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Chatham Presbyterian 

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November 2014 Newsletter

Issue 32
 

  A Note from Jim

Thank You!  Two very simple words which convey gratitude. They are never said in anticipation that someone might do something for us. They are always words given in response to a gesture of kindness or a gift given by someone else. We can say "thank you" in a variety of ways: a nice note, simple words, a kind gesture given in return. No matter what, it is always our response towards the other.

      Stewardship! One simple word that can often cause great anxiety. Some look at it this way: "Here comes the church again asking for more money." I want to suggest that we change the word Stewardship to Thanks Giving, two words which remind us that we are being thankful and that we are giving as a way of responding to that which we are grateful for in our lives. Here at CPC, we have much to be thankful for, both individually and as a Community of Faith. What we give is not the original gift, but in fact, the thank you note. We are responding and being thankful for all God does in our lives day in and day out.

      I want to invite you to give some thought as to what God is doing in your life, in the life of your family and friends, and in the life of CPC. And then, think about ways you might want to say Thank You to God.  At a recent Session meeting, the leadership of CPC was asked to say "Thank You" through their commitment to God in and through the life of this church. Boy, did they ever find a way. Right now, their pledges total 55 percent more this year than last year. The "Thank You" commitment for all leadership is up nearly $30,000.00. 

      Over the next few weeks, you will hear more about how we can say "Thank You."  You will be invited to join in the thanks through your own gifts. I feel very certain that God is blessing this church and the individuals in this church.   

How will you say Thank You? 

 

Upcoming November Sundays

Our Worship Celebrations will follow the stories being used in The Clubhouse. What a great opportunity for families to learn and grow together and have conversations about what they learned over Sunday lunch. 

November 2:  Thank God for Good Things - 1 Samuel 1:1-28. Please bring your food donations. Kids with Karts will be out collecting items for the Food Pantry.
November 9:  We're Humble before God - Luke 18:9-14

November 16:  We Serve Others - Luke 7:36-50

November 23:  All For God - Matthew 25:31-46. **After worship, join us for an All-Church Potluck and Hanging of the Greens

November 30:  First Sunday of Advent  

 

 
CLUBHOUSE
IN NOVEMBER
The Clubhouse will undergo an
Extreme Makeover as we learn about redesigned attitudes.  
  • Nov 9 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14) We're humble before God.
  • Nov 16 A Woman Annoints Jesus' Feet (Luke 7:36-50). We serve others.
  • Nov 23 Twelve Spies Report on Canaan (Numbers 13:17-14:9). We trust that God is with us.
  • Nov 30 Simeon and Anna Prophesy About Jesus (Luke 2:21-40). We trust God to keep his promises.
Dec. Sneak Peek - SNOW DAY.
 
Clubhouse Small Group Night for the Red Group is November 12, 5:30 - 6:45. Don't miss the fun!
Hanging of the Greens,  
November 23
Clubhouse Kids will help with "Hanging of the Greens" after worship on November 23. Mark your calendars now and plan to make it a
family event as we get Chatham Presbyterian spruced up and decorated for the Christmas season. 

The children will have fun making ornaments and setting up trees in their space while adults work on the sanctuary, hallways and exterior of the building. There is much to be done, and many hands will be needed to complete the tasks. Watch for details about this special day coming soon. Christmas program

Christmas Program   
December 14
Everyone gets a costume, but few will have lines. This year's program is designed to be short on preparation and rehearsal time, but long on meaning and filled with the joy of the season. Mark your calendars now and watch for details regarding costume fitting/practice times coming soon.  
  

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Volunteers Needed and Welcome! 

Parents, Grandparents, Friends ...
1. We will need a couple of adults and youth on November 23 to help children make ornaments and handle decorations. 
2. We have costumes, but we will need coordinators to organize them and match them to the children in early December. 
To volunteer, or if you have questions about any of these upcoming events, contact Laura VanProyen
at 494-0503.
 
Jim's Quote Corner

"If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian community in which we have been placed, even when there are no great experiences, no noticeable riches, but much weakness, difficulty, and little faith-and if, on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so miserable and so insignificant and does not at all live up to our expectations-then we hinder God from letting our community grow according to the measure and riches that are there for us all in Jesus Christ." Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together.  

 

Want to Help?

collegecareCollege Care Packages: Donate money or items for the packages. Contact Diane Hobson if you can help put the packages together. We have 40 college students who will love to hear from their church family!


 

Projectionists Needed for Sunday Morning Worship: Thornton Woerner is in need of 2-3 projectionists to help run the large screen words for  Sunday morning service. No experience necessary, and you will receive a huge paycheck of the heart!

 

Holiday Book DriveHoliday Book Drive: There is still time to donate new or gently used books (or a monetary donation) to this program that distributes books to children in need. Contact Jane Byram for additional details.

