March 2016

Choose love. Be the light. Change the world.

Lent: A Time for Reflection and Growth How Will Your Bulb Grow?

Lenten Devotions and Adult Coloring Wednesdays, through March 16 6:00-8:00 pm in the Forum

Drop in and join Tai Zimmerman for Lenten devotions and adult coloring together as a small group. Each week a new Lenten spiritual practice station will be added to our small group time, including Pray As You Go, Prayer Boards, Prayer Wall, Sand Labyrinths, and much more. Come and use these tools in your Lenten journey. Coloring sheets and devotions will also be available at the Welcome Center and through e-mailed devotions. Sign up to receive these devotions on the Small Groups page at fpcah.org or contact Tai at 847-255-5900 or taizimmerman@fpcah.org.

The season of Lent is a time for introspection, a time to explore ourselves and our relationship with God. For some, it is a time for prayer, fasting, and spiritual growth.

For others, it is a time to travel the road of repentance, making peace within our hearts by accepting the peace of Christ. Throughout March, as we continue along Christ’s 40-day journey to the cross—a journey that leads to our redemption—we are invited to look inward, to see where we are in need of forgiveness. And we are invited to look outward, to see where we need to forgive others. Last month, during Ash Wednesday worship, we planted spring flower bulbs in glass planters. Throughout Lent, keep your eye on these planters, arranged to received sunlight along windows in the Narthex, and watch as the bulbs take root and grow. This growth is meant to mirror our own spiritual growth during this holy season. As we approach Easter, preparing to celebrate Christ’s resurrection, God invites us to grow in faith and community, with God and with each other. God invites us to be a community that supports each other in faith and reaches out in love and service to others. How will you answer this invita-tion? How will your faith grow?

Engage & Encounter

DINNER: 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall (children are welcome!) Enjoy the company of friends, with food and fellowship.

ADULT EDUCATION: 7:15-8:15 pm in the Chapel Free child care

Exploring God’s Grace in Presbyterianism, with Rev. Ken Hockenberry — Join Ken for an exploration of grace and other Presbyterian concepts in Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt: A Theological Survival Guide for Youth, Parents, and Other Confused Presbyterians, by Ted Foote, Jr., and P. Alex Thornburg. Books are available in the church office ($10), but each class will stand on its own and reading the book is not required. Ken says: “Although we are a little north of the geographical Bible Belt, this book offers in-sight and lively discussion for Presbyterians everywhere.”

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The deadline for the April 2016 issue of The Chimes is March 10 at 9:00 am. Submit articles to Kris Mainellis, director of communications, at krismainellis@fpcah.org.

From the Pastor Reflections on the Making of Timeless by Rev. Alex Lang

Session Highlights by Tom Pardo, for Linda Byus, Clerk of Session

From the Feb. 8, 2016, meeting: Received 13 new members into

the congregation. The new members were welcomed into the congregation on Sunday, February 14.

Learned from the Board of

Trustees that a formal “Use of Space” policy is being drafted that will clarify the process by which space can be requested and at what cost within the church.

Approved revisions to the Endowment Fund Charter and Investment Objectives and Guidelines Statement.

Learned that the Financial Plan-

ning Task Force held its first meeting in late January and defined five objectives that would direct its work.

Approved having two worship

services in the summer, begin-ning Sunday, June 19, and running through Sunday, Sep-

tember 4. The services will take place at 9:00 am and 10:30 am.

Approved providing one wor-

ship service on Christmas Day 2016, which falls on a Sunday. The service will take place at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary.

Look for the full “Session Meeting Highlights” reports in the Narthex literature rack.

Normally, once Christmas is over, I am looking ahead to Easter. Jesus is born and now we must walk through

his life, death, and resurrection. However, this year something has been stopping me from moving forward. I keep coming back to Christmas Eve, when I presented you with the film, Timeless: Glimpses of God in Photography. The reason my mind keeps coming back to that moment is because it was a very special moment for me. Seeing all of your photos presented in the context of the Christmas sto-ry was a very beautiful and moving experience for me and, based on many of the comments I received, I think it was a very moving experi-ence for you as well. The reason I keep coming back to the film in my mind is that I know many of you are not aware of the various layers that comprise the film. The layer that most of you

took away from the film was a new appreciation for how God’s pres-ence in the world can be captured through the photographs of our lives. This is the primary and most important message of the film. However, right beneath the prima-ry message of the film are the imag-es that support that message. This is an important layer because I chose pictures that not only fit with what I was saying in a particular moment, but if you were to dig into the story behind that particular photograph, you would see how the story reinforces the words of the film. Obviously, to appreciate this layer you would have to know all the stories behind the photographs that were used in the film, and that is why the Sacred Stories art exhibi-tion worked so well in conjunction with my film. By taking the time to really immerse yourself in the

stories of the photos, you will come to appreci-ate this second layer of the film.

