Vital Signs
Of a congregation being transformed into the image of Christ
Leadership at LMC—Musical Chairs
By Paul Joireman, Congregational Co-Chair
On May 3, we had a brief congregational meeting (some even said its
short length was a record!), to approve
a slate of leaders for different positions
in the congregation. Chris Ewert
(Mission) and Leanna Kaser
(Community Life), will continue in
their roles on the Ministry Team, while
Carlen Sellers will step down from her
position as Congregational Co-Chair
and Lay Minister of Administration.
We have yet to fill Carlen's role but are
still working on it; your ideas are always welcome. Carlen has done a fantastic job in her position bringing gifts
of organization, negotiation, budgeting,
and administration to the job. She will
be missed.
Another big change occurred on the
Pastoral Care Team, which has several new members: Wanda
Bouwman
(Chair), JanGerrit
Bouwman,
Stacy Gerberich, and Susan
Botts. Wanda
will move off
the PastorCongregation
Relations
Leanna Kaser, Lay Minister of Community Life, pours at the Ladies and
Committee
Girls Tea on May 9
Don then gave a
(PCRC); Carpastor’s report. He took the opportunioline Steelberg will complete her
ty to say that although we might be
term. Steve Offutt was also confirmed
feeling anxiety about the church (from
for a two-year term on PCRC. Roundchanges in leadership, longtime meming off the changes, Ann Vendrely
bers moving away for retirement, etc.),
will join the Administration CommisGod is faithful and will provide for
sion as a member-at-large.
LMC and enable us to thrive.
Special Worship Services in June
been fractured from previous church
conflicts. When Daryl and Tricia
learned that the last church in town
had closed, they
felt called to work
in this community. Over the past
three years, they
worked to establish a regular
weekly Bible
study and Sunday
worship service,
while building
relationships with
the local families.
Daryl and Tricia with Chris Ewert (our Lay Minister of Mission)
Summer worship at LMC starts earlier
(at 9:30 AM), and often includes special guest speakers!
Daryl Turley,
June 21
Daryl Turley will
bring the message
on Sunday, June
21. Daryl and
Tricia Turley
were very involved members
at LMC for several years before
moving in 2012 to
Alaska to church
plant and work with the local community.
Their town (population 250), has a
small Christian community that had
Lombard Mennonite Church
Following the leadership slate approval, Treasurer Jeremy Steelberg gave us
a brief update on the church finances.
Although we’ve
reported often
lately that our
giving is behind
expectations,
we are thankful
for the giving
that has come
in. Jeremy also
encouraged us
to maintain our
giving throughout the summer.
Although a recent
conflict resulted in different leadership taking over their church plant,
Daryl and Tricia have continued to
follow their calling. They have been
ministering with people in the community one-on-one, have started a small
youth group in town, and have been
preaching and sharing their gifts with a
church about 40 miles away.
Daryl and Tricia are employed at a
small school, where Tricia teaches and
Daryl drives the school bus. LMC has
provided financial support for the
Turleys over the last three years from
our mission budget. This has helped
enable them to continue their ministry
despite the low paying jobs available
and inevitable high heating bills. Daryl
and Tricia covet your prayers for their
ministry as they continue listening to
where God is leading.
—Chris Ewert
Emulate, June 28
Emulate, a new elite vocal ensemble
from Eastern Mennonite University,
(Continued on page 2)
June 2015
Lombard Mennonite Church
Special Worship Services
(Continued from page 1)
will join us Sunday, June 28 to
enrich our worship experience
with several musical numbers.
Eight of the 16member group,
along with their
director, Assistant Professor of
Music Ryan Keebaugh, will be making
several stops as they travel from Pennsylvania to Kansas City to participate
in the national MC USA convention.
The group specializes in madrigals,
jazz, and modern and contemporary
concert literature, both secular and sacred.
EMU’s newest ensemble is comprised
of the “best of the best,” said
Keebaugh. “I needed singers who
could learn music quickly, were strong
musicians, and able to balance this
time commitment among their many
other involvements.”
Vital Signs
The son of an organist and a Brethren
minister, Keebaugh is an experienced
choir director
and a widely
traveled and oftperformed composer. He earned
his DMA at The
Catholic University of America,
and was previously choral
director at Mary
Baldwin College
and director of choral activities at
Clarke County High School.
Junior Jeffrey, a business major who
sings bass, noted that, “Emulate is a
group of talented singers who have
been able to come together very
quickly and sing challenging music...I
am really excited to see and hear what
we can do over the next few months.”
On June 28, LMC will provide a light
lunch for the group after the worship
service and receive a free-will offering to assist with travel expenses.
