THE KEYS ST. PETER S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST GRANT PARK, IL

Transcription

1 THE KEYS ST. PETER S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST GRANT PARK, IL December 2017/January 2018

2 Christmas IS Canceled!. Children s Christmas Program December 9:30am!!!!! Kids need to arrive at 8:30am to run through the program and get costumes on that morning! Holiday Loss and Grief Group We have begin a Holiday Loss and Grief Group on Monday evenings. A daytime group will meet at 1pm each Monday through December 18. An evening group will meet at 7pm each Monday through December 18. Meeting dates are: December 4, 11, 18 We will explore ways to move through the holy seasons with grace and faith, and even a few tears. Everyone is welcome. December 3 Hanging of the Greens- 10:30am We begin with Communion and decorate the sanctuary in the second half of the hour. All are welcome! Advent Daily Devotional Booklets are available. Pick one up on the table in the back of the sancturary. December 10 - Baptism & New Members December 17 Adult Choir Sunday The Longest Night for those who have lost a loved one this year the longest night of the year is December 21 st. We gather in the sanctuary at 7pm for a time of remembering. 2

3 December 24 10:30 am 4 th Sunday in Advent (Love Sunday) December 24 7pm Christmas Eve Worship Open House at the Parsonage: December 31 st 1-3pm Stop in and see the parsonage, have some punch and some munchies! Happy New Year! FARMERS AND FRIENDS Farmers and Friends, a support group for men whose spouses have died, will meet at the USA Restaurant in Grant Park at 12:30 pm on Wednesday, December 20 th and January 17 th. YOUNG AT HEART The Grant Park Seniors will be meeting on Monday, December 18 th from 1:00 3:00pm for lunch at the Community Center, Dixie Highway in Grant Park. YOU RE INVITED FOR COFFEE BEFORE WORSHIP! Don t forget the coffee bar in the Sunday school entrance area each Sunday morning from 9:00 am 10:15 am. You re invited to have a cup of coffee before worship. Proceeds will go to the Board of Christian Education OFFERING ENVELOPES The 2018 Offering envelopes can be picked up outside the church office. Please pick them up to 3

4 ANNUAL MEETING SUNDAY JANUARY 21, 2018 The annual meeting of St. Peter s United Church of Christ will be held Sunday, January 21, 2018 immediately following the worship service. We encourage all church members to attend as we make decisions and vote on issues that will impact the coming year and years in the life of our church. Committee reports for the Annual Meeting Report are due Monday, January 8 th, DECEMBER MISSION GIVING Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM) Also known as Basic Support, our contributions support God s mission in the Illinois Conference, nationally, and globally. 71% of our contribution stays in Illinois to carry out the mission of the Illinois Conference. Part of that mission is the support of local church pastors and the local churches. Christmas Fund One of our 5 for 5 Annual Offerings of the United Church of Christ is the Christmas Fund. The generous gifts of UCC congregations and individuals to the Christmas Fund enables the Pension Boards Ministerial Assistance program to provide the following gifts: * Ministerial Assistance. *Christmas Gift checks. *Monthly pension supplementation. *Health premium supplementation. *Emergency Grants for individuals and families. 4

5 JANUARY MISSION GIVING Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM) or Basic Support) Our contributions, sent to the Illinois Conference office, support God s mission in Illinois, nationally, and globally. 29% of our contribution goes to the national setting of the UCC to support ministry reaching from our church to people in need. Elmhurst College Elmhurst is a college of the United Church of Christ (UCC). The values and vision of the college are similar to those of the UCC. The college affirms the spiritual basis for living a meaningful and purposeful life. Elmhurst is one of 19 colleges and universities that have chosen to be listed with the UCC as a "full member" institution of higher learning. DISASTER MINISTRY OF THE UCC We will continue to collect money to send to the areas of this country experiencing disasters fire, flooding, hurricane/tornado. We have placed the collection jar at the back of the sanctuary for any wishing to help out at this time the projection is 5-6 years before all restorations will be completed. This year we have sent 7 buckets and 11 school kits and one hygiene kit. PRAYER CONCERNS The family and friends of Dave Eckhoff who passed away on October 6, The family and friends of Jeff Schneider who passed away on October 19, The family and friends of Ron Rundquist who passed away on October 31, The family and friends of Mercia Fiore (sister of Marcia Langlois) who passed away on October 30 th, A Blessing Box Do you know what our Blessing Box is? Ask one of the Confirmation Students and they will tell you: Izzy, Sawyer, Wes, or Zoe. 5

