The Messenger October 2014

Transcription

1 Newsletter of TRINITY EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH 9230 S. Pulaski Road Oak Lawn, IL Phone Website: October Ushers David Sladek Captain Chuck Havel Bruce Sladek Gary Kozak Greeters 5 Kevin McGrath, Brian Crotty 12 Oren Swift, Jeff Blust 19 Tom, Denise, Hannah & Emily Sullivan 26 Joyce Hodo, Tracy Hood Nursery 5 Pam Polcar, Joyce Nyberg 12 Pat Klutcharch, Marcia Lellos 19 Kari Devine, Heidi Weszely 26 Denise, Emily, Hannah Sullivan Counters Ray Lewis Clarence Rosengren Diana Eigenbauer Birthdays 2 Diana Nilsson 3 Jim Strickland 3 Carol Raines 4 Karen McShane 5 Brianna Khan 12 Joy Gaw 12 Michelle West 13 Cody Devine 14 Priscilla Swanson 16 Stan Michalski 19 Lois Flaws 19 Pam Polcar 20 Phil Cavallone 22 Mary Almer 22 Madelyn Ford 24 Kirsten Torling 27 Jay Hanson 29 Michael Davies 30 Lorraine Weszely 31 Judy Kurzweil 31 Matthew Panush If we missed your birthday, please let the office know so that it will be listed in the future. The Messenger October 2014 Over the Pastor's Shoulder 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5 When Martin Luther was facing great difficulties and great danger as the Reformation Movement spread, he was often discouraged and depressed. During one of his periods of despondency, his wife appeared at breakfast one morning, dressed in deep mourning. When he asked her why, she solemnly replied: God is dead. Then she added, Unless God is dead, I do not see how you could possibly be so discouraged and dejected. Sometimes we act as if God were dead, had vacated his throne, had abdicated. Not so. God is still upon the throne. The Kingdom of our Lord will come upon the Earth and His will shall yet be done. Paul was persuaded that all things work together for good to those that love God. I believe that s still true. You remember on the last night before his crucifixion, Jesus gathered his disciples in that upper room and spoke to them of the things that shortly were to happen. Their hearts were filled with fear and foreboding. The atmosphere was heavy with nameless dread, and they were apprehensive. It was then that Jesus said to them: Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. Then a little later he said, In this world you shall have tribulations, but cheer up! I have overcome the world. Cheer up! says Jesus. Cheer up! I have overcome the world and My grace is sufficient for you... have no fear, only believe Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the age. His grace is all that we need. prayer is our secret weapon... His presence with us is our adequate protection. His Spirit our shield and guide And our faith a guarantee of our ultimate victory because the person who wins over the world s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. Grace and Peace, Pastor Jim

2 October 26 Reformation Sunday Martin Luther Chief builder of the Protestant way, with his conviction on the authority of Scripture and justification (or salvation) by faith, not works. A German monk, he broke decisively with the Church of Rome in on the basis of profound and life-shaking experience. From Wittenberg, his university center, the teacher-preacher gave dynamic leadership to the new Protestant churches all through Germany. His hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, has become perhaps the best-loved hymn in the Protestant world. Dear Pastor Jim and Trinity, My mom Patricia Johnson has made it back to her home in St. Petersburg, FL, and is in hospice care and my sister Elizabeth and I are giving her full time care. She is declining some each day and yet she is in no pain and eating well. We are blessed to be here with her and my dad, Kenneth. We appreciate the church's prayers and will continue to keep you posted on her condition. -- The Johnsons With Sympathy Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 A.M., in the Fireside Room for Adult Sunday School classes. During the month of October, Hauna Ondrey, Church History Professor from North Park Theological Seminary, will lead the class on the subject of The Reformation. P.S. There s Coffee and Trinity Covenant Church, Thank you so much for remembering me and my family with a beautiful plant. Also, thank you for all the prayers during this difficult time. Diane, A.J. and Amanda Paterson *************** We wish to thank our church for the beautiful green plant that was sent to our daughter and her children on the passing of her husband, Arthur Paterson. Thank you also to Pastor Sandberg on his visit to our home and the phone call when we returned home from Albuquerque. We appreciate all the prayers, cards, phone calls and s that we have received. Continue to pray for Diane, A.J. and Amanda at this very difficult time in their lives. Arthur was a good man, faithful and a good Christian. Thank you, Mel and Arline Mueller As a church family we extend our sympathy to Mel and Arline Mueller on the sudden death of their son-in-law, Arthur Paterson (53 years old), husband of Diane Mueller Paterson and father of Arthur and Amanda. Funeral was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Peace be to his memory As a church family we extend our sympathy to Nancy Keller and family on the death of her husband, Karl, who entered the life eternal on September 11, Services will be held at Trinity on Wednesday, October 1. Visitation will be at 11:30 A.M. and the memorial service is at noon. A luncheon will be served in Peterson Hall immediately following the service. Peace be to his memory. Altar Flowers If you would like to celebrate or honor someone on a given special date, please see the sign-up sheet on the table in the narthex. There are many dates still available during the fall. Flowers are $40 and you are invited to take them home following morning worship. THOUGHT TO PONDER Before you go to bed, give your troubles to God. He will be up all night anyway. ***************

