purple-flower-tree.jpg

 

Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

June 26, 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 - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost 

 June 29, 2014 

9:30 a.m. 

 

Sermon Title: "God Works Wonders...WOW!!!" 
 
  Liturgist: John Marshall
 Ushers: Jim Brown, John Turnbull, Greg Baber, John Lyle, Jim Glasgow, 
Shari Glasgow
Greeters:  Les & Jo Ellen Dollinger, Darlene Moffet
Nursery:  Bonnie Heflin  
Coffee Hour:  VBS 
CD Recording:  Ted Briscoe 
Special Music:  Vacation Bible School  
 
This Sunday, June 29 - VBS 

  

Join us for an exciting worship this Sunday as we begin our VBS "Workshop of Wonders".  We will meet our guide for this week, Sandy Paper and his sidekick Rivet; we will sing a couple of Bible School songs and hear the story of Esther during "A Time for Children."  After church, along with the reception for Charles and Janet, we will have Bible School snacks and an activity or two for the children and registration set up for the adults.  It would be wonderful if members were willing to help kids with their craft or help them build with legos in the Social Hall.  Bible School runs until noon, but if families need to leave early, that is ok. Again, please join us as we celebrate  "the God who works Wonders" ( Psalm 77:14a)

 

Upcoming Meetings/Events 

 
Wednesday, June 25 - Adult Bible Study on Acts - 5:00 p.m. @ Bob & Carolyn Meling's home (both groups invited)
 
Thursday, June 26 - Isabel Circle Meeting @ Crystal Sargent's - 6:30 p.m.
 
Sunday, June 29 - Pastor Cunningham's last Sunday in pulpit
 
Sunday, June 29 through Thursday, July 3 - Vacation Bible School - 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon
 
Friday, July 4 - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED FOR JULY 4TH HOLIDAY
 
July 4 - July 18 - Teddy Bear Child Development Center & Preschool closed for summer vacation - Resumes Monday, July 21

Church Office Closed on Mondays during Month of July

 

Instead of taking a week of vacation in July as originally planned, because there will not be a pastor in the office during the month of July, the session has approved the church secretary's request to take her vacation on each of the four Mondays in July.  Therefore, the church office will be closed on July 7, 14, 21, and 28.  It will be open as usual from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.  

 

If there is an emergency on a Monday during July, please call Jim Brown (734-4257), a Deacon, or John Marshall, Clerk of Session (536-0638), or an Elder. You can also always leave a message on the church answering machine, but it may not be picked up until Tuesday morning. 


Congregational Meeting - July 20, 2014
 
The PNC has recommended a candidate to Session for congregational approval, the Rev. Dr. Kathy Stoner Lasala.  The Congregational Meeting for this candidacy will be after worship on Sunday, July 20, 2014.  
 
Charles' last Sunday in the pulpit will be June 29.  On August 3 he will begin an interim ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Pekin, Illinois.  The following dates will be the schedule of worship for the next few Sundays:  
 
July 6 - Pulpit Supply
July 13 - Pulpit Supply
July 20 - Rev. Dr. Kathy Stoner Lasala's candidating sermon (with a picnic event for the congregation to meet her on Saturday, July 19)
July 27 - Pulpit Supply
August 3 - If approved, new pastor begins   
 
Isabel Circle - Thursday, June 26, 2014      
 

Isabel Circle will meet at the home of Crystal Sargent at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2014.  Attendees will meet at the church parking lot to carpool to the Sargent's rural home.  Supper will be served.  For more information, contact the church office.  All members and friends are welcome to attend.

 

Sharon Graham will facilitate Lesson Nine: God's Abiding Presence from the 2013-2014 Horizons Bible Study. The key idea is that the tabernacle represented God's ongoing presence among the people in the wilderness, just as Jesus and the Holy Spirit represent God's eternal presence among us. There will be a brief review of Lessons 1 through 8.  The lesson will focus on how will we be God's tabernacle, how will we show God's abiding love and care, and how are we already tabernacles for God.

