Dear Friends,
I am on vacation. During the year various people send me forwards. Some are great! While I am on my vacation I would like to share some of them with you. Here is one. It is not true, but it is one to make us think. Take it from here.
Love, Wendy
Texas Beer Joint Sues Church
In Mt. Vernon, Texas, Drummond’s Bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. In response, the local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means.
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise.
The judge read through the plaintiff’s complaint and the defendant’s reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, “I don't know how I’m going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Southminster is providing MEALS FOR PADS this weekend. We could still use some help with the serving on Saturday night. If you or your family could help serve supper, please contact Pat Wiedner: phone 630-858-0761 or email pjwiedner@hotmail.com.
CHRISTIAN ED./SUNDAY SCHOOL PLANNING MEETING: Join us in Fellowship Hall after coffee hour this Sunday, July 11, for a Sunday School planning session, focusing on planning for worship hour education for children and youth. All are welcome, and Sunday School teachers and members of the Christian Education Ministry are especially urged to attend. Topics of discussion will include planning for the Sunday School kick-off event (Sunday, September 12); scheduling of regular Sunday School, rotational Sunday School, and special worship hour programming; curriculum for Sunday School; and the annual Christmas program.
REGISTER BY SUNDAY for FAMILY CAMP/SOUTHMINSTER CHURCH RETREAT at Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck, MI, August 20-22. Please join us for fun, fellowship, relaxation and some beach time before everyone heads back to school!
Folks can plan to arrive Friday evening (though dinner will not be provided at camp) and depart on Sunday morning after breakfast and worship.
Cost: $125.00 per adult
$104.00 per youth (12-17)
$ 60.00 per child (3-11)
$ 15.00 per infant (0-2)
This cost includes lodging for 2 nights, 4 meals and access to everything camp has to offer. Feel free to take a look at the camp at www.prescamps.org.
Please sign up on the board in the narthex with your name and how many will be attending. Friends are welcome! To reserve the appropriate number of cabins, please sign up BY JULY 11. Direct any questions to Andrea Schmidt in person, via telephone at either 630-629-4526 or 630-846-4527 or e-mail at lizzie3@comcast.net.
FROM YOUR LIBRARY: Be sure to check the library table in the narthex all this month for summer reading. There will be many new books, so check every week.
SOLACE SINGLES is planning two upcoming concert outings. Sign-up sheets for both will be in the narthex. (Note the July 16 reservation deadline for the second concert!) Call Barb Seymour for details (630-752-0656).
Wheaton Band Festival (free) on Friday, July 16 at Wheaton Memorial Park, 7:15 p.m., featuring the Chicago Brass Band and Switch Time Jazz Ensemble.
Rodgers & Hammerstein Concert at Glenbard South High School on Saturday, August 7, at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $29 each; deadline for tickets is July 16.
CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about King Solomon building the temple. It is important for our children to learn these great stories.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Thank you to all the volunteers who have signed up to teach/help this summer. We have one more open spot in July (need a helper on July 25) and the entire month of August is open. The sign-up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. PLEASE help our children learn what an awesome God we have!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: July 26-30 from 6:00 to 8:30 .pm! Get on board with VBS and bring your kids, grandkids, neighbors and any other child who is in preschool (4 years old) through 5th grade to set sail on a High Seas adventure. There they’ll enjoy goodies from the Galley, Ship Rec games, Ship crafts and Missions - all while experiencing the deep rolling waters of God’s love. Register online at www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/SouthminsterHighSeas or at the church. Please contact Suzanne Tennyson or Andrea Schmidt to learn more.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: With only two months left in summer, we still need three Sunday School teachers for the fall. One teacher is needed for the preschool class, one for the intermediate class (3-5 graders) and one for the middle school class. What’s great about having more than one teacher (more than two for the preschool class) is that you can rotate Sundays. That means you can take turns teaching. Can’t commit for the year? We also need substitutes! Please see Rebecca Hecker about following your call to teach Sunday School.
CHRISTIAN ED./SUNDAY SCHOOL MEETING: See above (second announcement).
WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
July 11 - Sunday School topic: King Solomon builds the Temple
July 18 - Sunday School topic: Sermon on the Mount
July 25 - Sunday School topic: The Good Samaritan (Need helper for this lesson)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)
SUMMER FUN EVENTS FOR YOUTH:
July 25 - Great America (after church). You need to let Blair know by July 19 if you plan to go. Check facebook.
Aug. 15 - Loop Day (after church)
Aug. 28-29 - Launching-into-the-School-Year Lock-In.
Watch all the usual places for details!
INTERESTED IN VISITING CUBA? We are planning another trip in the fall of 2010 to visit our sister church in Guanabacoa. The exact week we will be going is being finalized, but we will know it shortly. As it takes about ten weeks to apply for visas, we will need to submit names of people who will be going soon after we know the dates. If you are interested in going on this trip or just asking questions about it, contact Gretchen Fleming (630-858-9377).
UPDATE ON ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA: ESSE Center has sent information about this informative presentation. Arshea Siddiqiqui, M.D., a highly regarded Geriatrician with Adventist Midwest Geriatric Specialists, one of the leading geriatric practices in the Chicago area will provide an overview of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. The program is on Wednesday, July 14, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 515 S. Wheaton Avenue, Wheaton. Registration and refreshments will be 6:30-7:00 p.m. with the presentation from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Seating is limited. Call for reservations 630-260-3773.
