Announcements

July 21, 2010

2010-07-21T15:44:00.000-05:00

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 (New International Version)
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Dear Friends,

The church parking lot has a new top coat, and it is beautiful. Of course, none of us can park on it yet; it is too new.

Recently, a member of our congregation told me about a neighbor who won’t go to any church because churches are full of hypocrites. The way I see it church isn’t the only place we find hypocrites, they are found in churches and outside of churches. The difference between the outside and the inside is that we are aware that we are saved by grace. We know that we have shortcomings, faults, and sins. We are just forgiven and made new, as it says in the bible verse above. Life still hands us abundant opportunities to make mistakes. Life also give us opportunities to do things right. There was a time when people put off becoming Christians because the thought was a person couldn’t be forgiven for their sins after their confession in Jesus Christ. Thank God, literally because Presbyterians do not believe that. We can always ask for forgiveness.

Being made new is a journey. Through Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven and by the presence of the Holy Spirit our character changes. We grow. It is good to remember that people are looking at us and wondering if we walk the talk. Let us walk with faith in Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, you will be driving on brand new black top. Time will take its toll. In a few years it will be time for a new coat of black top. Thanks be to God we can be made new each and every day. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

P.S. It was so nice on Sunday to be home with my church family.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The DEADLINE FOR THE AUGUST DIALOG was yesterday. If you missed it, reply to this email and attach your article or calendar item. Do it right now. Please!

INTERESTED IN VISITING CUBA? We are planning another trip in the fall of 2010 to visit our sister church in Guanabacoa. The dates for the trip are November 7 through November 15. We will need to submit names of people who will be going by August 15 in order to allow time to obtain visas. The cost of the trip is $1,800 per person. This covers all air fares, overnight stays, and meals and transportation while in Cuba. If you are interested in going on this trip or just asking questions about it, contact Gretchen Fleming (630-858-9377).

CHURCH RETREAT: It’s not too late to sign up for the Southminster Church Retreat at Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck, MI!! Please add your name to the list or contact Andrea Schmidt if you have any questions. Remember that we will be arriving Friday afternoon/evening, August 20 and departing Sunday morning, August 22.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about the Good Samaritan and what it means to help others. Thank you to all the volunteers who have signed up to teach/help this summer. We still need help in August. The sign up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. PLEASE help our children learn what an awesome God we have!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Starts this coming Monday, July 26-30 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.! 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. It’s not too late to register. Register on-line at www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/SouthminsterHighSeas or at the church. Please contact Suzanne Tennyson or Andrea Schmidt to learn more.

LIST OF ITEMS STILL NEEDED FOR VBS:
12 - empty 2-liter bottles
1 - Roll of cellophane (for portholes)
4 - Small blankets
1 - Box fans
Fishing nets
Please let Rebecca Hecker if you can provide any items.
VBS MISSION: This year’s VBS mission project is to collect school supplies for children and youth in need. Several of our members at Southminster are teachers who have an increasing number of such students. You can help by bringing school supplies any night during VBS, or by dropping them off at Southminster by Sunday, August 1st. Let’s help our neighbors get ready for an awesome school year!
The following are the specific needs:
Crayons (24 count or larger)
White glue in plastic bottles
Glue sticks
Markers (sets of broad tip or fine line markers)
Permanent markers (either individual black fine tip markers, or small sets of markers)
Loose leaf notebook paper (wide line preferred)
Pencils (#2, not mechanical)
Watercolor sets of 8 paints
Construction paper (all colors)

VBS VOLUNTEERS: Youth volunteers, remember to come this Friday night at 6:30 to learn about this year’s VBS theme, get your assignments, tie-dye your VBS t-shirt and eat pizza! ALL volunteers are needed Saturday morning at 9:00 to help turn the church into a huge ship! The more volunteers we have, the less time it should take to decorate. Also, all volunteers who didn’t tie-dye the night before, will tie-dye their VBS shirt. Come prepared to get dirty!

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: Wow, summer is half over, and we still need three Sunday School teachers for the fall. HELP! One teacher is needed for the Kindergarten 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.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
July 25 - Sunday School topic: The Good Samaritan
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School - Come aboard for great fun! (6:00-8:30 p.m.)
August - Jonah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Esther

YOUTH:
Great America - this Sunday, leaving after worship. Last call for anyone, SPY and PYNGUINS, interested in Great America. Let Blair know ASAP if you haven’t already let him know!
Upcoming YOUTH events, for SPY and PYNGUINS: “Loop day,” August 15, and “Lock-In” August 28-29.

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.

The time is NOW and we need YOUR help to save the Presbyterian Camps!! Please prayerfully consider MAKING A PLEDGE TO LAKESHORE CHRISTIAN CAMPING to ensure the camping experience will continue for another 100 years. Informational pamphlets with pledge cards are available on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary. Please visit the LCC website at www.prescampsforever.org or contact Andrea Schmidt, Sid Peterson or Norm Ellsworth with any questions.

RAISING FUNDS FOR LCC: Jubilee Resale, Friday, July 30 and Saturday, July 31, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. A great selection of resale items, and all the profits will go to LCC! All sales are cash only. In the Fellowship Hall of Community Presbyterian Church, 39 N. Prospect, Clarendon Hills.

July 14, 2010

2010-07-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

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. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Big Brothers and Sisters

Am I my brother’s keeper? (Genesis 4:9)

We were having dinner recently with four couples. As the evening progressed, one of them shared her struggle with a sister, who at the age of 45 is chronically ill and likely a hypochondriac. This prompted another friend to share how his brother was in an unhealthy, codependent relationship with his 90-year-old mother. Around the table it went, each of them with their own story to tell about strain with an adult sibling.

As my wife and I drove home, the thought struck me: The problem with families is that all of us come from one! They can indeed be stormy at times, defying predictability, routinely disruptive--a lot like Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Perhaps one of you is estranged from a brother or sister.

Perhaps many months or even years have gone by since you’ve talked with or seen each other. Perhaps you have a sibling who still doesn’t have his or her life together and continues taking advantage of your parents. Perhaps no matter what you or anyone else does to help, he or she cannot walk a straight line, keep a job, or stay out of trouble.

I believe wisdom offers us three principles in trying to deal with this:

- Realize you’re not alone. Sibling difficulty was an issue in the very first family--something between Cain and Abel, as I recall--and it continues to stain most families today as they age and expand. What you’re dealing with is unfortunately more normal than abnormal.

- Stop trying to change them. If you have a tendency to be the 9-1-1 rescue responder, resign from that role. Put your trust in a big God, and turn the job over to Him. He’s good at it.

- Forgive them. Resist resentment. Stop punishing them. Give them the grace and mercy you have received from the Lord, and choose to love them, even if it must be from a safe distance.

Discuss. Rather than recounting the troubles between you and your adult siblings (or your parents), take time to discuss how you could apply these three principles to your situation.

And Pray. Pray for them. Never stop praying for them. Really praying.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

SOLACE SINGLES is planning two upcoming concert outings. Sign-up sheets for both are in the narthex. (Note the July 16 -that’s this Friday!- 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.

QUILT MINISTRY: Our next meeting is Monday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. (Our “regular” date would have been July 12, but we changed it because of the outing to the Cougars game.) We welcome all levels of experience, especially those who enjoy sewing simple 8" blocks, straight lines only! Some volunteers tie knots with pearl cotton thread, some arrange blocks to make a beautiful quilt top. We welcome and “need” you with any gift and talent you have. Can’t come this month? Join us Monday, August 9, same time, same place. Questions? Contact Sue Knisely (462-7140) or Sue Clary (790-1109).

The DEADLINE FOR THE AUGUST DIALOG is this coming Tuesday, July 20.

INTERESTED IN VISITING CUBA? We are planning another trip in the fall of 2010 to visit our sister church in Guanabacoa. The dates for the trip are November 7 through November 15. We will need to submit names of people who will be going by August 15 in order to allow time to obtain visas. The cost of the trip is $1,800 per person. This covers all air fares, overnight stays, and meals and transportation while in Cuba. If you are interested in going on this trip or just asking questions about it, contact Gretchen Fleming (630-858-9377).

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes. 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 most 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 p.m! 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.

You can help! Here’s a list of items still needed for VBS:
12 - empty 2-liter bottles
2 - Rolls of cellophane (for portholes)
4 - Small blankets
1 - Box fans
50 - Chinet paper plates (round - to make frisbees)
6 - Boxes Pringles Baked Wheat Sticks
3 - Bags Snyder’s Pretzel Square Shaped
2 - Bags M & M’s
2 - Boxes Honey Nut Cheerios
4 - Bags BLUE corn tortilla chips
4 - Containers ranch dip/dressing
4 – 8 oz. packages mild cheddar cheese
5 - Boxes chocolate graham crackers
5 - Containers Cool Whip
4 - Cans cherry pie filling
4 - Cantaloupe
2 - Watermelons
2 - Lbs. green grapes
2 - Lbs. red grapes
Please let Rebecca Hecker if you can provide any items.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS:
Youth training meeting will be held Friday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m. Be prepared to eat pizza and tie dye your VBS shirt!
ALL volunteers are needed to decorate on Saturday morning, July 24, from 9-12:00. Tie-dying will also be done, so be prepared to get dirty!

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: Wow, summer is half over, and 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.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
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! Come aboard for great fun! (6:00-8:30 p.m.)
August - Jonah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Esther

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.

SUMMER FUN EVENTS FOR YOUTH:
July 25 - Great America (after church). Check Facebook and reserve your spot by this Monday, July 19!
Aug. 15 - Loop Day (after church)
Aug. 28-29 - Launching-into-the-School-Year Lock-In.
Watch all the usual places for details!

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 tonight -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.

July 7, 2010

2010-07-07T20:12:00.001-05:00

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.

June 30, 2010

2010-06-30T21:18:00.000-05:00

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. Enjoy, and take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Jesus was wandering around Jerusalem when he decided that he really needed a new robe. After looking around for a while, he saw a sign for Finkelstein, the Tailor. So, he went in and made the necessary arrangements to have Finkelstein prepare a new robe for him.

A few days later, when the robe was finished, Jesus tried it on - and it was a perfect fit! He asked how much he owed.

Finkelstein brushed him off: “No, no, no, for the Son of God there’s no charge! However, may I ask for a small favor. Whenever you give a sermon, perhaps you could just mention that your nice new robe was made by Finkelstein, the Tailor?”

Jesus readily agreed and as promised, extolled the virtues of his Finkelstein robe whenever he spoke to the masses.

A few months later, while Jesus was again walking through Jerusalem, he happened to walk past Finkelstein’s shop and noted a huge line of people waiting for Finkelstein’s robes. He pushed his way through the crowd to speak to him, and as soon as Finkelstein spotted him he said, “Jesus, Jesus, look what you’ve done for my business! Would you consider a partnership?”

“Certainly,” replied Jesus. “Jesus & Finkelstein it is.”

“Oh, no, no,” said Finkelstein. “Finkelstein & Jesus. After all, I am the craftsman.”

The two of them debated this for some time. Their discussion was long and spirited, but ultimately fruitful - and they finally came up with a mutually acceptable compromise. A few days later, the new sign went up over Finkelstein’s shop:
Lord & Taylor!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, is the day we bring offerings for the People’s Resource Center. The July emphasis is laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

SIGN-UP DEADLINE IS SUNDAY: Take me out to the Cougars Ballgame! Don’t miss our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars game on Monday July 12th (All Faiths Night). Fun for the whole family. Tickets are only $5 per person and can be reserved on the signup sheet posted in the narthex. Sign up by July 4th so you don't miss this great fellowship event. For more details, contact Diane Swiss at dswiss60137@sbcglobal.net or 630-858-5488.

FROM YOUR LIBRARY: Be sure to look at the library display for books regarding the 4th of July.

Our women will celebrate Independence Day by getting together at IHOP! WOMEN’S BREAKFAST meets the first Monday of the month, which will be July 5, at 8:00 a.m. at the IHOP in Danada East. If you’re off work that day, come join the group for breakfast and fellowship.

We have another PADS SUMMER MEAL SUPPORT date coming up: Saturday, July 10. We still need lots of donations and help. How about your family coming and making sandwiches for PADS lunches? Or serving the PADS dinner? A small donation of time, talent, or resources ($$ to buy food) goes a long way to help not only the homeless, but also your family feel the joy of serving our Lord. Sign up sheets are in the narthex – add your name this Sunday! Questions? Call Pat Wiedner or Sarah Allen.

SUNDAY SCHOOL PLANNING MEETING: Join us in Fellowship Hall after coffee hour on 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 JULY 11 FOR THE RETREAT AT SAUGATUCK! We are all invited to 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 4. 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.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about Joshua and the 12 tribes crossing the Jordan River. This follows our theme this summer that when we trust God, he protects us.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! Summer Sunday School is up and running, but we still need volunteers to teach and help! There is a teacher’s packet for each lesson that includes the story and activities. Not comfortable being “the teacher”? Then sign up to be the teacher’s helper. We need a teacher and a helper for each week. 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 p.m.! 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 on-line at www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/SouthminsterHighSeas or at the church starting Sunday, July 4. Please contact Suzanne Tennyson or Andrea Schmidt to learn more.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: We’re one month into summer, and 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.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
July 4 – Sunday School topic: Joshua and the 12 tribes cross the Jordan River
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),
Aug. 15 - Loop Day (after church)
Aug. 28-29 - Launching-into-the-School-Year Lock-In.
More details to come. Watch the SPY facebook site, Skadoosh, Enotes, the Dialog, the Church website, etc, etc, etc. (My, but aren’t we connected!)

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.

June 23, 2010

2010-06-23T20:03:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

I’m anticipating an important event in the life of not only Chicagoland but of our congregation this weekend: the Cross Town Classic White Sox/Cubs games at U.S. Cellular Field. In honor of this event, the Deacons are giving a special baseball-themed fellowship on Sunday. So wear your favorite team uniform!

Baseball and football are the two most popular spectator sports in this country. (It should be noted that soccer is catching up.) It seems that this ought to tell us something about ourselves and our values, so compare baseball and football:

Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park. The baseball park! Football is played on a GRIDIRON, in a STADIUM, sometimes called SOLDIER FIELD or WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM.

Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life. Football begins in the fall, when everything is dying.

In football you wear a helmet. In baseball you wear a cap. In football you receive a penalty. In baseball you make an error.

Football has hitting, clipping, spearing, piling on, personal fouls, late hitting, and unnecessary roughness. Baseball has the sacrifice.

And finally, the objectives of the two games are completely different:

In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.

In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! “I hope I’ll be safe at home!”

Given all of this, it isn’t as important whether you are a Cub fan or a Sox fan, the question is which game would God want us to play, football or baseball? I leave you with that, God’s blessing... and many thanks to George Carlin for the inspiring look at both sports. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The DEADLINE FOR THE JULY DIALOG was Sunday, June 20. If you had items you wanted to include, you need to turn them in pronto or they won’t be able to be included. Thank you!

Please join us for BIRTHDAY FELLOWSHIP AND BASEBALL RIVALRY immediately after church this Sunday, June 27, in the Narthex. We will be celebrating the Cubs vs Sox cross town classic. Everyone is welcome to wear your favorite Cubs or Sox jersey or shirt! There will be peanuts and Cracker Jack, lemonade and root beer. Feel free to bring your mitt and ball to toss around outside.

FELLOWSHIP OUTING: Take me out to the Cougars Ballgame! Don’t miss our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars game on Monday July 12th (All Faiths Night). Fun for the whole family. Tickets are only $5 per person and can be reserved on the signup sheet posted in the narthex. Sign up by July 4th so you don't miss this great fellowship event. For more details, contact Diane Swiss at dswiss60137@sbcglobal.net or 630-858-5488.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about Paul’s journey under Roman rule from Jerusalem to Rome.
We still need volunteers to teach and help on the following Sundays: July 25 (the Good Samaritan), August 8 (Daniel obeys God with food), August 15 (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), August 22 (Daniel and the Lions) and August 29 (Esther). There is a teacher’s packet for each lesson that includes the story and activities. Please see the Summer Sunday School sign-up sheet on the C.E. Bulletin Board and sign up to teach or help with your favorite Bible story.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL - July 26-30 from 6:00-8:30 p.m.
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. Registration starts on July 11, but save the date now! Please contact Suzanne Tennyson or Andrea Schmidt to learn more.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: Looking ahead to the school year, 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.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
June 27 - Sunday School topic: Shipwreck! (Paul’s journey under Roman rule from Jerusalem to Rome)
July 4 - Sunday School topic: Into the Promised Land (Joshua and the 12 stones)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

The YOUTH MISSION TEAM 2010 is back from a week of doing home repair projects for the poor, elderly and needy in Rush County, IN. By God’s grace, a great week was had by all. See the upcoming Dialog for details.
SUMMER FUN EVENTS FOR YOUTH:
July 25 - Great America (after church),
Aug. 15 - Loop Day (after church)
Aug. 27-28 - Launching-into-the-School-Year Lock-In.
More details to come. Watch the SPY facebook site, Skadoosh, Enotes, the Dialog, the Church website, etc, etc, etc. (My, but aren’t we connected!)
PYNGUINS (Junior High Youth): Join us for an Ice Cream Social at Blair and Wendy’s, 2S172 Huntington Place (Butterfield West subdivision, off Hwy 53) on Monday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m.

We are all invited to 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 4. 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.

June 16, 2010

2010-06-16T19:48:00.001-05:00

Scripture: Luke 15:21-24
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

Dear Friends,

“Undeserved” is the theme of our 2010 Youth Mission Trip this week. It is the story in Luke 15 of the prodigal son’s undeserved grace. The story of the Southminster trip was filled with hurdles and grace before they even left. The week before they left Youth Director Blair Nelson got a phone call from Enterprise Car Rentals. The 15-passenger van that they were to rent had been totaled and another van was not to be found. This was worrisome, not just because we needed transportation, but Blair had arranged for a great rental price. There was prayer! By Saturday Enterprise had come through with 2 Suburbans for the same price as the van. Yes, we need to pay for the extra gas, but we had transportation for the entire crew. At 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, the night before they were to leave, Blair got a phone call that the only other eligible driver couldn’t come after all. (We needed two drivers, now that we had two vehicles.) Her work schedule had been changed. More prayer. Her manager let her come. God has blessed us.

What is a typical workcamp like? At our workcamp in Rushville, Indiana there are 273 “workers” and 13 church groups. There are groups from Illinois, but there are also groups from Arizona, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. The youth groups are Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist… many denominations!... all Christians serving Christ. Workers are put on teams with youth from other churches. The crews work on homes during the day. The teams are usually up and out by 7:00 a.m. and back at the high schools where they sleep by about 4:00 p.m. At night, there is a worship service and nightly devotions with your own church group.

The big story is what happens at the worksite. Not only do the kids work, they have bible study along with lunch and they connect with the residents. I spoke to Max today. When I asked him about his resident his voice got quiet. He told me that his crew is making a wheelchair ramp for a resident who has degenerative bone disease. He told me how nice she was. Blair told me about Zee’s crew. While they were working on a home, a woman with a walker made the 100-yard journey to their site. She praised God for the work that the kids and adult sponsors were doing in her community. She explained that she hadn’t been able to sign up for a crew because she had been in the hospital during registration. The crew took it in their hands to ask the “powers that be” to make an exception and get this woman her own crew to make her a wheelchair ramp. She got a crew after all! I have been on 10 workcamps and I have never seen this happen. How very wonderful!

There is more to say but space is limited. I hope each of you make it a point to ask our youth and sponsors about their experience. Keep them in prayer and take it from here,

Love, Wendy

P.S. Pray for Dana whose health kept her from going, but who showed up early Sunday morning to see them off anyway.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

MISSION: FIGHT CANCER - JOIN THE RELAY FOR LIFE! We are forming a team again from Southminster to support the Relay for Life event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. this Friday, June 18, at Glenbard South High School. Won’t you walk the track to honor those we have lost or support those who are struggling or have beat cancer? Bring a lawn chair and come join us. Many activities are planned, and it will be a memorable evening. Sign-up sheets, survivor sheets, forms for the purchase of luminaries, and instructions to donate online will be in the narthex. Also, Chili’s Restaurant at Danada will donate 10% of your check to our team on every Tuesday and Wednesday through next week (June 23). Print a coupon from the June Dialog or pick one up at church (in the narthex or on the nametag shelf) before you go to Chili’s.

FELLOWSHIP OUTING: Take me out to the Cougars Ballgame! Don’t miss our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars game on Monday July 12th (All Faiths Night). Fun for the whole family. Tickets are only $5 per person and can be reserved on the signup sheet posted in the narthex. Sign up by July 4th so you don't miss this great fellowship event. For more details, contact Diane Swiss at dswiss60137@sbcglobal.net or 630-858-5488.

Another time to sing ‘Take me out to the ball game!”
Please join us for birthday fellowship and baseball rivalry immediately after church on June 27 in the Narthex. We will be celebrating the Cubs vs Sox cross town classic. Everyone is welcome to wear your favorite Cubs or Sox jersey or shirt! There will be peanuts and Cracker Jack, lemonade and root beer. Feel free to bring your mitt and ball to toss around outside.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about how each part of God’s family is important through Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Summer Sunday School is up and running, but we still need volunteers to teach and help! There is a teacher’s packet for each lesson that includes the story and activities. Not comfortable being “the teacher”? Then sign up to be the teacher’s helper. We need a teacher and a helper for each week. The sign-up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. Please help our children learn what an awesome God we have!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Planning is well under way for this year’s VBS, High Seas Expedition. Please look at your schedule and see if you could help out the week of July 26-30. Crew leaders are needed!
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: Looking ahead to the school year (I know summer is just starting!), 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.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
June 20 - Sunday School topic: Body of Christ (Paul’s letter to the Romans)
June 27 - Sunday School topic: Shipwreck! (Paul’s journey under Roman rule from Jerusalem to Rome)
July 4 - Sunday School topic: Into the Promised Land (Joshua and the 12 stones)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

RECYCLE PAPER HERE and raise money for our Mission Ministries. You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. Let’s fill it with paper!
These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

June 9, 2010

2010-06-13T11:51:00.001-05:00

Scripture: Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)
Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

Dear Friends,

We are looking forward to a visit from our sister church in the fall of 2011. On Labor Day Weekend 2011 Pastor Abel and his wife Sara will join us in celebrating our 50th year jubilee. Does this sound like a small thing? After all, that part of our jubilee celebration is about 15 months away. However, getting the paperwork in order is no small thing. When the U.S. consulate was first contacted, the only appointment open was in 2013 - TWO YEARS PAST our celebration. That was only the beginning of our hurdles. Gretchen Fleming, who was doing the leg work on this project, was a bit frustrated to say the least, but we prayed. Through a series of events, Abel and Sara have this very important appointment next week.

Thinking about this, there are two thoughts that come to mind: prayer and thanksgiving. In Psalm 5, the Psalmist “lays” his requests out to God and expects an answer. Do we lay out our requests, even the ones that seem not worthy of prayer, like paperwork? Do we expect an answer? Sometimes we pray and don’t look for an answer. We make our requests and don’t stop and look for the answer. When Gretchen told me the good news about the appointment I had forgotten that we had prayed about it. If it weren’t for Gretchen sharing the good news with me, I would have missed an opportunity to see God working in my life.

Gretchen told me that she thanked God by putting money in her “Thank Jar.” There are a number of ways to thank God, but her way intrigued me. Each fall the Presbyterian Women have the thank offering. During the year some of our women put coins in a jar to thank God for whatever they are thankful for. The money from that jar is pooled and sent to our National Offices; at least 40 percent of this offering supports health ministries throughout the world. The remaining 60 percent funds new creative ideas for mission. There are a lot of ways to thank God; Gretchen’s is just one of them. How do you thank God? Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

P.S. If you have trouble jump-starting your prayer life, a Psalm is a good way to get started.

P.P.S. I just talked to Gretchen. Let’s just say we still have some opportunities to see God at work and pray about Abel and Sara’s trip.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

MISSION:
Homelessness and Hunger don’t take a summer vacation! Southminster will be providing MEALS FOR PADS the second Saturday of June, July, and August. We still need a few things for our first summer meal this coming weekend. For dinner Saturday night: coleslaw and hot vegetables (green beans or corn). For breakfast Sunday morning: breakfast casseroles and cream cheese. If you’re willing to donate one or more of these, please reply to this email or contact Gretchen Fleming (630-858-9377). Note that all donations for sack lunches need to be delivered to Southminster by 9:00 a.m. this Saturday; all food for dinner and breakfast should be here by 10:00 a.m. Saturday.
This is a mission EVERYONE at SPC can support in one way or another. Mission Ministry can NOT do it without you! Any questions? Contact Gretchen.

Please pray for the YOUTH MISSION TEAM, who will be serving in Rushville, Indiana, from this Sunday until June19th. Pray for their spiritual growth, safety, and that the people they help will be served well and see Jesus’ love through them.

CONFIRMATION: This coming Sunday, June 13, at 11:00 a.m. there will be a meeting in the parlor to discuss Confirmation. Parents of unconfirmed students entering 6th grade through high school age are invited.

FIGHT CANCER - JOIN THE RELAY FOR LIFE: We are forming a team again from Southminster to support the Relay for Life event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 18, at Glenbard South High School. Won’t you walk the track to honor those we have lost or support those who are struggling or have beat cancer? Bring a lawn chair and come join us. Many activities are planned, and it will be a memorable evening. Sign-up sheets, survivor sheets, forms for the purchase of luminaries, and instructions to donate online will be in the narthex. Also, Chili’s Restaurant at Danada will donate 10% of your check to our team from May 11 to June 23 on every Tuesday and Wednesday. Print a coupon from the June Dialog or pick one up at church (in the narthex or on the nametag shelf) before you go to Chili’s.

FELLOWSHIP OUTING: Take me out to the Cougars Ballgame! Don't miss our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars game on Monday July 12th (All Faiths Night). Fun for the whole family. Tickets are only $5 per person and can be reserved on the signup sheet posted in the narthex. Sign up by July 4th so you don't miss this great fellowship event. For more details, contact Diane Swiss at dswiss60137@sbcglobal.net or 630-858-5488.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: This week the children will learn about God’s love through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Summer Sunday School is up and running, but we still need volunteers to teach and help! There is a teacher’s packet for each lesson that includes the story and activities. Not comfortable being “the teacher”? Then sign up to be the teacher’s helper. We need a teacher and a helper for each week. The sign up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. Please help our children learn what an awesome God we have!
ARTWORK FOR HALLWAY: Summer is the time to showcase the artwork of our children! We are asking that you bring in some of your child’s artwork from school to hang in our Hallway Gallery from June 15 through Labor Day. We have gotten some artwork, but there is still time to bring more. Linda Ellinghausen has graciously offered to mount the artwork, so we’ll need them by this Sunday, June 13. Please drop off your child’s artwork on the CE desk. All artwork of course will be returned after the showcase. I can’t wait to see what our artists have done through the year!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Planning is well under way for this year’s VBS, High Seas Expedition. Please look at your schedule and see if you could help out that week: July 26-30 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Specifically we need volunteers for doing SIMPLE snacks.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
June 13 - Sunday School topic: A love letter (Paul’s letter to the Corinthians)
June 20 - Sunday School topic: Body of Christ
June 27 - Sunday School topic: Shipwreck! (Paul’s journey under Roman rule from Jerusalem to Rome)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

RECYCLE PAPER HERE and raise money for our Mission Ministries. You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. Let’s fill it with paper!
These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

May 26, 2010

2010-05-26T19:52:00.001-05:00

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:14
“In sovereign love God created the heavens and the earth and called and formed the people of Israel to be a light to all the nations. In costly grace the Lord Jesus Christ ministered among us and was crucified and raised for us and for our salvation. In transforming power the Holy Spirit renews and sanctifies us, draws us into new communion with God and each other, awakens our praise and worship, and equips us for the service of God in the world. The Triune God does all this through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.”

Dear Friends,

Just when you thought that all the major Church Holy Days are over, along comes Trinity Sunday, this Sunday. Unlike the other Church Holy Days it does not mark a particular occasion. (For example, Christmas marks the incarnation, and Pentecost the gift of the Holy Spirit.) Trinity Sunday marks our Christian understanding of God. Often people make this a mathematical exercise when, in fact, it is our Scripture’s witness to who God is and our own experience of salvation. For me, it goes beyond Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, because God can not be broken into discreet tasks. I rest in the fact that I am not a trinity and therefore have limited understanding of what being “God” is like. When I think of Trinity, I look at a scripture like 2 Corinthians 13:14 and find comfort. I find comfort in the facts that God is transcendent, far from my personal horizon, beyond my personal understanding. God is also immanent, closer than my breath, and understands me from the inside out, and that God came to all of us in Jesus Christ.

Because it is Trinity Sunday one of the songs we will be singing will be “Holy, Holy” by Jimmy Owens. Pat Weidner, who will be playing this Sunday, told me that the congregation has sung it before. I had to laugh because “Holy, Holy” was a controversial song when I was a teen. In 1973 I sang in a combined three-church high school choir. Because we sang “Holy, Holy” in 1973, only a year after it was written, it was considered by some to be too new and not appropriate for Church use. As a result, one of the churches pulled out of the combined choir. I was puzzled by it as a teen, but didn’t think twice about what it meant to the adults. Now, as an adult I find that I have some compassion for the youth and choir director involved. We didn’t even use drums!

May you worship our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! May you grow in your understanding of the wonder of the incarnation and the presence of the Holy Spirit. May you have compassion for people who don’t see things the way you do... and take it from here!

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

GRADUATES! Do you have a son or daughter –or are you yourself- graduating from high school, college, or grad school this spring? Please let us know the student’s name, school, degree, and future plans.

MISSION:
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 the June 12th meals are located on the Mission bulletin board in the narthex. Please sign up for what you would like to provide or if you are able to serve that evening. This is a mission EVERYone at SPC can support in one way or another. Mission Ministry can NOT do it without you! Any questions? Contact Gretchen Fleming.
Offer good only until May 31: Multiply your giving power with “GIFTS GROW!” Before May ends, 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 has been detailed information in the May Dialog and in the yellow bulletin inserts we’ve used on Sunday mornings. Extra envelopes and the yellow information sheets can be found in the blue flowerpot in the narthex. Be sure to see how our gifts are growing by checking the display above the narthex windows. Thanks for your support of this unique SPC Mission.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
USED PAPERBACK BOOK COLLECTION: We are collecting used paperback books! If you have any paperbacks lying around that you would like to donate, bring them in to church and drop them off in the coat room. Clear out some space for some new books for summer, which you can pick up while benefiting the church on June 6th at our paperback book sale. Thank you! (Please remember that hardback books, textbooks, and old travel books will not be accepted!!)
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: Have you thought about teaching Sunday School, but couldn’t commit to a whole year? Have you always wondered what Sunday School is like, or do you miss teaching during the summer? Then sign up to teach, or to help with, Summer Sunday School! We’re looking for teachers and helpers each week this summer to help our children learn more about God. This summer they’ll learn about the adventures of Paul, experience the Holy Land, and hear stories of God’s people. Come join us for some Summer Sunday School fun! The sign up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. Hope to see you there!
ARTWORK FOR HALLWAY: Summer is the time to showcase the artwork of our children! We are asking that you bring in some of your child’s artwork from school to be hung in our Hallway Gallery from June 15 through Labor Day. Linda Ellinghausen has graciously offered to mount the pieces, so we’ll need them by June 6. Please drop off your child’s artwork on the C.E. desk anytime through that Sunday. All artwork of course will be returned after the showcase. I can’t wait to see what our artists have done through the year!

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 30 - No Sunday School. Children remain in the service.
June 6 - We WILL have Summer Sunday School on this date. (We originally said it would start on June 13.)
June 6 - Used Paperback Book Sale
June 6 - Bring in children’s artwork from school for Hallway Gallery
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT BIBLE CLASS: Sunday is the last lectionary Bible study class left for this spring, so don’t miss out! Passages for this week are: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5; and John 16:12-15.

YOUTH: Join us for the last SNL of the season, this Sunday at the usual time. That is 6:00 for PYNGUINS (middle school) and 7:00 pm for SPY (high school). Bring ideas for summer fun events and your vacation schedule to help us set some dates. See you there!

WOMEN’S BREAKFAST meets the first Monday of the month – the next gathering will be Monday, June 7 - at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East. New friends are always welcome!

FIGHT CANCER - JOIN THE RELAY FOR LIFE: We are forming a team again from Southminster to support the Relay for Life event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 18, at Glenbard South High School. Won’t you walk the track to honor those we have lost or support those who are struggling or have beat cancer? Bring a lawn chair and come join us. Many activities are planned, and it will be a memorable evening. Sign-up sheets, survivor sheets, forms for the purchase of luminaries, and instructions to donate online will be in the narthex. Also, Chili’s Restaurant at Danada will donate 10% of your check to our team from May 11 to June 23 on every Tuesday and Wednesday. Print a coupon from the attachment to these E-Notes or pick one up at church (in the narthex or on the nametag shelf) before you go to Chili’s.

RECYCLE PAPER HERE and raise money for our Mission Ministries. You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. Let’s fill it with paper!
These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

May 12, 2010

2010-05-13T12:48:00.000-05:00

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth - everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Dear Friends,

At home I hang my keys on our coat rack by the front door. On Tuesday morning, I couldn’t find them. Perhaps you know the feeling. Lost! Panic! Helpless! I couldn’t find them on the coat rack, so I searched the rest of the house. Finally, I went back to the coat rack and began to peal back the layers of coats and found the keys! I also found a jacket that I didn’t recognize. “Whose coat is this?” I wondered. There was a Southminster name tag on the front pocket. It belonged to Aaron Considine, a friend of ours who visited about a month ago.

The whole incident made me smile; the fact that we have name tags and try to call one another by name, the memory of his visit, my joy in sharing Southminster with a friend. The name tag also reminded me that God has called each of us by name. I was reminded of the words of the prophet Isaiah 43. “I have called you by name, you are mine.” We belong to God and we belong to one another. Christians are not meant to be Christians all by themselves, on their own. We were created to be a community of people, not only to be served by God, but to represent God in the world. As you go about your day take courage that you belong to God and together we share the blessings of God in our homes, communities and in the world. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

RUMMAGE SALE and CAR WASH: THIS SATURDAY, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and SUNDAY, Noon-4 p.m. Come, buy, feel good, and support the Youth Mission Trip, 2010!! If you have items to donate, please price them and bring them in by Friday. Leave everything downstairs in Fellowship Hall. We can use help sorting and organizing on Friday – see Blair’s note below under YOUTH.

SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY is this Saturday, May 15, from 8:00 a.m.-noon (or whenever we finish). It’s the same day as the Rummage Sale/Car Wash - come and help both causes! We’ll have projects indoors and out, for all ability levels. We promise a sense of accomplishment and abundant gratitude (plus food and fellowship) for all who assist!

This Sunday is YOUTH SUNDAY. The children and youth of Southminster have helped plan the service, prepare the music, and prepare the message. We look forward to allowing them to lead us in worship! ALL PARTICIPANTS are asked to report to the Choir Room Sunday morning at 9:00! (See more information below under Christian Ed. Notes.)

RED GERANIUMS FOR PENTECOST: The liturgical color for the Day of Pentecost (May 23) is red. Help fill the sanctuary with red geraniums that day! Geraniums are $12.00 each. Sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex; the last day to order will be this Sunday, May 16.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
THIS SUNDAY IS YOUTH SUNDAY! The kids will be singing “Jubilee” and reciting the Lord’s Prayer, complete with motions. If I have your email and your child will be participating, you should have a copy of the words and motions in your inbox. If you don’t have a copy and would like one, send me an email at smpcce@ameritech.net and I’ll get you one. Thanks for all of your hard work! Please, have your kids ready and in the choir room by 9 a.m. on Sunday!
SWEET TOMATOES FOR VBS! Next Wednesday, May 19, stop by Sweet Tomatoes (in Lombard on Highland Ave.) and help support Southminster’s Vacation Bible School! Just grab a meal and a drink and 20% will be donated to our VBS program! Paper fliers are available on the CE bulletin board or just print off a copy of the file that is attached to these E-Notes. (Note: You must have a flyer with you for your purchase to count.) Yummmm!
USED PAPERBACK BOOK COLLECTION: Starting this Sunday, May 16 (after the rummage sale) we will be collecting paperback books! If you have any books just lying around that you would like to donate, bring them in to church and drop them off at the CE office. Clear out some space for some new books for summer, which you can pick up while benefiting the church on June 6th at our paperback book sale. Thank you!
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: Have you thought about teaching Sunday School, but couldn’t commit to a whole year? Have you always wondered what Sunday School is like, or do you miss teaching during the summer? Then sign up to teach, or to help with, Summer Sunday School! We’re looking for teachers and helpers each week this summer to help our children learn more about God. This summer they’ll learn about the adventures of Paul, experience the Holy Land, and hear stories of God’s people. Come join us for some Summer Sunday School fun! The sign up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. Hope to see you there!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
May 23 - Jack Hecker

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 16 - Youth Sunday
May 19- Sweet Tomatoes Fun-Raiser (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
May 23- Last day of Regular Sunday School
June 6 - Used Paperback Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT BIBLE CLASS: We will meet this Sunday, (even with everything else that is going on!). Note that we will be meeting in the Choir Room. Our lectionary passages are: Acts 16:16-34, Rev. 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, and John 17:20-26. -Blair

YOUTH: All hands on deck at 7:00 a.m. Saturday for set-up. Remember, we will also be practicing for Youth Sunday during the sale on Saturday. Bring spare grocery bags and dress to get wet if you want to wash cars. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen and a lovely summery hat (Linda!).
Sorting for Rummage Sale: Youth or other volunteers, please contact Blair (630-917-6035) if you can do some sorting on Friday evening in preparation for the sale.

