April 26, 2012
Focus on Faith
Faith United Presbyterian Church
April Birthdays 

 

1    Kristina Gilliland    

        Compton

2    Dalton Willett

3    Matthew Rickey

5    Janie Brill

      Alex Green

5    Nancy Bersted

6    Brittany Liggett

10  Carol Tenold

11  Raj Ambrose

12  Laura Rickey

14  Bob Meling

15  Dominick Reading

16  Steve Johnson

18  Hannah Hottle

       Kirstin Johnson

23  Samantha Agan

24  Isabel Marshall

25  Jacob Baber

       Brooke Johnson

26  Linda Adair

      Jim McCurdy

27  Alex Hardin        

28  Saro Ambrose

30  Marjorie Butler

      Cathy Abernathy

      Eleanor Moschenross


 

 

 

 

        90th  Birthday 

 

Mary Gibson will be celebrating her 90th birthday May 2nd.  Cards may be sent to her at the Monmouth Nursing Home, 117 South I St., in Monmouth. 

 

 

 

 
Bill
What Do You Think?  Is LIfe Better?

Elizabeth was having a hard time with her psychology class this week and rightfully so.  Her professor was presenting his hypothesis, in other words his belief that religion is a crutch, as a truth claim.  He believes that people have "created religion" because they are afraid to die and allows no discussion of competing truth claims from the faith perspective.  Of course, as the professor, he has the privilege to teach his course as he chooses and there is much to be gained by looking at human behavior from the perspective of psychology.  However, this is a wonderful example of the double standard that exists in the discussion of such competing world views.  He is able to offer his beliefs as "fact", while discounting the beliefs of others. 
 
I mention Lizzie's experience because, in matter's of faith, important insights about life are often discounted.  "Well, dear, that's your opinion."  Or, "You have a right to your beliefs, but faith is a private matter."  When the truth is, even scientific "truths" are only "true" until the next experiment proves them wrong.  This is not a criticism of science.  There is much to learn about life and faith from science.  My point is, simply, theology has much to offer, as well. 
 
As people of faith, if we are going to participate in this cultural conversation, it is important for us to reflect upon some fundamental questions.  Among those questions are those we have been discussing in our Faith & Life class.  "Why do people need Jesus Christ?"  "Why do people need Christ's church?"  "Why do people need our particular congregation?" 
 
Libraries are filled with answers to these questions.  Nevertheless, at the risk of oversimplifying, I would offer the following answer:  "People need Jesus Christ, his church, and our congregation because they offer the promise of a better quality of life."  Through Christ, we enter into a loving relationship with God.  We grow in our understanding of this relationship through our participation in a community of faith, Christ's church.  Our particular congregation offers a unique and local community of faith through which we may encounter Christ in our lives and our life together. 
 
As a pastor, I have experienced the truth of this claim that Christ and his church offer people a better quality of life in countless ways.  However, some people are reluctant to embrace this belief.  They fear they will seem as judgmental.  As if they are saying, "I am better than you because I go to church."  But, when we claim, there is a better quality of life for those who live the life of faith as a member of Christ's church, we are not saying we are better than those who don't.  On the contrary, I have often acknowledged there are those outside of the church who are more Christ-like than I.  What we are saying is those who live their faith in Christ through Christ's church will have a better life than if they had chosen not to be part of a faith community.  In other words, those "unchurched saints" would be even more saintly, if they were steadfast and faithful members of Christ's church.  Likewise, those of us who are active in the life of the church, would find ourselves to be more miserable people, if we were not part of a faith community. 
 
People of faith, as Christ warns us, we have no capacity to measure ourselves against others.  Therefore we cannot judge.  However, we can share our personal experiences with our sisters and brothers that they might come to know how much better life can be, when it is lived in the love of God, as a member of our community of faith. 

See you in church!
 

Pastor Myers


 

This Sunday...
 
Youth Sunday
Our junior and senior high youth have been working hard
preparing material for our Youth Sunday this Sunday.  In
addition to their leadership, students from Monmouth
Roseville High School will be singing.  Please support our
youth in worshiping God by joining with us this Sunday.    

