The Mayor is coming! The Mayor is coming!

Transcription

1 08/04/11 Sharing Joys & Concerns Please keep these persons & events in your prayers: Prayers for Bill Dempsey, Gail Bassett s brother. He is currently receiving dyalisis & waiting for a kidney transplant. Prayers of thanksgiving for the life of David Bassett. Thank you also for the caring & supportive community of HOPE United Church of Christ. Thanks for a community where everyone is welcome-not just to attend, but to lead & to share in communion. (Cindi Knox) Prayers for the soldiers who were shot down. Gretal, who is home recovering after a car accident. Prayers for healing. Diane Rockett, my technical director. She s in the hospital with fluid around her heart. (Roberta James) Marlene Knapp (sister) who started chemo & radiation. (Linda James) Teresa Boot, fighting bone infection in left leg. (Linda James) For Wendy Fornek & family as she is being treated for breast cancer. For Nora Baker recovering from abdominal surgery. For continued ease of my symptoms & relief from humidity! (Julie Alessandri) Cousin, Lorrie, whose treatment is ongoing. May this be a quick recovery. (Barb Z.) The Kaden family on the tragic loss of their son, Jon. (Terry Foster-Hulbert) Carolyn & Mark Anderson. Carolyn s father passed away. Toni Spatafore s family, friends & coworkers. She was a special education teacher. Toni passed away at the age of 61. (J. Duffy-Hook) Uncle Sam (Hook), whose cancer is a puzzle. Please pray that the doctors conferring find a treatment for him. (Cole & Evin Hook) Kay Austin & family. Kay s dad died this summer. (Her friends, Sue Struel & Jackie Duffy- Hook) Our dog, Jazmine, who has developed a cyst in her throat. (Terry & Michael Foster-Hulbert) Shannon Santago & family, struggling with problems within the family. (Terry & Michael Foster-Hulbert) Continued prayers for Aunt Mo & Uncle Frank. Mo is still in the hopsoital receiving treatment for leukemia. The treatment is causing her terrible pain & sleepless nights. (The Conkrites) My neice, Elizabeth & other teen/young adults in our lives that for some reason don t see their value. May they know how precious they are to God and all who love them. (The Conkrites) Prayers of thanks for Pastor Timoth for all he s done to bring us to this place in the life of HOPE. For a friend struggling with addictions. For a friend dealing with the progression of a serious illness. Support & love for the Bassett family as things begin to quiet. My friend, Lisa, who had a shunt put in her head to relieve intracranial hypertension. (Cindi Knox) Appreciation & joy for the Butler family as they worshipped with us this past Sunday. It s wonderful to be with you. Happy 100 th birthday to Lucille Ball. And if you don t know who that is, you ve got some splanin to do. (Hannah Rhodes) The Mayor is coming! The Mayor is coming! The minute I received the call that Naperville Mayor George Pradel would be able to be present for the HOPE United Church of Christ ribbon cutting on Saturday I danced a little happy dance. With that confirmation, plans are now complete for the amazing weekend we have planned: August HOPE UCC Grand Opening. There is so much wrapped into our Grand Opening weekend. I hope that everyone has an opportunity to find something of interest, something to invite friends and neighbors to attend and a time to spend in fellowship with others. This is the time for HOPE UCC to shine, inviting the community to come in for a visit. It will allow us to share a bit of who we are as a church and how we are engaged in mission within our community. Here s a snapshot of what we have planned: Friday August 19 - Film & Discussion DOUBT 6:45 p.m. Doors Open 7:15 p.m. Film followed by discussion Saturday August 20 Open House 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 9:30 a.m. Ribbon Cutting with Mayor Pradel 10 a.m. Couponing Presentation 11 a.m. Illinois Civil Unions Presentation 11:30 a.m. 1 p.m. Hot Dog lunch served 12 p.m. Planned Parenthood Presentation 1 p.m. Why We Take the Bible Seriously, But Not Literally Sunday August 21 9 a.m. Adult Quest 10:10 a.m. Worship 11:30 a.m. Potluck Lunch & Assembling of Hygiene Kits If you haven t yet taken an opportunity to look over the complete Grand Opening flyer, I invite you to do so now. Look for a time during the weekend festivities to drop by and be a part of the celebration. There is truly something for everyone. And once you have decided when you will stop by invite a friend. Let s get the word out that HOPE United Church of Christ now has a new home and we are looking for more people to come and join in the fun. See you this weekend! Pastor Timoth Sunday, August 21 A House of Prayer Psalm 138 Isaiah 56:1-8 Reverend Timoth Sylvia

