|
April 11, 2007
The SPIRIT of Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
Click here to see the April calendar.
The Next Step in Many Voices, One Vision
What: An Evening of Norm Identification
When: Saturday, April 14th, 7 p.m. in fellowship hall
Why: “Norms” are the unwritten rules and assumptions that shape congregational life. Identifying our norms allows us to decide which are healthy and worth keeping, and which we may want to jettison as unhealthy or unhelpful. For more information on norms, see “Norms: Every Church Has Them” in this Spirit.
Why Else: There’s pie.
This is an important time in the life of RCLPC as we try to discern a unifying vision for our congregation. We can only do this with your help. Please make every effort to participate in our Evening of Norm Identification on April 14th at 7 p.m. Thanks.
~ Richard
 Every 3 seconds a child
dies of hunger... But it only takes $360 to feed a child for a year.
That means that in the time it takes you to read this little article, 20 children will die of hunger and hunger-related preventable diseases. It doesn’t have to be this way. Every year, youth from around the world participate in the 30-Hour-Famine. Youth gather sponsors, then get together to fast for 30 hours to learn about hunger, to pray together, and to do service projects that feed the hungry in our own community. The money they collect goes to feed hungry children. Last year, 600,000 30-Hour-Famine participants from 21 countries raised enough money to feed 29,000 children for a year.
It only takes $360 to feed a child for a year. Our goal is for each of our youth to raise $360. In addition, the normal cost of food for a lock-in will be added to our total raised.
We have 10 youth participating in the 30 Hour Famine: Mack Geggie, Jessie Gronset, Matt Hillmann, Alan Kay, Laura Kay, Donatella Smith, Giana Stipati, Carl Wesa, Anna Zoerner, and Melissa Zoerner. Ask them how they are preparing, ask them about their fundraising, and pray for them as they prepare to help change the world, one hungry child at a time.
The 30 Hour Famine at RCLPC is on April 27 and 28. Please sponsor a youth before then! For more information, you can go to www.30hourfamine.org. To donate online to our general fund, you can go to http://www.firstgiving.com/rclpc.
This is for the ladies of the church.
Put on your hats, if you would like to, and join us on May 6th for a brunch and tea after the 11:00 service. There will be plenty of scrumptious food and a speaker. The cost will be $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children under 10. Please bring your Moms, Aunts, Grandmothers, Sisters, daughters & children. If they are not available, there are lots of women in the church that might like to attend so be sure to invite them. We also have something for the children during the speaker. If you need more information please call Cheryl Brincks or Cindy Borre.
Bethlehem Craft Fair - April 22
Items made by Palestinian Christians living in Bethlehem will be on sale
in Fellowship Hall
McHenry County “Steps It Up”
Step It Up 2007 is a nationwide rally against global climate change. Digital pictures of local rallies will be linked to create a portrait of concerned Americans asking Congress to enact legislation for a clean energy future. The McHenry County “Steps It Up” rally will be held on Saturday, April 14, at 10:00 – 11:00 am at the McHenry County College Cafeteria Patio and is sponsored by the McHenry County Defenders and the Lou March Total Recycling Institute. For more information, visit www.StepItUp2007.org .
|
This Sunday, April 15!
Worship with us this Sunday at 9 and 11—led by the youth of our church. That’s right, youth ages 12 to 18 will lead us in every aspect of the service—from ushering to singing to preaching!
The scripture for this Sunday is Psalm 150, and the theme is “Praise the LORD—with your whole life.” The youth have worked hard at finding different ways to express praise—from time-tested hymns to contemporary songs, from brand new poetry to prayer, from a traditional sermon (written and delivered by a youth!) to dance. The Jubilation Choir will sing, there will be a band made up entirely of youth, and we will hear and see expressions of praise in poetry and movement. We look forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday, when we gather to praise the Lord and to honor the incredible gifts and leadership of the youth of RCLPC.