The final layer of the film is found in the manipulation of certain photos that I felt deserved special attention. I chose several images to have animated for the film using the Parallax Effect. The Parallax Effect is when you take a photo and literally bring the people within the photo to life. The photos where the Parallax Effect was applied included the picture of the horses in the Cauvet Caves in France, Gladys Holtz’s photo with Dario, Hal Stern’s pho-to off the HMS Queen Mary, and Joan Morrone’s photo of the sun peeking through the trees. I chose these for animation because I felt they were beautiful photographs with beautiful stories, and bringing them to life would provide an

“...bringing [these photos] to life would provide an active illustration of God’s presence bleeding through the photos.”

continued on page 8

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Serving, Giving, and Growing

The seventh annual Service Day will be held Saturday morning, April 16. This year we will again partner with Southminster Presby-terian Church to enable us to serve more organizations and get to know fellow Presbyterians. This is a real opportunity to serve those in need while enjoying fellowship with our Presbyterian family and learning a little more about the organizations that serve our com-munity year round. We will serve six organizations this year: Little City; WINGS; Clear-brook; Shelter, Inc.; Arlington Heights Senior Center; and Jour-neys: The Road Home; plus local homebound folks—by creating crafts through our Caring Ministry group (hosted at Southminster). All First Pres members and friends are invited to join in the fun, and children are welcome to partici-pate, with adult supervision. We

will meet at 8:00 am in Fellowship Hall, where we will sign in, meet our work teams, and grab a coffee or juice and a donut before heading out to the sites. Most work will be completed by noon or 1:00 pm. Child care will be provided at First Pres. Please sign up in advance, to help us plan work for the various sites. Stop by the sign-up table in the Narthex on Sundays, March 20, April 3, and April 10. Online regis-tration will begin soon. Stay tuned for more details. We hope you can join us for fun, fellowship, and service on April 16. Questions? Contact Ed Harding at 847-506-9565 or edharding@comcast.net.

Legacy is what we leave behind, our mark on our world—for better or worse. Politicians are famous for trying to create their legacies. Sometimes what is crafted is not what history records, and not what is interpreted as time passes. The great cathedrals in Europe may have been intended to pave the way to heaven, but the message they send through the ages is humanity’s continuing reach for the grace of God. Those great buildings that house priceless art also anchor and sus-tain the traditions of communities, provide solace, and are a visible and constant reminder of our Crea-tor and the strength of Christianity.

Our legacy as individuals will live through how we care for others—our family, our community, those less fortunate. Our legacy can also live through our church by ensur-ing that our church can continue to teach and guide future generations, acting as a constant and consistent reminder of Christ’s teaching. We’re creating our legacy through our church’s mission: Choose love. Be the light. Change the world. Sustaining our church past our life-times can be part of your legacy. To learn more about how to leave a legacy at First Pres, contact Deb-bie Walter, business administrator, at 847-255-5900.

Stewardship Matters: Leaving a Legacy by Kris Ford

Service Day Is Coming by Ed Harding

One Great Hour of Sharing

Since 1949, Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) to share God’s love with our neigh-bors-in-need around the world. The Presbyterian Church (USA) divides this special offering among three Presbyterian Mission Agency ministries. Self-Development of People helps empower economically poor, oppressed, and disadvan-taged people by establish-ing partner-ships with low-income community groups.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is the emergency and ref-ugee program of the PC(USA). PDA enables congregations and mission partners of the PC(USA) to help communities affected by crisis and catastrophe and wit-ness to Christ’s healing love. Presbyterian Hunger Program works with congregations and partners around the globe to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes. OGHS fish banks were distribut-ed at the beginning of Lent. Please consider filling your fish bank with coins and dollars throughout March to support these important mission efforts. Additional contributions can be made on the Online Giving page at fpcah.org and on Palm Sun-day, March 20, when we collect the special offering for OGHS. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you are assist-ing in the empowerment of oth-ers. Your help gives hope. To learn more about OGHS, visit pcusa.org/oghs.

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Welcome, New Members!  return for Steve, as he grew up here. Kristen is a teaching and learning manager, central region, for Cray-ola. Her interests include music—she loves to sing; art—pottery and clay; hiking; camping; and reading. Steve is a guitar maker and classical guitarist. He enjoys brewing beer (interested in the Brewing Group) and mountain biking. He also would like to share his guitar tal-ents at First Pres. Kristen enjoys the Sunday morning Coffee: Grounds for Discussion class and is looking forward to getting involved in the Art Dept. small group as well as helping out with Sunday school. Steve and Kristen love the people, music, ministers, sermons, and youth group at First Pres. Tom was just confirmed at the family’s for-mer church, and is joining First Pres as well.

