Karusograph. The. From all of us to all of you: Have a very Merry Christmas & a safe and Happy New Year!

Transcription

1 The Karusograph First Christian Church - Clinton, Illinois Volume 52 December 21, 2010 Issue 51 From all of us to all of you: Have a very Merry Christmas & a safe and Happy New Year! Christmas Eve Services Friday, December 24th 6 pm and 8 pm Come join us as we see Christ through the eyes of Mary! Sunday, December 26 9:30 AM FCC Timothy - Wade Lowrey will be preaching. Programs available for infants - 5th grades Please bring your family & friends for a great service!

2 The Gospel According to Greg Greg Taylor This week brings the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and with Christmas day comes opportunities to reconnect with family and friends. However, for many, this is the most difficult time of the year. For many stinging from the pain of death, distance, or discouragement, Saturday is not the most wonderful day of the year. I recently found a story written by author/composer John Thomas Oaks about an experience he will never forget I hope this will bless you if you find yourself down and discouraged: It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51 st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it s enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth. For a musician, it s the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I m told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun low-pressure gig. I was playing the keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the 40s to the 90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, If You Don t Know Me by Now, I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat; she was singing out loud. After the tune was over, she approached me and she said, I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you? she asked me. No, no, no, I replied. We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection? To my delight, she accepted the invitation. You choose, I said. What are you in the mood to sing? She turned to me and she said, Well, do you know any hymns? Hymns? The woman didn t know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look and I said to her, Name one. Oh, I don t know. There are so many good ones. You choose one, she said. Okay, I replied. How about His Eye is on the Sparrow? My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. And then she fixed her eyes on mine again and she said, Yeah, let s do that one. She slowly nodded her head, she put down her purse, she straightened her jacket, and as she faced the center of the shop and with my two-bar set up, she began to sing: Why should I be discouraged, why should the shadows come? The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as employees stopped what they were doing to listen. And then the song rose to its conclusion: I sing because I m happy, I sing because I m free; his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me. It was a holy moment. And when the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have even rivaled a sold out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, Oh, y all go back to your coffee, cut it out. I didn t come here to do a concert, I just came in here to get something to drink just like you. But when the ovation continued, I embraced my new friend. You, my dear, have made my whole year. That was beautiful. Well, she said, it s kind of funny that you picked that particular hymn. Why is that? I asked. Well, she hesitated again, that was my daughter s favorite song. Really? I exclaimed. Yes, she said, and then she grabbed my hands. By now the applause had subsided and it was business as usual, and she said to me, My daughter was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week. I said the first thing that found its way through the stunned silence. I said, Are you going to be okay? And she smiled through tear-filled eyes, and she squeezed my hands and said, I m going to be okay. I ve just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything will be just fine. If you find yourself struggling this year, turn your discouragement, disillusionment and doubt into praise and blessing. Trust the Lord and keep singing his songs. Merry Christmas!

3 December 19, Facts & Figures Our Witness Through Giving General Fund Giving this Week $19, M.A.P. Weekly Need $19, Surplus $ Our Witness Through Attendance Worship: =693 ( 10 Ave. 632) Bible School: 571 ( 10 Ave. 288) Decisions for Christ & His Church This Week Yearly Totals Baptisms: 4 43 Transfers: 0 18 Rededications: 0 4 Christian Service: 0 0 Total 65 Sunday, December 26, :30 am Distributing Bulletins Vickie Moore Jean Perring Edna May Sprague Mary Jordan Dan & Mary Holland Bob & Dolores Primmer Wes Anderson Danny Bundy Lest We Forget Those We Love Memorials were given in memory of: Paul & Flossie Deeters Bill Deeters, Sr. Herschel & June Newman Information Center Attendant Greeters Door Assistant Serving Outside Communion Shut-Ins: Ken Klein Hospital: Galen Strain Hawthorne Inn: Tim Hoyt Joe Alexander Nancy Kuntz Tanya Donelson Tracy Ryan Steve & Nancy Bridges Allen & Barbara Trago Cookie Callers for the Week of December 26th Jim & Cindy Taylor Linda Cooper Ty Osterbur Young at Heart David Buck, Coordinator Christmas, Let us celebrate Jesus and all He stands for in our lives. He is our Savior and Faithful Provider from sin and difficult times that we have while trying to live through our trials. Jesus is a wonderful part of our lives. Remember the times that we learned about Him in our Sunday School classes and we were in wonder of Him coming for us to make our lives happy and blessed, keeping us safe and watching over us. Yes, let us celebrate our Jesus forever. Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights - His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:6-7 We had such a good Christmas party and gift exchange with a fine silent auction and we passed on the good results of the auction to Angel Tree. Thank you for the ability to be able to make someone s Christmas a very fine day. Our calendars are here and ready for your pick-up in the foyer of the church. Thank you again for ordering your calendar and we are sure it will bring you many smiles. Not what we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare. James Lowell Our trips are lining up for 2011 and we ll go in February to the Goodfield Barn #2 for a fine dinner and stage play, Barefoot in the Park. We always have a delightful evening there and excellent good food. Then in March we ll travel to White Pines State Park to enjoy a fine day with the Tribute to Dolly Parton show on March 30th. We ll enjoy the show and good food galore. If only man could get a little older a little later, and a little wiser a little younger. Dick Gregory Christmas 2010 is almost here and Sunday was a very delightful day at our church. The children and staff gave us a very fantastic Christmas program that was written and lead by our friend, Melanie Cheatham. She has always shined for us, bless her. Let your light shine, too, this holiday season. This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Merry Christmas Young at Heart calendars will be available this Sunday. You can pick yours up if you ordered one. Extras may be available at a later date.

