First United Church - Bloomington, Indiana

Prayerspeak - Week 3

2010-10-06T08:51:00.004-04:00

"I'll pray for you." It's a common phrase, and a nice one to hear. But how do we pray for others? And who should we pray for?

Allaboutprayer.org outlines biblical prayers that we can say for other people.

Notice the varying topics of biblical prayers:
Wisdom and power: Ephesians 1:18-19a (NLT) says, "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope [God] has given to those [God] called—[God’s] holy people who are [God’s] rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe.”
Strength and knowledge of God's love: Ephesians 3:16-19 (TNIV) says, "I pray that out of [God’s] glorious riches [God] may strengthen you with power through [the] Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Discernment: Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJV) says, " And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Spiritual understanding and knowing God's will: Colossians 1:9 (The Message) says, "Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to [God’s] will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works."
Steadfastness: 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT) says, "May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ."

When reading those biblical prayers, you may think, "I can't pray that fluently." When praying, do not worry about how your prayer is phrased. Our communication to God should be just as you would talk to your friends or family. Pray for others whenever you think of them (at work, home, doing chores, in the car). Soon, praying for others will become a part of your daily life!

Who should we pray for? We may already pray for our friends and family members. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (The Message) says, "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation." Who are some of the leaders we can pray for—in our government, schools, churches, and community outreach organizations?

Jesus also tells us in Matthew 5:44 (WE) to "Love your enemies. Ask God to do good to those who trouble you." How does it make you feel to be asked to pray for your enemies? Who are your enemies—those you argue with at work, those who promote hate and fear, those who stand for things you disagree with? How can you pray for them? What benefits could there be to praying for people whose actions or ideas make your blood boil?

Part of praying is broadening our perspective and opening our eyes to the people who God loves. My grandmother taught me to pray whenever I heard a siren. What other everyday events can we use to prompt us to pray for others—to look outside ourselves and see the people God sees?

Sometimes our prayers are filled with frustration. One thing we can ask God when we're angry or overwhelmed is "What is my part in this?" We can ask God to show us a way to react differently, intervene, or take further action.

Prayerspeak - Week 2

2010-09-21T22:38:00.002-04:00

How do you pray? Is prayer something you do often? Is it something you find yourself doing at church, or is it something you deliberately incorporate into your everyday life?

Brother Lawrence, a monk in 17th-century France, called prayer “the practice of the presence of God.” When we pray, we are consciously opening ourselves up to God’s presence—which is always surrounding us—and beginning a conversation.

Let’s begin our discussion on prayer by making ourselves mindful of God’s presence. In the book Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity, Keri Wyatt Kent says, “The ancient Jewish name for God … was actually four Hebrew vowels put together to represent the name of God (Yahweh). But because the name was so sacred, it was actually unpronounceable. Saying the four vowels one at a time, you get something like “Yahweh,” or “Yah, hey, vod, hey.” The name of God … is the sound of breathing …. Just as we are often not conscious of our breathing, we are often unaware of God. This does not negate God’s existence, anymore than our lack of attention means we have stopped breathing. Rather, both instances tell us something about our level of perception. Becoming aware of God is like becoming aware of our breathing. We simply need to be quiet and pay attention."

Let’s take some deep, deliberate breaths and recite the vowels of God’s name—not because God is somewhere else, and we need to call God back to us, but as a reminder to ourselves that we are preparing to converse with the spirit of God.

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is a template for prayer. We can read the traditional words (TNIV) or an updated paraphrase (The Message), but the ideas are the same:

• We acknowledge God’s presence.
• We express our desire for God’s vision for the world to come true.
• We ask that our needs will be met.
• We acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes—we do, and others do, too—and ask that all would find (and give) forgiveness.
• We ask not to be tempted to do what we know is wrong.

Let’s spend some time in quiet reflection, thinking about each of these components of prayer.

How can you bring about God’s vision for the world? Are there areas in your life where you could be doing more—or just doing something differently—to bring God’s desires for all people into reality?

Part of asking God for our daily bread is acknowledging that God gives us the resources for what we need. Let’s spend some time thanking God for what we have … and now let’s spend some time asking God to make us more aware of ways in which we can be better stewards of our time, our money, our personal talents, and of the earth’s resources.

When we choose to become aware of God’s love, we find ourselves called into the way of forgiveness. Is there anyone in your life who you need to forgive—to let go of the hurt, the anger, the distrust, and the uneasiness that you feel when you think about or encounter this person? Ask that God’s love would surround you and replace these negative feelings with a calm, quiet sense of peace. And is there anyone in your life who is hanging on to their own hurt or anger? Pray that they would be compelled to follow the Christ-demonstrated way of forgiveness and find peace for themselves as well.

The second-greatest commandment given by Jesus was, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Often we find ourselves behaving selfishly, without regard for others—sometimes purposefully, but often without any thought at all. Let’s take time to ask for greater awareness of how our actions affect others, and to be more mindful of ways to share God’s love.

While the Lord’s Prayer provides a good model for prayer, our prayers don’t always have to be long, complex, or structured. While it’s nice to have a template for prayer to help prompt us into conversation, we also don’t want to find ourselves scared away from short, simple, “just checking in” prayers. We can take a message from teenagers who send hundreds of text messages to their friends in the span of a week—most of which just say “hi.” Prayer is the act of saying, “Hi, God. I’m here.” Rev. Fred Rogers (yes, Mister Rogers) said that the best prayer is, "Thank you, God." Sometimes the best conversations—and the best prayers—can be short and sweet.

How will you practice the presence of God this week?

Prayerspeak - Week 1

2010-09-14T21:50:00.003-04:00

Hello, friends! I'll be posting the notes from each week's Prayerspeak meeting so those who weren't able to join can catch up. For our first week, the topic of discussion was "What is Prayer?"

First let’s start by recalling our memories of prayer. As a child, did you grow up in a household where people prayed? Do you have early memories of prayer in a house of worship? In early adulthood, when you first left home and started creating an independent life for yourself, was prayer something that was a part of your life?

Is prayer something that is part of your life now? Do you experience any discomfort or conflict over the idea of prayer? Do you have any difficulty praying?

So what is prayer, anyway?

In Janet Haag’s article What is Prayer? A Conversation with Sister Joan Chittister, Sister Joan of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA shares her thoughts on prayer:

Fellowship in Prayer: How do you define prayer in your life?

Sister Joan Chittister: After more than 55 years of growing into a life of prayer through a lifestyle based on it, my definition of prayer is consciousness, immersion, and relationship. Prayer makes us aware of the elements of the divine in human life, bringing us into contact with the God-life in and around us. Prayer is not personal devotion; it is personal growth. Prayer brings us to the ultimate and the eternal, the daily and the regular, the total consciousness of God now. Prayer enables us to be immersed in what is fundamentally and truly divine in life right now. It is not meant to be a bridge to somewhere else because God is not somewhere else. God is here. Prayer is the act of beginning the process of becoming one with the One we seek—eventually, melting into God completely ….

How does your commitment to the rule of St. Benedict influence your prayer?

It is extremely influential in my prayer. Benedictine prayer is based on reading the Scriptures and praying the Psalms three to five times a day, every day. Interestingly enough, St. Benedict says "Let your prayer be short." This surprises most people because generally speaking, we think that a prayerful person is someone who spends all day in church or praying the rosary. Benedict suggests that formal prayer, choral prayer, community prayer should all be brief and what is learned in these moments of prayer is what we should carry with us throughout the rest of the day. Prayer should simply form the basis for reflection and attitude-building throughout our lives.

The Christian faith is rooted in Jewish tradition. Jesus lived the life of an observant Jew, and Jesus’ life was shaped by Jewish ritual, including the Jewish attitude toward prayer. We can learn much about prayer from our Jewish brothers and sisters. These excerpts are taken from Judaism 101:

The most important part of any Jewish prayer, whether it be a prayer of petition, of thanksgiving, of praise of G-d, or of confession, is the introspection it provides, the moment that we spend looking inside ourselves, seeing our role in the universe and our relationship to G-d ….

Observant Jews are constantly reminded of G-d'-s presence and of our relationship with G-d, because we are continually praying to Him ….

Many people today do not see the need for regular, formal prayer. "I pray when I feel inspired to, when it is meaningful to me," they say. This attitude overlooks two important things: the purpose of prayer, and the need for practice.

One purpose of prayer is to increase your awareness of G-d in your life and the role that G-d plays in your life. If you only pray when you feel inspired (that is, when you are already aware of G-d), then you will not increase your awareness of G-d.

In addition, if you want to do something well, you have to practice it continually, even when you don't feel like doing it. This is as true of prayer as it is of playing a sport, playing a musical instrument, or writing. The sense of humility and awe of G-d that is essential to proper prayer does not come easily to modern man, and will not simply come to you when you feel the need to pray. If you wait until inspiration strikes, you will not have the skills you need to pray effectively. Before I started praying regularly, I found that when I wanted to pray, I didn't know how. I didn't know what to say, or how to say it, or how to establish the proper frame of mind. If you pray regularly, you will learn how to express yourself in prayer ….

The mindset for prayer is referred to as kavanah, which is generally translated as "concentration" or "intent." The minimum level of kavanah is an awareness that one is speaking to G-d and an intention to fulfill the obligation to pray. If you do not have this minimal level of kavanah, then you are not praying; you are merely reading. In addition, it is preferred that you have a mind free from other thoughts, that you know and understand what you are praying about and that you think about the meaning of the prayer ….

I also find it useful to move while praying. Traditional Jews routinely sway back and forth during prayer, apparently a reference to Psalm 35, which says "All my limbs shall declare, 'O L-rd, who is like You?'" Such movement is not required, and many people find it distracting, but I personally find that it helps me concentrate and focus.

Pastor and contemporary theologian Rob Bell shares his thoughts on prayer in the video NOOMA™: Open. Let’s recap Bell’s answers to the question, “What is prayer?” from the video. Prayer:

· is taking part in the ongoing creation of the world.
· is tapping into the divine energy that is the source of everything.
· is not passive—it is being open to the God who’s at work here and now.
· is honest.
· is truth.
· is assuming that you will be involved in the answer.
· is your whole posture toward life.
· is listening.
· is when you never stop asking, “What is God up to—right here, right now—and how can I be a part of it?”
· is the divine energy that made the world flowing between us and drawing us closer together.
· enlarges our perspectives.
· gives us a bigger heart.
· changes things—changes us.
· makes us better people.

Okay, so ... this prayer thing ... how do we do it?

Join us next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to learn more!

Announcements for January 29th

2010-01-29T11:42:00.001-05:00

Young Adult Lunch will take place Sunday January 31. Please join us immediately after church. We'll decide on a locally-owned place where we can share a meal and fellowship together. Please bring along some cash to pay for your meal. In addition, we need someone to coordinate these lunches while Caela is on parental leave. Please let her know if you would be able to help.

Circle of Women's Ministries will meet Tuesday, February 2 at 1:30 p.m. in Roger Williams Hall. Attorney Chris Holly will speak on "Preparing for Long Term Care." Sarah Burton will give devotions. Mary Alice Crable and Ginny Fiscus will be hostesses. All women of the church are invited.

Haitian Relief. We are still taking offerings for One Great Hour of Sharing for the Haitian Relief. Your gifts of cash will be directed toward earthquake relief efforts being undertaken in Haiti through both the American Baptist Church and the United Church of Christ. Envelopes are in this week's bulletin. Please make checks out to First United Church and indicate "One Great Hour of Sharing" in the memo line. Anything you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Childcare Help Needed for Spong's Visit. We are in need of one or two people to help Audrey in the nursery during Spong's afternoon lecture on February 14 from 1:30 p.m.-3:30 pm. If you are available, please contact the church office and let us know. Thanks!

Donations for MCUM on the First Sunday. Each month, we collect donations of nonperishable food items for the food pantry at Monroe County United Ministries. We bring them up and place them under the Communion Table during worship to symbolize the ways we are fed by Holy Communion and, in turn, go out to feed the world. If you bring items in on the first Sunday of the month, would you please consider placing a few of them under the Communion Table? You could put them there before worship or bring them up during the Communion Hymn. (Donations are accepted throughout the month on the big wooden cart located by Fellowship Hall. (Checks can also be made out to "MCUM" food pantry in the memo.)

A Thank You from Caela. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the purchase of my new robe. It did arrive, safe and sound - and I was even able to zip it up over my belly. It looks pretty funny right now, but I can't wait for it to make its debut after I return from my parental leave. A big thanks, also, to everyone who helped make my ordination on January 10 a lovely day - it was so wonderful to see so many of you there in the pews, the Board of Worship did an excellent job organizing the service and the reception, so many of you sent well-wishes, Ed provided wonderful music, and the flowers were just beautiful. Thank you!

Church World Service Kits for Haiti. There is a donation box in the Narthex to collect items needed for the Haiti relief effort. Micah Mobley's students from Edgewood Junior High will be collecting and assembling the items into Hygiene Kits and Baby Kits to send to the people of Haiti. Buehler's, CVS, Town Hall, and the Boys and Girls Club (all of Ellettsville) also have drop off locations if you would prefer not to wait until next Sunday. Those interested in contributing can take a list of needed items from the poster that is set up with each donation bin.

ORAL HISTORY PROJECT. The First United Youth Group is doing a videotaping project to document the personal and public stories of our church. We would like to interview anyone who has a story to share, or would like to answer a few questions before or after church. We have some guideline questions and you can answer any of them.

Why did you start coming to FUC?
What was the church like when you first came?
What in particular did you like about it?
What were your (or your family's) religious beliefs when you were younger and how have they changed?
What was an important event or decision that happened in the church and how did it affect you or the congregation?

If you would like to schedule an interview or be involved with the project in some other way, just come talk to anyone in the youth group!

Sunday School Room Change. Due to the large size of the adult Sunday School class on Bishop Spong's book Eternal Life, we will be changing the room for that class to Room 5 for the duration of the course (until February 14). The Seasons Lectionary class will temporarily meet in Room 6.

Jack's Midweek Class began Tuesday, January 12. This class meets from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday mornings in Room 6.

Scripture Readers needed. We need people to volunteer to be Scripture readers for the months of February and March. A Sign-up sheet is posted outside the kitchen by Fellowship Hall.

VacationBibleSchool. We are planning a meet on Monday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the church library. We will set the date for VBS and begin to assign volunteers and plan the event. There was a great turn out last year that helped us have a great VBS. I hope to see you there. Ted Wininger.

Minister of Care for the week of January 31, is Jeanne Overly. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their homes. For more information, call the church office at 332-4439.

Flower sign-ups. Thank you to all who have signed up for January, February, and March. The next open date is June 20, with only 14 more dates left open after that. We now have sign-up sheets that are laid out on the table outside Fellowship Hall. Sign up now for the date you have in mind.

Men's Breakfast February 20, 8:00 a.m. Join us in Fellowship Hall. The speaker will be Professor Bill Witte, head of the Economics Department, speaking about when will the recession end. Anyone who does not get a phone call or a postcard and would like to receive information about the men's breakfasts, please sign up with Lisa in the office or call Hassel DePree to be put on the list.

