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The Tower
Weekly Newsletter of Second Congregational United Church of Christ September 5 , 2010 Contents of this Issue: From the Senior Pastor: $70,000! This Week’s Calendar The Tower in large print Unwrapping Our Gifts 3rd Annual Summer Hymn Sing Sunday – Sept. 5th Ladies’ Night Out Thrift Shop News Blood Drive School Supplies for Haskell – Mission Board Project Boyce Family Benefit Prayer List From the Moderator Second City Chorus Concert Music Board Don’t Miss Out – You’re Not Too Late Sunday Plus Two - Mission Opportunities Volunteer to be an USHER Special Sunday School coming September 12 Second Congregational United Church of Christ Mission Statement ________________________________________________________________
The Celebration of Worship
Sunday, September 5, 2010
9:00am – Koffee Klass 10:00am – Worship 11:15am – Refreshments and “Con”versations
Third Annual Hymn Sing
Music: Paul Laprade, director Organ Bob Bates, organist “Berceuse” Vierne “Trumpet Tune in D Major” Johnson
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From the Senior Pastor: $70,000!
I am very, very happy to announce that we have now met our $70,000 fundraising goal for building a school in Waku Kungo, Angola! Less than one year after a whole lot of people helped me swim the English Channel (yes, I did have to do the swimming myself!), even more people have shown their compassion and generosity in helping bring this school into existence. Thank you!
This fall (actually, it’s spring for them!) the Congregational church in Waku Kungo will be able to provide educational space for about 640 students (up from 120 last year). The Angolan government will provide teachers for basic education, and the church will supplement with “moral and religious” education. Along with hundreds of kids who will get consistent access to education for the first time, the school will also serve children who have fallen behind in their education, through no fault of their own: girls who are not given priority, disabled kids, kids who live a great distance from school, kids who cannot afford the nominal education fee, and others.
The building is nearing completion. We will soon send $8700, which will bring the total to $70,000, and will allow them to finish the roof and the windows. Of course, additional donations are welcome! The biggest remaining immediate need is for desks to fill the classrooms (about $150 each for 150 desks).
The project team in Waku Kungo has decided to name the school “Osikola yo IECA Rev. Mike Solberg” – or, in case your Umbundu is a little rusty, “Rev. Mike Solberg Evangelical Church School” (“Evangelical” is the word they commonly use in Angola for the Congregational Church). I specifically asked them NOT to name the school after me, but Luis Samacumbi, the project leader, said it wasn’t up to me!
Over 250 people from all over the country, and even some other countries, have contributed to this school building project, and I am deeply grateful for the support. Completing this part of my “great adventure” truly means just as much, if not more, to me than swimming the English Channel, and neither of those things could have been done without the support of so many. So, once again, thank you, thank you, thank you, for everything this congregation did to make my English Channel swim and the building of the school in Waku Kungo possible!
Thanks be to God! ________________________________________________________________
This Week’s Calendar
Sunday, September 5 8:30am – Sanctuary Choir 9:00am – Koffee Klass 10:00am – Worship 11:15am – Music Board Monday, September 6 – Labor Day Office Closed Tuesday, September 7 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club Wednesday, September 8 1:45pm – Staff 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club 5:00pm - Trustees Thursday, September 9 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club CE Board meeting has been canceled 7:00pm – Sanctuary Choir Friday, September 10 10:00am – Belles of 2nd Cong. 2:00pm – Boys and Girls Club 6:30pm – Ladies’ Night Out ________________________________________________________________
If you would like to receive The Tower in large print, please notify the church office at 815-963-8431 or e-mail Bob at bobbates@secondcon.com ________________________________________________________________
Unwrapping Our Gifts
Unwrapping Our Gifts is an 8 week course designed to energize you and your Faith by taking you on an intentional journey with like-minded Christians. Unwrapping Our Gifts is a guided, lay-led course where we will share life stories, explore how God is working in our everyday lives, and learn how to be ministers, one to another through imaginative Bible studies, brief meditation exercises, gift discernment and creative ministry. We believe that everyone who commits will be excited about their faith journeys and how we can each use our gifts to further the mission of the church. The 8 week course will begin in October and meet for 2 hours each week except the 5th week, when the regular meeting will be replaced by an all day Saturday retreat (October 30). If you’re interested or have any questions, please call any of the lay leaders - Jennifer Archer (815-623-1620), Sarah Holliday (815-885-5116) or Marge Maynard (815-633-9089) or plan on attending one of the Orientation Meetings after church on September 12 or September 26. Make this commitment! Join us on the journey . . . you won’t regret it! ________________________________________________________________
