The Church Mouse Monthly newsletter for the members & friends of Community Congregational Church of Elburn

The Pastor’s Page…. A theologian once said that even when you are in the Promised Land, you are never far

from the wilderness. I am sure I am not the only one who has pondered how our nation has gone

so quickly from the promised land of abundance to a wilderness of economic uncertainty (despite

the fact that what we are now experiencing was predicted almost to a tee by at least one legislator

some years ago when banks were de-regulated). This recession is a new place for most of us.

Before the last several years, we had come to assume uninterrupted economic growth and the

safety and stability of our investments and of the institutions we treasure and support – churches,

seminaries, colleges, and hospitals.

I do not believe God is in the business of correcting a misdirected global economy, but I

do know that God comes into the wilderness, and because of that, there are always redemptive

outcomes and things to learn. No good, of course, comes from losing your home or your job or

your health insurance. But God can make something good happen in the midst of such bad cir-

cumstances. In other words, the action of God in our lives is not restricted just to the times when

things seem good, but is also present when times seem bad.

If there is anything redemptive about this crisis, it may be the possibility that it offers us

to learn again virtues we may have forgotten as a nation, or placed lesser value on as time has

gone by - modesty, frugality, responsibility, community. Although various ones of us may be

modest or frugal or responsible or community-oriented, it is true that not all of us are that way,

and at times, none of us are that way. For example, I don‘t feel modest when I am interacting

with refugees: I see myself as part of a nation that is powerfully resourced and able to share with

others.

We often don‘t feel frugal: we overspend on trivialities and underspend on things of im-

portance. We have tended to think that more resources will come our way. We are not always

responsible: we can see recycling bins all around us but still throw our recyclables into the trash

because it‗s more convenient; and we draw mental circles about which children are worth watch-

ing out for and which ones are not. And we are not always community-oriented: sometimes we

want to isolate and see ourselves as different than others, giving our own self the positive spin on

the difference, or we promote solutions in our family life and our civic life that benefit some but

not others.

And this crisis has the possibility of reminding us again of who we are. The essence of

our faith is that who we are is God‘s precious children, created in love and saved by grace,

through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This ushers in new possibilities for life

and happiness, regardless of what is happening in the world around us, regardless of the negative

events that find their way to out door, regardless of the unholy places we have placed our trust,

regardless of our penchant to think that Christ‘s sacrifice was just for the ‗religious‘ part of our

life, not for the whole of it.

On the secular calendar, it‘s the month of Thanksgiving Day. In the church calendar, or

in the Christian‘s calendar, it is yet another opportunity to deepen our spirit into a life of grati-

tude. That yields a harvest that is guaranteed – come what may.

So, happy thanks-living days!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer

and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7-8

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Michelle

November 2011

Church Office Hours:

Monday through Friday

9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Phone: (630) 365-6544

linda.miller@ccc-elburn.org

INTERIM PASTOR

Rev. Michelle Prentice-Leslie

MODERATOR

Sharon Lackey

VICE-MODERATOR

Mary Royer

TREASURER

Tammy Eckstrom

FINANCIAL SECRETARY

Cindy Doede

CHURCH CLERK

Karen Baston

MINISTRY ASSISTANT

Linda Miller

+++

Please use our street address when

corresponding with the church:

100 E. Shannon Street

Elburn, IL 60119

The Post Office will forward mail

to us for about 18 months.

+++

Our website is constantly

being updated. Check it out!

www.ccc-elburn.org

November 2011 Community Congregational Church page 2

Musings from the Moderator… November is here already! Time flies when you are busy and we are always busy here at

Community Congregational Church. This month we host the community Thanksgiving service on

Wednesday evening November 23rd. I hope you can all be there to welcome the community to

our sanctuary for an inspiring worship service.

Also this month, we will have the first half of our annual meeting to set the budget for next year. This

will be on November 13th immediately following the worship service. Please plan to stay for this short, im-

portant meeting.

Stay warm and enjoy the leaves while they last. See you in worship.

Your Friend in Christ, Sharon Lackey Moderator

Just from Jessie...

Our monthly food packing service at Feed My

Starving Children continues. Please consider joining

us on a Wednesday evening. We have a good time

while providing food for 30+ children for a year every time we

serve. Ask any of our youth about their service experience. Hope

to see you soon! (See schedule on the Narthex bulletin board.)

On November 4 some of the high schoolers are going to Trini-

ty Lutheran, my home church in Lisle to Worship 2.0. This is a

worship service with electronic dance music led by Christian djs

and a vj (disc jockey and video jockey). This service is intended

to give God our worship in dance as David did in 2 Samuel 6:14-

"David danced before the Lord with all his might." We pray this

will be a fun time that glorifies our awesome God. Afterwards we

are sleeping at my house to extend the fun.

