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The RCLPC Café
It is not too late. Please join us on Saturday, September 12th at 7pm. The first party is being planned at RCLPC in Fellowship Hall and the Courtyard. Bring an appetizer and your beverage. It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet each other in a casual environment and just mingle among friends old and new. You can sign up in the Connecting Link or just arrive at 7 PM this Saturday evening.
Help Needed
We are in desperate need of $20/$25 Jewel gift cards which can be used for gas and/or food. People are hurting and our need to assist people who come in during the week is growing. If you feel you could purchase a gift card or two, please place them in an envelope with your name marked on it in the offering plate. These cards will be turned into the church office where we can allocate them as needed and you will receive a letter confirming your donation. Thank you for your generosity.
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.
Letter from Our Troops
Hi Mary-
When I got back to the office there was another package from you, and with homemade cookies in it! : ) Thanks AGAIN! People are starting to check my packages for your name and then hang around so they'll be there when I open them!
Take care and God Bless!
~ a soldier
[note: the homemade cookies remained from the Woodstock Ice Cream Social that so many of you baked for, and Connie Rasmussen sealed them in airtight bags and RCLPC sent them to our troops]
Jubilation Choir
(grades 6-12)
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.
THANK YOU
Summer Musicians!
“I think people who truly can live a life in music are telling the world, ‘You can have my love, you can have my smiles. Forget the bad parts, you don’t need them. Just take the music, the goodness, because it’s the very best, and it’s the part I give most willingly.’ ” -- George Harrison
Thanks to all of those who shared their musical gifts in summer worship:
Janet Kvam-Holub, violin; Marin Lilly, vocalist; the Backpew Boys; Rebecca Floyd, vocalist; the RCLPC pick-up choir; Alan Kay, alto saxophone; the RCLPC trio: Ann Legg, piano, Janet Kvam-Holub, violin, Lois Johnson, cello; Steve Connell, vocalist; Elizabeth Novak and Fred Neuschel, vocal duet; the Blue Grass musicians: Scott Iddings, guitar/vocals, Bruce Gilmore, guitar/vocals, Dan Gilman, mandolin, Steve Polnow, banjo, Al Popp, bass; Ann Legg, piano; Jaunita Miller, vocalist; Ken Stewart, guitar/vocalist; Rod Russell, vocalist; Cecily Weber, vocalist; John and Kathy Manchester, instrumental duet; Taize musicians: Marissa LeFevre, oboe; Sarah Metivier and Colleen Cameron, cantors; Ellie Cooper, flute; Lois Johnson, cello
...and 8:30 Musicians
Drums--Frank Novak, Lawson Dees, Paul Dolmon; Guitar--Bruce Gilmore, Dan Gilman, Ken Stewart, Grayson Randall, Bryan McDonald, Scott Iddings; Bass--Al Popp, Dan Gilman, Steve Polnow; Vocalists—Rod and Kacey Russell, Jodie LeFevre, Ken Stewart, Dan Campbell, Scott and Jodi Iddings, Cecily Weber, Giana Stipati, Anna and Melissa Zoerner, and Matt Hillmann.
PADS Lunches
The October thru April lunch program will soon begin. A sign up sheet is in the Connecting Link for the first months of October and November. We will be preparing 35 to 50+ lunches on the 2nd and 5th Sunday of each month, plus the 4th Friday. If you are available, please do consider this mission. Just making a lunch with love, for a homeless person, is a wonderful reward.
The Native American Connection is planning to attend a Pow Wow at the U of I Chicago Pavilion at 1150 West Harrison Street and wonder if you would like to join us. Indicate your interest on the sign up sheet on the Mission Bulletin Board in the Connecting Link.
PowerPoint Ministry
Team
Needs Help
If you can help create and run PowerPoint, then please contact the church office at 815-459-1132 or email office@rclpc.org. Thank you.
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September 9, 2009
The Spirit
of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
A Word From Your Interim Pastor... Starting Strong
As you receive this issue of the Spirit, Labor Day is over, signaling the end of summer vacation season. This also marks the beginnings of the fall church season with many opportunities to learn and grow in discipleship. How will you respond to Jesus’ invitation...”Come and follow me”? Our mission statement says ‘we are the hands and feet of Jesus.’ For some of you that will be recommitment to the ministry you are serving in. For others that can be taking the Spiritual Gifts class or signing up for the Inquirers class to help you connect in new ways. Where will you engage in mission and ministry? I hope you pray about this.