6 From the Pastor Happy New Year! (Advent Sunday begins the new church year) Are you Ready? It is obvious that we who bear Christ's name have not done our job - at least not all of us. Look around you. Is this world ready for the reign of grace and peace? More likely we are ready for the Apocalypse! The powers of darkness reign in every corner of the world bringing pain and suffering on a daily basis - even in Jerusalem. Yet as Martin Luther penned, "one little Word shall fell him". Are you Ready? If we are the body of Christ, why aren't we all singing, shouting, streaming, and blogging that felling Word as one? Beats me. Maybe we like misery and suffering. Maybe we are so in love with pain that not only do we want to feel it, we want others to feel it to! Because that is what it seems we are continually doing. I return to the old adage: when we are sick and tired of being sick and tired, we will change. When the world bottoms out from continual suffering, we will listen to the liberating Word of God. Are you Ready? Today, we could do something about some of that pain. Feed the hungry through the Salvation Army Red Buckets. Visit the sick by making a hospital call for your pastor. Release the captives by visiting an animal shelter and adopting a pet. Clothe the naked and clear out your closet of clothes that no longer fit. Give sight to the blind by supporting the Guiding Eyes for the Blind program. Proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord and forgive someone's debt to you (or at least let them out of your personal debtor's prison, which can also be releasing the captives). Are YOU Ready? The time of darkness is upon us and Messiah has not yet made His entrance into our world this year. Now is the time to prepare your hearts and search for the Light. On the Journey to Bethlehem this year, find those who are the least and minister them in the ways you are able Lighten THEIR Darkness and you will find your way a little lighter and a little smoother as well. Jesus will see to it! 6

7 Now, you might say that you do that all the time (and I hope you do) but the world is still in a mess. So, in addition to doing all these things yourself, you might want to ask a few friends to do the same. And ask them to do the same with their friends and so on. And if we would all do that for the season of Advent, don't you think we might make a better impact for the Realm of God, than we did yesterday? ARE you Ready? In the fullness of time, make this minute, the minute you are the Christ to another person. The power is at the Table. Fill yourself with Holy Food and then go and Lighten the Darkness of those around you. May the Blessing of Light be with you as we walk this path making the journey to Bethlehem once again this year! Jan THANK YOU! A Huge Thank You goes out to Church Life and Dennis Granger for the Picture Directory photos days in November! Dennis and Connie took picture after picture and we are very grateful for his gift of photography! Church Life provided sandwiches and fruit and chips and desserts while folks waited for their photo op! This will make life MUCH simpler for a new pastor when they arrive! Bless you all! The Church Council CHRISTMAS CARD MAIL BOX You are invited to bring the Christmas cards you send to your friends at St. Peter s to the church and leave the cards by the mail box on the counter by the southeast sanctuary entrance. The cards will be sorted and placed alphabetically in the slotted mail box. If you d like, you may donate an amount equal to your normal postage costs in the can on top of the mail box. Be sure to check to see if you have mail! 7

8 CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND CHURCH ON A REGULAR BASIS Mrs. Louise Sievers Mrs. Doris Laking Riverside Senior Life Humme Home for the Aging 85 Burns Road 604 S Webb Bourbonnais, IL Whittenberg, WI Mrs. Pauline Mitchell Mrs. Mary Cirks Bickford Sr. Living, Rm Long Oak Rd. 100 Jones Dr. Manteno, IL Bourbonnais, IL DECEMBER 2017 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 3 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Service/ Communion/Hanging of Greens 4 Office Closed 5 7:00 pm Christian Ed 6 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Dart Manhattan at GP 10 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship/Baptism/New Members 13 5:30 pm Girl Scouts 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Dart GP at Peotone 17 9:30 am Sunday School Christmas Program 10:30 am Worship Service Adult Choir Sunday 18 Office Closed 19 7:00 pm Church Council meeting 1:00-3:00 pm Young At Heart Luncheon 20 5:30 pm Girl Scouts 7:00 pm Adult Choir Practice Dart Matteson at GP 24 10:30 am 4 th Sunday in Advent Worship Service 7:00 pm CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICE Lessons, Carols, Candlelight, & Communion 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS! 26 Office Closed 31 10:30 am Worship Service 8

