February 16, 2012
Focus on Faith
Faith United Presbyterian Church
Bill
What Do You Think? "Are our Best Days Yet to Come?"  
 
What must it feel like to live with the fear that our best days are behind us?  We see this all the time in celebrities and athletes, who, like the grass of the field, are here today and gone tomorrow.  One wonders if that is not the primary reason so many live tragic lives of addiction and self-destruction until their untimely deaths.  Of course, such despair is not limited to the rich and famous.  Many remember, fondly, the glory days of high school or college.  Others live with the debilitation of disease or the growing infirmity of age and wonder:  What next?
 
Even once thriving communities, such as ours, have a hard time looking to the future with hope.  Some, yet, remember a day, when our downtown thrived and our church pews were full.  Looking at the pictures of those days, at County Market and elsewhere, it is even hard for me to be optimistic about our future.  I can't imagine what it must be like for those who lived through our glory days.  Nevertheless, in spite of what my eyes see and my ears hear, as a person of faith, I do live in hope that our best days are yet to come.
 
The prophet Isaiah proclaims, "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.  I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"  In commenting on this text, Steven S. Tuell acknowledges:  "Our most joyous memories may also be our most painful ones.  The recollection of lost loved ones can bring fresh loneliness and grief.  The memory of past success, contrasted with present failure, can drive us to despair.  The point, for the prophet, is that the community must not cling to its past, either in resignation or in nostalgia, but must instead turn toward God's future.  The Lord is 'about to do a new thing' (43:19).
 
It is hard to know what the future holds for our community and our church.  Economic and spiritual poverty remain pressing issues for our community and they are more closely related than many are willing to admit.  For example, we would benefit from new businesses, particularly light industry, moving into Monmouth.  What do prospective businesses look at when considering a new location?  Among other factors, the quality of education in the community.  Why?  Their workers want their children to have a quality education and the company wants a local pool of capable workers from which to hire.  It is no secret our community has room to improve in this area.
 
Some of the challenges we face are related to funding, or the lack thereof, by our state officials.  However, there are other issues we can address locally.  We have some excellent teachers in our district, many of them are members of our congregation.  Our school board members, our district administrators, and our teachers union need to find a way to work together to identify those teachers who are not excelling in their craft and hold them accountable.  Whether this comes through more intentional mentoring and enhancing communication across the curriculum; providing additonal opportunities for professional development; or, encouraging them to find another vocation, we must find a way for all teachers to attain the standard of exellence set by the many excellent teachers we do have in our district.  As important as these issues are, I am not sure they are the most important facing our district.
 
If we knew how many children in our district are simply unprepared to be educated, I believe we would be appalled.  Things most of us took for granted, as children and parents, for example, bathing, eating well balanced meals, getting a good night's sleep, and learning right from wrong, are not a given for many of the children in our district.  Parental guidelines on movies, music, and video games are laughable.  Those few parents who even care have already made it clear to their children what is appropriate and what isn't.  Even teacher/parent conferences are questionable.  Most of the parents who come are the parents of the students who are already doing well.  We simply have a generation, or more, of parents who have no clue what it means to raise healthy children, who have a love for learning and are prepared to make good life choices.  Here is where, I believe, we can be of service.
 
If Monmouth's, not to mention our congregation's, future is to be better than our past, we have to find better ways to address the spiritual poverty consuming so many of our families.  This is a formidable task.  However, there is hope.  For God has promised, "I am about to do a new thing."  People of faith, may we have the eyes and faith to perceive it, and the will to make it so.

See you in church!
 
Pastor Myers

 
Out of the Mouths of Our Babes...

 

Our Sunday school class was studying the passage of Jesus with the children.  I asked them, "So, what is the faith of a child?"   They started telling me what they believed...

 

Paul - 2nd grade  - "Faith is  love.  Jesus is our savior.  Jesus is God's son.  He died on the cross for us."

 

Barbara - 3rd grade - "If you believe in God, God can help you and you can pray to God." 

 

Noah - 3rd grade - "God is always with you.  Jesus saved us so the gates of heaven would open for us."

 

Eddie - 1st grade - "I believe God answers all your prayers even when you think He doesn't."              

To this Paul replied, "Exactly!"

 

Jordan - 1st grade - "I believe in Jesus and God.  God made us.  God is always there for me and I'm there for him." 

 

When asked, "Why did Jesus welcome the children?"  Jordan replied, "Because Jesus respects everyone and because He is God's son and loves everyone in the world."

 

"Suffer the little children to come unto me, Do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs."   

Mark 10:14-15


 

February Birthdays 

 

2         Dee Long

5         Korey Fisher

           Betty McBride

7         Denise Turnbull
           Dick Griffiths

6         Emily Yard  

           John Marshall

9         Megan Lyle

11       Helen Redmond

12       Ralph Whiteman

13       Sandra Spainhour

            Buster Kellogg, Jr.

