Southminster E-Notes for May 6, 2009
Dear Friends,
How do we explain our faith in Jesus Christ to children and teach them to be moral? It is a difficult task. On the one hand, we have this word from Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
The truth of the gospel is that we are all saved by grace. We don’t earn our way to heaven. On the other hand, many of our educational models are based on reward, and we don’t get anywhere without hard work. We want our children and youth to do “what is right,” but from a perspective of thanksgiving and grace. I do not have a pat answer to this task, but I have some ideas. One is to appreciate the very presence of our children and youth in church, to welcome and acknowledge them. This Sunday the children and youth of our congregation will lead us in worship. How polished that will be remains to be seen, but it will be offered in love to God and to you, their church family. Boys from the confirmation class wrote the prayer of confession. It is heart-felt. Girls picked out the hymns. Together, both the youth and the children will present God’s word in a “play form.” In the baptismal vows we promised to nurture our children in their faith. The youth service is one of the ways we can do this. Many thanks to the choir members who stepped up to help with the service by singing.
Another way to encourage youth to put their faith into action is for them to write their statements of faith. Last weekend the confirmation class wrote their statements together. Each is very personal. Next Wednesday they will share their statements, along with our elders and deacons elect. They have studied the Apostles’ Creeds, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the great commission, and being the body of Christ, among many other things. Now is the time for them to express their faith publicly.
Teaching is more than speaking. It is sometimes also listening and watching. Thank you for how you teach through your words, your actions, and your kind attention. Take it from here,
Love, Wendy
Did you know…?
In the PC(USA) the members of the congregation are considered to be the “God Parents” of the child being baptized?
Announcements
This Sunday, May 10, our children and youth will lead us in worship. Please come and encourage them! And parents, be sure to see the information below (under Christian Ed. and in the calendar) regarding the rehearsals for this service.
Rummage Sale Season is upon us! Please begin bringing in your donations, priced if possible, after worship this Sunday. Contact Blair (cell phone: 630-917-6035) if you are delivering outside of office hours during the week. Also, I need people with trucks or large vehicles to help pick up and deliver large items. Call me if you can help.
Pricing your items before bringing them in will help us a lot, and possibly help us raise more money from the sale. Price stickers are on the bulletin board in the narthex and on the name-tag counter in the main hallway.
And also... Save your old, dirty, worn out, ready-to-throw-away adult and children’s gym shoes and bring them to the Rummage Sale. They will be donated to SCARCE in Glen Ellyn, who will give them to Nike to recycle them into safe playground material. There will be a collection box provided for this purpose at the Rummage Sale.
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 and in the bright green bulletin inserts on Sunday mornings.
From Christian Ed.:
Kids from preschool through high school – please be present and on time for the upcoming Youth Sunday practices. First practice is Saturday, May 9, from 9:30-10:45 a.m. (we are hoping to wrap up by 10:30 a.m.), and then we will meet again at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 10. (Both practices are in the sanctuary.)
In conjunction with Youth Sunday, we will honor our teachers for their year of dedication to our Sunday School classes. Please take a moment or two to look around the narthex on Sunday to see some snapshots taken throughout the year.
Due to recent health concerns, please know that we have been proactive in considering your child/children’s safety. Preschool through grade five will now be using their own personal supply bags, and disinfectants have been provided at the nursery door and in the Sunday school rooms. In addition, please know that the toys in the nursery have been, and will continue to be sprayed and cleaned with disinfectant after each Sunday’s use. If you have questions please call Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
We are looking for teachers and helpers for summer Sunday school. If you are interested in teaching for all or part of the summer, 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 that 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. 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 1,941 more pennies this past week. That brings the total to 60,713, or 71.9% of our goal. 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 8:26-40; 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8. Join us and we’ll learn together. –Blair
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 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.
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.
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.
The Congregational Care committee of the Deacons has new “Care Notes” available. They are on display in the narthex by the mission board. One of the new booklets is titled “Easing the Burden of Stress.” You may want to take a look.
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, we have so much to be grateful for: the warmer weather, the flowers blooming, a wonderfully caring and giving church family! Thank you for the successful surgery and quick return to church for Doris Bassett. We celebrate Laura Allen’s college graduation, Olivia’s baptism, Bill’s first communion, and the baptism of Liz at our sister church in Cuba. We are joyful at Pastor Abel’s opportunity to visit the Presbytery of Moray, Scotland, in September. We celebrate the ordination this past Sunday of Jessica Henks; may her joy of your word continue to touch many lives. We continue to give thanks for the study of our confirmation class after their retreat and are grateful to the mentors and helpers who ensured a great evening.
We pray for your healing touch to be on John Ivey Jr. who fell on Saturday, bumping his head and breaking his elbow; with Beth Stockhausen as she recovers from surgery; with Terri and Sue as they undergo new chemo treatments; and for Travis who is in rehab following a head injury. Please be with Lee Ann Clark’s parents and continue to bring peace to Russ in his struggle with Alzheimer’s.
All these joys and concerns we bring to you knowing that through you, all things are possible. 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.
