Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

April 3, 2014

Phone: 734-5129 Hours: M-F 8 AM - Noon and 1 - 4 PM

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

Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com Website: www.faithpresmonmouth.org

This Sunday - Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 3, 2014

Sermon Title: "I Believe That You Are the Messiah"

Ezekiel 37:1-14 John 11:1-45

Liturgist: Edward Melvin

Ushers: Carol Heflin, Bonnie Heflin, Ralph Whiteman, Martha Whiteman, Norma Mettler

Greeters: Mike and Heather Fisher & Family and Dee Ann Shuff

Children's Church: Ann Phelps

Nursery: Krista Larson

Coffee Hour: Bob & Dixie Wells

CD Recording: Ted Briscoe

Upcoming Meetings/Events

Thursday, April 3 - Thai Circle - 9:30 a.m.

Thursday, April 3 - Whiteman Lecture at MC - 11:00 a.m. (Parking & Shuttle 10:30 to 11 a.m. and after the lecture)

Thursday, April 3 - Confirmation Class - 3:45 p.m.

Friday, April 4 - Lenten Lay Breakfast @ Strom - 6:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 8 - Teddy Bear Picture Day 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 8 - Deacons Meeting - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 9 - Lenten Study with Pastor - 5 p.m.

Thursday, April 10 - Fillman Fellowship - 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, April 10 - Confirmation Class - 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 10 - Outreach Committee Meeting - 7:00 p.m. @ FUPC

Thursday, April 10 - Community Caring Meeting @Security Savings - 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 12 - Genevieve Ball Memorial Service - 11 a.m. @FUPC

Fillman Fellowship - Thursday, April 10

Fillman Fellowship will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, in our Social Hall. Please bring a sack lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. Join us for fellowship and support and a bonus of fun and laughter!

Faith United Announces New Website

We have gone live with a brand-new, up-to-date website with an intuitive, easy-to-remember web address: www.faithpresmonmouth.org. (If you can even recall the old address, you will notice the new one is a lot easier to remember i.e., the name of our church, its denom-ination, and its location. Also, the .org is more appropriate for a non-profit.)

Building a new website is a work in progress, and Vicki will be updating it frequently with content about our news, our events, and our programs. So, please do check it out and take a look. There's plenty of room for exciting, dynamic content.

A word about browsers - Since the website was built using Wix.com, a Google product, it does run best using the Google Chrome browser, and I would recommend downloading and installing the Chrome browser if you don't already have it. Mozilla Firefox and Safari (for Mac users) have also worked well. We are still having some issues with certain versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer. If you get a message about long-running scripts while using IE, you can opt to stop the script and refresh the page. You may need to do it each time you want to navigate to a new page. This is cumbersome, so unless you have IE 11, you may want to try another browser.

March Financial Report

One Great Hour of Sharing

We will be taking the One Great Hour of Sharing denominational offering on Palm Sunday, April 13 and Easter Sunday, April 20.

From now through Easter our primary mission focus will be One Great Hour of Sharing. Since 1949 Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God's love with our neighbors-in-need around the world. Your generous gifts to this Special Offering help provide relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and assist in helping to empower the poor and oppressed. Over the next few weeks through our Minute for Mission time you will be hearing more about the programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing. Disaster survivors who have lost everything and are left wondering what's next . . . volunteers from the pews who travel far to work in difficult conditions helping others . . . and immigrant small farmers who simply need an opportunity to pull themselves up out of poverty. All are people we are helping each time we give to the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS). Our main offering focus will be Palm Sunday, along with the children who have been collecting for this in their "Fish" banks, and Easter Sunday, but of course donations designated to OGHS will be accepted gratefully throughout this time.

The Mission Committee

Faith United Presbyterian Church

Lenten Lay Breakfast Series - next on Friday, April 4

The 39th Annual Lenten Lay Breakfast series continues each Friday morning through Good Friday on April 18, 2014. The series is sponsored by the Warren County Ministerial Association and hosted by Strom Center. Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m. with the program from 7:15 - 7:45 a.m.

