THE MESSENGER St. John

Transcription

1 THE MESSENGER St. John Wood River, Illinois 2014 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Bible Study: What does the UCC believe? What do you believe? Wednesdays at 6pm Sacraments: Baptism & Communion Church & Covenant Authority, Belief, Faith & Covenant Night off Salvation, Faith, Works & Grace All You Can Eat Fried Chicken Dinner Thursday, Oct pm Includes mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, slaw, bread & butter, drinks, dessert. Adult dinners: $10 Children 6-12: $5 Children 5 and under: Free What s Inside Prayer list Kids Klips Calendars Birthdays From the Pastor: Halloween Costume Ideas Annual Hospitality Table for the Halloween Parade Saturday, Oct am

2 Halloween is coming and if you are tired of the old and boring superhero, vampire and zombie costumes, I have some suggestions for you. Because Halloween coincides with Reformation Sunday, why not dress up like your favorite Protestant reformer? Here are some ideas: Okay, the obvious one, Martin Luther. Take a copy of the 95 Theses (I have a copy in my office if you have lost yours), a hammer and some nails to nail them to a door. For the true zealot, that could be the threatened trick you play on someone who doesn t pay you indulgences (candy). When you get the candy, you could say something like, Thank you for these indulgences but faith alone will save you! If you want to go in a group, the shortest one should dress up as Luther and the others as Prince Frederick III s soldiers escorting him to safety at Wartburg Castle in Eisenach. Think of the fun you ll have running up to neighbors doors yelling, Trick or treat! And directions to Wartburg Castle, please! John Calvin could be fun but make sure you use faux fur for that collar or risk having someone dressed up as a PETA activist throwing paint on you. The advantage to dressing up as the older John Calvin is that you can change the hat and go as Ming the Merciless next year. Of course, girls can dress up as Katherine von Bora, Martin Luther s wife and a reformer in her own right. Add a ledger book for keeping track of how much beer you have in the brewery or grain in the bins. She was the one who ran the business part of the farm, brewery and seminary. The morning star of the reformation and one of the first to translate the Bible into English, John Wycliffe would be a great choice. Added advantage, you can go as Moses next year! Carry a copy of the Wycliffe Bible with you to complete your costume and then keep it handy and read it all year long. Sarah and Angelina Grimke the Grimke Sisters. Works best if 2 girls work on it together. Save the costume and you can dress as the wife in the American Gothic painting next year. Antoinette Brown was the first woman since New Testament times to be ordained in the church and the first to be elected to serve a church as pastor. This is probably one of the most frightening costumes you can wear for some church people! Bonus: with a wig and some black lace gloves you can go as Morticia Addams next year. Or you can always go as a villain in the Reformation: Cardinal Cajetan or Johann Tetzel, As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory to heaven springs! You can Google pictures of them. I am thinking this could become a requirement for confirmation classes in the future. If you go with any of these or with another reformer, make sure to wear your costume to church on Reformation Sunday, October 26. A prize for the best Protestant Reformer costume. Have a safe and happy Halloween! Pastor Mike

3 October 1 - Samantha Rhodes 5 - Marcia Harris 8 - Dan Roberts, Douglas Cox 9 - Kyleigh Roberts 11 - Danielle Jones, Conner Nuernberger, Stormie Shoemaker 12 - Doris Tennikait 15 - Carly Hill 18 - Bob Sullivan 19 - Betty Maendele 20 - Erica Fleigle, Clare Gowin 21 - Joyce Gholson 23 - Jimmy Hartwick 25 Brad Nickles 29 - Michael Tomlanovich 30 - Curtis Twichell Hospitalized or Health Concerns since the last Messenger: Merle Bassett Jim Nasello Margone Hardester Betty Maendele Pat Sartini Staying Close to Home/ Chronic Health Concerns Lucille Aubin Freda Frizzell Margaret Rowden Darleen Gowin Betty Wiegand Ed Hamlin Bob Hall In Nursing Homes John Niehaus, VIP Manor Margaret Hinkle, Hitz Memorial N.H. Brad Bailey, Elmwood Nursing & Rehab Serving in the Military Dustin & Ashley Richards, Caleb Roberts, Blake Sabolo, Brandon Sabolo and Brandon Southcombe Overseas Teacher/Diplomatic: Leigh-Ellen Kichline Amy Tohill-Stull Our Sympathy, Christian Love & Prayers continue for: The stuff I put into my bread doesn t taste like much. Plain tap water. Flour. Oil. Yeast. Molasses. Salt. But when I take it out of the oven, the aroma fills our home and the food is a banquet for all. If I can do that with the tasteless ingredients for bread, think what kind of a banquet God can provide with the ingredients in my life. Ralph Milton David Kibler and all the family and friends of Eleanor Kohlmiller and Shelby Kibler, 2 sisters and lifelong members of the church who died Sunday, Sept. 21. Services were at Marks Mortuary with Rev. Southcombe and Rev. Chris Hill officiating on Sept. 25. The family and friends of James Neece who died Sept. 25. Services were at Marks Mortuary with Rev. Southcombe officiating on Sept. 29.