3 Sunday, October 5 Together We Cope Retiring Offering October Tuesday Morning Women s Bible Study Agenda: A study based on the premise that a coin has two sides. To put this into focus we will study scriptural passages, familiar yet cause for questioning, highly debatable, misunderstood and often dismissed for reasons we are not to know yet, passages we love, treasure and live by. Two sides same coin. Both sides of the coin will be reasons for continued learning leading to deeper faith and trust central to both the seen and unseen God s plan! Our study will be sure-footed and rooted well. Our study will give rise to areas of question as only God who is allknowing, all powerful and through wisdom, promises and claims will satisfy us as we grow, search and rejoice together. October will commence with positives. Title: The Third Heaven paradise-eternal city October will conclude with negatives. Title: Hell the devil s playground Join with us this month as God s word, recognized authors give thought and opinion raising concern for our past, present and future. Bibles will be required. Discussion lively. Positives will overwhelm negatives and, we will be privy to God s plan. Trinity Fireside Room coffee/bakery 9 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. Study - 9:30 A.M. 10:45 A.M. every Tuesday this month. Barbara Johnson P.S. The Christian Walk may be a Narrow Road, but it s a Colorful Journey. Career Connections According to a massive report recently released by Gallup, the Washington, D.C.-based polling organization, there are twice as many actively disengaged workers in the world as there are engaged workers who love their jobs. Overall, Gallup found that only 13% of workers feel engaged by their jobs. That means they feel a sense of passion for their work, a deep connection to their employer and they spend their days driving innovation and moving their company forward. The vast majority, some 63%, are not engaged, meaning they are unhappy but not drastically so. In short, they re checked out. They sleepwalk through their days, putting little energy into their work. A full 24% are what Gallup calls actively disengaged, meaning they pretty much hate their jobs. They act out and undermine what their coworkers accomplish. Add the last two categories and you get 87% of workers worldwide who, as Gallup puts it, are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive. In other words, work is more often a source of frustration than one of fulfillment for nearly 90% of the world s workers. Our September 8 meeting showcased Executive Coach and Author Cornelia Shipley through an online 45 minute webinar entitled 9 Things You Can Do Today To Create Career Success. Cornelia coached listeners on the following fundamental concepts: Key factors often overlooked in crafting a vision for your career that inspires you. How to create a brand that speaks for you and opens doors to the kind of work that you have a real passion to do. Recognize what makes a job right for you. How to get the right support to enable your success. Cornelia closed the session with some very thought provoking quotes: You can only have the career you believe you are worth. Design your career or someone else will design it for you. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. For those who might like some more in-depth information, check out Cornelia s #1 Best-Seller, Design Your Life How to Create a Meaningful Life, Advance Your Career and Live Your Dreams Denise Krueger ************* The next Career Connections will present How to Negotiate Salary on October 13, at 7 P.M., Fireside Room.

