Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

January 2, 2014

Phone: 734-5129

Pastor Charles B. Cunningham (emergencies after hours) 309-221-8168

Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com

This Sunday - the 2nd Sunday after Christmas Day

January 5, 2014

Sermon Title: "And the Word Became Flesh..."

Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147:12-20

Ephesians 1:3-14 John 1:1-18

Liturgist: Ann Phelps

Ushers: Jim Brown, John Turnbull, Greg Baber, John Lyle,

Jim Glasgow, Shari Glasgow
Greeters: Darlene Moffet, George & Liz Nieman

Children's Church: Crystal Sargent

Nursery: Bonnie Heflin

Coffee Hour: Carol & Bonnie Heflin

Special Music: Kim Angotti

Upcoming Meetings/Events

Thursday, January 2 - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

Monday, January 6 - Epiphany of the Lord

Tuesday, January 7 - Stewardship & Budget Meeting - 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 8 - Bible Study with Pastor - 6 p.m.

Thursday, January 9 - Fillman Fellowship 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, January 9 - CE Committee Meeting - 7 p.m.

Sunday, January 12 - Congregational Meeting to Elect Pastor Nominating Committee - following Worship.

Tuesday, January 14 - Deacons Meeting - 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 18 - Presbytery-Wide Session Records Review at FUPC -

9:30 a.m. to Noon

Congregational Meeting to Elect a Pastor Nominating Committee

The Session has called for a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 12, 2014, following worship for the purpose of electing a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The Session has set the size at seven (7). The slate recommended by the Nominating Committee consists of Armond Akey, Julie Armstrong, Lolla Ballard, Jane Kellogg, George Nieman, Tim Phelps, and Gary Pullen.

If you would like to nominate any other candidate in addition to these, please see the Candidate Suggestion Form at the bottom of this newsletter and the instructions for doing so.

Time for Annual Reports

Session Committee Moderators and other group leaders --

as 2013 draws to a close, it will soon be time to publish our Annual Report to the congregation to be distributed at the next Annual Meeting on January 26, 2014. Let us know who was on your committee and what your committee did during the year to support the overall vision and mission of our church.

In addition to keeping the congregation informed about church life, these reports are invaluable to new moderators coming on as they learn their responsibilities and also helps the PNC and pastoral candidates.

So far, I have received reports from Trustees, Investment, Wednesday Night Live, Memorial, Deacons, Sewing Circle, Music, the Ice Cream Social Committee, and Fillman. Thank you for getting your reports in promptly.

Vicki

DEADLINE: 1st week of January

In Sympathy

We express our sincere condolences to the family of Isabel Bickett Marshall, 99, who died peacefully at OSF Holy Family Medical Center of Monmouth, surrounded by her family on Wednesday, January 1, 2014. In keeping with Isabel's love of hosting family and friends at her home, all are invited to attend a Open House celebrating her life, which will be hosted by her family at 318 East Boston Avenue, Monmouth, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, January 3, 2014. A memorial service will be held at Faith United Presbyterian Church at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 4, 2014. Isabel's family will greet family and friends at Faith Church from noon Saturday until the time of service. Friends may call on Friday at Hoover-Hall Memorial Chapel, Monmouth, during the day. Memorials may be made in her honor to Faith United Presbyterian Church or the American Heart Association. Online condolences may be left at Hooverhall.com.

Birthdays

January 2 - Rose Trimble, Carol Heflin, Mitch McVey

January 5 - Tralynn Mitchell

January 6 - John Turnbull

January 7 - Ann Phelps

January 10 - Bob Roney, Sheila Wilson, Darlene Moffet

January 11 - Noah Sorensen

January 13 - Jill McClintock

January 14 - Jacob McLaughlin, Alis Chy, Kenna Tatman

January 15 - Natalie Baber, Matthew Blackford

January 18 - Peggy Figle, Steve Distin

January 20 - Jim Lewis

January 25 - Molly Inman

January 26 - Heather Fisher

January 27 - Dawn Fleming

January 28 - Barb Gossett

January 29 - Nisha Hager Spangler

January 30 - Ron Murdock

Prayer Concerns

The family of Isabel Marshall, Sharon Graham, Donna Lee, Jessie James; Brittany Wilson; Joyce Hagemann; Bill Hoover; Blaine Robinson; Vern Mettler; Cathy Abernathy; Cinda Stansbury; Irvin Lipp; Mary Johnson; Tara Hanson; Gary Youngblood; Lindsay Murdock; and Jim Paris.

Blaine Robinson was transferred to the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Hospital in Minneapolis, MN on Monday, December 30, and his family is very pleased with the facility. Polytrauma Rehab is part of the Minneapolis VA System and is one of 5 facilities in the country designed to provide acute inpatient rehabilitative care to Veterans and Active Duty Service members (ADSM) who have experienced severe injuries. Cindy will soon be posting a mailing address.

Irv Lipp has received good news on his test results. He is at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in New York City. Mail may be sent to his home at 22 White Oak Lane, West Hampton Beach, NY 11978. You may read his most recent updates at Caring Bridge.org.

