Winchester Book Club to Meet July 21 at Zilss Hall

The July meeting will be held on July 21 at 7 p.m. at Zilss Hall, and the book “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole will be discussed. All are welcome.

Winchester Area VFD

The Annual Winchester Area Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry and Auction originally scheduled for July 25 has been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. President Marceil Prestridge and Chief Eddie Schneider, along with the other board members, reluctantly made this decision. The fire department will continue to sell the raffle tickets and gratefully accept any donations to the department. Raffle ticket winners will be announced after July 25. For more information, please contact Marceil Prestridge (832) 567-8636 or Eddie Schneider (979) 242-5748.

A couple of reminders from the Winchester Area Voluntter Fire Department:

• If you have a combination lock of any type on the entrance to a property or residence, you should register that combination with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. This will ensure that if first responders need to enter your property for an emergency, the Sheriff can communicate that combination and enable the first responders an easy and speedy entrance;

• Call the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office any time that you burn a brush pile; this communication will save many false reports of uncontrolled fires.

Barn Board Quilt Trail

The quilt block trail in Winchester can now be seen at www. quiltblocktrail.com. Schedules of classes and class registration forms, pictures and the trail map are just some of the items available for viewing. A comment section is being developed. Quilt Trail maps can be found at the Museum, Casino Hall, the Wendish Museum, quilt stores and other businesses in Giddings, Smithville and La Grange. The trail is self-drive, available at your convenience and is a great way to spend an afternoon during this COVID-19 social distancing time. You will find the blocks on fences, gates, barns and houses that can be seen from the road.

Recycling Trailer Is Back

The Winchester Recycling trailer is back. It is located on the Memorial Hall Street side of Zilss. Please place your recycling in the appropriate bins. We would appreciate that you make sure that you close the bins so that any trash will remain in the bins and not blow out.

Zilss Community Hall

Anyone wishing to rent Zilss Hall should contact (512) 434-0292. Rent is very reasonable.

The Little Free Library

The library is always open and has a variety of authors. Space is limited, so please, if you donate a book(s), look through the current selection and take as many as you leave. The Little Free Library is housed under the roof of the patio at Zilss Hall. There is also a bulletin board available on the patio. If you have an event you would like advertised, please post.

Birthdays

Birthday wishes are extended to the following celebrants: Alycia Zoch and Sarah Qualman - July 7; Angie Zoch - 10; and Erik Jakobeit - 13.

Anniversaries

Anniversary wishes are sent to Kenneth and Mary Watts, celebrating on July 13.

Condolences

Condolences are sent to the family of Georgia Denton. She was the sister of Billy Hajek. Billy and Bobbie Hajek are long-time residents of Winchester.

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church

As you are all aware, the number of COVID-19 cases in the state and in our county has increased dramatically over the last few weeks. While we had previously hoped to loosen our approach toward worship and Bible Study beginning July, the current trajectory of the health situation will prevent us from being able to do so. At a recent meeting of the Elders, several decisions were made related to protecting the health of our attendees at our worship services and Bible Studies.

Beginning immediately, our approach to health precautions at worship services and Bible Studies will be the following:

• We will continue using a drive-in format for our worship services on Sunday mornings following the same procedures that we have used in the past few months.

• The Sunday morning Adult Bible Study will continue to meet in the sanctuary following church; however, all who enter the sanctuary will be required to wear a mask or face covering and sanitize their hands upon entry and exit. Those who would prefer to participate in the Bible Study in their vehicles will still be able to do so by listening to the radio broadcast.

• Decisions regarding the Children’s Sunday School will be made by the Board of Education. Information will be communicated as it becomes available.

• The Wednesday morning Bible Class will continue to meet in the Education Building at 9:30 a.m. However, all participants will be required to wear a mask or face covering and sanitize their hands upon entry and exit. Those who would like to participate in this class remotely rather than in person should contact Pastor Hill so that accommodations can be made.

If you will be participating in a Bible Study that requires a mask or face covering, please bring your own from home if you have one. If you do not, the church will have masks available that can be provided to participants. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the entry to the Sanctuary and Education Building.

Also, please consider your own risk factors before participating in any in-person events.

FUMC

The Winchester First United Methodist Church has services on the first and third Sundays of the month at 8:30 a.m. Currently, the congregation is conducting church services through the Zoom app. The Rev. Patricia Zaiontz-Newcomer is the pastor.

Shiloh Baptist Church

The Shiloh Baptist Church is located on FM 153 at North Raymond Road. For more information, please contact Rev. Paul Whitmill at (512) 629-1428. In Our Prayers

Currently on the prayer list is: Betsy Anderson, Don Buck, Steve Burton, Sherry Cook, Karen Derr, Marian Fritsche, Sam Gibbs, Hugh Hall, Evelyn Haschke, Stanley Herzog, Audra Koenning, Bea Kilian, Mary Lehmann, Rose Lehmann, Ramona Lopez, Jodi Miller, and Thelma Zoch.

Remembering Our Shut-Ins

Charlene Franke, R. C. Franke, Evelyn Kasper, Marie Kilian, Lillian Pietsch, Adele Wilson and Thelma Kieschnick.

In the US Armed Forces

US Navy: Christopher Brand, Great Lakes, Ill.; US Air Force: Jessica Lindner, Okinawa, Japan; Ryan Spray, San Antonio; US Army: Warren Evans, Ft. Benning, Ga.; Jake Hagood, Ft. Hood; Jared Michalec, Kuwait; Byron Taylor, South Korea; US Marines: Damien Hernandez, San Diego, Calif.

Have News?

If anyone has news to share, contact Rhoda Gersch, at (979) 242-3213 or email rmgersch@yahoo.com.