4 Fall Bazaar The Residents Association of the Holmstad Retirement community in Batavia is sponsoring its 37 th annual Bazaar on Saturday, October 4, from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. in the facility s Town Center, Fabyan Parkway at Rt. 31. Some of the items being sold are art work, baked goods, books, jewelry, glass fusion, needlecraft and plants. Coffee And will be available all day and a light lunch can be purchased from 10:45 A.M. to 3 P.M. Free admission. Concert at Trinity On Sunday, October 19, at 6 P.M., The School of Music at North Park University, under the direction of Julia Davids, will present a free concert at Trinity - Songs of Love and Loss. Don t miss this great performance by University Choir of experienced singers performing a varied repertoire of sacred and secular music. Pryme Tymers The programs for October are: Thursday, October 9, at 11 A.M. Entrée: Spaghetti & Meatballs Program: Soloist Robert Cunningham. Enjoy an eclectic mix of vocal styles ranging from pop, 70 s folk, rock, standards and opera. From Broadway, to Carnegie Hall, to Pryme Tymers Encore! Make your reservation by Friday, October 3. Thursday, October 23, at 11 A.M. Entrée: Stuffed Chicken Program: Organist Mark Noller. Welcome a NEW program which includes an organ concert, a silent film comedy and community singing. Sit back and enjoy! Make your reservation by Friday, October 17. The cost per meeting is $6. Be sure to bring two canned goods for the Salvation Army Food Pantry. The need continues to be great. Trinity Church Library Do you know that Trinity Church has a library? It is located in the Fireside Room. It has recently been cleaned and updated and is open to all readers. The back north wall contains fiction. Take any book that piques your interest, read, keep, pass on to friends or return them to the big basket on the bottom shelf. The west wall has non-fiction books, including Bibles, reference books, history, biographies, daily devotionals, religious, art. You may borrow these books to read but not to keep. Please return them to the big basket on the bottom shelf. We also have some CDs and videos. There are no sign-out sheets or overdue fees. The library is open when the church is open. So come and see what we have. The list of books is in a 3-ring binder on the shelf with the fiction books. Any questions or help, see Linnea Wimpenny, Barb Bailey or Patricia Petersen. Pacesetters Pacesetters will meet on Saturday, October 11, at 4 P.M. in the Fireside Room. Our program will be An Evening With The Rungs. Dick and Dot Rung have been friends of Trinity for many years. Dick Rung, a retired professor who taught Political Science at Wheaton College, also taught our Adult Sunday School class. He has a lot to share with us. A light supper will be served. Please make your reservation by Sunday, October 5 with: Joan and Dick Erickson, Ray Lewis, Barbara Johnson, Diana Eigenbauer, or Mel and Arline Mueller. Church Chuckle A youngster said: Jesus had twelve apostles. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

5 Youth Events Month of October Even More Thankfulness Firstly, I need to offer a big thank you to the families and children of our Children s Ministry Night. As you can see above, they all threw me a surprise birthday party on Sunday, August 24. As you can tell, everyone had lots of fun. We played games, ate desserts, and had an all around good time! Thanks for the Surprise! Also through the work of everyone s donations and $100 worth of monetary gifts during the school supply drive, Trinity was able to donate 1012 items to the Hometown Elementary School. Here is the breakdown of the supplies we were able to provide: Notebooks 201 Folders 314 Pencil Boxes 33 Dry erase marker boxes 6 Glue sticks 49 Washable marker boxes 30 3 ring binders 2 Crayon boxes 21 Erasers 7 Index cards 100 Pencils 108 Pens 141 Thank you for the good work. The school was very pleased with what we were able to provide. They also mentioned that a monetary donation we gave them last year helped to buy supplies for this year. In other words, our work seems to be exactly what they need and so I thank you for all that you ve done to help make the school year a little easier for those in need. As we start this school year, we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to share; so don t forget to invite friends and family to Sunday School and church through the fall and into the spring. As we work to invite more people to join our fellowship, let us be reminded of one of the ECC s cherished truths: that we are better together. Pastor Zach Oct. 5 - Interactions S mores at Panush House No Youth Group Oct Children s Ministry Night 4-5 P.M. Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 6-8 P.M. Oct Family Night Pumpkin Decorating 6-8 P.M. Oct No Youth Group Oct Jr./Sr. High Lock-in 9 A.M.-9 P.M. Oct Children s Ministry Night 4-5 P.M. Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 6-8 P.M. Articles for the November Messenger are due October 15 Reminder Daylight Savings Time Ends Sunday, November 2 Move clocks back one hour

