“god will show us the way” - evucc.org july 2016 newsletter.pdf · columbine, newtown, san...

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.

on Him knowing that He will never

abandon us.

We continue to find ways to bring

people to Christ here at EvUCC. We

are learning to be more creative as we

live out our motto: “EvUCC Feeds

the Need. There are needs to be fed

in our community and beyond. How

are we going to feed them?

Peace in the Risen Christ!

Pastor Chris

Elizabeth Elliot tells of two

adventurers who stopped by to

see her, all loaded with equip-

ment for the rain forest east of

the Andes. They sought no

advice, just a few phrases to

converse with the Indians. She

writes: "Sometimes we come to

God as the two adventurers

came to me -- confident and, we

think, well-informed and well

equipped. But has it occurred to

us that with all our accumula-

tion of stuff, something is

missing?

She suggests that we often ask

God for too little. We know

what we need--a yes or no

answer, please, to a simple

question. Or perhaps a road

sign. Something quick and easy

to point the way. What we

really ought to have is the

Guide himself. Maps, road

signs, a few useful phrases are

things, but infinitely better is

someone who has been there

before and knows the way.

(Elizabeth Elliot tells, A Slow

and Certain Light.)

So often we try to do things on

our own. We think we can be

totally independent. We have

all the answers. We rely too

much on ourselves. But those

are the times when we need to

recognize how much we need

our God. Jesus came into this

world recognizing His depend-

ence on His Father in heaven.

He realized he could not do it

on His own but needed the love

of His Father to navigate the

life He was living. Jesus was

totally reliant on His Father

knowing that He would always

be with Him.

The same is true for us as a

church. We have to continue to

find ways to trust that our God

through His Son, and the

working of the Holy Spirit is

leading us in a positive direc-

tion. It is important that we rely

EVANGELINES

Evangelical United Church of Christ

JULY 2016

VOLUME 60 ISSUE 7

“God Will Show Us the Way”


I don’t know what to say about the shooting in Orlando. Maybe you debated for a second just now whether to stop

reading. “I’ve heard enough about this” you think to yourself. Or, “I just want to focus on some happy things.”

It feels like whatever I write or say runs the risk of being trite or redundant, even if it’s what I believe. I can feel the

temptation to not express much of anything because (in a way that I hate to admit), I inwardly doubt the power of my

words to make any difference. I feel the temptation to bite my tongue and just nod sympathetically at people when

they bring it up. I don’t want to engage people this week in discussions about ISIS or the LGBTQ community or gun

legislature because those things “rile people up” and aren’t “polite conversation topics.” What I really struggle with

is that I already hear people more interested in debating, blaming, or rationalizing those topics instead of

acknowledging that…my God, too many people were murdered. Innocent people were slaughtered. Again. And it

keeps happening. Again, and again, and again. Columbine, Newtown, San Bernardino, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech,

Aurora, Charleston. We now use the phrase colloquially, “there was another shooting.”

I’m empty. Where my words struggle, I’ll share the thoughts of Cameron Trimble, (who helped start the UCC

organization “Center for Progressive Renewal” and was Illinois South’s keynote speaker a few years ago at Annual

Conference):

“We believe we are stronger together than alone. We believe a collective effort to heal the world

is more likely to produce solutions to the world's most complex and troubling problems. We believe

the human spirit can be healed, the capacity for abundant life does exist, the common good is attainable

and that we all have inherent worth and dignity…

If we are ever going to change the world, we are going to have to do it together - every single unique,

beautiful one of us. And it starts by embracing our whole selves for everything God created us to

be and our neighbor as ourselves.”

–Rev. Cameron Trimble

I don’t have the governmental and legislative savvy to be able to muse intelligently about next steps on a national

level. But I believe I can address where God might be in the midst of this. I have an ember-burning, foundational,

deep-seeded Truth in my soul that God is here. In the streets of Orlando which now must feel foreign to those who

have called it home all their life, God is there with arms open... In the camps of people who speak, breathe and

believe in justice and hope, God is there with courage and perseverance… In the living-rooms where families find

out their loved one is among “the 50,” God is there with tears on His cheeks... What I hate to acknowledge, yet still

believe with all my heart is that: at the anti-gay rallies and demonstrations, in the ISIS-sympathizer’s home, in the

online posts of hate and dehumanization…God is there, wishing, and waiting for hearts to soften and turn to a better

way to live.

We must remember:

I. God is God. Loving despite our brokenness to make peace with ourselves; Forgiving despite our inability to

reconcile life with those who are strangers to us; Gracious despite our hatefulness to those who are ‘other’;

Patient despite our proclivity to ‘fix’ with violence.