Annoucements for November 22nd

2009-11-20T14:22:00.002-05:00

Hanging of the Greens. Come join us as we decorate our sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons Sunday, November 22, 4:00 p.m. We will be setting up trees, lights, ornaments, candles, chandeliers, wreaths, garlands, and more! Kids can participate in decorating the sanctuary, putting up and decorating the Christmas trees, and some extra kid-friendly crafts. A simple meal will follow at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

MITTEN TREES. Our annual Mitten Trees will be set up the evening of November 22, when we 'hang the greens'. Please contribute new and gently used hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, and even socks for children who are in need of warm clothing this winter. Our donations will be passed on to MCUM for distribution in the Day Care Program there. Last year, we donated over 200 items for this worthy cause! Our trees will be located in the Narthex and in the Fellowship Hall foyer. The trees will be up through December 27.

Partners at the Holiday Bazaar. Partners will be at the Shower's Building for the Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 28. We will be outdoors in the local product section. See you there! Then on Sunday November 29, Partners will be displaying for sale our greeting cards, holiday wrap, and other miscellaneous items after worship in Fellowship Hall.

A Circle of Women's Ministries Style Show of fashions from Opportunity House chosen by Peggy Petranoff will give you the chance to start shopping early for Christmas by attending the next meeting. This meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, December 1 at 1:30 p.m. in Roger Williams Hall. Each member is asked to bring a child's toothbrush to be put in a Santa's bag. The toothbrushes will be given to each youngster in MCUM's Pre-School. Mary Cavin will give devotions and Peggy Petranoff and Peg Rollins will be hostesses.

Want to support fair trade and the Bloomington community during the holidays? Global Gifts, the fair trade store on the square, is having a special Black Friday Charity Event on Friday Nov. 27. Instead of heading to the mall for the sales, come check out some of the beautiful crafts and products made by artisans from around the world who get paid a fair wage and work in safe and healthy conditions. All day, Global Gifts will donate 10% of the proceeds to Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, Stepping Stones, and two fair trade advocacy organizations! Hope to see you there! Global Gifts could also still use volunteers leading up to Christmas.

Family Advent Devotion/Activity books now available: Christian Ed has ordered Advent devotional booklet for our children and their families. You are invited to pick one up for your family. They will be in Room 3, beginning this Sunday. Look for yellow booklets in a clearly marked box. We hope your family will enjoy using them this Advent season.

Advent and Christmas Events:

Meditative Advent Services. Wednesdays, December 2, 9, and 16, 5:30 p.m. You are warmly invited to participate in these short meditative services. They will be held in the Chapel, and will be followed by soup suppers in Roger Williams. If you can help to provide food for the suppers, please sign up on the sheet near the Fellowship Hall kitchen.
Christmas Dinner. The annual Christmas dinner will be on Sunday evening December 6, at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. This year meat, bread and drinks will be furnished. We ask that you bring a side dish (casserole/vegetables), salad or dessert. We have invited guests from the Muslim community to share this meal with us. We ask that you not use any pork or pork products in preparation of your dishes. A sign-up sheet is on the table outside Fellowship Hall. Please let us know if you are attending so that we can plan quantities of food and seating/table set-up. Childcare will be provided.
Candlelight Communion. Sunday, December 13, 7:00 p.m. You will not want to miss this special service of Advent music, Christmas carols, Scripture readings, and Communion. After the service, the Board of Outreach will host a cookie reception in Fellowship Hall. Childcare will be provided.
Christmas Eve Service. Thursday, December 24, 7:00 p.m. Come with your friends and family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Childcare will be provided.

Repeat Performance! We would love to see the kids sing at Candlelight Communion again this year, so David will meet with any interested kids right after church on December 6th and 13th to learn a fun and easy song! They will meet in the choir room for 15-20 minutes both weeks and then right before Candlelight Communion at 6:30 p.m. All kids are welcome!

Three Sisters, the First United women's group, will hold its next potluck supper on Friday, December 4, at the home of Audrey Levasseur and Moureen Coulter. We will gather at six o'clock for food, drink, and good conversation. Please call 824-5344 if you plan to attend so that we can estimate how much food we will need. (Audrey and Moureen have three dogs, in case anyone is allergic to pet hair.)

Interfaith Homeless Winter Shelter Information:

Moureen Coulter is the site director for the winter shelter. Contact Moureen if you need information about the shelter and/or if you want to help.
Interfaith Winter Shelter. Want to help? Volunteer? Donate? Don't miss the next training. Learn how much there is to know about people who have no place to sleep, how addictions and mental illness impact people who are homeless and how you can help. Training will take place on Thursday, December 10 6-9 p.m. at FirstUnitedChurch on East Third Street. Check out our website: Interfaithwintershelter.org or email: vhall@trinitybloomington.org.

Free Kittens! Please see Lisa in the office if you would like to give a precious kitten a good home.

Minister of Care for the week of November 22 is Malissa Sparks. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

Ordination of Caela Simmons Wood. Save the Date. You are invited to join us in celebrating the Rite of Ordination for Caela Simmons Wood on Sunday, January 10 at 4:00 p.m. This special worship service will happen here at First United Church.

De-Mystifying the Music. "The roots of Christian music" is a seven week Sunday School class taught by David Wood. The class will delve into the questions churches face every week when planning music for worship, from how the hymns will fit lectionary readings, to issues of inclusive language, to what style of music will be offered and how it will be taught. There will also be a trip to the organ loft for a question and answer session with our organist Ed Penhorwood, and an introduction to a new song supplement published this year by the United Church of Christ. Join us in Room 6 now thru December 13.

Announcements for November 15th

2009-11-14T10:52:00.002-05:00

You will find the Announcements for this Sunday below. Sunday School starts at 9:30 a.m. with Worship service starting at 10:45 a.m. We would like to invite you for coffee hour which is right after worship in Fellowship Hall.

Keep up with First United activities by visiting our blog.

Also, remember that Jack and Caela's sermons and other interesting information are available on our web site.

Work Day November 14. The Board of Physical Plant & Facilities has called a fall work day for Saturday, November 14, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, weather permitting. Our principle tasks will be leaf raking and removal, weeding and removing dead plants. Please bring rakes, tarps and other tools we might need. Many hands make light work. Please come help us tidy up our grounds.

Volunteering at Global Gifts. If you're sticking around Bloomington for the holidays and will have some extra time to volunteer, consider helping out at Global Gifts! Global Gifts is a non-profit fair trade store that works to promote fair trade, gender equity, environmental sustainability, and alternative consumer choices. Global Gifts is looking for passionate volunteers to help out especially December 10 thru December 31. There will be a volunteer orientation for holiday volunteers on Sunday November 15 at 3pm. Email Hannah at btownvolunteer@globalgiftsindy.com with questions!

Harvest Thanksgiving Food Drive. The Board of Outreach is sponsoring its annual Harvest Thanksgiving Food Drive during the month of November to help MCUM keep up with the demands of the holiday season. All donations (non-perishable food items) can be put in Room 1. The drive will come to a close the Sunday before Thanksgiving (November 22) with a beautiful display of the collected food in the sanctuary. That Sunday we are also looking for volunteers to help pack up the food after church, and then on Monday to help deliver the food. To volunteer, or if you have any questions, please contact George Birthisel. As the leaves begin to fall, let's join together in sharing our gifts to help our neighbors in need.

Student/Young Adult Sunday evening dinner. The final college student/young adult Sunday evening dinner for the semester will be Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Join us for fellowship, food, and conversation.

Hanging of the Greens. Come join us as we decorate our sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons Sunday, November 22, 4:00 p.m. We will be setting up trees, lights, ornaments, candles, chandeliers, wreaths, garlands, and more! Kids can participate in decorating the sanctuary, putting up and decorating the Christmas trees, and some extra kid-friendly crafts. A simple meal will follow at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

Advent and Christmas Events:

Meditative Advent Services. Wednesdays, December 2, 9, and 16, 5:30 p.m. You are warmly invited to participate in these short meditative services. They will be held in the Chapel, and will be followed by soup suppers in Roger Williams. If you can help to provide food for the suppers, please sign up on the sheet near the Fellowship Hall kitchen.
Christmas Dinner. Sunday, December 6, 6:00 p.m. Join us in Fellowship Hall for this festive dinner planned by our own church members. Reservations will be required. Details will be forthcoming. Childcare will be provided.
Candlelight Communion. Sunday, December 13, 7:00 p.m. You will not want to miss this special service of Advent music, Christmas carols, Scripture readings, and Communion. After the service, the Board of Outreach will host a cookie reception in Fellowship Hall. Childcare will be provided.
Christmas Eve Service. Thursday, December 24, 7:00 p.m. Come with your friends and family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Childcare will be provided.

Interfaith Homeless Winter Shelter Information:

Moureen Coulter is the site director for the winter shelter. Contact Moureen if you need information about the shelter and/or if you want to help. She can be reached at 812-824-5344.
Interfaith Winter Shelter. Want to help? Volunteer? Donate? Don't miss the next training(s). Learn how much there is to know about people who have no place to sleep, how addictions and mental illness impact people who are homeless and how you can help. Training will take place, Monday, November 16 6-9 p.m. at First Christian Church, Kirkwood and Washington Street and on Thursday, December 10 6-9 p.m. at FirstUnitedChurch on East Third Street. Check out our website: Interfaithwintershelter.org or email: vhall@trinitybloomington.org.

Free Kittens! Please see Lisa in the office if you would like to give a precious kitten a good home.

Minister of Care for the week of November 8 is Norm Overly. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

Ordination of Caela Simmons Wood. Save the Date. You are invited to join us in celebrating the Rite of Ordination for Caela Simmons Wood on Sunday, January 10 at 4:00 p.m. This special worship service will happen here at First United Church.

De-Mystifying the Music. "The roots of Christian music" is a seven week Sunday School class taught by David Wood. The class will delve into the questions churches face every week when planning music for worship, from how the hymns will fit lectionary readings, to issues of inclusive language, to what style of music will be offered and how it will be taught. There will also be a trip to the organ loft for a question and answer session with our organist Ed Penhorwood, and an introduction to a new song supplement published this year by the United Church of Christ. Join us in Room 6 now thru December 13. -This week we answer the question, "Why do they keep changing the words to the old hymns?"

Announcements for October 23rd

2009-10-23T11:04:00.001-04:00

UPCOMING COLLEGE/GRAD STUDENT EVENTS!

Young adults are invited to join us for our monthly lunch out Sunday immediately after church. We will meet up after worship and walk somewhere close by to eat lunch together.

The Mennonites of Bloomington invites members of First United Church to the service of installation for their new pastor, Kelly Carson, to be held at 5:00 p.m. Sunday in the chapel here.

Men's Retreat will be October 30 and 31. More information to come. If you have questions please speak with Norm Overly, Al Ruesink, Paul Soderquist, Ted Wininger or Hassle DePree.

A thank you note from Mike Swick, a big thank you to all those who called, sent cards, prayed, and e-mailed because of my surgery. Your concern was much appreciated.

WINTER SHELTER

Last chance to attend a winter shelter training session: Sunday Oct 25, 2-5 p.m. First Christian.
People who have trained and have turned in their volunteer sheet will find a posted sign-up sheet that lists your shift and day. Please check this sheet, and if you have been listed for the wrong shift or day; please contact Moureen Coulter
Moureen Coulter is the site director for the winter shelter. Please contact Moureen if you need information about the shelter and/or if you want to help.
Please help the Homeless Winter Shelter with its needs of; Twin sheets (fitted & flat), pillowcases and twin-sized lightweight blankets. Please bring freshly laundered sheets, cases, and/or blankets. Put them on the table against the wall inside Fellowship Hall (next to closet); sets do not have to match.

Weekly Playgroup. Attention all Parents!! We are having a weekly playgroup at church on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Bring a lunch, invite friends, and come play! If you have any questions feel free to call Jacque Soderquist

Midweek classes. Join Jack's class on Tuesday mornings (10-11:30 a.m.) for "First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God" or Caela's Tuesday evening class (7-8:30 p.m.) for a seven-week series on Spirituality. More information available in the Christian Ed brochures or online. Also, don't forget the two NEW adult Sunday School classes "Faith and the Photographic Image" (please sign up) and "Stewardship as a spiritual practice: Taking the fear and guilt out of faith giving."

Advent and Lent Worship. Calling all worship lovers! We are making plans for Wednesday evening worship and suppers during Advent and Lent. You're invited to shape and plan these times with us. We hope to spend some time together exploring what worship is and what forms contemplative worship may take; then form some teams to plan our services. You can let us know your interest by signing up in the lobby by Fellowship Hall, or by contacting Kyle Hetrick or Dawna Petersen.

De-Mystifying the Music. The roots of Christian music a seven week Sunday School class taught by David Wood. The class will delve into the questions churches face every week when planning music for worship, from how the hymns will fit lectionary readings, to issues of inclusive language, to what style of music will be offered and how it will be taught. There will also be a trip to the organ loft for a question and answer session with our organist Ed Penhorwood, and an introduction to a new song supplement published this year by the United Church of Christ. Join us in Room 6 with your own questions or a curious mind starting on November 1.

Coffee Hour sign-up sheets for November and December have disappeared. If you have signed up for anytime during those months, please re-sign-up on the new coffee hours sheets. Thank you!

The Stewardship Committee is organizing a series of gatherings in the last week of October and the first week of November. We will be meeting in small groups to discuss the future goals for our congregation and how to achieve these goals. The sign-up sheets for these gatherings are in the entryway near Fellowship Hall. Please sign up for a gathering in the next two weeks.

BABY SHOWER. A baby shower for Caela and David Wood, Sunday November 15, following morning worship service. Pitch-in-lunch. Caela and David are registered for gifts at: http://www.thethingsiwant.com/phaedra13/list/baby%20registry/ or go to http://www.thethingsiwant.com and then search for Caela Wood or David Wood.
They would also appreciate gently-used items. Sign up with Lisa or outside Fellowship Hall. Jeanne Overly and Jacque Soderquist.

Minister of Care for the week of October 25 is Erika Edens. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

Interfaith Winter Shelter Seeks Volunteers

2009-10-13T09:41:00.001-04:00

The Interfaith Winter Shelter, a low barrier overnight shelter designed to provide homeless people a warm and safe place to sleep, depends totally on volunteers and is actively seeking volunteers as it gears up for the winter season, which begins Nov. 1. IWS operates as a "rotating site": three congregations take turns providing space and bedding, and community members serve as volunteer staff.

All volunteers are required to attend one three hour training session.

Upcoming training dates are:

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6-9 p.m.
First United Church, firstunited@firstunitedchurchbloomington.org

Monday, Oct. 19, 6-9 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church, admin@trinitybloomington.org

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2-5 p.m.
First Christian Church, fcc@fcc-blmgtn.org

Volunteers may train at any location and serve at any location. They do not have to be a member of a faith community in order to volunteer. Volunteers must be 18 or older, or must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while volunteering and at orientation.

Online registration and detailed information is available at http://interfaithwintershelter.org/volunteer/ or email one of the training sites.

Announcements for October 9th

2009-10-09T12:49:00.001-04:00

A congregational meeting has been set for Sunday, October 11, for members to vote on the calling of Caela Wood as Associate Minister at First United. The meeting will take place immediately following services. The vote will be by ballot.

Men's Breakfast! Join us on October 17 at 8:00 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Guest speaker will be Harry Hollis who will be speaking about: Global Warming- plus more. All are welcome to attend!

Please sign-up if you would like to attend and have not recieved a call or post card.

UPCOMING COLLEGE/GRAD STUDENT EVENTS!

1. College/Grad Student Dinner and Discussion TONIGHT (Sunday, October 11)! Join us at 6 p.m. this evening for a home cooked meal and some good discussion. We're going to be sharing some stories about this topic: "What has been your faith journey so far?"

