Snapshots - January, February, 2006

Wanda Adams By Karen Knight

For most of us when deciding on a church home, a warm and friendly personal invitation will weigh our decision. A name that has popped up quit often in this regard is that of Wanda Adams.

Wanda was born and raised in Arkansas. She left in 1949 when she married the late Lewis Adams. Because of Lewis’s career in the Army, they moved often. Their children are Lewis, Larry, Clark, and twins Kevin and Karen (Henderson). In 1963 after Lewis retired from the military, the family moved to Urbana. They first attended First United Methodist Church in downtown Urbana where Wanda’s sister, Lois Mickey, attended. After the family moved to a house on Philo Road, Wanda and Lois visited Grace. Eventually both families became a part of Grace and Wanda says that she has been happy here.

For many years, Wanda has been involved with the financial part of Grace. She is registrar for memorial money and is a member of the finance committee. Along with Shirley Nortrup, Wanda is responsible for processing our Sunday offering. She is part of the United Methodist Women and part of the Grace Years Ministry Team serving as a Council member to Florida House.

Wanda has worked for 26 years as a county government employee. She worked as a clerk in the Board of Review office for 3 years, the County Board for 14 years and in Administrative Services for 9 years. She has served as a Jury Commissioner since 1994. If one afternoon you go to Brookens Administration Center, 1776 E. Washington, the friendly person greeting you and guiding you on your way may be Wanda. She is a part-time receptionist there and enjoys meeting people and helping them. Besides her job, Wanda likes searching garage sales for collectibles and items of interest. She also likes antiques.

Having her family all living in Illinois makes keeping close fairly easy. The family now includes seven grandchildren, one step-grandson and one great-grandchild. Being a part of her grandchildren’s lives is important to Wanda and something she truly enjoys.

Thank You

Christian Friends:

I want to thank you for your many cards, telephone calls, concerns and visits.

Thanks to Bill Valentine for serving us communion.

Many, many thanks to Pastor Mike for staying with us during surgery. Also for his hospital, home visits & prayers.

Thanks be to God I’m slowly getting on my feet.

In Christian love,

Chuck Preston

Birthdays and Anniversaries

January

2 – Carolyn & Lowell Dickey, anniversary

4 – Chuck Routh, birthday

Roberta Ford, birthday

6 – Ann McKenry – birthday

Paul & Phyllis Trinkle, anniversary

7 – Alex & Ian Ferguson, birthday

10 – Carly Adams, birthday

11 – Pauline Meier, birthday

16 – Georgia Hillery, birthday

18 – David Burns, birthday

22 – Abigail Morgan, birthday

24 – Ron & Berniel Stinebring, anniversary

26 – Ruth Aaron, birthday

30 – Jessica Hartke, birthday

Dear Friends,

Please accept my prayerful “Thank You” for the many blessings, prayers, and thoughtfulness.

The lovely cards, telephones calls, visits and flowers too.

Thanks you for taking the time to show you really cared. I know you didn’t have to, but, I’m grateful that you did.

This was very special to me and I’ll never forget.

May God’s richest blessings be with you always.

Love in Christ,

Margaret Hudson

February

1 – June Hudson, birthday

3 – Callie McFarland, birthday

6 – Jared Routh, birthday

Mary Hackl

8 – Greg & Robin Styan, anniversary

Sally Ormiston, birthday

11 – Annie Carroll, birthday

12 – Karen Knight – birthday

14 – James & Marilyn Wright, anniversary

Bill & Elise Fears, anniversary

15 – Art Henris, birthday

17 – Dan Schwartz, birthday

19 – Pauline Durbin, birthday

Jerry Lukemire, birthday

Diane Weidner, birthday

22 – Amanda Henderson, birthday

23 – James Wright, birthday

25 – Wanda Dean, birthday

26 – James Aaron, birthday

29 – June Schwartz, birthday

Midwest Mission Distribution Center

(Collection of Supplies during month of March – workday March 25)

The Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) is in need of supplies to restock their shelves since the hurricane disasters and recent tornadoes. As of October 31, 2005, a total of 290,715# of supplies had been shipped to places including Mississippi, Houston, Texas and the UMCOR Sager-Brown Depot in Louisiana.

A collection of supplies for MMDC will take place during the month of March at Grace.

By publishing the lists early, we hope people can take advantage of sales between now and March.

The most needed supplies at this time include the following:

Supplies for Health Kits (all items should be new):

1 Hand Towel

1 Wash Cloth

1 Comb (regular, not pocket size, no rat-tail combs, no barber combs)

1 Fingernail Clipper

1 Bath-size (4.5 oz. or larger) Bar of Soap (in original wrapper)

1 Toothbrush (in original wrapper)

1 Tube of toothpaste (5 oz. or larger, in original wrapper (check expiration dates)

6 Adhesive Bandages (band-aids, regular size)

Flood Bucket Supplies (all items should be new):

½ or ¾ gal. bleach 18 Cleaning Towels (Easy Wipe, re-usable)

Liquid laundry Detergent – 50 oz. Sponges – 7 pack, assorted sizes

12 oz. Lysol Concentrate 50 Clothes Pins (snap)

Disinfectant dish Soap – approx. 28 oz. Clothesline (cotton) 3/16’ diameter x 100 ft.

Air Freshener – 9 oz. Dust Masks – 5 pack

Insect Repellent – 6 oz. (Off, Cutter) Latex Gloves-Package of 2 pair

5 Scouring Pads Work Gloves (Wells Lamont, Canvas Dot)

Scrub Brush Trash Bags, 30 or larger gal. – 24-Bag roll

New Blankets

Flashlights and Batteries

And always, Money

On Saturday, March 25 a workday at the Distribution Center in Chatham has been scheduled for Grace Church. We will take the collected supplies to MMDC at that time.

Please consider helping with this ministry whose mission is to “compassionately help God’s people in need locally, nationally, and around the world and to fulfill the call for service to neighbors in Christ’s name”.

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the humanitarian relief agency of the United Methodist Church. UMCOR’s mission is to provide relief in disaster areas, aid refugees and confront the challenge of world hunger and poverty. UMCOR maintains a corps of trained disaster response specialists and keeps a supply of relief materials in warehouses for dispatch when required. The UMCOR Sager Brown Depot in Louisiana mentioned in the MMDC article is one of these warehouses.

One hundred percent of the funds UMCOR receives go to the emergency or project that is designated. Through special collections during 2005, Grace Church sent $3,743.77 to UMCOR. These funds were designated for hurricane relief and the tsunami relief effort. The work of UMCOR makes a difference in the world and in people’s lives.

For additional information about UMCOR, please go to the link on the church’s website.

So Long, Luann!

2006 Ski Trip

Text Box: J. Michael Smith, Directing Pastor
Gordon Wilson, Director of Music and Communication
Callie Knight, Bell Choir Director
Steve and Sandy Ater, Praise Team Leaders
Linda Entwistle, Administrative Assistant
Beth Morgan, Nursery Director
Bill Valentine, Pastoral Visitor Bob Bob deJong, Visitor Services and Building Caretaker Text Box: Grace United Methodist Church
2004 South Philo Road
Urbana, IL 61802 urbanagrace.org