June 2016 - Congregational United Church of Christ

The Monthly Newsletter of Congregational United Church of Christ
June 2016
A WORD FROM OUR INTERIM MINISTER
Assessing its own history and heritage is typically the first “organizational thing” a church does in the
Interim transition time (NOT to overshadow much praying!). It’s about clarifying the church’s identity,
purpose, core values, and vision, as it prepares to “call” a new pastor. We have completed much of that initial
process over the past couple of months with the two “Heritage Fest” events after worship, on April 17 and/or
May 22.
THANKS to all of you who were able to share in these energizing occasions of fun, food and “historytelling”! 60+ folks filled the Fellowship Room at our April gathering, and about 45 participated in the follow-up
session in May. Special thanks go to both your Hospitality deacons, Jeff and Cindy Pattee, who organized the
meals for both gatherings, and your Transitional Ministry Team (TMT) who facilitated Table Groups and/or
prepared (for last weekend) their favorite “Sloppy Joe” recipes.
As those in attendance know well, Heritage Fest!-One involved everyone writing several “Post It” Notes
each—recording personal memories and brief reflections of significant occasions and experiences in CUCC’s 57
year history. This activity resulted in several hundred “data points” that 8 table groups then discussed, looking
for key “Themes” suggested by the “Post Its.” Kudos to Nancy Pardo, our Admin Assistant, who then digitalized
all that information within “historical epochs” (i.e., Pastors’ ministry years—all of which info is available if you
wish to look it over!). She then handed this information over to TMT to “process.”
Then, in preparing for Heritage Fest!-TWO, TMT organized that info into nine (9) Themes suggesting
core characteristics of the congregation. They presented these to the six Table groups to consider how well the
nine Themes reflect “Who You Are” as CUCC. Each table then selected 3 or 4 elements of their conversations
that they feel you as a congregation can prayerfully work on together, to help you all move “faithfully and
positively together into a new future.”
TMT members have met every Thursday evening for two months (so far!) to plan the two Heritage Fest
events, and analyze information you all have shared. Your Transitional Ministry Team includes Bob Carpenter,
Drea Gates-Ehlers, Lou Guagenti, Tom Harris, Laura Janus, Bruce Johnson, Joyce Keyes, Jeff Pattee (Chair),
JoAnn Rapp, Sarah Ruthven, and Cindy Waters. Please DO thank them each for sharing with me in leading your
church through this ongoing Interim process. They’re a truly great, spirited, dedicated, and multi-talented
group of leaders! — and we will be your guides, along with Church Council, right up to the time of “calling” your
new pastor. We hope that, by God’s grace, this will all be accomplished by early 2017.
The next steps for TMT will involve meeting occasionally over the summer to plan (hopefully) for small
group “congregational conversations” in September/October, and then for an All Congregation “Visioning
Event” in mid-fall.
As a reminder, the “pastoral search process” itself won’t start until after all that, when a Pastoral Search
Committee (PSC) will then be formed. The PSC’s first task will be to write a 20+ page “Church Profile”—
describing who you are, your goals, dreams, etc., based on all the “data” gathered and analyzed by your TMT. I
hope this synopsis gives you some idea of what’s still to come during this Interim time.
Enjoy summer---and I hope to see you in worship as much as possible!
Grace, Peace and Prayers,
Rev. Greg Skiba, Interim Minister
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Church School News
~ by Meg Ulery, Church School Coordinator ~
After the story of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus
we finished the year with Paul’s Awesome Adventures:
learning that Antioch was where the believers were first
called Christian; experiencing Silas and Paul’s faith in the jail
cell in Philippi; seeing the trust that Paul had in God even
though he was about to be shipwrecked on Malta. Indeed,
this year the children met several Bible characters who
trusted God – Noah, Esther, Josiah. They learned more about
the Jesus story and experienced some of the parables of our
Lord. It was a joy to share our faith with these preschool and
elementary children of our congregation.
