Snapshots - People and Friendships in Grace Church

Snapshots

People and Friendships in Grace Church

Volume 2, Issue 2 – Gordon Wilson, Editor August 20, 2006

Getting to Know Our Church Family… Janet Fredrick

By Karen Knight

Janet Fredrick was introduced to Grace when she was invited by Mary Bradley to join the Friday night dinner group. Later in 2001 while in the hospital following surgery, Janet felt the need for some spiritual support and called the office at Grace. Although in the middle of packing, Grace’s minister at the time, Bradley Watkins, was quick to respond with a visit. That was the clincher for Janet. She has been attending Grace since.

Janet grew up in Champaign. Her family attended Grace’s mother church, First United Methodist in Urbana. As a youth, she was part of a mission trip to Johns Island, South Carolina. This involved working with children from a different culture and economic status. As often happens to participants of mission trips, Janet’s life was profoundly affected. Although on disability leave from the University of Illinois where she worked as a bookkeeper in the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Health, she still finds ways to serve. At Grace, Janet is part of the card ministry. She says, “That is something I can do.” She has also helped with the corn project.

From her work as a volunteer with hospice, Janet has become interested in the Teddy Bear Bereavement Project. This is a project designed to help bereaved families heal. The teddy bears are made of clothing or symbols that had meaning for the patient. The families can be involved in the construction of the bears or not. Either way they are the recipients of the bears. Janet would like to see this become a ministry of Grace. If you are interested in either constructing bears or being the recipient of a bear, please contact her.

Having had her share of ill health, (She suffers from fybromyalgia and is a breast cancer survivor.), Janet knows the importance of help when illness comes. Her newest interest is the possibility of becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant. She feels this would be a good way to serve in her retirement years.

For enjoyment, Janet likes to sew, cook and garden, skills she developed as a 4H-er. She would also like to travel. Her son, Brian, shares her love of cooking and is a chef. Recently married daughter Kimberly lives in Paxton where she is a special education teacher. Kimberly and Janet do public speaking about organ donor awareness through the Organ Retrieval Organization. Janet also does public speaking about coping with cancer. She belongs to the AFSCME retirement group and serves as their recording secretary.

September Anniversaries

Ron & Mary Ann Hudson September 1, 1962 Years Married: 43

Kenneth & Joy Frick September 6, 1953 Years Married: 52

Wayne & Diane Weidner September 15, 1962 Years Married: 43

Joe & Dusty Turngren September 22,

September Birthdays

Wayne Weidner September 1

Connie Wilson September 2

Tom Welch September 4

LaVerne Brigham September 8

Ethan Stone September 11

Paul Trinkle September 11