Elder Report Upcoming Events

Sunday Worship Times:

8:00, 9:25 , and 11:00 AM in

the sanctuary

Awakening at 10:30 AM in the

Soul Garage

June 4—Monday Night Prayer in Maranatha’s conference

room at 6:30 PM

June 5,12,19 & 26th —every Tuesday, Victory Bound Recovery at 6:00 PM in the conference room by the church offices. Open to anyone trying to overcome an addiction or behavior with the

help of Christ.

June 11— Monday, Potting Class in the fellowship hall at 6:30 PM with Leah Margan of Blue View Nursery. Must RSVP. Cost for class is $25 with check

made out to Blue View.

June 13—Wednesday, Aqua-Fest Worship Concert at 7:00 PM in the sanctuary with Jerry

Williams and Taken.

June 13—Wednesday, Middle School Bonfire and Campout at Hultman’s at 6:30 PM, Senior High Senior Celebration

at Kuhrts at 6:00 PM

June 7, 14, 21, & 28th —Thursdays, Sonshine Ladies Bible Study in the conference room at 1:30 PM led by Val

Caldwell.

June 17—Sunday, Happy

Father’s Day to fathers.

June 20—Wednesday, Young at Heart (lunch provided) in the fellowship hall at noon followed by a movie in the sanctuary. RSVP at the bulletin board to the left as you enter the fellowship hall so we know

how many to prepare for.

June 24—Sunday, Children’s Vacation Bible School Pre-Registration begins in the fellowship hall between worship services (9:10 AM and

10:30 AM)

June

I’m Pastor Dan. It’s my turn to give our

monthly elder report. It’s been my privilege to

serve the Lord as Senior Pastor for 14 years at

Maranatha, and to serve as an elder at Maranatha

for the past 7 years. Julie is my wife of 26 years.

She teaches 2nd grade at Cameron Elementary.

Besides being my big supporter in ministry, she shares her gifts and talents

primarily in the areas of Worship and Dramatic Arts. We have two daughters.

Katie is a junior at UWEC studying Biology and going toward some health

profession. Holly is completing her Junior Year at Rice Lake High School and

works part-time at Rice Lake Convalescent Center. You might see her at Soul

Garage, or on a golf course, or operating our projection software in one of our

services.

It’s been great as the leader of the

pastoral staff at Maranatha to watch how God is

using our current pastoral team of Paul, Tony

and me. In May, our elder board voted to extend

a calling to Anthony (Andrea) Hubin to come to

Maranatha as our Worship Arts Pastor. Anthony

accepted our call and is scheduled to start

leading worship on July 29th. Pray for the

Hubin’s transition from China, where they are teaching English, to the states

and then to Maranatha. We want to thank our Worship Arts Search Team

which invested so much time and talent into this process: Scott Carlson,

Sheila Hobein, Paul Green, Janna Haack, Rachel Schofield, and Dan and Julie

Reid.

Julie Henningsen had a vision for a dinner to honor our volunteers who

served in our children and youth ministries this past year. Julie and Pastor

Tony pulled together a great team that planned and prepared the evening.

Under Julie’s direction our elders literally served this dinner to our wonderful

team of volunteers.

This is church budget season. All of our ministries are putting together

plans for another exciting year of ministry. The elders will review these

ministry budgets and then compile them into an all church budget to present

at our annual church meeting in July. Pray for our ministry team leaders, staff

and elders. We desire a budget loaded with vision, which stretches our faith,

but keeps us grounded in good stewardship.

It’s very hard to discontinue any ministry opportunity. Especially one

begun with great intentions with great people involved. There are good

reasons to keep something going that is doing okay. One of the harder recent

decisions our elders have made was to suspend our Saturday Night service for

the summer. It just didn’t pass the good stewardship of volunteer and staff

Maranatha Evangelical Free Church June 2012

time test, as well as the worship volunteer availability test. Our Saturday Night Service averaged 50-60

attendees for the past year. Maranatha still needs 3 sanctuary services, so we moved to 3 identical services

on Sunday AM with the same worship team in all three. Hopefully our church family will find plenty of room to

attend either our 8:00 AM, 9:25 AM or 11:00 AM services. So far the 9:25 service is the most full. I want to

encourage you to check out the 8:00 AM or 11:00 AM service especially if crowded isn’t your thing.

