FAITH CONNECTIONS NEIGHBORS. In this issue... WITH OUR. Spring:

Transcription

1 FAITH CONNECTIONS A monthly publication of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest 700 N. Sheridan Road Lake Forest, IL FirstChurchLF.org VOLUME XVIII, NO. 3 APRIL 2018 In this issue... CONNECT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS PNC Study Group Update Annual Meeting New Members Welcome All Church Dinner & Trivia Night Steve Hall Discussion Series Work Trip Tool Training New Preschool Director Preschool Art Fair This Month s Featured Mission Partner: Rummage All Church Auction PADS, Bucks-for-Vets Rummage Open House Session & Stewardship Update Worship With Eastertide upon us, we move into the last season of CONNECT, our theme for the program year. We re kicking off CONNECT with our Neighbors on Sunday, April 8! Learn Sending well-equipped disciples of Jesus into the world compassionate, generous, resilient and wise Connect Fall: Connect to each other Advent: Connect to god Lent: Connect to self Spring: Connect to Our Neighbors Serve Invite

2 WE WORSHIP Sunday, April 1 7:30, 9 & 11 AM Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick Preaching Sunday, April 8 9 & 11 AM Rev. Nancy Dolan Preaching Sunday, April 15 9 AM Pastor Sean Kelly Preaching 11 AM Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick Preaching Thursday, April 19 6:30 PM Third Thursday Prayer Service Sunday, April 22 9 & 11 AM Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick Preaching Sunday, April 29 9 & 11 AM Multi-generational Worship Service FAITH CONNECTIONS is published monthly for members & friends of First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest 700 N. Sheridan Road Lake Forest, IL Submission due date is the 15 th of every month. Church Office: Mon Fri, 9 AM 5 PM For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Cor 1:18 Dear Friends, When I first realized that Easter this year would fall on April Fool s Day, I had to laugh at the irony. That God would use the cross, such a gruesome tool of death reserved for the worst of criminals, to show the depth of God s love and mercy; well, that might certainly seem like foolishness! Yet what happened on the cross is the essence of who we are as Christians, and the power behind our discipleship. Believing that God can overcome even the darkest time, even the worst we can do to each other, even death itself: that s not foolishness to us, that s God s saving grace! The message of the cross for followers of Jesus is our fuel to face our own dark times, to walk with a friend who is in darkness, and to join in God s saving work of redeeming and restoring all of creation. But believing in the redeeming love of God revealed on the cross, and sharing that love with others, is not always easy and certainly includes times of doubt. At times believing can feel like foolishness. We need Christian community both the fellowship of believers and the core practices of our faith to remind us of the truths of God s power and love, and to build us up for discipleship. Over the last year we ve been focusing on our core practice of CONNECT, which has been an important part of our own restoration. We focused first on re-connecting to each other. In many ways, that felt like a time of renewal. In Advent we renewed our connection to God, experiencing God with us in the familiar traditions of the season. Over Lent we considered who we are in God s eyes, as we connected with self. Reflecting on our belonging to God, we identified what gets in the way of our experiencing God s love for us. This month, we turn outward. Restored and renewed as believers and as a beloved community of faith, we turn to our neighbor. We do that not only to serve our neighbor, but also to be in relationship with our neighbor. Disciples are sent people; sent into the world to proclaim the love and light of Christ that redeems and restores. This season s theme, CONNECT with our Neighbors motivates us to go out with the love Jesus poured out for the world. Who needs that extravagant love and grace right in our own community? With whom can I be in relationship for the sake of the gospel, and for whom am I called to sacrifice so that God s kingdom, God s full restoration of the world, can be realized? At First Pres, we have declared that our reason for being is to equip and send followers of Jesus into the world. This, my friends, is our foolish endeavor. Let s go be fools for Christ. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! With joy in Christ, Rev. Nancy F. Dolan Interim Pastor, Head of Staff 2