We thank the following folks who taught in our church school program this year: Laura
Janus, Laura Robinson, Connie Stewart, Sarah Ruthven, JoAnn Rapp, Rachel Hogreve, Brenda
Jentink, and Meg Ulery. Also, Jerry Goldsworthy kept the nursery clean and orderly each week.
Thank you all for your care and leadership with the youngest in our church family.
We also want to celebrate Jake Gates-Ehler’s huge accomplishment of attending nearly
every Sunday of church school. This was even with some surgeries this year. Well done, Jake!
Our church school program pauses during the summer months and will resume on
September 11. “God’s Promise Fulfilled through Jesus” is our theme for this coming year of our
rotation model of church school. Stepping back into the Hebrew text the children will meet the
earliest members of our faith family – Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob. They will meet the
prophets Elijah and Isaiah. After the first of the year the children will hear some of the wise
sayings of Jesus and the wonderful story of the feeding of the 5,000. The Emmaus Road Easter
story will be studied this year. And finally, now that the children have met Paul, they will take a
look at some of his more famous lessons on discipleship. And I have not even listed all that we
will learn together!
And we do ALL learn, too. Our teachers often comment about how much they learn from
the teacher background material that I prepare/provide for them each month. They would be the
first to encourage you to consider teaching our children, too. Be sure to visit during this fall’s
church school open house on September 18 to get a good idea of all that the children will be
learning. And thank you for your trust in me to help prepare these children for a life of faithful
discipleship. It has indeed been a joy!
Garden Plots Available!
Sign up for a garden plot! Hopefully the
summer weather will help us produce a
better crop than last year.
Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board
or call the church office
847-392-6650.
Questions?
Call Diane Lanigan
847-255-2846.
Let’s get gardening!
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Global Warming Puts U.S. Land Underwater
~ By JoAnn Rapp, A (Saddened, Disheartened) Creation Care Nudge ~
Thought we would hear first about coastal areas in the Philippines or Papua New
Guinea being consumed by rising sea and ocean levels due to climate change, huh?
The New York Times in May reported that a $48 million federal grant will enable the
entire Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana community to resettle, the first Americans
recognized as climate refugees. This resettlement plan is the first of its kind in the
world, a kind of test case in how other countries may have to respond to rising
water levels to protect their citizens. In January 2016, the Department of Housing
and Urban Development announced grants totaling $1 billion for 13 states to help
communities build better levees, dams, and water drainage systems.
These soon-to-be climate refugees are members of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw
and United Houma Nation tribes whose displacement means loss of ancestral lands
and a culture tied to those sacred lands. These Native Americans have sustained
themselves by fishing, hunting, trapping and farming for generations. The once
abundant banana and pecan trees have all but disappeared due to the encroaching
salt water. Since 1955, over 90 percent of the island's land mass has washed away.
Channels cut by loggers and oil companies speeded erosion of much of that land.
Decades of flood control projects have kept the once free-flowing rivers from
replenishing the sediments of the wetlands.
According to estimates of the United Nations University Institute for Environment
and Human Security, by the year 2050, as many as 50 to 200 million people across
the globe will be displaced because of climate change.
Oh, the moral and logistical dilemmas of upending people's lives! What, O Lord, has
humankind done to your glorious creation? As the Rev. Dr. Gallagher told us in his
April 24th sermon, we human beings, at our current rate of consuming and
destroying resources, will require four Planet Earths to sustain us!! What are we
called to do to restore and protect our one and only environment?
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Come one! Come All!
Walk to Support the Local
Food Pantry
~ JoAnn Rapp ~
CUCC Organizer for the 31st GCFD Hunger Walk
CUCC over the last few years has joined with members of Lutheran Church of the Cross,
the local host church of the Arlington Heights food pantry, for the annual Greater
Chicago Food Depository Hunger Walk. On June 25th, all hearty folk rally early a.m. at
Soldier Field for a 5K walk along the lake front. Keep in mind that each walker earns
food credits that enable LCC to purchase even more much needed food through the
GCFD program at a very nominal cost. These accrued credits really help LCC meet the
ever-growing needs of our suburban neighbors.
