Every new leadership spot at FPC is filled!
Last weekend, at the all-congregation meeting, FPC elected new leaders to help guide the church in 2022. Every spot for a new Elder, new Deacon, and member for next year’s Nominating Committee has been filled! If you missed last week’s service, you can read these about these men and women below:
New Elders:
From Left to Right: Brice Kettner, Lolly Lawrence, Peter Bergmann, Erik Cushman, Emily Bauer Hoffman
Brice Kettner, Mission Elder
- Married to Dave 23 years
- Children: Chase (UMN, ROTC), Susie (UMN, Psych and PT), Cole (Senior at WHS)
- 2 dogs and 1 cat
- Works for Insurance and Investment Professionals, Inc.
- Moved to Waunakee from Minneapolis in 1998
- Found FPC when 3-year-old Susie asked if family could go to church
- 15-year FPC member
- Leads the Porchlight Ministry
Peter Bergmann, Childrens Ministry Elder
- Children Travis and Kyra
- Taught Sunday School for many years
- Leader in Network 56
Erik Cushman, Worship and Music Elder
- Married to Julie for 25 years
- Children: Matthew; Payton, Emma, Sara, Jacob, Ben, Luke, Danny
- Owns a chemical transport company in Middleton
- Grew up in Glen Ellyn Covenant Church, IL
- Peer minister at Pres House
- Sunday School teacher (Grades 4/5
- Cocoa and Conversation
- Team leader on 2 Guatemala mission trips
Emily Bauer Hofmann, Student Ministry Elder
- Married to Paul
- Children: Rachael and Nicholas
- Works for UW – IP Contracts and Licensing
- Iowa native
- Lived in Waunakee for 13 years
- Enjoy camping in the Northwoods
- FPC members for 6 years
- Very appreciative of FPC’s people and programs
Lolly Lawrence, Clerk of Session
- Married to Drew
- Brand new grandchild!
- Retired IT Leader – 41 years with American Family Insurance
- Members since 1984 (were in first New Member Class)
- Choir Member
- Chair of Nominating Committee 2019 and 2020
- Former Personnel Elder and Youth Elder
New Deacons:
From Left to Right: Kristine Drewry, Eileen Mathwig, Maeline Schall, Cindy May, Beth Mueller
Kristine Drewry, Deacon
- Married to Jim
- 4 grown children: Will, Emily, Ellen, Matthew (Winona State)
- Semi-retired pediatric nurse – UW Clinics
- Previously lived in Bay Area, CA and Arlington Heights, IL
- Moved to Waunakee 2004
- FPC members for 2 years – drawn by messages and mission
Eileen Mathwig, Deacon
- Married to Mark (retired Army Colonel)
- Children: Amanda (Chiropractor) and Nick (Army officer in South Korea
- 15 years in Waunakee Schools
- FPC member since 1995
- Current Deacon (Leader)
- Current Nominating Committee
- Key VBS volunteer
Maeline Schall, Deacon
- Lived in Waunakee 40 years
- 3 sons: Ryan (Melissa), Brandon, Adam (Lindsay)
- Grandchildren: Drew, Asher, Harper
- Taught Kindergarten in WCSD
- Joined FPC 1986
- Sunday School teacher
- New Member classes
- Previously Christian Ed Elder and Mission Elder
Cindy May, Deacon
- Married to Todd (30 years!)
- Children Briana (NP at UW), Emily (Dental Assistant Student at Madison College), Jacob (Business student at Madison College)
- Radiation Oncology RN, Turville Bay
- Grew up in Windsor Congregational Church of Christ
- FPC member for 20 years
Beth Mueller, Deacon
- Married to Rick
- Children: Harvey (UW Whitewater, graduated), Emma (UW-Milwaukee), Olivia (WHS)
- FPC member for 17 years
New Nominating Committee Members:
Thanksgiving Office Hours
The church office will be CLOSED on Wednesday, November 24, Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday.
Prayer quilt thank you!
A recent prayer request from Christa Schmelk for her longtime friend was followed up with a prayer quilt from FPC. Danna loves the quilt and emailed a picture and a note of thanks:
Dear FPC Deacons, Pastors, and community,
I want to write a very heartfelt thank you for the amazing blanket and steadfast prayers. Your kindness and love is surely felt all the way to Spokane, WA! I have often thought of you and thanked God for your support in my healing.
Sincerely,
Deanna Vega
Deacon Care Packages going out!
Pam Knutson and Connie Pelton prepared the Deacon Care Packages for students and military personnel of FPC members and loved ones.
We’d love to hear about how these care packages are received! Send an email to communications@myfpc.org with a picture or story of a recipient enjoying the treats inside to be shared in future Connectors.
Christmas Poinsettias
The opportunity to adorn our beautiful Sanctuary with red poinsettias during the holiday season is here! Poinsettias can be given in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a joyous event in your life. You provide the name of the person or event you want to honor along with a $26 payment, and we will place the flowers in the sanctuary in memoriam. Plants can be taken home after the final Christmas Eve service.
If you would like to contribute a poinsettia for Christmas, print and fill out the form and submit it with your check to the church office.
