March 6, 2011 - Union Church of Hinsdale's Good News

March  6,  2011                    A  Publication  of  The  Union  Church  of  Hinsdale,  U.C.C.                    Volume  43,  Issue  5  

March 9 – April 23, 2011

Join  us  on  the  road  to  Jerusalem  while  we  explore  our  relationship  with  God,  even  in  the  wilderness  and  in  exile  when  God  seems  the  most  far  away.  

             ASH  WEDNESDAY                      WEDNESDAYS  IN  LENT      March  9,  2011  -­  –  See  Details  Inside                          Taize  Services  in  the  Chapel                  Sunday,  March  13,  2011         Sunday,  April  3,  2011     God  sends  water  to  Israel  in  the  Wilderness                  God  renews  life  in  dry  bones         Exodus  15:  20-­‐27                        Ezekiel  37:  1-­‐14                  Sunday,  March  20,  2011         Sunday,  April  10,  2011     God  sends  manna  to  Israel  in  the  Wilderness                    God  renews  life  in  Lazarus         Exodus  16:  1-­‐18                        John  11:  17-­‐44                  Sunday,  March  27,  2011         Sunday,  April  17,  2011       God  builds  community  in  exile                    God  brings  shouts  of  Hosanna         2  Kings  24:  10-­‐18                  Matthew  26:  14-­‐27    

HOLY  WEEK       Thursday,  April  21,  2011           Friday,  April  22,  2011                            Maundy  Thursday  Worship                                Good  Friday  Worship              7:00  p.m.  –  Sanctuary              12:00  p.m.  –  Chapel    

Easter  Vigil  Friday,  April  22-­24,  2011  

 EASTER  WORSHIP  

               6:30  a.m.                                  9:00  a.m.                        11:00  a.m.          Sunrise  Service            with  Gargoyle  Brass       with  Gargoyle  Brass     in  the  Youth  Room                and  Chancel  Choir     and  Joyful  Noise  Band  

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Invitation to Faith: Transformative Worship

Our  Staff  Transitional Minister: Rev. Dr. Tom Zoelzer Minister for Mission

and Outreach: Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer

Director of Children’s Christian Education:

Penny Johnson Director of Youth Formation:

Jeremy Hylen Director of Music Ministries:

Michael Surratt Director of the Chancel Choir:

Todd Diehl Director of

Contemporary Music: Brad Nye

Director of Children and Youth Choirs: Roberta Wentling

Assistant Handbell Director: Elizabeth Jung

Director of Early Childhood Programs:

Jennifer Keldahl Senior Operations Manager:

Merrilee Hall Financial Manager:

Gaby Perez Project Manager:

Joel Gratcyk Communications Assistant:

Melanie Burton Buildings and Grounds:

Jim Vojtek, Bob Brija

WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship

9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Prayer and Healing Service 3rd Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sundays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Union Church of Hinsdale 137 S. Garfield Ave Hinsdale, IL 60521

(630) 323.4303 http://UCHinsdale.org

Lent Begins on March 9, 2011

Newsletter Articles and Submissions  ALL  contributions  to  the  newsletter  should  be  made  through  your  staff  liaison.    If  you  are  unclear  about  who  your  staff  liaison  is  or  you  do  not  have  one  submissions  need  to  be  emailed  to:    [email protected]    If  you  need  to  send  graphics  or  pictures  please  be  sure  that  they  are  less  than  1MB  in  size,  total.  If  you  have  ANY  questions  or  concerns  about  the  newsletter  please  contact  Pastor  Thom  with  all  inquiries.  Thank  you!    

Brunch with Rev. Tom Zoelzer  

Sunday,  March  6  after  the  9:00  Worship  service  at  The  Grant  Square  Restaurant  

(Chosen  because  it  has  a  great  menu,  great  parking    and  it  is  great  that  we  are  each  given  our  own  bill!)  

 All  who  are  interested  are  invited  to  this  brunch,  which  provides  an  opportunity  to  become  better  acquainted  with  Rev.  Tom  (and  he  with  us).    We  hope  to  continue  having  brunch  on  the  first  Sunday  of  each  month,  with  Rev.  Tom  when  he  is  available.  Call  Joan  Hurst  at  (630)  325.2548  for  reservations.  

