“WHAT AND OPPORTUNITY!”
I imagine these words spoken by those who encountered God, Jesus and experiences of faith. Noah hears the voice of God; “What an opportunity!” – it’s a new beginning. Jacob wrestles with an angel; “What an opportunity!” – a blessing to restore family relations and build a whole new community for God. Peter, James, John and Andrew are invited by Jesus, “Follow me.” Wow, “What an opportunity!” – a ministry that will change the course of human history. O they may not have a clue about what the outcome would actual be, but what an opportunity to be a part of something significant. “What an opportunity!” “What an opportunity!” is the antithetical expression to the knee-‐jerk reactions of “We’ve never done it that way before!” … “It will never work!” … “OMG, You want me to do WHAT?” … “I can’t do that!” … and a whole string of other naysayer expressions. When we are met with an experience or call of faith, we can be naysayers or we can see opportunities. It has been announced that Rev. Tom Zoelzer needs to pause in our transitional work for a period of 10 weeks – “What an opportunity!” We have the opportunity to truly live into the conviction that we have a strong and faithful future. We have the opportunity to take time to explore and deeply understand the information received from our Open Forums. We have the opportunity to show Tom the best of our community as we reach out in Christian care to him and his family WHILE we work together to maintain and build the ministry of Union Church. We have the opportunity to live into our conviction of Partnership Ministry (not staff-‐led or lay-‐led; but Jesus-‐led and covenant built). Let us join together in these next 10 weeks. We need to hold realistic expectations, build deepening relationships and step up to provide assistance and support to your church. Some of the day to day work will not be able to be done as quickly as it was – after all we already had a reduced staff learning and living into new roles and ministries, now we are down one more. So if you can help, volunteer. But most of all be patient and gracious. 2011 has been an exciting and challenging year thus far; but what an opportunity it has presented to us … to be the people of God and the ambassadors of Christ. Join us in the opportunity. The work continues, the day to day ministry continues, our commitment to excellence continues, our celebration of worship continues (see inside for a detail of worship planned for May and June), and our devotion to engaging and life-‐changing relationships with God continues. Be a part of the present and build the future of Union Church. While Tom is away we will continue to be the church; we will be keeping him “in the loop” and hold his place in our hearts and our work. And we all wish him a speedy and full recovery.
In Christ, Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-‐Sheffer
Associate Minister
May 1, 2011 A Publication of The Union Church of Hinsdale, U.C.C. Volume 43, Issue 9
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Invitation to Faith: Transformative Worship
Our Staff Transitional Minister: Rev. Dr. Tom Zoelzer Associate Minister:
Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer Director of Children’s Christian Education:
Penny Johnson Director of Youth Formation:
Jeremy Hylen Director of Music Ministries:
Michael Surratt Director of the Chancel Choir:
Todd Diehl Director of
Contemporary Music: Brad Nye
Director of Children and Youth Choirs: Roberta Wentling
Assistant Handbell Director: Elizabeth Jung
Director of Early Childhood Programs:
Jennifer Keldahl Senior Operations Manager:
Merrilee Hall Financial Manager:
Gaby Perez Project Manager:
Joel Gratcyk Communications Assistant:
Melanie Burton Buildings and Grounds:
Jim Vojtek, Bob Brija
WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship
9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Prayer and Healing Service 3rd Sundays at 7:00 p.m.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sundays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Union Church of Hinsdale 137 S. Garfield Ave Hinsdale, IL 60521
(630) 323.4303 http://UCHinsdale.org
Sundays in May and June: “Being a Witness” May 1: Worship led by the Spring Work Tour participants at both 9:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Worship will include our Annual Bread for the World Campaign
May 8: MUSIC SUNDAY, at both 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. May 15: Worship led by the members of our Simple Supper Bible Studies at both 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. May 22: CONFIRMATION SUNDAY, at both 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. The Rite of Confirmation will be held at 9:00 and the Dedication of the Confirmands will occur at 10:30 p.m. Come for both services! May 29: Memorial Day Worship led by Jeremy Hylen at 9:00 and 10:30. June 5: 9:00 a.m. – DEDICATION AND CELEBRATION. The portrait of Rev. Dr. Verlee A. Copeland will be unveiled and dedicated. Rev. Jonathan Knight will be providing the message. 10:30 a.m. – CHRISTIAN FORMATION SUNDAY Penny and Jeremy will lead the worship in celebration of our Christian Formation Ministry and an appreciation of our teachers June 12: PENTECOST SUNDAY, one worship service at 10:00 a.m. Join us as we celebrate the birthday of the Church, celebrate New Member Sunday and Commissioning our Bell Tour. Special liturgy and special music is being planned. June 19: Worship is led by Thom Parrott-‐Sheffer at 9:00 and Jeremy Hylen at 10:30.
The All-‐Church Picnic Pentecost Sunday, June 12, 2011 Immediately following the church service.
