In this issue... First Christian Church January 15, 2016 East Moline, Illinois Volume 41, Number 1

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Earl Perkins
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Common Table visioning session! A Helmets of Hope ministry update!

The 2016 chili challenge! Welcome to a new member!

Get to the know the Bible in a new, short term overview!

First Christian Church January 15, 2016 East Moline, Illinois Volume

1 In this issue...! Vitally important congregational meeting and meal on January 30! Common Table visioning session! A Helmets of Hope ministry update! Core and More Bible study down to final five sessions! The 2016 chili challenge! Welcome to a new member! Celebrating Frank Simpson; preparing to celebrate Colleen Kannenberg! Get to the know the Bible in a new, short term overview! This and more in your KNOLL NEWS! First Christian Church January 15, 2016 East Moline, Illinois Volume 41, Number 1 First Christian Church th Street East Moline, IL Published by: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) On the Web: Phone: (309) Editor: Bill Coley

Some tiles are blank - basically obstructions - but most are small bits of pathway that contribute a vertical, horizontal, or curved addition to the path.

2 And from Bill... A game that I play on my phone called Roll the Ball offers valuable instruction to us as we face the challenges of the new year. The objective of the game is to move square tiles around the playing area so as to create a continuous open path from a ball s launching point to its final destination. Some tiles are blank - basically obstructions - but most are small bits of pathway that contribute a vertical, horizontal, or curved addition to the path. If you re familiar with the handheld games in which a single missing piece allows the player to move other pieces around the board in pursuit of a particular outcome, you know the basic premise of Roll the Ball. Some of the game s hundreds of puzzles are easy. In five to ten easilydiscerned moves, it s possible to create the required path and earn the maximum number of stars. But other puzzles are far more difficult. Boards as small as four or five squares aside can be quite challenging - not usually as to creating the path, but as to doing so in the way that earns the highest payoff. When confronted with a difficult puzzle, my M.O. invariably includes multiple variations on the same, inadequate theme. My first approach to the solution receives just one star, which basically is the game s way of saying, Well, at least you tried. Then, depending on the severity of the puzzle s challenge, subsequent attempts will yield one, on occasion two, stars. No matter what strategy I employ, I seem destined to fall short in my quest for a third star. The available options at that point are few. I can accept my destiny and move on to another puzzle, I can ask the game to solve the puzzle for me, or I can look for another solution. Most of the time, We must be willing to change and take new paths because no one is likely to solve our challenges for us. by Bill Coley the destiny option leaves me wanting more, and allowing the game to solve the puzzle teaches me nothing, so quickly does its solution unfold. The option that predictably produces the most satisfying result is a search for another solution, but not just any solution. If I m not achieving a three star result, it s usually because there s something fundamentally inadequate about my approach, which is a fault whose correction I can t find unless I compel myself to think about the puzzle differently - unless I think outside the box. So many times a puzzle s obvious solution produces one or two stars because what s needed is a different approach, one that s not immediately apparent. Thinking outside the box is more important than ever for churches. In this increasingly secular age, more and more it s true that what used to be obvious solutions to problems either produce less-than-satisfying results, or fail completely. NOT because the churches that implement those solutions don t care or aren t trying; but because today s challenges require new solutions, discovered via thought paths not envisioned in the past. As a church we face serious challenges in the coming year. We must rebuild our Sunday experiences to meet the needs and desires of a rapidly changing culture. We must raise our commitment to Christ so that of us as a group it may be said we are not only believers, but followers. We must grow our trust in God s provision when it comes to our personal financial giving. We must be willing to change and take new paths because no one is likely to solve our challenges for us. We must think outside what feels like an ever-smaller box. N e w s Y o u C a n U s e Common Table ministry envisions the future over... a common table During 2015 our church actively participated in a series of potluck meals held among churches located in the area served by UT High School, the purpose of which was to bridge social and cultural divides that affect the Church, divides based on denomination, neighborhood location, race, and others. The four Common Table Potluck meals held during 2015 were great successes in that they demonstrated the value and potential of brothers and sisters in Christ working, eating, and even playing together. The Common Table vision, initially cast during the Community Praise Worship we hosted in November 2014, is that in this second year our joint efforts will expand to include mission/service projects - making a difference to our community. We will begin to chart the course for that expansion in a casual potluck meal to be held at our church on Thursday, January 28, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Bring food to share if you can, but come anyway if you can t. Help our churches listen for God s direction in this second year around the Common Table. Last call for ministry claim forms For the last six weeks or so we have made available at Mission Central copies of this year s ministry claim form on which people express their interest and intentions regarding their participation in our church. The form presents an inventory of nearly everything we do - from Sunday worship to financial donations that support specific ministries. These forms matter not only to our church, but to the people who complete them because they serve as reminders of the commitments they ve made. This is the final newsletter call to submit your ministry claim form if you have not done so. WHATEVER the status of your involvement in our church, there is at least one line for you to mark. If the only thing you want to do as part of our church is show up for worship occasionally there s a line on the form for you. Help us understand how much support and participation our various ministries will have in this year. Submit your ministry claim for as soon as possible. Unity Point Health offers befriended training The local health care provider offers a twelve week course that helps participants strengthen their skills in making visits to hospital patients. The training emphasizes such things as good listening skills, proper boundaries, hospital policies and protocols, confidentiality, grief, and the process of discussing spiritual matters. The next class begins on February 16, so act quickly if you want to get involved. There is no cost for participants who agree to volunteer at the hospital for a period of time.

