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SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
We are excited to announce that the Search Committee has identified a pastoral candidate and unanimously recommended this candidate to the Church Council at the June 21st Council meeting. The Church Council has accepted this recommendation and unanimously voted to present this candidate to the congregation on Sunday, July 18th. More details will be forthcoming regarding the candidate and opportunities for the congregation to meet and interact with this individual.
Immediately following our church service on July 18th, we will hold a special congregational meeting, for the purpose of a vote on the call of this candidate to be our new pastor. Please mark this date on your calendars and plan to attend this very exciting event in the life of our church!
DID YOU NOTICE?
Now when you are standing in the church Narthex, you can also see our beautiful sanctuary! Thank you to Dick Pietsch and the A. J Pietsch Company for re-furbishing our old sanctuary doors with new, larger glass inserts.
PAST USE OF THE
HERITAGE FUNDS
Last month we shared some of the history of the Heritage Funds, including key aspects. One key aspect is the funds are used for special projects outside of the operating budget. This month we will share information on prior distribution of the Heritage Funds.
· 2007 - $600 went to send the E-team to an evangelism workshop
· 2008 – No expenditures
· 2009 - $710 went to purchase a large screen for use with PowerPoint presentations and also to pay travel reimbursement for Dr. John Jewel’s Books of the Bible seminar
· 2010 - $6,000 went to support the new sound system
As you can see, the Heritage Funds have provided support to a wide variety of efforts here at BCC. But as a result of our support, we have diminished the amount available for future needs in 2010 and beyond. Our goal in sharing information on the Heritage Fund is to encourage BCC members and friends to support this effort.
Please contact a member of this year’s Heritage Fund if you have questions or would like additional information:
Tim Cayo Bonnie Ilhardt
Tom Wright Julie DiFonzo
Nancy Roche
NEW SOUND SYSTEM!
Now here this, Now hear this….You will not hear this phrase after the middle of April. That is when the new sound system will be installed. Everyone will be able to hear the great Sermons, Music, announcements and all events that take place in the Sanctuary.
For many years members have complained about not being able to hear all the functions in the Sanctuary. The Council has approved, with the financial assistance of the Heritage Fund and Memorial Fund, the installation of a new sound system.
There will be one speaker hanging from the ceiling, new wireless head microphone for the Minister, hanging microphones above the Choir, new microphones for the Minister and Lay reader and a wireless microphone for announcements from the Sanctuary.
The expandable system will allow (at a later date) recording capabilities on CD’s, play back of CD’s and audio visual presentations.
If any of our Membership is interested in participating financially in the system, donations are being accepted. If we were to receive additional funds, we could complete the purchase of this system with the additional components giving us a total up to date audio/visual system.
Please contact Jim Kurtz for further details or feel free to give your donations for this system directly to the Church office.
FROM THE STEWARDSHIP BOARD
The Stewardship Board would like to thank everyone that has already turned in their pledge envelope and for making such generous contributions for 2010. If you haven’t turned your pledge envelope, please do so as soon as possible. It is necessary for the Budget Committee to have an accurate total to determine next year’s budget. If for some reason you did not receive a pledge envelope and would like one please let the church office know and we will be glad to assist you. If you have any questions on how to utilize stock transfer or the convenience of direct deductions from your bank account the Treasurers or Stewardship Committee can help you.
Pledges…So far 107 2010 pledges have been returned totaling $189,360. There are still 71 mailed pledge forms outstanding of which 33 have pledged and/or given in 2009.
BCC OFFERS AUTOMATIC PLEDGE PAYMENT PROGRAM
BCC offers an Automatic Pledge Payment Program though the “StillspeakingMoney” Program which is sponsored by the national UCC and is administered by Vanco Services of Minneapolis. Over 6000 churches are currently using the Vanco Program.
There are two payment options in the StillspeakingMoney Program:
1. Automatic Monthly Transfer from Checking or Savings An electronic payment service that transfers a prespecified amount from your checking or savings account to BCC’s Checking Account on the same date each month – your choice of the 1st or the 15th.