Bratwurst, hotdogs, buns, water, lemonade, iced tea and dessert will be provided by Parish Life Ministry. Each family attending is asked to bring a salad to share. If anyone has a light weight pop up canopy (tent without sides) that we could use, please contact Diane Oostendorp 630 655 9405.
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Invitation to Faith: Community & Church Life
Women’s Association Unit Meetings May is the last gathering of the current units before the Association’s May Luncheon and Business meeting, where officers are installed and new unit groupings are announced. Members and interested parties are encouraged to attend fellowship gathering. You will note special times and days in the meeting schedule-‐-‐-‐two units are having a lunch as part of the gathering and three units are waiting until after the plant sale to meet.
If you have not yet filled out a card indicating your interest to join a unit and what time suits your schedule, please contact Pat Dietrich. This is a great time to join a unit. All women are invited. If you have not tried one before or if you have had limited involvement but are now ready to become more active we would love to hear from you.
THURSDAY, MAY 5 Unit 1 10:30 a.m. Unit 2 9:00 a.m. Home of Kathy Anderson Home of Mary Bock 519 E 7th St.; Hinsdale 28 S Stough St.; Hinsdale
Unit 3 10:30 a.m. Unit 5 7:00 p.m. Home of Cathy Schultz Home of Sue Becker
148 Easton Pl.; Burr Ridge 203 Ravine Rd.; Hinsdale THURSDAY, MAY 12 FRIDAY, MAY 13 Unit 4 12:30 p.m. Unit 6 1:00 p.m.
Home of Mary Shewalter Home of Rachel Gerler 301 Lake Hinsdale Dr. #409; Willowbrook 724 S Waiola Ave; LaGrange
Summer is a Time to Think about Making Stockings
It is never too early to think about Christmas – especially if you know that in early December the Women’s Association will be stuffing over 100 stockings … The Association is looking for donations of Christmas material and 4-‐ply, worsted wool or acrylic yarn. We can use a few people to cut “stocking patterns” out of newspaper. Volunteers are also needed to sew stockings. Wondering what to do during the NBA playoffs or on a rainy day, consider helping with this worthy project. If interested, talk to Sue Becker or Eleanor Patterson.
By the time you read this, I hope to be recovering nicely from my spinal cord surgery. There are exciting things planned for May and June at Union Church, and I invite your participation. The good news of the resurrection has come, and it is time to be resurrection people that lives in the light of new life! Rev. Thom Parrott-‐Sheffer will be the temporary Head of Staff while I am on sick leave, and all the staff is working hard to help us be an active, dynamic congregation; bringing good news in Jesus' name to all! Please keep me in your prayers during my recovery. You can follow my progress at the website: http://uchucc.us/cbtz Blessings! -‐ Tom Zoelzer
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Invitation to Faith: Mission and Social Justice
VBS 2011 -‐ Don’t Monkey Around Get Ready for Safari Fun at
Dates: June 20-‐24, 2011
Times: 12:45-‐3:30 -‐-‐ Cost: $30 Registration begins now!!!
At VBS this year, the children will be embarking on a prayer safari. Through their adventures, they will discover that “God Listens,” “God Provides,” “God Forgives,” “God Protects,” and “God Rules.” We will have a great time with lively songs, hilarious skits, creative crafts, exciting games, Bible stories and tasty snacks –all of the things that make Vacation Bible School so much fun for kids. And we will be learning the Lord’s prayer. So don’t monkey around and sign up today! Registrations are outside Penny’s office. If you are interested in being a safari teacher or junior volunteer, please let Penny or Melanie know.
This fellowship group, for elementary school students, will be meeting on Friday, May 13th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The night includes dinner, games and fun. All elementary students and a friend are invited. Cost for the evening is $5. We will be evaluating this year and thinking about the future soon. If you have ideas and suggestions, or would like to help occasionally help, co-‐lead or be otherwise be involved, please contact Kim Nibeck.
TNT (Sunday Nights 5-‐6:30pm) High School May 1-‐ Mini Golf-‐Cost $10 (RSVP with Jer) May 1-‐ Youth Group @ 7pm May 8-‐ No TNT May 7-‐ PADS @ 4:30pm (Do something nice for your mom!) May 8-‐ No Youth Group May 15-‐ City Scavenger Hunt (Do something nice for your mom!) May 22-‐ Whirly Ball-‐Cost $25 (RSVP with Jer) May 15-‐ Really Bad Movie Night @ 7pm May 22-‐ Youth Group @ 7
Keep an eye open on Facebook for details for Youth Group
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Invitation to Faith: Community & Church Life
How are we doing? Financial Report 1st Quarter 2011
The 1st quarter financial results are positive with pledge income above budget and spending below budget. While the “Other Income” category is well above budget it is largely due to the $50,000 Challenge contribution and a number of other one-‐time contributions. In order to secure the $50,000 challenge fund and matching pledges this past January, the Trustees committed to a number of additional budget expenditures. The donor’s wishes and feedback from the congregation identified the following priorities; avoid further staff layoffs in 2011, provide funds for the choir section leaders, and, increase the mission and outreach budget. Including these additional expenditures, the General Fund Increase is $35,256 ahead of budget.
