Our Second Annual Summer Thrift Sale will take place from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 8 and 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 9.  A variety of items, attractively displayed, will be available for purchase.  Shoppers are asked to park and enter on the lower level of the church.

Included: 

household items, glassware, pictures, linens, bookshelves, gun rack, rugs, recliners, infant and toddler clothing, furniture, books, bikes seasonal décor, lamps, albums, greeting cards, and more.

            You may donate items for sale until July 5.  If you have questions just call the church at 743-2147 or Wendy Sigurdson at 743-6138. 

            In the collage you can see the variety of items already on display.  Wendy Sigurdson shows off some fine china.

Our 4th Annual Pie Auction took place following worship on Sunday, May 16.  We had a fine turnout of pies and pie purchasers who placed bids on the 49 pies to bring over $5300 to our church, helping to balance our budget.  Thank you everyone!

• May 23 - Pentecost, Confirmation and Baccalaureate
• May 30 - Memorial Sunday - Worship changes to 9:00 summer schedule.
• Vacation Church School, June 21-25 in cooperation with Calvary Lutheran Church.
• See Christian Education section for more details.
• July 4 - Communion Sunday
• Thrift Sale, July 8-9
• August 8 - Communion Sunday
• September 12 - Fall Worship Schedule with Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. and Worship at 10:00 a.m.
• October 10 - Bryan Sirchio

            Worship at the United Church of Christ in Neillsville was jazzed up when Front Porch Swing helps led worship on Sunday, April 11 at 10:00 a.m.  The five-piece jazz ensemble performs regularly at Tufts’ Mansion, but this Sunday they will moved a couple blocks to the west to help the UCC congregation celebrate the music of Duke Ellington.

            Most of the music played during Sunday’s worship was written by Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington (1899-1974), honored as one of the greatest American composers of the 20^th century.  Pastor James Mohr’s sermon, entitled “The Gospel According to Duke,” will include theological reflections on such Ellington tunes as “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got that Swing” and “Take the A Train.”

            Born in Washington, D.C. Ellington led a band which toured the United States for almost fifty years.  In collaboration with Billy Strayhorn he composed some of the most memorable tunes in jazz.  Several Wisconsin colleges awards him honorary doctorates.

            Although he was best known for playing in night clubs and concert halls, in the last ten years of his life Ellington created and performed several sacred concerts in churches such as New York’s Fifth Street Presbyterian Church and San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral.  When he was invited to present a sacred concert in Grace Cathedral he said, “Now I can say loudly and openly what I’ve been saying to myself on my knees.”  One of Ellington’s sons, “Come Sunday,” is included in several recently published hymnals, including that of the United Church of Christ.

            Ellington was a religious person who had read the Bible cover to cover four times.  He is quoted as saying:

“I believe because believing is believable, and no one can prove it is unbelievable.”

“Every time God’s children have thrown away fear in pursuit of honesty…trying to communicate themselves, understood or not…miracles have happened.”

“I know there is no language God does not understand.”

            The United Church of Christ is located at the corner of Park and Second streets in Neillsville.  The public is cordially invited to help members celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter with the music of Duke Ellington.

• For those of us who give by automatic deductions from our bank, send our gift through our bank, write a monthly check, or designate a yearly contribution of stocks, there is a way to show our giving commitment each week through a “Giving Card.”  These are placed in the pews in either the card rack or in back of the communion cup rack.  You are invited to take one and place it in the offering plate during the morning offering. 

• The card is red on one side and white on the other.

Take a look at the Pastor's Message section of this website.  You will find four recently published pieces on the four root denominations of the United Church of Christ.  Our church is the union of two of those groups.  Read the articles and discover which ones they were:

• We Are Evangelical
• We Are Reformed
• We Are Congregational
• We Are Christian

Our Address

515 W. Second St.

PO Box 6

Neillsville, Wisconsin 54456

Phone

(715)743-2147

Email

ucc@tds.net (secretary)

jmohr@tds.net (pastor)

"Never place a period where God has placed a comma. God is still speaking."   We at Neillsville UCC believe that God has good news for us this day.  Join us to worship and serve the still speaking God.

From September 2008 through April 2009 Neillsville UCC celebrated its 50th anniversary, commemorating the union of Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church and Frist Congregational Church.

The celebration began on September 14 with a remembrance of the vote by both congregaitons to pursue merger talks and reached its peak with a celebration of the formal union on March 15.  Among anniversary events:

• Kick-Off Potluck on September 14
• Monthly Remembrance of former pastors
• Anniversary Banquet on March 1.
  • Rev. David Moyer, Conference Mininster,  preaches.
• Fifties Day with 50s Potluck on March 15
• Northwest Association, UCC Annual Meeting on April 26
• "You Are There" Skit during worship in June

During our 50th anniversary Neillsville UCC is taking time on one Sunday each month to celebrate the ministry of a former pastor.  Here is the schedule:

• October 19, 2008 - Frank Harcey
• November 14, 2008 - Wolfgang Koehler
• December 14, 2008 - George Yons
• January 18, 2009 - Gary Clark
• February 15, 2009 - Mark Voll
• March 8, 2009 - Bill Hickerson
• April 19, 2009 - Gene Lackore

With construction of new roofing on the educational section, the rennovation of our church is complete.  Come and try out our new elevator.  We also have fully accessible restrooms, an open welcome space, and newly remodeled offices and lounge.  The picture below shows the expanded entranceway including pictures on our history wall and a beautiful new Amish bench.

On May 31 six  young people confirmed their Christian faith.  They are pictured below:

• Zachary Holden
• Katrina Strobush
• Brittney Averill
• Dylan Cline
• Hillary Anding
• Benjamin Anderson