"Contact" the Havelock Christian Church Newsletter June, 2006 June Brings Many Special Events Graduations Planned The Lincoln high school graduations are planned for the June 3-4 weekend. In our HCC family, we have Zach Yost graduating from North Star, LaNeicia Buckman graduating from Northeast, and Melissa Staberg graduating from Southeast. Congratulations to our high school graduates and their families. Those completing post-secondary degrees include: Judi Yost and Jeni Phillips. Judi's graduation has been celebrated, and Jeni's takes place on June 18th. Jamie Peterson, granddaughter of Les and Virginia Woodrum, graduated from Boston University on May 14th with her Master's degree in Business. Best wishes, all, on these significant achievements! Barbara and Roger Hammons to Celebrate Anniversary The church family is invited to join in an anniversary celebration for Roger and Barbara. Given the events of the past year, the Hammons' are grateful for the gift of new life for Roger and want to make their June 10th anniversary a time for rejoicing. The magic year is 33 for the Hammons. The reception is at the church from 2 - 4 pm on Saturday, June 3rd. Come share in the joy of this special day. Talent Night Set for June 11 Don't be shy, don't hide your light under a basket, come participate in the fun as we share our talents with one another. Bring a covered dish or a deli offering to share. Dinner begins at 5:30 pm, with the show following. The 2's Choir will start off the evening. We've heard that there will be bunny rabbits to pet, and there are some musical offerings in preparation. Let Jean Dale know by Sunday morning, June 11th, what you plan to do so we can put your name on the program. VBS will be June 16-17 HCC will be participating in a joint Vacation Bible School with Bethany Christian again this year. The event begins with supper at 5:30 pm on Friday evening, June 16th at Bethany Christian. The Friday time is 5:30 - 8:30 pm. Saturday begins with a sack lunch at noon and concludes with a potluck supper and program for families at 6:00 pm. Registration blanks are available. Helpers are to meet with Director Allison Harrell at 5 pm on Friday, June 16th. Men's Event Set for June 24th Fellows, it's the ladies' turn to host you for a special event. Circle your calendars for Saturday, June 24th, at 6 pm. Come comfortably dressed, and come hungry! Jeni Phillips' Graduation Reception Re-Scheduled There were just too many parties scheduled for June 3rd, so Jeni Phillips' reception has been rescheduled to Sunday afternoon, June 25th from 2 - 4 pm. The church family is invited to help Jeni and Brandon celebrate Jeni's June 18th graduation from Hamilton College. Welcome to the Arnold Family On May 14th, Pastor Giovanna officially placed her membership with Havelock Christian Church. Also joining the Havelock family as "co-members" with Southview Christian Church were the Rev. Robert Arnold, Rachael Arnold and Zachary Arnold. We're delighted to welcome the Arnold family. Congratulations to Hanna Buell What a delightful article on Hannah Buell in the June 10th Journal Star "2006 Class Acts" special section. Hannah is the daughter of Clay and Dawn Buell and granddaughter of Maxine and George Buell. She is headed to UNL in the fall with a Regents Scholarship, and she will be participating in the Honors Program. She is a young woman with many interests, and she hopes to have a political career someday. She will be majoring in political science and Spanish, and sho hopes to make the University's debate team. Best wishes, Hannah. Judy and Gene Seibert are Grandparents Again On June 6, young Mister Tucker Gene Seibert put in an appearance. He is a good sized lad already, weighing in at 9 lbs. 4 oz. The proud parents are Tony and TeCoa Seibert. Brothers Skeeter and Teagan are spending a few days in Lincoln with Grandma and Grandpa. Congratulations to the Seibert family! Special Anniversaries Noted Juanita and Russ Moore celebrated their 60th anniversary on June 3rd. They celebrated with a family gathering. The Moores have three daughters, seven grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. We note also that Diane and Ellis Willadsen's June 12th anniversary is #30 this year. The address for sending greetings is 9205 214th St., Greenwood, NE  68366. Thank You from the Hammons Family Roger and Barbara's 33rd anniversary was celebrated in style on Saturday, June 10th. The Hammons thank the church family for helping make their event a special day to remember. Pastor's Ponderings The summer months are ahead of us. Many of us look forward to the rest and play of