2. College/Grad Student movie night - Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Roger Williams. We are still deciding on a movie, but we'll let you know soon. Snacks and fun discussion will be provided. Come, and bring a friend!

Men's Retreat will be October 30 and 31. More information to come. If you have questions please speak with Norm Overly, Al Ruesink, Paul Soderquist, Ted Wininger or Hassle DePree.

Winter Shelter. Moureen Coulter is the site director for the winter shelter. Please contact Moureen if you need information about the shelter and/or if you want to help.

All volunteers working in the winter shelter must attend one of the three training sessions: Wed Oct 14, 6-9 p.m. at First United in Fellowship Hall; Mon, Oct 19, 6-9 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal; or Sunday Oct 25th , 2-5 p.m., First Christian.

Homeless Winter Shelter Needs. We need twin sheets (fitted & flat), pillowcases and twin-sized lightweight blankets. Please bring freshly laundered sheets, cases, and/or blankets. Put them on the table against the wall inside Fellowship Hall (next to closet); sets do not have to match.

CROP Walk. IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN! The annual CROP walk to raise money for worldwide hunger relief will take place on Sunday, October 18, at 2:00 p.m. Participants should plan to gather at MCUM around 1:30 p.m. Moureen Coulter and Audrey Levasseur are coordinating the First United contingent this year. They will be at the table outside Fellowship Hall after the service to sign up walkers and to provide information. If you cannot walk, please support those who do with your donations! Checks must be made payable to CWS/CROP.

Weekly Playgroup. Attention all Parents!! We are having a weekly playgroup at church on Thursdays from 11a.m.-1p.m. Bring a lunch, invite friends, and come play! If you have any questions feel free to call Jacque Soderquist.

Need a Ping Pong Table? The Ping Pong Table gets little use here and we'd like to find someone who could use it, or would take it to a local organization who might like to have it. Contact Sarah Burton if interested.

Midweek classes. Join Jack's class on Tuesday mornings (10-11:30 a.m.) for "First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God" or Caela's Tuesday evening class (7-8:30 p.m.) for a seven-week series on Spirituality. More information available in the Christian Ed brochures or online. Also, don't forget the two NEW adult Sunday School classes "Faith and the Photographic Image" (please sign up) and "Stewardship as a spiritual practice: Taking the fear and guilt out of faith giving."

Advent and Lent Worship. Calling all worship lovers! We are making plans for Wednesday evening worship and suppers during Advent and Lent. You're invited to shape and plan these times with us. We hope to spend some time together exploring what worship is and what forms contemplative worship may take; then form some teams to plan our services. You can let us know your interest by signing up in the lobby by Fellowship Hall, or by contacting Kyle Hetrick or Dawna Petersen.

Book Discussion Group. The book selected for October is "Hiding in the Spotlight" by former H-T columnist, Greg Dawson. It's the story of his mother's escape from the Holocaust. The Discussion Group meets the third Monday of each month. Come join us October 19, at 1:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Stewardship Dinners. As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Cultivating a Church with Vibrant Purpose. You can discern God's purpose and the path God is calling your congregation to walk. In this workshop, Graham Standish explores the loss of spiritual vibrancy in many congregations and how to restore that vitality and enthusiasm. Based on his book Becoming a Blessed Church, Standish discusses ways to lead your congregation to become a blessed church. The workshop describes how a church that is open to God's purpose, presence and power can claim God's blessing to be uniquely grounded in a relationship with God with a vibrant sense of faith, hope and love, and to embrace the sacred and not be afraid to serve God in its own way. Cultivating a Church with Vibrant Purpose will help you find God in your midst and become aware of the many ways the blessings of God's Spirit flow through your congregation. The workshop is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, October 22, at Zion United Church of Christ, 8916 E. Troy Ave. in Indianapolis. The cost is $30 a person ($25 a person for teams of three or more). The fee includes lunch and a copy of Standish's book, Becoming a Blessed Church. MeRC would like to sponsor a group to attend this workshop. Please talk to Sam Troxal in you are interested.

Minister of Care for the week of October 4 is Jeanne Overly. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

Sing Spiritually

2009-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Sing Spiritually

Growing up in a United Methodist household and the sons of two musicians, it was a given that my brother and I would be involved in the music of our church. As long as I can remember, I have been able to find my way through a hymnal and was always expected to join in. My case is not typical, however. For a large portion of the church family, music has been the domain of the learned musician, and for others, church may have been the place they were told they “couldn’t sing.” That’s a great shame.

Many of our ancestors in the church have known the importance of the congregation’s voice. Not the least among them was John Wesley. John and his brother Charles are responsible for composing many of the familiar hymns that have been passed down, and in the introduction to every Methodist hymnal since 1761 you can find John’s “Directions for Singing.”

These aren’t directions aren’t meant for the choir or as tips for a soloist; aside from a charge to “sing in time” the rules are more about the spirit of participation rather than a focus on musical excellence. A former professor used to ask us to “make mistakes and make them boldly,” or else how would we learn? So when you are in church next and you open the hymnal to take part in the great lineage of singing, don't worry about whether you're wrong or right, sing spiritually.

In Christ,

David

John Wesley’s Directions for Singing (1761)

1. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up and you will find a blessing.

2. Sing lustily, and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of it being heard, then when you sing the songs of Satan.

3. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, as to be heard above, or distinct from, the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

4. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before, not stay behind it; but attend closely to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can. And take care you sing not too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from among us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

5. Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this, attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve of here, and reward when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

Announcements for September 20th

2009-09-19T08:39:00.001-04:00

ATTENTION BICYCLISTS! It’s time for another ride! The date will be September 20, leaving from the church at 3:00, route to be determined later, but we’ll probably keep it simple – and while we’re at it, we need to be thinking about planning a trip for next summer, so bring some ideas and let’s get started! See you then!

Spirit Café at Lunch Today -Along with the church lunch after worship this Sunday MeRC is hosting Spirit Café--more information to follow at lunch…

Gwen Storms and Melba Aynes want to thank the members of the First United Church for your support during the loss of our dear sister, Freida Pitha. All your concern, cards and prayers make this time of healing easier for us. Your kind words and memories of our sister continue to sustain and comfort us.

Attention all Parents!! We will be having a weekly playgroup at church on Thursdays from 11am-1pm. Bring a lunch, invite friends, and come play! If you have any questions feel free to call Jacque Soderquist.

Ministry Fair-MeRC is hosting a ministry fair after worship this Sunday September 20th) in the hall between the sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. Please stop by and learn about ministry opportunities at First United.

Midweek classes! Join Jack’s class on Tuesday mornings (10-11:30am) for “First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God” or Caela’s Tuesday evening class (7-8:30pm) for a seven-week series on Spirituality. More information available in the Christian Ed brochures or online. Also, don’t forget that two NEW adult Sunday School classes “Faith and the Photographic Image” (please sign up) and “Stewardship as a spiritual practice: Taking the fear and guilt out of faith giving.”

Monroe County United Ministries is celebrating its 70th birthday with an Ice Cream Social on Sunday September 27th from 3-5pm. MCUM is located at 827 W. 14th st, next to Tri-North Middle school. Family and friends are welcome. This is MCUM’s way to say Thank you to all its sponsors and donors.

Please bring your pet and join us for our annual Blessing of the Animals – Sunday, October 4th at 4pm. This event commemorates the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, who was a great lover of animals. We will give thanks for our animals and each one will be offered an individual blessing. We will also remember those animals who have left our families this past year. General gallivanting around the playground will also be in order. Please bring along a bag to clean up after your pet and a treat to nibble on, if that’s appropriate. Join us at the new pavilion and bring a friend!

Cookout/ Hayride-First United will be having a cookout and hayride on Friday October 9th starting at 6 pm at Schooner Valley Stables. I'll bring Hot Dogs, Veggie Dogs, and Smores. If you bring a dish it will be appreciated. If you want to ride the horses you should call the Stables and arrive early. The stables are located on State Road 46 between Bloomington and Nashville. A car pool group will meet at First United and leave for Schooner Valley Stable at 5:30.

Spirituality Workshop-Leading Christian author, historian, and congregational development expert Diana Butler Bass will conduct a daylong congregational development workshop of formation and renewal for lay and clergy leaders on Saturday, September 26 at Christ Church Cathedral from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Dr. Butler Bass will help us examine the dynamic effect that congregations experience when they rediscover the richness of the Christian heritage. She will describe the invigorating effects she has observed and researched in many mainline congregations when they thoughtfully draw upon patterns of Christian spiritual practice from earlier periods. Using her research and studies, she will help our gathering to understand that a congregation’s critical appreciation of its tradition is key to its vitality. Open to everyone, this gathering will energize and strengthen all who care about the future of mainline, progressive Christianity in the face of radical cultural shifts and new opportunities. The cost for the day is $10. RSVP to Ellen Shaugnessy at 317-636-4577 or ellens@cccindy.org by Sept. 20.

Calling all worship lovers! We are making plans for Wednesday evening worship and suppers during Advent and Lent. You're invited to shape and plan these times with us. We hope to spend some time together exploring what worship is and what forms contemplative worship may take; then form some teams to plan our services. You can let us know your interest by signing up in the lobby by Fellowship Hall, or by contacting Kyle Hetrick or Dawna Petersen.

Men’s retreat happening in October. Dates October 30th and 31st. More information to come. Any questions please speak with Norm Overly, Al Ruesink, Paul Soderquist, Ted Wininger or Hassle DePree.

Stewardship Dinners - As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Minister of Care for the week of September 20 is Erika Edens. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

The Monroe County Chapter of the American Red Cross Book Fair is right around the corner. Last year, they offered approximately 47 tons of books to 5,000 patrons and raised over $69,000 to support the vital mission of the Red Cross in Monroe and Owen Counties. Over 300 volunteers made it possible! This is the ideal service opportunity, long-running (we need volunteers from September 24th-October 8th, and shifts are very flexible), with diverse opportunities that offer something for everyone. It’s a lot of fun, and a great way for people to give back to their community (with proceeds going directly into disaster relief, services to armed forces, and lifesaving classes, right here in Monroe and Owen Counties). If you’re interested, check the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network

New Sunday School Class: Faith and Photographic Image

2009-09-18T14:28:00.001-04:00

New Sunday school class beginning this Sunday!

Faith and Photographic Image
September 20 – October 25
Roger Williams room (9:30-10:30)

Photographs are a powerful medium to spark dialogue. As a group, we’ll take photographs and then use them to explore our spiritual lives and practices. This is a process building class, and so committed participation by regular attendance is important. You don’t need to be tech savvy; we’ll work together to ensure that all can participate.

If you didn't have a chance to sign up at church, contact Candace and she'll add you to the list. This will help Candace and Kathy to plan accordingly based on an estimated number of participants. We will also be writing throughout our time together, if you have a special journal you're encouraged to bring it each week. Paper and writing utensils will be provided for all.

Questions? See Candace Kuby or Kathy Ruesink

Announcements for September 13th

2009-09-11T16:15:00.003-04:00

Work Day-Come and help us paint the new pavilion in the playground Saturday September 12th starting at 8:00 am. Step ladders and paint brushes would come in handy.

Thanks so much to the choir for the beautiful corsage and your dedication of last Sunday's anthem to my 5l years as a choir member. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and have made some wonderful friends who I will never forget! God bless all of you. Ginny Fiscus

Last Sunday (9/6) the congregation voted overwhelmingly in favor of First United becoming a site for the winter emergency shelter for the homeless in our community

Attention all Parents!! We will be having a weekly playgroup at church on Thursdays from 11am-1pm starting September 3. Bring a lunch, invite friends, and come play! If you have any questions feel free to call Jacque Soderquist at 812.219.9239.

Midweek classes begin this week! Join Jack’s class on Tuesday mornings (10-11:30am) for “First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God” or Caela’s Tuesday evening class (7-8:30pm) for a seven-week series on Spirituality. More information available in the Christian Ed brochures or online. Also, don’t forget that two NEW adult Sunday School classes begin on September 20th – “Faith and the Photographic Image” (please sign up) and “Stewardship as a spiritual practice: Taking the fear and guilt out of faith giving.”

Monroe County United Ministries is celebrating its 70th birthday with an Ice Cream Social on Sunday September 27th from 3-5pm. MCUM is located at 827 W. 14th st, next to Tri-North Middle school. Family and friends are welcome. This is MCUM’s way to say Thank you to all its sponsors and donors.

Please bring your pet and join us for our annual Blessing of the Animals – Sunday, October 4th at 4pm. This event commemorates the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, who was a great lover of animals. We will give thanks for our animals and each one will be offered an individual blessing. We will also remember those animals who have left our families this past year. General gallivanting around the playground will also be in order. Please bring along a bag to clean up after your pet and a treat to nibble on, if that’s appropriate. Join us at the new pavilion and bring a friend!

Cookout/ Hayride-First United will be having a cookout and hayride on Friday October 9th starting at 6 pm at Schooner Valley Stables. I'll bring Hot Dogs, Veggie Dogs, and Smores. If you bring a dish it will be appreciated. If you want to ride the horses you should call the Stables and arrive early. The stables are located on State Road 46 between Bloomington and Nashville.

Calling all worship lovers! We are making plans for Wednesday evening worship and suppers during Advent and Lent. You're invited to shape and plan these times with us. We hope to spend some time together exploring what worship is and what forms contemplative worship may take; then form some teams to plan our services. You can let us know your interest by signing up in the lobby by Fellowship Hall, or by contacting Kyle Hetrick or Dawna Petersen.

Men’s retreat happening in October. Dates October 30th and 31st. More information to come. Any questions please speak with Norm Overly, Al Ruesink, Paul Soderquist, Ted Wininger or Hassle DePree.

Ministry Fair at First United Church-Member Relations Committee (MeRC) is sponsoring a Ministry Fair after worship September 20. All things we do are considered ministry, from the bell choir to Women’s Circle, from boards and committees to the biking group to the Stewardship Committee. Please contact Mary Peckham.

Stewardship Dinners - As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Minister of Care for the week of September 13 is Phyllis Perkins. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, call the office at 332-4439.

The Monroe County Chapter of the American Red Cross Book Fair is right around the corner. Last year, they offered approximately 47 tons of books to 5,000 patrons and raised over $69,000 to support the vital mission of the Red Cross in Monroe and Owen Counties. Over 300 volunteers made it possible! This is the ideal service opportunity, long-running (we need volunteers from September 24th-October 8th, and shifts are very flexible), with diverse opportunities that offer something for everyone. It’s a lot of fun, and a great way for people to give back to their community (with proceeds going directly into disaster relief, services to armed forces, and lifesaving classes, right here in Monroe and Owen Counties). If you’re interested, check the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network

ATTENTION BICYCLISTS! It’s time for another ride! The date will be September 20, leaving from the church at 3:00, route to be determined later, but we’ll probably keep it simple – and while we’re at it, we need to be thinking about planning a trip for next summer, so bring some ideas and let’s get started! See you then!

New concert series to start this Sunday

2009-09-09T08:20:00.003-04:00

Starting this month, First United will begin celebrating the arts in an exciting way with a new concert series in our sanctuary. The lineup for this first season ranges widely, from Baroque music performed on period instruments to a celebration of sacred choral music featuring a number of local church choirs. Ten concerts are currently scheduled between September and April, most of which will be free of charge. Look for the Tower Concert Series brochure this week and mark your calendars for our inaugural concert, this Sunday, September 13th at 4pm featuring chamber music of Johann Sebastian Bach by ensemble Resonata.

