august 2017 the official newsletter of st. paul’s united ... · the official newsletter of st....
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The official newsletter of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
August 2017
12N268 Switzer Road, Elgin, IL 60124 ♦ e-mail: [email protected] ♦ www.stpauluccelgin.org 847.628.6118 Wecare
FromJuly15-20myfamilywasinthehillsofwesternConnecticutattheUCCSilverLakeCampandConferenceCenter.Wehelpedtofacilitatecampfor4thand5thgraders,whileenjoyingtimetogetherasafamilyandbeingoutsideinnature.
Myfavoritepartofsummercampwaswatchinghowquicklythecamperswereabletobondandstartbecomingacommunity.Childrenwhodidnotknoweachotherbecamefriendsquicklyandcaredforoneanother.
Oneofmyfavoritemomentswaswhenahomesickchildsaidtohernewfriend,“EventhoughIwanttogohome,IamexcitedtostaysoIcanwatchyoupassyourswimtest.”
St.Paul’sislikeayear-longsummercampcommunityforchildrenandadults.Wecareforandsupportoneanotherinsomanyways.
Letusinviteotherstobecomeapartofthiscommunity,sotheytoocanfeelthiskindofjoy.
Journeyingwithyou,
PastorJill
Storytelling.IwonderhowmanystoriesIhavereadorheardinmylife.It’skindofmind-bogglingtoconsider.WhenItrytoevenestimate,mybraingetscaughtinthesameagainst-the-wallloopaswhenItrytoimagineinRinityortheedgeoftheuniverse.Icomefromafamilyofstorytellers.WealwaysmanagetoRindourselvesaroundakitchentable.TheoldestsometimesrepeatastoryandwelistenlikeitwastheRirsttelling.Theyoungestliketojoininthelaughter.Ourstories,likethreads,weavethroughusandbindusclose.Inmyfamily,asitmaybeinyours,storytellingisafamilyritual.
Iwonderhowmanystoriesyouhavereadorheardinyourlifetime.Iwonderhowmanystoriesyourchildrenhaveheardsofar;andnotjustfrombooks,butfromyou,yourfamily,andtheirfriends.Weareallstorytellersofsomekind.Weareallshapedbythestorieswehear.Andweall,inturn,becomeshaperswiththestorieswetell.
AstheChristianEducationteampreparestheFall2017curriculum,I’vebeenthinkingaboutthevalueofstorytellinginachild’sfaithformation.InherbookMakingaHomeforFaith:NurturingtheSpiritualLifeofyourChildren,ElizabethCaldwellsuggeststhatachild’sbestfaith-shapingresourcearethestoriesfromherparentsandfamily.Sometimes,though,adultsareintimidatedbyachild’sreligiousquestions.SometimesadultssidelinetheirstorytellingskillsbecausetheythinktheyneedtoRinda“rightanswer.”Caldwellasksadultstotrusttheirownstories,“Livingourfaithwithchildrencanbeassimpleaslisteningandtalkingwitheachother.Intheaskingofreligiousquestions...what‘childrenarereallyaskingisforustorevealandshareourselvesandourfaith,nottoprovidesomedogmaticanswers...’”(23).
CaldwelloffersalistofRiveguidelinesforsharingfaithwithchildren:tellingstories,celebrating,praying,livingourfaith,andperformingfaithfulactsofserviceandwitness(fromBringingUpChildrenintheChristianFaithbyJohnWestheroff).Whichonesareapartofyourfamily?Maybetellastorytoyourkidsaboutoneofthem.
Peace,LizPatz
Religion in the News
Millennialsclingtotheirsmartphonesandtablets,butfewaredownloadinganyreligiousapps.
Duringapresentationatthe2017BlackLeadershipSummit,EmilyHardman,CanterburyFellowwiththeBecketFundforReligiousLiberty,saidMillennialsbelieveinreligiousfreedom,butnotreligiouspractice.
