Rally Day and All hurch Picnic Sunday, September 13 · Rally Day and All hurch Picnic Sunday, September 13 ... we cannot stop transition from occurring. ... After graduating from

Rally Day and All Church Picnic

Sunday, September 13

St. Paul members and friends are invited for an afternoon of food, games

and fellowship as we kick-off the 2015-2016 program year, and you are en-

couraged to invite friends and neighbors to take part! The church picnic is

free and all are welcome to attend. St. Paul members

are asked to sign up in the narthex in advance to help

picnic planners get a count for the burgers/hot

dogs/brats/veggie burgers and drinks that are being

provided. Contact Director of Youth and Family Minis-

try, Vanessa Young, with questions,

[email protected]

BASIC Returns This Fall

Fall BASIC classes will begin Sep-tember 20 (Sunday, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.) and September 23 (Wednesday, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm), and end December 13 & 16. Choose whichever day best fits your schedule. New and returning cate-chumens are welcome!

Resources for the fall session will be Making Sense of Scripture by David Lose and Opening the Book of Faith: Lutheran Insights for Bible Study. Manna and Mercy by Daniel Erlander is optional. The cost for the 2 required books is $26. Manna and Mercy is $9. The office will or-der all the books. Limited copies are available in the Library for borrow-ing. Sign up in the narthex today!

Questions? Contact Mina Kerr at 630-258-8212, or Pat Pape at 630-668-8710.

From the Pastor

“Shift Happens…” By Pastor Bill Hutchison, Interim Pastor

Recently I spied a bumper sticker that read, “Shift Happens.” It was not the first time I have read that clever, slightly naughty message, but with all of the vari-ous changes going on at St. Paul, the message hit me anew. Perhaps many of

you reading this have had moments in the past few months during which you, too, have reflected on the myriad chang-es happening in and around the church, and perhaps it’s somewhat unnerving to wonder just when things will “get back to normal.”

None of us has a crystal ball into which we can gaze to know the future, but we do have a steadfast God who promises in so many ways to be with us always, even beyond the looming fact of our eventual death in this earthly life. Yet somehow the vast stretch between “here” and “there,” between “now” and “then,” can seem inordinately ponderous and vacuous. In short, such heavenly promises can seem a bit vapid because they may feel so otherworldly and thereby abstract.

What’s a reasonable, faithful Christian to do in the midst of so much “shift” happen-ing around him or her? We ultimately come to realize that we cannot stop change; we cannot stop transition from occurring. We cannot turn back the clock and have a “redo,” not really, though like many of you I surely wish sometimes that I/we could. If we cannot have a do-over, then what can we do? Where can we find hope in the midst of uncertainty?

In Philippians 3:14-16, Paul writes: 14 “I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. 16Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.” A few verses later at the beginning of Chapter 4, Paul writes: 1 “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.”

Finally, Paul sums things up with these very familiar verses in Philippians 4:4-8.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Perhaps we, like St. Paul, the namesake of our church, can adopt behaviors and attitudes that tide us through, that help us strive to be of one mind, so that together we can rejoice and give thanks for what has been, what is still, and what is to come for all that is of God and life-giving. See you in worship and various other touch-points around St. Paul Lutheran Church as we wend our way forward, trusting that God is with us still! Let us learn to rejoice, always, even as, or perhaps most especially, when, “shift happens…!”

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Someone You Should Know

Someone You Should Know ... Al LaMar

“He's always there; just a faithful servant!" ex-claimed one of our former pastors.

Al LaMar joined St. Paul Church in 1969, 46 years ago. He said he liked the people and the friendly atmosphere. Al was born a Lutheran in Chicago and later moved with his family to Glen Ellyn where he became a Hilltopper.

After graduating from Glenbard West he went to work in construction. Several years later he got married, and the following year he was drafted into the Army. Upon discharge Al returned home, worked as a mail carrier for awhile and had two children, a son and daughter. He also has two grandchildren.