 

Worship Participants: Korey Fisher, Will Myers, Chloe Larson, Bryce Willett, Megan Byrne, Dalton Hottle, Emily Fisher, Malik Reading, Will Best, Landen Crosier        

Beedle/Crucifer:  Kaitlyn Fisher & Landen Crosier 

Ushers:  Maggie McVey, Job Runge, Noah Runge, Dalton Willett,
Jessica Wilson
Greeters:  Courtney & Kara Fisher and D.J. & Mariah Reading                    Children's Church:  Ann Phelps   

Nursery:  Jim & Shari Glasgow             

Coffee Hour:  Dominick & Stephanie Reading  

 

 

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.
April 29 - May 6:  "Follow Me" (Continues) 

This study will be led by Pastor Myers.  Among the questions that we will reflect upon are:  "Why do people need Jesus?"  "Why do people need the church?"  "Why do people need our congregation, Faith United?"  The curriculum comes from a study called, "Catch" which includes Bible study.   The title, "Catch", is based on Jesus' invitation to the disciples in the gospels of Mark and Matthew:  "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people."  

 

Sunday Bible Study - This group will meet in the classroom across from the Chapel. 

 

 

Isabel Circle
                                           
Isabel Circle will meet at 7:00 p.m. on tonight, April 26, at the home of Jane Kellogg at 1012 East Euclid Avenue in Monmouth.  Mary Distin will facilitate Lesson Seven: Greatly Honored Are the Peacemakers from 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study: Confessing the Beatitudes.  All members and friends of the church are welcome to attend.  For more information, contact Sharon Graham at 309-627-2484.

 

In Lesson Seven we learn that Jesus honors those who work for shalom as sisters and brothers, children of God. Peace, shalom,in Hebrew, is an all-encompassing word communicating wholeness and wellness for all of God's children. Peacemakers find ways to make shalom a reality - they take steps to make sure that their communities are whole.  Jesus identifies peacemakers as "sons of God" to communicate that those who make peace will receive the full inheritance of God, just as male heirs fathers' property in Jesus' day. The promise that peacemakers would be sons of God challenged Roman peace because, rather than the leaders of Rome being called sons of God (which was a common title for emperors), those who make peace were identified as the true sons of God. This kind of thinking disrupted the pax Romana, or Roman peace, because it challenged the notion that the civic religion of the empire, the people who ruled the empire, and the Roman military were capable of bringing peace. In honoring peacemakers, Jesus challenges us to be peacemakers, as well, to live into our identity as children of God. We are called to a cessation of violence against one another, and we are called to work for the cessation of all violence. Making peace means we provide for the needs of others, working for the wholeness of all our neighbors.
 

Welcome to Shelbyville

 

The Intercultural Outreach Office of the 1st Street Armoury would like to remind you about the showing of "Welcome to Shelbyville" this THURSDAY APRIL 26 at 6PM in ROOM 109 of the Haldemann-Thiessen Science Center at Monmouth College. Welcome to Shelbyville outlines the challenges and innovative approaches undetaken by a rural community that is experiencing demographic change through immigration form. While the experiences of Monmouth and Shelbyville are distinct, the common experiences of both towns provide an important opportunity for us to reflect on how we are currently approaching demographic change in our community. After viewing the film, we will hold a community discussion about how we can approach the challenges of demographic change more positively in the future.

 

 

Church Softball League

 

For anyone interested in playing church softball (has to at least be a freshman in high school) this summer, please see Dominick Reading in the Social Hall following worship this Sunday, April 29, 2012.

 

 

Wednesday Night Live Volunteers

Again, thank you for your support.  We will be honoring you at the Youth Sunday service this Sunday, April 29.  Please come if you can.

 

Set-Up                                                      Kitchen Teams

Donna Larson                                         Tom Best

Jo Ellen Dollinger                                 Alice Lawson

                                                                     Carolyn Krug

Drivers                                                      Don Krug

Stephanie Reading                               Lorna Blackford

Erika Solberg                                           Mandy Fisher

Sheila Wilson                                          Heather Fisher

Tracy Vasquez                                         Sheila Wilson

Heather Fisher                                        Peggy Watson

Jim Brown                                                Craig Watson

Ruby Bukari                                             Roberta Hasten

Gary Pullen                                              Jenny Carrier

Barb Gossett                                            Alison Clark

                                                                      Jonalyn Heaton

Table Parents                                          Candy Smith

Mary Distin                                               Amy Gound

Stephanie Reading                                Tracie Lewis

Bob Meling                                               Echo Logsdon

Darlene Moffet                                       Sue Connell

Carolyn Meling

Janet Themanson                                   Snack Providers

Jill McClintock                                          Margie Myers

Betty McBride                                          Mary Lyle

Janice Cunningham                                Peggy Watson

Ralph Whiteman                                     Ruby Bukari

Martha Whiteman                                  Catrina Pullen

Alis Chy                                                       Tracy Vasquez

                                                                       Denise Pullen

Teachers                                                     Jane Kellogg

Mary Lyle                                                    Sharon Graham

Margie Myers                                            Amy Gound

Jane Kellogg                                               Sheila Wilson

Betsy Akey                                                  Heather Fisher

Sharon Graham                                         Cindy Erickson

                                                                         Alis Chy 

Chefs                                                             Michelle Nichols