Other upcoming TCS concerts

Nov. 1st - First United Church Choir presents Vivaldi’s “Magnificat” and “Gloria”
Nov. 4th - Organ students from the Jacobs School of Music performing on the 1stUC Schantz Organ

Dec. 6th - The Quarryland Men’s Chorus Winter Concert "I Still Believe"
Dec. 13th - Candlelight Communion

Jan 24th—Spanish Baroque opera from Ensemble L’Aura

Feb. 7th—Johanness Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes in a version for piano four-hands, featuring pianists Charles Webb and Edwin Penhorwood.
Feb. 28th—The Schantz Organ takes center stage again in a concert with faculty organists from the Jacobs School of Music.

Mar. 7th—Churches from across Bloomington gather for the first annual Sacred Choral Music Festival.

Apr. 2nd—First United Church’s annual Good Friday musical vigil.
Apr. 18th—Edwin Penhorwood’s children’s opera Gramma’s Gift.

Baptists historically argued for religious freedom as well as freedom from religion

2009-08-30T23:06:00.004-04:00

As printed in the Bloomington Herald-Times on August 15th.

I am a Baptist and an ordained clergy in Bloomington, and I applaud Bloomington Transit for finally choosing to openly accept advertisements from a group that believes happiness and meaning can be found outside of God.

We Baptists, long before many contemporary Baptists lost their historic memory, fought first in the Colony of Rhode Island, for the rights of people in this country to be accepted whether they were believers in Christianity or members of other faith enterprises or even for those who choose to not believe at all.

This premise of Baptists in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. Revolutionary War is the basis upon which the First Amendment to the Constitution was written, from which we have gained nearly two-and-a-half centuries of religious freedom and freedom from religion.

We Baptists have historically argued for religious liberty asking, “What good is saying “Yes” to God, if you don’t have the same freedom to say, “No?” Religion has certainly proliferated in our country because of the radical freedom of expression or non expression that we are openly granted in our country. We Baptists have historically argued that it is not free expression unless all have the same right to free expression. Atheists and agnostics should certainly have the same freedom of expression in the public marketplace as tradition faith expressions.

I would rather embrace most days a person who is happy without God than a mean spirited believer in Christianity who actively seeks to deny expression to those who disagree with them and wants to save them to their insistence that their way is the only way. Sharing the public marketplace is a good thing.

Reverend Jack Skiles

Announcements for August 28th

2009-08-28T19:45:00.001-04:00

Another informational session has been scheduled for discussion on the current Interfaith Coalition to meet the emergency shelter needs of the homeless in Bloomington. Sarah Burton, Al Ruesink and Sam Troxal will lead the discussion in room 6 Sunday August 30^th , shortly after services. Our last session was well attended with questions and concerns answered.

KidsWorship Open House – Room One has undergone a transformation this summer! Please stop by after worship Sunday August 30, to get a tour of our new room. Children, parents, and all interested people are invited to come see our wonderful new story boxes!

The young adults will gather for our weekly lunch out Sunday August 30^th right after church. Please join us to decide where we’d like to walk for lunch. We have lunch together on the last Sunday of every month.

A Parent/ Teacher meeting will be held Sunday August 30^th at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. There will be snacks, a short overview of KidsWorship and Children's Learning Time, a review of the church safety policy, and a time for questions and comments on children's Christian education for the upcoming year. There is no need to RSVP. Everyone is very welcome.

Sign ups have begun for the women's retreat! Our next meeting is "potluck" style right after church TODAY in Roger Williams. The retreat is September 18-19 at Waycross Retreat Center. If you're longing for the Living God (our theme), we'd welcome your participation! Sign-up sheets, with additional information, can be found at each entrance to the sanctuary near the recycled bulletin baskets or by Fellowship hall. Please return the sign up sheet & your payment to either the church office or one of the members of the planning team (Dawna Petersen, Rebecca Nunley, Candace Kuby, Emily Brown, Jamie Brazel, Barb Clark, Catherine Gray and Jessica Birthisel). Sign-up sheets are due by Sunday, September 6th. If you have questions, please see a member of the planning team. We also welcome you to join our planning team!

The new year for the Circle of Women's Ministries will begin very early as its first meeting is Tuesday, September l, at 1:30 pm in Roger Williams Hall. Our Assistant Minister, Caela Wood, will present the program on "Ecologically Sound Ways of Cleaning House". Helen Stout and Margie Shick will be hostesses and all women of the church are invited to attend.

MCUM REMINDER – In these tough economic times, the demands on MCUM’s food pantry resources are greater than ever. Please, give generously, and remember to bring in your donations on the first Sunday of every month to help keep the pantry stocked. Needs include not just food items, but cleaning and personal hygiene supplies as well. Donations can be left anytime on the shelves outside Fellowship Hall. Thank you so much!

A congregational meeting will be held on Sunday Sept 6 following services. The purpose of the meeting is for the congregation to vote on the current proposal for First United to be a weekly participant in providing emergency winter shelter, between November 1 and March 31, for the homeless in our community.

Men’s Breakfast is starting back up with the first breakfast being held on September 19^th at 8:00am. Guest speaker will be Bob Hammel who will be speaking about his friendship with Bob Knight, plus more! All are welcome to attend.

Work Day-Come and help us paint the new pavilion in the playground Saturday September 12th starting at 8:00 am. Step ladders and paint brushes would come in handy.

It's time to sign up for our blood drive! Our first blood drive will be held on Sunday, September 13, from 9 am until 1 pm. Sign up outside Fellowship Hall after service, or call Lisa during the week to reserve your slot. We also need volunteers to man the sign-in table and the canteen table. Ask your friends and neighbors to join you in giving the gift of blood.

Ministry Fair at First United Church-Member Relations Committee (MeRC) is sponsoring a Ministry Fair after worship September 20. All things we do are considered ministry, from the bell choir to Women’s Circle, from boards and committees to the biking group to the Stewardship Committee. All ministries are encouraged and asked to participate in this event to introduce/remind/familiarize the congregation with your ministry. Space and tables will be provided depending on your ministry’s needs, from a simple sign-up sheet to a full display. Please contact Mary Peckham.

Stewardship Dinners - As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Ride Needed – There is a young woman named Consuela who has been attending our church recently. She just moved to the 300 block of South Grant Street and is in need of a regular ride to worship. If you might be able to give her a ride, please contact the church office. She would very much like to come to church.

Free swimming and sliding at Bryan Park- First United Church has a pass for free swimming and sliding any day the pool is open until the close of the season (Sept. 7) or the pass is used up. Just tell the admission people that you are with First United Church. It would be a shame to let the pass go to waste so please help us use it up. Board of Christian Education.

Minister of Care for the week of August 23is Erika Edens. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, please speak with Jean Peters or Peggy Petranoff. You may also call the office at 332-4439.

Announcements for August 21st

2009-08-21T12:02:00.004-04:00

KidsWorship Open House – Room One has undergone a transformation this summer! Please stop by after worship Sunday August 23 or Sunday, August 30 to get a tour of our new room. Children, parents, and all interested people are invited to come see our wonderful new story boxes!

ATTENTION ALL BICYCLISTS! Some of us need a bike ride, and Sunday is the day, weather permitting, of course. We’ll meet at the church at 2:00pm and ride about 20-25 fairly easy miles - route to be decided later. Please plan to join us, we always have a good time!

The young adults will gather for our weekly lunch out on Sunday, August 30 right after church. Please join us to decide where we’d like to walk for lunch. We have lunch together on the last Sunday of every month.

Calling all worship lovers! We are making plans for Wednesday evening worship and suppers during Advent and Lent. You're invited to shape and plan these times with us. We hope to spend some time together exploring what worship is and what forms contemplative worship may take; then form some teams to plan our services. You can let us know your interest by signing up in the lobby by Fellowship Hall, or by contacting Kyle Hetrick or Dawna Petersen.

Second Info Session on Homeless Shelter
Another informational session has been scheduled for discussion on the current Interfaith Coalition to meet the emergency shelter needs of the homeless in Bloomington. Sarah Burton, Al Ruesink and Sam Troxal will lead the discussion in room 6 on Sunday, Aug 30th, shortly after services. Our last session was well attended with questions and concerns answered.

A congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, September 6 following services. The purpose of the meeting is for the congregation to vote on the current proposal for First United to be a weekly participant in providing emergency winter shelter, between November 1 and March 31, for the homeless in our community.

Work Day-Come and help us paint the new pavilion in the playground Saturday September 12th starting at 8:00 am. Step ladders and paint brushes would come in handy.

The new year for the Circle of Women's Ministries will begin very early as its first meeting is Tuesday, September l, at 1:30 pm in Roger Williams Hall. Our Assistant Minister, Caela Wood, will present the program on "Ecologically Sound Ways of Cleaning House". Helen Stout and Margie Shick will be hostesses and all women of the church are invited to attend.

It's time to sign up for our blood drive! Our first blood drive will be held on Sunday, September 13, from 9 am until 1 pm. Sign up outside Fellowship Hall after service, or call Lisa during the week to reserve your slot. We also need volunteers to man the sign-in table and the canteen table. Ask your friends and neighbors to join you in giving the gift of blood.

Sign ups have begun for the 1st UC women's retreat! The retreat is September 18-19 at Waycross Retreat Center. If you're longing for the Living God (our theme), we'd welcome your participation! Sign-up sheets, with additional information, can be found at each entrance to the sanctuary near the recycled bulletin baskets or by Fellowship hall. Please return the sign up sheet & your payment to either the church office or one of the members of the planning team (Dawna Petersen, Rebecca Nunley, Candace Kuby, Emily Brown, Jamie Brazel, Barb Clark, Catherine Gray and Jessica Birthisel). Sign-up sheets are due by Sunday, September 6th. If you have questions, please see a member of the planning team. We also welcome you to join our planning team! Our next meeting is "potluck" style right after church on Sunday, August 30 in Roger Williams.

Ministry Fair at First United Church-Member Relations Committee (MeRC) is sponsoring a Ministry Fair after worship September 20. All things we do are considered ministry, from the bell choir to Women’s Circle, from boards and committees to the biking group to the Stewardship Committee. All ministries are encouraged and asked to participate in this event to introduce/remind/familiarize the congregation with your ministry. Space and tables will be provided depending on your ministry’s needs, from a simple sign-up sheet to a full display. Please contact Mary Peckham.

Stewardship Dinners - As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Ride Needed – There is a young woman named Consuela who has been attending our church recently. She just moved to the 300 block of South Grant Street and is in need of a regular ride to worship. If you might be able to give her a ride, please contact her or the church office. She would very much like to come to church.

Free swimming and sliding at Bryan Park- First United Church has a pass for free swimming and sliding any day the pool is open until the close of the season (Sept. 7) or the pass is used up. Just tell the admission people that you are with First United Church. It would be a shame to let the pass go to waste so please help us use it up. Board of Christian Education.

A Parent/Teacher meeting will be held Sunday August 30th at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. There will be snacks, a short overview of KidsWorship and Children's Learning Time, a review of the church safety policy, and a time for questions and comments on children's Christian education for the upcoming year. There is no need to RSVP. Everyone is very welcome.

Helpers Needed to bring in food items for the three September student lunches that will take place: 9/6, 9/14, 9/27. We will need volunteers to provide items in the following 4 categories, namely: *Meat Entrée, *Vegetarian Entrée, *Vegetable/Salad, *Bread & Dessert. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside the Fellowship Hall kitchen. If anyone has any questions, please contact Sandy Keller.

Minister of Care for the week of August 23 is Jean Peters. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, please speak with Jean Peters or Peggy Petranoff. You may also call the office at 332-4439.

Upcoming events for college/grad students

2009-08-16T21:59:00.001-04:00

Another school year means more events for our college and grad students. We are pleased to announce that Emily Walsh will co-facilitate our student group this year and will be joined by Kelsey Adams. The students have already planned several events for the fall:

Sundays, September 7, 13, and 27 – Student lunches after church

Join us for informal conversation and a chance to meet other students at First United. Homecooked meals provided by members of the congregation. Invite a friend!

Sunday, October 4 – Cookout at Bryan Park

Our second annual! Join us for a cookout at one of the shelters at Bryan Park. It’s a chance to get together outside of the church and relax. Food will be provided (including a vegetarian option).

Sundays, October 11 through November, 15 – Homecooked evening meals at church

The Board of Christian Ed will be working to have other folks in the church provide a meal for us each Sunday evening. We will also recruit some students to help us have meaningful conversations with each other (you know, more than just, “So, what are your studying?” and “Hey, how are your classes?”).

Do we do more than eat? YES! We hope to get together for some movie nights (ones where we can have great discussion – like when we watched Jesus Camp last year) and are also looking for other idea of what we should do. Have some ideas? Contact Emily or Kelsey at their IU e-mails to let them know.

Announcements for August 14th

2009-08-15T20:06:00.006-04:00

Dr. Skiles, Sara Burton and Sam Troxal will host an update meeting on the current Interfaith Coalition to meet the emergency shelter needs of the homeless in Bloomington. The current proposal for First United to be a weekly participant in hosting homeless guests will be outlined along with a question and answer period. The meeting will be in Room 6 and will start about ten minutes after the end of worship Sunday August 16th.

ATTENTION ALL BICYCLISTS! Some of us need a bike ride, and Sunday the 23rd will be the date, weather permitting, of course. We’ll meet at the church at 2:00pm and ride about 20-25 fairly easy miles - route to be decided later. Please plan to join us, we always have a good time!

The new fair trade store, Global Gifts, is getting ready to open in late August-early September (Downtown on the square, next to Roots). Global Gifts is affiliated with Ten Thousand Villages and is committed to paying artisians fair wages, as well as promoting environmental sustainability and gender equity. Global Gifts is primarily volunteer-run and we need help to get started! There are two short volunteer training sessions coming up this week on Thursday (8/20) from 7-8:30pm and Saturday (1-2:30pm); if you are interested in learning more about fair trade and volunteering, please stop by to one of the sessions! If you can't make it, shoot an e-mail to btownvolunteer@globalgiftsindy.com (and First United member Hannah Cartwright will get back to you) and we'll let you know when volunteer trainings are set for September. In the meantime, get excited to come see us when we open in a few weeks!

The new year for the Circle of Women's Ministries will begin very early as its first meeting is Tuesday, September l, at 1:30 pm in Roger Williams Hall. Our Assistant Minister, Caela Wood, will present the program on "Ecologically Sound Ways of Cleaning House". Helen Stout and Margie Shick will be hostesses and all women of the church are invited to attend.

First United’s Blood Drive: It's time to sign up for our blood drive, which will take place Sunday, September 13th from 9am until 1pm. After today's service there will be a sign-up table outside Fellowship Hall. We also need volunteers to man the registration table and the refreshment table. Sign up for that as well! During the week, Lisa will have sign-up sheets in her office. You may stop in or call her. Please give blood.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins August 22. Ramadan is observed by fasting until sundown each day. I am looking for anyone interested in joining with our Moslem brothers and sisters as they break fast(fasting that day is optional) at the Islamic Center of Bloomington at 1925 E Atwater Ave. The day is yet to be determined, depending on what works for those interested. Please contact Sam Troxal.

