Volume 2, Issue 11
November, 2014
Epworth UMC
Inside This Issue
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
1. Member Spotlight
on
2. Spotlight Continued; The
Voice Reminder.
ANNA PRESLER
3. Kidz Haven.
4. Missions/Evangelism;
Thank You Benny & Brittany Smith; Web-site.
5. Scouts; Imagine no Malaria; Finance Notes;
UMW.
6. Circle of Support, Mary
Edie Circle, Birthdays,
Prayers, Ministry Assignments.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
SCHEDULE
9:15—
9:15—Sunday School
10:1510:15-Fellowship
10:45–
10:45– Worship
Future Dates to remember:
11/4– Election Day
11/15— Autumn Basement/
Bake Sale
12/6-Tea Party/Bazaar
12/6-Scouts Chili Supper
‘The Voice’
Anna Presler
Epworth has a quiet celebrity in our midst. Long-time
member, Anna Presler was named “Des Moines Outstanding Educator” in 1968 by the Des Moines JayCees. After she retired from teaching in Des Moines
Public Schools, she volunteered several years at a
homeless daycare shelter. Again she was recognized
as “Volunteer of the Year” for her outstanding dedication and talented service to homeless youth.
How did you come to Epworth? Many years ago, she visited Epworth
with a lady friend from Trinity UMC and decided to stay with us.
Favorite Epworth memories? All the kids that attended Sunday School at
Epworth, where she taught grades K-4 for many years.
Tell us more about your teaching: A native of Eagle Grove, Anna attended Drake University full-time on a scholarship and worked in the Drake Library. After graduating, Anna taught 39 years in Des Moines Public
Schools, plus an additional two in Polk County. Her specialty areas were
pre-school through 4th grade students, plus 27 years as special needs
teacher.
Tell us about your pets: Anna visited a pet shelter, wanting to adopt a cat.
Dusty actually picked her because she was an unusually friendly cat and
made a beeline for Anna during her visit. .A few years ago, she lost a beloved dog and her great nephew was mowing her lawn one day. He asked,
“Aunt Anna, do you ever think you’ll want to have another dog?” Of course
her answer was “yes.” Shortly thereafter, Anna inherited Ben, an animated,
friendly, long-haired brown Dachshund. Dusty and Ben keep things going
at a lively pace around their home.
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Health problems: Issues with spinal stenosis and a degenerative spine limit Anna’s current activities, but are being helped with annual epidurals for pain control. She is unable to sit very long in a
chair without a straight back.
These days? Anna serves on the Kidz Haven Board of Directors, starting her third year this August
(2014). All her valuable teaching experience comes into play during KH Board meeting discussions
and decision-making.
We are pleased to shine the Member Spotlight on Anna Presler, for her many years of enthusiastic, gifted, volunteer service at Epworth! Thank you, Anna!
Contributed by Jan Meek
REMINDER!!
THE VOICE DELIVERY CHANGES ARE COMING
As an ongoing search to reduce general expenses at Epworth, on September 10,
the Administrative Council approved the following decisions concerning Epworth’s monthly news letter, THE VOICE.
Currently about 200 copies are mailed each month. Many are going to former members who have
moved away or who have had no contact with Epworth for many years. This practice was been continued to keep friends informed and to maintain a lower bulk mailing rate.
Beginning January, 2015, the following changes will be in place:
1. Copies of THE VOICE will be available for pickup on Sunday mornings.
2. Copies will continue to be mailed to shut-ins.
3. If members, former members, or others, wish to receive THE VOICE by mail, a $10.00
yearly subscription fee will be requested.
4. THE VOICE will be sent electronically, free of charge, to all who submit personal e-mail
addresses.
5. Birthdays and schedules for ushers and contribution processors will no longer be found
in THE VOICE, however assignments will be posted on the narthex bulletin board for
easy reference.
Submitted by Marilyn Moberg, Communications
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KIDZ HAVEN ENJOYMENT CONTINUES
September 24: Epworth’s own Bruce Stephens, certified Microsoft instructor, led a 45minute computer-lab session, introducing our
seven Harding students to Excel (a Microsoft Office program). Bruce even taught them how to
design and use Excel formulas. All the students
enjoyed the hands-on session and went away
with knowledge of a brand-new computer program to use in the future.