Rebecca and Ryan Zyks Rebecca and Ryan have been married and lived in the area for about a year and a half. Rebecca is a music teacher who also enjoys singing and running. Ryan is a supervisor at UPS. His hobbies include

volleyball, movies, and spending time with friends and family. Rebecca enjoys being in a young women’s small group at First Pres and looks forward to getting involved in youth and children’s activities. Ryan is interested in find-ing volunteer activities at First Pres that fit his work schedule. Rebecca and Ryan enjoy the community of the church and the finding grace service, especially the music and sermons. “After getting married, we looked at a few churches to find one that fit what we were looking for in a church. First Pres had the service style and message we were looking for and we felt welcomed and comfortable,” Ryan says. Also joined: Chris Pendley (not shown)

Steve Berg Steve has lived in the area for many years. He is a computer sys-tems administrator. Steve has attended

Christian education classes at First Pres and looks forward to more learning as well as participating in mission activities. He finds educa-tion and worship services fulfilling at First Pres.

Ron Entzminger and Tracey Holmes Ron grew up in Arlington Heights, then lived in Wiscon-sin for some time, and moved back in 2014. He is a certified public accountant and enjoys golf, hunting, fishing, and reading. He is looking into getting

involved in one or more of the many ministry opportunities at First Pres. Ron is engaged to Tracey Holmes, who is also joining the church.

Gary and Mary Gehm Gary and Mary have been married for 35 years and have lived in Arlington Heights since 2003. Gary is a wealth management advisor and Mary works as an infor-mation services assis-tant at the Arlington Heights Memorial

Library. Mary and Gary both value spending time with their family. Gary also enjoys working out, be-ing an Illini fan, and serving at Feed My Starving Children. Mary loves her job, which takes up a lot of her time in addition to her family. She also enjoys cooking, entertaining, knitting, sewing, and taking walks. Both are looking forward to the Breaking Bread small groups. Gary

is also interested in getting involved in ministries to help those who are less fortunate. Mary looks forward to getting to know more people and finding ways to best serve at First Pres. Both find First Pres to be friendly and inviting, and the ser-mons relevant, “amazing, and in-spiring,” says Mary. “First Pres feels like home!”

Elizabeth Lehman Elizabeth has been married to Bill for 34 years and has lived in Palatine for 25 years. She is an attorney

who enjoys playing soccer, garden-ing, and reading. Elizabeth appreci-ates the compelling sermons and looks forward to getting involved in education and mission at First Pres.

Marielou Nash Marielou was a bank-er and she enjoys knit-ting, reading, opera, and plays. She signed up for the Breaking

Bread small groups and would like to get involved in mission work through First Pres. She appreciates the faith support she receives through the ministries of First Pres and she is impressed with the mis-sion emphasis of our congregation.

Kristen and Steve Walter, Tom Walter — Kristen and Steve have been married for 21 years and the couple recently moved to Arlington Heights with their children, Tom (14) and Sam (12). This was a

The following new members were received into the First Pres family of faith on Sunday, February 14. Welcome!

What’s Coming Up

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Modern Parables Discussion and Lunch With Alex Lang 12:15-1:00 pm in Fellowship Hall Through March 20 Enjoy a catered lunch and time to discuss the lessons to be learned from the Modern Parables sermon series. Free-will donations will be requested to offset lunch expenses.

Conscious Aging Class & Small Group

Thursdays, Through March 24 10:00 am – 12:00 pm / Boardroom Life after retirement provides a great opportunity for spiritual, emotional, and psychological growth. The Conscious Aging class and small group will help you take

Spring Forward 1 hour at 2:00 am Sunday, March 13

an introspective look at your life and spiritual well-being and focus on continued growth. To sign up, contact Tai Zimmerman or stop by the Welcome Center Sundays.

Henri J.M. Nouwen Four-Part Book Discussion Wednesdays: March 30, April 13, April 27, and May 4 / 1:00-2:00 pm All are invited to meet in the Parlor to discuss Reaching Out, by Henri J.M. Nouwen. Barbara MacDowall and Nancy Williams will moderate discussion of Nouwen’s ideas about reaching out to self, others, and God. Books are available in the church office ($11).

Organ Concert Fundraiser Sunday, March 6 / 4:00 pm First Pres mission partner Faith Community Homes (FCH) invites you to its 8th Annual Organ Concert, featuring talented local church organists and other musi-cians. The concert will be held at All Saints Lutheran Church (630 S. Quentin Rd., Palatine). A free-will offering will benefit the families served by FCH. To learn more, call the FCH office at 847-342-0846.

