evangelines 2015.docx · web viewthese experiences make god’s word come alive ... ruth meffert,...

EVANGELINESEVANGELICAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Blessed to be a blessing

Volume 59, Issue 7______________________________ _______ ________ __July 2015

“OPEN YOUR EYES”In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood. When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight. But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.

Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing. He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult. Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits--his behaviors--were still those of a blind man.

Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. It is the interim, the limbo . . . that is so terrible."

To truly see Jesus and his truth means more than observing what he did or said, it means a change of identity. (Terry Seufferlein Norman, Oklahoma)

As a people who believe in Jesus, we are called to open our eyes to the possibilities our God offers us, and begin to form a new identity. Once we have experienced the risen Lord our lives can never be the same. We learn to look at things differently. We learn to look at the bigger picture of what God has planned for us. Jesus calls us to embrace the challenges before us and not run from them. Jesus calls us to take risks and trust that He is walking with us as our story continues to unfold.

Our visioning process is getting under way. We will have the opportunity to tell our stories and begin to understand how these stories shape who we are and what we can become. Now is the time to open our eyes and learn to look at the possibilities around us through the eyes of Jesus our Savior. Some of our old habits and behaviors will be challenged. We can choose to embrace the challenges or run from them. My challenge to all of us is to keep our eyes wide open and allow this new chapter in the church’s life to shape us and mold us. We can become God’s new creation by simply opening our eyes of faith and continue to direct everything toward Jesus, His Son.

God bless you,

Pastor Chris

Evangelical United Church of Christ is a Christian community called to share God’s love with all people through the good news of Jesus Christ.

Evangelines Volume 59, Issue 7 Page 8

DETROIT GARDENSDid you know that the city was originally founded by French immigrants and therefore pronounced Day-twah? I didn’t. The senior high youth, chaperones, and I recently returned from a week in downtown Detroit with some unbelievable experiences. We’ve served in some tough places throughout the years: Atlanta, South Africa, East St. Louis, but Detroit seemed to be a different beast altogether. In a city whose history is filled with riots, bankruptcy, gross governmental corruption, crime, and distrust, we participated in what I believe was God-infused Hope.

Much of our trip proverbially knocked us back on our suburban-white-middle-class rumps. Twenty-four arsons committed a day, stories of police driving homeless folk 20-30 minutes outside the city and leaving them, 87% of students in the high school public school system in 1 year have a family member (immediate or extended) who is a victim of gun-violence. There are vacant, abandoned, and especially burned lots/buildings everywhere. Racial tension is high amidst all kinds of ethnic groups whose social opportunities are markedly different than those of white folk. The city seems broken, yet there is a new Hope stirring.

We participated heavily in Urban Gardening ministries, a city-wide grassroots effort to take positive control of one’s future through healthy, job-giving, privatized ways. We weeded, planted, hilled, turned, cultivated, composted, dug, and mowed a LOT that week. These gardens provide all kinds of vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, even fish(!) to the local markets and communities. Some described them (the organic foodstuffs) as the “true first medicine”. We perceived a ton of distrust in the American Healthcare system (as expressed through stories, art, signs, graffiti, etc.) and one of the biggest movements happening in Detroit is through these urban gardens. While we also participated in soup kitchens, a bakery run exclusively by former prison-inmates, and other ministries, everything came back around to the urban gardens.

The Garden in Scripture was a place of community with God. It represented provision and oneness with the Creator. In Detroit, these gardens seek to reunite a city that has faced a lot of brokenness in hopes of restoring that community. Many are run by only a few paid staff, so our efforts, we were told, saved 100s of work-hours as we prepped these gardens to be able to feed and nourish these communities or provide needed income to a local economy.

Through all the people we talked to, homeless folk, organizational leaders, or just people we had the blessing to encounter, many seemed to say the same thing: “we look forward to the new thing that will happen in Detroit.” I didn’t hear once a longing for the “good old days” or a “compromised balance between the old and new”, just a yearning that people and God would make new paths to feed their souls.

I know that there are parts of my life that I want to be nourished and new. I don’t look to reclaim the past or compromise the present; I look for God to help lead me to a newness that is inspired by Him, and sustained by my brothers and sisters of faith. Maybe you have parts of your past that seem so broken or corrupted that you already know that going back is not an option. Perhaps it’s too painful or an outside influence has burned the very foundations that a part of your life was built upon. It will only be through letting new seeds grow that you can once again turn your pedals to the sky. That kind of growth can be scary. Together, we’ll need lots of Son, and be watered by the Reign, but new life is possible. We saw it in Detroit, we’ve trusted in it through Scripture, and we seek to live it here in Highland and abroad.

Love your hearts,


Volume 59, Issue 7 Page 7 Pastor Will

2015 GRADUATING SENIORS (CORRECTED LIST)

Kaylee Baer Mitchell MunieBenjamin Clayton Danielle O’ConnellJessica Drewer Zachary PlocherAlexander Dugan Taylor PrusaErin Esquibel Clint ReilsonNicole Esquibel Ryan StoneAbigail Johnson Samantha SzokeZachary Johnson Cathleen YungTyler Kimmle Madison ZobristAshley McPherson

SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL July Schedule

July 5th – Children in church/holiday weekendJuly 12th – Children in church/Church – “The Musical”July 19th – Sunday SchoolJuly 26th - Sunday School

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

At Hometown Nazareth everyone will become a part of history as they see, hear, touch, and even taste what it was like to live in Jesus’ hometown! These experiences make god’s Word come alive with new meaning for all who participate!

Mark your calendars and join us July 27-31 for Hometown Nazareth VBS. The Adventure starts at 9:00am and ends at 11:15am . To sign up to help you can call 654-7459 or contact Darlene.



STEWARDSHIP BOARDDuring the months of July and August, the Stewardship Board will be hosting a produce table each Sunday morning. We will have a table set up in the narthex, and encourage members to bring in extra produce from their garden to share with others who may not have access to home-grown fruits and vegetables. This is completely a free service. Bags will be provided for those who wish to take items home. Please help us out by sharing the "fruits" of your harvest with others and know that this is just another opportunity to show how you are BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING.

WOMEN’S GUILDThe Women’s Guild will meet on July 7th at 1:00. After a short business meeting, we will go to the Highland Home. The kitchen band will play for us and then we will play bingo with the residents and serve a treat. The board will meet at 12:00 p.m. prior to the meeting. The Guild board will also meet on July 9th at 9:00 a.m. to plan our next year’s program. We would appreciate any input from all guild members as to ideas for programs for the coming year. If there is something that would interest you, we would be very happy to hear your ideas. This is your organization and we need your help to keep the Guild active and a productive part of the church.

HELLO from PEPPERMINT PRESCHOOLOur Peppermint school year is over and our west wing hallway is boring and practically bare. Whenever I come here now, I miss all of the happy little faces and very lively chatter.

However, in a blink-of-an-eye, our 44th year of Peppermint will begin. Much preparation is done over the summer months to enroll all of our new children into the systems. Then time is spent clearing out all of the graduating student files for their five year storage via DCFS rules. This also includes all of our sign-in and sign-out sheets for each class. It takes a lot of storage space for five years of paper files. Then the files who have had their five year “rest” period are shredded for disposal so all personal information of each family is destroyed properly.

It is also the time when many families suddenly realize that they should seek a preschool for their child. Many are fearful that we may not have the spot they are wanting and sometimes that is the case. This year, however, we do have space in all of our classes. We have plenty of room for 3’s, 4’s and Almost Kindergartener’s. We would appreciate if you could pass our information around to all friends, family and neighbors. Our Peppermint phone number is 654-7600. We hope to fill up our classrooms. We are thankful for your support in our efforts.

We hope you are enjoying beautiful flowers and trees and all the warm weather activities. May your summer be filled with fun and family. God Bless

Miss Beckie and the Peppermint StaffEvangelical United Church of Christ is a Christian community called to share God’s love with all people through

the good news of Jesus Christ.

