Did You Know?

The United Methodist Church's stance on War and Peace

(From the SOCIAL PRINCIPLES of the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2005-2008)

"We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We therefore reject war as an instrument of national foreign policy, to be employed only as a last resort in the prevention of such evils as genocide, brutal suppression of human rights, and unprovoked international aggression. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, we endorse general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control."

Not a member yet of Fifth Avenue UMC?

We are a happening people!We are people who are concerned about those beyond their communities, around the world.Active in mission and people who love music, church suppers and fellowship.We are people who like to tell the story of God's redeeming grace.  Contact your Volunteer/New Member Assimilation Coordinator Ann Bullis and see how you too can become involved as a full member of Fifth Avenue UMC!

Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church

  Our Monthly Connections

Keep Us In Your Prayers

            The Staff-Parish Relations Committee invites the Fifth Avenue congregation to keep Rev. Thompson and Pastor Janis in your prayers during our time of transition.  As you know, Rev. Thompson will be receiving an appointment elsewhere in the Wisconsin Annual Conference and will be leaving us for her new assignment during the last half of June.

            Although Rev. Deb doesn’t yet know where she will be assigned, she is assured of a new place and needs our prayers as she packs and plans for her new ministry.

            Pastor Janis will be staying with us, and she, too, needs our prayers as she moves into the parsonage and as she plans for the changes that being Fifth Avenue’s solo pastor will bring to her schedule.

            Please keep both our pastors in your prayers in these coming weeks!

Farewell to Rev. Deborah Thompson

 The Staff Parish Relations Committee will hold a farewell reception for Rev. Thompson on Sunday, June 1, 2008 after the 9 A.M. worship service.  Please come and wish Rev. Thompson well on her new assignment and thank her for the time she spent with us.

Blood Pressure Screening On Sunday, May 25th,  at 10:00am. Our Church and Society Committee will be sponsoring blood pressure testing in the Fireside Room.  All are welcome!

        How long has it been since your children who grew up at Fifth Avenue attended a worship service here?  How long has it been since we had a former pastor return to lead a worship service?  Homecoming Sunday is a time for both those things as well as good music and food and laughter.

            So mark your calendars for Sunday, July 6—Homecoming Sunday at Fifth Avenue.  Our guest preacher at our 9am worship service will be former pastor Rev. Sam Royappa!

            Following worship, we’ll share a sit-down brunch and a shower for Rev. Sam and Shanti who—yes, it’s true— are expecting a new addition to their family in August.  Plan to join us for a very special Sunday!

            Have you noticed our new Christ Candle?  It’s the tall candle on the pulpit side of the chancel and it represents the light of Christ that is the source of all we are as the people of God.  It will be lit each time we worship for the rest of the church year.  The candle stand is a memorial gift for which we are very grateful!

            Have you also noticed the change in colors as the seasons of the church year change?  Right now we’re in the Easter season when the colors are white and gold.  On May 11 and 18 (Confirmation Sunday) we’ll celebrate Pentecost with the Holy Spirit’s red.  Then we’ll enter the long season of “Ordinary Time” when the color is green.  Watch for the different shades of green that will brighten the sanctuary through the summer and fall.

            We’ve also made some changes in the way we’re sharing communion.  One month we’ll come to the rail, the next month we’ll do intinction, and the third month we’ll share communion in the pews.  Then we’ll begin the cycle again.  This way we hope each member of Fifth Avenue will have a chance to receive the sacrament in the way that’s most meaningful for them.

            Beginning in May, in the months when we receive communion at the front of the church, we will reserve several pews at the front of the sanctuary for those persons who find movement difficult.  On Communion Sunday, please feel free to sit in the designated pews so that the pastor and servers can share the sacrament with you in your place. 

10:30am Service Takes a Break

            Because attendance at the 10:30am Sunday service has been consistently small, the Worship Committee has decided to take a summer break while we take time to think about the most effective Sunday schedule for Fifth Avenue.  So, the last 10:30am worship service will be on April 27.

            There definitely will be no 10:30am worship for the summer months (May through August).  Decisions about the fall worship schedule will be made over the summer with input from the congregation.

Bless the Pets is a service for the Blessing of Animals.
Comeus in a celebration as we witness our love, care
and concern for all God's creation. Bring your animals to the church so they can be Blessed on Saturday, May 17th, at 3:00 p.m.  We will meet on the front lawn.

