Chanticleer. Dear Friends, July 2014 Volume 87, Issue 7

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1 Chanticleer July 2014 Volume 87, Issue 7 Minister: Every Member Minister of Worship and Congregational Life Phil Hobson Minister of Program and Membership Development Tom Jones Pastor Emeritus Z. William Colson Moderator Katherine Johnson Vice Moderator Amy Frost Board of Deacons Pam Rinckey Board of Trustees Kathie Cook Board of Christian Education Dale Dodds Outreach Board Bill & Carol Yerkes Church Clerk Barbara Anderson Financial Secretary Don Johnson Treasurer Eric Crandall Staff: Office Manager Sher Brown Custodian Janet Hamilton Senior Choir Director Jim Hylen Organist Ramona Kime The Chanticleer is a monthly newsletter, distributed to members and friends of First Congregational Church. We welcome most comments and articles. Chanticleer article deadline is the 18 th of each month. Dear Friends, Dear Friends, I cannot remember the first sermons I preached. I remember being nervous. I probably suffered from first sermon itis, the tendency to stuff everything I knew about God, the Bible, church, Jesus and everything else into one sermon. Later I read a cartoon that showed a minister praying, Lord, please send me some good scriptures to go with this great illustration I found... Recently, having a little too much waiting room time on my hands, I tried to diagram how worship and sermons come together. What started as a simple flow chart from scripture to sermon soon had lines crossing back and forth among hymns and liturgy, church calendar and events of our day, community experiences and all sorts of other influences. It would appear that whatever else inspiration is, it is messy. Even with so many pieces and connections, the role of scripture is still primary, still paramount, interacting with each and every one of these other factors. I came to imagine this interaction like the shoreline of the ocean. (The possibility that is merely a vacation fantasy did not escape my notice.) Worship, faith, church life and all of our experiences are like the shore. Some parts seem like immovable rock, other parts shift with the tide. The ocean in this analogy is scripture. It can wear down calcified thoughts and fossilized practices. Allowed to work on us, it will shape us. Have you ever noticed that even returning to the same beach year after year the ocean looks different every time we see it? Just so. Grace and Peace, Phil

2 Community/Church Family Celebrating the Marriage of Bea and Dawn!!! July 19, 2014 from 4 pm 1480 Barry Rd., Williamston Please join us to celebrate our love and joy! NO gifts please. Come hungry for good food and fellowship! Please RSVP by July 7 th so we can plan accordingly for food and beverages. Home phone: Bea_vankampen@hotmail.com Dawn.christenson@sbcglobal.net Recycling Fever!!! Saturday, July 19 th from 9 am to 3 pm Charlotte Free Event Reservations Required Call or recycle@eatoncounty.org Location will be released once registration is complete. For updated information The following will be taken: Electronics (anything with a cord), Household Hazardous Waste, Document Shredding, Hearing Aids & Eyeglasses, Books, Household Batteries Sabbatical Announcement Pastor Phil will be taking sabbatical time this summer for the months of July and August, and will not be performing ministerial tasks during this time. Volunteers to help with preaching and visiting our church family have stepped forward from among our congregants. A little background on sabbaticals may be in order. Pastor Phil s letter of call to the church allows for 90 days of sabbatical time after 5 years of service. He came to the church in September of 2003, and took his first sabbatical the summer of Although technically eligible for sabbatical time this year Pastor Phil and the Trustees had planned for it to occur next year. Part of the sabbatical process is the agreement that Pastor Phil will continue to serve the church for at least one year following a sabbatical so that whatever was gained towards ministry in the process is of benefit to the church. As a way of offering tangible support during this difficult time of Patrick s surgery and hospitalization, and with the stated acknowledgement that such a time is indeed a spiritual journey, the Trustees made the offer for two of the three months of sabbatical be taken this summer, namely July and August. During this time, Pastor Phil will not be preaching, leading worship or performing other pastoral tasks. He is already taking a leave of absence from the Fire Department and will not be serving as a chaplain during this time either. The two exceptions are meeting with two couples who are getting married in September, and a graveside burial service on July 1st which was planned some time ago. If you have a desire to help out with worship or visitation, please see Pastor Tom. July 2014 CHANTICLEER page 2

