News from Kingswood United Methodist Church

Kingswood Connected

alexander

July 14, 2011

Greetings!

Thoughts from the Pastor

Many folks have been without power this week ... the result of the surprisingly destructive storm on Monday morning. That is what happens .... sometimes a huge storm knocks the power out for a whole community. But it happens in our personal lives, too. A storm of some sort ... job-loss, chronic or critical illness, death of parent or spouse or child, violence, family conflict, poverty, mental illness, a natural disaster that destroys home, business, life ... sometimes these hit us and our sense of being in charge of our lives, of having some sort of power, is knocked out.

At the conference worship workshop that will be held at Kingswood on Saturday we are using a short song by Joanne Hamill that repeats the following sentence in a kind of haunting and hopeful refrain:

In the bone deep pain

of these dark times

I'll take your hand ---

will you take mine?

If we can know

the touch of friend

then perhaps this world

can turn around

again.

Many of you are experiencing storms of various kinds in your lives, and sometimes we can be overcome with the loss of power we experience. But two things are important to remember:

First. As the song says, "if we can know the touch of friend" .... things can begin to right themselves and we can feel less alone in the darkness. So let people reach out to you ... and connect with those living through storms.

And secondly, even on good days, we're not in charge. We are humbled by death and disaster and various other kinds of tragedies and trouble in our lives. We are humbled because they remind us that we are not the source of all power. But God's power for love and life are greater than any power we could ever have. And God's power is available to us ... to you and me and all of us, if we remember to "let go and let God, " as the saying says. Power outages of whatever kind are reminders that it is God's power and grace that created the universe and give it life to this day ... give life to you and me and our world, even in the midst of death.

We remember Paul's words of assurance to the Christians in Rome:
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. .... Like wise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. .... What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Nothing ... for I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Romans 8 selected verses

May you know the power of God's love and grace .... in storms and in calm.

Blessings!!!! Rev. Margaret Gramley

Interfaith Summer Reading Group - The Faith Club

18 persons from Kingswood, Beth Am and Temple Chai gathered last night for the first of what may be a series of discussion of the book The Faith Club by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner. We risked asking each other some hard questions and listened to hear what was hard in the asking as well as to begin answering the questions. One person asked: do you (Christians) blame us (Jews) for killing Jesus. That isn't fair!!!! Another asked, what does the crucifixion mean and if you eat the body and blood, isn't that like cannibalism? Whew!!! We discussed these last night and decided we had only begun so will gather again on August 24. Questions we've identified to discuss so far are: how do Jews in the US relate to Zionism? and what is the deal with Jews being "chosen?"

So ... if you didn't finish the book (most hadn't in the discussion last night), keep going and join the conversation on August 24 at 7pm at Beth Am.

Summer Kids Camp - Sunday School Schedule

Summer Sunday School is underway and continues through Sunday September 4.

Children age 4 through 5th grade will meet in room 116B/C at both 9am and 10:30am

July 17 - Wear your pajamas to Sunday School.

July 24 - Christmas in July

July 31 - "Breakfast and a Movie"

Food Pantry items are cooking oil, spaghetti sauce and pasta.

Nursery care is available for infants through age 3 at both services.

Summertime goes so fast...June and July 4 have already passed.

Here are just a few pictures of our most recent Kingswood activities.

The Patterson Family; Tim, Tracey, Matt and Patrick, presented The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krause for story time during worship on July 10.

Patterson's Carrot Seed Presentation

We celebrated The 4th of July with a potluck on the patio.

july 3 potluck

july 3 alvey

We said "good bye" to Rev. Han and his family.

sang hun potluck

Sang Hun cake

Adopt-a-Highway July Clean up Date Filled

The July Adopt a Highway date has been adopted by Regan Frieling and nine of her friends. They will be cleaning up Dundee Rd on July 30th for Stevenson High School service hours. Thank you to the Regan Frieling team!

Any other groups that would like to adopt one of the last 2011 road clean up dates for September or November please contact sheribrubeck@comcast.net. The group may choose their own date and time. If no group signs up for September or November the dates will be September 11 at 11:30am and November 13 at 11:30am. Everyone in middle school and older are welcome to help including friends, family, neighbors, etc. Please wear hard-soled, closed-toed shoes and gloves that will protect your hands from broken glass.

What are you doing this summer?

Kingswood Connected would like to see pictures of what you are doing this summer. Send pictures and information about your summer activities to ehicks@kingwoodumc.com.

Watch for vacation pictures in upcoming Kingswood Connected emails.

Usta-Be-Younger outing to Chicago Botanic Gardens and future activities

We will go to the Chicago Botanic Gardens on Wednesday, July 27, carpooling from church at 11:30am. We will enjoy lunch in the cafe at the gardens and then those that choose may stroll through the beautiful gardens at their leisure. Folks who wish may enjoy a tram ride around the grounds for a small fee. We should return to the church by 4pm. The entry fee is $25 per car, however members with stickers on their car get in free. Please sign up in the fireside room and check if you are a member and will drive to the gardens. Questions? Call Connie at 847-537-9114.