3 PNC Study Group Update The PNC Study Group s work and study goes on! We met with Session on March 19 to delve into the themes emerging from our ongoing study and the conversations with over 20 church groups and committees, and others. In the process of learning together about the societal changes affecting church, and listening to one another in our free-ranging discussions, we are deepening our understanding of the current-day challenges and opportunities of pursuing our mission to send well-equipped disciples of Jesus into the world. Our resource text, Changing the Conversation, by Anthony Robinson, along with our study of Scripture and growing pile of readings, have indeed prompted us to change the conversation! We find ourselves shifting from our natural default of, How do we fix what we have? to How might we need to approach things differently to live out our mission today? After many rounds of listening and study, we are stepping back to discern what God is revealing to us under the yearnings expressed by the congregation and through our increasing understanding of how the changes around us are impacting how we do church. Some of what we are hearing is prompting big questions like, What are the deep, spiritual needs in our pews and among our neighbors today that are begging for our attention: needs that only a relationship with God in Jesus Christ can meet? and How does meeting those needs look different in today s world? Our conversations have revealed the diverse perspectives that exist under our church roof. Yet, while opinions and reactions vary widely from group to group, we share a common foundation. We desire to love God, love our neighbor, and connect deeply as the body of Christ. Furthermore, our core practices of worship, learn, connect, serve and invite continue to be valuable ways to equip us as disciples of Jesus. What has changed, however, is how people can engage in those practices. Our work continues as we prepare a final report with recommendations, and continue the conversations and learning. Simultaneously, we are preparing for our hand-off to the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) in April. Our group is grateful for the continued prayers and support of the congregation. The PNC Study Group: Donna Coffin, Nancy Dolan, T.S. Elliott, Jerry Ligon, Diane Quinn, Gretchen Seymour, David Strong, Anne Warnke Congregational Meeting to Elect the Pastor Nominating Committee and Deacons: April 15, 2018, 10:00 AM On Sunday, April 15th, immediately following the 9:00 AM worship service, there will be a meeting of the congregation to elect the Pastor Nominating Committee, and to elect Deacons to the last two Deacon openings for terms that begin June 1. The All Church Nominating Committee (ACNC) enthusiastically and unanimously presents the following slate of nominees to serve on the 9-member Pastor Nominating Committee: Donna Coffin T.S. Elliott Bill Ensing John Gescheidle Cindy Johnson Diane Quinn Barbara Schulz David Strong Martha Zeeman The ACNC, with gratitude and joy, also unanimously present the following nominees for the office of Deacon: Paul Bergmann, to complete the final two years of an unexpired three-year term Sherry Trenchard, to a new three-year term 3

4 New Members Welcome Carol Bleck is a life-long Lake Forest/Lake Bluff resident who just found her church home at First Pres. She enjoys bike riding, fitness, walking and reading. Her relationships with members Samantha Borland and Amy Richer called her to membership. Donna Curry is a Master violinist teacher and a Certified Teacher Trainer of both Suzuki and Traditional Methods. She has three studio locations: Winnetka, Gorton Center and her home studio. Donna is intrigued by church activities and was led here by a friend when she moved to the area. First Pres feels very much a great fit and a church home. Alex and Addie Gundry moved to Lake Forest in 2015 and love the town and community. They welcomed their son last September, and Cooper was baptized in January. They enjoy spending time with their son and dog, Paisley, a certified therapy dog! The Gundrys love to cook and spend time in the backyard with friends and family. They felt a connection to First Pres on their first visit and realized what a special place it is. They were introduced to wonderful families and felt right at home from that point on. The rest is history. Ann and Matt Kiesling with their children Lauren (5 th grade) and Maddie (kindergarten) have felt at home since they first visited First Pres. Matt is focused on faith, family and community. He enjoys being engaged, coaching and teaching art at local schools. Ann is a power vinyasa yoga teacher in Lake Bluff, Highland Park and Bannockburn. The family enjoys outdoor activities, games and travel. Brian and Betsy Linhart put energy and joy in lives by helping others both professionally Betsy as a Recruiter and Brian, a School Counselor and in everyday life. They enjoy doing things as a family, from vacation trips to breakfast to storytelling. Brian likes basketball and running; Betsy, running and reading. The Linharts came to First Pres looking for a church that best suits their family. Since becoming members, they have felt like the church is a second family. 4