6 How to Prepare Your Garden for the Fall Getting your garden ready for fall and winter will help you have an easier time come spring. It's also a good time to enhance the area for your spring garden and even plant some fall foliage. Getting your garden ready for the fall will give you plenty of time to rake up all those falling leaves before the first snow of the season, if you live in a snowy environment. Preparing your garden for fall is not just about cleaning or removing plants, it is also a way to enjoy your garden longer. 1. Take stock of your current garden and its set-up. Figure out what worked and what may not have worked. Determine what you liked about it or what you would like to do differently. Take the time to design your spring garden. 2. Clean up your garden landscape by removing debris such as dried leaves or stems off plants and shrubs. Use a rake to fluff up any mulch, which will help water reach deeper into the soil. Add mulch if it is needed. 3. Plant new plants such as mums or pansies to add color to your fall garden. This is the ideal time since spring and summer blooms have ended and you can see where there may be gaps in coverage. 4. Take care of your plants that are in containers by moving them indoors to prepare them for fall. This is especially important before the first frost. Tropical plants do well inside but herbs will need a lot of light. Consider transplanting perennials you have in containers into your garden for spring blooming. 5. Plant new bulbs or divide and replant perennials to prepare your garden. Dividing the perennials will encourage new growth and give you an easy, cheaper way to add more plants and flowers to your garden landscape. 6. Clean, maintain and store your gardening tools. Cover the tools or keep them sheltered from the wet weather. Sharpen dull tools to be ready for spring gardening. Get rid of any garden products that will have expired when spring comes around and make a list of the things you will need for spring gardening. 7. Get your trees ready for fall as well by trimming dead branches before they have a chance to fall and possible crush your garden.

7 October Newsletter 2014 Dates to Remember Thursday, October 4 & Friday, October 5 Reading to the Preschoolers (Parent Volunteers) Monday, October 13 No School-Columbus Day Friday, October 17 Noah s Ark Fundraiser Night (More Info to Come) Thursday, October 23 & Friday, October 24 Reading to the Preschoolers (Church Volunteers) Thursday, October 30 Halloween Party (Tuesday/Thursday class only) Thank You! ~to all of our families who have donated items to our classrooms. The supplies are much needed and will be put to good use! ~to our wonderful readers who have shared their time reading to our preschoolers. ~Pastor Zach for story time. ~to our wonderful Grandparent s and special friends who shared the day with the children on Grandparent s Day! Friday, October 31 Halloween Party In the month of October we will focus on Colors- Orange & Black Shape- Triangle Math- Halloween Patterns Science-What s inside a pumpkin? ~Making orange play dough ~Fire Safety Pre-K Classroom Will review vowels and focus on letters Oo, Tt, Ll, & Bb and numbers s 4 s Classroom Will focus on Letters Cc- Dd and numbers 0-3