Women

UMW Mission News

     Thanks to all you busy knitters and crocheters. We have 30 infant/premie caps and 8 infant sweaters as of April 15.  Right on!   

Stop in the church office and see them. 

     Marge Wendt has materials for anyone interested in sewing school bags, per the pattern posted on the UMW bulletin board.

Faith Fellowship continues to meet each Friday morning starting at 9:00am at Helen Rilling’s home. They continue quilting.

Senior Citizens

Sunday School News  The last day of Sunday School will be May 18th.  Thank you for the teachers and aides who provided their leadership in 2007-2008.

Looking for Sunday School forms?

Donations/Monetary Support/For Sale

Cookbooks for Sale!

 Our United Methodist Women still have copies of their 5th Avenue Cookbook for sale.  Only $10.00 will provide you with over 600 delicious, tried, and true recipes.  Great gifts for birthdays or wedding showers.  Available in the church office or contact Helen Rilling.

Timothy & Philip Orphanage in India - Help support the Children’s Mission efforts through “Sharing Your Goodwill” each week to the children of the Timothy and Philip Orphanage.  Coins and dollars may be placed in the baskets at the back of the church.  Thanks for your support!

Want to celebrate or recognize a special occasion?  Why not sponsor the bulletins for a certain weekend?  Cost is $35 per week.  If you are interested, sign up on the chart on the west wall in the north foyer or call the church office, 334-2059.

Help Wanted!! We are in the need of someone to tend the perennial bed on the south side of the Church near the parking lot.  Please call the church office if you can take on this project.  Our thanks to Sheryl Ward who has been tending the flowers for the last 8-10 years.  She has cleaned out the winter debris, pulled some weeds, and planted a few zinnia seeds.New daffodil and tulip bulbs were planted this past Fall and are coming up nicely.

Are you willing to pick up other congregation members for Sunday service? Do you need or would you like a ride to Sunday service? If so, contact Ann Bullis Volunteer/Assimilation Coordinator annb@faumc.org or call the church office.

Attention Knitters and Crocheters:

We are starting a “Prayer Shawl” ministry with handmade shawls for special occasions such as baptisms and “comfort” items for those who are ill. Patterns will be available from either Dru Richtsmeier, Helen Rilling, or the church office.

In support of our troops
We have initiated a space on the bulletin board in the north narthex dedicated to honoring troops who have a special connection to 5th Ave UMC. If in addition to remembering them with your prayers you would like to contact them, we have listed their addresses.  An occasional note, package, etc. would surely be appreciated. 

Visitors Needed! 
   Please consider participating in our Visitation Program for visiting our “People at Home”.
   At the present time, we have about 35 persons who get a visit each month. It takes 1-2 hours a month, and  have 2 persons to visit on a rotating basis.
   Even if you would be willing to sub, it would be appreciated.
   Any questions, please call Helen Rilling or the church office, 334-2059.

Communion Servers are needed once a month.  If interested, please sign up on the sheet found on the table in the north foyer.  Thank you!

Music

DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH MUSIC

For more information, contact a director or the music coordinator. Click for details about  Vocal Choirs and  Bell Choirs.

Lunch Group

Memphis Mission Trip Update

 Due to a change in the school calendar – lengthened because of snow days – the dates for the Memphis trip have changed.  We will leave early on Tuesday, June 10, and return late on Sunday, June 15.   If this shortened schedule means you now would be able/willing to participate, please contact Sheila Goehring or Rev. Thompson by May 7.  We can make room for additional participants!

 This year’s trip is more relationship focused than work project focused.  We will partner with Holy Community United Methodist Church Wednesday through Friday to help with their meal program and related outreach ministries, as well as a tutoring program for children.  On Saturday, we will visit the Civil Rights Museum and other places of historical/cultural significance.

 Two very successful fund-raisers, coupled with money earned from the ongoing SCRIP program, have helped the team achieve its budget.  A big thank you goes to Shirley Rowe, mother of Michelle Thompson, for all the delicious baked goods she provided for sale.  Michelle, her daughters Skylla and Mystique, and Mom and Dad Rowe did a great sales job, as the congregation purchased everything that was available.  THANK YOU!