Also, don’t forget our AWAKENING Service in Soul Garage. We have a leadership team for

AWAKENING: Andre and Renee Abraham, Luke Neraasen, Cheyenne Clark, Dan and Janette Young, Cody

Zurn and Simon Peterson. AWAKENING Worship in Soul Garage is at 10:30 AM.

We will continue to evaluate the idea of having alternative services other than Sunday morning. I look

forward to working with Pastor Anthony, our new Worship Arts Pastor, as we consider future worship venues

on or off site.

Our last two original elders are rotating off our board next month. Dale Heinecke and Doug Ripplinger

have served faithfully for the past 7 years. Doug has been the only elder chairman our church has ever

known. He has set a standard of excellence and spiritual maturity. God used him in tremendous ways in the

unique position of elder chairmen. Both Doug and Dale will be missed, but its right to bring on new

leadership and perspectives. Please make it a point to thank our elders for their service. Please pray for our

2012 Elder Nominating team: Paul Hodge, Kevin Pinkerton, Dean Valentin, Val Caldwell, Doug Ripplinger,

Dale Heinecke, Heather Cox, and Pastor Dan.

Sincerely,

Pastor Dan

Elder Report continued

Women’s Quilting class

Pretty and practical

A beautiful handbag

was the result of this

year’s quilter’s class

led by Diann Raymond

and Angie Allen.

Pictures courtesy of

Stacey Wenzel.

Maranatha Membership Notification of Proposed Changes To the Constitution and By-Laws of

Maranatha Evangelical Free Church of Rice Lake, Wisconsin

According to the current Constitution and By-Laws: Article VII: Amendments

“This Constitution may be amended or altered by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at any

regular or special business meeting of the church, providing notification of the proposed alteration or

amendment has been made to the members at least 30 days prior to such meeting.”

Proposed changes recommended by the Board of Elders:

Article II: Government

Responsibilities

Voting on: the annual budget, constitutional changes, building expansion projects, purchasing or selling

property, hiring or dismissing pastoral staff* and electing or removing elders.

(take out pastoral staff, replace with senior pastor)

* note: Last year the membership voted that the pastors and staff, other than senior pastor, be chosen by the

elder board. This changes the verbiage to go along with the decision that was made last year.

Section 2: Pastors/Elders/Lay Staff

Fifth paragraph – Responsibilities – second sentence: The Elders shall elect their own officers to preside over

the annual church meetings, appoint an auditing committee, and the appointing of and annual evaluation of

Ministry Team Leaders.

(take out and the appointing of and, replace with: appoint and conduct an

Note: Verbiage change for sentence flow.

Article V: Amendments

Flow Chart – Christian Education & Discipleship box. Remove: Christian Education and add Connecting.

Note: Christian Education is included within the Ministry boxes where applicable.

Youth box: Add: College

The Amazing Story of Steven Thorpe Steven Thorpe of Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England was 17 when the accident occurred

in February 2008. His friend was driving the car which struck a wayward horse. Two other cars were also involved

in the accident. The horse and his friend Matthew Jones, another passenger in the car, died. Steven barely survived.

He was taken to a hospital in Coventry, a few miles from his home, and placed in a chemically induced coma.

Surgery was done to reduce swelling in his brain.

After a couple of days, the medical staff concluded that his life could not be saved. Four

doctors had concluded that Steven was brain dead and suggested that the family should consider

organ donations before the life-support was removed. The family requested a second opinion.

They enlisted the aid of Dr. Julia Piper, a private practice doctor in nearby Leicester. Dr. Piper

in consultation with a neurologist determined that Steven was still alive. He awoke from the

coma two weeks later and was discharged from the hospital seven weeks after the accident.

According to BBC News, Dr. Piper said, “I had this strong feeling that this wasn't right and then eventually I

got someone else to look at him and of course it proved to have been the right thing to have done. One feels this

may happen more often. We don't have any figures but I think it's important to always ask and if you're not sure

about something to push as hard as you can. As with all human beings, we can sometimes have procedures in place

and they sometimes fail. We need to understand why they're failing.”

