The Karusograph

Volume 57 May2015 Issue 5Volume 57 May2015 Issue 5Volume 57 May2015 Issue 5Volume 57 May2015 Issue 5

www.clintonfcc.comwww.clintonfcc.comwww.clintonfcc.comwww.clintonfcc.com

A ministry of

May 16, 2015 - 8 am

3.1 mile run/walk

Registration:

6:45 am - 7:45 am

Fundraiser to support

youth mission trips to

Oklahoma & Mexico

Refreshments, rewards

& goodie bag provided

post race

$25 registration fee,

mail pre-registration to

FCC, 100 N Jackson St,

Clinton, IL 61727

Need more information? Go to

clintonfcc.com or call 217-935-3139

May 10, 2015 - 9:30 am

A musical inspired by

The Story will be

presented by the adult

choir. Please join us as

we journey through the

Bible, beginning to end!

THE MUSICAL

TheGospelAccordingtoGreg

GregTaylor

greg@clintonfcc.com

We are wrapping up our nine-month journey through The Story, and the last couple of weeks we have looked at the life of the Apostle Paul and the book of Acts. Paul experienced an extreme makeover: once a man who killed Christians with passion and zeal, his life was ultimately defined by great missionary journeys in the name of Jesus, and as the author of 13 New Testament books. I LOVE the story of an extreme makeover in the name of Jesus Christ!

This brings me to the late Chuck Colson. A New Englander who went to Brown University before becoming a marine, he went on to law school, but his goal was politics. It wasn't long before he became the lawyer of the President of the United States at the time, Richard Nixon. That was the peak of everything he had dreamed of in this world. But he saw his hero begin to spiral downward, caught in the web of Watergate. Many at that time had a suspicion Chuck Colson was behind the Watergate break-in as well as the cover-up. When Colson realized he was going to be subpoenaed, he didn't know what to do. So he talked with a friend of his, Tom Philips, a CEO. Colson told Philips of the dilemma he was in and what was happening at the White House. Philips said, "Chuck, you need what I've discovered." "What's that?" Colson replied. "You need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."

Colson was a nominal Roman Catholic believer at best. He was not at all active. He was a cynic. He was suspicious of people who had religious conversions, and he would have shaken off his friend Philips if it weren’t for two things: Philip's life had changed, and he was a friend who was trying to help. Philips gave him a copy of C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. Colson agreed to read it. Colson was touched by Lewis' exploration of the essence of Christianity. He began to see there were answers to some of the faith-

oriented questions that he had never really investigated. In the darkness of his own hour, he asked Jesus Christ into his life. He admitted his sin and put his trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and asked him for his extreme makeover.

When Colson was eventually subpoenaed to testify, he was hammered by the questions thrown at him: "Did you know anything about the break-in in advance?" "Did you have anything to do with the cover-up?" To every question he answered, "No." Suspicious that he was hiding behind a religious conversion, they kept asking the questions. Finally, they gave up.

TheGospelAccordingtoGreg

Continued

Colson said, "Wait a second. I have come to faith in Jesus Christ, and that demands I be honest with you. The answers honestly are 'no' to all of the questions you asked. But you haven't asked the right questions. Let me tell you what I did wrong." Colson then confessed to criminal activities of which they knew nothing, and he went to jail for them.

Soon after Colson's conviction and subsequent time in prison, he found himself in Pittsburgh, PA, being interviewed for a TV show that probed the ethical, personal and spiritual dimensions of life. With him at the interview was Senator Harold Hughes of Iowa, a recovering alcoholic and vital man of faith. Hughes had been mentoring Colson. The interviewer peppered Colson with questions, and he came right back with answers. Finally the reporter stated, "Colson, I'm a Christian. I've been a Christian quite a few years. I resent people who use Jesus to get out of a jam and then drop him and go on with their life. How do we know that this thing is real? Prove it to me." Chuck Colson stopped, thought for a minute, and he said, "John, the only thing I can say is, 'See what I'm doing ten years from now.'" That was 1974.

It is now four decades, and you know that Chuck Colson went on to start the Prison Fellowship program. You know that in certain states he was given the opportunity to engage in prison reform, actually running certain prisons in a faith-based mode. The recidivism rate is much lower in those prisons with those prisoners than in the secular incarceration. He worked with the spouses and the children of prisoners, and he had a successful writing ministry. Three years ago this month Colson passed away at the age of 80, a redeemed life that changed the world for Christ! A redeemed life that truly had an extreme makeover!

