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VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 -- February, 2005
Getting to Know Our Church Family… Ray and Bee Allen --By Karen Knight
Most people are modest when accepting acknowledgment for the work they do to make Grace Church what it is. In reality, although the contributions may seem small to the contributors, they greatly impact what our church is able to do. This year, Ray Allen shelled 3,700 pounds of popcorn and Bee, along with Lucille Exton, packaged most of it. What an impact this “small” contribution has on our missions program!
The Allens met when Ray went to work in the masonry business for Bee’s brother-in-law. Ray had been in the U.S. Army during World War II, and afterwards, came to Urbana because his brother was here. The Allens were married on Christmas Eve, 1948, and just celebrated their 56th anniversary.
The Allens have attended Grace since 1985. The church was convenient and they had friends at Grace, including fellow mason, Dallas Millikin. Ray said, “You could be involved. It wasn’t a church in name only.” Ray has served on the board of trustees. Projects he had worked on include the renovation of the windows in the education wing and, with Truman Price, remodeling the kitchen at the parsonage. He enjoys woodworking and has contributed his projects to the annual UMW bazaar. Although health problems have slowed him down, he is still part of the Men’s Breakfast group and makes food deliveries. Ray has enjoyed hunting and fishing, a fondness he developed while growing up in southern Missouri. Bee was born near Louisville, Illinois. Her family moved to the Rantoul/Ludlow area when she was small. Bee started her work life as a beautician. She also worked in her brother-in-law’s office and then for the University of Illinois with the U .S. Geological Survey’s oil and gas division until she retired in 1985. Bee has helped with the church nursery. She enjoys helping with the bazaar and has contributed crafts to be sold. Both Allens enjoy the XYZ outings.
An activity especially enjoyed by the Allens was attending the high school sports activities of their late son, Larry. They continued their support by attending the sports events of their two grandsons, even driving to South Carolina several times to watch college baseball games their grandson played in. Both grandsons live in St. Joseph. The Allens now also have two great-granddaughters and are looking forward to attending their sports activities, too. New Small Group Forming: “Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew”. Using the Gospel of Matthew as our starting point, we will engage in conversations and sharing that can lead us to both scriptural and personal insights. This group welcomes those who are good listeners and willing to share. We anticipate a start date in the near future. Contact Linda Entwistle (office: 328-1414, home: 344-6176), Mike Smith, or Jim Ferguson (367-5814) if you are interested in participating. United Methodist WomenUMW meeting: Thursday, Feb. 3, 7 pm, Fellowship Hall. All women are invited to attend. Bring any ideas you may have to make 2005 a great year. Everyone welcome!
Midwest Mission Distribution Center, Springfield, Il, April 2 We will be working at the Distribution Center on Saturday, April 2 from 9-12. Mark your calendars- more details to follow. Everyone is welcome to participate. Small Group Spotlight – Confirmation Class/Middle School Youth Group — By Karilyn Newnam The Middle School/Confirmation Class is a very active group at Grace Church. The confirmation class consists of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students and is led by Pastor Mike Smith. The class is meeting for fifteen sessions, held on Thursday evenings. The Middle School Sunday School class is led by Joan O’Connell and Luann Wiedenmann. David Rivier leads the Middle School youth group with recreational activities.
Students in the confirmation class are: Jeff Carter, Miranda McCarthy, Kolton Williford, (6th grade) Eli Entwistle, Konnor Williford (7th grade) Ritchie Barnett, Adam Burns, Ian and Alex Ferguson, Ben King, and Randy McCarthy (8th grade). Pastor Mike states that “the purpose of the confirmation class is to create a covenant relationship between young people and the church. We equip young people to become effective members of the church. In turn, we learn about them and make room for them to become responsible members and leaders in our congregation.” The sessions explore the challenges and difficulties in life, how God gives us gifts to live our lives with purpose and joy, and how the church is key to abundant living for many of us. The sessions are conversational, challenging, relevant, and fun.