Future UBY activity suggestions include lunch on Bangs Lake in Wauconda at Lindy's Landing followed by shopping in Wauconda. We plan to go to the Royal Oak Farm near Harvard, Il. for lunch and purchasing fresh apples. Other suggestions include a bus trip to the Covenant Village of Northbrook including lunch and a tour of the facilities. Other places of interest include a play at the Skokie Theater, lunch at East of Eden in the Harris Bank in Palatine, lunch at Hackneys in Lake Zurich and a board game day.

The UBY group is made up of those who Usta-Be-Younger and those who are young at heart who enjoy fellowship with Kingswood members and their friends. Questions? Call Connie at 847-537-9114.

ravinia logo

KAAN Ravinia Events

Bev has picked out lovely CSO evenings for some wonderful music under the stars! We will designate a spot and meet with our picnics to enjoy the entertainment and fellowship. We have access to special lawn ($5) and pavilion ($12.50) pricing and students are free. If you are interested in joining Bev for any of these evenings, please contact her at bevmodlin@sbcglobal.net

July 24 - Brahms & Beethoven

July 31 - Tchaikovsky Spectacular 1812 (including canons)

August 6 - Itzak Perlman conducts Fleisher

August 9 - Concerto for 5 Pianos

Are you a "Lord of the Rings" fan? Ravinia is sponsoring a very special night Friday, August 19, at 7:30pm. The CSO will be playing the Oscar-winning score as the film "The Fellowship of the Ring" is shown on screens in the pavilion and on the lawn. If interested in organizing or being part of a group, contact Pam Gish.

KAAN's Summer Tours Go "Behind the Scenes"

June Yates, Pam Gish, Richard Lake, Cheri Stark, Pat & Lanny Gray and Carol Hansen at the Pullman Neighborhood Tour. Dave Gish took the photo.

Are you curious about how things are made or designed or what happens behind closed doors? Then we have some trips for you this summer! Sign up for 1, 2, or all of the following adult trips. Most group sizes are limited, so sign up early by contacting Pam Gish at pam_gish@hotmail.com or call her at (847) 438-08955

July 20 - BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Madir Complex, Bartlett. Come experience this Hindu temple which is a masterpiece of exotic design built by over 1,700 volunteers. (Wednesday, 10 - 2pm, $0 + lunch)

July 24 - Chicago "L" Tour. Ride the train with author Greg Borzo and learn about its history and see historical sites along the ride. (Leave after services on Sunday, 1-5pm, $11 + lunch)

August 13 - Backstage in "Broadway in Chicago" Haven't you always wanted to see what goes on backstage? This tour will take us backstage at the Oriental, Cadillac or Bank of America Theaters. (Saturday, 11 - 1pm, $13.60 + a Millennium Park stroll?)

****Groups will decide on travel and lunch arrangements****

Tom Gates and the Labyrinth featured in the local paper!

Labyrinth Article in Buffalo Grove Patch

Tommy Gates

Youth Mission Trip

The Senior High Work Camp trip is to Galveston, Texas from July 31 to August 6, to work on homes devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008. They will be working with One Mission Initiative.
You can sponsor a youth using the donation link in the right hand column. Select "Youth Mission Trip", and please add the youth participant's name where designated.

The youth mission team appreciates the generous donation of the 2011 mission team t-shirts from Don and Maryann Harkess!

In This Issue

Interfaith Summer Reading

Summer Sunday School

Summer Event Pictures

Adopt-a-Highway

Youth Work Camp

UBY outing

KAAN Ravinia Events

KAAN Summer Tours

Labyrinth Article

Mission Trip

This Sunday in Worship

5th Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture:

Romans 8:22-27

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24

Story Time:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by Judith Viorst

presented by Krist Neumann

Message:

Knowing in the "Not Yet"

Special Music:

Sharon Mayer

Prayers, Joys & Concerns

Doug Johnson (brother of Jeff and Greg) is at Adolorato after a brief hospitalization over the weekend. He has an inoperable brain tumor.

Doug Gerhardt (Dave's brother) is having tests for a growth on his leg.

Opal Schreiner (Lynn's mother) who is nearing the end of this life as her family gathers to share her final days.

The family of Doris Gibson (Jim's mother) who died June 25 after surgery to repair a broken hip.

MaryJean Myers (mother of Margaret Gramley) who is in rehab after a brief hospitalization.

The family of Leonard Turpin (step-brother of James Kyle) who passed away from this life last weekend. He lived in Arizona with his sister.

Sherian Rupsis, who suffered a heart attack a couple of weeks ago.

Jane Leichty as she continues to recover from surgery.

Anne Bluder, continues to undergo tests.

Congratulations to Nicole Tiffany Pearson (daughter of Scott and Kimberly Pearson) and Ryan Andrew Wagner on their engagement. They were engaged on June 19 and the wedding will be September 21, 2012.

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