So get your favorite walking shoes ready, put a big circle on your calendars around June
25th, and watch for forthcoming details. Not a walker? You are already supporting the
LCC food pantry directly through CUCC's annual stewardship donation to our local
pantry.
“Dine with 7 to 9”
We have six June dates (6, 7, 8, 9, 13 & 14) and there is still space
available! If you’ve not yet signed up, call the church office (847-3926650) to see which slots are still open.
Coffee Hosts / Liturgists / Flowers
We appreciate everyone stepping up to host coffee after a Sunday service and also serving
as liturgists and providing flowers. Please look at the sign-up sheets in the Narthex for
open dates.
Thank you to everyone who cared lovingly for
our building and grounds on Spring Church
Beautification Day May 7! All your hard work is
very appreciated!
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Highlights from the Chicago Metropolitan Association Meeting
~ JoAnn Rapp and Joyce Keyes, your CMA and IL Conference Delegates ~
A rousing worship service with full throttle pipe organ opened our five-hour day together
at St. Peter’s UCC, Elmhurst on May 7. In the morning presentation, selected urban and
suburban congregations participating in UCC's Center for Progressive Renewal program
called "New Beginnings" discussed their emerging self-awareness and revitalization hopes
and plans to grow more fully into being the Church. In the business portion, we learned
about CMA's intentionality to bring youth to the table by creating a Standing Ministry
Team for Youth. Starting in Fall 2016, new church startups will be required to complete
ethics training. The CMA Constitution is under review to update language and a draft will
be circulated in 2017 for local church feedback. Our very own Brenda Jentink, chair of the
Nominating Committee, helped with the election of new committee members. Our Ken
Stewart will be serving on Church and Ministry. Pastor Greg, who holds standing in the
Fox Valley Association and, therefore, cannot be a voting CMA clergy member, attended
with us as our much appreciated, supportive CUCC clergy voice and presence.
Special Note: Amongst other church leaders, CUCC was recognized with two certificates
for our stewardship commitment. One acknowledges our being a Five and Five
congregation, meaning we have contributed to the denomination's special missions: One
Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, Neighbors in Need, and the Christmas
Fund, plus Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM). The second certificate specifies our
contributing $21,000 to OCWM. Both are signed personally by the Rev. Dr. Jorge Morales,
Minister for UCC's Illinois Conference and our Chicago Metropolitan Association
Minister, the Rev. Dr. Vertie Powers. Let us rejoice about our witnessing as outreach
stewards. Look for the posted certificates in the gathering space.
The Illinois Conference Annual Celebration and 52nd Anniversary is
scheduled for June 17 and 18 in East Peoria at the Embassy Suites. The
keynote speaker is the Rev. Traci Blackmon, recently appointed as
Acting Executive Minister for Justice and Witness Ministries of the UCC
and who serves as pastor at Christ the King UCC in Florissant, Missouri.
All who wish to learn and increase your awareness and involvement
within the larger church are welcome! For further information and to
register, use the link: http://ilucc.org/event/illinois-conference-annualcelebration/
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Coloring Book Small Group
All Ages Are Welcome
Celebrations!
June
Our next Coloring Book Small
Group meeting is Monday, June 6, at
church at 7:00 pm. We have
coloring books and coloring pens
and pencils to share. Look forward
to a stress free evening of fellowship.
Birthdays
1
3
5
14
20
20
21
21
23
24
24
26
28
28
28
30
Joyce Keyes
Emily Pattee
Betty Lorentz
Helen Jensen
Brad Harris
Jeff Pattee
Leo Blankfield
Kent Ulery
Mandy Barton
Roy Johnson
Carissa Silet
Dean Sasman
Lindsay Glass
Art Peekel
Jim Perry
Sarah Staley
Please note that this is our last
meeting until October. We plan on
taking off July-August-September
for the summer and will start up
again Monday, October 3.
Questions? Contact Laura Janus.
Daytime Book Club
Daytime Book Club will meet Monday,
June 6 at 9:45 am in the Garden Room.
Read Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent by
Thomas Allen and Harriet Tubman
and the Underground Railroad by
David Adler.
