Ceresco Ithaca and Valparaiso
United Methodist Parish Newsletter
March 27, 2015
Volume 3 Issue 2
Page 1
Brian’s Blast:
Some of us live continually in a world shaped by "What's Next." Store owners and operators, for example, spend each season preparing for the
next. If we pay attention to store displays we see that before the Easter candies and baskets are off the shelves, stores are already beginning to roll
out merchandise relating to Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, and we know that it's only a matter of days until back-to-school items are on
display. (Some of us moan about this the loudest when Christmas trees and decorations start popping up in stores before Halloween!)
Church planning is the same. I've heard new pastors complain about the difficulty of experiencing one season of the Christian calendar while
we are planning for the next. I've heard pastors say things like, "I can't even stay focused on Advent and Christmas services, because I'm having to
think about Lent already!" Those of us who have been around a few years just smile, because that's the way it is. The alternative is to let the seasons
roll over us and leave us continually feeling either as if we are totally out of touch with everything or feeling frantic, because we are constantly
running to catch up. All of us, not only pastors, feel a tension between wanting to live life now and wanting to be prepared for "what's next."
The Christian life constantly holds us in a kind of tension between focusing on the present and preparing for the future. In his Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
(Matthew 6:34) Yet, he seemed to do an about-face when he told the parable of the ten bridesmaids (or ten virgins if you read an older translation of
the Bible). They all waited a long time for the bridegroom to show up, but when he came at midnight the five wise bridesmaids who were prepared
and had enough oil were able to go into the wedding feast. The five foolish ones who had not been prepared were out running around trying to get
more oil because their lamps were going out, and they missed the wedding feast. The message is clear - be prepared for Jesus' return.
I believe that those two pulls of living for today and being prepared for tomorrow come together in the principle of doing what is important
rather than what is urgent. Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all our needs will be given to us. Sometimes it's
hard to figure out how to do that in setting our priorities, but St. Paul wrote that only three things remain forever - faith, hope and love, and the
greatest of these is love. That's a great measuring stick to use, whether you're focused on Easter or on Mother's Day or Graduation or Confirmation or
Summer vacation. May we all be prepared by putting our efforts into things that last rather than simply bowing to the tyranny of "what's next."
All for Jesus,
Brian
April 2015
2
Sun 29 Palm Sunday;
12:10 Ceresco Trustees; Nate
Crosnoe’s Birthday-Ceresco;
Owen Masek’s BirthdayValparaiso; Roger Engel’s
Birthday-Ithaca;
Confirmation #6
Mon 30
Tue 31
Erica Kobza's
Birthday-Valparaiso;
Hadley Havelka's
Birthday – Ithaca
5
Easter;
Communion; 7AM Ithaca
Sunrise Service & Breakfast;