ASH  WEDNESDAY,  March  9    There  are  two  opportunities  to  worship  on  Ash  Wednesday.    We  begin  the  day  with  a  Morning  Matin,  from  7:00  –  8:45  a.m.,  in  the  chapel.    You  come  when  you  want,  spend  time  in  reflection  and  prayer,  receive  the  Imposition  of  Ashes  (if  you  desire)  and  leave  when  you  are  ready.    The  day  ends  with  an  Evening  Worship  at  7:00  p.m.,  in  the  chapel.    This  service  will  offer  prayer  and  song,  a  message  from  Rev.  Tom  Zoelzer  and  the  Imposition  of  Ashes  (or  an  Anointing  with  oil,  if  you  prefer).    The  service  will  last  around  a  half  hour  and  a  light  refreshment  will  be  offered  in  the  Church  Lounge.    Wednesday  Evenings  in  Lent  –  7:00  p.m.    In  prayer  we  talk  to  God.    Meditation  allows  time  for  us  to  listen  for  what  God  has  to  say  to  us.    Come  and  join  us  in  the  Chapel  for  services  of  prayer  and  meditation,  in  the  style  of  the  Taizé  community.    The  services  will  be  led  by  Michael  Surratt,  who  spent  a  week  in  the  Taizé  community  in  France  during  his  sabbatical  in  1999.  

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Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation for Children

Holy Happenings in Christian Formation  On  this  page,  we  are  sharing  Holy  Happenings  in  Christian  Formation,  such  as  Sunday  School,  Confirmation,  and  LOGOS.    It  is  the  CF  Ministry’s  hope  to  provide  families  with  information  to  help  continue  the  Sunday  morning  learning  throughout  the  week  at  home.    The  vision  of  Christian  Formation  is  “A  Family  of  Christians  Growing  by  Embracing  God’s  Love  and  Passing  it  On.”    We  seek  to  support  and  equip  parents,  grandparents,  and  other  members  to  teach,  practice  and  pass  on  faith  in  their  home  and  daily  life.    This  page  is  one  step  in  helping  families  put  this  into  practice.      3s&4s  –  Over  the  next  two  weeks,  we  will  continue  learning  about  some  of  the  parables  Jesus  told.    Upcoming  are  The  Sower  and  the  parable  of  the  The  Wedding  Banquet.        K-­‐1st  grades  –  For  the  next  two  weeks,  we  are  entering  our  Lenten  series.  The  children  will  hear  the  stories  of  Jesus  and  the  Children  and  Jesus  and  Bartimaeus.    Parents  can  find  these  stories  in  the  New  Testament,  Luke  18:15-­‐17  and  Luke  18:35-­‐43.    Ask  the  children  about  the  changes  in  their  classroom  during  Lent.  A  couple  of  wondering  questions  the  children  will  be  exploring:  

• I  wonder  how  the  children  felt  on  their  way  to  see  Jesus?  • I  wonder  what  Jesus  said  to  the  children?  • I  wonder  how  it  feels  to  see  for  the  first  time?  • I  wonder  why  Jesus  would  listen  to  Bartimaeus  when  the  others  would  just  tell  him  to  be  quiet?    

2nd  -­‐  3rd  grades  –  For  the  next  two  weeks,  we  will  continue  with  Jesus’  ministry  and  hear  the  stories  of  Who  is  the  Greatest  and  Jesus  Makes  Lazarus  Alive  Again.    Parents  can  find  these  stories  in  the  Gospels  of  Mark  Chapter  9:33-­‐37  and  John  11.    A  couple  of  wondering  questions  the  children  will  be  exploring:  

• I  wonder  what  the  disciples  think  it  is  like  to  be  the  greatest?  • I  wonder  how  they  feel  when  Jesus  says  that  the  one  who  wants  to  be  greatest  must  be  last  of  all?  • I  wonder  how  Martha  and  Mary  feel  as  they  watch  Lazarus  die?  • I  wonder  how  they  feel  when  Lazarus  is  alive  again?    

EDJ  –  During  Lent  we  will  be  following  the  same  Lenten  journey  to  Jerusalem  as  the  congregation.    We  will  be  wandering  in  the  wilderness  searching  for  water  and  manna.    We  will  understand  the  meaning  of  why  we  eat  pretzels  and  understand  what  it  means  to  be  bound  in  a  community  of  faith.    You  can  find  these  stories  in  Exodus  15:20-­‐27  and  Exodus  16:1-­‐18.    