We will be starting with the book "Parenting with Love and Logic" by Foster Cline and Jim Fay. If you have problems, questions, advice, experience, stories or just need to know you aren't the only one who feels like you do, this class is for you! We will be meeting during the Education Hour on Sundays so you don't have to worry about childcare. Yippee! This is a great opportunity for you to spend some time with other parents and grow together spiritually for ourselves and our children. If you have not signed up yet and would like to order a copy of the book, please call the church office at 815-459-1132 or call Melanie Wesa.
Spring Musical –
April 29th
The Little Lambs and Sounds of Joy children’s choir will be presenting the musical “Heroes of the Faith” at both the 9 and 11 am worship services on Sunday, April 29th.
Reminder: Rehearsals are on April 21st and dress rehearsal is on April 28th from 9 am to noon.
Prime Timers!
Next Thursday, April 19th will be the fourth meeting of our RCLPC Prime Timers. Now that we have completed the connecting link ceiling, weather permitting we will move outside as we continue to beautify our church home. We will meet at 10am to work and fellowship together followed by a catered lunch served in Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to join us, no advance notice or special skills are necessary, just a good heart. Please come and join our group of fun loving dedicated folks.
Women’s Softball
Are you interested in playing in a women's slow-pitch recreational softball league this summer in Woodstock? Games are Thursday evenings. If so, please call or email Jeanne Fischbach by April 20th.
|
Operation Prayers and Cookie Lift Update
Great news from Julie and Rob Baser – their nephew Jeffrey Jackson has returned from Iraq. A big thanks to all of you for signing and stamping the Easter banners to RCLPC’s three soldiers in Iraq: Aaron Burelson, Matt Emerson, and Kate Pelz. We have received photos from Matt and Kate, and they are on the bulletin board in the Connecting Link. Thanks to Marina Hoffman, the Nelsons, Nancy Vazzano, the Stewarts, the Basers, Joy Martin, the Krukiewiczs, Ken and Juanita Miller, the Randalls, the Rabes, and Ed Bennett for all of the items donated for the boxes, and to Marge Hansen for paying the postage.
The Girl Scout Cookie Project to the 300 Marines and Sailors in the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron #29 was a huge success! On March 26 Ed and I shipped 472 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies – most of them with a greeting taped to the box. People from RCLPC, McHenry County College, the Woodstock chapter MC of the P.E.O., and the Bull Valley Garden Club contributed the colorful assortment. What kind was donated most? Thin Mints!
Please keep our soldiers in your prayers. If you have a loved one serving in the Middle East, please contact me. ~ Mary Moltmann
 New Adult Ed series—
peace and justice for all God’s children
Did you know that about 12% of the population of the Middle East is Christian? There are still Christians living in the cradle of our faith, though we don’t hear much about them. Beginning this Sunday, April 15, join us for 3 Sundays of encountering Christians in the Middle East. We’ll have videos from Palestine, speakers from Egypt/Lebanon and Palestine, crafts from Bethlehem, and more! During the Adult Education hour at 10:00 on Sunday mornings, this series on Christians in the Middle East will prepare us to participate in the Week of Prayer and Witness with Christians in the Middle East, which we kick off here at RCLPC in worship on May 6. Learn about the people and situations you are praying for! The children’s Sunday School will learn about the Middle East on Sunday, May 6, in Fellowship Hall at 10am. Feel free to join them for their exploration!
On May 13 during the 10am Education Hour, we continue the theme of praying for justice and peace for all God’s people—this time in Colombia. Ann Legg will help us explore the situation in Colombia, as well as giving us ideas for prayer and action.
Opportunities to Study and Create
(Note: the LSG and WPG will not meet on April 17 or April 19.)
* Lectionary Study group (LSG--Get High on the Bible!). The LSG meets every Tuesday at noon. We invite everyone to bring a brownbag lunch and an open mind. We will study the lectionary texts (the scripture readings) two months ahead of when they will be used in worship. Not only will this be an opportunity for scripture study and spiritual growth, but it will also help to shape the theme for our worship.
* Worship Planning Group (WPG). The WPG meets every Thursday at 6:30 pm. This group will take the theme for a given Sunday and help develop creative ways to worship for both our more traditional and our alternative services. If you have an interest in helping to plan our worship, please come on Thursday at 6:30 pm.