3 Outreach Board/Christian Education Board News In an effort to provide better communication we will do our best to have a monthly note in the bulletin. Our mission is to try and make the Church and church family more visible to the community. The past months as many of you are aware yard clean ups were completed at several homes. We have a sign which states NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS that we place in the yard to emphasize that need. If you are aware of anyone else who still needs some help please contact a board member. The baby dresser and items from the personal care basket have been delivered, this means the basket is empty and needs to be refilled. One of our current ideas is to provide our FAMOUS ice cream cookies after several of the Thursday night concerts to be passed out on the church lawn If anyone has a suggestion to aid in our mission, please mention it to a board member Bill & Carol Yerkes Outreach Co Chairs Summer Volunteer Opportunities Check your calendar for Sundays in the summer where you can help support our Christian Education programs. We need adults to teach a Sunday School Lesson for K 5 th grade students, toddler/pre school students or help watch babies in the nursery. Sign up sheets available at coffee hour. New Member Class July 20 & 27 after worship. Join our church! or just learn about us, our denomination, boards, and polity. Meet with Pastor Tom in the annex after coffee hour, or contact the church office with questions. hour July 6. The Lectionary for July LUGNUTS! Mark your calendar to Go Nuts with us at our church s annual Lugnut outing Friday, August 22. Carpooling is available by contacting Rev. Tom and meeting at the church by 6 pm. Tickets are $10 because this year s seats have armrests, cupholders and backs! Tickets go on sale at coffee hour July 6. July 2014 CHANTICLEER page 3

4 Bible Readings/Classes After Pentecost, two readings from the Old Testament and Psalms are listed: the first pair comprises a semi continuous reading (over three years) of the entire Old Testament, the second is a more traditional match to the Gospel lesson for that Sunday. Fourth Sunday after Pentecost July 6, 2014 Genesis 24:34 38, 42 49, Psalm 45:10 17 or Song of Solomon 2:8 13 Zechariah 9:9 12 Psalm 145:8 14 Romans 7:15 25a Matthew 11:16 19, Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 13, 2014 Genesis 25:19 34 Psalm 119: Isaiah 55:10 13 Psalm 65:(1 8), 9 13 Romans 8:1 11 Matthew 13:1 9, Sixth Sunday after Pentecost July 20, 2014 Genesis 28:10 19a Psalm 139:1 12, Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16 19; Isaiah 44:6 8 Psalm 6:11 17 Romans 8:12 25 Matthew 13:24 30, Seventh Sunday after Pentecost July 27, 2014 Genesis 29:15 28 Psalm 105:1 11, 45b or Psalm Kings 3:5 12 Psalm 119: Romans 8:26 39 Matthew 13:31 33, Summer Adult Bible Study Classes Mark your calendar to start again with Curt Scott as he leads a class on Church and Empire. We focus study on Jesus instructions and our human response in establishing the early Christian Church. Proven to be a very enlightening and faith strengthening class, this winter s snowstorms hampered our progress on Curt s lectures. You will not be left behind if you are just joining us this summer. Class starts Tuesday night, July 1 at 6:30 pm at Judy Johnson s house, 1498 Nicholas Lane, Charlotte. Call Curt at or Judy at if you have questions. Everyone is welcome. July 2014 CHANTICLEER page 4

5 Celebrations Prayer Requests & Thank yous July Birthdays 2 Martin Jackson 3 Jamie Curtis 5 Eric Crandall Dick Phelan 7 Kelsey Adams 9 Ed Foster 13 Leisha Yerkes Megan Roberts 15 Dale Nutt Janna Jackson 22 Kali Sparks 23 Shena Walker Scott Clemence 25 Dana Montford 26 Anna Davis 28 Maci Gardner 31 Vera Bruce 6 Pam & Bill Rinckey 7 Sue & Dennis Barnett 9 Andy & Amy Smith 11 Ken & Joyce Sparks 14 Jim & Judy Hylen 21 Dave & Neola Rendel 22 Fred & Beth Fry 30 Thuc Nguyen & Deanna Rendel Dave and I have watched a remarkable transformation in Phil after he learned the Trustees had voted to move part of his Sabbatical to July and August of this year. Some of his stress began to dissipate. We also saw a group of church leaders begin to take over to do what needs to be done for the church in July and August. And, always there is Tom. Your congregation seems "to get church" right, to find ways to take care of your own. It's a story we shall share with The United Church of Oak Ridge. We thank you for all the love and support you provide, Phil, Mary, Mira and Patrick. Martha (and Dave) Hobson A big Thank You to all who helped fill the baby dresser. This is an awesome generous church. Thanks so much to Fred & Sherry Myers for donating the mulch for all the flower beds. It looks beautiful!!! July 2014 CHANTICLEER page 5

