October Pilgrim edition: First Congregational. From the desk of Pastor Scott

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1 From the desk of Pastor Scott This fall we have been intentionally focusing on building discipleship. We ve had a lot of new members of late who are new to the Christian faith, as well as some who are returning to the church after being away for a long time. The aims are twofold, continue to build upon the bedrock of training new disciples in the joy and challenges of following Jesus and renewing our own faith for those of us who may have been Christians for a long time but need to be challenged again and reminded of our Christian calling. October/November is also the time of year when most churches focus on preparing budgets for the upcoming calendar year. As part of the budgeting process there will be two town hall meetings for congregation members to participate, gather information and address any concerns they may have. One of the focus points of the meeting will be the capital campaign: where we are with monies received, projects completed, and what yet needs to be done. This will include the recommendations of our capital reserve study which went through an extensive maintenance and replacement plan for all capital systems in the church and the timetable and costs to repair or replace them. One of the biggest needs we will need to address with our aging building is specifically how much each year should be budgeted for unforeseen building costs that arise when pipes break, air conditioners fizzle out, etc.. etc This will give us a better idea of the real upkeep cost of the church facility. This meeting will take place in the church parlor on Sunday November 20th after worship. The second town hall gathering will focus on proposed restructuring of our staff to meet the need of filling our currently empty Associate Pastor position. As the 2010 congregation approved endowment monies to seed the position are nearly exhausted ($80,000 of the original $300,000 remaining) and the continued support for an Associate Pastor position, cabinet, personnel and finance and budget have been First Congregational United Church of Christ October 2016 Pilgrim edition: page 1/2 From The Desk of Pastor Scott page 3 Caring For Creation page 4 It s Getting Exciting!/Jan Barker page 5 The Mafia Murder/Jan Barker page 6 Trunk of Treat/Fall Fest page 7 Youth News!/Dena Provenzano page 8 Ten Ways to Promote Our Church Tom & Eddies/PADS Blood Drive Prayer Concerns page 9 Be Part Of It All Women s Fellowship Our New Director of Music page 10 Uprooted, A New Musical/K. Cotts page 11 Two Way Street Coffee House

2 Get Connected! Page 2 From the desk of Pastor Scott continues looking at ways to bring on an Associate that will be fiscally sustainable. In June the proposed budget reallocation long range plans were presented to the church. As we move forward on a 2017 budget it raises a great opportunity for all church members to engage in that restructure process and to learn more about the thinking that went into it and how it would affect the church moving forward. This meeting will occur on Sunday October 23rd in the parlor after worship. UPCOMING Tuesdays from 7:00pm-8:30pm in the Music room we will continue our class on Jesus 101. It will involve some bible study, some lecture, and some discussion. The class will cover both some of the traditional teachings of Christianity and creedal forms, and it will also raise questions that have long surfaced around some of these beliefs and growing edges, particularly the distinction of the Messiah people expected vs. the Messiah they/ we got. I hope you ll consider joining us, it looks to be a lot of fun. Fall is also the time when the church often makes a concentrated push of stewardship. This year the stewardship and leadership teams have combined and have set for themselves and the church several goals: To frame stewardship as more than financial contributions to the church, but truly our membership pledge of giving of our time, our spiritual gifts and talents, and our financial support to the church and its missions. In the past we have filled leadership positions by looking for warm bodies who would commit to serve, sometimes whether they had passions or skills in a given ministry or not. We are working to involve members in the places that they truly feel resonate with them in their faith walk, particularly in time-limited projects that not only help the church but that engage us in our gifts to the life of the church. Our slogan for the year is Be a Part of It All. Just as Paul told his fledging church in Corinth that each of them was a specific part or piece vital to the whole body, so too our stewardship/leadership teams have wanted to frame our stewardship with each of us being a part of the wider whole. On Sunday, October 16th we will have a fun fellowship Pie Event in Fellowship Hall after worship. As the prophet once said, Come, taste, and see and have a good time doing it! SPECIAL THANKS If you were unable to attend either the 150th Anniversary dinner or the weekend s 150th anniversary worship you missed and amazing time of celebration. You can go to our website to view the service. Throughout the year a small group of your fellow church members and staff worked very hard to make all of this possible. If you did not have a chance to thank them as they were recognized on that weekend, please take the time when you see them to do so. From organizing, planning, rummaging through old historical documents and pictures, to working with organizations through the community these individuals have done an amazing job. Beverly Binder, Dave Humphreys, Gail Jaroski, Brett Johnson, Susan Keys, Edith Larson, Lisa Lockett, Ann Mullen, Mike Ode, Cathy Sanders and Linda Schranz Tony Weirig, Jim Molina, Jim Hallman and the rest of the mission ministry; Amy Curran, Nancy Kupka, Gail Clark, Sarah Johnson, Paula Orsula, Dena Provenzano, and David Burke who coordinated all the mission projects for our week of service.

