THE MESSENGER St. John

Wood River, Illinois

2016

&

,

Neighbors In Need All Church Offering

October 2

10am

Prayer list

Kids Klips

Calendar

Birthdays

From the Pastor

From the Moderator

Messy Church Oct. 9, 4-6pm

Bible Study: Genesis

Wednesdays at 6pm

Reformation Sunday October 30

Come dressed as your favorite reformer!

Hoyleton’s

Annual Dinner & Auction October 14

Faith Promise Cards

Manny Money

Reloadable Cards & Cards by e-mail

What’s Inside

This seems to be the month of garage and yard

sales. Whenever Sue and I look at the tables of Knick-

knacks, kitchen gadgets still in the

box (who knew the world needed

an asparagus peeler?) and partial

sets of placemats we start thinking

of where we will put it, and

whether or not we will want to

bubble wrap it and move it to our

retirement home. We generally

stopped going to such sales.

When we stopped at my late uncle’s house to

pick up my grandmother’s cuckoo clock, however, it

was different. The clock, the candy dishes, the silver

serving spoons all carried memories of childhood:

summer nights lying in bed listening for the cuckoo;

rushing in to my aunt and uncle’s house to see what

candy was in those dishes; holiday dinners with 2 kinds

of stuffing (some of us did not like the oyster type),

heaps of mashed potatoes and the laughter, kidding and

catching up with family you see only a few times a year.

My cousin had already had the yard sale so these

tables of items had survived the impulse buyers and

fortune hunters. These simple things, however, were

imbued with memories for us. We did not need the

boxes of items my cousin was offering. I kept an eye on

him to make sure he wasn’t putting stuff in the car when

I wasn’t looking. Frankly, we have the memories with or

without the candy dishes or playful pup salt and pepper

shakers. It does help, however, to hold something, to

touch it, to hear the clank of glass as you close the dish

or the hum of the clock just before the chirp.

While we are not planning a yard sale, we are in

the midst of the autumn cleaning for the church in

preparation for our salad luncheon. In the closet in

Fellowship Hall we found an old flag stand buried under

an old section of carpet and other items people just did

not want to throw out because “we might use them

someday.” The flag stand had a small, engraved plastic

“plaque” glued to it. It reads, “In Memory of Louise

Schueler.”

We have matching flag stands now. In fact, we

have matching flag stands that replaced the matching

flag stands that replaced the stand in memory of Louise

Schueler. Such is the pitfall of plaques and closets.

We discarded most of what we found in that

heap in the closet. But what ought we to do with this

memory encased in aging, pitted metal?

First, we remember. Louise and Ferdinand

Schueler were charter members of St. John Evangelical

Church. Louise was about 24 years old when the ladies

in the neighborhood started meeting weekly in a Ladies

Aid group. Ferdinand was one of the men who signed

the chartering documents. They welcomed the pastor

from Granite City, Rev. Robert Kofer, who came up

twice a month to hold services for this mission church.

Ferdinand would be one of the men to interview the first

called pastor, Rev. Arthur Idecker in 1920.

Ferdinand was born in 1885, Louise in 1893.

They married in 1916, helped found a church in 1920.

They tithed and worked the chicken dinners and ham

and bean suppers to pay for the building dedicated in

1927—the building, redecorated, added on to and

remodeled in which we still sit and worship every

Sunday morning. They saw the name of the church

change to St. John Evangelical and Reformed Church

and then, in 1957, to St. John United Church of Christ.

They sang from the Elmhurst Hymnal, the Evangelical

Hymnal, The Hymnal, and she sang from those red

UCC Hymnals still in the pew racks. He died in 1970

and she died in 1984. The picture here is from the 1971

directory, the year after he died.

We do well to

remember folks like

Louise Schueler once

in a while, the

shoulders we stand on.

They passed on a faith

and a duty to proclaim

the faith to every new

generation. They

ushered us through

new hymnals, new orders of worship and changes in

attitudes and beliefs about so many things. The good

news has a way of bursting out of whatever way we try

to confine it.

We have not been bequeathed a legacy or a

tradition that binds us but a faith that frees us to move

forward fulfilling the hope and vision these founders had

in ways they did not and could not imagine. But God

imagined it and now invites us to live it boldly.

The old flag stand will be on display by the

history cabinet for a while. Take a look at it. And

imagine the vision it took to look at a couple of vacant

lots and see the church building in which we stand

today.

Enjoy those yard sales!

Pastor Mike

Please Pray for: Hospitalized/Health Concerns

Judy Hanfelder

Mason (one of our Cub Scouts)

We pray for the family of:

Betty Wiegand who died

September 6, 2016.

Services were Sept. 9

at Marks Mortuary.

