Church News
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Temporary Pastor Hired: Rev. Brenda Clark To Lead Congregation
Through Rest of 2011     The Rev. Brenda Clark has been tapped by the Council
to be our new part-time temporary pastor for the remainder of the calendar year,
while  the Council explores long-term options . Many already know Pastor Clark
from her previous times with the congregation, when she would fill in for times,
when Pastor Kevin was away. She will begin on October 1 and will join Pastor
Kevin on the chancel during his last two Sundays with us.  Below is a brief bio and
picture of Pastor Brenda and her husband Mike:

I am a lifelong resident of this area of Michigan, having been born and raised in
Kalamazoo County.  I graduated from Western Michigan University in 1983 with
a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Business
Management, but minoring in Journalism.  I worked in the banking industry a
total of 20 years, beginning as a teller at American National Bank, working my
way through college and ending as a loan officer for a local credit union. I
attended seminary at Western Theological Seminary in Holland Michigan,
graduating in May of 1999.  I was ordained in the Reformed Church in America
in May of 2000 and served in part-time pastoral ministries at two churches.  I
married Michael J. Evans December 10, 2005.  He is a community organizer
working on issues surrounding unemployment and under employment here in
the state of Michigan. Mike and I were not fortunate enough to have children,
but we are "raising" three cats, Boo, Panda and Pretty, and two dogs, Cinnamon
and our newest arrival--Nutmeg, who is a little over 4 months old. Currently, I
am a Hospice Chaplain with Southern Care Hospice, which is based in Kalamazoo
but serves the 9-county area of Southwest Michigan. I have been doing this
rewarding work for 8 1/2 years now but am really looking forward to being part
of the faith community at 1st Congregational in Coloma for the next 3 months.
In the last five years, I have been fortunate to provide pulpit supply to 8 UCC
churches in this Association and, with the mentoring and encouragement of
friends like Pastor Kevin and Pastor Whitney of Galesburg, transferred my
ordination and credentials to the United Church of Christ on October 24, 2010.

“One Warm Coat” Project Needs Your Coats: Will Be Given Away At
Riverside United Methodist Church On October 22 From 9 AM To 12 PM    
If you can donate a gently used coat of any size, please bring it to Beth Kraiger,
the Coloma United Methodist Church secretary.  If you know of someone who
needs a coat, please share this chance to get one for free!  Thanks for your help!

Farewell Party Set For Today, October 2, After Worship    Plans are
underway for a farewell luncheon for Pastor Kevin following the worship service
next Sunday, October 2. All are invited to join us, as we say farewell to Pastor
Kevin and Douglas.

Pastor Kevin To Preach His Favorite Sermon From Past Five Years On Last
Sunday, October 9    Pastor Kevin has shared roughly 230 sermons over the
past five years, and one of them is his favorite. Come and hear his final “word” for
the congregation.
       
Next Council Meeting: Monday, October 3   The Council will meet at 7 PM, with
the Task Force meeting at 6 PM. Both meetings will be in the Furman Room.  

MISSION

What is Mission: 1?

ONE UNITED CHURCH on a shared mission for 11 powerful days to feed the
hungry and confront food-related injustice. This is Mission: 1.

For the first 11 days of November (11.1.11-11.11.11), United Church of Christ
congregations, colleges, seminaries, and health and human services, will join
together in a collective mission campaign to collect more than 1 million food items
for local food banks, raise $111,111 in online donations for Neighbors in Need and
$111,111 for East Africa famine relief, and write 11,111 letters to Congress (in
support of Bread for the World’s 2011 Offering of Letters campaign) asking that
U.S. foreign assistance be reformed to more effectively serve the world’s poorest
people.

Our church has identified, with the help of Carole Sternaman of the North Berrien
Food Panty next door, 11 items listed below that the Food Bank is most in need
of and is unable to obtain through the “Feeding America” program

We actually would like to spread the work of collecting these food items for the
North Berrien Food Pantry between the dates of October 9th and November 13th
to collect as many of the food items listed below as possible.

We worship an extravagant God who has poured an extravagant Spirit of
generosity into our hearts. May it touch hearts to know that we are listening and
responding to our still-speaking God all the time – and particularly with Mission:1.

NORTH BERRIEN FOOD PANTRY NEEDS:
baby food Stage 1- all food
baby food stage 2 -green vegetables
baby ceral: rice, oatmeal, multi-grain ( 8 oz. boxes)
1 pound bags of any dried beans (best price is at Sav-a-lot)
1 pound bags of brown rice (best price is at Sav-a-lot)
any whole grain pasta
fruit juice
shampoo
toothbrushes
toothpaste
Assorted canned goods

Please consider generously bringing in as many of these items as possible on the
upcoming Sundays so that we, in return, can offer them to our food pantry to
help fight local hunger.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Adult Bible Study of “Jeremiah” Continues On October 9: No Class
Today     We are studying one the richest texts in the Old Testament, the Book
of Jeremiah, and use it to make connections to the contemporary world.  We
usually begin at 11:30 AM and finish by 12:30 PM.  Join us!

Next Growing Together Event Planned For Thursday, October 27 at 6:30
PM.  We’ll be continuing our intergeneration Christian education programming
with a look at the saints among us.  On this day, we’re asking kids to dress up in
their Halloween costumes.  Contact Mary McCoy or Nikki Smith for more
information

Tuesday Circle To Begin Barbara Brown Taylor’s An Altar In The World On
October 4  All the church’s available copies of the book have been sold, so you
may need to buy it online or at local bookstore.  
For Sunday October 2, 2011