Faith United Presbyterian Church

Focus on Faith

Phone: (309) 734-5129 
Pastor Charles Cunningham: (emergencies)
(309) 221-8168
September 19, 2013
In This Issue
This Sunday
Meetings
Isabel Circle
Mission Focus
Tools & Blankets Update
Wednesday Night Live
Sunday School News
MC Chapel Services
Lifespan Development
In the Community
YMCA Dancing for Dreams
Prayer Concerns
Congratulations
Peacemaking
Kemmerer Village
Immigration Assistance Day
Monmouth Associates
Syria
Presbyterian Youth Day at Monmouth College

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(309) 734-5129



  September Birthdays

1 - Lindsay Aberle, Lynn Bowman

5 - Margaret Josephson

7 - Tamara Inman

9 - Gary Distin, Pam Youngblood

10 - Vicki Briscoe

11 - Greg Baber

14 - Eileen Giddings, Phyllis Wilson, Eilleen Spoerl

17 - Mary Fleming, Jeanne Robeson

18 - Peter Byrne

19 - Marian Mills, Jordan Watson

20 - Brady Agan

22 - Hannah Finnicum

23 - Colton McClintock

25 - Rachel Haynes

26 - Ethan Clark

30 - Mona Buchholz


         
This Sunday ~ Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ September 22, 2013   
10:30 a.m.

Sermon Title:  "More Shrewd...Than the Children of Light"  
Luke 16:8 

Lectionary
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1                                    Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7                             Luke 16:1-8, 14-15         
Liturgist:  Vicki Briscoe
Ushers:  Robert Blackford, Bill Lee, Dominick Reading, Malik Reading, Ed Melvin
Greeters:  Susan Van Kirk, Helen Redmond
Children's Church:  Tom Best
Nursery: Tammi and Dalton Hottle
Coffee Hour:  Rose Trimble and Joyce Patterson

Meetings

Thursday, September 19 - Parking for Monmouth Associates Luncheon Shuttle 11:40 a.m. TODAY

Saturday, September 21 - MC Chorale Retreat @FUPC Social Hall & Sanctuary

Sunday, September 22 - After-Worship Visioning Group - 11:45 a.m.

Sunday, September 22 - Jr and Sr High Youth meet for lunch at the New China Buffet - 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 24 - Session Meeting - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, September 25 - Bible Study - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, September 25 - Visioning Group - 7 p.m.

Thursday, September 26 - Sewing Circle - 9:30 a.m.

Thursday, September 26 - Isabel Circle - 7 p.m. @ Jane Kellogg's house

Isabel Circle - September 26 

Isabel Circle will meet at the home of Jane Kellogg at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 26th.  Jane's address is 1012 East Euclid Avenue and the telephone number is 309-734 - 5275. 

Jonalyn Heaton will serve as the lesson facilitator.  The Bible Study books can be purchased in the church office for $9.00.

 

The first lesson from the 2013-2014 Horizons Bible Study, An Abiding Hope: The Presence of God in Exodus and Deuteronomy, is titled "God at Work." The Background Scripture is Exodus 1-2, with the Key Scripture focusing on Exodus 1:1-2:10 and 2:23-25.  The key idea is that God prepared for the exodus event, which saved the Hebrew people, through the intervention of five women.  The people came to see that God was with them throughout all their suffering, acting on their behalf.

 

The organization of Presbyterian Women is open to all women and friends of the church. 

Sept. Mission Focus - Strom Center
  

On Sept. 25th at 1 p.m., Strom Center will host a program, "Protecting Yourself From Scams." Monmouth Police Officer Ryan Haptonstall and representatives from the Illinois Attorney General's Office will present information on general scams, identity theft, tax refund loans, and payday loans. If you want more information on how to protect yourself or your loved ones from scams, plan on attending this meeting.

 

This is one way in which Strom serves the needs of the senior population of Warren County.  Please help out with a donation to Strom;  $362 has been given so far this month.  