8 A NOTE FROM Mrs. Palazzolo & Mrs. Onesto Thank you, Mrs. Dear Parents/Guardians, Welcome to autumn! Autumn brings new colors all around! What a great time of the year to discover the beautiful color changes of the leaves on the trees. Each child has done a wonderful job adjusting to our class schedule and routine. Each is eager to learn and is excited to learn new things each day! For the month of September we focused on the vowels. The children learned a song to help them remember the vowels and their sounds. Ask your child to sing the vowel song to you! We also learned about Johnny Appleseed and measured things around our classroom with apples. As we progress through the month of October, the children will continue to work on letter sounds and recognition. We will continue to focus on the vowels and learn letters Oo, Tt, Ll, and Bb. Please work with your child daily. Reinforcing what your child has learned at school will help them build these required skills to help promote reading readiness. We are so proud of each and every one of the children. They have worked so hard this past month with printing their name and learning the letters in their name. Please remember when working with your child at home, remind them to hold the pencil properly and to always start at the top of the line when printing. Also, using flashcards is also a great way to help your child work on letter recognition and sounds, shapes, colors and numbers. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Thank you! Sincerely, Mrs. Palazzolo Mrs. Onesto

9 A NOTE FROM Ms. Amanda & Mrs. Dryier Dear Parents/Guardians, Happy Fall and October! School is in full swing and we are really getting into our routines and adjusting nicely. October will be a wonderful month of learning for our class. We have learned so much already! The children have done a wonderful job learning the basic shapes and colors, numbers 1 and 2 and letters Aa and Bb. This month we will continue on with the alphabet and focus on letters Cc and Dd. The children will become familiar with the letter sounds and the formation of these letters. We will continue to work on counting 1-10 and begin to recognize numbers 2 and 3 as well as working on basic shapes and colors. The children enjoy working on their crafts every day and are learning how to follow step by step instructions. Looking forward to the rest the school year! Sincerely, Ms. Amanda and Mrs. Dryier

10 October 2014 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat On-going Ministry Sunday Mornings (Sept. 7, 2014 May 24, 2015) 9:30 AM Adult Sunday School, Fireside Room 9:30 AM Confirmation 10:15 AM Kingdom Kids for ages 2-11, Nursery for Infants 10:45 AM Worship Noah s Ark Preschool - Mon-Fri, 9 AM 12 PM Career Connections - Monday, October 13, 7 PM Women s Bible Study Tuesday, 9:30 AM, Fireside Room Pryme Tymers Thursday, October 9 and 23, 11 AM 31 Notes: 3: Moran/Quijano Wedding Rehearsal (5:30 PM) 4: Men s Prayer Breakfast, Jedi Garden (8 AM) VASA meeting, Fireside Room (11 AM) Becky Moran/Alain Quijano Wedding (3 PM) 5: Confirmation Session #3 Together We Cope Retiring Offering Interactions S mores at Panush House No Youth Group 7: Women s Bible Study (9:30 AM) Ronald McDonald House supper (4:30 PM) 9: Pryme Tymers (11 AM) 11: Pacesetters, Fireside Room (4 PM) 12: Confirmation Session #4 Children s Ministry Night (4-5 PM) Jr./Sr. Youth Group (6-8 PM) 13: Career Connections (7 PM) 14: Women s Bible Study (9:30 AM) Deacons Meeting (6:30 PM) Trustees Meeting (7 PM) CE Meeting (7 PM) 15: Articles for November Messenger due Family Night Pumpkin Decorating (6-8 PM) 16: Church Board Meeting (7 PM) 17: Noah s Ark Pizza Night (4-8 PM) 19: Confirmation Session #5 No Youth Group North Park University Choir Concert (6 PM) 21: Women s Bible Study (9:30 AM) 23: Pryme Tymers (11 AM) 24-25: Jr./Sr. High Lock-in (9 PM 9 AM) 26: Confirmation Session #6 Kingdom Kids Sing SKF meeting, Fireside Room ( 2 PM) Children s Ministry Night (4-5 PM) Jr./Sr. Youth Group (6-8 PM) 28: Women s Bible Study (9:30 AM) 31: Halloween

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12 Trinity Evangelical Covenant Church 9230 South Pulaski Road Oak Lawn, IL Website: Reverend Dr. James R. Sandberg Senior Pastor Reverend Zachary Lovig Assoc. Pastor: Minister to Youth and Families Nate VanDerMale Interim Director of Music and Worship Betty Aardema Organist Stuart Seale Pianist Christina Palazzolo Director Noah s Ark Preschool Karen Christakos Secretary Phil Cavallone Custodian