SUMMER WORSHIP INTRODUCING JANET BOYD: New Part-time Minister of Pastoral Care

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1 May 1, 2015 Volume 46, Issue 5 INTRODUCING JANET BOYD: New Part-time Minister of Pastoral Care For many centuries on Easter Sunday the church has proclaimed the resurrection. We are very pleased to introduce the Rev. Janet Boyd, as a new part-time Minister of Pastoral Care (currently five hours per week). Seeing the need for some extra help in this area, we welcomed Janet onto the staff in March. She grew up as a Presbyterian, has worked professionally for both the Lutherans and the Methodists and is ordained in the United Church of Christ. She currently pastors a small UCC congregation in Evanston. Janet is helping with all aspects of pastoral care, with a special emphasis on visiting our older members. Janet holds an M.Div. from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and a D.Min. in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Christian Theological Seminary. Previously she worked as a psychotherapist at the Samaritan Center of Elkhart IN. She has a particular interest and experience with issues of grief and loss. Ministry is a second career for Janet, who moved to Chicago right out of college. Armed with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri she thought she would stay just a couple of years. Many years later, after moving from writing to ordained ministry, she is still intrigued by the stories people tell about their lives. She believes that stories connect us to one another, link us to the Biblical story of our faith tradition, and help us make meaning of our lives. SUMMER WORSHIP This summer we will have one worship service each Sunday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. This schedule will last from May 24 to September 6. As we head into summer, with its slightly relaxed pace, opportunities for vacation and other travel, and even a wider variety of options on Sunday morning, perhaps I should make the case for you to choose to go to church over other options. So in no particular order, here are the top five reasons you should go to church this summer at 10:00 a.m. (beginning May 24): 5. Because you are internally motivated to worship God (who welcomes you into a wonderful church/faith community, no matter where you are on life s journey). 4. Because you are internally motivated to worship God (who alone can make you feel fully alive). 3. Because you are internally motivated to worship God (who sustains you in the midst of grief and suffering). 2. Because you are internally motivated to worship God (who alone can lead you to live with the right priorities in life). And the # 1 reason you should go to church this summer at 10:00 a.m. (beginning May 24): 1. Because you are internally motivated to worship God (who loves you beyond all reason). See you in worship! Grace and peace, Rev. Mike Janet lives in Evanston with her cats Puff and Poppy, but insists she is not a cat lady. Welcome, Janet! We are happy to have you with us.

2 THE ORDINATION OF THE REVEREND JEREMY HYLEN SPRING WORK TOUR 2015 Shannondale Community Center Shannon, MO Thank you everyone (especially sponsors) for all of your prayers and support. In a wonderful service of worship on Sunday, April 26, Jeremy Hylen was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ, and he was also installed as an Associate Pastor with Union Church. Thanks be to God! And congratulations to the Reverend Mr. Jeremy Hylen! As with all ordination services the focus was on the meaning, significance, joy and responsibility of ordained ministry. We were happy to have a familiar face, the Reverend Thom Parrott-Sheffer, preach at the service, and were blessed by wonderful music. As the Reverend Mr. Hylen promised his commitment to faithful ministry in the name of Jesus Christ, the Chicago Metropolitan Association, and Union Church both pledged their support of Reverend Hylen. May God be with Jer in all he does as a servant of Jesus Christ!

3 UCECP FARMER S MARKET On April 24th the UCECP held their first ever Farmer s Market. Children spent weeks making soaps, dog biscuits, seed bombs, stepping stones and painting pots. This market was a culminating event for the school s 4 month long study of stores and markets. Children sold their items to their family and friends. The market was supposed to run from 9-12:30 but the booths sold out of their items by 10:30. This event supported the school s curriculum and academic goals and also raised $2800 for teacher trainings.

4 UCECP Preschool Prom parents, children and teachers from the UCECP came together for a night of music, dancing and fun! The UCECP values community. The second annual Preschool Prom created an atmosphere where children could experience the joy of a special night with either their mother or father. It created an atmosphere where parents could come together, as a school community, and celebrate their young children. As an additional bonus, the event raised approximately $1500 for the Joyce Skoog Preschool Scholarship Fund. The mini cupcakes, fruit kabobs, candy land theme, red carpet, DJ, corsages/boutonnieres and the photo booth with costumes made the night especially memorable.