summer days. We anticipate the warmer temperatures, camping, swimming, vacations, and picnics. In all of our summer plans, I hope that we will not forget to pause and remember to give praise and prayer to our God. Our church calendar is full of fun events for the summer. We have Talent night, Vacation Bible School, Potato Bar with the Elephant in the Bag, as well as the Community Cookout with the Prairie Gospel Band. During the week of June 20th to 25th , I will be attending the Mix in '06. At this event, women from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ will gather in Indianapolis for fellowship, mission opportunities, workshops and worship. I look forward to hearing about the different missions of our churches, and listening to women speakers on a multitude of topics in ministry. The elders of the church will be available to help anyone during my time away. Roger Hammons will be filling the pulpit on Sunday, June 25. May was a marvelous month in the life of our church family. It has been a wonderful time of new beginnings with the installation, days of honoring of mothers and graduates, as well as remembering our saints and soldiers. We have been truly blessed this month and our minds are full of wonderful memories. All of the ladies were blessed by the men of the church recently with a delightful evening, and we thank each and every man who served at the Women's Banquet. It was a true feast and a true showering of love! You guys are unbelievable!! We have so many people who worked to make the grounds of the church beautiful, and we thank you for giving of your time and talent! Special thanks go to Michael Yost for mowing the lawn, and to Teresa and Steve Miller for tending our prayer gardens. For all those who were baking cookies, making punch and serving so that each special event was marvelous, we offer our sincere thanks! A special thank you goes to Doris Yost, who gave of her time and talents, so that each Sunday of May was a true blessing and wonderful memory for the church. If you would like to review these special events in the last few months, check out the pictures on the bulletin board. Personally, I want to thank Gene Seibert, Judy Seibert and Doris Yost for preparing the food for the reception following the installation. You make a great team! I am so very touched by all the people who came to my installation. It was wonderful to share this day as we begin our ministry together at Havelock Christian Church. I truly feel blessed to be your installed pastor, and I look forward to many wonderful moments of serving God with all of you! Your Pastor, Rev. Giovanna Arnold June Scriptures and Titles June 4 - Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 "Come Holy Spirit" June 11 John 3:1-17 Romans 8:12-17 "Glory & Suffering" June 18 Mark 4:26-34 Galatians 3:23-29 "Children of God" June 25 Roger Hammons preaching Psalm 9:9-20 Mark 4:35-41 Dates to Remember June Birthdays 3    Betty Niemeyer 5    Germaine Switzer 8    Dan Skalak 9    Rob Welch 11  Lori Jordal 26  Scott Marshall 30  Marge Gregg June Anniversaries 3    Lisa and Jay Horak 6    Betty and Alvin Niemeyer 10  Barbara and Roger Hammons 12  Diane and Ellis Willadsen 17  Maxine and George Buell 22  Dori and Duayne Yost   Getting to Know Our Honorees Birthdays Betty Niemeyer grew up in Belvidere, Nebraska. Her mother was American and her father immigrated to the US from Germany. Betty had one sister and two half sisters. After graduating from high school, Betty attended college at Fairbury, and she taught country school near Hebron for three years. Betty worked in Lincoln at several downtown stores in her early married years. After the couple's first son was born, Betty returned to work one year when Al was laid off from the railroad. The Niemeyers have four sons, and 10 grandchildren. Betty's sister passed away a few years ago with Lou Gehrig's disease. A special thrill for Betty after Al's retirement was the chance to visit and get to know one of her half sisters in Germany. Havelock was the home of Germaine Switzer for many years. She attended Havelock School and graduated from Lincoln Northeast. She earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Journalism from UNL and was a journalist with the Lincoln Star for 37 years. She took an early retirement when the Journal and Star papers merged in 1995. Germaine was honored recently by the Oddfellows and Rebekahs for her volunteer work with a research project they have sponsored with Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute. A $10,000 gift was given to the program in her name. Gerry and Walt have one