First ChroniclesThe Newsletter of the First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC

January 2015

Be It Resolved...Here are some friendly suggestions from your pastor of New Year’s resolutions to deepen and expand your spiritual life and involvement in the church.

Attend First Wednesday Dinners. We will again host a dinner and activity for the entire congregation the first Wednesday of every month in the Church House dining room. Eating together is a fabulous (and tasty!) way to get to know each other. This Wednesday, January 7, at 6:00 p.m., we will welcome guests from Family Promise to join us. Please plan to come to offer hospitality to these families waiting to find a permanent home.

Join Bible Study. Every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. we gather in the Church House parlor to study the scripture lesson for the upcoming Sunday reading. Despite the early hour, this gathering serves to deepen our under-standing of the relevance of God’s Word as it comes to us through the Bible, our experiences, and inspiration. We include time for sharing joys and concerns and for joining our hearts and minds in prayer.

Be a Volunteer in Mission. This is the year to get involved! As part of Interfaith Action of Evanston, First Congregational hosts the weekly Friday lunch program, which is in need of your presence. Many guests are homeless, unemployed, or unable to make ends meet, so a friendly face at the front door when they come in is a blessing. In these cold months, we also host a Thursday afternoon warming center. You can also participate by volunteering your time with Family Promise, the Har-vest Food Pantry, Hilda’s Place, and Meals at Home. Put your Faith into Action!

Get Involved with Our Kids. Whether it is Sunday school, a pageant, a special art project, or chaperoning a retreat, kids need adults! You may have kids at home, children who are grown and gone, or no little ones around; you have something to offer our youngsters that no one else can. Help pave the way for a new director of Christian learning.

Stay for the Sunday Forum. We are planning regular Sunday Forum classes following worship on the second, third, and fourth Sundays of the month. Forum topics will include social action, theology for today, and faith

journeys. In this context we can hear new ideas, expand our thinking, and find out that often we are not alone in our perspectives of life and spirituality.

Join the Choir. You’ve been thinking about it… people around you in worship have commented, “You should be in the choir!” when they hear you sing… You are already humming along with the anthems… It’s time! Contact David Lornson today.

Come to Church on Sunday morning. Many people claim that it is possible to worship God outside of church. Yes and no. Individual spiritual practices are just that—individual—more along the lines of personal devotion. Coming together as a community to pray, learn, and interact is how we learn what it means to be, collectively, the body of Christ. We encourage each other and lean on each other more readily when we are together. The high attendance at church on Christmas Eve is an indication of the power of the Spirit when we connect on a regular basis.

May your resolutions for 2015 include the life of the church as you seek to enrich your body, mind, and spirit.Blessings, Rev. Ann

This Month’s Chancel Choir Music January 4 Felix Mendelssohn, “When Jesus Our Lord Was Born in Bethlehem,” “Say, Where Is He Born King of Judea?” and “There Shall a Star Come Out of Jacob” (from Christus)January 11 John Gardner, “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” Aaron Copland, “Shall We Gather at the River”January 18 Joy Patterson, “Jesus Calls Us” Duke Ellington, “Come Sunday”January 25 H. R. Evans, “The Beatitudes” Frances Allitsen, “The Lord Is My Light”

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This Month at First Congregational Church

Sunday, January 4, 11, and 18New Member Classes

Wednesday, January 7First Wednesday Dinner and TED talk discussion

Sunday, January 25Annual MeetingNew members join the church

Thursdays, 7:30 a.m.Early Morning Bible Study

Sundays, 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal

A Carol from the Nominating CommitteeSung to the tune of “What Child Is This?”Verse 1. The nominating committee thanks all those who have responded thus far,The people returning to their old jobs have already told us “yes” or “no.”Verse 2. So now we move on to challenge two: to fill the now remaining spots.Our people will be calling you to see if you will help us out.Verse 3. So be a deacon or a trustee. Choose Fellowship or the Mission Board.And if you’ll be our treasurer, we will worship and adore you.Chorus. More hands means less work for all.Who knows? You might have some fun as well.We work together for God’s great planFor love and justice and peace for all.—Wayne MacPherson, Nominating Committee chair

Thank You for Family Focus GiftsThank you, thank you, for your Christmas generosity! Forty-five local teenagers from the Family Focus pro-gram received Christmas gifts from our members and friends. This church is blessed to have so many loving and giving people in its midst. Thank you again.

Annual Meeting after Worship on January 25Your attendance is needed to keep spirits high (and to have a quorum)!• Hear what the church accomplished in 2014.• Get updates on the annual giving campaign.• Vote on the slate of nominees for church boards and committees.• Volunteer to serve on a board or committee.• Celebrate award winners for Man/Woman of the Year and the Pilgrim Award.• Vote on a change in the Mission Statement. The UCC will not officially recognize First Congregational Church of Evanston as open and affirming unless our mission statement is amended as follows (adding the italcized words): “As members of the First Congregational Church of Evanston, we are on a spiritual journey. As an inclu-sive congregation, we welcome all faith experiences and family types; we are an open and affirming community of faith who welcome and include all people and embrace differences of age, ability, race, sexual orienta-tion, gender identity and expression, and national origin. We are challenged by the Gospel to grow in our under-standing of what the Biblical Word means for Christian life today, to nurture one another, and to be engaged in our community and the world.”

New Member Classes Begin Sunday, January 4We will be welcoming and celebrating the arrival of new members to First Congregational Church on January 25 during morning worship. In preparation for joining, you are invited to attend three new member classes to learn about our congregation, the United Church of Christ denomination, and how you might become more involved. There will be lots of time to get to know each other and ask questions with the pastor and other members. Please contact Rev. Ann if you would like to come, even if you are not able to attend all three of the classes: arosewall@firstchurchevanston.org or 847-864-8332, ext. 21.

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Youth at Harvest Food PantryOur youth volunteered at the Harvest Food Pantry on December 20. This mission project is one of a series of events the youth have chosen to do every month. Many thanks to Lindsey Siemens and Chris Krei for providing support for the youth outreach efforts.

First Congregational Church of Evanston1417 Hinman AvenueEvanston, Illinois 60201847-864-8332www.firstchurchevanston.org

Michael Colton James CorriganElena DanielsShelby Donnan Georgia EvansMary GreenePaige JamesAbigial JulcherMargaret KrauseLinda KreiJoan Lindsey

Molly McKennaGeorge MencoffMiranda MetzChris PanekEvan PetrolleAndy PlaszZoe SniderTom StaffordAsher StamellCasey WaitCatherine Watkins

Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating in January. Birthdays are acknowledged at the Wednesday Fellowship Dinners (the first Wednesday of each month).