The Congregational Church of Austin, UCC
United Church of Christ

A Congregational Meeting has been called for Sunday, June 10, following the 10:30 am worship to vote on the recommendation by the Pastoral Search Committee to call Thomas J. VandeStadt as Pastor of the Congregational Church of Austin. Information about the candidate was mailed in May. He will preach at the service that day. All members are encouraged to attend and participate on June 10.

"Let us gather at. . ." Hymn Sing on June 1st at 6:30 pm, at the church. Dinner will be a fried chicken picnic with some of the trimmings. If you'd like to bring something, let Nodie know, but we'll take up a collection for dinner. So come as you are and let's sing 'till we're hoarse! (This will be the first dinner in the newly refurbished basement.)

The Reverend Thomas J. VandeStadt, his wife, Robin and their daughter, Alex Saturday, June 9, 2001, 5 - 7 pm at the home of Frances & John Alford 8100 Hickory Creek Drive.  Directions to the Alfords' follow:
       From Loop 360 (Capital of Texas highway), burn west onto Lost Creek Boulevard, abut a mile south of Bee Caves Road (RR 2244). Drive on Lost Creek Boulevard 4.2 miles to Hickory Creek Drive. There is a gate which should be open, but if it isn't, enter the gate code, then drive to the end of the street. The Alfords' house is straight ahead where the street ends.

PLAN FOR REALLOCATION OF SPACE IN THE OFFICE, ADOPTED BY TRUSTEES

1) The church office will be moved to the blue room adjacent to the Pastor's office. This will allow easy communication between secretary and Pastor and will have the added benefit of lowering utility bills as we wouldn't need the additional heating and cooling equipment used in the present church office. The secretary will be more visible to visitors, and will be able to monitor activity around the church. Entrance to the church office during the week will be through the door in the yellow room. The present church office will be used as a library/sitting area and to house the archives. A second computer will be in this room for use by the congregation. The secretary's computer will be restricted due to the confidential nature of some of the files.

2) Kitchen equipment is being moved from nursery to basement kitchen.

3) The toddler class and activity area is located in the large yellow room, first floor. The door to the street will be kept locked on Sundays. Members of the congregation are asked to enter through the door in the fellowship room.

4) The newly refurbished church basement will be used for potluck suppers, using the kitchen downstairs for preparation for most functions. The upstairs kitchen will be used for fellowship time after worship, for Communion preparation and Coffee Hour. On Sundays, when dinners are scheduled, the basement kitchen and dining area will be used.

5) The plan is to lease out the third floor of the Towery wing for rental to non-profit organizations.

Electrician Bob Fulton is rewiring the new church office, the basement, sanctuary, and replacing the light fixtures on the porch, where "No Trespassing" signs have been place.

MAY 13, 5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, MOTHER'S DAY FESTIVAL OF THE CHRISTIAN HOME

The Congregational Church of Austin, Texas, is not a large church as churches go. But small can be powerful. When its sixty-some members hear of an opportunity for ministry, they'll bring it back to the church, share it, and see if someone wants To get involved. For Mary Sinclair, "church talk" was the beginning of an unforgetable experience.
       The Austin Metropolitan Ministries has a refugee resettlement program, and a member of our Board of Deacons had been talking with someone there. They were looking for someone to Chair a refugee program, and I got bamboozled into it," she said with a laugh. Neither the Church nor Mary had ever sponsored a refugee family. They soon learned they needed to find an apartment, to raise money, to be ready for a phone call.
       Eight thousand miles away, the Congo, formerly known as Zaire, was caught in the midst of a civil war. Martin Bukasa happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was jailed, and later freed, not because of anything he had done but simply because of the changing "sides" of the conflict. He decided to flee. He, his wife Judith and their three children, fled to a refugee camp in Benin. Six months later they boarded a flight for Austin.
       Mary and her committee, which included several church members who spoke French, met the utterly exhausted family at the airport. Over the ensuing weeks, they learned how the Bukasa family leaned on their faith throughout their ordeal. The church tried to help them adjust, recognizing it was a great challenge. Before long the relationship between the Bukasas and First Congregational Church grew. Several months after they arrived, Mary asked Martin if he would like to take a moment at church and share a word or two. "He spoke fluently for at least five minutes, and quoted from Matthew," she said. "'For I was h ungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in.' Before long, we were all in tears. He thanked my husband and me and said that I am their American mother. 'We have nothing to offer,' he said, 'but we have our new child.' They named her after me."
       "I am prouder of this than anything I have ever done in my life," said Mary quietly. "Nothing else has mattered as much. It is the satisfaction of doing something good that turns out well. You can never fully prepare for something like this. You do as much as you can and you pray. I am so deeply honored."-From the UCC A CalendarofPrayer,May 13 article