2 Celebrating Birthdays 08/23 Bob Selby 08/25 Jill McNamara 08/26 Leo Ley 08/26 Pat Armstrong If we ve missed your birthday, please Gail at We ll add you to the list. Celebrating Anniversaries 08/08 Dick & Barb Anderson 08/25 Dave & Dee Zillmer We would love to celebrate your anniversaries, too! Please Gail at with your anniversary dates. QUEST MINISTRIES ~ ADULT QUEST Facilitated by Cindi Knox. Meets in Room 2. SR. HIGH QUEST Will resume on September 11. JR. HIGH QUEST Will resume on September 11. KIDS QUEST Will resume on September 11. Deadline for additions or corrections to the next issue of HOPE Happenings is August 23, 3:00pm. Thanks! Announcements for the Sunday Bulletin due by Wednesday of each week. HOPE S Leadership Pastor: Moderator: Des. Moderator: Treasurer: Secretary: Registrar: Social: Education: Outreach: Mission: Pastor-Parish: Resource: Worship: Rev. Timoth Sylvia Marie Higgins Joe Newton Dave Zillmer LaRissa O Neal Mary Dycus Shannon Lane Cheryl Rhodes Mark Duebner Ginny Bateman Matt Tucker Linda James Keith Cornell HOPE LIBRARY You may reserve items (books, videos or tapes) by calling Gail ( ) at HOPE UCC during office hours (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.); by checking them out at HOPE UCC any time it is open; or by calling Martha Selby, HOPE Librarian, at (630) Quest Quote of the Month Humility is actually spiritual selfconfidence: confidence that you can celebrate and delight in the gifts of others while at the same time claiming your own. --Kent Ira Groff Hope UCC The Learning Extravaganza Begins! Quest Begins! Learning fun for all ages September 11, 9:00 a.m. Confirmation Begins! Exciting New Learning September 18, 5-6 p.m. 1 st & 3 rd Sundays Field Trips once a month! Youth Group Begins! September 18, 6:00 p.m. 1 st & 3 rd Sundays Combined Jr. & Sr. High 2 nd & 4 th Sundays Sr. High Meal included! (meals provided by families)

3 UPCOMING HOPE UCC August HOPE UCC s Grand Opening Weekend September 5, Monday Labor Day Parade HOPE is participating. Details will follow. September 9 & 10 September 11, Sunday Harmony, Heart & HOPE Pick up your ticket order form at HOPE UCC or download from Invite all your friends and family, too! HOPE UCC Annual Picnic September 13, Tuesday All Ministries Meeting (7 p.m.) September 15, Thursday September 27, Tuesday October 30, Sunday Women Out to Lunch (Noon) Join the women of HOPE. Lively conversation, great food & warm fellowship are waiting for you at Giordano s Restaurant at 119 South Main Street, in downtown Naperville. Parking is available in the lot across from the restaurant or in the Van Buren Parking Building. Safe Church Training (10 a.m. to Noon) HOPE United Church of Christ will host a Safe Church Training seminar for all of those who will be volunteering within our education ministry for the upcoming year. In addition, this event is being advertised throughout the Illinois Conference, inviting others to participate in this vital training. More info to follow. Jesus Has Left the Building & We re Following Him

4 NEWS AND NOTES HOPE UCC Welcomes Connor Xavier We celebrate with the family of Michael and Katy Smith as they welcomed the newest member of their family on Wednesday August 17, Connor Xavier Smith was born Wednesday morning at 5:03 a.m. and welcomed by Mom, Dad and big sister Faith. Connor Xavier was 20.5 inches long and seven pounds, seven ounces in weight. He is a beautiful baby and a gift from God to the Smith family. We celebrate with them at this gift of new life. Taking The Bible Seriously, But Not Literally ~ The Parables Several of those who have participated in the previous Taking the Bible Seriously, But Not Literally series have asked for an opportunity to explore some of the parables. Know that you have been heard. Beginning in August, we will devote Thursday evenings to a time of conversation on the various parables of Jesus. All meetings will gather from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in room #2 at HOPE UCC. We hope to see you there! Mark your calendars with the following dates: August 25 & September 1. Please note we will not gather on August 18. New Partner Class Have you been a part of HOPE United Church of Christ for a while but haven t yet made the step to become a HOPE UCC Partner? Well, now is your chance. A New Partner class is now forming. This is an opportunity to learn about the history of HOPE United Church of Christ, our denomination and to have conversation around what it means to be a Partner as compared to a member. If you are interested in being a part of this offering, contact Pastor Timoth at or via at pastor@sharehope.org. All Ministries Night The Core Ministries of HOPE UCC (Education, Mission, Outreach, Resource/Operations, Social & Worship) are introducing something new All Ministries Night. For some time, each of these ministries has worked independently of one another in putting together their programs and providing various ministries for our church. To do so, many meetings have been scheduled and additional steps have been taken to connect and partner with the other ministries. The Ministry Council of HOPE UCC decided recently to try something new. Beginning on Tuesday, August 9, each of the ministries will gather at the same time in the same place for their meetings. The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with a large gathering in the Sanctuary of all involved to hear a very quick highlight of each ministry s work for that evening. Then the groups will separate to do their work. By meeting in the same place and at the same time, the various ministries will be able to make connections with one another if necessary right in that moment. This will allow increased communication between the groups as well as increased partnerships. Also, Pastor Timoth and Marie Higgins (our Moderator) will be able to touch base with each of the groups and be present to answer any questions. It is the hope of our Ministry Council that this new approach will help to streamline the amazing work being done by our Core Ministries. The trial basis for this new format will consist of three meetings; August 9, September 13 and October 11. After that point, the project will be evaluated and a decision made as to whether it has met our goal or not and if we should continue. Mark your calendar now, as all are welcome to attend and be a part of this unique portion of our church s work. We hope to see you there!