Music Lecture Series All are invited to The Moorings (Harbor Room, 811 E. Central Rd., Arlington Heights) at 7:00 pm on three Tuesdays in March for a music lecture series presented by Greg Athnos. To learn more, contact Bill Dillon at 847-956-2871.

Schedule: March 8: “Music Be-tween the Wars: America Rising”; No class March 15; March 22: “Bolshevism, Socialist-Realism, and the Composer Prokofieff”; March 29: “Shostakovitch Versus Stalin: A Struggle for Survival”

NEXT MONTH Aluminum Can Drive Saturday, April 30 9:00-11:00 am / West Parking Lot Mark your calendars and save your aluminum cans (e.g., soda cans) and other aluminum and copper items for recycling! Proceeds sup-port the Men’s Bible Study’s spon-sored charities. Contacts: Stan and Nancy Conning, 847-358-7259

Just Friends (adults 50+) March Activities

Saturday, March 5 See The 39 Steps, Hitchcock’s clas-sic, reimagined as a whodunnit farce, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights (show time: 7:00 pm; tickets: $38). Dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Meet at church at 5:00 pm.

Sunday, March 6 Meet at Portillo’s (1900 Golf Rd., Rolling Mead-

ows) at 5:30 pm for dinner and April planning. Saturday, March 12 Time for international dining at

Kinfork (Woodfield Mall, Schaum-burg). Meet at church at 5:30 pm. Saturday, March 19 Enjoy Hubbard Street 2 at the Prai-rie Center for the Arts in Schaum-burg. Dinner will be at TGI Fridays in Schaumburg. Meet at church at 5:00 pm. Sunday, March 20 Meet at church at 3:30 pm for the First Pres Spring Choral Concert. Saturday, March 26 Time for dinner and a movie. Meet at church at 5:00 pm. Contact Toni Eaton for all the details and to RSVP for any activity, at 847-609-8030.

Youth Ministries Stock Sale

Youth will sell stock in youth ministries on Sundays, March 6, 13, and 20. One share of stock costs $10, and 100 percent of the proceeds goes toward youth missions, which means you will be supporting mission trips in the summer as well as trips to Feed My Starving Children, supplies to make hygiene kits and trail mix for clients of The Night Ministry, and much more! Look for youth with clipboards in the Parlor, Narthex, and Forum after Sunday services in March. Thank you in advance for your support! — TC Anderson

Music & Worship

Music Ministries at First Pres is hum-ming along, full steam ahead! If you would like to be part of our ministry,

there are many opportunities for you. The Chancel Handbell Choir, praise band Compass, and other adult choirs are just some of the many options available to you and your musical gifts. In fact, if you’ve been thinking about joining one of our choirs, now is a great time to share your musical gifts with the congregation, as Dr. Alan Wellman is preparing our choirs for a performance of Charles Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass. Alan has carefully blended a mix of English texts with the more familiar Latin texts. The performance is on March 20 at 4:00 pm, and if you can join us for rehearsal at 7:30 pm on March 3, 10, and 17, in addi-tion to a Saturday rehearsal from 10:00 am to noon on March 19, we can experience something new and wonderful together! Please e-mail

Worship Schedule

March 6 Fourth Sunday of Lent Luke 7:1-10 / preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Faith”

music: 8:30 am: Led by Compass 9:30 am: Men’s Chorus 11:00 am: Chancel Choir

March 13 Fifth Sunday of Lent Luke 7:36-50 / preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Mistakes”

music: 8:30 am: Led by Compass 9:30 am: Bruce Blanck Jazz Ensemble 11:00 am: Chancel Choir

March 20 Passion / Palm Sunday Luke 19:28-48 / preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Tears”

music: 8:30 am: Compass, feat. Classic Rock Hits 9:30 am: Chamber Singers 11:00 am: Chancel Choir

March 24 Maundy Thursday 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Luke 22:7-30 preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Dinner”

music: Chamber Singers

March 25 Good Friday 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Luke 22:39-71; 23:1-56 preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Death”

music: Chancel Choir

March 27 Resurrection of the Lord / Easter Luke 24:1-35 / preaching: Alex Lang Modern Parables Sermon Series: “Life”

music: 6:30 am: Adam Hendrickson 8:30 am: Led by Compass 9:30 & 11:00 am: Chancel Choir and First Pres Brass

Turn to the back cover for the complete Holy Week

and Easter schedule.

me for further details, at adam hendrickson@fpcah.org. Two very exciting music ministries are in the formation process at this moment. One is very close to being finalized, and that is our First Pres Youth Orchestra. This ensemble will be available primarily for stu-dents in grades 6-12, but exceptions will be made for younger musicians on a case-by-case basis. The second ensemble, in the early stages of formation, is our First Pres Children’s Choir. Our church has been without a formal children’s choir for a while now. The ever-expanding schedules of our kids just keep growing! This choir is available primarily for grades K-6, but exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for other singers. If your child or children are inter-ested in being part of this music ministry, we would love to hear from you. I will be the point person for both of these ministries. Please contact me to inquire further.