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come!”

Have a great month!

Greg

(Illustration about the life of Chuck Colson taken from a sermon by John Huffman Jr. entitled “Extreme Makeover” from preachingtoday.com)

Kent’s Komments

I could see it in the eyes of some who stood before me—they didn’t

say it. But I knew what they were thinking: “Too bad God didn’t heal

Merla.”

In his book, God’s Story, Your Story, Max Lucado writes:

“Jesus will heal all who seek healing in Him. Thre are no

excep)ons to this promise - no nuances, fine print condi)ons or

caveats. To say some will be healed beyond the grave by no means

diminishes the promise. The truth is this: ‘When Christ appears, we

shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.’ (1 John 3:2)

“We shall be like Him.” Let every parent of a Downs

syndrome or wheelchair-bound child write these words on the

bedroom wall. Let the disabled, infected, bedridden, and anemic put

themselves to sleep with the promise “...we shall be like Him.…”

“You’ll have a spiritual body. In your current state your flesh

ba8les your spirit. Your eyes look where they shouldn’t. Your taste

buds desire the wrong drinks. Your heart knows you shouldn’t be

anxious, but your mind s)ll worries.”

In heaven… “sin will no longer be at war with our flesh. Eyes

won’t lust, thoughts won’t wander, hands won’t steal, our minds

won’t judge, appe)tes won’t rage, and our tongues won’t lie.

We will be brand new.”

ONLINE GIVING nowavailableonourwebsite! Gotoourwebsitewww.clintonfcc.com,clickonthegivingtab

&justfollowtheeasystepstostartcontributingtoFirst

ChristianChurchviatheInternet.Itissafe&secure.

Special Prayer Requests *Indicatesnewname

Cassie Aldama

Zoe Barnes Verna Brown

Hadley Rae Bruning

Della Cooper Florene Fisher Richard Foley

Sharon Gardner Diana Golden

Alex Jette

Connie Jordan

Mark Kane

Brian Kruse

Mabel Larson

Linda Latham

Fred Long

Bob McKee

Justin Montgomery

Bethany Rea

Nancy Schindler Dean Sunderland

Martin Thacker John Thorp

Wayne Tyler*

This n That

New Babies! We rejoice with & congratulate:

Scott & Casey Brendler, 8894 Texas Church Rd, Clinton, IL 61727, on the birth of their son, Roderick James, who was born March 28, 2015.

Brian & Jaline Preston, 1081 Canyon Creek Rd, Normal, IL 61761, on the birth of their daughter, Vera Kate, who was born April 10, 2015. Proud grandparents are Dana & Paula Korneman and Larry & Donna Preston. Proud great-grandmother is Fay Ogg.

May Shut-in Birthday

16th Dale Turney

Liberty Village/Manor Ct 1 Park Lane

Clinton, IL 61727

“Donotbeanxiousaboutanything,butineverything,byprayerandpetition,

withthanksgiving,presentyourrequeststoGod.”Philippians4:6

Manor Court/Liberty Village 1 Park Lane, Clinton, IL 61727

Theda Adams Donna Arnold Hazel Benz

Thomas E. Bray Mildred Burns Betty Burrisa Larry Chapman Helen Dorrell Jack Gibson Marie Jackson Gene Jones Betty Kyle

Elaine Leisner Margaret Long Ray Martin

Wilma Mestinsek Margaret Murphy

Dora Neal Leila Parker Hazel Polen Helen Polley Norma Reilly Louise Smith

Georgia Sobolewski Virginia Stein Kathy Strange Treva Torbert Dale Turney Juanita Turney Shirley Utterback Allan Webb Lois West

Aspen Ridge Care Center

2530 N. Monroe, Decatur, IL 62526

Shirley Thompson

Hawthorne Inn/Liberty Village (Supportive Living)

1 Park Lane, Clinton, IL 61727

Fair Havens Christian Home 1790 S Fairview Ave, Decatur, IL 62521

Charles Coonce

Paradise Valley Retirement Community 11645 N 25th Pl., Apt. D128

Phoenix, AZ 85028

Colleen Stephens Apt. # is required on her address

Good Samaritan 20705 W 151st St. Room 106

Olathe, KS 66061

June Cheatham

Farmer City Rehab & Health Care Center 404 N Brookridge

Farmer City, IL 61842

Florene Burton Fisher

Evenglow Lodge

215 E Washington

Pontiac, IL 61764

Bob Adcock

Liberty Village (Leroy Manor)