“Theythink[religiousfreedom]ismerelyjustachoice,andit’stroublingtoseethatsomanydon’tknowwhatitmeansmorethanjustchoosing—itmeanspracticingthatfaithinameaningfulandauthenticway,”saidHardman.
A2015surveyofthetechgrouprevealedthefollowing:
• 58%ofMillennialsagreethatreligionispersonalandshouldnotplayasigniRicantroleinsociety;• Millennialsare13%moresecularthanoldergenerations;and• ReligiouslibertyconsideredbyMillennialsas“veryimportant”isaratesigniRicantlylessthan
olderAmericans.
Mission Ministry
St.Paul’sishelpingwithaHabitatBuild-a-DayonAug.19andwewillneedagroupof12volunteers.Allvolunteersmustregisterandsign-uponlineandsignasafetywaiver.Participantsmustbeatleast16yearsold.
Place:793ParkwayinElginTime:8:30–4p.m.(weatherpermitting,ifextremelyhotweatheritwillbeashorterday)
Ifyouareinterestedinvolunteeringpleasee-mailBarbKampbyAug.4atBarb.Kamp@yahoo.comandshewillsendyoualltheinformation.
Blessing of the Backpacks
StudentsofallagesareinvitedtobringtheirbackpackstochurchonSunday,Aug.13,toreceiveaback-to-schoolblessingandaspecialgift.
ACTS at Work
ACTShadaworkdayinearlyJune.Weorganizedthekitchenatthechurch,paintedLiz'sofRice,plantedthegarden,RilledtheplanterswithRlowers,pulledlotsofweeds,trimmedandpulledoutsomebushesandRilledtwotruckloadsofbranchesforDougVolkeningtotakehomeandburn.TheworkdaywasRinishedwithapotlucklunch.
Financially Speaking
ThetotalreceiptsforthemonthofJulywere$30,769.99.Ourspendableincomecameto$30,769.99,includingourOCWMincomeof$318.ThisalsoincludedabequestfromtheEnolaLeeCrouseTrust.
Wehadcharitableincomeof$33forthemonthofJuly,whichwasforPADSfromthesaleofthevegetablesfromthegarden.Wehavealsocollected51pairsofshoestobegiventotheFirstBaptistChurch“StepItUp”ShoeDriveforunderprivilegedstudents.
Alittleupdateonthe“J”Dollars:Wehavecollected$19,358sinceitsinception.Thetotalbillforthesignandelectricitytothesignis$20,340.Oncewecollectenoughtopayofftheremainder($982)wewillrevisittheideaofthisendeavorandeitherdiscontinueitorstartplanningoncollectingforsomethingelse.
Heritage Fest
St.Paul’sThirdAnnualHeritageFestwillbeheldSaturday,Oct.3,from3to7p.m.Moredetailsaretofollow.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasecontactDaleVolkeningat847.987.3378.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
ThosecelebratingabirthdayinthemonthofAugustare:
SharleneGould(Aug.8) PatriciaThompson(Aug.8)FlorenceDrafall(Aug.10) SandyVolkening(Aug.10)AudreyHeinrich(Aug.11) OdyKamp(Aug.11)BeckyKelly(Aug.11) JudyVolkening(Aug.11)BonnieStarr(Aug.13) KayGuptail(Aug.16)ChristyVolkening(Aug.17) PatriciaSchmoldt(Aug.20)GordonFlentge(Aug.21) KatieKaye(Aug.24) ThosecelebratingananniversaryinthemonthofAugustare:
MyronandLindaMeglin(Aug.1) BillandKayGuptail(Aug.26)LeeandNicoleThielke(Aug.30)
August Greeters
Aug.6JanetWernerandPollyRussell Aug.13MikeandKarenWestermanAug.20BobandMaryWilms Aug.27JudyOlsenandMarjoryDralle
We want your pictures
IfyoutakepicturesatachurcheventpleaseemailthemtoLindaatstpauls4me@yahoo.com.Pleaseincludeanydescriptions.YourphotoscouldappearinthedigitaleditionofTheChimes.