The Church Chimes. Report of the Deacon ~ Charge Conference 2016

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1 The Church Chimes Report of the Deacon ~ Charge Conference 2016 The role of the Deacon is to connect the congregation to the world. This ministry incorporates a variety of avenues that open the faith community to experience the Gospel alive in the world beyond the doors of the Church. As an Adjunct Professor at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, I design and implement the First-Year Curriculum for the Vocation Formation and Christian Leadership Program. I also lead a Formation Group of First Year Seminarians as they explore their calling. Assisting them in engaging the work of the ministry and fostering a spiritual life that will sustain them is central to my task. I serve as a clergy mentor to two candidates as they progress toward ordination. I meet with them and assist them in discerning their next steps in the process. Both are working to become deacons. Through my association with the Religious Education Association (REA) a graph, I have engaged in research centered upon sacred imagination, creativity and most recently, aesthetics and beauty. I presented a paper entitled Recovering the Transformative Role of Beauty in Christian Religious Education in Pittsburgh for the Annual Meeting of the REA in November. I continue to serve the Youth of the Northern Illinois Conference. Our Annual Conference Youth Gathering in June featured a dramatic performance that explored drug abuse and provided an opportunity for reflection and dialogue. The gathering featured representatives from various organizations working with young people to educate and provide resources for help. Nurturing the congregation s continuing relationship to Dr. Sam and Mary Kormoi, the founders of the Pan- African Rural Health and Social Service, has been a special gift. On World Communion Sunday, they came to share the culture of Sierra Leone and demonstrate how the Gospel is reaching the people in the rural medical mission they have developed. The congregation is also supporting the building of a church in Santa Ana, Bolivia; high in the mountains overlooking Lake Titicaca. This underserved region of Bolivia requires a Church and a center for community support. North Shore UMC continues to support the mission there. I am coordinating and leading Wednesday worship services at Wespath Benefits and Investment (the Gen. Board of Pensions of the United Methodist Church) twice a month and for Christmas, Easter and Ash Wednesday. This has allowed me to incorporate a creative approach to services that address the needs of a religiously diverse population and work on community formation in the fellowship that follows. Respectfully Submitted, Rev. Dr. Barbara B. Javore 1

2 Wednesday, March 1 Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity. Per the canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days (excluding the Sundays which are considered small Easters) as preparation for Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year's Palm Sunday, and placing them on the foreheads (some prefer the back of the hand) of participant The words "Repent, and believe in the Gospel", or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return a company the action of placing the cross of ashes by the clergy person officiating the service. Contact information for William Kemp William Kemp is receiving therapeutic treatment at Elgin Mental Health Center and would love to hear from you. You can send cards and letters to: William Kemp Elgin Mental Health Center - Hartman Unit 750 S. State Street Elgin, Illinois Elgin is about 50 minutes away and you can visit William in person there. Visiting hours are Tuesday and Sunday from 12:30-2:30 and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm. Please check with Marjorie before going to Elgin - I (Marjorie) need to give clearance for each visitor. He can only receive 2 visitors at a time. March Adult Forum Sunday, March 19 ~ 11:15 a.m. Recently, education intern Valerie LaBounty visited The Holy Land. Be sure not to miss this Adult Forum, in which Valerie shares her experiences of this most interesting country. 2

3 The following list contains the names of committee members/chairs approved at the 2017 Church Conference held on January 29, CHURCH COUNCIL Chair Mary Figueredo Recording Secretary Walter Calhoun Lay Delegate to Annual Conference Ellen Bryant Alternate Delegate Mary Figueredo Historian Bev Fetzer & Ellen Paseltiner Treasurer John Martin Finance/Stewardship Dave Langenbach Trustees TBD (elected Jan 2017) Staff Parish Lisa Goodale Fellowship Scott Javore Adult Forum Rev. Glenna Olumstad/Mary Figueredo Mission Outreach Kathy Cole Committee on Lay Leadership Rev. Glenna Olumstad Members -At -Large STAFF PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Janice Dodd Tim Fleming Nancy Haynor Lisa Goodale -Chair Judy Phillips Leslie Muir Bev Goodall Judi Stiles BOARD OF TRUSTEES Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Ellen Bryant Scott Javore Ed Goodale Tim Fleming Rob Powell Judy Phillips John Martin, Treasurer (ex-officio) and Memorial Garden Coordinator FINANCE & STEWARDSHIP David Langenbach, Chair John Martin, Treasurer Kathy Cole, Assistant Treasurer Walter Calhoun, Stewardship Peter Abuls Pete Olson Emmanuel Nyadroh Wade Fetzer Rob Powell Alison Moon Art Muir Emmanuel Nyadroh Carlos Figueredo COMMITTEE ON LAY LEADERSHIP & NOMINATIONS Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Barbara Javore Kathy Cole TBD Sue West and Leslie Muir Cont d on page 4 3