Steven has had four reconstruction facial surgeries and is receiving physiotherapy to restore some

functionality to his badly injured left arm. He is now 21 and is studying accounting.

Steven’s story is amazing. It appears almost as if the dead has arisen. It is also a troubling one in today’s

world. We want to trust those in whom we place our lives. But Dr. Piper’s words are haunting. “One feels this may

happen more often. . . . I think it’s important . . . . if you’re not sure about something to push as hard as you can.”

The truth is the story as God sees it through his window on the scene. With our human

limitations we never have that compete and perfect view. This story requires us to push as hard

as we can until we can see the truth as closely as we can. Steven’s story presents particular

problems in discerning the truth. It draws out all kinds of troubling thoughts, emotions and

motivations. It tests our love for God in mind, heart, and will.

The determination of the end of life through a diagnosis of “brain death” is quite recent. It

became common after the first heart transplants were done in the late 1960s. Transplanted organs must remain

oxygenated by the flow of blood until they are removed. Until the diagnosis of “brain death” was popularized, death

was determined when the heart stopped and blood flow ceased. A book by Dick Teresi, The Undead: Organ

Harvesting, the Ice-Water Test, Beating Heart Cadavers—How Medicine Is Blurring the Line Between Life and

Death, raises serious questions with regard to determinations of death for organ transplantation. The Scripture tells us that truth matters. Truth telling is commanded (Exodus 20:16, Matthew 5:33-37) and

describes one who walks with the Lord (Psalm 15). The truth defines a righteous nation (Isaiah 26:2-4). It is

discovered in following Jesus’ words and example. It makes us free and identifies our relationship with Christ (John

8:31-47). Jesus came to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37). The ungodly turn the truth into a lie (Romans 1:25)

and do not obey the truth (Romans 2:8).

A council of lies convened to

bring about the execution of Christ

(Matthew 26:47-27:44; Mark 14:43-

15:32; Luke 22:47-23:48; John 18:1-

19:22). A study of these passages reveals

that people who hated each other, the

Sadducees and the Pharisees, the

Herodians and the Romans, conspired

together to bring about the crucifixion.

They brought along the masses with their

Please include these people in your prayers:

Don Frolik, Marv Oftedahl, Sonna Phillips, Stan Oftedahl, Darlene Strohmeyer, Don Swan, Ray Caldwell, Pat Swanson, Violet Fossum, Marjie Peterson’s husband Lynn, Paul Green’s step-brother Tom, Joe Kidder’s daughter Sydney, Esther Swan’s brother David, Patti Aune’s sister Betty, Kathy Johnson’s mother Irene Vaughn, Rod Flohr’s parents, Fran Reich’s children, Pavick’s son Jeremiah, Lillian Bjugstad’s son Mark, Elfriede Harwart’s children, Eva Condon’s daughters, Janette Young’s father Jim, Connie Blix’s family, Larry Hawley’s sisters, Marsha Stoeberl’s dad Ken Coleman, Don & Bernadette Park’s son Bruce & nephew AJ, Harold & Marilyn Edward’s son Steve, Keven Jensen’s cousin Rob, Patti Gibbons’ brother Chuck Jones, Steve Gibbons’ brother Mike, Vicky Heldt’s friend Brenda Espeseth, Sandy Hodge’s sister Jo & friend Ann, McClain’s daughter-in-law Sandy, Leah Margan’s niece Leanna, Rich Robinson’s cousin Stephanie, Joan Neidermire’s friend Tami Erickson, Mary Graese’s friend Leah, Yvonne Hansen’s friend Sue, Laura Hill’s friends Ardis & Shannon, & Carol Montgomery’s brother Ronnie.

Serving in the military: Dave & Darlene Strohmeyer’s daughter Dawn, and Keven Jensen’s nephew Jordan are serving in Afghanistan. Steve Blihovde’s son Grant is also

“But God has surely listened

and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!” Psalm 66:19-20

serving in Afghanistan.

Praises: The healthy birth of Mara Violet Dennis to parents Dave & Cyndi Dennis on May 2nd. New members Tony & Michelle Nord and Tanya Jahnke.