Overseas Teacher/Diplomatic:

Leigh-Ellen Kichline

Amy Tohill

Child Sponsored by St. John:

Vimbai Dziya, Mt. Selinda Mission, Zimbabwe

October Birthdays

1 - Samantha Rhodes

5 - Marcia Harris

8 - Dan Roberts, Douglas Cox

9 - Kyleigh Roberts

11 - Danielle Jones, Conner Nuernberger, Stormie Shoemaker

12 - Doris Tennikait

15 - Carly Hill

18 - Bob Sullivan

19 - Betty Maendele

20 - Erica Fleigle, Clare Gowin

23 - Jimmy Hartwick

29 - Michael Tomlanovich

30 - Curtis Twichell

Staying Close to Home/Ongoing Health

Concerns Rachel Abert Margaret Rowden

Lucille Aubin Bob Hall

Beryl Shoemaker Judy Hanfelder

Roger Ringering Becky Manescalco

Don Schueler

Lin Cox Jim Sutton

In Nursing Homes

Ed Hamlin

Margaret Hinkle, Hitz Home

Jim Jones, Rosewood

Ginny Mitchell, Morningside

Serving in the Military

Dustin & Ashley Richards, Blake Sabolo and

Brandon Southcombe

Before you were born, I had a purpose for you.

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have

seen in one autumnal face.” The Autumnal by John Donne

Some of you have probably heard me mention a few times that I would like for St John to become a church that is more open to change. In fact I would like us to embrace change. I do not believe we can continue doing what we are doing and expect the financial and spiritual wellbeing of the church to improve and grow. The Ad team has been working on a visioning process for most of the year. I hope we can have a working document before the annual meeting. In this process we look at what we are currently doing, what we are doing well, things that may not be going so well and things

we should consider doing, changing or maybe even discontinue doing. As we have gone through this process we sometimes break into mini brainstorming sessions of pursuits we may want to give deeper consideration when the visioning process is in place. Some things can be explored or accomplished very easily and with little additional expense to the church. Messy church is an example of that. Some things may require the church to have additional expenses. That may cause some to claim we can’t afford to do this. I would like to change our position to, we can’t afford not to do it (try something new and different). Many things may require extra effort and time from some of us. St John giving has not been meeting the church expenses for a number of years now. Many measures have been taken to reduce the expenses of running the church, even withholding raises of church staff. Even then $20,000 - $25,000 per year is withdrawn from savings each year to cover expenses. The St John savings account balances have remained fairly constant even with this withdrawal. I am not going to try and convince you that this can go on indefinitely. But what I do want to convince you of is that we cannot continue doing the same things we have been doing and expect things to get better. I would like you to consider two things that I feel are very crucial to our church. First, be open to trying something different in the church even if it means spending additional funds from our savings. Second, consider giving the church staff appropriate raises this year and every year as we work through this. There is a lot more to this than what can be put in a one page article. I would be happy to explain further or discuss any concerns you may have. In Christ’s Love and Service,

Dave Crockett

Remember these Words to Ponder?

“The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.” ―A.A. Milne If human beings had genuine courage, they’d wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween. – Doug Coupland Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. – Rabindranath Tagore You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd. – Flannery O’Connor

Praying Together Give us this day our daily bread.

May every child be warm and fed; and lead us not to turn our backs while we enjoy what others lack.

Amen.

Create Your Own Christmas Club

As of October 1, there are 84 days until Christmas! Our cards can help you stick to a budget, prepare responsibly rather than rush around in the days just before Christmas, have a happier, healthier Advent by already having your shopping done—or having the cards ready for your shopping and your budget in good shape. Want to pick out the gifts yourself? You can still use the Manna Money cards as a way of preparing and budgeting. And with Presto Pay™, ReloadNow™ and ScripNow™ planning and budgeting are even easier.

Our Manna Money Cards (Gift Cards) can help you:

Stay on budget and avoid going into debt at the last minute. Spread out your Christmas expenses, start planning now and buy a card or two every week.

Shop safely on-line. Gift cards do not have any of your personal information. Use Reload Now™ to pay the exact total on your purchase.

Stick to a budget. Buy a few cards every week now and use those cards when the sales start. You will already have the money set aside in the cards and can avoid overspending at the last minute. Check out the possibilities at the Manna Money

table in coffee fellowship every week!

PrestoPay™--Convenience—Expands Manny Money Fund Raising Benefits More control over your shopping budget—Easy and Secure

Frequently Asked Questions

For Enrolling in Presto Pay™ What is PrestoPay™? You can pay for your gift cards online with PrestoPay™ or using your smartphone app. When you use PrestoPay, your order payment is transferred securely via ACH electronic debit. You won’t have to drop off any more checks, you can use ReloadNow™ or ScripNow™ features anytime.

ReloadNow lets you reload scrip cards you have purchased from the St. John UCC Manna

Money program. You pay for the cards using the account you have pre-established with Great Lakes Scrip. You can reload them anytime, you don’t have to wait for Sunday to buy cards or stop by the office to drop off a check. You get the full face value of the cards. (There is a 15 cent fee for transactions)

ScripNow lets you purchase gift cards that are printable with your home computer or visible on

your smartphone app and can be used immediately. You can also e-mail ScripNow cards as gifts to others and they can print them out or show the e-mail ScripNow code at store registers and can be used just like a regular gift card. You can e-mail a gift to someone or send a scrip card in an emergency for car repairs or other needed items.