509 S Buck Rd

LeRoy, IL 61752

Lucille Lehman

members&relativesofthoseatFirstChristianChurch,Clinton

Updated4-23-15

Mary Burton Audrey Fields Delbert Fields

Norma Hollibaugh Ike Leisner

Mildred Meeks

Betty Rogers Ernest Thorp Frank Thorp Helen Thorp

Dorothy Yedtman

YoungatHeart

DavidBuck,Coordinator

Don’t let unexpected events throw you off course. Rather, respond calmly and confidently, remembering that He is with you. As as soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Jesus. Let Him know about it. Thus you share your joys and problems: He helps you cope with whatever is before you. This is how He lives in you and works through you. This is the way of Peace! “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” Psalms 112:7

Our programs are getting better each month Phil Hansen will be here May 6th. Then on June 3rd we’ll have Bob and Marsha Grinder from Indiana perform for us and sing some new songs that Marsha has just written. What a great line-up. “Love is only thing we can carry with us where we go. ”Louisa May Alcott

It was a wonderful trip to Starved Rock and White Pines State Park-

none of us were disappointed. Our next outing will be to Moline to the Celebration Belle Riverboat for a day of “Classic Oldies” and sticky rolls on May 14th. Then our usual trip to Sullivan’s Little Theater on the Square for a fine stage show that never disappoints anyone. We’ll see and hear “Hairspray” a very exciting stage play on June 20th. “Would I wish to be young again? No, for I’ve learned too much to wish to lose it.” Pearl S. Buck

The best way to start every day is with gratitude and thanksgiving. Get

a jump on the devil. If you don’t fill your thoughts and conversation

with good things, you will definitely will fill them with evil things.

Truly thankful people do not complain. They are too busy being

grateful for the good things they do have. They have no time to notice

the things they could complain about. “Be not overcome of evil, but

overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Elders Corner

Hello everyone, My name is John Rodgers and this is my first “Elders Corner” article so here goes….

My wife Tammy and I first visited FCC 9 years ago when we moved to town and became members soon thereafter. This was shortly after we were married, Tammy was living in Bloomington and I was in Mt. Zion so Clinton was a happy medium. God has blessed us tremendously helping us find each other and FCC!

A year ago I was asked and then approved to be on your board of elders. It is a great honor and blessing to be able to serve in this way and to get to know the many other fine people, both men and women, that provide leadership in our church. I am currently also serving on the personnel committee. I love a good story and would love to hear yours. One of my favorite things is to hear how God has worked in people’s lives. I believe telling our personal stories is one of the most effective ways to help seekers and non-believers to become followers of Jesus. I have been involved with an evangelistic movement out of Decatur called The Great Banquet for 15 years now. If you would like an awesome experience where you get to hear people tell their Christian stories while delivering the teachings of Jesus, and to see and feel the Holy Spirit in action, ask me about it as I would be happy to tell you more. After sharing that small part of my background it should be no surprise that one of my favorite scriptures is The Parable of the Great Banquet- Luke 15-24. This passage often frames how I think about the things we do. For instance, I see our Next Steps program as a way that we are preparing and serving the banquet that Jesus has for us and those that we either invite to our church or they just find us on their own. With the Great Commission Jesus instructs us to spread the good news. Some of us are not always blessed with the gift of the right words but it is very simple to say “come join us at FCC!” There are many here who can help deliver the good news-you don’t have to do it alone!

Elders’ Corner Cont’d andmoreThisnThat

AREA MEN’S FELLOWSHIPAREA MEN’S FELLOWSHIPAREA MEN’S FELLOWSHIPAREA MEN’S FELLOWSHIP

Little Galilee Christian Camp 7 pm Tuesday May 5th

Featured Speaker: Mike Mallick

Preacher at Jefferson Street, Lincoln, IL

Menu: Chicken strips, au gratin potatoes, green beans and dessert

On another note I would say that coming into a new church, especially one the size of FCC, can be a little challenging. A good directory is a great help but our directory is way outdated, so Rusty Hicks and I have begun brainstorming creating a new directory. Our plan is to have the church do it ourselves. It may not be as fancy as those provided by the professional studios but this can be our own living document that can be updated and kept current. We are working toward a way to take pictures and to allow people to submit their own pictures if they like. If you have an interest in helping, let myself or Rusty know. I am always interested in your thoughts and questions, so if you would like to contact me my email is jtrodgers71@frontier.com and

my phone number is 217-519-2436.

