Homebranch News

Worship Schedule

Sunday mornings 10:30 am Worship, In-Person

We are abiding by these recommendations.

Conference Recommendations for Reopening Worship

General recommendations

Wear cloth face masks while at church as is also recommended in public spaces.
Singing and liturgical responses are among the riskier practices when it comes to spreading droplets/aerosols which can carry the virus a significant distance and remain suspended in the air. A cloth mask is unlikely to be enough to protect you or your neighbor even as you practice appropriate physical distancing. The recommendation is to avoid singing/liturgical responses in the sanctuary while the congregation is gathered.
Use no-touch alternatives for passing the peace, collecting offering, and liturgical resources. Consider removing pew Bibles, hymnals and friendship pads especially if you will have multiple services. Use bulletins (do not reuse) or screens as alternatives. If you keep these resources in the pews provide for wipe down after each service.
For children’s time, do not have children come forward. Instead, create from you-to-the-pew story moments engaging children from safe distancing.
Distancing: Have people spread out in the sanctuary space. Allow only one family unit per pew with measured markers indicating proper physical distance in approved and marked seating areas. Explore meeting in a fellowship hall or outdoors if your space is small.
Do not offer fellowship/coffee hour. Food and drink hospitality only resumes at green-light status. Continue encouraging people to leave the building rather than mingling. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:10 NIV)
There are those who are willing to help, they often don’t know there’s a need. Here’s our need: the cancelled services, meetings, and events have resulted in less giving. Please help us by adding to our offerings. You may be the one who can help.
UMCOR Sunday

Sunday, September 20^th, we will be taking an UMCOR Sunday offering. We were not able to observe this Sunday in March. Gifts to UMCOR lay the foundation for all United Methodist Committee on Relief work by covering the costs of doing business. This means all contributions designated to specific programs can go 100% to those programs because UMCOR’s basic expenses are covered.

Checks may be made to the United Methodist Church. On the memo line please note UMCOR.

You may also donate online at
UMCgiving.org/giveUMCOR

Office Hours

9:00 am to 1:00 pm Mondays through Thursdays

9:00 am to Noon Fridays

UMW’s Annual Fundraiser, aka “The Nuts”

We are pleased to announce that, despite the pandemic, we are going to hold our annual fundraiser this year. However, we find it necessary to implement some changes to our normal way of doing things. Does that sound familiar?

First of all, the Terri Lynn Company, from whom we buy our delicious nuts and candies, has changed the look of their packaging. They tell us to “rest assured” that they haven’t changed anything related to their great-tasting premium products. Another good thing is that their prices haven’t changed from last year!

We have also implemented some changes on “our end” of this fundraiser process. A major change you will notice on the enclosed order form is that we eliminated some of the items offered for sale in previous years. We are sorry if you favorite treat is no longer available. However, this is an effort to reduce the amount of time that our workers spend unloading the boxes, filling orders, etc.

Another major change is that we will not be selling nuts and candies in the Narthex at church on Sunday mornings. This means that everyone will need to fill out an order blank for the items they wish to purchase. There will be a tray on a small table in the Narthex for you to submit your completed order form. Please bring your order to the church by September 21^st. We will probably be sending in another Master Order to the Terri Lynn Company in October, but please submit your order form(s) to us as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support of our annual fundraiser. We have experienced much success in the past, thanks to all of you, which has enabled our United Methodist Women to fulfill our purpose of being in mission to women, youth and children.

UMCOR Kits and Mission Ingathering

Thank you for the donations we have received so far for the UMCOR School Kits. We are still in need of pencils, pencil sharpeners, blunt-tip scissors, crayons, colored pencils, erasers and rulers. We have plenty of notebooks!

Thank you to the ladies who have sewn the beautiful school bags!

We are also collecting items for the Personal Dignity Kits. Items needed for these kits are:

1 new bath hand towel

1 new wash cloth

1 bar of soap in wrapper 3-4oz

10 band aids (3/4 by 3 inches)

1 adult toothbrush in original sealed wrapper

1 toothpaste 2.5 oz or larger

1 shampoo 15-18 oz

1 deodorant 2-3 oz (stick, roll on or pump)

1 razor with guard

We will buy the combs and fingernail clippers in bulk.

If you don’t wish to shop for these items, there is a canister in the Narthex for cash donations. Please make checks payable to the “United Methodist Church”, with” UMCOR Kits” written in the memo area.

Please have all of your items to the church by Wednesday, September 30^th, so we can assemble the kits at the October Lydia Circle Meeting.

We will take the kits to the Mission Ingathering in Cedar Falls on Saturday, November 7^th.

The 2020 Mission Ingathering will look different this year due to Covid-19 concerns and restrictions. However, the purpose of showing the love of Christ to people in need will carry on.

The Mission Ingathering will not be holding large group activities this year.

The delivery of the kits will be a “drive-thru” process. Volunteers will meet the vehicles, take the kits and remittance forms so that drivers will not need to leave their vehicles.

The UMCOR Kits are vitally important this year due to all of the disasters that have happened.

When we share from out abundance, we are acting justly and reflecting our desire to serve God. Thank you in advance, and may God bless you richly for your generosity to those in need.

Mission Committee

Church Council

Fall Worship times were worked out by the Joint SPRC. Elgin will have a 9:00 am Worship Service and West Union will have a 10:30 am Worship Service. Elgin requested the 9:00 am time to have more light for members to come to church and time to clear sidewalks and parking area, as the amount of daylight changes. This schedule will begin September 6^th.

Pastor Rick and Laurie Moss have met to discuss Sunday School. September 13^th is being considered as a possible start date.

Pastor Rick and Laurie Moss have also been looking at and considering Confirmation plans. No date or details have been set as of yet. West Union has 4 students and Elgin has 2.

Expectations were discussed. West Union and Elgin Councils and SPRCs will be meeting virtually with a district leader to finalize expectations for each church.

Tom Luhman reported on the budget. We will meet the budget for August. He also shared that 1 month of apportionment has been paid. There was discussion how to address this issue. The budget has been addressed in the bulletin, Home Branch and by Pastor Rick Sunday morning.

Marlys Anderson brought up the special request for donations to help those who have suffered because of the derecho. August 30^th is set to collect that offering. We will be observing UMCOR Sunday September 20^th. Dates and online sites are listed on the bulletin if members choose to give that way.

Marlys Anderson reported that UMW has not been able to meet. The circles are each going to meet in September. Lydia Circle plans to meet at the Rec Complex and Evening Circle in the church parking lot.

Lynn Isvik reported no choir plans are being made since we are still not to be singing during worship.

Pastor Rick shared continuing education plans with the Council. He is looking for a ministry and media class. Also, it is looking like Christmas Eve will be celebrated at 5:30 pm at Elgin and 7:00 pm at West Union.

The next Council Meeting will be September 23^rd.

Mobile Food Pantry

The Mobile Food Pantry is now being held the second Monday of every month from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at Crossfire Church.

Updating Emails

I am updating our email list at church. If you have changed your email or never given an email to the church, please email: wuumchurch@gmail.com

I plan on emailing the newsletter to as many as I can in 2021. I will still mail to those who request it that way. Or one may be picked up from church. Thank you.