1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

March 2015
Mission Lab
Growing God’s Kingdom One Relationship at a Time
by Rev. Alex Lang
Are you familiar
with the term
“mainline Christianity”? For a long
time, I heard that
term and had no
idea what it meant. When I was in
seminary, I learned that the term
originated in Philadelphia because
all the most prominent denominations had their churches located
near the mainline train station.
Mainline churches include the United Methodist Church (UMC),
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA), Presbyterian
Church (USA) (PC[USA]), Episcopal Church, American Baptist
Churches, United Church of Christ
(Congregationalist), Disciples of
Christ, Reformed Church in America, and Hicksite Quakers. These
denominations were the dominant
form of Christianity in America for
the first half of the 20th Century.
These denominations were so popular that new churches popped up
all over the place to deal with the
demand. Churches didn’t have to
advertise because, every week, new
people would simply walk through
the doors based on word of mouth.
There was a cultural expectation
that every person should be in a
church, so churches like ours
swelled to more than 2,000 mem-
bers. However, beginning in the 1960s, all
of these denominations
began to enter into a
gradual decline.
1950s. This trend will continue unless we do something to stop it.
The first step is to acknowledge that there is a problem
The reasons for this dewith our current mentality.
cline are complicated,
We have to own the fact that
but one major factor was that the
the culture has changed and people
culture began to shift. The expectaare not simply going to walk
tion that everyone should be conthrough our doors because we
nected to a church slowly began to
want them to. The second step is to
erode within the public consciousmake an active effort to change our
ness. By the early 2000s, the avermentality. We can no longer be
age mainline church had seen a
focused on only caring for those
decline in memberwho are associated
ship of more than
with our church.
half, and after the
We must shift our
“We must shift
first decade of the
focus outward and
our focus outward.”
21st Century, many
enter into our comchurches had lost almunity, looking for
most three-quarters of their memthose who might be receptive to
bership.
our message.
Today, the average church in the
PC(USA) has about 175 members
on the roles, with an average worship attendance of less than 100
people per week. A number of
churches in the Presbytery of Chicago are in such dire financial distress that they are considering closing their doors.
First Pres has not been immune to
this trend. To date, we are hovering
at around 1,100 active members,
about half of what we had in the
This means we need to learn to a
new skill set that is foreign to many
of us. When, as a church, you’re
used to people coming to you, then
you’ve never really learned how to
approach others about how the
church could enhance their lives.
Since we are not the kind of church
that is focused on fear-based soulsaving, we need to be taught how
to engage people in a way that will
not scare them off. We need to
continued on page 9
Holy Week & Easter
Celebrating Pastor
Barbara Gorsky
Holy Week
March 29: Palm Sunday Worship, 8:30, 9:30, & 11:00 am
Welcome the Messiah with waving palm fronds.
April 2: Maundy Thursday
 Seder Dinner, 6:00 pm in Fellowship Hall (turn to back cover)
 Maundy Thursday Worship, 8:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion and
participate in a foot-washing ceremony.
April 3: Good Friday Service of Darkness, 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Experience Christ’s passion in worship.
March 8 will be the final
Sunday for Barbara Gorsky as
interim associate pastor at First
Pres. A reception will follow
each worship service so that we
may take time to honor and
thank Barbara for all she has
done to serve and care for the
congregation over the past four
years.
Barbara will preach her final
sermon as interim pastor on
Sunday, March 1.
April 5: Easter Sunday
Celebrate Christ’s glorious resurrection!
6:30 am — Sunrise Service at North School Park
(intersection of St. James and Evergreen Streets)
8:00 am — finding grace Worship in the Chapel
(Please note time change.)
9:30 am — Crossroads Worship in the Sanctuary
11:00 am — Heritage Worship in the Sanctuary
Session Highlights
To contribute to the congregational gift for Barbara, send
your donation to the church
office. Checks should be made
payable to First Presbyterian
Church, with “Barbara Gorsky”
in the memo line (these gifts are
not tax-deductible).
by Linda Byus, Clerk of Session
From the February 9, 2015, meeting:
 Learned that available Distrib-
utable Funds from the Endowment Fund in 2015 total
$48,550. These funds may be
used for unbudgeted special
financial needs of the church.
 Approved an increase in fees for
weddings at First Presbyterian
Church, the first increase since
2003. The increase reflects the
higher expenses related to the
use of the building.
 Agreed to begin consideration
of a policy regarding samegender marriage at the March
Session meeting.
 Learned that Children’s Minis-
tries will host an Easter Brunch
and Egg Hunt for preschool and
elementary-age children and
families on Saturday, April 4.
 Learned that a Seder Dinner will
be held at First Presbyterian
Church on Thursday, April 2,
before the Maundy Thursday
Service. This will be a family
event for all ages.
