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Sunday School
Open House
Sunday, August 30th
We will be hosting an open house on August 30th from 10:00 - 11:00am in Fellowship Hall. This will give you and your children the opportunity to meet our teachers as well as preview the Sunday school program. We hope you will be able to join us and see what exciting activities we have planned to teach our children about faith and God’s word.
Students, teachers, administrators—everyone who goes to school! Bring your backpacks, your briefcases, and yourselves to worship at 8:30 or 11 on August 30. During the children’s time we will be sending you into the school year with a special blessing.
WANTED:
A Few Good Men
Qualifications: love God, like to have fun, willing to go out on a limb every now and then. Contact Teri ASAP. Thanks!
Our kickoff event is approaching fast! If you’re not involved yet, email Teri by August 16 at teri@rclpc.org
Reminder:
Confirmation Class starts August 30 with a retreat from 12-7!
Join us the morning of September 13 as we begin an exciting new season at RCLPC. Lots of things are going on that day!
* Sunday School
begins, 9:30-10:30am
for all ages!
* Jubilation choir
(youth grades 6-12)
kicks off at noon
in the choir room.
* Youth Groups:
Middle School Youth Group (grades 6-8) kicks off at 1pm (with parents invited!) in the Fellowship Hall.
High School Youth group (grades 9-12) kicks off September 20 at 5pm.
* Inquirer’s Class
begins at noon in the lounge.
Pastries to
Support Our Troops
in the Middle East
Will Be Back!
Look for tasty baked goods in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, September 13 from 9:15am - Noon.
Thanks to all who contributed to our Reverse Food Pantry Offering this summer. There were approximately 634 lbs of food collected by RCLPC. The Food Pantry served 40 families on Wednesday, August 5, and most of them were given the food items contributed by our members. Nancy Vazzano
Pop and Water Cooler
Have you noticed the new cooler in the kitchen that contains pop and water? Your $1.00 donation goes back into our drinks & coffee fellowship fund to keep the beverages restocked. Thank you Wayne!
Our sincere thanks to Wayne Prindiville and Jim Holder for all their work in the church kitchen. We love the much needed shelving in the PADS corner to hold our bins and supplies. Now we can quickly scan the inventory and everything is easily reachable.
The Mission Outreach Ministry
A Hearty “Thank You!”
to the Men in the RCLPC Men’s Group
The Men's Group undertook a service project for Home of the Sparrow this summer…
repairing/replacing some deck, picnic table boards and fencing at their McHenry Shelter. The project included power washing and staining the deck. The Staff and residents are delighted to know that the deck and table is again safe to use and looks wonderful. Thank you to our competent, caring men! KUDOS to Ed Waters, Frank Lopuszynski, Dan Gilman, Wayne Prindiville
The Mission Outreach Ministry
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August 12, 2009
The Spirit
of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
As you are aware, your PNC members have met weekly since January, and the summer weather finds us plowing through Personal Information Forms. Those of the congregation who have served on similar committees understand how this task is far from easy. We must carefully consider each candidate’s qualifications when attempting to find the right fit with RCLPC. The field is narrowing. We hope to begin the actual interviews in the near future – which bring us to our next topic.
It is possible that at some point RCLPC will need to provide candidates, or PNC members, with transportation for personal visits. Therefore, we ask anyone willing to donate unused, personal-flyer miles to contact either Scott Iddings or Dale Prindiville. Your action will help defray expenses.
PNC members thank you for your patience and continued prayers of support. As we move forward, we feel God will lead us to that special person.
Thanks to all who have taken the time to complete one or more of our comprehensive building surveys. After the general survey was distributed to the entire congregation, 12 additional surveys were distributed each tailored to a specific ministry of our church, i.e. Music, Christian Education, Worship. Then each group of surveys were reviewed with the leaders of that ministry to form a general consensus of building needs to best serve that ministry. Our intent has been to have maximum involvement of our congregation in the design ideas to be incorporated into the future expansion of our building. This task has taken longer than we originally anticipated. The building committee has been meeting weekly throughout the summer to complete these evaluations and it has been time well spent. Much has been learned as our congregation has produced many good and well thought out ideas that reflect our interest and enthusiasm for this project.