On Sunday afternoon, David Rivier leads the youth group and their friends with recreational activities at the church. There have been as many as twenty youth participating in these activities. When weather permits, the games are held outdoors. One of their favorite games is called “Mad Dog” (you’ll have to ask one of the youth for details). The group also picked two rows of popcorn last fall to help with the church’s corn project.
Joan O’Connell and Luann Wiedenmann are team leaders for the Middle School Sunday School class. The study series is called “U-Turn” and focuses on issues that are relevant in today’s world such as media influence, apathy, bullying, inappropriate language, excessive consumerism and making wise choices when dealing with these issues. Something exciting is happening: many of the youth are inviting friends to the class.
The youth are planning a mission trip this summer and will be busy with fund-raising events. In February, plans are underway for a Valentine’s dinner. We are very proud of these young people and look forward to their confirmation as members of Grace Church. Junior High and High School Mission Trips —by Luann Wiedenmann
Snow may
be covering the ground now but Larry Stapleton, the youth mission coordinator,
is already planning for the junior and senior high mission trips in July. The
middle school youth will be in Kentucky from July 24 - 30 to help the Appalachia
Service Project (ASP). The ASP is "a Christian ministry, open to all people,
that addresses the housing needs of Central Appalachia". This mission trip is
part of the core team objective for our youth that includes the "biblical notion
of abundant life". "Abundant life includes growth and opportunity that engage
the body, mind, and soul". The senior high mission trip will be earlier in July
with exciting plans in the works for that trip. Church Officials 2005REFLECTIONS AND PRAYER FOR FEBRUARY, 2005 Gary Ricketts When some one mentions the word “church”, what do you think of? Do you think of people, a building or both? Four walls don’t make a church, but they can make a church building. A church can be anywhere that people meet to study God’s word, grow in faith and serve our Lord. Below I have taken the six letters in the word “church” and used each one to form two new words. These twelve words help me to look at the big picture of what a church is all about.
C – Christ: A church must be Christ centered if it is to do the Lord’s work. C – Congregation of Worshipers: A church needs a dedicated group of believers willing to love, care, and grow spiritually.
H – Holy: The Bible must be taught and upheld. It is an ancient book, but with life applications for today and tomorrow. H – Home: The church must be our spiritual home. Here is where we meet with fellow believers, share with one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another, and pray for each other.
U – Undergirding: Here is where we find our spiritual framework: the support that helps us to do God’s work in today’s world. U – Understanding: Here is where we strive to understand each other, with a desire to listen and truly hear the other person.
R – Resurrection: Christ’s resurrection from the dead is at the core of the Gospel. It gives us hope for the future. It fulfilled the prophesies of old and dealt the devil a stunning blow. R – Rededication: From time to time we need to rededicate our lives to the service of our Lord. When we wander away from God’s path we need to come home to him. This is possible through the grace of God.
C – Communion: Here we are reminded of the great sacrifice Christ made for us as well as future generations. The loaf and the cup symbolize the body and blood of Christ. Here we are able to experience the forgiving grace of our Heavenly Father. C – Caring: A church must be caring, reaching out to those in need both inside and outside the congregation. It is that caring nature that helps us to serve our Lord in this day and age.
H – Helpful: A willingness to help one another is critical in following the example of Christ. H – Healthy: Spiritual health, physical health and emotional health are all important in our day to day living and serving the Risen Savior.
You can come up with your own twelve words that most completely define the church for you. Hopefully my efforts here will provide some “food-for-thought” for you as you pause to reflect on the “church”. PrayerDear Lord and Heavenly Father, help us to be the church as you want us to be. Give us insight and passion for doing your will. Help to see ways of serving you that we have never noticed before. We lift up the joys and concerns of our families and our church. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. Weekly Lenten Devotionals Will Be AvailableThe Newsletter Team will be preparing Lenten Devotional Material on a weekly basis again this year. The first devotional sheet will be available on Sunday, February 6, as Ash Wednesday is February 9. Team members may be asking some of you to help prepare material. I sincerely hope you will be willing to help. The Newsletter Team hopes that you will find the Lenten Devotionals to be a blessing to you as you read and pray each day. Two Books Reviewed. Two Ways of Thinking. One Author. —Submitted by Paul Kunkel Not everyone has the privilege of having known a distinguished professor of theology at a divinity school, but a friend of mine from many years ago is just such a person. When I learned that there were a couple of his recent books available which I thought would be of interest, I ordered them. They couldn't be more different. Let me tell you about them. (Both are published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City).