 Learned that the Congregational
and Community Life Committee
and the Administrative and Finance Committee are both looking for additional at-large mem-
bers. Anyone interested in these
committees can contact the
church office.
 Celebrated the ministry of Pas-
tor Barbara Gorsky over the last
four years at First Presbyterian
Church. Barbara is appreciated
and loved by our church community.
For additional Session information, please see the “Session
Meeting Highlights” report in the
Narthex literature rack.
The deadline for the April 2015 issue of The Chimes is March 10 at 9:00 am. Submit articles to Kris Mainellis,
director of communications, at [email protected].
2
Why I Want to Be Barbara Gorsky When I Grow Up
by Phyllis Orzechowski
I know, I know, at my age I should
already be “grown up.” And as a
grownup, I should probably know
a lot of things. Yet I learned a lot
from Pastor Barbara. While working with Barbara on the Board of
Deacons last year, I experienced her
intense desire to serve our homebound members. And it was important to Barbara that we work to
reach out to all members, continually finding new ways to minister to
all in love. It was something that
burned on her heart, and she
showed it by her actions. Barbara’s
caring heart was a guiding influence for the deacons.
Another thing that made Barbara
such a joy to serve with is her sense
of humor. She is witty and funny
and real. I remember one Service
Day, when Barbara and I were
washing windows for
WINGS (Women In
Need Growing Stronger)
—in March, with 40degree temperatures—
Barbara had a smile on
her face the whole time.
(Not me!)
Heartfelt. That is a word
that I feel truly describes
Barbara. She is very
genuine and open, and
because of that, very
approachable.
Barbara has dedicated
many student Bibles over
the past four years. She
has been an integral part
of our church family.
I’m sure there are countless stories about a time
when Barbara offered a word of
support, an encouraging hug, or a
moment of her undivided attention
to let you know that you matter to
her.
A Journey to Remember
by Barbara Gorsky
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5
Dear friends, we have indeed had a
journey to remember over the past
four years. “Trusting in the Lord”
has been the phrase we have clung
to and believed in throughout those
desert days. Who knew those days
would extend into years!
I want you to know how blessed I
feel to have been with you over this
time of transition. It has been a
wonderful, life-changing experience
for me, an experience I will never
forget. There is so much to learn
and remember from all the things
we went through.
When I started here, I knew you
were reluctant to accept me. Rightfully so, you hesitated to let me in,
and believed in some way that I
could never fill the gap that existed,
for you had experienced many loss-
es. You wondered if I could be your
true pastor. You worried if I would
be able to care for you during trying times.
How far we have come in trusting
each other! I have felt your love
and acceptance and I know without
a doubt that you know how deep
my feelings go for you. We must
never forget that even though we
endured difficult, trying times, we
also have been conquerors; holding
fast to each other, breaking down
barriers that separated us, and
opening our hearts to unknown
possibilities. Most important of all,
we have learned to trust God for
the future that we could not see or
begin to understand, and we have
learned to stay in the present and
celebrate each day, knowing that
we have never been alone.
For me, that was especially true during my
time on the Pastor
Nominating Committee, when I thought we
would never find our
new pastor. Barbara
continually reassured
me that God had a
plan. I knew that Barbara’s door was always
open and I could come
in and get the pep talk
I needed, whenever I
needed it.
“Thank you, Barbara”
just doesn’t seem to say
enough, but thank you for all that
you did for me and for this congregation. And mostly, thank you for
being the example of the person I
want to be when I grow up.
Over and over again, I have seen
the hand of God through a multiplicity of ways, but always it has
been like a well overflowing with
water, cool and refreshing. And we
always had enough to drink and
shade from the heat. God has been
present and active each step of the
way, giving insight and encouragement, helping us to face change,
and giving us hope. God provided
everything we needed to endure
and overcome the sandy dryness of
our desert wandering.
And now a new journey begins and
it is my prayer that when you look
back over our time together, you
will remember how the difficult
times have strengthened our faith
and prepared us for the next chapter in the life of First Pres. We have
learned to trust that God is working, even when we don’t see God,
and we have learned that God will
provide everything we need. I believe God has already done this
continued on page 11
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Welcome, New Members!
The following new members were welcomed into the First Pres family of
faith on Sunday, February 15. Welcome!
Heather and
Nicholas Czuchta
Heather and Nick
have been married
for 3 years and recently moved to the
area. They have a
son, Andrew (6
months). Nick is an
accountant and enjoys fishing, biking,
hiking, traveling,
reading, and brewing beer. Heather
is a former teacher and likes reading, knitting, crocheting, traveling,
and spending time with family.
Heather and Nick are looking forward to getting involved at First
Pres, especially in service activities.
