 |
|
Historic Dunham Castle Tour
Sat May 4 & Sun May 5
11am to 3pm
5N648 Dunham Rd., Wayne, IL
$25 per person
$20 seniors & students
Tickets available at
http://dunhamcastle.eventbrite.com
or at the door. All proceeds will benefit Little Home Church by the Wayside and the Outreach Ministry. More info...
We are in need of baked goods and savory finger foods for the reception. If you are able, we would appreciate any edible goods you would like to contribute. Please deliver to the church by 10:30 am on either Saturday or Sunday, and we will drive them to the Castle. Refrigeration will not be available, so please keep this in mind with any food. Cookies, cupcakes, etc. and any appetizer are welcome.
Also...
Time to Dig, Dig, Dig...
Divide perennials in your garden, pot or bag them and bring to the church by Thursday morning, May 9. Empty containers
are available at the church.
Buy Annuals at the Advance Sale!
Order forms are available in the Parish Hall and the church web site at littlehomechurch.org. Please submit your Order Form and payment to the church office by May 5.
Help at the sale... Sign-up in the Parish Hall or let us know if you can help with the sale:
info@littlehomechurch.org
Set-up: Thursday 9-11 am
Sale shifts: Fri & Sat, 9-11am & 11am-1pm
Clean-up: Sat, 1 pm
Thank you!
|
|
Pastor's message... 
Growing up in my home my mother would often hum a tune and we knew that at that point all was right with the world, so to speak. The tune she forever hummed was, "It Had to be You."
May and June are special months in our church when we rejoice the family, especially our mothers on May 12 and our graduating seniors on June 2. June 9 finds us celebrating our Music Sunday and the joy Larry and our choir family bring us through song. These are songs of the soul, from the soul. The soul is musical, not always analytical, but always musical. The same can be said of the Bible. In the Hebrew language there are places in the Bible written by using musical notes. The message come through the musical notation.
We have overlooked the Bible as music, for the most part. But the whole Hebrew culture - its words, its language, its history - carries with it an antiphonal hymn, singing. The Hebrew nation was a singing (and dancing) nation: Miriam at the sea, David with his choruses, Jesus and his disciples on the mount, "And when they had sung...they went out..." Christianity is singing religion. There is a reason for this. The soul sings, and the song is its own reason. To be filled with the Spirit is to sing, without reason, "making melody in your heart" (Ephesians 5:19).
Why do people sing? They feel like it. Must the soul tell us everything, or why? Richard Wurmbrand, the Romanian minister, tells of the president of Boer Republic going hunting, leaving his sick child and his sick wife behind. Having returned, he heard his wife singing, a thing she never did. Entering the house he found her in bed, the dead child in her arms. Very shortly afterwards, she too died. The president left everything and began rambling, stumbling through the forests, trying to make sense of life. His friends, after days of searching, finally ran in to him - singing with a deep peace in his heart. He had not found the meaning, but he had found the peace. Can we not sing even when the meaning is not clear? Especially when it is not clear? Even the Bible has words which have meaning we're not sure about - Selah, for one - but seem to be there as much for their sound as anything. The whole Bible, in one way, can be seen as a symphony of sounds. Sometimes the sound of the words is meant to move the soul. For instance, in English the phrase "of one heart and of one soul" (Acts 4:32) in the Greek reads, Kardia kai pshche mia. That's sound for the soul, ecstasy for the heart. In the Bible, some letters, phrases, and words are written for their sheer pleasure of sound. The soul is affected by the "sound of music" too. "They shall sing to thy name. Selah." (Psalm 66:4) Have a wonderful Mother's Day! May God Bless, Rev. Ron W. Purser |
 Activities...
A Book & A Prayer Book Club
4th Monday of every month
7 pm in the Parish Hall
Next Book:
The Shack by William P. Young
Next Meeting:
Monday, May 20, 7 pm, Parish Hall
Contact: Kathy Haben, 630.876.0620, khaben@att.net
A Book and A Prayer Book Club readers discussed, and highly recommend, A Voice in the Wind. The author put an amazing amount of work and research into this novel to let her readers experience what it must have been like living during the rule of the Roman Empire. With little regard the Romans had for the lives of their slaves and Christians! It truly makes me glad to live in a country, and time, that allows for religious freedom and choice. Can I get an AMEN?
