The Messenger Volume 17 No. 8 August 2017 The Newsletter of The United Church of Sandwich Passionately united to feed all people body, mind and spirit To the glory of God! From the Pastor... The Psalms: Why they re important to God s people You will be reading this about the time that I return from my retreat and study leave at Saint Meinrad Archabbey. I will have been on a prayerful retreat, part of which will have involved studying the use of Psalms in Christian worship. Why the Psalms? Do these 3,000 year old Hebrew songs have any relevance to modern spirituality? Did those church singers in Rome and Gaul in the 11th century, who brought those old Hebrew poems to life in song, teach us anything about how to worship God? Here is something of what my yearly trips to Indiana have taught me about why we should continue to use and treasure the Psalms. When we pray the Psalms, we pray as Jesus prayed. Our Lord was a Jew. The Psalms were how he learned to pray as a child, and how he prayed as a man. The Psalms were on his lips on the cross ( My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit. ) When we pray the Psalms, every thought, emotion, and spiritual state is laid bare. In the Psalms there is rejoicing in God s power and presence ( Let everything that breathes praise the Lord ), there is anger and frustration ( Lord, why don t you slay the wicked! ), there is sadness and lamenting ( My tears have been my food all day long ), there are cries for help in trouble and despair ( Out of the depths have I cried unto you, O Lord ), and there is quiet confidence and trust in God s love and care ( He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty ). The Psalms help us keep our prayers honest. Our prayers are not always sunshine and happiness sometimes our prayers are remorseful, hateful and raw. The Psalms are deeply human, and open up all that we are before God. When we pray the Psalms, we are connected with the whole of God s people. We enter the temple in Jerusalem with our Israelite forbears ( I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord. ), we are there with the first Christians (who according to St. Paul sang Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs ), and we are present with God s people in every age who have found comfort and challenge in these profound words. Steve Mindrup
Sunday Scriptures for August 2017 August 6: The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 32:22-31 Jacob wrestles with a divine being; he receives a blessing. Psalm 17:1-7, 15 I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me. Romans 9:1-5 Paul grieves for his Israelite kinsmen who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand. August 13: The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 The sons of Jacob betray their brother Joseph and sell him into slavery. Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b "Glory in God s holy name." Romans 10:5-15 A Christian is accounted righteous before God because of faith. Matthew 14:24-33 Trust in Jesus causes Peter to risk walking on the sea. August 20: The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph and his brothers are reconciled to each other. Psalm 133 "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred dwell together in unity." Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 God will not forsake his people Israel. Matthew 15:10-20, 21-28 With a healing miracle, Jesus demonstrates God s love for everyone. August 27: The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Exodus 1:8-2:10 The Moses cycle of stories begins with his mother saving him from death. Psalm 124 "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Romans 12:1-8 Use the gifts God has given you, and present yourself to him as an offering. Matthew 16:13-20 Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ). It's Pie Time again!! We are going to try something a little different this year. We will be making pie dough on Monday and then making the pies on Tuesday, this way the dough will be fresh when the pies are made. So ladies and gentlemen we invite you join our Merry group to do some work for the Glory of God and have a lot of fun & fellowship. The following is the schedule of days to plan for. August 7-Dough Making 8:00AM-11:00AM August 8-Pie Making 8:00AM-11:00AM August 14-Dough Making 8:00AM-11:00AM August 15-Pie Making 8:00AM-11:00AM Many hands make for lighter work for all. Thanks, Pam 2