4 In October and November we will be talking about the church budget and our participation in the life of the church and that includes talking about our pledging and our giving. The picture here is of Mr. Bobby Klotz. When Bobby was born in his parents home he was about 2 pounds, the doctor wrapped him in a dish towel, opened the oven door and put a wool rug on the opened door, lined a shoe box with diapers and dish towels and put Bobby in the shoe box and set it on the opened door. He said to keep the oven on warm and if this premature baby lived for 2 days they would be lucky. He lived for 73 years. His mother died when he was in his fifties and when he was 60 his father died. They had kept him at home all those years there wasn t a special education program when Bobby was growing up. They raised him as best they could, with love and with protecting him from those who would make fun of him for his cerebral palsy. His father had made arrangements for Bobby to go to the nursing home after he died. Times had changed. The nursing home had to report to the state how they were empowering Bobby to be more independent. Bobby knew the starting lineup for the Cardinals, he knew their ERA and batting averages. He was bright, just unable to communicate everything he knew. They sent him to a special school, provided speech therapy, activity therapy and art therapy. He went to a workshop and earned some extra cash. He thrived in this new environment. And folks from church started picking him up on Sundays and bringing him to church. His parents had alternated attending church, one would stay home with Bobby every Sunday. After his mother s death, his father started bringing him with and we kept that up after his father died. For one of his art projects, Bobby had made a crayon drawing of his old house with him and his dad sitting on the front porch. He also had printed the phone number to the nursing home along the bottom of the picture his 2 most treasured possessions the memory of sitting with his dad on the front porch and the testament that he could remember things he was taught. The activity director had framed it and hung it on his wall. He showed it to everyone. When I visited him, I commented about how nice the picture was. The Sunday before I had preached on the stewardship program for the church that year and others had gotten up and spoken about how important the church was in their lives. I am sure you have guessed the rest of this story. The next Sunday, as the ushers placed the offering plates on the altar, there was that picture, folded up and added to the offerings. It was the greatest gift Bobby had to give his church. The ushers looked at me, tears flowing down their faces, the 3 of us humbled by the gift before us on God s altar. We looked back at Bobby and he was smiling, rubbing his hands together, snorting and laughing and rocking back and forth in the pew. He had found a way to no longer be a mission of the church but, now, a contributing member. I have never seen such joy! We ll be talking about our giving and the spiritual health that is reflected in our support of the church and in our prioritizing all the activity and needs in our lives. You will hear stories to inspire, comfort and challenge us in our love for Christ s church. Bobby was one of the most generous, honest and spiritually healthy persons I have ever met. I sincerely doubt if any gift I may give back to God will be as pleasing to God or as humbling to others as Bobby s gift was that day. But I will continue to try. I pray that you may know the joy of that effort as well. We ll have pledge cards in the next Messenger and available at church. We will dedicate our pledges on Nov. 9, the same day we celebrate Veterans Day in worship. Until then, let us prayerfully consider our support of St. John UCC and the work we do together in Christ s name. Pastor Mike And the Stewardship Ministry Team

5 Please bring any of the following items to Berry Parlor by October 19 and we will present them to Kindercottage at the Conference Annual Meeting on October 24.

6

7

8 Mission Statement for St. John UCC St. John United Church of Christ, Wood River, Illinois is a Christian Community: Worshiping the Triune God Claiming the historic faith of the church Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ Nurturing for Christian discipleship Ministering to one another through fellowship and caring Serving our community and the world Connecting with other Christian for witness and service The Messenger is a monthly publication of St. John United Church of Christ, 228 N. Sixth St., Wood River, IL 62095; phone Access our home page at Worship is at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school is during worship. Our Pastor is Rev. Mike Southcombe, cell phone (618) The Messenger editorial staff includes, Evalena O dell and Marlene O dell. All guests are welcome. always caring, always sharing St. John United Church of Christ 228 N. Sixth St. Wood River, IL Return Service Requested