CROSSROADS - Country Evangelical Covenant Church

COUNTRY EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
C ROSSROADS
Ne ws le tte r J a nu a r y 2 013
43W510 McDonald Rd., Campton Hills IL 60124
A Prayer for the New Year
Almighty God, we lift our hearts to you in
praise and thanksgiving.
Out of love you created the heavens and the
earth, and breathed life into this world.
Inspire us to treasure this gift in all our
relationships:
with you, with each other and with all creation.
Out of love you gave us your Son, our Savior
Jesus Christ, as Light for our world.
Ignite in us the passion of disciples and the
courage to strive for justice and peace among
the rich diversity of race and culture.
Often we have strayed from you.
In your mercy, grant us forgiveness.
By your power, strengthen us to do your will.
Out of love you sent us the Spirit, your own
first gift for those who believe.
Instill in us a right spirit, that we might bear
your light and love.
Gracious God,
as this new year dawns, enkindle the fire of
love in this and every place.
Fill us with hope, wisdom, joy and peace, that
we may be faithful unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
The Ecumenical Millennium Prayer above was written as
a joint collaboration by representatives from more than
15 local Christian denominations. The prayer was initially
used in church services on New Year’s Eve 1999.
(Submitted by: John Volkening)
e-Crossroads
JANUARY CALENDAR
Jan 1
Jan 5
Jan 6
Jan 13
Jan 17
Jan 19
Jan 20
Jan 27
Happy New Year
Men’s breakfast at Rose Garden
Sunday Worship; Food Pantry Collection;
Baby Shower
Sunday Worship;
Service at Rosewood Care Center, 2 pm
Council Meeting – all are welcome.
Men’s Prayer Breakfast
Sunday Worship;
Women Ministry Planning Meeting
Sunday Worship; Annual Potluck Meeting
Weekly Calendar
Wed, 6:30 pm
Sun
9:30 pm
10:30 pm
1:00 pm
Bible Study with Bonnie Siems
Christian Formation*
Worship Service /
Children’s Sunday School
Bible Study with Cyndi Voss
*Christian Formation is the time we pray and read scripture
downstairs in the fellowship hall. All you need is your Bible
and the bulletin. All are welcome.
INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER
From Pastor’s Desk
Church News
Men’s Fellowship
Women’s Ministry
Properties & Stewardship
Financial Update
From the Editor
Music to my ears
Kid’s corner
Church Family News
Forum
Recipe
Evangelical Covenant News
2
3
4
4
4
5
6
7
7
Please sign up for e-Crossroads to receive them on
time through your email. Sign-up sheet is in the
narthex. Or, just email to [email protected].
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The newsletter is also posted on our church website. February 2013 newsletter will be issued on Jan 26 , Sunday. Please submit
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your news, articles, recipes, jokes, quotes, letters, etc. on or before Jan 22 , Tuesday to [email protected] or drop it into the
envelope located outside the sanctuary entrance wall to the left.
Page 2
January 2013
From Pastor’s Desk
By Pastor Paul Couleur, Jan 3rd
Something New…..
Yeah, a New Year!!! Advent marks the beginning of
the Christian year, and January 1 marks the start
of a new calendar year. When you think of
something new what comes to mind? New might
mean a surprise, a change, an improvement, a
challenge, a gift, something fresh like the new
day!!! Something new…Here are some definitions
of NEW: Something recently created, something
that hasn’t been used already, or something
recently introduced or discovered, previously
unfamiliar; changed, especially for the better..
would you like to say to God?” (ECC Covenant
Curriculum)
As this New Year happens upon us, let us open
ourselves to loving God, and loving neighbor.
Perhaps in some ways when we hear the invitation
to follow God, we have withheld ourselves in some
way, out of caution or fear. While the Magi faced
Herod and the threats of the day, they still follow
God with great vigor and conviction. Let us offer
ourselves a fresh this day, and follow after the
truth the way and the light, so that like the Magi,
we may come and worship our King.
Welcoming a New Year could mean unexpected
gifts of change, it could mean adventure, it could
me trials and challenges, new babies have arrived,
it could mean….that God reveals himself afresh. In
Matthew chapter 2:1-12, there are these men,
Magi, that live in a distant land and yet they knew
scripture. They knew that in Daniel it was
prophesied that a Messiah was coming to
Bethlehem.(Micha) So, they knew something
special was happening when they saw the special
and unique star appear in the night sky. We don’t
know how many traveled to see Jesus, but we
know they brought 3 important gifts for Jesus and
his family. It’s because of these gifts that tradition
tells us there were three visitors. We also know
that they didn’t arrive in Bethlehem the night
Jesus was born. It was more like a year to 18
months after he was born. The family was living in
a house and it’s possible that Joseph was working
as a carpenter in Bethlehem.
In closing I have offered for your reading and
reflection a piece by Joyce Rupp..
They saw something new was taking place,
something that would be opening their eyes to
knowing God and to encounter the living God, that
was to come among them. They took up their gifts
and follow the star right to the dwelling place of
God. Bowing before God they offered not only
material gifts but a posture of praise to this
precious gift from God.
A new year stands on my doorstep.
With fragile caution I move to open the door for its
entrance.
My heart leaps with surprise, joy jumps in my eyes,
for there beside this brand-new year stands my God
with outstretched hand!
He smiles and gently asks of me:
can we walk this year together?
Today we are invited to ask some questions of
ourselves. “What is your response, God has given
you himself. He came as a child then showed us
how to love, died for our sin, and rose from the
dead – offering us eternal life. Is there anything in
the bible story that shows us how we should accept
God's love for us and others? How do you feel about
God? How would you like to respond to God? What
Welcoming a New Year
By.. Joyce Rupp
A new year stands on my doorstep ready to enter
my life’s journey.
Something in me welcomes this visitor:
the hope of bountiful blessings
the joy of a new beginning
the freshness of unclaimed surprises
Something in me rebuffs this visitor:
the swiftness of the coming
the boldness of the entrance
the challenge of a year’s good-bye
Something in me fears this visitor:
the unnamed events of future days
the wisdom needed to walk love well
the demands of giving away and growing
And I, so overwhelmed with goodness,
can barely whisper my reply:
Welcome in!
Grace and Peace
Paul Couleur
Page 3
January 2013
Church News
Men’s Fellowship
All men are welcome! Last month 8 men
attended at Rose Garden. Also, all men are
Women’s Ministry