It continues to be a joy of mine to serve Community Congrega-

tional Church by leading the youth ministry. Please pray for

God's wisdom and leading in each student's life as they make de-

cisions and choices. And may they feel God's love and strength

grow stronger throughout their years.

Peace,

Jessie

AMEN Group The AMEN Group continues to meet

faithfully on the second Tuesday of each

month (note the new day) at 6pm in the

Nursery. The group meets for an hour and

continues to pray for the special needs of individu-

als, our church, the community, and the world. It‘s a

big job! Won‘t you come and add your voice and

heart to the good works of this group? All are wel-

come.

Please Let Us Know! Do you know of a special event being planned for

the holiday season? A craft show or bazaar? Maybe

a Christmas program or plat at a nearby theatre,

school or other church? An open house at a local

historical site? Please let us now in the church of-

fice. We‘d love to offer details of these events to

our congregation, in the Sunday bulletin, the

MOUSE and on our Narthex bulletin board. We‘d

be happy to help you spread the word, but you have

to tell us first!

Sunday School News………from Theresa Biddle

We are rolling along. We are learning about Moses and what an important part he played in God’s plan for the Israelites. We continue our study of Exodus through November.

November 6 The 10 Commandments November 13 Celebration Sunday…. Work on gifts for the Advent Boxes November 20 The Golden Calf November 27 Moses Video

Thank you to everyone in the congregation who so joyously supports the efforts of our children when they

perform during worship, or even just offer some of their innocent insights during children’s message. They are

such a blessing to all of us!

November 2011 Community Congregational Church page 3

Harvest Dinner Gratitude A very large THANK YOU goes out to everyone who had any part in making the annual Harvest Dinner such a success. It seemed that the whole church membership was involved in some way! Thank you to everyone who made applesauce, baked pies, mixed coleslaw, peeled and cooked potatoes, trimmed and cooked meat, made gravy (yum), distributed posters, organized the White Elephant, made and sold crafts, filled bowls, cut pies, cut meat, washed dishes, made sign-up sheets, sold tickets, poured coffee, served or cleaned tables, sold soda, handled the carry-out operations, folded napkins, made centerpieces, did publicity, ate a meal, purchased from the Crafters or White Elephant, set up tables and chairs, ran errands, deco-rated Schneider Hall, or cleaned up and packaged and sold leftovers, and did it all with a smile & a cheerful heart! EVERY SINGLE PERSON CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE DAY. Our totals so far were: $2423 for the dinner (includes leftover sales) $271.90 for the White Elephant Sales $109 for the Crafty Crafters Sale

The majority of the funds raised at Harvest Dinner will be dis-tributed to the numerous local and UCC-related charities that

our membership supports, such as Lazarus House, Hesed House, Mutual Ground, Back Bay Mission, Outdoor Ministries, Elderday Center, LifeLink, and Emmaus Home. Thank You!

You Are Invited! As many of our members know, Suzy

and David Ray are expecting their first

child in December. What a great reason for

celebration and we want to have a party! Mark your

calendar for 12 noon on Saturday, November 5 and see

the sign-up sheet in the church Narthex. This will be a

pot-luck event and everyone is welcome!

Please contact the church at 630-365-6544 to sign

up in advance if you‘d like to attend the baby shower.

Suzy is registered at Target and Babies-R-Us.

Mitten Line The Mission and Outreach Ministry will once again string its Mitten Line on the railing in the Narthex. Mittens,

scarves, hats, and warm socks that are donated will be taken to Lazarus House for distribution to their clients. Remember that they serve not only women and children, but many men, so the need for men-size winter gloves, hats, socks and scarves is especially great. Please bring your do-

nated items—new or gently used— dur-ing November. Items will then be deliv-ered to Lazarus house for December distribution.

Please address all mail to the church

using our street address:

100 E. Shannon Street

Elburn, IL 60119

The Community Ecumenical Thanksgiving Wor-

ship Service will be held on Wednesday, November

23 at 7:00 pm. and we are hosting the service! Pas-

tors from several area churches will conduct the ser-

vice and the combined choirs of several churches will

perform. After worship, we will host a time of re-

freshment and fellowship in Schneider Hall. See the

sign-up sheet in the Narthex for bringing baked

goods for this event.

All are invited to join with friends and neighbors

in a celebration of thanks and praise.

CROP Walk “Thank You” Thank you to everyone who supported the

CROP Hunger Walk 2011 on October 16.

