Greetings Olivet Family:
We have hired Pastor Laura Hawkins as our part-time Pastor at Olivet. We are so happy to have her as part of our Olivet faith team. She will be with us for her first Worship service at Olivet on February 1st.
Pastor Laura has asked me to provide her email and her cell phone number to all. She is happy to be available if any of our members or friends of Olivet are in need. Her email address is pastorlaurah@gmail.com. Or contact her by phone at 920-251-4158.
Of course, we didn’t get to this point without the help of lots of folks at Olivet Church. First thank you to the search committee and the Church council for all their time and dedication throughout the past couple of years. We are truly grateful to you!
Next, we cannot forget to thank our most dedicated Pastor to Olivet over the past several years, Pastor Sandy Schieble. We so appreciate all your help in getting us to this point. We are happy that you have agreed to help us with Pulpit supply on the Sunday’s that Pastor Laura will not be here due to her part-time role.
And thank you to the members of Olivet for being patient with us during this process. There are a lot of moving parts to calling and hiring our part time Pastor. We appreciate your patience.
Darlene Crombie, Moderator
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Olivet is always looking for more ideas for fundraisers. If you have anything to suggest, we are always open to new ideas. You can email us at olivetucc.columbus@gmail.com or give the church office a call at 920-623-5140.
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Community Meal
Our next Community Meal will be held at Olivet on Thursday, February 12, beginning at 5 pm until 6:30 pm. Olivet will be serving sloppy joe’s, chips, fruit salad and cherry dessert.
Methodist Church will host their community meal on Thursday, February 26th from 5 pm to 6:30 pm.
The community meals are for everyone in the community that would like to join us for some fellowship and a great meal together. All are welcome.
We are always looking for extra hands to help with the meals as well. Hope to see you there!
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Ushering and Fellowship sign-up
Thanks to Mina Kenevan our ushering schedule is now out for the upcoming 2026 church year. Each member that signed up to help usher will have 2 or 3 Sundays throughout 2026 to usher. If you do not receive a schedule, there are extra copies on the table in the Narthex. If you would like one mailed to you, please call the church office at 920-623-5140 and we will send one to you.
Thank you to all who volunteered.
Worship and Music Committee
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"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring - all of which have the potential to turn a life around"- Leo Buscaglia -
Adult Bible Study
You are invited to join us this Sunday for our Adult Bible study following the morning worship service. This week we will be digging into Matthew 5: 1-12, The Beatitudes. All are welcome.
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Columbus Fall River Food Pantry
We rely on donations during this season of giving to help carry us through the upcoming year. We are currently serving over two hundred families in Columbus and Fall River. Demand is high, so the need is great. Our expenses are surpassing our donations, and our reserves have dipped to a critical level. Your ongoing support and generosity will allow us to continue serving. We are a volunteer organization and 100% of your donations go towards feeding people in our local communities. Please remember us during the holiday season.
If you would like to donate non-perishable, non-expired food donations may be dropped in the bin at Columbus Pick n Save - when available, and monetary donations may be deposited into our savings account at Farmers and Merchants Union Bank.
If you have questions, are planning a food drive, or have a large amount of food to donate, please contact Colleen @ 920-210-6266. More information about the Food Pantry is available by going to www.cityofcolumbuswi.com and clicking on: Government/Departments/Community Center/Food Pantry. Thank you for your continued support!
Thank you. Colleen Waterworth
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Lenten Schedule 2026
Below is the schedule for our Lenten services. Fellowship before the service this year is up to each individual church. Fellowship and Food is served from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, with the worship service beginning at 6:30 pm.
Feb 18th– Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, February 25
Wednesday, March 4
Wednesday, March 11
Wednesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 25
April 2nd– Maundy Thursday
April 3rd– Good Friday
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For those who might be interested in visiting our members who cannot make it to church, please call the church office at 920-623-5140 or contact any Council member. You may also email the church office at olivetucc.columbus@gmail.com.
God Bless,
Darlene Crombie, Moderator
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Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary to all who are celebrating this month!
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Church Council Ongoing Activities
Endowment Committee Update
Thank you for your continued support and prayers for Olivet. If you have any questions or concerns during this transitional time, please don’t hesitate to contact the church office or any council member.
God Bless,
Olivet Church Council
Our finance department now has a new email: finance@olivetucc.gmail.com. Please feel free to email us for finance inquiries.
Columbus/Fall River Food Pantry - New Scheduling Information
Effective since January 1, 2025, the Columbus Fall River Food Pantry will have a new phone number for scheduling an appointment. The new number is 608-893-3079. Please leave a message if there is no answer. The messages will be checked daily by the church that is hosting for that month. The food pantry is open on Thursdays from 4:00 pm to 6:45 pm. It is in the back of the Columbus Community Center, 125 N. Dickason Blvd., Columbus.
Thank you to the following churches for serving: Connection Church-Pastor Jamie Turner, St. Jerom Jim Leeser, Faith Lutheran Church-Pastor Andrew Perger, Olivet Congregational UCC-Pastor Sandy Schieble (Interim Pastor), Zion Lutheran Church-Pastor Tim Schwartz, First Presbyterian Church, Columbus United Methodist Church-Rev. Sang Wook Park, Columbus Community Church of the Nazarene-Pastor Chris Baker, and Wisconsin Academy-Pastor Jonathon Fetrick.
News from Our Quilters
Like clockwork each second & fourth Wednesday mornings our ladies can be found laying out color schemes for quilts, tying them, sorting fabric and cutting squares (the sewing takes place in their homes). It is a beehive of activity in the fellowship hall. We would love to have you come - No experience necessary!
We are also in need of blankets and batting for the inside of our quilts and flat sheets for the back.
Receiving the Newsletter – Get It Your Way
The majority of newsletters, however, will be sent electronically to members and friends for whom we have correct email addresses. And the third means of distribution is to pick up a copy from the info table in the narthex.
Please contact the church office should you wish to change the manner in which you receive this valuable monthly document, or to update any of your contact information. If you have not received the newsletter at all, let the office know that too. We want you to be informed so you can participate in the goings-on at Olivet.
New Email Address for Olivet
Please note that Olivet has a new email address: olivetucc.columbus@gmail.com
Our email account was hacked, and the only option was to open a new account for us. Please update your contact information for Olivet UCC.
As a reminder
We had some trouble with our church being unlocked with the lights on after worship. It is mostly a case of our not knowing if someone else is in the building and not wanting to disrupt them. With a multi-story building that can easily happen. However, we all need to be vigilant about locking up. Lights left burning cost us $$.
We are always striving to keep our records current at Olivet. If you have a new address, phone number or email please let us know by giving us a call at 920-623-5140 or email us at:
olivetucc.columbus@gmail.com. Thank you for your help with this!
Messages on the Outdoor Sign
Are you watching the messages on the outdoor sign? They change about weekly. If you walk near the sign, you will see a number of “ministry rocks.” They are for the taking, if you wish. You might have fun placing them around town to be found by others as sort of a fun surprise.
Olivet now features E-Giving; an online service to allow you to make your donations in a secure way that also helps you track your donations over the year. Please see our E-Giving page on this website.
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