9:30AM-Val; 11AM-Ceresco;
Nancy Burke & Bill Haru's
Anniversary-Ithaca
6 Bill & Pat
Buckmaster's
AnniversaryIthaca
7
Mary Mayfield's 8
Birthday – Ithaca;
10AM Parish Bible
Tom Messick's
Study @ Ceresco
Birthday – Ceresco UMC;
7PM Youth Group @
Ithaca
9 Brian Kottas' Birthday; 10
11
2PM Ithaca United
Ayme Barry's
Betty Draper's
Methodist Women;
Birthday – Valparaiso Birthday –
6:30PM Ladies Bible
Valparaiso;
Study @ Melissa’s;
8AM dCOM7PM Ceresco United
Lincoln
Methodist Women
12 Fellowship Time @
13
Valparaiso after worship;
12:10PM Ceresco Ad Council;
Tim & Kris Dickes'
Anniversary – Ithaca; Lexie
Jensen's Birthday – Ceresco;
12:10PM Ceresco Potluck;
12:30PM Confirmation Class
#7
14
Kyrie Baker's
Birthday - Ceresco
15
10AM Parish Bible
Study @ Ceresco
UMC
16
17
Ilene Anderson's Birthday Heath & Jaclyn
– Ceresco;
Smith's Anniv. –
Ithaca; Luke Bryan's
6:30PM Ladies Bible
Birthday – Ithaca;
Study @ Melissa’s
Samson Smith's
Birthday - Ceresco
18 Tracy Meyer's
Birthday-Ithaca;
Lisa Christensen's
Birthday – Ceresco;
9AM Ithaca
Cemetery clean-up
day
19
Cindy & Lee Perkins'
Anniversary - Ceresco
21
Larry Stark's
Birthday –
Valparaiso;
7PM Valparaiso
United Methodist
Women
22 Earth Day
Josh Buckmaster's
Birthday – Ithaca;
10AM Parish Bible
Study @ Ceresco
UMC; 7PM Youth
Group @ Ithaca
23
24
Dale Lindholm's Birthday
– Valparaiso;
25
Sydney Moline's
Birthday – Ithaca;
Larry Burklund's
Birthday – Ceresco;
8AM dCOMLincoln
28
29 Shaelynn Jensen's
Birthday – Ceresco;
10AM Parish Bible
Study @ Ceresco
UMC
30 Robert Blanchard's
Birthday – Ceresco;
Jean Ang's Birthday –
Valparaiso;
20
26 12:10pm Ceresco Trustees; 27
Jared Moline's Birthday –
Larry & Pat
Ithaca;
Stark's
12:30PM Confirmation Class Anniversary Valparaiso
#8
Wed 1 Traci Moline's
Birthday – Ithaca;
10AM Parish Bible
Study @ Ceresco
UMC;
6PM "Christ in the
Passover" Meal @
Ceresco UMC
Thu 2 Nancy Hanke's
Birthday-Ithaca;
Pat Carlson's Birthday –
Ithaca; Jackie Boquist's
Birthday – Ceresco;
Maundy Thursday;
7PM Catacomb Service
@ Ithaca
Fri 3
Sat 4
Good Friday; Bruce Hageman's
Birthday - Ithaca
Darlene Knoche's
Birthday – Ceresco;
7pm Good Friday
Tenebrae Service @
Valparaiso
6:30PM Ladies Bible
Study @ Melissa’s
6:30PM Ladies Bible
Study @ Melissa’s
1 Randy Carlson's
Birthday – Ceresco;
Kaylee Carlson's
Birthday - Ithaca
2
Donna Hermance's
Birthday - Ceresco
May 2015
Sun 26
12:10pm Ceresco
Trustees;
12:30PM Confirmation
Class #8
Mon 27
Larry & Pat Stark's
Anniversary –
Valparaiso
Tue 28
3 Communion; 12:10pm 4
5
Ceresco Ad Council;
Tony & Tracey Sells' Jeff Buckmaster's
9:45AM Recognition of Anniversary Birthday – Ithaca
Graduates @ Ithaca
Ceresco
UMC; 6:30PM SPPRC @
Ceresco
3
Thu 30
Robert Blanchard's
Birthday – Ceresco;
Jean Ang's Birthday Valparaiso
6
7
10AM Parish Bible Study Dalton Lamprecht's
@ Ceresco UMC;
Birthday - Ithaca
6:30PM Ithaca Trustees;
7PM Admin. Council
Fri 1 Randy
Sat 2
Carlson's BD – Donna Hermance's
Ceresco;
Birthday - Ceresco
Kaylee
Carlson's BD –
Ithaca
8 Cindy Perkins' 9
BD – Ceresco; Seanna Jensen's
Craig Moline's Birthday - Ceresco
Birthday Ithaca
13 Jenny Masek's BD – 14
15
Val; Wendy Martin's BD- 2PM Ithaca United
Ceresco; McKenna Smith's Methodist Women;
BD – Ithaca; Holly
7PM Ceresco United
Buckmaster's BD – Ithaca; Methodist Women
