President’s Letter

To members and friends of St. Paul Community Church:

For those of you who attended the Church Picnic, I don’t have to tell you how good the day was. The weather was perfect, the food was wonderful and best of all we had a chance to enjoy playing games and good conversation. I would like to thank all those who helped make the picnic a big success.

The Church Council has been discussing needed changes with our facility.  These changes are designed  to strengthen our several ministries.  After worship each Sunday during July, a tour along with drawings will be available.

Office Relocation: The plan is to relocate Dr. Hartzog’s office to the original Pastor’s Office and relocate the Silbermann Memorial Library back to the original Library Room.  This will allow the Library. as a larger room, to be better used for Committee and other group meetings, as well as for individual use.  Additionally, one of our upstairs classrooms will be converted into a Volunteer Office and include a portion of Dr. Hartzog’s library.

Also, the plan is to exchange the location of our Christian Education and Business offices.  This will enable our Christian Education Office to be located next to the Pastor’s Office and across from our Church Secretary’s Office—and most importantly, have our Pastor, Christian Education and Church Secretary and the Silbermann Memorial Library nearest our Church’s foyer for easy accessibility and visibility.  Our new Ministerial Intern will share space in the new Christian Education Office.

Lighting:  The lighting proposal is to create better and more cost-efficient lighting in the Sanctuary and first floor hallways.  Such a change, also, will make our Church more eco-friendly as we attempt to be more responsible in our stewardship of God’s resources.  The proposal includes primarily changing the light bulbs in the Sanctuary, converting some hallway fixtures to more efficient fixtures, and repairing some circuitry that presently is not working properly.  The cost of these changes in lighting will be realized in cost savings within a period of a few months.

Welcome Center: This is simply removing the windows of the information booth and installing a counter; this will give a clear open view of the area and be friendlier. Drawings will be available after the church service.

Dr. Hartzog and I want to ask all of St. Paul’s members to send a letter or drop off a note at church letting us know your thoughts and ideas for St. Paul Community Church. If you have access to e-mail please send me a note to g.dunigan@comcast.net.

God bless you all.

Your servant in Christ,

George Dunigan,

Church Council President

Email: g.dunigan@comcast.net

 

A Grace Note  

“In the good ole’ summertime, in the good ole’ summertime,” is the refrain of a wonderful song I

remember singing as a child.  Summer is an opportune time to reflect on some of the important traditions and memories that are important to us.  Indeed, traditions are important in helping us to remember who and Whose we are.  They, also, play an important role in getting our bearings for the future and the new opportunities that God lays before us.

Our Church Council has been reviewing some proposals to strengthen our ministry for the future.  In many ways, the proposals affirm our traditions and create something new – the twin hallmarks of God’s people.  As the Scriptures repeatedly proclaim:  And the Lord said, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” and “Behold, I am creating a new covenant.” and “Behold, I am making all things new.”   I hope that you will take time to review prayerfully the proposals before us.  As you think and reflect, talk and share with others, pray and deliberate about these new ideas keep in your mind and heart the questions “Does this help accomplish God’s will?”  “Does this strengthen and expand in new ways the ministry of Christ?”

Along that line, one of the important traditions that my father passed on to me was General MacArthur’s Credo which he had typewritten on his manual typewriter and framed and hung in his office as he served our nation.  Perhaps some of you may remember it, too.

     Youth is not a time of life.  It is a state of mind.

     It is a test of the will, a quality of imagination, a vigor of emotions, a

     predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure

     over love of ease.

 

     Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years.  People grow

     old only by deserting their ideals.  Years wrinkle the skin but to give

     up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.

 

     Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair…these are the quick

     equivalents of the long, long years that bow the head and turn the

     growing spirit back to dust.

 

     Whether 70 of 16, there is, in every being’s heart, the love of wonder,

     the sweet amazement of the stars, and the starlike things and thoughts,

     the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing childlike appetite for

     “What next?”

 

     You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt, as young as your

     self-confidence, as old as your fear, as young as your hope, as old as

     your despair.

 

     So long as your heart receives messages of beauty, cheer, courage,

     grandeur and power from the earth, from man and from the Infinite,

     so long are you young.

 

     When all the wires are down, and all the central places of your heart

     are covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism,

     then and only then, are you grown old indeed, and may God have

     mercy on your soul. 

        Douglas MacArthur “Lest We Forget”

See you in Worship!

Pastor

 

Picnic Pictures

 

 

  

 

 

Faith and Film Discussion Group

     Calling all film lovers!  The summer film discussion group is set to begin meeting once more.  Participants watch the films in advance of the discussion date so that the meetings aren’t overly long and the discussion is lively.  Movies are available at either local movie rental stores or through the library system. You don’t have to have any special knowledge about film to participate.  Simply rent the movie, watch it at your leisure, and come expecting a pleasant evening of idea sharing about faith issues and values raised by the film.  We serve popcorn too!               
     We plan to meet twice each summer month on the second and forth Tuesday at 7:00 pm.

Tuesday, July 8th-Jim and Nancy Patton’s home -“Into the Wild” 

Tuesday, July 22nd-John and Dot Mooi’s home -“To Kill a Mockingbird”

Tuesday, August 5th- location to be determined- "Oh God!"

Tuesday, August 19th- Sam & Judith Vicari's home-"Ulee's Gold"

 

Social Concerns Committee Update

The St. Paul Community Church Social Concerns Committee has responded to the tornado and flood crisis by making the following donations to help the effected victims:

 $1000 to Neighbors in Need 2008        (matching Midwest Flood Campaign.)

 $250 to Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church outreach program for the benefit of Richton Park tornado victims.

In 2008 the committee has funded the following agencies:

Respond Now-$500

South Suburban Family Shelter-$500

Crop Walk-$500 plus Individual donations

 

***God is on the move in our world through actions we as a congregation take here at St. Paul

 Community Church!

    Our sympathy and prayers are extended to:

The families of Thomas R. Jensen,  Reonald Hesselfeldt and LaVonne Miller.

Our thoughts and prayers are extended to Nancy Samulowitz and Helen Girolimon who are at Manor Care undergoing rehab therapy.

Bob Fredrikson, Don Hunt, Beverly Hughes, Joe & Peggy Bentz, Tom & Bob Sheahan, Mark Popelka, and Rev. Joe Ledwell.

There are several summer Sundays available for flowers. Please let the church office know if you have a special date you would like to reserve for altar flowers.  The calendar is in the reception office.

Volunteers are needed for the 2008-2009 Supper Club season. 

President and Vice President

Chairman—Program Committee

(Bob Hewett and Jim Mahan will serve on the committee)

Catered Meals every 2nd or 3rd month.

Members will bring “covered dishes”.

Dish-washers will continue services.

Please phone Bob Hewett at 647-1721 or Jim Mahan at 957-0629 to volunteer.

 

Did You Know?

St. Paul is a very active Community Church!  We have several groups using our facilities:   

AA

American Squares

B&B Square Dancers

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts

Bridge Club

Brownies, Girl Scouts

Choir

Flossmoor Book Club

Historical Society

Nar-Anon

New Holy Cross Baptist Church

Salty Christians

Salty Christian Crafters

Saturday Singles

Supper Club

Toastmasters

Yoga Fit