November 2013 - NorthbrookUMC

Northbrook United Methodist Church
Messenger
November, 2013
Consecration Sunday
Your financial giving changes lives.
Through supporting Northbrook United
Methodist Church financially you are providing a way for us to extend God’s welcome to
all, to seek God and serve others as Jesus did
and to create supportive relationships in
which all might know God’s love. This is
why we exist. Your financial giving also
changes you. Slowly you come to realize that
everything you have is a gift from God, what
you have is meant to be shared with others,
and how to use your financial resources wisely.
Over the next several weeks you will
hear stories about why people give to our
church and you’ll be encouraged to make
your own financial commitment to our congregation during worship on Consecration
Sunday, November 17. Following worship
on November 17, we will have a celebration
lunch that we hope everyone will attend.
Pastor Melissa Earley
We will invite you to Consecration
Sunday during worship the next several
weeks and through our church council
members.
If you feel strongly opposed to completing a card, we hope that you will attend
Consecration Sunday worship and celebration anyway. We will do no home solicitation to ask people to complete estimate of
giving cards, though we will follow up with
those who are unable to come November
17. During morning worship our pastor
will conduct a brief period of instruction
and inspiration, climaxed by members making their commitments as a confidential act
of worship.
Inside this Issue
Small Groups
2-3
Missions
3
Children
4
Youth
5
Sing Out for Youth
8
We look forward to seeing you!
Peace,
Brian Boyer, Council Chair and
Melissa Earley, Pastor
Preaching Schedule
November 3 we will conclude
All Saints Sunday, Novemthe series “Living the Quesber 3
tions” with the question, What
On November 3 during worship happens after we die?
we will honor and remember
November 10 pastor Melissa
those who have died. We name will preach on Matthew 6:19persons from our congregation
21
and loved ones of members of
November 17 pastor Melissa
our congregation who have died will preach on Ezra 2:68-69
in the past year. We also carry and we will celebrate Consein during the processional
cration Sunday.
hymn photos of all who have
been named. If you would like
Interfaith Thanksgiving
to have a loved one named dur- Service
ing our worship service please
On Thanksgiving Eve, Wednescontact the church office.
day, November 27 at 7:00 PM,
Northbrook United Methodist
Journey through the
Church will host the interfaith
Church Year November 24
Thanksgiving Service. This
During this interactive worship service of readings from many
service we will explore the diffaiths, songs of thanks and
ferent seasons of the church
time of fellowship is a wonderyear (Advent, Christmas,
ful Northbrook tradition. Our
Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pente- congregation will provide hoscost). Through song, story and pitality following the service.
changing colors we’ll discover
Please join us for worship. If
the rich layers of our tradition. you are able to bring an item
Following worship we will have for fellowship (sweet or savory)
an Advent Wreath making par- please sign up here or on the
ty.
bulletin board). ■
Worship
Mark Your Calendar for Advent Festivities
SPECIAL MUSIC FOR ADVENT The December 8th
service will include choral settings of five Christmas
carols sung by the choir. If you enjoy singing, but
don't have the time to commit to the choir for the
whole year, consider joining us for a short time!
Starting October 31st, the first 30 minutes of the regular Thursday evening choir rehearsals will be dedicated to learning this special music (7:30—8:00).
Songs will include: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence;
Do You Hear What I Hear?; Infant Holy, Infant Lowly;
Echo Carol; Carol of the Bells; and Hallelujah Chorus. For more information, contact Shirley Mosteller.
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT The children’s Christmas pageant will be during worship this year on December
15. Come and enjoy the story Mortimer's Christmas
Manger, based on a book written by Jane Chapman.
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Bible Studies with Pastor Melissa
Intro to the New Testament
November 3, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
In this class taught by Pastor Melissa,
you will get a good introduction to the
New Testament:
 Who wrote what parts and when
 When it was compiled
 The key stories of the Old and New
Testaments
 Ideas of how to study a scripture
passage
Reconciling Meeting
Study the Book of Mark
Sundays, November 17, 24, December 1 & 8
5:30 to 6:30 PM
Join Pastor Melissa for a four-week class on
the Gospel of Mark, the first Gospel written
about Jesus. We will discover key stories
about Jesus and key teachings by Jesus. We
will explore how Mark is different from and
similar to the other the three gospels.
Alice Lonoff
Sunday, November 10th
NUMC Reconcilers will meet in the library right after
church on Sunday, November 10th. We are the group
charged with helping to make NUMC more inclusive
and welcoming to all. There is no limitation on those
who may attend any of our meetings. If you are interested or curious, please come! If you have questions,
please contact Alice Lonoff at [email protected], or
call her at 847-446-2318.
