November 14, 2010 A Publication of The Union Church of Hinsdale, U.C.C. Volume 42, Issue 21

Finally, beloved… - Philippians 4:8-9

These tender words, shared by Paul to the community at Philippi, will echo through my final remarks to you in worship on November 21. Then we will enter a time of farewell and gratitude to God for the privilege of serving through Union Church together these past eight years. These past weeks we have reflected on how God has used this church to strengthen faith, to clarify purpose and to serve people in need of healing and mercy. God calls and claims each of us for a greater life purpose. The church is the place where we come to know it more clearly and receive what we need to live it for Christ’s sake. As a staff, we have reflected on how we understand our own call to Christian ministry and vocation. As I pass the baton

of pastoral leadership to your new interim minister, and to the rest of the ministry staff, I thought you might appreciate a word from them about their own sense of purpose and call as they continue to serve you after my departure. We affirm a call to Christian ministry and service: “To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to equip people to follow Christ.”

- Verlee A. Copeland, Senior Minister

“To provide for the experience of God through trusting relationships.”

- Michael Surratt, Director of Music Ministries

“To provide opportunities for God’s transforming power in our lives so that we become vessels for God’s work on earth.”

- Tanya Sadagopan, Associate Minister for Christian

Formation and Family Life “To witness for God.”

- Penny Johnson, Director of Children’s Ministry

“To invite people into relationship and space to experience and to share God.”

- Thom Parrott-Sheffer, Associate Minister for Mission

and Outreach

“To build relationships and create space for an experience of God.”

- Jeremy Hylen, Director of Youth Formation

Believing that God calls each of us in such a way as this, I wonder how you might articulate your own life meaning and purpose?

Finally beloved…

Grace, mercy and peace, Verlee A. Copeland

Senior Minister Union Church of Hinsdale

United Church of Christ

Please Join Members and Friends

of Union Church for Worship at

10:00 a.m. on November 21

Worship followed by a

Farewell Reception in Rowell Hall in honor of

Rev. Verlee A. Copeland

Hosted by The Executive Council

and Women’s Association

Message from the Minister

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Invitation to Faith: Transformative Worship

Our  Staff  Senior Minister:

Rev. Dr. Verlee A. Copeland Minister for Mission

and Outreach: Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer

Minister for Christian Formation and Family Life:

Rev. Tanya Sadagopan Director of Children’s Christian Education:

Penny Johnson Director of Youth

Formation: Jeremy Hylen

Director of Music Ministries: Michael Surratt

Director of the Chancel Choir:

Todd Diehl Director of

Contemporary Music: Brad Nye

Director of Children and Youth Choirs: Roberta Wentling

Assistant Handbell Director: Elizabeth Jung

Director of Early Childhood Programs:

Jennifer Keldahl Executive Manager:

Merrilee Hall Financial Manager:

Gaby Perez Project Manager:

Joel Gratcyk Communications Assistant:

Melanie Burton Buildings and Grounds:

Jim Vojtek, Bob Brija WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship

9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Prayer and Healing Service 3rd Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sundays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

World AIDS Day Service

December 1 at 7:00 p.m. Please join us for this community worship service, as we remember and pray for those afflicted with AIDS throughout the world. The service will be held in the Chapel at the Union Church of Hinsdale on Dec. 1, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

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Invitation  to  Faith:  Community  Life  

Please Welcome…  The  Rev.  Dr.  Thomes  Zoelzer  will  join  us  as  Transitional  Senior  Minister  beginning  in  January  2011.  He  comes  to  Union  Church  having  completed  an  18-­‐month  term  of  interim  service  at  Flossmoor  Community  Church,  proceeded  by  two  transitional  ministries  at  St.  Matthew  UCC  in  Wheaton  and  Countryside  Community  Church  in  Omaha,  Nebraska.      Tom  is  a  trained  interim  minister  who  will  be  diligent  in  guiding  us  through  a  5  level  developmental  process  designed  to  ready  the  congregation  for  initiating  a  search  for  a  new  lead  Pastor.  This  preparatory  process  will  take  up  to  two  years.  Rev.  Tom  brings  expertise  in  conflict  management,  family  systems  theory  and  appreciative  inquiry  methods.  In  his  words,  “I  delight  in  helping  people  grow  their  faith  and  helping  congregations  thrive.”  

 He  states  his  goals  as  maintaining  the  viability  of  the  church,  resolving  feelings  of  grief,  reinforcing  the  ministry  of  the  laity,  clarifying  the  mission  of  the  church  and  dealing  with  special  needs  of  the  church  through  an  emphasis  on  fellowship  and  reconciliation.  Those  who  know  him  consider  him  an  “authentic  pastoral  person”  who  provides  a  ‘calm  and  healing  presence.’  He  is  a  person  who  “demonstrates  strong  organizational  and  communication  skills”  and  one  who  is  “most  fulfilled  as  part  of  a  team.”    This  will  be  an  extraordinary  opportunity  for  us  at  Union  Church  and  we  anticipate  our  welcome  of  Rev.  Dr.  Tom  Zoelzer  with  gladness.    

