July 2015 The Congregational Connection Our connection to the family and friends of the Spice up the nights of July 13-16 with Vacation Bible School! 7-8:30pm The Bible in 90 Days Everyone has gifts to share and blessings to receive by participating in this important annual outreach. How can you help? spread the word; share your bulletin insert help us decorate lead a group of VBS-ers, assist a station leader, help with greeting, registration, or clean-up donate materials for outreach crafts (see bulletin) pray for the work of God s spirit to be evident, that children and volunteers will know his great love. We are excited. Let s make this a truly church-wide effort! This group got off to a rousing start on June 4, with 14 participants signed up including facilitator Rachael Short. Tasked to read approximately 12 pages a day, most members have kept up with the reading. An average of 11 have attended the weekly Thursday night meetings for discussion and encouragement, and to view a video summary of what we have read the past week. We ve discovered some things, been reminded of some other things, and came up with a LOT of questions! Check out the bulletin board by Wilcox Hall to follow our progress. - Cali & Sam Sackrider, Melanie Lounds, Rachael Short
Page 2 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another --- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.... Hebrews 10:25 Our oldest grandson, Caleb, enlisted in the Marines when he was a senior in high school for a $50,000 signing bonus that was to go towards his college education once he served a four year tour of duty. He received deployments to Kuwait, Iraq and Haiti. Once he was discharged he was diagnosed with PTSD and receives disability from falling 25 during an artillery barrage. When the surge was enacted by the President his unit was recalled for deployment. And when he was rejected from returning to action he went through a period of depression because he couldn t join his fellow Marines. Their saying is Once a Marine, always a Marine. It has caused me to wonder about being a Christian. Is the bond to our unit sufficient to cause depression if we cannot participate with them when we are called to action? Technically (a new word added to my theological vocabulary this past Sunday by Lily Sackrider) our unit is called to action at least once a week. We are functioning at top form when we are together as Christians. Caleb is at his best as a Marine when he is with his unit. They do Marine stuff that reminds them of who they are. Just like Christians do Christian stuff when they are together and it reminds them of who they are and why they are! Meeting together is very important. Yes, we meet together to worship, but much more than worship is taking place. We are being encouraged. Christianity is being tested with the closing of thousands of churches, the dwindling number of men and women entering the ministry and is going to be further tested with the changes in our social values and moral attitudes. Meeting together doesn t mean that we agree on everything, but it can mean that we need each other and love each other. And loving each other is the bottom line for manifesting just exactly who we are: Christians! -- Bill
Congregational Connection Page 3 Notes from the Director of Music Ministry: Recently Diantha Naftali* sent this picture: BEST ORGAN CONSOLE After I had a good laugh, I forwarded to Brian Fowler**, who maintains our pipe organ. I titled the email message Best organ console ever! He agreed, but said that he can think of a few more stops to add! How often do we wish for stops to quickly mute someone s voice, fast-forward through their story, or make them disappear if we didn t appreciate their contribution? In worship this summer, Bill Tate is focusing on The Kingdom of God. We are reminded that we are a peculiar people, and we are NOT the ones operating the console. It reminds me of a sermon that I heard many years ago the pastor said about being a Christ-follower: This ain t Burger King! You can t have it your way! When we finally update our organ console, I guess there will be no Activate Hydraulic Organ Console Lift stop. In God s Kingdom, how would the stops read? Silence complaints? Mute gossip? Dispose of selfish behaviors? Spotlight on others? What actions are available to God via the organ stops on the console of your life? Blessings! ~ Rachael Short *Diantha (Witteveen) Naftali served as FCC s volunteer organist for many years. She now serves the Congregational Church in Suttons Bay, MI. She will always remain in the hearts of her FCC friends. **Brian has a passionate love of the pipe organ, and a strong sense of the role of music in worship to learn and remember, and to express our faith. The Music Ministry Team: Beth Webb (Chair); Ashleigh Fox; Guven Witteveen; Teresa Zuker; Rachael Short