3rd Annual Summer Hymn Sing Sunday – Sept. 5th
The 3rd annual Summer Hymn Sing is this Sunday, September 5th -- a chance for our sanctuary to be alive with the whole diversity of congregational song, just like our downtown streets are alive that weekend with all the music of On The Waterfront. ________________________________________________________________
Ladies’ Night Out
Alice Uphouse has graciously agreed to host Ladies Night Out on Friday, September 10th at 6:30 p.m. Her address is 1925 Halsted Road, Rockford. Please call Alice at 815-964-4047 if you plan to attend. You may bring an appetizer and/or drink if you wish. Please bring a swimsuit if you want to take a dip in the jacuzzi. ________________________________________________________________
Thrift Shop News
Second Con’s Thrift Shop will be reopening on Tuesday, September 14. It will be open every Tuesday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The Thrift Shop needs books, clothes, kitchen utensils, glassware, bedding, towels, shoes and boots, greeting cards, jewelry, and household goods. Bring your donations to the storage room near the elevator on the dining room floor. Thanks to those who have contributed so far. ________________________________________________________________
Blood Drive
The next Blood Drive at Second Con will be on Wednesday, October 13. There will be more information in upcoming issues of The Tower. If you plan to donate blood soon, please wait until October 13 and participate in the blood drive here. ________________________________________________________________
School Supplies for Haskell – Mission Board Project
Once again, I am amazed at how the congregation has responded to a request from Mission Board for help. Many kudos to you all. The church collected well over 100 pounds of supplies. I know this since Phil collected the garbage can, boxes, and loose supplies and hauled them to Haskell Academy one morning and said he had no idea how much there would be and just knew it was over 100#!! We also have several bags in our van waiting for us to go to Haskell on Thursday. So, now we will close this request until later in the school year. The staff was so impressed and said they now have a storage cabinet of supplies that they can give out as needed. I know that is a relief to them. Thanks again .– Kay Blair, Mission Board Member ________________________________________________________________
Boyce Family Benefit
A benefit to raise funds to build a handicapped accessible home for the Boyce family will be on Sunday, September 12, at Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 Spring Creek Rd., Rockford, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. There will be music by the Primetime Live Band, a silent auction, and food. Brooklyn and Jayden Boyce, children of Stef and Justin Boyce (and great-grandchildren of church members Walt and Joyce Pennow), suffer from Sanfilippo Syndrome, a progressive disease which causes physical and neurological damage. Currently there is no treatment or cure, but there is promising research for potential treatment options in the near future. Requested donation is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 10 and under. You can also donate on-line at www.buildwiththe boyces.com. Donations for research can be made at www.mpssociety.org or www.teamsanfilippo.org. ________________________________________________________________
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 generosity and compassion of hundreds of people who have helped Mike meet his $70,000 goal for building a school in Waku Kungo, Angola. May God bless the students of Waku Kungo as they enjoy the blessing of education. =In thanksgiving for Tyler John Simpson, born last week to Jennifer and Matt Simpson. All is well. Blessings on the whole family! =In thanksgiving for the marriage last Saturday of Glennis Stratemeyer and Craig Blanchfield. May God bless them both as they begin their life together. =For our congregation, as we begin a new emphasis on Adult Christian Education, and begin a new Sunday morning schedule on September 26th. Give us patience and a wonderful spirit of educational adventure! =For people in our congregation, community, country, and elsewhere, who are facing difficult times financially, especially those dealing with unemployment. =For all in our congregation and beyond struggling with addictions, and for their families and friends. =For people in Congo, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan. Pakistan, Mexico and other places where violence destroys lives and communities. =For the millions of people in Pakistan suffering from the flooding. =For those serving in the military and their families, especially Jeremy Burkholder (son of Steve and JoAnn Burkholder), now in Kuwait, and Robert M. Martin, Jr. (brother of Matt Martin), now in Afghanistan. =For Michael Krenzer and all his family. Michael’s brother Christopher was killed in a car accident last