St. Paul United Church of Christ

No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey you are welcome here.

Church Council, Boards & Committees

President                             Byrl Shear

Vice President                    Melvin Schroeder

Secretary                            Nancy Engel

Property Chair                    Merle Thompson

Evangelism/ Stewardship Steve Statton

Our Church Council

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Church Council meets on the second Monday at 6 p.m.

Christian Education

Nancy Kennedy, Amanda Houck, Seema David

 

Memorial Committee

Gwen Kuenning, Phyllis Watkins, Soni Muller

 

Pastoral Relations Committee

Lorraine Bell, Amanda Houck, Lola Shepperson

 

Delegates to Nebraska Conference Annual Meeting

Seema David, Byrl Shear  

Alternate: Merle Thompson

 

Delegates to Lincoln Association

Ruth Frank, Linda Statton,

Alternate: Steve Statton

 

Nominating Committee

Linda Statton, Soni Muller, Sue Shear

 

Investment Committee

Bob Muller, Phyllis Watkins, Seema David

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings All!

 

What is religion for?  We Americans don’t seem to have much to fear, anymore?  Do we really need God in our lives? Or do we just go through the motions of  the seasons because it is our tradition and traditions die hard?  What seems to be the problem these days is not a fear of death, rather it is a fear of living.  Our staying indoors in the bleak cold of winter becomes a kind of metaphor for the repression that that we make our spirits endure by not following our hearts desires.

Sure we can say that there are obstacles, and that the timing isn’t right, or we have to keep working to make enough money to pay those bills.  Well, folks, there will always be obstacles to conquer.  If you are waiting for an ideal moment in time, that time may never happen.  You must create that opportunity in time.  And as for paying those bills, I ask: why have so much stuff, if we can’t share it with the people that we love.

This Christmas season I want you to pick a fear that you may have and take steps toward overcoming that fear.  Can you imagine the fear that even Jesus must have experienced by coming into the world as a vulnerable infant and placing his trust in God’s own fallen creation.  Friends, I know that  living isn’t easy.   None of us arrived in this world because of our own will to live, yet that still does not entitle  us to anything from our parents, or from our government, or from God.  We live because it is our instinct to live.  How well we live is determined by what fears we can overcome.

The burdens of life are plethora, and they are only exacerbated by our psychological fears.  Perhaps, you are fearful of letting go of your control over your life, for example.  Jesus gave up all his control to his earthly parents for at least the first portion of his life.  Think about it.  God knelt down to God’s own creation.  God trusted humanity.  When are we going to return the favor and trust God?  I challenge you to take steps (however small) this season to place your trust in God and overcome your fears of truly living the abundant life that Jesus has promised all of us.  Religion is not just something that we encounter at the end of life.  It is very much for the living.  It is a celebration of life itself!  May this season bring you the hope of this celebration of new life in Jesus Christ.  Have a very Merry Christmas!!

 

Pastor James