Waunakee Memory Café
Thursday, December 2 | 9:30-11 AM
Steeplechase Condominium Clubhouse
The Dementia Friendly Waunakee Committee will sponsor its monthly Memory Café on Thursday, December 2, from 9:30-11 AM at the Steeplechase Condominium Clubhouse, 5636 Conway Glen (off Woodland Drive). Signs will be posted to direct people to the Clubhouse. The Café provides a social gathering place and programs for those with mild cognitive impairment or early to mid-stage dementia, along with their family members or friends. This café will be a holiday celebration with a brunch, Christmas carol singing led by choir members from Peace Lutheran Church and a visit from Santa Claus.
Reservations are requested. Call the Waunakee Senior Center at 608-849-8385 to make a reservation and for more information. Memory Cafes are held on the first Thursday of each month. If the Waunakee Schools are closed due to weather conditions, the café will not be held.
More information about the café and other available support groups: Caregiver and Parkinson’s groups, can be obtained by calling the Waunakee Senior Center at 608-849-8385.
Collecting items for the Food Pantry
At the south entrance to the education wing, there is a collection basket for the Waunakee Food Pantry. Specific items in need at this time are toilet paper, paper towels, and laundry detergent.
The Waunakee Food Pantry has seen an increase in food needs since the pandemic. If you come across someone who may need some extra assistance in this area, please refer those individuals to the pantry. Also if there is an emergency food need you are aware of, call the pantry and leave a message. The pantry phones are checked on a daily basis. Open pantry hours are listed on the website at https://waunakeeweb.org/food-pantry/
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25
Together Called: Stewardship Update
If you turned in a pledge, THANK YOU! We received 119 pledges as of Tuesday, November 16. We had no in-person services last fall, so we set an ambitious goal of 75* pledges by pledge Sunday and nearly hit it. Our goal is to receive 165 pledges, which would be in between our 2019 and 2020 totals.
If you haven’t yet made a commitment for 2022, please prayerfully consider doing so. You can mail in a pledge card, bring it on Sunday or during office hours during the week, or just email Sue Gade with the pledge amount (but not bank or credit card details!).
Decorate the Church, Come On!
(Sung to the tune of “Celebrate Good Times, Come On”)
Who: You
When: Saturday, November 27th, 9:00 am-Noon
Where: Meet in the Narthex/Lobby at FPC
Why: To decorate the Sanctuary, Gathering Area, Narthex, and Chapel for the season of Advent
Bonus Why: A chance for us to work together as we prepare for the birth of the Holy Child
Join us for all or just a part of the morning. If you have questions and/or if you can attend, please contact Liz Weller, Worship & Music Elder via email (eweller245@gmail.com) or text/phone (608-516-8736).
Hope you can Decorate and Celebrate with us!
The Light Team
Mondays | 1:00 – 2:30 pm
FPC Gathering Place
The Light Team is a group of women who meet for fellowship and a Bible message each week on Mondays in the Gathering Place from 1-2:30. These will take place through Nov. and Dec. and start up again in Jan. through April. All are welcome. There is no required homework and refreshments are offered.
New issues of Our Daily Bread
New regular-sized Daily Bread for December/January/February are ready for pick up both outside in the tote by the front door, and also inside by the front door and south door in the education wing. Large print versions will be available soon.
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS | November 21, 2021
THIS SUNDAY:
Advent Kits can be picked up during Sunday School or at our in-person services THIS SUNDAY or next Sunday. There is also a drive-through pick up Sunday, November 21 between 12:30 and 1 pm. Or you can reserve a kit for pick up with Christa Schmeelk via email or by calling the church office.
For Adults during Advent, Pastor Susan will be leading a 4 week Advent Study titled “Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam” every Sunday between services in the Fellowship Hall. Please join us starting next week November 28, December 5, 12, and 19 from 9:45-10:40 am.
FPC is looking for someone to help in the nursery. We have one person ready to help, but we need two people to run the nursery. If interested, please contact Elder Melissa Schall via email or call the church office.
Hello FPC families! We’d like to learn how many kids are interested in participating in a Children’s Nativity Service this year. We will be dressing up in costumes but this year, there will also be parts to sing, and kids can have a speaking part if they choose! If you are interested in more information, send an email to Patricia Coley, Director of FPC’s Children’s Ministry, in the link below.
We are very excited to start working on this. Rehearsals will take place during Sunday School: December 5, 12, and 19. It’s okay if you can’t make them all. The nativity performance will be December 19 at 4:00 p.m.
Our deepest sympathies and prayers for Kathy Vinge and her family in the passing of Kathy’s sister, Karen Wielgus, who passed away last week.
Stephen Ministry at FPC: Providing God’s Care to Hurting People
What is this ministry about?
Extensively trained and supervised Stephen Minister Caregivers provide high-quality, one-on-one confidential Christian care to anyone in need. They provide weekly visits and ongoing support as long as the care receiver needs. Should the care receiver have needs that are beyond the scope of a Stephen Minister Caregiver, they are referred to professional caregivers.
What kind of care is offered from a Stephen Minister?
- CRISIS CARE – For people experiencing change(s) that significantly challenge their ability to cope.
- FOLLOW-UP CARE – After the crisis event.
- CHRONIC CARE – For a person whose situation is unlikely to change.
- PREVENTIVE CARE – Providing care before a crisis occurs.
- SUPPORTIVE CARE – Care for the caregiver.
How can I find out more about this ministry?
Call the church office at 608-949-9445, or reach out to a pastor or deacon. Stephen Minister Caregivers don’t replace the care of pastors and deacons. They carry it a step further.
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