Dear Friends,
One of the reasons that I am proud to be a Presbyterian Christian is that lay people are ordained as well as clergy. The session and the pastor serve equally. Many Christian traditions do not have this understanding of shared leadership. I am glad that we do. We serve the church together; in fact, pastors, elders, and deacons all answer the same constitutional questions with the exception of the last question, which differs according to office.
The last question for an elder is “Will you be a faithful elder, watching over the people, providing for their worship, nurture, and service? Will you share in the government and discipline, serving in governing bodies of the church, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?”
The last question for a deacon is “Will you be a faithful deacon, teaching charity, urging concern, and directing the people’s help to the friendless and those in need and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?”
For a pastor, the minister of Word and Sacrament, the last question is “Will you be a faithful minister, proclaiming the good news in Word and Sacrament, teaching faith and caring for people? Will you be active in government and discipline, serving in the governing bodies of the church; and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ.”
All three questions are unified with the phrase, “in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?” I believe it is a daily prayer for each of us.
The congregation has a responsibility in the ordination and installation process as well. We are asked whether we will not only accept their leadership, but will “we agree to encourage them, to respect their decisions, and to follow as they guide us, serving Jesus Christ, who alone is the Head of the Church?” In the name of Jesus Christ we all have a part of the ministry of Southminster Presbyterian Church.
This Sunday we will ordain and install new elders and deacons. They have prepared for this service with classes studying scripture, the Book of Confessions. and the Book of Order. They have written statements of faith and been examined by the session. I believe that God has prepared each of them for this service his/her whole life long. I am grateful for those going off the session and the board of deacons. They have served faithfully. I look forward to our new elders and deacons to see what God has in store for them and for us. Take it from here,
Love, Wendy
Announcements
It is Rummage Sale/Carwash/Bake Sale weekend: Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. This fundraiser for the Youth Mission Trip has evolved from a mere rummage sale to include a carwash (by donation), hot dogs and home baked goods, and even some plants! Please, pray for good weather and great patronage, bring in your donations, and come and enjoy. Also, we could use some help on Sunday morning getting all the rummage sale things out of fellowship hall in time for Sunday school. Let Blair know if you can help: smpcyouth@ameritech.net or 630-917-6035.
Things needed for the Carwash: old rags or sponges and towels
For the Rummage Sale: grocery bags (plastic or paper) for customers to use
The A.M. Circle’s May meeting will be a luncheon at Cantigny in the LeJardin Restaurant on Friday, May 15. Those wishing to carpool may meet in the church parking lot at 9:30 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. we will meet at the Visitors’ Center to tour the grounds or view the film and enjoy the center and gift shop. Luncheon will be served in LeJardin Restaurant at 11:00. Those planning to attend should sign up by getting their check to Linda Ellinghausen in the amount of $15.25. We will have three entrees to choose from.
Double your giving power with “Gifts Grow!” During the month of May please prayerfully consider donating to Gifts Grow so that others may know God’s love through your donation. The Mission Committee will match your gifts up to a collective amount of $3000. There is detailed information in the May Dialog (click here to view) and in the bright green bulletin inserts we’ve used on Sunday mornings. Extra envelopes and the green information sheets can be found on the nametag shelf in the main hall and in the narthex. Be sure to see how our gifts are growing by checking the display above the narthex windows.
From Christian Ed.:
This was an exciting year in Christian Education from Sunday school to various special programs. Please take a moment or two to browse the Christian Ed bulletin board to see some snapshots taken throughout the year.
We are looking for teachers and helpers for summer Sunday school. If you are interested in teaching for part of the summer, for just a week or two or helping with snacks or activities, please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or smpcce@ameritech.net.
Our VBS 2009 theme is “Crocodile Dock!” Got stuff tucked away that might fit in with our VBS theme? If you come across the following items while sorting through your belongings for the youth rummage sale, we could use it for VBS: Spanish moss, inflatable alligators (yes, really!), rope lights, green and blue material, fishing nets or other fishing equipment, bug catchers, lanterns, crates, greenery. We are also in need of refrigerator boxes or boxes which are similar in size for games. Please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or at smpcce@ameritech.net with any donations.
Pennies 4 PADS: Our children are attempting to collect a mile’s worth of pennies (84,480) to donate to our PADS mission. We collected 380 more pennies this past week. That brings the total to 61,093 pennies or 72.3 % of our goal. The end is in sight! Please keep bringing in your extra pennies; there is a collection box in the narthex.
Our Adult Education class will continue the lectionary-based Bible study this Sunday with the following passages: Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17. Join us and we’ll learn together. –Blair
CNS Home Health & Hospice Annual Service of Remembrance: It’s that time of the year when we take time to acknowledge those with losses by allowing grief to “go public.” This year, we are holding the service of remembrance on Sunday, May 17, at 2:00 p.m. at Wyndemere Senior Living Campus in its beautiful Anderson Auditorium on Manchester Road, a block east of County Farm Road in Wheaton. We will have a special speaker, singer (of operatic quality!), and music. Of course, we’ll be handing out carnations to the bereaved.
Welcome in any other language is...