daughter, Gerrie Marks, who is Deputy Director of the Arizona State Department of Insurance. The Switzer's son-in-law Tony is an anti-trust attorney with a private law firm. Dan Skalak is a native of Columbus, Nebraska. Following graduation, he attended school in Milford for a semester. He and Jill married in 2002, and son Isaac was born in August of 2003. The Skalak family joined HCC in February of 2005. Dan is working some long hours these days, as he drives a route in Southeast Nebraska for Wonder Bread. The Rev. Dr. Rob Welch was pastor at HCC in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Rob grew up in Kansas and was a great K-State fan. He did his seminary work at Phillips Theological Seminary and got his doctorate at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Rob is now a mental health counselor in private practice here in Lincoln. Rob is the father of Jessica Welch Wells. Lori Jordal is the daughter of Sharon and Stewart Jordal. She grew up in the HCC family and graduated from Northeast High. For a number of years now, she has lived in Bentonville, Arkansas and worked at the home office of Walmart. Lori's daughter is Taylor Marie. Sharon has some exciting news about wedding bells for Lori, which she'll share with us in the next issue of the Contact....stay tuned. Scott Marshall grew up in the Havelock family. His parents were the late Marie and Ted Marshall. Scott is a long-time employee of the State of Nebraska, Department of Corrections. He and his wife Lee have a daughter and a son. Marge Gregg has been on our HCC prayer list for the last few months. Marge was a nurse for many years at the Lincoln Regional Center. She is now retired and lives at Mahoney Manor. She is Julie Hefner's grandmother and neighbor to Frances Young. Anniversaries Lisa and Jay Horak are celebrating anniversary # 17 this year. Lisa is the daughter of Sharon and Stewart Jordal. Lisa and Jay live in Phoenix and have two sons, AJ and Zach, who are 8 and 6. Betty and Alvin Niemeyer are were married in 1952, so this year marks their 54th wedding anniversary. Betty's brother-in-law and Al are cousins, so the couple got acquainted at various family get-togethers. The wedding took place in Belvidere, with the Rev. Dyer performing the ceremony. A honeymoon trip to Colorado got this long-lasting marriage off to a good start. Barbara and Roger Hammons were high school sweethearts. Their wedding took place in Weeping Water, following Barb's graduation in 1973. The pair has lived in Lincoln since their marriage. They joined the HCC church family in April of 2003. Roger and Barbara have two daughters, Nickelle and Jessica, and their other child is Presley the dog. They are celebrating their anniversary this year with a reception at the church on Saturday, June10th. Diane and Ellis Willadsen have a June anniversary to celebrate. Diane grew up in the HCC family. The couple has lived in the country near Greenwood for a number of years now. Diane teaches school at Murdock, Nebraska. Diane and Ellis have one daughter, Amy, who lives in Lincoln. Maxine and George Buell, like the Niemeyers, were married in 1952. The Buells farmed near Elmwood for the first few years of their marriage, and in 1966, moved to Lincoln. They began attending HCC as soon as they arrived, and they were impressed by the fact that there were Sunday School classes and opportunities for all of their youngsters here. They have been such an asset to our church family, helping for many years to be sure that those opportunities continue for new young families that become a part of HCC. Dori and Duayne Yost were also high school sweethearts. Married in 1952, Dori and Duayne have lived in Havelock for their entire married lives. They have made many contributions to the community and the city with their artistic abilities, their ceramics classes, and their active participation at HCC. Duayne is retired now from the family business of Yost Decorators, and Dori retired from Wells Fargo Bank a few years back. Their continued involvement on the Board, as Elders, Sunday School teacher, members of Builders Club, Friendship Bridge, Property Committee, choir, and all the other activities of the church make us wonder how they do it all. In addition, they have a busy family life with their daughter and two sons and families. Best wishes to all of our June honorees.   