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The Tower
Weekly Newsletter of Second Congregational United Church of Christ March 7, 2010 Contents of this Issue: The Celebration of Worship This Week’s Calendar New Opportunity for Moms? Second Con Book Club (2CBC) Delves into Hunger And it’s 1--2--3 Strikes You’re Out at the Old Ball Game Dancing with the Second Con Stars? Let’s all go to the movies Prayer List “Enough! How You Can Help End Hunger” A Little Bit from Becky..... Collier Food Pantry Soup Kitchen Words from the Moderator Bradley University Choir Concert: Sat., March 13 Corned Beef Dinner at First Presbyterian
The Celebration of Worship
Sunday, March 7, 2010
9:00am – Adult Classes 10:00am – Worship 11:15am – Coffee Hour
Sermon The Rev. Dr. J. Michael Solberg “Straight Talk about Judgment” Scripture: I Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9
Music: Paul Laprade, director Organ Bob Bates, organist “Maestoso”, Chorale in B Minor Franck “Chacone” Couperin Vocal “Baptized in Jordan” Pasch Sanctuary Choir “Come to the Waters” Handel Marge Maynard, Vocal Soloist
This Week’s Calendar
Sunday, March 7 8:30am – Sanctuary Choir 9:00am – Adult Classes 9:00am – Fellowship Board 10:00am – Worship 3:30pm – Confirmation Class 5:00pm – High School Youth Group Monday, March 8 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club Tuesday, March 9 8:00am – Men’s Fellowship 9:00am – Thrift Shop 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club 7:00pm – 2nd Con Book Club Wednesday, March 10 9:00am – Choir Guild 1:45pm – Staff 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club 5:00pm – Trustees 5:00pm – Wednesday Youth Night 5:45pm – Dinner and a Movie 7:15pm – Martin Ringers Thursday, March 11 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club 6:00pm – Bellcanto Ringers 7:00pm – Sanctuary Choir Friday, March 12 10:00am – Belles of 2nd Con 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club Saturday, March 13 11:30am – Soup Kitchen 2:30pm – Canfield/Dawson Wedding 7:30pm – Bradley University Choir Concert ________________________________________________________________
New Opportunity for Moms?
Are you a Mom of a young child/young children? Looking for other moms to share experiences with, ask advice from or just chat with? I’m hoping to put together just such a group. Please let me know if you’re interested and what times/days work best for you. ________________________________________________________________
Second Con Book Club (2CBC) Delves into Hunger
On Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 2CBC will be reading Child of the Dark by Carolina Maria de Jesus. This is an angry, raw, eye-opening journal written by a mother of three living in Brazil during the 1960s. It is unique in that it is not only about the “lowest and poorest” of all and but it is written by someone from that group. It is not an easy read, but you will never look at being hungry in the same way again. Please plan to read the book and join us in March. ________________________________________________________________
And it’s 1--2--3 Strikes You’re Out at the Old Ball Game
If you don’t want to miss out on this year’s exciting trip to watch a Cubs/Brewers game, get your reservation into the church office quickly. We have arranged again for a coach bus to take fifty of us to Miller Stadium on Saturday, April 24 for a 6:00 game. We are planning to leave the church at about 2:00 which will allow some time for tailgating and it will make sure we are there in plenty of time for the game. The cost is $40 a person (we were able to get better seats this year!) and the money will need to be into the church office by March 15. Thanks again to Rich and Karen Olson for their help in procuring tickets. (As of today, 22 seats are still available.) ________________________________________________________________
Dancing with the Second Con Stars?
