houses critically important programs such as Head Start, WIC, community and support groups such as Angel Action and Weight Watchers, and our own vital ministries such as the Warsaw Area Food Pantry and Starburst Christian Preschool. Every time we open the doors of the church and offer hospitality, we embody Christ and Christ’s Gospel of compassion and mercy. Every time someone in the community has a positive experience here at the United Church of Warsaw, we increase the likelihood that they will have a positive image of the church, and what the church represents – the God who loves and cares for them. We never know what fruit is born from seeds of compassion and mercy sown with love. We may not see some of these people again, but through their experience here, they may consider going back to their own church families – or they may turn to a faith community at some time in the future. Some may join us and enrich our faith family here. We often never know – and do not need to know what will come of those seeds sown with love. All we need do is offer hospitality and sow those seeds of compassion and mercy, tending what God entrusts to our care. The rest is up to God.

In keeping with the mission of making our facilities available to the community, your Session took the decision to open our church facilities to a new group. The Reformed Catholic Church approached the Session back in April to say that they were forming a parish here in Warsaw – the Sacred Heart Parish – and needed a place to worship on Sunday Evenings. After reviewing their request, the Session made Miller Chapel available to the Sacred Heart Parish on Sunday Evenings and on Holy Days, so they can begin their process of forming a new church in what is an established denomination. (The Reformed Catholic Church) Jim Carter is the Session liaison with Sacred Heart Parish, and is available to answer any questions. Anyone in the community will be welcome to worship at this service on Sunday evenings. Although this is a slightly different way for us to make our facilities available to the community, the Session sees this as a continuation of our mission of hospitality.

…and so we continue our journey together, discovering the gifts and treasures God entrusts to our care and nurture, and the challenges that help us to grow. May we prayerfully continue to look for ways to honor the fine legacy of our ancestors, and faithfully move forward with the ministry God calls us to in this time and place. Exciting times await us!

With love and prayers,

Kim

Friday September 21 is the UN International Day of Peace. This day is set apart “to mark our individual and collective progress towards building cultures of peace, and serve as a reminder of our permanent commitment to peace, above all interests and differences of any kind.” We will mark this day by having a very special worship service at 7 pm here at UC Warsaw. Children and young people will be welcome. As with all our activities here at UC Warsaw, members of the community are most welcome to attend.

Lynn Saxton is Appointed Permanent Choir Director

The Session and Personnel Committee are pleased to announce that Lynn Saxton will be staying on as permanent choir director. We were most thankful for her faithful service during the interim period and, in response to requests from those involved in the music ministry, were pleased to invite her to assume the permanent position. Welcome, Lynn!