10AM Parish Bible Study
@ Ceresco UMC; 7PM
Youth Group @ Ithaca
18
20 Takako & Eric Smith's 21
22
19 Roy Timm's BDXander Lethcoe's
Ithaca; Ryanna Oaks' Anniversary-Ithaca;
Birthday-Valparaiso; Birthday- Ceresco; Judy Vickie Clark's Birthday –
Larry Lamprecht's
Eichmeier's Birthday – Valparaiso;
Birthday - Ithaca
10AM Parish Bible Study
Ithaca;
@ Ceresco UMC
7PM Valparaiso
UMW
11
10 Mother's Day;
Fellowship Time @
Valparaiso after worship;
1:30PM Wahoo
graduation
17
Wed 29
Shaelynn Jensen's
Birthday – Ceresco;
10AM Parish Bible Study
@ Ceresco UMC
12
24 Pentecost;
12:10pm Ceresco
Trustees
25
Memorial Day
31 Confirmation
Sunday-Ithaca and
Ceresco;
9:45AM Recognition of
Milestone Members @
Ithaca
1 9-11:30AM Ithaca 2 9-11:30AM Ithaca
VBS; Brenda
VBS; Bill & Rhonda
Messick's BDLange's Anniversary –
Ceresco; Madeline Ceresco;Tim & Sherry
Lamprecht's BDKubicek's Anniversary
Ithaca; Nate & Jen
- Ceresco
Johnson's Anniv.Ithaca
26
27 Richard and Winona 28
Nancy Burke's
Allen's Anniv.Ceresco;
Jamie Hagen's Birthday – Birthday-Ithaca
Ceresco; 7PM Youth
Group @ Ithaca
3 9-11:30AM Ithaca
VBS;
Sherry Kubicek's Birthday
– Ceresco; 6:30PM Ithaca
Trustees; 7PM Admin
Council
29
4 9-11:30AM Ithaca 5 9-1PM
VBS; Brian & Jeanne Ithaca VBS;
Kottas' Anniversary
Erin
Gary Hanke's Birthday- Buckmaster's
Ithaca
Birthday Ithaca
16
2PM Mead
Graduation;
2PM Raymond
Central Graduation
23 Wedding @
Ceresco UMC;
Amelia Carlson's
Birthday-Ithaca;
Riley Johnson's
Birthday – Ithaca;
Jerry Carlson's
Birthday - Ithaca
30 Reinold
Schutt's Birthday –
Ithaca; 2PM
Confirmation
Practice @ Ceresco
UMC
6
June 2015
Sun 31
Mon 1 9-11:30AM
Confirmation
Ithaca UMC Vacation
Sunday-Ithaca and Bible School; Brenda
Ceresco;
Messick's Birthday9:45AM Recognition Ceresco; Madeline
of Milestone
Lamprecht's BirthdayMembers @ Ithaca Ithaca; Nate & Jen
Johnson's AnniversaryIthaca
7 Communion;
8
12:10pm Ceresco Ad
Council;
9:45AM Ithaca
VBS Program
9
Great Plains UM
Annual Conference
“Valparaiso Days”
14
15
Fellowship Time @
Valparaiso after
worship;
12:10PM Ceresco
Potluck
Fri 5 9-1PM
Sat 6
Ithaca UMC
Vacation Bible
School;
Erin Buckmaster's
Birthday – Ithaca
“Valparaiso
“Valparaiso Days”
Days”
10 Great Plains UM
11 Great Plains UM 12
13
Annual Conference;
Annual Conference; Great Plains UM Great Plains UM
Duane & Donna Hageman's Hannah Anderson's Annual
Annual Conference
Anniversary – Ithaca;
Birthday - Ithaca
Conference
Georgia Lamprecht's BD- – 2PM Ithaca; United
Ithaca; Nicholas
Methodist Women
Christensen's BD –Ceresco;
7PM Youth Group @ Ithaca
16
17
7PM Valparaiso United Robert & Rose Iiams'
Methodist Women
Anniversary – Ithaca
23
21 Father's Day; 22
Roger
&
Jackie
Engel's
Gary & Nancy
Anniversary - Ithaca
Hanke's Anniv.Ithaca; Owen &
Jenny Masek's
Anniversary Valparaiso
28
12:10pm Ceresco
Trustees;
Ryan Johnson's
Birthday – Ithaca
4
Tue 2 9-11:30AM
Wed 3
Thu 4 9-11:30AM
Ithaca UMC Vacation 9-11:30AM Ithaca UMC Ithaca UMC
Bible School; Bill &
Vacation Bible School;
Vacation Bible
Rhonda Lange's
Sherry Kubicek's Birthday – School; Brian &
Anniversary – Ceresco; Ceresco;
Jeanne Kottas'
Tim & Sherry Kubicek's 6:30PM Ithaca Trustees;
Anniversary;
Anniversary - Ceresco 7PM Admin Council
Gary Hanke's
Birthday-Ithaca
24
7PM Youth Group @ Ithaca