The Fellowship Board has hired a dance instructor to come help us prepare for “Dancing with the Stars” or for just another fun night of fellowship on Friday, March 19. All age groups are welcome. Younger children or those not wanting to dance can watch a movie, while the others learn four different dances from a line dance to a waltz. You need not bring a partner; they can be found that night. The board will provide drinks; please bring a snack to share. So come and dance the night away in the gym from 6-9. RSVP with Mary in the office by March 15. ________________________________________________________________
Let’s all go to the movies
Our film for the Lenten season is the Cecil B. DeMille classic, The Ten Commandments. Legendary Director DeMille was a major creative force of the Silent era and had originally filmed The Ten Commandments as a silent film in 1923. This 1956 version was filmed in Vistavision and Technicolor, making it one of the earliest of the widescreen movies. It had an all star cast headed by Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Pharaoh Ramses. The film runs 220 minutes, which is over three and a half hours. The Biblical story of the Ten Commandments is found in the Book of Exodus. A part of our review of the film will be a comparison with the Biblical text. Since this film is based on the Book of Exodus, it would be helpful if we could read the Bible’s version before we screen the film. It will help us in evaluating the “Hollywood Version”. Expect a lot of great special effects created with NO computer assistance. I have the 50th Anniversary edition of the film, which is an excellent transfer and probably better than most television broadcasts. It will be an excellent Lenten Study. Wednesday evenings, March 10, 17, 24 & 31. Dinner begins at 5:45 p.m.. The film screens at 6:30 p.m. – Pastor Fred ________________________________________________________________
Prayer List
(Additions to the prayer list are always welcome – please help keep members of the congregation praying for each other.) = In thanksgiving for the food we eat each day. = For each other, as we observe the season of Lent with repentance and openness to God’s grace, so that we may celebrate with deep joy come Easter. = For the approximately 1,200,000,000 precious children of God who do not have enough food to eat. = For the people of Haiti and and Chile. = For people in our congregation, our community, country, and elsewhere, who are facing difficult times financially, especially those dealing with unemployment. = For people in Congo, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mexico and other places where violence destroys lives and communities. = For those serving in the military and their families, especially Jeremy Burkholder (son of Steve and JoAnn Burkholder), now in Iraq. = For Sarah and Aaron Reinold, upon the birth of their son, Seth Aaron. = For the loved ones of former member Peter Bossier, especially his wife, Judy. Peter died on February 24 after a long struggle following a stroke. = For Dennis Swanson, nephew of Sam and Marianne Marlow. Dennis is recovering from serious eye surgery. = For Bob Herro, Mary Beth DeWall, Don Brown (Jim Brown’s uncle), Brian Wahl (friend of Jim Brown and Dave Baker), and all others in our congregation dealing with cancer. = For Jeane Howe, 92-year-old mother of Sandy Elliott, hospitalized after a fall. = For Julie Cook Ramirez, as she recovers from surgery and related medical testing. = For Tom, friend of Jim Brown from Pennsylvania, going through a lot of tests. = For Steve Smith (son of Lillian Smith), dealing with medical issues. = For Jayden & Brooklyn Boyce, children of Stef and Justin Boyce (and great-grandchildren of Walt & Joyce Pennow), as they face serious health challenges. = For the family and friends of Denny Currier, brother of former long-time member and past moderator John Currier. Denny passed away recently. = For the family and friends of Catherine Roszkowski, sister of church member Jeanne Claeys. Catherine died on Monday, March 1. = For Jim Bates-Withers, brother-in-law of Bob Bates, diagnosed with myeloma. = For Philip Markley, and all the Markley and Eggleston families, as Philip struggles with congestive heart failure. = For Kim Kaniewski, friend of Sarah Holliday, with difficult health issues. = And for all those in long-term care facilities, and at home, who are not able to be in worship regularly: Austinette Akerman, Minnie Ballam, Nancy Bert, Isabelle Boehmen, Judy Bossier, Walter Boyle, Marylin Erickson, Dorothy Essington, Elaine Green, Blanche Honeycutt, Van Johnson, Dusty Lawton, Ruthann Lenard, Ruth Lyddon, Maybeth Martin, Helen Ray, Phyllis Severson, Ruth Todd, Mary Waldecker, and Nancy Weingartner. _______________________________________________________________
“Enough! How You Can Help End Hunger”
On Feb. 21, Pastor Mike began a six-week Sunday morning class looking at the reality of hunger in the world today. He calls this class “Enough!” because the hopeful truth is that there is enough food to feed all who hunger on earth. We are considering our own thoughts and attitudes toward hunger, the Biblical call to do something about hunger, a little about the history of hunger, and what we can do today as followers of Christ and citizens of this country to help all people have enough food. If enough people care, and if those people act with enough wisdom, hunger can be ended. Have you had enough? Come and learn. Come and make a difference. Don’t worry if you weren’t able to attend the previous classes; Pastor Mike invites you to come to as many of the upcoming classes as you can!!! The classes will be in the dining room on Sundays through March 28, from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. ________________________________________________________________
A Little Bit from Becky.....
Our Heifer International mission project for children and youth is off to a great start. The soup luncheon held on Feb. 14 raised $305.00. More donations are coming in each week. To top things – the Board of Missions has generously donated money as well. Heifer International answers that old adage: if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. With the gift of animals and training, children and families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. Beginning this Wednesday during the youth night activities, special guest animals will visit. The animals represent the animals that are sent to Heifer families. This week we will learn how the gift of chickens can help chronic poverty and hunger. (Thank you to Carol Sahlstrom!) On Wednesday March 17 beginning at 5pm the gym will be full of jumpers! We will be hosting a jump-a-thon to raise money for Heifer. Kids will get pledges based on how long they can jump rope in an hour. Our kids will begin soon to collect pledges at home, schools and here at church. Members of our Boys and Girls Club will be joining us as well. It will be quite a sight to see all the people jumping in the gym! Thank you to all who have already donated. For those still interested, there still will be other opportunities.