Questions? Ask Donna Blankfield or
Barb Goldsworthy.
Anniversaries
3
7
14
15
19
19
20
22
Donna & Leo Blankfield
James & Niccole (Pattee) Fairbanks
Helen Jensen & Jack Whisler
Shirley & Lou Guagenti
Steve & Eva Kilar
Drea & Betsy Gates-Ehlers
Jim & Sue Weichert
Carol & Roger Petty
Articles for the July Newsletter
are due June 15.
Submit to the office at
[email protected]
If we’ve missed your special day,
please call or email the church office:
847-392-6650 [email protected]
and we will be sure you are added.
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Wednesday Night Summer Suppers 2016
6:30 t0 8:00 pm
CUCC is again hosting the Wednesday night summer suppers to help
bridge the five month gap when PADS is not operational. These
summer suppers not only feed the homeless but also feed the food
insecure in our community. Our slot will remain the fourth Wednesday. Our OCWM mission
budget supports these summer suppers along with support from several local churches.
St. Simon’s, our neighbor, staffed and provided desserts and take away snacks for the May 25
supper and will again for September 28. We may have another church supporting our summer
supper site but details have not been established.
For now CUCC will be responsible for June 22, July 27, and August 24. Please consider helping by
signing up at the Sign-Ups bulletin board when they appear in their respective months. We will
need folks to sign in our guests, serve the meal, provide desserts and take away snacks, and help
clean up.
John Messina will again be our chef and loves to have sous chef assistance when folks are
available. We start cooking around 5:00 pm. I have included the meals we have planned. Any
questions please contact Linda or Laura Janus. Thanks to everyone who helped on May 25th!
MENUS
June 22
July 27
Aug 24
Sept 28
Rosemary Pork Loin/roasted potatoes and carrots/dinner rolls
Italian roasted chicken/ fresh basil tomato penne/peas/dinner rolls
Rib eye/corn on the cob/salad/dinner rolls
Pot roast with vegetables and potatoes/dinner rolls
Save the Date for
Christmas Tea, December 3rd
It’s never too early to think about Christmas! We are
planning an afternoon Christmas Tea for Saturday
December 3, 2016. So save the date and mark your
calendar! If anyone is interested in joining the planning
committee, please contact Laura or Linda Janus.
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Vacation Bible Camp
June 27 to July 1
9 am to Noon
at
Congregational United Church of Christ!
June is the month for Vacation Bible Camp at CUCC! Registration continues until June 13.
Submit the on-line form at http://cokesburyvbs.com/CUCCAH
In addition to CUCC, Surf Shack VBC is sponsored by three neighboring churches – Christian
Church of Arlington Heights, St. John UCC, and Trinity United Methodist Church – and all are
welcome!
We offer camps for the following age groups:
Boogie Boarders:
Preschool children ages 3 – entering kindergarten
(Must be potty trained)
Surfers:
Children entering 1st to 5th grades to be divided into
“Crews”
Lifeguards:
Youth entering 6th grade and older (“Lifeguards” lead the
“Surfers” through their daily adventures and participate in
their own age appropriate activities)
Deadline for registration is June 13, 2016. Having a deadline date will allow us to plan enough
supplies for all our Surfers! Each registered family will receive a free Surf Shack music CD!
Lastly, this camp is free of charge to all.
So get your sun block on and get ready to hit the beach for some great fun and adventure at Surf
Shack VBC!
Mission of the Month
June’s Mission of the Month is Vacation Bible Camp! Thank
you for your support!
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Back
Bay
Mission
Trip
John
L-R Back row: JoAnn, Jeff,
John, Laura. Front row: Pat,
Linda.
The week of May 14-21 our mission team to Back Bay Mission in
Biloxi, Mississippi, worked varying jobs alongside college
students from SUNY Geneseo. The team from UCC was John Geier, Linda Janus, Laura Janus, Pat
Nuccio, Jeff Pattee, and JoAnn Rapp.