Offering Our  Sunday  School  offering  for  the  upcoming  months  leading  to  Lent  will  be  supporting  the  soup  ministry.  Every  Monday  a  group  of  men  and  women  prepare  soup  to  be  taken  to  the  San  Lucas  soup  kitchen  on  Tuesday.    San  Lucas  is  located  in  Chicago’s  tough  Humboldt  Park  area.    It  provides  much  needed  services  to  the  community,  including  assistance  for  teenage  mothers,  alternative  programs  to  gang  membership,  emergency  food,  clothing  and  counseling.        

Save the Date: Vacation Bible School is June 20-24, 2011

More  information  will  follow.

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Invitation to Faith: Mission and Social Justice

DuPage Habitat for Humanity wants your old toilet! We will also take your old cabinets, and other new or gently used building supplies. Habitat will be opening a ReStore in Addison this summer, but we are accepting donations of construction materials NOW. ReStore is a facility that collects and sorts used or surplus household and construction materials, then sells these materials to the general public at greatly reduced prices. All profit from the sales funds the DuPage Habitat mission.

• What we can take: Cabinets, Large appliances, Kitchen and Bath items, Unopened Paint, Wood, Flooring, Wood Furniture, Light Fixtures, Roofing, Tools.

• What we cannot take: Opened Paint, Upholstered Furniture, Small Appliances, Books, Clothes, Dishes.

DuPage Habitat’s ReStore will open in Summer 2011 but we are accepting donations NOW. The ReStore is located at 869 S. Route 53 in Addison (just north of North Ave.) Donations are tax-deductible. Please call 630-510-3737 to schedule a pickup of donated materials.

Attend  ECUMENICAL  ADVOCACY  DAYS  March  25  –  28,  2011  with  the  Chicago  Religious  Leadership  Network  on  Latin  America  (CRLN)  for  a  weekend  of  worship,  issue  briefings,  legislative  advocacy  training,  and  meetings  with  your  legislators!  

Be  a  part  of  an  action  weekend  during  which  we  will  learn  how  to  speak  boldly  for  people-­‐centered  sustainable  development,  economic  justice,  and  peacemaking,  with  a  particular  focus  on  women  and  girls.  Please  join  us!    

For  more  information  contact  Corinthian  Davis  by  email  at  [email protected]  or  by  phone  at  773-­‐293-­‐2964  and  visit  the  CRLN  website  at  http://www.crln.org/ecumenical_advocacy_days_2011.    Scholarships  are  available  through  EAD  for  participants  18-­‐35  years  old  and  some  denominations  offer  scholarships  as  well.      The  deadline  for  conference-­‐rate  hotel  rooms  is  February  19.    

We  anticipate  the  Walk  to  end  around  10a.m.    However,  it  will  last  long  enough  to  effect  getting  to  the  church.    The  walk  is  scheduled  to  go  up  Third  Street  in  the  morning  –  YOU  MAY  WANT  TO  AVOID  THAT  STREET.    

ONE  GREAT  HOUR  OF  SHARING  COMING  APRIL  3    On  Sunday  April  3,  you  will  be  given  the  opportunity  to  give  to  the  One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing,  part  of  the  UCC  -­‐  Our  Churches  Wider  Mission.    These  contributions  will  be  used  to  support  work  being  done  in  over  80  countries.    The  UCC  works  with  international  partners  to  provide  sources  of  clean  water  and  food,  education  and  health  care,  disaster  relief  (both  in  the  US  and  international)  and  funding  for  refugee  relief.    We  will  be  providing  OGHS  envelopes  that  morning  for  your  gifts,    

Hinsdale  Central  High  School  4th  Annual-­‐Character  Counts!  

WALK  THE  WALK  FOR  AUTISM  Sunday,  April  10,  2011  

8:00  –  10:00  a.m.    

REGISTER  ONLINE  TODAY!  