April 4 - Fairview Center UMC

April 11 - Immaculate Conception

April 18 - First United Methodist

Youth Meeting Breakfasts

There is a sign-up sheet on the office door for volunteers who would like to provide any breakfast items (such as donuts, breakfast pizza, coffee cakes, muffins, juice, fresh fruit) for the Jr and Sr High Youth on Sunday mornings

April 13 through May 11 (except Easter), as the youth prepare for Youth Sunday. They meet in the Youth Wing at 9:15 a.m.

Mission Trip - June 7 - 14, 2014

The Youth are planning a mission trip to Queens, NY this summer from June 7 through June 14. Any youth interested in going should talk to Stephanie Reading as soon as possible!

Easter-tide Breakfast - April 20

Join us Easter Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for our Annual Easter-tide Breakfast. Enjoy breakfast casserole, coffee cakes, juice/milk. The cost is a free-will donation. All proceeds will benefit the 2014 Youth Mission trip to Queens, New York. Choir will be served at 9:00 for those wanting to eat. Please sign up on the office door.

Coffee Cakes

Would you be willing to bring a coffee cake for our Easter-tide breakfast? If so, please sign up on the office door. Thank you!!!

Whiteman Lecture at Monmouth College - 11 .m. Today, April 3

This year's special guest speaker at the Whiteman Lecture is Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, sister of Buster Kellogg. Mary

has an extensive background in entertainment, marketing and production. She served for 20 years as Senior Executive Vice President of Television for The Walt Disney Company. At Disney she helped develop and served as the executive-in-charge of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," plus oversaw more than 90 television shows. In 2004 Ms. Kellogg-Joslyn joined Cedar Bay Entertainment company as Executive Vice President, working with the company's Titanic Branson operation and the Pigeon Forge Titanic Attraction.

The event is free and open to the public and will take place in the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium. Parking is available at Faith Church, with shuttle service running from 10:30 - 10:55 a.m. and immediately after the lecture.

Birthdays

April 1 - Kristina Gilliland Compton

April 2 - Dalton Willett

April 3 - Matthew Rickey

April 5 - Janie Brill, Alex Green

April 6 - Nancy Bersted, Sarah Torrance

April 7 - Brittany Liggett

April 10 - Carol Tenold

April 11 - Raj Ambrose

April 12 - Laura Rickey

April 14 - Bob Meling

April 15 - Dominick Reading, Ruby Pentsil-Bukari

Wedding Anniversaries

April 24 - Ted & Vicki Briscoe (5th)

News from the Deacons - Wedding Anniversaries

The Deacons would like to acknowledge your wedding anniversaries. Please notify Dixie Wells of your date so you can be included in our list. You can e-mail the information to bwells@speednet.com or leave a note with the information with Vicki in the church office or e-mail her at faithup@maplecity.com.

PW Spring Gathering of Presbytery of Great Rivers
Registration for Spring Gathering - Apr 12, 2014 (The registration form is on page 7 of the Currents PDF file. Please be patient - this file can take a long time to download.)

This year the Spring Gathering of PW of the Presbytery of Great Rivers will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at United Presbyterian Church in Mason City, IL. Gathering for coffee and refreshments begins at 9:00 a.m. and the Opening with Worship is at 9:30 a.m. United Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of North Main and High Street and the telephone number is (217) 482-5438.

The theme this year is "The Reconciliation of Humankind Through Jesus Christ" and is based on scriptures from Deuteronomy 15:7-11, Matthew 5:3-10, and Matthew 26:6-13.

Linda Miller and Sharon Graham will be using activities from a Church World Service publication that focuses on the Millennium Development Goals so that attendees at the PW PGR Spring Gathering will have the opportunity to attend two workshops that afternoon to learn how a global chorus of voices is calling to make poverty history. Two of the eight Millennium Development Goals are (1) to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty and (2) to ensure environmental sustainability by providing access to safe water. Sharon's workshop is entitled "Water for Life/Water for All," and Linda's is "Luck of the Draw" and "Who's Got the Cheese?"

