First Christian Church THE KARUSOGRAPH (USPS 536-250) is published monthly by Corner of W. Main & N. Jackson FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 100 N. Jackson St., Clinton, Illinois 61727. 100 N. Jackson St. Periodicals postage paid at Clinton, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Karusograph First Christian Church, 100 N. Jackson St., June 2017 Contact Information Phone (217) 935-3139 Fax (217) 935-3130 Email office@clintonfcc.com Office Hours 8am-4:30pm Monday Thursday Greg Taylor Minister of Preaching & Teaching greg@clintonfcc.com 217-853-3196 Samuel Green Minister of Modern Worship & Spiritual Formation samuel@clintonfcc.com Cody Monkman Minister of Students cody@clintonfcc.com Cassandra Benton Minister of Children - Early Childhood cassandra@clintonfcc.com Allison Hitchings Minister of Children - Elementary allison@clintonfcc.com Melinda Heinlen Connections & Community Groups melinda@clintonfcc.com Lindsey Moody Connections & Small Groups lindsey@clintonfcc.com Kim Rose Office Manager kim@clintonfcc.com Mandi Ries Ministry Administrative Assistant mandi@clintonfcc.com Jennifer Causer Financial Administrative Assistant financial@clintonfcc.com Volume 59 Issue 6 First Kids Vacation Bible School June 5-9 from 9am - 11:30am Open to ages 4yrs old through 5th grade. Please refer to the First Kids page for more information!
It is hard to believe summer is upon us, but here we go! Every summer brings multiple opportunities and multiple threats both to our individual and family lives and also our church family let me share about a couple of both this month. Let s start with the potential negatives: THREATS: The danger of disconnecting Spiritually For many in the past, the summer has sadly become a time where their spiritual life has really been almost non-existent for one reason or another. With summer comes a change in routine for many of us, and if we are not careful, our spiritual life, and the spiritual life of our family, can really suffer. What s the answer? Simple make your spiritual life a priority more than ever. Make a commitment to participate in our daily Bible reading challenge, even if you have not previously. Look for new possibilities to grow spiritually, like programming at nearby Little Galilee Christian Camp or gatherings like the Tuesday night evening Bible study for women led by MyKenzie Green and Jennifer Causer, or Reload for men on Tuesdays at 6am in the Cable Building. Go against the curve and make the most of this summer! The danger of sporadic Attendance Summer is almost synonymous with trips to the lake, rounds of golf at the club and family trips all over the land and these are all wonderful blessings! Sadly, many times gatherings at church end up being the number one casualty. What s the answer: Enjoy these special extra activities but make church attendance a priority. If you go on vacation, make sure you visit another church and you will be probably be blessed! The danger of a Financial drought The summer slump is no myth at most churches and Clinton FCC is no exception. We have been blessed by a really strong giving spring, and yet this threat is real and has bitten us in the past. Out of town Aspen Ridge Care Center 2530 N. Monroe, Decatur, IL 62526 Shirley Thompson Good Samaritan 20705 W 151st St Room 106 Olathe, KS 66061 June Cheatham Evenglow Lodge 215 E Washington Pontiac, IL 61764 Bob Adcock Brookdale Desert Ridge 4050 E Bluefield Ave, Room 122 Phoenix, AZ 85032 Colleen Stephens Woodside at Friendship Village 1390 N Drake Rd Kalamazoo, MI 49006 Dody Thomason Heartland Healthcare Center 520 Broadway Room 192B Normal, IL 61761 Terry Havlin Hickory Point Christian Village 565 W Marion Ave Forsyth, IL 62535 Norma Hollibaugh Local Manor Ct/Liberty Village 1 Park Lane Theda Adams Donna Arnold Thomas E Bray Tom Bundy Betty Burris Larry Chapman Marie Jackson Gene Jones Betty Kyle Mary Lane Ray Martin Eleanor Mears Wilma Mestinek Lura Murphy Al Perring Helen Polley Helen Shelton Georgia Sobolewski Shirley Utterback Allan Webb Hawthorne Inn/Liberty Village (Supportive Living) 1 Park Lane Mary Burton Audrey Fields Helen Thorp
Don t forget to stop by Coffee at the Crossing on Sunday mornings to get a tasty beverage. All proceeds will benefit COPE ministries! What s the answer: Make giving a priority even when you are absent. One great way to do this is through our online giving option! Check out our website or call the office for more information. But nobody likes a Debbie Downer so here a couple of positives: POSITIVES: Special summer opportunities F.E.E.D Ministries will be cooking again on June 25 at 6pm in the downstairs kitchen. F.E.E.D provides freezer meals to those in need in our community. If you enjoy cooking and having fellowship time with other women, this is the ministry for you! We hope to see you there! We would love to have you join others from our church as they travel to the Christian Village in Lincoln, IL. We fold laundry, clean tables or just talk with the