June 29, 2008 Volume 40, Issue 13A Publication of The Union Church of Hinsdale, U.C.C.

I hope you’re reading this outdoors. If not, take a minute and go outside. After all, it’s summer. Glorious summer! This is the time of the year when I feel fully alive. The delights of this season are overflowing. I’ve already had two “God” mo-ments, and I haven’t even been on vacation. A few nights ago, on the way home from a trip to Starved Rock State Park, I watched the sun set in a stunning palette of orchid, lavender, azure and coral. I shouted out loud, “Wow! Wow! Yes! How amazing!” That’s what I call a spon-taneous doxology – words of praise that rise up to God without effort.

It happened again when I went swimming just after dawn today at the Hinsdale Pool. As I gazed at the water, churning with swimmer’s arms slicing through the surface, the morning sun laced itself through a cloud of steam rising up from the warmth of the bodies and the pool. I prayed a Navajo prayer, “I am re-stored in beauty. I am restored in beauty.”

John Lionberger, in 1995, was a dedicated agnostic who had spent a long career in business when he

went into the wilderness for an adven-ture and came out knowing he had been profoundly touched by God. “Religious people would say I was transformed,” John says. “I’d say I was ambushed, in the best possible meaning of that word.”

His moment of conversion led to a spiri-tual journey into Christian faith, and John now leads a ministry called “Re-newal in the Wilderness.” He lives with his wife Jane in Evanston and spends many of his days in ministry as a chap-lain. But a good deal of his time is also devoted to leading people of all ages on wilderness treks so that they can find spiritual renewal.

In his book, John describes why he loves this work. “Over and over again, I’ve witnessed the power of the wilderness to affect the lives of people willing to relinquish some creature comforts and (frequently) their Type A behavior, and go to a wild place in the hope of encoun-tering God. Whether Jewish or Christian or Buddhist or agnostic of whatever, people have remarkably similar experi-ences: They become more as a child, seeing everything as charged with won-der and excitement.”

Why has God called him to this min-istry? John says, “The bottom line is this: If we want to be with the God who created us, rather than the God we create, we need to be in a place that reminds us of who God is, of who we are (and also of who we are not), and how much we need each other.”

You’ll have the chance to meet John Lionberger at 11:15 a.m. on Sun-day, July 27, when he will be our Union Forum speaker in Rowell Hall. You can also visit his website: www.renewalinthewilderness.com, register for one of his trips (I’m go-ing canoeing in the Boundary Wa-ters in September) or order his book. Whether this summer takes you to Alaska or just Fullersburg Woods, I pray you will listen to Jesus’ words: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31) I believe you’ll find God there.

In Christian love, Julie Ruth Harley

Messagefrom theMinistry

Team

“Renewal in the Wilderness”

The Union ChUrCh of hinsdale137 South Garfield AvenueHinsdale, IL 60521-4298

www.UCHinsdale.org(630) 323.4303 (Telephone)

(630) 323.4407 (Fax)

oUr sTaff

Senior Minister:Rev. Verlee A. CopelandMinister for Christian

Formation and Mission:Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer

Minister for Membership and Discipleship:

Rev. Dr. Julie Ruth HarleyDirector of Youth Ministries:

David KnechtDirector of Youth Formation

and Families:Jeremy Hylen

Director of Music Ministries:Michael Surratt

Director of EarlyChildhood Programs:

Jennifer KeldahlDirector of Children’sChristian Education:

Penny JohnsonExecutive Manager:

Merrilee HallFinancial Manager:

Chris BiankProject Manager:

Joel GratcykSystems Manager:

Mary BockBuildings and Grounds:

Jim Vojtek

Worship serviCes

Journey WorshipSaturdays at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Worship8:00, 9:00 and 10:00 a.m.

Jesus And Me (JAM)2nd Sundays at 11:15 a.m.

Prayer and Healing Service3rd Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

ChUrCh offiCe hoUrs

Monday through Friday8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sundays8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Invitation to Faith: Transformative Worship

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Summer Preaching ThemesOur sermons this summer will be based on 12 principles of progressive Chris-tian faith from a book titled “The Phoenix Affirmations: A New Vision for the Future of Christianity,” by the Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes.