We have started our secret sisters
program. Thanks to Jeanette Dieckman
to organize this program.

Join us on Jan 6th at church fellowship
hall after worship service to celebrate
Katie Irmen’s new baby girl coming. Her
wish list is registered at Buy-Buy-Baby
and Target.
Save your date: Jan 20th after worship
service. It is our 2013 planning meeting
at church fellowship hall. Please come
to help us to plan for all events for the
new year. Light lunch will be provided.
Our new 2013 co-chairs are Cyndi Voss
and Pam Altepeter.
invited to meet on Jan 19th at church for Pancake
breakfast, all-you-can eat for only $5 and have
Bible Study and fellowship. Last month 12 men
attended, we have plenty of space for you.
Don’t miss the annual Covenant Point Men’s
Retreat on March 1-3. If you register before

Feb 1st, you will get discount price. Please
contact Mark Beckstrom for details.
Annual Meeting
Save your date: Jan 27th. All are invited to our
potluck lunch after worship at church fellowship
hall. Our annual meeting follows after lunch. We
will vote for new council members.
Centro De Información
We are collecting anything used to make
spaghetti on Jan 6th.

Weekly Bible Study
Wednesday 6:30 pm at church
Sunday study! “Lord Teach me to pray” starts
after worship at church. Cyndi Voss leads the
study. Books are available.
We collected 43 cans of tuna and canned chili. In
December, 6 of our members were involved. We
helped sort Christmas presents, plus 7 trips into
their office packing food activities.
Properties and Stewardship
Good Ole Boys
s
They play every 2nd Sunday at 2 pm at Rosewood
Care Center. You are very welcome to join to enjoy
their music while worshipping God.
Steve Irmen will take the council position of
Properties and Stewardship as Mary Ebert moves
to Church Chair. Please contact Steve you
would like to join his team.
Fire extinguishers were inspected for 2013, one
had to be replaced at the cost of $48. If you
would like to help, mark your check “Fire
Extinguisher”. Thanks! Do you know where the 4
extinguishers are in case of emergency? All are
Financial Update
Nov:
Receipts
Expenses
Difference
Charitable
giving
Year to date:
$9,525.00
Receipts
$102,578.99
$8,104.34
Expenses $104,706.03
+$1,420.66
Difference
-$2,127.04
Charitable
$589.83
giving
$5,047.53
bright red and ready! They are in the Narthex by
2002 – It was a good year! We started the fence sign,
the glass doors, in the basement at the bottom
installed AC in the church, enlarged entry, purchased
of the steps, in the kitchen on the left as you
1.5 acres of land next to church and an overhead
enter, and Sunday school room south wall by
projector, sealed and coated our parking lot, and
exit door. Hope you will not need to use them!
purchased a vacuum cleaner. (From Lynn Landmeier)
Page 4
Music to my ears
By Cyndi Voss
So long 2012, Hello 2013! I am excited for
a New Year. I am not going to make any
resolutions. I do not want a list of what I
resolve to change in my life staring at me
every day, seeing every shortcoming in
that list is not a great motivator for me.
The pressure has always been a bit too
much. I have many areas in my life that
need changing, but all too often I am
overwhelmed with where to begin and how
to properly go about it for it to work
correctly and come out right.
Not this year, this year will be different.
Instead of concentrating on what I do not
want in my life, I am going to focus on
what I do want in my life. I want more of
God and everything he has to offer.
Scripture will be a great place to begin,
with daily doses of praising God.
This year, let each of us look upon one
another with tender hearts and kind words
of encouragement. Let us choose our words
carefully and be considerate of things we
know nothing about. Let us become the
church that puts scripture into practice.
Let us be doers of the word and not just
hearers only. Let us be about God’s
business and not our own agendas. Let us