4 Information About the Church Minister of Preaching & Teaching....Greg Taylor Minister of Pastoral Care...J. Kent Hickerson Minister of Children & Jr. High...Ernie Harvey, Jr. Minister of High School, College Age & Technology......Adam Brucker Minister of Worship..Jim Coonce Office Phone...(217) Office Fax...(217) Office ... Office Hours...8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 Decatur Memorial Verna Norrington Lois DeJaynes Hospital Prayer List St. Joseph s Louise Whitehead Released from the hospital... Mia Rogers Gary Patterson Bill Fox Jerry Breeze Ruth Harvey Kim Gibbons Bob Foster Nursing Home Updates......Hazel Benz from Manor Court to Hawthorne Inn...Louise Smith from Manor Court to Hawthorne Inn...Mildred Burns from Hawthorne Inn to Manor Court...Shirley Utterback to Manor Court...Alice Moit to Manor Care/Liberty Village, Clinton Our Christian Sympathy to the Family and Loved Ones of......mary Lou Punches Waugh, Clinton, IL - mother of Dennis (Pat) Punches, Alan (Dixie) Punches & Marla (Dave) Kneller...Howard Mears, Kenney, IL - father of Helen (David) Wilkins, brother of Mildred Maddox...Eva Sojka, Wapella, IL - sister of Fern Day, grandmother of Richard Geddes...William Strohkirch, Clinton, IL - husband of Debbie Strohkirch, son of Roy (Dee) Strohkirch, brother of Don (Susie) Hulvey & Rose (Jeff) Overleese Special Prayer Requests Rick Alwood Gary Angel Kate Arnold* Helen Azbill Lisa Babbit Debbie Bateson Jeanette Bliss Yvonne Blount Linda Brennan Brad Campbell Ron Campbell Maxine Cardinale Edna Carter Landon Clark Ainsley Cohenour (infant) Michelle Cohenour Mike Connelly Allen Cooper Bill Coughlin Bill Cox Brett Creager* Lois DeJaynes Patty Douglas Carolyn Drummond Lyle Dubson Carol Duncan Candi Evans Marvin Finfrock Nathan Florey Betty Fortune Delmar Foster Jack Fansler Marilyn Fansler Sandy Gambrel Vicky Gates Barb Haning Lucille Heinrich Floyd Hickman Yvonne Hicks * New Names Ray Houchin* Joyce Kaufman Diane Kinkaid Tresa Kissack Taffy Lighthall Bob Lowery Ed Martin Gordon Massey Richard McConnell Charlotte Milton Sterling Montgomery Tammy Moore Robert Peters Steve Peters Ron Rector Linda Reid Jesse Reising Randy Roy Shane Senters Breanna Shofner Candy Siltman Gary Simmons James L. Smith Nathaniel Strange (infant) Cinda Stocks Lori Stone Kris Sulzberger John Thorp Dustin Underwood* Sherry Volk Leslie Volker Gary Waggoner Allan Webb Sharon Webb Vernadine Witt Lester Woolridge Carolyn Zorn First Christian Church THE KARUSOGRAPH (USPS ) is published Weekly by FIRST CHRISTIAN Corner of W. Main & N. Jackson CHURCH 100 N. Jackson St., Clinton, Illinois Periodicals Postage 100 N. Jackson St. Paid at Clinton, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Karusograph First Clinton, IL Christian Church, 100 N. Jackson St., Clinton, IL This Lord s Day December 26, :30 a.m. Morning Worship Service Unity service featuring FCC Timothy and special guest preacher Wade Lowery of Ozark Christian College. Please come and support Wade and celebrate the unity we share in Christ at FCC! No classes or services scheduled at 8:15 or 11:00 and no fellowship time from 10:30 11:00 a.m. NO grade school, junior high or senior high youth groups this Sunday evening.