Heather is also interested in working with youth and joining small
groups. Heather values our welcoming congregation, the overall
mission, and “the many ways members are encouraged to get involved
and live and experience God’s
love.” Nick finds it fulfilling “to
have a better understanding of Jesus’ teachings and the way to put
them into action and reflect on
them in my everyday life.”
Dawn GoldammerHogg and Kevin
Hogg — Dawn and
Kevin have been
married for about
1.5 years, and the
couple reside in
Inverness. Kevin
has two children,
Elizabeth (20) and
Emma (16). Dawn
is a graphic designer and marketing specialist with the
membership department of the
American Medical Association. She
enjoys singing and is involved in
choir at First Pres. She also likes
gardening, floral arranging, walking, yoga, cycling, cooking, working at a soup kitchen, travel, and
movies.
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Kevin has an engineering background and is an attorney involved
in technical litigation. He loves music of all sorts, particularly jazz
from the 1950s and later. He also
enjoys technology and is “a flora
and fauna lover.” Kevin appreciates “the vitality of the ministers
and congregation,” and Dawn likes
the energy and involvement of the
congregation and our efforts to
reach out into the community and
the world for mission.
Peter Dusenbury
Peter has been married to Flavia for 10
years and the couple have lived in the
area for 4 years.
They have two children, Mia (4)
and Benicio (2). Peter is an operations superintendent for BP Shipping. He likes to travel and loves
history. He is looking forward to
helping those in need as a member
of First Pres: “I am inspired to be a
better person and share the vision
of the church.”
Donna and David
McLaughlin
Donna and David
have been married
for 48 years and
have lived in Arlington Heights for
42 years. Donna
is a retired banker,
and David, a retired accountant.
They enjoy spending time with their grandchildren
and are involved with the Trendsetters fellowship group at First Pres.
Donna and David really appreciate
our friendly congregation. David
adds: “I enjoy the relevance of the
sermons to today’s life and the enthusiasm and energy of the pastoral
staff.”
Maria and
Douglas Shipman
Maria and Doug
have been married
for 1 year and recently moved to
Arlington Heights.
They have three
children, Griffin
(10), Ryan (8), and
Emily (7). Maria is
in sales, and Doug
is a police officer. Maria enjoys
baking, running, yoga, reading,
fitness, scrapbooking, painting,
traveling, spending time with family, and learning new things. She
loves helping people and anticipates getting involved in many
activities, such as helping with the
PADS (Public Action to Deliver
Shelter) ministry, hospitality, and
craft projects. Doug enjoys adventure, learning, fitness, and helping
others. He is interested in helping
those who are homeless, working
with Habitat for Humanity, and
serving in mission. Maria is enjoying the opportunity to get to know
the congregation and she looks
forward to the sermons on Sundays. Doug and Maria are joining
this church because they like the
vision and our dedication to helping the community.
Martha and
Terry Wade
Martha and Terry
have been married
for 55 years and
recently moved to
Arlington Heights.
Martha is a retired
administrative assistant, and Terry,
a retired sales representative. Martha enjoys reading, crafts, and
playing Bridge. Terry is interested
in computers, genealogy, photography, and golf. Terry and Martha
feel at home at First Pres and they
enjoy the music and the sermons.
What’s Coming Up
Organ Concert
Sunday, March 8 / 4:00 pm
First Pres mission partner Faith
Community Homes (FCH) invites
you to its 7th Annual Organ
Concert featuring talented local
church organists and other musicians. The concert will be held at
the Chapel of St. John the Beloved (Lutheran Home, 800 W.
Oakton St., Arlington Heights).
A free-will offering will benefit
the families served by FCH. To
learn more, call the FCH office at
847-342-0846.
Music Lecture Series
All are invited to The
Moorings (Harbor
Room, 811 E. Central
Rd., Arlington Heights) at 7:00 pm
on four Tuesdays in March for a
music lecture series presented by
Greg Athnos.
Schedule: Tuesday, March 3: “The
Civil War”; Tuesday, March 10:
“Tchaikovsky”; Tuesday, March
17: “Verdi”; Tuesday, March 24:
“Puccini”
Greg Athnos has been a popular
presenter at First Pres, and now the
The Moorings invites members of
the community to enjoy this new
series.
NEXT MONTH
Aluminum Can Drive
Saturday, April 25 / 9:00-11:00 am
in the West Parking Lot
Save and crush your aluminum cans (e.g., soda cans)!
Proceeds support the Men’s Bible
Study’s sponsored charities. The
February 7 can drive collected 169
pounds of cans for $85 cash. If you
need cans picked up or have any
other aluminum items or copper for
recycling, contact Stan and Nancy
Conning, at 847-358-7259.
Spring Forward
1 hour at 2:00 am
Sunday, March 8
Lenten Lunch
Thursdays in the Parlor
February 19 – March 26
11:00 am – 12:15 pm — Share lunch, fellowship,
and worship as we journey to the cross together.