Ministry Fair at First United Church-Member Relations Committee (MeRC) is sponsoring a Ministry Fair after worship September 20. All things we do are considered ministry, from the bell choir to Women’s Circle, from boards and committees to the biking group to the Stewardship Committee. All ministries are encouraged and asked to participate in this event to introduce/remind/familiarize the congregation with your ministry. Space and tables will be provided depending on your ministry’s needs, from a simple sign-up sheet to a full display. Please contact Mary Peckham.

Stewardship Dinners - As part of our upcoming stewardship campaign, the stewardship committee is organizing small dinners in the homes of members. These dinners will be an opportunity to talk about our hopes and plans for the church, as well as what it will take to reach these goals financially. We are looking for volunteers who will be willing to either host a gathering in their home or help with an event. If you would like to help out, please speak with a member of the stewardship committee: Tom Busey, Nick Foster, Lou Cooper, Jacque Soderquist and Pat Martin.

Ride Needed – There is a young woman named Consuela who has been attending our church recently. She just moved to the 300 block of South Grant Street and is in need of a regular ride to worship. If you might be able to give her a ride, please contact her. She would very much like to come to church.

KidsWorship Open House – Room One has undergone a transformation this summer! Please stop by after worship on Sunday, August 23 or Sunday, August 30 to get a tour of our new room. Children, parents, and all interested people are invited to come see our wonderful new story boxes!

Free swimming and sliding at Bryan Park- First United Church has a pass for free swimming and sliding any day the pool is open until the close of the season (Sept. 7) or the pass is used up. Just tell the admission people that you are with First United Church. It would be a shame to let the pass go to waste so please help us use it up. Board of Christian Education.

Save the dates of September 18-19 (approximately 5 p.m. on the 18th through 4 p.m. on the 19th) to participate in a women's retreat at Waycross Retreat Center. If you're Longing for the Living God (our theme), we'd welcome your participation! We will provide more detailed information about cost and times as the dates approach, but please feel free to ask any members of the planning team questions you might have. We also welcome you to join our planning team! Current members are Dawna Petersen, Caela Wood, Rebecca Nunley, Candace Kuby, Emily Brown, Jamie Brazel, Barb Clark, Catherine Gray and Jessica Birthisel. Our next planning meeting is Monday, August 17 at 6:30pm at the home of Jamie Brazel.

Core Farms CSA is currently taking orders for winter shares which will start Saturday, October 17 and run through December 19 (10 weeks). Each share is $300. This is a great way to buy locally grown produce and have weekly cooking adventures! Some of the items for the share include: apples, beets, broccoli, carrots, mixed greens, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pie pumpkins, freezer berries, and fresh apple cider. If you think a share is too large, you can always pair up with someone and split a share. Pick up times are on Saturday from 10:30-2:30 at Musgrave Orchard (2 miles north of Oliver Winery). If you would like to purchase a share, see Candace Kuby for an order form which is due by September, 1. If you'd like to be in a group rotation for picking up shares, let Candace know as well.

A Parent/ Teacher meeting will be held Sunday August 30th at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. There will be snacks, a short overview of KidsWorship and Children's Learning Time, a review of the church safety policy, and a time for questions and comments on children's Christian education for the upcoming year. There is no need to RSVP. Everyone is very welcome.

Helpers Needed to bring in food items for the three September student lunches that will take place: 9/6, 9/14, 9/27. We will need volunteers to provide items in the following 4 categories, namely: *Meat Entrée, *Vegetarian Entrée, *Vegetable/Salad, *Bread & Dessert. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside the Fellowship Hall kitchen. If anyone has any questions, please contact Sandy Keller at skeller@absoluteresearch.net.

Minister of Care for the week of August 2 is Erika Edens. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, please speak with Jean Peters or Peggy Petranoff. You may also call the office at 332-4439.

Still hunting for some bloggers....

2009-08-11T10:26:00.002-04:00

Hi, friends. You may have noticed that we don't update the blog quite as often as we used to. We are still searching for a few folks who might be interested in updating our blog on a regular basis. This could include posting announcements about upcoming events, reflections, photos, links to other content online, etc. If you're interested, let me know!

In the meantime, we do have a Twitter feed that is updated with great regularity and a Facebook fan page that gets the info from Twitter and more.

Announcements for August 7th

2009-08-07T11:08:00.002-04:00

Ride Needed – There is a young woman named Consuela who has been attending our church recently. She just moved to the 300 block of South Grant Street and is in need of a regular ride to worship. If you might be able to give her a ride, please contact her at daisymaeh@yahoo.com or 322-7980. She would very much like to come to church.

KidsWorship Open House – Room One has undergone a transformation this summer! Please stop by after worship on Sunday, August 23 or Sunday, August 30 to get a tour of our new room. Children, parents, and all interested people are invited to come see our wonderful new story boxes!

Core Farms CSA is currently taking orders for winter shares which will start Saturday, October 17 and run through December 19 (10 weeks). Each share is $300. This is a great way to buy locally grown produce and have weekly cooking adventures! Some of the items for the share include: apples, beets, broccoli, carrots, mixed greens, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pie pumpkins, freezer berries, and fresh apple cider. If you think a share is too large, you can always pair up with someone and split a share. Pick up times are on Saturday from 10:30-2:30 at Musgrave Orchard (2 miles north of Oliver Winery). If you would like to purchase a share, see Candace Kuby (crkuby@yahoo.com or 205-475-5324) for an order form which is due by September, 1. If you'd like to be in a group rotation for picking up shares, let Candace know as well.

A Parent/ Teacher meeting will be held Sunday August 30th at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. There will be snacks, a short overview of KidsWorship and Children's Learning Time, a review of the church safety policy, and a time for questions and comments on children's Christian education for the upcoming year. There is no need to RSVP. Everyone is very welcome.

Helpers Needed to bring in food items for the three September student lunches that will take place: 9/6, 9/14, 9/27. We will need volunteers to provide items in the following 4 categories, namely: *Meat Entrée, *Vegetarian Entrée, *Vegetable/Salad, *Bread & Dessert. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside the Fellowship Hall kitchen. If anyone has any questions, please contact Sandy Keller at skeller@absoluteresearch.net.

Needed Coffee Hour Volunteers. Sign-up sheets are near the kitchen.

Nick Foster, director of the Habitat for Humanity in Morgan County, is looking for volunteers to work with his Home Team on a build August 15 in Brooklyn, Indiana. He needs 12 folks and has 4 so far. If you are interested, call Nick at 205/420-8102 or email him at nickshometeam@gmail.com. He also has a website at http://nickshometeam.webnode.com.

Save the dates of September 18-19 (approximately 5 p.m. on the 18^th through 4 p.m. on the 19^th) to participate in a women’s retreat at Waycross Retreat Center. If you’re Longing for the Living God (our theme), we’d welcome your participation! We will provide more detailed information about cost and times as the dates approach, but please feel free to ask any members of the planning team questions you might have. We also welcome you to join our planning team! Current members are Dawna Petersen, Caela Wood, Rebecca Nunley, Candace Kuby, Emily Brown, Catherine Gray and Jessica Birthisel. Our next planning meeting will be July 22^nd at 7 a.m. at Dawna’s home (you’ll also get breakfast!). Please call her for directions (334-2926).

Minister of Care for the week of August 2is Peggy Petranoff. A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits several members in their homes. For more information, please speak with Jean Peters or Peggy Petranoff. You may also call the office at 332-4439.

A Specific Minister of Care for the week is listed each Sunday in the church bulletin. Ministers of Care are volunteers who visit member in their homes. However we all are (or can be) Ministers of Care. Every time you take flowers to someone who is ill or just down, you are a Minister of Care. Every time you offer help to a new parent you are a minister of care. Every time you call someone to cheer them up, visit someone in the hospital, spend time with someone who lives alone,,,, YOU ARE A MINISTER OF CARE. Look for the moments in your life when you can help someone else. Spread the church’s ministry.

Videos, Photos, Social Networking - Oh, My!

2009-04-18T13:45:00.002-04:00

Check us out in various places online....

Photos of church events are available here.

Videos of church events can be found on our YouTube page here.

Are you on Facebook? Become of fan of us here! And if you're a college/grad student, be sure to join our group here for regular updates.

Also, you can find us on Twitter @FirstUnited.

Meet Your Bible - stuff we're talking about

2009-01-05T21:24:00.002-05:00

This January we're having a four-week class called "Meet Your Bible" in Room 6 at 9:30am. These are the anonymous questions people asked our first week and some of my rambling answers. Feel free to join us for the other 3 weeks of class if you'd like. - Caela

How is it possible to have so many versions? Is that the beginning of all the different beliefs?

We will talk about this quite a bit in week 3 and also the handouts should help some. It is amazing how many versions there are, huh? One of the difficulties is that there are several different versions of the original manuscripts (the stuff in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic). Another issue is that some words aren't used much anymore in those original languages, so there's some guesswork involved. Yet another issue is that – like with any translation – there are always going to be situations where you could interpret it different ways.

There are some interesting connections between translations of the Bible and the reformations of the Christian Church in history. For example, part of the reason Luther was upset with the Catholic Church in the 16^th century was because he wanted to use a version of the Bible that was translated into a vernacular language (used by regular people – instead of the Latin Vulgate). In doing so, he wanted to go back to the original Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic instead of just making a German translation from the Latin Vulgate.

How much has the Bible, as we know it today, been widdled down/edited? (and what are the implications?)

There is plenty of editing on different levels. Here's what comes to mind…

Perhaps the biggest "editing" of all is the canonization of the Bible – meaning the people who met and decided what would be in and what didn't make the cut. For example, you can buy whole books of the "other gospels" (called apocryphal) and there are also several books that belong in the Catholic version of the First Testament (also called apocryphal) that we don't have as Protestants.
Also, a lot of the books in the Bible weren't written down "as is" and sent to press. For example, the entire Pentateuch (first five books of the First Testament – penta = five, teuch = teaching) was likely written by at least four different groups of people writing at varying times. Someone, we don't know who, eventually edited these together to make the first five books. In fancy Bible-study-talk they call that person the "redactor" (editor).
And then…there are of course the issues with translation! A good study Bible will tell you with little footnotes where the manuscripts vary. Things called "parallel Bibles" will show you multiple versions at once. Also, websites like http://bible.oremus.org allow you to look up several versions quickly. Websites like http://www.blueletterbible.com let you look at the original languages, too (even if you can't read them!).

Implication-wise, it's huge, of course. For just one little example, check out the last couple chapters of Mark (the earliest gospel we have). Did you notice there are a couple of different endings? The original version likely ended with 16:8 – the women flee in terror, telling no one about the resurrected Christ. The "shorter ending" added in the 4^th century or so says they told some folks about what happened. The "longer ending" was added in the 2^nd century or so and bears more resemblance to the other gospels.

What the different versions are/where they come from. Are specific versions connected to specific religions?

For week two, I'll have a handy little handout chart and I can also make photocopies of this fantastic resource if you'd like them http://www.cts.edu/Documents/Choosing_a_Bible.pdf. Its a booklet that's about 20 pages long and explains the origins and pros/cons of various translations available today. Some translations are used by particular groups, for example the TANAKH is what the Jews use. The New American Bible was created by Catholics. Many Pentecostals use the King James Version. The New International Version was primarily created for modern evangelicals. The NRSV is used a lot by scholars (when they aren't using the original manuscripts, of course!).

Where do the names of the books come from? (I was shocked to learn the authors weren't necessarily the names of the books)

Primarily, they come from custom. A lot of them were originally passed on as oral stories long before they were written down and edited into a coherent fashion. Some of the names are just naming "what this is about" for example, "Genesis" is beginning and "Leviticus" has a lot of laws! The major and minor prophets were primarily named for the people who wrote them. An exception is Isaiah which was written by at least 3 groups of people. Later writers wanted to have the credibility that came with Isaiah's name, so they added their words to his. This was quite common in the ancient world. In fact, we see a lot of that happening in the Second Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not written by people who knew Jesus. And 1-3 John and the Revelation to John were not written by the disciple John either. Also, several people pretended to be Paul. Here's a handy chart…

Pauline Letters

Of the 13 letters we have, six letters' authenticities are debated.

Undisputed

Romans

1 and 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Philemon

1 Thessalonians

Philippians

Disputed

2 Thessalonians

Colossians

Ephesians

2 Timothy

1 Timothy

Titus

(in order of "more likely to be Paul" to "almost certainly not Paul")

This info came from my wonderful NT teacher at Perkins in Dallas, Dr. Jouette Bassler. Hope I took the notes right!

Who wrote the Bible (or wrote down the Bible)?

It's different for every single book. The easiest way to find the answer to that is to look at the beginning of each book in your study Bible. A good study Bible will tell you who wrote the book, when, where, and to whom. Be careful, though – some study Bibles are still using old scholarship and might have incorrect information. A couple easy ones to check would be the first five books (if it says Moses wrote them, it's either old information or written by people who are fundamentalists) and also to check out Isaiah (does it say there are at least two authors? Good!)

Who decided what made it into the Bible – and what didn't.

I'll admit I was never very good at memorizing this stuff in my history classes, so I'll encourage you to do some web searching on this. Basically, things were decided in a couple of ways. A lot of it was based primarily on prevailing custom – which books were religious people (Jews and later Christians) using in their worship and teaching? Those books that had stood the test of time were the ones that got in. Secondly, there were formal councils that decided some of this stuff. It was mostly decided by around the 5^th century. If you want tons of details, check out this great website from the United Methodist Church (http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/canon.html). In fact, you should just read that whole website I should stop trying to teach this class. J It's pretty thorough.

Who wrote which portions and how do we know this? How did it survive? I mean was it kept in the library at Alexandria? Then how did it get put together? In short, what is the biography of the Bible?

Oh, boy. Hopefully I'm not just getting lazy here at the end, but this question is a doozy! Much of this information can be found in the handout I gave at the end of week one. Things primarily survived because people used them over time in synagogues and later churches. Each religious community would have a copy that they studied together. The really tricky part, of course, is that it was a bit like playing telephone…over time you might get a version that had been copied several times over and had strayed a little bit here and there. That's why, when people in modern times have done translations, many of them have tried to use the oldest possible manuscripts they can find – to try and get as close to the sources as possible. The obsession with doing this started in the late middle ages…think Luther and all that.

For a "modern" Christian new to the bible, how do you approach the Bible? How do I find meaning beyond it being a historical document?

I'm guessing this will be different for each person, but here's what my journey was like. I found that I absolutely had to begin to understand things on an intellectual level before I could do much else. It was kind of like when your teachers tried to make you enjoy Macbeth in 9^th grade and you were all "what? This is DUMB!" but then you discussed it in class, looked up the words you didn't know, watched a film version, read the Cliffs Notes…then your brain started to grasp it and you could move on to thinking, "Wow, this is amazing stuff. It's still relevant so many years later. I wonder how it applies to my life?"

The Bible is like that, too. You've got to understand some of the basics in order to make it meaningful. How to learn the basics? It's a little like doing anything…it requires some work. Coming to adult education at the church, getting yourself a good study Bible, learning to use some of the resources in the library – these are all good things!

After you start to get the basics, the other stuff will come naturally. It's truly the most amazing collection of books. One of the things I do when I read it try to ask myself these three questions, "What does this passage say about humanity? What does it say about God? What does it say about the relationship between God and humanity?" (I didn't make those up – I learned them from the book Teaching the Bible to Adults by Dick Murray). Finally, I always ask myself – "so what?" What does this have to do with my life?