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Invitation to Faith: Community & Church Life

Youth Events, Mission Impossible & Summer Work Tour TNT  (Sunday  Nights  5-­‐6:30pm)     High  School    March  6-­‐  Dodgeball       March  5-­‐  Fullersburg  Woods  @  10-­‐12n  (at  Fullersburg)  March  13-­‐  Gutter  Sundaes       March  5-­‐  WT  Training  Day  2  @  12n-­‐4pm  (in  dining  room)  March  20-­‐  Sticky  Head       March  5-­‐  PADS  Soupmaking  @  4-­‐5:30pm  (in  kitchen)             March  13-­‐  Really  Bad  Movie  Night  March  Edition    @  7-­‐9pm  (in  youth  room)             March  19-­‐  WT  Training  Day  3  @10-­‐12n  (at  Fullersburg)             March  20-­‐  WT  Training  Day  4  @7-­‐9pm  (in  youth  room)  

       Keep  an  eye  open  on  Facebook  for  details  for  Youth  Group      Be  a  Sponsor  TODAY!    Watch  for  our  SAY  Picture  Boards  and  Sign-­‐up  Cards  in  the  Gathering  Place.  You’ll  find  all  the  information  you  need  on  helping  to  support  our  youth  as  they  go  out  and  do  God’s  work  during  their  spring  break!      The  Privilege  of  Sponsoring  a  Youth…    Costs  a  Sponsor  $100,  which  helps  to  offset  the  costs  of  Work  Tour.    Asks  that  the  Sponsor  pray  for  their  Youth  or  Leader  every  day,  by  name,  for    the  work  they  have  chosen  to  do,  and  for  the  work  God  has  called  them  to  do.    The  Return  to  the  Sponsor  however…    A  chance  to  develop  a  personal  relationship  with  a  WT  youth  or  leader,  an  invitation  to  our  Work  Tour  send-­‐off  on  the  day  of  departure,    a  post  card  from  your  sponsored  youth,    and  an  invitation  to  a  special  Spring  Work  Tour  Dinner  &  Movie    (April  15th,  6-­‐9PM)  with  stories  and  conversation  of  the  trip,  along  with  the  youth  and  families  of  our  WT  participants.  

Mission  Possible  has  partnered  with  Fullersburg  Woods  for  the  past  3  years.  One  of  the  more  popular  winter  projects  has  been  cutting  down  non-­‐native  invasive  species  such  as  honeysuckle  and  buckthorn.    This  is  very  important  to  Fullersburg  because  both  buckthorn  and  honeysuckle  tend  to  grow  close  together  and  choke  out  the  native  species.    The  removal  helps  to  restore  and  maintain  the  native  savannahs  and  prairie  in  this  area.        One  of  the  ways  we  can  show  our  faith  is  by  being  good  stewards  of  the  earth.    What  we  find  in  working  at  Fullersburg  Woods,  with  the  youth  of  Union  Church,  is  that  not  only  are  we  being  good  stewards  of  the  earth,  we  are  able  to  build  relationships  with  each  other  that  will  last  a  lifetime.      We  also  believe  that  this  is  true  with  our  faith  because  at  times,  we  need  to  weed  out  those  things  that  keep  us  from  growing.      

The Bravura Ensemble The  Bravura  Ensemble,  one  of  three  ensembles  that  comprise  the  Spirito!  Singers,  will  be  ours  guests  at  the  9:00  service  on  Sunday,  March  6th.    They  will  be  accompanied  by  our  Allegro  Handbell  Ensemble  in  one  of  their  pieces.  Our  bell  choir  accompanied  them  in  two  concerts  last  December.    The  bells  will  also  play  the  Prelude  and  Postlude  at  the  service  on  March  6.    Based  in  Elmhurst,  Spirito!  is  a  choral  organization  comprised  of  three  distinct  auditioned  ecumenical  choirs.    Bravura  is  a  performance  ensemble  for  9th  –  12th  grade  young  women;  Ragazze  is  a  training  and  performance  ensemble  for  5th  –  8th  grade  girls;  the  Men  of  Spirito!  is  a  performance  ensemble  for  men  18  years  of  age  and  older.    Each  ensemble  rehearses  once  per  week  August  through  May.    Spirito!  performs  at  two  major  concerts  each  year  (December  and  May)  and  each  ensemble  sings  at  multiple  Ministry  Sundays  at  churches  throughout  the  Chicago  area.      Bravura  tours  annually  with  a  major  tour  every  other  year.    Spirito!  seeks  to  develop  musicianship  and  vocal  technique  through  the  art  of  sacred  choral  music.  For  more  information  about  their  concerts,  audition  information  and  to  listen  to  the  beautiful  music  of  Spirito!  visit  their  website  at    www.spiritosingers.org  or  call  (630)  941.0744.      

