The Christian Window Volume 56 Number 10 October 2016 First Christian Church of Kent (Disciples of Christ) 335 West Main St., Kent, OH 44240-2416 Phone: 330-673-6634 Website: www.firstchristiankent.org Email: kentfcc@firstchristiankent.org Senior Minister: Pastor Julie Cory pastor_julie@firstchristiankent.org World Communion Sunday Reconciliation Challenge and Art Show For the next few weeks our Sunday School children will be drawing pictures of what reconciliation and peace might look like. I am issuing a challenge to all older children and any adult with a phone to take a picture that shows what reconciliation and peace look like. Email it to kentfcc@firstchristiankent.org or to pastorfcckent@gmail.com and we will include these pictures in our art show. Study Mondays Starting October 3rd 9am Room 2 A New Bible Study begins Monday October 3rd at 9:30am in room 2. We will be exploring the life an Psalms of Asaph, using John Kitchen s book, Life as Worship as a guide. Regional Assembly October 13-15th At the assembly one of the mission and outreach activities will be asked to fill backpacks with food for children in the Columbus area who go without food on weekends. The Outreach Committee has purchased backpacks for us to fill. We need to collect: Applesauce Jell-O cups (non-refrigerated) Juice boxes, Fruit snacks or individual bags of chips Easy Mac Chef Boy-R-Dee cans Soup Pop-tarts Granola Bars Oatmeal Individual fruit cups. What s Inside: Page 2: Crop Walk Page 3: Ministry Fair, Trunk or Treat, Kent Interfaith Alliance for Reconciliation and Justice Page 5: Go & Do The Same Page 5: Prayers, Concerns & Joys, Thank you Page 6: Serving Calendar, Children s Worship, Birthdays and Anniversaries Page 7: September s Calendar
It s almost time again for the annual Crop Walk for Hunger through Church World Service! Some 2,000 communities across the country take part each year and have raised more than $294 million to help struggling families, around the world and around the corner. 25% of the funds raised stay local, in our case, to Kent Social Services. Nearly 1 billion people live in poverty worldwide. In the U.S., nearly 43 million don t have enough to eat. Around the world nearly 18,000 children die from hunger-related causes every day. How do Crop Walks help? Funds raised provide emergency food supplies for disaster or refugee situations, help develop sustainable food growing and animal raising, provide wells for clean water where there is none, and provide health and vocational training for women and others. You are encouraged to walk or donate to a walker for this worthy cause. Walker envelopes will be available in the narthex and from Becky Brown. This year, if you or your group registers online and raises $150 online 2 weeks before the Walk, you will receive a free T-shirt. The Walk begins Sun. Oct. 9 with registration at 1:30 at Lake Brady U.M.C. T-shirts will also be for sale at the Walk for $10. The Walk takes off at 2: p.m. for about 3 1/2 miles on the Hike & Bike Trail. The Walks are inter-faith and participated in by people and dogs of all ages! Together we can help END HUNGER ONE STEP AT A TIME! 2
Campus Ministry Dinner Friday, October 14, 2016 at 6:00 pm You are cordially invited to the United Christian Ministries Blue & Gold Dinner at Pierson Hall, Kent United Methodist Church. The menu includes salad and bread, Lemon chicken with roasted red potatoes and green beans, and chocolate cherry cake for dessert. Vegetarian lasagna is also available upon request. All proceeds support UCM student programming! Make your reservation online at www.myucm.org or in church on October 9. Tickets Prices: $20 adult ticket, Kids under 12 free, $10 Student ticket Show your support and host a table of 8!!! Sunday October 2nd 9:30-10:30am & 11:45-12:15 (for those who didn't walk through during Sunday School) Join us during the Sunday School hour and immediately following the 10:45 Worship Service as we showcase the many wonderful ministries of our congregation. Committees, Ministry Teams, Circles, etc. are invited to reserve a table for the event by contacting Jodi atfcckentce@gmail.com. Each table should have information about what your ministry is doing, pictures or props representing past activities, future meeting times or events, sign up sheet for volunteers/new members, and an activity for kids (ask Jodi if you need ideas). We are also asking each committee to provide a breakfast treat (mini donuts, muffins, fruits, etc.) for our refreshment table. Please contact Jodi if you d like to volunteer to help with set up and/or clean up of the event! Trunk or Treat October 22 nd, 3-5 PM in the FCC parking lot Mark your calendars for this fun opportunity to serve our youth and the community! It s so easy it s SCARY! Adults: decorate your trunks, plan a quick game, and bring pre-packaged treats for the kids. Invite your friends and neighbors! Kids: wear your costumes and invite your friends! The Kent Interfaith Alliance for Reconciliation and Justice is gearing up for this coming year. Russ Buckbee has agreed to be our contact person and to pass on information. If you would like to participate in events, or want your email added to the KIFA list, please let Russ know. Upcoming events include: NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner October 22 at 5:30 PM at NEOMed. Part of this event will include a community choir. If you would be interested in singing please let Russ know and we ll get you the information. 3
