New Worshipers Abound!

A Church with Heart + meaningful ministry + warm hospitality (+ lots of publicity) = many new faces among our worshiping community.  Over the next few months, while we gather a More Than Membership group in preparation for a Covenant Sunday, we'll be bringing you mini-profiles so we can get to know one another.  For this issue of our e-newsletter, Carolyn Bell & Elisa Welch, and Phyllis Grant and Jerry Vonderheid sat down to chat.  

Elisa Welch & Carolyn Bell
Lina, Luci & Lainie

The weather outside may have been warm and sticky, but Carolyn Bell and Elisa Welch stood together in pride as their twin daughters Catalina and Elena received the waters of baptism June 29 at  McFarland UCC.  The experience further reassured Carolyn and Elisa that they had chosen the right place to worship and have their children learn about God’s Word.

Carolyn and Elisa met in 2000 while attending Clark College in Iowa. Elisa now teaches eighth grade Spanish in DeForest. Carolyn works at the University of Wisconsin as a buildings and grounds superintendent for student housing.  Big sister Luciana (Luci) is now five years old. The family began attending MUCC last December. 

What makes McFarland UCC so different 
from other houses of worship that you've attended?

“I think Pastor Kerri has a way of providing something new each week. I will never forget Palm Sunday and the way banquet tables were set up for the service. We were thinking “What is happening?” but it was a very engaging service and I enjoyed sitting across from people and talking with them. The people have made us feel welcome from the very first time we walked into this place. They say “hi” to us, ask us questions, and make us feel like we matter here.”

Phyllis Grant & Jerry Vonderheid

It was the Internet that connected Phyllis Grant and Jerry Vonderheid in July 2013, and shortly thereafter, they decided finding a house of worship would be an important part of their relationship. 

They first visited MUCC in the fall of 2013 and have been regular attendees since February 2014. 

A native of Barneveld, Wisconsin, Phyllis retired after 35 years at the U.S. Postal Service.  Jerry, who was born in Merrill, Wisconsin and raised in Kankakee, Illinois also retired after a long career at St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford, Illinois.  They now live near Lake Kegonsa.

Why did you start coming to McFarland UCC?

“Last fall, we started going to different churches in the area to see what we thought of them.  We decided we liked this church.”

What did you like about it?

“Just the casualness and the friendliness of the people.  Everyone here is super nice.”

What makes this church appealing to you?

“Pastor Kerri brings things down to an easy understandable level.  Instead of reading from the Bible over and over again like so many do, she puts things into her own words and we can relate to that.”