Because this will be my last column, let me say first how blessed I have been to have served in your midst . You welcomed me warmly this year as your Interim , as you did in 1995. Only this time you extended that same hospitality to my wife Jane. After completing my duties at the end of June, we will be with family and friends in Colorado and California for three months.

During the summer you will be well served by Pastor Emeritus John Towery and by seminary intern Cecile Ervin Adam. Assuming that you vote to extend the call to Thomas J. VandeStadt as a permanent pastor on June 10, then he will be on board to lead you as you move into the fall.

But before preaching my last sermon on June 24, I have several thoughts to share with you. To serve as an Interim Minister is to become aware of how all of us as live in the interim. To live in the interim is to come to terms with our own mortality. To live in the interim is to discern how inseparable grief is from faith -- that to lose loved ones is the ongoing occasion to be in touch with the depth of God's love and power. To live in the interim is to take nothing for granted and to take advantage of each opportunity set before us. As the old Scottish prayer expresses it, "We know not what a day may bring forth, but only that the hour for serving Thee is always nigh."

I'm reminded too of the story by the late great Jewish theologian and mystic Martin Buber, who told of a beloved rabbi who died. When one of his followers was asked what had been of greatest importance to the deceased teacher, his student replied, "What he was doing at the moment."

So to live in the interim is ultimately to be wholly present to each person and experience which is before us at any given time.

Finally, When visiting the San Diego Zoo once, I came away with a refrigerator magnet, which reads as follows:

Annoy, Plague, Molest, Worry, Badger, Harry, Harass, Heckle, Persecute, Irk, Bullyrag, Vex, Disquiet, Grate, Beset, Bother, Tease, Nettle, Tantalize or Ruffle the Animals.

I bring this admonition to your attention as a way of encouraging you to treat your new Pastor well. This involves responding supportively to his leadership in the months and years ahead. This cooperative spirit does not mean that you will always agree with what your Pastor will say or do, as time goes by. Those differences are natural in any givencommunity, including the church. But at all times there will be a readiness to express appreciation for his efforts and to rejoice in your common ministry together.

Based on my experience with you this year, I believe that Tom, if you vote to call him, would find this congregation prepared to follow him gladly. You have successfully completed the developmental tasks which are part of an interim period. You have shown yourselves willing to make changes in response to the new experiences I have brought you in worship, and in the pastoral and organizational life of the church. In this way you are sending a clear signal that you are ready to go and grow.

Jane and I look forward to continuing to enjoy your company this month. Then when returning from our travels, we will be visiting in the fall. May your summer be a time of recreation in Spirit.
 
 

The following is a summary of remarks by Jessica Guerrero to Adult Class, 4/29/01

Through Project Phase: Life Work Street Outreach program, Jessica Guerrero has been serving as an AmeriCorp volunteer, whose task included supervising the Cold Weather Night Shelter at our church. There were ten nights that our basement was used for that purpose, with fifteen young people sheltered each night.

Altogether 40 persons, from ages 10-23, are served through Project Phase. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:00-4:00 pm at St. Austin's Catholic Church these persons are provided with food, clothes, showers, laundry facilities, job and housing placement, bus fare, obtaining Social Security cards and other services. Health Clinic services are provided at Greenwood Towers at 18th and Lavaca on Thursday afternoons, where Maggie Taylor of our church serves as a nurse practitioner. The University Baptist Church provides a meal on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30 pm.

Jessica related that as of the first of the year St. Austin's would no longer be able to house Project Phase because of remodeling they will be doing.