Next will be a meeting with the architect’s team, our building team, ministry leaders, and staff to provide the gathered information allowing the actual design process to begin.
If you have questions or suggestions about the design process, please speak with a Building Committee member.
Thank you.
– The Building Committee: Chairperson Wayne Prindiville, David Dees, Kristi Geggie, Stan Sumner
WEAVE (Wednesday Evening AVEnues) will begin on September 2 with a new and improved schedule!
5:30-7:00: dinner (including kid-friendly options), $5 per person (max $20 per family)
5:30-6:00: Little Lambs children’s choir
6:15-7:00: Sounds of Joy children’s choir
6:45-8:00: Adult Education (keep eating during class if you need to!)
7:45-9:15: Adult Choir rehearsal
The nursery will be open from 6:45-8:45pm.
Saving Jesus...
from whom or what? ...why? ...huh?
Our WEAVE adult education class for the fall! Watch for more info coming soon.
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Interested in exploring membership and learning more about our church?
A FOUR-session Inquirer’s Class, in which we will discuss “What does it mean to be a Christian?” and “What does it mean to be Presbyterian” and “What does it mean to be a member of RCLPC?”, will be offered on September 13, 20, and 27, and Oct. 4, from 12-1:30pm in the Lounge. Coming to the class does not obligate you to join, but if you’d like to join then there will be an opportunity to do so at the end of the class. Childcare will be available, as will light snacks each week. Please sign up in the Connecting Link or by calling the church office. Thanks!
Spiritual Gifts: What are they? Can I have one too?
Learn more about the gifts God has given (and continues to give!) to us as individuals and as a community. These gifts are the foundation of our ministry, so come discover yours! This class will meet in the Lounge at 9:30am on Sundays: Sept. 20 and 27, and Oct. 4 and 11.
The annual adult choir retreat brunch is Saturday, August 29, in the Fellowship Hall, 9:00-11:30 am. If you’ve been thinking of singing in the choir, this is the perfect time to give voice to those songs inside you. We eat (of course), fellowship and sing through some of the upcoming repertoire for worship. Current choir members need to sign up on the bulletin board, outside the choir room. Newcomers are our guests. Questions? E-mail Sherri Dees at sherri@rclpc.org.
Jubilation Choir (grades 6-12)
Jubilation youth choir is on the move, and we need you. We have the opportunity to grow our voices to 20 members strong--the largest RCLPC youth choir ever.
Jubilation choir will begin meeting Sunday, September 13, following 11:00 worship, in the choir room. Our repertoire includes many musical styles ranging from contemporary and world music to classical traditions. The group leads worship every four to six weeks September through May. Please join us as we fellowship and worship, singing peace and justice into the world. Details concerning rehearsal schedules, worship participation, and musical selections will be arriving in the mail soon.
Don’t say ‘no’ until you give us a try! You are the future of the church. Please direct any questions or comments to Sherri Dees at, sherri@rclpc.org. See you in September!
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RCLPC Children’s Choirs
start Wednesday September 2nd
One copy of sheet music . . . . . . . . . . $2.95
One choir folder . . . . . . . . . . $4.50
Watching your child lead music in worship . . . . . . . . . . priceless
Little Lambs
Ages: 3 – Kindergarten
Meets: Wednesdays 5:30 – 6:00pm
Goals: To learn musical terms and experience musical sounds using voices and instruments. We will be singing in church once a month during the 11:00 service.
Sounds of Joy
Ages: 1st – 5th grade
Meets: Wednesdays 6:15 – 7:00pm
Goals: To learn vocal technique, music reading skills and develop rhythm skills. We will use many instruments and learn lots of literature to be sung in worship. We will be the music leaders in worship at least once a month during the 11:00 service.