His grandson is a music teacher in Wisconsin and his granddaughter is studying for her Masters De-gree in sound design at Savanna, Georgia. Both of his children were confirmed at St. Paul. Al's wife died in 1991 and he became more involved at St. Paul as a deacon, usher and greeter. He also spent 22 years with PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter).

Al loves to fish and spends six weeks with his son each summer in Montana fishing and hiking near Yellowstone. Then his son returns to Wheaton and does all the cooking for Al. What a deal!

One of the funny things Al remembers about St. Paul was when Janelle Hooper was serving as an associate pastor. She had somewhat of a hippy-style appearance. So a bunch of St. Paul members dressed up with tattoos, painted nails, rings, etc to make her feel welcome. When they went to Communion Janelle noticed them and cracked up laughing.

You will usually see Al at the first service sitting in the back on the right side with Ron. He always has a big, happy smile on his face. Be sure and say hi next time you see him!

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CINEMA AT ST.

PAUL On September 18, Cinema at St. Paul

resumes with the award-winning doc-

udrama, SEARCHING FOR SUGAR

MAN.

Searching for Sugar Man tells the incredible story of Ro-

driguez, the greatest 70s rock icon, who never was.

After being discovered in a Detroit bar, Rodriguez’s sound

struck two renowned producers and they signed a record-

ing deal. But when the album bombed, the singer van-

ished into obscurity.

A bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South

Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phe-

nomenon. The film follows the story of two South African

fans who set out to find out what really happened to their

hero.

Please join us for the first presentation of the Cinema at

St. Paul Fall Season.

The movie starts at 7:00 p.m., but come early and join us

for pizza and fellowship at 6:00 p.m. All are welcome. The

pizza cost is $5.00 per person.

To order pizza, please notify Tom Hansen by Thursday,

September 17 at (630) 690-1725 or

[email protected].

Dear St Paul Friends, As many of you know, I travel to Haiti to do medical mission work two weeks out of the year. My next trip is in early October, and as always I am collecting dona-tions that we can take to help care for our Haitian fami-lies. I want to thank you all for your generous support in the past. Here is a list of suggestions of what we can use:

Reading glasses (low powers) — Dollar Store ones are fine; cloth diapers, plastic pants, diaper pins, shoes (no flip flops) for women and chil-dren, sulfur soap, snack bags, Vitamins with iron (both for adults and chil-dren), vitamins without iron for adults, albuterol inhal-ers not expired and unused, asthma spacers (used or unused), underwear for toddlers, moisturizer lotion such as Aveeno or Cetaphil, bars of soap, sunglasses, disposable diapers – medium and large.

I will place a basket near the downstairs entrance la-beled “Haiti Donations.” We pack Sept. 27 so I will need these by Sept. 26. I will check the basket over the next weeks and gather the items at my home to take to our packing meeting.

Again, hugs and prayerful thanks to all of you for your constant prayers, generosity and love,

Vanda Marsh

The Bulletin Board

QUILT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 Many of the quilts made by Labor of Love since last Octo-ber will be on display at the worship services on October 4 and then will begin their jour-ney to places around the world wherever needed. It’s a won-derful Sunday to experience “God’s Work. Our Hands.”

FAITH CIRCLE

Faith Circle will begin another year of fellowship, educa-tion, outreach and faith-building Tuesday, September 8 at noon in Fellowship Hall. Laurie Schuemann of Aurora will share her experiences among impoverished people of Mexico with the multi-faceted group, Amextra. Our youth recently participated in a mission trip with them that was very enriching. Anyone interested is heartily wel-comed to join us! Bring your brown-bag-lunch and a friend. (Dessert is provided!)

The Bulletin Board

St. Paul Choir Needs Singers

The St. Paul Choir is a church community choir open to all sing-ers in middle school and above. We sing a wide range of sacred music from primitive to modern, from ancient to contempo-rary. We have a good time learning and singing together. We lead in worship on a regular basis. Members look forward to getting together to make music, laugh and learn. Without singers, there wouldn't be a St. Paul choir. Good news is, we have singers. But we always welcome more. There is room in every section to grow.

