Thoughts from the Heart. By Pastor Katie Hopper. Rightnowmedia.org

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1 Thoughts from the Heart Rightnowmedia.org By Pastor Katie Hopper Our church is taking advantage of a trial offer from Rightnowmedia.org. It is like Netflix for the church because they have a huge library with thousands of video sessions that people can access anytime, anywhere. Their ultimate goal at RightNow Media is to encourage millions of Christians to be on mission wherever God has them. Check out their website, rightnowmedia.org, if you want more information. Instructions on how to access and view videos will be coming out in early September. Confirmation Sunday, September 11th After a year of confirmation questions and study in Sunday School as well as a camp retreat, mission trips, attending Sunday morning worship and meetings with mentors and writing a statement of faith then meeting with session we have a confirmation class ready to be confirmed by the church! This will happen during the worship service the Sunday after Labor day, when we kick off Sunday School with the annual breakfast on the 11th of September. Sunday School Kick-Off Breakfast! The annual Sunday School Kick-Off Breakfast will be September 11th at 9 a.m. Everyone is invited to bring a dish to share. Sunday School and Adult Sunday School Sunday School, starting Sept 18: Elementary school students will be led by Kaylin Westray. Middle school and high school will be combined and be led by Pastor Paul. We will also have an adult Sunday School class led by volunteers using Lifeway's Fall studies. Book Discussion Tuesday Evening 7pm Study, starting Sept 13th: Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. This has been a very popular and useful book for many people. We will spend time discussing the content and questions we have and what it can mean for us at our church and city. We have books to give away for free including the small group study guide and leather journal. All classes are open to anyone, you don't have to be a member. Upcoming Youth Meetings We are looking forward to getting together as a youth group at the church at least once a month starting on Sunday September 18th from 4 6pm. This includes middle and high school students and their friends. Expect fun, games, and discussions on faith. Coat Donations Needed! We are collecting any gently used or better coats for Nepal thru September. Please drop off your donations in the marked box in the church. Let s fill the box!

2 Mission Committee upcoming mission trip to Costa Rica The Mission Committee has some exciting news! We are in the early stages of planning a mission trip to Costa Rica to volunteer at Roblealto, a Christian non-profit association. We will be gone from June 16 th to June 24 th, Please go to for more details about this volunteer opportunity. We will be at the Sunday school kick-off breakfast on September 11 th with more information. A passport is required and the minimum age of a volunteer is 16 years due to the type of work and maturity necessary for a cross-cultural experience working with the people of Costa Rica. We will have more information about costs and lodging and many other things. For now though, here is information directly taken from the group application form: Robleato is a Christian non-profit association, which since 1932, has worked with children ages nine months to 12 years old who come from socially-at-risk backgrounds, in order to give them an improved quality of life. Our children have one or both parents at home but need a safe place to stay during the day, or foster care while their parents receive help to become a functional family. Our mission is to share the Christian vision of life and protect the fundamental rights of children and adolescents. Roblealto provides children a safe place to be and a personalized care program including physical, intellectual, psychological and nutritional health, as well as spiritual formation. Our overall goal is to maintain the quality of our current services as well as to expand our reach, providing service to as many children as possible. Any volunteer help that fits into this vision is appreciated. Volunteers help at Roblealto in the following areas: 1) construction, 2) maintenance, 3) assistance on daily work and 4) recreation. Are you interested? Sign up soon! It s hard to grow your faith inside your comfort zone. #go Keep Paul Adams in your prayers while he is in Africa working on developmental programs, fresh water wells with Marion Medical Mission and later as he teaches. Mission Monticello 2016 was a wonderful success! We learned about caring for others, caring for animals, a visit from our local first responders, and we even had fun too! We can t wait for next year s VBS and hope to see you there.