 


Community Care Days Report      
 

About 40 men and women worked Friday & Saturday to help fifteen homeowners with needed repairs, including building decks, doing yard work, and just whatever they needed to be done. 

 

Ralph Whiteman and I want to thank the people who allowed us to help them with their needs.  Also, thanks to the volunteers from Faith Church! With all your help we were able to accomplish much:  Lolla Ballard, Jo Ellen Dollinger, Gene Larson, John Lyle, Betty McBride, and George Nieman.  

                                                                            Bob Wells

  Faith UPC 

Youth Mission Trip 
 
The youth have returned safely from their exciting week-long trip to New York City.  During the days they worked hard rehabbing two houses, doing dry wall and tiling floors.  It was a week of acquiring new skills and meeting new people in God's service. 

A big thank you to everyone in the congregation for their prayers, snack contributions to the goody bags, and heart-felt notes of encouragement.  


PW News  salad.jpg
 
Amendments to the by-laws were unanimously approved at the annual meeting on June 19. This updated our 1989 constitution of Presbyterian Women of Faith United Presbyterian Church.

Following a program by Linda Miller of First Presbyterian Church-Macomb, she led the installation service for new officers:  

PW 

Moderator-Jonalyn  Heaton  

Secretary - Sheila Wilson    

Treasurer - Jane Kellogg  

Coordinator of Interpretation - Janice Cunningham 

Coordinator of Study/Action - Vicki Briscoe 

Cluster 4 Representative - Lolla Ballard 

 
Nominating Committee - Sharon Graham & Bonnie Heflin (1 year left); 
Denise Turnbull & Debbie Dingman (2 year term) 

2014-2015 Horizons Bible Study Books Now Available
 
The 2014 - 2015 Horizons Bible Study is "Reconciling Paul:  A Contemporary Study of 2 Corinthians" by Elizabeth Hinson -Hasty. 

When the PW/Horizons Bible study committee selected 2 Corinthians for the topic, they requested that the study focus on the following aspects of faith:  generosity, grace, forgiveness, living by faith, the image of God, funds development, ambassadors of reconciliation (peacemaking), reconciliation, the ways in which Paul's letters are a response to these themes, what was in the original letters, and Paul himself. 

The books are illustrated with traditional and contemporary stained glass designs that are truly beautiful. 

Copies may be purchased from Vicki at the church office 8 - noon and 1 - 4 p.m. M-F for $9.00.  Please make checks payable to Faith United Presbyterian Church and write "PW Horizons Study Guide" on the memo line. 
Prayer Concerns

Beth Dingman; Nancy Bersted; Joyce Lantz; Irv Lipp; Etta Jane Pullen (now at Seminary Bounce Back); Will Wetzel;  Ed & Lois Strickler; Bobbi Cady (Sarah Torrance's mother);  Bill Smallwood; Cathy Abernathy;  Jim McCurdy; Greg Haning; Bill Hoover; Blaine Robinson; Vern Mettler; Cinda Stansbury; Mary Johnson; Lindsay Murdock;  and Jim Paris.

Nancy Bersted is doing well after her hip replacement surgery on June 16. She was transferred from St. Francis to OSF Holy Family on June 19.  Beth Dingman is at St. Mary's in Galesburg undergoing treatment. 

Congratulations!  It's a Boy! 
 

Sawyer James Tatman was born at 3:25 p.m. on Father's Day, June 15, 2014 to parents Tia and Doug Tatman and big sister Kenna.  He weighed 8 lb 4 oz and was 21 inches long. 