Actual Budget Variance Pledge and Other Income: Current Pledge Collections: 344,159 333,840 10,319 Other Income (Note 1): 153,734 39,973 113,761 Total Pledge and Other Income: 497,893 373,813 124,080 Note 1: Other income includes the $50,000 Matching Pledge Challenge contribution. Actual Budget Variance General Fund Expenses: Payroll and Benefits: 211,228 211,184 -‐42 Administrative: 22,536 21,045 -‐1,491 Building & Grounds: 49,337 49,180 -‐157 Ministry Expenses: 15,106 20,499 5,393 Total General Fund Expenses: 298,207 301,908 3,701 General Fund Increase: 199,686 71,905 127,781 Actual Budget Variance Additional Committed Expenses: Payroll – Avoid further cuts in 2011: 60,000 0 -‐60,000 Music -‐ Section Leaders for 2011: 18,000 0 -‐18,000 Mission and Outreach Increase: 14,525 0 -‐14,525 Total Additions to 2011 Budget: 92,525 0 -‐92,525 General Fund Increase Net Additions: 107,161 71,905 35,256
Respectfully Submitted, Edward Wroble Treasurer
Thank you for your support!
Saturday, May 14, 2011, 9:00am-‐12:00pm
All Union Church Family & Friends are welcome! JOIN US for a morning (or an hour or two) of work and fellowship. There will be many projects to help the ministries of Union Church; projects for families and individuals. This is a great chance for you to make new friends and deepen your relationships with your church family WHILE providing needed attention to our yard and interior. The morning will conclude with a brief worship and mission project: packing hygiene kits for Church World Service Disaster Response. Look for sign-‐up sheets in the Gathering Place or contact Melanie in the church office for more information.
Bring your tools to help!!!!! See you on May 14th!!!!
Memorial Park – Wheaton Free food, music, and
fun and games for the kids.
For more information or details, please contact Tim Walker at 630 683-‐3846 x222 or
MOVIE NIGHT for teens and adults Friday May 6, 7:00 p.m. in the Youth Room
Social Justice Movie Night Watch an Academy Award Winning documentary about a
small town’s struggle for worker’s rights.
A discussion will follow the viewing of the film!
Presented by the Christian Social Justice Ministry of Union Church
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Invitation to Faith: Mission and Social Justice
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Invitation to Faith: Community Life
MAY 14, 2011 \
This fun event begins with everyone gathered at one house for hors d'oeuvres at 6:30 p.m. Then we split up to dine at our assigned houses and meet up again at a third house for dessert. Your host will assign you an appetizer, side dish, salad, or dessert to bring. The cost is $13.00 per person to help with expenses. Please sign up in the Gathering Place after each service. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, May 1. You can also sign up with a call to Jane Hogenkamp at 630.789.6326.
Women’s Association Plant Sale Friday, May 6, 2011 -‐-‐ 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Bronswood Greenhouses, 3805 North Madison St, Oak Brook
Spring, happy Spring, and we get to play with flowers again! As this is written, it is very cold and rainy, but that’s okay, as that keeps all the Plant Sale plants nice and fresh. Think of it as the Lord watering them so that they are taken care of all together. We are amassing a nice selection of home dug plants, including perennials, wild flowers and ground cover. If you have plants to share, please bring them either to 322 North Bruner by Wednesday, May 4, or to the back yard at Bronswood after 12 noon on Thursday, May 5. For these -‐ 100% profit! In the greenhouses: Virtually any annual you’d want -‐ beautiful hanging baskets in time for Mother’s Day -‐ gorgeous geraniums in many colors and all sorts of greenery to complement them – beautifully planted containers in various sizes – 25% profit from everything we sell all day. We are grateful to all the members and friends of Union Church who make a special effort to come shop with us on this lovely day, and it IS a lovely day, despite anything nature decides to throw at us, and nature can be very whimsical. Proceeds from the Plant Sale benefit the DuPage District YWCA, which serves the special needs of women and children in many ways, and is the only rape crisis center in DuPage County.
SUMMER READING, MOTHER’S DAY AND FATHER’S DAY Through-‐out the month of May, there will be tables in the lower level alcove with used books and frames. Browse through the material for books to read on the beach or poolside, while waiting out the rain at the baseball field, for mom or dad. All donations received are added to the money in the Women’s Association’s scholarship fund. Come several times as the stock will change.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Dennis Jones, CEO and Chairman of Hinsdale Bank & Trust, Michael Gamble, Area Manager and Brent Burns, CRMS -‐ Wintrust Mortgage will be our guest. They will be speaking to us on reverse mortgages and alternate plans to use the equity in our homes as part of our retirement income. Mr. Burns is the Reverse Mortgage Specialist for Wintrust Mortgage and will be the primary speaker. Mr. Jones and Mr. Gamble will be on hand to answer questions and greet our members personally.