Tools & Blankets Update
  
So far, a total  $665 was received from our congregation for the Church World Service Tools & Blankets offering!  Thank you for your generous giving. That means there are 133 people who now have a blanket to cover them, to keep them warm, and to remind them of God's love. 
  
Wednesday Night Live!
Fruit of the Spirit
The picnic to kick off this year's WNL was a big success!  We had 56 children and adults to enjoy hot dogs, watermelon, applesauce, and chips and to learn about this year's "Fruit of the Spirit" program.  We have 30 children signed up for WNL so far, but it's still not too late to register, so if you know of any more children who would like to enroll, please contact Debbie Dingman at 734-3943 or call the church office at 734-5129.

Kitchen team for September 25:  Leroy Lantz, Joyce Lantz, Robert or Lorna Blackford, and Susan Van Kirk.
More Christian Education News
  • Children, Pre-K through 6th, meet upstairs in the movie theater for opening and then go to their individual classrooms.   
  • Junior and Senior Highs will next meet on September 22 at 12:30 p.m., rather than during the Sunday School hour.   
  • Faith & Life adult class will meet in the Social Hall, and the topic for September 22 will continue with  "Is Capitalism Moral?  How do we define Economic Justice?"  On September 29, Rod Lemon will begin a two-week segment on "Income Inequality, Inequality of Opportunity:  Trends, Causes, Cures."
    The full Faith & Life class schedule for fall 2013 has been sent out as a special e-mailing and there are printed copies of the schedule in the kiosk near the office as well.  
  • Joyce Hagemann's Bible Study will start October 6th in the Bride's Room.  The focus is on Genesis and Exodus.  
Youth Group 
The  next Youth Group meeting for Jr and Senior High will be on September 22 for lunch at 12:30 p.m. Please bring $10 to cover your lunch.
 
Nursery:  Contact Ann Phelps, Interim CE Director,  if you are interested in helping in the Nursery.  You would only work once every 6 or 8 weeks.

Monmouth College Chapel Services

Each Monday, from 12:10 - 12:40 p.m. during the academic year, chapel services are held in the Dahl Auditorium.  These are led by Rev. Dr. Teri Ott and her student chaplains and are attended by faculty, administration, staff, students, and the public at large.  Though the services are short, they are very inspiring and it is a good chance to get better acquainted with students. 

Click here for further information about the chapel services and other events related to Religious & Spiritual Life at the college, some of which are open to members of the community.
 
Lifespan Development Study

Adjunct Professor Ellen Henning of the Monmouth College Psychology Department is teaching a course this fall in Lifespan Development.  She is asking if anyone in our congregation, aged 60 or older, would like to participate in a study her students are conducting as part of their course requirement.  The project would involve two 1-hour sessions with a student to be scheduled at the volunteer's convenience.  All interviews will be kept confidential.

I know that other people from our congregation have participated in similar projects in the past and found it to be very interesting.  If you would like more information, or would like to participate, please contact the church office.  Or, you may contact Ellen Henning directly at 815-735-3701 or email her at ehenning@monmouthcollege.edu
 
 In the Community
 
Warren Co.History Museum Talk - TONIGHT
The Warren County Historical Society will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at the Warren County History Museum, 238 S. Sunny Lane.  Dr. Jim DeYoung, Emeritus Professor of Communication and Theatre Arts will be giving a 30-minute talk on "Why are they looking so uncomfortable?  A journey through old Victorian Photos." Feel free to bring some old photos to share during the discussion period. The public is welcome.
 
Family Fun Day for Breast Cancer Awareness
Saturday, September 21 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 200 South Sunny Lane, 11 a.m. -3 p.m.
Free Admission.  Touch-a-Truck, bake sale, bounce house, silent auction, food. Sponsored by Alliance.
  
Muslim Journeys -TONIGHT
For further information and the full schedule, click Hewes Library .  The next event is a book discussion on Prince Among Slaves with Petra Kuppinger at the Buchanan Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. on September 19.   
 
