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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.
Reminder:
Confirmation Class starts August 30 with a retreat from 12-7!
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!
Men’s Breakfast Group
All men of RCLPC are invited to share in the Men's Breakfast held each first Saturday of the month at Colonial Café in Crystal Lake. The next meeting will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5th at 8 am. Each meeting contains a new and interesting format designed to increase our knowledge of the church and the Scriptures. Please come and join us! The fellowship and Christian growth add to a great meal.
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.
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.
Mission Focus
Our mission this month is Turning Point, Inc., an agency that provides counseling, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, partner abuse intervention and support groups for battered women. They also operate a transitional shelter program for victims of domestic violence who are trying to heal from past experiences and find a new, wholesome life. Please note the display of T-shirts in Fellowship Hall on which adult and youth victims of domestic violence have written and drawn heartfelt messages.
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.
Health Care Reform Conversation
& Action Night
Please join us Monday evening, August 31 at 7pm
in Fellowship Hall
Don’t Miss Out
Sunday, September 6th
Bob Tripp will lead our worship this Sunday. Your favorite songs have been selected for the 8:30 service. There will be a hymn sing for the 9:30 and 11:00 services.
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August 26, 2009
The Spirit
of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
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...
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.
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RCLPC Children’s Choirs
start Wednesday September 2nd
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. | |
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
The Welcoming Team Needs YOU!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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).
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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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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Religious People, Priests, and Spiritual Leaders
Committed to a Humanitarian Accord and Negotiated End
to the Conflict in Colombia
We invite all Christians and citizens of faith to hold times of prayer, symbolic religious observances, and/or vigils for humanitarian exchange, truth and justice as a way out of Colombia’s civil war.
INVITATION
Take a moment for prayer every Thursday at 8:00pm (9:00pm Eastern time, U.S.A.)
FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Let us pray:
* That Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe would facilitate and guarantee conditions for the liberation of Captain Pablo Emilio Moncayo, Private Josué Daniel Calvo Sánchez, and the remains of Major Julián Ernesto Guevara, a unilateral commitment made by the FARC guerrillas.
* That the government and the FARC guerrillas would be willing to diligently undertake a humanitarian exchange that would make possible the freedom of 22 members of the armed forces and the political prisoners, as has been done in the past.
Biblical illumination: Ecclesiastes 8:8-9
“No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; weapons are no use in such a war, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it. All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.”
SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Let us pray:
* That the victims (of forced disappearance, assassinations, massacres, forced displacement, “false positives”, those deprived of liberty, and those who face discrimination because of their ethnicity, sexuality, or other social factors...) whose right to truth, justice, and reparations has been recognized, might become participants, alongside the various sectors of society, in a negotiated end to the armed conflict between the FARC and ELN guerrillas and the Colombian State.
Biblical illumination: Psalm 62: 2-7
“God alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
How long will you assail a person,
will you batter a victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse.
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Let us pray:
* That citizens of Colombia and of the world, women and men of faith (Christians of all traditions and religious people of different faiths) might express our solidarity with all the victims and commit ourselves to a diplomatic end to the armed conflict in Colombia between the FARC and ELN guerrillas and the Colombian State.
Biblical illumination: Ezekiel 37: 11-14
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’”
FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Let us pray:
* For the work already being done by different groups of Colombian society for the liberation of those deprived of their freedom, for the humanization of the war between the Colombian State and the FARC and ELN guerrillas, for the diplomatic end to this political, social, and military conflict; for the building of a just and worthy peace.
Biblical illumination: Luke 4:16-19
“When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’”
Please share concerns and information about your activities with religiososporlapaz@gmail.com
“Steadfast love and truth will meet;righteousness and peace will kiss each other.Truth will spring up from the ground,and justice will look down from the sky.”
Psalm 85: 10-11
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