Music Ministries: New Year, New Opportunities by Adam Hendrickson, Director of Music Programs

Spring Choral Concert Sunday, March 20, 2016 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary Remembering the Lenten journey

The Chancel Choir, Chamber Sing-ers, Men’s Chorus, and orchestra will present Charles Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass.

COMING NEXT MONTH Northwest Choral Society Sunday, April 10, 2016 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary Remembering and honoring yesterday’s composers Join our Associate Director of Mu-sic Alan Wellman as he presents the

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Northwest Choral Society in a con-cert that will remember and honor the composers of yesterday and today.

Concerts are webcast for live or later viewing at fpcah.org/webcast. Free child care is available. Wednesdays @ Noon Recitals

March 2, 2016: Adam Hendrickson, baritone, Ben McMunn, guitar

March 23, 2016: Christopher Urban, organ

Most recitals are webcast at fpcah.org/webcast.

2015-2016 Concert Series: Honor, Remembrance, and Praise!

Church Life

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Make It Take It March Project Meet Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm in the Parlor to continue your Crayon Art project begun in Feb-ruary. Don’t worry, you can still make art if you missed the Febru-ary meeting. All materials will be supplied (cost: $15).

March Book Club Meetings Join the Book Clubs on Wednes-day, March 16 at 7:00 pm or Wednesday, March 23 at 10:00 am to discuss The Kitchen House: A Novel, by Kathleen Grissom. Books are available in the church office ($10) and at the Welcome Center on Sundays.

Pastor Judy Has Moved! Judy and Ken Hockenberry are now settled into their new home, at 526 State St., Des Plaines, IL 60016. You can reach Judy at 502-445-9281 (cell) or at church at 847-255-5900.

PDO Sunday We celebrated Parents’ Day Out (PDO) Sun-day on January 24, kicking off the 38th year of this important community out-reach ministry. The children enjoyed being the center of attention as they present-ed some of the nonperishable foods they collected for Journeys: The Road Home on behalf of the church. PDO registration for 2016-2017 is now open to the pub-lic. If you, or someone you know, could benefit from a program filled with crafts, songs, fun, and friend-ships, please contact PDO at 847-253-5516 and ask for Coleen Anzalone, interim director. Next year we will offer PDO on Wednes-days, for the first time!

Sympathy Please join in extending sympathy to:

Sue Campbell and family, on the death of her husband, Mike Campbell

Family of Elizabeth McHarg

David McLaughlin and family, on the death of his wife, Donna McLaughlin

Millie Johnson and family, on the death of her husband, Lowell Johnson 

Rich Vane and family, on the death of his father, Richard Vane, Sr.

Michele Holifield and family, on the death of her husband, David Holifield

Christine and Mark Smith and family, on the death of Christine’s mother, Karen Pokuta

Betty Williamson and family, on the death of her father, John Wangaard

Get Involved in the Unified Mission Complete an Interest Survey

How will you support the new, unified mission to help the work-ing poor in the Arlington Heights community? Please complete a short survey to indicate which support roles best match how you would like to serve. Visit fpcah.org and click on the Mis-sion button at the bottom of the page to take the survey. Paper copies are available at the Wel-come Center. The mission begins this coming fall!

Wanted: Your Creative Ideas! The Communica-tions Committee is

developing a church brand mark (logo) and we want YOUR input! This brand mark will serve as a visual representation of the First Pres tagline: Choose love. Be the

light. Change the world. What does this tagline mean to you? To our church family? To the community? How can we convey that visually? Send your ideas to Kris Mainellis, director of commu-nications, at krismainellis@fpcah .org. You can provide your ideas in art form or use words to de-scribe what you have in mind. We may use parts of several people’s ideas. Or, your ideas may lead to even more ideas that capture the essence of the tagline. Note: The logo we have been using is specific to the 2015-2016 stewardship campaign, which focuses on the church tagline as its theme.

Why Use Eco-Palms?