Finally, Jessica told of the two groups of homeless youth. The first one referred to as "Crusties" - those who chose to live chronically on the streets, living in Austin during the winter and traveling north during the summer. These are the ones who have been sleeping on our porch. The other group, called "Oogles," are the ones which Project Phase Street Outreach works with. There are youth who want to end their life on the streets and are availing themselves of the resources toward that end.

Note: The Adult Class will take a break until June 10, when they will meet at 9:30 am

BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION UPDATE 18 May 2001

The BCE would like to inform all of you about several decisions we have recently made.

- First, we have upped our child-care staff to two. One will look after older children, while the other will take care of the babies. Our helpers are here from 9:30 to 12:30, so that any parents who wish to attend the adult Sunday School class will still be able to bring their children with them.

- The Board is considering a complete overhaul of our youth program; we will be calling a meeting with the older children and youth of our church to present them with ideas and to ask them for their own. One change that we would like to see is more youth participation in church activities; we like the idea of having more than one Children's Sunday a year.

- More concretely, however, we have decided that Sunday School Lite will begin on Maya 27th. The Board has also decided that, beginning on that date, class will begin immediately after the children's sermon, taking place concurrently with the rest of the regular service. Andrea and Doyal are coordinating efforts to find teachers; no one should regularly have to miss the sermon in order to teach the kids. We are also doing all of the prep for the lessons, so no volunteer needs special expertise or extensive preparation - just enthusiasm.

- Because we plan to keep Sunday School at this time, we will also be looking for teachers when regular school begins. Such participation, an act of love, is a wonderful way to help direct children's feet onto the Christian path; please consider helping us out and showing them that everyone is a teacher! Parents of our youth: perhaps your son or daughter is ready to start teaching?

Summer Church School Lite, for pre-K to grade 5, will use The One Room Sunday School curriculum, which will provide ideas for stories and crafts. Lisa Kirch, Chair, Board of Christian Education

June Sermon Themes and Texts:
  3 - Catalyst of the Spirit Acts 2:1-20
10 - Thomas J. VandeStadt, preaching
17 - "Unanswered Prayer" Job 24:1-12
                    30:16-20, 38:1-4, 42:1-6
24 - Beyond Separation Philemon 1:1-22

JUNE MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULED
  1 - Old Fashion Picnic/Hymn Sing
  7 - Board of Deacons, 7:30 pm
12 - Board of Trustees, 7:00 pm
15-17 - SCC Annual Mtg., New Orleans

NOTE: CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATE

Please check your current directory listing, noting changes in E-mail addresses, Street, City, State, Zip and telephone. If you see any incorrect entries, please Inform the office. THANKS !

Vic & Jean Appel <vappel@mail.utexas.edu>
Jim Tomasek <Jtomasekjr@aol.com>
Savanna Sharpe <Ssarpe@gretstar.com>
Sally Tomasek <sallytomasek@cox-internet.com>
Richard Thompson <RTHOMPSON9@Austin.rr.com>
SuzanneBradford <radford@gibsonconsult.com>
Sara Ross <ross@arlut.utexas.edu>
Robin Rosson <nJester@aol.com>
Rizer Everett <zere@swbell.net>
Rambie Briggs <riggs@pol.net>
Dennis Murphy <DEMWIT@onr.com>
Paul Deisler <inprisa@earthlink.net>
Craig Headley <craigheaadley@yahoo.com>
Pat & Mel Oaks <oakes@mail.utexas.edu>
Chester Rosson <ChesterTex@aol.com>
Mark H. Miller <hmiller@nabi.net>
Catherine Hubbs <hubbscathubbs@aol.com>
Norma Hawes <orhaw@hotmail.com>
Steve Domingue " " " "
Brenda Tingle <POTINO@aol.com>
Ben H. White <BHW4632@aol.com>
Nodie Murphy <odie@mindspring.com>
Andrea Putz <a-putz@mail.utexas.edu>
Mary Sinclair <sinclair@Austin.rr.com>
Frances Alford <COYOTETRA@aol.com>
Michael Adams <adams5260@aol.com>
Ellen Ryan <artsimpkin@aol.com>
Matt Blackstock <blackstock@iopener.net>
Richard Jackson <rjackson17@Austin.rr.com>
Loretta Lewis <immielew@aol.com>
Corliss Gasparri <corlissg@io.com>
Kristin Galle <le@mail.utexas.edu>
Karl Putz <putz@che.utexas.edu>
Enid Ross <riss@io.com>
John Moore <jrmoore.atty@mindspring.com>
Tommie & Doyal Pinkard <todopink@earthlink.net>
Jamie Adams <Eimajen@aol.com>
Don & Sharon Brown <donsharon@earthlink.net>
George Lemley <Glemley@Austin.rr.com>
Dave Ross <dwross@mail.utexas.edu>
Fran Briggs <briggsf@ecip.com>
Louise Whitworth <louisewhitworth@mac.com>