If you are a singer and can join us, we rehearse every Wednesday from 7:15 to 8:30 pm in the Choir Room. Come and grow with us.

Questions? Ask Carl Heine - [email protected].

WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY 2015 – 2016

MARK'S MESSAGE: GOOD NEWS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM

BY JUSTO GONZALEZ

We will focus on Mark's account of the good news of Jesus, with an emphasis on hearing the narrative by ear as was the norm for Christians in the early church. We'll watch and discuss a live performance of Mark by storyteller-scholar Philip Ruge-Jones, as well as reading a short thematic guide on Mark. Then we will spend three ses-sions on the Gospel of Matthew.

9/14/15 Ruge-Jones, Part 1: The Beginning of the

Good News (Mk 1-8:21)

Financials, July 2015

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Noth, Ellen 9/6

Weinert, Lori 9/6

Braun, Julie 9/7

Lamberg, Beverly 9/7

Nagele, Amanda 9/7

Young, Robert 9/8

Harrington, Kyle 9/9

Bell, Connor 9/10

Morrissey, David 9/11

Tarpeh, Joseph 9/11

King, Wilson 9/12

Whitnell, John 9/12

Eckhoff, Grant 9/14

King, Jesse 9/14

Lundeen, Katrina 9/15

Sogge, Brian 9/15

Gaede, Harold 9/16

Michalak, Mike 9/16

Bosse, Jessica 9/17

Burns, Betty 9/17

Avery, Marianne 9/3

Wenzel, Marguerite 9/3

Winterhalter, Deidre 9/3

Adams, David 9/4

Adams, Tori 9/4

Johnson, Paul 9/4

Olsen, Bill 9/4

Faulstich, Kathy 9/5

McCoyd, Quinn 9/5

Elza, Alyssa 9/6

Let Us Pray... for these members and friends of St. Paul

The week of September 6:

Tim, Elizabeth, Madelyn, Peyton & Kennedy Suter; Lori, Brent & Joshua Noesges; Lillian

Danielsen; Ken, Kari, Sienna & Mackenzie Keith; Eileen & David Gustafson.

The week of September 13:

Carlo, Sherri, Marina & C.J. D’Agostino; Jeff, Bethany, Bradley & Erika Huber; Clay, Birgit &

Linnea Lindgren; Edward & Cathy Newman

The week of September 20:

Harold & Joan Gaede; Ellen Noth; Betty Polasik; Ed, Susan, Ben, Allie, Joe & Sam Mullinger;

Rich & Nancy Wilen.

The week of September 27:

Ron, Cheryl, Jay & Barry Diener; Carol Narup; Jeff, Lori, Melissa, Kimberly & Dan Patnaude;

Heidi & Xerxes Irani.

Schumm, Cherie 9/18

Yurko, Ed 9/18

Gerardi, Connie 9/19

Noesges, Joshua 9/19

Valecka, Susan 9/20

D’Agostino, Marina 9/21

Dec, Gary 9/21

Burgis, Mary Beth 9/23

Kohn, Kyle 9/23

Reed, Jan 9/24

Fuqua, Kevin 9/26

Heliker, Charles 9/27

Noesges, Brenton 9/27

Simpson, Justin 9/27

Polzin, Bob 9/29

Richards, William 9/29

Suter, Kennedy 9/30

Suter, Peyton 9/30

The Bulletin Board

METRO CHICAGO SYNOD ASSEMBLY I had the privilege of attending this year’s Metro Chicago Synod Assembly. I want to focus on comments Bishop Wayne Miller made to the assembly about the future of the church that I found to be very applicable and comforting for our St. Paul faith community.

Bishop Miller noted the Christian community looks different from our parents’ and certainly our grandparents’ day. He said he frequently is asked how the future of the church is unfolding. The Bishop gave an historical overview of how churches developed in North America. Rural churches were among the first faith communities and were the focal point of the geographical area where they were located. Often these churches adopted a specific cultural identity based on what immigrant group had settled in that area. As urban areas grew, churches became the centers of community life in whatever neighborhood they were located. Many generations of a single family would worship together in that neigh-borhood church.