Rainbow Banner
Alice Lonoff
The Strategic Plan for our church
that was adopted by a vote of our
congregation, charges the Reconciling Committee with recommending
a “visible symbol for church property that we are a reconciling congregation.” Reconcilers proposed,
and the Church Council agreed,
that we consider hanging a rainbow
banner on the outside brick wall of
our church, near the large outside
cross—subject to Trustee approval
regarding the installation. We also
want our church family to see the
proposal and have the opportunity
to ask questions. We recommend
we start with the size of the banner
currently in Penberthy to see how
that fits and hangs on the wall.
Eventually, we hope to impose a
white dove on the banner to represent the Holy Spirit. If you have
questions, please contact Alice Lonoff:
[email protected] or 847-446-2318
(during the day).
will meet at the
church Thursday, November 7 at
10 a.m. We will sign cards for
Veterans and there will be chair
stretch yoga. All are welcome.
Contact Linda Reed for more
information.
Aluminum Cans That Fold
Dan Lloyd
Since February, 2012, NUMC members have been encouraged
to bring their aluminum cans to church with them on Sunday
mornings. Those cans end up producing cash; the kind that
folds. We’ve raised over $400 from members’ aluminum cans
and that’s become the Northbrook Green Fund. Some might
say that’s not much. But considering less than a quarter of
NUMC members bring in their aluminum cans, that’s great.
Just imagine if fifty percent of us brought in our aluminum cans.
Just imagine if, like one NUMC family, we asked our neighbors
to start to collect their cans. It’s starts to add up! Just imagine,
if like one NUMC member, we ask our coworkers to help collect
cans for the Northbrook Green Fund. Then we’re talking about
some serious folding going on.
Being green, like being Christian, takes some alterations in the
way we live. Help build the Northbrook Green Fund by bringing in aluminum cans.
Single and Single Again Fellowship
In the land of couples it’s sometimes nice to be with
those who are single or single again. Are you single
by choice or by circumstance? Through divorce, the
death of your spouse or simply not meeting “the
right one?” Join other adults who are single for a
fun evening of fellowship. Pastor Melissa and Sarah
Kroeschell will host us for a Tapas Party on Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 PM at Melissa’s house.
Bring an appetizer to share. Please RSVP to Pastor
Melissa or by signing up here.
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November Book Discussion
Chris Greulich
Breakfast with Buddha is one of the most enjoyable and engaging novels I have read in a long time, with many laugh out loud
moments. A friend gave this book to me for my birthday, and I
just gobbled it up. This story is both comical and wise.
to a cat. As Otto narrates this story, we see daily changes in
Otto’s beliefs and perspectives on the world and life—all because
of Rinpoche’s company.
This 2007 “spiritual fiction” novel by Roland Merullo was well
received by book reviewers and was awarded an average 4.6
out of 5 on Borders website. In this story, Otto Ringling, an editor of food books and living with his wife and two teenagers in
a New York suburb, reluctantly goes on a road trip with
Rinpoche, a Siberian monk. Rinpoche is a new friend of Otto’s
sister, and Otto takes Rinpoche along with him as a favor to his
sister. On the car trip cross country to North Dakota (where
Otto will be settling the estate of his parents), Otto tries to
make conversation with Rinpoche. It’s like a dog trying to talk
Missions Update
From The Boston Globe review: “…here
are two intriguing men, one with his eye
on the destination and his foot on the pedal, and the other who knows that we
travel farthest when we are still…”
Read this funny and refreshing book—and
come for a fun discussion! The November
20th book discussion will be hosted at
Chris Greulich’s house, from 7:00 to 8:30
P.M.
Sharon Noha
Holiday Gift Program
In line with our Strategic Plan,
we’re shifting our Holiday Gift
Program to more of a local community focus. Beginning Sunday,
Nov. 10th, you’ll have the opportunity to partner with Youth Services in helping to brighten Christmas for needy children in Northbrook and Glenview. Each child
should receive gifts that total no
less than $50;( you will be able to
share a child with someone
else ) . Gifts need to be returned
unwrapped by Sunday, Dec. 1st at
the latest. More details will be
available such as children’s wish
lists at the sign up.
Holiday Fair
Why not consider making a donation for a good cause for someone
on your Christmas list or for a
teacher gift or stocking stuffer. This year will be supporting the
United Methodist church-wide effort, Imagine No More Malaria, an
effort to overcome malaria in Africa
and eliminate deaths caused by this
preventable disease. In addition to
providing nets, this effort will create a stronger and more broad-
based community health infrastructure to fight this disease. You’ll be
able to purchase your donations
beginning Dec. 1st. with a minimum
donation of $10.
Northfield Food Pantry
Thank you for your food donations
for our local pantry! Just a reminder that mashed potatoes is the desired product for the month of November. Thanks also to those that
joined in this year’s Crop Walk to
support CWS and the Northfield
Township Pantry.