Environmentally and Socially Responsible Palms

On Sunday, March 20, we will use Eco-Palms in worship to help cele-brate Palm Sunday. Eco-Palms are sus-tainably harvested and fairly traded. The money spent on the palms directly benefits the commu-nities where the palms are harvested, including helping to send young girls to school, employing women, and building community centers. Overharvesting or underharvesting can threaten the livelihood of tropi-cal families and communities as well as the forests where the palm plants thrive. Eco-Palms are har-vested in an environmentally friendly way. These new harvesting practices ensure that the same qual-ity palms you see today will be there for years to come. Purchasing these palms protects the forests in which they are grown. To learn more, visit ecopalms.org.

Information for this article was adapted from ecopalms.org.

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Caring Ministries Deacons Meals Ministry Did you know that we have a new Meals Ministry at First Pres? The Meals Ministry is part of the Board of Deacons and our mission is to provide a meal when someone in our church family is in need. So far, we have delivered meals to members who have recently had a baby, were recovering from surgery, and were recuperating from a fall. This is a great new ministry with lots of eager volunteers ready to assist, but we could use your help. Please keep us in mind if you hear of someone who might appreciate a meal due to illness, temporary disability, or another significant life event. Contact Holly Lowe at holly6917 @att.net or Cathy Mataloni at cathymataloni@comcast.net.

New Counselor Karen Starr, MS, LCPC, has joined the Samaritan Counseling Center staff who offer appointments at First Pres. Karen helps adults, cou-ples, and adolescents work through family conflict, relationship issues, anxiety, and stress management. Karen’s goal is to help people break through barriers to achieve greater understanding, connection, and intimacy in their relationships. She works to increase respect, affection, and closeness in connections, break through conflict when clients feel stuck, and help clients learn how to navigate life’s difficulties in a calm manner. Karen earned a master’s degree in counseling from National Louis University and has completed

the Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Karen and our other Samaritan counselor, Sarah C. Greene, MA, LCPC, MS, NCEP, meet with clients on the main floor of the Christian Education Wing. The entrance is on the south side of the building at door number 5 on East-man Street. Appointments are con-fidential and handled directly through Samaritan. You can reach Karen at 847-446-6955 ext. 24 or kstarr@northshoresamaritan.org. You can reach Sarah at 847-446-6955 ext. 18 or sgreene@north shoresamaritan.org. Learn more about Karen, Sarah, and Samaritan Counseling Center at northshoresamaritan.org.

Once again, the deacons are holding the annual Easter Basket Drive for WINGS, a Palatine-based social service agency. With the help and generosity of the congregation, we hope to repeat our success from last year in donating more than 135 baskets. WINGS is dedicated to providing support to women and their chil-dren who have left abusive environ-ments and need a “hand up” to begin a new and better life. Easter baskets donated to the deacons’ collection will be given to the many children supported by WINGS. These children’s ages go up to 17 years old, with 78 percent between 6 and 17 years. We ask that bas-kets cost no more than $10-$15. You can purchase them at any store. To make shopping easier, please stop by the Easter Basket table in

Annual Easter Basket Collection for WINGS by Karyn Kraske and Debbie Rowells

active illustration of God’s presence bleeding through the photos. Therefore, I hope you might take a moment to go back and re-watch this film because there is a lot more going on than initially meets the eye. Furthermore, I want to offer my sincere thanks to you, the con-gregation, for participating in this project. I could not have created this film without your photos and your stories. I am proud to be part of a church where the members are willing to be vulnerable and share some of the most meaningful moments of their lives with each other. You inspire me to pour my creativity into fu-ture endeavors so that we can have more beautiful moments like what we experienced on Christmas Eve.

Timeless Reflections, continued from page 2

the Narthex on Sundays, March 6 and 13 and pick up a tag that lists an age range and gender. Or, make a monetary donation, and we will take care of pur-chasing the basket. All baskets are due by noon on

Sunday, March 20. For questions or more information, contact Karyn Kraske at kraske5@comcast .net or 847-963-9113, or Debbie Rowells at r.rowells@comcast.net or 847-612-3851. We also need volunteers who can get store discounts to purchase the remaining Easter Baskets. Stop by the table and let us know if you can help stretch our monetary dona-tions a bit further! On behalf of WINGS and the many families who rely on WINGS, the deacons thank you for your love and support of this mission.

Youth & Children’s Ministries by Rev. TC Anderson and Katy Allen

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Middle School Retreat All the way back in late January, the middle school youth went on a retreat to East Bay Camp, with sever-al churches from both the Chicago Presbytery and the Blackhawk Presbytery. We enjoyed worship together, small groups, keynote talks, free game time, danc-ing, a variety show, and much more! It was a great time to grow together as a youth group!