5 A Note from Shannon Lane...Chair of the Social Ministry All those who volunteered to bring hot dogs/buns, condiments, lemonade or cookies. Please deliver them to the church by Friday, August 19th. The office is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. These will be served during Saturday's festivities. If you have questions, please contact Shannon Lane via at shannonlane30@aol.com. Be sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend the Sunday Potluck on August 21: Following the worship services, we will be having a good old fashioned potluck. A celebration of friends and food! Please bring your favorite dish to share with others. Drinks, plates, napkins and plastic ware will be provided. Safe Church Training On Saturday, August 27 from 10 a.m. to Noon, HOPE United Church of Christ will host a Safe Church Training seminar for all of those who will be volunteering within our education ministry for the upcoming year. In addition, this event is being advertised throughout the Illinois Conference, inviting others to participate in this vital training. In order for HOPE UCC to live into its Safe Church Policy, this training must take place. If you are one of our volunteers, working with the children or youth of our congregation, please contact the church office ( ) to let us know that you will be able to attend. More information will be sent out prior to the event. Our Church is Growing Now, it s not all about the numbers however, if we look back to last summer, HOPE UCC had approximately people in worship on the summer Sundays. If you have been at worship lately, you know that those numbers have increased. These last two Sundays have brought people to our time of worship. This is a wonderful thing! More and more people are finding their way to our door and feeling the warm hospitality offered by our congregation. As we have had conversation around our move to Quincy Avenue, we have often used the word transitional to speak of our new space. And one of the realities in that language is that if our church continues to grow as it currently is, we will need a larger space. The Worship Ministry began a conversation long before our move in regard to the demands of a growing church. Even before we started packing our belongings up at Scullen Middle School, the idea of adding an additional worship service to our Sunday schedule began being discussed. In an effort to provide ample space for our growing congregation, the Worship Ministry is proposing the adding of a second worship service on Sunday mornings. This new venture would be an opportunity for our congregation to try something new and continually assess if it is meeting our needs. Beginning on September 18, an 8 a.m. worship service will be introduced. This will allow those who participate in our Quest Ministries to attend the 8 a.m. worship or the 10:10 service as well as the 9 a.m. educational opportunities. The 8 a.m. service will be similar to the 10:10 a.m. service, but not identical. And it is not the intent of the Worship Ministry to create two separate congregations by offering two services. It is the hope that by having two offerings, we will be able to continue to grow in numbers within the space we currently occupy. Community has been a vital component of the conversations as well and work is underway to provide a variety of intentional fellowship opportunities to keep our congregation connected, regardless of which worship service you attend. This is a very exciting venture for our congregation, and one that we are taking on as a trial. The Worship Ministry has presented the idea to the Ministry Council who has agreed that starting in September and running until late spring of 2012 will allow ample time for us to assess the second service s success. As always, when we take on these new opportunities, it is important that we hear from the congregation. Feedback is always welcome (and encouraged). Please share your thoughts with Pastor Timoth or any Worship Ministry member (Keith Cornell, Roberta James, Mary Dycus, Theresa Donahue, Marie Higgins & Nancy Thornton) or submit a feedback form. Your voice is vital in the conversation around being prepared for further growth of our faith family. Together we will continue to move forward as a congregation, providing a place of extravagant welcome to all.