Volume 59, Issue 7 Page 7

WHAT IF VISIONING: The PLAN, the TEAM, the VISION

In the next few weeks, you'll be getting a LETTER in the mail outlining some of the next steps in our "What If" process. We have a wonderful team who is volunteering their time to be the ears of our church, so share your dreams with any/all of them.

They include: Kristan Augustin Rachel MassaLynn Beil Dennis PlocherJill Englemann Josh SchlechteStan Giffhorn Lisa SchoeckBrad Grohmann Angela SmithBeth Hegger Pastor ChrisDrew Loyet Pastor Will

This Fall, we will be collecting stories, dreams, and ideas from all of you about what we could do to help take God's Spirit at EvUCC to the next level. You'll have ample opportunities to share stories, meet with one another, fill out surveys, whatever way you like sharing best, we'll have available, so get excited!

EVUCC.ORGHave you had the opportunity to check out our new website? You can find all sorts of amazing information, view recent photos and/or videos of youth, mission trips and services, view passed week’s sermons, have access to bulletins and weekly words if you want to follow along with the radio. Check it out and let us know what else we can add to make this site helpful and informative.

SAVE THE DATE – Hoyleton Golf ClassicWHEN: Friday, July 24th

WHERE: Tamarack in Shiloh IL

SCHEDULE: 11:00 Registration and Lunch 12:00 Shotgun Start

Dinner & Awards following the GameFor more information, contact:



Darla Rennegarbe at Hoyleton Ministries [email protected] or Barb Bray in the church office 618-654-7459

PLASTIC CAP COLLECTION REACHES GOAL!Once again, Thank YOU for your heartfelt support. We have successfully reached our goal once again and have been able to order a picnic table for the day care made out of recycled plastic. Our first bench is getting much use on the playground under the shade shelter. The children enjoy it and we remember “Mr. Darwin” every day when we are out playing.

We hope to have the required money raised for the picnic table order by early September, so please watch for our bake sales and cookbook fundraiser coming up this summer.

Thank you again for all of the donated plastic caps.

Kristen Miller and Kerry Wheeler, Wee Care Day Care Staff

HITZ MEMORIAL HOME WORKDAYOn Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., there will be a Region 5 workday at Hitz Memorial Home. Everyone is encouraged to come and help. No matter your area of expertise or age, we will find a job for you. You are encouraged to bring work gloves and/or gardening tools. Please bring a sack lunch and a dessert to share. We hope that everyone can come and help Hitz Memorial Home.

THANK YOU’SDear EvUCC,I am writing this letter to thank you for awarding me the Samuel L. and Anna E. Jenny Scholarship. This scholarship will be a great help in the next chapter of my life. The support of this EvUCC family allows me an opportunity to further my education as I pursue my dreams. Throughout my life, EvUCC has already provided me with a significant amount of opportunities that have developed Christ-like values inside my heart and soul. Again, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude.Sincerely,Zach Plocher******************************************************************************************Church Family –Thank you so much for the books and the list of prayers for Alexis & McKenna’s 1st birthday! We are so thankful to have found such a wonderful church to raise our children in! Thanks Again!Adam, Bree, Alexis & McKenna Barton


Volume 59, Issue 7

CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF SERVICEThank you to the following people for volunteering and serving when needed:

Ron and Connor Mortland for identifying and labeling all office computer connections. The Mortland’s for the donation of children’s books to our library. Our dedicated newsletter crew: Al and Joyce Barth, Marie Bimes, Vicky Bimes, Eunice Rogier, Shirley

Sackett, Jim Johns, Margaret Rowold, Mary Ann Myers, and Ruth Bickline.

OUR CHURCH FAMILY

We rejoice in the baptism of:

Caleb and Cali Hoeflinger baptized on May 24th. Caleb and Cali are the twins of David and Christina (Knebel Hoeflinger, the grandchildren of Jerry and Nancy Knebel and the great-grandchildren of Jane Carrillon.