 

Kids with Karts This Sunday, November 2nd 

 

Quick CPC Links

Staff

2014 Session 

Life Groups

Need Help?

Sermons on YouTube

 

 

 

"CPC - What Are You Thankful For?"

Sarah Moorehead: I am thankful for the skinny maintenance man, Mr. Moorehead! I also am very thankful for volunteers. Last but not least, I am so so so thankful for all my little Friends in the nursery and youth group.

Denise Koester: I am thankful for my new CPC family and friends! I felt completely at home the first day I walked into this church!

Jim Reitz: I am really thankful for the new minister's wife.

Cindy Gamble:  Thankful that we are a church that is big enough to offer a variety of ministries but small enough to know each other and care.  

Patrick Hansen: Thankful for the relationships built with people of divergent backgrounds and viewpoints all drawn together for a single purpose.

Lynn Richardson: I am thankful for the youth group and their leadership team.  

Janet Gatschenberger: New pastor, Jim, and the First Place for Health life group.  

  
 

November 2: "Sunday Night Life" begins with a full Olsen's Cafe this Sunday, open at 5:45 p.m., followed by worship, fun and games.  Invite your friends and come hang out.
November 9: "Sunday Night Life."
November 11: 1 - 4 p.m. Fall Mission Yard Work Help for senior citizens followed by pizza. Click here for more details.
November 16: Photo Scavenger Hunt.
November 30: No Frontline.
 
New Study for Tuesday Night Life Group:
Life and Ministry of the Messiah.
Women will meet November 4, 11, 18 and December 2 and 9 with a "No homework" study during the busy holiday season. Join us from 6:30 - 8:00 in the adult education room as we look at Jesus' birth, life and ministry using videos filmed on location in the holy land with historian/teacher/minister Ray Vander Laan's Life & Ministry of the Messiah.

 
Soul Food Life Group 
Join Soul Food on November 5 & 19 at 6:30 p.m. at JoAnn and Jim Reitz' home. Soul Food will look at the book Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. If you are not familiar with Bonhoeffer, he was a Pastor who stood firm against Nazi Germany during World War II.  For doing so, he lost his life just days before the liberation of the prison at which he was held. Come and join our discussion and be encouraged in how our own community of faith can be strong in this day and age. For more information, contact Jim at 483-4204. 
 
 thanksgiving-bounty-header.jpg
 Joys 
Trunk or Treat -- God brought the community out by the hundreds! 
T.J. Knollenberg recovering at home
Bernie Stoddard's brother's brother-in-law, Tom, recovered from kidney transplant
Doug & Denise Koester's daughter, Emily Bickers, recovered
from complications after childbirth
 
Concerns
Ken & Tara  Spencer and family, Ken's mother, Anne Spencer, passed away
Laura Black's mother, Sue Brimm, diagnosedwith bone and lung cancer
Jim & Connie Nimke's son-in-law, Anthony Pelegrino, pancreatic infection
Don Byram's father, Glen Byram
Scott Kaiser's mom, Helen, health issues
Ken Doetsch's brother, Ron Doetsch, health issues
Mark & Clare Burris' daughter, Stephanie Brumfield, recovering at home
Steve Bifano's sister, Kim Steinart, battling breast cancer
Devin Edmison on bed rest at home, recovering from surgery
Laura Black, new treatment for brain tumor
Sally Trawick, Todd Marvel's mom, battling cancer
Debbie Lounsberry's aunt, Betty Rhodes, recovering from surgery for breast cancer
Tina Knollenberg's 8-month-old great niece, McKenna Crain, spots on liver and brain
Kelli Severs, painful back injury, looking for new job due to injury
 
Our Shut-ins: Betty Creasey, Twila Juraska; Maxine McCoy, Lewis Memorial. Our Boosters Who Need Extra Prayer: Jay Sampias, The Dahl Family, The Baird Family, The Van Pelt Family, Dwight Elliott, Wendy Ford, Harold & Helen Kaiser, Mary Jane Elliott,  Irma Gobleman, Chuck Hendricks, Lois Siemer, Paul Spindler, Bill & Carolyn Templeton, Cynthia Wilson.
Our Military Members: Eric Anderson, Brody Correll, Drew Correll, Aled Fain, Gary Kirchner, Clay Kuetemeyer, Nicholas Michael , Margaret Siemer, Josh Yakle, Joe Sadaj.
  
CPC is a congregation of people who strive to pray for one another - in the good times and the challenging times. If you have a prayer request, click here for information on how to be included on our Prayer Chain.
 
time change for fallBe Thankful for An Extra Hour of Sleep This Weekend
  
Don't forget to turn your clocks BACK an hour on Saturday night! See you at worship!
 

1835 East Walnut, Chatham, IL 62629
Phone: 217-483-4204