3 Get Connected! Page 3 CARING FOR CREATION 2016 Green Resolutions Update Earlier this year the Caring for Creation team asked church members to record their green resolutions on a tablecloth. We checked in with a few people to learn how they re doing: \I resolve to ride my bike to and from the train station for work one day a week in the spring and summer. I resolve to better insulate our attic. Tom Eisenhart Status: We have added insulation to our attic and sealed it, which was one of my resolutions. It seems to have kept the upstairs of our house cool. The other was to ride to the train station for work. I've only done that once, but hope to get in a few more times now that it is getting cooler out. Use reusable shopping bags. Virginia Hopley Status: I use reusable bags for grocery shopping every week. Any time we have plastic bags from other purchases, those are recycled. We also recycle and compost, which means we have very little garbage and waste each week. Water grass later in the afternoon. Naomi Mark Status: We don't water our grass, but we do water our flower/herb garden each day in the late afternoon. This saves water, because less is lost to evaporation. Eat beef no more than 3 meals a week. Judi Davenport Status: I am doing great! And I don't miss it. No coffee pods! Put coffee grounds in soil. Dan Swick Status: Using a recyclable filter in my coffee maker most of the time, and composting more. I will reduce my driving mileage by 10% a week. Jan Hessler Status: I was on track to reduce mileage, therefore, gas consumption by 10%. However, in the middle of July we moved about two miles west to just north of Maple and west of Belmont. This apparently slight change has significantly increased the mileage needed to accomplish routine tasks and activities. To me, this is a stark example of the relatively high and hidden costs of suburban sprawl, which, apparently, is a big part of the American dream. Convert the rest of our lights bulbs (including Christmas bulbs) to LEDs, and walk/bike/carpool to church when ever feasible to help reduce our carbon footprint. Sandy and Rich Toleikis Status: We made good on our New Year's "green" resolutions by converting all 18 of our halogen ceiling light bulbs to LEDs. We plan to convert our lamps bulbs - first the ones that don't require 3-way bulbs, and then will tackle those as LED 3-way technology improves. We also made efforts to walk and not drive to church to help reduce our carbon footprint. For much of June, July and August, we walked to the church with our new puppy Bella in tow, for the many meetings and work related to Building and Grounds projects (driveway, security, HVAC and landscaping). Find way to recycle old clothes and textiles. Laurel Carlson Status: Goodwill accepts all textiles and either resells or recycles them. I ve taken several bags of old clothing and linens. I ve also found that Freecycle is a good way to recycle other unwanted household items. Most suburbs have an active group, and you may join multiple groups see The Caring for Creation web site has more green tips for you, including information on Styrofoam recycling and composting. Be sure to check out the monthly articles for tips on using leaf mulch, con serving water, and holiday recycling. You ll find these tips and others at