Erie House Toy Drive This year the Holidays with Heart Gift Bazaar at Erie House is happening on Sat, Dec. 11, 2010. Toy donations are now being accepted, with a Wed., Dec. 8 deadline. There is a toy collection box in the Gathering Place. The toy drive benefits Erie program participants aged infant through age 18. Individual toy value should not exceed $35 and be unwrapped. Wrapping paper, tape, scissors, ribbons and bows are also appreciated. Thank you!

Project Christmas Stocking Unit 6 of the Women’s Association will again be filling large (10” X 14”) stockings for the Inner City Ministries who will distribute them to deprived children (6-12 years old). Donations before Dec. 1 of the following items would be greatly appreciated:

Pens, pencils, crayons, small coloring books or reading books, matchbox cars, marbles, balls, jacks, necklaces, small dolls, barrettes, coin purses,

socks, tooth brushes and toothpaste. These items can be left in marked boxes in the Gathering Place before Dec. 1. Questions? Call Jane Ballantine at

(630) 323.5113 or Barb Voorhees at (630) 323.3359.

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Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation for Children & Youth

Youth Events Nov. 14 - 28, 2010

TNT (Middle School) November 14 - Whirly Ball

(3:30-7pm, $20, RSVP required) November 21-Brown Bag Challenge

(bring a bag of canned goods to donate to HCS) November 28- No TNT

(It’s Thanksgiving!)

High School November 14 - Harry Potter Trivia Night

(and Spring WT Announcement) November 21- Harvest Party

(Details TBA) November 28-No HS Youth Group

(It’s Thanksgiving!)

High School Interfaith House November 20, 2010

On November 20, a group of youth and adults will be heading down to the Interfaith House in Chicago to lead the 3rd Annual Karaoke Party. In addition to making fleece blankets for all of the residents, the youth are asking for donations of new socks and new towels for the residents. If you would like to donate either of these items, please leave them in the box outside Jeremy Hylen's office.

Check Out Some Scenes From The Halloween Party

 

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Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation for Children

Christmas Pageant: The  Baby  Jesus  and  His  Barnyard  Friends  

The holiday season is upon us. Christmas music is round the clock. It is time to signup for Pageant! Our Christmas Pageant will be held on December 24th at the 4:00 service. All children, age 4 through 5th grades, are welcome to participate in the Pageant. Registration forms will be available in the Church office or online at www.uchinsdale.org after November 14th. If you are interested in a speaking part, please fill out the section on the registration form and return by November 28th. Practices will be held

after the 10:30 fresh worship service on December 5th and12th. We will have an afternoon practice on December 19th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm and a dress rehearsal practice the morning of December 22nd. Please mark your calendars for the practices and return the registration forms as early as possible. For more information, please contact Penny Johnson in the church office.

Bible Sparks Did you know that some of the younger members of Union Church have been learning the stories of the Bible through an exciting new curriculum? Over the past year the 3’s and 4’s classroom has been using Augsburg’s Sparks curriculum and Story Bible. The Bible is specifically geared for younger children with big bold pictures and condensed versions of some of our favorite Bible stories. The kids have loved this new Bible and look forward to hearing the stories every week. There is even a “squiggly worm” that is hidden within each illustration and the kids have a great time trying to find him. We are thrilled to announce that we are now able to offer these Bibles for sale. They are $15.00 each and would make an excellent addition to your family’s home library. Please let Penny Johnson know if you are interested in purchasing one. There will also be a few copies in the classroom to borrow if you would like to take a look first.

LOGOS Our weekly Wednesday evening program, LOGOS, has begun! It is an after school program for children and youth that gives them a safe place to enjoy Christian fellowship through recreation activities, participation in worship and choir, group study of Biblical values and sharing a meal together. The program is 3 hours and begins at 4:00 p.m. for first through eighth grades. The program is open to the church and wider community for children to invite their friends. The fee is $99 per child

for each session. Session One runs from now through January 19. Session Two begins on January 26 and continues through March 16. Please contact me if you need additional information. We are looking forward to another fun-filled season of Christian joy.

Peace and Smiles,

Penny Director of Children's Christian Education

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Invitation to Faith: Expanding Mission and Social Justice for All People

Guatemala Dinner and Pancake Breakfast

The team has been set for our return trip to Rabinal, Guatemala in January of 2011. Our two fundraising events are the Guatemala Dinner, (Friday, December 3) and a Pancake Breakfast, (Sunday, December 12). Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan

on coming to eat some food, enjoy some fellowship and benefit our Habitat For Humanity trip! If you would like to buy tickets, volunteer to work or just make a trip

donation please contact Rev. Thom Parrott-Sheffer in the church offices at (630) 323.4303

San Lucas UCC Thanksgiving Dinner Tue,  Nov.  23,  2010,  Noon  –  5:00  p.m.  

San Lucas UCC is getting ready for their Community Thanksgiving

Dinner. We hope you will join them in helping out with the celebration of feeding others in a time of giving thanks for what we have. This year

they will be offering free haircuts and manicures from students at Truman College. They will also be offering free flu shots. If you have

any questions or would like to volunteer/donate please contact. Caremn Flores-Rance at (312) 805.5623.