Scheherazade and The Lark Scheherazade  and  The  Lark,  a  multimedia  program  for  brass,  organ,  and  violin,  with  full  color  visual  animation,  will  be  presented  by  the  Chicago  Gargoyle  Brass  with  organists  Michael  Surratt  and  Mark  Sudeith,  and  violinist  and  animator  Audrey  Marier,  on  Sunday,  March  6,  at  4:00  PM  in  the  Sanctuary.    A  freewill  offering  will  be  received  to  benefit  the  Music  Fund  of  Union  Church.    The  program  will  be  repeated  on  Friday,  March  11,  at  7:30  PM,  at  the  First  Congregational  Church  of  Elgin,  256  East  Chicago  Street  in  Elgin.  

Cantatas of Bach and Mendelssohn Bach  Cantata  #4,  Christ  lag  in  Todesbanden  and  a  Mendelssohn  Cantata  based  on  O  Sacred  Head  Now  Wounded,  with  the  Chicago  Gargoyle  Brass,  organist  Michael  Surratt,  and  the  combined  choirs  from  the  Union  Church  of  Hinsdale,  Todd  Diehl,  director  and  First  Congregational  Church  of  Elgin  ,  Jon  Warfel,  director,  with  soloists  Patricia  Hurd,  Joanna  Wernette,  Pedro  Willis-­‐Barbosa  and  Myron  Myers,  will  be  presented  Sunday,  April  10,  at  7:00  p.m.  at  Union  Church    and  on  Good  Friday,  April  22,  at  12:00  noon  at  First  Congregational  Church  of  Elgin.  

Tower Chorale March Concert The  Tower  Chorale,  in  its  25th  Season,  presents  The  3Bs:    Bach,  Beethoven  and  Brahms,  Sunday,  March  6,  at  3:00  p.m.,  at  Divine  Infant  Church,  1601  Newcastle,  in  Westchester.    Beethoven’s  “Mass  in  C”  will  be  the  featured  piece  with  full  orchestra  and  four  outstanding  soloists.    Bach’s  powerful  cantata  “A  Mighty  Fortress  is  Our  God”  and  the  lovely  Brahms  motet  from  Opus  29  will  round  out  the  program.    Tickets  are  $18  for  Adults,  $15  for  Seniors  &  Students.    Children  10  and  under  are  admitted  free.    Tickets  are  available  from  these  Union  Church  members  singing  in  the  concert:    Dorothy  Stephan  and  John  Jacus.    

6

Invitation to Faith: Opportunities in Music Ministry

7

Invitation to Faith: Community & Church Life

Bread for the World

Since  1990  …  • the  number  of  people  living  on  $  1.25  a  day  fell  by  400  million  people.  • chronically  hungry  people  in  developing  countries  fell  from  20%  to  16%.  • mortality  for  children  under  5  fell  by  40%  plus  in  Ethiopia,  Malawi  and  Niger.  

    However,  since  the  global  recession  and  food  crisis  beginning  in  2007  …    

• 1.5  billion  people  are  in  extreme  poverty  (living  on  less  than  $  1.25  a  day).  • 925  million  people  still  suffer  from  chronic  hunger,  nearly  90  million  higher  than  in  2000.  • 24,000  children  die  every  day  from  poverty,  hunger  and  preventable  diseases.    That  is  1  every  3.6  seconds.  • hunger  and  poverty  knows  no  geo-­‐political  boundary;  it  is  present  in  every  continent  and  every  country,  

including  the  United  States  of  America.    

WE  CAN  MAKE  A  DIFFERENCE!  By  calling  our  legislature  to  a  stronger  focus  on  reducing  poverty  and  its  causes,  a  clearer  accountability  for  how  aid  dollars  are  spent,  a  transformation  of  the  U.S.  development  agency  and  a  sensible  and  clear  plan  for  aid  that  meets  the  needs  and  wants  of  local  people.  We  can  do  this  through  our  annual  Bread  for  the  World,  a  campaign  of  support  and  letter-­‐writing  advocacy  on  behalf  of  those  who  are  living  in  chronic  need.      