Fall is also the season of stewardship. In a year of economic uncertainty, our giving has remained faithful and steady. However, in facing a serious budget shortfall, the session pro-actively asked and many of you have responded with extra mile giving; we have begun to turn the corner. We can rejoice and give thanks for your generous response. What’s next? The challenge is to sustain increased giving in 2009 and to step up in 2010. Keeping RCLPC’s vision as a compelling picture of the future, this seems to be a God-given moment to make the choices that get the church from here to where we need to be.
We are well on the way! Through the summer months there have been learning and growing opportunities. More than 80 children had a blast at VBS; now our Sunday school and active youth ministry have a full kick-off schedule. Your response to the food pantry drive in July touched the lives of many; now we have the CROP Walk and the Peacemaking Offering as opportunities to open our hearts to the larger community. Last month we hosted a forum on the complex issues of health care, once again demonstrating that a strong faith community with a range of perspectives can have a passionate but civil and enriching conversation.
I am excited to see what God is doing here. I am very excited to see what you will do as we return for a new season of learning about God as well as ourselves!
~Grace and peace~
Jan
Letter to the Congregation of RCLPC,
from David Woodruff Treasurer.
It seemed appropriate to give a quick report on how we are doing financially as we emerge from the summer doldrums and enter the fall season. My numbers include everything through July, although August appears to be following the same trend. Since expenses are being held to below budget (mostly by holding up on Presbytery charges), I will focus on income.
Through July, we are running 10% over budget on total income. All of this improvement has come since session starting asking for help to reduce our projected $40,000+ loss, indicating that as usual, the church body is responding to the call from session. That this is happening even during dire economic times indicates a strong desire to fund our many missions, from music to Egypt to the food pantry. I wish to personally thank all those who could do more.
On an annualized basis, our loss now appears it could be less than $20,000, obviously a huge improvement over the $44,000 loss of the original budget. Of course I would not be a true treasurer if I did not point out that our challenge is to maintain and to improve on the new level of giving. If we can accomplish these goals, we will have made it totally clear that we want to fund our church’s activities and missions. Again, I thank all for what has already been done. And I pray we can continue moving forward as we finish the year.
David
PNC Update
Your PNC has been busily reading Pastor Information Forms from over 80 potential candidates from all over the United States, including Hawaii. We have received many positive comments from candidates about our CIF (Church Information Form) and also about our church’s website. You can view our CIF from the link on our website. While you are there, take some time to browse the creative website at RCLPC.org.
Over the next few months, the PNC may need to take trips to candidate’s church’s to see and interview them. In order to defray our expenses, we are asking the congregation to donate unused air miles. If you do have any miles you would be willing to donate, please contact either Scott Iddings or Dale Prindiville. Your gift will be appreciated.
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.
* Inquirer’s Class
begins at noon in the lounge.
* 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.
* LAST Day to get your photo in our new photo directory!
The Welcoming Team Needs YOU!
We would love to be able to include each of you as a way of building community in our congregation. Knowing everyone is increasingly difficult with our three worship services, Sunday School, and WEAVE. The welcoming team will be taking pictures for the church directory for ONE MORE DAY on kick-off Sunday, September 13. Or, of course, you can submit your own photo! Your directory information will not be available on the internet, so don’t worry. It will be absolutely secure. We’d love 100% participation, so please come on the 13th and have your photo taken, or submit a photo to the church office. Thanks!
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!
New WEAVE Schedule for Fall:
WEAVE (Wednesday Evening AVEnues) has begun with a new and improved schedule!
5:30-7:00: dinner ($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
7:45-9:15: Adult Choir rehearsal
The nursery will be open from 6:45-8:45pm.
Saving Jesus...
I thought Jesus was the Savior, why does he need to be saved?
Have you ever felt like the Jesus we hear about in pop culture, the news, or from other (loud) voices isn’t the same Jesus you thought you knew?