SACRED RHYTHMS RETREAT For YOUNG ADULTS - ages 15 - 30 something

Saturday, May 30, 8 am - Sunday, May 31, 6 pm

Brochures & registration forms at the information center or print a form at littlegalilee.com. Cost is $30 (you can use your debit or credit card for payment), covering all meals, room, book &

workbook. Learn spiritual disciplines through DVD teaching & discussion times. Experience the disciplines (prayer, silence,

Word time…) alone with God. See Sacred Rhythms Retreats facebook page for more info. Leaders: Susan Klein, Becky Glenn & Rachel Emery

BLOOD PRESSURE

FCC will be offering free blood pressure checks on

the first Sunday of every month.

Where: Library

When: 9 am - 9:30 am

11:30 am - noon

This is not a diagnosis, just a measuring & recording of your blood pressure.

More This n That

New Life Pregnancy Center Baby Bo�le Campaign

If you have a baby bo8le for New Life Pregnancy Center, please return

it to the church. This campaign has ended & we need to turn the

bo8les in as soon as possible. Thank you for your generosity!

WOMEN OF ALL AGES: Mark your

calendars for Thursday, May 14th. We will have our second IF:Table gathering to share great Christ-centered fellowship and conversation. Meet at the Cable Building at 7 pm. Questions? Contact Leann Sosamon, 217-620-8708 or Trina Brucker, 312-724-9784.

We are collecting cereal for Little Galilee this year. They had a record

number of campers last year. We still need boxes of:

Captain Crunch Cinnamon Crunch Lucky Charms

Fruit Loops Golden Grahams Rice Krispies

Please put in box in church foyer or bring to the church office. Thanks!

This n That

8th Grade Graduates & High School CIY - June 8-13

Registration has started. Cost is $300. A $50 deposit will hold your place. Just

use a brown payment envelope. Knoxville, Tennessee will be our destination.

Breakfast Club meets Friday at 7:15 am at the Cable Bldg

Reveal - Sunday nights 5 pm-7pm at the Cable Building.

Reveal Shirts - Turn in $12 along with your size & we will order you a

shirt. Anyone can purchase these shirts, not just students!

5K to Raise 5K - May 16th, register or donate to help our summer

mission trips! Forms are available at the info booth, church office or

from a mission trip student.

New website for student ministries

http://www.revealsm.com/welcome

Check out the new student ministries website. You’ll find information about weekly events, special events,

conferences, mission trips & more. You can even submit

student payments online - it is secure.

Just follow the directions.

Check it out! You’ll like what you see!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Saturday, May 16th, 6:30 am - 10 am

5K to raise 5K - we need people to be course marshals, operations and more. Call the church office, 935-3139, to sign up to help or for more information on how you can help. Thank you!

Can you believe VBS is less than two months away?! I am so

excited! Our theme this year is MOVE! We will be looking at the

lives of people in the Bible who changed direction and MOVED after

encountering Jesus. The curriculum focuses on the small group

experience. We will have leaders who will take groups no larger than

8 children through a weeklong adventure while making life-changing

connections within their small group. In order to make this week a

success, we need YOU! Please fill out the volunteer flyer in your

bulletin and find at least one thing you can do to be a part of the VBS

ministry team. VBS is just one of many ways that we reach out to the

Clinton area and show our community that God loves them and they

can experience that love at FCC. Let’s use VBS to shine the light of

Jesus Christ brightly through Clinton IL.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the

world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have

the light of life.” John 8:12

Shelley’sShowcase

ShelleyLea

Shelley@clintonfcc.com

2nd Annual Ovations on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 6 pm

This will be a night celebrating the awesome volunteers FCC has in Children’s Ministry. We will have a wonderful meal and lots of fun!

If you volunteer in nursery, 2’s and 3’s, Beginners/Junior church,

children’s Sunday School, children’s youth group, D8NT or VBS -

THIS NIGHT IS FOR YOU! Please call the office and RSVP.

MoreThisnThat

God’s Shelter of Love first annual 40 & 72 mile bicycle tours of Macon, DeWitt & McLean Counties will be May 16, 2015 at 10 am. For more information & to register go to godsshelteroflove.org No cost!

LITTLE GALILEE - FAMILY CAMP

May 22-25, check in at 6 on the 22nd. Eat before you come. Hot dog roast at 7 pm

Dean: Casey Scott, Co-Dean: Bryan Morrow

Worship Leader: Jacob Daugherty

Register online or call Little Galilee for more information. Cost is $40 per person, $120 maximum per family.