week. Michael is a fairly new member of the church and a student at Elmhurst College. May God be with the whole family in this difficult time. =For Marshall Stone, recently hospitalized. =For Jim Brown, dealing with some health issues. =For Bob Herro, Mary Beth DeWall, Rick Summers (cousin of Jim Brown), Steve Smith (son of Lillian Smith), and all others connected to our congregation dealing with cancer. =For Phil Markley, dealing with congestive heart failure. =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, Marylin Erickson, Dorothy Essington, Elaine Green, Blanche Honeycutt, Dusty Lawton, Ruthann Lenard, Ruth Lyddon, Maybeth Martin, Roger Schuette, Phyllis Severson, Ruth Todd, Mary Waldecker, and Nancy Weingartner. ________________________________________________________________
From the Moderator:
When Jim LaDoux, the coach from Vibrant Faith Ministries, visited the Governing Council in June, he mentioned that we are never done growing into the likeness of Christ. At our meeting last week, I asked each member to identify some element of the likeness of Christ in the member sitting next to them. Even though I caught everyone off guard with this request, the answers were profound. Think about members of our faith community and ask yourself how they are growing into the likeness of Christ. It's a lovely exercise in seeing the best in each other's efforts to be better people. I know that I can learn a lot from those efforts! – Sally Hoff ________________________________________________________________
Second City Chorus Concert
Second City Chorus, Rockford’s premiere barbershop chorus, will feature “Saturday Night Jive”, a cabaret style show with a patriotic show finale honoring the memory of 9/11, on Saturday, September 11, at 7:00pm at the Belvidere Community Center Building, 111 W. First St. in Belvidere. Our own John Maynard and Doug Phillips sing in this chorus. Tickets are $20.00. For advance tickets, contact Harold Heeren at 815-988-1003. ________________________________________________________________
Music Board
The Music Board will meet this Sunday, September 5th, after worship. ________________________________________________________________
Don’t Miss Out – You’re Not Too Late
Yes, the Christian Education Board and the youth at Second Con still need some help filling slots for On the Waterfront Parking. We are really looking for some help on Sunday (Sept. 5) afternoon into evening. Please contact Matt Martin at rmartinco@aol.com or call him at home at 815-335-2828 or on his cell phone at 815-222-0348. If everyone gives just a little bit, we can all go a loooooong way!!! ________________________________________________________________
Sunday Plus Two - Mission Opportunities
Growing up, mission always meant people in foreign countries helping people other than myself. As an adult, I understand the idea of mission in the world, in my community and also at my Second Con church home. So, as you ponder about how you might try to do Sunday plus Two, think about the following mission opportunities within our own church walls: volunteer to teach our youth or adults on either Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings, drive the church bus, usher, learn how to run the sound system, work in the kitchen on a Wednesday night, volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club kids, become a lay reader, coach a basketball team, sing with the church choir, become a reading buddy at Haskell School or start something new that you know needs to be done. I look for you Sunday and……… – Kathi Ferrero ________________________________________________________________
Volunteer to be an USHER
Here is another way for you to be involved in the life of our church – be an usher. There is a sign-up sheet posted near the Sunday Plus Two board in the south narthex. No experience needed! ________________________________________________________________
Special Sunday School coming September 12
Join us for a special kids’ lesson during Sunday School on September 12. We will meet in the Train Room on the 3rd floor after the first portion of worship. We will have a very special Sunday School teacher on this day. I am pretty sure he knows a lot about trains and the “Heavenly Railroad.” ________________________________________________________________
Second Congregational United Church of Christ is a welcoming, historic, and progressive Christian community in the heart of Rockford.
As a people gathered in response to God’s call, our mission is to proclaim the good news of God made known in Jesus Christ and to courageously live toward Christ’s inclusive reign of justice, mercy, and peace.
In fulfillment of this mission, we covenant to… -- join together faithfully in worship of our Triune God, through preaching, prayer, sacrament, and music; -- grow continually in our understanding of our faith through ministries of Christian formation; -- deepen our discipleship through service, justice-seeking, and reconciliation; -- act as stewards of the abundant gifts we receive: physical, spiritual, financial, and relational; -- intensify our commitment to the downtown Rockford community; and -- celebrate and strengthen each other’s faith through friendship, compassion, and care in times of sorrow and rejoicing. |