2. Automatic Monthly Transfer from a Credit Card Account An electronic transfer from your choice of a MasterCard, Visa or Discover Account to BCC’s Checking Account – again, on your choice of the 1st or the 15th of the month.
While the church incurs some fees for both credit card and debit transactions, the church feels it is important to offer these options as a convenience for those who prefer to donate in this way. Automatic payments also provide BCC with an even cash flow throughout the year.
Anyone interested in enrolling in an automatic payment plan should contact Co-Treasurers Marifred Bylow or Mary Beth Scott. Authorization forms are also available in the Narthex and the church office.
A History of Brookfield Congregational
United Church of Christ
Compiled by: Robert Cummisford
In the beginning there was no City of Brookfield, no BCC and no UCC. Events started to change in 1954 when the City of Brookfield was created by incorporating 16 square miles of town land. This led to increased population as people moved out of the big cities to the quieter country side. Among these new people was a group that wanted a Congregational church that was close by.
On January 15, 1956 three couples met to discuss the need for a Congregational church in the new City of Brookfield. The three couples were Dave and Claire Akemann, Don and Lou Niles, and John and Jean Born. They decided to place an informational ad in the local paper and encouraged other interested families to join them for worship in the basement of Cottage School, where CVS Pharmacy is now. The group was aided and abetted by the Reverend Neil Swanson, the minister of Wauwatosa Congregational Church.
By February 1956 twenty people were meeting in planning sessions. In March fifty people signed a covenant to unite as a church. In April 1956 regular weekly Sunday morning worship services began in the basement of Cottage School with Sunday School classes held in upstairs classrooms. A pot luck supper, the first social get-together, was attended by ninety-three people.
In October 1956, sixty-three charter members were received into membership of the Brookfield Congregational Church. I was told by one of those, that there was a difference of opinion about the name. Some wanted to call the new church the Elmbrook Church. A vote was taken and BCC was agreed to. According to my source, none left the church over this.
Meanwhile there was a movement to merge the Congregational Christian Churches with the Evangelical and Reformed Churches. In 1957 this came about. Because of the different ways the two denominations were structured, all the E & R churches automatically became part of the new United Church of Christ. Each Congregational Church had to decide for themselves whether to join the UCC or to stay independent. BCC voted to join the UCC by a vote of 54 to 46. Wauwatosa did not join the UCC. The merging of these two denominations brought together four streams of Protestantism - Congregational, Christian, Evangelical and Reformed. The UCC is sometimes described as a fellowship of many Christians under Christ, the sole head of the church.
Also in 1957 the BCC bought the seven acres of land the Sanctuary and parking lot are on. A call was extended to Trevor Hausske to be the first full time minister. Trevor accepted and put his missionary experience in China to good use expanding the BCC congregation. In 1958 plans for a church were obtained and ground was broken December 1, 1958. The church was dedicated October 4, 1959. The BCC grew and prospered.
The BCC has had five full time ministers and four associate ministers over the years. The first associate was hired in 1986. There is a plaque on the wall south of the fountain showing the names and tenures of the clergy.
Some other points of interest in the church are: a chart giving the animals in each of the nineteen medallions in the sanctuary windows is on the south wall near the door to the choir room; a picture of some of the charter members with names is in the Library straight ahead as you enter the main doors. There are loose leaf binders to the left as you enter the library that have information about the first fifty years of BCC.
MEMBERSHIP BOARD’S GOAL:
ALL SHOULD FEEL WELCOME
AND VALUABLE
Do you very often feel like there is no hope in the world? Our media outlets often focus on mainly negative stories (i.e. war, bad economy, racism, partisan politics, etc.). At times, a person has to wonder if there is anything positive happening in the world. The answer is a resounding “YES”…at Brookfield Congregational Church. Each person in our church family (member or guest) should expect to feel welcome and definitely is valuable.
