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The SPIRIT of Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church  April 12, 2006
Click here to see the April calendar.

EASTER SILENCE

“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

That’s the ending of the Easter story according to Mark’s gospel, the first and oldest gospel. “They said nothing to anyone.” The Easter story ends in silence.

I wish I could get away with that. This may be more honesty than you want from your pastor, but sometimes I feel I can’t possibly say or write anything about Easter. It is an outrageous, amazing promise: that death does not get the last word, that love has the ultimate victory. It is a mystery that is both too big and too small for us. We can’t possibly wrap our minds around it, and yet we experience it—new life coming out of death—all over the place in our lives and our world.

How can you possibly throw words at that? I love words, but they start to fail you here. Sometimes I’d like to follow Mark’s lead. Maybe on Easter Sunday we should gather together in our churches and sit in silence. No trumpets or alleluias. No sermons or sacraments. No “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” Just deep silence.

Don’t worry. It’s not going to happen. We’ll celebrate Easter the right way, with singing and shouting and praying and praising. We’ll find some words to throw at the mystery. The alleluias and hallelujahs will flow freely.

But after the celebration is done, after we go back to our homes and lives, maybe we can remember Mark’s Easter silence. We don’t need to say much. There’s already too much talking in our world. We don’t need to talk the talk. We need to walk the walk. People will see the good news of Easter in our lives long before they hear it in our words.

To quote Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”

Happy Easter.
Richard

INQUIRER’S CLASS

There will be an Inquirer’s Class on Saturday, April 29th. We will gather for a light breakfast at 9:00am and then spend a couple of hours learning about RCLPC and what it means to be a member. Anyone interested in learning more about the church or exploring membership is welcome to attend. If interested please contact the church office at 815-459-1132, or sign up in the Connecting Link. Nursery care will be provided upon request.

Building & Grounds Corner: HANDICAP PARKING
Can we add more handicap parking spaces?
I need one and they are often full.

Handicap parking is a problem as is parking in general. Different solutions have been discussed and of course one answer is adding more handicap spaces, which we can and might have to do. But first we would like to try to solve the problem by asking everyone who has no physical disabilities to leave all the front parking spaces for our senior citizens use. This will allow us to keep more parking spaces, as the handicap spaces are wider to accommodate wheel chairs. The far end parking spaces in front are also restricted to use on Sunday mornings only, so if you come to church at any other time please do not use these as they block our neighbors ability to move his truck and trailer out of his driveway. Thank you for your understanding.

RCLPC RUMMAGE SALE--May 20th from 9 am - 3 pm

Mark the date and the week leading up to it. Donations can be dropped off at the church the week of May 15th between 9am and 3:30pm. Remember, all proceeds will go towards the senior high mission trip to Egypt. We still need some help with organizing this. Please call Tina Stipati.

FAVORITE RECIPES WANTED!!!

Favorite recipes are needed for our RCLPC family and friends cookbook. You may pick up the Recipe Collection Sheets in a bright orange box in the Connecting Link. Please complete the sheets and place in the “Cookie Walk” mailbox outside the office. Any profits will go to the Cookie Walk Missions Fund. Questions, please call Nancy Blakely. Deadline to contribute is July 1st.

THANKS!

We would like to thank everyone who helped with the reception for the Flood family by setting up, serving, cleaning up, baking and/or contributing food: Marie Randall, Janet Pearce, Lou and Kathy Rabe, Joy Martin, MJ Towne, Midge Fish, Jim and Laura and Andrea Bauman, Tina Stipati, Tina Kay, Cathy Bereiter, Emily Lazar, Tricia Schieler, Debi Keyzer, Jodie LeFevre, and Sally Weller. Thanks also to Steve and Laura Middaugh for recognizing the need to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, to Richard for supporting their suggestion, and to all of you who have contributed to the support of the Flood family through your prayers, donations, and welcoming them at the reception. Did you know that Catherine Flood baked and brought three pies to the reception? Ed Bennett and Mary Moltmann

HOME OF THE SPARROW

RCLPC members and youth will be helping at the Crystal Lake location by placing landscaping paper and mulch in the flower beds and play area on Saturday, April 15, starting at 10:00 A.M. Come out and have fun helping others. Lunch will be provided. Contact Jeff Mohler for more information. The Home of the Sparrow provides transitional housing and support for homeless women and children in our area.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

We will be celebrating mothers on Thursday, May 11. There will be a Mother-Child dinner event, and it all begins at 5:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. Please sign up in the Connecting Link if you will be able to join us for this wonderful salute to moms. Questons? Contact Kathy Rabe.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU...
“Help one another; there’s no time like the present and no present like the time.”