Birthdays

 

June 23 - Neil Agan, Esther White

June 26 - Michael Spainhour
June 28 - Linda Groves
June 30 - Betty Lee

July 4   -   Kris Brown
July 6   -   Kelsey Green
July 7   -   Leroy Lantz
July 8   -   Norma Mettler, Jane Warfield, Whitney Pullen Eberhardt
July 10  -  Steve Spainhour

 

Wedding Anniversaries

 

June 20 - Jim & Carol McCurdy (61st)

June 23 - Tom & Eileen Giddings (46th)

June 23 - Ralph & Marjorie Butler (58th)

June 30 - Jarod & Nisha Spangler (2nd)

 

July 7    -  Charles & Janet Cunningham (30th)

 

Fifty Years Ago This Month...
 
1964 - 2014
REGULAR MEETING OF THE SESSION - June 24, 1964

(condensed)   -- Part 2   

 

The regular meeting of the Session of Faith United Presbyterian Church, Monmouth, Ill. was held in the church building, 200 South 8th Street, at 8 p.m., June 24, 1964 with the following elders present:  White, Beveridge, Connell, Keating, Simpson, Allison, Armstrong, Rankin, Rhea, Wallace, Carlson, Kritzer, Lipes, Parsons and Thompson.  Also present were:  H. D. Finley, moderator, Wm R. Phillippe, stated supply pastor, and David R. Moffet, chairman of the Board of Trustees.  Absent were:  Ebersole, Manley, Marshall, Patterson, Royer, Wells, Hallam, Jewell and Morrill. 
  • A meeting was held at Ninth Avenue the previous evening, and plans were made there to conform with the main church school.  The Faith and Life material would be introduced at Ninth Avenue on October 1, 1964.
  • Dan Anderson, recreation director at Ninth Avenue, asked for volunteers to help with such things as handicraft, sewing, etc.
  • Mrs. Beveridge moved that a small number of adult and youth choir robes be given to some needy church.  Carried.
  • The Communications Committee reported that another issue of "Focus on Faith" was in the mails. Next issue will be on July 20.
  • Facilities Committee representative Wallace moved that we exercise our option to buy the property on East Second Avenue for parking as soon as possible.  Carried.
  • Thompson moved that the Nominating Committee name a committee to gather the records of the four churches and microfilm them and send the original records to a depository.  Carried.
  • Allison moved that a light be installed on the north side of Second Church building.  Motion carried.  Action to be referred to the Trustees.  

Minutes by James A. Lipes, Assistant Clerk of Session 


Does anybody know the whereabouts of these microfilmed records? 

 

We have had an inquiry from the great-great-great granddaughter of Rev. Samuel Wilson, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church from 1838-1847,  who wants to know what became of the contents of the Grace Presbyterian cornerstone. She has some documentation from the Presbyterian Historical Society that her great-great-great grandfather's personal Bible and last two sermons were placed inside the cornerstone in 1881.  

 
 
85+ Birthday Party - July 27, 2014 
 
yellow-bday-cake.jpg

The Deacons are busy planning a special birthday party on Sunday, July 27, during the coffee hour immediately following worship, to honor our wisest and most experienced members 85+ years young.  

 

We want to make sure we don't miss anybody!  If you are new to the 85 and over milestone group (or know someone who is), please call the church office so that you may be added to the invitation list. Also, if you have failed to get an invite in previous years  and should have been included (or know someone who has), please let us know.  So many of you wear your age so well - nobody has a clue - so please forgive us if we thought you were much younger and help set us straight!

 

 - Getting older is simply the price we pay for living a long time! -  
 
Monmouth College Names New President  

 

Monmouth College has announced its 14th president, Dr. Clarence Wyatt, who will begin July 1.  He was formerly the Chief Planning Officer and Special Assistant to the President at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. A graduate of Centre College, Dr. Wyatt received his master's degree and Ph.D. in history from the University of Kentucky in 1984 and 1990, respectively. His wife Lobie Stone is also an alumna of Centre College and has a BFA in studio art from the University of Minnesota. She has a strong interest in the arts, historic preservation and downtown development. 

 

Click here to read more