February 2025
Dear Fellow Congregants and Friends,
My husband Randy and I relocated to Tully last March. We had felt for a long time the church we had been attending for many years, really did not give you a sense of belonging. I felt this was not for us, so we decided in July to explore other churches in our new community. We went to a service at Tully United Community Church, and we both felt we had found what we were looking for!
From the moment we sat down, we felt welcomed. Pastor Rick immediately came over after the service to introduce himself, as did many of the members. We were looking to become a part of this community, and in a few short weeks we did! For the first time, we felt we belonged. Everyone has been so friendly and have made some new friendships that we are really enjoying. Needless to say, we never looked any farther, as we knew this church community was for us.
We look forward to not only going to church but getting involved. So many caring individuals, who are compassionate about their journey of faith. I am very thankful we have found a church, where we can really experience such a glorious fellowship.
In Christian Fellowship,
Nancy Harris
January 2025
Dear Friends-In-Christ,
I and my brother Terry spent two weeks on Mission in Kenya last fall. Terry has a many years’ working relationship with the 5 churches and three schools to which we ministered.
Some in our congregation contributed funds gratefully received by one of the schools; but the Mission was one of Preaching, Teaching, Celebrating, Encouraging. God’s purpose, we found, was the forging and deepening of relationships, identifying needs we can address, our coming to better know and understand Kenyan pastors, church folk, and Kenya itself. While there, it became clear to us that, in our going to Kenya, God meant to change us so that God’s Love could more fully flow through us to those dear to God’s heart!
My ministry to school children was a most wonderful experience! Through storytelling and song (oh how exhilarating the singing!), we taught and proclaimed God’s Word: “You are children of God, important to God, made in God’s image, precious, adored! As God loves you, so-love each other!”
We were compelled by the Spirit to praise the teachers for their dedication, their excellent work with the children! The Spirit inspired us to encourage them! We became with them a Body of Christ enabling the increase of young faith! What a joy for us as the children responded with such enthusiasm: so … happy, laughing, dancing, shining, praising God! A fountain of God’s hope, joy, peace, and love overflowed these times, soaking all with blessing divine!
In the churches as well, we were heartily welcomed as preachers and teachers of God’s Word, encouragers of “keeping the faith.” We laid hands on the sick, the troubled, those dedicating their lives to Christ! Our time in the churches was blessed in the gain of lasting relationships!
With so much to be said that a letter like this cannot contain, I report on but one situation, the Griebe School for children K-4 (they long to add grades 5 and 6 for which there is not-yet a school). From a severely undermaintained dirt road, we hiked into the Griebe school grounds. The children walk as far as 3 miles to attend classes held in a crude 3-room building, walls and leaky roof of rusting sheet metal, tree branches for rafters, a pot-holed concrete floor. One electric bulb per room. No desks. Old/broken blackboards, no shelves. What chairs there are the children carry from room to room as they move through their day. The building, says the government (while providing no funds), must be soon replaced.
Griebe is in one of the poorest areas of Kenya. The school’s teachers are severely under-supported in salaries, books, supplies. Only through their dedication and the students’ eagerness are the children learning; and they are learning, impressively-so given the circumstances! But the need is ever-so great!
While in Kenya, God made known to us just how beloved, how precious these children are! God made known to us God’s anguish about the deprivations of their lives! Oh, how God thirsts for their thriving, their joy, their becoming and accomplishing all that God dreams for them!
My witness is that, while in Kenya, I was filled to overflowing with God’s Love for the Kenyan peoples! Now back home, I am compelled by the Holy Spirit – the Living Christ alive and at work in me -- to live more sacrificially myself, and to urge the folk of our church to embrace the Mission God is presenting us. To do so is not only unto helping school children and churches, but to realize ourselves a greater joy, meaningfulness, effectiveness-for-Christ, !!LIFE!! increasingly abundant!
We witnessed in Kenya that contributions like those we delivered from members of our TUCC congregation make a tremendous difference, greatly impacting the lives of children, families, churches, Kenya’s peoples! So much to be done! So much we can do! So much we will do as we respond faithfully to the call of our Savior who asks of us only that we love as Christ so-sacrificially loves us!