—Don Rheinheimer
New Look to Mennos in the Meadow
By Melissa Miller
It’s time for some Mennos in the
Meadow math! First, did you know
that just one “regular” Sunday for children and youth at LMC requires 20
adult volunteers? This includes two
teachers for all classes from age two
through high school, two adults staffing the nursery during both worship
and Sunday school, and two adults for
both upstairs and downstairs Gathering
Times. So to give everyone at least a
little bit of a break, some years ago we
started “Mennos in the Meadow” for
June, July, and August. During a typical Mennos in the Meadow Sunday in
the summer, we need just eight volunteers (that includes the four to staff the
nursery). However, keep in mind that
we still DO need volunteers!
Mennos in the Meadow has traditional-
June 2015
ly been a time for the children to play
outside, doing whatever activities they
enjoy. However,
this summer, thanks
to some feedback
we received during
the Education Summit, we are trying
to make Mennos in
the Meadow more
of a relationshipbuilding, collaborative environment
for children of all
ages. We hope that
this will be a semi-structured time for
children to choose from a variety of
activities: from traditional ball games,
like soccer, to activities that encourage more interaction with the environment, such as tending a garden, doing
nature-based scavenger hunts, and
examining the natural world up close
Vacation Bible School,
June 22-26
It’s almost time for VBS, and the Bible
Memory Buddies for each day are getting ready. In April, you met Klymer
the snow leopard. This month, Cliff the
marmot wanted to make an appearance.
You can probably tell that he’s very
excited about VBS, but he’s not a writer like Klymer. Cliff is more of a kinesthetic learner! Luckily, all different
kinds of learners will have their needs
met at VBS. Other buddies include a
goose, a wild goat, and a brown bear
that hibernates for six months of the
year. All of the Bible Buddies will help
to make the Bible stories exciting and
memorable.
Also, because this is Everest VBS, we
are going to help the people of Nepal
(home of Mt. Everest), by doing a fundraiser for earthquake relief. If you could
help at VBS on
June 22-26, 9:3011:30 AM, just
contact me or
Leanna Kaser.
—Melissa Miller
(with magnifying glasses)!
By now you’re all probably wondering,
how can I help? Well, we have a
google.doc for you to choose how you
will support Mennos
in the Meadow this
summer. You can sign
up to donate snacks,
items for play, and, of
course, your time and
talents! We will need
two adults for one
communal Gathering
Time, which will focus on a designated
Bible story. We will
also need two adults
to set up the snacks and activities outside and then stay to supervise and play
with the children. Please check your
calendars and then sign up to help when
you can. If you have questions, contact
Elise Ewert, Hillary Watson, or me.
Thanks and see you in the meadow!
Page 2
Lombard Mennonite Church
Vital Signs
Pastoral Care Team usually works
behind the scenes, so you may not
know what memEd. Note: We’ll
bers are doing.
honor and thank
Carlen Sellers for
Some of the ways
her incredible
we’ve provided
service over the
care at LMC this
last four years as
year are by setting
our Lay Minister
up meals for peoof Administration
ple, sending cards
in the next issue.
and plants to those
grieving, and prayPastoral Care
Stephanie (mid-volleyball pass at the church retreat), & Brent
ing for all the
Team
We have been fortunate to have a wonderful and compassionate Pastoral Care
Team (PCT), during Don’s and my two
-year tenure at LMC. This year, we are
saying goodbye to five of those team
members: Stephanie (former chair),
Naomi, Emily, Brent, and Jeremy
B. We have appreciated greatly their
service in caring for the congregation
the past few years. Thanks Stephanie,
Jeremy & Emily
Naomi, Emily, Brent, and Jeremy for
all you have done to minister to the
people in the congregation. We’ve
LMC community; you will be
also helped those in
missed. God’s blessings and our blessneed in the church
ings as you find new ways to help at
family with financial
LMC.
gifts from the Agape
Fund. Please contact
We are grateful for the people who will
anyone on the comcontinue to serve on the committee
mittee if you have a
(Linda, Cynthia, Pastors Hillary and
need that PCT can
myself), as well as the new team memhelp with.
bers we will welcome in July.
With Grateful Thanks
—Jan Rheinheimer
Ken G & Naomi
We have already addressed some of
these ideas. For example, we’ve installed LED light bulbs in the office
By Andy Ewert, Deputy Buildings
wing, exterior
& Ground Chair
church sign, and
Buildings and
parking lot lights.
Grounds is looking
We anticipate these
for volunteers willnew bulbs will pay
ing to help out with
for themselves in
the inaugural LMC
less than two years
Green Workday on
in energy savings
June 6 starting at
while offering superior light. Addition8:30 AM.
ally, we’ve installed
Several years ago,
an energy monitor
Spencer at a workday at Menno Haven
an energy audit peron the electrical
formed on the church facilities
panel to identify ways to improve and
revealed a whole host of opportunities
optimize the electricity that is used.
to improve energy efficiency at LMC.