Lunch will be provided ($4 per person). For
more information, contact Tai Zimmerman, at
[email protected] or 847-255-5900.
Easter Baskets Collection for WINGS
With all the snow and cold weather, now is a perfect time to start thinking about spring and all the wonderful happenings that take place, like
Easter. Once again, the
Board of Deacons is holding
the annual Easter Basket
Drive for WINGS. Thanks
to so many of you, last
year’s collection was our
most successful ever, collecting 134 baskets! We are
hoping that with your help
and generosity we can repeat that success this year,
Last year’s drive was a huge success!
for 136 baskets.
WINGS (Women In Need Growing Stronger) is an organization dedicated to providing support to women and their children who have left abusive environments and need a “hand up” to begin a new and better life.
Easter baskets donated to the deacons’ collection will be
given to the many children supported by WINGS. These
children’s ages go up to 17 years old, with 78 percent being
between 6 and 17 years. We ask that baskets cost no more
than $10-$15. You can purchase them at any store. This
year we wanted to provide a little more information by providing tags
by age range and gender. This might make your shopping a little easier,
if you opt to purchase a basket. Or if you would prefer to make a monetary donation, we will take care of purchasing the basket.
Please stop by the Easter Baskets table in the Narthex on Sundays, February 22, March 1, 8, or 15 to choose an age/gender tag for a basket or
give a monetary donation. We need to have all baskets dropped off at
the church by noon on Sunday, March 22. If you have any questions or
need more information, contact Karyn Kraske at 847-963-9113 or
[email protected], or Debbie Rowells at 847-612-3851 or
[email protected].
We need volunteers who can get store discounts to purchase the remaining Easter Baskets. Come by the table and let us know if you can help
stretch our monetary donations a bit further! On behalf of WINGS and
the many families who rely on WINGS, the deacons thank you for your
love and support of this mission.
5
Music & Worship
2014-2015 Concert Series
March Worship
Timothy Brinkman
Sunday, March 15, at 4:00 pm in the
Sanctuary
March 1 Second Sunday of Lent
Blending modern
rock, folk, and
soul, singer/
songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
Timothy Brinkman creates a sound
all his own. His self-titled debut
album showcases his songwriting
with 12 original tunes that deftly
combine radiant melodies with
bittersweet harmonies and deeply
personal lyrics that deal with the
realities of heartbreak and loss
while always coming back to the
hope and glory of God. Free child
care is provided at all concerts.
Most concerts and recitals will be
webcast at fpcah.org/webcast.
Wednesdays @ Noon Recitals
First Wednesday of the Month
12:10-12:45 pm in the Sanctuary
March 4 — Enjoy a beautiful performance by Kris Ward on handbells and Carol Frieburg on piano.
Lenten Sermon Series:
Proverbs 3:5; Romans 5:1-5
preaching: Barbara Gorsky
“A Journey to Remember”
music:
8:30 am: Led by Compass
9:30 am: Men’s Chorus
11:00 am: The Chancel Choir
March 8 Third Sunday of Lent
Genesis 46:1-7
preaching: Alex Lang
Here I Am: “The Ripple Effect”
music:
8:30 am: Led by Compass
9:30 am: The Chancel Quartet
11:00 am: The Chancel Choir
March 15 Fourth Sunday of Lent
1 Samuel 3:1-14; Acts 9:10-19a
preaching: Alex Lang
Here I Am: “A Special Purpose”
music:
8:30 am: Led by Compass
9:30 am: Music Staff
11:00 am: The Chancel Choir
March 22 Fifth Sunday of Lent
Isaiah 58:4-11
preaching: Alex Lang
Here I Am: “The Path to God’s
Voice”
music:
8:30 am: Led by Compass
9:30 am: Chamber Singers and
The Chancel Bell Choir
11:00 am: The Chancel Choir
March 29 Passion/Palm Sunday
Mark 11:1-25
Here I Am: “What Happened?”
music:
8:30 am: Led by Compass
9:30 am: Men’s Chorus
11:00 am: The Chancel Choir
Turn to page 2 for the Holy Week
and Easter worship schedule.
One Great Hour of Sharing
by Kris Mainellis
One Great Hour of Sharing
(OGHS) helps individuals and
communities around the world who
suffer the effects of disaster,
conflict, or severe economic hardship. Eight different denominations
participate in the annual offering,
including the Presbyterian Church
(USA). In the PC(USA), One Great
Hour of Sharing offerings fund
three vital programs: SelfDevelopment of People (SDOP),
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
(PDA), and the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP).
Self-Development of People helps
empower economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged people
6
by establishing partnerships with low-income
community groups.
Presbyterian Disaster
Assistance is the emergency and refugee program of the PC(USA).
PDA enables congregations and mission partners of the PC(USA) to help communities affected by crisis and catastrophe and witness to Christ’s
healing love.