5 Amy Richer moved to Lake Bluff in 2007 with her husband Mark-Hans and daughters Jacqueline (9 th grade) and Alexa (6 th grade). She chose to focus on raising her children spending her day being an Uber mom. Amy has written three books and hopes to have something published one day. She runs a health & wellness group that meets monthly and launched a Facebook group called LB/LF Health and Wellness Group where the community shares their stories and support in their quest for a healthier life. Joining First Pres has been on her bucket list since The first moment she walked into the sanctuary, it felt like home. She recently had a major health scare and received many signs from God which compelled her to act on things that were important. Her relationship with God was one of the most important things in life and joining First Pres Church was a way of honoring God s significance. So here she is! David and Heather Strong joined First Pres last fall after two years of participation in the life of the church family, transferring from Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Sadie is in 6 th grade and Thomas in 5 th grade. David enjoys great sermons, Sunday School, learning and study groups. Heather enjoys family and traveling to see them, as well as vintage board games which she has found at the annual rummage sales. The entire Strong family is committed and active in the life of First Pres, sharing their gifts of creativity, dedication to Christ, and joy in actively participating in community. David and Laura Valko joined last fall, transferring from Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Grayslake. Dave enjoys visiting their children, hiking the Grand Canyon and is open to learning all the time. David s faith journey while at Wildwood was meaningful; he enjoyed the church and the people, serving as an elder and high school advisor. Laura s life work is taking care of her family. She enjoys spinning and reading. She feels called to membership here because she has sought a church family that not only serves its members, but also serves the local community and greater community through its mission work. Karey Walker is committed to non-profit work, loves the performing arts and likes to connect with people. She is skilled in marketing and fundraising and enjoys helping with events like our All Church Auction which she co-chairs with Kim Clair. Always open to learning, she is interested in becoming more familiar with the Bible. 5

6 Opportunities to Serve, Connect and Learn Please join us in our Bible Studies! Brown Bag Bible Study: Tuesdays at 11:30 AM Parish House Conference Room Covenant Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1:30 PM Parish House Conference Room Wednesday Women s Bible Study: Wednesdays at 9:45 AM, Parlor Julian Women: 2 nd and 4 th Wednesdays of the month at 11:15 AM, Parish House Library Women s Faith Exploration: Wednesdays at 7:00 PM, Parlor Men s Bible Study & Prayer Group: Fridays at 7:00 AM, Parlor Men s Discussion Group: Every other Sunday at 9:30 AM, Parish House Library Coming Up! What does Jesus have to do with the Old Testament? A Steve Hall Discussion Series Sundays, April 8, 15 and 22, 10:00 11:00 AM Rummage Open House Sunday, April 8, 10:00 11:00 AM All Church Auction Saturday, April 14, 6:00 PM Spring Rummage Sale Saturday, May 5, 7:00 AM 3:00 PM Festival Sunday Sunday, May 20, single service at 10:00 AM VBS (Vacation Bible School) June 12 15, 9:30 AM 12:00 PM Watch the Sunday bulletins and Faith Connections newsletter for details on these events! Communion Servers Needed Are you a former or current Elder or Deacon? If so, please consider serving communion on the first Sunday of the month. We encourage all ordained members to participate in this important ministry at least once a year. Sign up online at firstchurchlf.org/serve-communion or Mary Watanabe at marytammeuswatanabe@gmail.com. Submit a Faith Connections Piece Faith Connections is published monthly for members & friends of First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest. If you would like to submit an article or short blurb about your committee s activities, fellowship opportunities, etc., please contact Kane Quilos at kquilos@firstchurchlf.org. Deadline for submissions is the 15 th of the month for the following month s newsletter publication. Social Bridge Play Thursdays, 7:00 9:00 PM in Fellowship Hall Do you play Bridge? Do you want to learn how to play Bridge? The Deacons are hosting weekly Social Bridge Play, as well as Instruction for Bridge Beginners. Invite a friend or a neighbor, all are welcome! If you have any questions, please contact Kim Clair at kimjdclair@gmail.com. Materials for beginners are available for $20. See you there! Like First Pres on Facebook! Like and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/firstchurchlf to be the first to know about the updates and events at First Pres! Also, click see first so you see our updates in your timeline! For any questions, contact Pastor Chip Hardwick at chardwick@firstchurchlf.org or Kane Quilos at kquilos@firstchurchlf.org. 6

7 All Church Dinner & Trivia Night Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who made our first annual All Church Dinner and Trivia Night on Sunday, March 18 a rousing success! Especially the Adult, Youth, and Children s Faith Formation Committees who put this multi-generational event together, and the youth MCs Will Elliott, Lindsay Folker, Bryan Kingsley and Kailey Albus. Over 120 people attended that evening, and we raised almost $2,200 for Senior High Work Trip! 7