Prayer Focus 4     Murray Christian, Pastor Larry Hammons 11   Wilsonville United Baptist-Christian, Pastor Keith Theobald 18   Bellevue Christian, Rev. Portia Iverson, Interim 25   Broken Bow First Christian, Pastor Dan Rowlison Upcoming Events Regular events: 5      Friendship Bridge, 7 pm         Wed.'s Bible Study, 10 am*         Thurs.'s Bible Study, 7 pm* 12   General Board, 7 pm 27   Fellowship Day, noon *Note: No Bible studies will be held June 21 or 22. Graduations occurring - Our Lincoln students will be graduating the week-end of June 3-4. Best wishes to Melissa Staberg, LaNeicia Buckman, and Zachary Yost. Pentecost Reception Planned for June 4th - In celebration of Pentecost Sunday, we will enjoy a "birthday party" for the church following worship on Sunday, June 4th. Plan to enjoy some cake and punch in honor of this special day in the life of the church. Pentecost Offering to be received June 4th and 11th - The theme for this year's offering is "...and God Adds the Growth," from Acts 2:1-2, 47b. When Disciples set their sites on starting 1,000 new congregations by the year 2020, planners winced. Yes, they believe in the God of all possibilities, but the goal surpassed their wildest imaginings. Yet even their wildest imaginings underestimated the growth God would add in the first five years of this movement, says Rick Morse, New Church Ministry lead minister. Today, thousands of new Disciples hear the good news of Jesus Christ through the ministries of more than 400 new Disciples churches started since 2000. That's 40% of the growth with only 25% of the time passed for a growing movement that changes lives­including the lives of existing Disciples congregations. The Pentecost Special Offering provides financial support for this movement. Among other things, the offering helps both regional and general expressions of the church train new pastors and core groups, provide coaches for new church "planters" and help affiliating congregations learn more about what it means to be part of the Disciples movement. Our special offering this year will be shared between our national efforts and SouthPointe Christian Church here in Lincoln. SouthPointe now attracts 120 worshipers on a regular basis. They are ready to build their own building. If we give with generous and joyful hearts...God will Add the Growth. First Sunday Food Pantry Dedication - With all of the graduation excitement, we don't want to forget to bring our gifts for the Food Pantry. Of course, they are welcome every week, but we make a special point to remember on the first Sunday of each month. Unfortunately, hunger doesn't subside when the weather gets warmer. Thanks, as always, for the your generous contributions. Hammons wedding reception on Saturday, June 10th - The church family is invited to share in the joy of the anniversary celebration for Barbara and Roger Hammons. The reception is scheduled from 2 - 4 pm at HCC. It's Time for Talent Night!! Always a popular event at HCC, the annual Potluck Supper and Talent Night Program are scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm on Sunday, June 11. If you have talents you are willing to share, please let Jean know by Sunday morning, June 11, so we can get your name on the program. We've had some great talents shared over the years - from musical offerings, to handwork displayed, from hobbies to readings, and always the popular bunny rabbits from the wonderful Dana collection. Don't miss out on the fun - come and enjoy excellent food (you bring your favorite dish to share), great fellowship, and outstanding talent. Come one, come all! Planning Session for 2nd Half of the Year on June 13th - It's time to think about fall, already! All who are interested are invited to attend the semi-annual planning session, set for 7 pm at the Dale home, 6110 Leighton. Bring your calendars, pencils (with erasers), and your good ideas. Snacks to nibble on are part of the fun, so bring something to share. Vacation Bible School dates are June 16-17 - Our time together this year features a fiesta theme, so expect lively music and fun activities. The youngsters will be learning that Jesus is our friend, our leader, and our helper. Children and staff will share in a 5:30 dinner on Friday evening. The meal is provided, a $2 donation is suggested. Friday pm activities last until 8:30. We begin again on Saturday at noon, with a sack lunch and activities throughout the afternoon. Families are invited to join us at 6 pm for a potluck supper and program. Over the two days, there will be games, lessons, crafts, music, and snacks. There are classes for youngsters going into kindergarten through 6th grade. Older youth are welcome as helpers. Be sure to fill out a registration form for each child, and plan to support this important activity. Pastor Giovanna to be gone from June 20th through 26th - This year is a