Dear Friends, Our stewardship theme this year, Go and Do the Same, is a powerful reminder of our commitment to be genuine followers of gospel. It is a call to discipleship, to be more like the image of Jesus, so that our faith may be recognized by our actions toward others. At one level, we could infer that our job as a Christian is to do for others the way that the good Samaritan did for the man who fell among robbers. Be kind, compassionate, generous, and concerned for others in need. Give of yourself. Give financially. Make a difference. All laudable characteristics, to be sure. At another level however, it is a commitment not to just a set of particular actions or behaviors, but a dedication to a way of being. It is about a response to God s purpose at work in individuals and the community as a whole. This understanding is about being agents of transformation in the unfolding Realm of God around us. It is about extending the blessing of health and wholeness to all of creation, because we are certain that this is ultimately what God desires. The world is broken and hurting and we are called to be a movement for wholeness among its many fractured pieces. We are agents of grace. Our faithful financial stewardship is one way we work against the powers that harm and divide. Our generosity funds the mission and ministry that we are deploying as a sign that God s Realm is among us. On October 9 th we will begin a three week study of scriptures that call us to Go and Do the Same as preparation for determining our investment in the ministry and mission of First Christian Church Kent, Ohio. Commitment Sunday will be a part of worship on October 23 rd. We hope you will be intentional about being with us in worship and in making your estimate of giving. God has done, and continues to do remarkable things through and with us things that matter! Your prayers and your participation are keys to helping us get to the next level of discipleship. We know that when the early church gathered, they did so with glad and generous hearts and that there was no need among them (Acts 2). We desire such a spirit of true community to be among us. We look forward to considering with you what it means for us to go and do the same, as we seek to be faithful disciples in this place. Blessings, Pastor Julie, The Stewardship and Finance Committee Jesus calls us to do the things he did, including living a life of compassion and generosity Gifts received for our annual operating fund become ministry and mission Thank you for your partnership in the work God has called us to do together 4
Prayers, Concerns and Joys Healing: Joan Davis, Sue Geopfert, Susie Collier, Patty Wiley s mother, Dorothy Rice & Diana Secaur, Nancy Thomas, Marie Noble, Michelle Lantz, Rick Unkefer, Heather Elder & family, Marian and Don Horner, Harvey and Carol White, Dan Wilt, Kay Wise, Terry Neubert. Special Prayers: Those serving in our armed forces. You may renew prayer requests as often as you like. A Basket will be passed down the center aisle during the Prelude to collect your prayer requests and updates. Kent Social Services On behalf of the staff, volunteers and recipients of the Lord s Pantry and Hot Meal Program of Kent Social Services, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your recent generous gift of organic lettuce. Freedom House Thanks to your support, when veterans experience homelessness living in the Portage County area and across Ohio return to Freedom House for help, we are able to give them the critical programs and support that they so desperately need. You have made it possible for us to continue to provide safety, support and comfort to our veterans. Your support gives our veterans the opportunity to achieve their goals of having a safe place to call home. 5
October 2016 Serving Schedule Worship Leader Elders Deacons Narthex Greeters Attendance October 2 Sarah Neri Vicki Eberhart Russ Buckbee Marilyn Holloway Scott Stillisano, Portia Gregory, Max Stillisano October 9 Linda Beal Art Putt Marty Viet Portia Gregory Max Stillisano, Scott Stillisano, Marilyn Holloway October 16 Charlie Redman Marty Viets Linda Beal Scott Stillisano Marilyn Holloway, Max Stillisano, Portia Gregory October 23 Emilia Neri Linda Beal Art Putt Max Stillisano Portia Gregory, Marilyn Holloway, Scott Stillisano October 30 Marilyn Hardesty Dennis Wendling Russ Buckbee Marilyn Holloway Scott Stillisano, Portia Gregory, Max Stillisano October Children s Worship Wiggle Worship Acolytes 2 Andrew Neri Dave & Laura Adolphson Tyler Drown & Dylan Redman 9 16 23 30 Sarah Neri Nicole Lowther Will Stillisano & Josh Bordonaro Aireane Curtis Jodi Stillisano Maya Gregory & Jenna Neri Laura Adolphson Rebecca Beach Reilly Curtis & Emilia Neri Dave Adolphson Carrie Wright Ben Bordonaro & Will Stillisano 6
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Worship Spaghetti Dinner Committee & Bake Sale Meeting Lords Pantry World Communion Sunday 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Crop Walk Outreach 7p Stewardship Drive 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 KIFA 11a Board Meeting Kent Social Ser- 7p vices Sarah s Circle 7p League of Women s Voters 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Commitment Sunday 30 31 Elder s Meeting 7
Email: kentfcc@firstchristiankent.org Pastor: pastor_julie@firstchristiankent.org Website: www.firstchristiankent.org Office Hours 9am to 12pm Monday through Friday. Deadline for Newsletter articles: October 15 for the Mid October and November Newsletter Please send all information for the entire month to be included in paper end of the month and email mid month news bulletin. CHURCH STAFF: Ministers All members of First Christian Church Minister Rev. Julie Cory Minister of Christian Education Jodi Stillisano Church Secretary Jennifer White Organist Cathy Steele Chancel Choir Director Patricia Wiley Early Accompanist Donna Oberlin Nursery Attendant Sarah Redman Custodian Brendan Redman Worship Times/Office Hours Worship Times at and Children Wiggle Worship during the 10:45 am worship downstairs. 8