TUSCOLA CHRISTIAN Publication of First Christian Church, Tuscola, Illinois NDP: Thursday, May 4, 2017 Join members of the community and area churches at Forty Martyrs Hall for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. The prayer service is sponsored by TAMA (Tuscola Area Ministerial Alliance). The service is at 12:05 pm with special music, prayers, readings and scripture. After the service, everyone is invited to stay for the soup luncheon. No charge for the meal. We hope to see you there! Hunt for the Clues! Sunday, May 7, 2017 Gather a carful of people and participate in a Scavenger Hunt around Tuscola! (Style comparable to the Amazing Race. ) All money raised goes to the DR Mission Trip. Entry fee is $100 per car. Beginning at the church, there will be 12 locations to Tind around the city of Tuscola. Come and join in an evening of fun and fellowship and earn the Top Finder braggin rights! If you have any questions, contact Lori Reed. May 2017, Vol. 57 1
Hopeful Fever It has infected all of us, hasn't it. You step out the door in the morning and smell the enticing aroma from a kaleidoscope of nearby blossoms. Cardinals and robins are offering their best choral presentations. The frequently superb weather beckons us to Tind a reason to be outside: gardening, yard- work, walking, jogging, or just being. We have spring fever! Spring is notable as an metaphor for hope. We know that there is a trend of warmer days, fewer frosty mornings, and more Tlowers. We do not know if it will always be better. We've seen springs that suddenly regress with a killing frost, or that transition to searing, drought dominated summers. We've known years when the rains, so welcome in April, never let up enough to enable effective planting and harvesting of crops. Yet we risk hope that the Tlowers we sow, the tomatoes we plant, the crops going into the Tields will experience the weather conditions that enable them to develop and mature productively. Do you notice that our springtime hope is active hope? We plant, we water, we fertilize, and we cultivate, all in support of our hope. In fact, hope without a commitment to active participation is little more than passive daydreaming. What are you hoping for?...for your personal life... for your family... for your church? Feel free to dream your best dreams, but have the courage to nurture that dream into a Living Hope that is as secure as God's will. "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self- controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." I Peter 1:13 May your spring fever blossom as you invite the Lord to assist you in a productive, hopeful life working toward the harvest. - Paul Boatman May 2017, Vol. 57 Wednesday, May 10th 11:30 am The May get together will showcase the Honors Choir from TCHS, under the direction of Jeannie Craddock. We always look forward to hearing from our high school students! The potluck luncheon will be salads & desserts. So bring a couple of dishes to share. Invite a friend and join us! DR Missions Trip Update We have reached half- way to our fund raising goal. Our present total is $11,000 for our trip. If you can help, we still have a ways to go to accomplish our goal. There are 14 people going on the trip. We leave on the night of May 29th. We ask that you keep the trip and participants in your prayers. Pray that God will use us in a special ways to glorify Him and His church in the Dominic Republic. Thank you. 2
Baccalaureate Service Tuesday, May 16 7:00 pm @ TCHS MAY SUNDAYS 9:15 am class each Sunday AM (May 21 - FIT Team duties) HERE S WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MAY 4 - National Day of Prayer, 12 noon 7 - Road Rally for DR Mission Trip @ 7:00 pm 14 - No youth group - Make Mom s Day special! 16 - Baccalaureate Service at TCHS, 7:00 pm 21 - Dodgeball Tournament May 30-June 6 - Dominican Republic MISSION TRIP If you have questions, contact Lori Reed, 259-2433; lori@fcctuscola.com 2017 GRADUATES Please let the church of\ice know of any graduates from our church family. We would like to recognize them on a Sunday in May. Thank you. 253-2394 or of\ice@fcctuscola.com. Thank You Dear Friends, Thank you so much for your prayers for Larry during his open heart surgery and recovery. The Lord has been so gracious to grant him a speedy and relatively pain- free recovery. Thank you for lifting him up. We are so grateful for your praying spirit. - In His love, Larry & Cindy Coombes Dear Church Family, We appreciate all the prayers, cards, meals and visits expressed to our family during Dave s recent surgeries. Your thoughtfulness and caring is a testimony to God working in our church family. Thank you very much. - Dave & Barb Lohr Come out and help honor the graduates by attending the Baccalaureate service on May 16th. Drey Brown will be the speaker for the evening. Drew is a member of the Illini Football Team. There will be special music and a gift for each graduate attending. Show your support and appreciation for our seniors of Tuscola High School. The service is sponsored by TAMA (Tuscola Area Ministerial Alliance). Dodgeball Kings Tournament Sunday, May 21st 4:00 pm All ages groups are invited to play dodgeball on May 21st. Form a team of six players and get ready to participate! Entry is $40 per team. Proceeds will go to the DR Mission Trip. Come out and enjoy the fun! PRAYER CIRCLE We welcome everyone to come out on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 pm to pray and offer thanks. We make a special time to pray for our church family, leadership, and our nation. May 2017, Vol. 57 3
Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all! Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. Proverbs 31:28-31 Smile There was a judicious mother who said, I obey my children for the first year of their lives, but ever after I expect them to obey me! - Henry Ward Beecher Sunday School teacher: Tell me, Johnny, Do you say prayers before eating? Johnny: No, Ma am. I don t have to. My Mom s a good cook! Son: Dad, do you know the difference between a pack of cookies and a pack of elephants? Dad: No. Son: Then it s a good thing Mom does the grocery shopping! May 2017, Vol. 57 4
Remember in Prayer Mission Trip to Dominican Republic Alexis Cunningham, granddaughter of S. Bossle s co- worker Diane Swatko Brenda Miller, Lori Reed s mom Mark Payne Ric Jones, bro- in- law of Fred & Diana Metheny Taylor Buesing, granddaughter of Howard & Susan Bossle Brad Hornaday Tim Johnson Amanda Sexson Freda Thompson, Bruce s mother Orlena McDaniel Linda McElroy, daughter of Ruth Burress Dale Burns Fern Stinson & Eunice Carner, mothers of John & Linda Carner Kelly Burns, granddaughter of Dale & Martha Cathy Weatherford, niece of Ron & Linda Schultz Landon Shiu, Sharon s grandson Kara Kuhns, friend of Ron & Linda Schultz Our Church Family, Church Leaders, Transition Team Government Leaders Our Sympathy goes out to Rich & Kelly Whittington & family in the loss of his mother, Dorothy Whittington; also to Shirley Reed & family in the loss of her husband, Jim Reed. Missions We Support Abel Sairattanyu family (Thailand), Jack Swanson family (Chile), Little Galilee Christian Camp, Christian Campus House EIU, Lincoln Christian University LCU, Illini Christian Ministries, Stadia Church Planting, Roseland Good News Daycare (Ms. Pearl), Operation Christmas Child If you have an update or a request to add, please contact the church ofdice. ofdice@fcctuscola.com or 253-2394 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and find grace to help us when we need it. - Hebrews 4:16 FIT Team Serving the Month of May 7 Joyce Allison/Myron Gingerich; Team 3 14 Joe Harris/Alison Bowen; Team 4 21 Jack & Phylliss Ehrsam; Team 1 28 Martha Burns/Sandy Robinson; Team 2 Communion Meditation 7 1st- S. Clarkson 2nd- S. Clarkson 14 1st- C. Romine 2nd- S. Kerkhoff 21 1st- L. Reed 2nd- L. Reed 28 1st- H. Bossle 2nd- B. Thompson Serving Out Serving Leader - May 7 H. Bossle 1st: Gale Underwood 14 M. Otto 2nd: Steve Fox 21 A. Reeder 28 D. Dundas Communion Preparation April 30 & May 7 Dan & Barb Alexander May 14 & 21 Terry Hornaday May 28 & June 4 Martha Rhoades Communion Clean-Up April 30 & May 7 Dan & Barb Alexander May 14 & 21 Linda Kincaid May 28 & June 4 Chris & Denise Brown Attendance Worship Sun. School April 2 176 33 April 9 195 24 April 16 225 April 23 171 47 April 30 160 40 est. APRIL 4/2 4/9 4/16 4/23 4/30 General Fund (Missions is 10%) $9382.52 $4906.00 $6137.50 $7163.52 $9434.00 Benevolence 170.00 75.00 345.00 116.00 320.00 Debt Reduction 1000.00 Other giving & Reimbursements 1801.07 463.55 1479.42 60.50 1073.30 TOTAL $11,353.59 $5,444.55 $7,961.92 $8,340.02 $10,827.30 May 2017, Vol. 57 5
100 E Church Street Tuscola IL 69153 Phone: 217-253-2394 Fax: 217-253-3869 Email: office@fcctuscola.com Sunday Worship Services 8:00 & 10:30 am Sunday School Classes 9:15 am for all ages Office Hours: 8 am - 4 pm Mon-Fri Ministers: Lori Reed, Randy Ingmire (interim minister) MAY 2017 Little Galilee Camp FCC is collecting lemonade mix and bags of mini marshmallows for camp this summer. Drop off container is at the church near the office. Thank you for helping the camp for the summer sessions! Don t forget to register for Summer Camp at Little Galilee. Go to littlegalilee.com. You can pick up a brochure at the church. May 29th Honor those who have served and are serving right now for our country. Church Calendar 3,10,17,24,31 - Prayer Circle, 5:30 pm 3 - Last meeting for God s Girls/Gathering of Brothers, 3:30 pm. (Will resume next fall) 3 - Quilting Group, 9:00 am 4 - National Day of Prayer at 40 Martyrs Hall 6 - Building use, foyer 7 - Last class for Financial Peace University, 6:00 pm 7 - Road Rally, 7:00 pm 10 - Prime Timers, 11:30 am 10 - Transition Team meeting, 6:30 pm 16 - Baccalaureate Service at TCHS, 7:00 pm 17 - Quilting Group, 9:00 am 21 - Worship Service at the Nursing Home, 4:00 pm 21 - Dodgeball Tournament 23 - Building use, auditorium 24 - Transition Team meeting, 6:30 pm 27 - Building use, foyer 28 - Prayer service for Mission Trip 29 - Church office closed 30-June 6 - Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic! May 2017, Vol. 57 6