Look  for  your  chance  to  get  involved  on  May  1,  2011  More  on  this  to  follow…  

Union Church Helps with Food Distribution

with San Lucas and the Chicago Food Depository                          Stacey  &  Nathan  Hurst  and  Kim  &  Lindsey  Notaro  joined  Pastor  Thom  in  Humboldt  Park  on  Monday,  February  21st  to  help  distribute  food  to  over  175  people.    Each  month  San  Lucas,  in  cooperation  with  the  Chicago  Food  Depository,  hands  out  bags  and  bags  of  food  to  very  needy  people  on  Chicago’s  northwest  side.    You  can  join  in  the  good  work  …    Every  3rd  Monday  of  the  month,  from  8:30  –  11:00  a.m.  at  the  Humboldt  Park  Field  House.    If  you  have  questions  or  would  like  to  volunteer,  contact  Pastor  Thom.  

8

Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation

Muslims 101

On  Tuesday,  March  8,  the  Clarendon  Hills  Library  (7  North  Prospect  Avenue)  kicks  off  its  participation  in  the  7th  annual  "Big  Read,"  a  cooperative  project  of  ten  area  libraries  seeking  to  connect  communities  through  literature.  Zeitoun,  by  Dave  Eggers,  is  this  year’s  book  selection  –  a  true  story  of  heroism  and  racism  in  post-­‐Hurricane  Katrina  New  Orleans.    This  non-­‐fiction  work,  which  reads  like  a  page-­‐turning  mystery,  examines  the  experiences  of  Abdulrahman  Zeitoun,  a  Syrian-­‐American  businessman  who  is  Muslim,  during  and  after  Katrina.    

THEN,  On  Tuesday,  March  8  at  7  pm,  The  Friends  of  the  Library  present  "Muslims  101"  a  discussion  examining  the  basics  of  the  religion  of  Islam  with  an  overview  of  the  people,  places,  customs,  vocabulary  and  culture  of  this  faith.    To  register  for  this  free  program,  please  call  the  library  at  630-­‐323-­‐8188.      

For  more  information,  log  on  to  www.clarendonhillslibrary.org,  or  www.thebigread.org.  

Friendship - FUNship March  11,  2011  –  6:30  p.m.  

In  March  many  people  make  plans  to  celebrate  St.  Patrick’s  Day.    Instead  of  “traveling”  to  Ireland  in  March,  Friendship  and  FUNSHIP,  a  fellowship  activity  for  all  elementary  school  students,  is  going  to  “visit”  Italy  on  Friday,  March  11th.and  celebrate  St.  Joseph’s  Day.    The  evening  will  start  at  6:30  p.m.  with  a  St.  Joseph’s  Day  feast.    Our  buffet  line  will  begin  with  the  traditional  St.  Joseph’s  Day  basket  in  which  those  eating  the  meal  can  give  a  donation  to  help  feed  others  followed  by  an  assortment  of  homemade  Italian  dishes  from  various  regions  of  the  country.    In  addition  to  the  good  will  offering,  students  are  invited  to  help  us  build  centerpieces  for  our  tables  by  bringing  an  item  for  the  Hinsdale  Community  service.    Following  our  meal  we  will  have  games  and  other  activities  and  the  evening  will  end  at  8:30  p.m.        Students  are  encouraged  to  invite  a  friend  and  also  their  family.    Since  we  are  changing  the  nature  of  the  evening  to  include  parents  and  siblings,  an  additional  gathering  will  be  added  to  our  calendar.    In  June  we  will  “visit”  Guatemala,  the  country  where  our  adult  mission  group  went  this  January.    If  you  have  any  questions  about  this  activity  or  if  you’d  like  to  help  with  the  cooking  or  planning,  please  contact  Kim  Notaro.    

For: Middle School students When: Sunday morning at 8:45 AM

March 13th – April 17th

New Adult Christian Formation Event  Beginning  next  Sunday  March  6  at  9:00  a.m.  we  will  begin  a  six  week  series  on  the  book  “God  Is  Closer  Than  You  Think”,  by  John  Ortberg.    This  is  an  opportunity  to  learn  to  see  God,  become  aware  of  God’s  presence  and  deepen  your  relationship  with  God.    Join  Pastor  Thom  and  your  friends  from  Union  Church  for  this  exciting  hour  on  Sunday  mornings.  