The Bishop also observed that today’s society is much more mobile, with people frequently moving in and out of neigh-borhoods and faith communities. Even as he acknowledged that the old ways of the doing and thinking church proba-bly are going to have to be let go, he finds one truth remaining constant: People are hungry for a place, a community, where their faith can be nurtured.

Bishop Miller said when we think of “church” we typical-ly think of a building, constitutions and by-laws, leader-ship, professional staff, education, cost of maintaining the church and so on. He reminded us that the basic Biblical understanding of church, however, involves only these five things – water, bread, wine, scripture and at least 2 believers. The water is our baptism – God’s reaching out to claim us as God’s children. The bread and wine are the body and blood of Jesus sacrificed for our salvation. Scripture is the living, breathing word of God that transforms our lives. And believers, at least two of us, are the body of Christ in any given place and time.

Right now we are in a time of great transition at St. Paul. We are in the process of implementing our strategic plan with new ministry goals and plans. We say good-bye to both pastors and welcome our new interim pastor. We look forward to the time when we can call a new pastor. Each year we change our council leadership, acknowledging the wisdom of those whose time on council has come to an end and anticipating the energy and ideas new council members can bring. What our faith community looked like a year ago and what it will look like one year from now likely will be very different.

But these things will remain the same. People will continue to be hungry for a place, a community, where their faith can be nurtured. We will continue to baptize with water and God’s word even as we daily remember our own bap-tisms. We will share in the saving power of Jesus’ body and blood through the bread and wine. We will look to the words of the Bible to guide and transform us. And we will gather as believers to nurture our faith.

Each of us has a part to play as the future of the church at St. Paul is unfolding. Share your questions, concerns, and ideas with council. Share your presence at worship around the baptismal font and the communion table. Be present with those ministries, new and old, for which you have a passion. And share your prayers that this faith community will be a place where our hunger for nurturing our faith can be satisfied.

Sue Cahalan

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Council Corner

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ROOTS Orientation

To help us kick-off the new year of ROOTS

middle school ministry, we’re heading out to

Lincoln Marsh for an afternoon of team-building activities! On Sun-day, September 20th from 1:30 to 6:00pm, 6th-8th grade youth, par-ents and ROOTS adult leaders will gather for a series of activities led by Lincoln Marsh staff, including

trust-building games, climbing wall, and ropes course challenges.

All middle school youth and parents are invited and strongly encour-aged to take part in this special event. Please RSVP to the Evite by no

later than Sunday, September 6th to con-firm your plans to participate. Cost is $10 per person to take part, and all youth and adults must complete the Challenge Course Waiver, which can be found on the ROOTS page of the St. Paul website. Bring your own bottle of water for the afternoon; some light snacks will be provided.

Contact Vanessa with any questions or concerns!

September Schedule Every Sunday morning from 9:45 –

10:45am, ROOTS is a chance for St. Paul middle school youth and friends to gather

and learn more about the life of Jesus, Christianity, the Bible and our Lutheran

tradition. Here’s what we’ll be up to this month:

September 13th: The Creation,

9:45 – 10:45am.

Led by: Vanessa Young.

September 20th: The Promise of a Son, 9:45 – 10:45am.

Led by: Vanessa Young.

ROOTS Orientation, Lincoln Marsh

Challenge Course,

1:30 – 6:00pm!

September 27th: Jacob Wrestles with God, 9:45 – 10:45am.

Led by: Vanessa Young.

Orientation on Tuesday, September 8th @ 7:00pm

For mentors, youth confirmands and parents,

on Tuesday, September 8th from 7:00 to 8:00pm in Fellowship Hall

● Learn more about the Making Disciples curriculum

● Get introduced to your mentor/confirmand

● Plan the journey to Affirmation of Baptism!