The Presbyterian Hunger Program
works with congregations and partners around the globe to alleviate
hunger and eliminate its causes.
OGHS fish banks
and special offering
envelopes will be
collected on Palm
Sunday, March 29.
You may also give
online at fpcah.org,
through the Online
Giving page. Together, we are helping millions, all over the world.
Information adapted from One
Great Hour of Sharing (onegreat
hourofsharing.org) and the Presbyterian Church (USA) (gamc.pcusa
.org/oghs).
Church Life
Sympathy
Please join in extending sympathy to:
Don and Lori Lyon, on the death
of their niece, Kayla Mueller
Kathy and Bob Sparr, on the death
of Kathy’s mother, Beatrice
McClain
Tom and Cathy Mataloni, on the
death of Tom’s father, Henry Mataloni
Emily Monroe, on the death of her
son-in-law, Bob Hoffman
Parents’
Day Out
Registration for
the 2015-2016
PDO school year
is now open.
Visit fpcah.org
to learn all the
details and register. PDO is for children from 9 months to 5 years of
age and is offered on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Questions? Contact Jane Kosel,
PDO director, at janekosel
@fpcah.org or 847-253-5516.
Pick Up
Your Lenten
Devotional
The Parables of Lent
will help you explore
how some of the
most well-known and beloved
parables relate to our Lenten experiences. Pick up your copy at the
church Welcome Centers in the
Narthex and Chapel, or in the Narthex literature rack.
Presbyterian Women
Give Generously
Once again, Presbyterian Women
(PW) had a busy year in 2014,
contributing generously to various
missions. When the treasury was
cleared at year’s end, the three
PW-sponsored neighborhood
missions (Christopher House,
Faith Community Homes, and Firman House) each received $911.73 to
support their charitable work.
Beyond those checks, PW made various other ongoing donations.
Firman House received $630 from Circle 1 to provide infant and children’s car seats for young families. Throughout the year, Circle 1 also
contributes bibs, diapers, books, and baby toys to families supported by
Firman House. Circle 2 members supported Faith Community Homes
by providing 36 pieces of cookware, redeemed from Jewel savings
stamps, as well as Aldi gift cards. In addition, staple or fresh food items
are collected monthly for Faith Community Homes. Members of Circle
3 once again provided Christopher House with a variety of donations,
including children’s clothing items, 453 bags of food, and Christmas
gifts for 30 families. Circle 7 members packed shoeboxes for children as
part of their continuing support for the Samaritan’s Purse International
Relief program.
This is an amazing demonstration of the dedication and generosity of
the Presbyterian Women. To learn more about PW or get involved, contact Barb Larson at 847-259-8793.
Associate
Pastor
Elected
The Associate
Pastors Nominating Committee
is very happy to announce that
on Sunday, February 1, the
congregation elected to call Rev.
Judy Hockenberry as associate
pastor for pastoral care, and
that Judy accepted this call.
Judy will join in ministry with
First Presbyterian Church beginning March 10. Learn more
about Judy at fpcah.org/APNC.
Why Use Eco-Palms?
Environmentally and
Socially Responsible
Palms
On Sunday, March 29, we will use
Eco-Palms in worship to help celebrate Palm Sunday.
Eco-Palms are sustainably harvested
and fairly traded.
The money spent on
the palms directly
benefits the communities where the
palms are harvested, including
helping to send young girls to
school, employing women, and
building community centers.
Overharvesting or underharvesting
can threaten the livelihood of tropical families and communities as
well as the forests where the palm
plants thrive. Eco-Palms are harvested in an environmentally
friendly way. These new harvesting
practices ensure that the same quality palms you see today will be
there for years to come. Purchasing
these palms protects the forests in
which they are grown. To learn
more, visit ecopalms.org.
Information for this article was
adapted from ecopalms.org.
7
Missions
water is assured. We
Dominican Republic Mission Trip Update
were also
by Roger Bertelson
able to wire
the scholarThe 2015 Dominican Republic
The DR Medicine
ship funds
(DR) Mission team thanks you for
Tree was also a big
you provided
your overwhelming support. Unforsuccess. Thanks to
($16,000) to
tunately, we have had to move the
Mike and Cindy
enable our
departure of the team from January
Cooper for staffing Thanks for supporting the DR Medicine Tree!
scholarship
to July to help the team avoid conthe table on Sunstudents to
tracting the mosquito-born chikundays in November and December.
enroll in high school and college.
gunya virus, which is currently at
In December, we sent $3,500 to
Last year, 33 students were in the
an epidemic level in the DR. We
Pastor Osvaldo Valero to purchase
program. Hopefully we’ll have a
will appreciate your prayers for the
medical supplies in Santo Domingo
chance to meet most of them on
team and for our brothers and sisfor the clinics to be held in Gaspar
scholarship night and get an update
ters in the Dominican Republic and
Hernandez and in the outlying
on their progress and plans. That
the Caribbean who continue to be
villages. When the team departs in
evening is always one of the best
exposed to this debilitating disease.