4 PROGRAM WORK AREAS From page 3 MISSION OUTREACH MEMBERSHIP (EVANGELISM) Kathy Cole, Coordinator All Members Walter Calhoun Karla Cavanagh FELLOWSHIP Nancy Haynor Scott Javore - Coordinator David Langenbach Ellen Bryant Barb Lepman (A Just Harvest) Bev Fetzer Carlos & Mary Figueredo Ed Goodale Joan Wiff EDUCATION Radka Kacena Mary Figueredo Veronica Moscow Ellen Bryant (at large- costumes) Rev. Barbara Javore & Rev. Glenna Olumstad Staff COMMUNICATIONS Newsletter: Carlos Figueredo Web Site: Peggy Bucklin (staff) Valerie LaBounty, Lisa Goodale (floating helper) Facebook: Carlos Figueredo, Rev. Glenna Olumstad WORSHIP & THE ARTS Ushers & Greeters, Candles: Judy Stiles Communion Stewards: Marjorie Kemp & Mary Figueredo Hospitality & Flowers: Ellen Bryant Staff: Rev. Glenna Olumstad, Rev. Barbara Javore, Tomoko Shibuya, Alan Wellman ADULT FORUM RECONCILING TASK FORCE Chairs : Mary Figueredo/Rev. Glenna Olumstad Ellen Bryant Scott Javore Ed Goodale Mary Figueredo Ellen Paseltiner: Chair Nancy Haynor Lisa Goodale Leslie Muir Joan Wiff FIELD EDUCATION SITE COMMITTEE: Ellen Paseltiner: Chair Leslie Muir Jim Simmons Bev Fetzer Les West The information outlined in the above two pages is provided for all members of the congregation to have easy and convenient access to chair persons in case of a question/problem which requires the attention of a specific committee. Kindly contact the chairperson directly for handling of your inquiry. Thank you 4

5 Saint Patrick: Last month, the world celebrated Valentine s Day, one of the most famed Saints best known to almost everyone both in the sacred and secular world. St. Patrick s Day is primarily acknowledged by those who live in parts of the global where Irish immigrants abound such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Recognized as the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop of Ireland. This saint is credited with having brought Christianity to the pagan. Little is known about him and the only universally accepted facts have been found in two surviving letters which have been authorized by experts as a written in the Saint s handwriting. Patrick was born into a wealthy family in Roman Britain in the fifth century. Both his father and grandfather were deacons in the church, but Patrick was not a particularly religious person in his youth. At age 16, he was kidnapped from Wales, where he lived, by Irish raiders and was taking to Ireland as a slave, where he lived for six years. It was during this time that his faith in God grew. One of the two mentioned letters Confessions bears a narration about a dream the saint had. In this dream, Patrick was told by God that the ship that would take him back to Britain was ready and that he should escape immediately from his Irish abductors. Per the legend, the dream proved to be true in real life. Once back in Britain, he joined the church and started studies to become a priest. In 432 A.D., he again had a dream instructing him to make Christians of the Irish people. In accordance with Irish folklore, Patrick used the Shamrock to explain the doctrine of the Trinity to the pagan Irish. After 30 years of evangelism in Ireland, he died on March A.D. Supposedly, the Saint was buried in Down Patrick, Ireland. Today, St. Patrick s Day is probably the most revered day in Ireland. The Irish people have observed March 17 as a religious day for more than 1000 years. As proof of the tremendous importance the day carries, the widely Catholic country waived Lent prohibitions against the consumption of meat on March 17; the people of Ireland drink, dance, and feast on their common bacon and cabbage meal in the afternoon, after attending religious Lent services during the morning. Some American cities hold lavish parades to commemorate the Saint s day in this country. Per History.com, between 1801 and 1830, more than 8 million Irish people migrated to the United States. Impoverished migrants remained in the city of their arrival (or at least close to it). Many settled in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, where one of the most lavish celebration in this country takes pace. The 2008-US Census reports that more than 36 million people reported being of Irish ancestry. Religion has been a vital aspect of the Irish-American life, with Irish representation in both Catholic and Protestant groups. Sources reveal that Protestant Irish arrived in this country primarily during the colonial era, while those of Catholic beliefs migrated during the 19 th century. Regardless of whether Catholic or Protestant, on March 17 many become Irish and join the celebration of this most Irish day. 5