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September Schedule Every Sunday morning from 9:45 to 10:45am and

once a month on Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, Connections is the place for St. Paul high school youth and friends to get together and en-counter God through Scripture, service and fel-

lowship with one another. Here’s a look at

what’s happening this month:

September 13th: not meeting during the 9:45-10:45am hour…..but the Connections Kick-Off

Activity is from 4:00 to 6:00pm! Mini golf, ice cream and bounce house fun with friends. Bring $5, and meet in the

church parking lot at 4:00pm!

September 20th: Connections @ 9:45am (Timothy Room) - Youth Board Meeting

September 27th: Connections @ 9:45am (Timothy Room); Stockholders Dinner @ 6:30pm (youth arrive at 5:00pm

for meal prep and set-up!)

Youth Board Meeting

Sunday, September 20th @ 9:45am

All high school youth, parents and interested adults are welcome to join us for this meeting as we discuss St. Paul’s high school youth ministry, make plans for

the upcoming Stockholders Dinner, and have prelimi-nary conversation about the 2015 summer youth trip!

Stockholders Dinner

Sunday, September 27th @ 6:30pm

All high school youth who partic-

ipated in the 2015 ELCA Youth

Gathering will join together for the annual tradi-tion of the Stock-holders Dinner – a time to share

the story of this summer experience with all St. Paul members and friends who made financial contribu-

tions during the Stock Sales fundraiser earlier this year, and to say thank you for their support! Please prepare

your photos, stories and enthusiasm for this special dinner taking place on Sunday, September 27th from

6:30 to 8:00pm in the Fellowship Hall, and make plans to be there for both set-up and clean-up that evening

beginning at 5:00 and finishing around 8:30pm.

This trip to Detroit would not have been possible with-out the generous support of these ‘stock holders’, so

make sure this date is on your September calendar and get ready to share your experiences with members of

the St. Paul community!

New Things in Store for

2015-2016 Connections! As a new year of Connections begins, we’re excited about a

few changes coming to high school youth ministry! The main weekly gathering for 9th to 12th grade youth will con-

tinue to be on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:45am, since that timing was well received by youth last year! Sun-

day mornings will continue to include small group discus-sions, activities and Bible study. Our bi-monthly Youth

Board Meetings will now take place on Sunday mornings also, as well as occasional opportunities for crossover activi-

ties with Vineyard kids! Once a month on a Friday, Satur-day or Sunday evening, high school youth will gather for a

fellowship activity or service project. Please attend a Youth Board Meeting to share your ideas for Bible study, service

or fellowship activities during the coming year!

A Letter from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

Sunday, Sept. 6, Commit to End Racism

August 25, 2015

Dear sisters and brothers, The bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church have issued a statement and call to action to recognize Sunday, Sept. 6, as “Confession, Repentance and Commitment to End Racism Sunday.” The African Methodist Episcopal Church is a longtime ELCA dialogue and ecumenical coalition partner. I responded to them pledging our support and stating that I would invite our bishops, pastors and leaders to participate in this effort, especially by preaching on racism and racial justice in church and society. This is a way to accompany our sisters and brothers in the African Methodist Episco-pal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and to continue in our own church the conversation about racism. I believe we are experiencing a kairotic moment. Something is happening in our church and in our country. Many of us are hearing and seeing in ways we haven’t before, and we are motivated to take action. Participating in “Confession, Repentance and Commitment to End Racism Sunday” is a start. This link connects you to ELCA worship resources under the liturgy tab for Sunday, Sept. 6. You can also find more information and resources from the African Methodist Epis-copal Church here. I encourage you to reach out to a nearby African Methodist Episcopal congregation to build rela-tionships together. ELCA members, congregations and groups are also warmly invited to participate in the events in Washington, D.C., Sept. 1-2 that will launch the “Liberty and Justice for All” movement. For more information, please click here. The link to RSVP is here. The road to ending racism is long and hard, but we are not alone. Jesus walks with us. Let's take this step together.

Thank you for your ministry. The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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Each year at St. Paul, the congregation presents new Bibles to three-year olds, first graders, and sixth graders. Children respond best to a Bible written specifi-cally for their age level, and three wonderful Bibles have been selected to be pre-sented this fall to children and youth.