On May 20 we will be discussing The Shack by William P. Young. This novel gives the readers a look at a father's loss, his struggle over his daughter's murder, why God allowed such a thing, and his meeting with Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Ghost. You just never know where you'll meet Jesus.
Please join us in the Parish Hall for food, fellowship and discussion...Bring a friend!
(Note we are meeting the 3rd Monday of the month to accommodate the Memorial Day holiday.)
|
Choir 
Change the date!
Due to schedule conflicts with some of our guest artists we had to move Music Sunday to June 9th. We will be presenting Schubert's Mass in G along with some other anthems. Megan Bell, Matt Jones, and Greg Abell are the soloists and Doyle Armburst is putting together our orchestra. We will have a large choir with several guests. Bring lots of friends!
Bells, Bells, Bells!
We have struggled finding the right way to incorporate the bells into worship and find proper time for rehearsals. Here's the solution: Starting this summer, on Wednesday evenings, we will have a children's bell choir practice for 45 minutes followed by an adult bell choir practice for 45 minutes. We will remove the choir pews for the summer and set the bell tables up in the choir loft and then have bell music all summer!
|
|
Worship schedule... 
May 5
6th Sunday of Easter
Holy Communion
Sermon: "Easter Is NOT a Teeter-Totter Theology"
Scripture: John 14:15-21
Theme: Indwelling of God In Us
May 12
Ascension Sunday
Mother's Day
Sermon: "The Three Chairs of Chris"
Scripture: Luke 24:44-53
Theme: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
May 19
Pentecost Sunday
Sermon: "The Brightness, the Eloquence, the Glory of Christ"
Scripture: John 17:1-11; Acts 2:1-13
Theme: They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love
May 26
Memorial Day Service
Sermon: "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory"
Scripture: John 10:44-47
Theme: I Am Glorified in Them
|
|
Education...
Quiet Time Bags
Canvas bags with crayons, storybooks and activity books for children during worship are available in a basket at the rear of the church. Please return them to the basket after worship.
Morning Bible Study
Presented by Rev. Ron Purser on Wednesday mornings at 10 am in his office. They are currently studying the books of Ruth and Esther. No preparation is necessary.
Presented by Rev. Nancy Schatzeder on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7-8:30 pm in the Parish Hall.
Next session: Thursday, May 16
Children's Sunday School
Held during the Sunday service. Come have fun learning and playing at Little Home Church! For more information, please contact Lori Haseltine at 630.587.1906 or lori-h@comcast.net.
|
Ministry news... 
Christian Education
We will celebrate both our high school and college graduates on Sunday, June 2, during our worship service. As is our tradition, we like to recognize their accomplishments during the service and in the June newsletter. If you have a child or grandchild graduating, please give us their information. For those graduating high school, give us the name of their school and their plans for the fall. If it's a college graduate, let us know the name of their school and what degree they've obtained.
Go ahead...brag away!
|
Council news...
Special Congregational Meeting
The Little Home Church Council is requesting a congregational meeting on Sunday, May 19, immediately after church. After a brief presentation of facts surrounding the Peterson House, and a possible sale, we will take a vote. Your attendance and input are important.
Also don't forget if you're interested...
Illinois Conference Annual Celebration, June 14 & 15, Oak Brook
More information on these events can be found on the Fox Valley Association web site. Check it out at foxvalley.ilucc.org
|
Our love & prayers... Recently hospitalized or ill: Polly Heinrich, Theo Moore Our Congratulations... Dianna Griffin has recently completed her Masters degree in Church History. Jared & Joy Winquist announce the birth of Amaya Maluhia Tanimaura, born April 15 and weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz. Proud grandparents are Susi & Jim Winquist, and Donna & Tom Tanimaura. Thank you to our service men & women...
SGT Samantha Prang
SGT Greg Haben
|
Open and Affirming...  Wine and Cheese and ONA...and a Movie!
Save the date for Sunday afternoon, May 19,
4 - 6:30 pm for the showing of "For the Bible Tells Me So." This award winning 2007 documentary follows the experiences of five Christian American families as they try to reconcile their faith and religious backgrounds with the realization of having a gay family member. We will show the film in the Parish Hall and have time for discussion afterward.
Please RSVP to the Church office at 630.584.4013 or email
ONA Status Report
by Anne Bouchard
Since September of last year, the congregation has been learning about the Open and Affirming process, commonly referred to as ONA. Open and Affirming congregations explicitly state and demonstrate that they welcome the participation of all people into the full life and ministry of their church, with a particular focus on LGBT people: lesbian women, gay men, bisexual people, and those who are transgendered.