look to God first in all things and lean on
him to direct our paths. We Love Him
because He First Loved Us. I pray each one
of us will sense the pulling and tugging of
God this year. That we will truly seek him
out, searching for him as we would a lost
treasure.
Blessings,
Cyndi Voss
“As you grew older, you will discover that you have
two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for
helping others.”
Submitted by Lynn Landmeier
January 2013
Kid’s Corner
s
By Kylie Hosick
I never thought church would be so fun.
Being older it’s hard to fit in, but everyone
was very welcoming. Signing up for
confirmation classes was a little scary.
When I first began, it was hard. Emmy,
Lexi, and Cody were very supportive and
have helped me. I have had fun doing both Feed my Starving Children, and the Walk
for Hunger, and look forward to doing
more. I have learned a lot, and look
forward to continuing my spiritual journey.
From the Editor
By Lai Ching Fulton
Happy New Year! I hope you like the slightly
new look of the 2013 newsletter. Each column
has a new icon. A weekly calendar is added on
the front page to help you remember the
recurring weekly activities. Some columns are
going away like monthly prayer list. I am
suggesting you keep the Sunday bulletin to pray
for the people who are really in need. Your
feedback is valuable to me, so don’t hesitate to
express your ideas.
Next month will be one year since I started as the
editor. Thank you for your support, especially to
those who do not turn me down on requesting
articles. I never expected this to be my ministry,
but God always surprise me how I can serve
Him. This New Year I hope the new printer will
come soon to save the printing time and cost.
Once again, thank you to sign up for
eCrossRoads especially now we are waiting for
the new printer. If you are interested to help
printing or learn how I put the pieces together,
let me know! Teamwork is always great! That’s
why God created Eve after Adam.
Page 5
Church Family News
January 2013
Letter from John Volkening
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the Magi are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The Work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among all people,
To make music in the heart.
By The Reverend Doctor Howard Thurman, Dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University
(adapted)
We are not alone, we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the word made flesh, to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence,
to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist all evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
The family of Henry Volkening: John, JohnMichael; Jim, Christy and family; and Susan wish to express
our deep gratitude to Pastor Paul and the congregation for your support, compassion, care, love and
many acts of kindness during our time of loss. You are indeed a community of faith and love!
January Birthdays:
4 – Linda Palm
7 – Paul Couleur
9 – Lori Schultz
10 – Tim Bergman
11 – Elmina Richardson
13 – Jeanette Dieckman
15 – Faith Bartlett
17 – Nona Turner
20 – Ellen Stuffle
21 – Bonnie Siems
22 – Paul Rebeck
25 – Verna Homewood
27 – Larry Dieckman
January Anniversaries:
6 – Lynn & Betty Landmeier
20 – Frank & Janet Hartmann
28 – Ron & Bonnie Siems
The last fight was my fault, though. My wife asked
“What’s on the TV?” I said, “Dust!”
Submitted by Lynn Landmeier
Page 6
January 2013
The Bible
By Gus Nendze
In Genesis: The creation of Heaven and Earth.
In Revelation: The new heaven and earth are described.
In Genesis: God said let there be light.
In Revelation: Jesus is the light of the new heaven.
In Genesis: Sin is born.
In Revelation: Sin is destroyed.
In Genesis: Satan makes his entrance.
In Revelation: Satan makes his exit.
In Genesis: Death comes to humankind.
In Revelation: Death dies.
In Revelation as in the Bible Jesus is the theme. He brings the message of the scarlet thread (His blood
for our salvation).