WOMEN’S CIRCLE MAY LUNCHEON: On Friday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. we will have lunch at Mykha’s Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn. The buffet lunch is $10.00. Mykha, the restaurant’s owner, has agreed to talk to us about her life experiences. ALL women of the church are invited to attend. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

MISSION:
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 Sunday bulletin inserts. Extra envelopes and the yellow information sheets can be found in the narthex. Be sure to see how our gifts are growing by checking the display over the narthex windows.

FIGHT CANCER - JOIN THE RELAY FOR LIFE: We are forming a team again from Southminster to support the Relay for Life event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 18, at Glenbard South High School. Won’t you walk the track to honor those we have lost or support those who are struggling or have beat cancer? Bring a lawn chair and come join us. Many activities are planned, and it will be a memorable evening. Sign-up sheets, survivor sheets, forms for the purchase of luminaries, and instructions to donate online will be in the narthex. Also, Chili’s Restaurant at Danada will donate 10% of your check to our team from May 11 to June 23 on every Tuesday and Wednesday. Pick up a coupon or mention the Relay for Life when you go to Chili’s.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training and is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

OUR PAPER RECYCLING BIN IS HERE! We have signed up as a responsible community recycling member with Paper Retriever recycling. Paper Retriever is an easy, free, community-based program that wraps recycling and fund raising into one neat package. The money we raise here will go toward our Mission Ministries.
You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. You may start bringing paper any time! These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

May 5, 2010

2010-05-06T06:04:00.001-05:00

Southminster E-Notes for May 5, 2010

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-17 (New International Version)
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

Dear Friends,

Above is my prayer for all of you. This Thursday, May 6, is National Day of Prayer. Our congregation doesn’t have anything formal planed, but I would like to encourage you to make time on Thursday to hold our nation in prayer.

Forty years ago, on May 4 National Guardsmen opened fired on students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four and shocking the nation. I was only in the seventh grade when this event happened. The sad thing is that it didn’t seemed shocking to me, but it was shocking to my mother who taught English at a local college. I remember her grief and how it covered our home. Being a Baby Boomer who grew up watching the Vietnam War unfolding every night on TV news, I couldn’t understand why this story of 4 people being shot by guardsmen would be so upsetting to my mother. After all, JFK and MLK Jr had been shot, why not anyone else? I didn’t understand the difference between an assassination and guardsmen. Now, of course, I see how childish I was. By the way, I prayed yesterday, not only the families of the Kent State victims, but for the guardsmen whose intention it was to serve their country and were put into a very confusing situation. I doubt if they were much older than the protestors. I wonder what happened to them and what they may have felt as a result of forty years ago. We really don’t know all that happened that day.

When I was reflecting on the events of Kent State, I thought of what our country has been through since then. I thought particularly about school shootings and the violence that creeps along and leaks out into our society. Please pray for our country.

The National Day of Prayer is a part of our heritage. The first call to prayer was in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history. We could all use some prayer. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

JUBILEE 2011: The 50th Anniversary Planning Team needs your ideas for our big Jubilee celebration during 2011. We will meet tomorrow (Thursday, May 6) at 7:30 p.m. in the Parlor. Come join us if you are interested in the 50th Anniversary Planning Team or if you would like to assist with a particular celebration event. Contacts are Sue Clary (630-790-1109, (sueclary@sbcglobal.net ) or Pat Wiedner (630-858-0761, (pjwiedner@hotmail.com ).

MISSION:
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 Sunday bulletin inserts. Extra envelopes and the yellow information sheets can be found in the narthex. Be sure to see how our gifts are growing by checking the display over the narthex windows.

RUMMAGE SALE is coming! Price stickers are available on the name tag shelf. Please price your donations and bring them to church starting this Sunday, May 9, following worship. (Please not before then; we don’t have enough storage space.)
The RUMMAGE SALE AND CAR WASH will be Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16. Mark your calendar now and plan to come support our Youth Mission Trip!

QUILT MINISTRY is moving to Mondays! Join us on May 10 from 7:30-9:00 p.m. We have completed 3 lap quilts and know we can do more with more helping hands and willing hearts. NO experience necessary - we welcome all! Talk to Sue Clary or Sue Knisely for more information.

SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY is Saturday, May 15, from 8:00 a.m.-noon (or whenever we finish). It’s the same day as the Rummage Sale/Car Wash - come and help both causes! We’ll have projects indoors and out, for all ability levels. We promise a sense of accomplishment and abundant gratitude (plus food and fellowship) for all who assist!

RED GERANIUMS FOR PENTECOST: The liturgical color for the Day of Pentecost (May 23) is red. Help fill the sanctuary with red geraniums that day! Geraniums are $12.00 each. Sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex; the last day to order will be Sunday, May 16.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS WEEK: This Sunday there will be no Sunday School, in honor of Mother’s Day. Children through Kindergarten are welcome in the Nursery, while older children will remain in church.
PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY (May 16): For Youth Sunday, children in pre-school through grade 3 are learning to sing “Jubilee!,” while Grades 4 and 5 are learning a handchime part to play with it. They will not have practice this Sunday, but if you would like to practice at home, that would be wonderful! All of the children will also be reciting the Lord’s Prayer and doing motions for us on Youth Sunday. We can’t wait to hear them! Please plan on the children arriving by 9:00 a.m. on May 16 to prepare for the service. Thanks!
SWEET TOMATOES FOR VBS! On Wednesday, May 19, stop by Sweet Tomatoes (in Lombard on Highland Ave.) and help support Southminster’s Vacation Bible School! Just grab a meal and a drink and 20% will be donated to our VBS program! Paper fliers are available on the CE bulletin board or just print off a copy of the file that was attached to the May Dialog. (Note: You must have a flyer with you for your purchase to count.) Yummmm!
USED PAPERBACK BOOK COLLECTION: Starting May 16 (after the rummage sale) we will be collecting paperback books! If you have any books just lying around that you would like to donate, bring them in to church and drop them off at the CE office. Clear out some space for some new books for summer, which you can pick up while benefiting the church on June 6th at our paperback book sale. Thank you!
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: Have you thought about teaching Sunday School, but couldn’t commit to a whole year? Have you always wondered what Sunday School is like, or do you miss teaching during the summer? Then sign up to teach, or to help with, Summer Sunday School! We’re looking for teachers and helpers each week this summer to help our children learn more about God. This summer they’ll learn about the adventures of Paul, experience the Holy Land, and hear stories of God’s people. Come join us for some Summer Sunday School fun! The sign up sheet is on the CE bulletin board. Hope to see you there!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
May 9 - Nalani Johnson
May 23 - Jack Hecker

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 9- No Sunday School (Mother’s Day)
May 16 - Youth Sunday
May 19- Sweet Tomatoes FunRaiser (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
May 23- Last day of Regular Sunday School
June 6 - Used Paperback Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: No Adult Class this Sunday. Enjoy Mother’s Day. -Blair

YOUTH:
No SNL this Sunday. Treat your Mom to dinner!! REMEMBER: May 15-16 is Rummage Sale, and May 16 is Youth Sunday!!
MISSION TRIPPERS: Remember, our next Pre-Trip meeting is May 23, 4:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S CIRCLE MAY LUNCHEON: On Friday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. we will have lunch at Mykha’s Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn. The buffet lunch is $10.00. Mykha, the restaurant’s owner, has agreed to talk to us about her life experiences. ALL women of the church are invited to attend. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training and is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

OUR PAPER RECYCLING BIN IS HERE! We have signed up as a responsible community recycling member with Paper Retriever recycling. Paper Retriever is an easy, free, community-based program that wraps recycling and fund raising into one neat package. The money we raise here will go toward our Mission Ministries.
You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. You may start bringing paper any time! These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

April 28, 2010

2010-04-28T21:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Believe it or not, my favorite flower is the dandelion. When I was a teen we owned a house that had a large lawn and many dandelions. My father would ask the three of us, myself and my siblings, to pull a bag’s worth before dinner each night. Remember this was way before companies like, “Chem Lawn.” While my aunt was visiting I overheard her say to my father, “How did you get those beautiful yellow flowers to grow in your lawn?” Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What is a weed to some is a beautiful flower to another. My aunt caught my attention. The reason I like dandelions is that they remind me to count my blessings. In daily life, it is easy to get caught up in catching up, getting ahead or being overwhelmed by the details of life and miss the beauty around us, God’s blessings around us.

Two types of prayers are adoration and thanksgiving. When was the last time you simply prayed a prayer of adoration or thanksgiving? Most of my prayers are those of supplication (asking), and intercession (asking for others). On the way to the church this morning I saw a few lawns that had dandelions. They reminded me that one person’s weed is another person’s flower. When you were a child, did you ever blow the seeds of a dandelion and make a wish? Was it fun? Perhaps we might try blowing the seeds of praise and thanksgiving in our prayers each day. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

YOUNG ADULT GROUP: We’ve had to change our next gathering from April 28 to Monday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Wendy and Blair’s. So don’t come tonight, but let us know if you are coming on the 10th so we’ll have a place set for you.

SOLACE SINGLES will have a potluck in the church parlor this Friday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. We will be sharing our favorite dishes and discussing future plans.

ONE LAST CHANCE TO BUY FLOWER BULBS FOR VBS: We will be accepting late orders through this Sunday, May 2, at 11:00 a.m. You need to EMAIL Chris Kozich (christina@hhwv.net) to let her know! (Simply dropping off an order at church is not sufficient!) So if you didn’t get them in on time, here’s your second chance. Spruce up your garden and support Vacation Bible School at the same time!

The MIDDLE SCHOOL SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS taught by Dan Bohi and Steve Johnson will be meeting at Panera Bread this Sunday, May 2. We will meet in the narthex before church, and leave together at 9:30 a.m. We will return around 10:30. Parents, if you have not yet turned in a permission slip, please see Mr. Johnson or Mr. Bohi before entering the sanctuary Sunday morning.

FELLOWSHIP EVENT: FIESTA! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us on Sunday, May 2, following worship. We’ll have a breakfast taco buffet and breakfast sangria, Mexican hat dance, piñata, serape and shaker painting, and more. It’ll be fun for all ages! Put it on your calendar now!

MISSION:
Everyone loves home-baked goodies! You can bring some joy to hospice patients and their families, as well as patients in CNS Hospice’s Geriatric Assistance Program, by participating in BUNS: (BAKING UP NICE SURPRISES). Baked goods can be brought to church this Sunday, May 2, or dropped to the narthex by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 3, for delivery to CNS Hospice. Remember NO ICED items! Please package your goodies in individual of 2-3 cookies, muffins, or brownies. What a delicious and loving way to reach out to families during a difficult time. Sign up on the Mission board in the narthex today… or just bring your goodies this Sunday!
This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, is the day we bring OFFERINGS FOR THE PEOPLE’S RESOURCE CENTER. The May emphasis is tuna fish. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

WOMEN’S BREAKFAST meets the first Monday of the month at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada. The next gathering is this coming Monday, May 3. All women are invited, and we’re always happy to have new friends join us!

JUBILEE 2011: The 50th Anniversary Planning Team needs your ideas for our big Jubilee celebration during 2011. We will meet on Thursday evening, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Parlor. Come join us if you are interested in the 50th Anniversary Planning Team or if you would like to assist with a particular celebration event. Contacts are Sue Clary (630-790-1109, (sueclary@sbcglobal.net ) or Pat Wiedner (630-858-0761, (pjwiedner@hotmail.com ).

RUMMAGE SALE is coming! Price stickers are available on the name tag shelf. Please price your donations and bring them to church starting Sunday, May 9. (Please not before then; we don’t have enough storage space.)
The RUMMAGE SALE AND CAR WASH will be Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16. Mark your calendar now!

WOMEN’S CIRCLE MAY LUNCHEON: On Friday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. we will have lunch at Mykha’s Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn. The buffet lunch is $10.00. Mykha, the restaurant’s owner, has agreed to talk to us about her life experiences. ALL women of the church are invited to attend. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS: See the note above about going to Panera Bread this Sunday morning. You MUST have a permission slip signed to be able to go!

BULB ORDERS: See that note above, too. (You may still order but only if you email Chris Kozich and give her the details by this Sunday.)

PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY (May 16): Children in pre-school through grade 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 are learning a hand-chime part to play with it.

SWEET TOMATOES FOR VBS! On Wednesday May 19, stop by Sweet Tomatoes (in Lombard on Highland Ave.) and help support Southminster’s Vacation Bible School! Just grab a meal and a drink and 20% will be donated to our VBS program! Paper fliers are available on the CE bulletin board or just print off a copy of the file attached to the Dialog. (Note: You must have a flyer with you for your purchase to count.) Yummmm!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
May 9 - Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 9- No Sunday School (Mother’s Day)
May 16 - Youth Sunday
May 19- Sweet Tomatoes FunRaiser (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
May 23- Last day of Regular Sunday School
June 6 - Used Paperback Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Our lectionary passages for this Sunday are Acts 11:1-18; Revelation 21:1-6; and John 13:31-35. Join us at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor for education and edification. -Blair

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY meets Sunday evenings at 7:00 in the parlor. with the first two chapters of Eugene Peterson’s “A Long Obedience in the Right Direction.” Please contact Ann Anderson (sylviasmother@sbcglobal.net, 630-469-2097) with any questions.

YOUTH: See you Sunday for SNL. Hopefully we can play outside this week.

MISSION TEAM: Our first pre-trip meeting is this Sunday, May 2, at 4:30. Bring you parents/legal guardian/responsible adult and $5 each for pizza. Let me know via facebook what your favorite soda is.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training and is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

OUR PAPER RECYCLING BIN IS HERE! We have signed up as a responsible community recycling member with Paper Retriever recycling. Paper Retriever is an easy, free, community-based program that wraps recycling and fund raising into one neat package. The money we raise here will go toward our Mission Ministries.
You can’t miss the large green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow parking lot. You may start bringing paper any time! These items are acceptable: Newspaper; Magazines; Shopping Catalogs; Junk Mail; Office & School Papers, Church Bulletins; White Envelopes (with or without windows).
Items that are NOT allowed: Cardboard; Cereal/Soda Cartons; Food wrap/containers; Tissue Products; Phone Books; Cross-cut shredded paper (strip-cut shredded paper is OK if you put it in a paper bag); Glass; Plastic; Metal; Trash.

April 21, 2010

2010-04-22T16:12:00.001-05:00

Scripture: John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Dear Friends,

I was talking to a member of the congregation today who commented about a building project at another church more than fifty years ago. He said, “You know some Christians aren’t too loving toward one another.” What would you have said to that? What could I say? I just smiled and sighed and said, “Yup.” The more things change the more they remain the same. Jesus said that we would be known by our love. Would anyone mistake you for a follower of Jesus Christ?

Now if Jesus had only said, “By loving some or loving when it is easy or loving people we agree with... all will know that you are my disciples.” That would have made living our faith a whole lot easier. But Jesus didn’t say that. In fact, sometimes it is those closest to us who are hardest to love.

Some people find the proposition that we are saved by grace and not works as “too easy.” I wonder if they have tried it. The first step, accepting God’s grace and love freely, is easy. It’s the following steps that are difficult. After all, if we accept a free gift for ourselves, shouldn’t everyone else have a free gift of grace as well? And that is where it gets tough. Everybody else is saved by grace as well. “Jesus loves me” is true, and “Jesus loves them” is equally true. It is as GK Chesterton says, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

The difficulty is in being a disciple, someone who loves, who forgives, and is humble in the recognition that whatever we do we do by the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. So, how is that “loving one another” part of discipleship working for you? The first step is to remember that God’s love for you is not because you have done anything other than being born. We don’t earn love; it is simply given to us. The second step is to look at a sister or brother in Christ and remember that Jesus Christ truly values that person and loves him or her as much as he loves you. The third and constant step is to ask Christ to help you see him or her as he sees him or her. Pray for, ask for the “eyes of Christ” when you look at others. Perhaps then we will have the honor of being mistaken as a follower of Christ. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Did you forget the DIALOG DEADLINE yesterday? Don’t wait a moment longer! Get your article or calendar item in now and all will be well.

Quilters, and quilter-wanna-be’s, the QUILT MINISTRY meets tonight (Wednesday, April 21) at 7:30 p.m. For this month only we’ll be in the narthex. No experience needed and nothing to bring. We’ll have everything that’s needed, and it will be fun! Join us!

MISSION:
REBUILDING TOGETHER AURORA: Every year we gather a work team in April to rehab the home of a needy family in Aurora through Rebuilding Together Aurora (formerly Christmas in April). We need volunteers for this Saturday - no special skills required (but if you do have special skills, we’d love to know in advance for planning purposes). Please look for the photo display and sign-up sheets in the narthex or talk to our House Captain Norm Ellsworth.

Presbytery of Chicago PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S SPRING GATHERING will be held this Saturday, April 24, at First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield. The event is free, but there is an $8.00 luncheon fee. We will meet in the Southminster parking lot to carpool to the event. Be ready to leave at 8:15 a.m. A sign-up sheet with information is on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

FLOWER BULBS FOR VBS: Please turn in your flower bulb orders by Monday, April 26. If you do not turn in your order form by noon this Sunday, please CALL Chris Kozich (630-545-1237) to be sure that she has your order. To make sure that the bulbs arrive as soon as possible, the Christian Education ministry will be ordering the bulbs on Tuesday, April 27.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will start this Sunday, April 25, at 7:00 p.m. in the parlor with the first two chapters of Eugene Peterson’s “A Long Obedience in the Right Direction.” Please contact Ann Anderson (sylviasmother@sbcglobal.net, 630-469-2097) if interested in joining us.

YOUNG ADULT GROUP: We’ve had to change our next gathering from April 28 to Monday, May 10! 6:30 p.m. at Wendy and Blair’s; let us know if you are coming so we’ll have a place set for you.

FIESTA! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us on Sunday, May 2, following worship. We’ll have a breakfast taco buffet and breakfast sangria, Mexican hat dance, piñata, serape and shaker painting, and more. It’ll be fun for all ages! Put it on your calendar now!

WOMEN’S CIRCLE MAY LUNCHEON: On Friday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. we will have lunch at Mykha’s Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn. The buffet lunch is $10.00. Mykha, the restaurant’s owner, has agreed to talk to us about her life experiences. ALL women of the church are invited to attend. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

NEW CHURCH OFFICERS
TRAINING DATES:
Wednesday, April 21, 6:00 p.m. (Note: This training replaces the meeting originally planned for next Wednesday)
Wednesday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.
MEET WITH SESSION on Tuesday, May 18, at 7:00 p.m.

RUMMAGE SALE: Save your stuff for the Rummage Sale fund raiser in support of the Youth Mission Trip. We’re asking you to mark you donations with prices as we did last year. Look for price stickers to pick up starting this Sunday. They will be in a display stand on the name-tag shelf. This saves us a huge amount of work. Thanks to you all for your cooperation.
The RUMMAGE SALE AND CAR WASH will be Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16. Mark your calendar now!

SOLACE SINGLES will have a potluck in the church parlor on Friday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. We will be sharing our favorite dishes and discussing future plans.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY (May 16): Children in pre-school through grade 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 are learning a handchime part to play with it.

SWEET TOMATOES FOR VBS! On Wednesday May 19, stop by Sweet Tomatoes (in Lombard on Highland Ave.) and help support Southminster’s Vacation Bible School! Just grab a meal and a drink and 20% will be donated to our VBS program! Paper fliers are available on the CE bulletin board or just print off a copy of the file attached to the Dialog. (Note: You must have a flyer with you for your purchase to count.) Yummmm!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
April 25 - Haley Jablonski
May 9 - Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 9- No Sunday School (Mother's Day)
May 16 - Youth Sunday
May 19- Sweet Tomatoes FunRaiser (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
May 23- Last day of Regular Sunday School
June 6 - Used Paperback Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Our lectionary passages for this Sunday are Acts 9:36-43; Revelation 7:9-17; and John 10:22-30. Join us at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor for education and edification. -Blair

YOUTH: SNL Sunday, usual time and place. Weather permitting, we will play outside, again. Remember, May 15-16 is a BIG weekend, Rummage Sale and Youth Sunday, so mark your calendars.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training and is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

Southminster is going Green! We have recently signed up as a responsible community recycling member with Paper Retriever Recycling. Paper Retriever is an easy, free, community-based program that wraps recycling and fund-raising into one neat package. You will soon see the familiar green and yellow bin in our gravel overflow lot. Instead of paying for a monthly recycling service, the paper retriever service is free and can raise money if the paper volume is high enough. The benefits of recycling are obvious and we need participation of the entire Southminster family and surrounding community to make our program successful. Our program goal for recycle material is 2 tons a month (full bin). This seems like a lot, but it is very achievable if we all work together! Keep your eyes open for more information in upcoming E-notes and Dialog announcements. Stay tuned for instructions/training on how we will recycle and what types of material are allowed in the bin.

April 14, 2010

2010-04-14T22:26:00.001-05:00

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Dear Friends,

This past Sunday we read in John 20 and Revelation 1 about a Christian Community of faith being a place of forgiveness. We are given a choice between being healing priests or unforgiving victims. However, whenever I preach about forgiveness I always go shorter than I would like, and it was true this past week because there is so much to say. So, I would like to share the story of two “Lews.”

The first “Lew” is C.S. Lewis. In his book “What’s So Amazing About Grace,” Philip Yancey recounts that during a conference on comparative religions held in Britain, an animated discussion arose as to what was Christianity’s unique contribution to world religion. The controversy continued unabated until C. S. Lewis, in learning of the issue at stake, replied: “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” Grace is a gift not only given by God to us, it is a gift that we share with one another as in the words from Our Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” There is no wiggle room in this. It is as Colossians says, we are forgiven and so we forgive. However, the good news is not just that we are forgiven, but there is a process to forgiveness. This brings us to our second “Lew.”

One of the best books on forgiveness is by Lewis Smedes, “Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve.” It is worth a read. He outlines five points:
1. When we forgive we set ourselves free.
2. Forgivers are not doormats. When we forgive we are not saying someone is right.
3. Forgiving is not sticking around for abuse.
4. We don’t have to wait for an apology to forgive.
5. And the most important part is that forgiving is a journey.
God doesn’t expect us to forgive in an instant. Frankly, I think that would be dishonest. Take time to acknowledge to yourself and to God that you have been wounded and hurt before you forgive. Afterward begin the difficult but worthwhile process of healing. There is so much more to say, but for now, take it from here!

Love, Wendy

P.S. Good News! At Assembly yesterday the Presbytery of Chicago voted to empower the council to sell the Presbyterian Camps property to the Lakeshore Christian Camping group and to allow them to raise money. Please pray that the LCC will be able to not only raise funds but fulfill their dreams of an extended ministry at Camp Saugatuck.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

All women are invited to join the WOMEN’S CIRCLE this Friday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Pat Wiedner will present a program on the scriptural texts and musical settings of Mendelssohn’s oratorio, “Elijah.” The Circle will welcome guests from the Islamic Center of Naperville – Al Hidayah. Please bring new books for children from birth to 12 years of age. The books will be taken to the Presbytery’s PW Spring Gathering for a project they are sponsoring.

MISSION:
The Presbyterian Women’s Morning Circle is sponsoring a collection of ITEMS NEEDED BY FAMILY SHELTER SERVICES. We will have a collection box in the narthex through this Sunday, April 18, and we ask that any who can contribute to this collection. The items are as follows: lip gloss (clear-neutral); ladies’ deodorants; hair conditioners; shower gels; Lysol spray; dishwasher soap; liquid dish soap; garbage bags (white-13 gal. & black); Ziplock bags (gallon & quart). Take this list with you and look for bargains: buy-one-get-one-free offers and items on sale!
REBUILDING TOGETHER AURORA: Every year we gather a work team in April to rehab the home of a needy family in Aurora through Rebuilding Together Aurora (formerly Christmas in April). We need volunteers - no special skills required (but if you do have special skills, we’d love to know in advance for planning purposes). Please look for the photo display and sign-up sheets in the narthex or talk to our House Captain Norm Ellsworth.

Quilters, and quilter-wanna-be’s, the QUILT MINISTRY meets next Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. For this month only we’ll be in the narthex. No experience needed and nothing to bring. We’ll have everything that’s needed, and it will be fun! Join us!

Presbytery of Chicago PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S SPRING GATHERING will be held Saturday, April 24, at First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield. The event is free, but there is an $8.00 luncheon fee. We will meet in the Southminster parking lot to carpool to the event. Be ready to leave at 8:15 a.m. A sign-up sheet with information is on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

FIESTA! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us on Sunday, May 2, following worship. We’ll have a breakfast taco buffet and breakfast sangria, Mexican hat dance, piñata, serape and shaker painting, and more. It’ll be fun for all ages! Put it on your calendar now!

WOMEN’S CIRCLE MAY LUNCHEON: On Friday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. we will have lunch at Mykha’s Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn. The buffet lunch is $10.00. Mykha, the restaurant’s owner, has agreed to talk to us about her life experiences. ALL women of the church are invited to attend. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the parlor.

NEW CHURCH OFFICERS
TRAINING DATES:
Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 28, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12, 7:00 p.m.
MEET WITH SESSION on Tuesday, May 18, at 7:00 p.m.

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: Next Tuesday, April 20, is the deadline for the May Dialog.

RUMMAGE SALE: Save your stuff for the Rummage Sale fund raiser in support of the Youth Mission Trip. We’re asking you to mark you donations with prices as we did last year. Look for price stickers to pick up starting this Sunday. They will be in a display stand on the name-tag shelf. This saves us a huge amount of work. Thanks to you all for your cooperation.

SOLACE SINGLES will have a potluck in the church parlor on Friday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. We will be sharing our favorite dishes and discussing future plans.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SECOND HELPINGS: Come join us after church THIS SUNDAY for Second Helpings! Second Helpings is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. Each week at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. This week the children will practice for youth Sunday (which will be May 16th). The day will conclude with a light lunch and fellowship, beginning at 11:45. Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun!

PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY: Children in pre-school through grade 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 are learning a handchime part to play with it.

SPRING BULB SALE: The deadline for the bulb sale is NEXT FRIDAY, APRIL 23RD!! We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale has begun, so grab an order form from the C.E. bulletin board in the narthex or talk to someone from Christian Ed to find out more! Get your orders in THIS WEEK!!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
April 25 - Haley Jablonski
May 9 - Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 9- No Sunday School (Mother's Day)
May 16 - Youth Sunday
June 6 - Used Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Our lectionary passages for this Sunday are Acts 9:1-20, Revelation 5:11-14, and John 21:1-19. Join us at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor for education and edification. -Blair

YOUTH: SNL Sunday, usual time and place. Weather permitting, we will play outside, again. Remember, May 15-16 is a BIG weekend, Rummage Sale and Youth Sunday, so mark your calendars.

FORMATION OF SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR AND YOUTH DIRECTOR: Steve Johnson has agreed to moderate a committee to identify candidates for Christian Education Director and Youth Director and make the appropriate recommendations to the Session. The candidates may be interested in a full-time position to cover both of these sets of responsibilities or they may be interested in a part-time position for either Christian Education Director or Youth Director. At present Steve is putting together a small committee to head up this process. Anyone who knows of someone who might be interested in one or both of these positions should contact Steve.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training and is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

April 7, 2010

2010-04-08T12:08:00.000-05:00

Romans 5:17-18
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”

Dear Friends,

I am overwhelmed by the goodness of God evident at Southminster. All week long leading up to our Easter Saturday Family Party the sun shined bright! However, come Saturday we had drizzle and rain. One man with a big smile on his face put it this way, “God is good to us to let it rain early so there wouldn’t be a big debate about inside or out!” What a wonderful attitude! And the goodness of God overflowed as thousands of Easter eggs covered our sanctuary. The crowd of attendees seemed positive and happy despite the rain outside.

Sunday’s fellowship was warm and friendly as well. The decorations were delightful! The deacons outdid themselves. The choir’s gift of song was glorious! God’s words came through their musical offering. Contributions to “One Great Hour of Sharing” exceeded last year! And the children collected enough money for Heifer to buy 125 chicks! How very generous! The abundance of God’s love in you all is joyous.

Easter is a season in the church calendar, not just one day. Now is the time for us to unpack, renew, and live into our faith, a faith that the apostle Paul expressed in the book of Romans as “God’s abundant provision of grace.” Our abundance of grace was clear this past weekend. Just think how much more God’s abundant grace is available to all of us. Live into grace and take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

We pray for comfort for Ron and Camille Grabski and family on the death of Ron’s mother, Stella. Visitation will be Friday, April 9, from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Avenue (Route 53), Lisle, with the funeral on Saturday, April 10, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 820 Division St., Lisle.

MISSION:
The Presbyterian Women’s Morning Circle is sponsoring a collection of ITEMS NEEDED BY FAMILY SHELTER SERVICES. We will have a collection box in the narthex starting this Sunday, April 11, and we ask that any who can contribute to this collection. The items are as follows: lip gloss (clear-neutral); ladies’ deodorants; hair conditioners; shower gels; Lysol spray; dishwasher soap; liquid dish soap; garbage bags (white-13 gal. & black); Ziplock bags (gallon & quart).
REBUILDING TOGETHER AURORA: Every year we gather a work team in April to rehab the home of a needy family in Aurora through Rebuilding Together Aurora (formerly Christmas in April). We need volunteers - no special skills required (but if you do have special skills, we’d love to know in advance for planning purposes). Please look for the photo display and sign-up sheets in the narthex or talk to our House Captain Norm Ellsworth.

NEW CHURCH OFFICERS
TRAINING DATES:
Sunday, April 11, 6:00 p.m.,
Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 28, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12, 7:00 p.m.
MEET WITH SESSION on Tuesday, May 18, at 7:00 p.m.

FORMATION OF SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR AND YOUTH DIRECTOR: Steve Johnson has agreed to moderate a committee to identify candidates for Christian Education Director and Youth Director and make the appropriate recommendations to the Session. The candidates may be interested in a full-time position to cover both of these sets of responsibilities or they may be interested in a part-time position for either Christian Education Director or Youth Director. At present Steve is putting together a small committee to head up this process. Anyone who knows of someone who might be interested in one or both of these positions should contact Steve.

All women are invited to join the WOMEN’S CIRCLE on Friday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Pat Wiedner will present a program on the scriptural texts and musical settings of Mendelssohn’s oratorio, “Elijah.” The Circle will welcome guests from the Islamic Center of Naperville – Al Hidayah.

SOLACE SINGLES will have a potluck in the church parlor on Friday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. We will be sharing our favorite dishes and discussing future plans.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY: Children in pre-school through grade 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play this Sunday at the beginning of Sunday School.

SPRING BULB SALE: We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale has begun, so grab an order form from the C.E. bulletin board in the narthex or talk to someone from Christian Ed to find out more!

EASTER BREAKFAST: Thanks to your donations of time and delicious food, the Easter breakfast was a success. Thanks to everyone who made the breakfast possible!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski
May 9 - Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
May 16 - Youth Sunday
June 6 - Used Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Our lectionary passages for this Sunday are Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4-8, and John 20: 19-31. Join us at 11:00 a.m. in the Parlor for thoughtful conversation and study, and laughter, too. -Blair

YOUTH:
SNL on Sunday, usual time and place. We will be picking some hymns for Youth Sunday’s service, so come with your favorites.
MISSION TRIPPERS: Please turn in your deposit for the Mission Trip to Rushville.

RUMMAGE SALE: Save your stuff for the Rummage Sale fund raiser in support of the Youth Mission Trip. We’re asking you to mark your donations with prices as we did last year. Look for price stickers to pick up starting this Sunday. They will be in a display stand on the name-tag shelf. Doing the pricing yourself saves us a huge amount of work. But please, keep your donations at home until we ask for them; we have no place to store everything at church! Thanks to you all for your cooperation.

Peter Davidson has completed basic training! He wrote to Southminster:
“Thank you for all of your cards & letters. They made standing in formation waiting for mail call every night a little more exciting. The Valentine’s & St. Patrick’s Day cards were reminders of the outside world, as holidays and even events like the Super Bowl were little more than conversation up in the bays. I look forward to AIT and the letters I will continue to receive while there. I cannot wait to hear from everyone again.”
-Peter Davidson

Peter is now assigned to Ft. Lee, in Virginia. We will again have address labels available in the narthex area. Please send Peter notes, cards or post cards from your heart and home. Thanks.

March 31, 2010

2010-03-31T13:29:00.000-05:00

Scripture: John 19:38-42
“After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.”

Dear Friends,

On the way home from worship Sunday, my son Max said to me with a sigh, “I always feel ambivalent on Palm Sunday.” I told him that I felt the same way. On one hand, we have the joy and positive energy from the blessing of the palms, we rejoice right along with the crowd, but Palm Sunday leads us straight into the Passion of Christ, and there is great sadness when we ponder Holy Week.

Have you ever felt ambivalent about faith? I think it can be a common feeling. There is a small piece of scripture you will probably never hear a sermon on which I think bears considering. It’s the burial of Jesus from John 19. In it Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury Jesus in the garden tomb. The spices they used demonstrated great devotion of Jesus, they were quite expensive, and there was a huge quantity, fit for a King! What is interesting is that both men were thought to be members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. This is the first time we see Joseph, but it is the third time we meet Nicodemus in the gospel of John. Nicodemus firsts visits Jesus at night in chapter 3. His second reference is during the Feast of the Tabernacles, when he speaks up for Jesus -sort of. Look at John 7:45-51 and see if you think so. Believe it or not, many Pharisees became disciples of Christ after the resurrection. Often, during Holy Week, we think about Jesus’ gift to us of new life from the disciples’ perspective. This year we might want to ponder what the Holy Week experience meant to Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus: people who came to faith with ambivalence.

There is a song, “To Know You,” by Nichole Nordeman. Her song includes the lyrics “Nicodemus could not understand how You could truly free us. He struggled with the image of a grown man born again. We might have been good friends, ‘cause sometimes I still question too how easily we come to You.”

Faith isn’t always straightforward. Many of us come to faith by the side door, just like Joseph, Nicodemus, and Nichole. It doesn’t matter how we come, but that we do come. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Betsy Rogers is organizing an EASTER EGG DYEING event at church tomorrow (Thursday, April 1 - no fooling!) at 1:00 p.m. Junior and senior high, please come and help for an hour or two. Questions, call Betsy (630-858-3538).

This is HOLY WEEK. Please join us for these services and events:
MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 1: Worship service at 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae (The Service of Shadows) with communion.
GOOD FRIDAY, April 2. Worship service at 7:30 p.m. The Seven Last Words of Christ.
FAMILY EASTER PARTY, April 3: Come at 9:30 a.m. for breakfast, crafts, games (weather permitting), the Easter story, and an egg hunt. Bring friends and neighbors! Everyone is welcome, and no reservations are required.
EASTER/THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD, April 4: Worship service at 9:30 a.m., communion. No Sunday school - nursery care available for children through kindergarten age; older children remain in worship with their families.) Deacons host continental breakfast after the service.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Jesus’ call could not be clearer. Extending his love to us and to all who suffer, he calls us to share that love with those who need it. Today we can respond to his call through a generous gift to One Great Hour of Sharing. By joining with other Presbyterians in taking that call seriously, we can bring hope to the lives of families around the world. Please give now and, for the sake of those whose needs are greater than we can imagine, give generously. We will dedicate this offering on Easter.

This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, is the day we bring OFFERINGS FOR THE PEOPLE’S RESOURCE CENTER. The April emphasis is laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

WOMEN’S BREAKFAST meets the first Monday of the month at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada. The next gathering is April 5, the day after Easter. All women are invited, and we’re always happy to have new friends join us!

The church office will be closed on Easter Monday, April 5.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
FREE EASTER EGG HUNT AND BREAKFAST!
THIS Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m. is our Annual Easter Party/Breakfast. There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt for children up through fifth grade. Come join us, and bring your friends! Everyone is welcome and no advance reservations are required.

There is NO SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS SUNDAY so that children and youth can worship with their families. The following Sunday practice for Youth Sunday resumes: Children in pre-school through grade 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play after Easter Sunday.

SPRING BULB SALE: We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale will begin on Easter, this Sunday, so start thinking about what flowers would make your garden whole! The order forms will be on the C.E. bulletin board in the narthex.