6 Our deepest condolences to the family of Tull Monsees who passed into eternal life this past January 28, A memorial service is planned on March 4, at 11 a.m., in the sanctuary of North Shore United Methodist Church A d u l t F o r u m N e w s The February 5, 2017 forum was led by John Martin. He and his biking partner, John Hales. shared their experience of biking the 377 mile, 7 ½ day trip along the historic Erie Canal. John Martin opened the program with some history of the building of the canal and a series of photos depicting interesting statistics and scenes along the path. The trip took place in July of 2016, starting in Buffalo, New York and ending in Albany, New York. As previously mentioned, John began the presentation with a brief history of the building of the Erie Canal which commenced on July 4, 1817 and was completed on October 25, The canal s original plan was to cover 363 miles in length, 40 feet in width and 4 feet in depth. The canal created passage for commercial trade and cut shipping costs over land by 95 percent. In the 1860 s, railroad construction started to compete with the canal, eventually, taking over as the more efficient method of transportation for commercial goods. The canal is made up of a series of 363 locks. The current-day canal is used for pleasure boating. The adjacent path to it, once used for horses to pull the boats in the canal, are currently biking and walking trails. John and John embarked on the annual bike tour, which takes place in July (the weather is found to be the most ideal at this time of the year), with over 750 other participants. The ride covers miles per day, with all partakers camping along the way. John shared photo slides of the tent sites, food stations, and shower facilities which are set up at the end of day stops for the bikers to clean up. There is a great sense of community and friendships are built along the way. The forum was educational and inspiring. We thank John Martin and John Hales for taking the time to prepare and share their wonderful experience with us. To learn more about the annual bike trip and the Erie Canal itself use the following link: The Parks and Trails of New York (website) 6

7 DINNER/MOVIE NIGHT The Fellowship Committee s monthly Friday evenings dinner and movie event will take place on MARCH 24 ~ 6:30 PM in Barbee Hall. The 2015 movie "Black or White" is the presentation for the evening. (FREE-WILL DONATION REQUESTED) A weekly chance to serve your church as a greeter, usher, by bringing flowers, or as host for the hospitality hour exists. Put your name on any of the sign-up sheets in the narthex Coming soon! May 6: 8 AM to 1 PM WEDNESDAY Lent dinners recent studies have unequivocally proven that one of the best ways used by humans to develop and firmly set strong community and fellowship bonds is by partaking in breaking bread together. This is true both in friendships and family gatherings. The religious family at North Shore United Methodist Church will hold three dinners on consecutive Wednesdays during Lent; March 8, 15, 22. We hope you will take advantage of these nights of fellowship and worship by attending. Please call the church office for more details regarding the time 847/

8 1 - Jim Simmons, Justin Smith 8 - Carolina Ibarra 9 - Joan Wiff 10 - Jessica Ibarra 12 - Eleanor Javore 14 - Lizzy Cohen, Misha Kemp 16 - John Martin 20 - Betsy Barnes 22 - Mary Shults 24 - Walter Holt 25 - Scott Paseltiner 27 - Judi Simmons 28 - Ellen Bryant MARCH BIRTHDAYS OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS Prayers for the family of Tull Monsees who entered into eternal life on January 28, Prayers for Scott Javore s father. Prayers for all those who grieve the loss of loved ones. Ed Kemp and family. Linda Fetzer. Stuart Phillips, who is at The Arden in Northbrook. For all those in need of healing. For those who are unemployed and searching for meaningful work. For an end to gun violence in our cities. For the Refugees of the Middle East. 8

9 ~ Looking Ahead at NSUMC ~ Wednesday, March 1, :00 pm ~ Ash Wednesday Service Saturday, March 4, :00 am ~ Tull Monsees Memorial Service Sunday, March 5, :00 am ~ Choir Rehearsal 10:00 am ~ Worship Service 11:15 am ~ Choir Rehearsal Wednesday, March 8, :30 pm ~ Lenten Supper Sunday, March 12, 2017 Daylight Saving Time begins 9:00 am ~ Choir Rehearsal 10:00 am ~ Worship Service 11:15 am ~ Choir Rehearsal Wednesday, March 15, :30 pm ~ Lenten Supper Saturday, March 18, :00 am ~ Trustee Meeting 10:00 am ~ Church Council Meeting Sunday, March 19, :00 am ~ Choir Rehearsal 10:00 am ~ Worship Service 11:15 am ~ Choir Rehearsal Adult Forum: Valerie LaBounty presents her trip to Israel Wednesday, March 22, :30 pm ~ Lenten Supper Friday, March 24, :30 pm ~ Dinner & Movie Night Black or White Sunday, March 26, :00 am ~ Choir Rehearsal 10:00 am ~ Worship Service 11:15 am ~ Choir Rehearsal 9

10 NORTH SHORE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 213 Hazel Avenue Glencoe Illinois A Reconciling Congregation STAFF Senior Pastor Rev. Glenna Olumstad Youth/Children Ministries Rev. Dr. Barbara Javore Education Intern Valerie LaBounty Choir Director Dr. Alan Wellman Organist Tomoko Shibuya Secretary Peggy Bucklin Custodian Rick Short Nursery Attendant.... Lily Kahn Chimes Editor Carlos Figueredo Place label here The Church Chimes March 2017 NEW CHURCH DIRECTORY COMING Have you verified that your current listing in the church directory is correct? any corrections needed to: 10