many residents who reside at the Christian Village. We will leave at 8:30 am on Thursday, June 15 & return between 2:30-3 pm. This ministry is open to anyone, men & women! Mobile FoodPantry June 10 10am - 11:30am at First Christian Church If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please sign up in the office or at the information booth. Volunteers will need to show up at 9am. Our Food Pantry is in need of plastic grocery bags. If you have any, please bring them into the church office. Thanks for your help! It s that time of year again and Little Galilee Christian Camp could use our help with cereal for campers. They need the following cereals: Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Captain Crunch, Golden Grahams, and Rice Krispies. Please place cereal in the box in the foyer or bring to the church office. Thank you! VBS is a great chance to plug in and serve! Little Galilee provides a ton of programming options for individuals young and old and families. Youth ministry and children s ministry events are frequent and inviting. Our third annual Block Party on August 27 will be a chance for much our community to gather at FCC for an evening of fun, food and fellowship who are you inviting? More time in the day, typically More daylight means more chances to gather both inside and outside and this brings the opportunity for biking, running, walking, grilling, boating and the like why not leverage these fun activities for the Lord! Service, Service, Service Maybe you could plug in for our Mobile Food pantry on June 10? Or give Kevin Peterson at LGCA a couple of hours to help with the needs of the camp? We have nearby monthly mission partners nearby that could be visited and encouraged. And Dana Korneman is always looking for folks who can help with Building and Grounds. My hope and prayer is simple: Let s make 2017 the best it possibly can be all for the glory of God! Let s enjoy one incredible summer in the Son Jesus Christ! Blessings Are you looking for a place to serve? We would love the opportunity to talk to you about some of the ministry volunteer opportunities we have available. Please call the church office for more information! GT
College Scholarship applications are available at the information booth or church office. There is a Bible School College Scholarship for students who are attending a Bible College and for students pursuing a career in teaching, there is the Kent & Merla Hickerson Scholarship application. Please be sure to pick up the appropriate application at the Welcome Center or the Church Office. Scholarship applications are due by July 1st. Have you spent some quiet time in our new prayer room? The new prayer room is located at the end of the hallway of the new Adult Education Wing. It is available anytime the church is open. We invite you to enjoy this sacred space & spend time with the Lord. Please remember that May 28 is Family Sunday which is a one service Sunday at 9:30am. Children 3yrs old - 5th grade will join their families in main worship. Please enjoy worshipping together as a family! Starting on June 1st a new Bridge podcast will be available. This month s podcast is entitled, Christian Faith Partnerships with Parents. This is definitely one you won t want to miss so check it out! Attention All Students!!! Junior High Student House Please join us on June 4 for a fun night at the Monkman household from 6pm - 8pm. High School Student House Please join us on June 11 for a fun night at the Monkman household from 6pm - 8pm. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:15-16 From June 5 to June 9, children will become Galactic Starveyors on an adventure to discover the God of the universe. Children 4 years old through those entering 5th grade will explore God s Word, sing together in worship, play awesome games and eat tasty snacks! This year, we are excited to have Scott DeWitt from Casas por Cristo as our VBS missionary! Scott has been hard at work, planning fun and interactive missions moments for each day. In addition to the regular VBS fun, 4th & 5th graders have special projects lined up to bless both the nursing home in Clinton and the Central Illinois Chapter of Project Linus. Please be praying for the children and volunteers to have a fun-filled week. Also pray for those children who only are exposed to the Gospel each year at VBS, and that our volunteers can truly show them the love of Jesus. Please keep Scott & family in your prayers as they travel to spend the week here in Clinton. So many amazing things are happening this year at VBS 2017! Registration is still open If you have a child in your life, encourage them to come to VBS! June 5-9 Galactic Starveyors 9am-11:30am