Protecting Yourself from Scams - September 25
Monmouth Police Officer Ryan Haptonstall, along with representatives from the Illinois Attorney General's Office, will be at Strom Center on Wednesday, September 25 at 1 p.m.  to discuss security measures and general scams, identity theft, tax refund loans, and payday loans. Persons who feel they have been scammed can use an online complaint form to request having the issue resolved by the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Paper forms are also available at Strom Center.
  
A Matter of Balance Classes
Are you concerned about falling?  Would you like to learn practical strategies to manage falls?  The Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging and RSVP of Knox & Warren Counties sponsor these classes to address these concerns and help make you safer from injuries caused by falls. Classes are held for 8 sessions and are 2 hours each on Thursday afternoons from 1-3 p.m. September 26 through November 14 at the Strom Center. Pre-registration is required.  There is a suggested donation of $20 to cover the cost of workbooks. For more information or to register, please call:  734-5677.  

Mother to Mother 
- Fall Fest at 308 North C Street - October 5.  Bring a dish to pass and a family photo. (Rain date - Oct. 12)

Monmouth College Cultural Festival - Sept. 21
19th Annual Cultural Festival 11 a.m. on Dunlap Terrace in front of the Stockdale Center.  Food sampling & cultural entertainment. Open to public. Rain location:  Inside the Stockdale Center.  

Dancing Couple

It's baaaack!
 
Dancing for Dreams
Join us for what has become one of the premiere social events in Warren County.  Come out and watch community members show off their dance moves in an effort to raise money for the youth and families in Warren County.  You will also have an opportunity to buy several great items during our live and silent auction!
Dancers include:  Steve Bloomer, Jenna Parkins, Sean Cavanaugh, Kris Repp, Jodi Scott, and Ed Fletcher
*Tickets are $30/person.  You may purchase one from your favorite dancer or at the front desk.
 
When
Saturday
September 21st 
Doors Open at 5:00 pm
Live Auction will begin at 6:00 pm with dancing soon to follow!
 
Where
First Street Armoury
215 S. 1st St
Monmouth, IL 61462
 
Prayer Concerns

Please continue to keep in your prayers:  Colorado flooding victims, Raj Ambrose, Marilyn Van Hoozer, Joyce Hagemann, Phyllis Wheeler, Amy De Vitalis, Blaine Robinson (son of Cindy and Bill Robinson),  Louise Roos, Cathy Abernathy (now at home),  Andrew Hayward Smith, Pat Brown, Cinda Stansbury (now at Marigold), Eilleen Spoerl (now at Marigold), Vern Mettler,  Irvin Lipp,  Tara Hanson, Mary Johnson, Sally McVey, Gary Youngblood,  Lindsay Murdock,  and Jim Paris.

The Robinson family has started a Caring Bridge web page where they can post updates on Blaine called Saving Private Robinson at:  www.CaringBridge.org.

~ Congratulations ~

 

  
 On Saturday, September 14, 2013
Tia  Taylor and Douglas Tatman were joined in marriage at Faith Church. Pastor Cunningham and Rev. Hallie Hottle, from Miami Shores Presbyterian Church, both officiated.  We wish Tia and Doug much happiness in their life together.
  
Peacemaking Offering - October 6

Sunday, October 6 will be World Communion / Peacemaking Sunday, and a special denominational offering will be taken, and our Mission Committee will be talking about four areas in which this offering is used.

Peacemaking is always on our minds, but especially in these days of civil war and how best to stop the killing of innocents in Syria.

Click here  to find a daily peace reflection and prayer based on The Biblical Witness to Peacemaking, provided through the resources of the PCUSA. 
  
News from Kemmerer Village

Recently three Kemmerer Village therapists and one teacher attended a talk by Dr. Temple Grandin at Greenville College.  Dr. Grandin is a very well-known advocate for those with autism who is herself autistic. Her inspiring message was full of her characteristic  quick wit and helped open all participants' eyes to the world of others who are different, not less. 