Green Workday, June 6
June 2015
Ken G
Please join me in thanking Ken G for
his service on the Administration Commission! After nine years, Ken G will
be ending his term as a member-atlarge on the Administration Commission, making him the longest serving
member in recent memory. Ken G has
been a valued member of our commission, bringing a wealth of wisdom and
experience from the business world to
our deliberations. Ken G’s insights into
best practices and in matters relating to
our employees have been particularly
valuable.
While LMC will be poorer for the end
of Ken G’s service on the Administration Commission, the larger church is
benefiting from his considerable gifts.
Ken G has been serving for several
years on Illinois Mennonite Conference’s Church Life Team, which
considers the credentials of pastors for
licensing and ordination. In addition, he
recently joined the Board of Directors
of Hesston College, of which he
is an alum.
Thank you Ken
G for your service at LMC and
thank you for
continuing to use
your gifts for the
larger church!—Carlen Sellers
This monitor also allows us to see how
effective our changes and improvements are.
For this workday, we plan to work on
sealing gaps, cracks, and holes in the
building that allow air to escape, driving up the heating and cooling bills.
Leaks like this can increase energy
usage up to 40% in a typical building
and are easy to patch using caulk and
expanding foam. In addition to energy
savings, this work should also make
the office wing significantly warmer in
the winter and help it to stay cooler in
the summer.
Join us on June 6 starting at 8:30 AM.
Lunch will be provided for volunteers.
Page 3
Lombard Mennonite Church
Vital Signs
Extending Our Arms in Welcome: Nathaniel and Kiana
Please continue to
give a warm welcome
to Nathaniel and
Kiana!
They were both born
and raised in Manchester, NH, with
many brothers and
sisters. Nathaniel is
the second out of four
children, while Kiana
is the middle out of
five children. They
met playing Cranium at a mutual
friend's going away to college party.
Nathaniel attended
the University of
New Hampshire and
got his degree in
communications.
Kiana attended Saint
Anselm College and
got a combined degree in computer
science and math,
with a minor in web
design.
They moved to
Lombard so Nathaniel could get a
master’s degree in theology at North-
A Fond Farewell to Curtis & Lois
Life Changing Friendship
—Kristen B
My first interactions with Curtis and
Lois were through Wheaton College,
where I was a music education major
and Curtis was my professor and advisor. I remember going to “The
Stupe” (student café) with him one day
and asking about LMC. I had not yet
attended, but he said that it was “a nice
little church.” How thankful I am that I
gave LMC a try, and it has become my
church home. Shortly after that, Lois
offered to drive me to the Wednesday
night potluck and prayer meetings.
This is where I truly got to know and
appreciate the couple, as well as other
members of LMC.
In the years since, I have continued to
see them use
their God-given
talents for the
glory of God
and the benefit
of LMC. Lois’
faithful service
in the nursery,
commitment to
pray for others,
and willingness
to always lend a
helping hand in
the kitchen are
an important component of the behind
-the-scenes work of the church.
Curtis’ song leading, piano playing,
and choir directing lend an essential
and uplifting part to our worship experience. And who can forget Curtis’
wise and patient leadership as congregational co-chair after the tumult that
our church experienced in 20092012?
After graduation from college, Lois
and Curtis opened up their hearts and
their doors to me, literally; I lived with
them for a year and a half until my
marriage. No words
can express my gratitude to them for becoming my “Chicago
family” in those
years. They taught me
so much about peaceful living, hospitality,
and a happy marriage
through their actions
Curtis and Kristen at the LMC talent show in 2010
and daily living.
June 2015
How bittersweet to
lose such friends from
our congregation, but
we wish them well
after many faithful
years of service at
Wheaton College and
at LMC. We share in
their joy as they will
ern Seminary. Kiana works as a web
developer; Nathaniel works in the library in addition to his studies.
For their interests and hobbies, Kiana
writes, “Nathaniel loves sports
(primarily soccer), theology, and music
(he plays the guitar!). I love DIY projects and coding.
