Onarga Oracle
May, 2015
Volume XX, No. 5
Published by Onarga Christian Church
721 West Seminary, Onarga IL 60955
“There ain’t No Cure for the Summertime Blues!”
Eddie Cochran sang this line in 1958 in a song that climbed to number 8 on the Hit Parade. He lamented that life was so
hard for a teen-ager.
As we plan our summer activities we need to be thinking of ways to cure the summer-time blues. Here are a few
suggestions that could make this the best summer yet...
Let’s begin by talking about Church Camp. This is a great adventure for the kids, and gives the parents a breathing spell,
as well. Prairie States has cut expenses to the bone and can offer a full week of camp for just $100, a deal that is hard to
top. Check inside for the camp schedule.
Vacations are hard to plan, but when you are firming up those plans, be sure to include time for the Lord. Will your
vacation include a Sunday away from the home church? Check with your minister to locate a church along your vacation
route. Visiting a different church will give a new perspective on the worship service with which you are familiar.
You have just three days for a short trip? Why not drive to the Cincinnati area to visit the Creation Museum? In addition
to hours of exhibits about the book of Genesis, they also have a beautiful outdoor garden, walking trail, petting zoo, camel
ride, and zip lines. And it costs much less than a day at Disneyworld. The food in the cafeteria is of excellent quality, and
the kids may learn something.
Finally, if you can’t escape the usual routine, join us for the annual Sunday School picnic. This year we will hold Sunday
School and worship at the Onarga church building, then travel to the church camp at Watseka for potluck dinner and
afternoon fun. We’ll have swimming, softball, tennis, basketball, miniature golf and time to relax under the shade of the
big oak trees. Maybe we can find a cure for the summertime blues!
Vacation Bible School:
We will hold a five-day VBS at Durham Park July 13-17. We have invited the Maranatha Church of God and the United
Methodist Church to work with us. By spreading the responsibility we should have an easier time of staging this.
We set the dates to coincide with the end of Summer in the Park, which attracts more than 100 kids each summer. With
some effective publicity we could keep the kids coming and plant some Gospel seeds in these young lives. We may also
get a chance to speak to some parents.
We will need helpers each morning to prepare snacks, teach lessons, provide escorts for classes, and supervise the kids.
We will be equipped with people who can communicate in both Spanish and English, which will help. We will need craft
workers and people who love kids. Our theme will be Everest: God has the power. I hope you will make yourself
available to reach the young people of our communities.
Prayer Needs:
Suffering w/cancer:
Steve Brantley - cancer
Carol Cahoe
Kelly Fonseca’s daughter
Russell Himba - cancer
Art Jelma (Jordan Manzke’s uncle)
Barb Paton
Gary Theesfield – tumor continues to threaten him
Nancy Thompson – pancreatic cancer
Gloria Whitt (Ron’s sister) - chemotherapy
Chris Worcester - chemotherapy
Suffering w/ infection, circulation/other problem:
John & Kathy Ark
Alice Bailey – at Watseka Health Care
John Davenport – lung disease; living in Texas with his son’s family
Larry Fisher – Gilman HealthCare
Kelly Fonseca - recovery
Mason Forest (Mary’s great-nephew) – mental health
Wanda Garst – first skin graft infected
Forest Hanna – emotional healing
Kory Kohler – circulatory problem
Darlene & Neil Larimore
Wonda Longtin
Arleen & Jim Manzke
Art Manzke
Maryann McSweeney - COPD
Sandy Olsen – hospice
Doris Price
Ellen Robison – seizures have improved; medication reduced
Service Personnel: Brooke Cultra, Air Force; Nathan Robison, army
Pat Schaumburg – family issues
Joyce Stone - COPD
Bill Wilson – heart issues
Employment needs: Mike De Marco; Philip Longtin; Jim McCurry; Brian Smith
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem – Psalm 122:6.
Persecution of Christians around the world; please pray for boldness and faithfulness
Survivors of earthquake in Nepal – over 4,000 killed
Our missionaries: Gomez, Poling, Haitian Christian Outreach, Prairie States Christian
Camp, Lincoln Christian University, Youth For Christ, Church of God Maranatha
Sale of Lottie Pollock’s house
Mission Corner:
Summer Camping at PSCSC
Prairie States Christian Service Camp, located just outside Watseka, IL, begins the 62nd year of service.