Clinton FCC will pay half for your family’s registration.

DeWitt County Relay for Life will be held Saturday, June 6th, noon until midnight at the Clinton High School track. At 9 pm there will be a Luminaria Ceremony. During the ceremony, hundreds of luminaria light the track to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, to remember those who have lost their battle and to fight back against a disease that has taken too much. To purchase a luminaria for a $10 donation, please contact Stacey Hicks, 604 E Michael St, Clinton, IL 61727 or call 309-530-9622.

Volunteers Needed! VBS is June 15-19th.

Many areas still need volunteers, so please fill out the form, put in the offering bag, hand to the information booth people or bring to the church office.

Proverbs 31 will be preparing & cooking foods for the freezer on Tuesday, May 19th at 6 pm in the downstairs kitchen. Please join us as we fix meals for many different needs in our community. Men & women of all ages are welcome! This outreach ministry is for all, church & community!

TheDunkin’Pick-Me-UpWithCody

CodyMonkman

cody@clintonfcc.com

Last month I introduced you to Jeremiah Chitwood. I love the fact that up to this

point in 2015 it has come to light that we have volunteers of all ages that serve in

our children’s ministry. Isn’t that what The Church is all about?! I think it is such a

beau)ful thing to see high school students like Jeremiah inves)ng in our kids,

alongside other volunteers like Judy Shaw who has been a part of the FCC family for

many years. This month I’d like to introduce you to Allison Hitchings!

Most families might have a

dog, maybe a cat or two, and if not that, maybe a fish or a rabbit. But the Hitchings

family…they have more of what I would consider a peDng zoo! Haha. They currently

have three dogs, 75 chickens, and five goats with more on the way. In her spare )me

she enjoys croche)ng, reading, taking classes at the YMCA and hanging out with

friends and family.

When asked what she is most excited about when she thinks of FCC she said, “I'm

excited that my kids (and their friends) are growing up in a church with such a great

legacy and strong commitment to youth and student ministry. We immediately felt

at home here when we came to Clinton and that feeling has only matured over the

past seven years.”

In 1992, Allison began her

walk with the Lord and has

been living life with Jesus

ever since. She joined the FCC

family in 2008 aJer her

family relocated to Clinton.

And since joining the FCC

family, Allison helps with 1st

-

5th

grade Sunday School, 2nd

Service worship team, and

VBS just to name a few.

Allison and her husband Bret

will celebrate their 13th

anniversary this June. They

have three kids: Carter (10),

Asher (8) and Brenna (5).

AdventureswithAdam Adam Brucker

adam@clintonfcc.com

Reading through The Story together as a church has been an incredible journey. I know that it has been a huge blessing to me personally. This is the first time in the almost 9 years that I have been attending FCC that we have had a church wide reach in which all age groups have been studying at the same time.

Hopefully after spending nearly 30 weeks you have a greater understanding of the scope of the Bible. Perhaps you have learned things you never knew. Perhaps studying through it has caused you to look at the way God is working in this world (the upper story) and how it is interwoven into the way we interpret our world (the lower story).

We would love to hear your stories of how you were blessed by the studying that you were able to do this year. If you have some stories about something new you learned or the way that you were able to see “the upper story” at work in your life, please share them with us. If you were blessed by this study would you mind sending an e-mail to me telling us how you were blessed: adam@clintonfcc.com.

A Sneak Peak for Fall 2015

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Perio

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The Karusograph First Christia

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0 N. Jackson St., Clinton, IL 61

727

Information About First Christian Church

Greg Taylor Minister of Preaching & Teaching

greg@clintonfcc.com

217-853-3196

J. Kent Hickerson Minister of Pastoral Care

217-871-3139

Adam Brucker Minister of High School, College Age & Technology

adam@clintonfcc.com

309-532-2326

Cody Monkman Minister of Children & Jr. High

cody@clintonfcc.com

217-871-2003

Shelley Lea Children’s Ministry Director shelley@clintonfcc.com

217-791-2270

Samuel Green Part-Time Worship Minister samuel@clintonfcc.com

217-971-1010

Karen Rice Office Manager karen@clintonfcc.com

Office Phone (217) 935-3139

Office Fax (217) 935-3130

Office E-mail karen@clintonfcc.com

or office@clintonfcc.com

Office Hours

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday