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1/13/2019   Join us this Baptism of Christ Sunday
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641-236-3111
4th Avenue and Broad Street
PO Box 322
Grinnell, Iowa 50112
www.grinnellucc.org
January 13, 2019
Join us this Baptism of Christ Sunday
Worship
at 10:30 am

Rev. Jessica Margrave Schirm
Sermon: Do Not Fear

Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
OWL Elementary
We will offer the early elementary curriculum of Our Whole Lives (OWL) class this winter and spring. This positive, comprehensive, and age-appropriate program promotes sexual health and is informed by the guidelines of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US. We will offer the class for 1st and 2nd graders in our community. If you have friends or family with children that age, please invite them to attend a Parent information session following worship on Sunday, January 13. We will hold a second info session in early February.
Claim Your Poinsettia
If you donated a poinsettia and would like to take it home, please collect it after worship this Sunday, January 13. Thank you for brightening our worship space this Christmas season!
Change of Rehearsal Time 
Attention Sanctuary Choir Members: Wednesday rehearsals are moving from 6:45pm to 4:00pm until further notice.
Outreach Volunteers Needed
On January 22, Grinnell UCC is sponsoring the Community Meal at Davis School.  If you are interested in volunteering to help at this event, contact Elizabeth Hansen at 641-990-8166.       
Annual Meeting of the Congregation Coming Up
The Annual Meeting will be held in Friendship Hall on January 27 following worship and a light lunch. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Child care will be provided for the duration of the meeting. Church leaders, please have submissions for the Annual Report to elizabeth@grinnellucc.org by January 15.
Signatures Needed
If you are concerned about the City of Grinnell ending our curbside recycling program, visit www.grinnellcares.org to sign a petition asking the City Council to revisit the recycling issue. Thoughtful comments on the petition are welcome and encouraged. Let the council know that we would like to work together to keep recyclable goods out of our landfills.
Grinnell UCC Mystery Guest Dinner Parties
Check out the January Newsletter to learn about this fun community-building activity. Sign up using the forms in your newsletter and return to the church office no later than January 31. Copies of the forms are also available in the Narthex, or from the Church Office. Questions? Please call or email Erin – erin@grinnellucc.org
Care for Creation News
Different environmental groups around the world play their role in educating people as to how their small actions when combined together can play a big role in protecting this planet.  Here is one of the 25 most important environmental concerns: air pollution. Industry and engine vehicle fumes are the most obvious air toxins.  Air contamination is created by, among other things, the burning of fossil fuels. What can you do? Put one foot in front of the other.  One hundred years ago, 99.9% of people got by without cars. They took the train; they lived near their workplaces... and they walked.  Using fuel-efficient cars is important, but we can save even more fuel simply by driving less.  --Jo Entwisle
Assistance for Our Neighbors
Thanks to generous donors, Grinnell UCC raised $1,240 for the employees at El Molcajete, the Mexican restaurant that was destroyed by fire. Combined with other churches, a total of $3,500 in cash was given to them right before the holidays. A second wave of gifting from other churches generated $8240. 
Children / Youth Library
We are so excited to see that our library books are being read! You are welcome and encouraged to borrow them for at-home use; however, please return them within a week or two so that other families may also use them. 
Celebrating Kindness
From January 25-February 3, Grinnell will celebrate 10 Days of Kindness! There will be numerous community events aimed at encouraging and recognizing kindness. A full calendar of events will be published in the Herald Register and you’ll begin to see posters and flyers around town. As part of this community-wide initiative, we are (co)hosting two events:
1) Together with the Grinnell Ministerial Association, we are presenting musical artist Mari Harris who will perform a family-friendly evening program on Friday, February 1 at the Grinnell College Golf Course and Country Club. More details forthcoming – please save the date!
2) Then on Sunday, February 3, the DeMasi Brothers perform here in our sanctuary at 1pm. Our friends from St. Paul’s Episcopal and 1st Presbyterian will be joining us. “Twin brothers Joseph and John DeMasi are contemporary folk singers, songwriters and recording artists whose songs are imbued with their Unitarian Universalist beliefs of love, inclusion, tolerance, understanding and worth and dignity for all. With Joseph on guitar and John on guitar and fiddle, the DeMasi Brothers bring a unique musical experience full of wit, humor, intellect and poignancy.” The performance will be preceded by fellowship and finger foods in the Parlor so stick around after worship. Everyone is invited to bring finger foods to share – sandwiches, cookies, veggie trays – things that don’t need utensils. We hope to see you there!
 

Weekly Calendar

Sunday January 13
The Baptism of Christ
  • Sunday School 9:15 am
  • Worship at 10:30 am
Tuesday January 15
  • Annual Report Deadline 3:30 pm
Wednesday January 16
  • Choir Rehearsal 4 pm
  • Governance Board 7 pm
Thursday January 17
  • Bible Study 9:30 am
  • Endowment 4 pm
Sunday January 20
Second Sunday after Epiphany
  • Sunday School 9:15 am
  • Confirmation Kick-off 9:15am-6:30pm
  • Worship 10:30 am
Worship Participants
Worship Host       JoAnn Britton
Liturgist           Karen Edwards
Greeters         Dan Rodriguez
Ushers       Nancy E. Brown
Chancel               Karen Edwards
Mayflower Driver    Rick Ramsey
Sound System      Shane Estes
Bulletin Cover       Edd Scheer
Nursery           Jodi Brandenburg
Take Away Hunger 
Our next Take Away Hunger packaging event will be Sunday, February 10. Grinnell UCC is looking for a team of 12 volunteers to package food from 2:30 - 3:15. A donation of $32 per participant helps cover the cost of the food (checks payable to Grinnell UCC with TAH in the memo line). If you cannot package and would like to donate, your contribution will help a youth to participate for free. Please sign up in the parlor before the end of the month. If you have questions, contact Nancy Wolff at 641-275-8138.
In Our Prayers 
We hold to the heart of our congregation and lift up to the embrace of God all who are in need of prayer.  To contribute prayer concerns to the whole church, please contact the church office.

We pray for health & strength for Jim Ahrens, Bill Arms, Barbara Ashby, Mark Laver, Verlene Mitchell, Jack Ulrickson, Phyllis Wood, and Ruby Zimsen-Campe.  
Pastoral Care
Anytime someone enters the hospital or Mayflower Health Center, or in any case of trauma, distress, or death, please do not assume that word has reached the church. Contact the church office by email or phone to share information with the pastor. Jessica can also be reached on her mobile phone at 319-883-1375.
Copyright © 2018 Grinnell United Church of Christ, All rights reserved.

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Grinnell United Church of Christ
902 Broad Street
Grinnell, IA 50112

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Grinnell United Church of Christ · 902 Broad St · Grinnell, IA 50112 · USA

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