If you don't know where to start reading the Bible, might I suggest using the lectionary? (http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/) We just started "Year B" (it's a three year cycle) and we're in Epiphany right now. You'll notice there are 4 passages per week. If you sat down four days a week and did a passage each time you'd read most of the Bible in three years. You'd also be really in tune with everyone else at church because we use the lectionary when we plan worship each week. Also, the class that meets on Sunday mornings in Room 5 discussed the lectionary texts!

How do you learn to read the Bible seriously (maybe metaphorically) not literally?

Such an important, important question. This may just be a shameless plug for the class I'm teaching on Tuesday nights starting in February, but I really commend to you the book The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg. Reading that book (and it's an easy read) will really help you start thinking in that direction. Coming to the 12 weeks of the Tuesday night class will just be fun and enrich your experience of reading it! There is a copy in the church library if you want to check it out. J

If you can't make time for the book right now, I'd give you just this one thought to remember….our modern conception of "truth = facts" is really just that, quite modern. It has to do with the Enlightenment and love of science, etc. The people who wrote the Bible did not have that mindset. So if you met the person who wrote Jonah and said, "I'm confused – how was Jonah in the whale for so long? Is that really a true story?" They would probably say YES because truth for them meant something that expressed a truth about life. The truth there is that Jonah had a life-altering experience that enabled him to change his commitment to being who God called him to be. It's not factual (of course, the whole story of Jonah is a short story – fictional) but that doesn't make it any less TRUE. The Bible is full of truths – just look at the first two chapters of Genesis. There are two completely different versions of how the world was created. Neither is "factual" the way we think of it but both of them are TRUE. They both teach us about who God is, who we are, and how we're all supposed to live our time on this little blue orb. Thanks be to God for that!

Lake Michigan Bike Trip - 2008

2008-08-01T08:48:00.007-04:00

We’ll ride about 30 miles north to Manistee and camp on the shores of Manistee Lake. Left to right – John and Susan Bassett, Lou and June Cooper, Beverly McGahey, Jack Skiles, Barb Clark, and Jill Watkins.

Saturday was a long hilly 72 miles to Empire, Gateway to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We hiked up the Empire Bluff Trail before dinner and were rewarded for our efforts with this breathtaking view of the dunes and Lake Michigan.

Who could resist taking a photo of a group like this?

After getting in over half of our 40 mile day, noontime Monday found us at the Weathervane Restaurant in Charlevoix where we treated ourselves to various Adult Beverages and a fine lunch. Behind us is the harbor inlet to Lake Charlevoix. A busy drawbridge off to the left of where we sat controls access in and out of the harbor.

Wednesday – the Mackinac Bridge. Finished in 1957, Mighty Mac at its total length of 28,195 feet is the third longest suspension bridge in the world. There are 41,000 miles of wire in its cables and the total estimated weight of the superstructure is 66,000 tons.

We visited Mackinac Island Wednesday morning and took a ride around its 8.5 mile bike trail, then each of us went our separate ways to explore, shop, or chill out. Lou and June visited the Grand Hotel, where they’d honeymooned 64 years ago! After lunch we ferried to St. Ignace and rode US 2 along the coast to our next stop at Brevort.

Thursday started out cool and clear, but by afternoon we were riding in the rain. Fortunately the heavy rain in this picture didn’t start until we were done for the day.

Friday – June? Whatever are you doing?! I guess she just couldn’t help herself. I hope it wasn’t boredom that drove her. Maybe she was homesick! In any case, the Riverside Motel had the cleanest sidewalk and parking lot when she was done tidying up.

On our way out of Green Bay, Wisconsin Sunday morning, we stopped at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers and shrine to Coach Vince Lombardi. Though we went into the stadium’s impressive atrium, we were too early to take a tour and so missed seeing the field, so off we went, on the road again, to Kewaunee. The wind was at our backs this day, a relief after the relentless headwind of the day before.

Monday, July 14 – the last day on bikes before we start home. From Kewaunee it was a bright clear morning’s ride to Manitowoc, where we boarded the ferry S.S. Badger for the four hour trip back to Ludington. A round of Adult Beverages and lunch was consumed, and while June wandered off to check out the gift shop and the other on-board amenities, the rest of us settled in for several serious games of euchre. Our last official bike miles were from the ferry to where the cars had been parked. Our total accomplishment? 600 miles in 11 days!

VBS - 2008 - Heroes of the Bible

2008-08-01T08:42:00.002-04:00

Vacation Bible School 2008 was great fun! We learned all about heroes of the Bible - Gideon, Esther, Rahab, Jonathan, and Elijah. We also did crafts each night and played outside. There were anywhere between 26 and 31 kids at VBS each night (Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 26) and about 15 helpers, too. The kids sucessfully met their goal of brining 12 friends to VBS and on Thursday, July 31st about 50 kids and parents celebrated by going to Holiday World.

For photos from VBS, click here:

1st United - VBS 2008

Ignorance and Resurrection in Chicago

2008-01-20T17:19:00.000-05:00

Last week, I updated you on my visit to Chicago and promised to report back in at a later date. I shared with you that my two goals for my time in Chicago were to 1) listen from a position of ignorance, and, 2) see resurrection. I'd like to tell you about how these two things happened for me as a part of my course on urban ministry.

First, I was incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to hear Harry Belafonte speak at St. Sabina's church on the south side of Chicago. Mr. Belafonte has dedicated his life to working for justice. Many people believe he is just a singer; more savvy folks know that he was a major financial supporter for Dr. King's work; those who really watch the news these days know that he is often in trouble for his current stance on the way America is moving.

I was hoping we'd be in for a good show and that he would rant and rail. (After a week of sitting in calm presentations, I was ready for some action!). It turns out that this oft-maligned "radical" is soft-spoken and wears a smile most of the time. Father Pfleger, the priest at St. Sabina, had asked Mr. Belafonte to speak on the subject of "what would Martin Luther King, Jr. do today if he were still alive?"

This is where I was able to listen from a position of ignorance. The audience at St. Sabina that night was about 98% African American and Belafonte spoke to the audience as a black man speaking to other blacks. It was a privilege to be able to listen in on the conversation. Belafonte mourned the way former civil rights leaders have been all too happy to calmly become the power structure they once fought against. He talked about the shared responsibility all people have for working toward justice. And he spoke at length about the necessity of raising up a new generation of leaders to continue the work of the civil rights movement. (For more about what Belafonte is doing in this area, I recommend checking out the website for "The Gathering for Justice" - a group that Belafonte founded).

Finally, it was a privilege just to be in this amazing sanctuary. I truly saw resurrection there. Formerly an Irish Catholic church, St. Sabina's is the place where the annual St. Patrick's Day parade of Chicago used to start. After the neighborhood became more and more African American, the demographics of the congregation changed, too. Father Michael Pfleger is a man of incredible faith who has been serving this congregation since 1981. Under his leadership, this congregation has transformed the neighborhood - creating new businesses, providing computer labs and career counselors so people can find jobs, teaching 500+ children in a private school that provides art, music, bilingual education, and Africana studies. They have also reduced violence in their neighborhood by taking to the streets - protesting the creation of liquor stores, speaking out against the culture of guns, visiting gang leaders in their homes, and spending Friday nights on the streets to tell the community they will not stand for violence in their neighborhood.

It was truly a place of resurrection. I leave you with a photograph from their sanctuary. It is based on John 3:16 and depicts God's hands offering Jesus to the world. Jesus has one hand beckoning and one had open - both calling us and offering himself.

Update from the Windy City

2008-01-14T08:28:00.000-05:00

I've been in Chicago for a week now and am finally blogging! I meant to do it much sooner, but have just been exhausted at the end of every day. The program has been fantastic so far and - although I am looking forward to getting home at the end of this week - I am also excited to see what we will learn about in this second week.

A bit about what I'm doing here: for my seminary degree, I am required to have a "cross-cultural experience." Our seminary has a partnership with a group called SCUPE (Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education) and we are allowed to take courses here. So, I signed up for a two-week introductory class on urban ministry. There are 26 people in my class from all over the country. We are all seminary students. The group is mostly Lutheran, but there are two other UCC folks in the class (no ABCs, though).

Our instructor is Rev. Dr. Yvonne Delk, who is also UCC. She lived and worked in Chicago for years, so she knows the city and its issues/resources very well. Our daily format is to visit two sites where urban ministry is happening. Dr. Delk is very big on noting the difference between charity and advocacy models, so we spend a lot of time looking at HOW the agency is trying to serve people. Are they just giving them basic assistance (charity - like a soup kitchen) or are they actually working to change the system to get rid of poverty and racism (advocacy - changing the laws and system).

One of my biggest insights so far has been they way in which I see the "revitalization" of Chicago. Growing up in the midwest, I've been to Chicago a few times over the years and it is certainly a "nicer" city than it was in my childhood. The Loop and downtown area are beautiful...clean, lots to do, nice restaurants and shops. Mayor Daley and the other folks in Chicago have done an excellent job making this into a world-class city.

But this week, amidst the sounds of construction and the breathtaking views of the new Trump tower going up along the riverfront, I've learned to see all of this newness with new eyes. In the midst of this big "clean up" many people have been "cleaned out." Chicago has seen major destruction of its public housing in the last 10-15 years. They estimate that somewhere between 35,000 and 45,000 units of public housing have been destroyed. Although a small number of new units have been built, much of the housing has been replaced by expensive condos or mixed-income housing. Those who can't afford to live in the newly revitalized city seem to have disappeared. Some have moved away, but many are now living on the streets or doubling up with friends and family. The government hasn't really kept track of where they all went - it would be the equivalent of all of IUs students disappearing and no one being sure where they went.

With this knowledge, the sounds of construction and the billboards for new condos in the heart of the city have a different impact on my heart.

In the midst of all of this, I've identified two major goals for my time here: 1) to listen from a position of ignorance, and, 2) to see resurrection.

I hope to update you on my progress later this week. Peace be with all of you.

New Photos Available

2007-12-06T18:03:00.000-05:00

If you were at the Stewardship dinner at Bell Trace in November, you got to see the wonderful slideshow prepared by Tom Busey. The photos are now available online (but you won't get Pat's commentary this way, sorry about that!). Click here to view them:

1st United - Stewardship slideshow

Also, you may not have know it, but we had 8 great helpers spend the morning at the food pantry at MCUM on December 1st. Our second through sixth graders went with Elizabeth to work. Photos are available online here:

1st United - kids work day at MCUM

November Butterflies

2007-11-05T10:50:00.000-05:00

First United Courtyard's November Butterflies

They look like normal butterflies, smallish, but with the most beautiful of markings.

Upon closer examination the markings look a lot like those on my skin……age spots.

Upon closer examination it is the first full week of November and although the aster has continued to blossom into a full beautiful hue of blues; I am in the garden planting my Fall contributions to Spring.

The first frost has come, the ground has been covered with white, but these butterflies and all those bees are hovering around this autumn pollen as if Spring has just sprung.

I hesitate to say that they are anxious about this being their last meal, because clearly they are not. They are busy and working with the gusto that belies their future about to come to a cold cold close.

When I pulled back the aster bush to plant my bulbs still hiding their crimson red centers-----

The butterflies fluttered and settled gently on a blue blossom’s orange center, the bees buzzed peacefully in my ears.

We celebrated, it seems, the fullness of the moment, they the last warm drink from the cup of life and I planting the promise of the first cool and colorful expression of Spring.

November butterflies have not given up on life, nor tarrying in what has been. The buzz and the hum and the flutters of the creatures help me tune my own song into celebration and gladness.

Still I am grieving their short lives, my short life, those butterflies of November.

JES

Rev. Dr. Jack E. Skiles

CROP Walkers - 2007

2007-10-28T17:01:00.000-04:00

I just went to unload the photos from my camera of our pumpkin carving last night and realized I hadn't yet unloaded the photos from CROP Walk! I guess that's a little like finding a roll of film from a few years ago that you haven't developed yet.

Anyway, the photos are below. The CROP Walk happens every year all over the country. Church World Service is the sponsor and we raise money for programs that help fight hunger all over the globe. This year our team had 11 human and 2 doggie walkers. We haven't finished counting the money we raised yet, but Mike says it'll be at least $1100 (for our team...the Bloomington total will be much greater). We were blessed with amazing weather for our 5 mile walk. Many thanks to those who sponsored our legs with your dollars!

Click the slideshow to see more photos!

University Student Get Together

2007-10-28T14:11:00.000-04:00

First United's college and grad students (and their kids!) were all about multitasking on Saturday night. We got together to carve pumpkins, but we did more than just that! We also baked cookies and roasted pumpkin seeds in preparation for "higher education Sunday" on the 28th. We signed up to host coffee hour, so we figured our pumpkins could be the decorations and our cookies and seeds could be the food! We had a great time.

Click the slideshow to see more photos!

Oh, and I almost forgot. Apparently some folks were requesting the pumpkin seed recipe after church. Here's how you roast pumpkin seeds:
1) Scoop the seeds and mushy parts out of the pumpkin. To separate the seeds from the mushy parts, I recommend putting all of it in a colander in the sink. Run water over the mess and massage it all until the seeds start to come apart. Pick out any remaining pulp.
2) Put the seeds on a towel to dry for a few minutes.
3) Preheat the oven to 425.
4) Spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet. Spread the seeds out over the sheet. Try to get them in one layer.
5) Spray a little more cooking spray on the seeds and top with your choice of seasonings. We used salt, pepper, and garlic powder for ours. Chili powder is also good. So is worchestershire sauce. To make the sweet ones, leave them plain at first and then add cinnamon and sugar a few minutes before they're done.
6) Put them in the oven. Stir every 5-10 minutes. Bake until they start to turn dry and golden brown. Enjoy!

Fun Photos from Pet Blessing and Hayride

2007-10-07T17:41:00.000-04:00

Hi, everyone. My apologies that it's been so long since we've posted anything on here. We need some more bloggers...if you're interested in writing on the blog from time to time, let me know and we can get you set up!

There are photos on my Picasa website from our Pet Blessing on Thursday (thanks, Jeffery!) and from the Hayride on Friday. Just click on the photos below and you can go view all the photos we took.

A great time was had by all. I know some other folks took photos, so if you have more of them, please let me know. Thanks!

1st United - Pet Blessing 2007

1st United - Hayride

50th Anniversary Celebration - photos

2007-09-13T17:06:00.000-04:00

Whew! It took me a while to get through all the wonderful photos that Dick took, but I finally got through them. There are some wonderful individual portraits, family shots, and group shots. I think you'll want to browse them all. You can do so by going to my Picasa website. Enjoy! And many thanks to Dick for taking all the photos!

HymNotes: pt.2 "Great Is Your Faithfulness"

2007-09-10T20:16:00.000-04:00

"Great Is Your Faithfulness"
New Century Hymnal #423

A few weeks ago while we having the fall kick-off during the Sunday School hour before worship, I had individuals record their favorite hymns as they were passing through the choir room during their tour. Hands down, the favorite hymn of the morning was "Great is Thy Faithfulness".

Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960) was born in the state of Kentucky and wrote over 1200 hymns. Most of his hymns have passed into obscurity, but the one we remember is "Great is Thy (Your) Faithfulness". Chisholm wrote this hymn not because something great and miraculous had taken place in his life, but because over his entire life he had learned to see the greatness of God. At the age of 75, he wrote:

"My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."