We would like to say a special “thank you” to Raechel Sowa for her successful job of staffing our nursery for special church services, church events, and extra holiday times. Raechel works diligently to ensure that there are two people working in our nursery for every extra need we have as a church community. Often times, she can be found helping out with the children herself, when she is unable to secure other volunteers or staff. Thank you Raechel, for the gift of your time and dedication, so that RCLPC’s Nursery can meet the needs of our smallest members and those of our congregation. You are a blessing…and greatly appreciated!

CHURCH TELEPHONE: Voice Mail Tree

Ever call the church office after hours to leave a message for Kim, our secretary and get lost in the phone tree? I have and it is frustrating!! Well the tree has been completely revamped and hopefully you will now find it user friendly. There is no need to listen to the whole recording, just enter the 2-digit number below for the extension you want, and presto you will be there:

21 Kim, our church secretary extraordinaire
22 Richard Floyd, our pastor
23 Our Associate Pastor’s office
24 Our Staff Office
31 Sunday worship times
32 Weekly calendar
33 Upcoming events

A Note from Kim:
Please thank Wayne Prindiville for the many hours he spent figuring out our phone system and getting us back on track. Hopefully, it will no longer be a frustrating problem.

FOOD PANTRY BUILDING FUNDRAISER

Not your usual Sunday brunch… We are going to have some of the most delicious and unusual chili you have ever tasted. Save Sunday, May 21st right after the 11:15 service. Anyone—young or old or in between—(except Karl Dencker whose chili is rumored to be so hot you can’t speak for two days) are needed to bring crock pots full of their favorite chili and/or soups, salads or desserts. Where can you go to help the poor and have so much fun for $6? Chili and/or soup, salad and who knows?? Have you ever tried a bodacious chili? Volunteers please call Nancy Vazzano.

FOOD PANTRY WORK DAYS
Our Food Pantry Work Days for the rest of the year are as follows:

Monday, May 22nd
Friday, July 14th
Monday, August 28th
Monday, October 16th
Monday, December 4th

Please call Nancy Vazzano if you can volunteer. Thank you.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of the RCLPC family! Our Easter Baskets for the children of Home of the Sparrow were overflowing. This year we prepared 33 baskets for children, ages ranging from 5 mo. to 15 years. We also had many extra eggs filled with candy to be utilized as needed by Home of the Sparrow. We provided candy and a gift card to Panera for 20 mothers. This project would not have been successful without the help of so many. Thank you to those members who donated all the various items needed. Thank you to the children, youth and adults of our church for spending time learning why we provide the baskets and for preparing them. Thank you to Sally Sounhein and Kim Stewart for your extra efforts to help make this successful. Thanks Again to All! Cheryl Lilly and Jayne Zoerner

JOIN US AT "TUESDAYS AT BORDERS"

The Tuesday morning book group would love to have you join us as we read and explore a vast array of books, have intriguing conversations, and enjoy coffee and treats at Borders in Crystal Lake. We meet each Tuesday at 10:15am. Currently we are reading "The Color of Water" by James McBride, and we will begin discussing "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley on April 18. The book we have chosen to follow "Brave New World" is "Freedom at Midnight" by Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre. We look forward to our time together.

Long time member CY ZANK CELEBRATES his 80th BIRTHDAY

Cy Zank has been a member of RCLPC for over 50 years, joining after he and Joyce, his wife of 57+ years were married here in the sanctuary. While raising his three children in Ridgefield, the church became an integral part of his family’s life. He served for twelve years as an elder and many years as a trustee. In the early 1960’s, he was one of six men with two trucks and a hay wagon who drove to the church of McCormick Seminary (now DePaul Univ.) and worked all night to extract, transport and later install all of the pews that are in our sanctuary. As a building contractor, Cy was responsible for two additions on the church. He built the back altar and the bookcase in the library as memorials for his son and grandson. He and Joyce commissioned the holy family carving located in the stairway to the sanctuary as a memorial gift. These days you will find Cy quietly attending the 8:00 service on Sunday’s mornings, making sure he picks up a tape of the service to bring home to Joyce, but this Saturday you will find them both at Jodie and Mark LeFevre’s house. His daughters, Jodie and Jill Freund invite you to attend an open house to honor 80 years of Cy between 2p.m. and 7p.m. on Saturday the 15th, at 2715 Red Barn Road, Crystal Lake. If you are unable to attend, please try to catch Cy as he slips in or out of church and wish a happy 80th to a special man.