Thank You

Our Family at Faith Church --

Thank you all so much for your prayers, thoughts and well wishes for our beautiful wedding day! Our day was perfect and we couldn't imagine our new chapter of life starting anywhere else.

Thank you!

Doug & Tia Tatman

Thank You

To the Ice Cream Social Committee:

A formal letter of gratitude will be sent later, but I just had to write to all of you wonderful folks who worked so hard, had so much fun in providing a fantastic "Ice Cream Social"! It served the community well!

Your gift of $500 to Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center from the profits of that event is meaningful to us in so very many ways. Most importantly, it will provide therapeutic riding lessons for our riders.

Equally important to me and our dedicated staff and volunteers is the fact that you see our mission as truly God's work in the community.

We are so very grateful,

Karen Angotti, Director

Christian Education

Sunday School classes will resume at 9:15 a.m. on January 12 for the children. Pastor Cunningham will be available to lead the Adult Bible Study beginning this Sunday, January 5 at 9:15 a.m.

Christmas Joy Offering

So far, $214.79 has been collected for the Joy Offering. You can still contribute this Sunday, January 5 to the future of the faith, including the Menaul School. Please designate "Joy Offering" on the memo line of your check.

Fillman Fellowship

Fillman Fellowship will meet on Thursday, January 9, weather permitting, at 11:30 a.m. in our Social Hall. Remember to bring your sack lunch and invite a friend to join us. Bring suggestions for a recipient of our monetary gift.

Meals for a Healthy Heart

The University of Illinois Knox County Extension Office will be hosting a program for anyone interested in preventing or managing heart disease. This is a 2-part series consisting of two one-hour sessions to be held at the Knox County Extension Office, 180 South Soangetaha Road, Galesburg, on January 7 and January 14 from 2 to 3 p.m. If you would like to attend, please call 309-342-5108. Cost is $10 per person or $15 per couple.

Save the Date - Lions Club Soup Supper - January 21

The Monmouth Evening Lions Club will be hosting their Annual Soup Supper at Faith United Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, January 21. Watch for details!

Save the Date - Home Show - February 15

The Home Show will be February 15, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 1st Street Armoury in Monmouth. Watch for further details.

A Word from our Treasurer

Anyone wanting to know the balance of their pledge for 2013 may contact Andrea Crum at acrum@monmouthcollege.edu or cell phone number 309-371-8573. She will need to look it up at the church and then get back to you with the amount. Thanks.

Also, as we transition from 2013 to 2014, it is particularly important to write a notation on your check or offering indicating whether you want the funds to be applied to your 2013 or 2014 pledge balance. If there is no instruction, the treasurer will use the date of the check and apply it to that year's pledge balance, so if that's not what you want, you will need to please let her know.

2014 Directory Information

It will soon be time for Vicki to publish the 2014 church membership directory for new church officers. PLEASE, if you have changed your telephone number (perhaps you've dropped your landline) or have moved to a new address during 2013, call the church office or email at faithup@maplecity.com so that Vicki will have your most current information. We'd like our directory to be as up to date and as useful as possible.

Youth Potato Bake - January 26

On Sunday, January 26, the youth will have their annual Potato Bake following the Congregational Annual Meeting. A free will donation will be received where the proceeds will go toward youth missions. If you are able to help with a salad or dessert, please sign up on the office door. Thank you!

Faith Church Hosting Two Presbytery Events

Saturday, January 18, 2014 - We will be hosting the Session Records Review for all of the churches in the Presbytery of Great Rivers who have not yet completed their reviews, which are held in alternate years. This event will be held in the Social Hall from 9:30 a.m. until noon. We are asked to provide coffee, water, and

a mid-morning snack to approximately 12 guests. If you are interested in helping, please contact Bonnie & Carol Heflin, January Service Club Co-Chairs, at 734-2634 or call the church office at 734-5129. Expenses will be reimbursed by the Presbytery if receipts are submitted.

Sunday, January 26, 2014 - We will be hosting the Presbytery-wide Pastor Nominating Committee Workshop from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. in our Social Hall. Light lunch refreshments will be needed for approximately 50-60 people. More details to follow.

Candidate Suggestion Form - Faith United Presbyterian Church Pastor Nominating Committee

One of the tasks of the Nominating Committee is to place the names of qualified individuals before the Congregation as nominees for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The Congregation must then vote to elect these persons at the Congregational Meeting on January 12, 2014. The Session has set the size of the PNC at seven (7) persons. The slate recommended by the Nominating Committee for the PNC consists of Armond Akey, Julie Armstrong, Lolla Ballard, Jane Kellogg, George Nieman, Tim Phelps, and Gary Pullen.

If you would like to nominate any other candidate, in addition to those above, who is qualified and able to serve if nominated, please give this form to any member of the Nominating Committee. Please obtain the person's consent before nominating him or her, and note that anyone who is paid staff of the church is ineligible to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee.

Candidate Name:

____________________________________________________

The 2013 Nominating Committee is: Gene Larson, Vicki Briscoe, Betty McBride, Hallie Lemon, Julie Armstrong, Debbie Dingman, Gary Distin, Buster Kellogg.

Join Our Mailing List!