Note: If you have an e-mail address, but it is not included in the directory, please phone it to the
Church office by June 8, when the new directory will be published.

MAY "HATS OFF" RECOGNITIONS
Our Corporate Worship

Communion Steward
 6 - Karl Putz

Scripture Readers:
  6 - John Burlinson
13 - Sharon Brown
20 - Lisa Kirch
27 - Jane Thompson

Time With Children:
  6 - Rich Thompson 20 - Carol Burlinson
13 - S. S. Classes 27 - Rich Thompson

Ushers:
  6 - Karl & Andrea Putz
13 - Doyal & Tommie Pinkard
20 - Don & Sharon Brown
27 - Craig Headley & Mike McCoy

Fellowship Time Hosts:
  6 -
13 - Mother's Day
20 - Board of Christian Education
27 - John & Carol Burlinson

Other:
Tommie Pinkard, Vic Appel, Mary Sinclair, and Suzanne VanderPoel, especially, for their over and above help with
the myriad of tasks involved in the relocation of the church office while Louise was on vacation. Mary Sinclair for "office sitting" assistance while Louise was away.
Once again, to Dennis Murphy, our appreciation for his supply of the mailing labels for our church newsletter and other church mailings.
To our choir members, Director, Nodie Murphy, Florence Castle, pianist/organist, trio, and guest performers for their invaluable gifts to our corporate worship.
Thanks to Wilmer Brown, Associate Conference Minister, SCC, guest preacher on Sunday, May 13, during the absence of our Interim Minister, Rich Thompson.
To our Church School Staff, who will take a well deserved time out beginning in June, we are appreciative. Church School Lite will begin on Sunday, June 3, with volunteers from the congregation. Regular Church School Classes will reconvene in late August.
 
 

ALTAR FLOWERS

Isn't there someone you wish to Honor or Remember?

Savanna Sharpe reminds us that she is offering to facilitate the purchase of altar flowers. She reports that she has not gotten any response, to date.

If you wish to present altar flowers on a particular Sunday, you should let her know at least one week ahead of that date, by phoning her at her home: 658-3964. She will do her best to fill your order.

by Catherine Hubbs

It is with gratitude that we open the month of June as a congregation: gratitude to the Pastoral Search Committee, who after sixteen months of continuous work have presented us with the recommendation of Rev. Thomas J. VandeStadt and gratitude to Rev. Richard A. Thompson, who in these last months has walked and talked with us, prayed and worshipped with us, cheered us, celebrated with us, and cared for us. And now we give thanks to our own Rev. John Towery, who is willing to spend the summer preaching for us and our own Cecile Ervin Adam, who will spend her summer internship with us. Truly we are blessed. Thank you.

As Catherine was checking on the health of the congregation, she found Rich and Matt Blackstock had been ahead of her. She phoned Mary Halladay and discovered that very afternoon they had been at Stonebridge Health Center and had taken communion to her. Mary is almost invariably cheerful. Her bones may be arthritic, but her spirit is not. She told me Stonebridge is closer than Summit at Lakeway and makes it easier for her daughter to visit. John and Eleanor had been there recently and had told her about the centennial celebration.

Rambie and Fran Briggs report that they are moving Rambie's uncle (E.A. Briggs--they call him E.A.) to Trinity Lutheran Home in Round Rock so that they can care for him better. He is eighty-nine now. His wife died, and he has no children. Lately he has had a lot of back pain which needs supervised care with pain medication. We hope that this move will make things a little easier for them all.