II. Humans are Humans. And. WE. NEED. JESUS.

Love your hearts,

Pastor Will

GOD IS GOD


VOLUME 60 ISSUE 7

POOL PARTY

"Come celebrate the Summer" Pool Party July

9th from 10:45am to 12:45 at the Highland pool in

Lindendale Park. Plan to join us and invite your

friends for a splashing good time!! Watch for

more details, but mark your calendars now for

EVUCC's July 9th pool party!

Sunday School News - Looking Ahead

The Sunday school program needs class leaders for our 1st/2nd grade and our 5th/6th grade classes.

Several of our leaders have new job/school commitments that make them unavailable to help.

For our quality Sunday School program to function we need your help. We have engaging, user friendly

curriculum, lots of peer support, and are always flexible with schedules. You can co-teach with friends or

family so please consider helping with this rewarding program that teaches our children of Jesus's

love. Contact Darlene 973-9685 or let the church office know is you are interested.

For our July 5th meeting, the Women’s Guild is planning to go to the Lory Theatre to watch the

movie, “God is Not Dead”. We will meet promptly at the church at 9:30am, car pool to the Lory,

where the movie will start at 10am. The cost of the movie is $5 and popcorn will be provided. After

the movie, we will go as a group to Blue Springs for lunch. Everyone will be responsible for the

cost of their lunch. We invite anyone who is interested to join us. Friends and husbands are wel-

come. Please sign the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board, so we can inform Blue Springs how many

to expect for lunch. Remember to be in the church parking lot at 9:30, so we will be ready for the

movie by 10am.

Women’s Guild


HOMEGROWN GRACE


VOLUME 60 ISSUE 7

Looking for Greeters. We have been calling our ushers the “Welcome Team”. But many/most ushers did not

“sign up” to be both ushers and greeters. Therefore, the Worship Board proposes we have 2-4 dedicated

“greeters” who are out-going and comfortable meeting new people and introducing them to others, but are not

involved in the ushering tasks of handing out bulletins, getting the candles lit, managing the offering, etc. If

you've noticed that God has given you the gift of loving to see and meet people, please consider joining the

Greeters at EvUCC! Just call the office at 654-7459.

Instant replay

FOOD PANTRY SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED

DVDs of Our Worship Services: We have been creating DVDs of all our church services

since May, 2015, for the 3 Highland nursing homes and Highland Home. When possible, we

recover the DVDs after those agencies are finished viewing them. If you would like a DVD

of a specific worship service, call the office at 654-7459 and let us know the date you're inter-

ested in and we will see if it's available.

Highland Area Christian Service Ministry (HACSM) is seeking donations of school supplies and/or contributions for purchasing needed school supply items, for Food Pantry eligible families with children. In 2015, school sup-plies were distributed to 73 households for a total of 160 students. For those seeking ideas as to the items needed, we suggest they check school supply lists that are provided by the schools and available in area stores. Also refer to the items listed below. Please drop off items directly to HACSM at 900 Chestnut Street or to the church lobby by July 17th. HACSM office hours are 8:30 to 12:30pm Monday through Thursday. ITEMS ESPECIALLY NEEDED ARE: (Brand names listed are teacher’s requests) Plastic 2-Pocket Folders Post It Notes (2” x 2”) Highlighters (any color) Ear Buds White Polymer Erasers Large Glue Sticks Black Dry Erase Markers Colored Pencils Crayola Water Color Paint (1 row of colors) Fiskars Scissors (pointed tips only) Pencil Box White 3-ring Binders (1” w/ clear cover) Spiral Notebooks (Wide Rule Only) Clorox Wipes Elmer’s Bottled Glue (NO “school glue”) Loose-leaf Paper (Wide Ruled Only) Facial Tissue Trapper Keepers with Dividers

Getting to Know You


VOLUME 60 ISSUE 7

Coffee Hour Hosts

July 3 Women’s Guild July 24 Christian Ed

July 10 Worship July 31 Wee Care/Pepp

July 17 Consistory

Date Time Ushers Time Lay Readers Time Nursery

July 3

8:00 am 9:15 am

Stan Giffhorn Bob Kruse Rodney Zobrist Gene Redman Brad Grohmann

Gloria Klaus Janet Kruse Merle Wernle Debi Zobrist Paula Redman Beth Grohmann

8:00 am

Debi Zobrist

9:15 am

Karla Zurliene

July 10 8:00 am 9:15 am

Allen Iberg Bob Sudhoff Steve Clayton Dennis Litteken

Lori Iberg Jane Sudhoff Denise Clayton Linda Litteken

8:00 am

Janice Hartman

9:15 am

Ruthie Shownes

July 17 8:00 am 9:15 am

Dennis Wilkinson Marilyn Fickbohm Eric Schmitt Noah Schmitt

Sandy Wilkinson Mary Hundsdorfer Melissa Schmitt Joshua Schmitt

8:00 am

Rodney Knackstedt

9:15 am

Jan Tebbe

July 24 8:00 am 9:15 am

Phil Mason Dorothy Deibert Kent Schoeck Mackenzie Schoeck

Julie Mason Tamie Heichelbeck Lisa Schoeck Nicholas Schoeck

8:00 am

Stan Giffhorn

9:15 am

Alicia VerDuin

July 31 8:00 am 9:15

Larry Rinderer Carl Baumann Jeremy Fenton

Gay Rinderer Delores Halbe Lori Miscik

8:00 am

Jill Foehner 9:15 am

Shirley Hug

July Service Calendar


VBS THANK YOU

A big thank you to everyone that helped in

anyway to make our CaveQuest VBS the most

amazing adventure for all of the almost 70

children and 30 leaders that attended every day.

From the creative decorations, cave races under

the pews, high energy games, walking on water,

geode gems, yummy snacks and fun songs that

all helped connect children to the ultimate

guiding light - Jesus. Every day the kids learned

rock-solid Bible truths - Jesus gives us hope,

courage, direction, love, and power to use in our

everyday lives. We collected almost $300 to

help provide safe homes for children in North

America.

Thanks again for all the support with our VBS

program.

Darlene Nagel

***************************************

Thanks to everyone who may have prayed for me before, and after my kidney surgery. Especially I want to thank Pastor Chris for his visit and prayers. I believe prayer is very powerful and something we can all do for others and for ourselves. Shirley Dietz

Thank You’s

Received OUR CHURCH FAMILY

We Celebrate the marriages of… Aggie Lee and Nicholas Netzer on May 20th. Jessica Moss and Jonathan Kutz on June 4th.

We Extend our Sympathy and Rejoice in the promise of Resurrection with… The family of Clarence “Wuzzy” Deibert. Clarence passed away on May 28th.

Please continue to pray for...

Connie Louer Abert, Christel Bense (Barb Bray’s niece), Marie Bimes, Florence Collmann, Jeanne Dankenbring, Viola Deibert, 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, Shirley Federer, Ellen Gelly, Ida Gorrell, Robert Goth, Elaine Grundhoefer (Harold Byers’ sister), Norma Haberer, Maurie Henricks, Chrissy Knebel Hoe-flinger, Carol Hoffman, Curt Iberg, Dorothy Johnson (Aunt of Ron and Kathy Schneider), Betty Kamm, Ben Krauz, Vera Kunz, Rev. Jim Langdoc, Betty Legier, Herman Louer, Traci Luitjohan, Marion Marcus, Wayne Marcus, Ava Martin, Joe Michaelis, Becky Morris (Shirley Hug’s niece), Daniel Morris, Richard Moser, Alicia Rayner (Al & Shirley Flath’s daughter), Sandra Reinacher, Dale Rinderer, Don Rinderer, Sandy Rinderer, Sharon Rinderer, Jim Schmitt, Tyler Simpson, Doris (mother of Barb Stallard), Gloria Stuckwisch, Elva Tucker, Alvin Whitsell (Florence Collmann’s brother-in-law), Dale Wiesemeyer (Niala Keilbach’s brother), and Kathy Wilsman (Nancy Byers’ sis-ter), Barb Winters, Judy Wise, Shirley Wise and Shirley Zbornak.


Since we are on vacation…….just want to leave a quick reminder. This fall will be the 45th year of Peppermint School. We hope to be filled completely. We do have some available spots for 3 and 4 year-olds. We hope you can help us out by telling all your friends, family and neighbors about us. We are and always have been a half-day preschool since. Our phone number is 654-7600. Summer heat has arrived!!!!! Enjoy the beautiful blooms and sunny days God is providing. Miss Beckie and the Peppermint Staff

HELLO FROM PEPPERMINT PRESCHOOL


Sun

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2520 Poplar Street

Highland, IL 62249

Phone: 618-654-7459

Fax: 618-654-6346

E-mail: [email protected]

EVANGELICAL UNITED

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Permit No. 173 U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Nonprofit Organization Highland, IL 62249

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"Come celebrate the Summer" Pool Party

July 9th from 10:45am to 12:45 at the Highland Pool

“god will show us the way” - evucc.org july 2016 newsletter.pdf · columbine, newtown, san...

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