July, we will hand-carry the medinights of the mission, and if there
cines you provided in the DR colever was any doubt in our minds as
When the team departs in July, we
lection barrels. Nothing will go to
to why we were there, it convinces
will take with us the largest amount
waste.
us that God has plans for those
of school supplies ever! Each child
kids. Thank you again!
in Bible school class will have his
We will also take the last of the
2015 Mission Team: Irene Bertelor her own bag of crayons, pencils,
water filters that our mission partand glue sticks. That may sound
ners have provided. This remains
son, Roger Bertelson, Ellen Brault,
strange to us, but it means a lot to
one of our most important misPenelope Deihl, Larry Hayes, Kimthe kids in the villages we visit,
sions. The goal is to for everyone in
berlee Kenney, Chris Pendley, Tom
who normally have to share all
Gasper Hernandez to have a waterReynolds, Helen Ross, Laurie Ruhschool supplies.
filter system so that clean drinking
lin, Sybil Turner
Volunteer With Habitat in 2015
by Nancy Ashe
Last year our three mission projects
helped people in our community
improve their homes through our
affiliation with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley. In
June, we participated in a Habitat
Brush With Kindness program.
Next through our Habitat partnership, we joined with HandsOn Suburban Chicago for Wheeling Township’s Annual Paint-A-Thon. Our
third activity was a Habitat rehab
assignment on a historic home under repair from the studs up.
Each of these types of endeavors is
important, as they help low-income
homeowners who struggle to maintain or own a home. This assistance
is very much needed in our community. While Habitat still does build
some homes from foundation to
finish, these programs are vital,
8
because by maintaining existing
housing we prevent homes from
becoming unlivable. The home
improvements we make help
enhance the appearance of the
neighborhood.
Plans are under way to once
again join with the Northern Fox
Valley affiliate for these same mission projects this year. Tentative
dates for the first two projects are
Saturday, June 20, for a Brush
With Kindness, and Saturdays,
September 5 and 12 for the 28th
Annual Community Paint-A-Thon.
A date has not yet been set for our
last adventure.
Please consider volunteering for
one of these mission projects.
There are many perks: projects are
nearby, in our local community;
the time commitment is specific—
all day or part of a day; adults can
work alongside their older teenage
children; you also get a free lunch!
If you feel you can’t paint, you can
be a cleanup helper. Best of all, you
will be rewarded with the satisfaction gained by knowing you have
made a big difference in the life of a
family. For more information, leave
a message with Nancy Ashe at 847225-8185, and she will contact
you.
Youth Ministries
It’s Time for College
Care Packages
by TC Anderson
Stock Sale
The stock sale
is coming!
Sundays in
March, look
for middle
school and high school youth
to be selling stocks in the
Narthex, Parlor, and Forum! Please think about buying a share of stock for $10
to support youth missions!
by CollegeCARE Ministries
Middle School Retreat
Middle School Retreat
We had several youth and adults
travel all the way to East Bay
Camp, in Hudson, Illinois, for a
Middle School Retreat! We learned
together, worshiped together,
watched movies, played outside,
had an indoor snowball fight, slept
(thank goodness!), sang silly songs,
prayed, swam, and more! If you
want to know more, please ask a
youth about their experience; they
would be glad to share with you!
‘Mission Lab,’ continued from front cover
learn how to speak about our faith in a way that is genuine, but also entices
people to want to come and be part of our community.
Those who were present for my Vision Presentations last September know
that the way we will learn about this is through a training program known
as Mission Lab. Mission Lab is a key component of the Relational Ministries pillar of our church vision.
Mission Lab will take place over the course of three
Saturdays. The first Mission Lab will be on Saturday,
March 21 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. A continental
breakfast and full lunch will be served, free of
charge. If you cannot attend the first Mission Lab,
you can catch the recording and be prepared for the
second Lab, on April 11, and the third, on May 16.
All you need to do is sign up and show up. I would
Mission Lab
like to have as many people as possible participate in
this program. This investment of one Saturday morning for three months
will totally change the way our church reaches out into our community.
If you have not already done so, please
“The future of our
contact Tai Zimmerman at taizimmer
church depends on
[email protected] and let her know that
you will be joining us. I hope you will
changing the culture
make time for this, because the future of
of our community.”
our church depends on changing the culture
of our community. The first step in this process is to participate in Mission Lab. I look forward to seeing you there and
taking the first step toward becoming the church God intends us to be!
Our college students are studying hard. What better way to
fortify them than with care packages from their church family?