5 This N That It s time to register for the HEARTS AT HOME conference, March 11 & 12, Just go online to see details & sign-up! To God s Angels, Thank you so much. You have touched mine and my family s hearts! Our appreciation is overflowing. Kenje Underwood & family CHRISTIAN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarship forms for students who are attending Christian Church affiliated colleges are now available for the Spring 2011 semester. Please pick up a form in the church office or at the Information Desk. Deadline to return the completed forms is January 9, The IRS rules state that year end offerings to the church must be received by December 31. The church office will be closed on the 31st. If you mail your contribution, it must be postmarked by December 31, Contributions received, or postmarked, after the 31st will be recorded for 2011 even though the check may be dated in December And the Lord Added Kaelan Smith (son of Keith & Kathy Smith), 5690 Tahoe Dr., Clinton, IL, 61727, was baptized into Christ on December 19, Adam Moore, Hailey Moore, and Kylie Jordan, 917 W. Clay, Clinton, IL, 61727, were baptized into Christ on December 19, Sign-up online, at to attend the Family Life Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaway. It is April 8-10 at the Marriott Hotel in Normal, IL offering envelopes will be available in the church foyer. If you don t have, but would like to have, an offering envelope assigned to you, please call the church office. A thank you note has been received from Junior Massey family. Christmas cards have been received too. They are all posted on the bulletin board by the church office. This year s Christmas offering will be split between the benevolence ministry here at First Christian Church and the First Christian Church in Jacksonville, IL. Jim Coonce s former church in Jacksonville received extensive damage from a fire on November 29th and they are currently unable to meet at that location. The future location of their church building is undetermined at this time. Thank you for your generosity! The Bible in 90 Days is still available, either in the church foyer Sunday, or in the church office. The cost is $ The reading plan is included with this Karusograph. More copies will be available at the information booth & also in the church office. Greg will be preaching each week based on the reading plan. CHURCH LADIES MENTORING PROGRAM You haven t been forgotten! Watch the K in January for more information. We received many ideas and requests! WE ARE EXCITED!!!

6 TOTS to TEENS... Ernie Harvey Jr. & Adam Brucker Children s Youth Groups for 2010 have ended. We had a great time each Sunday evening. Youth Groups will resume on January 9, SENIOR HIGH SKI TRIP February 4-6, 2011 Cost: $ Registration has begun; turn yours in today! Reveal has concluded for It was a good year of worship, fun and fellowship time. We will meet again on January 9, Breakfast Club is also on a Christmas and New Year s Break. We will start the new year on January 7.

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 5 Troy Lane preaching both services 5:30 pm youth groups 5:30 pm Reveal 12 Cantata - both services 3 pm Band Concert Sanctuary 5:30 pm youth groups 5:30 pm Reveal 7 pm Afterglow 19 9:30 am Sunday School Program 5:30 pm youth groups 5:30 pm Reveal 26 9:30 am One Service Sunday Wade Lowrey preaching 6 7 pm chimes 7 10 am Ladies Bible Study 7 pm Area Men s Kenney 1 10:30 Young at Heart 6:30 pm Choir 7:30 pm B & G meeting 8 6:30 pm Choir :30 Young at Heart 2 6:30 pm Ladies Bible Study, meet at Monical s 3 7:15 am Breakfast Club - Jr. & Sr. High :15 am Breakfast Club - Jr. & Sr. High 16 8 am Volunteers to Lincoln Office Closed 27 Office Closed December 2010 SUNDAY SCHEDULE: 8:15/11:00 AM WORSHIP 9:30 AM BIBLE SCHOOL, 10:30 AM FELLOWSHIP (FLC) :30 pm Choir :15 am Breakfast Club - Jr. & Sr. High 6 pm & 8 pm Christmas Eve Services Office Closed 4 7:30 am Elders meeting 6 pm Faith Builders Christmas party FLC Merry Christmas!

8 Members & relatives of those at First Christian Church, Clinton Manor Court/Liberty Village 1 Park Lane, Clinton, IL Louise Adams Hazel Benz Fleta Buggar Joan Cobb Lorine Cole Connie Echigo Lyle Gill Gene Jones Fred May Margaret Murphy Charlene Paterson June Provin Carol Radley Maxine Robinson Stella Romanowski Louise Smith Kathy Strange Avy Washburn Donald Yedtman Hawthorne Inn/Liberty Village (Supportive Living) 1 Park Lane, Clinton, IL Mildred Burns Marge Hoke Vivian Sievers Dorothy Yedtman Farmer City Rehab 404 N. Brookview Dr. Farmer City, IL Jim Bell Leroy Manor 509 S. Buck Road Leroy, IL Lyle Nelson Christian Village th St. Lincoln, IL Norma Rich Clara Lou Stephens (Supportive Living) Westminister Village 2025 E. Lincoln St. Bloomington, IL Aileen Short Evenglow Inn 1200 Evenglow Lane Pontiac, IL Cathelena Daily Heartland Health Care Center 510 Broadway, Normal, IL Ann Kohler Evergreen Village 1701 Evergreen Village Blvd Normal, IL Louise Whitehead (Supportive Living) Please call the church office with additions or corrections.