“We are both obsessed with our puppy,
Karl Barx. Karl is (we believe) a Yellow Lab/Jack Russell mix. The rescue
knew for sure he had some lab in him,
and we just assumed the rest because
his body looks like a Jack Russell! He
will be one on June 16.”
be reunited with their younger son,
daughter-in-law, and two precious
grandchildren in Vancouver. Curtis and
Lois, thank you
for your friendship, your kindnesses, your work,
your faith, your
love, your laughter and tears…
Freely
Sharing
Their Gifts
—Karin E
We are all aware
of the gifts Curtis has shared publicly
and freely—his fine hymn improvisations at the piano, his engaging song
leading and rich worship leading, and
his musical directing of the choir. Choir
members have said that he makes singing in the choir “a lot of fun.” We know
him, too, for his light but effective
touch in being co-chair of the congregation. What we have not seen as readily
is the countless hours he has spent in
preparing for each of those public moments and in mentoring and helping
others in the congregation, including
former and present pastors. And he
does it cheerfully, in a way that does
not make it seem onerous. His leadership style is invitational and hopeful,
drawing people in.
(Continued on page 5)
Page 4
Lombard Mennonite Church
Vital Signs
WOW To Continue Meeting Over the Summer
By Jan Rheinheimer
In our Women of the Word (WOW)
Wednesday morning Bible study this
spring, we’ve taken turns sharing about
a favorite word of ours in the Bible.
Some of the words we’ve explored
have been compassion, light, joy, forgiveness, and water. It has been a good
time of hearing what Scripture has to
say about these words and how they
might be better applied to our lives.
Usually WOW hasn’t met over the
summer because so many people are
coming and going. We did meet some
Back Page Hodgepodge
last summer and
participants
seemed to enjoy a
little more relaxed
time of fellowship and sharing.
It also gave women who have the
summers off from
work a chance to
be involved.
All women are invited to come and
join us! If we know
there will be children, we will plan
to have a babysitter.
Full disclosure: this is a picture from the Ladies and Girls Tea
We meet on
We have decided
and not from WOW. The Editor is going with the, “But it’s
such a nice picture!” defense.
Wednesday mornto try meeting
ings from 10:00 AM-12 PM at the
again this summer. There will be no
formal schedule or agenda. Our seschurch.
Church (888 S. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg).
June Nursery Schedule
7 Caroline, Elise; Jeremy S, Lisa
14 Valerie, Mary; Stephanie, Bart
21 Paul Re., Ken G; Ioannis, Jill
28 Cynthia, Jimmy; Laura, Evan
Baby Shower
Plan to join us on June 27 at 1 PM for
a baby shower honoring Kristen and
Jeremy. Let's surround them with love
and support as they begin this next
great adventure in their lives. Please
RSVP by June 20 to the church office.
How to Raise a Monarch
Butterfly, June 6 at 2 PM
At this workshop, you’ll learn what
you can personally do to help ensure
the survival of the 2500 mile annual
monarch butterfly migration from
southern Canada to
Central Mexico. A $2
donation will cover the
cost of larvae in a container ready to take home
(it takes about four
weeks to raise a monarch). The event will be
hosted by Christ Community Mennonite
Vital Signs
Editor: Katharine Richert
sions will be a mix of devotions, singing, praying, sharing, tea, potlucks,
and whatever else
comes up that
might be interesting.
VBS is here! A scene from our 2014 event, to wet your appetite...
Sister Care Seminar a Success
LMC hosted a Sister Care Seminar on
May 15-16. Attendee Wanda B wrote,
“Attending Sister Care was like a
breath of fresh air. Highlights were:
taking time to be with other sisters in
the church, listening to very knowledgeable speakers, getting to know
one another better, being affirmed as
women, and being given space and
guidance in looking at our
own lives. We as women
are often natural caregivers or nurturers; it was
helpful to hear how important it is to take care of
ourselves and recharge
our own batteries in order
to help others efficiently
without burning out.”
Curtis and Lois
(Continued from page 4)
Both Curtis and Lois have contributed
so much to the life of the congregation.
With Lois it has mostly been behind the
scenes, on an individual level or
through Pastoral Care work, PADs,
Women’s Bible Study, or other means.
She has an enormous heart for others
and seems to have a bottomless capacity for listening to and supporting people
emotionally, spiritually, and practically.
Both Curtis and Lois are excellent listeners and see the good in each person,
respecting and honoring them for who
they are, and paying attention to those
others may ignore. Neither needs the
spotlight.
They have become such an integral part
of our congregation that their departure
will leave a huge hole. Personally,
Mark and I cannot imagine life without
Curtis and Lois. We became good
friends in graduate school and picked
up that friendship when we moved to
Wheaton, with Curtis also being a mentor to me at Wheaton College. We have
had warm, lovely, hilarious, and serious
times together with them and their family. We all wish them very well and are
delighted that their rich family ties will
be strengthened even further with their
move to Vancouver. Those twins do not
yet know how blessed they are!
June 2015; Vol. 34, #6
Deadline for the July Vital Signs is Monday, June 22