6 Prayers Prayer lies at the heart of the ministry of the church. If you have a prayer request, please fill out a prayer card during worship, or let the church office or one of our pastors know. Prayers are typically left on the prayer list for one month unless we hear otherwise. Please Remember in Your Tom Rowan III (Bill & Carol Yerkes nephew) Amish friends of Stan & Dottie Moore Mimi & Michael Bob Cooper Mike Garrett J. R. Simons (Jan Swift s cousin) Pastor George Fleming Dick & Gloria Cole s daughter in law Alyssa Mosher Dennis Cates Ron Potter Jean Bearup Dick Rann Family of Dawn & Rick (Dick & Gloria Cole s son) Justine Snyder Cheri DeFrates Michelle Peterson (Vonda Stanton s friend) Ed Adams Ethan Love (Kevin & Lisa Jackson s nephew) Stan & Dottie Moore Eva Murphy (Carol Yerkes mom) Bruce and Betty Pettit Dorothy Toutant Craig Gilbertson (Roy Gilbertson s father) Dwight Patton (Janice Fulton s father) Jim & Judy Hylen Ken & Sharon Hice Phil, Mary, Patrick and Mira Drew Adams (Ed and Jackie Adams s son) Evonne Kettner (Dana Montford s mom) Richard Jones (Pastor Tom s brother) Stan and Esther Horn Vera Bruce Dawn Christenson Rose (Kathy Fuhr s sister) Lisa (Kelly Konietzko s sister) Maggi Endsley Faith (the Lehman s great great niece) Kelsey Adams Joshua Cermak Pete & June Stults Paige Bristol Dale & Jan Dodds Autumn (Claudia Perry St. Andre s daughter) Loretta Hofmann Merry Westman (Dawn Christenson s cousin) Judy Hylen s mother Doris Christie Perry Lopez Jeanne Jones (Pastor Tom s mother) Vance Combs We Grieve with the Families of The Family of Margaret Haysmer The Family of Dwight Patton The Family of Bob Cooper The Family of Steve Polzin Our Armed Forces Eddie and Sarah Corbin Jason Egan Bill Selby Tim McDaniel Billy Smith Scott McDonald Bob Jackson Ian Irby Johnny Trujillo David Moon 3/238 Aviation (Medi Vac) Daniel Perez LeGrand Langford (Ron & Sandra Field s nephew) Monthly Calendar See our most up to date calendar HERE

7 THE CHANTICLEER First Congregational Church South Bostwick - Charlotte, MI fcuc@sbcglobal.net Minister of Worship and Congregational Life Rev. Philip Hobson Minister of Program and Membership Development Rev. Tom Jones Non-Profit Organization BULK RATE U.S. Postage PAID Charlotte, MI Permit #122 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Mission Statement of First Congregational Church Sunday Worship: 10:00 a.m. Children s Sunday School: 10 a.m. Adult Bible Studies: Sunday 8:15 a.m. Thursday Bible Study 12:00 p.m. Men s Group: Saturday 8:00 a.m. Our church will provide a place and direction for joining with God, healing the broken, and education for youth and adults. We will be challenged by our faith to reach out to our congregants, our community and world family, and to offer opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal. We welcome others into our Christian Family. Blanche Moyer Circle Meets July 14 at 6:30 pm in the Bess Fulton Room, then not again until Sept. Prayer Shawl Ministry meets The 1 st & 3 rd Saturdays at 9:00 am. Love to knit or crochet? No? We ll teach you! Come & join us we would love to have you! Women s Prayer Circle Women of the church are welcome the 1 st & 3 rd Thursday of each month at 7 pm at the home of Diane Hudson. If you have questions, please contact Sandra Field.