Announcing the formation of a new adult fellowship group
RCLPC "Supper Club"

Sign up to join RCLPC's "Supper Club", a new and exciting fellowship group for all adults. While Gourmet Group takes a much needed rest we will enjoy three large group events planned for "Supper Club". Join by choosing one of the scheduled events that you will help host (with the help of many others); however, the event will be held at one location and all members will attend. With delicious, casual cuisine and fun activities, "Supper Club" will be a good time for all. Choose from a Mexican Fiesta (May 6), a State Fair (Aug.5), or a "Monster Mash" Costume Party (Oct.28). Sign Up Today in the Connecting Link. Questions? contact Jodie LeFevre or Deb Steele.

OPERATION PRAYERS & COOKIE LIFT UPDATE

Easter boxes were mailed to Matthew Trummel (son of Chris and Betty) and Josh House (son of Don and Marian, a Caring Crafter) this week. Thanks to all of you who wrote and drew festive greetings to them, to Rob and Julia Baser for the Cadbury eggs and lip balm, to Barb Turley for the popcorn, chips, and scented candles, to Sue Hayden for the DVDs and CD, sugar, garlic, and Oreos, to Ed Bennett for the candy and lugging the boxes to the Post Office, and to Marge Hansen for paying the postage. Although some of these items may sound odd, they were specific requests. Please keep them in your prayers, along with Andy Hushek, Sue Hayden's friend since childhood days who is serving with the Navy Seabees in Iraq. If you have a loved one serving in the military in the Middle East, please contact me. Mary Moltmann

Shhhhh.... It's A Surprise!

Once again, we are planning a surprise for this spring's nine high school graduates. We are in particular need of people who are good with scissors and who can machine sew a straight seam. We have two project work days scheduled for Friday, April 21 (1-4 PM) and Saturday, May 6 (9AM-12PM), which will allow us to have some fun while we work on the projects. If you would like to learn more about this project and lend your assistance, please call Andrea Pracht or email her.

NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTION
INDIANS AROUND THE COUNTRY

A periodical you might be interested in ordering is the National Museum of the American Indian put out by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Browsing through the Spring 2006 issue one finds articles like, Uncommon Culture, Canada’s Arctic Nunavut “where even in the land of traditional clothing, midnight sun, northern lights, icebergs, polar bears and whales, a smile is still a smile, even when looking at a herd of musk ox; where laughter still makes eyes shine, even when they’re looking at you through caribou sunglasses; where an uncommon culture and ourselves have much in common”.

And tributes to amazing people like Vine Deloria, Jr. who was an activist, organizer and author of some twenty books such as, Custer Died For Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto written in 1969, Red Earth, White Lies: Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact written in 1995, or FOR THIS LAND: Writings on Religion in American written in 1999.

Or, your preference might be the story of Idaho’s Nez Perce Tribe who has fought to restore the Grey Wolf population whose own struggle for survival they feel parallels their own, by Richard Little.

“The Inn of the Mountain Gods” by Lyn Kidder paints a fascinating picture of this resort in Mescalero, New Mexico overlooking Lake Mescalero and the Sacremento Mountains. When this idyllic place was finished and blessed, Apache Tribal Medicine Man, Paul Ortega “asked all the powers of the earth help us – the beings that fly, the beings that live upon the mountains and under the ground. We are a part of all that is around us and it is our pleasure to share this beauty with our fellow human being.” Sounds like a great place for a vacation.

Joy Martin, Alice Haznedl, Ann Legg, Janet Pearce, Rod Russell, MJ Towne, Gloria Thorson.

LITTLE LAMBS & SOUNDS OF JOY
PRESENT SPRING MUSICAL
"DOWN BY THE CREEKBANK"
Saturday, May 6th at 3:00 pm
Sunday, May 7th at 11:15 am worship

Our children's choirs have been hard at work preparing for their spring musical, "Down By the Creekbank". Let us take you down to the creekbank where you'll find our favorite animals: crickets, tadpole, turtles, and frogs! You won't be able to stop smiling as our enthusiastic children share the message that each of us are special - especially when we are free to be ourselves. There is even an invisible dog named "Germs" in the show. Participants are: Amy Keyzer, Anna Floyd, Ben Zacher, Nate Zacher, Katy Holub, *Emma Koenig, *Hannah Koenig, Emma Iddings, Jessie Hill, Rylan Sanders, Athan Sanders, *Alex Sowa, Katie Sowa, Noah Middaugh, Daniel Sowa, Caroline Dayon, Jonah March, Ryan Iddings, Marissa Blakely, *Marin Lilly, Grace Humphris, Ben Humphris (* denotes soloists)

LIVES CAN BE SAVED
RCLPC BLOOD DRIVE
SUNDAY, APRIL 23rd
9 am to 1 pm

3 lives can be saved by one pint of donated blood. Please help save lives by donating blood at our church blood drive! Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 23rd, and sign up for a time slot in the Connecting Link. Please contact Melissa Zoerner or the church office (815) 455-1132 to sign up or for more information.

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