We expect to send dozens of
boxes (50+) this year! To donate
treats for the students, please
place your items in the boxes
marked “College Care Packages” in the Narthex on Sundays,
March 22 and 29 and April 5
and 12. Or deliver them to the
church office during the week.
Suggested
donations:
Prepackaged
goodies such
as cookies,
candy bars,
crackers, cereal bars,
dried fruit,
nuts, soup,
hot chocolate mix, gum, pencils
and pens, Chapsticks, or other
items you think they would enjoy; or monetary donations to
help cover shipping costs (any
amount is appreciated).
Packing date (volunteers welcome): Sunday, April 19, from
9:30 to 10:30 am in the Blue
Room, Christian Education
Wing; Mailing Date: April 20
Send Your Students’ Addresses
Parents: In order for your student—living at home or away—
to receive a care package, please
send a current address to the
CollegeCARE Ministries team at
[email protected].
We will only send packages to
students whose addresses we
have received this school year, so
please send your student’s 20142015 address. Please include students’ mailing and e-mail addresses (so we can tell them to
look for their packages). The
college students will thank you!
9
Adult Education
Planting seeds
of learning
Sunday Classes and Studies in March
Faith Seeking
Understanding
(Part 1) — with
Rev. Tai Zimmerman and Tom Morrow — Through March 15 / 9:45-10:45
Athnos — February 22 – March 15
9:45-10:45 am / Chapel — Join a fascinating exploration of how the key
concept of Christ’s resurrection was
understood by early Christians.
am / Forum — Do you have questions about your faith and what
you believe? Do your questions
make you question your faith and
your beliefs? We will cover: Who is
Jesus? Am I accepted? Is there
hope? Is the church still relevant?
What is God’s dream for the
world?
The Easter Jesus
and the Good
Friday Church
The Centrality of the Resurrection
in the New Testament — with Gregory
Coffee: Grounds
for Discussion
10
ment of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) by focusing on the turbulent history of the tribes of Israel.
This class will also pick up again
after Easter.
Current Small Groups
will read and discuss
Final Words From the
Cross, by Adam Hamilton. This study offers
fresh insight into Jesus’
final words at the cross
through the perspective of those who witnessed the
crucifixion.
 Holy Yoga, with Sarah Wheeler
— March 18 and April 1 / 6:307:30 pm in the Narthex (Bring a
yoga mat if you have one.)
 Guided Meditation, with Larry
Hayes — 7:00-7:30 pm in the
Choir Conference Room
 Koinonia (Coffee & Fellowship)
— 7:00-7:30 pm in the Forum
 Musical Reflections, with Adam
Hendrickson — 7:00-7:30 pm
(location to be announced)
by Ed Harding
We will serve 10 organizations this
year: Journeys: The Road Home;
Wheeling Township; Shelter, Inc.;
WINGS (Women In Need Growing
Stronger); Northwest Compass
(formerly known as CEDA); Clearbrook; Arlington Heights Senior
An Inside Look
at the Old Testament,
with Dr. Donald Kaasch — Through
March 18 / 7:30-8:30 pm in the Chapel
— We are looking at the develop-
February 22 – March 29 / 9:45-10:45
am / Room 110/112 — The group
Service Day Is Coming
Our sixth annual Service Day will
be held Saturday morning, April
25. This year we are partnering
with Southminster Presbyterian
Church to enable us to serve more
organizations, expand our community involvement, and get to know
our fellow Presbyterians on the
south side of town. This is a real
opportunity to serve those in need
while enjoying fellowship with our
Presbyterian family and learning a
little more about the organizations
that serve our community year
round.
ENGAGE & ENCOUNTER
Wednesday Evenings
Center; Veterans Memorial Committee; Little
City; and our own
homebound community—through a craft work
project with our Caring
Outreach Ministry
group, to be hosted at
Southminster.
All First Pres members and friends
are invited to join in the fun, and
children are welcome to participate,
with adult supervision. We will
meet at 8:00 am in Fellowship Hall,
where we will sign in, meet our
work teams, and grab a coffee or
juice and a donut before heading
out to the sites. Most work will be
completed by noon or 1:00 pm.
Those who already have them will
wear their highly sought-after red
Hard at work during last
year’s Service Day
Service Day T-shirts. Those
who don’t have a T-shirt will
be rewarded with one as they
sign in that morning. Child
care will be provided at our
church.
Please sign up in advance to
help us plan work for the various
sites. Stop by the sign-up table in
the Narthex for three Sundays
starting March 22, excluding Easter
Sunday. The sign-up form will also
be available on the church website,
fpcah.org, starting in late March.
The deadline for signing up is Friday, April 17. Watch for more information in the April Chimes. If
you have questions, contact Ed
Harding at 847-506-9565 or
[email protected]. We hope
you can join us for fun, fellowship,
and service on April 25.