ACOLYTE Schedule:
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski
May 9- Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
June 6- Book Sale
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: This Sunday is Easter. Our class will not meet, but if you would like to read the scriptures for the day, they are: Isaiah 65:17-25; Acts 10:34-43; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-8. See you next week. -Blair

YOUTH: No SNL this week. Happy Easter! Remember: deposits for Mission Trip are due. See you next week.

SYS!! Save your stuff for the RUMMAGE SALE, May 15-16. More information to come after Easter.

Presbyterian Camps is looking to fill summer positions for the 2010 Summer Camp Season. Don’t miss the opportunity to work in “Saugatuck.” Positions Available:
Assistant Director for Summer Camp Programming
Summer Counselor
Please visit the camp website at www.prescamps.org or contact Brad Fries at director@prescamps.org.

March 24, 2010

2010-03-24T23:23:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

When we think of Easter, many of us think of rabbits, eggs, and butterflies. All of them are symbols of new life in Christ Jesus. How about a rooster? What does a rooster symbolize?

In Jewish tradition the rooster is a symbol of redemption because the rooster sees the light, the truth, the dawn before anyone else. The rooster stands between the night and the new dawn. This was true for the disciple Peter; when the rooster crowed he knew the truth about himself. In our Christian tradition, the rooster has a similar meaning but with a twist. All over Europe, churches are toped with weathervanes of roosters reminding the people who enter that we are all like Peter. We all fall short. We are all in need of redemption. And that knowledge is a good thing. It is good to know that while we are not always faithful, Jesus is always faithful. Faith is about trusting Jesus rather than yourself.

We are all a bit like Peter: human, fallible and... loved. The wonder of the Passion Week - the holy week coming up - is not simply the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The wonder is God’s great love and mercy that continue past Easter and are available even to us. Peter’s story - and ours - doesn’t end with the rooster’s cry. Peter’s story continues with forgiveness, service, and a life given selflessly to God. As we begin to enter Holy Week, do not forget that we are all a bit like Peter. We trust in Jesus and not ourselves. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

P.S. If you are willing to be a reader for Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday. or Good Friday, please email me directly at wboden@ameritech.net.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Each Wednesday in March you have been invited to share in G.I.F.T. (GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER). We meet at 6:30 for soup supper, clean up together, and then have a blended worship at 7:00. There will be both traditional and contemporary worship music, all of it honoring God. At 7:30 we have dessert and fellowship, and folks head home by 7:45. Tonight is our last gathering, so we hope you’ll join us.

Next week is HOLY WEEK. Make plans now to join us for one or all of the following:
PALM SUNDAY, March 28: Worship service at 9:30 a.m. Gather in the narthex before worship; we will enter the sanctuary together, singing and waving our palms. (Palm Sunday is the deadline for ordering Easter lilies and other blooming plants.)
MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 1: Worship service at 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae (The Service of Shadows) with communion.
GOOD FRIDAY, April 2. Worship service at 7:30 p.m. The Seven Last Words of Christ.
FAMILY EASTER PARTY, April 3: Come at 9:30 a.m. for breakfast, crafts, games (weather permitting), the Easter story, and the egg hunt. Bring friends and neighbors! Everyone is welcome, and no reservations are required.
EASTER/THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD, April 4: Worship service at 9:30 a.m., communion. Deacons host continental breakfast after the service.

CHIME CHOIR needed for APRIL 18TH SERVICE! Junior High, High School, and Adults interested in ringing for the service on April 18th need to sign the sheet on the choir room door. The first mandatory rehearsal is this Sunday in the choir room right after worship for about 20 minutes. (The second is on April 11.)

FLOWERS FOR EASTER: In addition to lilies, we would like to add the beauty of other spring flowers at Easter this year. Watch for a sign-up in the narthex–lilies will be $15.00 each; tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths will be $8.50 per container. Please check which flowers you would prefer. The sign-up deadline is this Sunday, March 28. If possible, we would like the colorful flowers to remain in our sanctuary for several weeks following Easter. The more, the better!

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Jesus’ call could not be clearer. Extending his love to us and to all who suffer, he calls us to share that love with those who need it. Today we can respond to his call through a generous gift to One Great Hour of Sharing. By joining with other Presbyterians in taking that call seriously, we can bring hope to the lives of families around the world. Please give now and, for the sake of those whose needs are greater than we can imagine, give generously.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
PRACTICE FOR YOUTH SUNDAY: Children in PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play after Easter Sunday.

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MISSION PROJECT: *Cheep* *Cheep* Chicks, to many of us, symbolize spring, rebirth, childhood. But for some, chicks can mean more; they can mean survival. Southminster’s children will be collecting money to purchase chicks for Heifer International, helping to fight world hunger. Just $20 buys a flock of chicks for a hungry family, providing eggs and nutrition to the recipients. Please help your children collect change to aid in supporting Heifer, and consider donating. We will be collecting until Easter. Thanks!

SPRING BULB SALE: We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale will begin on Easter, so start thinking about what flowers would make your garden whole!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m.! There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt. Come join us, and bring your friends! Everyone is welcome, and no advance reservations are required.

ACOLYTE Schedule:
March 28 - Maddie Frey
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
March 24 - G.I.F.T. (6:30-7:30 p.m.) Tonight is the last night!
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: This Sunday we will be studying Isaiah 50:4-9a, Phil. 2:5-11, and Luke 23:1-49. Join us for edifying study, conversation, and fellowship; eleven o’clock in the parlor. -Blair

YOUTH: It’s time! It’s time! It’s time! . . . Time for what? . . . Time to start thinking about MISSION TRIP. All SPY’ers, and those gonna be freshmen in the fall, consider joining the youth mission team for our trip to Rushville, IN, June 13-19, and register with Blair, with $100 deposit, by March 31st. (If you can’t find a C-note by then, talk to me.)

SYS!! Save your stuff for the RUMMAGE SALE, May 15-16. More information to come after Easter.

Presbyterian Camps is looking to fill summer positions for the 2010 Summer Camp Season. Don't miss the opportunity to work in “Saugatuck.” Positions Available:
Assistant Director for Summer Camp Programming
Summer Counselor
Please visit the camp website at www.prescamps.org or contact Brad Fries at director@prescamps.org.

March 17, 2010

2010-03-17T14:28:00.000-05:00

G.I.F.T. TONIGHT 6:30 to 7:40 p.m. Eat dinner with us!

Scripture: Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.”

Dear Friends,

This past weekend was packed, but very good. Sunday morning was a beautiful day for the church family. It was a great joy to baptize Anastasia. Her face was attentive and sweet, and YOUR faces were glowing. It was a great day to be family.

Sunday night was FUN! I was so impressed with the teamwork in getting the spaghetti dinner organized and the “talent” on stage. Sean Salins was a masterful master of ceremony. The gentleness the audience gave to young performers warmed my heart, and the laughter shared among us all was a great joy. Over 70 people came! In fact, one guest family that doesn’t normally attend church is planning to come and visit on Easter. They told me that they didn’t realize there was a church located here until their friends invited them to come! It was a great day to be family.

Monday, I officiated at the funeral of Lorene Peterson (Sid Peterson’s mother) at St. Patrick’s residence in Naperville. She was a wonderful woman! What was touching for me was to see members of Southminster there to lend love and support to Sid and Carole. By the way, at the meal following someone asked what congregation I served. Their response upon hearing Southminster was, “Oh yes, they are great supporters of Rebuilding Together - Aurora.” I felt very proud of you. It was a great day to be family.

On Saturday, I had an opportunity to visit with one of our college students, Kelly Henkels. She asked me a question, and I think the answer may be important to you. She asked, “When you talk about your kids in a sermon, do you TELL them ahead of time?” I said, “No, I don’t tell them, I ASK their PERMISSION.” I always ask permission or change the name for any story I tell, unless the person involved has passed away. Kelly learned a little about me, and I learned a little more about her and Southminster. It was a great day to be family.

The joy of baptism, conversations and laughs shared, a farewell to a loved one... These are all the small things that make a church a home rather than an institution. I rejoice in the love of God found in Southminster. It was a great day to be family. So take Paul’s advice and think about such things, and take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Join us for G.I.F.T. TONIGHT! Each Wednesday in March (excluding Holy Week) you are invited to share in G.I.F.T. (Growing In Faith Together). We meet at 6:30 for soup supper, clean up together, and then have a blended worship at 7:00. There will be both traditional and contemporary worship music, all of it honoring God. At 7:30 we have dessert and fellowship, and folks head home by 7:45. Your participation in G.I.F.T. will make a difference not only in our lives together in Southminster, but in your own spiritual growth as a person.

Hurray! The TRACTOR 2010 campaign was a huge success! We raised a total of $9780 toward the tractor and expenses. This is almost double the original goal! The generosity and compassion of the donors is greatly appreciated by everyone on the property ministry. Special thanks to Wendy, Barb, Camille, Bill, Marta, and Grace for their help with the fundraiser details. Look for a new tractor sometime in April!

All women of Southminster are invited to attend WOMEN’S CIRCLE this Friday, March 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. We will work on our Family Shelter service project and hear stories from trips to our Cuba Sister Church.

Reminder that the deadline for the APRIL DIALOG is this Saturday, March 20.

CHIME CHOIR needed for APRIL 18TH SERVICE! Junior High, High School, and Adults interested in ringing for the service on April 18th need to sign the sheet on the choir room door. Two rehearsals are mandatory: Sundays, March 28 and April 11, for about 20 minutes immediately following the worship service. Location: Choir Room.

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

FLOWERS FOR EASTER: In addition to lilies, we would like to add the beauty of other spring flowers at Easter this year. Watch for a sign-up in the narthex–lilies will be $15.00 each; tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths will be $8.50 per container. Please check which flowers you would prefer. The sign-up deadline is Palm Sunday, March 28. If possible, we would like the colorful flowers to remain in our sanctuary for several weeks following Easter. The more, the better!

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Jesus’ call could not be clearer. Extending his love to us and to all who suffer, he calls us to share that love with those who need it. Today we can respond to his call through a generous gift to One Great Hour of Sharing. By joining with other Presbyterians in taking that call seriously, we can bring hope to the lives of families around the world. Please give now and, for the sake of those whose needs are greater than we can imagine, give generously.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
Children in PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 3 begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They are learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play after Easter Sunday.

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MISSION PROJECT: *Cheep* *Cheep* Chicks, to many of us, symbolize spring, rebirth, childhood. But for some, chicks can mean more; they can mean survival. Southminster’s children will be collecting money to purchase chicks for Heifer International, helping to fight world hunger. Just $20 buys a flock of chicks for a hungry family, providing eggs and nutrition to the recipients. Please help your children collect change to aid in supporting Heifer, and consider donating. We will be collecting until Easter. Thanks!

SPRING BULB SALE: We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale will begin on Easter, so start thinking about what flowers would make your garden whole!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: Help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy or candy with peanuts, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy until March 21 and will have another egg-stuffing party on March 21. All are invited! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m.! There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt. The breakfast wouldn’t be possible without your support!

SECOND HELPINGS: This Sunday, March 21, we will have Second Helpings. “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. On the third Sunday of the month at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. This month children will be learning about the Lord’s Prayer, and practicing for Youth Sunday (which will be May 16). Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
March 28 - Maddie Frey
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
Wednesdays in March (excluding Holy Week) - G.I.F.T. (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. Our lectionary passages for this Sunday’s class are: Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8. Consider joining us for the fellowship of study. -Blair

YOUTH!
Thanks to all who helped with TALENT SHOW AND DINNER, especially Sean Salins and Steve Henkels, and many others. We ate, we were entertained, and we launched the fund raising for the Youth Mission Trip. Thanks to all who came and gave.
SNL this Sunday, same time, same place, more fun. Note that there will be no SNL on Easter Sunday, April 4.
Youth through college aged: Considered being part of this year’s MISSION TEAM to Rushville, IN. Think about, pray about, let Blair know BY MARCH 31. There is joy in serving Jesus!
REMEMBER: Save Your Stuff for the RUMMAGE SALE, coming May 15-16.

Our journey through Lent to Easter concludes with HOLY WEEK. Make plans now to join us for one or all of the following:
Palm Sunday, March 28: Worship service at 9:30 a.m. Gather in the narthex before worship; we will enter the sanctuary together, singing and waving our palms. (Palm Sunday is the deadline for ordering Easter lilies and other blooming plants.)
Maundy Thursday, April 1: Worship service at 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae (The Service of Shadows) with communion.
Good Friday, April 2. Worship service at 7:30 p.m. The Seven Last Words of Christ.
Family Easter Party, April 3: Come at 9:30 a.m. for breakfast, crafts, games (weather permitting), the Easter story, and the egg hunt. Bring friends and neighbors! Everyone is welcome, and no reservations are required.
Easter/The Resurrection of the Lord, April 4: Worship service at 9:30 a.m., communion. Deacons host continental breakfast after the service.

March 10, 2010

2010-03-10T22:55:00.001-06:00

G.I.F.T. TONIGHT 6:30 to 7:40 p.m. Eat dinner with us!

Scripture: Romans 5:1-5
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Dear Friends,

I call my father every Monday. This past Monday he told me that he had a criticism of me. He said, “You tend to look at life with rose-colored glasses!” Scandal! In his book, that is obviously a bad thing to do. People need to be realistic! My answer was that I didn’t look at life with rose-colored glasses; rather I look at life with hope. He paused and laughed. We both had a good laugh.

For most people hope is simply rose-colored glasses or just wishful thinking, unconnected to reality. Hope is not even positive thinking. For Christians hope is connected to a deeper reality: the anchor of our faith, Jesus Christ. Our hope, my hope, is in Jesus Christ, not in my checking account, not in any talent or skill, but in Christ. In fact, the chapter known in the Bible for love, First Corinthians 13, puts faith and love right next to hope. Hope is a virtue, a grace of God for God’s people.

I find the transition between winter (February) and spring (March), kind of tough. Taxes are almost due. Many of us have colds that never seem to go away. Cabin fever sets in, and we can get on one another’s nerves. Some of us have more serious circumstances to deal with from chronic illness to job situations to marriage. Those are times that require hope in Christ. There are times when we feel that we are sailing a vast ocean and our oars are broken and the rudder doesn’t work. If you are feeling swamped by your circumstances in life, remember that Christ is our anchor. From the earliest days of Christianity the anchor has been a symbol of hope. Your hope is in Christ. Christ is our anchor. Some of us have trouble praying, but rest assured that “Help” is not only a simple prayer, it is a fine prayer. The fishermen of Brittany have this prayer, “Dear God, be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.” Remember we live into hope, help is a fine prayer, and Christ is our anchor. God Bless. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

In April we would like to add email addresses to our church directory. If you would like your current email address posted, please let the church office know. We can only keep our directory up to date by you checking your own personal information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Join us for G.I.F.T. TONIGHT! Each Wednesday in March (excluding Holy Week) you are invited to share in G.I.F.T. (Growing In Faith Together). We meet at 6:30 for soup supper, clean up together, and then have a blended worship at 7:00. There will be both traditional and contemporary worship music, all of it honoring God. At 7:30 we have dessert and fellowship, and folks head home by 7:45. Your participation in G.I.F.T. will make a difference not only in our lives together in Southminster, but in your own spiritual growth as a person.
We are looking for adults and children to participate in our G.I.F.T. celebrations. Would you be willing to read? Play an instrument? Sing (by yourself or with a group)? Please talk to Wendy.

CHOIR MEMBERS ARE STILL NEEDED TO SING FOR EASTER SUNDAY! If you can make a short-term commitment, then come to our rehearsal this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room. Those who sing, pray twice!

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME begins this weekend! Don’t forget to change your clocks before you go to sleep on Saturday night. (“Spring Forward” – turn them one hour ahead.)

Children in Pre-School through Grade 3 will begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They will be learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play after Easter Sunday.

SPAGHETTI DINNER AND TALENT SHOW THIS SUNDAY! Don’t miss a show guaranteed to put the Academy Awards to shame - featuring fantastic food and amazing talent (really, you will be amazed), and benefiting the Youth Mission Trip. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. with the show following. Adults $5.00, children $3.00, and children under three, FREE!

The fund drive to purchase a NEW LAWN TRACTOR is in high gear! Look for a 2010 tractor poster and fundraiser box in the narthex on March 7 and 14 for the sole purpose of funding this special purchase in April. Please support this important fundraiser with a monetary donation and your prayers. Email or call John Sundquist for details: Sundquist_john@comcast.net or 630-469-2273.

CHIME CHOIR needed for APRIL 18TH SERVICE! Junior High, High School, and Adults interested in ringing for the service on April 18th need to sign the sheet on the choir room door. Two rehearsals are mandatory: Sundays, March 28 and April 11, for about 20 minutes immediately following the worship service. Location: Choir Room.

FLOWERS FOR EASTER: In addition to lilies, we would like to add the beauty of other spring flowers at Easter this year. Watch for a sign-up in the narthex–lilies will be $15.00 each; tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths will be $8.50 per container. Please check which flowers you would prefer. The sign-up deadline is Palm Sunday, March 28. If possible, we would like the colorful flowers to remain in our sanctuary for several weeks following Easter. The more, the better!

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MISSION PROJECT: *Cheep* *Cheep* Chicks, to many of us, symbolize spring, rebirth, childhood. But for some, chicks can mean more; they can mean survival. Southminster’s children will be collecting money to purchase chicks for Heifer International, helping to fight world hunger. Just $20 buys a flock of chicks for a hungry family, providing eggs and nutrition to the recipients. Please help your children collect change to aid in supporting Heifer, and consider donating. We will be collecting until Easter. Thanks!

SPRING BULB SALE: We are selling Spring Bulbs to help raise money for this year’s Vacation Bible School. These beautiful bulbs from Dutch Mill Bulbs, selling for $6 each set, include strawberries, Stargazer Lilies, and Hostas, among others. The sale will begin on Easter, so start thinking about what flowers would make your garden whole!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: Help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy or candy with peanuts, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy until March 21 and will have another egg-stuffing party on March 21. All are invited! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m.! There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt. The breakfast wouldn’t be possible without your support!

SECOND HELPINGS: On March 21 we will have Second Helpings. “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. On the third Sunday of the month at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. This month children will be learning about the Lord’s Prayer, and practicing for Youth Sunday (which will be May 16). Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
March 14 - Billy Petersen
March 28 - Maddie Frey
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
Wednesdays in March (excluding Holy Week) - G.I.F.T. (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. Our lectionary passages for this Sunday’s class are: Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. Consider joining us for the fellowship of study. -Blair

YOUTH!
ALL Youth! Join us at noon on Sunday for pizza lunch (bring $3.00 for the food, please) and to work on our acts for the TALENT SHOW. If you can’t make that, please be at church by 3:00 for set up and final rehearsals.
Remember to SAVE YOUR STUFF for the annual RUMMAGE SALE coming in mid-May! Your trash is another person’s treasure; your junk is someone’s jewels; your garbage is your neighbor’s gold; your... well, you get the idea.
YOUTH MISSION TRIP: Youth, entering high school thru college-aged, please register with Blair for the Mission Trip (June 13-19) by March 31.

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

March 3, 2010

2010-03-03T23:54:00.001-06:00

Scripture: Luke 13: 34
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Dear Friends,

Have you looked at our Lenten station near the entrance of the Sanctuary? Each week there is a different display reflecting our scripture for the day. Last week someone commented to me that their children asked why a rooster was in the sanctuary. They were able to give a good answer about the role of the rooster in the passion of Christ. Which was great! However, they wondered to me why we had the rooster out so early in Lent. The answer is that it isn’t a rooster; it’s a hen, with baby chicks underneath. We had a good laugh, and I had to agree that our hen looks more like a rooster than a hen.

Throughout scripture various descriptions for God have been offered, from rock, to fortress, to wind, but one that is very rich, but not often preached about it that of a mother bird. Deuteronomy 32:11 and Psalm 17:8 are two verses for example. Do you remember the song, “On Eagles’ Wings”? It’s a favorite of many and it is based on the prophet Isaiah.

At first glance the protection of a mother bird doesn’t seem like much; just a bunch of feathers and a sharp beak, but there is more! There is the willingness of mother birds to put themselves between danger and their babies even putting their lives on the line. Isn’t that what Christ did for us? He put his life on the cross for us.

Next week we will have “wine” and milk at the station along with a loaf of bread. After listening to the sermon you may know why. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

G.I.F.T. STARTS TONIGHT! Each Wednesday in March (excluding Holy Week) you are invited to share in G.I.F.T. (Growing In Faith Together). We meet at 6:30 for soup supper, clean up together, and then have a blended worship at 7:00. There will be both traditional and contemporary worship music, all of it honoring God. At 7:30 we have dessert and fellowship, and folks head home by 7:45. Your participation in G.I.F.T. will make a difference not only in our lives together in Southminster, but in your own spiritual growth as a person.
We are looking for adults and children to participate in our G.I.F.T. celebrations. Would you be willing to read? Play an instrument? Sing (by yourself or with a group)? Please talk to Wendy.

CHOIR MEMBERS ARE STILL NEEDED TO SING FOR EASTER SUNDAY! If you can make a short-term commitment, then come to our rehearsal this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room. Those who sing, pray twice!

Sign-up deadline is this Sunday for the MARCH FELLOWSHIP EVENT: the Lisle Sr. High School spring musical “Music Man.” We will attend the play on Friday, March 19, 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Sign up in the narthex by March 7. Any questions please contact Karen Fitzgerald (cell phone: 630-738-8060).

Yes! Finally! The long-awaited and dearly loved ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER AND TALENT SHOW is almost here!! Mark this on your calendar: Sunday, March 14 at 5:30 p.m. Please sign your act up, on the sheet in the narthex (look for the picture of Eric and Robby), and also sign your party up on the sheet so we know for how many people we will be feeding. For only $5 per adult and $3 per child (anyone 3 or under is free) you’ll get a good meal, you’ll have lots of fun... and you’ll be supporting a good cause: our Youth Mission Trip.

Children in Pre-School through Grade 3 will begin their Sunday School Class with a short singing practice. They will be learning “Jubilee!” Grades 4 and 5 will be given handchime parts to play after Easter Sunday.

The fund drive to purchase a NEW LAWN TRACTOR revs up in March! Look for a 2010 tractor poster and fundraiser box in the narthex on March 7 and 14 for the sole purpose of funding this special purchase in April. Please support this important fundraiser with a monetary donation and your prayers. Email or call John Sundquist for details: Sundquist_john@comcast.net or 630-469-2273.

This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, is the day we bring OFFERINGS FOR THE PEOPLE’S RESOURCE CENTER. The March emphasis is personal care and sanitary products. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

CHIME CHOIR needed for APRIL 18TH SERVICE! Junior High, High School, and Adults interested in ringing for the service on April 18th need to sign the sheet on the choir room door. Two rehearsals are mandatory: Sundays, March 28 and April 11, for about 20 minutes immediately following the worship service. Location: Choir Room.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MISSION PROJECT: *Cheep* *Cheep* Chicks, to many of us, symbolize spring, rebirth, childhood. But for some, chicks can mean more; they can mean survival. Southminster’s children will be collecting money to purchase chicks for Heifer International, helping to fight world hunger. Just $20 buys a flock of chicks for a hungry family, providing eggs and nutrition to the recipients. Please help your children collect change to aid in supporting Heifer, and consider donating. We will be collecting until Easter. Thanks!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL MEETING THIS SUNDAY: There’s a high seas adventure happening at Southminster this summer at Vacation Bible School. For those adults that are brave enough to help lead our adventure, there will be a brief meeting this Sunday after church in the parlor. We need all hands on deck to make this a successful voyage. So, climb aboard, and get your passport to fun this Sunday!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: This Sunday, following worship, come join us for Easter egg stuffing! Just sit down, relax, and chat while filling eggs with delicious candy and fun toys which will make lots of kids very happy. Also, help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy or candy with peanuts, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy until March 21 and will have egg-stuffing parties on March 7th and 21st. All are invited! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m.! There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt. The breakfast wouldn’t be possible without your support! We hope to see you this Sunday!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
March 14 - Billy Petersen
March 28 - Maddie Frey
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
Wednesdays in March (excluding Holy Week) - G.I.F.T. (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. Our lectionary passages for this Sunday’s class are: Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, and Luke 13:1-9. Consider joining us for the fellowship of study. -Blair

YOUTH!
SPY and PYNGUINS: We will be preparing for the Talent Show at SNL this week. PYNGUINS meet at 6:00 p.m. SPY, please join us at 6:30 p.m., instead of the usual 7:00 p.m., this Sunday so we can have more time to work with the PYNGUINS for Talent Show.

SYS = Save Your Stuff. We need your salable surplus stuff for our RUMMAGE SALE, coming in mid-May. So put that stuff in a safe place and watch for information about when to bring it to church.

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

RECORDINGS OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICES: If you enjoy listening to the Sunday service again but can only listen on a cassette tape, please let Andrea Schmidt know (630-629-4526 or lizzie3@comcast.net). If no one is using the cassettes, we are going to phase them out because the service is available for viewing on DVD.

February 24, 2010

2010-02-24T22:36:00.000-06:00

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Dear Friends,

Does February drag for you? It does for me. It seems that everyone is either fighting a cold or hasn’t had enough sleep. The sky is gray and people’s minds tend to fog. But there is hope. Easter will come! The promise of the resurrection will be fulfilled. That promises us that in Jesus Christ we are made new.

Sunday morning, I was sitting up in bed praying before I got dressed for church, and I actually heard a bird sing! A bird was singing and there was still snow on the ground! It made me smile to think that on the first Sunday of Lent I heard a promise of Easter. We can claim the promise of Easter. In Jesus Christ we are made new.

We rejoice with Donna Marton on a new granddaughter, and we rejoice with the Rodgers family in the birth of their new grandson, Zane. Blair and I are now a great uncle and aunt. These three babies were born in different countries: USA, South Africa, and Canada! It’s been said that a child is God’s promise that the world will continue. It looks like God has some good plans coming along despite our fears for the future and February. There are some new people in the world.

So, as we fight the fog of February, try to throw off that sniffle, or battle cabin fever know the truth of the song, “In the Bulb There Is a Flower:” “In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be.” I like to think of it as a song of Lent that promises hope. If you are feeling gray, or foggy, or just groggy from lack of sleep, remember that in Jesus Christ life is made new. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

PRESBYTERIAN READERS are meeting tonight (Wednesday, Feb. 24), a week later than usual due to the Ash Wednesday service last week. Join us from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parlor. Everyone is welcome, and you may invite friends from outside of church. Our book for February is “Life of Pi,” a fantasy adventure novel written by Canadian author Yann Martel. The story was inspired by Martel’s childhood friend Eleanor and her adventures in India.

JUBILEE CELEBRATION 2011 - Sign up by February 28 to help with the planning!
Southminster will be 50 years old on March 5, 2011. Plans are underway for a year of celebration beginning on New Year’s Day 2011.
The 50th Anniversary Planning Team needs your input and help - whether you have been a member or friend of Southminster for 50 years or 50 days. There are opportunities for long-term assistance on the Planning Team itself, or short-term commitment to plan one of the monthly anniversary activities or help with a single event. WE COULD USE A FEW GOOD MEN!!
If you are interested in joining the 50th Anniversary Planning Team or if you would like to assist with a particular celebration event, please contact Sue Clary (630-790-1109, or sueclary@sbcglobal.net ) or Pat Wiedner (630-858-0761, or pjwiedner@hotmail.com ) by Sunday, February 28, 2010.

WOMEN’S BREAKFAST: Always the first Monday of the month, the next one comes up next Monday, March 1. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada.

Each Wednesday in March (excluding Holy Week) you are invited to share in G.I.F.T. (GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER). We meet at 6:30 for soup supper, clean up together, and then have a blended worship at 7:00. There will be both traditional and contemporary worship music, all of it honoring God. At 7:30 we have dessert and fellowship, and folks head home by 7:45. Your participation in G.I.F.T. will make a difference not only in our lives together in Southminster, but in your own spiritual growth as a person.
We are looking for adults and children to participate in our G.I.F.T. celebrations. Would you be willing to read? Play an instrument? Sing (by yourself or with a group)? Please talk to Wendy.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MISSION PROJECT: *Cheep* *Cheep* Chicks, to many of us, symbolize spring, rebirth, childhood. But for some, chicks can mean more; they can mean survival. Southminster’s children will be collecting money to purchase chicks for Heifer International, helping to fight world hunger. Just $20 buys a flock of chicks for a hungry family, providing eggs and nutrition to the recipients. Please help your children collect change to aid in supporting Heifer, and consider donating. We will be collecting until Easter. Thanks!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: Help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy or candy with peanuts, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy until March 21 and will have egg-stuffing parties on March 7 and 21. All are invited! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m.! There will be games (weather permitting), crafts, breakfast, and an Easter egg hunt. The breakfast wouldn’t be possible without your support!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Thank you to all who have helped with our Christian Ed. ministries over the past year! It’s already February and time to look ahead to warmer months and the rest of 2010. It’s also time to start thinking about Vacation Bible School! Summer feels like a long time away, but it is not too soon to begin making preparations for this year’s VBS, which will be the last week in July, the 26-30 (Put it on your calendars!). We are looking for people to run, and assist, in each station, so if you love crafts, playing games, music, or just love to help our kids experience God’s Word, please contact someone on the Christian Ed ministry to learn more about it.

ACOLYTE Schedule:
February 28 - Jack Hecker
March 14 - Billy Petersen
March 28 - Maddie Frey
April 11 - Dakota Dolister
April 25 - Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
Wednesdays in March (excluding Holy Week) - G.I.F.T. (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. The lectionary passages for this week are Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35. -Blair

YOUTH!
CASCADE MOUNTAIN SKI/SNOW TUBING TRIP leaves the church Friday at 4:00 p.m. Contact Blair for details.

No SNL this Sunday, February 28. See you next week.

YOUTH MISSION TRIP: Teen-agers, age 14 through college. Prayerfully consider your involvement in our Youth Mission Trip, June 13-19, to Rushville, IN. Contact Blair for details.

NOT just for youth!
TALENT SHOW AND SPAGHETTI DINNER is coming – Sunday, March 14, 5:30 p.m. Sign up your act for our Talent Show and sign up if you are planning to attend. Both sign-up sheets are in the Narthex.

SYS: Save Your Stuff for this year’s RUMMAGE SALE, May 15-16. Proceeds support the Youth Mission Trip.

From the PROPERTY MINISTRY:
Because of very large unplanned expenditures in 2009 for lighting systems and furnaces, our 2010 budget for capital expenditures is now $0. As you may know, one of our challenges for 2010 is to obtain funds to purchase a NEW LAWN TRACTOR to maintain the grounds. The current equipment is broken or in very poor condition. Southminster is now in need of a new tractor this spring before the grass begins to grow (and weeds). Graciously donated time (5-10 hours/week) and equipment in years past has spared Southminster from expensive landscaping fees. ($5000-6000/summer!) The Property Ministry would rather see this money go to local/international mission or important programs that reach out and help people. A 2010 tractor poster and fundraiser box will be in the Narthex on March 7 and 14 for the sole purpose of funding this special purchase in April. Please support this important fundraiser with a monetary donation and your prayers. Email or call John Sundquist for details: Sundquist_john@comcast.net or 630-469-2273.

MARCH FELLOWSHIP EVENT: 76 Trombones are calling your name! There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Lisle Sr. High School spring musical “Music Man.” We will attend the play on Friday, March 19, 8:00pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. You must order by March 7. Any questions please contact Karen Fitzgerald (cell phone: 630-738-8060).

QUILT MINISTRY is going to move to the third Wednesday of each month. (The next gathering will be March 17.) The quilters are glad to have received a sewing machine and iron but are still hoping to get an ironing board. If you have one you’re not using, let Sue Clary or Sue Knisely know.

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

RECORDINGS OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICES: If you enjoy listening to the Sunday service again but can only listen on a cassette tape, please let Andrea Schmidt know (630-629-4526 or lizzie3@comcast.net). If no one is using the cassettes, we are going to phase them out because the service is available for viewing on DVD.

February 17, 2010

2010-02-17T22:43:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends,

Ash Wednesday is today! Please join us for either or both the soup/chili supper (6:30 p.m.) and the Taize Worship Service with imposition of Ashes (7:15 p.m.).

John Calvin didn’t believe in observing lent, much less Ash Wednesday. Does that surprise you? It is not surprising given that he was so close to the issues of the reformation. The Christian calendar in the “ol’ days” for Presbyterians was simply Easter and Christmas, with the lavishness of Christmas viewed as something questionable.

What a difference 500 years makes! Back in the 1970’s the Presbyterian Church moved toward a more gracious attitude toward the observance of lent and other customs liturgical, as well as other Christian traditions. Our observance of lent is just a little different way from the way some other Christian traditions practice lent. Presbyterian Christians are more apt to take something on rather than give something up. We focus more on our walk with Christ and our baptismal promises rather than the sufferings of Christ. For us, it is more about getting closer to God rather than acts of penance. As for me, each of us is unique in how we relate to God, and one person’s spiritual practice is another person’s distraction. The point is to focus on God and not get distracted from our relationship with our Lord.

What comes to mind when thinking of Lent is “Be Still and Know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) If giving up chocolate for lent will help you know God better, good. If fasting from surfing the net will help you know God better, good. If making time to read scripture or a spiritual book will help you know God better, good.

Southminster is offering a few opportunities to not only get to knew God better, but grow closer to one another as well. Each week we will have a bulletin insert that you can take home with you for prayer and reflection during the week. There will be one scripture reading: a greeting from one of Paul’s epistles. It will also list ministries of this congregation, asking you to remember them in prayer. It wasn’t until I went to Cuba that noticed in a new way just how important church relationships are. You probably remember the saying that the cross not only goes up to God, it goes out to people. Reflecting and praying for our ministries may be one way to embrace our sisters and brothers in faith.

Another opportunity to grow closer to God and one another is sharing in GIFT, (Growing in Faith Together). Each Wednesday evening in March we will meet at 6:30 for a simple supper, then worship, and then dessert. The Rev. Jim Shiflett and Linnea Holman will help us with their theater storytelling gifts as we reflect on parables during our worship time. We plan to be done by 7:45. Everyone is welcome for some or part of GIFT, even kids in p.j.s! This is based on Acts 2:42 - “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Whatever you do in observance of Lent, may you grow closer to Christ and to one another. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Today is ASH WEDNESDAY. Join us for a simple SOUP AND CHILI SUPPER at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. We will have a Taize WORSHIP SERVICE at 7:15 p.m. in the sanctuary including the imposition of ashes. (Choir rehearsal follows the service.)

PRESBYTERIAN READERS will meet a week later than usual, to allow everyone to attend the Ash Wednesday service. Join us Wednesday, February 24, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parlor. Everyone is welcome, and you may invite friends from outside of church. Our book for February is “Life of Pi,” a fantasy adventure novel written by Canadian author Yann Martel. The story was inspired by Martel’s childhood friend Eleanor and her adventures in India.

WOMEN’S CIRCLE: All women of Southminster are invited to attend Women’s Circle this Friday, February 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. We’ve had a change in the program from what was previously announced; Chris Kozich has kindly agreed to speak on her profession as an attorney.

Reminder: The DEADLINE FOR THE MARCH DIALOG is this Saturday, February 20.

PRESBYTERY was postponed until Saturday, Feb. 20, at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church. Pre-Presbytery business will begin at 9:00 a.m.; Assembly begins at 11:00 a.m.

“SECOND HELPINGS” this Sunday! See the paragraph under CHRISTIAN ED. below.

JUBILEE CELEBRATION 2011! Southminster will be 50 years old on March 5, 2011. Plans are underway for a year of celebration beginning on New Year’s Day 2011.
The 50th Anniversary Planning Team needs your input and help - whether you have been a member or friend of Southminster for 50 years or 50 days. There are opportunities for long-term assistance on the Planning Team itself, or short-term commitment to plan one of the monthly anniversary activities or help with a single event.
If you are interested in joining the 50th Anniversary Planning Team or if you would like to assist with a particular celebration event, please contact Sue Clary (630-790-1109, or sueclary@sbcglobal.net ) or Pat Wiedner (630-858-0761, or pjwiedner@hotmail.com ) by Sunday, February28, 2010.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES: Thanks to those who have already donated! This is the last week we are collecting donations for our annual college care packages! Any non-perishable food (granola bars, pretzels, and the like), small school supplies (like pens, highlighters, or erasers), or even travel packs of tissues would be appreciated. Just bring them to church and drop them off in the narthex. We also need re-closable boxes (like those from Market Day). Instead of recycling these boxes, bring them in to church. Also, if you have a son or daughter currently enrolled in college, please send their school addresses to Megan Bohi at smpcce@ameritech.net, call the church with the information, or even slip a note under the door of the Christian Education office as soon as possible. (It doesn’t hurt to give us the current address, even if you think we already have it.) Help remind our college students how much they are loved! Thanks!