In the Love of Jesus Christ,
Jim Kerr-Whitt
December 2024
Dear Fellow Congregants and Friends,
Christmas is upon us again with all the traditions each of us holds dear to our hearts. My family has operated a Christmas tree farm for over 25 years and one of my favorite traditions is reconnecting each year with the families that come to hunt for the “perfect” Christmas tree. We have watched as toddlers grew to teenagers and now arrive with their own families to continue a cherished family tradition.
TUCC also provides cherished traditions to the congregants and their families who come to worship during the Christmas season. The choir and bell choir fill the sanctuary with music to set the holiday mood. The Deacons decorate with symbols of the Christmas season – wreaths, garland, poinsettias, a Christmas tree, and the manger scene. Christian Education teaches the young and older the story and importance of Jesus birth, and Pastor Rick helps us to find ways to include Jesus’ birth and teaching in our daily lives.
As with our Christmas tree farm, TUCC offers all of us an opportunity at Christmas time to reconnect with our church family as we grow and change over the years. We hope you will join us this holiday season and share the love and joy of family as we all celebrate Christ’s birth.
In Christian Fellowship,
Kim Guttendorf
November 2024
Dear Fellow Congregants and Friends,
November is a wonderful month to celebrate our faith and fellowship. Our crops have been harvested and shared with family and friends and/or preserved for future use. The seeds or seedlings that were sown in hopes that God’s blessing would provide a successful garden can be likened to a beginning in our own religious journey. We only need to have faith and believe in the sanctity of our church and church family.
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to give thanks not only for health and happiness but also for the peace and contentment we feel as we give back to the church through our monetary support and shared labor with our various programs and activities.
So, as we have enjoyed our floral and vegetable gardens, let’s now give thanks to God as we celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. Then as we celebrate Advent and await the celebration of the birth of Christ!
Faithfully yours, Millie Elgaway, Home Gardener/Harvester
October 2024
Dear Friends,
Our Church reaches out to children, youth, and adults in an effort to administer to their spiritual growth through various avenues.
We look forward to reaching out to Pre-K children ages 2-4 this Fall under the leadership of Ann Sedore.
The quarterly Adult Bible Study offers inspirational thought-provoking material on a variety of religious and biblical subjects. These sessions enhance our faith and provide an opportunity to share personal experiences related to the subject provided.
Del Wayne continues to offer leadership and faith building to our youth through Sunday School as well as outside activities as opportunities arise.
Two multi-generational events sponsored by our church for the community to attend are the Holiday Family Craft Workshop during Advent and the Easter Craft, Fund and Faith Event during Lent. Both offer cookie decorating, card making, and storytelling. Also included are Christmas ornament decorating and Easter egg painting. These provide a good interaction with youth, teenagers, and adults participating as we reach out beyond our church family.
May we continue to grow in our faith journey.
In Christian fellowship,
Nancy Chawgo, Past Sunday School Teacher, Adult Bible Study Participant
September 2024
Dear Friends,
As with any board in our church, the people and not just the board make our church what it is and that is so true of Mission and Outreach.
One of our missions each year is collecting backpacks and school supplies for children locally. It is unknown when Flo Williams first fostered this mission, which she did with passion and determination for many years. She knew the need. As a result, parents and families were not burdened with providing all the school supplies for their children that they could not readily afford.
We partner with PEACE, Inc., a national network of Community Action Agencies, with an outreach program here in Tully. PEACE’s goal is to help people become more self-sufficient by strengthening families, improving the conditions in which people live, encouraging people to own a stake in their own community, and developing partnerships with other organizations, businesses, and individuals to support these efforts.
The backpacks and supplies are distributed by PEACE prior to and during the school year. You, the people, have made this undertaking successful in the past and that is true of our latest endeavor for the 2024-2025 school year. We have collected and purchased over 325 items for distribution this year.
The congregation can continue giving to this mission by collecting good, clean backpacks and other school necessities throughout the year, as well as contributing money to purchase supplies. God calls us to share his love with others, and giving is an essential part of doing so.
In Christian fellowship,
Mission and Outreach