9 JANUARY 2018 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1 Happy New Year! 2 7:00 pm Christian Ed 3 7:00 pm Adult Choir Dart GP at Manhattan 4 Pastor Jan Leaves on vacation 7 9:00 am Sunday School 9:00 am Worship Committee Meeting 8 ANNUAL REPORTS DUE!!! 10 5:30 pm Girl Scouts 7:00 pm Adult Choir Dart Peotone at GP 14 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Service/Take down the Greens 17 Pastor Jan Returns from vacation 12:30 Farmers & Friends 7:00 pm Adult Choir Dart GP at Matteson 21 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Service/Annual Meeting 23 7:00 pm Church Council Meeting 24 5:30 pm Girl Scouts 7:00 pm Adult Choir Dart Playoff Games 28 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Service 29 Office Closed HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS? Has your house address, address, or phone number changed? Please contact the Church Office to advise us of the change! 9

10 DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS These birthdays are compiled from church membership records. Please call to our attention any omissions or corrections Bob Dennis 1 Wesley Schneider 15 Clifford Zimmerman 1 Rachel Lewke 16 Isaac Hamann 2 Russell Reynolds 17 Kaleb Lehnert 3 Peggy Weybright 17 Owen Reynolds 3 Audrey Lehnert 18 John Wolfe 3 Noah Hamann 23 Jason Schneider 4 Erik Neidlinger 23 Brittany Buttle 5 Ed Bush 24 Sue Dillman 5 Jerry Eckhoff 24 Josie Boicken 8 Alex Fugate 24 Brian McKinstry 9 Connie Granger 25 Joyce Segert 10 Erin Hamann 25 Hollie O Nions 12 Clayton McKinstry 30 Lukus Hamann 14 Lori Burrell 31 Michael Reaman 15 JANUARY BIRTHDAYS Julie Schneider 1 Donald Claussen 15 Karen Ekhoff 2 James Thompson 15 Andrew Bakhaus 3 Ian Hamann 16 Reyna Hammerlund 6 Kathy Buttle 18 Jennifer Thompson 8 Rhonda McKinstry 20 Shirley Koehn 8 Bonita Heldt 24 Kevin Langlois 8 Tony Brunello 24 Tyler Schroeder 8 Steven Jacobson 29 Karla Lehnert 9 Laurie Bakhaus 30 Kelly Toppen 11 Mildred Katz 30 Bob Chesterfield 11 Dianna Claussen 31 Betty Jones 11 Branden Lacer 31 Vicki Gawlinski 13 10

11 Hold design as shown and fold, then cut out black areas 11

12 ST. PETER S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 310 N. MEADOW ST. P.O. BOX 220 GRANT PARK, IL Church Office / Parsonage (815) Church Addresses: stpetersgp@sbcglobal.net Church Website: Facebook: St. Peters UCC Grant Park Church Office Hours: Tuesday Friday; 9:00 AM 1:00 PM STAFF Rev. Jan Johnson, Interim Pastor Marcia Langlois, Office Administrator Beverly Junker, Financial Secretary Ann Smith, Senior Choir Director Kathy Ekhoff, Junior Choir Director Judy Schneider and Shari Ohm, Organists Peg McCraw, Custodian Rhiannon Currier & Rhonda McKinstry Youth Advisors CHURCH COUNCIL Sandy Erickson, President Evelyn Bond Vice President Vicki Gawlinski, Secretary Kaleb Frahm, Treasurer, Susan Williamson, Assistant Treasurer Karen Brunello, Jim Hamann, Ron Hamann & Bruce Heldt No Matter Who You Are or Where you Are on Life s Journey, You Are Welcome Here 12

13 Hold design as shown and fold, then cut out black areas 13