EASTER EGG MADNESS: There will be an Easter Egg stuffing party this Sunday after church! Come join us for some egg-stuffing fellowship! All are welcome! We are also collecting candy to stuff those eggs with. Help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy or candy with peanuts, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy until March 21. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Children’s Easter Egg Breakfast on Saturday, April 3, at 9:30 a.m! Yum!

SECOND HELPINGS: This Sunday, February 21 we will have Second Helpings. “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. On the third Sunday of the month at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. We follow this with a light lunch. Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun! We saw many of you there last month, and hope to see even more this time!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: It’s time to start thinking about Vacation Bible School! Summer feels like a long time away, but it is not too soon to begin making preparations for this year’s VBS, which will be the last week in July (26-30) from 6:00-8:30 p.m. (Put it on your calendars!) We also are looking people to run Music and Games, and for assistants in Music, Games, Crafts, and Story, and all-around helpers for each day; so if you love crafts, playing games, or music, please contact someone in the Christian Ed ministry to learn more about it.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES: Christian education is not just for our children. Don’t forget about all of the wonderful adult programming. After the service on Sunday, think about staying for Adult Ed! Blair leads a great group following fellowship in the parlor. (See below for the scripture passages Blair’s class will discuss this week.) We hope to see you there!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
February 28 - Jack Hecker
March 14- Billy Petersen
March 28- Maddie Frey

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
February 21- Second Helpings
Wednesdays in March- GIFT (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast (9:30 a.m.)
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. The lectionary passages for this week are Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13. -Blair

YOUTH!
SKI/SNOW TUBING TRIP is Feb. 26-27. If you have not told me you are coming, please do so ASAP. Gonna be a great time!

TALENT SHOW: Mark you calendar for Sunday, March 14, 5:30 pm, at Southminster. It’s our Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Talent Show, in support of the Youth Mission Trip. Sign-up sheets for attendees and performers are in the Narthex.

RUMMAGE SALE is coming! (May 15-16), so Save Your Stuff (SYS) for the sale.

Rushville, Indiana, is our YOUTH MISSION TRIP destination for this June 13-19. Teen-agers (age 14 & up), prayerfully consider being a part. Talk to Blair or one of last year’s team members to learn more.

Important announcements from the PROPERTY MINISTRY:
After careful discussion and planning, we are happy to announce that we will be resealing and restriping the parking lot this spring! This work will improve the appearance and condition of our lot and even add an additional handicapped parking space.
Because of very large unplanned expenditures in 2009 for lighting systems and furnaces, our 2010 budget for capital expenditures is now $0. As you may know, one of our challenges for 2010 is to obtain funds to purchase a NEW LAWN TRACTOR to maintain the grounds. The current equipment is broken or in very poor condition. Southminster is now in need of a new tractor this spring before the grass begins to grow (and weeds). Graciously donated time (5-10 hours/week) and equipment in years past has spared Southminster from expensive landscaping fees. ($5000-6000/summer!) The Property Ministry would rather see this money go to local/international mission or important programs that reach out and help people. A 2010 tractor poster and fundraiser box will be in the Narthex on March 7 and 14 for the sole purpose of funding this special purchase in April. Please support this important fundraiser with a monetary donation and your prayers. Email or call John Sundquist for details: Sundquist_john@comcast.net or 630-469-2273.

MARCH FELLOWSHIP EVENT: 76 Trombones are calling your name! There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Lisle Sr. High School spring musical “Music Man.” We will attend the play on Friday, March 19, 8:00pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. You must order by March 7. Any questions please contact Karen Fitzgerald (cell phone: 630-738-8060).

QUILT MINISTRY is going to move to the third Wednesday of each month. (The next gathering will be March 17.) The quilters are glad to have received a sewing machine and iron but are still hoping to get an ironing board. If you have one you’re not using, let Sue Clary or Sue Knisely know.

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

February 10, 2010

2010-02-10T22:39:00.000-06:00

Southminster E-Notes for February 10, 2010

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Dear Friends,

Think for a moment the difference between falling down when someone is beside you and falling down when you are alone. The two experiences are quite a bit different. If you fall when a friend is beside you they share concern, sometimes they help you up, and their care serves to settle your nerves. When you fall alone, sure you can get up, but something beyond your body and dignity are hurt. Your soul feels ragged from the fall.

When I first asked about our ministry with our sister church in Cuba I was told an important story that when the first Presbyterians returned after the revolution, the Cuban Presbyterians remarked, “We thought that you had forgotten us!” Ours is an important ministry of remembering who they and we are: sisters and brothers in Christ.

After our trip I have come to understand our relationship in a deeper way. Connectionalism is very important in Presbyterian circles and extremely difficult in Cuba. Ours is a ministry of presence, not presents! The material gifts we give are deeply needed and received graciously, but the people of our sister church want something more. They want us! It is difficult to express how very cut off they are from us. The Catholic Church has the force of the Vatican. Vatican City as you may recall is a political entity. Presbyterians have no such arrangement. Cuban Presbyterians are very much alone. When we remember them in prayers, send them letters, and visit they are reminded that they are not alone, but are very loved by their sisters and brothers in faith. Each visit we make smuggles in hope, love, and joy. Yes, they have Bibles, but we bring much needed fellowship. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” A gift of presence should not be undervalued. A threefold cord of us, them, and God is not quickly broken and is of lasting value. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

P.S. It is good to be back.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

SCHEDULE CHANGES:
MISSION MINISTRY will meet TONIGHT, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. in the Choir Room.
PRESBYTERY was postponed until Saturday, Feb. 20, at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church. Pre-Presbytery business will begin at 9:00 a.m.; Assembly begins at 11:00 a.m.

YOUNG ADULTS GROUP meets tonight, February 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Wendy and Blair’s. Please call to let them know if you’re coming.

No experience required to join our QUILT MINISTRY! We meet the second Wednesday of each month (in February that’s tonight, the 10th) at 7:30 p.m. We’re moving downstairs to Fellowship Hall because there are more electrical outlets there.
And the Quilt Ministry has need of the following items: an ironing board, an iron, a sewing machine. If you have one of these that you’re not using, it can be put to good use! Let Sue Clary or Sue Knisely know.

FEBRUARY FELLOWSHIP EVENT: Mardi Gras Game Night is this Saturday February 13, starting at 6:00 p.m. We’ll celebrate Mardi Gras, feast on a pancake buffet (with a variety of toppings), and play board games and Bingo. Fun for all, and a good time to invite friends to come with you. Mark your calendars now.

The JUNIOR HIGH CHIME CHOIR is playing in worship this Sunday, Feb. 14. Please be in the choir loft by 9:00 a.m. for rehearsal.

If you missed “SOUPER BOWL” Sunday, you may still bring a can of soup for the People’s Resource Center Food Pantry this coming Sunday. Drop it in the big “soup can” in the Narthex on your way to worship.

WOMEN’S SUNDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: We will begin our next Bible Study this Sunday, February 14, at 7:00 p.m. We will use the book “Breaking the Worry Habit Forever.” All women of the church are welcome. Please see Tricia Smith for a book.

Begin Lent with us on ASH WEDNESDAY, February 17. Come for a simple SOUP AND CHILI SUPPER at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. We will have a Taize WORSHIP SERVICE at 7:15 p.m. in the sanctuary including the imposition of ashes. (Choir rehearsal follows the service.)

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES: Thanks to those who have already donated! We are collecting donations for our annual college care packages! Any non-perishable food (granola bars, pretzels, and the like), small school supplies (like pens, highlighters, or erasers), or even travel packs of tissues would be appreciated. Just bring them to church and drop them off in the narthex. We also need re-closable boxes (like those from Market Day). Instead of recycling these boxes, bring them in to church. Also, if you have a son or daughter currently enrolled in college, please send their school addresses to Megan Bohi at smpcce@ameritech.net, call the church with the information, or even slip a note under the door of the Christian Education office as soon as possible. (It doesn’t hurt to give us the current address, even if you think we already have it.) Help remind our college students how much they are loved! Thanks!

EASTER EGG GOODIES: The Annual Easter Breakfast is less than two months away, and it’s time to start collecting delicious candy to stuff in those eggs! Help make the Easter party as tasty as possible and donate small candies (No Valentine’s candy, please) for the Easter egg hunt. We will be collecting candy beginning this Sunday, until March 21.Yum!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: It’s time to start thinking about Vacation Bible School! Summer feels like a long time away, but it is not too soon to begin making preparations for this year’s VBS, which will be the last week in July (26-30) from 6:00-8:30 p.m. (Put it on your calendars!) We also are looking people to run Music and Games, and for assistants in Music, Games, Crafts, and Story, and all-around helpers for each day; so if you love crafts, playing games, or music, please contact someone in the Christian Ed ministry to learn more about it.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES: Christian education is not just for our children. Don’t forget about all of the wonderful adult programming. After the service on Sunday, think about staying for Adult Ed! Blair leads a great group following fellowship in the parlor. (See below for the scripture passages Blair’s class will discuss this week.) We hope to see you there!

SECOND HELPINGS: On February 21 we will have Second Helpings. “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. On the third Sunday of the month at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun! We saw many of you there last month, and hope to see even more this time!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
February 14 - Nalani Johnson
February 28 - Jack Hecker
March 14- Billy Petersen

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
February 21- Second Helpings
Wednesdays in March- GIFT (6:30-7:30)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. The lectionary passages for this week are Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36 (37-43). -Blair

YOUTH!
SNL: See you Sunday, PYNGUINS at 6:00 p.m. and SPY at 7:00 p.m., for SNL. Bring your Valentine!
YOUTH SKI TRIP: Feb. 26 and 27 at Cascade Mountain, WI. Contact Blair for details. “Wait! Feb. 26 &27? That is really soon!” “Yup.” “I’d better talk to Blair now!” “Yup.” Avoid the “yups,” talk to me soon.

From Youth, for EVERYONE:
March 14 is time for the TALENT SHOW! Come for a sumptuous Spaghetti Dinner and our terribly terrific Talent Show, featuring talent from every corner of Southminster!!! Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. Adults, $5, children $3, free if you’re under three! See the sign-up sheets in the narthex. Sign-up to perform and sign-up to attend. Proceeds support the Youth Mission Trip.
SYS: Save Your Stuff for our annual RUMMAGE SALE fundraiser: May 15 and 16. Your junk is our profit becomes youth mission for God’s glory. As the kids say, “It’s all good.”

WOMEN’S CIRCLE: All women of Southminster are invited to attend Women’s Circle on Friday, February 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. We’ve had a change in the program from what was previously announced; Chris Kozich has kindly agreed to speak on her profession as an attorney.

MARCH FELLOWSHIP EVENT: 76 Trombones are calling your name! There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Lisle Sr. High School spring musical “Music Man.” We will attend the play on Friday, March 19, 8:00pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. You must order by March 7. Any questions please contact Karen Fitzgerald (cell phone: 630-738-8060).

The S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES group is planning to go to the FREE Global Flick (Happy-Go- Lucky) at the COD McAninch Art Center on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. We will meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Giordano’s, 455 W. Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. The sign up sheet is in the narthex.

A reminder to all: the FRONT DOOR OF THE CHURCH OFTEN DOES NOT CLOSE SECURELY unless you push/pull it shut. Please check behind you when you enter or leave the building to make sure the door has locked. It’s very worrisome for the first person to arrive for work in the morning or for a meeting or rehearsal in the evening and find the door not secure.

January 20, 2010

2010-01-21T10:40:00.001-06:00

Scripture: Romans 8:18-22:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

Dear Friends,

On Sunday we read a Psalm of great comfort, Psalm 36:5-10. During fellowship a member told me that he had trouble reading the Psalm given the earthquake in Haiti. Good thought. For me, when evil things happen, and the earthquake was a great evil, I remember that sin is bigger than our individual actions. The fall affected creation as well as humanity. The passage above from Romans talks about creation waiting for the revelation of the children of God. So when great evil happens, like so called “acts of God,” I don’t ask what God is doing. I ask what I am doing to help reveal the children of God. Our task when an evil strikes is to bring hope, to bring relief, to bring comfort.

One of the bright spots, if we can talk about bright spots during a tragedy, is the aid that is coming to this small country. Our globe, not just America, is experiencing an economic challenge. Many are struggling financially. Despite this, aid is coming to Haiti! Countries around the world, not just the United States, are helping. The children of God are bringing light and love to people in need.

Another quake hit Haiti this morning. I am not surprised; after shocks are common. Meanwhile search your heart and ask the Lord what you are called to do. Also, if you have a heart to donate but not the financial resources, you do have the resources to pray - not only now, but into the future, because this is going to be a long term project. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

TONIGHT: PRESBYTERIAN READERS! We will finally meet to discuss the book we had originally chosen for December: “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout. Join us at 7:30 p.m. in the parlor for a lively discussion.

HOCKEY FANS! Any last-minute takers for the Chicago Wolves “Faith and Fellowship” night on January 30? Contact Megan or Blair by this Friday morning, Jan. 22. Tickets are $10/each and will be ordered on Friday. This is a CE/Youth sponsored family event, so bring the whole clan. This is for everyone - you don’t have to be involved in CE or be a youth to attend this event!

The Session of Southminster Presbyterian Church has called the ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION AND CORPORATION to be held this Sunday, January 24, immediately following the worship service. Annual reports packets will be available in the narthex. Please pick up one copy per family as you arrive for worship Sunday morning.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES: We are collecting donations for our annual college care packages! Any non-perishable food (granola bars, pretzels, and the like), small school supplies (like pens, highlighters, or erasers), or even travel packs of tissues would be appreciated. Just bring them to church and drop them by the CE office. We also need re-closable boxes (like those from Market Day). Instead of recycling these boxes, bring them in to church and drop them by the CE office. Also, if you have a son or daughter currently enrolled in college, please send their school addresses to Megan Bohi at smpcce@ameritech.net, call the church with the information, or even slip a note under the door of the Christian Education office as soon as possible. (It doesn’t hurt to give us the current address, even if you think we already have it.) Help remind our college students how much they are loved! Thanks!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: It’s time to start thinking about Vacation Bible School! Summer feels like a long time away, but it is not too soon to begin making preparations for this year’s VBS, which will be the last week in July (26-30) from 6:00-8:30 p.m. (Put it on your calendars!) We are looking for a spiritually-charged person who loves to see God’s light shine on the faces of all who take part in the event - young and old alike - no other experience needed. We also need people to run, and assist, in each station, so if you love crafts, snacks, playing games, or music, please contact someone in the Christian Ed ministry to learn more about it.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES: Christian education is not just for our children. Don’t forget about all of the wonderful adult programming. After the service on Sunday, think about staying for Adult Ed! Blair leads a great group following fellowship in the parlor. (See below for the scripture passages Blair’s class will discuss this week.) We hope to see you there!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
January 31 - Haley Jablonski
February 14 - Nalani Johnson
February 28 - Jack Hecker
March 14- Billy Petersen

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
January 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school.
January 30 - Family Fellowship at Chicago Wolves
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6:00-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: Join us at 11:00 a.m. Sunday for our continuing Bible study. The lectionary passages for this week are Nehemiah 8:1-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, and Luke 4:14-21. -Blair (With no E-Notes next week, here’s the list of passages for the following Sunday, January 31: Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30.)

YOUTH: Join us for SNL this Sunday, PYNGUINS at 6:00 pm and SPY at 7:00 pm.
Get ready for our “SOUPER BOWL,” Feb. 7 at 5:00 p.m. Cost of admission, one can of soup!! Get it, “Souper Bowl.” Note that there will be no SNL on Jan. 31.

CHURCH OFFICER RETREAT, PART 2. Elders and deacons, remember that we planned to continue the discussions we began during our retreat? That gathering will replace the deacon meeting this coming Tuesday, January 26. For anyone interested, we’ll have a baked potato supper at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the church by January 25 if you will join us for dinner. The Retreat Part 2 meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S BREAKFAST: Always the first Monday of the month, the next one comes up on February 1. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada.

“Souper Bowl” Sunday is coming!!! Please bring a can of soup for the People’s Resource Center Food Pantry on February 7 or 14. Drop it in the big “soup can” in the Narthex.

FEBRUARY FELLOWSHIP EVENT: Save the date of Saturday February 13, starting at 6:00 p.m.! We’ll celebrate Mardi Gras, feast on a pancake buffet (with a variety of toppings), and play board games and Bingo. Mark your calendars now.

January 13, 2010

2010-01-15T10:05:00.000-06:00

Scripture: Matthew 23:26-28
“Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Dear Friends,

I am really very grateful to the Property ministry this week. First, they cleaned the entrance hall, took everything down, and taped the edges. The following day folks painted the hall. Everything looks fresh and new! It looks beautiful. More than that, it looks really clean. They did a great job. Right now, they are doing the hard work of vacuuming and cleaning up. They have been faithful from beginning to end. What they have done has made a real difference!

Recently, I told Blair that one of the good things (yes, there can be good things) about a heavy snow is that everyone’s homes look great! A big white blanket of beauty is spread all over the town. Everything looks fresh and new! However, that beauty is deceitful, because as it melts, the sand from road work emerges, and the scattered trash is uncovered. It may have been beautiful for awhile, but it takes time, spring rains, and sunshine to bring real genuine beauty to people’s yards.

In Jesus Christ God makes all things new, but it does take time and effort. Just like our Property ministry had to work on the hall, just like homeowners need to put some effort in their yards, transformation takes a commitment. Dallas Willard, one of my favorite Christian thinkers says, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.” (Dallas Willard in “The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship”)

Grace has to do with how we live our lives. May we remember that grace is something offered to us free, but also something we grow into. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

TONIGHT: QUILT MINISTRY! Sue Clary and Sue Knisely invite anyone of any skill level to join them in starting a quilt ministry. First meeting is tonight -Wednesday, January 13- in the narthex. The projects will be very simple, and the quilts will be donated to places such as the Convalescent Center. Questions? Contact either Sue: Sue C. at 630-790-1109 or Sue K. at 630-462-7140.

WOMEN’S CIRCLE: Join us this Friday, January 15, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Our program will be Sarah Allen, APN, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife. All women of the church are invited.

The annual SECRET PALS SALAD LUNCHEON will be this Saturday, January l6, at 12:00 noon at the church. Bring a small gift for your Secret Pal and also a salad to pass. Any women of the church who are currently not part of our group but would like to learn more about us are welcome to come to the luncheon. We would love to have you! Look for the sign-up sheet posted in the narthex, or talk to Joan Koska (630-469-7935).

C.E./YAT SPECIAL MEETING: Christian Education and Youth Action Team ministries will have a brief meeting after church this Sunday - at 10:45 in the parlor - to discuss the filling of the Youth Director and Christian Education Director positions, presently served by our two capable interim staff members, Blair Nelson and Megan Bohi. All are welcome. Plan to grab a quick cup of coffee and join us right after worship.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SECOND HELPINGS: Come join us after worship this Sunday, January 17, for “Second Helpings!” “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family, and ALL are welcome. On the third Sunday of the month at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. This month we will explore baptism and will conclude with a light lunch and fellowship, beginning at 11:45. Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun!
COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES: We will be collecting re-closeable boxes for our annual college care packages. Instead of recycling these boxes, bring them in to church and drop them by the CE office. Also, if you have a child currently enrolled in college, please send their school addresses to Megan Bohi at smpcce@ameritech.net, call the church with the information, or even slip a note under the door of the Christian Education office as soon as possible. Thanks!
FAMILY FELLOWHIP EVENT: Southminster’s CE and Youth ministries invite you out for a time of family fun at a CHICAGO WOLVES GAME. Saturday January 30th is the Wolves “Faith and Fellowship Night.” That includes a “Fun Fest,” pre-game fireworks, and a post-game fellowship time with goalie, Drew MacIntyre! And the hockey game, of course. The fun begins at 5:00 p.m. at the Skyline Room, (adjacent to the Allstate Arena Box Office) and will finish around 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 each purchased through the church. Deadline for ordering tickets is this Sunday, January 17. Come on and have a night with the kids and our church family. The Wolves will be taking on the Hamilton Bulldogs.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: It’s time to start thinking about Vacation Bible School! Summer feels like a long time away, but it is not too soon to begin making preparations for this year’s VBS, which will be the last week in July (26-30) (Put it on your calendars!). We are looking for a spiritually-charged person who loves to see God’s light shine on the faces of all who take part in the event - young and old alike - no other experience needed. We also need people to run, and assist, in each station, so if you love crafts, snacks, playing games, or music, please contact someone in the Christian Ed ministry to learn more about it.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES: Christian education is not just for our children. Don’t forget about all of the wonderful adult programming. After the service on Sunday, think about staying for Adult Ed! Blair leads a great group following fellowship in the parlor. (See below for the scripture passages Blair’s class will discuss this week.) We hope to see you there!

ACOLYTE Schedule:
January 17 - Dakota Dolister
January 31 - Haley Jablonski
February 14 - Nalani Johnson
February 28 - Jack Hecker

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
January 17 - Second Helpings and all-church lunch. (Everyone’s invited-Come join us!)
January 17, 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school.
January 30 - Family Fellowship at Chicago Wolves (All Families Welcome!)
April 3 - Annual Easter Breakfast
July 26-30 - Vacation Bible School (6-8:30 p.m.)

ADULT EDUCATION: This week’s lectionary passages for our adult study are: Isaiah 62:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11. Join us for warm fellowship, study, and edifying conversation. -Blair

YOUTH: Youth and families, we’ve got an outing planned to a Chicago Wolves hockey game on January 30. Look above in the Christian Ed. Notes for all the details.

PRESBYTERIAN READERS will meet Wednesday, January 20, to (finally) discuss the book we had originally chosen for December. You still have time to find and read “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout. Then plan to join us on the 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the parlor for a lively discussion.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: Barb is scheduled to have knee surgery on Friday, January 22, and will need to be out of the office for about a week. If you would like to spend a few hours in the office answering the phone, greeting visitors, talking with the staff, running the copier, (reading a good book, keeping up with your correspondence, chatting with other members) etc., please let us know.

Session has called the ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION to be held Sunday, January 24, 2010, following the worship service. Annual Reports packets will be available for distribution prior to the meeting.

CHURCH OFFICER RETREAT, PART 2. Elders and deacons, remember that we planned to continue the discussions we began during our retreat? That gathering will replace the deacon meeting on Tuesday, January 26. For anyone interested, we’ll have a baked potato supper at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the church by January 25 if you will join us for dinner. The Retreat Part 2 meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.

We need volunteers for our VALET PARKING service. Each Sunday, we would like a “Valet” (or two) at the front door around 9:00 a.m. and then again for 15 minutes after the service to do any or all of these services: walk people to and from their cars, park cars (owners keep the keys during the service), and provide an extra arm at the front door. We need volunteers to make this possible, so please serve as a valet one Sunday. Sign-up on the sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

FEBRUARY FELLOWSHIP EVENT: Save the date of Saturday February 13, starting at 6:00 p.m.! We’ll celebrate Mardi Gras, feast on pancakes, and play board games and Bingo. Mark your calendars now.

January 6, 2010

2010-01-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

Mark 2: 1-12 Jesus Heals a Paralytic
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and take your mat and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.’ And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’

Dear Friends,

In the scripture above, friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. If it weren’t for the friends, the man would never have been able to get inside the door because of the crowd, much less see Jesus. There is a group of people in our congregation who have the same problem. No, they are not paralyzed, but the snow and the ice of winter are daunting given the hill on which our church is set. The hill is a problem for some even in good weather, but in the winter the hill might as well be Mt. Everest.

You can help!

We need licensed drivers to sign up to be Valets. Right now, January 10 is open, as are January 24, February 7, February 14 and February 21. The duties of the valet are simple: please be at church from 9:00 to 9:30 before worship, and be available after the service for 15 minutes. (Look below among the announcements for more information about duties.)

There are times when we all need a little extra help. With this gift of service you will give someone the gift of fellowship, grace, prayer, song, and worship. Please respond by email, call Barb in the office at 630 469-9149, or sign up yourself. The list is on the board on your left as you come in the front door. Give it some thought, and take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

YOUNG ADULTS are invited for dinner and fellowship tonight (Wednesday, January 6) from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Blair and Wendy’s home. Please call and let us know you’re coming so we can set a place at the table for you.

PAINTING THE HALLWAY: The Property Ministry asks that members whose work is on display in the entry hall plan to remove it by this Sunday, January 10, in preparation for painting. Committee members will begin taping and painting the hallway next Tuesday, January 12, at 9:00 a.m. and expect to be finished on January 13. New artwork is scheduled to be hung January 18.

QUILT MINISTRY: Sue Clary and Sue Knisely invite anyone of any skill level to join them in starting a quilt ministry. First meeting is Wednesday, January 13, in the narthex. The projects will be very simple, and the quilts will be donated to places such as the Convalescent Center. Questions? Contact either Sue: Sue C. at 630-790-1109 or Sue K. at 630-462-7140.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
SECOND HELPINGS: Come join us after worship on Sunday, January 17, for “Second Helpings!” “Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family offered on the third Sunday of the month, and ALL are welcome. Each week at 11:00 a.m., adults and children alike spend time learning about Christ, God, and themselves as they participate in either adult Bible study or children’s programming. This month we will explore baptism and will conclude with a light lunch and fellowship, beginning at 11:45. Remember, everyone is invited, so don’t miss out on the fun!
ROTATION UNIT: To supplement the curriculum, we will have a rotation format for grades K-middle school the weeks of January 17, 24, and 31. The purpose of having a rotation is to give the children an opportunity to experience the Word of God using various learning styles through media such as art, drama, music, etc. The Bible stories we will be using are from the New Testament times of Jesus. If you have any items that might visually aid our rotation such as rugs, pottery, wall hangings, etc. and do not mind them being used (but not handled), please contact someone in Christian Ed or one of the Sunday School teachers. Thank you.
FAMILY FELLOWHIP EVENT: Southminster’s CE and Youth ministries invite you out for a time of family fun at a CHICAGO WOLVES GAME. Saturday January 30th is the Wolves “Faith and Fellowship Night.” That includes a “Fun Fest,” pre-game fireworks, and a post-game fellowship time with goalie, Drew MacIntyre! And the hockey game, of course. The fun begins at 5:00 p.m. at the Skyline Room, (adjacent to the Allstate Arena Box Office) and will finish around 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 each purchased through the church. Deadline for ordering tickets is Jan. 17th . Come on and have a night with the kids and our church family. The Wolves will be taking on the Hamilton Bulldogs.

ACOLYTE Schedule:
January 17 Dakota Dolister
January 31 Haley Jablonski
February 14 Nalani Johnson

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
January 17 - Second Helpings and all-church lunch. (Everyone’s invited- Come join us!)
January 17, 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school.
January 30 - Family Fellowship at Chicago Wolves (All Families Welcome!)

ADULT EDUCATION: This week’s lectionary passages for our adult study are: Isaiah 43:1-7, Acts 8:14-17, and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22. Join us for warm fellowship, study, and edifying conversation. -Blair

YOUTH: See you this Sunday (6:00 p.m. PYNGUINS & 7:00 p.m. SPY) for the first SNL of 2010!!!!!!!!!
Youth and families, we’ve got an outing planned to a Chicago Wolves hockey game on January 30. Look above in the Christian Ed. Notes for all the details.

The FLOWER CHART FOR 2010 is posted in the narthex. There are still dates available! Sunday arrangements will be $20 each. We ask that you pay for your arrangements in advance; please write “Flowers” on your check memo line.

Have you picked up your 2010 OFFERING ENVELOPES? They are available in the narthex. If you would like envelopes but there is no box prepared for you, please let the church office know or contact Ron Birchall, Co-Moderator of the Finance Ministry.

WOMEN’S CIRCLE: Join us on Friday, January 15, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Our program will be Sarah Allen, APN, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife. All women of the church are invited.

The annual SECRET PALS SALAD LUNCHEON will be Saturday, January l6, at 12:00 noon at the church. Bring a small gift for your Secret Pal and also a salad to pass. Any women of the church who are currently not part of our group but would like to learn more about us are welcome to come to the luncheon. We would love to have you! Look for the sign-up sheet posted in the narthex, or talk to Joan Koska (630-469-7935).

PRESBYTERIAN READERS will meet Wednesday, January 20, to (finally) discuss the book we had originally chosen for December. You still have time to find and read “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout. Then plan to join us on the 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the parlor for a lively discussion.

Session has called the ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION to be held Sunday, January 24, 2010, following the worship service. Annual Reports packets will be available for distribution prior to the meeting.

We need volunteers for our VALET PARKING service. Each Sunday, we would like a “Valet” (or two) at the front door around 9:00 a.m. and then again for 15 minutes after the service to do any or all of these services: walk people to and from their cars, park cars (owners keep the keys during the service), and provide an extra arm at the front door. We need volunteers to make this possible, so please serve as a valet one Sunday. Sign-up on the sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: Barb is scheduled to have knee surgery on Friday, January 22, and will need to be out of the office for several days. If you would like to spend a few hours in the office answering the phone, greeting visitors, talking with the staff, running the copier, etc., please let us know.

FEBRUARY FELLOWSHIP EVENT: Save the date of Saturday February 13, starting at 6:00 p.m.! We’ll celebrate Mardi Gras, feast on pancakes, and play board games and Bingo. Mark your calendars now.

December 23, 2009

2009-12-23T15:14:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Do you have time for a quick thought? One of my dear memories is a Christmas night after we had opened all the presents. That night my grandfather took us, the three grandchildren, to the back room and read to us the Christmas story from the Bible. It probably lasted all of five minutes, but those five minutes were a quiet time in the midst of all the “happenings” of the day. I have never spoken to my brother and sister about that night. I don’t know if it meant anything to them. For all I know, Grandpa was trying to give the other adults in the house a few moments of quiet, but for me it remains a good memory and instructive. Perhaps your grandchildren won’t be interested, but it might be something good for you in the midst of the “happenings” of Christmas to sit once again and find the peace of Christmas. Here are a few scripture passages:
Luke 2:1 to 20
Matthew 1:18 to 25
Matthew 2:1 to 12
John 1:1 to 18

Peace on earth and good will to all.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Worship with us at 7:30 p.m. on CHRISTMAS EVE. Our service will tell the story of Jesus’ birth through special music, Scripture, and the singing of best-loved Christmas carols. We will celebrate communion and conclude with the traditional lighting of the Christ candle and individual candles. Child care will be available for our smallest children, but we invite families to share Christmas Eve worship with even the youngest members of their family

We hope you are aware that the Mission Committee has two separate offerings this Christmas.
1. CHRISTMAS LOCAL MISSION OFFERING: Please place this offering in the envelope decorated with red poinsettias and marked “Southminster Local Mission.” This offering will be divided as follows: 75% to the Local Mission budget for 2010 and 25% to this year’s special designee, Family Shelter Services. SPC has always generously supported the Mission budget by giving at this time of the year.
2. CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING: Please place this offering in the white envelope with the red Christmas star marked “Christmas Joy Offering.” This offering is divided between the national denomination’s Board of Pensions for assistance to retired pastors and Presbyterian-supported racial/ethnic schools.
Envelopes for both offerings are in the pews now; both offerings will be dedicated on Christmas Eve. We thank you for your support of these special offerings.

We have received a holiday message from Cuba: “From the Presbytery of Havana we greet you and wish the greatest blessings of the Lord for all His creation.”
-Pastor Abel Mirabal Padilla

Winter weather has arrived, which means an even greater need for VALET PARKING. Each Sunday, we would like a “Valet” (or two) at the front door around 9:00 a.m. and then again for 15 minutes after the service to do any or all of these services: walk people to and from their cars, park cars (owners keep the keys during the service), and provide an extra arm at the front door. We need volunteers to make this possible, so please serve as a valet one Sunday. Sign-up on the sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.
And, as these E-Notes are going out, there’s nobody signed up to help with Valet Parking on Christmas Eve! If you want to volunteer, reply to this email.

2010 OFFERING ENVELOPES are now available in the narthex. Be sure to pick up your own, and if there are some you could deliver (for family members, friends or neighbors), please get theirs too. If you would like envelopes but there is no box prepared for you, please let the church office know or contact Ron Birchall, Co-Moderator of the Finance Ministry.

COLLEGE STUDENT BRUNCH - Tuesday, December 29, in the parlor at 11:00 a.m.

The 2009 CHURCH FINANCIAL RECORDS must be closed promptly at the end of this month. Any deposits, donations or pledges that need to be recorded in calendar year 2009 or bills to be paid from the 2009 budget must be into the church office no later than 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 31. If you have any questions, please contact either Treasurer Pat Muehl or Tom Frey. (Please note that Barb will be on vacation the week following Christmas. If you need a Check Request or any other form, please request it before December 24. Someone will check the mail daily through 12/31, and even when the office is closed you can drop things through the mail slot to the right of the front door.

There will be no E-Notes next Wednesday, December 30, while Barb is on vacation.

The FLOWER CHART FOR 2010 is now posted in the narthex. There are lots of dates available! Sunday arrangements will be $20 each. We ask that you pay for your arrangements in advance; please write “Flowers” on your check memo line.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: DVDs of the Christmas Program are available at no cost. Please let Laura Baer know if you are interested either by phoning the church office or by email at smpcce@ameritech.net
Meet the PRIMARY CLASS! The primary class, K-2nd graders, is a very lively and large class! We have been blessed with a lot of children who like to participate. We spent the fall learning about Moses and the incredible journey that his life took. The children have done a lot of crafts, a lot of coloring, and even got to play instruments inside a tabernacle! The winter session has just started with the good news that the angel Gabriel gave to Mary about the very special baby she was going to have and will then be moving on to learn how Jesus touched many lives. Russell, Alexandria, Cori, Kayla, Kevin, Noah, Max, Elizabeth, and Ellie are a great group to be able to learn with! -Andrea Schmidt and Melissa Nachman
ROTATION UNIT: To supplement the curriculum, we will have a rotation format for grades K-middle school the weeks of January 17, 24, and 31. The purpose of having a rotation is to give the children an opportunity to experience the Word of God using various learning styles through media such as art, drama, music, etc. The Bible stories we will be using are from the New Testament times of Jesus. If you have any items that might visually aid our rotation such as rugs, pottery, wall hangings, etc. and do not mind them being used (but not handled), please contact someone in Christian Ed or one of the Sunday School teachers. Thank you.

ACOLYTE Schedule:
January 3 Maddie Frey
January 17 Dakota Dolister
January 31 Haley Jablonski

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
December 27 - No Sunday School.
January 17 - Second Helpings and all-church lunch.
January 17, 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school.

Our ADULT BIBLE STUDY CLASS will not meet this coming Sunday, December 27. If you would like to read the lectionary passages for that date, they are: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52. We will resume class on Sunday, January 3, with the following passages: Jeremiah 31:7-14; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:(1-9) 10-18. Join us and we’ll learn together. -Blair

YOUTH: The youth groups will not meet on December 27 or January 3. But the high school class will meet on Sunday mornings both dates with Pastor Wendy.

LADIES’ BREAKFAST PARTICIPANTS: After doing dishes at the recent Women’s Circle cookie exchange, it was noted that we could use some new dish towels for the church kitchens. How about we each bring a dish towel to our Ladies’ Breakfast on January 4, 2010? This collection of towels can then be donated to the church. Thanks. See you at breakfast, 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East!

COMMITTEE MODERATORS AND STAFF: The due date for narrative reports for the Annual Reports packets is Tuesday, January 5. Financial reports are due as soon as the figures are available. Session has called the ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION for Sunday, January 24, 2010, immediately after worship. Annual Reports packets will be available the previous week: Sunday, January 17.

PAINTING THE HALLWAY: The Property Ministry asks that members whose work is on display in the entry hall plan to remove it by Sunday, January 10, in preparation for painting. Committee members will begin taping and painting the hallway on Tuesday, January 12, at 9:00 a.m. and expect to be finished on January 13. New artwork is scheduled to be hung January 18.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: Barb is scheduled to have knee surgery on Friday, January 22, and will need to be out of the office for several days. If you would like to spend a few hours in the office answering the phone, greeting visitors, talking with the staff, running the copier, etc., please let us know.

December 16, 2009

2009-12-16T23:10:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

While I was standing at the pharmacy counter at Walgreen’s one of the techs said to a woman customer, “It will be only one more minute.” He was on the phone trying to sort out her insurance. The woman replied, “Is that real time or telephone time?” I had to laugh, and I said to her, “That sounds a lot like Advent.” She smiled, “You are right! Except we know that Christmas will come whether we are ready or not.” I said that I was waiting for Christ to return and for that, unlike with Christmas, there is no calendar. She said she liked that, too. Do you ever feel like you are dealing with telephone time?

Einstein said that time is relative, that the minute spent with a hot coal in your hand is longer than the minute spent holding a beautiful woman. Einstein had a way with words. Even so, he is right. As part of our devotional time at session, we each shared a small thing that had been beautiful, joyful, or funny during this season of Advent. Many shared notes of encouragement, responses to Christmas programs, memories of the past, and surprises, as when a spouse decorated the house without help. In the midst of the “one more minute” of Advent time, take a minute to consider small graces in your life and thank God.