4 Page 4 IT S GETTING EXCITING!!! Here it is October already! So many events happening this fall at First Congregational! Our Fall Fest is just around the corner. Please don t forget to come to our annual Fall Fest on Sunday, October23rd from 4:00 6:00 p.m. Again this year, we are having our Fall Fest on the same day as Downers Grove is having their annual children s costume parade in Fishel Park and the downtown trick or treating. If you would like to participate in our TRUNK OR TREAT this year, please sign up with Jan Barker: jbarker@uccdg.org. Arrival time for the TRUNK OR TREAT is 3:00 p.m.. This is the time for you to decorate your trunk and get all of your candy treats ready to go. We will begin TRUNK OR TREAT at 3:30 p.m. Then the children may head in the west entrance to crawl through Pastor Scott s FUN TUNNEL. Then it is down to Fellowship Hall for sloppy joes and macaroni and cheese, (please sign up to bring either a side dish or dessert by contacting Kim Choate: Kchoate@uccdg.org) tons of games, face painting and pictures with our friendly scarecrow Mr. Boojangles! Don t forget to bring a pumpkin to decorate. Next will be our adult fund-raiser, MAFIA MURDER MYSTERY DINNER, for our Christian Education Ministry. The proceeds of this fund-raiser will go toward our Youth Fellowship and our Junior Fellowship groups. You are cordially invited to our Godfather s 1920 s speakeasy, The Slippery Cellar for dinner and entertainment. Partake of our Aunt Connie s Italian dinner and enjoy our cash bar. The Hammer is going to provide some interesting raffle opportunities and Fifi La Trick the Godfather s gal will entertain us with her silver throated voice. Also, did you know that the Don s bodyguard Crusher is also known to croon a tune or two? Yep! BUT fair warning, there may be some unsavory shenanigans aloof. Keep your eyes and ears pealed on the Godfather and his cronies. They are the Mafia after all! You and your tablemates may have to help us solve a few crimes along the way. NO FIRE ARMS OR BOOTLEG LIQUOR / ALLOWED. ANYONE WHO S ANYONE WILL BE THERE IT S THE POSH EVENT OF THE SEASON! The Godfather hopes you can make it and please feel free to dress up in your finest 1920 s costume to help with our atmosphere and the best dressed flapper and mobster will receive prizes!!! Please fill out the MAFIA MURDER MYSTERY DINNER forms. You may sign up individually and will be put at a table or you may sign up an entire table of 8. Individual = $ Table of 8 = $ Sign up soon or the Godfather will have to send Crusher to find you!!! IT S THAT TIME AGAIN WE NEED YOUR SHOE BOXES FOR OUR JUNIOR FELLOWSHIP SERVICE PROJECT SANTA BOXES FOR OUR CHILDREN FROM HOPE S FRONT DOOR. PLEASE GIVE THEM TO JAN BARKER. WE THANK YOU MOST KINDLY!!! Sunday school, Junior Fellowship, Bells, Junior Choir, Teen Choir and Drama class are all up and running for our new school year. Soon our children will start rehearsals for the Christmas pageant, written this year by Jan Barker. Enjoy your October and I ll meet you right back here in our November Pilgrim! Jan Barker Director of Children s Ministries

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6 Page 6 First Congregational Church & First Congregational Learning Center invites you for Food, Fun and Games Sunday October 23rd Be part of the Fall Festival activities in four easy steps: 1. Sign up with Jan Barker (jbarker@uccdg.org) to have a parking space for your car 2. Arrive at 3:00pm to decorate your trunk 3. Enjoy the children's costumes while you pass out candy from 3:30-4:00 4. Join the rest of the festivities at 4pm in Fellowship Hall 3:00pm - 4:00pm Fall Fest 4:00pm - 6:00pm Fellowship Hall Please RSVP to Kimberly Choate via at kchoate@uccdg.org Sloppy Joes and Mac N Cheese will be provided. Please bring a dish to share and a pumpkin to decorate. If your last name is: A-M bring a side dish, N-Z a dessert Following dinner we will have games and pumpkin decorating. Come in costume and enjoy the festivities. Don t forget to bring your camera to take a photo with our scarecrow Mr. Bo Jangles.

7 Page 7 HAPPY FALL EVERYONE! HOORAY! Here is your first official YOUTH NEWS for the new season!! Please put these dates on your family calendar, on your phones or on your sticky notes. THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2nd HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP WILL BE IN THE CITY. We will take the 12:45 pm train from Downers Grove to see a taping of Different Drummers. What is Different Drummers? Different Drummers is Chicago s only Spotlight segment on contemporary values and interests of teens. This show is produced at CBS Studios by the Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries and two of our high school youth will be part of this taping! We will not be returning back to Downers Grove until 7:25 pm. Please bring money for the train and for dinner. THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND FOR CONFIRMANDS IN THE 7TH GRADE CONFIRMATION PROGRAM: Please meet in the Youth Room following Pastor Scott s message with your Confirmation teachers. THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2nd FOR CONFIRMANDS IN THE 8th GRADE CONFIRMATION PROGRAM: Broadcast Ministry will continue with Mr. Potter on the 5th floor starting at 9:00 am. THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND TEEN CHOIR BEGINS FROM 11:30-12:15 pm for grades 7th thru 12th. Please meet in the sanctuary. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16th ALL YOUTH AND ADULT CROP HUNGER WALK 1:30-3:30 pm. Meet at Gloria Dei Church, across from Downers Grove North High School. Please sign up with Dena on Sunday, October 9th outside the chapel and Fellowship Hall. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23rd FALL FESTIVAL from 3-6 pm. Please sign up with Dena. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th WILL BE A COMBINED JUNIOR HIGH AND SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP! We will depart from church at 11:00 am for our annual hike to Starved Rock. Please pack your lunch and bring a friend. Parent and adult leaders needed to help drive. RSVP to Dena by Sunday, October 23rd. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th- NOVEMBER 6th SLEEP OUT SATURDAY for Bridge Communities from 6:00 pm- 8:00 am. We will be sleeping in Fishel Park. More info to follow SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6th MANDATORY MISSION TRIP PARENT MEETING AT 8:00 am following SLEEP OUT SATURDAY. Please meet in Fellowship Hall and bring a breakfast item to share. We will have breakfast together with our youth, while announcing the date and location of MISSION TRIP 2017! SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27th ADVENT POTLUCK PARTY AND CHRISTMAS DECORATING IN THE YOUTH ROOM. Meet in the Youth Room from 12:00-2:00 pm. Please bring a dish to share and any decorations you would like to donate for the Youth Room. TWO UPCOMING YOUTH FUNDRAISERS: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6th Shareholders fundraiser begins following church. More info to follow SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD beginning at 5:30 pm. Mafia Murder Mystery! BABYSITTERS NEEDED: Thursday evenings at church from 7:15-9:15 pm during Adult Choir. Please let Dena know if you are interested. Love and Blessings, Dena Rae Provenzano Director of Youth Ministries, dprovenzano@uccdg.org