Jim McCurdy

Dixie Wells

Amy DeVetalis

Rose Trimble 

  



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:

April 29 - canned vegetables
May 6 - peanut butter & jelly
May 13 - cereal, pancake mix, & syrup
May 20 - spaghetti & tomato sauce
May 27 - Tuna & Hamburger Helper

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



An Invitation to Read the Bible

Sunday - Job 11:20-14:22, Monday - Job 15:1-18:20, Tuesday - 18:21-21:22, Wednesday - 21:23-25:1, Thursday - 25:2-29:24, Friday - Job 29:25-31:40, Saturday - Job 32:1-34:36, Sunday (05/06/12) - Job 34:37-37:24.     


Thai Circle

Thai Circle will meet in the Social Hall at 9:30 a.m. on May 3.  Members are asked to study Lesson 7 of the study guide, paying special attention to the discussion questions to be discussed as a group.


Military Personnel

The Deacons are requesting addresses for those serving in the military that have been listed in our bulletin to send them cards.  If you know an address for one of these servicemen or women, please email or drop off their address to Heather (faithup@maplecity.com), or you can give it to one of our Deacons.  

Currently serving in the Military:  Dean Martin, Alex Withenbury, Frank Brower, Michael Fleming, Josh Gilliam, Gregg Hagemann, Luke Johnson, James & Jill Cheney, David Cooper, Bill Gibbs, Gary Sjurset, Nathan Frazer Moore, Tunde Scott  


College Care Packages
                                           

Please help us fill the care packages for our college students.  We will be handing them out on Sunday, May 6.  Thanks for your help.  Please bring by 9:00a.m. on May 6:

Cookies

Fruit

Bottled water packs (crystal light or Kool-Aid)

Any fun item 
 


Rummage Sale Helpers
                                           

Please sign up on the office door if you are willing to help with the Rummage Sale.  Preparation days will be May 9 & 10.  The sale is May 11 & 12.    Needing people to sorter, price, and be cashier.

 

Faith United Rummage Sale - May 11 & 12
                                           

Wednesday, May 9 - 8:00a.m. - 6:00p.m. - Drop off your items for sale.

 

Friday, May 11 - Sale -  Noon to 6:00p.m.

Saturday, May 12 - Sale - 8:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.

Anything is welcome, except, no adult clothing please.

All proceeds go to PW missions.

 

 

Car Wash Fundraiser - May 12
                                           

Get your car washed by our youth on Saturday, May 12, from 9:00 a.m. - noon in the church parking lot.  Donations will be accepted and will go toward their mission trip to Minnesota in June.

   

 

Joe's at Church - May 12
                                           

Saturday - May 12

11:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.

Sloppy Joe Meal:  $4.50

Hot dog Meal:       $4.00

Includes chips, baked beans, drink and dessert.

Social Hall

Sponsored by the 5th & 6th graders

Proceeds go to Local Mission

   

 

  K o r e y  R e a g a n  F i s h e r Korey senior pic
is graduating from
Monmouth Roseville High School 
Come Celebrate With Us! 
Saturday, May 26, 2012 from 1-4 p.m.
Faith United Presbyterian Church 
200 South 8th Street
Monmouth, IL  61462
 
Sympathy

To the family and friends of Ruth Pedigo, who died on April 20, 2012.  "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." 
Thank You

I would like to thank our Church Family for the cards,prayers,  visits from  Pastor Meyers and Margie and the out pouring of kindness during my recent illness and the passing of my Mother.
I will be forever grateful. May God Bless you all.

 Joyce Lantz
 
Please Keep the Following in Your Prayers

Beth Dingman, Craig Allaman, Cathy Abernathy, Mary Distin (mother of Gary Distin), Karna Foster, Darlene Peters, Jim & Janet Paris, and Al Kulczewski.