Page 4 Staying Connected Helen Johnson/Maxine Kushmaul Grace Haven Assisted Living 1507 Glastonbury Drive St. Johns, MI 48879 Colleen Naru Hazel Findlay Country Manor 1101 South Scott Road St. Johns, MI 48879 Check it out! Check out The Upper Room located on the literature rack in the back of the sanctuary. This is a great resource for daily reflection and prayer. Life of the Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen Subtitled 'Spiritual living in a secular world,' reading this book is a great opportunity for spiritual growth and discussion with others. Some of the reviews state:" Gentle and searching. This Crossroad book is a spiritual primer for anyone seeking God." "A beautiful and sensitive book that reaches out to the believer" and "An engaging, highly practical book about the spiritual life. Powerful." Join us for discussion and a salad supper/ potluck at the home of Tom and Beth Webb on Tuesday July 21st at 6:00 PM. Books are available at the back of the sanctuary, pick one up whether you can join us or not on the 21st. If you need directions to the Webb's home, contact them (224-8982) or the church office. 3 rd Annual St Johns Mint Festival Rummage Sale We are still needing volunteers for the Rummage Sale on Friday and Saturday, August 14 th & 15 th from 9-5. We will be sorting items and setting up on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons (12 th & 13 th ) beginning at 1 pm. We need items that are clean, in good shape and good working order to sell. Children's clothing, adult clothing, household items, yard items, DVRs, radios, furniture and antiques are all items that go fast. Please no Televisions or VCRs as they didn't sell last year and they are not easy for us to get rid of. Contact Barb Sherman or Betsy Fuller if you have any questions, would like to help with sorting, working the sale, helping with clean up or to schedule a time to drop off your items. Barb Sherman Betsy Fuller 517-242-1234 cell 517-331-2956 cell 989-292-4029 home
Congregational Connection Page 5 Why doesn t anybody want to go to church anymore? A group of people at examined that question for several weeks earlier this year, using the book Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore? (WNWTGTCA), published by Group, the organization that produced the video When God Left the Building. We read, we talked, we prayed, we examined and we listened. As we met and discussed the materials in the book, we had the distinct sense that God wants us to do more than what we are doing now. Maintaining the status quo may be comfortable and it may feel like enough. But is it really? Collectively, we felt a leading to start an outreach program, perhaps something like the one started by the young police officer in the video a Beer and Bible outreach, something to reach out and help people who have lost their way, who have never found their way, who have questions, hurts, doubts. But before anything like that can move forward, we need to hear from the rest of the congregation. We are asking you to pray and to help us discern the answers to some tough questions: Where is God calling us to go? Who does God want us to meet? Who among us is called to go? Is this (Beer & Bible) what God is calling us to do? If the answer to that question is yes, what should it look like/ what form should it take? What should our goal be, and what will be the measure of success? Please consider these questions in prayer, asking for guidance and to know God s will as we move forward. WNWTGTCA participants: Larry Brown, Ellen Dopke, Tom Dopke, Jim Ellickson, Mary Ann Ellickson, Ashleigh Fox, Betsy Fuller, Rod Fuller, Lois Graham, Suzanne LeVeck, Kate Livingston, Linda Kentfield, Melanie Lounds, Sue Lounds, Joann Martis, Paul Martis, Marilyn Newman, Matt Olson, Bill Rockwell, Barb Salters, Rachael Short and Guven Witteveen. This group will be hosting coffee hour Sunday, July 12 following the morning worship service. Please plan to attend to ask questions and to share your thoughts and what you feel God telling you. We are called to be the hands, feet, eyes, ears and voice of Christ, but we need to be working together to make this or something else work.
Page 6 STATEMENT OF FAITH We believe in God, the Father; infinite in wisdom, goodness and love, and in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord and Savior, who, for us and our salvation, lived and died and rose again and liveth evermore; and in the Holy Spirit, who taketh of the things of Christ and revealeth them to us, renewing, comforting, and inspiring the souls of men. The Board of Ministry Moderator: Barb Sherman.517-242-1234 Vice Moderator: Sid Lounds 89-640-6981 Board of Ministry Members: Tom Doppke..810-241-6794 Dave Elms...989-227-2865 Rod Fuller..989-224-3961 Marilyn Newman..517-331-3457 Bill Richards.... 517-331-4620 100 Maple Street St. Johns, MI 48879 Telephone: 989-224-2636 Fax: 989-224-8306 E-Mail: fccsj@4wbi.net Web Site: www.fccsj.com Facebook: firstcongregationalchurchofst.johns Hours: Mon-Wed-Fri 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Sunday Service 10:00 a.m. Senior Minister: Matthew Olson Director of Music Ministry: Rachael Short Church Administrator: Sandy Kemp Office Staff: Guven Witteveen Treasurer: Tom Webb Financial Secretary: Paul Martis Hands of Harmony Director: Susan Kilmer Custodians: Faith Hazard & Shirleyan Lake Sexton: Sid Lounds Don t forget VBS July 13-16! Board of Ministry Notes The Board of Ministry would like to remind everyone the importance of keeping up with your pledges this summer. We still have expenses to meet in the summer months and hope to stay both financially and spiritually healthy with continued budget awareness. The Mission Ministry continues to provide financial assistance to local, state and national organizations. Thanks to your pledges we have made payments in the amount of $4,000 through the second quarter of the year. If you would like to be part of the Mission Ministry Team please contact one of the members: Sue Nueder, Sue Gladstone, Kathy Kushmaul, Katie Livingston or Barb Sherman. A new mission is serving those who visit the baby pantry on Tuesdays. His Cup Runneth Over mobile food ministry provides simple meals to those in need. Please spread the word to those who may need a meal to stop by the Church parking lot.