Getting to Know Our Church Family…

Connie Wilson        -by Karen Knight

Most of us know quite a bit about our director of music, Gordy Wilson (See the church website.), but what about that other Wilson, Connie? 

Connie grew up in Champaign and graduated from, what was then, Champaign High School.  Her family attended University Place Christian Church - Disciples of Christ and she, as her parents before her, was married there.  She has a degree in elementary education and taught 3^rd grade at Homer Grade School for 9 years before quitting in order to spend more time with her two young sons.   Connie has worked in childcare at Wesley, Faith and First United Methodist Churches.  For the past 23 years, she has worked at the Child Care Center at First UMC in Champaign. She has been director of the center for 12 years.  

Gordy, Connie and their two sons, Ryan and Cory, started attending Grace in 1982 when Gordy became organist here.  Although moving from a home church can be difficult, Connie said, “When I came to Grace Church, I was very pleased with the way everyone welcomed us with open arms and I was excited about the many opportunities available to the youth.”

Besides their two sons, the Wilson family also includes Ryan’s wife, Melissia and two grandsons, Corbin and Joel.  Another important family member is Lainie, a year old West Highland terrier. 

Connie has helped with many things at church.  She is currently a trustee.  The nuts and bolts projects this committee addresses interest her.  Connie is also part of the Chancel Choir and Angelus Handbell Choir.

For fun, Connie likes to read and knit.  She is an avid Illinois basketball and football fan as well as a Chicago Bears fan, and makes sure to watch all of her teams’ televised games.  A little known fact is that she enjoys playing the piano, something she learned to do long before she met Gordy.

Banners by Virginia

-By Karilyn Newnam

Beautiful quilted banners hang in the sanctuary of Grace Church, banners created by Virginia Sadler. When Virginia isn’t putting her “green thumb” to work, her other fingers are busy sewing and quilting. Virginia is a talented seamstress and has made many banners that hang in our sanctuary.

Virginia began quilting at the urging of Opal Biggins and Donna Every, who were starting a quilting class at church. They told her that anyone who can sew, can also quilt. Virginia saw a pattern for the Easter Lilies banners in a quilting magazine and thought these banners would look nice on the walls in the sanctuary. She ordered the pattern and worked diligently to finish them before Easter. The Easter Lilies banners were made in memory of Mary Meador, who was another talented seamstress and had made many beautiful items for the church bazaar.

Most of the patterns ordered run small, so Virginia enlarges the patterns. The banners are quilted just like a quilt. One-quarter inch black bias is hand-sewn on both sides to give the impression of stained glass. A new addition to the banners is hanging in the hallway of the Education wing, a three-panel Nativity scene. These banners used mottled fabric print consisting of 25-30 shades of color. Virginia selects the colors from a color chart as well as using her experience with fabric. Virginia estimated that each panel of the Nativity scene took 20 – 25 hours to complete.

The two “I AM” banners were created based on a suggestion from Ron Weidner,

who had seen a similar banner while in Florida.

Other banners quilted by Virginia are:

PEACE – consisting of five individual panels

NOEL – consisting of four individual panels

FAITH – five individual panels

LOVE – four individual panels

JOY – three individual panels

Two banners with Poinsettias

Two banners with Easter Lilies

Two banners with Palms

Two banners with Doves

Walk in Love Banners

The banners add to the beauty of the

sanctuary and we are fortunate that

Virginia shares her talent with the

church.

Birthdays

June Hudson                           February 1

Callie McFarland                        February 3

Mary Hackl                            February 4

Jared Routh                           February 6

Sally Ormiston                        February 8

Makinzi Smith                         February 11

Karen Knight                          February 12

Ruth Newman                           February 13

Art Henris                            February 15

Pauline Durbin                        February 19

Diane Weidner                         February 19

Amanda Henderson                      February 22

June Schwartz                                 February 29

Anniversaries

Anthony and Kristin Williford          February 6

Gar and Shirley Nortrup                    February 11

Bill and Elise Fears                   February 14