First of all, you would think a professor of theology training prospective clergy, would probably be stuffy, talking way above our heads. I never sat in on one of his classes, but his writing shows clear evidence of both the scholarly and the witty. Take the last characteristic first from:
The Church Out on a Limerick, by Rob L. Staples, c. 2000. This little paperback, complete with cartoon-style illustrations by one of his students, let Staples kindly but irreverently poke a little fun at some of the ancient and contemporary religious ideas and people. Each chapter has a pun-filled introduction, and he finds a chuckle from biblical texts to current theology. I didn't get permission, but I believe he'd let me cite two examples.
From Judges 16: It seems strength and great body condition Would be lauded by any physician, But the man was a nut When he got his hair cut By Delilah, that ancient beautician.
From “The Church Secretary's Nightmare”: The computer she would not espouse When installed in the new parish house, And she screamed and complained When the salesman explained That attached to the thing was a mouse!
But Staples can also be scholarly and thorough, as seen in this second book: Outward Sign and Inward Grace (The Place of Sacraments in Wesleyan Spirituality),by Rob L. Staples, c. 2001. Here are 300 pages of hard reading, carefully examining for clergy and college and seminary professors, and some "daring" lay persons, the biblical, Protestant, and particularly Wesleyan understanding of the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion (or the Eucharist). While his perspective derives from the "holiness" tradition in the Wesleyan heritage, the Staples book is useful, informative, and directed toward "recovery of the biblical wholeness of Christian faith and practice." I was particularly intrigued with the second chapter entitled "Theology and Imagination." He explains how in the three fields of science, art, and religion there are three elements: reason, imagination, and faith. And both imagination and reason are symbolic representations of reality.
Staples concludes this book with these ideas which I found most meaningful (p. 60):
“But we can be certain of this: As for us human beings still on earth, who do not yet see ‘face-to-face’: (I Cor. 13:12), reality is mediated through myriads of oblique angles and colors and shapes and textures in the fabric of creation. And, unlike animals and angels, we are forever trying to catch sight of a meaningful and comprehensive pattern by relating all the angles and colors and shapes and textures to each other. Imagination makes us human, and it is our humanness that makes sacraments both possible and necessary.
This is tremendously important for a sacramental theology. It is for us human creatures that the sacraments have been designed. Jesus did not call them sacraments, of course, nor do the biblical writers. That is the name we have given them. But our Lord commanded water, bread, and wine-not for the angels, and not for the beasts, but for us.” February Birthdays and Anniversaries1 June Hudson 3 Callie McFarland 6 Jared Routh 6 Mary Hackl 8 Greg & Robin Styan, anniversary 8 Sally Ormiston 11 Annie Carroll 12 Karen Knight 14 James & Marilyn Wright, anniversary 14 Bill & Elise Fears, anniversary 15 Art Henris 17 Dan Schwartz 19 Pauline Durbin 19 Jerry Lukemire 19 Diane Weidner 22 Amanda Henderson 23 James Wright 25 Wanda Dean 27 Raymond “Dick” Brown 29 June Schwartz Thank You!Thank you for your prayers and concerns for our mother, Mildred Rawley. They were deeply appreciated. The Family of Mildred Rawley Christian Buddy, Thank you so much for the thoughtful birthday gifts. The candle smells wonderful, as did the cookies, before my children gobbled them up!
Marcia Burns February 2005 Activities Calendar
Men's Breakfast GroupAnnual Pancake DayFebruary 26, 2005 7am to 1pm Call 328-1414 for advance tickets |