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e Helmets of Hope returns to the ice for February 26 fundraiser Now that our Helmets of Hope ministry has completed its first round of cleaning

On February 26 our ministry will make its second appearance at the iwireless Center in Moline, as the Quad City Mallards take on the Rapid City Rush (7:00 p.m. puck drop).

In addition, we will sell ticket vouchers to the game ($15) that can be used on the 26 th or for any other Mallards home game this season ($15, $5 of which will come back to our Helmets ministry).

3 N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e Helmets of Hope returns to the ice for February 26 fundraiser Now that our Helmets of Hope ministry has completed its first round of cleaning supply deliveries to the QC-area vets it serves, it s time to celebrate that accomplishment and plan another important fundraiser. On February 26 our ministry will make its second appearance at the iwireless Center in Moline, as the Quad City Mallards take on the Rapid City Rush (7:00 p.m. puck drop). For this event we will again hold a raffle, but with higher value prizes such as nights at a local hotel, perhaps a TV, and others. In addition, we will sell ticket vouchers to the game ($15) that can be used on the 26 th or for any other Mallards home game this season ($15, $5 of which will come back to our Helmets ministry). Both raffle tickets and vouchers will be available for sale in the lobby in February. If you need an incentive to attend this game, how about this? $1 hot dogs (as well a beverage which we choose not to mention by name)! Helmets is our signature ministry, one that depends on fundraisers such as this for its continued operation. We encourage you to lend your support. An Operation Christmas child update We re excited to report that our 2015 collection of shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) went to Gabon, a nation on the west central coast of Africa. OCC is a Christian outreach and evangelism ministry that distributes donated shoe boxes to children in developing nations, along with information about Jesus. We also received a call from OCC thanking us for our participation in their ministry. Praise God! [ARTICLE CONTINUES IN SIDEBAR] If you participated in the ministry in any way - perhaps you donated individual items, completed boxes, and/or shipping costs, or helped pack them at the packing party - thank you! We look forward to what God will do through our donations in ten months. Another Bible in a Year achievement Congratulations to Jackie Hume for completing her second reading of the entire Bible using our Bible in a Year plan. That plan, which is available at Mission Central, divides the task into 365 daily selections from both the Old and New Testaments. Since the selections are numbered, not dated, you can start anytime! February brings chili challenge 2016 We Are Together events bring us together for food, fun, fellowship, and mission activities. On February 20 (5:00 p.m.) we ll hold the fourth annual Chili Challenge, our version of a chili cookoff. The timing couldn t be any better as few things taste better than a bowl of homemade chili on a cold winter s night. If you want to compete in the Challenge, simply bring a pot of your creation to the event. If you d rather bring a side dish or perhaps some condiments to share, that will be great, too. And if you simply want to come and enjoy the chiliosity of others, we will celebrate your company. Look for a sheet at Mission Central starting February 1 on which you will be able to express your interest. Ash Wednesday experience offers time of spiritual reflection On the official calendar of the church, the experience of Easter is preceded by a season of preparation called Lent. Lent is a time set aside for personal reflection and introspection, a time to ask ourselves challenging questions about the state of our faith and our connections to Jesus. The season of Lent lasts forty days plus the six Sundays of the period. Ash Wednesday, this year on February 10, is the first day of the season of Lent. To contribute to the spirituality of the weeks before Easter, we ll start a new sermon series on February 14 called On Following, an exploration of what it means to be an authentic follower - not just a believer - in Jesus. To help turn our attention to the subject of following jesus, we will hold an Ash Wednesday spiritual experience on the 10th at 6:30 p.m. [ARTICLE CONTINUES IN SIDEBAR] In Brief... We ll sing, pray, and explore some moments in the lives of New Testament followers of Jesus that reveal some of the patterns and practices that distinguish followers from believers. Welcome, Jan Lanoo! Near the end of our congregational meeting on December 20, Jan Lanoo transferred her membership into our congregation. We have been blessed by Jan s gentle spirit and the inquisitive spunk of her grandson Julian. We can t know what God has in mind for our church or for Jan as our relationship grows, but we know we celebrate Jan s decision and welcome her into our membership.

U p d a t e s Participation report Here we report weekly participation numbers for worship and our Sunday groups.