Learn more about Bay Bay Mission here: https://thebackbaymission.org/what-we-do/approach/
See more photos at the CUCC website: http://www.congucc.org/back-bay-mission-2016.html
Thanks to our team for taking CUCC’s extravagant
welcome, God-is-still-speaking message to the folks they
served!
Linda
First work site
Laura
JoAnn
Pat
Jeff
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Arlington Cares, N.F.P. raises funds for the
village of Arlington Heights’s Emergency
Assistance fund. These funds are used for our
neighbors in Arlington Heights in need of temporary financial assistance.
On Friday, June 10 from 6:30-9:30 pm join Arlington Cares for wine, hors d’oeuvres,
entertainment, raffle and silent auction at Cooper’s Hawk, 798 West Algonquin Road, Arlington
Heights. Tickets are $50 and space is limited. For more information or to order tickets:
http://www.arlingtoncaresnfp.org/events
10
News from your Township Office
The Wheeling Food Pantry could use the following items:
 Soup
 Tomato products (diced, paste, sauce, etc.)
 Pasta
 Toilet paper
 Tuna
 Peanut butter & jelly
 Canned fruit
A couple easy-peasy ways to give:
If you plan on attending the July 4th parade, watch for the Wheeling
Township Food Pantry truck and the “roving” shopping carts
collecting from the curb along the parade route. Your contributions
will be delivered to the Food Pantry.
If you have a garden, consider giving to the Giving Garden Program from your
abundance. Fresh veggies and fruits are received by Wheeling Township at their
office at 1616 N. Arlington Heights Road from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm. Items
need not be washed; however, please remove all loose dirt and lingering insects
prior to dropping off.
Need transportation but are no longer driving? If you are over 60 (or 18+ with a permanent
disability), Wheeling Township has safe and affordable transportation. Township residents can
call 847-259-7743 Monday-Friday, 9 am to 3:30 pm to make an appointment. Cost is $2 each
way. For medical appointments, call at least one week in advance. (You may call up to 30 days in
advance for medical appointments.) For casual appointments (salon, grocery store, etc.) you
must call two days in advance.
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Think Manna, Shop Today
Purchasing your grocery shopping cards is a great way to help someone else at no extra cost to
you. The profit we receive on the sale of these cards is used to support additional mission
projects, like Mission of the Month. You benefit by purchasing the cards and others benefit from
the missions donations.
Orders are due the third Sunday of the month, June 19, along with payment payable to
CUCC. Cards can be picked up Sunday, June 26.
Order Forms (updated monthly) are on the wall outside the church office by the Manna
mailbox. You may also download an order form from the Newsletter page of our website
http://www.congucc.org/calendar---newsletter.html Call Lisa Loeffler if you have questions
regarding Manna and how it works: 847-749-2411. Remember, your purchases assist in
supporting the Mission of the Month.
Hey there! Yes, you!
What would you like to see in your newsletter?? What would you like to
never see again in your newsletter?? (Smile) Are you happy with the
email/online format? We want to hear what you think, so please email or
call the church office. Thanks! [email protected] 847-392-6650
If you or someone you know is interested in being the manager for our
PADS Site #18, please contact Amy Pratt at Journeys|The Road Home
at 847-963-9163.
Sign up today for Tower Hill!
It’s time for Tower Hill Signups! Dates this year are the weekend of
July 29-31 with Thursday the 28th available for campers. We have
the usual rooms in Schrag Hall available and the regular campsites
down the hill. Signup sheet is in the Narthex. If you’re not
familiar, Tower Hill is the all church retreat/campout at the UCCowned retreat center in Sawyer, MI. It’s about a two-hour drive,
depending on the traffic on 80/94. There is lodging in Schrag Hall
or camping if you are so inclined. All are welcome and invited! It’s
a very fun and relaxing weekend by the shore of Lake
Michigan. Food, campfire therapy, and camaraderie are the only
goals of the weekend. Please call or email Andy Loeffler with any
questions: 874-924-4521 [email protected]
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PLEASE CONTINUE TO MAKE 2016 A RECYCLING YEAR
by keeping these items out of our landfills and usefully recycled
A NOTE ABOUT PILL BOTTLES! For the time being, Cluster One is pausing their pill container
collection for the Malawi Project. Please recycle them in your home waste collection,
remembering to remove the label, or mark out the information, to keep your information safe.
