Click here to see the February calendar.
BEYOND THE WORSHIP WARSSeveral of us have been reading and discussing Beyond the Worship Wars: Building Vital and Faithful Worship, by Thomas G. Long. We’ve explored the two great forces in worship: the “Hippolytus” force (named after a third century bishop), which tries to connect worship with the deep, living streams of the Christian tradition; and the “Willow Creek” force (named after our neighbor in Barrington), which tries to connect worship with contemporary culture. Both forces are faithful, both are important, and neither is really complete on its own.So how do we create worship that is both connected to the deep, living streams of the tradition and connected with contemporary culture? How do we worship in ways that are both vital and faithful? We’re still working on an answer to that (!), but Long gives us nine characteristics that shape the worship of vital, faithful congregations. According to Long, vital and faithful congregations:
Keep your eyes open for these nine characteristics in and around worship at RCLPC, and feel free to join in the conversation on Sunday mornings at 10:15 in the fellowship hall. Peace, Richard CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
The session has called a congregational meeting for January 29th immediately following the 11:15 worship service for the purpose of reviewing the annual report and approving the pastor's terms of call. A potluck luncheon will be served after the meeting. Please sign up in the Connecting Link. Questions??? contact Tina Stipati. |
MEN’S BREAKFAST GROUP |
BUILDING and GROUNDS CORNER
How many timers are there to control the outside lighting, heating and courtyard water fountain? How do we keep them all set correctly?
Eleven - four timers for lighting, six timers for heating (5 programmable thermostats + 1 electric wall heat timer) and one timer for the fountain. Ron Miller is our timely man here. Every month Ron receives a checklist of things that need to be done that month and sees that everything is taken care of. He not only adjusts timers for daylight savings or sunset times but shuts off outside water for winter, drains hot water heaters, changes storm windows, tests our well water, Ron is a busy man behind the scenes at RCLPC. Thank Ron for a job well done over and over year after year.
VALENTINE DANCE
We're putting a team together to plan the Valentine dance on February 11th at the Four Colonies in Crystal Lake. If this sounds like something you'd like to help with, call Tina Stipati.OPERATION PRAYERS AND COOKIE LIFT
Please come to Fellowship Hall on Sunday, January 29, to sign Valentine greetings to Matthew Trummel and Andrew Pohl. You can select Valentine stamps or design your own creation! If you have a loved one serving in the military in the Middle East, please contact me. ~ Mary Moltmann
The sun is so warm, the temperature is perfect, I love this time of year. Okay, Okay, so it’s not summer yet. But you know you are thinking about your summer plans and vacations.BEFORE YOU BOOK --- LOOK HERE!!!!
Thursday evening there will be closing ceremonies
for the entire family! |
NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTION
The Journey of Lewis and Clark is Ongoing
As I looked through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences magazine that MJ gave me some time ago, I found the article Manifest Destiny by Stephen J. Lyons of particular interest. As you no doubt know, the celebration of the Captain William Clark and Meriwether Lewis expedition will continue for most of 2006.To quote from Mr. Lyons, “The raw wilderness Lewis and Clark encountered on their 8,000-mile, overland “Voyage of Discovery” from 1804 to 1806 has forever vanished but the expedition from the mouth of the Missouri River to the outlet of the Columbia River-- was a time of immense change for the tens of thousands of Native Americans with Indian Country forever altered. When you ask, ‘What is the Native American view of the Lewis and Clark expedition?,’ I have learned that they view it as an opening wedge of the United States into their country. This was, after all, a military expedition. It was intended to assert and to claim American sovereignty in an area. Native Americans continue to feel that this region, in fact in some ways all of the United States, represents in some fashion an Indian Country”.
That first winter when the expedition spent those beginning months with the Mandans and Hidatsas near Bismarck, ND, was one of mutual admiration between the two groups as they participated in ritual dance and song, while hunting and eating together. But on the return leg of the 28-month journey, Lewis and Clark’s attitude toward Native Americans had soured considerably with Lewis’ journal entries filled with complaints about the prices Native Americans charged for goods and the idea that they cannot be trusted. The bad feeling climaxed in July 1806 with the shooting of two Montana Blackfeet who were caught stealing a rifle. Ugly deaths with a medal left around the neck of the dead that Indians might be informed of who we were.
What the Indian story says is that people don’t disappear into the United States. The United States is at its best when it supports and promotes the rights and freedoms of all communities. And the United States is diminished when the rights, freedoms and peoples’ voices are ignored. A rather contemporary message.”
Joy Martin, Alice Haznedl, Ann Legg, Janet Pearce, Ginger Robinson, Rod Russell, MJ Towne, Gloria Thorson.
IN AND AROUND RCLPC with BARB
Good Morning! And it is a very good morning for me as I just got off the phone with my good friend Caryl Thomas. I have not spoken with her since we went to Switzerland and I have really missed her. She said to say Hi to all her friends, so “Hi”.* I am going to start off with some very exciting news: CECILY NIEMAN (grandaughter of AILEEN NIEMAN, niece of BARB and LOU DOLMON) got engaged at Christmas. She went into her linen closet for a clean towel and found a pretty little box with a BEAUTIFUL ring in it just sitting there. It was Christmas Eve, and needless to say, it was her favorite gift. She will be marrying NICK WEBER, who is from Buffalo Grove. The two met when they were in college at Eastern. Nick is a loan officer for Country Wide and Cecily works for Victoria’s Secret. She does not know when the wedding will be, but Nick states she will be Mrs. Weber in 2006. That was his New Year’s resolution. Ah, true love. Congratulations and best wishes from all of us.
* Congratulations also go to KATE POHL (daughter of RICK and LAURIE, sister of EMILY) who JUST GOT A JOB! Kate graduated from NIU in December with a BA in Music Education. She student taught at Walter Peyton Prep School and Pearce Elementary School - both in Chicago. Her new school will be in Cicero - Roosevelt Elementary - where she will be teaching grades three thru six. They hope she can start Jan. 23rd. Wow! It is amazing to me that she could get a teaching job so quickly - so you know just how good she is. That is just wonderful, Kate, and we do congratulate you and wish you much luck. It takes a very special person to choose to teach in the Chicago Area. I’m not sure I could do it. I guess congratulations should go to the proud parents also. Right? Congrats to all!
* As I am writing this article our good friend ANN LEGG is off on another trip. (She has been so busy since her retirement.) This time she is taking a cruise on the Carnival Line’s Liberty. They are going to: Costa Maya, Mexico; Colon, Panama; taking a ferry through the Panama Canal; and on to Limon, Costa Rico. She will be gone from Jan. 21st thru Jan. 30th. I know she will be having a wonderful time, but the choir will miss her and welcome her back.
* WAYNE and DALE PRINDIVILLE were also off on a little jaunt. They went to: Puerto Rico and then on to visit friends and family in Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa Florida. As much work as the two of them do to help us at RCLPC they definitely need a vacation. Thanks, guys!
* Many of you know our good friends, GEORGE and JUDY GARRETY are planning to move to Texas. We do NOT want to see them leave us, but they say they must - for retirement’s sake. They are in need of a buyer for their house, so if any of you know anyone looking for a lovely home in the West Elementary School area, just give them a call at:815-477-1200. (For my sake, please don’t rush to your phones.)
In closing, a tidbit from STEVE MIDDAUGH: A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. The Pastor said to him, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” My friend replied, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I’m In the Secret Service.” Thanks for the humor, Steve.
I thank you for spending this time with me and ask you to PLEASE give me some news. I always need your help. Thanking you in advance, I am, Barb Turley