Kids Connect Is Coming! Online registration begins February 28 Children’s Ministries is excited to announce our new midweek program for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade, beginning April 6. The program will meet from 4:45 to 6:30 pm for five Wednesdays, and will

end with a special celebration on May 4. Each week, kids will engage in a variety of activities including Mission, Creative Arts, Dive In (Bible stories), Let’s Move (recreation), and din-ner. Stop by the Children’s Ministries information table in Fellowship Hall following our Sunday school event on February 28 or in the Nar-thex on March 6 to learn more about the program. Online registration will begin February 28. The cost for Kids Connect is $25 per child. If you are interested in volunteering for Kids Connect, please contact Katy Allen at katyallen@fpcah.org.

The Easter Brunch is almost here! Children’s Ministries invites fami-lies to join us in Fellow-ship Hall on Saturday, March 12 from 9:00 to 10:30 am for a tasty brunch and egg hunt. After enjoying a delicious meal, children will search for eggs inside the church in areas designated for each age group. Guests are also invited to view the new Children’s Library in the Christian Education Wing, thanks to a generous donation from the

Munz family in memory of their beloved wife and mother, Jan Munz. Activities are planned for kids in preschool through fifth grade, but families with all ages are welcome!

Scrambled eggs and sausage will be provided. Please bring a sweet breakfast treat or fruit to share. Sign up through the Children’s Ministries Weekly e-newsletter or contact Katy Allen to RSVP, at katyallen@fpcah.org or 847-255-5900.

Second Annual Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt Saturday, March 12 / 9:00-10:30 am / Fellowship Hall

It’s Time for College Care Packages by CollegeCARE Ministries Our college students are well into their spring term, so now is the time to especially remember and nourish them with care pack-ages from their church family. We expect to send dozens of boxes this spring! If you would like to donate treats for our students, please place your items in the boxes marked “College Care Packages” in the Narthex on Sun-days, March 13 and 20, and April 3 and 10 or deliver them to the church office during the week. Suggested donations: Prepackaged goodies such as cookies, candy bars, crackers, cereal bars, soup, hot chocolate mix, instant coffee packets, tea, gum, Chapsticks, bookmarks, Post-It notes, or other items you think they would enjoy. Monetary donations (to help cover the shipping costs) are welcome and appreciated.

Packing Date (volunteers welcome): Sunday, April 17, 9:30-10:30 am Mailing Date: Monday, April 18 Send Your Student’s Address Parents: In order for your student, living at home or away, to receive a care package, please send a current address to the CollegeCARE Minis-tries team at collegecare.fpcah @gmail.com. Note: We will only send packages to students whose addresses we have received this school year, so please send your student’s 2015-2016 address. Please include your student’s mail-ing and e-mail address (so we can tell him or her to look for a pack-age). The college students will thank you!

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Adult Education & Small Groups

Sunday Morning Adult Ed — 9:45-10:45 am

Modern Parables (through March 20) with Mike Beecher (Room 101/103) Take a closer look at Jesus’ journey to the cross through each week’s

scriptures and relate it to the modern parable you hear in worship.

The Early Church and the Apostle Paul (ongoing), with Dr. Donald Kaasch (Chapel) — What do we know about

the early church? Where do we find reliable sources? What did these early Christians depend on for their information? These questions and much more will be addressed. Come, learn with us!

Coffee: Grounds for Discussion (Room 110/112) — Drop in for topical Bible study and discussion of today’s current events in the light of faith. Current Study: A World Worth Saving, by George Hovaness Donigian. Contact: Kelly Dean, k_p_dean@hotmail.com

Contact: Tai Zimmerman, taizimmerman@fpcah.org

Have You Joined a Small Group Yet? First Pres offers small groups for many different inter-ests and new groups continue to form. Visit the Small Groups page at fpcah.org. If you have an idea for a new small group, contact Tai Zimmerman at taizimmerman @fpcah.org or 847-255-5900. Get involved and grow in faith and fellowship.

Devotional Writing — Would you like to write devotions for your fellow First Pres friends? This group will meet once a quarter. Each person will be assigned

to write a devotion once per quarter for those who sub-scribe to our e-mailed devotions.

Art Dept. — Come and be crea-tive and learn how to produce and integrate art into our wor-ship spaces. This small group will meet throughout the year. Activities will include brain-storming for creative ideas and

building and installing art for worship. You do not have to be an artist. This group is for those who want to learn, explore, and create. Because of some of the meet-ing times and materials that will be used, members of this group must be 18 years or older.