29 Justin & Jenna
30
1
Lewandowski's
Brad & Erica Kobza's
Anniversary-Ithaca;
Anniversary-Valparaiso
Bob & Ramona
Dittrich's Anniversary –
Ceresco; Steve
Mayfield's Birthday Ithaca
18 Jack & Claudia 19 Timothy &
20
Reum's Anniv.Laura Keller's
Wedding @
Valparaiso; Jerry & Anniversary –
Valparaiso UMC
Darlene Niday's
Ithaca; Sara
Anniv.–Ceresco;
Smith's Birthday –
Collin Konecky's BD Ceresco; John
– Ithaca; Deb Hass' Ryan's Birthday BD - Ithaca
Valparaiso
25
26 Lyle & Keshia
Havelka's
Anniversary –
Ithaca;
“Ceresco Days”
2 Aaron & Nicole
3
Johnson's Anniv.Ithaca; Takako
Smith's BirthdayIthaca; Bob Wagner's
Birthday – Ithaca;
Jordan Peterson's
Birthday-Ceresco
27
“Ceresco Days”
Ceresco UMC Pie &
Ice Cream Booth @
Park
4 Independence
Day; Nate Mongan's
Birthday-Ithaca;
Cade Mongan’s
Birthday-Ithaca
5
Ithaca Greeter & Acolyte Schedule
APRIL
Greeters: Roy & Melissa Timm
MAY
Greeter: Ann Keller
JUNE
Greeters: Mark & Tracy Meyer Family
ACOLYTES
April 5– child volunteer
April 12– child volunteer
April 19– child volunteer
April 26– child volunteer
May 3– child volunteer
May 10– child volunteer
May 17– child volunteer
May 24 – September 6 – Jen Johnson/Mary Hass
“God as He Longs for You
to See Him” by Chip
Ingram. The study is @
Melissa Timm’s (1308 Co.
Rd F, Ithaca) on Thursdays
from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The
study will run until
approximately April 30th.
6
Ithaca News
Sunday School starts right after
the Children’s Time (at approx. 10
am). There is no Sunday School
June thru August.
Valparaiso News
We have fellowship time on the
2nd Sunday of every month.
*******
Parish Youth Group meets on the 2nd & 4th
Wednesdays of the month at 7pm at Ithaca.
Contact Aaron Johnson for more information
(anjohnson@windstream.net).
Please stay after worship and join us.
**There is something for the childrenAsk Kathy or JoAnn**
All youth from all three Churches
are invited.
Ceresco News
We have fellowship time every Sunday after worship
(except on potluck Sunday). *Please sign up to bring cookies
or something for refreshments.
We have potlucks bi-monthly on the 2nd Sunday - our next
one is scheduled for April 12th!
Children’s Church is every Sunday,
right after the “Children’s Time”
(approx. 11:15am).
The next S/PPRC meeting will
be on Sunday, May 3rd @ 6:30
pm @ Ceresco UMC.
Are you a child that would like to go to camp
this summer? OR Do you know a child that
would like to go to camp this summer?
Contact Ramona Dittrich (at Ceresco), Betty
Timm (at Ithaca) or Esther Ryan (at
Valparaiso), or Pastor Brian. There may be
help for paying the camp fees (it doesn’t hurt
to ask).
If you don’t see a camp flyer – ask to see one.
There are many camping opportunities & camp
is fun!
Our 2nd Coupon Challenge for
Epworth Village is coming soon.
Please help collect Box Tops and Labels for
Education from April 5th (Easter) thru May
17th for Epworth Village. Boxes will be at
Valparaiso, Ithaca and Ceresco. Flyers will be
available soon with information regarding the
box tops and labels.
The winning congregation will be awarded
the “Box Top/Labels for Education” Trophy!
Ceresco has had the honor of displaying the
trophy for the past year. Let’s start clipping
to see who will win the challenge this year!