Rizer Everett says that this kind of pain management is an issue for Hildegard too--and therefore for Rizer as well. But with Rizer's constant nursing, Hildegard is able to make the daily trip to the central dining hall with her walker, which is quite a triumph. Congratulations, both of you! He says they are looking forward soon to visits from their children, grandchildren, and five (count 'em!) great-grandchildren.

Jeffrey Lemley gave the family quite an active time this last month when he had an emergency appendectomy. They called from school and reported that he was suffering from stomach ache. When Lynne got in touch with their doctor, he told her to go straight to Brackenridge Children's Hospital Emergency. Once there, a parade of doctors came by one by one. Jeffrey had all the symptoms of appendicitis except for not having any nausea or fever. He was very cooperative. They each punched him in pertinent places and ended up by going to the foot of the bed and giving several quick taps to the soles of his feet and asking, "Does this hurt?" As the last doctor finished this routine, Jeffrey replied, "It's beginning to." Finally they had to make the decision and came to the conclusion that it was probably a case of appendicitis caught early before nausea and fever began, and their conclusion was: "Why don't we operate?" It was the right decision. They found his appendix inflamed but not ruptured. But it took a while to recuperate. For quite a while he couldn't laugh or move suddenly. Glad it's gone, Jeffrey!

We rejoice with the Murphys that their daughter's family, Sarah and Larbi Sennour with their children Randal and Dehbie, will be moving from Iowa to San Antonio--a lot closer for grandparents! And we share their concern over Dennis' eighty -five-year old father, whose doctor says his remaining kidney many not be functioning as it should.

We hear from the Briggs that Rollin and Betsy Russell's daughter Amy, married to Michael Finch, just gave birth to little Emma Louisa. Welcome, Emma Louisa! This is another granddaughter for the Russells. They share one granddaughter, Margit, with the Briggs. Jonathan Briggs is married to the Russell's daughter Beth.

When Catherine phoned to check on John Alford's health, she learned that Frances was down in Rockport for a few days, and John reported that he had a clean enough bill of health to be left in charge. Congratulations to you both.

We had a nice letter from Yoshi. He and Setsuko have been working hard in the garden, and their flowers are blooming beautifully. He says Setsuko would like to have the show garden of the neighborhood. They are awaiting eagerly and with some trepidation their first weekend babysitting experience with their son's four- and two-year old. Then in June ten of Setsuko's relatives come all the way from Japan expressly to see them. They are going to three different churches right now, trying to decide among them. Yosh says he really misses the Men's Book Group, but he and Setsuko have found a source of books written in Japanese and are reading them avidly. They also watch a cable channel with news in Japanese from 7:00 to 8:00 every morning. So they are not bored. You deserve a chance to relax and have fun, you two.

He too saw the well-written account of Mary Sinclair Karasi and our Mary Sinclair in the UCC Calendar of Prayer and sends his congratulations. Congratulations from us too, Mary and Richard! Mary Karasi is busy crawling, standing, and on the verge of taking her first step. She is also cutting her first tooth. Her brother Israel has just had his fourth birthday. He is very bright, has remarkable social skills, and loves to be read to. Catherine has

not seen the other children lately because they are in school. Richard and Mary helped martin choose a secondhand car, and Martin is now the proud owner of a Texas driver's license. Judith would like to learn the rules of the road, but she says she is not yet ready to learn to drive. She says, "Not now. Later." Her English is improving by leaps and bounds. Martin would like her to speak to the children in English, but I don't thing that's doable. Besides, the children need to have a foundation in their own language and culture. Eric is making great strides in English and vocational training at the Camp Gary Job Corps.

Pat and Mel Oakes have an exciting announcement:

The engagement of their youngest daughter, Mardie, to Deron Neblett. Pat says: "Deron has attended church with Mardie a number of times over the past several years, so a number of the congregation have already met him. Deron, a graduate of Rice University, is a photographer for the Houston Press in Houston and also has his own studio. Right now it is a long-distance romance as Mardie is hard at work on her MBA at Harvard. No date has been set for the wedding, but we will keep you posted. Mardie still has a lot of work to complete before she graduates next spring. Sarah Oakes and her husband John Modine left on May 18 for ten days in China. John, who works for the American Petroleum Institute, is on business. They will visit Beijing and Xian. Beth Oakes survived her first separation from daughter Emily as the Maia Quartet was performing in Louisiana. Eugene spent Mother's Day weekend holding down the fort in fine style. Emily was a trouper. Pat and Mel celebrated their thirty-eighth wedding anniversary on May 18 with Florence Castle by going to the Round Rock Community Choir performance to hear Melanie Wilkinson SING!!" Happy thirty eighth, Pat and Mel!

