New staff Members, In Memoriam Gloria VanWinkle, March Birthdays & Anniversaries

Familiar Faces in New Positions

Two new part-time positions are helping support our growing teen program and provide pastoral care in the interim following Rev. Rachel’s transition to a new position Louisville. Maggie Park has accepted the position of Assistant Youth Director and will be working with Director Chris McKenzie with programming and team leadership.

The Nurture and Care Board has engaged the services of the Rev. Carla Gilbert as part-time pastoral care provider. Rev. Carla is a retired ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and previously filled this position when our associate pastor was on parental leave in 2016. Community Life and Growth and Faith Development Boards are also in the process of hiring a program support team member as part of our interim solution. They and pastor Kent hope to complete that task in the first week of March.

Carol Shaffer is recovering well from shoulder replacement surgery. Cards can be sent to her at c/o Beth Schlitt, 113 Redman Ave., Haddonfield, NJ 08033.

With great sadness we report the death of Gloria Van Winkle. She passed away Feb. 13 at the Terrace at the age of 88, after several years of declining memory and health. Gloria joined Union Church as a Berea College student at the age of 18 in 1948 and since then was never a member of any other congregation: 70 years of faith, service, friendship, and love which she shared with unstinting generosity of spirit. After 2 years of college she married and left school. After raising 5 children she returned to Berea College to finish her degree and went on to complete her Masters in Education. She then worked at Berea in the Dean of Student’s office forming a life-long friendship with Ruth Butwell, Mary Nash and so many others.

Our prayers are with all her family as they, and we, have to re-imagine the world without Gloria. For her, though, we give thanks that the suffering and frustration her illness caused her is finally at an end. That she is at peace is a blessing, even at the cost of our sorrow.

A memorial service will be held March 17, 2 pm in the sanctuary. I hope we can be the church she loved for 7 decades, mirroring the love and service she always offered to others. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” She will be sorely missed.

In God’s peace, Rev. Kent

http://www.lakesfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/3427843/VanWinkle-Gloria/obituary.php

Where are our gifts of hygiene kits, health kits and blankets used? Check out this graphic — CWS Blanket and Kit Report 2018

March Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays!

2 Maurice Hibbard

3 Rita Barlow

4 Helen Connelly

5 Jenny Bromley

7 Tom Frazier

8 Betsy Hoefer

10 Judy Rowell