On that date, 228 people walked the 5k

path along the Fox River, donating over

$21,000. From this money, 25% will be

shared locally by the Salvation Army, the

Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, Northern Illinois

Food Bank and Lazarus House. From our church,

Sharon Lackey and Linda Miller raised $320, and

even though she couldn‘t be at the Batavia walk, Lin-

da walked in Michigan! Thanks to everyone for your

support of this vital ministry to feed the hungry here

in our communities and elsewhere.

HELP

HUNGER

November 2011 Community Congregational Church page 4

Choir and Hand Bell News Fall choir rehearsals will take place on

the First & Third Thursdays of each

month at 7pm in the Sanctuary. All ages

are welcome. Please let me know if you want to partici-

pate, but cannot attend rehearsals at that time.

Also, we need to gauge interest in a hand bell ensem-

ble. If you want to participate, or have questions, please

call or email me. If there is enough interest from youth

(middle school and up), we could create a youth ensem-

ble.

Stephanie

630-365-6271

SLackeyButler@gmail.com

Happy Birthday

Best wishes to these members and friends who are celebrating November birthdays.

November 2 Bernice Gass, Harriet Walenches November 4 Ryan Siebert November 7 Mark Merfeld November 13 Mable Brady, Jeff Johnson November 14 Nancy Merfeld November 24 Jeff Thompson November 28 Bonnie Anderson November 29 Betty Williams November 30 Bill Jahns

Happy Anniversary

Congratulations to these celebrating November wedding anniversaries:

November 6 Norm & Diane Bergquist 46 years November 13 Dave & Mary Royer 35 years November 24 Greg & Regina Kurth 17 years

If you know of birthdays or anniversaries that are missing from the calendar or listed incorrectly, please call the office so they may be added/corrected. Thank you.

Theatre Opportunities This month we get to publicize TWO theatre

opportunities for your consideration.

On November 18 & 19 at 7pm,

Harter Middle School, 1601 Esker

Drive in Sugar Grove, will present a fairy tale ex-

travaganza, featuring characters from all the be-

loved tales of the Brothers Grimm and others. Featured as

Gretel is our own Amanda Eckstrom! Ask her for more de-

tails on the production.

In December, Albright Theatre, 100 N. Island

Avenue, Batavia, will present “The Best

Christmas Pageant Ever.” This is the story of

how a family of ―mean‖ kids learn about the

true meaning of Christmas through one

church‘s presentation of their Christmas pageant. Ministry

Assistant Linda Miller was cast in the role of Rev. Hopkins.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors. Per-

formances are Dec. 9, 10, 11, 16,17,18. Fri 7:30p, Sat. 2:30p

& 7:30p, Sun. 2:30p Rated G

Reservations are highly recommended: 630-406-8838

Women’s Fellowship!

All women of the church are wel-come to attend the next meeting of the Women’s Fellowship Friday, Novem-ber 11 at 1:00pm in Schneider Hall. Bring a friend! This isn’t an actual “church” meeting, just a gathering of friends for coffee, treats, laughter and conversation. There’s always a seat for you around the table. Because we all enjoyed the healthier salad menu from past months, everyone is encouraged to bring some sort of salad or healthy side dish: fruit, veggies, hearty bread, light dessert. We have had up to 14 people around the table, so plan accordingly and join in the fun and fellow-ship!

Happy Thanksgiving To All

Hanging of the Greens In preparation for Advent, the annual Hanging of the Greens will take place on Saturday, November 26 at 9:00am. We will begin with a hearty breakfast and then disburse to all corners of the church to decorate. Bring your willing hands and your unique decorating skills to beautify our church to welcome the King of Kings. See the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to offer your help with the breakfast. Thank you!

Ushering Teams for November

November 6—Team #1 Captain: Karen Baston

November 13—Team #5 Captain: Jessie & Youth Group

November 20—Team #2 Captain: Kurth Family

November 27—Team #3 Captain: Merfeld Family

November 2011 Community Congregational Church page 5

November 6 ~ Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost 9:00 a.m. Sunday School

9:20 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion—All Saints

Day observed

11:30 a.m. Fellowship

5:00 p.m. Hope Anglican Worship Service

November 13 ~ Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost 9:00 a.m. Sunday School

9:20 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship—Veterans‘ Day observed

11:30 a.m. Fellowship & Congregational Meeting

5:00 p.m. Hope Anglican Worship Service

November 20 ~ Reign of Christ 9:00 a.m. Sunday School

9:20 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship

11:30 a.m. Fellowship

5:00 p.m. Hope Anglican Worship Service

November 23 ~ Thanksgiving Eve

7:00 p.m. Community Congregational Church hosts the

Community Ecumenical Worship Service

November 27 ~ First Sunday of Advent 9:00 a.m. Sunday School

9:20 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship with Reverse Offering

11:30 a.m. Fellowship

5:00 p.m. Hope Anglican Worship Service

Our Condolences….