Have you ever wondered just what this Jesus guy is all about?
How is someone who lived 2000 years ago in the middle east relevant in the 21st century?
Join us from 6.45-8pm on Wednesday evenings (feel free to keep eating dinner as we begin class!) as we, with the help of many of the leading Biblical scholars of our time, explore just who Jesus is, what kind of world he lived in, what he did, what’s important about him, and how/why we can be a part of a movement reclaiming Jesus from pop Christianity.
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.
Sunday September 13: Middle School Youth (grades 6-8), bring your parents to the Fellowship Hall for an afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun...with prizes! Will the parents or the youth win the parent-youth challenge? Come find out from 1-3pm!
Sunday September 13: Confirmation Class from 3-5pm in the Lounge.
Sunday September 20: High School Youth (grades 9-12), bring your parents to the Fellowship Hall for an evening of food, fellowship, and fun...with prizes! Will the parents or the youth win the parent-youth challenge? Come find out from 5-7pm!
Worship Outdoors September 20
We will worship in the meadow on September 20. (The meadow is the open patch of grass beside the overflow parking lot.) We will have our three services as normal (8:30, 9:30, and 11:00), as well as our other Sunday morning activities. We will have chairs available, but we invite you to bring lawn chairs, blankets, etc., for you and your family. Please dress however you are comfortable! We hope you will join us in this opportunity to celebrate the goodness of creation in worship.
CROP Walk - October 18th, 1:30 PM
It is that time again. Time to support Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP). 25% of your contribution will be equally divided between PADS and the Food Pantry. The remainder goes to Church World Service where funds are used to help children and families around the world. PLEASE TAKE AN ENVELOPE: raise funds, contribute, walk. Make a difference. Please see MJ Towne for a fund raising envelope. Find stories at: www.churchworldservice.org
20th Anniversary!
Fairhaven School, Alexandria, Egypt
Pastor Gendi Rizk is in the process of inviting those who have been instrumental in the growth of Fairhaven School for special needs children to their 20th Anniversary celebration on Easter Sunday 2010.
RCLPC has a 30+ year relationship with Pastor Gendi and has been a loyal supporter of Fairhaven. We have visited the school on each of our three trips to Egypt. We have hosted teachers from the school as they honed their skills at local non-profit agencies for the challenged, like NISRA and Pioneer Center. We are presently providing scholarships for three of the students so they can continue to attend life-giving classes there. (Please take a few moments and look at the pictures on the Mission Bulletin Board in the Connecting Link.)
If you are interested in a trip to Egypt next year, please let one of the Mission Deacons know in the next few weeks (Ann Legg, Rebecca Floyd, Cheryl Brincks, Rick Johnson, Joy Martin).
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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!
World Mission Challenge
October 4 is Peacemaking Sunday and World Wide Communion.
What an appropriate day to participate in the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s World Mission Challenge!
Forty mission workers will be traveling throughout the country to tell how God is at work around the world. We will have an opportunity to hear the Rev. Doug Orbaker who has been serving in Nicaragua since 2004 as Delegations coordinator for the Council of Evangelical Churches (CEPAD).
Here is what he says about his work there:
I have grown to love both the people and the communities with which I work. As CEPAD begins work in many new communities this year I am looking forward to meeting many new friends who are working to raise the standard of their communities.
I must admit that there are times when I find myself frustrated by the slow pace of change in Nicaragua but then I go into a rural community and get to know people who are continuing to work with great faith and hope despite setbacks. And I have the joy of seeing results: improvements to water systems, roads, housing, agricultural techniques and schools.
During my tenure in Nicaragua, I have had the opportunity to participate in many things I wouldn’t have experienced in the US. I have helped to build new-style coffee processing systems that don't pollute the streams, to install hydroelectric systems and water systems, to build houses and medical clinics, and to clear land for a new cemetery. And in the process I have laughed and cried with the people of Nicaragua and the many wonderful dedicated people who come to Nicaragua each year. With such wonderful opportunities as this, how could I retire?
Come to Fellowship Hall
Sunday Evening October 4
6:30 to 8:30 PM
We will have dessert first and then hear more of Rev. Orbaker’s experiences.
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