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August Worship Assistants Greeters 08/06 Jim & Connie Mitchell 08/13 08/20 Ken & Bonnie Young 08/27 Ushers 08/06 Kevin & Linda Duy 08/13 Monty & Betty Reiners 08/20 Breon Family 08/27 Bill & Christine McMahon Liturgists 08/06 Pam Nehring 08/13 Deb Seymour 08/20 Les Banks 08/27 John Hallaron August Communion Ministers Doug Reiners, Diane Salisbury & Deb Seymour 8/1 Jerry Brown, Dave Hunt 8/4 Ernie Basler, Jennifer Robinson 8/5 Heather Breon 8/7 Gary Sleezer 8/8 Josh Heiman 8/9 Madison Hallaron 8/10 Eric Bedford 8/11 Joan Triphahn 8/13 Les Banks 8/14 Jim Diemer 8/15 Kim Morel 8/16 Debby Hill, Rochelle Rose, Kara Duy, Matt Anthenat 8/17 Vicki Davis, Bob Nielsen 8/19 Emily Vegryzn 8/21 Doug Reiners 8/22 Dennis Keene 8/24 Amy Sleezer 8/25 Samantha Sommerfeld 8/28 Marlene Cook 8/29 Lawrence Richmond 8/30 Bonnie Miller, Peggy Morton, AJ Ross 8/31 Robert Munson, Dylan Reynolds Anniversaries This Month 8/4 Jim & Bonnie Bernhardt Jeremy & Amber Mager 8/5 Bob & Diane Nielsen Richard & Monica Robinson 8/10 Jerry & Marlene Cook 8/12 Tom & Pam Nehring 8/14 Rick & Debby Hill 8/17 Josh & Jennifer Bauer 8/18 Bob & Quen Carpenter Dick & Joan Banko 8/24 Jerry & Nancy Brown Owen & Bev Severson 8/25 Al & Phyllis Whitehead Ken & Bonnie Young 5
Shopping on line? Help your church through UMCMarket.org Here is an easy way to support UCS. Before you make an on line purchase, go to UMCMarket.org. Once you establish an account at UMCMarket.org, over 3,000 businesses with donate a portion of your purchase to United Church. Automatically. It s easy to register. Just go to UMCMarket.org and set up an account. It takes less than five minutes. It will take you through the steps to get your donation directed to UCS. Then when you are shopping on line you can look on the UMCMarket site for what you want. Sandwich/Somonauk Ministerial Alliance 4 T H T U E S DAY COMMUNITY FREE FELLOWSHIP FEAST 4:30 6:00 pm Tuesday, August 22, 2017 Somonauk Baptist Church 315 E. North Street Somonauk, IL 60552 815-498-2312 Looking for fellowship? Join us! Having trouble making ends meet? Join us! Love community dinners? Join us! United Methodist Women will have their next meeting on August 10th at 9:30 am in the Chapel. All ladies are invited. All are welcome! Invite your friends and family to come as well! Mission of the Month SUMMER MUSIC!! Good Samaritan Fund Worship committee is looking for anyone interested in providing special music during worship this summer! We would like special music to be included in every service through September 3rd. A sign-up sheet is available in the narthex. Reserve your week now! The Good Samaritan Fund is a fund for those with emergency needs in our area. It is funded by the local churches and administered by the Sandwich Police Department. Vouchers that can be redeemed at local merchants for food, baby needs and/or gas are given by the Police Department. 6
August 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 6:00 Prayer Group 3 1:00 Hope Circle 4 5 6 8:45 Sunday School 7 8-11am Pie dough making 8 8-11am Pie making 9 10 9:30 UMW Potluck 11 12 Worship 13 8:45 Sunday School 14 8-11am Pie dough making 15 8-11am Pie making 16 6:00 Prayer Group 17 18 19 Worship 20 8:45 Sunday School Worship 21 Newsletter deadline 22 4:30-6:00 4th Tuesday Feast @ Somonauk Baptist Church 23 24 25 26 27 8:45 Sunday School Worship 28 29 30 31 9:00 Newsletter assembly 7
The United Church of Sandwich 512 East Lions Road Sandwich, IL 60548-2147 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED THE MESSENGER AUGUST 2017 The United Church of Sandwich 512 East Lions Road, Sandwich, IL 60548-2417 Church: (815) 786-9243 Email: ucssandwich@frontier.com website: www.unitedchurchsandwich.org Sunday Schedule Worship am Adult Sunday School 8:45 am Church Office Hours Monday Friday 8:00 am 12:00 pm The Rev. Steven Mindrup Office Hours: Monday Thursday, 8:00 am 12:00 pm or by appointment Email: pastormindrup@gmail.com Mobile: 815.988.4992 Kelley Mindrup s mobile: 815-988-7075 We are passionately united to feed all people body, mind and spirit to the glory of God! Leadership Team 2017 Church Council Chair Reid Heinekamp Treasurer Pam Nehring Financial Secretary Pat Hallaron Finance/Stewardship Chair Ken Young Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Sarah Stevens Lay Leader Brenda Moland Trustees Chair Matt Olson Annual Conf Delegate David Seymour Missions/Evangelism Chair Ed & Jane Heyer Memorial/Endowment Chair Nancy Brown United Methodist Women Myrtie Warren United Methodist Men Church Staff Secretary: Heidi Eaton (Tuesday-Friday 8:00 am 12:00 pm) Choir and Chimes Director: Kevin Duy Organist/Pianist: Carol Larson Ministers and Missionaries: All Members