8 Get Connected! Page 8 Ten ways to help promote our church online Are you on Facebook? Be sure to like the church page at After liking the page, go back and click the drop down menu on the like tab and select see first to make sure you never miss news from the church. Interact with the Facebook page regularly by liking posts and sharing posts (especially about upcoming events and services you will be at). Easy way to let friends of yours who might be looking for a church to know about us. Tag yourself in photos. We never tag anybody, but you are welcome to tag yourself and thereby let your friends see what you were doing. Check in at the church when you come for Sunday worship, either on Facebook, FourSquare or other apps. Let people know you re at worship (you never know when somebody might be looking for a church). Make the church web page, the home page on your web browser. Most of us probably have Google or some other search engine as the page that pops up when we open our browser. Go under preferences for your browser and change it to the church website. If going to the church website (and it s not your home page), instead of entering the address do a Google search using different terms, such as justice Church, caring church etc. and selecting our page wherever it comes up. Be sure to add Downers Grove or a nearby town to your search to narrow it. Follow us on Twitter and retweet items of interest. Did you know we live tweet the sermon most weeks? Check out and link to the church page on other apps, such as at or the broadcast ministry (weekly services and radio programs) at Add your church membership in your profile description on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media accounts. Your church is a part of your life share the Good News! Prayer Concerns Rick and Genevieve Franz, Osborn family, Craig DuSold, Stacey Poulter, Michael Ode, Ken Klintworth- upcoming heart surgery, Jake Peterson Blood Drive You Can Make A Difference! Our next Blood Drive is being held on: Tuesday, October 18, 3:OO-7:OO p.m. One unit of blood helps three people. More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the U.S. and Canada. Someone needs blood every two seconds: 38,OOO pints of donated blood is used every day. Blood can be donated every 8 weeks. Come and see how easy and safe it is to become a lifesaver at our next