8 Faith Formation Steve Hall: Back in April by Popular Demand! April 8, 15 and 22, 10:10 AM What does Jesus have to do with the Old Testament? And why does that even matter to you and me today? Check out the sneak peek video from March 28 on facebook.com/firstchuchlf, and come to the chapel between services where Steve Hall, professor at University of Chicago s Graham School and North Park University, will discuss what this is all about on the three Sundays following Easter (April 8, 15 and 22). About Steve Hall: A formidable scholar, with a B.A. in Philosophy of Religion with a minor in Koine Greek, a M.A. in Hebrew Language Studies at Jerusalem University College, a Th.M. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a ABD (all but dissertation) at the University of Chicago, Steve has a rare gift of being able to share his knowledge in a very approachable, conversational manner. Ever since teaching at North Park, Steve has taught adult classes at Covenant Churches in the Chicago area, as well as at Fourth Presbyterian Church downtown. He is a member at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Libertyville. He has led two student tours to the Holy Land, and is planning a study tour of Israel and other parts of the Middle East. Steve also enjoys mind-body connection by practicing yoga and most especially playing golf. Steve has been married for 34 years and has three children. We are delighted to have him back! Work Trip 2018 (Re)connecting with our 20 & 30 Somethings at First Pres by Jim Mayhall, Work Trip Advisor This year s Senior High Work Trip will be in Roscommon County, MI from June Students are required to earn 10 points throughout the year in order to participate in Work Trip. Points are earned through: attending Youth Group and retreats, participating in fundraising events, and more. For any questions, contact Pastor Sean Kelly at skelly@firstchurchlf.org. Work Trip Tool Training: Sunday, April 22 The Senior High Youth Group Work Trip has always emphasized safety as they repair homes, replace roofs and build decks and access ramps. This year, Pastor Sean Kelly is going a step further by providing training for the Senior High Youth Group before work trip starts. The youth will be exposed to the operation and use of power tools, ladder safety, hammers, roofing basics and more in a half day Work Trip Tool Training project. We have reached out to over 50 past Work Trippers to help organize and conduct the training. So far, over 20 Work Trip veterans and their spouses have agreed to be the trainers on Sunday, April 22 from 1:00 5:00 PM. The training will consist of hands-on experience with chop saws, sawzalls, ladder safety, roofing and much more. Veteran Work Trip advisors such as John Johnson, George Fossell, Jim Mynhier, Linda Martinat, Jim Kingsley and Jim Seymour will be there to emphasize safety and engage with the returning trainers. We can definitely use more help contacting other work trip alum who live in the area. If your son(s) or daughter(s) is a Work Trip veteran and might be interested in helping out and connecting with the High School Work Trippers, past Work Trip peers and the advisors, please encourage them to contact Jimmy May (Jim Mayhall) by at jmay243@gmail.com or text

9 Preschool Update: New Director! We are thrilled to announce that Kristina Mills will become the Preschool s new Director effective April 3. Several outstanding candidates were interviewed by the search committee made up of representatives of the preschool teaching staff, parent board, and church. Kristina emerged decidedly as the best applicant to lead the Preschool into its next chapter. She has been a teacher with us for nine years and shown tremendous dedication, compassion, and support to the children, parents, and staff during the past two months as Interim Director. During this time she has also demonstrated significant leadership skills in the Interim Director role, and she possesses the talent and vision to lead the school into a thriving future. Kristina will be leaving her classroom in capable hands. Her replacement in the Expedition class will be Suzanne Carberry, who is familiar to Expedition students. Molly Jones will be Suzanne s replacement as an Assistant Teacher in the Adventure class on Thursdays. Thank you to the Preschool parents and Board for their patience and support during this process; the Spirit moves at the Spirit s own pace! We look forward to dynamic connections between the Preschool and the Church as we partner in building for the future. A Letter from Kristina: Dear First Presbyterian Preschool families, I wanted to let you know that I accepted the position as the new full time director for the preschool this past week. I have been serving as the interim director since early January and I am extremely excited and humbled to be offered the position full time. I m looking forward to continuing to work with your children and the staff to ensure that everyone has the best possible experience that you have come to know and expect from First Presbyterian preschool. While I already know many of you from having taught here for the past 9 years, I wanted to give you a little bit of my background and experience. I have a bachelor s degree in early childhood education and a Masters of Education focused on multi-age classroom learning. I feel blessed that I have been able make a career out of working with children, which is something since it never feels like work. I live in Lake Bluff with my husband Troy and my two sons, Jaxon and Rylie. Troy and I are coming up on our 27 th wedding anniversary this fall. My oldest son Jaxon is a sophomore at the University of Dayton where he plays football and studies Communications. My son, Rylie, is a sophomore at Lake Forest High School who also plays football and is into playing and writing music. My husband and I are fortunate to have lived across the US as well as overseas where we lived in Germany and Ireland for almost 4 years. I enjoy spending my time traveling with my family, experiencing activities in the great outdoors and reading on my porch in the summertime! I will certainly miss teaching in a classroom but this new role will allow me to develop personally and to teach in a different capacity. I look forward to getting to know more of our First Pres families and ensuring our students have amazing first learning experiences that will develop their curiosity to learn throughout their life. Lastly, we have been developing some new additions to our program for next year. We are very excited to release our schedule for both this and next year. We are still finalizing the details, but we should have the information to you in mid April, so stay tuned. Sincerely, Kristina Mills 9