5 COMMUNITY WALK WITH DUPAGE UNITED Saturday, May 16th 9 a.m. noon Just 10 minutes away from Union Church there is a community of low-income families called Hinsdale Lake Terrace. In unincorporated Hinsdale, this area is just west of Route 83 at 91st Street. The approximately 1,500 residents of this community are isolated from transportation, access to healthcare, and jobs. To take the first step in developing relationships with this diverse community right in our backyard, DuPage United is sponsoring a community walk through this area on Saturday, May 16th from 9 am until noon. Following a 30-minute prep/training session at the McDonald s on 83 just south of 91st St, participants of DU member congregations and institutions like Union Church, our Clarendon Hills neighbor the Church of the Holy Nativity and others, will go door to door to meet these families. We will listen, learn and invite interested residents to a follow-up gathering at the community center the following week to continue the conversation. We ll gather at 11:30 for a de-briefing. Our hope is to find potential leaders from this community who may have an interest in relating to us and building power to make a better life for their families. It may not be easy. For every 20 doors, maybe 3 will answer and be willing to talk. But those who do engage could prove to be powerful relationships. Open yourself up to a new experience join us. Please RSVP to Lucy Tarabour, lctarabour@gmail.com ( ) or to Rachel Brooks, Organizer at DuPage United, Rachel@dupageunited.org. AEDS We have two AED s, automatic electronic defribulators, at Union Church. One on the wall inside the Narthex (wall closest to Garfield Street and Third Street, south entrance). Also, one on the lower level, wall where you would walk up the stairs to the Chapel/right outside where the volunteers answer the phone. CHRISTIAN SOCIAL JUSTICE MENTAL HEALTH LISTENING SESSION WE RE ALL EARS! Come speak your mind! The Christian Social Justice Ministry invites everyone to a Listening Session on the subject of mental health on Sunday, May 17th in the Youth Room immediately following 10:45 worship. (There will be food!) It s safe to say that just about everyone is affected in some way, either directly or indirectly by mental illness. How does this affect you? Our community? Our church? Do you have thoughts about how we could address this as a church or as individuals? Please come and be heard. Let us know if you intend to come to this meeting by contacting Lucy Tarabour or for more information, please contact Lucy Tarabour at lctarabour@ gmail.com or FIRST QUARTER UNION CHURCH BUDGET UPDATE From Treasurer Dan Hartnett: It is so nice to share good financial news a.k.a. good news of people s commitment to the congregation. Through March 31, our receipts from member giving and other income are $503,596, compared to a budgeted amount of $431,688, making us $72,000 ahead at this point. Our expenses through March 31 have been $277,483, compared to a budgeted amount of $306,385, making us $29,000 to the good at this point on the expense side. So we are ahead in receipts and behind in expenses, so that s good news. From Rev. Mike Solberg: Yay! Rejoice! Okay, celebration over. This is certainly good news, but given the natural ebb and flow of receipts and expenses, we know that this will even out somewhat over the rest of the year. Also, with trust and confidence about the coming year, we budgeted an $18,000 deficit for the year, so we need to be ahead just to get back to balanced. So, from members to members, Thank you! Let s all continue to support the life, mission and ministry of Union Church, as we truly make a difference in people s lives.

6 Cokesbury s GOD S Love in Action UPCOMING EVENTS Allegrezza performs Songs of the Night on Sunday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m. Join us for an exciting journey of music ranging from Samuel Barber to the Beatles. Order your tickets at or at the door. Music Sunday - Sunday, May 31 for Allegro Handbells, Union Bells, Cantate, Chancel Choir, and the Worship Band will lead out in a service filled with beautiful, fun, and uplifting music. We will also be commissioning the Allegro Handbell Ensemble for their tour of Scotland and Ireland. THE G- FORCE IS COMING! ARE YOU READY TO MOVE? The week of June 22-26, our kids will be at G-Force Adventure Park Vacation Bible School. While at the G-Force Adventure Park, VBS children will have an opportunity to learn how to experience God s active love through storytellers, games, crafts, science activities, music and mission. G-Force is all about movement and so are the Bible stories. The kids will connect the theme with the stories and come to understand what it means to MOVE, ACT, CARE, FOLLOW, and SHARE in and with God s love. Join us June 7th during worship as we celebrate our recent graduates and our Women s Association Scholarship recipients. Church Picnic June 7 after the 10:00 service. VBS Week June from 12:45-3:30 for 4s-5th grades. Hi, I m Checkers and I hope to see you at the G-Force! The Union Church of Hinsdale United Church of Christ 137 S. Garfield Ave Hinsdale, IL (630) union@uchinsdale.org