October 1: Every year the SAI group (that
hosts free, weekly Saturday vegetarian lunches,
plus the no-cost annual medical clinic in September) leads a KH session. This was a dance program led by professional dance teacher Penny
Furguson, assisted by her son, Lee Mann on an
African drum. Lee opened with having everyone
in the room learn the three notes on his drum:
slap, bass and tone. Then we learned a responsive West African welcome song. Penny also
had everyone (adults and students) participate in
learning African and Indian dances with colored
scarves and drum accompaniment. One of the
volunteers noted that this ranked as one of KH’s
all-time best sessions.
October 8: Immediately after snacks, everyone
congregated in the Pastor’s office to hear our
Foreign Exchange Student, Ayishatu conclude her interesting presentation on her home
country of Ghana. Ayishatu proved to be athletic, too, when she performed admirably later in
the kick-ball session outside on a beautiful October afternoon.
Texas), Ruth Kouski was guest chef, leading
the students in a hands-on kitchen session that
prepared spaghetti and home-made meatballs
for everyone. Everyone there that afternoon enjoyed sitting around the kitchen table and eating
the delicious meal together. To cap the afternoon’s activities, Ruth had the students make
two kinds of Halloween desserts.
As we go to press, upcoming sessions will feature:
October 22: Epworth’s own Matthew Moberg
will lead a combined session on bike safety and
his career as a licensed, commercial pilot.
October 29: Will feature a Halloween party.
We now average seven (7) students weekly,
thanks to word of mouth invitations and fun testaments from our original three who started in
August. Thanks to volunteer Linda Toth for
planning and serving nutritious snacks for the
entire month of October.
More Kidz Haven news will be found in next
month’s issue of the Epworth Voice.
Contributed by Jan Meek
October 15: Back by popular demand (before
she leaves November 1 for winter quarters in
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Missions/Evangelism
Autumn is such a busy
time for everyone (have you
raked all your leaves yet?),
but it is especially so at Epworth! As we prepare for our “Trunk or Treat” parking lot event
on October 30th, we find ourselves looking forward to sharing lots of goodies with our neighborhood families, along with Epworth’s famous
homemade chili and cold drinks.
We are bursting with anticipation as we prepare for the largest Basement Sale and Bake
Sale ever at Epworth on Saturday, November
15th at 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thanks to all of
our generous donors! It is NOT too late to contribute sale items, to plan to bake for our Bake
Sale, or to assist us on Set-Up-Day (Friday November 14th at 9:00 a.m.)! In other words, we
would appreciate any help you are able to offer!
As we roll into December, we are looking
forward to a new project and we hope that our
congregation will support us with this endeavor.
On Saturday, December 6th, from 2:00 to 4:30
p.m., we are planning a Tea Party/Bazaar to be
held in the Lounge. We are asking for donated
homemade items (baked goods as well) to be
displayed for sale. Our tables will be set up for
light refreshments and lots of hot tea. For information, a brief organizational meeting will be
held November 4th at 11:00 a.m. in the downstairs kitchen—or you may call Linda Toth at
515-255-1363. Please join us if you can!
All proceeds from the Basement Sale and
the Tea party are ear-marked to go towards Apportionments and General Budget.
Thank you, Epworth!
Contributed by Linda Toth
“MANY THANKS”
Epworth received a generous gift from Benny
and Brittany Smith in October and it is very
much appreciated. They re-painted our parking
lot lines and bold identified special spots. They
gifted this to our church and a huge “thank you”
is in order!
EPWORTH WEB-SITE
Since printing of future The Voice will be limited
beginning January 1, have y0u thought about looking at the Epworth web-site?
You can find some interesting things on the site including The Voice, the Epworth calendar, upcoming
events under “What’s Happening” and a place to
post “Joys and Concerns”.
Please submit your articles for the
Try it! I think you will like it!!!
December Voice by November 17th.
epworthumc-desmoines.org
Thank you, Opal
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Once again the Pack is in
full swing. Last month we
were busy with a Family Campout and with popcorn sales
(that are now coming to an
end). Also, we have been
planning our Second Annual
Winter Dinner. This year we will be doing Chili for
the dinner.