To access the registration form, you may click on the link above, or if you prefer, there are some paper copies in the church office that Vicki can give you.

Luncheon reservations are due to Registrar Barbara Rodgers at P.O. Box 191 in Mason City, IL 62664 (phone 217-482-5438) by Monday, April 7. Cost is $8.00. Checks should be made out to Presbyterian Women (memo: Spring Gathering).

One thing to note before making non-refundable luncheon reservations, the Genevieve Ball Memorial Service is scheduled for the same day, April 12, at Faith Church, at 11 a.m. with a Bereavement Luncheon with the family at approximately 12:30 p.m., so it will not be possible to attend both this and the Spring Gathering.

Fifty Years Ago This Month...

   1964 - 2014



SESSION MEETING - APRIL 8, 1964 (condensed)

Elders Present: Patterson, Rhea, Keating, Allison, Mrs. Beveridge, Hallam, Wallace, Armstrong, Lipes, Marshall, Ebersole, Jewell, Connell, Simpson, Wells, Carlson, Kritzer, Morrill, Parsons, and Thompson. The moderator was Rev. H. D. Finley. Also present were W. F. Ayoub and Rev. Mr. Wm. R. Phillippe, stated supplies and David Moffet, Trustees Chairman. Requests for excuses from Mrs. White, Royer, Manley and Rankin were read by the moderator. Moved by Parson, second by Rhea, that requests be granted. Carried.

* Request from James Peiper and Mrs. Neva J. Piper that their church letters be sent to West Side

United Presbyterian Church, Monmouth, Ill. and a request that the church letter of Miss Georgia Kay Johnson be sent to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Omaha, Neb. were read by the clerk. Requests were granted.

* Christian Education: Motion passed that Vacation Church School be conducted June 23 - July 3, with Mrs. Lyle Finley as director.

* Youth Fellowship: Motion passed that the use of facilities of the former Grace Church from 3 - 5:30 p.m. on two evenings each week for youth activities be approved subject to final approval of a set of rules to be submitted by the youth groups at the next Session meeting.

* Stewardship & Mission: The following young people have been named members of the committee: Karen Bailey, Janis Ball, Diane Van Skike, Linda Sage, Rick Jewell, and David Shawver.

Following discussion, a recommendation from the committee regarding holding of money-making projects by organizations of Faith Church was referred back to the committee for further study.
Motion passed that the recording of church school contribution envelopes be discontinued, but that the use of this means of training be stressed even though no formal record is kept.

* Following the presentation of a preliminary report regarding the examination of the various buildings by the architectural firm of Cooley & Borre A.I.A. and Associates and an analysis of their possibilities for future development for use by Faith Church, it was moved by Morrill, second by Parsons, that a special meeting of the Session be held at 8 p.m., April 10 in the former Grace Church for the purpose of receiving the second phase of the architect's report and taking any action deemed appropriate in light thereof. Carried.

* On motion by Marshall, chairman of the Nominating Committee, second by Wells, the group of names of persons selected by the Nominating Committee to be invited to attend the retreat May 1-3 was approved. Motion passed that communion be observed as a part of the Retreat on Sunday evening, May 3 at East Bay Camp.

Mark Your Calendar - VBS 2014 June 29 - July 3

The summer VBS at Faith Church will be scheduled for Sunday, June 29 thru Thursday, July 3. The change is due to a change in the College for Kids schedule. Since the Fourth of July holiday occurs on the Friday of that week, VBS will begin on Sunday and run through Thursday. More information will be coming from CE later.

Thank You

Dear Deacons,

Thank you for the rose, it was gorgeous, and thanks for all the tapes. i'm getting better all the time and hope to see you back in church sometime this summer.