CANDLES: We continue to collect used candles.
POP TOPS: Thank you to all who bring in your tabs! Place them in the collection jar or leave on
the shelf in a plastic bag.
FOOD DONATIONS may be placed in the food donation box to support the Lutheran Church
of Christ food pantry. Please note: at this time, NO plastic bags are needed.
EYEGLASSES: Church Women United collects eyeglasses and donates them to the Lions Club.
So bring in your old glasses for recycling to someone less fortunate.
HYGIENE ITEMS: Please only new items: small soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, small combs,
hand lotion, shampoo. (Those hotel-size hygiene products are perfect!) Place in the basket on the
collection shelf for these items to be donated to PADS.
Continue to bring in 2016 calendars! Thank you all who have brought in so many calendars.
They will be put to good use.
Other items Church Women United collect are note pads, lap robes, non-skid slippers, socks
and greeting cards (new) - Christmas, Juvenile Christmas, and all occasion cards.
Thank you to all who participate!
PURCHASE FAIR TRADE COFFEE & TEA
A sign-up sheet is on the Outreach kiosk to order coffee and tea.
Questions? Talk to Renate Kowalewski 847-359-4751.
A REMINDER...fairly traded coffee and tea proceeds benefit the UCC’s
“Holy Joe” coffee program for the military and our own Deacons’ Fund.
Donations of Keurig coffee or tea for the Garden Room are always
welcome.
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The calendar is a living thing … always evolving. Check here for the most recent version:
http://www.mychurchevents.com/calendar/calendar.aspx?list_by=calendar_month&begin_date=6/1/2
016%2012:00:00%20AM&ci=L6F0M7O9O9J4O9L6I3&igd=
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Congregational United Church of Christ
1001 West Kirchoff Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005-2420
Phone 847-392-6650
Website: www.CongUCC.org
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/conguccah
Sunday Worship at 10:30 am all year
 Infant and toddler child care is offered in the Nursery (first floor)
 Church School for children (downstairs) (Sept-May)
 Reflections for Youth (in the Garden Room, first floor) (Sept-May)
On Communion Sundays, Children & Youth in church
CUCC Staff & Leadership
Rev. Greg Skiba, Interim Pastor
[email protected]
Norreen Klemens, Organist/ Director
of Choir Chimes
[email protected]
Megan Murray, Choir Director
[email protected]
Nancy Pardo, Church Secretary/
Bookkeeper
[email protected]
Jim Schiavone, Moderator
Bob Carpenter, Co-Moderator
Craig Brooks, Treasurer
Linda Janus, Financial Secretary
Ron Hulka, Asst. Financial Secretary
Sandy Hake, Clerk
Joyce Keys & JoAnn Rapp, Delegates
to CMA and Illinois conference
OPEN AND AFFIRMING STATEMENT ADOPTED
JUNE 10, 2007
The Congregational United Church of Christ in
Arlington Heights, IL, in accordance with our shared
value of inclusiveness, declares itself open and
affirming. We welcome and accept into the full life
and ministry of our church people of all sexual
orientations and gender identities. We maintain that
every person has sacred worth as a unique creation
made in the image of God. We believe that human
sexuality is a gift from God.
We reach out to those who are disenfranchised
from the religious community, and we seek
growth and understanding as we continue
toward inclusiveness.
Deacons:
Laura Janus & Pat Harris,
Spiritual Growth
Bruce Johnson, Music/
Worship/ Spiritual Space
Eric Ward, Stewardship/
Nominating
Whitney Waters, Evangelism
Bill Robinson, Mission Support
Ralph Eidle, Building&Grounds
Cindy & Jeff Pattee, Hospitality
Rev. Connie Stewart, Care
Visit our labyrinth
located in the grass behind the church
on the east side of the parking lot.
There are benches for rest and
reflection. All are welcome.
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