Sixth graders will receive The CoLaborate Lutheran Student Bible (NRSV), a study

Bible designed specifically for pre-teens and teens. It contains special content,

facts, questions, worship connections, Lutheran quotations, interactive prompts

and graphics to help young people engage the story of God’s people and grow in

their Christian faith.

The Children’s Illustrated Bible, presented to first graders, includes beautiful full-

color illustrations and side notes that spark a young child’s interest. Written in

story format, it is a perfect edition to read aloud to a young child.

Three-year-olds will love the Spark Story Bible published by Augsburg Fortress. Each story is written in language

appropriate for young children and accompanied by brightly colored engaging illustrations to capture a child’s im-

agination.

A donation of $20 will sponsor one Bible. Children and youth will receive their Bibles on Sunday, October 25, at

the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Each Bible will be inscribed with the name of the child or youth and the sponsor. If

you would like to sponsor a Bible, simply complete the form below and return it with your check to the church

office. Checks should be made payable to St. Paul Lutheran Church; please note “Bible sponsor” in the memo line.

St. Paul Bible Sponsor

Sponsor’s Name: _______________________________________Phone Number: ___________________

If you would like to designate your gift to a specific recipient, please indicate the person’s name here.

Recipient’s Name:______________________________________________________________________

Sponsor names will appear in each Bible as Mary Smith or John and Jane Doe. If you would like your name

to appear in a different format (i.e. Grandma and Grandpa Jones), please indicate that preference here:

____________________________________________________________________________________

Lutheran Study Bibles for adult participating in BASIC will

also be presented on October 25. No additional Adult Bible

sponsors are needed at this time!

Marilyn Sharpe is a congregational coach, trainer, writer, presenter, speaker, retreat leader, teacher, and Lutheran church member, dedicated to helping congregations equip households to nurture Christian faith in all generations, all of the time, wherever they are. Her monthly articles and blog posts provide conversation starters for families, and activities for parents and youth to do together to help live their faith.

Grow Back Down: The Gift of a Child

“...and a little child shall lead them.” — Isaiah 11:6

If we listen, really listen, to children, they will share remarkable wisdom with us. In his book, The Mystery of the Child, Lu-theran theologian Martin Marty describes children not as blank slates on which adults are called to write, but as God’s gift to us, sent to reveal God’s mysteries, God’s love and care, and to invite us to learn from them, as well as teach them. Jesus invited children into the center of his followers, not to model his tolerance, but to declare, “Unless you become like this little child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” They are intended to be our teachers, indeed. So what are you learning from children these days? Do you spend time with a child, just listening, just watching, just exploring, just being? If your answer is “yes”, what have you learned? If your answer is “no”, now is the time to begin.

My cherished friend Nancy, a classmate in college and a beloved friend ever since, is battling Multiple Myeloma. She had a stem cell transplant last month, yet finds opportunities to appreciate and give thanks every day. Nancy, the mother of two wondrous adult men and grandmother of two precious little boys, listens and learns, then shares it with hundreds on her CaringBridge site. Here is a recent episode, sharing what she learned from 3 1/2 old Samuel in a conversation with his dad, Peter, discussing the movie ‘Toy Story 3’.

Peter: You never want to touch fire because it could hurt you.

Samuel: Just like in ‘Toy Story 3’, when they almost got in the fire but the claw saved them.

Peter: Right!

Samuel: Then they went home, but Andy wasn’t there. The little boy with the hat wasn’t there.

Peter: Actually, Andy was there. The little boy with the hate wasn’t there because Andy grew up and went to college. Someday you’ll grow up and be big like daddy.

Samuel: Oh. [Thinks a second.] I don’t want to grow up right now.

Peter: That’s okay. You don’t have to grow up right now.

Samuel: But I do want to go to college!

Peter: [laughs]

Samuel: I’m not going to grow up today. I’m going to grow up tomorrow.

Peter: That’s right.

