Your church family wants to keep in touch with you.  With this weekly e-newsletter, we bring you up-to-the-minute news of the latest events and happenings. It's all about staying connected.    

                          
                                         "Jesus said...  'I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'"                             John 13: 31a; 34-35

  

 

 

 

 

  

Vacation Bible School - 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon M-F on June 24 through 28.  Ann Phelps, Director.

Youth Mission Trip - June 9 - 15
to Joplin, Missouri with 1st Presbyterian of Macomb. 

 

Members and friends of Isabel Circle will meet at the church at 7:00 p.m. TONIGHT, May 23, 2013.  Mary Distin will serve as hostess.  All women are welcome to attend for Bible study and fellowship. 

Mary Distin will facilitate Lesson Seven titled "The Children", from the 2012-2013 Horizons Bible Study.  Scripture readings are from 1 John 2:1-15, 2:29 - 3:10 and 5:1-21.  "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are." (1 John 3:1a)

In this lesson we read that "no other verse summarizes the themes of identity and community better than this one."  We are the children of God's household. 

As God's children, we are nurtured and nourished by the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of righteousness.  We are taught to avoid sin and to love one another.  In 1 John, as opposed to Roman literature of the time, references to actual children are positive.  In focusing on children, actually or metaphorically, in terms of the children of God, the author of 1 John emphasizes God's focus on "the least of these."  Children and childlike innocence are important to the human household and to the divine household. 

Lesson Seven explores how we can "understand and embrace (our) roles as children of God."

 

When:  Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Where:   First Presbyterian Church of Geneseo, IL
Time:  Registration 9:00 a.m.  Workshop 9:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Cost:  Lunch $7.00
Bible Study:  "An Abiding Hope:  The Presence of God in Exodus and Deuteronomy."
Presenter:  Rev. Rebecca Weltmann, Pastor at Washington Presbyterian Church

Reservations need to be made by May 29th by mail to:

Kathy Hadley
333 E. Wells Street
Geneseo, IL  61254

or call the Geneseo church office at (309) 944-5189

Any questions may be directed to Sharon Graham or Lolla Ballard.

 

 

 

 

VBS will be held at Faith Church, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon  during the week of June 24 through 28.  There are registration forms in the Social Hall and on the church office door.

This year's theme will be Everywhere Fun Fair: Where God's World Comes Together.   There is no cost for children to participate; however, parents are asked to donate one or two cans of frozen juice for the snack time. There is also an optional CD which features the songs the children will be learning and games for the computer.

On Friday, June 28 the children and teachers will go to the local assisted-living and nursing homes in Monmouth. Permission slips and driving forms are required and are on the reverse side of the Registration Forms.

A sign-up for volunteers and donated materials will be appearing in the Social Hall soon.

If you are interested in helping with VBS or would like more information, please contact Ann Phelps, the VBS Director.

 The church office will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day. 

 What's in the Church Library?   

Have you ever wondered if the church library happens to have the book you want at the moment?  Or were just curious to see what's in the collection?  Now you can check the church library holdings from HOME on any computer or portable device with internet access.  

Mary Lyle and Phyllis Wilson have entered all of the books and materials into a searchable electronic database, and Mark Lyle has created a website which allows you to access this database.  How? Just go to http://faithup.makeitmonmouth.com

or simply click this link:

Faith United Presbyterian Church

  

Once you are there, simply go to the Library section of the website. 

 

From the Mission Committee

The Mission Committee has  chosen a specific mission to
feature each month.  For the month of May, the focus is on
Jamieson Center.  Jamieson Center has now moved to its new home at 1025 South 2nd Street.  (See details under "In the Community" about their Open House on June 1st.)

Faith Church members Jo Ellen Dollinger, Jill McClintock, and Ron Tenold serve on its board.

You can support the Jamieson Center Food Pantry by sharing the bounty from your cupboards or by picking up extra food when grocery shopping.  Suggestions for non-perishable food are canned vegetables and fruits, tuna or canned chicken, Tuna/Chicken/Hamburger Helper, peanut butter and jelly, pancake mix and syrup, macaroni & cheese, soups, beef stew, powdered milk, cereal, granola bars, and crackers. 

Cash donations and items for the thrift shop are always welcome.  Our church usually helps deliver Meals on Wheels during the month of August, and volunteers are always needed for that.

New Sand Volleyball League at the Warren County YMCA

Registration is now under way for the new sand valleyball league!  Emphasis will be on fun, fitness, fellowship and sportsmanship!  League games will be scheduled on Monday evenings at 5:30 p.m. beginning Monday, June 3, 2013 for 9 weeks.

A team coach is responsible for the team's sign-up sheets and collecting fees.  Team Fee:  $100

Stop by the front desk at the YMCA for more information and a registration form.
 

 In the Community  

  

Market Alley Music Days, sponsored by the Monmouth Business Council, will be held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of May thru August from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The first Music Days event was yesterday, May 22, and we hope you didn't miss it, but if you did, the next one will be June 12, sponsored by Midwest Bank, with food vending by the Midwest Bank Relay for Life Team and music performed by Charlie Hayes.  There is a poster with all dates, vendors, and performers on the parking lot door near the church office.

The alternate rain location for each Music Days will be at the 1st Street Armoury.  You can see more at Facebook.com/monmouthbusinesscouncil.

 
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Please continue to keep in your prayers:  Pat and Merle Brown (Merle now at Marigold), Ralph Whiteman, Vern Mettler (now at Seminary Manor), the family of Shirley Eiler, Irvin Lipp, Evelyn Carlson,  Maisie McPherson, Cinda Stansbury,  Tara Hanson, Mary Johnson, Sally McVey, Gary Youngblood,  Lindsay Murdock, and Jim Paris.
 

Colleen Hazen, wife of our former pastor Jerry Hazen, passed away April 13 in Great Falls, Montana.  If you would like to view the obituary that was published in the Great Falls Tribune, please click here.

You may also leave a condolence message in the Guest Book at the same website. A memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at First Presbyterian Church in Great Falls. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
 

  

Faith UPC,

Thank you so much for the finals package!!  It means a lot every year and really makes this stressful week better!

I appreciate the thought and care

so much! 

                                                                             
                                                                                 - Megan Lyle

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The Deacons also received a card of thanks from Cathy Abernathy for delivering the Easter lilies to her.   She enjoyed them very much.

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Evelyn Carlson called the church to say thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers during her surgery and recovery.  She will  be transferred from OSF St. Francis to Seminary Manor soon.

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A thank you note was received from the Monmouth Branch of AAUW for the use of our building for their meeting this year, and a donation was enclosed.
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A sincere Thank You to Faith United and its new leader, Rev. Cunningham, for your prayers, cards and calls during my recent hospital stay.  A special Thank You to the Deacons for the beautiful rose and your visit.

Ralph Whiteman

To follow Lindsay's progress on CaringBridge.org, her brother Jake has made it easier to access the site by eliminating the site password requirement, so that now all you need to do is to create your own username and password at www.caringbridge.org/visit/lindsaymurdock. You can set up your account to get notifications about new Journal postings either by email or by text. There is an adorable photo of 10-1/2-month-old Easton, and boy, does he have the curls! Plus, Jake has a brand-new post (April 30), giving a run-down on Lindsay's progress in a number of areas. She's doing remarkably well.