Date Sunday Worship Sunday Groups December 20 31 10 December 27 21 12 January 3 26 13 January 10 20 7 Finances for all of 2015 Income.................................. $60,918.51 Expenses................................. $64,759.

East Moline Fran Littlewood - Rosewood Care Ctr - rm 219, Moline Ann White - Illini Restorative Care - rm.

4 U p d a t e s Participation report Here we report weekly participation numbers for worship and our Sunday groups. We look forward to the increases of these numbers as the transformation of our church continues. Date Sunday Worship Sunday Groups December December January January Finances for all of 2015 Income $60, Expenses $64, Were income on pace w/2015 budget $70, Recent Concerns Terri Grove - home and making slow progress following surgery in Peoria Homebound Ethel Dawson th St. Ct. East Moline Fran Littlewood - Rosewood Care Ctr - rm 219, Moline Ann White - Illini Restorative Care - rm. 26, Silvis Financial Situation The combination of physical limitations, health challenges, and winter weather is not good for the bottom lines of churches, particularly small membership churches such as ours. Those factors contribute to small worship turnouts, which affect congregational spirit, as well as financial shortfalls, reflected in the relatively small offerings received on the first two Sundays of this new year. If your participation in the life of our church has been limited by circumstances beyond your control, we understand, but encourage you to pray for our ministry and to stay current in your financial support. God will bless you and our church if you do. Serving in February... Welcome Team: Marsha Jones Communion Prayers: Jackie Hume Preparing Communion: Suzie Guthrie PraiseLand Team: The PraiseLand team LifeSOUNDS: Jackie Hume Serving Communion: Dawn Dumoulin, Deb Langley Providing Childcare: Andrew Sullivan/Dawn Dumoulin/Nicole Sullivan/ Marsha Jones /Noelle Ledbetter February Birthdays Lisa Glessner Andrew Sullivan Blake Burbridge REMINDER: We can't tell people about your birthday or anniversary unless you tell us. Contact the church office with your information. Core and More down to five sessions One of the most daunting Bible study journeys you will find in any church, anywhere, is schedu0led to come to an end next month when our Core and More Bible study group will conclude its 4-1/2 year, 188 session journey through the entire Bible. The group started in August 2011 and will conclude with a celebratory dinner. Praise God! Save the date: January 30 Please reserve Saturday, January 30, on your calendar for an important conversation about the current and future states of our ministry as a congregatio n. A letter you will receive in the next week to ten days will give additional details about the meeting and the reasons we re holding it. At the January 30 meeting we will serve a catered meal at no charge to you or your family. Without the added responsibility of food provision, we expect that we will be able to focus more directly and completely on the important matters that will be discussed. The time of the meeting has not been formally decided, but will be announced in the forthcoming letter and in Sunday morning media.

5 N e w s Y o u C a n U s e A time to celebrate the life of Colleen Kannenberg On Monday, January 18, in a 2:00 p.m. service to be held in our worship center, we will celebrate the life of Colleen Kannenberg, who died November 24. Such celebrations of life are part of our congregational DNA, which is a good thing since Colleen s husband, Darry, insists that the service celebrate his beloved wife of 35 years, rather than mourn her death. In addition, Darry encourages us to wear informal or casual clothing to the service - no suits or dresses required. A meal will follow the service; please join us. Celebrating Frank Simpson Franks Simpson surely bore the imprint of his mother, Margaret: A kind heart and gentle disposition, inside of which resided a passionate and intentional heart. The physical challenge of his impaired left arm was a challenge only in our eyes; he basically disregarded it and engineered a life filled with the work and outside interests of his choosing. Frank spoke with enthusiasm, his most menial words he presented with enthusiasm-infused charm. No doubt the deepest charm he reserved for his beloved wife, Jeanne, with whom he was in a magnificent marriage for 63 years. Frank died January 6, having been a member of our church for 75 years. We celebrate his life and offer our prayerful support to Jeanne and the entire Simpson family. A new Bible study comes to a Generations group The Generations adult Bible study group that meets on the lower level (Sundays, 9:00 a.m.) will engage in a seven week overview of the Bible - its origins, content, and interpretation - beginning sometime next month. Biblical literacy - knowing what s in the Bible, what it means, and why it matters - is low among Christians of most denominations. If you don t have a Sunday group connection, here s a short term and informative introduction that will give you a head start toward more in-depth explorations of the Bible. The resource that the group will use costs $12. You may order it from the church office, or simply express your interest to Bill Coley. THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK

In this issue... Published by: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) On the Web: Phone: (309) Editor: Bill Coley

In this issue... Published by: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) On the Web: Phone: (309) Editor: Bill Coley In this issue...! Trunk or Treat is close! Helmets of Hope fun on ice! Core and More Bible study fourteen sessions away from end! A review of the third Common Table meal! Operation Christmas Child is almost