West Side Moravian Church

West Side Moravian Work Day

Saturday, June 29^th

Thank you for your faithful prayer and support of the ministries of Habitat and work for affordable housing in our community. We invite you to be part of a work day at a home at 936 Victory Blvd. in Green Bay. The work done on the house will be siding and requires volunteers who are over the age of 18. The day goes from 7:45am-3:30pm. Four volunteers are needed and 1 crew leader (a crew leader is someone who has volunteered before with Habitat and is to be at the site at 7:30am)

In addition to this work we also need meals prepared for lunch this day for the volunteers (can be youth, children and adults at work on this).

Sign up on the office bulletin board if you can serve!

If you have questions about Habitat or would like to know how you can be involved please talk to the Mission Team- Pastor Marian, Kris Nelson, Linda Van Pay or Chuck Martin. We also have included in this newsletter more information about Habitat for Humanity.

About Habitat For Humanity

Our Mission Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent communities in which every person can experience God’s love and can live and grow into all that God intends.

The Need Habitat for Humanity estimates that 5,000 families in Brown County are qualified and income eligible for a Habitat for Humanity home. Home ownership should be a realistic dream and an achievable goal for all members of our community who understand, and who can manage, the associated responsibilities.

The Habitat Program The Habitat Program does not give away houses. Selected families must make a $600 down payment and monthly mortgage payments of principle, real estate taxes and homeowners insurance. Homes are affordable due to the volunteer labor used to build the home and the 0% mortgage provided by Habitat for Humanity. Qualified families are selected based on:

· Current level of substandard housing

· Financial need

· Ability to pay the interest free mortgage, real estate taxes, insurance and utilities

· Willingness to work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity

-complete home buyer counseling

-complete 300-500 hours of “sweat equity” to build their home and other Habitat homes

· Documented residency and eligibility to work in the U.S.

Our Partner Families Prior to becoming a “partner family” the applicant families often pay a very high percentage of their income for rent, endure over-crowded conditions and/or live in houses with severe physical deficiencies. Habitat works in partnership with qualified families to help them overcome sub-standard housing by building simple and decent homes that they can afford to own.

The Children Achievement rates for children of homeowners versus renters:

• Have 9% higher math and 7% higher reading achievement scores
• 25% higher high school graduation rate
• Twice as likely to obtain post-secondary education
• 116% higher college graduation rate

Our Community Benefits for our community to have homeowners verses renters:

· Conversion of vacant and underutilized land into owner-occupied homes

· To date Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity had added more than $4 million to the local real-estate tax base

· Revitalized neighborhoods

· Improved property values

· Homeowners are more active in the community

How You can Help There are many different ways to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity:

· Pray: for the families and workers of Habitat for Humanity and all without adequate housing

· Contribute: Provide financial contributions to help us build more homes for more Habitat partner families

· Serve: We will soon have build dates for people to serve as part of the “Faith Build” in July, August and September.

· Donate or shop: Our Habitat ReStore is a home improvement store with new and reusable materials that have been donated. These materials are sold at a discounted price and all the profits go to help the need of Habitat for Humanity and our mission.

Material adapted from material by Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity

Sanctuary Renovations! Work on the Sanctuary will be happening in May and June. This involves new ceiling tiles, flooring and repair to carpeting. Sundays, May 26^th and June 2^nd we will be unable to hold worship in the sanctuary or fellowship hall due to these renovations. A new creative option is being worked out! We will update you via email updates and weekly bulletins.

Thoughts on Christmas~ It may seem way too early to be thinking about Christmas but we welcome your input now regarding whether to continue with two Christmas Eve services as we have in the past or go to one Christmas Eve Service. Please share your thoughts with the Elders.

Possible Name Change? The Joint Board has been discussing whether a change in our congregation’s name may be appropriate. Does West Side Moravian capture best who we are as a church community? The Joint Board welcomes your prayerful consideration of this and asks you to share your thoughts and ideas with Joint Board members.

Aging Out During April we collected items for youth in Brown County aging out of foster care. It was wonderful to see the many donations being shared! This drive was initiated by our neighbors who utilize the lower half of our church building- the Treatment Foster Care of the American Foundation of Counseling. Youth who are no longer eligible for foster care find they are facing life on their own at 18 or 19 without the stability of a family system. People like the American Foundation and others are working to provide help to youth transitioning to employment, college or trade schools.

Wednesday Morning Join us for a time of fellowship, prayer and Bible study on Wednesday mornings from 9:30am-11am. We are currently studying the book of Romans. We meet every Wednesday in May with our last gathering on Wednesday, May 29^th at Bay Family Restaurant.

Sunday Mornings Adult Sunday School There is an Adult Sunday School class that meets in the lounge at 10:15am through May 12^th. We discuss the scriptures shared in morning worship most Sundays and at times bring in special speakers or focus on special topics.

Ø April 29^th

Dumpster Dropped Off

Ø April 30^th – May 18^th

Ceiling Tiles Removed

Roof Repairs Done

Ø May 20^th – May 24^th

Bolts Our of Pews

Ø May 25^th

Tables & chairs out of Fellowship Hall; Pews moved into Fellowship Hall

Ø Sunday, May 26^th

No worship service in WSMC sanctuary. (Temporary place or worship to be announced.)

Ø May 28^th

Asbestos floor tile removed

Ø May 29^th – May 31^st

New ceiling tile installed

Ø Sunday, June 2^nd

Worship service outside at West Side Moravian with a cookout to follow.

Ø June 3^rd – June 5^th

New floor tiles installed

Ø June 6^th -June 7^th

New floor tiles sealed and waxed

Ø June 8^th

Pews moved back into sanctuary

Ø June 10^th – June 12^th

Sanctuary painted

Remaining pews secured

Ø June 14^th

Sanctuary, office and hall carpets cleaned.

~ Noah’s Ark Trip~

Thursday, June 20th – Noah’s Ark Trip – Again this year we will be making our trip to Wisconsin Dells. The cost will be $20 for the ticket into Noah’s Ark, the bus and lunch which includes hot dog, chips pickle and a soda. For anyone that is interested will are going to do the “Buffet By the Bus” again for dinner. A signup sheet of items will be posted on the bulletin board for individuals to bring. Coolers will be provided for food items along with tables for the buffet. If you aren’t interested in participating, you can bring a bag lunch or purchase dinner inside Noah’s Ark. The bus will be in the church parking lot at 6:45am, leaving by 7:00am. The bus will leave Noah’s Ark at 5:30pm.

See the sign-up sheet located on the church office bulletin board for more details. There’s 56 passenger limit, so don’t forget to sign up. If the bus is full and you are able to drive, and still get into the park at the $18.50 group rate. Contact Nancy Knapton with any questions. All ticket & bus money needs to be to Nancy Knapton no later than Sun June 16^th.

~ Timber Rattlers Game ~

Thursday, July 11^th. Tickets are $21.00 for adults and $17.00 for youth 10 and under. This includes an all you can eat meal and includes hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, buns, baked beans, potato chips, potato salad and desserts. Each meal comes with 2 beverages choice of Beer, soda or water. Watch for the sign-up sheet in May.

~ Bullfrogs Game ~

Thurs, August 1^st – Watch for sign-up sheet to be posted in June.