3 The Clown Report By Butterfly the Clown It is Autumn and the Jesters are looking forward to the beautiful leaves and trees and cooler weather (hooray), as well as all the fun things about the Fall season football games, wiener roasts, hayrides, etc. Another fun thing is the annual street festival on our downtown square Monticellobration It will take place on Saturday, September 17th at 10:00 a.m. Some of the clowns will participate by serving at our church s booth on the square. We hope you will stop by to see us there! Until next time Butterfly (the clown) P.S. The Clown Troupe will gather soon to Brain Storm (a tough job for the clowns) and discuss our future plans. Choir to start September 7th! The congregation can look forward to beautiful music to be filling the sanctuary soon. Practice resumes Wednesday, September 7 at 6 7 p.m., and the first Sunday back will be September 11th. We d love for you to join us! Back to Church Sunday, September 18 Back to Church Sunday is coming up on September 18. We re having a special service specifically designed to welcome people back to church, so now is a good time to start praying about who you will invite. Eight out of ten people say they are open to visiting church if invited. That s powerful! Imagine how our community can be transformed if everyone here invited at least one person to come to church. We ll have a relevant message on Sunday, September 18th called Now s the Time, that will inspire all of us to take the next step in our faith journey, no matter where each one of us is at in life. You won t want to miss it! This is the perfect opportunity to invite your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to join you and grow. PW Women The P.W. Circle will start up their monthly meetings again in September. The Mary/Martha Circle meets on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the church. They will be studying the Horizon Bible Study, Who is Jesus?. Lesson One on September 12 will be on Mark 1-8. Paula Connely is their leader. The Friendship Circle often gathers to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant. They will meet on the second Tuesday of the month, September 13. Details will be announced by their leader, Janice Shiffer. All ladies are welcome to attend one or both circles. Please come and join in on the fun! Presbyterian Women s Fall Gathering Saturday, September 24 at Mt. Vernon, First. We are planning to put together 100 hygiene kits. Anne Brownson from Charleston will speak about her missions trip to Nicaragua, Chrisy Ennen from Greenville will lead worship, Rev. Cindy Shepherd will talk about the Earth Care Program, and representatives from the Lifeboat Alliance Family Shelter in Mt. Vernon will report on the Thank Offering grant they received in 2013 to remodel their kitchen. The program will also include the Thank Offering Dedication and an introduction to the new Horizons Bible study. For more information contact Phyllis Warnick at warnickfarm@gmail.com.

4 Presbyterian Disaster Assistance South Louisiana Response Our hearts, prayers, and thoughts go out to the people of Baton Rouge and the Gulf Coast in the wake of catastrophic flooding. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has deployed the National Response Team to support the Presbytery of South Louisiana and the Synod of the Sun as they begin outreach to those affected. Financial support for relief efforts can be designated to DR to help address the needs of those impacted by the flooding. Gifts can be made online, by phone at weekdays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (EST), or by check; mail to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box , Pittsburgh, PA College Addresses Wanted! FPC wants the addresses of college students for our records. If you know a college student who would enjoy something from FPC during the semesters at school, please send their addresses to the church office. We would like to send them future Tower Tidings and a special care package! Public Lecture and Workshop September Jim and Gwen Pruyne Lectureship in Progressive Christianity is pleased to welcome renowned speaker, activist, public theologian, and leading figure in the emerging church movement Brian McLaren to Normal the weekend of September 16-17, 2016 he will offer a FREE public lecture on Friday evening, and a workshop on Saturday. FREE Public Lecture, Friday September 16 at 7 p.m. Astroth Community Center, Heartland Community College, Normal, IL The Great Spirtual Migration: How the World s Largest Religion is Seeking a Better Way to be Christian WORKSHOP Saturday, September 17 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. $30 (includes lunch) First Presbyterian Church, 2000 East College Ave., Normal, IL Healing a Fractured World You can find more information and register online at See You At the Pole! SEE YOU AT THE POLE day is on Wednesday, September 28, at 7:00 a.m. local time. All around the globe, in every time zone, students will be gathering at their flagpoles, praying for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities. SEE YOU AT THE POLE is a day committed to global unity in Christ and prayer for your generation. SYATP WEEK: The GLOBAL WEEK OF STUDENT PRAYER (Sunday, September 25 through Saturday, October 1) encourages students to find new and unique ways, places, and times to pray throughout the week. Whether you attend PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, or HOME SCHOOL, gather your friends wherever and whenever and pray! The GLOBAL WEEK OF STUDENT PRAYER is dedicated to prayer and launching your oncampus Bible clubs, prayer strategies, and student ministries. For more information please visit: Please note: Normal church office hours will resume on Tuesday, September 6. Starting on September 6, the church office will be open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 12 pm.