MLK Day 2014
Anyone interested in helping with
the plans for our upcoming MLK
Service Day, Jan. 20, 2014 is welcome to come to a meeting at my
home at 7 PM on Wed, Nov.
13th. Arrangements have been
made for most of our work sites
but we’ll be looking for site or project leaders for each of our activities. Let me know if you’d be interested. ■
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWL FOR PLEDGES
Have you considered making your pledge to Northbrook United Methodist Church an automatic withdrawal from your checking account? Save time and
hassle and set up an automatic check request with
your bank. Use the following information:
Northbrook United Methodist Church
Attn: Pledge
1190 Western Ave.
Northbrook, IL 60062
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Adult Mission Trip to Guatemala
July 18-July 27, 2014
Pastor Melissa will lead a mission trip to San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala from July 18-July27. The project is to construct
fuel efficient, wood-burning cook stoves with chimneys for outside
ventilation to replace the current three rock open stove system and
other antiquated stove variations. The new stoves are built using
local materials to help reduce initial cost of construction and future
repairs. The focus of this stove design is on fuel efficiency; reducing the amount of wood needed to effectively heat the stove, and
therefore reducing deforestation and the economic impact on families who purchase wood. In addition, the new stoves help to prevent a variety of health issues ranging from burns, to respiratory,
eye and back problems caused by years of working over a ground
level three rock open flame stove.
In each home, team members are divided into groups to
work alongside a Mayan woman and her family. Together you will
construct the stove in their home. In addition to building stoves, we
will opportunities to attend a variety of local events, churches and
shop in the local market.
The days will be spent constructing stoves, engaging with
local children, eating family style with our hosts and sharing life
together. During the afternoons, our Guatemalan partners will talk
to the team about the history of their community, local politics,
Mayan spirituality, and other interesting topics. We’ll spend one day
on Lake Atitlan visiting the Mayan communities of San Juan La Laguna, San Antonio Palopop, and the popular tourist town of Panajachel. Your last night will be spent in the charming and colorful colonial town of Antigua, as we make our way back to Guatemala City
for departure.
Costs for the trip are estimated at $1700 and include lodging, airfare from Chicago O’Hare, medical insurance, trip leader/
interpreter, all meals (except on a couple meals on excursion days).
If you are interested, please see Pastor Melissa.
Northfield Food Pantry
Sue Mueller
It has been nearly one year since we began requesting
specific items each month for the Northfield Food Pantry
and we’ve continued to donate 50-100 items each month.
October’s item of the month is mashed potatoes, however, all donations are greatly appreciated.
Ongoing Prayer Concerns
Nancy Metzler’s sister Carol, who is battling cancer.
Greg Metzler as he undergoes new treatment for Hepatitis C.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of
Brian Boyer upon the death of his mother Fran on September 28, 2013 and to the family of Woody Woodrum
who passed away on September 30, 2013.
Women’s Lenten Retreat
Karen Wells
Sophia Circle is hosting a women’s retreat the first weekend in Lent, March 7-8, 2014 at the DeKoven Center in
Racine, Wisconsin. Friday night we will carpool to the
DeKoven Center, leaving at 5:30 p.m. from church. Dinner
is at Welles Pizza, then an evening of fun and fellowship.
The rooms in the DeKoven Center are rustic and comfy.
The retreat begins Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the
Taylor Hall Library. A guest speaker will lead us in a day of
prayer and reflection as we begin our Lenten journey.
Lunch will be served at noon and there will be time to
walk the grounds and lake front. The program ends at
3:00 p.m.
Cost for the weekend is $82.50 for a double room, breakfast, lunch and the retreat. Pizza is extra. If you just want
to come up for the retreat on Saturday, the cost is
$50.00. Let Karen know as soon as possible if you plan on
staying at the DeKoven Center. Space is limited. $25 deposit is needed by January 6. For more information call
Karen at 847-334-0256 or email [email protected].
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NORTHBROOK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1190 Western Avenue
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-272-2442
Fax: 847-272-8091
Email:
[email protected]
Mailing Label
Invite your friends and neighbors for an afternoon of fun – Sunday, November 10th
Music
Alpha, Falling Upward, Jump Choir, Mac Youth String Ensemble
New Traditions, Ow!, Dynamic Music Youth Show Choir, Sonrise Singers
Glenbrook North Tri-M Player, North Northfield UMC Chancel Choir
Prizes
We have prizes from Bob Chins, Popcorn Factory, Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences, Carriage Hill Kennel,
Michaels, Deerfield Bakery, IL Forno Pizza, Northbrook Symphony, Barnaby’s and Three Tarts Bakery and more to
come.
Tickets
Tickets can be obtained from Bruce Woolman or Shannon in the church office , or at the door
Adult $10, Senior $8 and Children $5
Our Lady of the Brook – 3700 Dundee Rd