9 Get Connected! Page 9 Our 150 th celebration has highlighted the passions of our founders and past members. We have learned about their willingness to be bold and how by being Be Part of It All they transformed lives. Being part of it all is how we respond to God through our time, talents and treasures. It is how we serve and how we find meaning. Soon you will receive a brochure that highlights how our congregation has found purpose, transformed lives and lived the Gospel. We will think passionately on what we can do in the future, moving into the next 150 years Sunday October 17 th during coffee hour, our committees, boards and ministries will join in the first annual Be a Piece of the Pie Event. This is an opportunity to search and discover your passion in different areas of our church s mission and to share your time and talents, and eat some homemade pie! Thirteen boards and ministries will provide pies (individual entries are welcome as well). And you can be the judge, determining the best pie of the event! More importantly, you can respond to God s love and discover how your passions and interests can best be utilized on projects and ministries as an important part of the church pie. And then in November and December we will dedicate ourselves and our time, talents and treasures in ways that serve our God, our neighbors far and near and our church s ministries. We are excited about the future of our church for the next 150 years, and how everyone can Be Part of it All. Women's Fellowship - Ladies of the Morning and Evening All women are always welcome to any of our events. Invite a friend or a new member. October Gatherings: First, we're going out to lunch on Friday, October 7, 2016 at 11:30 at Morningside Café 1920 Ogden Ave. Lisle, IL Second, we'll stay at the church for Stitch and Chat in the Parlor on Friday, October 21 from 9:30 to 11:30 am. You don't need to bring anything to stitch, just hang out for the chat! This is a very casual gathering, so come if and when you can, even if it's only for a few minutes. If you have any questions, contact Peggy Gutzke or peggygutz- I first want to thank you for your warm welcome and words of support! I feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity, and I look forward to serving the church and making your worship experience even more wonderful. I wanted to let you know about some exciting developments and performances coming up in the Music program. On Sunday, October 16 at 7pm, our Chancel Choir will be performing Robert Ray's Gospel Mass in the church sanctuary. They will be joined by a 3-piece band (Justin Kono on drums, Conor Roe on bass, and Michael Goldman on keys) and two soloists (Anthony Berg and Emily Durham). We look forward to seeing you there. Once the Gospel Mass has finished, Chancel Choir will begin learning music for the upcoming holiday season. We would love for you to join us!! We meet every Thursday evening in the choir room from 7-9pm. We are also in the process of setting up in-house childcare during the rehearsal, so if you have young ones, you can bring them! If you have a musical talent but are unable to join the Chancel Choir, I am also looking for volunteers to share their gifts during our weekly services by performing a piece of music for either Prelude or Offertory. If you'd like more information about how you can sign up, please me at kcalpin@uccdg.org. I look forward to hearing from you! Also, one final reminder that Teen Choir will be starting up on October 2nd. We will meet at 11:30am in the Sanctuary. Thank you again for your kind welcome and I look forward to seeing you soon! Kelley Calpin, your new Director of Music.

10 Page 10 Page 9 UPROOTED, A NEW MUSICAL by Kristin Cotts Saturday, November 12th at 8:00 in the sanctuary, there will be a concert performance of the songs from a musical I wrote called Uprooted. Eight wonderful singers accompanied by a lovely trio (piano, cello, and flute) will bring this musical to life on stage for the first time! Uprooted is a fantasy musical drama that tells the story of the magical province of Deluria where an evil tyrant has been chopping down the trees of the forest and using the sap to poison the food supply and make the people more obedient. A group of rambunctious forest-dwellers decide they must rebel to save their community from environmental destruction. Will their rebellion be a peaceful one or will they be driven to violence? Come and find out! This musical has been a huge labor of love for me over the past three years, and I'm glad to have the chance to share it for the first time ever in the church that has become a home for our family over the last year and a half. It deals with issues that are incredibly important to me and an intrnisic part of the mission of the church --climate change, peace, inequality, and social activism, to name a few-- and emphasizes how effecting real change in our world must begin with love for one another and for the world we inhabit. To hear some of the songs and watch a video trailer that describes the show, go to If you have questions, you can me at kcotts@kristincotts.com or find me in church. I'm the one with the curlyheaded five year-old boy who likes to jump on stage for the final song every Sunday! Uprooted, A New Musical Concert Performance of Songs Saturday, November 12th, 2016 at 8:00 pm First Congregational UCC 1047 Curtiss St., Downers Grove Free Will Donation

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12 Our Church Staff The Rev. Scott Oberle, Senior Cathy Sanders, Minister of Pastoral Care and Maria Carini, Assistant to the Minister of Dena Provenzano, Director of Youth Jan Barker, Director of Children s Ministries...jbarker@uccdg.org Leslie McFarland, Administrative Secretary lmcfarland@uccdg.org Cliff Mazzone, Bookkeeper...bookkeeper@uccdg.org Carl Lorek, Custodian/Maintenance Supervisor.Carll@uccdg.org Kim Choate, Director, First Congregational Learning Cent.er..kchoate@uccdg.org Radika Jungwirth, Admin. Asst, First Cong. Learning Center radikaj@uccdg.org Dave Humphreys, Two Way Street Coffee House.dave@twowaystreet.org Bill Hammack, A-V Specialist.....bill@symbolix.com Len Potter, Broadcasting Ministries...lenp@potterpro.com Justin Kono, Band Director.....j.akira.kono@gmail.com Kelley Calpin, Director of Music Ministries....kcalpin@gmail.com The Rev. Dr. Robert D. Schieler, Pastor Emeritus O c t o b e r E d i t i o n First Congregational UCC * 1047 Curtiss Street * Downers Grove, IL Phone: (630) office@uccdg.org Website: * Broadcast: Other Communications: * FCC Learning Center: