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A Word from our Pastor by Rev. Emily Snowden

“True to form, Jesus keeps calling us to our full capacity, coaxing forth a new kind of community, composed of both darers and doubters, the bashful and the bold. Fully human, as well as fully immersed in the Spirit that is Holy, his way of community can hold all that we are. If Jesus can accept as his own those who have trouble believing, can we not accept ourselves and each other, regardless of our limitations and liabilities? Can we not answer yes to being both learners and teachers of this radical way of acceptance, following the one who has room even for our doubts?” ~ Kayla McClurg

Beloved in Christ,

We made it through the wilderness of Advent and we are moving rapidly through the Christmas season into Epiphany. Epiphany is the liturgical season during the six weeks between Christmas and Lent when we acknowledge the manifestation of the Divine in our midst. For some, an epiphany is an “aha!” moment. For others, it’s the ongoing revelation of G-d in their lives. I like to think of Epiphany as our reminder

to go where we are called, just as the Magi followed the star that called to them (see Matthew 2:2). This epiphany, we will follow Jesus’ ministry through the first chapter (mostly) of the Gospel of Mark and consider the manifold ways we are called in this life. I will be preaching a sermon series entitled, “Following the Call.” We will explore how we are called to confess and repent, to lead and follow, to name and claim … and more! I’m really excited about this series. I hope you are too! What a way to follow up the birth of Christ by exploring and learning from his early days of ministry. I believe this series will help us bridge the space between Advent and Lent by digging deeper into who we are and how we show up in the world as followers of Christ: as “darers and doubters, the bashful and the bold… both learners and teachers.”

In January we will also hold our Annual Meeting on Saturday the 27th. I encourage you to be present! We are entering a new era of ministry together and have much work to do! We will be reminded of our mission and vision. We will nominate and approve our new slate of deacons and review the previous year of our church’s ministry in our community. We will also approve the budget for 2018. I am very excited for the work that lies ahead of us both inwardly and outwardly. I know our time together will be meaningful and fruitful.

May the season of Epiphany bless you with wonder and mystery. May you receive gifts you didn’t even know you needed. May your faith carry you through from one season into the next with joy.

It is good to be a faith community together.

Blessings, Pastor Emily

The Newsletter of Congregational United Church of Christ

News from the Pews January 2018

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From your Co-Moderator

by Lou Guagenti

Over a year and a half ago, our congregation looked back on our history and also envisioned what our future church might look like. With your help, our search committee crafted a profile which led us to our wonderful new pastor, Rev. Emily Snowden. Our search is done, but a new journey begins in 2018, where the possibilities are endless if we faithfully follow where the Holy Spirit leads! We begin 2018 with a new pastor as well as a new Church Council! These lay leaders generously committed their time and talent to lead our church by heading up various ministries. Please come to our Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 7 pm preceded by an all-congregation potluck at 6 pm. The sign-up sheet is in the Narthex. Please come to thank our current leadership and to give your blessings to our new leadership, enjoy fellowship and great food! You will vote to approve our new Council members as well as the 2018 budget. We look forward to seeing you!

Saturday, January 27 6:00 pm Pot Luck Dinner 7:00 pm Annual Meeting

Incoming 2018 Deacons, please note Deacon’s Retreat will be

Saturday, February 10 at 9 am at St. John UCC, Arlington Heights

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Church School News By Meg Ulery, Church School Coordinator

One of the helpful characteristics of the of the six-year rotation model

program which I have developed for this congregation’s church school is the way stories build on each other from month to month. That especially happens this year in relation to the stories about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and John the Baptist, who is part of the story we will cover in January along with the story of the baptism of Jesus. Even though we have met Elizabeth before, we just heard the story of the “womb quickening” leap of John from Mary’s perspective – what did she think about this affirmation of God’s Spirit in action whereby John (and Elizabeth) acknowledge the Savior in Mary’s womb. So now in January we meet John, as an adult, and understand what it is that God has called him to do: “to prepare the way of the Lord.” I want to share with you something I found while researching background (on rotation.org site): “John’s Coat was Not Scratchy”- correcting the notion about John the Baptist's hairy coat. “Unfortunately, in Sunday School, many have described John's camel hair coat as something “scratchy” and thus come up with all sorts of “wild man of the desert” costumes, ‘scratchy’ art projects, and interpretations. But... IT WAS NOT SCRATCHY. “Camel's hair, when woven into fabrics, as in rugs, makes an article of even softer and more glossy texture than wool.” Indeed, real camel's hair dress jackets can still be purchased today and camel's hair is woven into all sorts of textiles in the East. Rather, the “hairy coat” of a prophet was a sign of honor and authority. It was their MANTLE of POWER, their CLOAK of Authority. Recall that Elijah left his camel's hair cloak for Elisha to pick up. What is significant about John’s “hairy” appearance, is that he is described JUST LIKE ELIJAH: “They replied, ‘He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt round his waist.’ The king said, ‘That was Elijah the Tishbite.’” (2 Kings:8) Remember that Elijah was expected to come back as a forerunner of the Messiah. That's the significance of John's hairy coat and leather belt. He is dressed like Elijah. So, we will learn about John and then experience the baptism scene there at the River Jordan. Our January unit will be taught January 14th, 21st and 28th. I want to thank our church school teachers who have been a tremendous help to me and wonderful teachers for the children: Laura Robinson, Laura Janus, Sally Schiavone, Connie Stewart, JoAnn Rapp and Jim Perry. Finally, I want to thank the congregation for the tremendous generosity shown for the “White Gifts for the Christ Child” project. Your donations along with the Mission of the Month check for $100 have made some food bank families really happy! Bless you all!

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Back Bay Mission Work Camp May 19 – 26, 2018

We are coordinating an adult mission trip in May 2018 to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, MS. This will be our third trip in the past five years to Back Bay. The Mission is one of the UCC sponsored

sites across the US. They offer a variety of “hands on” service opportunities ranging from work in their food pantry; assistance at their day shelter; working in their food kitchen or assisting with repair/remodel projects on client homes. We stay on site in their bunk house. (Think a very large and comfortable building with a commercial sized kitchen/large washroom options; AC and built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.) We will leave Saturday morning, May 19 and drive down to Memphis, then from Memphis to Biloxi on Sunday, May 20. We return on Saturday, May 26, arriving at the church around 8:30 PM. Given the number of opportunities, they welcome volunteers of various skill levels. All sign-up fees, transportation costs, and food costs while in Biloxi are covered by the church. Please contact Jeff Pattee (847) 612-9673 for more details. There is a sign-up sheet on the Mission kiosk in the Narthex.

“Second Sundays"

Every second Sunday of the month, CUCC collects non-perishable food donations to be brought to the Lutheran Church of the Cross Food Pantry in Arlington Heights. Baskets will be set at the altar, and donations may be brought up before, during or after the service. This is a small but important way we support our neighbors in need. Thank you for all you have given and continue to give!

Gift Card Orders

Please consider purchasing gift cards through the Scrip program. It is a great way to help someone else at no extra cost to you. You pay the face value of the gift card, and CUCC receives a rebate profit on each gift card you purchase. That money is used to support additional mission projects. The order box is on the short wall to the left of the prayer room: 1. Take an order form from the pouch above the box. 2. Fill out the form and attach your check for the total payment payable to Congregational UCC. 3. Place form and check in box (usually latest by 3rd Sunday). 4. Pick up order (usually 4th Sunday) from the church office!

This month, orders are due Sunday, January 21

along with payment payable to CUCC. Cards can be picked up Sunday, January 28

Call Lisa Loeffler if you have questions! Thank you for supporting Missions!

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Your Social Justice Deacons are Laura Robinson & Roberta Ward