Want to check it out?
Come join us on September 2nd and try singing with us for a week or two and see for yourself if choir is a good fit for you. No prior notification is necessary to attend…just come and participate.
Questions?
Contact Julia Mick at julia@rclpc.org with any questions about the children’s choirs at RCLPC. | |
You know how much we Presbyterians like good food and conversation, so last year we combined those two activities into “The RCLPC Café”. After our first successful season, we asked for comments on how we might improve our Café and have decided to expand the Café to the following events:
September 12, 2009 - Large group opening event at the church at 7:00pm
November 14, 2009 - Small groups in homes
January 16, 2010 - Small groups in homes
March 13, 2010 - Small groups in homes
May 15, 2010 - Small groups in homes
Everyone will be asked to bring an appetizer or dessert and your own beverage (and yes, it can be wine and beer) to our opening large group event at church. The other events will be small groups of about eight folks meeting in members homes to share a meal. The host will provide the main dish and attendees will be asked to bring a side dish. Anyone who signs up as a member of the RCLPC Café will be responsible for either hosting a small group dinner in their home or co hosting the large group event at the church on Sept. 12.
The main focus for the RCLPC Café is to have fun and get to know each other. If you are already a member of the Café, we will be sending you an email to sign up to either host a small group dinner in your home or to co host the large group event on Sept. 12th at church.
And finally if you aren’t quite sure how this all works, but think you might like to join the fun, please call Dale Prindiville or Kathy Rabe and we would be happy to talk to you. Bon Appétit!
Tell us about a family member who influenced your faith!
The December issue of Presbyterians Today will feature reflections by readers on family members who have influenced their faith. Whether you are new to the church, new to the Christian faith, or descended from a long line of Presbyterian leaders, we invite you to tell us your story of faithfulness across generations. Who are your role models when it comes to living the Christian life? Many of us have been blessed with powerful models of discipleship in our own families - for example, the parent who read us Bible stories, the aunt who marched for racial justice, or the great-grandparents who sailed across the ocean to a faraway mission field. Please send your essay - 200 words or less - by August 31 by email or Presbyterians Today, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396. |
In July, a RCLPC Deficit Update was presented at all three services. Here is a recap...
We have encouraging news to report. In the 1st half of this year, income is about 7% ahead of budget and expenses are slightly below budget by 1.1%. We are on course to reducing the deficit by ½. If we maintain our positive momentum, the deficit could possibly be $20,000 at the end of the year instead of $44,000 at the end of the year.
How did we do this? We accomplished it with your help. Thank you so much for your support!
How do we maintain or even increase our lead against the deficit?....Please start or continue to give beyond your regular yearly contribution.
If you are financially able, please give an additional 15% this year.
For example...
- If your annual giving is $1,000, please give $150 MORE by the end of this year. (Total contributed by year's end = $1,150)
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If your annual giving is $2,500, please give $375 MORE by the end of this year. (Total contributed by year's end = $2,875)
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Note: If you are a Baker's Dozen Giver, your yearly additional amount is built-in to your donations. Thank you for participating in the program!
As stated in Jan's July sermon, "God transforms human expectations". And, with God's guidance and strength, we can surprise ourselves. We can go beyond our expectations. We can provide the resources needed to maintain our church and its marvelous ministry.
The Stewardship Team: Jim Bauman, Tom Lilly, Rick Thompson |
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Our Tuesday evening prayer service in the spirit of Taizé has been on sabbatical for the summer. It will return, with refreshed and full-of-the-Spirit leaders, on the First of September at 7:30pm. In the meantime, we thought you might be wondering...
What is Taizé anyway?