* RCLPC Worship Blog. Have an idea for worship but can’t make the WPG meeting? The RCLPC Worship Blog will be updated every week with scripture and themes for upcoming worship services. You are invited to read the text and the theme and then share whatever comments, suggestions, or ideas you have. We will do our best to incorporate these into the planning process. The Worship Blog is at rclpcworship.blogspot.com. It is also linked on our main website from the worship page (www.rclpc.org).
Norms: Every Church Has Them
adapted from Discerning Your Congregation’s Future
by Roy M. Oswald & Robert E. Friedrich, Jr.
Norms are those unwritten rules that govern the way any human community behaves. They are generally unconscious, especially for people who have been part of the community for a long time. At one church, the usual entrance is through the back door because that door is right off the parking lot. The official entrance, through the narthex, is large and inviting and leads right into the nave of a beautiful church. But the entrance people actually use leads into a dimly lit hall with five, shut black doors. “Everyone” knows those doors lead to important places (or a closet), but there is no way for a newcomer to know that. One norm is that “everyone” is expected to know where each door leads. Another norm is that people are expected to keep all the doors shut in the winter to conserve heat. All this makes sense to the initiated, but not to a newcomer.
The longer we live with our church norms, the more unaware we become of their very existence. The norms become “just the way we do things around here.” But if you can become aware of your norms, you can make an informed choice to change or alter destructive norms while enhancing and emphasizing the positive.
Identifying Norms
The great temptation when identifying norms is to engage in a certain amount of denial. “We would never do that!” we protest. Actually, we might do that, and we would do well to make ourselves conscious of those things about ourselves—norms—that are destructive and constructive. Then we have a solid basis for helpful change. Every church has unwritten rules related to a number of groups of people or issues. Here are several typical categories:
* Children
How are they viewed and treated?
What behavior is expected of children and parents?
What does our “adult space” say about our attitude toward them?
What does our “child space” say about our attitude toward them?
* Men/Women
In what ways are they treated the same?
How are they treated differently?
What behavior is expected of men that is different from that expected of women, and vice versa?
What expectations are positive and what expectations are negative?
* Conflict
How are differences of opinion dealt with or resolved?
What confrontational behavior is expected?
What topics are taboo?
With whom may you disagree and with whom may you not disagree?
* Money
How much money are people expected to give?
How is money managed and spent?
Which efforts have higher priority than others?
Who gets to decide how money is spent?
* Newcomers
Who talks to them?
What behavior is expected of them?
What limits are placed on their power?
To what extent are their foibles forgiven?
Who is welcome here? (Do not fall into the trap of answering, “Everyone, of course!” All congregations are naturally and unconsciously more welcoming to some people than to others.)
Other matters for which our congregation might have norms include use of the building, timeliness, dress, language, and expectations of members.
You are invited to reflect on these categories (and any others that strike you as important) in preparation for our Evening of Norm Identification on Saturday, April 14th, at 7 p.m. in fellowship hall.
New Orleans Fundraising Update
Several of you have asked how we’re doing on our fundraising for the Senior High Mission Trip to New Orleans. Here’s an update:
Total participants: 15 youth and 4 adults
Total cost of trip (including registration fees, van rental, transportation cost, and overnight accommodation in Memphis): $8,500
Total raised so far through youth contributions and fundraising: $4,204
Fundraisers remaining: Car Wash, Youth Service Auction
If you would like to help out by sponsoring (or co-sponsoring) a specific need, please talk to Teri. Here is a breakdown of our costs:
4 rental vans, approx. $650 each (including the rental company’s insurance)
gas for the trip (based on today’s gas prices): $275 per van
Mission Supplies Fee: $200
Overnight Accommodation (both ways): $100
PassPort “Camper” fees (over what youth have paid): $140 per person
Please help by bidding in the Youth Service Auction! Bidding begins at 8:30am on Sunday, April 29 and continues until 10:30am on Sunday May 6!
|
[ Back to the Top ]
|