Popcorn sales have been a good learning experience for the boys as they experienced how to
market their product.
Recruitment has been good this year and the
Pack has been expanding. More boys equals more
fun!
All of the Dens are busy working with the
boys to earn their badges; and the first Pack meeting was a total success—especially when the Cub
Master got a whip cream pie in the face.
We are looking forward to all the fun of this
year and are so glad to be doing more scouting.
By Chris Jones
Thank You! It is my great privilege to
be the person to thank you on behalf of all
of the lives that you, the outstandingly generous people of Epworth UMC, have saved.
Who are they? Many are people we
will never see or get to know. But there is
always a chance that one of those many
lives will turn out to be the person who
cures a fatal disease, finds a way to bring
peace to a troubled world, or maybe that life
saved will become a friend to you or me.
And to think it all began with some
change in your pocket. That would be a
great investment !
Finance Notes
This month we were
able to pay two more apportionments payments,
so now we have paid five
of the twelve needed this
year. We also have stayed
above water in our monthly payments, but just above.
It is the most difficult of all of the jobs I have at
Epworth to continually ask you to give more, but
that is the only way we can continue to pay all of our
bills.
Bob Carl, Chair of the Finance Committee
The December 6th
Epworth UMC Salad,
Lunch and program has
been cancelled. Instead
we will be able to help
with and enjoy the wonderful Bazaar and Tea
which has been scheduled for that date.
Everyone is invited to help with this fun
event! All money received will benefit our
church budget.
By Virginia Crouse
Submitted by Bob Carl
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November Birthdays
1st
3rd
4th
5th
7th
8th
10th
11th
17th
18th
19th
20th
23rd
26th
28th
29th
Jean Allan
Greg Utterback
Brenda Goodall
Laurie Coons
Joseph Samo
Lisa Bair
William Inman
Kathy Harrington
Travis Samo
Marilyn Moberg
Clyde Bice
Susan Robinson
David McChesney
Jeanne Dickerson
Aaron Hall
Vickie Miklus
Joelle Thomas
Dennis Earleywine
Jeff Bair
Janice Masterson
Justin Allan
Jan Meek
Willow Christensen
Sarah Bragg
Rebecca Wells
We lift in prayer those in care
centers, the home-bound and
those who provide care for our
dear ones who can not get out:
Doris Bohrofen is at Heritage Park; Joann Walters is
at Luther Park Trinity; Howard Brown is at Norwalk
Nursing & Rehab Center; Annalue Ceretti and Evelyn
Albaugh are at The Reserve on Walnut Creek; Wade
Steele is at Vintage Hills at Prairie Trail in Ankeny;
Mildred Harmon is at Home; Lorraine Howard at
Address Unknown.
We lift in prayer those who are in jail or
prison:
Kenny Davis and Adam Fankhauser at Oakdale Correctional Facility; Dayvon Inman at Mt. Pleasant Prison;
LeQuan Clark at Bridges of Iowa.
November Contribution Processors
3rd Dick Borg & Shirlee Herrold @ 1 pm
10th Iona Vernon & Angie Alexander
17th Shirley Voss & Iona Vernon
24th Linda Toth & Shirlee Herrold @ 1 pm
November
2nd
Circles Of Support
We continue to meet with Kendra weekly,
when she can get off work and doesn't have
family obligations. The recovery is still an
ongoing process. Please continue to keep her
in your prayers.
Yvette is still incarcerated, waiting with
us to hear the final outcome of her appeal. I
ask that you still hold her in prayer, to remain
calm, to have an abiding trust in God's goodness, and to know that she is still held in the
hearts of many.
Bob Carl, Dick Davenport,
Mark Tillotson, Jim Hall
9th
Nettie Brown, Linda Toth,
Susan Robinson, Amanda Bosch
16th Billy Palmer, Dick Davenport,
Ron Bosch, Kyle Robinson
23rd Angie Alexander, Gwen Hall,
RaeAnn Robinson, Sue Grogan
30th Gwen Hall, Jim Hall,
Sue Grogan, Ray Grogan
MARY EDIE CIRCLE TO MEET
Thursday, November 20th
2:00 p.m.
The home of Nettie Brown
By Bob Carl
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