Onarga Christian Church has been a supporter and promoter of the camping program since the day the camp was
purchased back in 1953. Our church has helped raise money for camp projects and programs, has cleaned buildings and
grounds, and has staffed weeks (or is it months?) of camper activity. OCC has been a faithful friend to the camping
program, and the camp has helped OCC by teaching our children.
PSCSC will send a speaker to Onarga the first Sunday of May. He will speak about the camp program during Sunday
School, so we encourage parents to bring their kids to learn what will be offered this year. Our speaker will preach during
the morning worship hour Sunday. Registration forms will be available, or you can download one from the camp website:
prairiestatescamp.com.
Here is the schedule for the summer camp program:
Date
Age Group
Dean
June 7-13
Grades 9-12
Paul Dyke, Remington
June 14-19
Grades 7-8
Cary Gephart, Rensselaer
June 21-26
Grades 5-6
Jim Small, Onarga
June 28-30
Grades 3-4
Tyson Graber, $25
June 28-July 3 Ages 8-10
Girls Archery Camp
July 1
Grades 1-2
Tiffani Graber, Herscher
July 2
Adult Special Needs
C. Lattimer, Martinton
Cost
$100
$100
$100
$ 50
$110
$ 20
$ 20
July 5-10
July 12-14
July 12-17
July 19-25
July 26-31
August 1
August 2-7
Ages 10-14
Grades 3-4
Ages 10-13
Grades 9-12
Grades 7-8
Grades 1-2
Grades 5-6
Boys Archery Camp
Brent Zastrow, Milford
Girls Archery Camp
Dustin Wells, Hoopeston
C. Villegas, Milford
Neil, Larimore, Sheldon
C. Lattimer, Martinton
$110
$ 50
$110
$100
$100
$ 20
$100
Check Out Our Website:
You can check out our web page at: onargachristianchurch.com. We try to keep it current, with news of the week
posted regularly. Encourage your friends to visit the site.
Ladies Christian Fellowship:
Ladies Christian Fellowship invites the women of the community to a monthly fellowship gathering at the church
building. The meetings fall on the second Thursday night of each month, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Mother/Daughter Banquet:
We invite our ladies to attend the Mother/Daughter Banquet Friday, May 8 at 6:00 p.m. Dinner will be catered by Karen
Gagnon of the Rocking K Restaurant, and will feature chicken, potato, vegetable, roll and dessert. The entertainment for
the night will include music, an expose’ of the life of James Small, minister, and a short devotion. This is a free event.
G.O.D.’s Food Pantry:
Onarga Christian collects food for the pantry the first Sunday of each month. Food Items needed now – Ramen noodles,
Pancake Mix & Syrup, and Pinto Beans.
Mission In Motion - YFC:
This ministry to youth will stage their biggest fundraiser this month. Ben Meils, our local director, will try to raise $7,500
with his team in a long-distance bike ride. Pledge sheets are on the bulletin board.
Relief for Nepal Earthquake Victims
You can assist the survivors of the Nepal earthquake with a donation to IDES, PO Box 379, Noblesville, IN 46061-0379,
or online at ides.org.
Those Serving in May:
Communion to Shut-ins:
May 3
Gary Perksinson
May 10
Jim Small
May 17
Ken Hanford
May 24
Dick Smith
May 31
Carl Bork
Communion Meditation:
Rick Pollock
Dick Smith
Jordan Manzke
Shane Cultra
Jim Small
Nursery Workers in May:
May 3
Kathy Shell
Kya McDonald
May 10
Mother’s Day – no staffing
May 17
Meg Lustfeldt
Baylee Short
May 24
Memorial Day weekend – no staffing
May 31
Bill Gullquist
Ken Hanford
Sermons in May:
May 2 & 3 May 9 & 10 May 16 & 17 May 23 & 24 May 30 & 31 -
The Joy of Christian Camping
How to Be Mother of the Year
Ready for Graduation
What Is Pentecost?
Topic Suggested by the Congregation
Facts and Figures:
Attendance in March:
Mar. 1
28/4
Mar. 8
55/0
Mar. 15
56/7
Mar. 22
58/5
Mar. 29
55/5
March Financial Report
Beginning Balance: $ 214.02
Income (3/1 – 3/31): $ 9,395.25
Expenses:
$10,068.83
Balance March 31:
$ -459.56
Faith Promise Money Sent: $2,187.00
Maranatha Church of God
We rejoice that we could share our building with the Maranatha Church of God. They have resumed worshiping in their
own building, our former church building.