SAVE THE DATE

Special Guest Speaker:

Rev. J. Barrie Shepherd

Sunday, April 3 at 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Enjoy this time as Rev. J. Barrie Shepherd: Provides poetry readings from his books Speaks about his works Signs books

A native of Great Britain, a Royal Air Force veteran, and a former high school drop-out, the Reverend John Barrie Shepherd is also the retired senior minis-ter of the historic (founded 1716) First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York as well as a prolific speaker, preacher, and writer, and a widely pub-lished author and poet.

From the First Pres Archives: Rev. Barrie was a special guest at First Pres once before. On Sunday, January 9, 2005, he preached during our 150th anniversary celebration. 

COMING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Special Visit by Dr. John and Gwenda Fletcher, Presbyterian Church (USA) Mission Coworkers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

John and Gwenda Fletcher are mission coworkers with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Gwenda helps facilitate the Build Congo Schools efforts of the Congolese Presbyterian Church in partner-ship with PC(USA) churches. John serves as a surgeon and surgery/surgical practices teacher in Kasai and surrounding areas. Gwenda and John will join the Commune Bible study group for lunch and conversation on April 6 at 1:00 pm in the Boardroom, and speak at ENGAGE & ENCOUN-

TER at 7:15 pm in the Chapel. All are invited for these events! Contact: Phyllis Green, phyllisgreenedd @hotmail.com

Children’s Ministries by Katy Allen and Jenny Stanhope

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Be on the lookout for salamanders, owls, bats, and other cave crea-

tures as winter turns to spring and we begin gearing up for Cave Quest Vacation Bible School (VBS)! This summer, kids of all ages will learn about the rock-solid founda-tion of God’s love and what it means to follow the light of Jesus through the dark times. Preschoolers will join Tad on daily adventures, activities,

Hands-On Fun and Learning at the Bethlehem Market Children spent the month of January in Sunday school learning about the Life of Jesus by studying Bible stories such as “The Paralyzed Man” and “Zacchaeus the Tax Collector.” On January 31, children visited the Bethlehem Market in Fellowship Hall as the final lesson in the Life of Jesus unit. Children in preschool through fifth grade par-ticipated in hands-on activities to experience how Jesus and his disciples lived. Marketplace stations included: Making clay pinch pots at Paul’s Pottery

Decorating coins with their own designs or by emulating ancient designs at the Bethlehem Bank

Grinding and mixing spices at Heavenly Spices

Experimenting with weaving at Faith Weavers

Trying on period clothes and posing for photos at Snapshots of Nazareth

Acting out the Christmas story at Hands-On Nativity

Visiting with friends and tasting food including flat bread, hum-mus, grapes, and juice at Caper-naum Café

Thank you to all of our Bethlehem Market volunteers, shepherds, and teachers for helping to make the morning fun and interesting for all!

songs, and games. Our dedicated preschool room and special pre-school volunteers will ensure that

our youngest cave explorers will have a safe, fun, and age-appropriate experience at VBS.

Elementary kids will have a blast in Imagination Station, dive into Deep Bible Quests, splash through Spe-lunker Sports and Games, recharge at the Cavern Café, and meet kids from all over who have known God’s love in KidVid Cinema.

Online registration will begin on Easter Sunday, March 27. Watch the church’s newsletters and Chil-dren’s Ministries communications for more information. If you or someone you know is in-terested in volunteering for VBS, please contact Katy Allen, director of children’s ministries, at katyallen @fpcah.org. Youth volunteer posi-tions are open to students entering grades 6-12 in the fall.

Mark Your Calendars for Cave Quest Vacation Bible School Online Registration Opens Sunday, March 27!

VBS will be held July 11-15 from 8:45 am to noon each day.

The First Presbyterian Church 302 N. Dunton Avenue Arlington Heights, IL 60004-5993 Phone: 847-255-5900 Fax: 847-255-3475 www.fpcah.org / mail@fpcah.org

Holy Week & Easter Schedule Holy Week

March 20: Palm Sunday Worship 8:30, 9:30, & 11:00 am Welcome the Messiah with waving palm fronds.

March 23: Holy Week Organ Recital 12:10-12:45 pm in the Sanctuary Chris Urban takes us on a musical journey through Holy Week and Easter.

March 24: Maundy Thursday Worship 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion and participate in a foot-washing ceremony.

March 25: Good Friday Service of Darkness 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Experience Christ’s passion in worship.

March 27: Easter Sunday Celebrate Christ’s glorious resurrection!

6:30 am — Sunrise Service at North School Park (intersection of St. James and Evergreen Streets)

8:00 am — finding grace Worship in the Chapel (Please note earlier time.)

9:30 am — Crossroads Worship in the Sanctuary

11:00 am — Heritage Worship in the Sanctuary

“Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” — Luke 24:31