10 Faith Formation Preschool Art Fair + Ryan Nyland Memorial Toy Drive by Kristina Mills, Preschool Director Our annual Art Fair/Ryan Nyland Toy Drive was a huge success this year! We had very happy children excited to bring their parents, grandparents, siblings and friends to view their artwork! This year our school chose to have one unit of study throughout the year to frame our curriculum and we chose the United States of America. Every age level interpreted this unit into their class in an age-appropriate, creative and hands-on approach in their exploration of the USA. As an entire school project, we created an American flag as a representation of our study on the United States of America. The flag is comprised of 156 craft sticks created by all 64 children in the school. We will hang the flag at the entry of the school so that everyone can see their work. In addition to the Art Fair, we held our 15th Annual Ryan Nyland Memorial Toy Drive, collecting new toys that were donated to Lurie Children s Hospital. As they saw the collection of the toy donations grow, our preschool children s faces filled with excitement and pride for participating. The Nyland family shared how important and rewarding it is for them when they hand deliver these toys to children at the hospital in honor of their son s memory. 10

11 Mission Corner April Featured Partner: Rummage Many Hands for Mission is the motto for the bi-annual Rummage Sale. The very first hands that touched this fundraiser were back in 1950, when our Presbyterian Women took over what was originally the YWCA sale. It was held in the South Parlor at First Pres and raised $3,600 (approximately $36,000 in today s money)! Today, many people are involved in Rummage at First Pres, logging in more than 4000 volunteer hours a year. Some are new, and some have been helping for decades. Some volunteers work weekly in the sorting room going through pricing and boxing all the donations from our congregation and the community at large. During sale week, literally hundreds of workers from our neighborhoods, from Lake Forest High School and Lake Forest College, and from afar, all come together for a week of fun and fellowship to create one of the largest examples of Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle in the area! Many hands make light work. These many hands help Rummage raise over $100,000 each year, all of which goes to First Pres s Mission Partners. Additionally the sale creates a safe and welcoming place for those who come to outfit their families and homes at an affordable cost for them. We are happy to highlight the Rummage Mission this month. On Sunday, April 8 th, between services at 10:00 11:00 AM, we invite you to come down to the sorting room for Fellowship Hour and a rarely-seen Open House of this amazing ministry. We encourage you to tour and ask questions. All are welcome to become volunteers in whatever capacity you feel called. Please visit us online at firstchurchlf.org/mission/#rummage or take an interest card from the mission table near the office. The Spring Sale is Saturday, May 5 th from 7:00 AM 3:00 PM. We hope to see you volunteering and/or shopping! If you are interested in volunteering for Rummage, please contact Darcy Traynor at darcy_traynor@yahoo.com and for any general questions, contact Missy Burger at mgburger@me.com. All Church Auction Saturday, April 14-6:00 PM at Exmoor Country Club Join us for an evening of fellowship and fun as we seek to make a difference in the lives touched by our mission funds. To RSVP online, please go to FPC18.gesture.com. Can t make it? You can still participate by making a donation or bidding online before and during the auction on FPC18.gesture.com. This event is a wonderful occasion to bring our church family together it serves to build community and raise funds for our many mission partners. If you have any questions, please contact Cymbre Westburg at cwestburg@firstchurchlf.org. 11