Norma Hollibaugh June 12-96 yrs. Hickory Point Christian Village 565 W Marion Ave Forsyth, IL 62535 Wilma Mestinsek June 14-90 yrs. Manor Ct/Liberty Village 1 Park Lane Velma Kennedy June 21st - 93 yrs. 999 St Route 10 West, Apt 17 June Birthdays Edna Mae Seaton June 21-92 yrs. 209 S Grant St Shut-in Birthdays June Cheatham June 13 Good Samaritan 20705 W 151st St Room 106 Olathe, Kansas 66061 Decisions for Christ & His Church Corrie Ijams, 73 Kirkwood Dr, Clinton, IL was baptized on April 30 at FCC. Corrie is the daughter of Chad & Karen Ijams. Send a card to help celebrate a birthday, birth of a new baby, a marriage or send a note to others on the nursing home list. You will make their day!! Help! We need your favorite recipes for the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish cookbook which is being assembled. All proceeds from sale of the books goes to Little Galilee for the new dining hall fund. Please send your recipes by email to littlegalileecookbook@gmail.com or mail them to: Shirley Fields, 707 W. Clay St., Clinton, IL. Please include your name, address and phone number. Spiritual Disciplines Chiara Center Retreat We invite you to a 24 hour retreat for solitude and silence with the Lord! Where: Chiara Retreat Center In Springfield, IL When: Friday, June 23, 6pm to Saturday, June 24, 6pm Cost: $71.50 for overnight and breakfast. $91 for overnight and 3 meals. To register call Chiara at 217-523-0901. If you have any questions, please contact the church office. We hope you will join us! Promotion Sunday On June 4, incoming 1st grade through 5th grade will promote to their new classes. Incoming Kindergartners will promote on August 20. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Cassandra Benton Please join Kay Werts and her family on Saturday, May 27 as they celebrate her retirement. Kay has taught for 33 years and has impacted so many of her students throughout the years. The party will be at The Eagles from 1pm - 4pm. We hope you will join us in honoring such a special woman!
Women s Summer Bible Study Please join Mykenzie Green and Jen Causer as they lead a study entitled, Fear & Faith by Trillia Newbell. The study will be every Tuesday beginning June 13 at 6:30pm. Cost of the book is $8. Please call the church office to sign up. All Church Picnic Please join us for an All Church Picnic on Sunday June 25th at Wapella Park from 5:30pm - 8pm. Bring a picnic dinner for your family, lawn chairs, and yard games. It is going to be a great night of fellowship and connecting as a church family. Email any questions to connections@clintonfcc.com Are you a new attender to FCC??? Join us in the FCC foyer for a Meet & Greet on June 25 at 9:30am. We are excited to introduce you to FCC and our staff! Coffee and light snacks will be provided. For more information, please contact connections@clintonfcc.com. We look forward to meeting you! Area Men s Fellowship Wapella Christian Church Tuesday, June 6 at 7pm We hope you will join us for a great night of fellowship! We are set to have a great speaker and a wonderful meal. If you are interested in riding the church shuttle please contact the church office for more information, 935-3139 Men s Reload Reload will meet on June 13 & 27 at 6am in the Cable Building. Please join us for some good food and fellowship! May has been a busy month for YAH. On the 5th Joel Ruppert shared his talent in painting a picture of blooming flowers, while we ended the meeting with eating a dirt cup complete with gummy worm. Twenty of us trekked over to Springfield where we spent the day learning more about our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Our next get together is Friday, June 2, 2017, 10:30 -Noon. We will be having a birthday party with sub sandwich lunch, carnival games with prizes, and cake and ice cream. Bring the birthday honoree YOU and a salad to share. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 SPECIAL NOTE: The August 4th Get Together will be in the evening to allow some of our working YAH to attend. Sign-ups have begun for the following Excursions. Sign up in the FCC Church Office or at YAH meetings! Wed., June 21 - Green Mill Dinner Theatre in Arcola to see Adam and Eve Go to Marriage Counseling. The cost is $35. We will leave at 10:00am and return by 4:30pm. Cut off for sign up and payment will be Friday, June 2 at the YAH Get Together. WE ONLY HAVE ROOM FOR 7 MORE! Sat., July 15 Charter Bus to Historic Hannibal, Missouri. We will lunch onboard the Mark Twain Riverboat and then take a sightseeing tour. Next we will see a presentation by Mark Twain Himself and stop for a fast food supper on the way home. Cost is $55. We will leave FCC at 8:30am and return at 8:00pm. Cut off for sign up and payment will be Friday, July 7 at the YAH Get Together. Wed., August 23 Charter Bus to Old Mill Creek, IL to see the Tempel Lipizzan Stallion Show. A box lunch will be provided. We will tour the stables and stop at Delaney's Restaurant, in Oglesby for Supper. Cost is $55. We will leave FCC at 8:00am and return at 8:00pm. Cut off for sign up and payment will be Friday, August 4 at the YAH Get Together. Exciting update, we have seen 122 different folks attend our YAH get together over 3 months! God is good! Johnny & Marcia Wise (217-521-5504) and Roger & Jan Dial