special event for women's activities. Disciples women are combining their Quadrennial event normally held in Indianapolis every fourth year with the UCC women's national meeting for an occasion dubbed "Mix in '06." Pastor Giovanna is planning to attend and will bring us back a report. If you need to contact the church at anytime when our pastor is away, please call Moderator Mike Yost (464-1667) or Jean Holt, Chair of the Elders (525-7574). Men's Day Celebration to be June 24th - The men of the church are invited to a celebration hosted by the women at 6 pm on Saturday, June 17th. Please wear casual clothing. Those brightly colored or Hawaiian shirts will fit right in with our Hawaiian theme for this special evening. Come for a great evening of fun and good food. FYI Welcome to Elaine Althouse - The newest member of our HCC family has been a friend for a long time. Elaine Althouse recently transferred her membership to Havelock Christian Church. Elaine is Duayne Yost's sister, and she has been active in Bible studies and various activities at HCC over the years. We already regard Elaine and Keith as part of our family, and we are so happy to make Elaine an official member. Prayer Garden started - Something new has been added at HCC - a quiet place to sit and meditate. Steve and Teresa Miller have been helping with this project, with plantings and creation of a place of beauty for prayer and contemplation. A bench has been donated and still needs to be painted. Take advantage of this new area at HCC. Shorts from the Board Finances a little tight. Please keep up pledges and regular gifts through the summer. Gift sent to Region in appreciation for Dr. Ken Moore's preaching for us for Pastor Giovanna's installation. Church sign has been renovated - new paint, slots added for announcing special events. Bryant Heating and Air-Conditioning has been working on providing locations of our heat ducts. May not have to damage heat ducts with repairs to the foundation. Memorial Committee formed - headed by Roger Hammons (members: Duayne Yost, Mike Staberg, Steve Miller). Committee to meet quarterly. Builders Club planning July 1st fund raiser - 'Tator Topper Supper and "Elephant in a Bag" event. 5-7 pm. Friendship Bridge planning an outdoor neighborhood event for July 8th. Carnival is set for Sept. 30, craft fair Oct. 13-14. HCC will be listed in a booklet put together by the Lincoln Journal Star to be shared with newcomers to the city. Cost to be included is $55. Church to be used on July 22nd by the Masonic Band group in town. Mission Opportunity - The women gathering for Mix in '06 will be engaged in several mission efforts. One of those is assembling health kits. (New) items that are needed include: hand towels, wash cloths, combs, metal nail files or nail clippers, bath size soap, tooth brushes and 4-7 oz. tubes of toothpaste, band-aids. Pastor Giovanna will be glad to carry any of these items we provide with her to Indianapolis and contribute them to kits the women put together. Kamp Kaleo summer program underway - If you are interested in attending camp this summer and haven't gotten your registration in yet, you need to hurry. Our own Shandra Yost is hard at work at Kamp Kaleo this summer, and she'll be glad to see some of our HCC youth attending. Remember, HCC will provide for half of the cost for our young people attending Kamp Kaleo. See Pastor Giovanna or Roger Hammons for details. Kamp Kaleo Junk Jaunt planned - The Kamp Kaleo Outdoor Ministries Committee will participate in the 3rd annual Junk Jaunt, a 220-mile perpetual yard sale/flea market along Highways 11, 91, and 2 in Nebraska. It will pass through Burwell, NE on September 22-24, 2006. Arts, crafts, household items, collectibles, antiques, food delights, western collectibles, cowboy tack and more will be collected. Items must be in good condition. If you have something you'd like to contribute, please contact Jean Dale. What a nice service we had for remembering our soldiers and saints on May 28th. Several of you have asked about the song that Giovanna used during her sermon, called "Remember Me." If you are interested in the recording, see Roger Hammons for details. In Our Church Family It's time for June greetings to our shut-in members: Elaine and Keith Althouse, Don Riblett, and Jim Donaldson. We hope you are all doing well. We also send good wishes to Alta Perkinton, who has been home-bound for the last several months and Beverly Helmkamp, who is still regaining her strength. We're praying that your recovery continues and that you'll both be back with us soon. Jean Holt is making progress following