And from the New Century Hymnal Companion:

Thomas Obediah Chisholm write this hymn as a religious poem in 1923 while living in Vineland, New Jersey. His longtime friend, the composer and Methodist minister William Runyan, provided the tune. An additional scripture reference for the text is James 1:17c.

Thomas O. Chisholm wrote more than twelve hundred poems, many of which were published in religious magazines. In his lifetime, Chisholm was a newspaper and magazine editor, Methodist minister, and life insurance agent. Poor health kept him from serving in the ministry longer than an single year.

William Marian Runyan (1870-1957), a friend of the author, wrote tunes for many of Chisholm's poems, including this one. Composed in 1923 in Baldwin, Kansas, it was named FAITHFULNESS, for the theme of the text, and was included in Runyan's Songs of Salvation and Service (1923).

William M. Runyan was playing the organ at his church at the age of twelve. After being ordained to the Methodist ministry, he served as pastor and the evangelist for the Central Kansas Methodist Conferences. He was associated with the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, during his retirement.

50 Years at 2420 E. 3rd Street

2007-09-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

It is my hope that in the year 2057 when First United Church Bloomington celebrates 100 years at this location, I hope that the prediction that polar bears are to be extinct is wrong. I hope that as a result of the faithful expression of this congregation and millions more like it that we have mustered the strength, the resolve and the spiritual presence to have made our planet a safer place, a cleaner place, a more peaceful place as the result of our lives, as a result of our made real spiritual activity on it.

This last weekend, September 8 and 9, were a spectacular converging of people and activities to remember the move from the former First Baptist Church Bloomington on the corner of 4th and Washington out here to the far East Side of town. Bob Petranoff took off a couple of weeks ago to fly up and take an Ariel shot from beyond College Mall looking back west toward the campus along 3rd Street. His attempt was to match a similar Aeriel shot that was taken in 1957. It was a great match up achieved that showed the phenomenal changes that have physically taken place in the once pastoral landscape to the east of the church. Our faith fore parents at this church were not escaping downtown, the photo shot shows we were leading in moving to where activity was going to literally burst upon the scene.

Our 50th Anniversary Committee led by Bob and Helen Stout, Peggy Petranoff and Cindy Simpson were amazing in their ability to plan and orchestrate our weekend of activities that included former staff members returning, former staff and long time members writing notes of encouragement and celebration along with all of us present dedicating ourselves to remember the faith that named this church 50 years ago and rededicating ourselves to the same faith impetus to lure us forward for the next 50 years. I'll be 103. Will I make it? I hope so. I want to celebrate with that new group who will be carrying our banner into the second half of this century.

In 1957 the church established in foresight the Cornerstone Fund. They has just raised an unbelievable amount of money to build this new building. They asked each member to give ten dollars to go into the Cornerstone Fund in anticipation of this congregation's future building needs. That fund was invested and cashed out five years ago for approximately $71,000. The First United Church Council under the leadership of Dr. Al Ruesink has voted to re-establish the Cornerstone Fund with a request for a total amount of $10,000 to be raised for this congregation's future building needs. The amount will be split 80/20. For every eighty dollars raised, twenty will be given to the new UCC church start effort in Fishers, Indiana currently under construction. Interestingly we discovered that a church in Anderson invested in us back in 1957! We are praying that a hundred dollars per member will fully invest the future development of the Cornerstone Fund. (We have already received funds for this account as of Monday morning!)

Check back and we will have pictures of this weekend's celebration including the newest addition to our sanctuary wall, the revised words that now includes "sisters." Change does not come easy to sanctuary space. It was a faithful journey that included much prayer and meeting and talking and more praying that enabled us to move forward to embrace the wording change. It was less timing than spiritual leading that enabled the words to be revised for this particular weekend. It is fitting that such a fundamental change was in place to mark the mid-century mark of our congregation's journey into faithful witness.

Thanks to all the many folks of the years past that made our celebration of 50 years of worship and service possible. I continue to pray that we all dedicate ourselves to the spiritual practices required to discern how we will be partners in making the next 50 years as exciting as we remain active players not only here in Bloomington, but around the world.

HymNotes: intro and pt. 1: "Holy, Holy, Holy"

2007-09-05T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hymns have been a vital part of worship for millennia. We carry forward a tradition from ancient Judaism, through the first Christians, to the Reformation, and into our modern houses of worship. I hope that, through these weekly snippets, we can better-know this amazing heritage and the stories that helped to shape our worship.

Holy, Holy, Holy:
The New Century Hymnal #277

This weekend marks 50 years in our current location, and we will celebrate with fellowship and with worship. One request that was made absolutely clear was that the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" be sung in worship. Here is that hymns background from "The New Century Hymnal Companion":

"Reginald Heber (1783-1826) wrote this hymn of pure adoration to God, based on Revelation 4:8-11, for use on Trinity Sunday [the first Sunday after Pentecost]. This tribute to the triune God was first published in the year Heber died, 1826, and has become the most widely sung of all his hymns.

Reginal Heber showed himself to be a genius at age seven, when he translated one of Plato's dialogues into versified English. A bishop of the Anglican Church, he did much to introduce congregational singing in the Church of England, which was previously contemptuous of that practice.

John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) composed the tune NICEA in 1861 and named it for the site of the 325 C.E. Christian church council which developed the Nicene Creed. It appeared with this text in Hymns Ancient and Modern and has been described as the "archetypal Victorian hymn tune."

Scholars have noted similarities between Dykes's tune and several others, including the German chorale WACHET AUF, John Hopkins's TRINITY, and a tune by Lowell Mason for the same text. None of theses, however, have been identified as the true source of Dykes's melody."

A full week is on its way...

2007-09-02T15:26:00.000-04:00

This first week in September will prove to be a busy one at First United. The ladies of the church are headed off to Waycross Retreat Center in Brown County on Friday and Saturday for a retreat. If you haven't signed up yet, and want to attend, please contact the church office no later than Tuesday morning to make your reservation.

And then....this next weekend is our big anniversary celebration. On Saturday evening, we'll gather at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall for a potluck dinner. It's potluck, so please bring a dish to share - entrees, sides, deserts are all welcome. The church will provide tableservice (dishes to use). We'll spend the evening with new members, longtime members, and those who are coming back for a homecoming of sorts. This is a wonderful time to celebrate our 50th year in the current building and to look at where we've been.

On Sunday morning, the service will run as usual, so you should plan on coming Saturday night if you'd like to really celebrate the anniversary. We look forward to seeing you there!

The fall has officially been "kicked off"

2007-08-26T23:23:00.000-04:00

First United was filled with a humming energy you could almost see in the air this morning. It was a true joy to be in worship with many constant, returning, and new faces. We had an excellent time at our fall kickoff during the 9:30 hour. Many thanks to the Board of Christian Education for putting together a tempting array of educational opportunities for this upcoming semester (if you haven't settled on a class or a small group, check out the options on our webpage). And many thanks to Fiora for providing yummy breakfast munchies for us to enjoy.

About 40 adults and children attended the kick off and fanned out down the hallway to visit eight rooms showcasing the fall options for learning. Each participant got their "passport" stamped as they traveled down the balloon-lined hallway to check out the adult & children's classes and music opportunities. Folks even had a chance to visit the church library and learn about the Dewey decimal system!

The energy from the kick off flowed into the worship as many of our children held their balloons high during the service. Looking out at the pews filled with new and long-loved faces, it was easy to see the Holy Spirit gently rocking the balloons in the air. It was a great day to be a part of our faith community.

Calling All Cooks!

2007-08-10T12:32:00.000-04:00

I was so pleased when I picked up a copy of this week's announcements because I discovered we're creating a church cookbook! Having been at First United for a couple of years, I know that we have some amazing cooks in this congregation. Sharing recipes with each other is a tradition in the Christian community. If you don't believe me, just Google "church cookbook." By sharing with each other, we not only pass on new recipes, we also create a piece of history. Someday, 30 years form now you or your grandchild will pick up a First United cookbook and look through it. You'll remember many faces you have forgotten. Or your grandchild will wonder and perhaps make up stories about this particular community of faith and the people in it.

Many thanks to Kelly for putting this together. Let's all help her out by submitting a recipe to the church office.

And, if you're looking for a nice summer read - check out Friendship Cake by Lynn Hinton. She is a UCC pastor and this is her first novel, I believe. It's a wonderful story about a group of women who decide to create a church cookbook. Along the way, they learn many lessons aobout what it means to live and love in a diverse community of faith.

Summer Women's Coffee House a Success!

2007-08-05T17:12:00.000-04:00

We had a great time last night at the Summer Women's Coffee House! Almost 100 women and men gathered in Fellowship Hall for a wonderful evening of entertainment and fellowship. Many, many thanks to Cindy Stone for bringing this group our way! We were entertained by the poetry of Jada B. and we heard from Kara Barnard, a wonderful professional singer from Brown County. Also hailing from Brown County (and First United!) was the wonderful storytelling of Sandy Pate. She had us all laughing and nodding. And then there was a debut performance by the Women of Mass Percussion, a new group in Bloomington. That's a photo of them, here. My apologies for the quality - we left the camera in the car and took this photo with David's cell phone (which still amazes me that you can do that!). All in all, it was an evening of much fun and I hope we get to host again in the future! Thanks, Cindy!

Blood Drive this Sunday

2007-08-03T01:18:00.000-04:00

The Board of Outreach is still looking for blood donors for our drive this Sunday. It will happen in Fellowship Hall from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. Right now, we only have about 6 people signed up and we are really hoping for at least 20 donors to make it worth it for the Red Cross. You can sign up for an appointment online or just show up.

VBS Day 5

2007-07-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Vacation Bible School wrapped up tonight at 1stUC, and it's been an incredible week!

Check out the photos from tonight and from the rest of the week here!

1st United VBS - Friday

The Return of Jack, Kali, and Lynn

2007-07-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

Check out this great photo of Jack and Kali! It was taken near the end of their bike trip to Boston. Congratulations to the whole family on your amazing journey! We're glad you're back and hope you had a wonderful time!

Vacation Bible School - day four

2007-07-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

Photos from day four of VBS are available online now!

Vacation Bible School - day three

2007-07-26T00:15:00.000-04:00

We had a great time at VBS tonight. We learned the story of Jesus healing the man who was lowered through the roof. This is a photo of some of the kids watching the man be lowered through the roof in our Jerusalem. We also played soccer and made rope during craft time. The weather was beautiful again tonight and the 18 kids and their adult helpers stayed outside the whole evening.

We also sang happy birthday to one of the kids who turned nine years old this week and we sang songs with David. We're working up a special song that we will sing in church on Sunday.

To see more photos from VBS tonight, click here.

Vacation Bible School - day two

2007-07-24T23:55:00.000-04:00

Yep, you guessed it. More photos from VBS. Click here!

Vacation Bible School - day one

2007-07-24T00:08:00.000-04:00

Photos from the first night of VBS (as well as some additions to the Tile Hanging album) are now available on my Picasa website. Enjoy!

Reflections from Caela - July 23, 2007

2007-07-23T01:05:00.000-04:00

As I look forward to learning and worshiping in first-century Jerusalem this week, I can’t help but think about another Jerusalem. Closer to us in time but further away in distance. I’m reminded of the visit from UCC missionary Catherine Nichols earlier this year. Those of you who were with us this past spring will remember Catherine, who came to talk about her experiences working with the church in Palestine. Like many of you, I had the chance to read Jimmy Carter’s book in preparation for her visit and learned a lot during that month.

I’m ashamed to say that, since then, I haven’t done as good a job as I would have liked in following what’s happening in Israel and Palestine. Perhaps, this week, while the kids are playing and laughing and exploring and learning in Jerusalem from the first-century, I will be able to find some time to do some thinking and praying about today’s Jerusalem.

I welcome your thoughts, prayers, or questions….this e-mail will also be posted on our blog (http://firstunitedchurchbloomington.blogspot.com/) and you may comment if you wish.

May this be a week of blessing for you….and for all our brothers and sisters – Jews, Christians, Muslims, and all the others – who live in today’s Jerusalem.

Shalom.

Caela

Jerusalem - here we come!

2007-07-22T00:33:00.000-04:00

Tonight was a ton of fun. About 25 of us got together and put the finishing touches on Jerusalem in the backyard of First United. We also spent some time creating the kids' t-shirts for VBS. You can see all the photos on my Picasa website.

We'll be sure to blog again later this week from Jerusalem!

Many, many thanks to everyone who helped out!

A time for rest...

2007-07-21T19:02:00.000-04:00

After tomorrow's worship service, the choir will begin a two week break as we look forward to the fall and a new start here in Bloomington.

Many of you might not realize the commitment that those in the choir make throughout the year. These are individuals of all ages, backgrounds and musical experiences, yet they are there for an hour and a half rehearsal once a week and nearly every Sunday year round. This does not include the hours of extra rehearsals that go into the major works this chorus as presented and continues to perform. The music at 1st UC has always been top-notch, and these people do all of that with very little time for preparation. As the choir director, I am blessed to be able to stand in front of this ensemble of Christians who are not only faithful servants but talented musicians as well.

I have always appreciated the Choristers' Prayer from the Anglican Church, and I think that it is very appropriate that we end each rehearsal with this sentiment:

"Bless, O Lord, us Thy servants, who minister in Thy temple.
Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts,
and what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

This Sunday we will sing from the front of the Sanctuary, and I encourage you to make note of the faces you see up there in front and let them know sometime just how much you appreciate their hard work and sacrifice.

Oh, and don't forget, you too could be one of those people! We start again on August 9th at 7:30pm in the choir room!

AMDG,
David

VBS - it's almost here!

2007-07-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

The week that many of us have been waiting for has almost arrived! Vacation Bible School: Building Jerusalem kicks off Monday, July 23 at 6:00pm. Each night will begin with a shared meal and worship time together. Then we will break into three rotating groups to explore crafts, learning/activity time, and games. Much of the evening will be spent outside in our Jerusalem buildings in the back yard. Be sure to check back on the blog later this week for updates from Jerusalem.

Speaking of which, a bunch of us are getting together tomorrow night, Saturday, July 21st, to put the finishing touches on Jerusalem. We'll be hanging the tiles on the buildings and also creating t-shirts for VBS. You're invited to join us for a pizza dinner at 6pm followed by hanging tiles and ironing-on t-shirt designs. If you have a staple gun or ironing board/iron, please bring them along. See you soon!

Reflections from Caela - July 16, 2007

2007-07-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

I’ve heard from many of you this week, that you really enjoyed getting a message from the church in your in-box last Monday, so I figured I’d send another one. I guess if you didn’t enjoy it, you can let me know or hit delete!

I don’t know about you, but I’m still feeling energized from worship yesterday morning. Rev. Rebecca Jimenez really gave me a lot to think about. For those of you who weren’t there, you can check out the text of her sermon online later this week as soon as we get it posted. Rebecca talked about the importance of cultivating a relationship with God and, specifically, the importance of silent contemplation as a spiritual practice.

Silence isn’t something we really learn how to do “naturally” in this culture of ours. From a young age, we are taught to go, go, go! This, of course, results in some wonderful creativity, strong work ethic, and a very productive society. But I think it’s also important to learn to just BE. And it really does have to be learned – just like anything else.

So, this week, I challenge you to find sometime – maybe it’s every day or maybe it’s just once to just BE. Try to let your thoughts go away and focus on nothing. Do nothing. Think nothing. Plan nothing. Just BE in the presence of God and remember God’s extravagant love for you.

