Wed. Message

May 7, 2025

 

The Voice That Calms the Storm

“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”

• John 10:27

It’s loud out there.

You know what I mean.  You open your phone and you’re bombarded—breaking news, angry tweets, ads tailored to your insecurities.  It feels like every voice is shouting.  

But sometimes the loudest voice isn’t the one from outside—it’s the one in our own head.  The voice that says, “You’re not good enough.”  The voice that whispers, “They’ll see through you.”  The one that shouts, “You should have done more, been more, known better.”

It can be relentless.  Especially in the quiet.  Especially when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or trying to measure up to impossible expectations.

But then Jesus speaks.

And his voice doesn’t sound like the critic.  It doesn’t echo shame.  It doesn’t scold or belittle or compare.  Jesus’ voice speaks peace into anxiety, dignity into shame, and belovedness into doubt.

The voice of Jesus says, “You are mine.  I know you.  I love you.  Follow me.”

He doesn’t ask us to be perfect—just to listen, to trust, and to follow the sound of his voice.  The Good Shepherd doesn’t walk behind us cracking a whip.  He goes ahead of us, calling gently, steadily, faithfully forward.

When the inner voices rise up, we may not be able to silence them right away.  But Jesus keeps on calling us by name, offering us a kinder voice to follow — a voice that leads to love and wholeness and welcomes us back to ourselves.

And in time, his voice becomes the one we trust.

Prayer:
Loving Shepherd, your voice is the one we need to hear right now.  When fear rises, when shame clings tight, when doubt drowns out your love—speak to us again.  Call us by name.  Remind us who we are and whose we are.  Teach us to follow your voice, even through the noise.  Amen.

 

 

Coffee, May 11, 2025: Rose Moehring

The sign up sheet to serve coffee on Sunday morning is now located upstairs on the bulletin board in the back of the narthex.    Please sign up to serve.

 

Please join us upstairs before church and downstairs in the Fellowship Hall following the worship service on Sunday mornings for coffee and treats, everyone is always welcome.

  Bible Study, the 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month at 3PM with Pastor Dustin, everyone is always welcome to

  join us.

 

 

We have scheduled a church clean-up day for Saturday, May 17, from 9:00 am until noon, there was some concern because there will be a wedding in the afternoon. We will still be doing a cleanup in the morning.

If you would be willing to volunteer to help, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Next council meeting is May 19 at 6:00 pm.

In the narthex, on the coffee counter is a members list with name, address, phone #, email and birthday, please look at it and correct and update it please.  Thank you.

The month of May the fellowship hall will be unavailable for general use due to various events, (several weddings, graduations, and showers).  The weekends are; May 10th, May 17th, May 23rd and May 24th. 

 

Meals on Wheels, Monday May 19 through Friday, May 23, 2025, if you are able to help deliver meals,

please call Lynne Forbush, 605-880-5379, to let her know. Your help is always appreciated

 

Please join us at 10 am, May 10th in the new archway at Lake Area Technical College for an opportunity to explore Ukraine’s history, the realities of war and displacement, and the refugee families now navigating life and legal limbo in the United States.  Hear from Lee Gabel—Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) who served in Ukraine—and his wife Anne, as well as from local sponsors who have welcomed Ukrainian refugees and helped them transition to life in South Dakota. Through expert context and personal testimony, we’ll explore what’s at stake—for Ukraine, for refugees, and for our own community.

 

Pastor Dustin and Amber joyfully invite the congregation of First Congregational UCC to celebrate their wedding on Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary.  A reception will follow immediately in the church’s fellowship hall.  Your presence would be a blessing as we begin this new chapter together!

Blessings,   Dustin

 

                 New Email Addresses for Church Staff
All of the staff at First Congregational UCC now have new email addresses!

• Pastor Dustin: pastor@uccwatertown.com

• Ginny (Office Administrator): admin@uccwatertown.com

• Brenda (Treasurer): treasurer@uccwatertown.com
   

 

 

                    Money Counters:                        

             May    11 – Brenda out of town, no counting

             May    18 – Wayne Johnson

             May    25 – Sue Pearson