We offer our sincere condolences to

Pastor Michelle and her family on

the passing of her mother on Octo-

ber 22 in California. She had suffered from

Alzheimers for the past seven years and is

now released from the grasp of this devastat-

ing illness. We offer Pastor Michelle and her

family the comfort of our thoughts and pray-

ers.

PLEASE CALL!!

If you are in the hospital and would like a visit from Pastor Michelle, call the church office at 630.365-6544 or Pastor Michelle herself at (630) 267-7555. Remember, because of the new privacy laws, we do not al-ways know when you are hospitalized. PLEASE let us know or have someone call for you.

Lazarus House Dinner With the weather getting cooler, more clients

at Lazarus House are more grateful than ever for

the hot meals provided by local churches and

other organizations. Our church provides an evening meal on the

fifth Friday of whatever months has a fifth Friday, last month be-

ing September 30. Many thanks to the following people who

provided food and delivered it to our friends at Lazarus House:

Main Course: Barb Angenendt & Cindy Doede

Bread: Linda Miller

Salad: Leah Miller

Dessert: Diane Bergquist

Delivery: Norm & Diane Bergquist

The next opportunity to help with a fifth Friday meal is Decem-

ber 30. Remember, Lazarus House usually has quite a stockpile

of frozen food (meat, vegetables, etc.) as well as canned items

and bottled sauces on hand that you can use. Just give them a call

at your convenience (630-587-2144) and see what‘s available.

Then plan your meal around what they have on hand. You can

even pick up the items way ahead of time and store them in the

church kitchen. Thank you for helping the guests at Lazarus

House and representing our church in this vital outreach effort.

Part I of Congregational Meeting on

Sunday, November 13 after worship.

November 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

9a Crafty Crafters

7p Ministries

Meetings

2

11a Seniors Bible

Study at Meadows

4p Midweek Bible

Class

6p Youth Group

3 2-4p Knitting

7p Choir

4

5

12 noon Baby

Shower for Suzy &

David Ray

(see page 3 )

Set Clocks BACK

6

Team 5 ushers

9a Sunday School

9:20a Bible Study

10:30a Worship with

Holy Communion

11:30a Fellowship

5p Hope Anglican

7

8

9a Crafty Crafters

7:30p Scouts

9

11a Seniors Bible

Study at Meadows

4p Midweek Bible

Class

6:30p Feed My

Starving Children

10

2-4p Knitting

6p Girl Scouts

7p Church Council

11

1p Women‘s

Fellowship in

Schneider Hall

12

13

Team 1 ushers

9a Sunday School

9:20a Bible Study

10:30a Worship

11:30a Fellowship &

Congregational Mtg.

5p Hope Anglican

14

7-8p Tiger Scouts

15

9a Crafty Crafters

6p AMEN

Group

7:30p Scouts

16

11a Seniors Bible

Study at Meadows

4p Midweek Bible

Class

6p Youth Group

17 2-4p Knitting

7p Choir

7:15p Pastor Parish

Relations Mtg.

18

19

20 Team 2 ushers

9a Sunday School

9:20a Bible Study

10:30a Worship

11:30a Fellowship

5p Hope Anglican

21 22 9a Crafty Crafters

MOUSE

Deadline

7:30p Scouts

23

11a Seniors Bible

Study at Meadows

4p Midweek Bible

Class

7p Thanksgiving Eve

Community Worship

here at CCC

24 HAPPY

THANKSGIVING

25

5:30p Den 11

26

9a Hanging of the

Greens

27

Team 3 ushers

9a Sunday School

9:20a Bible Study

10:30a Worship;

Reverse Offering

11:30a Fellowship

5p Hope Anglican

28

7-8p Tiger Scouts

29

9a Crafty Crafters

7:30p Scouts

30

11a Seniors Bible

Study at Meadows

4p Midweek Bible

Class

6p Youth Group

REMEMBER:

.Set your clocks

BACK

on Saturday,

November 5

DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS:

Dec. 2—Elburn Christmas Stroll

Dec. 24—Christmas Eve Worship 7p

Dec. 25—NO 10:30a worship service. All are

urged to attend the 5p Hope Anglican Church

service

January 1—Worship as usual at 10:30a

Community Congregational Church 100 E. Shannon Street Elburn, Illinois 60119

November 2011

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

God is still speaking,

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