Taizé is an ecumenical community of brothers (sort of like a monastery), located in Taizé, France (in the Burgundy region). The community was founded by Brother Roger in 1940 as a place of hospitality for refugees, including Jews fleeing the holocaust. Later, as brothers (both Catholic and Protestant) came to join, the community became established as a place of reconciliation and prayer, with a goal of reconciling the world (2 Corinthians 5.17). Today, the Taizé Community is made up of over a hundred brothers, Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, coming from around thirty nations. By its very existence, the community is a “parable of community” that wants its life to be a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and between separated peoples.
Who goes to Taizé?
Today thousands of people go to Taizé for a week (or sometimes longer) to pray, to learn about justice and peace, and to build community. Each week during the summer, thousands of young adults (teenagers up through about age 30) gather there—and then take the spirit of Taizé home with them. Today, Taizé prayer is one of the most popular forms of worship and prayer among young people worldwide.
What is “prayer in the spirit of Taizé ”?? What do you do?
Well, we gather as a representation of community to pray for peace and reconciliation. But we don’t “do” anything in the traditional sense. Taizé prayer is founded on the idea of simplicity and of crossing boundaries. One of the ways we do this is by singing. Singing is one of the most essential elements of worship. Short songs, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character. The songs use just a few words, often words of scripture, to express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God. It allows everyone to take part in a time of prayer together and to remain together in attentive waiting on God, without having to fix the length of time too exactly.
In addition to praying through song (as Augustine famously said, “whoever sings prays twice!”), we also pray the psalms (much as Jesus did), we hear scripture, and we sit in silence together, listening for God’s voice. And, of course, we pray aloud for people, places, and our world.
To learn more about the Taizé community, visit www.taize.fr/en.
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Chicago Religious Leadership Network is planning to send a delegation to Mexico during the depths of Chicago’s winter - January 2010. They will look at the role of people of faith in contemporary issues affecting Mexico, such as trade, food insecurity, hunger, and globalization. Their partners in Mexico include the Lutheran Center in Mexico City and the Cuernavaca Center for Intercultural Dialogue on Development. To learn more about the delegation, go to http://www.crln.org/Mexico_Tortillas_Trade/2010.
To request a delegation application, contact Erica Spilde at espilde@crln.org.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask Rick or Lois Johnson. We found this trip last January to be thought-provoking, mind-opening, and life-changing. An additional bonus—the temps in Cuernavaca were in the low 80s!
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Foster Avenue “Bricolage” Project – Native American Art
The Bricolage Project located at the Foster Avenue underpass at Lakeshore Drive is nearly complete. If you are traveling in that area, plan on looking at the many beautiful pictures and poems from the Chicago Native Community. A special dedication/blessing ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 22nd at 10am.
White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins
September 23 at U.S. Cellular Field 7-11 pm game time
Tickets are $38.00 Lower Box by 1st and 3rd base line
Information: contact Celeste St. Germaine 773-275-587 x18
celeste@aic-chicago.org. This is a fundraiser for the American Indian Center.
The Trickster Gallery
Current Exhibits: "Spirited Daughters" by Young Chicago area Native American Women from various tribes through September 26th.
September 5th - 1:00 pm Sculpture & Paintings by Ernest Dunn and Gordon Van West (Ojibwa) through Nov. 28th.
November 11th - 1:00 p.m. Exhibit Opening for Native Veteran Art and Wall of Honor featuring Native Veterans through Feb. 27th
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Mary,
Thank you for another wonderful care package. Our youngest son went to VBS with Caroline and Owen and came home all excited to see pictures of me! Thank you for that moment. He was very proud that his Mom was part of the presentation. Today we had a 5-mile race for the 4th of July and before the race we took a picture with the Girls on the Run banner you sent [from Joan Jensema and the members in her GOTR chapter]. Also, the grass has been a huge hit. We put it in some flower boxes outside the office and everyone loves to come by and touch it. Thanks for making this deployment bearable! a soldier
Dear Friends -
Thank you for your kindness and the honor you showed my dearest husband.
Sincerely, a soldier's wife and family |
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