How do I enroll in PrestoPay? To enroll in PrestoPay you’ll need St. John’s unique enrollment code—available from the Manny Money table or in the office. You will also need your bank account number and routing number, along with the account holder information. Once you submit those on line, in 1-2 days we’ll make two small deposits in the account for verification. Log back in and enter those two small amounts to receive an approval code to send to your coordinator. PrestoPay will be activated for your account once your coordinator verifies the information for Great Lakes Scrip.

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Our stewardship theme this year, Go and

Do the Same, is a powerful reminder of our

commitment to be genuine followers of

gospel. It is a call to discipleship, to be

more like the image of Jesus, so that our

faith may be recognized by our actions

toward

others.

At one

level,

we could infer that our “job” as a Christian

is to do for others the way that the “good”

Samaritan did for the man who fell among

robbers. Be kind, compassionate, generous, and concerned for others in need. Give of yourself.

Give financially. Make a difference. All laudable characteristics, to be sure.

At another level however, it is a commitment not to just a set of particular actions or

behaviors, but a dedication to a way of being. It is about a response to God’s purpose at work in

individuals and the community as a whole. This understanding is about being agents of

transformation in the unfolding Realm of God around us. It is about extending the blessing of health

and wholeness to all of creation, because we are certain that

this is ultimately what God desires. The world is broken and

hurting and we are called to be a movement for wholeness

among its many fractured pieces. We are agents of grace.

Our faithful financial stewardship is one way we work against the powers the harm and divide.

Our generosity funds the mission and ministry that we are deploying as a sign that God’s Realm is

among us. On October 2 we will begin Go and Do the Same as a preparation for determining our

investment in the ministry and mission of St. John United Church of Christ. Commitment Sunday

will be a part of worship on October 30 and we hope you will be intentional about being with us, not

simply to offer your estimate of giving card, but join us for a special service of celebration in

worship and in coffee fellowship.

God has done, and continues to do remarkable things through and with us – things that matter!

Your prayers and your participation are keys to helping us get to the next level of discipleship. We

know that when the early church gathered,

they did so with glad and generous hearts

and that there was no need among them

(Acts 2). We desire such a spirit of true

community to be among us. We look forward to considering with you what it means for us to “go

and do the same,” as we seek to be faithful disciples in this place.

Blessings,

The Stewardship Ministry Team

Pastor Mike John Gebelein Janet Blair

It is a call to discipleship,

a dedication to a way of being

Your prayers and your participation are keys

There are copies of this Faith Promise card at the church. We will dedicate our promises during

worship on October 30.

Neighbors In Need The NIN offering which we will receive and dedicate on World Communion Sunday, Oct. 2, supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service

projects. Through NIN, the UCC office of Justice and Witness supports national advocacy on a range of social and environmental justice issues. (Did you know that it was the UCC that helped push for a clean-up of a lead battery dump that was contaminating homes and

playgrounds in East St. Louis a few years ago? Our UCC Council on American Indian Ministries (CAIM) is also supported by 1/3 of the our NIN offerings with a direct impact on 20 local churches serving Native Americans on reservations in 6 states and over 1,000 Native American members from dozens of other tribes in congregations across the U.S. NIN provides resources for church anti-bullying campaigns, safe neighborhood initiatives and many other hunger action, social justice, health care and civil rights issues impacting local churches and their members.

If you would like to make a donation to the silent auction for this event, please see Pastor Mike.

If you would like to attend, individual tickets are $55 or Table of 8 for $400.

Please see Pastor Mike or Jim Stille if you are interested in attending. We would love to have a table of 8

people from St. John attend this event! It is always fun and inspiring!

Our Conference Annual Meeting is October 22 and 23. In addition to conducting the business of the Conference and joining together in worship, we support 3

ministries affiliated with the Conference every year. We have noisy offering during our “business meetings.” We have an offering during our worship and we bring a “goods offering” for one of our service ministries.

This year, those ministries are: Sending our youth to the National Youth Event in 2018; St. John’s Community Care in Collinsville and the scholarship programs for our seminary students/Members in Discernment. We’ll have more details on how St. John UCC will be participating in these offerings at worship and in the Sunday Messengers but for now, here is some information on the 3 ministries.

The Messenger is a monthly publication of St. John United Church of Christ, 228 N. Sixth St.,

Wood River, IL 62095; phone 618 254-6682. E-mail sjucc@sbcglobal.net

Access our home page at www.stjohnucc.net. Worship is at 9:30 a.m.; Monthly Messy Church

Event is usually the second Sunday, 4-6pm. Our Pastor is Rev. Mike Southcombe, cell phone

(618) 558-5014 The Messenger production staff includes, Evalena O’dell and Marlene O’dell.

All guests are welcome.

“always caring, always sharing”

Do you have a gray resin top table that belongs to the church? We are missing one. If you

borrowed a few tables, please check around and make sure you returned them all. Thank you.

St. John United Church of Christ 228 N. Sixth St. Wood River, IL 62095 Return Service Requested

Mission Statement for St. John UCC

St. John United Church of Christ, Wood River, Illinois is a Christian Community:

Worshiping the Triune God

Claiming the historic faith of the church

Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ

Nurturing for Christian discipleship

Ministering to one another through fellowship and caring

Serving our community and the world

Connecting with other Christians for witness and service