12 Mission Corner (continued) PADS (Providing Advocacy, Dignity & Shelter) Wednesday, April 11 The last PADS Night of the program year is on Wednesday, April 11! First Pres provides food and volunteers to PADS on the 2 nd and 5 th Wednesday of the month from October through April. We are in need of food and volunteers. To sign up to serve, please go to firstchurchlf.org/serve-at-pads and to sign up to donate food, please go to firstchurchlf.org/donate-food-for-pads. We are grateful to all of you for your generous donations of time and food, which are so desperately needed. Bucks-For-Vets Sunday, April 29 The next Bucks-for-Vets collection by members of the Military Caring Ministry will be Sunday, April 29. All donations go toward helping Veterans Exiting Homelessness in the Chicago area, providing beds and move-in essentials. For every $250 we raise, we can buy a bed for a veteran in need. So far, we have already raised enough to buy 7 beds with this ministry! Thank you very much for your support. For questions or if you are interested in becoming part of the Military Caring Ministry, please veterans@firstchurchlf.org. Rummage Open House Sunday, April 8, 10:00 11:00 AM Rummage is throwing open the doors to invite everyone in to the sorting area, giving us a glimpse of what happens behind the scene, between services from 10:00 11:00 AM. See how this massive ministry works all year long for Mission. Come for treats and a tour, and maybe sign up to work with us at the sale! Save the Date for the Spring Rummage Sale: May 5, 2018, 7:00 AM 3:00 PM. We still need more volunteers for set-up and the day of the sale! Volunteers who work 4+ hours can shop at the workers pre-sale on Thursday, May 3. Set-up Days are Sunday, April 29 Tuesday, May 1. Non-First Pres members, high school and college students, young moms, retirees, all are welcome! If you are interested in volunteering you can sign up online at firstchurchlf.org/rummagevolunteer or contact Darcy Traynor at darcy_traynor@yahoo.com. Job Opening: Director of Mission and Outreach First Pres is seeking a part-time Director of Mission and Outreach. This new position s candidate should have a passion for Mission informed by the ministry of Jesus Christ, and be a college graduate with experience in the non-profit world. We welcome a collegial spirit, compassion, enthusiasm and the ability to lead others with grace. If you would like more details about this position, please jobs@firstchurchlf.org or contact Geoffrey Luce at geoffrey@lucesite.com. 12

13 Mission Corner Update on Our Prayer Partner Church in Fairouzeh, Syria First Presbyterian Church has had a prayer partnership with the Fairouzeh Church in Syria since This congregation is part of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL), a partner denomination of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Faith Connections provides periodic updates on the congregation so that you can pray for its ministry. The World, the Church, and Village Business The Fairouzeh Church tries to help ALL people who knock on their door. The young Fairouzeh Elders are organizing aid, and sweetly sharing church life, love, and care for the community. The 150 monthly aid baskets that the Fairouzeh Church gives to families comes from NESSL (which First Pres funds as a Mission Project) as well as other sources. NESSL relief is for help with fuel, heat, water, electric, rent, medications, and schools. There are 10,000 villagers in Fairouzeh, and people from outlying villages come for help as well. Fairouzeh s Session spends significant time interviewing and assessing those in most need. General Assemblies and Mission Trip On March 12, Jacoub went to Beirut for the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon General Assembly. Our PCUSA Mission liaison, Rev. Elmarie Parker, also attended. Elmarie is leading a trip to visit Syrian Pastors and institutional partners including NESSL on April in Beirut, Lebanon. She hopes a member of our congregation will join this band of eight travelers. This spring, the General Assembly of the PCUSA will consider an Overture on Syria. In brief, it calls for: Stop the killing, Work for reconciliation, Alleviate the suffering, and Deepen partnership with Syrian Christians. First Pres has been faithfully addressing the last two initiatives with Mission Support of NESSL aid, and maintaining our treasured partnership with Jacoub Sabbagh, the Pastor of Fairouzeh s Presbyterian Church. Jacoub s Life & Family Pastor Jacoub Sabbagh is recovering from surgery. Jacoub is still a very new Abba; baby Celine is about 6 months old. She is healthy, growing, and makes the little bird sounds at this stage of development. Our church sent baby gifts for Celine including the baby blanket, pictured here with Celine and Jacoub, that our Prayer Shawl Ministry made. Celine came to church in the blanket with a matching yellow wool cover and the congregation admired how pretty it was. Everyday struggles follow Jacoub and his wife Grace as they start their family and try to productively work during wartime. Grace has had difficulty finding work outside the home, and she is now working toward a translation degree in English composition and grammar. 13