I am thankful for you all; your faithfulness in stewardship, our shared joy in the Christmas program, the beauty of our music together, the hugs of our children, and so much more. Grace and peace in the minutes of waiting for all to be ready for receiving our Lord. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

PRESBYTERIAN READERS: Several people discussed it, and we decided not to meet tonight because we’re all too busy. Join us when we resume meeting the third Wednesday in January.

The DEADLINE FOR THE JANUARY DIALOG is early this month: it’s tomorrow, January 17!

The Women’s Circle annual CHRISTMAS SALAD LUNCHEON AND COOKIE EXCHANGE is this Friday, December 18, at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor and narthex. Program: Pat Muehl, “Christmas Art.” Salads will be provided by the members of the circle. Guests are always welcome. The cookie exchange is optional; feel free to come for lunch even if you don’t wish to participate in the exchange. If you want to exchange, bring a plate or container of your special holiday cookies and take home an equal number.

We’re looking for ANYBODY INTERESTED IN PLAYING THE NEW CHOIR CHIMES FOR THE CHRISTMAS EVE service. Must have at least a limited knowledge of note reading and be able to stay for rehearsal this Sunday right after worship. We’ll meet in the choir room.

This Sunday is our CHRISTMAS CAROL SING-ALONG SUPPER! Soup and sandwiches will start off the event on Sunday, December 20, at 5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Participants are asked to bring a plate of cookies to provide dessert for all. Following the meal we will “break into song'” singing Christmas favorites. We promise a fun time for all! All families and friends are welcome, whatever size “family” you are. Sign up in the narthex or show up that night. It will be great fun!

Worship with us at 7:30 p.m. on CHRISTMAS EVE. Our service will tell the story of Jesus’ birth through special music, Scripture, and the singing of best-loved Christmas carols. We will celebrate communion and conclude with the traditional lighting of the Christ candle and individual candles. Child care will be available for our smallest children, but we invite families to share Christmas Eve worship with even the youngest members of their family

Head usher Lanny Russell is looking for VOLUNTEERS TO USHER ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Please let him know if you’d like to help.

Winter weather has arrived, which means an even greater need for VALET PARKING. Each Sunday, we would like a “Valet” (or two) at the front door around 9:00 a.m. and then again for 15 minutes after the service to do any or all of these services: walk people to and from their cars, park cars (owners keep the keys during the service), and provide an extra arm at the front door. We need volunteers to make this possible, so please serve as a valet one Sunday (and don’t forget Christmas Eve!). Sign-up on the sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s Christmas program a truly delightful and worshipful event. A special thank you to Pastor Wendy for her spiritual guidance, Suzanne Tennyson for directing the children, Peter Davidson for set design, John Sundquist for sound/equipment, Darlene Crilly for music accompaniment, Roxanne Johnson for lighting, Dan Bohi for video taping, and Barb Doppelt for providing us with the program insert. And of course, a big thank you to all the children, youth and adults who gave their time and talents to participate in the program.
DVDs of the Christmas Program are available at no cost. Please let Laura Baer know if you are interested either by phoning the church office or by email at smpcce@ameritech.net
Christian Ed will be cleaning out the supply closet during the Christmas/New Year holiday, and we are in need of SMALL AND LARGE CLEAR PLASTIC TUBS (TOTES) WITH LIDS. If you would like to donate one or more tubs, please leave them on one of the tables in the narthex and mark “Christian Ed” on it. Thank you for your help.
ROTATION UNIT: We will have a rotation format for grades K-middle school the weeks of January 17, 24, and 31. Our regular teachers, for the most part, will enjoy these three weeks off from teaching. If you have thought about teaching, this would be an excellent (and short-term) opportunity to explore your gifts. Please call Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net if you are interested.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED?
December 27 - No Sunday School.
January 17 - Second Helpings and all-church lunch.
January 17, 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school.

Our ADULT BIBLE STUDY CLASS will continue this Sunday with the following passages: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:47-55; Hebrews 10:5-10; and Luke 1:39-45. Join us and we’ll learn together. -Blair

YOUTH: Be at church at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday to help with the Soup & Sandwich Sing-Along Supper, then School is almost out (!), and Christmas is coming, so we’re gonna have a LOCK IN beginning as soon has we have cleaned up from the dinner. Bring your sleeping bag, pillow, tooth brush, snacks, games, and $5 for late night pizza. Watch your facebook for the invite and let Blair know what kinds of snacks you like. We may go ice skating: Blair is looking for a location.

We hope you are aware that the Mission Committee has two separate offerings this Christmas.
1. CHRISTMAS LOCAL MISSION OFFERING: Please place this offering in the envelope decorated with red poinsettias and marked “Southminster Local Mission.” This offering will be divided as follows: 75% to the Local Mission budget for 2010 and 25% to this year’s special designee, Family Shelter Services. SPC has always generously supported the Mission budget by giving at this time of the year.
2. CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING: Please place this offering in the white envelope with the red Christmas star marked “Christmas Joy Offering.” This offering is divided between the national denomination’s Board of Pensions for assistance to retired pastors and Presbyterian-supported racial/ethnic schools.
Envelopes for both offerings are in the pews now; both offerings will be dedicated on Christmas Eve. We thank you for your support of these special offerings.

SOUTHMINSTER CHRISTMAS CARDS: Do you have a relative or friend who has everything, and you do not know what to give to them for Christmas? How about a gift to one of Southminster’s special Christmas offerings in the name of that special someone on your Christmas list? A special card with the image of Southminster’s Advent Banner on the front and a special inscription on the inside honoring the person you name and you as the gift giver is now available. For complete information, please open the attachment “Southminster Christmas Cards” that came with these E-Notes.

COLLEGE STUDENT BRUNCH - Tuesday, December 29, in the parlor at 11:00 a.m. Invitations have been mailed to students.

2010 OFFERING ENVELOPES are now available in the narthex. Be sure to pick up your own, and if there are some you could deliver (for family members, friends or neighbors), please get theirs too. If you would like envelopes but there is no box prepared for you, please let the church office know or contact Ron Birchall, Co-Moderator of the Finance Ministry.

The 2009 CHURCH FINANCIAL RECORDS must be closed promptly at the end of this month. Any deposits, donations or pledges that need to be recorded in calendar year 2009 or bills to be paid from the 2009 budget must be into the church office no later than 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 31. If you have any questions, please contact either Treasurer Pat Muehl or Tom Frey. (Please note that Barb will be on vacation the week following Christmas. If you need a Check Request or any other form, please request it before December 24. Someone will check the mail daily through 12/31, and even when the office is closed you can drop things through the mail slot to the right of the front door.

The FLOWER CHART FOR 2010 is now posted in the narthex. Sunday arrangements will be $20 each. We ask that you pay for your arrangements in advance; please write “Flowers” on your check memo line.

If you SHOP ONLINE for holiday gifts, it is now possible for a portion of what you spend to BENEFIT SOUTHMINSTER. When you buy online through the iGive.com network of over 700 online stores, Southminster will receive a percentage of every dollar you spend. For more information, including a list of online stores, just go to www.iGive.com/Southminsterpc, complete the registration form, and start shopping. All funds received by Southminster from iGive.com will be added to Southminster’s Mission Fund.

December 2, 2009

2009-12-08T07:41:00.000-06:00

Isaiah 11: 1-9
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him―
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -
and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

Dear Friends,

The year I turned twenty-one I lived alone in Connecticut. My family had moved, and with the move I lost my church. I lost my church because I was too embarrassed by my parent’s divorce and no one from the congregation knew how to say hello to a young twenty-something woman on her own. I think I was the one who was lost.

That Christmas season was difficult for me. I didn’t know how to have Christmas on my own, and I hadn’t developed a healthy habit of worship yet. Neither did I know how to get around in the Bible very well. But I did want to pray. I had a vague memory of Christmas involving the prophet Isaiah. What a surprise! I was looking for words of comfort, and instead I found judgment. The first chapters of Isaiah were all about judgment; in fact they were terrifying passages about how angry God was. I gave up and tired Matthew. I didn’t get past the genealogy in chapter one.

It’s too bad. If I had pushed past the tenth chapter of Isaiah I would have found chapter 11, a real message of hope. If I had even pushed past to the second chapter of Matthew, I would have been much happier.

Sometimes we stop looking when the answer is right nearby. In this season of advent, please keep your eyes open for what God is doing. Perhaps you won’t see God doing anything. It may that you will see something that God is calling you to. Perhaps there is someone without family who would love to hear a simple, “Hello” and invitation to worship. Each week till Christmas I will be highlighting a scripture passage that may bring you “tidings of comfort and joy.” Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Don’t you just love Christmas music? Join our FESTIVAL CHOIR! Plan to join us on Thursday nights in December at 7:30 in the choir room. If you like to sing but don’t feel you can commit to choir for the entire year, here’s a short-term “fix.” We’ll sing for Sunday services and on Christmas Eve (one service that evening at 7:30), and we always follow the Christmas Eve service with a party. We’d love to have you join us for this season!

“SHARE THE SPIRIT” deadline is this Sunday. If you have selected an ornament from our giving tree, bring your gift - unwrapped! - to the narthex any time up to Sunday, December 6. If you haven’t chosen an ornament, here are some suggested gifts: activity toys, push/pull toys for toddlers, stuffed toys, dolls, building blocks, puzzles, arts/crafts kits, sports equipment, cars/trucks, gift certificates for $20 or $25 from Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, or TJMaxx, or food gift cards for $20 or $25 from Jewel, Dominick’s, Ultra, or Aldi. Or, help the Sunday school collection for “Share the Spirit” by bringing warm children’s hats, gloves, and mittens.

The LADIES BREAKFAST GROUP has decided not to exchange Christmas socks in December. Instead we agreed to bring mittens or gloves for the “Share the Spirit” collection. You can bring these items to church on Sunday, December 6, or to our breakfast on Monday, December 7 (8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada), and we will make sure they get to the People’s Resource Center. Thanks!

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
This Sunday, December 6, is the FINAL REHEARSAL FOR THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM! If your child has a speaking part, please practice with him/her at home to reinforce the part.
Schedule for December 6:
10:45-11:00 a.m. - Costume fittings - Sanctuary.
11:00 a.m. - Final practice/dress rehearsal. We will begin rehearsal promptly after costume fittings.
11:45 a.m. - Baked potato bar with trimmings for entire church family – Fellowship Hall

DECEMBER “SECOND HELPINGS”: Due to the Christmas program rehearsal, we will have “Second Helpings” on December 6. After adult Bible study and youth and children program rehearsal, the entire church family will enjoy a special “loaded” baked potato bar in Fellowship Hall.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM, December 13 - “Too-oo-oo-oo Busy”
Parents, please have your child/children in the sanctuary by 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 13, so we can run through last minute preparations.

“SHARE THE SPIRIT” - A vision for missions: This is the last Sunday that Youth and Sunday School classes will be collecting hats and mittens. Please bring these items in any time this week and drop them off in the narthex.

ROTATION UNIT: We will have a rotation format for grades K-middle school the weeks of January 17, 24, and 31. Our regular teachers, for the most part, will enjoy these three weeks off from teaching. If you have thought about teaching, this would be an excellent opportunity to explore your gifts. Please call Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net if you are interested.

WHAT’S COMING UP IN CHRISTIAN ED.?
December 6 - Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal and baked potato bar lunch
December 13 - Christmas Program
No “Second Helpings” third Sunday in December (activities on Dec. 6 will be our “Second Helpings” for this month)
December 27 - No Sunday School
January 17, 24, 31 - Rotation units for K-middle school

Our ADULT BIBLE STUDY CLASS will continue this Sunday with the following passages: Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6. Join us and we’ll learn together. -Blair (There was a lectionary bookmark attached to last week’s E-Notes. If you need another copy, please email the office.)

YOUTH: At SNL this Sunday, we will be doing some planning for special events, i.e. lasertag or ???, so bring your ideas and check your school, sports, concert, etc. calendars so we can plan around the other big events in your busy lives.

S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES are invited to come hear the Singing Men of Oak Brook in their annual Christmas concert on Sunday, December 20, at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church of Oak Brook. Tickets are $20 each. Call Lois Stevenson (630-858-9315) by December 10 to reserve your ticket.

POINSETTIAS: Order Christmas poinsettias by signing up on the chart in the narthex by Sunday, December 13. Poinsettias are $18.50 each (please write “poinsettia” on the memo line of your check) and may be taken home after the Christmas Eve service. If you choose, your poinsettia may be donated to someone who is homebound.

MUSIC NOTE FOR YOUTH AND TEENS: We’re seeking students of all ages and talents to play a verse of a hymn or Christmas carol for Prelude Music on Sunday, December 20. If interested in playing, please call the office or talk to Darlene Crilly for details.

Add this to your calendar: Friday, December 18, will be the Women’s Circle annual CHRISTMAS SALAD LUNCHEON AND COOKIE EXCHANGE at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor and narthex. Program: Pat Muehl, “Christmas Art.” Salads will be provided by the members of the circle. Guests are always welcome. The cookie exchange is optional; feel free to come for lunch even if you don’t wish to participate in the exchange. If you want to exchange, bring a plate or container of your special holiday cookies and take home an equal number.

And save this date, too! Come one, come all to a CHRISTMAS CAROL SING-ALONG SUPPER! Soup and sandwiches will start off the event on Sunday, December 20, at 5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Participants are asked to bring a plate of cookies to provide dessert for all. Following the meal we will “break into song'” singing Christmas favorites. We promise a fun time for all! All families and friends are welcome, whatever size “family” you are. Sign up in the narthex or show up that night. It will be great fun!

Here’s one reason why we need to be able to reach our college students: COLLEGE STUDENT BRUNCH – Tuesday, December 29, in the parlor at 11:00 a.m. Invitations will be mailed to students.

VALET PARKING is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

If you SHOP ONLINE for holiday gifts, it is now possible for a portion of what you spend to BENEFIT SOUTHMINSTER. When you buy online through the iGive.com network of over 700 online stores, Southminster will receive a percentage of every dollar you spend. For more information, including a list of online stores, just go to www.iGive.com/Southminsterpc, complete the registration form, and start shopping. All funds received by Southminster from iGive.com will be added to Southminster’s Mission Fund.

November 25, 2009

2009-11-25T22:25:00.001-06:00

Psalm 117:1-2
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD.*

*In Hebrew: “Hallelu Yah.”

Dear Friends,

In the Psalms of praise, the Hebrew word “hodu” means giving thanks. A key phrase that occurs in these Psalms is “Hodu l’adonai, ki tov” which translated means, “Giving thanks to God.” However, “hodu” is also the Hebrew word for turkey. So our phrase can be translated as, “Eating turkey for the sake of God is good.” I have searched and I have no idea why the Hebrews connected Turkey with Thanks. Their word for peacock, though, is “Tukki,” which sounds kind of close, doesn’t it?

I think it’s great happenstance that Turkey and Thanks are related in the language of our Old Testament. Of course, I was delighted at age seven to find out that God’s people had Hanukah. I thought about how loving God was to give them a holiday around Christmas, so they wouldn’t be left out. I know it sounds naive, but I was naive.

For me, each and every day is a gift from God. Thanksgiving should be every day. Thanksgiving should be a way of life, rather than one day a year. May you live your life aware of all that God has blessed you with - from opening your eyes in the morning, to hearing the joy of a laugh, to the smell of good food. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BENEFIT CONCERT: St. Petronille Catholic Church in downtown Glen Ellyn will host a community performance of Handel’s “Messiah” this Saturday, November 28, at 8:00 p.m. (Note time change: first publicity said 7:30.) This is a joyful way to usher in the Christmas season. The proceeds from the free-will offering at the concert will benefit the Glen Ellyn Walk-In-Ministry, which is one of Southminster’s supported missions. Please make plans to attend.

Don’t you just love Christmas music? Join our FESTIVAL CHOIR! We won’t rehearse on Thanksgiving, but plan to join us on Thursday nights in December at 7:30 in the choir room. If you like to sing but don’t feel you can commit to choir for the entire year, here’s a short-term “fix.” We’ll sing for Sunday services and on Christmas Eve (one service that evening at 7:30), and we always follow the Christmas Eve service with a party. We’d love to have you join us for this season!

MUSIC NOTE FOR YOUTH AND TEENS: We’re seeking students of all ages and talents to play a verse of a hymn or Christmas carol for Prelude Music on Sunday, December 20. If interested in playing, please call the office or talk to Darlene Crilly for details.

POINSETTIAS: Order Christmas poinsettias by signing up on the chart in the narthex by Sunday, December 13. Poinsettias are $18.50 each (please write “poinsettia” on the memo line of your check) and may be taken home after the Christmas Eve service. If you choose, your poinsettia may be donated to someone who is homebound.

S.O.L.A.C.E. SINGLES are invited to come hear the Singing Men of Oak Brook in their annual Christmas concert on Sunday, December 20, at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church of Oak Brook. Tickets are $20 each. Call Lois Stevenson (630-858-9315) by December 10 to reserve your ticket.

If you SHOP ONLINE for holiday gifts, it is now possible for a portion of what you spend to BENEFIT SOUTHMINSTER. When you buy online through the iGive.com network of over 700 online stores, Southminster will receive a percentage of every dollar you spend. For more information, including a list of online stores, just go to www.iGive.com/Southminsterpc, complete the registration form, and start shopping. All funds received by Southminster from iGive.com will be added to Southminster’s Mission Fund.

“SHARE THE SPIRIT” at Christmas! Once again Southminster is joining the People’s Resource Center in helping needy children in DuPage County have a brighter Christmas by buying toys or gift cards for children from ages 0 to 19. Stop at the tree in the narthex with “ornaments” on it. The ornaments will have gift suggestions for the various age groups. Please take an ornament, select a gift, and bring it back unwrapped to the narthex any time up to December 6. The Mission Ministry thanks you for your support and the many needy children in DuPage County especially thank you for your outreach of love. (See the “Christian Ed. Notes” below to see how children and youth can participate in this project.)

The LADIES BREAKFAST GROUP has decided not to exchange Christmas socks in December. Instead we agreed to bring mittens or gloves for the “Share the Spirit” collection. You can bring these items to church on Sunday, December 6, or to our breakfast on Monday, December 7 (8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada), and we will make sure they get to the People’s Resource Center. Thanks!

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
Please remember there is NO SUNDAY SCHOOL this coming Sunday due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Worship bags will be available in the hallway by the nursery for younger children. Please leave the laminated card and crayons in the bag, though for next time. Thank you.
Youth and Sunday School classes will be continuing the SHARE THE SPIRIT collection of hats and mittens through Sunday, December 6. Please bring these items in any time during the designated weeks and drop them off in the narthex. Thank you in advance for your donations. (See more information about “Share the Spirit” above.)
December SECOND HELPINGS: Due to the Christmas program rehearsal, we will have Second Helpings on December 6. After adult Bible study and youth and children rehearsal, the entire church family will enjoy a special baked potato bar with all the trimmings in Fellowship Hall.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM INFO - Only One More Rehearsal!
***If your child has a speaking part, please practice with him/her at home to reinforce the part.
Here’s the schedule for December 6:
10:45-11:00 a.m. - Costume Fittings in the Sanctuary.
11:00 a.m. - Final practice/dress rehearsal. We will begin rehearsal promptly after costume fittings.
11:45am – Baked potato bar with trimmings for entire church family.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM, DECEMBER 13 - “TOO-OO-OO-OO BUSY”
Parents, please have your child/children in the sanctuary 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 13, so we can run through last minute preparations.

WHAT’S COMING UP IN CHRISTIAN ED.?
December 6 - Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal and baked potato bar lunch
December 13 - Christmas Program
December 27 - No Sunday School
No “Second Helpings” third Sunday in December
January 17, 24, 31 – Rotation units for K-middle school

Our ADULT BIBLE STUDY CLASS will begin a new lectionary year this Sunday with the following passages: Jeremiah 33:14-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43. (A list of the Lectionary readings from now to the beginning of Lent is attached to this E-Note email.) Join us and we’ll learn together. -Blair

YOUTH: SNL as usual this Sunday night, PYNGUINS at 6:00 p.m., SPY at 7:00 p.m. See ya there.

Add this to your calendar: Friday, December 18, will be the Women’s Circle annual CHRISTMAS SALAD LUNCHEON AND COOKIE EXCHANGE at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor and narthex. Program: Pat Muehl, “Christmas Art.” Salads will be provided by the members of the circle. Guests are always welcome. The cookie exchange is optional; feel free to come for lunch even if you don’t wish to participate in the exchange. If you want to exchange, bring a plate or container of your special holiday cookies and take home an equal number.

And save this date, too! Come one, come all to our first CHRISTMAS CAROL SING-ALONG SUPPER! Soup and sandwiches will start off the event on Sunday, December 20, at 5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Participants are asked to bring a plate of cookies to provide dessert for all. Following the meal we will “break into song'” singing Christmas favorites. We promise a fun time for all! All families and friends are welcome, whatever size “family” you are. Sign up in the narthex or show up that night. It will be great fun!

We’d like to stay in touch with our COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS (for birthday and holiday greetings, invitations to gatherings over breaks, College Care packages later in the year, and things like that). Please update your college student or young adult’s mailing and email addresses so we can let them know we care. Thanks!

Here’s one reason why we need to be able to reach our college students: COLLEGE STUDENT BRUNCH – Tuesday, December 29, in the parlor at 11:00 a.m. Invitations will be mailed to students.

VALET PARKING is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

November 18, 2009

2009-11-18T16:55:00.000-06:00

Genesis 1:26-28
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Dear Friends,

“There was a pastor, a rabbi, and an imam...” Sounds like the beginning of joke, doesn’t it? It is no joke however. Last Thursday afternoon I was among a group of religions leaders who met at the mosque on Rt. 53. We met for fellowship and sharing of information. One of the ideas suggested was that we participate in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life on June 18-19, 2010. It was with great pride that I shared that Southminster Presbyterian Church generally has a team. It made me wonder out loud, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a whole row of tents on that day representing all the Houses of Prayer in Glen Ellyn?” It is a possibility. The theme for 2010 is “Celebrating a World with More Birthdays.” Perhaps we could get the entire religious leadership of Glen Ellyn together to walk a few laps.

Rabbi Steven Bob, the Rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, shared another idea. He is the founder of “The Fourth Day Initiative,” which is a project to put solar panels on houses of worship. As you recall from Genesis, it was on the fourth day that the Sun was created.

While all of those at our clergy gathering may have had different opinions and thoughts on the important issues of faith and life, we all came together to share ideas about how we could faithfully live together as people created in the image of God. And that is no joke! Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Everybody is welcome to attend the PRESBYTERIAN READERS book club in the parlor this evening, November 18, from 7:30- 8:30 p.m. Our November book is “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold. Even if you haven’t read the book, you can listen to our discussion. (The movie version of “The Lovely Bones” will open sometime during the upcoming holiday season.)

Don’t you just love Christmas music? Join our FESTIVAL CHOIR! We start rehearsing Christmas selections tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 19) at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room. If you like to sing but don’t feel you can commit to choir for the entire year, here’s a short-term “fix.” We’ll sing for Sunday services and on Christmas Eve (one service that evening at 7:30), and we always follow the Christmas Eve service with a party. We’d love to have you join us for this season!

The deadline for the December “DIALOG” is this Friday, November 20. It’s a short month with a holiday near the end... don’t delay or you may miss getting your information into this issue! (Looking ahead, we are going to move next month’s deadline up a couple days because of Christmas; the deadline for the January “Dialog” will be December 17.)

All women of the church are invited to WOMEN’S CIRCLE this Friday, November 20, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Betsy Rogers will share her experiences shopping in Africa. Betsy explains: “We are going to visit the informal economy of South Africa, beginning with a look at the informal economy in Langa, a township, where non-whites were located during apartheid and Joe Slovo, an informal settlement that now houses urban poor. I will also answer questions like the following: Where do the women in the informal settlements shop? How do they get around? What can they buy? How do they get water? What other services are available? What is the difference between the products we can buy in the city versus the countryside? Do they have stores like ours? This is an opportunity for those who love to shop and those who love to learn about other countries to get their questions answered. See you there.”

If you SHOP ONLINE for holiday gifts, it is now possible for a portion of what you spend to BENEFIT SOUTHMINSTER. When you buy online through the iGive.com network of over 700 online stores, Southminster will receive a percentage of every dollar you spend. For more information, including a list of online stores, just go to www.iGive.com/Southminsterpc, complete the registration form, and start shopping. All funds received by Southminster from iGive.com will be added to Southminster’s Mission Fund.

“SHARE THE SPIRIT” at Christmas! Once again Southminster is joining the People’s Resource Center in helping needy children in DuPage County have a brighter Christmas by buying toys or gift cards for children from ages 0 to 19. Stop at the tree in the narthex with “ornaments” on it. The ornaments will have gift suggestions for the various age groups. Please take an ornament, select a gift, and bring it back unwrapped to the narthex any time up to December 6. The Mission Ministry thanks you for your support and the many needy children in DuPage County especially thank you for your outreach of love. (See the “Christian Ed. Notes” below to see how children and youth can participate in this project.)

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
“Share the Spirit” - A vision for missions: Thank you to all who brought HATS AND MITTENS this past Sunday. Youth and Sunday School classes will be continuing the collection through Sunday, December 6. Please bring these items in any time during the designated weeks and drop them off in the narthex. Thank you in advance for your donations. (See the “Share the Spirit” notice above to see other ways to support this project.)
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM REHEARSAL! Children and youth have only one more practice (dress rehearsal) on Sunday, December 6, for the December 13 Christmas program, “Too-oo-oo-oo Busy.” If your child has a speaking part, please practice at home to reinforce his/her part.
We will begin rehearsal on December 6 with costume fittings promptly at 10:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. (During the rehearsal, other crews will be hard at work decorating the church for Christmas!) Afterwards, the entire church family is invited to enjoy a special baked potato bar lunch in Fellowship Hall.
Additionally, Darlene Crilly will be leading the children (Pre-K through third grade) in rehearsal time for the Christmas program songs on Sundays, right after they come downstairs following the Children’s Moment.

What’s Coming Up?
November 29 - No Sunday School; children remain in worship with their families
December 6 - Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal and baked potato bar lunch
December 13 - Christmas Program
December 27 - No Sunday School; children remain in worship with their families
(There will be no “Second Helpings” in December.)

ADULT BIBLE CLASS: Adults (or those who think they are), join us this Sunday for our continuing lectionary-based Bible study. 11:00 a.m. in the parlor.

YOUTH: SNL as usual this Sunday night, PYNGUINS at 6:00 p.m., SPY at 7:00 p.m. See ya there.

Benefit Concert: St. Petronille Catholic Church in downtown Glen Ellyn will host a community performance of HANDEL’S “MESSIAH” on Saturday, November 28, at 8:00 p.m. (Note time change: first publicity said 7:30.) This is a joyful way to usher in the Christmas season. The proceeds from the free-will offering at the concert will benefit the Glen Ellyn Walk-In-Ministry, which is one of Southminster’s supported missions. Please make plans to attend.

Add this to your calendar: Friday, December 18, will be the Women’s Circle annual CHRISTMAS SALAD LUNCHEON AND COOKIE EXCHANGE at 11:00 a.m. in the parlor and narthex. Program: Pat Muehl, “Christmas Art.” Salads will be provided by the members of the circle. Guests are always welcome. The cookie exchange is optional; feel free to come for lunch even if you don’t wish to participate in the exchange. If you want to exchange, bring a plate or container of your special holiday cookies and take home an equal number.

We’d like to stay in touch with our COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS (for birthday and holiday greetings, invitations to gatherings over breaks, College Care packages later in the year, and things like that). Please update your college student or young adult’s mailing and email addresses so we can let them know we care. Thanks!

VALET PARKING is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE coming up on Wednesday, November 25. Donate blood this Thanksgiving and start your holiday shopping with a $10 Target GiftCard. The Heartland Blood Center mobile unit will be in Glen Ellyn from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the B. R. Ryall YMCA (1/2 block north of the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Lambert, just under the Glen Ellyn water tower). Donors will also receive a coupon good for $5.00 off at the YMCA Christmas tree sales trailer. Appointments are appreciated but walk-ins are welcome. Bring photo I.D.! Sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org or call Karen at 708-342-9773.

What’s with all the CAPITAL LETTERS in E-Notes? We’ve been getting some feedback that E-Notes is getting too long (So, whose announcements do we leave out?) and that it’s too hard to find the information that you really want to see. E-Notes goes out in plain text, which means no boldface, italics, underlining - any of those things that we use in other publications. (The reason for plain text is that some email systems can’t “read” special formatting; messages end up with multiple lines of symbols between words and the page looks like gobbledygook.) So the caps aren’t supposed to be “shouting” - they’re supposed to help you find the subject of each notice. We’ll try this for awhile. Another possibility would be to send E-Notes out in .pdf files, like we do with Dialogs. It’s a given that we can’t please all the people all the time, but if you have strong feelings one way or another, drop us a line.

November 11, 2009

2009-11-11T22:35:00.001-06:00

Romans 1: 8-10a
“I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times...”

Dear Friends,

The officers of our congregation, the deacon and the elders, had a wonderful retreat/joint meeting on Saturday. We began our meeting with worship. We read scripture, sang, prayed, and asked the question, “What are we thankful for at Southminster?” There were many great things we were thankful for. Take a look for yourself. Those results are posted on the leaves on the bulletin board as you enter the building.

We also reflected on who we are and took a look at the development of our web site. We then broke up into small groups, discussed, and asked, “What are our opportunities and challenges?” What was most encouraging to me was the positive enthusiasm, good will and laughter the groups shared. It looks like we see some of the same opportunities and challenges. We also noted that our 50th Anniversary is March 8, 2011. The most beautiful thing to come out of our meeting is the recognition that Jesus Christ is at the center of the Southminster Church Family.

Our discussion will continue at another joint meeting with the deacons and elders on the evening of January 26. There we will ask, “Where is God taking us? Or, Where do we go from here?”

Friends, I encourage you to pray for us, to ask the same questions: “Who are we?” “What are you thankful for at Southminster?” “What are our opportunities and challenges” and “Where is God taking us?” Please share your thoughts with our deacons and elders. Please hold them in prayer. Please know that I am thankful for each of you in my life and in your ministry at Southminster. I am very grateful to our officers, for their joy in service and their presence on Saturday. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The WOMEN’S CIRCLE USED BOOK SALE will take place after church this Sunday in the narthex. You still have time to bring in books before Sunday; put them in the coatroom. The proceeds from the sale will go to the Women’s Circle to support their programs and mission. Call Linda Ellinghausen or Betsy Rogers with questions.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S THANK OFFERING jars will be dedicated on Sunday during the worship service. Please remember to bring your Thank Offering jar on Sunday morning. The Thank Offering gives women a tangible way to express their gratitude for the special blessings in their lives. But you don’t need to have a Thank Offering jar... or even be a woman... to support an offering that goes to projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence, and women’s concerns. When the invitation is extended to bring the Thank Offering forward, please feel free to “give as you are blessed,” even if it’s simply the loose change in your pocket.

“SHARE THE SPIRIT” at Christmas! Once again Southminster is joining the People’s Resource Center in helping needy children in DuPage County have a brighter Christmas by buying toys or gift cards for children from ages 0 to 19. When you come to church this Sunday, you’ll find a tree in the narthex with “ornaments” on it. The ornaments will have gift suggestions for the various age groups. Please take an ornament, select a gift, and bring it back unwrapped to the narthex any time from November 15 to December 6. The Mission Ministry thanks you for your support and the many needy children in DuPage County especially thank you for your outreach of love. (See the “Christian Ed. Notes” below to see how children and youth can participate in this project.)

CHRISTIAN ED. NOTES:
“SHARE THE SPIRIT” - A vision for missions: Beginning Sunday, November 15, through Sunday, December 6, Sunday School classes and youth will be collecting new and gently used hats and mittens for the People’s Resource Center. Please bring these items in any time during the designated weeks and drop them off in the donation box in the narthex. Thank you in advance for your donations. (See the “Share the Spirit” notice above to see other ways to support this project.)
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM – Sunday, December 13
This Sunday, November 15, is the first practice for the Christmas program, “Too-oo-oo-oo Busy,” for all children and youth, directed by Suzanne Tennyson and Lisa Frey. Children and youth who have speaking parts have been given their script. Parents, please practice at home with your child, as there will only be one more practice (dress rehearsal) on December 6, directly after worship). This Sunday we will begin rehearsal in the Sanctuary following worship and afterwards, the entire church family will follow the newly created “SECOND HELPINGS” tradition of a soup and bread meal.
Additionally, Darlene Crilly will be leading the children (Pre-K through third grade) in rehearsal time for the Christmas program songs on Sundays, right after they come downstairs following the Children’s Moment.

What’s coming up in Christian Ed.?
November 15 – Christmas Program Rehearsal and “Second Helpings”
November 29 – No Sunday School; children remain in worship with their families
December 6 – Final Christmas Program Rehearsal (right after worship)
December 13 – Christmas Program
December 27 – No Sunday School; children remain in worship with their families
(There will be no “Second Helpings” in December.)

ADULT BIBLE CLASS: We do not meet this Sunday. See you on the 22nd. Blair

YOUTH NOTES:
SNL this Sunday the usual times: PYNGUINS 6:00 p.m. and SPY 7:00 p.m. Blair will be out of town, but Peter, Jessica, and Alec will be there.
Thanks to all you participated and helped with Sleep Out Saturday, especially the one who ordered the extremely mild weather.

Everybody is welcome to attend the PRESBYTERIAN READERS book club in the parlor next Wednesday, November 18, from 7:30- 8:30 p.m. You still have time to find and read the book for November: “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold.

All women of the church are invited to WOMEN’S CIRCLE this Friday, November 20, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Betsy Rogers will share her experiences shopping in Africa. Betsy explains: “We are going to visit the informal economy of South Africa, beginning with a look at the informal economy in Langa, a township, where non-whites were located during apartheid and Joe Slovo, an informal settlement that now houses urban poor. I will also answer questions like the following: Where do the women in the informal settlements shop? How do they get around? What can they buy? How do they get water? What other services are available? What is the difference between the products we can buy in the city versus the countryside? Do they have stores like ours? This is an opportunity for those who love to shop and those who love to learn about other countries to get their questions answered. See you there.”

We’d like to stay in touch with our COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS (for birthday and holiday greetings, invitations to gatherings over breaks, College Care packages later in the year, and things like that). Please update your college student or young adult’s mailing and email addresses so we can let them know we care. Thanks!

For your calendar: HANDEL’S “MESSIAH” PERFORMANCE will benefit Walk-In Ministry. St. Petronille Catholic Church in downtown Glen Ellyn will host a community performance of Handel’s “Messiah” on Saturday, November 28, at 7:30 p.m. This is a joyful way to usher in the Christmas season. The proceeds from the free-will offering at the concert will benefit the Glen Ellyn Walk-In-Ministry. Please make plans to attend.

VALET PARKING is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE coming up on Wednesday, November 25. Donate blood this Thanksgiving and start your holiday shopping with a $10 Target GiftCard. The Heartland Blood Center mobile unit will be in Glen Ellyn from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the B. R. Ryall YMCA (1/2 block north of the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Lambert, just under the Glen Ellyn water tower). Donors will also receive a coupon good for $5.00 off at the YMCA Christmas tree sales trailer. Appointments are appreciated but walk-ins are welcome. Bring photo I.D.! Sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org or call Karen at 708-342-9773.

November 4, 2009

2009-11-04T16:27:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Do you recognize this?

Our mission is to provide a spiritual home where people can
- Encounter God as revealed in Jesus Christ,
- Worship, strengthen, and renew their faith,
- Educate themselves and their children according to the teachings of God, as expressed in the Bible, and
- Respond to God’s grace by living as God’s disciples and actively serving others.

It is our Mission Statement. It not only provides our roots, but also our wings.

It has been said that children need “Roots and Wings” in order to thrive. It’s true of everyone, I think, adult or child; we need the nourishment of our roots, our past, and our present in order for our dreams to take wing and fly. It is particularly true for a Church Family. We are rooted in Christ, fed by the Holy Sprit and the fellowship of believers.

This coming Saturday our church officers, the session and the deacons, are going to meet for a fall retreat at Hope Presbyterian Church. We will be looking at our roots, the things we are grateful for, and our dreams, what we sense God is calling us to be and do at Southminster.

I am so very grateful for the hearts of the session and deacon members being open to God and what God may be calling us to. Regarding our church family, I wonder what your roots may be. What gives you joy? What are you grateful for? What gives you energy and hope for the future? What are some of your dreams for your church family? Where would your dreams fly to?

Thanks be to God! We live rooted in love of Jesus Christ and fly on the wings of the Sprit. Please keep me and our officers in prayer for this Saturday. Take it from here!

Love, Wendy

P.S. The youth also need your prayers this weekend. They will be sleeping out this Saturday night for Sleep Out Saturday and then attending worship Sunday morning.