6 Something Fun Looking for something fun to do on the weekends? How about a trip to the Renaissance Faire? Saturdays and Sundays 10AM - 7PM Off I-94 at the IL/WI Border Adults (13+) $19.95 at gate, $17.85 advance online Children (5-12) $9.50 at gate $8.50 advance online Additional discounts for groups of 15 or more For more information, or to express interest in having a group from HOPE UCC attending, contact Cindi Knox at hopeucc@cindiknox.com. Aunt Mary s Storybook Project In conjunction with our upcoming Jesus Has Left the Building and We re Following Him event, we will welcome a guest speaker during our worship service this Sunday to share a message from Companions, Journeying Together. This is an organization that provides a forum to personally impact the emotional, spiritual, and social lives of the incarcerated and their families. Our vision is for a society that lives by the principles of restorative justice. One of the ways in which they accomplish this is through a program called Aunt Mary s Storybook Project. We will hear more about this amazing program during worship. However, we are now inviting the congregation to make donations of books to the program beginning on July 24 and continuing on the Sundays to follow. New (or like new) books may be brought to the church during office hours or on Sundays. Here is the information from Companions, Journeying Together in regard to the book donations: These books are a gift and we want the children to feel that they are worth something special. We request books that represent a diverse population. We serve a large number of African American and Hispanic families and are always in need of books sensitive to these cultures. We prefer soft backed books except for the board books for very small children. Below are some suggestions of popular titles, subjects and authors to choose from. If you could also donate a large envelope in which to mail the book and $3-4 to cover the postage, we would be very grateful. Board books for ages birth 3 years Favorite subjects colors, numbers, shapes and opposites, food, animals, family nursery rhymes, favorite songs (Old McDonald, B-I-N-G-O, etc.), lift-the-flap books Favorite authors Eric Carle, Rosemary Wells, Jane Yolen, Cheryl Willis Hudson, Sandra Boynton; Nancy Tafuri Storybooks Please choose books that are colorful. Look for award winners and culturally sensitive. Favorite authors: Margaret Wise Brown; Lois Elhert; Deborah Guarino; Ezra Jack Keats; Eloise Greenfield; Doreen Cronin Note some authors have their books in storybook and board book format. Ages 7-12 Popular authors Andrew Clements, Jerry Spinelli, Sharon Creech, Kate DiCamillo, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl, Louis Sachar, Virginia Hamilton, Angela Johnson Popular series Geronimo Stilton, Harry Potter, My Weird School, A-Z Mysteries, Goosebumps, Shredderman, Animal Ark, Bunnicula, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Judy Moody, Hey L il D; Chicken Soup for the Soul (kid s, teenage, African-American) Multicultural titles Donavan s Word Jar, Think Again, Amazing Grace; For the Love of the Game: Michael Jordan and Me, Game Day, The Real Slam Dunk, Cousins, Circle of Gold, Boundless Grace, Call Me Maria, Slam!, Heaven, Esperanza Rising, Any Small Goodness, Becoming Naomi Leon Ages Look in the young adult section. Fantasy is big right now. Please look for culturally sensitive books in this section, too.

7 Cleaning Teams Sure, it s not a glamorous job, but it s a necessary one. HOPE UCC needs volunteers to clean the church (sanctuary, bathrooms, classrooms and offices). By having volunteers do the cleaning (i.e. dusting, vacuuming, mopping, etc.) we will be able to save the church a substantial amount of money. You may volunteer as an individual or as a team (with two or three people working, the job will go much more quickly). To sign up, simply call the HOPE office at We ask that the cleaning take place on either a Friday or a Saturday in order to have the church fresh and clean for our Sunday morning gatherings. A weekly schedule will be created based on the number of volunteers. If you are designated to clean on a particular week that does not work with your schedule, we simply ask that you contact another team to cover the responsibilities for that week. Below you will find the checklist of cleaning duties. The quarterly cleaning will be scheduled for a Saturday and the entire congregation will be invited to assist. The Night Ministry thenightministry.org The Night Ministries is a not-for-profit organization that connects with Chicago's vulnerable youth and adults, providing basic supplies, self-care supplies, free healthcare, housing and supportive services for youth, referrals to other resources, and more. Once again, Hope UCC will be partnering with this amazing ministry, providing dinner and a sack lunches to 200 guests on Tuesday, August 30. Here s how you can help: 1. If you are able to volunteer that evening to serve the meal, contact Ginny Bateman at ginbateman@gmail.com or We will meet at a common location (yet to be determined) at 4:30, carpool and depart at 5pm. Dinner is served at 7pm, and we'll head home around 8:30pm. Approximately 8 volunteers will be needed for the serving of the meal. 2. You can help in making the sack lunches. You, your family, or friends can make 25 sack lunches, to be ready to go by 4 pm on Aug. 30. Because of the special dietary needs of our guests, a specific list of what to include will be provided. 3. You can make a part of the meal to be served. You'll be provided with a dinner menu item to be available by 4 pm on Aug You can also help as a part of a cleaning crew, after the preparation of the meal (3:30-5:00) Together we can make a difference in the lives of many who are in need. Reminder, to volunteer for any of these opportunities, contact Ginny Bateman at ginbateman@gmail.com or Hygiene Kits As a part of our Grand Opening Weekend (August 19-21) we are inviting HOPE UCC Partners and Friends to participate in a service project. On Sunday, August 21, following worship and a potluck lunch, we will assemble 100 Hygiene Kits to be sent to Church World Service. Church World Service Kits are small packages of supplies assembled by volunteers and shipped to people in need around the world. The contents of each Kit have been selected with care based on years of experience to make them as useful as possible, wherever and whenever they are sent. Our support of this program is very important and helps to ensure Kits are available for immediate response after a disaster in another part of the world or here in the U.S. Items are still needed for the Hygiene Kits. Please contact Pastor Timoth via at pastor@sharehope.org and let him know that you would like to provide some of these items. Financial contributions are also welcome.