Samuel: And then, I’m going to grow back down.

Nancy add her own reflective wisdom. “Up until recently I felt like a grown up, but now, with my new baby stem cells, I am beginning to fell like I may have taken a few steps backward to a place prior to adulthood, especially because I now need so much help from my family and friends. Here’s hoping we all get to ‘grow back down’ again, at least for a little while.” Thank you, Samuel, for helping us understand that we can make some decisions to “grow up tomorrow” (really, there is no rush) and hear the ultimate invitation to take refuge and “grow back down”. I’m going to claim that one!

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

1. Invite a child to lead you on a walk at a park, around a lake, in a garden. Listen carefully to what the child sees, hears and understands. Then, look with a child’s eyes. Experience with a child’s heart. Give thanks; pray and thank God for the gift of childhood.

2. Have a “grow back down” day. Have each person choose something— a game, an activity, a place, a book—that they loved when they were younger. Do it again together!

Marilyn Sharpe Ministries, LLC • Grow Back Down: The Gift of a Child, September 2010 • www.marilynsharpeministries.com

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Vineyard Friends,

We officially kick off Sunday School on Sunday, September 13th at 9:45 in Fellowship Hall!

This year we will continue to bring worship and Sunday school together; creating a meaningful Sunday School experi-ence rooted in our church’s life and God’s love!

During September we will learn about God’s magnificent story of Creation! God created everything and we will have fun exploring many of the amazing things He created! We will play Creation Charades, bake Creation Crunch and make a special one of a kind creation that we can take home and bring to church every week!

All children 6 weeks through 5th grade are welcome and encouraged to join us as we start another wonderful year of learning and growing in faith! The Seedlings (Preschool), Sprouts (Nursery) and their parents will meet in the Sprouts/Seedlings room at 9:45. The Vineyard (kdg-5th grade) will meet in Fellowship Hall at 9:45.

What fun it will be to see everyone again and meet our new friends!

Many Blessings!

Please help encourage our children along their faith journey by volunteering in Sunday school! As a church community, we are nothing less than a tool of the Spirit, a bringer of the Word of God, a changer of lives, a

planter of seeds! Through baptism each one of us is chosen by God to “go and teach”; to lead, to help and to encourage

our children in their life of faith. Please continue to keep our dear children, their loved ones, our volunteers and the

Children’s Ministry in your prayers. Your prayers and encouragement definitely matter!

The Sprouts -Nursery

Our journey of faith begins at birth and for this precise reason the nursery ministry is being formed. We are excited to welcome our littlest ones, the Sprouts, from 6 weeks to 2 ½ years. It is our goal to have our Sprouts, experience a space within our church, a place of faith, trust and love, where they are valued as gifts from God, where they will sprout lovingly in their faith.

Starting on Rally Day, September 13th the attended nursery hours are from 8:15 to 12:15. The Sprouts will have Sunday school from 9:45-10:45.

We need you! 5 reasons to serve in the Nursery! 1. God is in the church nursery. God is present when children are welcomed and loved in Jesus’ name! 2. Your service in the nursery allows our church community to have peace of mind that their little one is lovingly cared

for. 3. The first and often lasting feelings a child will have toward church is formed in the nursery. 4. When you serve in the nursery, you are being entrusted with the most important members of our church communi-

ty. There is no greater treasure on this side of heaven than the little ones entrusted to us and their sweet smiles! 5. Your service contributes to your own spiritual growth. A growing Christian is always a serving Christian. Jesus was

known for putting others first. When you are serving in the nursery you are following His example!

Please contact [email protected]? for opportunities to serve!

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Sunday

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Rev. Bill Hutchison, Interim Pastor

Phone: 630-668-5953

Fax: 630-668-0020

Email: [email protected]

Website: stpaulwheaton.org

Worship: 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. (Beginning Sept. 13)

Summer Worship: 9:30 p.m. (Through Sept. 6)

St. Paul Lutheran Church, ELCA

515 S. Wheaton Avenue

Wheaton, IL 60187-5213