Did you know...?
...that President Woodrow Wilson was a son of a Presbyterian pastor and lifelong Presbyterian? In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations...” When you see a Vet remember to say, “Thank you!”

Announcements:

Our Young Adult Group starts tonight! (It was supposed to be last week but rescheduled due to Wendy’s illness.) Join us at Blair and Wendy’s from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. You still have time to call and let us know you’re coming so we can set a place at the table for you.

Youth! Great news! The weather forecast for Saturday night, Sleep Out Saturday, has been revised. The low temperature is expected to be 44 degrees, instead of the 21 degrees they were saying a couple of days ago! Please let Blair know ASAP if you are participating. We’ll meet at the church at 4:00 p.m. to build our houses and have dinner. Then go to the Rally downtown, then back to church for games ‘n’ stuff. We’ll spend the night and stay right through church. Hey, it will be real cool (lol).

Adult education: We will have our lectionary Bible study this Sunday, but not on November 15.

We’d like to stay in touch with our college students and young adults (for birthday and holiday greetings, invitations to gatherings over breaks, College Care packages later in the year, and things like that). Please update your college student or young adult’s mailing and email addresses so we can let them know we care. Thanks!

Christian Ed. Notes:
Christian Ed Ministry Meeting – this Sunday, November 8, at 11:00 a.m. in Fellowship Hall.
“Share the Spirit” - A vision for missions: Beginning Sunday, November 15, through Sunday, December 6, Sunday School classes and youth will be collecting new and gently used hats and mittens for the People’s Resource Center. Please bring these items in any time during the designated weeks and drop them off in the donation box in the narthex. Thank you in advance for your donations. (See the “Share the Spirit” notice below to see other ways to support this project.)
It will be here before you know it! CHRISTMAS PROGRAM – Sunday, December 13! Parts are being selected, and we need all children and youth to make a special effort to be at the only two rehearsals. The children and youth program for the November 15 “Second Helpings” will be dedicated to the Christmas Program rehearsal, Pre-K through high school, and will be coordinated by Suzanne Tennyson. We will begin rehearsal in the sanctuary directly after worship. Afterwards, the entire church family will follow the newly created “Second Helpings” tradition of a soup and bread supper. December 6 (directly after worship) will be the final dress rehearsal for the Christmas program.
Acolytes: Thank you to all children who expressed interested in serving as an Acolyte. A schedule will be sent out this week through the end of the school year. There are plenty of weeks open for service if your child is interested at a later time. Please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or smpcce@ameritech.net with any questions.
Music Ministry: Aside from the November 15 and December 6 Christmas Program rehearsals, Darlene Crilly will also be leading the children in additional rehearsal time on Sundays, directly after the Children’s Moment in Fellowship Hall. |
Candy for PRC: Thank you to all families who brought in their candy offering on Sunday for the People’s Resource Center.

What’s coming up in Christian Ed.?
November 15 – “Second Helpings”/Christmas Program Rehearsal
November 29 – No Sunday School
December 6 – Final Christmas Program Rehearsal (right after worship)
December 13 – Christmas Program
December 27 – No Sunday School
(There will be no “Second Helpings” in December.)

The Women’s Circle Used Book Sale will take place after church on November 15 in the narthex. For those donating books, please put them in the coat closet before the 15th. We would like to get hard- and soft-cover novels and children’s books – books that you would like to take home and read to yourself or your children. Please, no textbooks. The proceeds will go to the Women’s Circle to support their programs and mission. Linda Ellinghausen and Betsy Rogers are the co-chairs for this event.

“Share the Spirit” at Christmas! Once again Southminster is joining the People’s Resource Center in helping needy children in DuPage County have a brighter Christmas by buying toys or gift cards for children from ages 0 to 19. When you come to church on November 15, you’ll find a tree in the narthex with “ornaments” on it. The ornaments will have gift suggestions for the various age groups. Please take an ornament, select a gift, and bring it back unwrapped to the narthex any time from November 15 to December 6. The Mission Ministry thanks you for your support and the many needy children in DuPage County especially thank you for your outreach of love. (See the “Christian Ed. Notes” to see how children and youth can participate in this project.)

Southminster’s fourth annual Art Show is coming up! We’re looking for artists from our congregation who would like to share their work in our gallery from November 15, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Holiday hangings would be nice, but any work you are proud of would be fine: stitchery, painting, quilting, glass, photography, or whatever form of art you do. Items must be able to hang on our walls, and we’d like to ask that there be no repeats from last year. Contact Linda Ellinghausen (630-469-9039) or sign up in the narthex.

Presbyterian Women’s Thank Offering jars will be dedicated on Sunday, November 15, during the worship service. Please remember to bring your Thank Offering jar on Sunday morning. The Thank Offering gives women a tangible way to express their gratitude for the special blessings in their lives. But you don’t need to have a Thank Offering jar… or even be a woman… to support an offering that goes to projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence, and women’s concerns. When the invitation is extended to bring the Thank Offering forward, please feel free to “give as you are blessed,” even if it’s simply the loose change in your pocket.

“Share the Spirit” at Christmas! Once again Southminster is joining the People’s Resource Center in helping needy children in DuPage County have a brighter Christmas by buying toys or gift cards for children from ages 0 to 19. When you come to church on November 15, you’ll find a tree in the narthex with “ornaments” on it. The ornaments will have gift suggestions for the various age groups. Please take an ornament, select a gift, and bring it back unwrapped to the narthex any time from November 15 to December 6. The Mission Ministry thanks you for your support and the many needy children in DuPage County especially thank you for your outreach of love. (See the “Christian Ed. Notes” to see how children and youth can participate in this project.)

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

For your calendar: Handel’s Messiah Performance will benefit Walk-In Ministry.
St. Petronille Catholic Church in downtown Glen Ellyn will host a community performance of Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, November 28, at 7:30 p.m. This is a joyful way to usher in the Christmas season. The proceeds from the free-will offering at the concert will benefit the Glen Ellyn Walk-In-Ministry. Please make plans to attend.

Community blood drive coming up on Wednesday, November 25. Donate blood this Thanksgiving and start your holiday shopping with a $10 Target GiftCard. The Heartland Blood Center mobile unit will be in Glen Ellyn from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the B. R. Ryall YMCA (1/2 block north of the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Lambert, just under the Glen Ellyn water tower). Donors will also receive a coupon good for $5.00 off at the YMCA Christmas tree sales trailer. Appointments are appreciated but walk-ins are welcome. Bring photo I.D.! Sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org or call Karen at 708-342-9773.

Marta Sundquist wrote us last week asking for prayers for her cousin, Scott. (He is the Scott mentioned in the Deacon Care Notes that follow.) “My cousin Scott Othoson had an intestine transplant this week. After a life time of the pain of Crohns disease, he has spent the last 8+ years with only 4 feet of intestine, requiring a daily ritual of 10+ hours on an IV to sustain himself. We are so thankful to God for giving him a successful surgery, and now must pray to help with the tremendous pain that comes with this surgery. Scott is a wonderful man, he not only embraces Gods love, but pours it out as well. Even on his tough days. Please pray for him.”

October 28, 2009

2009-10-28T17:06:00.001-05:00

Southminster E-Notes for October 28, 2009

Pastor Wendy has been ill all week. Please pray for her health and strength so she can return to us quickly.

Announcements:

Names are due today, please. This Sunday, November 1, we will celebrate All Saints Day as part of our morning worship. Our closing benediction will occur outside in the Memorial Garden. During our Prayers of the People we will give thanks to God for the people who have touched our lives and are no longer present with us except that portion which lives in our hearts and minds. If you have a loved one, a friend or a family member whose death occurred since last All Saints Day and whom you would like mentioned during our All Saints Prayer, please contact the church office by today (October 28), giving us their name and date of death. You can help us be as accurate as possible by providing correct spelling and leaving your name and phone number so we can check with you if we have any questions.

Due to Wendy’s illness, our Young Adult Group, which was to start tonight, will meet next Wednesday night instead.

This Sunday marks the end of Daylight Saving Time. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

This Sunday––and the first Sunday of every month––is the day we bring offerings for the People’s Resource Center. The November emphasis is coffee, tea, and sugar. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

Christian Ed. Notes:
Third Grade Bible: This Sunday, November 1, our only third grader, Dakota Dolister, will receive her Bible during the Sunday School hour. Please pray for God to keep Dakota’s heart open to His grace, mercy and wisdom.
Class Feature – Preschool: Be sure to catch the Preschool class feature in the upcoming November Dialog. You can get a first-hand glimpse into what our youngest Sunday School class is learning!
“Share the Spirit” - A vision for missions. Beginning Sunday, November 15, through Sunday, December 6, Sunday School classes and youth will be collecting new and gently used hats and mittens for the People’s Resource Center. Please bring these items in any time during the designated weeks and drop them off in the donation box in the narthex. Thank you in advance for your donations.
Coming soon! CHRISTMAS PROGRAM – Sunday, December 13
The children’s program for the November 15 Second Helpings will be dedicated to the Christmas Program rehearsal for all children and youth (Pre-K through high school.), coordinated by Suzanne Tennyson. We will begin rehearsal in the sanctuary directly after worship and afterwards, the entire church family will follow the newly created Second Helpings tradition of a soup and bread lunch. December 6 (right after worship) will be the final dress rehearsal for the Christmas program.
Music Ministry: Aside from the November 15 and December 6 Christmas Program rehearsals, Darlene Crilly will also be leading the children in additional rehearsal time on Sundays, immediately after the children come downstairs for Sunday school.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
November 15 – Second Helpings/Christmas Program Rehearsal
November 29 – No Sunday School
December 6 – Final Christmas Program Rehearsal (right after worship)
December 13 – Christmas Program
December 27 – No Sunday School
(There will be no “Second Helpings” in December.)

SLEEP OUT SATURDAY is soon, and we need some hardy adults to participate. Would you like to bless our youth by spending Saturday night, November 7, with them? (Or spend a part of it: if we get enough adults, you could do shifts!) Contact Blair, if you can help

SPY and PYNGUINS: It is time to commit! Let Blair know soon if you are committed to Sleep Out Saturday. Details will be on the group facebook site soon.

ADULT EDUCATION class: please note that we will be having our lectionary study November 1 and 8, but not on November 15.

The Women’s Circle Used Book Sale will take place after church on November 15 in the narthex. For those donating books, please bring them beginning this Sunday and put them in the coat closet. We would like to get hard- and soft-cover novels and children’s books – books that you would like to take home and read to yourself or your children. Please, no textbooks. The proceeds will go to the Women’s Circle to support their programs and mission. Linda Ellinghausen and Betsy Rogers are the co-chairs for this event.

At our next Ladies Breakfast on Monday, November 2, we will have a Fall towel (kitchen, etc.) exchange instead of a sock exchange. Please join us at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP at Danada Square East, with or without a towel. Hope to see you there!

Committee Moderators and staff members are reminded that budget requests are due a week from Friday (November 6).

Southminster’s fourth annual Art Show is coming up! We’re looking for artists from our congregation who would like to share their work in our gallery from November 15, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Holiday hangings would be nice, but any work you are proud of would be fine: stitchery, painting, quilting, glass, photography, or whatever form of art you do. Items must be able to hang on our walls, and we’d like to ask that there be no repeats from last year. Contact Linda Ellinghausen (630-469-9039) or sign up in the narthex.

Presbyterian Women’s Thank Offering jars will be dedicated on Sunday, November 15, during the worship service. Please remember to bring your Thank Offering jar on Sunday morning. The Thank Offering gives women a tangible way to express their gratitude for the special blessings in their lives. But you don’t need to have a Thank Offering jar… or even be a woman… to support an offering that goes to projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence, and women’s concerns. When the invitation is extended to bring the Thank Offering forward, please feel free to “give as you are blessed,” even if it’s simply the loose change in your pocket.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

October 21, 2009

2009-10-22T11:21:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 1:18-19
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Dear Friends,

2009 is the 500th birthday of John Calvin! This Sunday is Reformation Sunday, and we will remember the founder of Reformed Christianity and his faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

What do you know about John Calvin? Not much, probably. Unlike Lutherans and Methodists, we Presbyterians shy away from putting our heroes on pedestals. In fact, one of our elders at Southminster told me he was an “old sour puss.” If you look at his pictures you can see her point of view. In order to discourage veneration, he specified that he be buried in Geneva’s common cemetery in an unmarked grave. His house no longer stands, and no one even knows where it was. Anyone spending time in a Presbyterian meeting would not be surprised that he started out life as a lawyer.

There are two things that I would like you to know about John Calvin. One is his idea that we need Holy Spirit glasses when we read scripture. The way he put it is was, “Just as eyes, when dimmed with age or weakness or by some other defect, unless aided by spectacles, discern nothing distinctly; so such is our feebleness, unless Scripture guides us in seeking God, we are immediately confused.” Scripture is important to us because it helps us to live honestly in the world. Scripture helps us to see God truthfully, ourselves honestly, and God’s Way in the world clearly. The other was his personal prayer as request for “an unwavering declaration of surrender to the Lord, whom he sought to love with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.” His seal was a hand holding a heart offered to God.

This Sunday we will be offering our hearts to God as well. During the affirmation of faith we will have an opportunity to place commitment cards in our offering plates. These commitments range from declaring your pledge for 2010 to remembering our church family in prayer. Your commitment is personal and between only you and God. We will also host guests from Ghana Presbytery in Ghana. Join us in the parlor following worship for a chance to hear more about our sisters and brothers in Ghana. What a wonderful opportunity to share our faith with one another. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Announcements:

If you missed the deadline (yesterday) for the November Dialog, get your information together right now and hit Reply. November and December are very busy times in the life of any church, and our members definitely want to know what’s going on.

We start tonight! A book club, Presbyterian Readers, is forming at our church that will meet on the third Wednesday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parlor. Tonight is our first get-together; we will discuss what books we have read in the past and what books we will want to read through the month of May. This group is open to all, men and women, members and non-members. If you have any questions please contact Wendy.

Mission is pleased to welcome 2 visitors from the Presbytery of Ghana this Sunday, October 25. They will be participating in worship with Pastor Wendy, as well as giving a short presentation in the parlor following the service. Dr. Quarshie is one of the founders of ACI, the first Presbyterian seminary in Ghana. If you can’t stay and hear their presentation, please stop by the reception in their honor and give our fellow brother- and-sister-in-Christ a warm Southminster welcome! How exciting it is to share our faith with international visitors on the same Sunday Gretchen and Bill are with our sister church in Guanabacoa, Cuba. We are truly “One in the Spirit.”

Adult Education: This Sunday, October 25, we not have our Sunday morning adult class so we can spend time with our guests from Ghana. Neither will there be a class November 15: Blair will be out of town.

Women’s Bible Study is meeting on Sundays from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the parlor We are studying “Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Contact Ann Anderson (630) 469-2097 if you are interested in joining.

Christian Ed. Notes:
Tithing Halloween Candy: Parents, please talk to your child/children about contributing a free-will offering (tithe) of their Halloween candy this year to the PRC. If they bring their tithe in on Sunday, November 1, it will be delivered to the PRC that week.
Acolytes: We are still praying to get more children on board who want to be an Acolytes for the remaining year. A schedule will soon be published with each child serving three-four times per year. Please call the church office or email Laura Baer at smpcce@ameritech.net if your child is interested.
Music Ministry: Great singing job by our Pre-K - third graders this past Sunday! This concludes the formal music ministry for the children for 2009, as we now set our sights on the Christmas Program.
On Sunday, November 1, our only third grader, Dakota Dolister will receive her Bible during the Sunday School hour. If you see Dakota (often helping her mom out in the nursery), please congratulate her and let her know that you are praying for her to grow in God’s wisdom and grace.
The November 15 “Second Helpings” will be dedicated to the Christmas Program rehearsal from Pre-K through high school. We will begin directly after worship with selection of parts and rehearsing. Our program this year is being coordinated by Suzanne Tennyson. We will follow with the “Second Helpings” tradition of a soup and bread supper for the entire church family.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
November 15 – Second Helpings/Christmas Program Rehearsal
November 29 – No Sunday School
December 6 – Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal after worship
December 13 – Christmas Program
(There will be no “Second Helpings” in December.)

SPY and PYNGUINS: For those of you not going to iWITNESS, join us for SLEEP OUT SATURDAY: November 7, all night long! Do you need practice being cold? Probably not. But lots of people don’t get that choice because they have no warm homes to be in at night. Sleep Out Saturday is an event sponsored by Bridge Communities to educate us about the homeless. We’ll sleep out on the church lawn in a cardboard city to experience homelessness first hand (sort of). There will also be a rally, games, and lots of fun stuff. Blair’s gonna need a head-count, so let him know that you are planning on it.

Grown-ups: Because there are two youth events November 7 we need some folks to help. Please contact Blair if you can participate in Sleep Out Saturday as chaperone. Also, we need corrugated cardboard for Sleep Out Saturday. Again, contact Blair if you have some to spare, and who doesn’t?

We’re starting a Young Adult Group! Once a month we will meet at Blair’s house for dinner and fellowship the last Wednesday of the month. Our first meeting is Wednesday, October 28, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Please call and let us know if you are coming so we can set a place at the table for you.

On Sunday, November 1, Southminster will celebrate All Saints Day as part of our morning worship. Our closing benediction will occur outside in the Memorial Garden. During our Prayers of the People we will give thanks to God for the people who have touched our lives and are no longer present with us except that portion which lives in our hearts and minds. If you have a loved one, a friend or a family member whose death occurred since last All Saints Day and whom you would like mentioned during our All Saints Prayer, please contact the church office by next Wednesday, October 28, giving us their name and date of death. You can help us be as accurate as possible by providing correct spelling and leaving your name and phone number so we can check with you if we have any questions.

The Women’s Circle Used Book Sale will take place after church on November 15 in the narthex. For those donating books, please bring them in after November 1 and put them in the coat closet. We would like to get hard- and soft-cover novels and children’s books – books that you would like to take home and read to yourself or your children. Please, no textbooks. The proceeds will go to the Women’s Circle to support their programs and mission. Linda Ellinghausen and Betsy Rogers are the co-chairs for this event.

At our next Ladies Breakfast on Monday, November 2, we will have a Fall towel (kitchen, etc.) exchange instead of a sock exchange. Please join us at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP at Danada Square East, with or without a towel. Hope to see you there!

Southminster’s fourth annual Art Show is coming up! We’re looking for artists from our congregation who would like to share their work in our gallery from November 15, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Holiday hangings would be nice, but any work you are proud of would be fine: stitchery, painting, quilting, glass, photography, or whatever form of art you do. Items must be able to hang on our walls, and we’d like to ask that there be no repeats from last year. Contact Linda Ellinghausen (630-469-9039) or sign up in the narthex.

Presbyterian Women’s Thank Offering jars will be dedicated on Sunday, November 15, during the worship service. Please remember to bring your Thank Offering jar on Sunday morning. The Thank Offering gives women a tangible way to express their gratitude for the special blessings in their lives. But you don’t need to have a Thank Offering jar… or even be a woman… to support an offering that goes to projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence, and women’s concerns. When the invitation is extended to bring the Thank Offering forward, please feel free to “give as you are blessed,” even if it’s simply the loose change in your pocket.

We are in need of a second person to work in the nursery. We are asking you to share this information with anyone you believe is qualified (at least 18 and with some child care training or experience) and who might be interested. The hours for this position are Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 noon (depending on the need during programs following worship). There may also be occasional other times when this person will be asked, if available, to care for children in the nursery during special church activities. The wage for this position is $10/hour. Please ask anyone who is interested to speak to Laura Baer.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

October 14, 2009

2009-10-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Many events in my life have influenced my ideas of Stewardship. Today I would like to share just three:

The first was when I was 19 and in college. That was the seventies. One Sunday morning my mother put a $20 bill in the plate as it was being passed. Today $20 would be worth about $75. I was surprised because my mother is very thrifty. I asked as only a 19 year old could ask, “Are you doing that to get a break on your taxes?” She gave me a withering look and shook her head no. I was surprised, and it caused me to think. I had never given thought to Stewardship before. What does Stewardship mean to you? Is it more than a tax break or a charity donation?

The second event took place about six years later. I was an adult living alone and my church, the Presbyterian Church of Old Greenwich, Connecticut, was having their Stewardship drive. Each of us was to come in during the weekend and pray about what God was leading us to pledge for the year. At that time I was donating about $35 a month. After praying I raised my pledge to about $75. I wasn’t sure where the money would come from. The following week I got a raise, which was out of season because raises were generally given in July, not November. Stewardship is not about going out on a limb and giving because God will take care of the details, rather Stewardship is about taking the time to think and pray and do what God directs you to do. Do you pray about what God is leading you to give?

The third event took place when my children were small. I wanted to give Blair some peace and quiet on a Sunday afternoon so he could work on his dissertation. I avoid the cold so I had to find a way to get the kids away from home and keep me warm. So during the winter I would take our kids to the movies for a couple of hours. Of course we bought treats to go with the movie. One Sunday morning during Stewardship a lay leader, Tim Teelin, asked how much money we spent going to the movies. I realized that my movie budget was bigger than my God budget. I didn’t like that, so we raised our pledge. Tim made me ask the question, “What place does God have in my budget?”

Stewardship is knowing that all you have comes from the hand of God: our talent, our time, and our money. Stewardship is about asking questions like; “What place does God have in my budget? “God, what would you like me to do with what you have given me?” And “Is my church family more than a tax break or on the level as the other charities we give to?” The message of Stewardship has matured and changed as I have grown in faith. I didn’t “get it” all at once. Stewardship is a faith journey as much as our prayer lives. Please take some time this week and talk to God about where God is leading you. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”

Announcements:

A.M. Women’s Circle will meet this Friday, October 16, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Our speaker will be Pastor Wendy telling us about her medical mission trip to Haiti. All women of the church are invited to attend.

Our Fall Clean-Up Day is this Saturday, October 17. We will work from 8:00 a.m.–noon. Please come when you can and stay as long as you are able. As usual, we have a long and diverse list of projects, inside and out. And you’ll be rewarded with good fellowship, a sense of accomplishment… and refreshments. Come one, come all!

The Lions Club is offering FREE hearing screenings this Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Meadows of Glen Ellyn, 60 Nicoll Avenue.(A mobile hearing bus will be in the parking lot.) If you pass the screening, your hearing is normal; if you fail, you will be encouraged to seek a more thorough evaluation on your own. There are no sales or solicitations of any kind involved, and you don’t have to be a resident of Glen Ellyn to participate.

Parents, please remember that Pre-K through third graders will be singing the Zacchaeus Song (from Luke 19) on Stewardship Sunday, October 18. Please have your child in the sanctuary no later than 9:15 a.m. that morning so they can have one final rehearsal.

We’re including a Harvest Party along with the Second Helpings this Sunday, October 18, for all Sunday School children, Pre-K through middle school. We will begin the program in the sanctuary with Bible teaching with Pastor Wendy and then head down to Fellowship Hall for fun activities and snacks to celebrate the harvest season. Please let us know if you/your child will attend by calling the church office or email to Laura Baer at smpcce@ameritech.net. Adults and high schoolers will have class during the time of the party. Everyone comes together at 11:45 for a light lunch.

What a joyous occasion for Zaccheus, when Jesus joined his family for supper in their home! Not only had Zaccheus heard the good news and dedicated his life to Jesus that day, but he was also privileged to share a meal and enjoy fellowship with his savior. YOU are invited to come to the Lord’s house Sunday for a meal and fellowship - bring your family and a dish to share to Southminster’s Potluck Supper this Sunday, October 18, at 5:30 p.m. If possible, please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the narthex, to help us with planning. However, feel free to join us for supper whether or not your have signed up!

Women’s Bible Study will meet this week and on subsequent Sundays from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the parlor We are studying “Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Contact Ann Anderson (630)469-2097 if you are interested in joining.

Additional Christian Ed. Notes:
Acolytes: Thank you to the children who attended the training this past Sunday and their parents for getting them here. A schedule will soon be published with each child serving 3-4 four times. Please call the church office or email Laura Baer at smpcce@ameritech.net if you have questions.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
October 18 – Second Helpings/Harvest Party
November 15 – Second Helpings/Christmas Program Rehearsal
December 6 – Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal after worship
December 13 – Christmas Program

SPY and PYNGUINS: No SNL this Sunday, Oct. 18. Instead, come to the church Potluck. Food is Good!

SPY’ers (high school youth) this is the land of choice, and you have one to make. We have two major events the weekend of Nov. 6-8. You can choose to attend iWitness, the Presbytery Senior High Retreat in Lake Geneva, WI, on Nov. 6-8 or be part of Sleep Out Saturday right here at SPC on Nov. 7. Unfortunately, you cannot be at both, unless you clone yourself now. [So what are you waiting for? Head for the lab now!!] The retreat costs $100. We will leave Friday at 5:00 p.m. and be back Sunday by approx. 1:00 p.m. Details on the Sleep Out will come later, but we will start setting up our cardboard city that Saturday afternoon.

Also, youth and adults, we need lots of cardboard for Sleep Out Saturday. Please start saving now and deliver it to the church on Nov. 7.

Adults: As you can see from my note to the youth, Nov. 6-8 is a very busy weekend for them. We need some help. I will need at least one other adult, a woman, to be a sponsor for the retreat, and we need help with the Sleep Out. The Sleep Out needs people to help set up, chaperones to stay the night, people to cook breakfast in the morning, and some to help clean up. Interested? Contact Blair: smpcyouth@ameritech.net.

We are working on a new schedule for liturgists. If you are interested in assisting in worship by serving as a leader/reader, then consider becoming a liturgist. Please contact Pastor Wendy Boden (630-469-9149 or wboden@ameritech.net) as soon as possible so we can add you to the schedule.

Next Tuesday, October 20, is the deadline for the November Dialog.

A book club, Presbyterian Readers, is forming at our church that will meet on the third Wednesday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parlor At our first meeting — October 21 — we will discuss what books we have read in the past and what books we will want to read through the month of May. This group is open to all, men and women, members and non-members. If you have any questions please contact Wendy.

On Sunday, November 1, Southminster will celebrate All Saints Day as part of our morning worship. Our closing benediction will occur outside in the Memorial Garden. During our Prayers of the People we will give thanks to God for the people who have touched our lives and are no longer present with us except that portion which lives in our hearts and minds. If you have a loved one, a friend or a family member whose death occurred since last All Saints Day and whom you would like mentioned during our All Saints Prayer, please contact the church office by October 28, giving us their name and date of death. You can help us be as accurate as possible by providing correct spelling and leaving your name and phone number so we can check with you if we have any questions.

We’re starting a Young Adult Group! Once a month we will meet at Blair’s house for dinner and fellowship the last Wednesday of the month. Our first meeting is Wednesday, October 28, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Please call and let us know if you are coming so we can set a place at the table for you.

Southminster’s fourth annual Art Show is coming up! We’re looking for artists from our congregation who would like to share their work in our gallery from November 15, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Holiday hangings would be nice, but any work you are proud of would be fine: stitchery, painting, quilting, glass, photography, or whatever form of art you do. Items must be able to hang on our walls, and we’d like to ask that there be no repeats from last year. Contact Linda Ellinghausen (630-469-9039) or sign up in the narthex.

We are in need of a second person to work in the nursery. We are asking you to share this information with anyone you believe is qualified (at least 18 and with some child care training or experience) and who might be interested. The hours for this position are Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 noon (depending on the need during programs following worship). There may also be occasional other times when this person will be asked, if available, to care for children in the nursery during special church activities. The wage for this position is $10/hour. Please ask anyone who is interested to speak to Laura Baer.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

October 7, 2009

2009-10-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

Southminster E-Notes for October 7, 2009

Ephesians 5:18b-20
“...but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dear Friends,

Come on Down and Sing! This Sunday morning you are invited to a prayer meeting. As the angel said, “Fear Not!” No one is asking you to pray out loud; rather you are invited to sing your heart out to God. Hymn singing is a form of prayer. We offer our voices and our hearts to God as we sing. This Sunday we will share in one another’s favorite hymns. We will not only have an opportunity to sing your favorite hymn, you will have the opportunity to sing someone else’s favorite hymn. This Sunday we will be sharing our hearts before God with one another. In a sense you will be given an opportunity to hear intimately how some of your sisters and brothers in Christ relate to God, how they best express in words their love of God. Singing is a significant and intimate form of spirituality. You may not like all the songs, in fact, there are a few I don’t know, but it is an honor and a privilege to get to know one another in such a personal way.

I can tell when my children are happy, because they sing as they go around the house. Many people sing as they go around the house—and elsewhere. I am not saying that the singing is always very good, but it is heartfelt. One of my spiritual disciplines is asking God to put a song in my heart for the day. I sing as I drive to the office. It opens my heart up to God as I greet the day. Sometimes they are “classic” hymns and sometimes they are “spirituals” and sometimes they are “contemporary,” but no matter what I sing, I sing it to God and it begins the day right. Perhaps after this Sunday you can ask God to put a song in your heart. It will change your day and it will change your prayer life. Take it from here! Come on down and sing!

Love, Wendy

Did you know?
... that work continues on a new Presbyterian hymnal? Use this link to read more:
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/pressreleases/ppc09005.htm

Announcements:

Today is the deadline if you wish to purchase a memorial brick in time for installation by All Saints Day. Don’t delay! Call Grace Van Beveren (630-469-6769) for the required form.

Calling All Acolytes: Being an Acolyte is a wonderful way for the children to serve God and the congregation. This fall’s training session will be held in the sanctuary this Sunday, October 11, at 8:45 a.m. Children from the 3rd grade through middle school are eligible to attend this event. We will wrap up the training with a light breakfast of donuts and juice. If your child is interested in serving please call Laura Baer 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.

Nursery Relocation this Sunday: Please be aware that due to recent heating issues in the building, on Sunday, October 11, the nursery will be held downstairs in Fellowship Hall (although separate from the Sunday School classes).

A special meeting of the session has been called for this Sunday, October 11, at 10:45 a.m. in the parlor. The two items of business for this meeting are the repair/replacement of the furnaces, and the support of the Lakeshore Christian Camping organization.

There will be no Adult Ed. Bible Study class this coming Sunday, October 11. Blair will be preaching at the Convalescent Center that morning.

More Christian Ed. Notes:
Parents, please remember that Pre-K through third graders will be singing the Zacchaeus Song (from Luke 19) on Stewardship Sunday, October 18. Please have your child in the sanctuary no later than 9:10 a.m. on the 18th so they can have one final rehearsal.
October Second Helpings/Harvest Party: October will be an especially exciting month as we include a Harvest Party along with the Second Helpings on October 18, for all Sunday School children, Pre-K through middle school. We will begin the program in the sanctuary with Bible teaching with Pastor Wendy and then head down to Fellowship Hall for fun activities and snacks to celebrate the harvest season. Please let us know if you/your child will attend by calling the church office or email to Laura Baer at smpcce@ameritech.net.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
October 11 – Acolyte Training, 8:45 a.m.
October 18 – Second Helpings/Harvest Party
November 15 – Second Helpings/Christmas Program Rehearsal
December 6 – Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal after worship

We are in need of a second person to work in the nursery. We are asking you to share this information with anyone you believe is qualified (at least 18 and with some child care training or experience) and who might be interested. The hours for this position are Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 noon (depending on the need during programs following worship). There may also be occasional other times when this person will be asked, if available, to care for children in the nursery during special church activities. The wage for this position is $10/hour. Please ask anyone who is interested to speak to Laura Baer.

Our Fall Clean-Up Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 17. We will work from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Any time that folks can contribute is appreciated! Please come when you can, and plan to stay as long as you like. As usual, we have a long and diverse list of projects, inside and out. And you’ll be rewarded with good fellowship, a sense of accomplishment... and refreshments. Come one, come all!

You there... Come on down for a Potluck Supper! Join us Sunday, October 18, at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Bring a dish to pass (Make it yourself or pick up something at the store.), and bring yourself and your family. Plan to have a fun time! See the sign-up poster in the narthex. You don’t need to sign up to come, but doing so helps with the planning.

We will soon make a new schedule for liturgists. If you are interested in assisting in worship by serving as a leader/reader, then consider becoming a liturgist. Please contact Pastor Wendy Boden (630-469-9149 or wboden@ameritech.net) as soon as possible so we can add you to the schedule.

A book club, Presbyterian Readers, is forming at our church that will meet on the third Wednesday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the parlor At our first meeting — October 21 — we will discuss what books we have read in the past and what books we will want to read through the month of May. This group is open to all, men and women, members and non-members. If you have any questions please contact Wendy.

On Sunday, November 1, Southminster will celebrate All Saints Day as part of our morning worship. Our closing benediction will occur outside in the Memorial Garden. During our Prayers of the People we will give thanks to God for the people who have touched our lives and are no longer present with us except that portion which lives in our hearts and minds. If you have a loved one, a friend or a family member whose death occurred since last All Saints Day and whom you would like mentioned during our All Saints Prayer, please contact the church office by October 28, giving us their name and date of death. You can help us be as accurate as possible by providing correct spelling and leaving your name and phone number so we can check with you if we have any questions.

We’re starting a Young Adult Group! Once a month we will meet at Blair’s house for dinner and fellowship the last Wednesday of the month. Our first meeting is Wednesday, October 28, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Please call and let us know if you are coming so we can set a place at the table for you.

Southminster’s fourth annual Art Show is coming up! We’re looking for artists from our congregation who would like to share their work in our gallery from November 15, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Holiday hangings would be nice, but any work you are proud of would be fine: stitchery, painting, quilting, glass, photography, or whatever form of art you do. Items must be able to hang on our walls, and we’d like to ask that there be no repeats from last year. Contact Linda Ellinghausen (630-469-9039) or sign up in the narthex.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

September 30, 2009

2009-09-30T16:15:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

One day in third grade Sunday school I noticed that the girl next to me had a different Bible translation than I had. I asked the teacher why our Bibles were different. She told me that the original language of the Bible was Greek and Hebrew. “What?” I said, “Jesus didn’t speak English?” I was appalled, though my answer was, “Well I guess I will have to learn Greek and Hebrew.” And I did, but given my grades in French and German no one would have thought it possible. I got an A in Greek and a B+ in Hebrew, and I would rather not talk about my grades in French and German. It is enough to say that Love is a great motivator, the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God does not speak and hear in only one language. God hears all our prayers even if the words are not uttered. God speaks clearly in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came so we could all understand God’s love language. The book of Hebrews tells us that God has spoken most clearly through Jesus Christ. This Sunday we will be sharing in World Communion Sunday. Around the globe not only will people be speaking and teaching the love God has for each of us in their own cradle language, but all of us will be demonstrating God’s love by sharing in the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is in a sense an “unspoken” expression of God’s love for us.

On World Communion Sunday we will be receiving the Peacemaking Offering. This special offering is another way to express God’s love without words. Southminster’s portion, 25%, will go to Family Shelter Service, an organization that helps make love a reality during tough times. How do you say, “Love” with out words? One way is to participate in the Lord’s Supper and another way is to give to the Peacemaking Offering. There are many ways to say, “I Love you.” My prayer for all of us is that each of us everyday will find at least one way to say it without words. Take if from here,

Love, Wendy

Hebrews 1:1-3
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Announcements:

This Sunday –the first Sunday in October– is designated World Communion Sunday, a day that brings all Christians together around the Lord’s table. Our children will remain in worship and we will celebrate with “Breads of the World” during Fellowship time. If you have a family favorite bread, we invite you to bring some (homemade or store-bought) to share that morning. We will also join our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in receiving the Peacemaking Offering on October 4.
In addition, fourth through seventh graders will sing the Introit with the Adult Choir this Sunday. Please have your child in the sanctuary no later than 9:10 a.m., so they can practice before worship.
There is no Sunday School this week so children can remain in worship and be present at the Lord’s Table. As you may be aware, only children who have been baptized may participate in communion. If your child has not been baptized, or is baptized but has never participated in the Lord’s Supper, and you have questions or concerns on how to prepare them, please call Pastor Wendy.

We’re Baking Up Nice Surprises (BUNS) for CNS Hospice patients and their families, as well as patients in CNS Hospice’s Geriatric Assistance Program. Baked goods can be brought to church this Sunday, Oct. 4, or dropped off in the narthex by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, for delivery to CNS Hospice. Remember, NO ICED items! Please package your goodies in individual baggies of 2-3 cookies, muffins, or brownies.
Additionally, the youth at their SPY meeting on October 4 will be baking for BUNS. They could use brownie mixes, eggs, vegetable oil, plastic sandwich bags, flour and sugar for their baking – to be dropped off by Sunday morning, Oct. 4.
Sign-up sheets are on the Mission Bulletin Board in the Narthex for your baked goods or donations for the youth bake-off.
What a delicious and loving way to reach out to families during a very difficult time.

This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, is the day we bring offerings for the People’s Resource Center. The October emphasis is personal care and sanitary products. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

A representative from Lakeshore Christian Camping will be here at 11:00 a.m. this Sunday, October 4, to present information related to the future of Presbyterian Camps at Saugatuck. To allow people to attend the presentation, there will be no Adult Ed. or High School classes this week.