her recent surgery. When she left the hospital last week, she stayed with a friend for a few days until her daughter could come stay with her. She's home now. We hope each day is getting a little better, Jean. We miss you and hope to see you before long. Dan Skalak had a scare last week. He was driving his route down toward Tecumseh and came over a rise to see a car in one lane and a tractor in the other, both coming right toward him. He was unable to stop and hit the tractor, totaling his truck. Dan was taken to the Tecumseh hospital with numerous cuts and bruises, but there were no other injuries. Jill asks for our prayers of thankfulness with her that it was no worse than it was. Dan, we're keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. We hope you mend quickly. We have the Woodrum family in our thoughts with the recent surgery for granddaughter Jamie Peterson. She is facing lots of tests and the possibility of chemotherapy. Virginia and Les, you, Jamie, and the family are in our prayers. It was a pleasure to have Fran Plumb's mother, Ena Mae Simpson visiting with us from Emerson, Iowa recently. It is great news to hear that Fran's sister SueAnn Good is doing much better. She was here to visit Fran and Darrell over last week-end and was doing well. The Plumbs report that they have a grandson graduating from Northeast this week-end, so they won't make it to church on June 4th. Best wishes to the graduate and his family. With the June 6th anniversary of D-Day, it's important for us to think again of the sacrifice that our service men and women made during World War II and continue to make to this day in protecting our precious freedoms. Our patriots and their families make tremendous sacrifices to ensure our freedom and our way of life. Kudos for May go to... The men of the church who did such an elegant job of providing a lovely evening and serving a such a delicious meal for the church women. Judy and Gene Seibert, Dori and Duayne Yost, Mike and Judi Yost, and all of the others who helped with Pastor Giovanna's Installation service and meal afterward. Pastor Giovanna and all who helped with the Memorial Sunday Service honoring our soldiers and our saints. The youth, Roger Hammons, Mike Yost, and all who helped with the new plantings in front of the church; and Teresa and Steve Miller for their special help with the prayer garden. In Closing Let's keep Judie Luther, our camp staff, and our youth at Kamp Kaleo in our prayers through the summer. The camping experience is such an important time of growth for young people. We pray that God will touch their lives in very meaningful ways. Editor's note - Thanks to First Christian Church's June 1st newsletter for info on several items. Newsletter Archive Calendar, June 2006 1 - Thursday 7 pm - Bible Study 2 - Friday Graduation Reception - Zach Yost 3 - Saturday Graduation Reception - Jeni Phillips 4 - Sunday 9:15 - Sunday School 10:15 - Fellowship Coffee Music for 2s 10:45 - Worship Pentecost Reception 6 - Tuesday 7 pm - Friendship Bridge 7 - Wednesday 10 am - Bible Study 7 pm - Worship Committee Meeting 8 - Thursday 7 pm - Bible study 10 - Saturday 2 - 4 pm -- Roger and Barbara Hammons Anniversary 11 - Sunday 9:15 - Sunday School 10:15 - Fellowship Coffee Music for 2's 10:45 - Worship 5:30 pm - Potluck Dinner, Talent Night 12 - Monday 7 pm - General Board Meeting 13 - Tuesday 7 pm -- 2nd Half Planning Session - Dale's House 14 - Wednesday 10 am - Bible Study 15 - Thursday 7 pm - Bible Study 16 - Friday 5:30 - 8:30 pm. - Vacation Bible School, at Bethany Christian 17 - Saturday Noon - 6:30 pm. - Vacation Bible School, at Bethany Christian 18 - Sunday 9:15 - Sunday School 10:15 - Fellowship Coffee Music for 2's 10:45 - Worship Father's Day 21 - Wednesday No Bible study, Pastor Giovanna will be out of town 22 - Thursday No Bible Study, Mix in '06, Indianapolis, May 21 - 27 24 - Saturday 6 pm - Men's Day Dinner 25 - Sunday 9:15 - Sunday School Pastor's Class 10:15 - Fellowship Coffee Music for 2's 10:45 - Worship 27 - Tuesday Noon - Senior Fellowship Day 28 - Wednesday 10 am - Bible Study 29 - Thursday 7 pm - Bible Study   Serving During June: Elders: Presiding - Mike Yost Shut-in Communion. - John Dale, Anna Peacock Members of the Diaconate: Preparing - Lacy / Kristina Nimmich Serving - Mary Bickford, Patrick Peacock, Barbara Hammons, Jean Dana Shut-in Communion - Kayla Yost, Jerry Cunning Greeter: Frances Young Lay Leader: Teresa Miller   Editor - Jean Dale Copying and Mailing - Anna Peacock Web-site Editor - Curt Peacock Mailing Labels - John Dale

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