This is the charge of the Membership Board. Our team has worked extremely hard to achieve this lofty, on-going goal. Clearly the previous Board provided the foundation for our efforts…many thanks to them (specifically Paula Jones and Rachel Lyon).
We are proud to share our 2009 accomplishments:
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Introduced idea of coat rack removal in the Narthex (designed to create a more welcoming space)
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Prospective member orientation/ luncheon
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Introduced Birthday and Anniversary announcements
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New brochure
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Lanyards added onto nametags
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Pew pad maintenance and review/ follow-up
Projects in Process:
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Membership roll-editing/contact of infrequent attending members
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Visitor gift bags
Future Projects:
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November prospective member meeting, luncheon and welcome reception
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Christmas care packages
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Directory
If you have any questions, would like to assist with a project or join the Membership Board, feel free to contact any of our members (Laura Crouse, Bob Cummisford, Cindy Davito, Robin DeVilbiss, Heather Kuntz, and Mike Mallwitz-Chair) or Pastor Connie. We are honored to work as a team in order to make others feel welcome and valuable.
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
CALENDAR OF PRAYER
Have you noticed the brightly colored brochures in the basket on the Narthex table? These are weekly “Calendars of Prayer”. The National UCC office sends us a white copy in their quarterly mailing, and we make our own copies for your use.
The first page has the theme of the week along with a larger mission meditation for Sunday. The other three pages have a meditation for each day of the week. These meditations come from churches across the country and around the world.
The current week’s Calendar of Prayer will be found in the clear plastic holder. The previous Calendars of Prayer for the quarter will be found in the basket -- each week is a different color.
Remember to pick up your copy after the worship service on Sunday.
TOP TEN REASONS
FOR GIVING TO YOUR CHURCH
This Stewardship piece is originally from Mr. Bob Sturtevant of Plymouth UCC in Fort Collins, Colorado.
I give to my church because…..
10. My parents set the example by giving generously to the church.
9. It feels good to give.
8. I believe in what the greater UCC stands for and what it does to make our church, our community and our world a better place.
7. During tough economic times, I know that other people are hurting much worse than I am. I still have my home and my job. That’s more than many other have.
6. When my money is added to your money, it has greater power.
5. There are many other items I could buy with the money that I don’t really need and which will not add to the value of my life. Yet the same money can make a huge difference to someone with more basic needs.
4. It is a way to say “thank you” for all the gifts God has given me.
3. This is one more way I can make a difference in this world.
2. As someone who has dedicated his life to the stewardship of our natural resources, carrying this same concept into my church life is very easy. I want to make sure that this church, and its ideals, is here for the generations to come.
1. Through Jesus’ teachings, God asked me to.
SAFE SANCTUARY POLICIES
Our church has a policy in place for volunteers and paid staff, working directly with children and youth to guard and protect the safety, well being and healthy spiritual nurture of all people, especially children and youth. We covenant with one another to provide a safe and secure environment for all children, youth, and volunteers who participate in ministries and activities sponsored by this congregation. This covenant and safe sanctuary policy and guidelines reflect our deep commitment in making this congregation a holy place of safety and protection for all people, and a faith community where individuals can experience the love of God through healthy relationships with one another.
To that effect, all volunteers and leaders will be provided with information by the church about the covenant and policy and asked to fill out a volunteer application. These forms will be available on the table in the narthex at this time, as well as in the crib room and the BLAST area. Finished forms should be put in Sue’s mailbox slot in the office. An individual’s personal privacy will be respected at all times.
We are asking that all crib room volunteers, teachers, and youth advisors fill out one of these forms.
INFORMATION FROM THE
CO-MODERATORS
1 If your board or group is in charge of an activity that involves food, please make sure the garbage is bagged and taken to the dumpster in the parking lot (northwest corner). We have already seen ants this month so we want to try to avoid having any snacks available for more pests. Extra bags are in the janitor’s closet between the two restrooms in the hallway. If you use the kitchen, please make sure everything is cleaned up when you are done. Crumbs and open sugar containers are also a magnet for ants and mice.