God created you.

God loves you.

God sent Jesus to die for you.

God is going to send Jesus again to bring you back to him.
Forum
Feedback: “How we should pray”
I totally agree that prayer is the secret ingredient of a Christian’s life but may not lead to a successful life.
It is because each person defines their success differently. But, I will say definitely prayer will lead to a
peaceful life. – by Lai Ching Fulton
Submitted By Nancy Allen
Chicken Salad
I box Bows Macaroni or elbow if you like---cooked and drained
2 cooked chicken breast cut up or any leftover chicken
Also canned chicken will work, 1-2 cans
Salad dressing and a little Miracle Whip 1/4 cup
Salt, pepper, celery salt, and dill weed
Chopped onion
Mix together with Mayo to your liking
Dill weed is the ingredient that gives it a special flavor so use and taste test
Green or red grapes cut in half.
Page 7
Evangelical Covenant Church News
January 2013
By Stan Friedman
Artist Pledges CD Profits to Aid Covenant Kids Congo
GRANITE BAY, CA (December 7, 2012) – Lincoln Brewster, one of the most well-known worship artists,
is donating all profits from his new Christmas CD, Joy to the World, and the accompanying concert tour to
Covenant Kids Congo Powered by World Vision.
So far, he has raised more than $35,000. One hundred children were sponsored at a recent concert. The
album currently is No. 5 on the Billboard holiday charts.
Joy to the World also debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Holiday Music – Top Albums chart. Among others in
the Top 10 were Blake Shelton, Michael Bublé, Taylor Swift and the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
Click here to purchase the album and in so doing, support the Covenant Kids Congo initiative.
Brewster said he decided to make the Christmas album and donate the profits after he and his wife prayed
earlier this year about what his next project should be. He chose Covenant Kids Congo because of the great
need in that country, which is rated among the poorest in the world.
“It’s a place that’s in super bad shape, and there are a lot of children there who die of things that are simple
– like malaria – because they don’t have a $6 dollar malaria net for the mosquitoes that bite at night,” he
said in a recent interview with Worship Leader! magazine. “These people don’t name their children until
they’re at least two years old (because of the death rate).”
Brewster, who serves as worship arts leader at Bayside Church of Granite Bay, was among those attending
the Evangelical Covenant Church Annual Meeting in June when church leaders pledged $1 million to
support the project.
Bayside helped initiate Covenant Kids Congo, a historic undertaking by a partnership including the
Covenant, World Vision U.S., World Vision Congo, and the Congo Covenant Church (CEUM). The goal is
to raise and channel millions of dollars of support in Gemena, Democratic Republic of Congo. The funding
will enable a holistic ministry that will include initiatives focused on water, health and hygiene, food and
agriculture, education and literacy, and economic development.
An awe-inspiring guitarist, Brewster brings his rock approach to classic holiday songs as well as original
compositions. Among the highlights is “Miraculum,” a three-movement instrumental incorporating “Carol
Of The Bells,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “We Three Kings,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and
“O Holy Night.”
One reviewer opined, “Now, I enjoy Christmas music – in the season. But, when I heard Lincoln Brewster’s
new album Joy to the World, I quickly realized that it wasn’t just during the month of December that I’d be
listening to it . . . this album will probably have a permanent spot in my iPod’s “Recently Played” playlist!”
Country Evangelical
Covenant Church
A place to Believe
43W510 McDonald Rd.
Campton Hills, Il 60124
In Jesus,
to Belong
Phone:
847.464.5381
to a caring Christian Family,
and to Become
Fax:
847.464.5355
all that God intends us to be
E-Mail:
[email protected]
Editor email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.countrycov.org
Visit us at Facebook:
www.facebook.com/countrycov
Country Evangelical Covenant Church
43W510 McDonald Rd.
Campton Hills, IL 60124
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