Grace United Methodist Church

December 2003

Volume 2 Issue 12

If you are raising a family today, you know how busy life can be. Just ask Richard and Sharon King.

Sharon is a veterinary technician at Curtis Road Animal Hospital and Richard is an accountant at Henneman Raufeisen and Associates Inc.

Although busy with work and children, the Kings have made time to be part of Grace. Sharon has participated in many of Grace’s musical groups. As a youth, she was a part of the Newer People Choir. She is a member of the Chancel Choir and Grace Notes Band. Whenever a violin is needed for a Chancel or Angelus piece, she willingly obliges. Sharon also coordinates acolytes and is a member of the Seekers Sunday School class. Richard teaches the 4^th-5^th grade Sunday School class. He has also substituted for the Wide Awake class, something he and the students seemed to have enjoyed. He organizes the annual church campout and ski trips and is the current finance chair.

Richard and Sharon started attending Grace with their families in the early 70’s. (Richard is the son of Mary Thompson and Sharon is the daughter of Paul and Pauline Kunkel.) Both were a part of the UMYF, then led by Ron and Kay Weidner, but did not start dating until after high school. Their wedding 23 years ago, was the last wedding Burt Lancaster performed at Grace.

The three King children were baptized at Grace. Jennifer is a newly graduated math teacher who just completed a substitute teaching job at Unity Junior High School. She is also the leader of the middle school UMYF at Grace. Elizabeth is a junior at Urbana High School. She plays the flute, excels academically, and likes to try new sports. Benjamin is a 7^th grader at Urbana Middle School. He plays the trumpet, likes sports (especially soccer and baseball), is a Boy Scout (First Class), and has an artistic bent.

At Grace, Ben is a member of the Spirit Ringers Youth Handbell Choir and the UMYF.

The family enjoys attending U of I sporting events. Richard also likes to participate in sports and is one of the regulars on the church softball team. He hikes, bikes, and helps with Ben’s Scout troop. Sharon likes to sew. She does needlework and completed a special project for Jennifer in honor of her college graduation. Sharon also enjoys photography and reading.

Richard and Sharon have experienced the changes in Grace through the years. Richard said, "We’ve seen its ups and downs. Currently, its on an up." Both feel close to the people of Grace and mentioned the sadness when people leave because of the transient nature of this community. "It (Grace) feels like home," said Sharon. "When I think of close friends, many of them are from this church."

Special points of interest:

By Gary Ricketts

This month we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born in a lowly stable, because there was no room at the inn. Even today many people don’t have room for him in their life and heart.

His coming was proclaimed centuries before by the prophets of old. At the time of his birth a bright shining star guided the wisemen and the shepherds to his place of birth. The angels announced his birth. The only witnesses, were Joseph and Mary, the animals in the stable, the angels and God.

Today, Christmas has become too highly commercialized. However, in spite of all the tinsel and glitter, the fact remains that this holy one, named Jesus, continues to have a major impact on the world, and in the lives of people, individually and collectively. Be sure this Christmas that we truly celebrate the birth of Christ, and that we provide room for him in our hearts and life. Yes, Jesus is truly the reason for the season.

Prayer has a powerful impact on both the one being prayed for and the one praying. We must never forget that God still answers prayers. They are answered in his way and in his timing. Please lift up in prayer the joys and concerns of our congregation and others.

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father we thank you for the birth of your son, Jesus Christ, and what that has meant to the world. Help us to focus on your son and not get caught up in the tinsel and glitter of the season. For the greatest gift of all was the gift of your son to the world. He came to be a living example for all mankind.

Help us Lord to show love and concern to those around us. Guide and direct us each day so that we can better serve you. We lift up the joys and concerns of our family and our church. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

I fussed once too often. The conversation focused on how much of the great traditions of the past had been lost in our 20th century observances of Christmas. The pastor threw it right back at me. He knew plans for the usual church program for Christmas had not been started, so he said, "You do something about it. "

The idea came together quickly, and the year's program on December 21, 1975, is one I'll never forget. Grace Church sanctuary was plain, and that was before the Condit wing was added allowing an exit door from the chancel to the choir room. (We always had a choir processional in those days.) But limitations of time, space, and equipment were matched with cooperation, enthusiasm, and ingenuity. Together we had an "unrehearsed" program, without a hitch. It was called "A Gallery of Christmas Sights and Sounds."

Here's what we did. Eight paintings from the Old Masters of Europe were selected to illustrate the story of the Nativity in a sequential format. Robert King copied photos to make slides to project on our improvised screen, and the slides were distributed, one to each Sunday School class or organized group in the church. Their instructions: to take an identified single character in their one painting, locate someone in the congregation who resembled that person, costume them as exactly as possible, and coach them to pose while the accompanying scriptural account and story of the artist and painting were read, and appropriate music was provided.

The program began with an invitation to take a "guided tour" through the artists' studios, and eight costumed characters slipped down the side aisle to sit, waiting quietly in the front pew.