Children’s Ministries
by Monica Sparreo
What’s Better
Than an Easter Egg
Hunt?
An Easter egg hunt
with breakfast!
Children from preschool age through
grade 5 are invited to a Potluck
Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt on
Saturday, April 4 from 9:00 to
11:00 am. Hosted by children’s
ministries, this event offers time for
fellowship, a brief educational component focused on the importance
of Easter, and indoor (think warm!)
egg hunts divided by age group.
This is a fabulous opportunity to
invite a friend along to First Pres
for some food and fun!
Scrambled eggs will be provided.
Last names A-M, please bring a
savory breakfast item to share. Last
names N-Z, please bring a sweet
breakfast item to share. Those with
food allergies are welcome to bring
a dish that their child(ren) can eat.
Finally, to ensure the bunnies stuff enough eggs,
please RSVP to Tai Zimmerman at taizimmerman
@fpcah.org or 847-2555900 with the number
and ages of children who
will attend the event.
Here Comes Summer…
Mark Your Calendar for VBS
In July, the forecast may call for
heat and humidity, but the children
at First Pres will
embark on an icy
expedition where
they’ll learn about
overcoming obstacles
with God’s awesome
power. Vacation
Bible School (VBS) will be held the
week of July 13-17 from 9:00 am
to 12:00 pm. Everest, this year’s
VBS theme, concentrates on anchoring kids in rock-solid Bible
truths that will guide them through
life’s challenges.
Here’s What’s Been Going On
We’ve had a great time so far in
4:11! January’s theme was “My
Faith Family.” We learned about
what it means to have faith and use
our gifts, and we made cards for
homebound church members.
In February, we learned about
making good choices, welcoming
others, and serving others through
the PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter)
ministry during Mission Formation.
We’ve also had a great time in
Recreation, thanks to Mrs. Kate’s
fun games! In March and April,
we’ll learn what it means to follow Jesus and celebrate life.
Singing, playing, Bible
stories, cinema, games,
and snacks are all part
of the fun. We’ll also
incorporate an ageappropriate mission
project into this exciting and memorable week.
VBS is open to children age 4
through those entering fifth grade
in the fall of 2015. The cost is $25
per child or $50 per family. This
registration fee includes one T-shirt
per child and one music
CD per family. Online registration opens Monday,
April 6, and will be capped
based on the number of
volunteers who contribute
their time and talents to
make VBS a success. Sign up early
to secure your kids’ spot on our
trip to the summit!
‘Journey,’ continued from p. 3
with your new pastor, Rev. Judy
Hockenberry. She is the one who
God has been preparing to help
you move ahead. I am excited for
the new relationships she will have
with each of you.
I leave with sadness in saying goodbye, but I do not leave with any
regrets. I will always look back on
our time together as a time we witnessed God’s loving care of us! It
has been amazing and wonderful.
As God has been preparing Pastor
Judy to come here, God has been
preparing me to go to another
place. Thank you for teaching me
so many important lessons and for
journeying with me. Together we
trusted that everything would work
out, and indeed it has. Praise be to
God! May the Lord continue to
bless you bountifully in the days
ahead. Know that I will continue to
hold you in prayer and within my
heart.
11
The First Presbyterian Church
302 N. Dunton Avenue
Arlington Heights, IL 60004-5993
Phone: 847-255-5900
Fax: 847-255-3475
www.fpcah.org / [email protected]
Vision Statement:
Inspired by Christ’s love,
First Presbyterian Church
of Arlington Heights seeks to
welcome and faithfully serve all
people and to glorify God through
worship, education, and mission.
Seder Dinner
Thursday, April 2 / 6:00 to 7:30 pm in Fellowship Hall
Cost: $10 per adult; $5 per child (12 and under); $30 family maximum
The Jewish holiday of Passover begins with the Seder celebration. The Seder is an
important Jewish feast that commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from
slavery in ancient Egypt. All are welcome to participate in this traditional Seder
Dinner, featuring the food and rituals celebrated in the Jewish home. Rabbi Steven Peskind will lead us
through this deeply meaningful and symbolic celebration. This event is suitable for families and people of
all ages.
The Seder Dinner will be followed by Maundy Thursday worship, 8:00-9:00 pm in the Sanctuary. Receive
the Sacrament of Holy Communion and see the connection between the wonderful symbolism of the
Seder and Christ as he embodies God’s new covenant as the Lamb of God. This service will also feature a
foot-washing ceremony.
Maundy Thursday is part one of the three-part service to remember Christ’s journey to the cross and
resurrection. Part two is Good Friday. Part three is Easter Sunday! Turn to page 2 for the complete Holy
Week schedule.
RSVP for the Seder Dinner by March 30 to Mary Fino at 847-255-5900 or [email protected].
Online registration will be available soon.