Women’s Breakfast meets the first Monday of the month –next gathering will be October 5– at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East. New friends are always welcome to join us! If you want to participate, we’ll have a Halloween socks grab bag.

Act by October 6 if you’d like to attend the Wheaton College Christmas Concert on December 5! We have discovered that somehow information regarding the annual Wheaton College Christmas Concert never reached us, and that the time for reserving tickets is almost upon us. The concert at Edman Chapel will be December 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets this year are $15.00. Tickets go on sale on October 7 and rapidly sell out, so we need to take action quickly if a group is interested in attending. If you would like to attend this event, please call (630-469-9482) or e-mail (caralinde@sbcglobal.net) Caroline Linde by October 6. There WILL NOT be a sign-up sheet, due to the short time span available for planning this event.

You have only until October 7 if you wish to purchase a memorial brick in time for installation by All Saints Day. Don’t delay! Call Grace Van Beveren (630-469-6769) for the required form.

Christian Education notes:
October Second Helpings/Harvest Party: This October will be an especially exciting month as we include a Harvest Party along with the Second Helpings on October 18. All Sunday School children, including Preschoolers, are invited to attend. We would appreciate hearing from Preschool parents if you/your child will be attending. Please call Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
Acolyte Training: Third graders on up can attend Acolyte Training on Sunday, October 11, at 8:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. Please encourage your child to serve in this important ministry. If any children would like a refresher, they are welcome to attend as well.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
October 4 – No Sunday School, No Adult Ed
October 11 – Acolyte Training, 8:45 a.m.
October 18 – Second Helpings/Harvest Party
November 15 – Second Helpings/Christmas Program Rehearsal

We are in need of a second person to work in the nursery. We are asking you to share this information with anyone you believe is qualified (at least 18 and with some child care training or experience) and who might be interested. The hours for this position are Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 noon (depending on the need during programs following worship). There may also be occasional other times when this person will be asked, if available, to care for children in the nursery during special church activities. The wage for this position is $10/hour. Please ask anyone who is interested to speak to Laura Baer.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like that service. In order for that offer to work, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

September 23, 2009

2009-09-23T20:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

All Sundays are special to me. Each Sunday morning feels like a family reunion to me. I enjoy saying good morning to folks as we prepare to gather for worship. I think of it as Sunday dinner, our church family gathering to honor God and share our love of God with each other. This Sunday will be particularly special for two reasons. One of the great gifts we have in this congregation is musicians, both vocal and instrumental. This Sunday we will dedicate their ministry of worship for the coming year. We are blessed by God for their gifts and dedication.

Also, this Sunday we will have a mission fair with a twist. We will have displays for each of our missions staffed by members of Southminster. This mission fair is not about your time or money. We don’t want your time per se. We don’t want your money per se. We want your prayers for the ministries that our congregation are involved in. This will be an opportunity for you to learn more about the missions of this our church family. To sweeten the deal, fellowship snacks will be served at each display, with beverages in the parlor. Each mission display will have a cross with a prayer written on it. We would like you to make a commitment to picking a ministry that you will pray for. That’s it! We want you to pray! Our nation and the world are going through tough times. Our prayers can make difference not only here at Southminster, but in our community and the world. Please take a little moment to say a little prayer. Take it from here,

Love, Wendy

Did you know...?
that there is work afoot to create a new Presbyterian hymnal? Here is some information from their web site:

In the development of a theological vision, it became clear to members of the committee that the name “Hymnal Committee” was not sufficiently broad, so they voted unanimously to change their name to the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song. The new name forms the cheerful acronym PCOCS (pronounced “peacocks”). Interestingly, as early as the third century Christians were depicting peacocks in their frescoes and mosaics, on the walls of catacombs, and even on the floors of baptisteries. Popular opinion held that after the bird shed its tail feathers; those that grew in their place were even more splendid than the original. For early believers, this provided a vivid way to represent the resurrection: the life to come which is only reached after loss, but which is far more glorious than we in the present life can ever imagine.

The new name is not, however, simply a clever play on words. It indicates the group’s commitment to producing something more than just a printed “hymnal,” and to include more than “hymns” in the final product. Just as medieval painters saw in the peacock’s plumage a blending of all the colors of the rainbow, so the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song aims to incorporate a full spectrum of worship styles and genres into the resources it provides for the church.

Announcements:

Through this Sunday (September 27) only we are collecting medicines for our sister church in Cuba. Bill Curry and Gretchen Fleming will deliver these medicines when they go to Cuba on October 18 to participate in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the sister relationship between the Presbytery of Chicago and the Presbytery of Havana. The following items are requested: Multivitamins—especially for adults but also for children; Vitamin B Complex; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Vitamin A; Ibuprofen; Naproxen sodium (e.g. Alleve); Acetaminophen; Glucosamine Chondroitin; Antacid tablets; Prevacid; (Lansoprazole); Zantac (Ranitidine); Prilosec (Omeprazol), Vicks Vaporub. If you can, please help by donating some of these items. A box will be available in the narthex in which you may leave your donations. Many thanks for your help!

Learn about all the wonderful things Southminster is doing locally, nationally, and internationally at the Mission Fair this Sunday after worship. Tables will be set up representing the various Mission opportunities available at SPC. All tables will be manned by a Southminster volunteer who has worked on that mission in the past. Mission Ministry is asking each congregant to stop and pick up a Mission Prayer Cross for the Mission(s) that most call(s) to their heart. Please be sure to stop by the tables, stop and ask questions, pick up literature, and pick up a prayer cross.

Sign up by this Sunday! Fellowship Event – There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Glenbard South Fall Musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” We will attend the play on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and Gold Cards are accepted. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, September 27. Call Tricia Smith with questions.
S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles’ November gathering will be this Fellowship event. Be sure to sign-up on the posted sheet in the narthex by September 27. Members of S.O.L.A.C.E. will meet at Alfie’s at 5:45 p.m. for dinner before the musical. Any questions, talk to Pat Petersen (630-690-1434).

Youth, bring a friend this Sunday when we meet at Panfish Park for a Photo Scavenger hunt, Pizza and a marshmallow roast. SPY and PYNGUINS will be together for this event, 5-8:00 p.m. Let Blair know you’re coming so there will be enough food.

Christian Education notes:
Child Protection Policy Training: Training in Fellowship Hall tomorrow (Thursday, September 24) from 7:00-9:00 p.m. for youth and children’s ministry staff and volunteers. Contact Laura Baer if you plan to attend at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
Sunday School Supplies: We are getting low on crayons and washable markers for our Sunday School classes. If you would like to make a donation of these items, there will be a box in the narthex for the next few weeks. Thank you very much in advance.
Acolyte Training: Third graders on up can attend Acolyte Training on Sunday, October 11, at 8:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. Please encourage your child to serve in this important ministry and, if any children would like a refresher, please have them attend as well.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
September 24 – Child Protection Training, 7-9:00 p.m.
October 4 – No Sunday School, No Adult Ed
October 11 – Acolyte Training, 8:45 a.m.

Valet parking is available on Sundays for anyone who would like this service. But… in order to offer this service, we need volunteers to assist with the parking! If you would like to volunteer to help with valet parking, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board as you enter the church.

We’re Baking Up Nice Surprises (BUNS) for CNS Hospice patients and their families, as well as patients in CNS Hospice’s Geriatric Assistance Program. Baked goods can be brought to church on Sunday, Oct. 4, or dropped off in the narthex by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, for delivery to CNS Hospice. Remember, NO ICED items! Please package your goodies in individual baggies of 2-3 cookies, muffins, or brownies.
Additionally, the youth at their SPY meeting on October 4 will be baking for BUNS. They could use brownie mixes, eggs, vegetable oil, plastic sandwich bags, flour and sugar for their baking – to be dropped off by Sunday morning, Oct. 4.
Sign-up sheets are on the Mission Bulletin Board in the Narthex for your baked goods or donations for the youth bake-off.
What a delicious and loving way to reach out to families during a very difficult time.

Women’s Breakfast meets the first Monday of the month –next gathering will be October 5– at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East. New friends are always welcome to join us! If you want to participate, we’ll have a Halloween socks grab bag.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

September 16, 2009

2009-09-17T16:20:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had a relationship with fire. When he was six years old he was caught upstairs as his home burned around him. He had the presence of mind to move a trunk under the window so people could see him and rescue him. He was rescued right before the roof fell in. Both John and his mother, Suzanne, saw his deliverance as God’s work. As a result, his mother believed that God had great plans for him. His mother called him a “brand snatched from the burning.”

We are not Methodists. We are Presbyterians and truly, our Choir members and others demonstrated a lot of presence of mind on Sunday when one of the fixtures in the ceiling sparked a small fire. Thanks be to God, there was no roaring flame, we all exited smoothly and slowly and, unlike the Wesleys, we still have a roof our head. Anyone entering the sanctuary today would have no idea that we even had any excitement. We were also able to continue with the service outside and baptized Dylan. Many have emailed me and suggested a planned outdoor service sometimes.

The Property ministry is meeting Wednesday night, a preplanned meeting. (We are Presbyterians after all, dare we say, “Providence”?) They are planning to take a thoughtful approach to the question of lighting. They are getting bids and quotes and talking to our insurance reps. Please keep them and the session in your prayers as we move forward. We are blessed with many capable and gifted leaders in our church family.

This Sunday is “Second Helpings,” an educational and fellowship opportunity for the church family. Youth and children meet first in the Sanctuary at 11:00 and then go downstairs. At 11:45 a light lunch will be served for the whole church family. If for some reason you can’t stay for lunch, (soccer games come to mind), please stay for the extra bit of education. Adults will have a Bible study in the parlor.

On Sunday Sean shared his small blessings; I would like to close with his words and say that this congregation is a blessing to many, perhaps more than you know... and to me. I thank God for your ministry in the greater Glen Ellyn area and in the world. May you be blessed to be a blessing. We may not have been rescued like John Wesley from a burning house, but God does have plans for us.

Verse:
God make me mindful of my blessings
From every breath I breathe, To every word I speak
From my child’s laugh to the things that are very pressing
To my wife’s gentle touch and days that are quite bleak

Chorus:
Lord I believe in you,
Help my disbelief
Lord let me perceive you
In times of joy and grief
Open my eyes so I may see
Your blessings that surround me

Verse:
God make me mindful of my blessings
From the sun’s bright rays, To the stars cool shine
From morning to night let me start confessing
That you are my God until the end of time

Chorus:
Lord I believe in you,
Help my disbelief
Lord let me perceive you
In times of joy and grief
Open my eyes so I may see
Your blessings that surround me

Verse:
God make me mindful of my blessings
From the breeze on my face, To the home that I live in
Awaken me and let me start expressing
My thankfulness for all that you have given

Chorus:
Lord I believe in you,
Help my disbelief
Lord let me perceive you
In times of joy and grief
Open my eyes so I may see
Your blessings that surround me

Bridge:
And when I forget what you’ve given me
At the cost of your Son
Give to me the blessing
Of knowing you are the only one….

Chorus:
Lord I believe in you,
Help my disbelief
Lord let me perceive you
In times of joy and grief
Open my eyes so I may see
Your blessings that surround me

Peace,
Sean E Salins

Take if from here,
Love, Wendy

Announcements:

Head Usher Lanny Russell is putting together the schedule for the year for our usher teams. He has some openings that need filling! If you could serve the church by ushering on Sunday mornings, please let Lanny know (cell phone: 630-738-3600). The more ushers we have on the schedule, the fewer times you will need to work.

All women of Southminster are invited to A.M. Circle’s first gathering of the year this Friday, September 18, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Come share what you’ve done over the summer and help us make our 2009-2010 plans. A.M. Circle meets the 3rd Friday of the month from September through May.

This Sunday, September 20, is the deadline for the October Dialog.

“Second Helpings:” Our first all-church, fall event, will be this Sunday, September 20, from 11:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. The Adult Bible and High School classes will meet, as Sunday school-aged children will get a “second helping” of Christian education and nurture. Fellowship continues as everyone shares a light lunch afterwards. (See additional “Second Helpings” information below, and other Christian Ed. announcements later in these e-Notes.)

Dear Parents, we will begin practice for this year’s Christmas program during our “Second Helpings” events. Please take time to read the attached letter regarding the program and practice schedule. Most importantly, we will begin reading through the play THIS SUNDAY, at Second Helpings. If your children would like to have a speaking role for the program, please try to have them at church this week. If you are not able to attend, please email me or call me and let me know. We will try to have parts assigned by the October rehearsal. As a special note: PLEASE RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION of the form if your children know that they are interested in participating this year. This will help me a great deal in planning ahead.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I am looking forward to this wonderful opportunity to work with the youth of Southminster!
Suzanne Tennnyson (email: suzanne@tenn4.com or phone: 630-865-4095)

YOUTH!
This Sunday launches our program for 2009/2010. Middle schoolers: join us at 6:00 p.m. for the premiere of PYNGUINS (we’ll tell you what that means when you get there, if you don’t already know), for snacks, fun, games, music, and spiritual good stuff. High schoolers, join us at the usual time, 7:00 p.m, for a time of music and spiritual stuff with the PYNGUINS, then games, snacks, fun, and fellowship.
Also, bring a friend next week when we meet at Panfish Park for a Photo Scavenger hunt, Pizza and a marshmallow roast. SPY and PYNGUINS will be together for this event, 5-8:00 p.m.
High Schoolers, AKA SPY, come to Chicago and Blackhawk Presbyteries’ Senior High Fall Retreat, “iWitness,” Nov. 6-8, at Covenant Harbor Retreat Center, Lake Geneva. We need to register by Oct. 23. Middle Schoolers, AKA PYNGUINS, your retreat will be Jan 29-31. More info to come.
All youth (not going to iWitness), join us for SLEEP OUT SATURDAY. Start collecting your cardboard now to sleep out on the church lawn to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless of DuPage County. This event is sponsored by Bridge Communities, a mission we support.

What is Going on This Fall in Christian Ed?
“Never Stop Climbing! Building our lives on Christ and his words.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
Kick-Off Notes: Our Christian Education kick-off was well attended. The hot dogs were tasty, and teachers in all the Christian Ed ministries had a wonderful opportunity to visit with adults and children and talk about the upcoming year. And, did we say the hot dogs were tasty? A huge thank you to everyone who helped to prepare for this event.
Our first helping of “Second Helpings” is this Sunday. See the note
Registration Forms for Sunday School: Forms will be available in Sunday School classrooms. Please return the completed form to your child’s Sunday School teacher.
Scripture Verse Memorization Challenge: For third grade through middle school—look for more information in Sunday School classes this coming Sunday.
Sunday School Supplies: We are getting low on crayons and washable markers for our Sunday School classes. If you would like to make a donation of these items, there will be a box in the narthex for the next few weeks. Thank you very much in advance.
Child Protection Policy Training: Training in Fellowship Hall on Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. for youth and children’s ministry staff and volunteers. Contact Laura Baer if you plan to attend at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
Acolyte Training: Third graders on up can attend Acolyte Training on Sunday, October 11, at 8:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. Please encourage your child to serve in this important ministry and, if any children would like a refresher, please have them attend as well.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
September 20 – Music Ministry for Preschool through third grade; “Second Helpings” All-Church Event (11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.), first day of Adult Ed. Lectionary Study in parlor (11:00 a.m.), first day of High School class with Pastor Wendy (11:00 a.m.)
September 24 – Child Protection Training, 7-9:00 p.m.
October 4 – No Sunday School, No Adult Ed
October 11 – Acolyte Training, 8:45 a.m.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? Please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

Medicines for our sister church in Cuba: Through September 27 medicines are being collected for our sister church in Cuba that will be delivered by Bill Curry and Gretchen Fleming when they go to Cuba on October 18 to participate in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the sister relationship between the Presbytery of Chicago and the Presbytery of Havana. The following items are requested: Multivitamins—especially for adults but also for children; Vitamin B Complex; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Vitamin A; Ibuprofen; Naproxen sodium (e.g. Alleve); Acetaminophen; Glucosamine Chondroitin; Antacid tablets; Prevacid; (Lansoprazole); Zantac (Ranitidine); Prilosec (Omeprazol), Vicks Vaporub. If you can, please help by donating some of these items. A box will be available in the narthex in which you may leave your donations. Many thanks for your help!

Southminster Women: Ann Anderson and Melissa Nachman would like to know if you are interested in attending a Sunday night Women’s Bible Study. We are thinking of using the book “Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Please email Ann at sylviasmother@sbcglobal.net or call Melissa at 312 933 3147 if you would be interested in joining us.

Fellowship Event – There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Glenbard South Fall Musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” We will attend the play on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and Gold Cards are accepted. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, September 27. Call Tricia Smith with questions.
S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles’ November gathering will be this Fellowship event. Be sure to sign-up on the posted sheet in the narthex by September 27. Members of S.O.L.A.C.E. will meet at Alfie’s at 5:45 p.m. for dinner before the musical. Any questions, talk to Pat Petersen (630-690-1434).

September 9, 2009

2009-09-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

On Friday at 5:24 my daughter Anna called me to ask if her friend could spend the night. I told her yes and she was happy when we hung up. At 5:26, my husband Blair called to say he was on his way to Urgent Care with Anna. I couldn’t make out what the reason was, but I could hear her crying in the background. I left the office for Urgent Care to find that Anna had slammed her finger in the door of her friend’s truck. In a matter of moments she had gone from very happy to a world of pain. I think we could ask just about any parent and they would confirm that childhood can move very rapidly from joy to tears.

This Sunday in worship we will be dedicating our Sunday School program and baptizing Dylan Alsbury, son of Michael and Anita Alsbury. Christian Education and Christian Baptism are joyful but serious commitments. In the baptism we promise to be “family” for the person baptized. Christian Education is one of the ways we are family to one another in our congregation, whether it is giving through the church budget, volunteering and participating in Sunday School, VBS, Second Helpings, or in the youth program. This is one of the ways we are family as we grow in faith and support one another through all the twists and turns of life. You as a Christian family expressed care and concern for Anna this past Sunday. This Sunday we will have the opportunity to express our care and concern for Dylan. Please continue in prayer for our teachers. Please consider participating directly in Christian Education by attending the Adult Class in the parlor Sunday following worship or attending our monthly “Second Helpings.”

Please remember also that you are invited to a special “Kick Off” of Sunday School following morning worship this week. There is a BBQ! And you are invited. Take if from here,

Love, Wendy

Mark 3: 31-35:
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Did you know...?
All Christians are family to one another, but our branch of the Christian family is called, “Reformed.”

Announcements:

“Sing to the Lord a new song,” starting with our first rehearsal this week! If you are searching for a new ministry to become involved in at Southminster, and can carry a tune, then the Choir just might be the right place for you. We are saving a chair for you in the sanctuary! Come fill our space with joyful song! The first choir rehearsal will take place this Thursday evening, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room followed by food and fellowship. Welcome back to all returning members, and we welcome and are in need of some new talent in each section of the choir. High School age students are also invited to join. For more information, please contact Darlene Crilly, our Music Director.

Teachers and CE Committee members: Don’t forget set-up for kick-off this Saturday, Sept. 12, at 9:00 a.m. in Fellowship Hall! Coffee provided. Anyone else who would like to help is welcome.

Medicines for our sister church in Cuba: Starting September 13 through September 27 medicines are being collected for our sister church in Cuba that will be delivered by Bill Curry and Gretchen Fleming when they go to Cuba on October 18 to participate in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the sister relationship between the Presbytery of Chicago and the Presbytery of Havana. The following items are requested: Multivitamins—especially for adults but also for children; Vitamin B Complex; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Vitamin A; Ibuprofen; Naproxen sodium (e.g. Alleve); Acetaminophen; Glucosamine Chondroitin; Antacid tablets; Prevacid; (Lansoprazole); Zantac (Ranitidine); Prilosec (Omeprazol), Vicks Vaporub. If you can, please help by donating some of these items. A box will be available in the narthex in which you may leave your donations. Many thanks for your help!

What is Going on This Fall in Christian Ed?:

Never Stop Climbing! Building our lives on Christ and his Word. (Matthew 7:24-27)
This year is going to be a truly exciting one in Christian Education. We will be climbing together to learn and apply the Word of God. There is virtually something for everyone. Here is a line-up beginning this fall:

1. Come meet and greet our Adult Ed, Music Ministry, and Sunday School teachers after worship in Fellowship Hall this Sunday, September 13. Or, visit our Library and check out some good reading. Afterwards, we will enjoy a barbeque with hot dogs and burgers—you only need to bring your appetite. We welcome children and adults to bring a friend, so they can see what we have going on in Christian Ed this year. Please reply to this email or call the church office if you plan to attend so we can plan accordingly. (And High Schoolers – there is going to be a class for you this year, led by Pastor Wendy following Sunday worship. Plan to meet her in her office this Sunday at 11:30 after you’ve had some BBQ eats to discuss the plans for the year.)

2. “Second Helpings!” Our first all-church, fall event, on September 20, from 11:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Adult Bible class and High School classes will meet, as Sunday school-aged children will get a “second helping” of Christian education and nurture. Fellowship continues as everyone shares a light lunch afterwards.

Additional C.E. Notes:
Fall Teachers: We have been blessed to have the following teachers beginning this fall: Adult Education: Blair Nelson; Preschool Class: Lisa Frey, Heather Jablonski, Rena Smith, Marta Sundquist and Chris Kozich, preschool substitute. Our Primary Class: Melissa Nachman, Andrea Schmidt and Julie Steele, substitute. In our Intermediate Class: Ann Anderson and T.J. Frey, and Megan Bohi, substitute; and our Middle School Class: Dan Bohi, Steve Johnson and Sue Hume substitute. Please pray for encouragement, perseverance and God’s wisdom for our teachers and all those whose hearts will be touched.
Registration Forms for Sunday School: Forms will be available in Sunday School classrooms during the Kick-off. Please return the completed form to your child’s Sunday School teacher.
Sunday School Supplies: We are getting low on crayons and washable markers for our Sunday School classes. If you would like to make a donation of these items, there will be a box in the narthex for the next few weeks. Thank you very much in advance.
Child Protection Policy Training: Training in Fellowship Hall on Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. for youth and children’s ministry staff and volunteers. If you plan to attend, contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
Check out our Library: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12:30). God desires that all we have and all we are be focused on knowing Him and growing to be more like Jesus Christ. We have many books in our library that can help you in your spiritual walk. Come on in before or after worship on Sundays or during church business hours.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
September 13 - Fall Education Kick-Off, meet and greet teachers, BBQ lunch
September 20 – Music Ministry for Preschool through third grade; “Second Helpings” All-Church Event (11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.), first day of Adult Ed. Lectionary Study in parlor (11:00 a.m.), first day of High School class with Pastor Wendy (11:00 a.m.)
September 24 – Child Protection Training
October 4 – No Sunday School, No Adult Ed

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? We will hold a 3-session New Member Class on Sunday mornings, September 13, 20, and 27, from 8:30-9:15 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

Southminster Women: Ann Anderson and Melissa Nachman would like to know if you are interested in attending a Sunday night Women’s Bible Study. We are thinking of using the book “Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Please email Ann at sylviasmother@sbcglobal.net or call Melissa at 312 933 3147 if you would be interested in joining us.

Everyone who is single is invited to join S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles for the October outing to see the Wheaton Drama Guild production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” on Sunday, October 4, at the 3:00 matinee performance. Tickets are $21.00 each; sign up in the narthex by September 15. Give money to Lois Stevenson or call her with questions: 630-858-9315. If people are interested, we’ll go out for supper afterward somewhere near the theater.

All women of Southminster are invited to A.M. Circle’s first gathering of the year Friday, September 18, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Come share what you’ve done over the summer and help us make our 2009-2010 plans. A.M. Circle meets the 3rd Friday of the month from September through May.

Presenting the PYNGUINS! Middle schoolers, this year you get your very own youth group! High school and middle schoolers, stay tuned for information on this fall’s SPY and PYNGUINS programs. Mark your calendars: it all begins Sept. 20. PYNGUINS (middle schoolers) will meet Sundays, 6:00-7:30 p.m., and SPY (high schoolers) will meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Both groups will be together from 7:00-7:30 for a time of music and spiritual stuff. Have a great start of the school year, and get set for our kick-off on September 20.

Fellowship Event – There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Glenbard South Fall Musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” We will attend the play on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and Gold Cards are accepted. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, September 27. Call Tricia Smith with questions.
S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles’ November gathering will be this Fellowship event. Be sure to sign-up on the posted sheet in the narthex by September 27. Members of S.O.L.A.C.E. will meet at Alfie’s at 5:45 p.m. for dinner before the musical. Any questions, talk to Pat Petersen (630-690-1434).

September 2, 2009

2009-09-03T00:18:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Management and labor have not always done well by each other. In the past there has been a lot of conflict. In fact, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. As a result we had our first Labor Day celebration in 1882. In the past two centuries the labor movement has worked to bring safe working conditions and fair wages.

As I consider Labor Day and what it means to each of us beyond a picnic or a day at the park, what comes to mind is the rest that each of us has in Christ. Many of us work very hard and long hours, and not just the folks who are gainfully employed, but many retired people appear to me to be running the race with the rest of us. It seems sometimes if you aren’t working you are everyone’s candidate for volunteer work. Friends, please remember that your worth is not in what you do, but in who you are. Remember you are a child of God, beautiful to behold.

On Tuesday I had lunch with a friend of mine whose husband is recently retired. She shared with me that she had just spent $1,100 at Walgreen’s for his prescription. This amount was paid after Medicaid. His health is not extraordinary, except he is diabetic and has only one kidney. She asked me, “How do senior citizens live?” I didn’t have an answer for her. I don’t have any answers or recommendations about how our nation should handle health care, but I do know that God is compassionate and hears each of us as we pray. This Labor Day, as we celebrate the work and labor of each of us, as we celebrate the “eight hour day,” at least the idea of a legal eight hour day, remember in prayer all those who labor and those who struggle with health care costs. Please remember in prayer our President and our other elected officials as they wrestle with the ins and outs of our nation’s health care system. There needs to be a way forward for all of us. May God bless each of you as you observe this last holiday weekend of the summer. Rest in the knowledge of God’s love for you.

This is my prayer for Labor Day 2009:

Gracious and loving God, as summer draws to a close, as the routine of the year begins once again, may each of us find our rest in you. We hold before you our children and teachers and ask for special grace as they begin a new year.

We ask that those who are returning from vacations to a more intense period of labor find their comfort and joy you. It is often difficult to walk in another’s shoes; may those who labor and those who manage seek to understand each other and their needs.

We hold before you those who are looking for employment and those who are afraid that their jobs may be in jeopardy. Help them to trust in you as their rock and foundation.

Some of us are retired from our jobs and professions. Bless the work that we do as volunteers, grandparents, and participants in the creation of better lives for all. Our work is also important. We are aware of those who cannot participate in many activities because of illness or advanced age. Their lives are also important. Provide them a healing grace and a hope for tomorrow.

We would especially remember those who have a serious illness. Hold their hands as they travel the difficult paths of pain, debilitation, and possible death. We remember their families and the care-givers who need your sustaining grace. We ask that our elected officials have wisdom as they face the questions of health care and the present financial concerns. Give them an extra measure of wisdom and grace.

Finally we want to thank you for all you have given us. We are a people who have been richly blessed in this wonderful land of opportunity. Teach us to share our wealth with a world that is in great need. We thank you for Christian communities that are trying hard to live up to your calling in their community. Give them a vision for the future as they serve a needy world.

Most of all we thank you for caring enough to send us your very own Son, who set out on a path that led to his death. He bade us follow him down that same path. We tend to stray from that path, yet your grace gently pulls us back. Hold our hands as we boldly take the next step on our journey. We ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Isaiah 55: 1-2
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

Take it from here.
Love, Wendy

Announcements:

The new carpet for the offices, nursery, and choir room is installed. We would like to thank everyone who helped move furniture on and out of all the rooms. We particularly thank Dick Hurst for directing Jan’s memorial money to this project.

This Sunday––and the first Sunday of every month––is the day we bring offerings for the People’s Resource Center. The September emphasis is diapers and baby wipes. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall).

Southminster Women: Ann Anderson and Melissa Nachman would like to know if you are interested in attending a Sunday night Women’s Bible Study. We are thinking of using the book “Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Please email Ann at sylviasmother@sbcglobal.net or call Melissa at 312 933 3147 if you would be interested in joining us.

Monday, September 7, the church office will be closed for Labor Day. But nothing stops the Women’s Breakfast! They meet the first Monday of the month at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East, which this month just happens to be a holiday. New friends are always welcome, but this month they’d especially love to see anyone who can’t normally come because of work schedules.

“Sing to the Lord a new song!” If you are searching for a new ministry to become involved in at Southminster, and can carry a tune, then the Choir just might be the right place for you. We are saving a chair for you in the sanctuary! Come fill our space with joyful song! The first choir rehearsal will take place on Thursday evening, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room followed by food and fellowship. Welcome back to all returning members, and we welcome and are in need of some new talent in each section of the choir. High School age students are also invited to join. For more information, please contact Darlene Crilly, our Music Director.

What is Going on This Fall in Christian Ed?:

Never Stop Climbing! Building our lives on Christ and his Word. (Matthew 7:24-27)
This year is going to be a truly exciting one in Christian Education. We will be climbing together to learn and apply the Word of God. There is virtually something for everyone. Here is a line-up beginning this fall:
1. Fall Kick-off for Education! NOT just for Sunday School families! Come meet and greet our Adult Ed, Music Ministry, and Sunday School teachers after Fellowship on Sunday, September 13. This is a great opportunity to get to know our dedicated group of teachers on a more informal basis, talk about plans for the upcoming year, and view our Sunday School curriculum. We will have a barbeque with hot dogs and burgers on the grounds outside Fellowship Hall directly afterwards, so bring your appetite. You are also encouraged—children as well as adults—to bring a friend to this event. Please sign up on the Christian Ed. bulletin board so we can make sure we have enough hot dogs and burgers for everyone. (And High Schoolers – there is going to be a class for you this year, led by Pastor Wendy following Sunday worship. Plan to meet her in her office on Sept. 13 at 11:30 after you’ve had some BBQ eats to discuss the plans for the year.)
2. “Second Helpings!” Please join us for “Second Helpings”—the first of three fall all-church events, on September 20, from 11:00 a.m. until noon. Adult Bible class and High School classes will meet, as Sunday school-aged children will get a “second helping” of Christian education and nurture. Fellowship continues as everyone shares a light lunch afterwards. Remaining fall dates for “Second Helpings:” October 18 and November 15.
3. Music Ministry! Beginning September 20, preschool through third grade children will begin music lessons with Darlene Crilly directly after the Children’s Moment in Fellowship Hall.

Additional C.E. Notes:
Registration Forms for Sunday School: Forms will be available in Sunday School classrooms during the Kick-off. Please return the completed form to your child’s Sunday School teacher.
Sunday School Supplies: We are getting low on crayons and washable markers for our Sunday School classes. If you would like to make a donation of these items, there will be a box in the narthex for the next few weeks. Thank you very much in advance.
Child Protection Policy Training: Training in Fellowship Hall on Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. for youth and children’s ministry staff and volunteers. If you plan to attend, contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.
Check out our Library: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12:30). God desires that all we have and all we are be focused on knowing Him and growing to be more like Jesus Christ. We have many books in our library that can help you in your spiritual walk. Come on in before or after worship on Sundays or during church business hours.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
September 6 - Last day of Summer Sunday School
September 13 - Fall Education Kick-Off, meet and greet teachers, BBQ lunch
September 20 – Music Ministry for Preschool through third grade; “Second Helpings” All-Church Event (11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.), first day of Adult Ed. Lectionary Study in parlor (11:00 a.m.), first day of High School class with Pastor Wendy (11:00 a.m.)
September 24 – Child Protection Training

Laura Baer has a big plastic tote filled with old pictures. If anyone is interested in pictures of church events from years past, please contact her through the church office 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? We will hold a 3-session New Member Class on Sunday mornings, September 13, 20, and 27, from 8:30-9:15 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

Everyone who is single is invited to join S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles to see the Wheaton Drama Guild production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” on Sunday, October 4, at the 3:00 matinee performance. Tickets are $21.00 each; sign up in the narthex by September 15. Give money to Lois Stevenson or call her with questions: 630-858-9315. If people are interested, we’ll go out for supper afterward somewhere near the theater.

All women of Southminster are invited to A.M. Circle’s first gathering of the year Friday, September 18, at 9:30 a.m. in the parlor. Come share what you’ve done over the summer and help us make our 2009-2010 plans. A.M. Circle meets the 3rd Friday of the month from September through May.

Presenting the PYNGUINS! Middle schoolers, this year you get your very own youth group! High school and middle schoolers, stay tuned for information on this fall’s SPY and PYNGUINS programs. Mark your calendars: it all begins Sept. 20. PYNGUINS (middle schoolers) will meet Sundays, 6:00-7:30 p.m., and SPY (high schoolers) will meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Both groups will be together from 7:00-7:30 for a time of music and spiritual stuff. Have a great start of the school year, and get set for our kick-off on September 20.

Singin’ in the Rain – There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for anyone who would like to attend the Glenbard South Fall Musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” We will attend the play on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and Gold Cards are accepted. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, September 27. Call Tricia Smith with questions.

The Alzheimer’s Project, a documentary produced by HBO, will be presented free of charge at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn, on three consecutive Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The remaining showing is September 3: “Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?” and “Caregivers.” Reserve your space by calling Kathi or John at 630-681-1234 four days prior to each event.

August 26, 2009

2009-08-26T14:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I will be having my last week of “staycation” this week. I will be spending the time getting the kids ready for school, and on Friday I will be flying out to Virginia Beach to officiate at a friend’s wedding. (For pastoral care arrangements while I am gone, see paragraph following Deacon Care Notes.)

Some people get anxious when school starts, even if they have been out of school for years. I suppose after all those years spent getting ready, it’s hard to reset your internal clock. The church is the same way in many ways. During the summer people come and go and vacation, the programming of the church is a bit different, the choir takes a break, and we are blessed with anthems on a more personal level.

But now we are getting back in gear. Christian Education is planning a BBQ for September 13, and we will be in full swing with new plans and a new program year. The Youth Program is planning a new format. Christian Education is planning “Second Helpings.” It will be the third Sunday of each month. In September it will be September 20 and we will finish May 16.

“Second Helpings” is an extra serving of Christian Education for the whole Church family. This event is intended to serve the entire congregation by offering Bible study and fellowship to all ages and, consequently, serve a number of educational purposes:

The first purpose would be a means of supplementing the Sunday school classes for the children with objectives such as learning the books of the Bible, exploring the Reformed faith, and understanding the sacraments.

Second, this monthly event would give parents an opportunity to get involved in a Bible study without having to make arrangements for child care. (In addition to programming for children, childcare would also be made available for infants and toddlers, as is currently offered during adult Bible study.) Even if they can’t attend other Sundays, during “Second Helpings” parents can join the adult class offered in the parlor each week.

Last, we have become aware that it is difficult for families to make practices for special worship services such as the Christmas program and Youth Sunday. Time would be made to practice for these upcoming special worship services.

“Second Helpings” will end with a light lunch, allowing us additional time to share our learning experiences and fellowship. We hope to have you heading home about 12:15.

Please be in prayer and consider joining with us about this exciting opportunity. We are open to suggestions for “Second Helpings” and would appreciate a response on your interest as a family as well as the timing of the event. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Announcements:

What is Going on This Fall in Christian Ed?:

Never Stop Climbing! Building our lives on Christ and his Word. (Matthew 7:24-27) This year is going to be a truly exciting one in Christian Education. We will be climbing together to learn and apply the Word of God. There is virtually something for everyone. Here is a line-up beginning this fall:
1. Fall Kick-off for Education! Not just for Sunday School families! Come meet and greet our Adult Ed, Music Ministry, and Sunday School teachers after Fellowship on Sunday, September 13. This is a great opportunity to get to know our dedicated group of teachers on a more informal basis, talk about plans for the upcoming year, and view our Sunday School curriculum. We will have a barbeque with hot dogs and burgers on the grounds outside Fellowship Hall directly afterwards, so bring your appetite. You are also encouraged—children as well as adults—to bring a friend to this event. Please sign up on the Christian Ed. bulletin board so we can make sure we have enough hot dogs and burgers for everyone. (And High Schoolers – there is going to be a class for you this year, led by Pastor Wendy following Sunday worship. Plan to meet her in her office on Sept. 13 after you’ve had some BBQ foods to discuss the plans for the year.)
2. “Second Helpings!” Please join us for “Second Helpings”—our first all-church, fall event, on September 20, from 11:00 a.m. until noon. Adult Bible class and High School classes will meet, as Sunday school-aged children will get a “second helping” of Christian education and nurture. Fellowship continues as everyone shares a light lunch afterwards. Remaining fall dates for “Second Helpings:” October 18 and November 15.
3. Music Ministry! Beginning September 20, preschool through third grade children will begin music lessons with Darlene Crilly directly after the Children’s Moment in Fellowship Hall.