We have been guided in this process by an Exploratory Committee, which formed in February 2012 to learn about ONA. The committee met together from February until June, and recommended to the Church Council that our entire congregation begin the process of discernment and exploration of the ONA covenant. In turn, the council recommended ONA to the congregation for consideration, and the congregation voted to begin the process at the Junual meeting. Our first congregational discussion was held in September.
The ONA process generally involves a time of study and discernment, creation of an ONA statement, and a congregational vote to accept the statement. In general, the ONA process takes 1 -2 years. Since September we have talked about the history and background of the ONA resolution, watched a video featuring Bishop Gene Robinson, listened to speakers from 5 other UCC churches (2 of which were declared ONA, 3 of which were not), had two Bible study sessions with Ron, and held two informal group discussions without specific agendas. Reading material, DVDs, notes, FAQs, and By the Way articles have been available throughout the process.
The Exploratory Committee members are discussing the next steps to be taken. In the meantime, the committee decided that it would be helpful to provide sample ONA statements from other churches; copies are available for review on the rolling bookcase in the Parish Hall. Creating our own ONA statement is required if we decide to become an ONA church.
All members of the committee are learning along with the congregation. If you have questions or comments about ONA, please contact one of the committee members, or use our suggestion box in the Parish Hall.
Committee:
Anne Bouchard, chairperson
Carol Berger, Jen Gatsch, Kathy Haben, Lori Haseltine, Ann McLaughlin, Marilyn Poole, Nancy Schatzeder, Wally Setlock, Jane Shelton
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Dates
Dunham Castle Tour
Sat. & Sun. May 4 & 5,
11 am - 3 pm
Blood Drive Mon. May 6, 3:30 - 7:30 pm Plant Sale Fri. & Sat. May 10 & 11
9 am - 1 pm Church Council Meeting Tue. May 14, 7 pm Adult Evening Bible Study Thu. May 16, 7 pm Special Congregational Meeting Sun. May 19, 11 am Wine, Cheese & ONA...and a Movie! Sun. May 19, 4 - 6:30 pm 'By the Way' Deadline Mon. May 20
'A Book & A Prayer'
Book Club
Mon. May 20, 7 pm
|
Church Leadership
Pastor Pastor Emeritus Reverend Dr. Don Heinrich Director of Music Organist Larry Dieffenbach
Office Manager
Lori Prang
Moderator Wally Setlock Moderator-elect Kathy Haben Stewardship Ministry Ann McLaughlin Evangelism Ministry Bob Kaska Outreach Ministry Marilyn Poole Congregational Life Anne Bouchard Jane Shelton Christian Education Lori Haseltine Worship & Spiritual Growth Nancy Schatzeder Facilities Dan Roach Members at Large Carol Berger Karen Hansen Gianna Marchese Financial Art Zwemke
|
Flowers
& Fellowship
Provide flowers to decorate our altar table or host a fellowship hour after worship as a wonderful way to recognize a special occasion or to remember someone special.
Email the office or use the sign-up sheets posted in the Parish Hall if you would like to participate. A reminder call will come from the Church Office so you can note what should be listed in the Sunday Bulletin.
(Open dates are noted below.)
|
Altar Flowers
May 5 Prang
May 12
Bouchard May 19 (open) May 26 Alex |
Fellowship Hour
May 5 (open) May 12 (open) May 19 (open) May 26 Hancock & Alex |
Happy Birthday!
May 3
Allison Prang
Samantha Prang
May 9
Kelly Hochstetter
May 14
Rachael Abell
May 17
Peter Biondo
May 19
Danielle Kapoor
May 22
Jim Coleman
May 23
Hilari Fix
May 27
Tammy Malm
|
|
Donate
blood!
Give your mother an early Mother's Day gift:
the gift of life!
Monday, May 6
3:30 - 7:30 pm
Parish Hall
Schedule appointment:
Ann 630-443-3531
Walk-ins welcomed too!
Photo ID required.
Please eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of fluids before donating.
|
we
noticed!
Thank you Mary Roach,
Nancy Alex, Carol Berger,
Karen Hansen & Jim Winquist for your efforts in
coordinating the historic
Dunham Castle Tour. |
Click this icon to visit
Little Home Church
Facebook Page
Give us a "Like"
...we now have 54!
|
Please let us know
if you would like to add
an email address
to our list.
|
|