18       Jennifer Hedges

19       Will Myers

            Sharon Simpson

21       Gary Heaton

22       Ryan Cheek

            Bill Smallwood

23       Catrina Pullen

24        Jackie Andrews

            Ted Briscoe

25       Martha Whiteman

26       Carl Shaub

            Kathleen Fannin

            Helen Owens

27       Susan Trevor

28       Joyce Patterson

 

 

 
This Sunday...
 
"Live in the Name of Jesus"   

2 Kings 2:1-12                                                                    2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Psalm 50:1-6                                                                                      Mark 9:2-9

 

Lay Assistant:  Bonnie Heflin

Beedle/Crucifer: Kara Fisher & Will Best
Ushers: George Nieman, Carolyn Meling, Steve Johnson, Bob Green, and Dee Ann Shuff
Greeters: TBA              

Children's Church: Tom Best     

Nursery: Tammi & Dalton Hottle  

Coffee Hour: Dick & Jan Speer             

 

 

View our  calendar.   

 

 

 
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.

 

Sunday School for children ages 3-18 will begin meeting again this Sunday, January 8.  Pre-K - 6th grades meet upstairs above the Social Hall.  7th-12th grades meet in the red room of the Youth Wing. 

Faith & Life - This group will meet in the Social Hall.

February 19 - Liberation Theology in Mexico and Central America, taught by Margie Myers.

February 26 - We will begin the Lenten Series  "The Devil and C.S. Lewis."  If you have a copy of the Screwtape Letters please dig it out.

March 4 - Dr. Heather Brady (Monmouth College) will complete our series on Immigration. 

March 11 - April 1 - Continue the series on "The Devil and C.S.Lewis."

 

Sunday Bible Study
Joyce Hagemann's class will not meet in February.  This class will resume on March 4 in the Bride's Room across from the chapel.  All adults are welcome to attend. The 12 week unit will cover God's Creative Word through John.  The first lesson is now available in the cabinet in the classroom.
 

 

Jamieson Center
Help us stock the food pantry at Jamieson!  You may bring anything non-perishable and place it under the sign outside the office.  To make it easier, you could go with a schedule such as this:

February 19 - canned vegetables and canned meat
February 26 - noodles, sauce, and soups

 

Let's fill the boxes each week!  Thank you!



An Invitation to Read the Bible
Sunday - Ruth 2:1 - 1 Samuel 1:28, Monday - 1 Samuel 2:1-5:8, Tuesday - 1 Samuel 5:9-9:26, Wednesday - 1 Samuel 9:27-13:22, Thursday - 1 Samuel 13:23-15:23, Friday - 1 Samuel 15:24-17:57, Saturday - 1 Samuel 17:58-20:23, Sunday (2/26/12) - 1 Samuel 20:24-23:29.     


Lost & Found
We've accumulated many items here at the church over time.  Please check the Library this Sunday to see if you may have left something here at one time.  There are many kitchen items.  Thank you!


Spaghetti Dinner
Monmouth Roseville Music Boosters ask for your support.  They need people to eat spaghetti on Saturday, February 18, from 5 - 7:00 p.m. at the 1st Street Armoury.  The menu will be:  spaghetti and sauce, coleslaw, bread, drink, and dessert.

Tickets cost $5.00 and can be purchased at the Buchanan Center, from Margie Myers (734-6447), or any Monmouth Roseville music student.  Tickets purchased at the door will be $6.00.

Please support the future of music in the schools by eating with us on February 18th.  Thank you! 

MC Announcement 

Ash Wednesday
All are invited to a soup supper on February 22, at 5:30 p.m. in the Social Hall.  The children of Wednesday Night Live and their parents will also be joining us, and would love to get to know the members of our congregation.  

Ash Wednesday Worship Service

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday as a day of mourning for our sin and the sin of all humanity before God, a recognition of our mortality save for the grace of God and a request that the Lord remember our creation and breathe new life into our burned-out, dusty lives once more.  Ash Wednesday begins with a public act of confession and contrition with an imposition of ashes.  Ashes on the forehead are a sign of our humanity and a reminder of our mortality. Acknowledging that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we stand in solidarity as fellow creatures before our Creator, acutely aware of our mortality.  In the face of our transience, we pledge ourselves anew to live unto God's Word in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word that remains forever.   

 

Join us at Faith United Presbyterian Church, on February 22, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. for an Ash Wednesday service of worship.  Our worship will feature music in the Taize tradition, the imposition of ashes, prayers for healing and wholeness, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper.  All are welcome!

 

Isabel Circle
Isabel Circle will meet at the home of Pam Youngblood at 341 South 8th Street in Monmouth on Thursday, February 23, at 7:00 p.m.  All members and friends of the church are welcome to join the group.

 

Crystal Sargent will be the facilitator for Lesson 5:  Greatly Honored Are Those Who Show Mercy! from the 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study: Confessing the Beatitudes.  The Beatitudes are poetry that Jesus used to point us to those whom we should honor.  In the first four beatitudes spoken from the mountain, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes for his disciples, and for us, a group of people whom we are called to honor.  This group includes those who are destitute, mourning and weeping, humbled, and famished for food and justice.  In Lesson 5, Jesus calls us to imitate God by showing mercy through emotion, action, and dedication.
 