This summer we will be upgrading our vestibule/entrance with a sign above the door that says, “Welcome Home.” We plan to have “welcome” written in several languages, as well. Do you have a particular language that you would like represented? If so, please let the office knew by May 18.
Special Worship Service: Ascension of the Lord—May 21
We will have a worship service on Thursday, May 21, at 7:00 p.m. in observance of Ascension Day. The service will include elements of Taizé worship (similar to what we did on Ash Wednesday). We invite you to join us for this special service.
S.O.L.A.C.E. is having a breakfast reception with Pastor Wendy as our guest on Friday, May 22, at 10:00 a.m. S.O.L.A.C.E. means Sharing Our Love and Concern Effectively. The group was started in 1996 to support the widowed and to provide a social atmosphere. This reception is not limited to the widowed; we are also reaching out to anyone who needs to experience a friendly relationship with others. Contact Pat Petersen (630-690-1434) if you plan to attend.
On the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (May 24) we will remember those among us who have served in the armed forces. We don’t know the name of everyone who has served, and we don’t want to miss anyone. Please let the office know by email or phone if you have served in the armed forces. We are also looking for mementos such as letters, diaries, or even clothing. We would like to display these items on the Lord’s Table as demonstration of our lives as a gift to God.
The liturgical color for the Day of Pentecost – the birthday of the church – is red. We will decorate our sanctuary on Pentecost (Sunday, May 31) with red geraniums. The plants for $11.00 apiece and will look great transplanted to your garden after they’ve been seen here. Please sign up in the narthex by May 24. If you would like to have a geranium for Memorial/Decoration Day, you may order ahead of time.
Come one, come all! Put this on your calendar: the annual Spring Clean-Up Day on Saturday, May 30, from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Come join us for all or part of the morning. We’ll have a long list of outside and inside projects waiting for volunteers—no matter your age or skill level, there’s always a way you can help. We’ll provide tools (though you’re welcome to bring your own), refreshments, and good cheer —in abundance. And you’ll feel great to be part of the effort to keep our church in top shape.
Homelessness and Hunger don’t take a summer vacation! Southminster will be providing meals for PADS the second Saturday of June, July, and August. Sign-up sheets for June 13-14 meals are located on the shelf under the Mission bulletin board in the narthex. Please sign up for what you would like to provide. Any questions? Contact Chris Kozich, Caroline Linde, or Pat Wiedner.
Do you have a son or daughter –or are you yourself– graduating from high school or college this spring? Please let us know! The next issue of the Dialog will list all grads about whom we have information. Please give us the student’s name, school, degree (for college grads), and future plans.
The Congregational Care Committee of the Deacons has new supply of Abbey Press Care Notes in a rack in the narthex (on the shelf closest to the sanctuary). These pamphlets are provided free of charge to anyone who needs a word of encouragement or hope. Please take some time to look them over––we hope you’ll find just the one for you.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) publishes an annual planning calendar. It has liturgical-themed art for each month, listings of lectionary readings, directories of PC (USA) offices, and notes about Presbyterian publications, mission materials, curriculum, and much more. (There is a sample copy in the office if you’d like to see one.) We will order these soon for the staff. If you would like one, they are $8.00 each. Please let us know by May 13.
Deacon Care Notes:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of the youth in our church and the wonderful service that they shared with us on Sunday. And more thanks for the mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters that we were able to honor on Mother’s Day. We are blessed to have them in our lives and to be them.
Thanks to God for the good wishes from Pastor Abel and from Dr. Pedro Ramirez from our sister church in Cuba for the mothers in our congregation on Mothers Day, and we thank God for the mothers in the congregation of our sister church.
We celebrate the birthday of Floyd and Betsy’s daughter, Becky, as she turns 40. 40 wonderful years! We are blessed by the volunteers at the DuPage Convalescent Center and at PADS and look forward to helping in June, July and August. Help us to love one another.
Please be with Cyndy Buening and the medical staff when she has her surgery, and we pray for a good recovery. Wrap your healing touch around these whom we lift up: Ian Van Beveren, who is home sick and has a heart condition; Bob Reynolds; Terri as she continues her fight against cancer; Don who is in the hospital in serious condition; Katie Bell as she recovers from a lung transplant; and Travis as he continues rehab from his head injury. We pray for comfort for the families of Alice Dvorak, Janet Birchall’s aunt, who died last week, and Barbara Abuzzo, who died on Saturday. May they remember all the wonderful memories and smiles that were shared.
Help those looking for work to persevere through this tough time, and give strength to those fighting mystery illnesses. Be with Russ while he continues his struggle with Alzheimer’s. We ask that the blessings continue at the Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck, and we pray for the states facing financial concerns. Be with all mothers and fathers to show them grace and trust when they are worried about their children’s future, health, finances and emotions. Finally we pray for the healing of our nation and the world. Grace and peace to all, Amen.
The volunteers of the Congregational Care Committee put hearts and hands into the caring for others. If you need assistance from the Congregational Care Committee or Helping Hands, call Deacon Andrea Schmidt (630-629-4526). If you know of anyone else who needs help, or if you’d prefer to talk to Wendy, you may always contact her and she would be happy to notify your Deacon.