9

Invitation to Faith: Community Life

Plans  are  underway  for  the  Progressive  Dinner,  which  will  be  held  on  Saturday,    May  14.    The  Parish  Life  Ministry  is  looking  for  members  to  host  dinner  for  8-­‐12  people  in  their  home  or  who  would  like  to  host  the  appetizer  or  dessert  portions  of  the  evening  for  the  entire  group  of  75-­‐100  people.    Thank  you  in  advance  for  helping  to  make  this  fun  evening  a  success.    Please  contact  Jane  Hogenkamp  at  630.789.6326    or  [email protected].  

Men’s Club – March 9 at 12:00 noon.  Steve  Goreham  will  present  Climate  Change  and  Renewable  Energy:    The  Rest  of  the  Story.    Steve  is  Executive  Director  of  the  Climate  Science  Coalition  of  America  and  author  of  Climatism!  Science,  Common  Sense,  and  the  21st  Century's  Hottest  Topic.    Contrary  to  popular  consensus,  Steve  argues  that  global  warming  is  due  to  natural  cycles  of  Earth  -­‐-­‐  not  greenhouse  gas  emissions.    Since  climate  change  policies  can  have  a  major  impact  on  each  of  our  lives,  this  is  a  discussion  not  to  be  missed.  

Mark Your Calendars! Easter Egg Hunt

APRIL  16,  2011,  10  a.m.  -­‐  11  a.m.  Children  ages  1-­‐8  invited  

 Bring  your  Easter  basket  and  join  us  for  refreshments,  an  

Easter  Story,  the  Egg  Hunt  and  the  Easter  Bunny.  Meet  in  the  Gathering  Place.    Friends  and  family  welcome.  Questions:  Contact  Diane  Oostendorp  (630)  655.9405  

UNION  CHURCH  HAS  A  DESPERATE  NEED  FOR  VOLUNTEERS  TO  GIVE  A  LITTLE  TLC  TO  

                                                 AND/OR                                  

    (Operate  the  Sound  System)                        (Video  tape  the  Worship  Service)    

So  that  our  Worship  Services  may  be  heard  and  viewed,  both  live  and  through  recordings.  This  does  not  require  a  rocket  scientist!!!!  Anyone  who  can  turn  on  the  TV,  make  a  cell  phone  call  or  send  an  e-­‐mail  is  

almost  over-­‐qualified  for  this  work.    

If  this  is  your  quirk,  please  call  or  e-­‐mail  either  the  office  (630)  323-­‐4303,  [email protected]  or  me  (Dave  Tillinghast)  at:    (630)  323-­‐7332  or  [email protected]!  

 I  will  not  sleep  until  I  receive  your  calls.  

May 14, 2011

Open Forums Begin March 13 TRANSITION  OPPORTUNITY  -­‐  If  you  have  an  interest  in  the  future  of  Union  Church,  then  you  are  invited  to  attend  a  series  of  Open  Forums  following  a  worship  service  on  the  schedule  below.    At  each  45-­‐minute  forum  people  will  gather  for  small  group  discussion  around  specific  questions,  that  will  be  recorded  by  members  of  the  Transitional  Steering  Committee.    This  is  your  opportunity  to  share  your  voice  about  what  you  value  about  Union  Church  and  where  it  could  be  going  as  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ.   Child  care  will  be  provided  for  each  forum.    Please  mark  your  calendar/blackberry/data  phone  with  these  dates:    First  Set  of  Questions  -­‐     Sunday,  March  13  –  10:15  to  11  a.m.  in  the  Youth  Room  or   Sunday,  March  20  –  11:45  to  12:30  p.m.  in  Rowell  Hall    Second  Set  of  Questions  –     Sunday,  April  3  –  10:15  to  11  a.m.  in  the  Youth  Room  or   Sunday,  April  10  –  11:45  to  12:30  p.m.  in  Rowell  Hall    Third  Set  of  Questions  –     Sunday,  April  17  –  10:15  to  11  a.m.  in  the  Youth  Room  or   Sunday,  April  17  –  11:45  to  12:30  p.m.  in  Rowell  Hall