2012 Ecumenical Lenten Lay Breakfast

The 37th Annual Lenten Lay Breakfast series will begin on Friday, February 24, and continue each Friday morning through Good Friday, April 6.  Strom Center will, again, be the host for the series.  Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m. with the program from 7:15-7:45 a.m. The list of participating churches is as follows:

 

February 24    First Lutheran

March 2            Faith United Presbyterian

March 9            Fairview Center Methodist/Coldbrook Christian

March 16          Immaculate Conception

March 23          First United Methodist

March 30          Heritage Presbyterian

April 6               Immanuel Baptist/River of Life

 

The breakfast series is sponsored by the Warren County Ministerial Association.

 

Homemade Soup Meal

Little Cedar Presbyterian Church in Little York will have a soup meal on Sunday, February 26, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  You will have your choice of soup, salad bar, dessert, and drink. Donation will be taken at the door.  There will also be a silent auction.

 

175th Anniversary

The First Presbyterian Church of 101 North Prairie Street in Galesburg, will be celebrating its 175th anniversary on Sunday, February 26, 2012.  Please join them at 3:00 p.m. for a service of celebration.

 


RSVP Volunteer Program

The RSVP volunteer program of Warren County and Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging (WIAAA) has partnered with OSF Holy Family to hold a Matter of Balance (MOB) class to area residents.  MOB, uses group discussion, problem-solving strategies, videos, and gentle physical exercise.  Older adults learn positive coping methods to reduce fear of falling and remain active and independent.  Classes begin Wednesday, February 29, 2012.  It is an 8 session class and will meet Wednesday and Friday's from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at OSF Holy Family.  There is a 12 person limit.  For more information or to sign-up, please call Amye Bean at 309-428-5841.   

 


Thai Circle

Thai Circle will meet on March 1, at 9:30 a.m. in the Social Hall.  Lesson 5 of this year's study guide will be discussed.   

 


World Day of Prayer

The Christian women of Malaysia invite all women to join them Friday, March 2, for World Day of Prayer 2012.  Our local worship service will be held at Cameron Christian Church at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 2.   

 


You Are Invited!

Jon and Sharon Graham of Biggsville, Illinois will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house hosted by their daughter and family at Faith United Presbyterian Church from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.  All friends and family are invited.  The couple has requested no gifts, please.

Jon Graham and Sharon Galley were married on March 4, 1962 at University Avenue Methodist Church in Peoria, Illinois.

They are the parents of one daughter, Lorella (Bill) McLaughlin and two granddaughters of Edwardsville, Illinois.   

 


Fillman Fellowship

Fillman Fellowship will meet on Thursday, March 8, at 9:30 a.m. in the church parking lot to go up to the Maple City Restaurant for coffee.  Anyone is welcome to join us.

 


Icebreakers

Mark your calendar! Save the date!

The Icebreakers present

for all members and friends of Faith United Presbyterian Church

The Icebreakers Revue

March 18, 2012, 6:00 p.m.

Dessert followed by songs, silliness, skits (some with a message, some not exactly), riddles, and miscellany for your entertainment by Icebreakers members, Junior Highs, Senior Highs, known  

and unknown talents.

To participate as a cast member, notify Gary or Mary Distin or Gene or Donna Larson.   We will be in (minimal) rehearsal soon.

To participate as an audience member, watch for sign ups to come.

 


2012 Presbytery Night at the Ballpark

The date has been set! Mark your calendars now and join us for the last Presbytery Night at the Ballpark on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 7:00pm. Ticket price is $8.00.  There will be a limited number of tickets this time, it will be first come first served.  If interested, contact Heather at 734-5129.

 

Thank You
Dear Friends at Faith United Presbyterian Church,

The Lord works in wondrous ways and the get-well cards, visits, prayers, have all been a reason for me to give a special thank-you for that help.

A special thank-you to Pastor Myers and staff.  Everything has been deeply appreciated.

Courtyard continues to be my official home for the present, but Edwardian Court still awaits.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Ruth Carwile
#1 Courtyard Blvd; Apt 401
Monmouth, IL  61462  

*******************************************
We thank you for your continuous support that enabled our soup sampling supper to be a success.  We appreciated the use of your kitchen, dining area, and supplies, such as tables and chairs, plus the support of your congregation.

Thanks again,
Monmouth Evening Lions Club 
 
Congratulations
Luke and Kittie Kjormoe of Dike, Iowa, are the parents of Gage Steven Kjormoe, born on February 5, 2012.  Grandparents are Stephen Craig and Kittie Mettler of Davenport, Iowa.  Great grandparents are Vern and Norma Mettler.  This is their first great grandchild.
 
Please Keep the Following in Your Prayers:
Darlene Peters (Sharon Graham's aunt), Janet Paris, and Al Kulczewski.