Spirit Gifts An alternative for giving the gift of love and hope! Starts today.

 This program, sponsored by the Christian Mission Ministry and the Women’s Association, offers everyone the opportunity to “purchase” gifts for the foreign mission, human service organizations, social justice and witness programs and other ministries at Union Church. These gifts are donations to these programs and ministries in honor of family members or friends. Gifts can be in amounts from $1 to $1000 or more. Spirit Gifts will soon be available for purchase in the Gathering Place each Sunday until Christmas. A complete list of Spirit Gifts charities is available in the Gathering Place. Questions? Contact the church offices at (630) 323.4303.  

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Invitation to Faith: Community Life

Financial Manager’s Year End Memo:

With so much going on at this time of year, I would like to offer the following reminders for fulfilling your pledge commitments with as little difficulty as possible:

1. If you have not completed paying your 2010 pledge by November 30, 2010, you will be receiving a statement in early December showing your balance due. Please make every effort to complete paying your pledge as early in December as possible.

2. If you will be using stock to pay your 2010,

2011 pledge, remember to contact me at extension 6654 when you arrange the gift with your broker. This insures that I will know who is making the gift and your desired allocation. In order to allow time for the paperwork required, your broker should be contacted no later than December 14, 2010 for donations you want recorded in 2010. This is the busiest time of year for stock transfers and you do not want your gift to be lost in the shuffle!

3. Make all checks payable to Union Church of

Hinsdale and note on the memo line of your check what you are paying – for example: 2010 pledge, 2011 pledge, Christmas offering, etc.

4. Remember that all checks must be received at

the church by December 31, 2010 to be deductible on your tax return for 2010. This means that a check deposited in the church offering in January of 2011 will not be included on your 2010 tax receipt, even if the check is backdated to 2010. The only exception – checks that are mailed and postmarked in 2010 are deductible in 2010 even though they may not be received until 2011.

Have a wonderful holiday season! Gaby Perez  

Leftover Halloween Candy

Women’s Association is once again collecting Halloween candy to help fill Christmas stockings and mugs for Rudolph’s Boutique. Donations can be placed in a box under the name tag table in the Gathering Place. Thanks for your support.

Women’s Association Fellowship Gatherings

At the time this edition went to print, the location of the November unit meetings had not been finalized for all of the units. Please check the Women’s Association bulletin board near where the coffee is located on Sundays to find out where and when each fellowship group is meeting. If you have any questions you can contact Sue Becker, President, or Susan Young, 2nd Vice President.

Stewardship Update “For where your treasure is, there your heart will

be also.”- Matthew 6:21 Union  Church  is  certainly  a  vibrant  place.    Worship  attendance  is  up  20%  from  last  year.    This  Sunday  we  will  be  installing  a  new  pastor.    Advent  is  just  around  the  corner  and  Parish  Life  will  be  decorating  our  church.        Logos  has  started.    Soon  children  will  be  involved  in  the  Christmas  pageant  and  the  Allegro  Handbell  Choir  will  be  doing  a  number  of  concerts  as  part  of  their  efforts  to  raise  money  to  go  to  Europe  on  a  bell  tour  this  coming  summer.    These  activities  and  others  are  possible  because  of  the  presence,  input  and  participation  of  our  membership.      If  you  have  not  yet  returned  your  pledge  card  for  2011,  we  ask  that  you  reflect  on  the  energy  currently  filling  our  church  and  complete  your  pledge  card  as  soon  as  possible.    Card  can  be  mailed  to  the  church  office  or  you  can  email  your  pledge  to  our  financial  manager  at  GPerez@uchinsdale.org.    Since  we  believe  the  future  of  Union  Church  depends  on  financial  leadership  of  our  congregation,  members  of  the  ministry  teams  will  arrange  personal  visits  in  the  next  few  weeks  with  those  who  have  not  yet  responded.          

 

We continue to “build” our bookcase with Augustine’s “Confessions”. The books are

available from Pastor Thom at church – or at the first session.

Next session is

Sunday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m. (at Pastor Thom’s house – 1340 Laurie Lane).

We meet the second Sunday of each month.

We begin with an overview of Augustine’s life and where Confessions fits into the

development of Christianity.

Everyone is invited. Hope to see you all there.

Current Events & Faith Each Sunday Through Nov. 21 at 10:30 a.m.

Join us as we look through the week’s news events and discuss its impact on our faith. Led by Andrew Johnson in the Kitchen Classroom.

Allegro Handbell Ensemble announces

Ring Ring Cha-Ching  It’s  fundraising  while  you  shop!  Ring  Ring  Cha-­‐Ching  fundraising  gift  cards,  also  called  scrip,  are  the  same  gift  cards  you  would  normally  purchase  from  a  retailer  in  your  local  retail  stress,  and  they  work  the  same  way.  See  our  “Cash  &  Carry”  table  on  Sunday’s  after  services  in  the  Gathering  Place.  For  more  information  please  contact  Wendee  Greene  (630)  969.7668  or  Elizabeth  Krainc  at  (630)  969.0545  

Annual Food Drive We are holding a food drive again this year for Hinsdale Community Services. We are collecting nonperishable food items at the church.