THE MESSENGER
St. John
Wood River, Illinois
No matter who you are…
…or where you are on life’s journey,
YOU are welcome here.
In This Issue
January
Calendar,
Birthdays
& Prayer list
From the Pastor:
Our Annual
Trivia challenge
This month, we will hear and act out the story of Samuel and his teacher
Eli. (1 samuel 3:1-10) When a young Samuel hears God calling to him in the night,
Eli must help him understand that it is God who is calling and teaches him how to
listen attentively to God. Eli also gives him the permission he needs to speak the
truth in love, even a difficult truth for others to hear.
We’ll be talking about why Samuel might be known as an “Old Testament
Superhero”, how being plugged in to our phones or other devices can help us or
keep us from being “plugged into God;” how can we become better listeners.
We’ll also think about what an important role Hannah played in dedicating her to
God’s service in the temple. The story reminds us that God can and does speak to
anyone, irrespective of age or gender. We’ll talk about how “Samuel did not yet
know the Lord,” but that God chose to speak to him anyway. It all adds up to the
ever present reality that God may speak to us at any age!
And just like we talk about, we’ll unplug the devices and have dinner
together—families and church family!
Messy Church—Cross Generational— Hearing—Speaking—Singing
Connecting Scripture to our Lives Today!
Kids Klips
A new
opportunity
For Spiritual
Enrichment at
St. John’s
The “From the Pastor” the last two Januaries was a trivia quiz so let’s do it again and
make it a tradition that all future generations will continue to do without really knowing
why. This year, instead of hymns, we’ll go with some UCC, Congregational and E&R
history. Some of these are from Balaam’s Unofficial Handbook of the United Church of
Christ, © 2008, United Church Press and some are from things I learned enroute to looking
up other things.
1.
In 1770, the first anti-slavery pamphlet, The Selling of Joseph, was written by this Congregationalist.
Name the Congregationalist pastor/author: _______________________________
2. In 1862, members of the First Congregational Church in Oberlin, Ohio, joined with the local community
and students and faculty of a nearby college to defy the Fugitive Slave Law and rescue a runaway slave,
John Price. Name the college: _________________________.
3. In 1976, Joseph H. Evans was elected president of the UCC. He became the first African American
leader of a racially integrated church in the United States. Years later, after he retired, he was one of the
pastors who interviewed Pastor Mike to be placed “In Care,” and who heard Pastor Mike preach for the
first time, the week before he and his family moved to Eden Seminary. Name this church where Rev.
Dr. Evans worshipped in his retirement. ____________________________________.
4. Our ancestors in faith founded many institutions of higher learning, including: Harvard, Yale, Wellesley,
Smith, Dartmouth, Williams, Mount Holyoke, Elmhurst, Howard and graduate school seminaries,
Andover Newton, Bangor Theological Seminary, Eden Theological Seminary, Chicago Theological
Seminary, Lancaster Theological Seminary, Pacific School of Religion, and United Theological
Seminary. One of the schools we founded was first called, The Connecticut Asylum for the Education of
Deaf and Dumb Persons, a name we might now consider rather offensive, but, thankfully, it is now
called ___________________________________________________________________.
5. In 1836, a struggling German Reformed seminary moved to Mercersburg, PA and operated under the
charter of Marshall College. That college merged with Franklin College to become Franklin and
Marshall College. Eventually, the Mercersburg Seminary spun off to its own campus and became
Lancaster Theological Seminary. For 109 years, however, Lancaster/Mercersburg was the only
seminary of the German Reformed church in North America. A theological debate in the mid 1800’s led
a group of German Reformed pastors and church leaders to found another college that would be free of
the “politics” and “heretical direction” at Mercersburg. This new college was named
___________________________________________________.
6. CHHSM is the covenantal organization within the UCC that brings together the many agencies and
institutions that serve people throughout life. CHHSM agencies are charged with the mission to assist
people of all ages and abilities to have the opportunity, as much as possible, to live life to the fullest.
The acronym “CHHSM” stands for ______________________________________________________.
7. Illinois South Conference recognizes 11 health and human service institutions within or related to the
Conference. Name 5 of them: _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Write your answers, drop your entry in the box in the Narthex and we’ll draw a winner on Jan 29.