Sincerely,

Cathy Abernathy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Family of Faith Church,

We sincerely thank everyone for their support, prayers, cards, visits, food, and also thanks to those who helped us move to our new location. We are now at

1 Courtyard Blvd., Apt. 110. Phone: 734-2638

Sincerely,

Jim & Carol McCurdy

Prayer Concerns

Dylan Gray (Shanae Glasgow's boyfriend); Bobbi Cady (Sarah Torrance's mother); Ken "Shorty" Wilson; Dave & Eilleen Spoerl; violence in the Ukraine; Bill Smallwood; Cathy Abernathy; Jim McCurdy; Greg Haning; those who are unable to worship with us on Sunday; Marian Mills; Donna Lee; Jessie James; Bill Hoover; Blaine Robinson; Vern Mettler; Cinda Stansbury; Irvin Lipp; Mary Johnson; Gary Youngblood; Lindsay Murdock; and Jim Paris.

Dylan Gray is undergoing brain surgery today, April 3.

Irv Lipp's test results show that his acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is back and he is undergoing chemotherapy at Sloan-Kettering, hoping for a second remission. You can read more details at CaringBridge.org Irv says, "Keep your notes, cards, calls, and emails coming. Your prayers work." His home address is 22 White Oak Lane, West Hampton Beach, NY 11978

Lindsay Murdock's story and interviews with her family members was aired on the TV show "The Doctors" on February 28. Here are links to the show - watch 11042 first.

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/11042

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/11043

Buchanan Community Chorus - April 6

The Buchanan Community Chorus invites you to their

"Lawrence Welk Tribute" at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 in the Dahl Chapel of Monmouth College. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Old Friends Talk Art - Wednesday, April 9

Susan Twomey, Director of the Buchanan Center for the Arts will discuss her recent trip to Vienna, Western Europe, and Italy at the next meeting of OFTA on Wednesday, April 9 at 10 a.m. at the Buchanan Center for the Arts at 64 Public Square, Monmouth. She made her trip to Europe to be present at the opening of Eric Fischl's show in Vienna. He and his wife April Gornik have been recent jurors for our annual Arts 64 Juried Art Show and both are internationally known artists. Admission is free and the program is open to all.

Maple Leaf Concert - April 10

"Broadway Our Way" with Beckie Menzie & Tom Michaels will be coming to Monmouth on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at the Dahl Auditorium on the campus of Monmouth College. Menzie and Michaels have appeared on some of the country's most prestigious stages, including New York's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

Ecumenical Singers Palm Sunday Concert

The Ecumenical Singers, directed by Leo Ramer, will present their 34th Annual Holy Week Concert of Sacred & Classical Music on Palm Sunday, April 13th, at 4:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Guest performers include the MRHS Concert Choir, directed by Kevin Ferry, along with the Ecumenical Brass, Wind & String Pit. Alisa Ramer will accompany and will also conduct the Handbell Choir. There is no admission fee, but a free-will offering will be taken. This concert is partially funded by the Buchanan Center for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council, a state Agency. The public is invited.

The above photo shows the Ecumenical Singers performing at the Lincoln Museum in Springfield at Christmas time.

Memorial Service for Genevieve Ball

On Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. there will be a Memorial Service at Faith United Presbyterian Church to celebrate the life of longtime member Genevieve Joy Ball. Genevieve passed away November 29, 2014 at the age of 93 in Maple Plains, MN. There will be a bereavement luncheon in the Social Hall after the service, and the congregation is more than welcome to attend.

If you would like to read the obituary of Genevieve Ball published in the
Daily Review Atlas

last December, click here.

Easter Flowers

Members are invited to make donations for our Easter flowers.

Each year we intersperse spring flowers with the traditional lilies. Members are given the choice to either pick up a lily following the Easter service or to donate a lily for a homebound member. Please turn in your order on or before Palm Sunday, April 13. Thank you!

_____I would like to order _____ lilies at $7.50 each to be picked up after the Easter Service. In addition, I would also like to order _____ lilies at $7.50 each to be delivered after the service to a homebound member.

_____I would like to order _____ spring flowers (tulips) to be planted in the courtyard or south side of the church after Easter at $7.50 each.

to be given in memory of: ________________________________________

to be given in honor of: __________________________________________

given by:______________________________________________________

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