Pat, Mel, and Florence were not the only ones at Melanie's concert. On Friday night Fran and Rambie Briggs, Vic and Jean Appel, Sara Ross, Catherine Hubbs, and Nodie Murphy (in the choir) were also there to hear Melanie fill the suditorium with everything from "Give Me Jesus" to "Lullaby of Broadway" and "It Don't Mean a Thing," by Duke Ellington, ending with her favorite "Life Is a Ballgame," which she sang at Barbara Jordan's funeral. We all said, "We knew her when," and Pat started the line of those asking her to sign their programs. Some day, Melanie, we'll hear and see you on television!

Karl Putz gave Catherine exciting news. Andrea was awarded an EPA S.T.A.R. award for her Environmental Engineering research and will get a scholarship for the final year of her Ph.D Research. Congratulations, Andrea! How wonderful! What was the subject of your award-winning research and is it the same as your dissertation topic?

Richard and Jane Thompson recently were able to fly up to Denver to see Jane's youngest march across the stage and receive his diploma in journalism from Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is following in the footsteps of his father, who was once editorial page editor of the Chicago Sun Times. Congratulations, Jane! Rich says that on the way back by air as the plane about to pull out the captain identified herself as Kendra Burnham Jacobs. Jane had had her as a junior-high student in Ft. Collins and told the flight attendant. Back she came with a bottle of champagne, courtesy of the captain. After the flight they had a chance to meet, exchange family news, and savor the coincidence (and the champagne).

Our congratulations, Bree and Robin! Bree Hawes-Domingue graduates this month from Westlake High. She has helped teach the Primary Church School Class this year and deserves all our thanks. We hope now you will have time to sleep and earn money and have fun this summer, Bree, before you go on to ACC this fall. Robin Rosson is graduating from Austin High. He is starting a band, Cirrus Minor, and in addition to spending energy on this, he also wants to get a job and take a couple of classes at ACC. Then he hopes next year to apply to Southwest Texas State University for a major in Music Technology.

Robin's dad was nice enough to give us an account of Robin's last concert as cello section leader: a flawless solo in "Arés un rêve" by Gabriel Faure, accompanied by the chamber orchestra. He says, "he also got a good workout in the orchestra's performance of Bach's Double Violin Concerto, which featured the school's top violinists, both performing at the top of their skill. Both have been selected for the state orchestra in UIL competition. After graduation on May 25th Robin will have his last UIL competition, playing in a trio sonata by Mozart."

On Sunday, May 20 in addition to graduation gifts for our two graduating seniors and recognition of Bree as Primary Class Assistant Teacher, Doyal Pinkard for the Church School recognized our two third graders, Olivia Deisler and Iain Ross, with bibles. Congratulations. Olivia and Iain! Carol Barrett was also recognized and thanked as Primary Class Teacher this year and for her years of service to our Church School. Thank you, Carol, for all of us. It has really been a work of love.

Did you get John Moore's environmental appeal on e-mail? Catherine received an appeal forwarded to all church e-mailers to roll our own blackout on the date of the Summer Solstice, June 21 as a symbolic protest of George W. Bush's energy policies and lack of emphasis on efficiency, conservation and alternative fuels. Hope it rolls around the world.

John Moore and Suzanne Bradford have been rolling from dance to volleyball and back with Travis and with Sarah, who was in a jazz dance performance at the Westlake High Fine Arts Theater at the same time that her volleyball team was competing in the playoffs. Unfortunately her dance was second to last in a two-hour performance. They received word while waiting that Sarah's team had won their game and advanced to the playoffs, so after Sarah's well=performed dance they raced over to the game to find the team had just lost their second game and were feeling very sad. Sarah and a friend cheered up remarkably fast, however, when Suzanne took them shopping for dresses for a sixth grade end-of-school dance. The joys of parenthood!