Please Pray for:
Friends and family hospitalized or with ongoing health concerns
Mason (one of our Cub Scouts)
Dale Noble
Jeff Nichols
Tamra Wiegand
Child Sponsored by St. John:
Vimbai Dziya, Mt. Selinda Mission, Zimbabwe
Staying Close to Home/Ongoing Health Concerns
Rachel Abert
Margaret Rowden
Lucille Aubin
Beryl Shoemaker
Don Schueler
Lin Cox
Jim Sutton
Overseas Teacher/Diplomatic
Leigh-Ellen Kichline
In Nursing Homes
Amy Tohill
Ed Hamlin
Margaret Hinkle, Hitz Home
We keep the family
Jim Jones, Rosewood
of Shannon Sutton in prayer.
Ginny Mitchell, Morningside
Shannon died Dec. 30.
Bob Hall, Bethalto Care Center
Serving in the Military
Dustin & Ashley Richards, Blake Sabolo
and Brandon Southcombe
Before you were born, I had a purpose for you.
January:
2 - Dustene Shoemaker
3 - Evelyn Hendricks,
Nathan Reppenhagen
4 - John Rhodes
5 - Terri Thorp
7 - Jessica Phelan, Mandy Hanfelder
10 - Jean Vassier
13 - Jonathan Hinkle
15 - Caleb Roberts
18 - John Helmkamp III
19 - George Koprivica
22 - Janay Niehaus
24 - Charles Hinkle
25 - Janet Shewmake
26 - Ashton Noble
29 - Ali Counton
30 - Elizabeth Wegescheide,
Nick Sutton,
Madison Crockett
Coming Events Around Church & Conference
A “Listen Up!”
Bible Study:
Genesis
Wednesday nights, 6-7pm
Continuing on January 4.
Illinois South Conference
2017 DAY OF DISCIPLESHIP
WORKSHOPS FOR CHURCH
MEMBERS
PURPOSE: To take home an abundance of
information that will enliven and enrich worship.
WHO: Interested Church Members
Youth and Youth Leaders
Council/Consistory/Committee Members
Church Officers, Delegates
Christian Educators
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017
9:00 am—2:00 pm (Registration begins at 9am.)
WHERE:St. Paul UCC, Nashville, IL
Check out the workshops at www.iscucc.org
See Pastor Mike if you are interested in
attending.
And some other quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.:
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can
do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do
that.
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so
tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism
and war that the bright daybreak of peace and
brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe
that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have
the final word.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
If Philip moved the eunuch to faith in Jesus,
didn’t that make the eunuch’s chariot the first
conversion van? –Balaam’s Courier Staff
St. John UCC!!!
January 20th is the anniversary of the founding of St.
John UCC in Wood River.
On Feb. 5, we will celebrate with a service taken
directly from The Hymnal,
A traditional service for a church anniversary
with classic hymns and Communion
& a Potluck Lunch afterwards!
In the meantime:
We invite everyone to shower the church with gifts—
gifts of fellowship and good cheer!
We always need items for our fellowship hall kitchen,
for coffee fellowship, funeral lunches, new member
lunches, pot lucks and other fellowship events
through the year.
Paper towels (rolls)
6” dessert plates
6 oz. juice cups
Plastic silverware
6 oz. coffee cups (hot paper or Styrofoam)
12 oz. plastic cups (for cold drinks)
10” to 12” heavy duty paper dinner plates
Liquid dish soap
Liquid hand soap
Dinner napkins
Pot scrubbers
Sink cleaner (Barkeep’s Friend, e.g.)
And we are always grateful for boxes of Kleenex
(tissues) to be used during funeral services.
Please bring any donated items to the basement
kitchen. Thank you!!
Coming in February:
Annual
Shrove Tuesday
All you can eat
Pancake and Sausage
Dinner
February 28
4-7pm
Watch the Sunday and February Messenger
For more details
Julie Gvillo,
Creative Executive Director
of
is offering
Unfolding Possibilities:
A Spirituality Center
on Baptism
Prayer stations built around multiple intelligences,
incorporating ancient and contemporary practices,
and founded on Scripture
will be available for people of all ages.
Come spend time in God’s lap
from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 21st, 2017
at St. John United Church of Christ
228 N 6th St. Wood River, IL
A Place of Grace is supported by offerings.
Mission Statement for St. John UCC
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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
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 @[email protected]
Access our home page at www.stjohnucc.net. Worship is at 9:30 a.m. Messy Church is usually
the 2nd Sunday of the month at 4-6pm.
Our Pastor is Rev. Mike Southcombe, cell phone (618) 558-5014
The Messenger editorial staff includes, Evalena O’dell and Marlene O’dell.
All guests are welcome.
“always caring, always sharing”
St. John United Church of Christ
228 N. Sixth St.
Wood River, IL 62095
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