Kemmerer Village is a Presbyterian Child Care Agency located in Assumption, Illinois, celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. To mark that anniversary, a cookbook is being put together by the Kemmerer Village Auxiliary which is inviting congregations to submit recipes, by email to jessica.webb@kv.christian.k12.il.us, by fax to (217) 226-4171, or by mail to Jessica, Kemmerer Village, 941 N. 2500 East Road, Assumption, IL  62510.  Please include church name/city & state or individual, so credit can be listed in the cookbook. All proceeds from the sale of cookbooks will go to benefit the children's programs at Kemmerer Village. Cut-off date for recipes is October 1, 2013. 
Free Immigration Assistance Day - September 28
 
First Presbyterian Church in Macomb, 400 E. Carroll Street, is hosting an event sponsored by the Immigration Project on Saturday, September 28.  Would you help get the word out in your community to persons who might be interested in this service?

Immigration attorneys and citizenship staff from the Immigration Project will offer free services on a walk-in basis.  Alice Daugherty, a graduate student at WIU and ESL instructor, is coordinating the project.  Melissa Calhoun and Linda Miller are recruiting volunteers to help visitors navigate the building, prepare & serve food, photocopy papers, etc. 

As First Pres Macomb learned from an eight-week study of Human Trafficking, vulnerability to exploitation by traffickers is higher when English isn't your  mother tongue, if your identification is missing, or your immigration status is unsettled.  This event can reduce those vulnerabilities. 

If you would like to help or know of others interested who could help on September 28, please contact one of the following for more information:

Alice Daugherty aliced@firstpresmacomb.org
Phone:  (309) 833.3333

Linda Miller linmil@macomb.com
Phone:  (309) 333-2158

Melissa Calhoun melissa@beadles.org
Phone:  (309) 333-9321

Sponsored by:  First Presbyterian Church - Macomb, IL, Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois Bar Foundation, the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, and the New Americans Initiative. 

To learn more about the Immigration Project, "Serving downstate Illinois and Beyond," PO Box 3065, Bloomington, IL  61702, visit their website at www.immigrationproject.org  
Monmouth Associates Luncheon - September 19  

On Thursday, September 19, at 12 noon, Monmouth College President, Mauri Ditzler, will highlight the College's most recent accomplishments and bring you up to date with MC's progress. Advanced reservations for the luncheon should be made by Tuesday, September 17, either by phone at 309-457-2323 or by email at alumni@monmouthcollege.edu. You are welcome to ride the Monmouth College shuttle which leaves from the Faith Church parking lot at 11:45 a.m. and the northeast quadrant of the public square at 11:50 a.m.  Let them know when you make the lunch reservation that you would like to ride the shuttle. Lunch tickets at the door are $10.00. These lunches, which were formerly held monthly, will now be held quarterly.  
  
Syria
 
If you have strong feelings, for or against American military intervention in Syria, the following numbers to our legislators' Illinois offices are provided so that you can make your voice heard by the decision makers who represent us. 
  
Federal Legislator Illinois Contact Numbers:

Senator Dick Durbin - (309)786-5173

Senator Mark Kirk - (312) 886-3506

Representative Cheri Bustos - (309) 786-3406 

Presbyterian Youth Day at Monmouth College - November 9, 2013

In partnership with the Austin College ACtivators, Monmouth College presents "Suit Up" for Senior High Youth on Saturday, November 9, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Learn how to suit up in the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:13-17). Enjoy worship, energizers, keynote, and small groups!  Check out a Presbyterian Church-Related College!  Finish the day by cheering on the Monmouth College Fighting Scots Football Team!

Registration is  $10 and includes a college-style lunch in the "Cafe," and a T-shirt.  (Note: If the registration fee is a problem, scholarships are available).

For more information or to register, contact Monmouth College Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Teri Ott by emailing teriott@monmouthcollege.edu  or calling 309-457-2380.

Tell your friends, siblings, and cousins!