Champion Basketball this Saturday This Saturday, March 6, is the last day for basketball games for the 2010 season. Our 10-12 year old team plays at 11am. If they win, they play for the championship at noon. This is a great chance to come out and cheer on the team! We would like to thank our fans who have come to support our teams. Mark your calendars for Sunday March 14 – our basketball recognition Sunday before worship. There will be a pizza party after worship for players and coaches. ________________________________________________________________
Collier Food Pantry
The Collier Food Pantry needs our help. Demand is up and donations are down. Please bring food items that you wish to donate any Sunday. Everything is appreciated, especially cereal. The food that is collected will be taken to the pantry on the first Sunday of the month or as soon as the cart is full. The cart will be conveniently located at the top of the steps in the south narthex each Sunday. ________________________________________________________________
Soup Kitchen
Second Con will be responsible for the Saturday Soup Kitchen at the Jubilee Center across the street at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on March 13. The Soup Kitchen is open every Saturday all year to anyone from the neighborhood who would like to enjoy the meal. We are asking for volunteers to help with this meal. To volunteer the ‘entire day’ winds up being about a 3-hour commitment and would involve getting food into the oven to warm up, setting up tables and chairs, making the coffee, helping serve the food, and cleaning up the serving pans and bowls. But, you can also help out for just the set up or just the serving/clean up slots. There is plenty of time for fellowship while we ‘do our thing’. Please call Marge Maynard at 815-633-9089 to volunteer. ________________________________________________________________
Words from the Moderator
You may or may not be aware that we made a change in our support staff in January. To be more specific, we added Fernando Tyus to replace our previous Custodian. When we did so, we changed the position from full-time to part-time to contain costs and in recognition of the energy that Fernando brings to the job. Let me tell you a little bit more about Fernando. He brings three years of college study (at Rock Valley College and Rockford College) and a wealth of business experience to the job. He has held supervisory positions in production, quality assurance and logistics, and he has worked as a process/safety engineer. Currently Fernando holds two other part-time positions as a Recreation Coordinator with the Boys and Girls Club at Second Con and as a Sales Rep for Tom Harmer Athletic Equipment. We have agreed to some flexibility in Fernando’s hours to accommodate his schedule, and he is, of course, here in the building while working with Boys and Girls Club every weekday. Please welcome Fernando to our staff when you see him. While on the subject of our support staff, I want to express how lucky we are to have the people that we have in those roles. With the addition of Fernando, we have a high degree of competence and cooperation in every position, and it is a pleasure for me to work with all of them. I am talking about Bob Bates (in his dual role), Terry Martinez, Mary Jensen and Nancy Yoeckel. And I certainly have not forgotten CE Director Becky Erbe, who has a different role but whose dedication is unmatched. She takes it upon herself to make sure that all of our education and children’s programs and more are successful. I think she lives at the church. Finally, the excellent quality of our music is a testimony to the quality and dedication of our part-time music staff including Paul LaPrade, Bob Bates (again), Jim Fry, Val Blair, and Julie Cook Ramirez. Thank you all for jobs well done, and keep up the good work. – Dick Nielsen ________________________________________________________________
Bradley University Choir Concert: Sat., March 13
A free concert of quality music will be given in our Sanctuary on Saturday evening March 13 at 7:30pm. Dr. John Jost and his wonderful Bradley University Chorale will present music by J.S. Bach, Mozart, Schein, Emile Desamours, famous Haitian composer, and many others. Admission: Free – just a freewill offering to assist with their tour expenses! Please bring friends, neighbors, strangers, relatives, and yourselves to what will undoubtedly be a rare and wonderful event, right here in our new acoustically-friendly sanctuary. Thanks!!!!! A Plea: We need to host 53 choir members. How did I do this in the past? Besides receiving offers from some of our congregants, I could normally enlist Rock Valley College students to board these choir members. Why can’t I? I am on sabbatical, and the college is not sure I should be able to contact my students (who all keep in touch with me)! So, we’ll have to do this on our own! Please sign the boarding sheets found in the narthex, should you be able to host some of the students. All they need is to be brought to your home after the concert, a bed or cot, a shower and breakfast, and a ride to our church at 9am in the morning. Could you help? Please consider it! – Paul Laprade ________________________________________________________________
Corned Beef Dinner at First Presbyterian
First Presbyterian Church in Rockford is having a Corned Beef dinner on March 13 at 6pm. The dinner will be followed by a concert by the First Celts at 7:30pm. The cost is $7 per person, children under 9 free. Make reservations by March 10 to their church office – 815-968-0478. Bring your own table service and salad, bread or dessert to share. |