This might be an amazing opportunity for some of us to share our reflections on what it’s like just being. If you’re so inclined, I invite you to go to our online Blog (http://firstunitedchurchbloomington.blogspot.com/) and look for this post. Down at the bottom of the post, you’ll see a link for “comments.” You can click on that, and then write anything you want about your experience. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to learn from each other?

Wishing you a peaceful week filled with silence and God’s love,

Caela

Carillon Choir - photos online

2007-07-15T21:47:00.000-04:00

In case you missed the concert on Friday night, there are some photos now available online at my Picasa website. Of course, it's not quite as nice as hearing the bells themselves, but at least it's something!

Carillon Choir this Friday!

2007-07-11T08:21:00.000-04:00

We're really excited to have our friends from University Baptist Church of Minneapolis, MN joining us this Friday, July 13th at 7:00pm for a concert.

The Carillon Choir will be presenting a program of sacred and secular favorites played on handbells and choir chimes. This semi-professional ensemble will start their tour of the Midwest and Northeast with the concert at our church. They will then travel on to Ohio, Pennsylvania and beyond. They have already made a very successful tour of England and Scotland and have now decided to show their stuff in the U.S.

I'd personally like to thank those who will open their homes to our friends from the land of 10,000 lakes. Also, thanks in advance to those who will provide food for the 5:30pm potluck and those who have volunteered to provide cookies and snacks for the reception following the concert.

Please invite your friends and neighbors and look for our announcement in the Herald Times, the Indiana Daily Student, and listen for it on WFIU, 103.7FM.

I hope to see you all there as we fill the pews for this wonderful event! Afterward, I hope to see a long line as everyone rushes to speak with Pat Briggs about becoming a member of our own bell choir!

AMDG
David

Reflections from Caela - July 9, 2007

2007-07-09T13:02:00.000-04:00

Sent to the church listserv this morning. If you're not on the listserv and would like to be, please contact the church office!

Hello, First United family! It’s another lovely Monday here in Bloomington, Indiana and I thought you might need some news in your in-box! Those of you who have been around a while will remember that John Kruger used to send out “Monday Musings” when he was our pastor. Jack and I have been toying with the idea of starting something similar ourselves. With Jack and Kali on their way to Boston, I wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on what’s happening in my world (since I’m still here!).

July is an exciting month here at First United….before you know it, VBS will be here and we’re having a little “tile hanging and t-shirt making and pizza eating” party to get ready for VBS on July 21st (it’s at 6:00 if you’d like to come!). July also means that I’m getting to work with our two guest preachers as they prepare to join us for worship. Rebecca Jiménez will be preaching for us on July 15^th and John Vanderzee will preach on July 22^nd. Then, on July 29^th, I’ll be preaching and Jack will be back the week after that. We’ll miss Jack while he’s gone, but it’ll be fun to have guests to worship with, too!

Also in July, I’m working with the Board of Christian Education and Church Council to finalize our new “safe church” policy. We’ve been incredibly fortunate that First United has been a safe place for our kids and the adults who work with them. Since this safety is something we want to continue in the future, we are creating a policy that will help us define how we screen and train adults who work with our kids and create a system for dealing with any situations that may arise. I’m sure many of you have been part of organizations that have created policies like these in the past few years, and I’m sure you’ll join me in being very excited that we’re moving more into the norm in terms of what our denominations, insurance, and the public expect of us in this area. Once we have an approved policy, we’ll be sure to share it with everyone, but if you have any questions in the meantime, let me know.

Of course, July means that summer will be over before we know it. And although I love the summer, there’s also an amazing energy that comes with the fall. I love it when the IU students start to show up (first in a trickle and then in a flood!) and we’re going to have some great things happening at First United this fall. But I’ll save those for another e-mail…this one is getting too long!

Peace be with you this week…

Caela

Milo Visits First United

2007-07-02T21:33:00.001-04:00

A couple of our newest members just got a new addition to their family! Kelly & Jill just brought home a new toy poodle named Milo. Milo visited the church last week and spent some time...

In the library (don't worry, Patti knows)

and in the pulpit (maybe he can sub for us while Jack's on vacation?)

Thought these pictures were too cute to keep to myself!

Also, did you know that our wonderful library workers meet every Wednesday to keep the library up and running? Be sure to thank them when you get a chance!

First United takes over Victory Field!

2007-07-01T23:44:00.000-04:00

We revived an ongoing tradition by taking a trip up to Indy this past weekend for an Indians game. The Indians beat the Richmond Braves and a great time was had by all. About 45 of us went to the game. We ate a lot of yummy food, chatted with friends old and new, and enjoyed Bob's prizes that he gave away on the bus. Many thanks to Bob and Harold for planning the trip. To see more pictures, visit my Picasa website.

The UCC Shines Bright - Part 2

2007-06-28T01:01:00.000-04:00

Safely back in Indiana and I think I've finally gathered up enough sleep to be able to write again! Got back to the hotel after closing worship last night around 10:30pm and discovered I would have to take the 4:40am shuttle to the airport. Whew! Haven't been up that early in a while!

It's hard to even know where to start to describe how much I learned and want to share about Synod. I tried to do my best to narrow it down to seven highlights that I'd like to share with you. Please notice that there are lots of links that you can click for more information. Also, if you'd like to see more photos of the General Synod, you can visit my Picasa website or the UCC website.

ONE: The 26th General Synod of the UCC was filled with amazing speakers who both inspired and challenged us. We have AMAZING people in our denomination and I am so proud. Bill Moyers, Senator Barack Obama, and Walter Brueggemann spoke to the group - and that was all just on Saturday! I was also fortunate to hear Marian Wright Edelman and Lynn Redgrave. The great news is, you can see most of these speakers in the archived videos section of the UCC website.

TWO: The General Synod is a body that speaks TO the local church not FOR the local church. I think it's quite unique that we are in a denomination which respects the autonomy of the local congregation, yet values the dialogue which happens on a denominational scale. Some of the things I heard the Synod saying TO us this week are

we are encouraged to prayerfully consider and speak up about the continuation of the war in Iraq
we are still urged to respect and support all GLBT members and visitors and continue performing same-sex committment ceremonies
we are also urged to remember this is a big denomination and we are a "united and united" denomination - we need to make sure we are being open to those within our denomination who consider themselves to be ECOT (evangelical, conservative, orthodox, or traditional)
we are going to be entering into a conversation for the next two years about the structure of our General Synod and about end of life issues
we value our youth and young adults; those with differing abilities; and everyone who make us a multiracial and multicultural church

THREE: If you have to go somewhere and not know a soul, this is probably the place to do it! I had so many amazing conversations on the bus, in the hotel at breakfast, in crowded restaurants where we "went European" and just pulled up chairs with strangers, in long meetings in the Civic Center. I engaged in conversation with people from all over - Montana, California, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Washington, Maine, you name it!

FOUR: We are a denomincation which is passionate about DOING. During Synod we DID the following:

had an offering of letters encouraging Congress to support legislation for renewing and improving the SCHIP (State Child Health Insurance Program) - you can be involved, too, by visiting this website
marched around downtown Hartford - 500+ strong - at rush hour waving signs high to protest the war in Iraq
added the name of the General Synod to the Pastoral Letter from the Collegium and Conference Ministers calling for peace in Iraq - you can sign it, too, by clicking here
ate lots of cookies! The Connecticut Conference members were amazing hosts...and they made 14,000 dozen cookies. Yes, you read that right (and we're recycling the plastic containers by reusing them in Grand Rapids, MI in 2009)
took a stand for laborers rights by choosing the Civic Center. We were initially supposed to be in the new Connecticut Conference Center, but the parent-company of that venue is not allowing its workers to unionize, so we pulled out a few months ago. Considering that GS 26 was the largest conference Hartford has ever had, this was a big deal. On Tuesday, we received a letter from the local SEIU (Service Employees International Union) thaking us for our solidarity.

NOTE: Here's something I learned which was really amazing. Did you know that in 1973, when we were meeting in St. Louis, we sent 95 delegates to the Coachella Valley to stand in solidarity with Cesar Chavez and farm laborers? They sent them right in the middle of the proceedings and then heard reports from them when they returned.

FIVE: At General Synod, we were able to see amazing exhibits from all over the world. I had an amazing time browsing books; all of the items from the Stillspeaking campaign; talking to representatives from organizations within the UCC like the Coalition for LGBT Concerns, the Faithful and Welcoming Churches, and the A2A (Accessible to All) group.

SIX: As the UCC, we celbrate a rich history. Although the United Church of Christ is only 50 years old, our parent-churches reach back over 400 years. We were involved in the Amistad trial; have an amazing history of many "firsts"; and celebrated our committment to the movement against environmental racism.

SEVEN: Finally, we are a denomination which continues to struggle with our call to be united and uniting. There are churches and individuals in the UCC which feel left out and many that have left because they feel the UCC doesn't have room for them. Although there has been much joy and lots of new members and churches as a result of the 2005 resolution to affirm equal marriage rights for same-sex partners, there has also been pain as people have left. I ask your prayers as we seek to find new ways to be united in Christ - so that we may all be one.

The UCC Shines Bright - Part 1

2007-06-25T21:52:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the 2006 General Synod of the United Church of Christ in Hartford, CT. Isn't the internet amazing? I apologize for not writing sooner (I've been here since Friday) but this is the first time I've actually made it back to my hotel room before 11:00pm! It's been 14 and 16 hour days around here because I can't stand to miss a moment of it!

I promise to write more details about what's going on at Synod in the next few days, but I wanted to at least mention a few things before it's all over. Did you know that you can go online to http://www.ucc.org/synod/ and see all kind of things about Synod? In fact, you can practically be here with me because the entire thing is being broadcast LIVE on the internet. We'll be in session tomorrow from 8:30-noon, 2:30-5:00, and 7:30-9:30 so feel free to log on. The morning and afternoon will be business meetings and the evening is our closing worship.

Even better, there is a video archive where you can see speakers from earlier in the week - like Bill Boyers, Barack Obama, and Marian Wright Edelman. They were all fantastic and worth your time.

I look forward to sharing more with you in a couple of days when I return. Let your light shine!

Congregational Meeting Update

2007-06-18T10:12:00.000-04:00

The annual congregational meeting yesterday went very well! We had about 80 people in attendance. We met in Fellowship Hall and started with a meal prepared by several members of our congregation, led by Pat. The meal was delicious and then we got down to business. Al led the meeting. We started out with a brief discussion of the words on the front of the sanctuary wall. The words currently read “One is your master the Christ and you are all brothers.” It’s a paraphrase of Matthew 28. These words were put in the sanctuary when our building was built and were meant to signify that this church supported the Civil Rights movement and believed that all of God’s children should worship together – regardless of race. During this period of time, the word “brothers” was understood to mean all people – men and women. Since then, of course, the use of the word has changed and caused some confusion for people sitting in our pews. Many people today understand “brothers” to mean only men, so our church has been discussing what to do with “the words on the wall” for quite some time now.

After several congregational dialogues, this past spring the Church Council decided that adding the words “and sisters” to the words would be the most appropriate way to update the paraphrase for today’s world. The Church Council presented this proposal at the annual meeting yesterday and the congregation voted 55 to 11 to approve amending the words to read, “One is your master the Christ and you are all brothers and sisters.” The words will be added in identical letters so that the entire phrase is matching.

While the votes were being counted, we heard brief presentations from representatives of the various boards (Finance, Worship, Outreach, Christian Education, Physical Plant) and had the chance to ask them questions. We closed the meeting by hearing a bit from our President, Al, and our Senior Minister, Jack, about their vision for the year ahead.

Yum, yum...annual luncheon and meeting coming up soon!

2007-06-10T21:09:00.000-04:00

Just one week until our annual meeting and luncheon. If you've never been to one, don't be scared! It's just a fun time. We'll be having lunch together - lovingly cooked by Pat and some of her crew. And then Al will lead us in our annual meeting. The topics vary from year to year, but one of the things we'll be voting on this year is whether or not to add "and sisters" to the words on the front of our sanctuary. The meeting will happen on Sunday, June 17th right after church. If you're planning on coming, please call the church office this week to sign up so that the lunch crew knows how many to expect. See you there!

Wow - Christian Education is going to be rocking this fall at First United!

2007-05-30T21:51:00.000-04:00

Just got home from the first meeting of the 2007-2008 Board of Christian Education. What an awesome group of people. You'd be amazed at the energy and excitement. We have some plans for exciting stuff happening this fall...including two educational opportunities for kids on Sunday (one at 9:30 and one during worship), a training/kick-off session for children's teachers, and multiple options for adult education at 9:30. Don't want to tell you too much now and ruin the surprises...but just know that it's going to be awesome!

P.S. But FIRST we get to do Vacation Bible School - Building Jerusalem. Do you have your calendars marked yet? July 23 through July 27 from 6-8pm. More info here.

Memorial Day...a new tradition?

2007-05-29T15:52:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, about 60 1st UC-ers gathered at Riddle Point on Lake Lemon for what might be our first annual Memorial Day cookout. We had a great time! The youngest person there was probably about 5 and the oldest over 80. We were also joined by 5 doggies (who probably had more fun than the humans!). When we first arrived at the shelter, there were tons of people there enjoying the hot and muggy Memorial Weekend weather.

A storm quickly moved in, though, and most of the other visitors cleared out, leaving us the beach to ourselves. Several of the kids and their parents were brave enough to check out the somewhat-chilly water for swimming and canoeing. Many others just hung around the tables in the shelter and grazed until dinnertime. Jack and Jim were on the grill with John shuttling bugers (including veggie and turkey variety) and dogs (the kind you put on the bun, not our pets!) back and forth to the tables. We had no problem taking care of the food!

After dinner, it was time for homemade ice cream graciously provided by Jack and Lou. And Al made a lovely presentation to the Aarons and Engelsdorfers to thank them for their time spent in community with us. There was also a mean game of euchre (for the true Hoosiers among us). Before we knew it, it was after 7:00pm and time to pack up. The extra buns went to the Community Kitchen on Monday...but I think the rest of the food went home for leftovers. All in all, it was a great time...and maybe a tradition we can continue in the future!

If you'd like to see some photos from the event, Rob is hosting some on his Picasa website. Check them out!

Welcome to our blog!

2007-05-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

"What's a blog," you ask? "Blog" is short for "web log." It's a place where people can quickly and easily post messages online so that others can read them. Blogs are used for all kinds of things...personal journals, giving help for computers, posting gossip about celebrities, sharing news about a shared hobby. And lots of churches are now using blogs to communicate about what's going on in their congregations.

That's where First United's blog comes in! I created this blog so that we can ALL use it to share news with each other and with web surfers about First United. The sky's the limit for how we can use it. Some ideas I have are:
- updates on what groups in the church are up to
- an easy way to share announcements with each other
- a place for people to reflect on what First United means to them or what they're struggling with
- a place to share our celebrations and joys about things going on in the life of our church

Right now, we have a few bloggers...but if you think you'd like to be able to write posts, too, just contact me and I can sign you up.

A few brief guidelines for our bloggers:
- to respect confidentiality, let's try to stick to first names of folks
- let's not clutter things up by posting things that are already on the website (like the weekly announcements and calendar)
- try to remember to LABEL your post so that people can find things easily (ask me if you need to know more about how/why to do this)

Finally, if you're here reading this. WELCOME! If you're a First United friend/member, we hope you'll tell others about the new blog. If you've never been to First United, we'd love to hae you visit.