The projected pictures were clear and focused, and the characterizations were phenomenal. Old Masters' works from France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands came alive. Clint Weidert was Georges de la Tour's (c. 1630) "boy with hat;" Roy Weidner was the uncanny incarnation of the "elder king" by Bramantino of Italy (c. 1500); and the pastor's daughter, Amy Lancaster, was Rembrandt's "Mary at the crib" (1645). Her wide-set eyes matched remarkably with the painting, and the congregation responded with singing the final song, "Joy to the World."

The music presentations had been carefully selected to match the story sequence, the artists’ home countries or their time periods. Dottie Price at the organ and piano kept the flow, a high school girls string trio added the French carol accent, and the grade school children sang "Away in the Manger" and "Silent Night."

I don't remember the moment it was all over--whether we clapped or stood in awe. I said that there was no hitch, but there is one regret. No one had thought to have a camera to get pictures of our models. That would have been a Christmas treasure in its own right. Now it remains only a wonderful memory.

Paul E. Kunkel, at Urbana, IL (10/10/03)

Prayer for Daniel Ricketts on December 17.

On December 17, Daniel Ricketts 6 year old grandson of Gary and Audrey Ricketts will be undergoing tendon lengthening surgery on his legs. Gary and Audrey will be in the sanctuary at 7:30 a.m. praying for Daniel as he goes into surgery at that time. If you would like to come join us, that would really be a blessing or if you chose to pray at home that would be wonderful too. We will try to keep you updated as to his recovery.

Have you memorized a Bible verse recently?

Members of the 4^th and 5^th grade Sunday School class can answer "yes" to this question.

Their current curriculum is titled "Experience God’s World". The class has studied stories of the Creation, Cain and Abel, and Noah and the Ark. Each lesson includes activities such as puzzles, games and crafts. A favorite craft of the class is working with clay.

During class, the children learn to look up Bible verses and read the verses. Each week, a Bible verse is memorized by the children.

Current members of the class include: Jeff Carter, Carly Johnson, Kenneth Johnston, Miranda McCarthy,

Alec Morgan and Kolton Williford.   Future plans of the class include participation in the church Christmas program on Dec. 14.

This class is led by Richard King, a very active, dedicated member of Grace Church. We

are very fortunate that he takes time to lead this Sunday School class as they continue their Christian education. We are also blessed with this fine group of young people.

Anyone interested in joining this group is welcome. Come to the Education wing at 9:30 am on Sunday morning. You will be welcome!

Thank you to the friends who’ve sent cards.

Thank you for sending the lunch to me on Consecration Sunday. It was great!

Thanks to the Women’s Group for giving me items to take to Champaign County Nursing Home for their Bazaar.

Thanks for making us part of the Consecration event on Sunday. The turkey was delicious. It has been great to have those Friday dinner visits. Thanks to those who have cooked and thanks to those who delivered our meals.

Thanks to all the people who were so kind to me and my family at a very difficult time.

We will leave the church at 3:00 p.m. to eat at Yoder’s Kitchen, then we will go to Mattoon to see the Christmas lights in the park. Please call the James’s 328-1735 or the Gladson’s 367-6838 with your reservation. All retirees and seniors are invited.

Weekly offering envelopes for 2004 will be distributed on Sunday, December 7 and December 14 in the narthex. Envelope boxes are individually labeled with names. Boxes not picked up on these dates will be mailed December 16. Please help defray postage costs of mailing ($1.52 each) by picking up envelopes. Envelopes may also be picked up during the week through the church office. If your name isn’t there and you would like to receive envelopes, please notify the office.

The fiscal year for the church ends with the calendar year, December 31. Please try to complete your 2003 contributions prior to December 28 for proper credit. Contributions received after December 31 will be credited to 2004 giving.

As always, your support of Grace church is appreciated.

If you have noticed on our calendar each week that we have strings practice at Grace, now is your chance to see them in Concert. The Children’s Concert is Sunday, December 7 at 3:30 p.m. at Urbana Lincoln Square Mall. Admission is free. Donations accepted to benefit the Crisis Nursery.

These are exciting times for the people of Grace UMC. Grace Street and Grace Years are forging ahead with many hours of thoughtful prayer and listening for God’s direction for our community. Marsha and I are encouraged by the support that the Church Council has overwhelming given to this vision. We feel lucky to be a part of embarking into new territory taking God’s love out into the neighborhoods. Please join us in our enthusiasm in the coming weeks and months as THE VISION continues to take shape and form into something tangible and wonderful.

Consecration Sunday was wonderful and I want to thank all those that helped make it that way. I also want to thank all those in the congregation who turned in pledges for what looks to be an exciting year ahead.
Richard King

All women of the church are invited to the Christmas Salad Supper on Thursday evening, Dec. 4 at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. There will be good food, Christmas music, fun and fellowship for all.