8 Successful Manna Gift Card Fundraising Since January 1, we have raised $1, through the Manna Gift Card fundraiser. If you haven t tried this yet, or if you have questions, please ask Pastor Timoth or Mark Duebner to get full details. It is truly the easiest way for our church to make money without asking anyone to give more than they are currently. Let s see how many people we can get involved and set our goals high. With a program this easy, we will accomplish whatever we set out to do. Do you do your grocery shopping at Dominick s? Jewel? Caputo's? Then buy a gift card before you go shopping. Buy gas at BP? Speedway? Arco? Exxon? Shell? Take advantage of the fundraiser and help with the church finances for And of course they are also the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other celebrations. It takes a little planning but it is a great way to save time and gas on gift shopping and help HOPE! Turn your order in on Sunday at Worship and you will get the cards the following Sunday. Domino's Pizza Gift Cards - Not Redeemable August 22nd - 24th Please be advised that Domino's Pizza gift card redemptions will be unavailable online and in stores, Monday, August 22nd through Wednesday, August 24th. Domino's Pizza is aware that scrip customers are loyal and make advanced plans when using their gift cards. Please inform your participants of this news in order to avoid a planned pizza party the day gift cards are not redeemable. Thank you for your cooperation! Sincerely, Manna Express Scrip Company Green Harvest Needs Our Help With summer upon us, we are in need of lunch type food and personal hygiene items. If you would pick up a few items for us during your regular shopping we would be very thankful. If you would be willing to help provide some of the needed items, please bring them to the church either on Sunday mornings or throughout the week (9 a.m. 3 p.m.) and arrangements will be made to transport the donations to Green Harvest. In addition, on Sunday July 3, special-offering envelopes will be available in worship if you would like to make a financial contribution to Green Harvest. Here are the items they are currently in need of: Jelly & Jam Ramen Noodles Fruit Snacks Canned Pasta (any type) Cereal Apple Sauce Cups Pudding/Jell-O Cups Canned Oranges Juice Boxes Bread Toothpaste Shampoo

9 PEACE AND JUSTICE

10 BETTER WORLD How to Make Going Solar at Home More Affordable. The good news is that there's legislation before the House of Representatives right now that could go a long way toward helping cities and homeowners partner together to install residential solar systems at no up-front cost to the homeowner. Through their city partnership, homeowners can pay back the cost of their system via a clean-energy property assessment on their tax bill all while saving money on electricity bills, and creating local clean-energy jobs. It's a win-win for both cities and homeowners, which is why 27 states across the country have authorized these property-assessed clean energy (PACE) programs. PACE programs nationwide have run into some legal snags. The new Congressional legislation is designed to untangle the legal knots and put PACE programs back on track. Even in these contentious political times, PACE programs enjoy strong bi-partisan support. In the meantime, the editors of Green American magazine are putting the finishing touches the next edition, devoted entirely to the theme of helping communities go solar. If you're not already a member, you can go to DEF&step=form&trk=canews &ref=, to start receiving the Green American. They are featuring articles on how to get involved in solar buying co-ops, community-owned solar installations, solar-leasing programs, and more. The sun shines for everyone.