14 Session Update from the March 19 meeting by Rita Fossell, Clerk of Session We began the meeting with remembrance of and an opening prayer for the late Elder Phil Haltom. Clerk noted an Overture going to General Assembly urging peace in Syria where we have a partner church, and where our Mission Comittee supports schools in refugee camps. The General Assembly will be in St. Louis in June, and visitor-observers are welcome. Confirmands will share their faith journey with Elders and Deacons on Sunday, April 8, and they will be received as new members on Sunday, April 15. The PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee) Study Group, having met with over 20 groups in church, has consolidated responses to three themes: (1)Love God and Spiritual Nurture, (2) Strengthen our Relationships within the Body of Christ, and (3) Love Our Neighbor. They explained these themes and invited comments and questions. They are beginning work on the Ministry Information Form that will guide the PNC when it is elected. Finances are currently in favorable condition with revenue exceeding expenses and total expenses under budget. ACNC (All Church Nominating Committee) reported a wonderful response of applicants for the PNC. They are finalizing the slate and anticipate an April Congregational Meeting to vote on the nominees. Rummage Committee is hosting an Open House in the sorting room on Sunday, April 8. They also reported they need a few more department chairs. Worship and Music Committee noted that there will be a Maundy Thursday worship guide provided instead of a service this year. Good Friday has two distinctive services 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM Tenebrae Service. Easter services will be at 7:30, 9:00 and 11:00 AM. April Communion will be on April 8 since April 1 is Easter. Deacons noted that there is one PADS night left in the program year, Wednesday, April 11. Children s Faith Formation announced the hiring of Kristina Mills to serve as Preschool Director (see Faith Formation page). We ended with Signs of New Life at the church, and closed hand in hand with Joys and Concerns and saying the Lord s Prayer together. We welcome your questions and comments! Please contact us via phone or , or come see us after worship. We ll be wearing our blue name tags. Stewardship Update Our 2018 Stewardship Campaign has so far received a combined giving commitment total of $1,518,938 from 279 donors. Our goal for the year is $1,650,000. Please know that gifts of all sizes are deeply appreciated! We know that all of your gifts to First Presbyterian Church reflect your gratitude for the blessings bestowed on you as well as your commitment to the strength of our beloved church. Thank you for all you do to ensure the vitality of First Pres long into the future. We have recently sent reminder letters to those who gave in the past but have not yet given this year. We will also be making follow up calls. We will be publishing a list of all donors in the church bulletin. We are asking donors to OPT OUT if they do not want their name listed. We offer both anonymous and to the glory of God as possible options for those. Please contact Cymbre Westburg (cwestburg@firstchurchlf.org, ) if you do not want your name listed. 14

15 Deacons Mike Borkowski Kim Clair Scott Crawford Susan Daly Wendy Darling Stephanie Elliott Pat Ensing Dan Fietsam Lindsay Folker Martha Zeeman, Moderator John Gescheidle Peg Gronau Hildo Hoogcarspel Tom John Beth Jones Cecelia Keith Marcy Kerr Betty Klingenberg Michelle Newman John Noble Kemper Ryan Paige Speed Patti Tucker Shawn Ward Bobby Winebrenner Tina Young Elders Rita Fossell, Clerk of Session Mike Adams Communications, Finance: Endowment Jim Bertram Adult FF Renee Borkowski LRPG Matt Brown Finance: Budget, Stewardship Missy Burger Mission: Rummage Roger Burgis Finance, Endowment, Budget Eli Fietsam Youth & Young Adult FF Jan Gibson Buildings & Grounds Ed Hamming Buildings & Grounds, Worship & Music Bruce Keith ACNC, Personnel Jim Kingsley Youth & Young Adult FF Kirsten Larson Mission Jerry Ligon Finance Geoffrey Luce Mission Bridget McGreevy Worship & Music Roberta Miller LRPG, PCC Geoff Murray Membership Barbara Schulz Personnel, Mission: Evangelism Jim Seymour Personnel Frank Sibley Personnel, Finance Nancy Thomson LRPG Marty Vander Velde Children Faith Formation Mary Watanabe Worship & Music Amy Wells Children FF, Stewardship Dewey Winebrenner Youth & Young Adult FF ACNC - All Church Nominating Committee FF - Faith Formation LRPG - Long Range Planning & Governance PCC - Presbytery of Chicago Commissioner 15

16 700 North Sheridan Road Lake Forest, Illinois FirstChurchLF.org Join Us for Sunday Worship 9 am and 11 am Worship followed by Fellowship