Jesse Sigurdsen is safely home from military service

in Kuwait. The following students that are graduating from local high schools this year: Courtney Bier, Tom Heinecke, Alex Hill, Brianna Jilek, Molly Kohler, Shawna Kuhrt, Josiah Madison-Sigurdsen, and Alex Melgosa. Graduates from UW-Barron County with Associates Degrees are: Abi Kesler, April Holmstrom, and Tiffany Carlson. Elizabeth Swan has graduated from UW-River Falls with a degree in Elementary Education. May God bless each one!

Congregational Care - Prayer Concerns

hysterical demand to release a true criminal, Barabbas, and crucify Jesus. Even some of the disciples were caught in

the lie, notably, Judas and Peter. It is easy to pass judgment on each of the participants of this council. In truth, we

can see ourselves in each of these participants. All of them accepted the lie rather than the truth in order to further

their own self-interest.

God’s hand of providence was upon Steven Thorpe. Perhaps the council of lies is still at work, hiding certain

aspects of the truth in order to achieve an end that may not be in line with the truth as it is seen through God’s eyes.

Since the father of lies is hard at work, we who follow God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) should be especially careful not

to accept too readily what seems popular, to question the truth of what is being said, and to discover the lie that is

being told through what is left unsaid.

By Lawrence D. Anderson

Maranatha Community Gardens—If you have not already signed up for a garden plot in our community Gardens, we still have plots available so contact Lee Wohlk at 715-458-2925. Our church Is powered by prayer—Please join us Monday, June 4th at 6:30 PM for Monday Night Prayer in the new conference room by the church offices.. Bring requests and pray.

New Members: Tanya Jahnke and Tony & Michelle Nord have completed all the necessary requirements for membership at Maranatha. If you have any Biblical reason why these individuals should not be accepted into membership, please contact an elder or Pastor Dan. Please welcome the Nords and Tanya into membership. Maranatha Women's ministries Potting Class, June 11th in the fellowship hall: Join Leah Margan in the fellowship hall at 6:30 PM to learn how to combine plants for making your own potted plants. $25 fee will be charged.. (Checks need to be made out to “Blue View Nursery” At the time of the class) RSVP is necessary. to reserve your spot, sign up by calling Cindy McClain at 715-236-2706 by June 10th, on the back of the blue sheet, or by signing up at the connecting Point. Aquafest worship concert—Wednesday, June 13th at 7:00 PM in Maranatha sanctuary. Come worship with Jerry Williams (formerly of Harvest) and Taken. Free concert. Young At Heart — Wednesday, June 20th in the fellowship hall at noon. Lunch is provided, followed by a movie in the sanctuary. Please RSVP at the bulletin board to the left as you enter the fellowship hall or indicating your coming on the back of the Blue sheet so we know how many to prepare for. more information is available by contacting Lee & Selby Wohlk at 715-458-2925. STEVE Edwards benefit—Harold & Marilyn Edward’s son and Mark Edward’s brother Steve was in a serious motorcycle accident recently. to help the family a benefit spaghetti dinner is planned for June 23rd at Chetek airplane Park from noon to 5:00 PM. remember our Missionaries… Visit our website: www.maranathafree.com and click on the link for MINISTRIES which will take you to where you can click on “missions.” Monthly updated prayer requests will be posted there. If you do not have access to the internet, please pick up a copy of the Missionary Prayer Sheet from the Connecting Point (desk) in the Welcome Center Lobby) each month as we update it.

Please remember our new summer Service Times : Sunday services in the Sanctuary at 8:00 AM, 9:25 AM and 11:00 AM, with Children’s Sunday Program at the ministry Center from 9:25AM-10:25 AM.. Nursery is available for infants through 36 months in the main church for all services. Awakening Service times are 10:30 AM Sunday Mornings in the Soul Garage. Children’s vacation bible school “Sonquest Rainforest” is coming July 9-13—Kids ages 4 years through 5th Grade are invited to attend and bring friends. Pre=registration begins Sunday, June 24th in the fellowship hall between worship services (9:10 AM and 10:30 AM) Volunteers are needed and can contact Carrie Wessman at 715-943-2579.

3340 S. Main Street

Rice Lake, WI 54868

Phone: 715-234-8313

mefc@chibardun.net

Maranatha Evangelical Free Church

We’re on the Web!

www.maranathafree.com

June 2012

June Announcements