2.
HERITAGE FUND INFORMATION
We would like to review some information about the Heritage Fund.
"The assets of the Heritage Fund shall be used for the benefit of the Church community, which may include mission to the members and non members, enhancements to the Church property, and education and religious programs. It is not the intent of this Heritage Fund that it be used for the Operating Budget." Heritage Fund charter- adopted by the Congregation in 2006.
The balance of the Fund was $77,041 at the end of 2008. Currently, the assets available for distribution total $5,141 ($2,542 remaining from 2008, and $2,599 for 2009).
Possible recipients of money from the Heritage Fund might include music programs, guest speakers, funding of special mission projects of the Church, or sponsoring community service projects.
When the Heritage Fund was established
in 2006, donors came forward and said they would match dollar for dollar all gifts (not pledges) up to $50,000. The donors have already matched $10,000. The match will continue until the end of this year. Please consider this opportunity to double the impact of your contribution to the Heritage Fund.
If you have questions about the Fund, please contact Dave DiBraccio.
The Stewardship Board
“We’re on a Journey…Sharing Our Story.” This is our purpose statement. As you think about BCC’s purpose, what is our story of stewardship? Stewardship itself should represent the summing up of a Christian life. What is our individual stewardship story? How engaged are each of us in being year-round stewards? Is there more we can do to help others and in doing so to grow our own faith? Stewardship should be a 12 month commitment. Is this how we view stewardship or is it only something we think about at this time of year as we approach the last quarter of the calendar year? As individuals and members of a healthy congregation, there is much more that we can do in the name of stewardship that will help us grow in faith and strengthen our relationship to God. The goal of the Stewardship Board is to facilitate a change in how we view stewardship. We look forward to working with you to help BCC embrace this effort.
The Worship Board
This year's Worship Board consists of six active Church Members. All have been members of BCC for many years with one being a Charter Member of this Church. We are about to start a new program serving Communion once a month to our members who are not able to attend the church worship services. Two individuals will go to their place of residence for brief conversation and provide them with the bread and wine of communion. There will be a written Service of Communion to follow. Most things that take place in the Sanctuary are the responsibility of the Worship Board. One of the most important duties of the Board is serving Communion the first Sunday of each month. We provide the weekly ushers as well as ushers for special services and funerals, fresh flowers for baptisms and coordinate the ordering and arranging of flowers for Christmas and Easter. "Hanging of the Greens" at Christmas is also a part of this group. We ask for volunteers to decorate the Church, put up the tree and then arrange to take it all down in January. This Board is responsible for working with our Pastor on a continuous basis to ensure that the service meets the needs of our members and guests. The Worship Board and Pastor attempt to make each Sunday a special time for those attending.
WHOEVER YOU ARE,
WHEREVER YOU ARE ON LIFE’S JOURNEY,
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE
FELLOWSHIP BOARD
Greetings from the Fellowship Board! We are happy to report that our church members are some of the best tailgaters, ice cream eaters, and coffee drinkers in town!
If you are ever wondering what this board is doing throughout the year, you can bet it may have to do with eating, drinking, and sharing the company of our fine congregation.
Some of the events we have worked on recently were the tailgate to support our softball team, the Starry Nights gathering to enjoy music, and Rally Sunday ice cream social.
We are looking forward to more great events to celebrate our friendships. Currently we are planning a Potluck on November 14th at Mitchell Park. Look for more information and sign-up sheets on the bulletin board at church.
If you have enjoyed some of these gatherings and think you're a good "party planner" Fellowship Board could be your next "gig!" We are always in need of volunteers for the coffee hour after church and to be a part of our board. Please let us know if you can lend a hand for any of our fellowship activities. The Fellowship Board
READERS…
Looking for a book to read? BCC has its own bookcase filled with books for you to borrow in the church hallway. Borrow a book for as long as it takes you to read it. Have extra books at home? Donate them to the bookcase -- please no magazines, romances, text books, or children's books. Find a new book and author to try - you might find a new favorite.