With Ten Thousand Villages, CUCC Succeeds

in More than Retail Sales JoAnn Rapp, 2017 Fair Trade Fest coordinator

Seventy-five plus shoppers, most coming from the wider suburban Chicago area, helped CUCC exceed its goal with $10,179 in retail sales. Given the big weekend discount on jewelry and ornaments, we have to deduct $453, but still a good intake for just 9.5 hours of sales. Thank goodness, though, for the lady who spent $1,100 in the last hour on Sunday to buy ALL her Christmas presents! Thirty CUCC folk responded to the call to serve over the three days of chores and tasks during an already busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Gratitude and thanks to all of you “I will” volunteers! In what ways did CUCC give supportive voice to a 70-year-old non-profit social and economic justice organization, while also gently witnessing to 'being church' in this all too troubled world? Of course, our church folk provided the essential manpower for this labor intensive onsite service project. But volunteers chatted with a few shoppers who found CUCC to be a “social justice church that is Christ-centered. You know how hard that is to find these days?” said one shopper. She came back Sunday to worship with us. Another shopper knew that CUCC serves as a PADS site and brought in several dozen hand knitted, brand new scarves, gloves, and hats that her hospital was going to throw out. A few shoppers commented about our labyrinth sign and now want to stop by for a labyrinth walk during their hospital break. Others expressed a desire to return for the Longest Night worship service on December 21st in hopes of finding some peace of mind and quiet moments to cope with seasonal sadness or unresolved grief. Indeed, aren't we all called to minister to our neighbors and to respond in those unplanned, serendipitous moments? Such a blessing of visibility to gently tell our story on November 24, 25 and 26, 2017! And, so too, did we have a chance to educate folks about the fair trade business model that Ten Thousand Villages so successfully employs. Artisans have an equal voice in negotiating reasonable prices. Artisans are paid 50% up front and then 50% upon pick up of completed product, so they have immediate income to support family and also buy necessary raw materials to meet the order. Cooperatives are required to have fire extinguishers, potable water and toilet facilities onsite for all workers. No cooperative utilizing slave labor is ever contracted by Ten Thousand Villages. Ten Thousand Villages field managers arrange for shipment and product distribution to the 55 Ten Thousand Villages non-profit stores across the United States, so artisans need not absorb that expense nor have any delay in income recovery. CUCC has been invited by the Evanston Ten Thousand Villages store, our co-host, to again work with them over the 2018 Thanksgiving weekend for another fair trade market. The decision rests with Council leadership to determine if and how such a service project may help our congregation ‘lean into’ our identified mission and vision to ‘be church’ as a host building, in this suburban neighborhood, and into the wider community.

Social Justice

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Community Renewal Society’s M.L. King Faith in Action Assembly

When? Monday, January 15, 2018 - 8:30 a.m. to Noon Where? Old. St. Patrick's Church, 700 W. Adams Street, Chicago

What? Governor's Candidate Forum

As you know, CUCC fulfills an annual pledge to the Community Renewal Society. CRS-Northwest Suburban Cluster includes several of our Arlington Heights, Mt. Prospect and Schaumburg cross-denominational neighboring faith communities. As the Rev. Dr. King said, “[t]he hope of a secure world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” As of press time, all Democratic candidates have confirmed their attendance; CRS hopes to hear back from Republican gubernatorial candidates.

If you wish to attend, join up with your suburban CRS cluster friends who are riding a chartered bus from Southminster Presbyterian Church, Arlington Heights, leaving at 7:30 a.m. for the Loop. (Old St. Pat’s is also a short walk from Ogilvie Transportation Center if you take the Metra.) If you want to join hundreds coming together to speak truth to power, come join in this unique forum. The assembly rocks with well-directed social action energy! See JoAnn Rapp for details.

The Pastoral Relations Committee by Carol Petty

The arrival of Pastor Emily is bringing noticeable excitement and renewed energy. It is also the perfect time to create a Pastoral Relations Committee. A small group of members accepted the role, serving as support to Pastor Emily and also acting as representatives of the congregation to her. The PRC is a sounding board for the pastor, a group she can turn to with complete confidentiality. The PRC is also able to bring, with the same degree of confidentiality, feedback from the congregation. The PRC is not part of the Personnel Committee and does not report to Council.

Emily welcomes your feedback, and invites you to communicate with her directly. If you prefer to offer your feedback through the PRC, these are the members who serve:

Andrea Gates-Ehlers Eric Ward Joann Rapp Carol Petty Connie Stewart

The PRC members meet with Pastor Emily monthly.

New email addresses for the church!

Pastor Emily: pastor@congucc.org

Office (Nancy): office@congucc.org

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Here is another exciting way to earn money for the missions budget with no cost to you. Amazon Smile will return 0.5% (on eligible items) to CUCC when you shop through the program. Good news! Amazon Smile has made it super easy by assigning us a direct link. So

when you are ready to shop, use this link (you may want to bookmark it for future use!) and log in using your Amazon login and password. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-2549996 (The link is also on the front page of the church website.) Below is more information about the program if you’re interested. Thank you for all you do to help the missions budget! What is AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. How do I shop at AmazonSmile? To shop at AmazonSmile (for CUCC) simply go to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-2549996

from the web browser on your computer or mobile device and log in using your Amazon login

and password.

Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations? Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible. Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile? Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Can I change my charity? Yes, you can change your charity any time. Your AmazonSmile purchases after the change count towards your newly selected charity. To change your charity, sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser and simply select “Change your Charity” in “Your Account.” How much of my purchase does Amazon donate? The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges. Can I receive a tax deduction for amounts donated from my purchases on AmazonSmile? Donations are made by the AmazonSmile Foundation and are not tax deductible by you. How can I learn more about AmazonSmile? Please see complete AmazonSmile program details.

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Daytime Book Club Daytime Book Club meets the first Monday of the month at 9:45 am. No January meeting, so for February 5 read The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck. Call Donna Blankfield or Barbara Goldsworthy for more info!

January

Birthdays

2 Steve Kilar 9 Deena Casey 12 Whitney Waters 12 Lynn Perry 17 Craig Silet 22 Renee Doktorczyk 22 Roger Charles 23 Lillian Houle 26 Rachel Hogreve 28 Karen Brooks 28 Tara Brooks 28 Bonnie Everhart

Anniversaries

9 Lessi Smebakken & John Geier

If we’ve missed your special day,

please call or email the church office:

847-392-6650

conguccah1@sbcglobal.net

and we will be sure you are added.

Coloring Book Small Group All Ages Are Welcome!

The Coloring Book Small Group will not meet this month. See you February 5!

Movie Night is currently on hiatus.

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The calendar is a living thing. Find the most current one here:

https://73899941.view-events.com/calendar/73899941/month/2018-01-01

• New Year’s Day, January 1 • Epiphany, January 6 • Pastor Emily’s Installation, January 7 @ 4 pm • Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday observance, January 15

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Congregational United Church of Christ 1001 West Kirchhoff Road

Arlington Heights, IL 60005-2420 Phone 847-392-6650

Website: www.CongUCC.org Email: office@CongUCC.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/conguccah

Sunday Worship at 10:30 am all year ❖ Infant and toddler child care is offered in the Nursery (first floor)

❖ Church School for children (downstairs) (Sept-May) ❖ Reflections for Youth (in the Garden Room, first floor) (Sept-May)

On Communion Sundays, Children & Youth in church

Open and Affirming Statement Adopted June 10, 2007

The Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington Heights, IL, in accordance with our shared value of inclusiveness, declares itself open and affirming. We welcome and accept into the full life and ministry of our church people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We maintain that every person has sacred worth as a unique creation made in the image of God. We believe that human sexuality is a gift from God. We reach out to those who are disenfranchised from the religious community, and we seek growth and understanding as we continue toward inclusiveness.

CUCC Staff & Leadership

Rev. Emily Snowden pastor@congucc.org

Pastor

Norreen Klemens norreen@comcast.net

Organist & Dir. of Choir Chimes

Megan Murray mmurray84@gmail.com

Choir Director

Nancy Pardo office@congucc.org

Church Secretary & Bookkeeper

Bob Carpenter Moderator

Lou Guagenti Co-Moderator

Craig Brooks Treasurer

Linda Janus Financial Sec’y

Ron Hulka Asst. Fin’l Sec’y

Sandy Hake Clerk

Laura Janus & Pat Harris

Deacons, Spiritual Growth

Bruce Johnson Deacon, Music/Worship/ Spiritual Space

Tom Harris Deacon, Stewardship/ Nominating

Whitney Waters Deacon, Evangelism

Laura Robinson & Roberta Ward

Deacons, Social Justice

Bill Robinson Deacon, Mission Support

Diane Lanigan Deacon, Bldg & Grounds

Cindy & Jeff Pattee Deacons, Hospitality

Sally Schiavone Care Deacon