 Thank you also goes to everyone who helped support the annual Easter Breakfast.  Plenty of delicious pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausages were consumed.  Special thanks goes to the following for their food donations:  Chuck and Janice Hayden, Norene Lowers, Gil Sheridan, Karen Bowes, Doug and Betsy Winquist, Ellen Johnson, Carol Karlslyst, Barb and Dale Landis.  Thanks, also, to those that helped with set-up, cooking, serving and clean-up:  Karen Bowes, Carol and Erik Adkins, Jerry Goehring, Linda Smeaton, Gordon and Selena Bullis, Tom Ream, Mystique Thompson, Ellen Johnson.  THANK YOU!

 Please continue to keep the mission trip members and those we will work and minister with in Memphis in your prayers!

Happy Birthday, Missionary!

Joua Vang is the mother of Kaonou Latham, who is a member of Fifth Avenue.  Joua  serves in Laos.  What an incredible woman!  Some of the things she is working on/with: a Women's Leadership training in small groups and Bible Study; the Mushroom Farm and Goat project which is an illiteracy project allowing poor families to generate income to support their family and ties to the congregation; edit Sunday School material for children that is translated in to Laos; planning VBS for the children in Vientiane which is the capitol; work with the Youth Pastor to plan and organize youth leadership training and revival in 7 provinces; recruit youth to attend Bible College in Thailand; coordinated Pastors' Training every week with her husband; train finance person and handle all the finances for the Lao UM; and train Youth and Pastors how to use the computer.  She also, in 2007, helped over 250 children in 5 provinces to pay the school registration fees. Are you exhausted, yet?  She will be back in July.  I hope we get a chance to meet her!  She also says "I need your prayers!”

Keep up with Mission News
Regularly check in for Mission News at our General Board of Global Ministries

          Easter Offering

$2,500.00   Our Covenant Relationship for Salary Support with Dan and Rachel Gabler in the Congo, Africa

$  112.00     Tamil Church in India

$1400.00     Mission Trip to Memphis, TN in summer of 2008

          We collected $1,000.00 for the Tamil Church in addition to part of our Easter Offering as shown above.  Our Church Council   contributed $1,000.00 and our Wills & Memorials gave another $1,000.00.

          Thank you so much for your support!

        In November, elevator possibilities and locations were reviewed during our church conference.The committee has done additional research on location sites and has visited a Lutheran church in Brookfield that just installed a Concord: Orion LuLa elevator which is what we expect to install.

            The committee has developed specification sheets for the elevator and construction process and now awaits a close estimate for the entire project so we will know how much money needs to be raised.

            After we receive the estimate, we will schedule several question and answer times so that Fifth Avenue members will be able to see the proposed plans and raise any individual concerns.  Following these sessions (later in the summer) we will hold a special Church Conference to decide whether to go ahead with the elevator project.

            If you have any questions about the elevator project, please ask Pastor Janis or any member of the planning committee:Tom Damp, Jerry Goehring, Chuck Hayden, John Roth, Barb and John Wagner, or Wes Falk.

          Needed Year to Date     $122,130

Sunday School Hall / Bell Tower Project

Thank you for sharing your blessings with the Tamil Methodist Church in India.  We will be contributing $3,000.00 towards their expansion project. (See Easter Offering article on page 6.)  These funds were from your designated giving, matching Church Council-Estate funds, Wills/Memorial-Estate funds, and a portion of the Easter offering.   We are living out our mission "as we support and nurture one another in ministry to our world".                                   Blessings, Linda Smeaton

Church Library

  Our church library has a shelf full of new books ready to be checked out.  Stop by in the Fireside Room and check out a book for your spring & summer reading.  Joyce Ruesch is our librarian and she invites you to come and use this resource.

Reminder:  The church doors are locked on Saturdays!

Did you know???
The United States Postal Service is offering free packing materials to spouses and families of military members who are deployed overseas.To take advantage of this service call: 1-800-610-8734 and press 1 for English and then 3 for an operator and they will send you free boxes, packing materials, tape and mailing labels.These products are to be used to mail care packages to service members.You may also access this on the web site: supplies.usps.gov.

Join our automatic contribution plan
Have you wondered why your pew neighbor didn’t put anything in the offering plate? It may be that they are part of a growing number of people who make their contribution to the church through electronic transfer of funds.  Ask them about how simple it is to do.
Forms for this way of contributing are available in the office. You can change amounts and stop anytime you want to.
Make it easy on you. Make it easy on us.