Lisa Kirch and Sarah just spent the day in Houston's Museum of Natural Science. She says Sarah liked the rocks and butterflies a lot better than she liked the Rembrandt they looked at earlier in the Museum of Fine Arts.

Mary Charles Williams says that when she was growing up, she wanted to be a librarian. She would have made a good reference librarian--or a detective. So would Marie Scheel. Recently Mary Charles was told by several people that they had not heard from Jean Cassell this last Christmas. Jean was a music librarian at U.T. and a member of this church for many years. Catherine let her know her concern that she hadn't been able to reach her by phone for the centennial celebration and thought that perhaps she was no living. Mary Charles was not willing to accept this for a fact and started to work. She heard from one friend that Jean had glaucoma. Then she turned to Marie Scheel, and together they found that indeed she is alive. Marie phoned the Congregational Church in Crete, Nebraska, got Jean's new address and phone number, and ended by talking to Jean herself long distance. She has trouble with her eyes and has had to give up driving, but she is in an assisted-living facility and still goes to church. Here is her address and phone number thanks to Detectives Mary Charles Williams and Marie Scheel. Jean Cassell, Garden Square, 1405 Hickory Avenue, Room 40, Crete, Nebraska 68333; phone (402) 826-6640. Thank you, Mary Charles and Marie!

Mary Sinclair and Richard Jackson took a not-so-quick trip. Mary is fortunate enough to have a sister who with her family has been on sabbatical in Florence for the past year. It would have been hardly sisterly not to check up on them. Right! The result was a holiday in Europe from April 16-30. They went first to Hamburg, where they stayed with friends, then went on to Celle, a medieval town complete with moated castle, visited Bergen-Belsen, a very sobering stop, and on to Lubeck, where they enjoyed its marzipan. They spent a few days with friends in Zurich before taking the train to join Mary's sister in Florence. From their apartment they had a wonderful view of 'Il Duomo" and the center of the city. There they walked and walked and walked, taking in all the sights from Uffizi, Santa Croce, and the Ponte Vecchio to the Museum of the History of Science, where they saw Galileo's telescope and mummified finger. At the beautiful museum of Il Duomo they were awed by one of Michelangelo's Pietas. They went to Rome with Mary's brother-in-law's Classics students, where they walked in the footsteps of Cicero and Caesar at the Forum, to Capitoline Hill, Coliseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps, which Mary says they couldn't see because they were covered in tourists! Mary and Richard seem to have chosen their friends for the wonderful places they live because they went to Zurich for the day to see more friends. And one of the highlights of the trip was the train trip through the Alps, where they passed through many villages where they would like to spend more time. They came home tired and happy with many memories and dreams of maybe some time again. Thanks for sharing it with us, Mary!

The Building and Grounds Committee operates on a priorities basis. We pose the question what are the projects around the church that can't wait. For example, we address first projects that are a matter of safety, or sanitation or overdue maintenance. With all the work that we have contracted out (rewiring of the old portion of the church, servicing of our air conditioning system, floodlighting of the perimeter of our church, replacing broken or cracked limestone) in addition to the work we have done, our small but hard working committee has begun to address projects that are a matter of aesthetics.
       We are now asking ourselves, "What can we do to enhance the appearance of our church? In concert with the Board of Christian Education we have been working on the children's space on the first floor of the Education Annex. We've also been working of equipping our new church office.
       For our next big job we have targeted repainting of various exterior, concrete surfaces. We intend to paint the concrete stairs and porch entrance to the sanctuary, the concrete flooring of the Fellowship Room porch and the stairwell of the Education Annex from the basement to the second floor. On all three, the heavy traffic has taken its toll. The once fresh and gleaming surfaces are pitted with scratches, discoloration and even the raw concrete where the paint has been completely worn off.
       To fix matters we are scheduling a June Work Day for Saturday, June 16th from 8 am to 3 pm. We need additional person power. We urge anyone who can join us for any portion of that time to do so. We have tasks to fit any level of painting experience. Help us provide visitors with a positive impression of our church as we give a fresh coat of paint to its entrances.