If would like to have an event included on our parish calendar or in the next newsletter (published at the end of June), please email the
parish office at: civumcparish@gmail.com.
Please check out our website by going to Google search & typing in
civumcparish@wordpress.com or our Facebook page: Login to Facebook and search: Ceresco Ithaca and Valparaiso United Methodist
Parish. The Parish address is: 421 N. 2nd, P.O. Box 337, Ceresco, NE 68017; Phone Number: 402-665-2061. **If we have your email
address we can email the next newsletter to you – Thank You.
God is Faithful
7
Parish Bible Study
Wednesdays at 10am at
Ceresco UMC
We will have our last study (before
summer break) on Wednesday, May
20th and will break during the
summer months. Bible study will
start back up in August when
schools are back in session.



Upcoming events:

“Christ in the Passover Meal” @ Ceresco @ 6pm,

April 1 (deadline for tickets was March 25th)
Maundy Thursday Catacomb Service @ Ithaca –
7pm, April 2nd
Good Friday Tenebrae Service (Service of
Shadows) @ Valparaiso-7pm, April 3rd
Easter Sunday – April 5th
Ithaca Sunrise & Breakfast @ 7am
Valparaiso @ 9:30am
Ceresco @ 11am

Remember
our shut-ins with a

visit, card
or phone call. They

need alift every now & then,
 just like we do.


8
Ceresco – The women meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month @ 7pm @ the
church (no meetings in June, July or August). All women are welcome!
Confirmation Classes:
#6 – March 29th
#7 – April 12th
#8 – April 26th
Ithaca – The women meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month @ 2pm @ the
church. All women are welcome!
Confirmation Practice
will be on Saturday, May
30th @ 2pm @ Ceresco
UMC.
Valparaiso – The women meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month @ 7pm.
Please contact Esther Ryan (402) 784-2300 for more information. All
women are welcome!
Confirmation Sunday @
Ceresco UMC and Ithaca
UMC will be on Sunday,
May 31, 2015.
Ceresco Community Vacation Bible School
July 20th thru July 23rd (Monday thru Thursday),
6:30pm to 8:15pm @
Ceresco Evangelical Covenant Church
*We will need volunteers to help each night – please be
ready to say yes when asked or volunteer now!
(talk to Brian or Jeanne)
Hi Everyone!
Join me, Jack Legg Frog
At “Rock Around the Rock”
Vacation Bible School at
Ithaca United Methodist Church
June 1 to June 5th
(9-11:30am Monday thru Thursday; 9am-1pm Friday)
*VBS program on Sunday morning, June 7th @ 9:45am*
Please RSVP to Traci Moline @ 402-443-5893
For ages 3 years by January 1, 2015 thru children going into the 6th grade.
Color of the day: Monday – orange, Tuesday – red, Wednesday – blue, Thursday – yellow and Friday – green.
*We will take up an offering each day for a worthy cause (more details later).*
Valparaiso Days will be Friday, June 5th thru Sunday, June 7th.
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Ceresco Days will be Friday evening, June 26th thru Saturday, June 27th.
*Ceresco UMC will be having their pie & ice cream booth at the park on Saturday.
10
Ceresco, Ithaca and Valparaiso United Methodist Churches
Sunday Worship: Valparaiso-8:30am; Ithaca-9:45am; Ceresco-11am
Parish Office: 421 North 2nd, P.O. Box 337, Ceresco, NE 68017
Office Phone: (402) 665-2061; Email: civumcparish@gmail.com
Website: civumcparish.com
Facebook: Ceresco Ithaca and Valparaiso United Methodist parish
“Spreading God’s love
Pastor: Rev. Brian Kottas
If your birthday or anniversary has not been included (or there is an error) in this newsletter, or in our
Sunday bulletin please let us know (402-665-2061 or civumcparish@gmail.com).
in Saunders
County”
**A Big Thank You to everyone for all the well wishes, cards, etc. on my
birthday.
In Christ, Jeanne
11
Ceresco Ithaca and Valparaiso United Methodist Parish
PO Box 337
Ceresco, NE 68017-0337
Address correction requested