Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

January 23, 2014 

Phone:   734-5129           

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

Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com 

This Sunday - the Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 26, 2014

Sermon Title: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven Has Come Near"  

Liturgist: Gary Pullen

 Ushers:  Tim Phelps, Tom Best, Will Best, Chuck Peirce
Greeters:  Margaret Josephson, Ted & Vicki Briscoe

Upcoming Meetings/Events

Congregation Elects Pastor Nominating Committee

Annual Congregational Meeting - January 26, 2014

The session has called a Congregational Meeting for Sunday, January 26 immediately following worship.  This will be both the Annual Congregational Meeting to present the Annual Report and to receive the budget that the session has approved. In addition, this will also serve as a Special Congregational Meeting to Elect Officers for 2014.  Officers for the Class of 2016 Ruling Elders and Deacons will be elected, as well as the members of the 2014 Nominating Committee from the congregation.  If you would like to suggest someone (yourself or someone else) for one of these offices, you may use the form at the bottom of this newsletter. 

Isabel Circle - Thursday, January 23

Sewing Circle - No January meeting.

Birthdays

In Sympathy

2014 Directory Updates

New Hearing Aids

Fifty Years Ago This Month...

1964 - 2014

Part 2: Business Meeting - Preparing to Elect Officers

It's still January 29, 1964, and we are still at First UPC, as the officially united congregations turn to business.

Moderator DeVries introduces the other members of the Special Administrative Commission (SAC) who are present - Rev. Robert Means, Pastor of Bethel Presbyterian in Hamilton is Stated Clerk of Presbytery and is appointed as clerk of the meeting. He signs the Minutes beneath Rev. DeVries' signature as Moderator. There is Rev. John F. Burhorn, Jr., Pastor of 1^st UP-Macomb and Chairman of Presbytery's Committee on Church and Ministerial Relations; Elder Clyde McKie of the Oneida UP Church, and Elder John Service, Elder of the Moline UP Church and Chairman of Presbytery's Committee on National Missions.

The Clerk, Robert Means, makes a statement relative to the making of Nominations from the floor for the three church boards. Following this, Dr. Allen Morrill, Chairman of the Uniting Committee makes a very interesting speech:

"The work of the uniting Committee is now history. After years of work, this Uniting Committee, aided by advice from (names various persons - a Dr. Richard Meyers of Indianapolis; Dr. J.K. Patterson, the Regional Presbyter; and local pastors Rev. Butler and Rev. Weems, who are soon to leave) the Committee planned a tentative program for the United Church. The program planning in the areas of principles, aims, theology, organization and structure, and in church school, furnished a guide for the new united Session."

The new church is not left to fend for itself or to invent the wheel and a vehicle has been put into place for the transition.

"Much has been done, but we are on the threshold of much greater endeavors ahead. Reference was made to the old English fable of the Phoenix."

Now here's the really interesting part: "All of us familiar with the Book of Nehemiah recall how Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem (after the exile in Babylon) to survey all that needed repair. We must have the will to achieve as simply told in Nehemiah 4:6, 'So they built the walls, and all the walls were joined together... for the people had a mind to work.' We with a mind to work, may perform miracles in Monmouth. We shall build a church home that will be a beacon of light in this community to every age group and every part of Monmouth."

Fifty years later we have the same challenge - to be a beacon of light in this community that witnesses to the love of God. 

       ~    We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree, Then wither and perish; but naught changeth Thee.  ~   

(from the hymn Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise)

Part 3 - Electing Officers

Q2.      How did the merged congregation attempt to give equal representation to its four constituent congregations?

A2:        One way was in the election of officers to serve on the Session, Board of Deacons, and Board of Trustees. The composition was done with the precise symmetry of which a mathematician would be proud. Each of the four united churches nominated 6 Elders, 6 Deacons, and 3 Trustees from   its own congregation. By electing a total of 24 to Session, that number neatly divided into three classes, 1964, 1965, and 1966, and likewise with the 24 Deacons. In turn, the 12 nominated for the Board of Trustees was neatly divisible by the four churches and, simultaneously, by the three classes needed. The election was done decently and in order. "Each board was considered separately. There being no nominations from the floor, on properly made motions, which were seconded, all of the above Elders, Deacons, and Trustees were elected by the vote of the Congregation."

You will recall that in the opening page of the Minutes of Faith Church, the uniting churches were very intentionally listed in alphabetical order so that no church was given first or last place in any but a purely arbitrary way.

Another way to balance and avoid bias toward any one former congregation was to rotate the sites for the various congregational and United Session meetings. As you will see in the February series, the Installation of Officers took place at the former Grace UP Church on February 9, the February 12th Session meeting at First UPC, and the February 26 Congregational Meeting at Second UPC.

 Next week:  Naming the New Church

Christian Education

Melt Away the Winter   

Vita Income Tax Help

Save the Date - Home Show - February 15

Thank You

2014 Directory Information

Candidate Suggestion Form - Ruling Elders, Deacons, and 2014 Nominating Committee from the Congregation

One of the tasks of the Nominating Committee is to place the names of qualified individuals before the Congregation as nominees for Elder, Deacon, and the Congregational Members of the 2014 Nominating Committee.  The congregation must then vote to elect these persons. The Nominating Committee needs your help in determining who is qualified and able to serve, if nominated.  Please give this form to any member of the Nominating Committee.

Candidate Name:  __________________________ Office: _____________

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