5 Monticello Celebration Saturday, September 17th The E & F Committee has a lot planned for the folks of Monticello at the local Monticellobration on the square held on Saturday, Sept 17th! The main feature/theme of our booth this year will be Butterflies! We will have butterfly coloring pages, milkweed and other native seeds to share, two sets of butterfly wings and antennae that kids can wear to get a picture taken. Another important feature of our booth will be passing out important information about Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. We will also have our annual free book give away, free bottles of water, free popcorn and information about our wonderful church. Rev. Cindy Shepherd will be with us to educate us on the life of a Monarch Butterfly, what they eat, and how they started out! She will also share with the community her information on Faith in Place programs, which educates and inspires people of any faith to work towards a sustainable future. Through the four different program areas Energy & Climate Change, Sustainable Food & Land Use, Water Preservation, and Advocacy. We always have a nice time under the tent while meeting and greeting the community of Monticello and its visitors. There will be a sign-up sheet at the back of the church for those that would like to help at the booth. We will have chairs available for those that would like to sit while helping. Should be a fun day! Single Mom Saturday, September 24th Saturday, September 24th is Single Mom Saturday, which is being organized by WBGL radio station. From 8-noon any single mom can take her car to Bill Abbott s dealership for a Free Oil Change. We are needing volunteers at Bill Abbott s to help with washing and drying cars, or to just be there to visit with the moms while they re waiting for their cars to be finished. What a great opportunity! This will take many volunteers, so please sign up to be a part of the fun. Thanks!!!! Faith in Action Auction Saturday, September 24th Faith in Action is sponsoring its second auction. Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. at the Cisco Center. Thank you to all you have donated items for this auction. Some of the items for auction will be a airplane ride, car detailing, glassware, books, numerous pieces of furniture, gift cards, household items, and some historical items. Don't miss it! A Neat Opportunity If you re interested in attending a Statewide Green Team Summit with Faith In Place, here s a great opportunity. Sunday, September 25 th from 12:00-4:00 pm you re invited to join the Green Team Conference held at The Field Museum in Chicago. Check out the website for more information. There is a free ride to Chicago and back, too. Questions see Julie Clodfelter. Sages Strut, September 30th Monticello Elementary PTO is hosting their 7th annual Sages Strut to help raise money for our schools. Friday, September 30th is Sages Strut at the High School track. It s an active and healthy fundraiser for all Preschool-5th grade students with lots of fun activities planned. Monticello PTO is raising money for classroom supplies, field trips, books, technology, guest speakers, playground equipment and classroom activities. Donations are now being accepted online via paypal and click on the Sages Strut Donate link. For those donating online, remember to hit the + and include an elementary student s name and grade.

6 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Communion 10 am Worship 5 Labor Day Church Office Closed 6 Normal Church Hours resume M-F 9 a.m. Noon 7 9:45 am Ministerial Alliance Mtg. 7 pm Worship Mtg. 7 pm E&F Mtg am SS Breakfast kickoff 10 am Worship Confirmation 11:15 am Deacons Mtg pm Mary- Martha Circle 13 6 pm Friendship Circle 7 pm Book Discussion Purpose Drivin Life 14 7 pm CE Mtg. 7 pm Missions Mtg Monticellobration 18 9 am SS 10 am Worship- Back to Church Sunday 4 pm Youth pm Stephen Ministers Mtg. 7 pm Book Discussion Purpose Drivin Life 21 International Day of Peace 7 pm Session Mtg pm Pastor Paul at PCNH Single Mom Saturday 25 9 am SS 10 am Worship pm Book Discussion Purpose Drivin Life