Sawyer Floyd Stoff baptized on June 7th. Sawyer is the son of Brian and Amy Stoff and the grandson of Bob and Jane Sudhoff.

We bestow blessings on the marriage of:

Elizabeth Siever and Nathan Whipple married at EvUCC on Saturday, June 13th.

We extend our sympathy and rejoice in thepromise of resurrection with…

The family of Elaine Iberg who passed away on June 10th..

Also, please continue to pray for…Connie Louer Abert, Bob Barney, Marie Bimes, Robin Chumbris, Marge Clayton, Florence Collmann, Carolyn Crabtree, Jeanne Dankenbring, Viola Deibert, Randy Dellamano, Bob DePew, Gene and Debra Dilley (Marsha Rinderer’s sister and brother-in-law), Marlene Dickerson, Rev. Tom Drewer, Jared Emig (nephew of Jerry and Karla Zurliene), Alma Erwin, Ellen Gelly, Olivia Genteman, Elaine Grundhoefer (Harold Byers’ sister), Maurie Henricks (Tom’s father), Carol Hoffman, Don Hundsdorfer, Curt Iberg, Janet Jenny, Dorothy Johnson (Aunt of Ron and Kathy Schneider), Betty Kamm, Vera Kunz, Betty Legier, Herman Louer, Mary Marchal, Ruth Meffert, Henry Metzger, Joe Michaelis, Becky Morris (Shirley Hug’s niece), Daniel Morris, Richard Moser, Dale Nagel, Anthony Perez (friend of Steve and Denise Clayton), Jessie Powers, Alicia Rayner (Al & Shirley Flath’s daughter), Paula Redman, Sandra Reinacher, Don Rinderer, Joan Sackett, Flo Schneider, Doris (mother of Barb Stallard), Nathan Steding, Gloria Stuckwisch, Samantha Strom (friend of Tina Kutzgar), Carladine Vulliet, Alvin Whitsell (Florence Collmann’s brother-in-law), Dale Wiesemeyer (Niala Keilbach’s brother), and Kathy Wilsman (Nancy Byers’ sister), and Howard Zbornak.

COFFEE HOUR HOSTSJuly 5 Worship July 19 Christian EdJuly 12 Consistory July 26 Wee Care/Pepp


Evangelines Volume 59, Issue 7

ValetsDate 9:00July 5 Kerri ReilsonJuly 12 Julie MasonJuly 19 Kelly KnackstedtJuly 26 Lori Miscik

July Service CalendarDate Ushers Layreaders Nursery

July 5 9:00 Stan Giffhorn Gloria Klaus Bob Kruse Janet Kruse Tom Wehrle Merle Wernle Rodney Zobrist Debi Zobrist

9:00 Rodney Knackstedt 9:00 Shirley Hug

July 12 9:00 Dennis Foehner Janis Foehner Bob Sudhoff Jane Sudhoff

9:00 Nancy Ramsey 9:00 Ruthie Shownes

July 19 9:00 George Jones Robin Jones Luke Jones Mary Hundsdorfer

9:00 Kay Whitecotton 9:00 Tracey Zobrist

July 26 9:00 Marie Bimes Vicky Bimes Marilyn Fickbohm Rachel Massa

9:00 Beth Grohmann 9:00 Alicia VerDuin


Volume 59, Issue 7 Page 7

Evangelical United Church of Christ

Permit No. 173U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Nonprofit OrganizationHighland, IL 62249

2520 Poplar St.Highland, IL 62249

RETURN SERVICEREQUESTED

Office: 618-654-7459Email: [email protected]: www.evucc.orgFax: 618-654-6346

Evangelines Schedule

Articles Due

Assembly Date

Mailing Date

July 20 July 23 July 27

Vacation Bible SchoolJuly 27 - 31


evangelines 2015.docx · web viewthese experiences make god’s word come alive ... ruth meffert,...

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