Sunday School Curriculum: We will again be using Cokesbury’s “Rock Solid” curriculum for Sunday School. This is a comprehensive overview of the Bible for preschool through older elementary children, covering the major stories of the Bible over a three-year period. The outline of Bible stories follows the church year, so the children experience stories of Christmas, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. For Tweens (Middle School): Rock Solid speaks to them in language they can relate to and outlines the entire Bible in a scope of two 1-year surveys. The second year builds upon the first, providing greater insight and perspective into the Bible’s big picture.

Child Protection Policy Training: We will offer training on Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. on our Child Protection Policy for Youth and Children ministry staff and volunteers. If you plan to attend, please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
August 30 - Bible story by Jim Shiflett (during Sunday School)
September 6 - Last day of summer Sunday School
September 13 - Fall Kick-off. Please encourage your child/children to bring friends.
September 20 - Second Helpings event/start of Adult Lectionary Bible Study class
September 24 – Child Protection Training

Presenting the PYNGUINS! Middle schoolers, this year you get your very own youth group! High school and middle schoolers, stay tuned for information on this fall’s SPY and PYNGUINS programs. Mark your calendars: it all begins Sept. 20. PYNGUINS (middle schoolers) will meet Sundays, 6:00-7:30 p.m., and SPY (high schoolers) will meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Both groups will be together from 7:00-7:30 for a time of music and spiritual stuff. Have a great start of the school year, and get set for our kick-off on September 20.

Have you considered becoming a member of Southminster? We will hold a 3-session New Member Class on Sunday mornings, September 13, 20, and 27, from 8:30-9:15 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please talk to Pastor Wendy Boden (office: 630-469-9149) or Elder Ginny Kline (630-668-7374).

“Sing to the Lord a new song!” If you are searching for a new ministry to become involved in at Southminster, and can carry a tune, then the Choir just might be the right place for you. We are saving a chair for you in the sanctuary! Come fill our space with joyful song! The first choir rehearsal will take place on Thursday evening, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room followed by food and fellowship. Welcome back to all returning members, and we welcome and are in need of some new talent in each section of the choir. High School age students are also invited to join. For more information, please contact Darlene Crilly, our Music Director.

The Alzheimer’s Project, a documentary produced by HBO, will be presented free of charge at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn, on three consecutive Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The remaining schedule is: August 27: “Momentum in Science;” and September 3: “Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?” and “Caregivers.” Reserve your space by calling Kathi or John at 630-681-1234 four days prior to each event.

August 19, 2009

2009-08-20T08:34:00.001-05:00

Isaiah 55: 12-13:
“So you’ll go out in joy,
you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.
The mountains and hills will lead the parade,
bursting with song.
All the trees of the forest will join the procession,
exuberant with applause.
No more thistles, but giant sequoias,
no more thorn bushes, but stately pines—
Monuments to me, to God,
living and lasting evidence of God.”

Dear Friends,

“The hills are alive with the sound of music!” Do you remember the splendor of the opening scene for the film “Sound of Music”? I do. I was only seven. I remember the beauty of the sky, the mountains, the meadow, and Julie Andrews’ exquisite voice. She had to sing because of the beauty God’s creation around her. Song is a gift from God. Sometimes, our hearts are so full, just saying the words fails to express what is in our hearts, whether it is joy or sadness.

I am so very grateful to our musicians this summer who have given us the gift of music, whether with voice or with instruments. This Sunday, August 23, we have a special offering to God and a gift to us. The sermon will be in the form of songs sung, not by me, but by “The Messengers.” The Messengers formed as a group in 1983 to sing at an ecumenical Good Friday service. They got together to perform one song, one time. But 25 years, a dozen albums, and countless concerts later, The Messengers continue to inspire with a mixture of styles, mostly gospel music. They are friends of mine and have offered to give us this as a free gift to our congregation.

They have toured Wisconsin and as far as Washington, D.C., where thieves relieved the group of its sound equipment at the outset of a regional tour. Venues have ranged from a Milwaukee Hilton to nursing homes. The Messengers have played for crowds in the hundreds at a July Fourth celebration and at an elementary school. It is their desire to be Messengers of the good news of Jesus Christ. This is an opportunity for you to invite friends who are looking for a church home to come and visit. Session has given approval for them to sell their CD during fellowship.

As the prophet Isaiah wrote, God’s joy sometimes goes beyond the bounds of humanity and causes even creation to burst into song as well. Please join us. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Announcements:

The September Dialog deadline is upon us―tomorrow. The September issue is always jam-packed with start-of-the-year information, so please be sure to get your articles and calendar items turned in quickly.

The installation of the new carpet in the main office, Christian Ed. office, choir room, and nursery will take longer than originally planned; the removal of the old carpet begins Thursday around noon and the installation will continue on Friday. If you call the church office during that time, there’s a chance you may not get either a live person or the answering machine. We ask your patience (and maybe a few prayers) while we go through this process.

Hear The Message with The Messengers! This Sunday, August 23, The Messengers, a musical outreach ministry, will bring its special blend of gospel music to our worship service. (See Wendy’s message above.)

Notes from Christian Ed.:
Teachers’ Meeting - Reminder for fall teachers and subs: We have our first meeting on Sunday, August 23 at 8:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall to discuss the upcoming school year.
Fall Kick-off for Education! Come meet and greet our Adult Ed and Sunday School teachers after Fellowship on Sunday, September 13. This is a great opportunity to get to know our dedicated group of teachers on a more informal basis and talk about plans for the upcoming year. We will have a barbeque outside of Fellowship Hall directly afterwards, so bring your appetite. Please sign-up on the Christian Ed bulletin if you plan to attend!
“Second Helpings:” Please join us for “Second Helpings” on September 20, from 11:00a.m. until noon. Adult Bible class and High School classes will meet, as Sunday school-aged children will get a “second helping” of Christian education and nurture. Fellowship continues as everyone shares a light lunch afterwards. Consecutive dates for “Second Helpings”: October 18 and November 15.
Child Protection Policy Training: We will offer training on Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. on our Child Protection Policy. This training is for staff and all regular volunteers who work with youth and children’s ministries and special events such as VBS, SNL, mission trips, etc. Please contact Laura Baer if you plan to attend at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net.

Mark your Calendars for these Christian Ed. dates!
August 30 - Bible story by Jim Shiflett (during Sunday School)
September 6 - Last day of summer Sunday School
September 13 - Fall Kick-off. Please encourage your child/children to bring friends.
September 20 - Second Helpings event/start of Adult Lectionary Bible Study class
September 24 – Child Protection Training

Presenting the PYNGUINS! Middle schoolers, this year you get your very own youth group! High school and middle schoolers, stay tuned for information on this fall’s SPY and PYNGUINS programs. Mark your calendars: it all begins Sept. 20. PYNGUINS (middle schoolers) will meet Sundays, 6:00-7:30 p.m., and SPY (high schoolers) will meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Both groups will be together from 7:00-7:30 for a time of music and spiritual stuff. Have a great start of the school year, and get set for our kick-off on September 20. -Blair

“Sing to the Lord a new song!” If you are searching for a new ministry to become involved in at Southminster, and can carry a tune, then the Choir just might be the right place for you. We are saving a chair for you in the sanctuary! Come fill our space with joyful song! The first choir rehearsal will take place on Thursday evening, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the choir room followed by food and fellowship. Welcome back to all returning members, and we welcome and are in need of some new talent in each section of the choir. High School age students are also invited to join. For more information, please contact Darlene Crilly, our Music Director.

The Alzheimer’s Project, a documentary produced by HBO, will be presented free of charge at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 22W415 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn, on three consecutive Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The schedule will be: August 20: “The Memory Loss Tapes;” August 27: “Momentum in Science;” and September 3: “Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?” and “Caregivers.” Reserve your space by calling Kathi or John at 630-681-1234 four days prior to each event.

August 12, 2009

2009-08-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

“Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I.”
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
-Isaiah 52:6-8

Dear Friends,

Have you ever noticed that bad news seems to spread faster than good? It shouldn’t be that way! On Saturday, Louanne Jourdan shared some heartfelt good news with me. She told me that while shopping at the grocery store the cashier commented on her purchase, “Are you having a party?” Louanne’s answer was, “No, I am making cookies for PADS.” The woman’s face broke into a smile. “Oh, PADS. I love PADS. Last March my daughter and I had no food and they fed us.” A real person. An unexpected moment. A new learning. PADS* makes a difference. We made a difference this summer. A great big thank you to those of you who donated your time, your money, and your hearts to helping Southminster Presbyterian Church reach out in Christian love to people who need our support and love.

This Sunday, August 16, is Barefoot Sunday.

We have an opportunity THIS Sunday to do something more. Soles4Souls is this Sunday. Please bring your gently-worn shoes, sandals, flip flops, or even boots to worship this Sunday. If you like you can give the shoes off your feet! The shoes―the soles―collected will be sent to people in need.

Soles4Souls has a simple concept. They get shoes and give them away.

In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that hit Southeast Asia, Wayne Elsey, the Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls™ Inc., felt compelled to do something. Like many of us, he did not know what to do.

He was at home one night, watching TV and he saw a picture of a single shoe washing up on the beach. That triggered a few calls to some other executives in the footwear industry and the subsequent donation of a quarter of a million shoes to victims in the devastated countries.

A year later when Katrina hit, Wayne called the same group of friends, and they sent over a million pairs of shoes down to the gulf coast communities affected by the hurricane. In all honesty, he admits that he did not expect such an immediate and successful turnout. This left him wondering, why not start a non-profit and do this all the time? One year later, Soles4Souls was formally created.

It has been that simple: Changing the world one pair at a time.

Elsey recently left an executive position at a large footwear company to join the charity he founded. “I’m happy to be able to help people with such a simple mission,” Elsey said. “The growth of this organization has been rapid, and I am excited to get involved on a daily basis so that I can devote more time to a cause that makes a difference in people’s lives.”

Soles4Souls receives large donations from footwear companies, retailers, churches, nonprofit ministries, civic groups, schools, and individuals and saw that this could become a full time organization. That’s why Soles4Souls was created – to facilitate the donations from these groups to the people who desperately need footwear.

So Friends, blessed are the feet of those who bring good news! Take it from here.

Love, Wendy
* PADS = Public Action to Deliver Shelter

Announcements:

Bring a hearty appetite with you to the Progressive Dinner this Saturday, August 15! We have all the plans in place, and those who signed up to attend have been notified by e-mail as to their assignments. (If you haven’t researched all the directions, don’t worry; directions will also be available that evening.) The first stop –appetizers– will be Jerry and Marge Engdahl’s home (1425 Oxford, Wheaton) at 5:00 p.m. For directions call the Engdahls (630-653-7479) or the Pats (Wiedner 630-858-0761) (Petersen-630-690-1434). Yum! Yum! Yum!

This Sunday, August 16, we’ll leave our soles at church... with the mission project known as “Soles4Souls.” (See Wendy’s letter above for more information.) Plan to leave your shoes here after worship as a donation or bring an extra “gently used” pair to donate. Some of us will walk out barefoot to remind us of the many people in the world who have no shoes. Please put each pair of shoes in a plastic bag or tie the laces together to make it easier to sort them.

Notes from Christian Ed.:
VBS Mission Project: Thank you for your school supply donations for our VBS mission project. They have been delivered (thank you to Jessica Parks and Megan Bohi), and we were told by the PRC how much in need they were of these items for the fall.
“Second Helpings” - By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” It will meet the 3rd Sunday of the month (September-November to start) at 11:00 a.m. and will include an extra time of learning and connecting... plus lunch. Look for more information coming for this all-church event!
Mark your Calendars!
August 30 - Bible story by Jim Shiflett (during Sunday School)
September 6 - Last day of summer Sunday School
September 13 - Fall Kick-off. Please encourage your child/children to bring friends. We’re planning a special event at 11:00 (pending Session approval) for everyone who is involved in any aspect of Christian Education. Stay tuned!
September 20 - Second Helpings event at 11:00, following the Mission Fair. More details to follow.
September 24 – Child Protection Training for all teachers and staff who work with children and youth

Hear The Message with The Messengers! On Sunday, August 23, The Messengers, a musical outreach ministry, will bring its special blend of gospel music to our worship service. The group, which includes a doctor of internal medicine, a piano technician, an accountant, a music teacher, and a drug store owner, has been together for 25 years. They first came together to sing one song at a Good Friday service in 1983; their ongoing ministry now averages 20-25 appearances each year in congregations of many faiths.

We have only 8 tickets left for our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars, so get your name on the sign-up sheet in the narthex. Don’t miss the good food, good fun... and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found for only $5 per ticket on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. Questions? Call Caroline Linde (630-469-9482).

August 5, 2009

2009-08-07T03:43:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

While I was on vacation I missed seeing you. It was wonderful to be back this past Sunday and to see you again.

Scripture speaks of entertaining angels without knowing it. Friends, we have been “visited” by an angel. As you recall from Sunday, Bill Shepherd had a story to share that he wanted to share first with the Mission Ministry. Here is his story:

At the beginning of summer our community was hit by a storm which devastated not only many of our own yards but also the church grounds. I am sure you remember it well. That Sunday, many people helped to clean up our grounds, but the huge tree by our sign was down and would have to be removed by professionals. It was a big job! Many tree company people came by the office and offered to remove the tree for a fee. Bill received the estimates, which ranged from $450 to $1,000. One day a man offered to remove it from our property... for free. Bill was very surprised, but grateful. Little by little the man worked faithfully as he cleared the tree. He took the wood to a trailer park in Yorkville, where they burn fires to keep the bugs away. It turns out that the man lives in Minnesota but was visiting his sister, who lives in Raintree. He didn’t want to be paid, nor have a fuss made over him. He just wanted to help.

We are very blessed by this angel who wants to remain nameless. Please take a moment to thank God for this man and people like him who give freely from the heart. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Announcements:

Our church will be serving meals for PADS this Saturday. Many thanks to all the volunteers who make this outreach ministry possible.

VBS – Summer 2009! A rockin’ THANK YOU to everyone who helped by praying, donating, volunteering, decorating, and in many other ways –You helped to make this VBS a huge success.

VBS Extras!
If you would like a music CD from the Crocodile Dock VBS, we will have them available this Sunday, August 9 before and after worship in the narthex. Cost is only $10 per CD.|
Also, please take home a “Jesus Rocks” t-shirt from VBS as well (also in the Narthex). We have plenty left over and they are free. The logo was designed by Peter Davidson so, let’s wear them proudly!
If you will not be here on Sunday and would like the music CD and t-shirt, please call or email Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or smpcce@ameritech.net and I will put one aside for you.

Hey, SPY! SNL is back! We’ll meet again this Sunday (August 9). Then comes the GREAT AMERICA day followed by a LOCK-IN, on August 14th!! Stay tuned for details on that.

And adults, SPY needs your help. We need drivers and sponsors for the trip to Great America on Friday, August 14. And we need sponsors for a lock-in to be held at the church that night. Please contact Blair if you can help.

S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles – Wednesday, August 12,– Cabin #28 Outing
There will be a short meeting after church this Sunday in the parlor for all those who can attend, to review schedules, activities, and food. By that time, the long-range weather forecast will tell us what probably won’t happen and we can review carpooling and directions, etc. See you, and anybody who still wants to sign up, there on Sunday. Call Jack Thorne (630-469-8474) or Donna Marton (630-790-3514) if you have questions.

Our Southminster “Italiano” Progressive Dinner will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. Participants will be notified very soon about their “assignments” for this event. Details are being worked out as these notes are being written, so stay tuned.

Hear The Message with The Messengers! On Sunday, August 23, The Messengers, a musical outreach ministry, will bring its special blend of gospel music to our worship service. The group, which includes a doctor of internal medicine, a piano technician, an accountant, a music teacher, and a drug store owner, has been together for 25 years. They first came together to sing one song at a Good Friday service in 1983; their ongoing ministry now averages 20-25 appearances each year in congregations of many faiths.

And more from Christian Ed.:
“Second Helpings” - By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” Look for more information coming in August for this all-church event!
A new school year means we need new teachers! There is still room for additional teachers in each of the grades, as well as substitutes. We have a pre-printed curriculum, which makes planning a whole lot easier. The more teachers we recruit the more scheduling flexibility there will be. Would you please prayerfully consider serving our children in this important ministry?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game! We have only 8 tickets left for our annual outing to the Kane County Cougars, so get your name on the sign-up sheet in the narthex. Don’t miss the good food, good fun... and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found for only $5 per ticket on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. Questions? Call Caroline Linde (630-469-9482).

July 29, 2009

2009-07-31T10:26:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I am back from part of my vacation. We spent a major part of it at home, Max had soccer, Anna had volleyball, and I needed to get to know my own home better. Things are now a bit more orderly around the house, even my yard. As I worked in the yard I discovered that my house had “clay” soil. In fact, I discovered that most of the homes around here have clay soil. It turns out that in our development when they constructed the homes they scraped off the top soil, sold it, and only left a thin layer of top soil for the new homeowners. My plan is to work the soil more before planting. Good soil makes for healthy plants. It reminds me of Jesus’ parable of the soils in the gospel of Mark. How is your soil?

While I was on vacation my daughter Anna complained that she goes to church every Sunday. “Why can’t I have a break?” she asked. While on a weekend visit to Chicago we attended worship Fourth Presbyterian. On a weekend visit to Camp Saugatuck we attended worship also. And on the last Sunday of vacation the question was where we should go when we were at home that weekend. Where we went is not as important as the fact that we did go, and we went prepared. Being prepared for worship means not only looking forward to worship, but expecting God to speak to you, being open to God’s word whether or not the sermon speaks to you, the special music, or the hymns. God’s word is present and the gathering of God’s people surrounds you. Do you ever look at the others around you in worship and think, “Here are my sisters and brothers” and give thanks to God for them? I told Anna that I go to worship each Sunday, whether I am expected or not, because I want to give God the gift of my full attention surrounded by others who love God.

Prepare the soil of soul when you go to worship. Worship giving thanks for God’s word read and heard. Worship giving thanks for the family of Christ that surrounds you, not only at Southminster but around the world. While you are on vacation as well, go to worship. The soil of your soul will be better for it. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

Announcements:

VBS is well underway! The Lord has blessed us with a great number of children who are very excited about Crocodile Dock. One particular highlight of the week is that the children are encouraged to see God working in their day-to-day lives. Each day they will group and talk about “God-sightings” and by the end of the week the Sanctuary will be lit with a candle from each group’s sightings.
This will truly be an exciting week not only seeing children learning about God’s powerful work in their lives but also our volunteers living out the love of Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray that God will transform many hearts!

VBS Mission Project: Thank you so much for your prayers and for your generous donations so far for VBS. Our VBS Mission Project this year is collecting school supplies, to be distributed by the Peoples Resource Center to local school children served by that organization. You can help by bringing school supplies any night this week during VBS, or by dropping them off at Southminster by Sunday, August 2. You can visit our website for a complete list of items. During VBS, watch our Facebook page (see following paragraph) for a daily list of items collected, and let’s help our neighbors get ready for a rockin’ school year!

Check out Southminster’s VBS Facebook! Become a fan and chat with us on the newly created Southminster VBS Facebook page and get all the last minute updates you need for the week. We’ll have day-to-day updates posted throughout the week of VBS too. If you already have a Facebook account, just look for our VBS link. If you don’t have an account yet, we want to see you there.

Our VBS “Crawfish Crafts and Mission Station” needs a few more empty water bottles (with their caps!) by Thursday evening. You can drop them by the church office through Thursday or bring them along to VBS tonight and tomorrow. Many thanks!

This coming Sunday––and the first Sunday of every month––is the day we bring offerings for the People’s Resource Center. The August emphasis is peanut butter and jelly. Donations can be placed in the narthex (near the stairwell to Fellowship Hall). Non-perishable food items as well as toilet paper, baby diapers, cleaning supplies, and personal care items are always needed.

Women’s Breakfast meets the first Monday of the month –which is this coming Monday, August 3– at 8:00 a.m. at IHOP in Danada East. New friends are always welcome to join us!

Our church will be serving meals for PADS on Saturday, August 8. If you have not done so already and are able to help by providing some of the food or helping to take it to the PADS site, please check the Mission bulletin board on the north side of the narthex and sign for something you can do to help. Still most needed are: people to make the hot vegetable (green beans or corn); people to provide breakfast casseroles and other breakfast items; people to purchase wrapped fruit cups, cookies and juice boxes for packed lunches; and people to help transport the food to the site. There are some other needed items as well. Thanks for any help you can give!

Hey, SPY! SNL is back! We’ll meet again on August 9th. Then comes the GREAT AMERICA day followed by a LOCK-IN, on August 14th!! Stay tuned for details on that.

And adults, SPY needs your help. We need drivers and sponsors for the trip to Great America on Friday, August 14. And we need sponsors for a lock-in to be held at the church that night. Please contact Blair if you can help.

S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles: August 12 can be a special day for all single people who want to join our outing to The Prairie Club’s Camp Hazlehurst Cabin #28 in Harbert, MI for a day of varied recreation. Cabin #28, nestled in a pine forest on the dunes, has direct walking access to one of Lake Michigan’s most beautiful beaches. It’s also close to wineries, antiques, art galleries, Swedish Bakery, Frank’s fruit store, boat rentals, and more. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the narthex that includes photos and additional information about arrival and departure times, meals, etc. You can also call Jack Thorne (630-469-8474) or Donna Marton (630-790-3514) for information or to sign up.

The Progressive Dinner “Italiano” will be Saturday, August 15, starting at 5:00 p.m. Please sign-up in the narthex; the sheet posted there will give you further information. (The earlier sign-up was just to measure interest. Everyone is welcome to participate in the dinner; the more the merrier!) Final plans will be made at the beginning of August.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game! It’s time again for Southminster’s annual Kane County Cougar baseball outing! It’s time for good food, good fun, and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. And best of all, the tickets are only $5.00! So, sign up for tickets promptly! Watch for a sign-up sheet in the narthex. We have only 20 tickets, so get your name on the list promptly. If there are other questions, call Caroline Linde at 630-469-9482.

And more from Christian Ed.:
Fall Planning in the works: By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” Please check out the C.E. bulletin board for more information. In addition, we would like to get your feedback. For your convenience, we will have a drop-box in the narthex during the month of July.
A new school year means we need new teachers! There is still room for additional teachers in each of the grades, as well as substitutes. We have a pre-printed curriculum, which makes planning a whole lot easier. The more teachers we recruit the more scheduling flexibility there will be. Would you please prayerfully consider serving our children in this important ministry.

There’s still time, though not much, to add some Family Camp Fun to your summer! The Presbyterian camp at Saugatuck, MI is close to home and offers all this, and more. Check out the Family Camp Kick-off the Week, August 1-4, or the Family Camp Short Week, August 4-7. Call 1-800-728-1164 to check availability and make reservations.

July 22, 2009

2009-07-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I will be away on vacation until July 27. It is a “staycation” for the most part, but we will have the Rev. Danita Anderson of St. Thomas United Methodist Church on call for pastoral care. Our office and our Clerk have her phone number. In case of an emergency, a serious illness, or death, though, please call me.

During the next three weeks please think about what it means to be church. Each week I will give you a scripture reference to consider, mediate on, and pray about. God’s grace keeps us all. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

To think about this week: We are the “Body of Christ.” This idea is one of my favorite ways of understanding who we are in Christ. No matter how frustrated we can get with one another, we need each other and belong together. This is the most prominent image in Paul’s letters and the only one with no Old Testament equivalent. Christ the Head rules and nourishes the Body, its only head, and the Holy Spirit is the breath to animate it. There is a strong emphasis on the relationship of all the members of the body, diversity and equality within unity, as we have seen above. Every member is to be a functioning member (e.g. Ephesians 2:22, 23; 4:4, 15, 16).

Announcements:

It’s time for Vacation Bible School. We want to see you at “Crocodile Dock” July 27-31 –that’s next week! – from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Registration: Please know it is NOT too late to register. We don’t want anyone to miss out on this event! Click here to go to our web site and download the information and registration forms, or call the church office. In addition, the CE bulletin board has extra copies available.

Completed Registration Forms: There is a folder on the CE Bulletin Board where you can deposit completed forms, or you can drop them off in the church office before Monday. In the event you have not completed the form beforehand, you can do so when you bring your child/children in Monday, July 27, if you arrive 10-15 minutes before the 6:00 p.m. start time.

Items Needed: There are a few items still needed, if you are interested in purchasing or loaning them. Just take one (or more) of the color-coded fire-flies and return the item(s) to the church office by this Sunday, July 26. The children will also be collecting school supplies for the PRC for their VBS mission project. Visit the VBS link on our website for a list of these items. Please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or email at smpcce@ameritech.net with any questions, and thank you for your generosity and willingness to help!
Please note: There are two boxes in the narthex for these items.

Today: Glen Ellyn Community Blood Drive. Wednesday, July 22, 5:00-7:30 p.m. The Heartland mobile blood center will be the B.R.Ryall YMCA, 1/2 block north of the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Lambert Road – just under the Glen Ellyn water tower. And Heartland gives “udder thanks” for your donation: if you give blood at this drive, you’ll get a free quart of Oberweis ice cream! Appointments are appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org or contact Karen at 708-342-9773. A photo I.D. is required.

Hey, SPY! SNL is back! We’ll meet this Sunday, July 26th, and August 9th. Then comes the GREAT AMERICA day followed by a LOCK-IN, on August 14th!! Stay tuned for details on that.

And adults, SPY needs your help. We need drivers and sponsors for the trip to Great America on Friday, August 14. And we need sponsors for a lock-in to be held at the church that night. Please contact Blair if you can help.

S.O.L.A.C.E. Singles: August 12 can be a special day for all single people who want to join our outing to The Prairie Club’s Camp Hazlehurst Cabin #28 in Harbert, MI for a day of varied recreation. Cabin #28, nestled in a pine forest on the dunes, has direct walking access to one of Lake Michigan’s most beautiful beaches. It’s also close to wineries, antiques, art galleries, Swedish Bakery, Frank’s fruit store, boat rentals, and more. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the narthex that includes photos and additional information about arrival and departure times, meals, etc. You can also call Jack Thorne (630-469-8474) or Donna Marton (630-790-3514) for information or to sign up.

The Progressive Dinner “Italiano” will be Saturday, August 15, starting at 5:00 p.m. Please sign-up in the narthex; the sheet posted there will give you further information. (The earlier sign-up was just to measure interest. Everyone is welcome to participate in the dinner; the more the merrier!) Final plans will be made at the beginning of August.

Soles4Souls: Remember we will be asking you to leave your soles in church on August 16. Either plan to leave the shoes you are wearing that Sunday or bring another pair of shoes to donate to needy souls. See the July “Dialog” for more information about this mission project.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game! It’s time again for Southminster’s annual Kane County Cougar baseball outing! It’s time for good food, good fun, and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. And best of all, the tickets are only $5.00! So, sign up for tickets promptly! Watch for a sign-up sheet in the narthex. We have only 20 tickets, so get your name on the list promptly. If there are other questions, call Caroline Linde at 630-469-9482.

And more from Christian Ed.:
Fall Planning in the works: By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” Please check out the C.E. bulletin board for more information. In addition, we would like to get your feedback. For your convenience, we will have a drop-box in the narthex during the month of July.
A new school year means we need new teachers! There is still room for additional teachers in each of the grades, as well as substitutes. We have a pre-printed curriculum, which makes planning a whole lot easier. The more teachers we recruit the more scheduling flexibility there will be. Would you please prayerfully consider serving our children in this important ministry.
Our Sunday school class and their Pennies for PADS effort is featured on the PADS website! Check it out: http://www.dupagepads.org/events/08/Get_on_the_Bus.htm

Family Camp Fun! Want to make this summer a memorable one with filled with worship, community, and fun? The Presbyterian camp at Saugatuck, MI is close to home and offers all this, and more. Check out the Family Camp Kick-off the Week, August 1-4, or the Family Camp Short Week, August 4-7. Call 1-800-728-1164 for more information or visit the camp web site and register online.

July 15, 2009

2009-07-17T02:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I will be away on vacation until July 27. It is a “staycation” for the most part, but we will have the Rev. Danita Anderson of St. Thomas United Methodist Church on call for pastoral care. Our office and our Clerk have her phone number. In case of an emergency, a serious illness, or death, though, please call me.

During the next three weeks please think about what it means to be church. Each week I will give you a scripture reference to consider, mediate on, and pray about. God’s grace keeps us all. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

To think about this week: We Americans may have a little trouble relating to the idea of the church as a “Kingdom.” Please consider the vision of what our world and culture would be like if we lived as citizens of God’s “Kingdom.” We are the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13), a kingdom of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17) in which he exercises his rule in his people through the Spirit. (Exodus 19:6; Psalm 95:3)

Announcements:

Tonight! The members of the Youth Mission Team-Seminole are invited to Blair and Wendy’s tonight at 6:30 p.m. They’ll provide hot dogs and drinks if you’ll bring chips and lawn chairs. And for all youth: check Facebook and/or talk to Blair about our day at Great America Friday, August 14, followed by a lock-in at church.

And adults, SPY needs your help. We need drivers and sponsors for the trip to Great America on Friday, August 14. And we need sponsors for a lock-in to be held at the church that night. Please contact Blair if you can help.

Note from Barb: I have been out of the office almost all week so far; my son has been too ill for me to leave him home alone. I’ve been in the office briefly to check phone messages and pick up the regular mail – I can read the church email from home. We’ll be at the doctor this afternoon, and I’m hoping that I’m seeing some signs of improvement. But if you’re calling the office or waiting for an email response, I hope you will be patient until I can get back to you. Thank you, Barb

Dialog deadline for the August issue: next Monday, July 20.

The Progressive Dinner “Italiano” will be Saturday, August 15, starting at 5:00 p.m. Please sign-up in the narthex; the sheet posted there will give you further information. (The earlier sign-up was just to measure interest. Everyone is welcome to participate in the dinner; the more the merrier!) Final plans will be made at the beginning of August.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game! It’s time again for Southminster’s annual Kane County Cougar baseball outing! It’s time for good food, good fun, and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. And best of all, the tickets are only $5.00! So, sign up for tickets promptly! Watch for a sign-up sheet in the narthex. We have only 20 tickets, so get your name on the list promptly. If there are other questions, call Caroline Linde at 630-469-9482.

Vacation Bible School is fast approaching! There are only two weeks before our 2009 Vacation Bible School! We want to see you at “Crocodile Dock” July 27-31 from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Did you know that Southminster’s VBS has a Facebook page? If you are a Facebook user, become a “Fan” of Southminster Presbyterian Church VBS 2009, and use Facebook to spread the word about our VBS!

It’s time to register – Click here to go to our web site and download the information and registration forms, or call the church office. Be sure to check out the C.E. bulletin board in the narthex as well for extra hard copies.
Completed registration forms: There is a folder on the CE Bulletin Board for completed registration forms or you can drop them off or mail them to the church office.

Items Needed for VBS: In order to keep the costs of VBS down, we welcome any donations you may be interested in purchasing or borrowing. The July Dialog has a complete list of these items. Please visit the CE bulletin board and take one or more of the color-coded fire-flies and return the item(s) to church by the date noted. Please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or at smpcce@ameritech.net with any questions and thank you for your generosity and willingness to help!

Our VBS Mission Project this year is collecting school supplies, to be distributed by the Peoples Resource Center to local school children served by that organization. You can help by bringing school supplies any night during VBS, or by dropping them off at Southminster by Sunday, August 2nd. Let’s help our neighbors get ready for a rockin’ school year!

And more from Christian Ed.:
Fall Planning in the works: By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” Please check out the C.E. bulletin board for more information. In addition, we would like to get your feedback. For your convenience, we will have a drop-box in the narthex during the month of July.
A new school year means we need new teachers! We still need teachers for Sunday School starting in September—men as well as women. There is an opening in middle school, and room for additional teachers in each of the grades, as well as substitutes. We have a pre-printed curriculum, which makes planning a whole lot easier. The more teachers we recruit the more scheduling flexibility there will be. Would you please prayerfully consider serving our children in this important ministry.

Family Camp Fun! Want to make this summer a memorable one with filled with worship, community, and fun? The Presbyterian camp at Saugatuck, MI is close to home and offers all this, and more. Check out the Family Camp Kick-off the Week, August 1-4, or the Family Camp Short Week, August 4-7. Call 1-800-728-1164 for more information or visit the camp web site and register online.

July 8, 2009

2009-07-08T15:20:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

I will be away on vacation until July 27. It is a “staycation” for the most part, but we will have the Rev. Danita Anderson of St. Thomas United Methodist Church on call for pastoral care. Our office and our Clerk have her phone number. In case of an emergency, a serious illness, or death, though, please call me.

During the next three weeks please think about what it means to be church. Each week I will give you a scripture reference to consider, mediate on, and pray about. God’s grace keeps us all. Take it from here.

Love, Wendy

To think about this week: The summer is usually packed with weddings. What does it mean to you that as a group, the church is “The Bride of Christ?” This metaphor speaks of God’s great love for the church. (Mark 2:18-20; John 3:29; Romans 7:1-4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-33; Revelation 19:7; 21:2).

Announcements:

The Progressive Dinner “Italiano” will be Saturday, August 15, starting at 5:00 p.m. Please sign-up in the narthex; the sheet posted there will give you further information. (The earlier sign-up was just to measure interest. Everyone is welcome to participate in the dinner; the more the merrier!) Final plans will be made at the beginning of August.

Youth, if you haven’t seen these events on Facebook, take a look!
For the Youth Mission Team-Seminole, there’s a BBQ get-together at Wendy and Blair’s at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15.
For all youth, a day at Great America on Friday, August 14, followed by a lock-in at church.
Get on facebook and/or talk to Blair for info on all of these.

And adults, SPY needs your help. We need drivers and sponsors for the trip to Great America on Friday, August 14. And we need sponsors for a lock-in to be held at the church that night. Please contact Blair if you can help.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game! It’s time again for Southminster’s annual Kane County Cougar baseball outing! It’s time for good food, good fun, and Jake the Frisbee Catching Dog! All this can be found on Monday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. And best of all, the tickets are only $5.00! So, sign up for tickets promptly! Watch for a sign-up sheet in the narthex. We have only 20 tickets, so get your name on the list promptly. If there are other questions, call Caroline Linde at 630-469-9482.

VBS is Almost Here!
Check out our Southminster VBS logo designed by our very own Peter Davidson. A huge thank you to Peter for his hard work and commitment to this project! The logo will be proudly displayed on our VBS t-shirts, daily newsletters and other VBS communication to parents and the community. (If your email program doesn’t display the logo here, scroll down to the bottom of the message and click on the attached .jpg image file.)

VBS Registration: There are only three weeks before our 2009 Vacation Bible School! It’s time to register – we want to see you at “Crocodile Dock” July 27-31 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Click here to go to our web site and download the information and registration forms, or call the church office, or check the bulletin board in the narthex. A registration form was also included with the July Dialogs.
Items Needed: In order to keep the costs of VBS down, we welcome any donations you may be interested in purchasing or borrowing. The July Dialog has a complete list of these items. Please visit the CE bulletin board and take one or more of the color-coded fire-flies and return the item(s) to the church office by the date noted. The children will also be collecting school supplies for the PRC for their VBS mission project. Visit the VBS link on our website for a list of these items. Please contact Laura Baer at 630-469-9149 or at smpcce@ameritech.net with any questions and thank you for your generosity and willingness to help!

And more from Christian Ed.:
Fall Planning in the works: By now you have probably heard about an exciting idea to augment Christian education, called “Second Helpings.” Please check out the C.E. bulletin board for more information. In addition, we would like to get your feedback. For your convenience, we will have a drop-box in the narthex during the month of July.
A new school year means we need new teachers! We still need teachers for Sunday School starting in September—men as well as women. There is an opening in middle school, and room for additional teachers in each of the grades, as well as substitutes. We have a pre-printed curriculum, which makes planning a whole lot easier. The more teachers we recruit the more scheduling flexibility there will be. Would you please prayerfully consider serving our children in this important ministry.

Soles4Souls: Remember we will be asking you to leave your soles in church on August 16. Either plan to leave the shoes you are wearing that Sunday or bring another pair of shoes to donate to needy souls. See the July “Dialog” for more information about this mission project.

The Deacons would like to offer Valet Parking year round. Would you be willing to help? Please sign up at the bulletin board at the entrance of the church. We also ask that those of us who are more able bodied please park at the back of the lot, leaving room for those who would be blessed by parking closer.

Family Camp Fun! Want to make this summer a memorable one with filled with worship, community, and fun? The Presbyterian camp at Saugatuck, MI is close to home and offers all this, and more. The Family Week Camp, July 19-25, still has openings. Can’t fit an entire week into the family’s schedule? Check out the Family Camp Kick-off the Week, August 1-4, or the Family Camp Short Week, August 4-7. Call 1-800-728-1164 for more information or visit the camp web site and register online.