June 29 – “What’s in Your ??? Wallet?” John Biegert preaching.July 6 – “The Spirit of 1776,” John Biegert preaching.July 13 – “Don’t Just Do Something; Sit There,” Julie Ruth Harley preaching.July 20 – “What Are You Growng?” Tim Rhodes, CEO of Lifelink preaching

In Memoriam:We celebrate the life of Emily Al-guire, our longtime member who died at the Chateau in Burr Ridge on June 9. Rev. Thom Parrott-Sheffer presid-ed at her funeral on June 13.

We give thanks for the life of for-mer member Lucille Rapp, wife of the late Walter Rapp, who died on June 14 in Nashua, New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Rapp were active at Union Church in the 1970s and 80s and lived in Darien until 1990. Her daughter Leslie shared that services will be held later in the summer on Cape Cod.

We celebrate the life of Nelle Meints, 97, former member of Union Church, who died May 25. Her memorial ser-vice will be held July 5 at Kendal at Oberlin in Ohio.

Lay Reader / Liturgist Training

Are you signed up to read scripture at worship? Are you a regular worship leader at J.A.M. or Journey? Would you like to participate in the liturgy at Union Church? Then we have an op-portunity for you!!!! Join us on Satur-day, July 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the Youth Room for Reader and Worship Leadership Training. If you have any desire or willingness to be scripture reader or worship leader this is a must event for you. Join us and find your voice!

- Rev. Thom Parrott-Sheffer

Union Church on Channel 19:

Look for a broadcast of our services every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. on the Comcast Cable station. We are grateful to Steve Schwarzbauer who tapes the services, edits them, and submits them to Comcast.

Camera Lovers Needed: Would you like to help videotape our worship services for Comcast Cable? We are recruiting a new group of volunteers who can complete the Comcast train-ing, which lasts about one month, and assist Steve Schwarzbauer in taping and editing our services for broadcast. All equipment will be provided; we simply need your time and talent in order to share the good news! Please contact Julie Ruth Harley before July 15 if you are interested.

Union Church BlogClick on the Blog link (or go to http://www.uchinsdale.org/blog/) and check out a new column written each week by Verlee Copeland, Julie Ruth Har-ley, Jeremy Hylen, Penny Johnson, David Knecht, Thom Parrott-Sheffer or Michael Surratt.

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Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation for Adults

Sundays from 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. in Rowell Hall

June 29 – “Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose and Pas-sion after 50,” led by Rev. Julie Ruth Harley. David Corbett’s book by this title claims we should banish the word “retirement” and simply de-velop a portfolio of interests and in-volvements that change throughout our lives.

July 6 - “The Lord’s Prayer,” led by Larry Hebert. Can the prayer of Jesus speak to people living in this post-modern age? Church member Larry Hebert will lead this Forum, taking a new look at a very old prayer. He will bring copies of “God Be with You: How to Make God’s Presence More Real in Your Life,” by Dr. Jef-frey Pulling for participants.

July 13 - “Bringing Faith to Public Life,” Dr. Douglas Sharp from Prot-estants for the Common Good, on the new Academy for the Common Good. Dr. Sharp will highlight a new 10-week course to be offered Aug. 8-Oct. 31 at the Cornerstone Center in Chicago for those who would like to take a leadership role in social justice issues, such as economic justice, pub-lic education, health care, and crimi-nal justice.

Ordained in the American Baptist Churches USA in 1975, Doug served over thirty years as a theological edu-cator and administrator. His teaching integrates the disciplines of theol-ogy and the social sciences. He is the author of No Partiality: The Idola-try of Race and the New Humanity (InterVarsity Press, 2002). Douglas received his M.Div. from the Ameri-can Baptist Seminary of the West in 1975, and his Ph.D. from the Gradu-ate Theological Union in 1988. Com-munity Baptist Church in Warrenville is his home church.

The Union Forum

The Academy For The Common GoodAugust 8 - October 31, 2008

“Bringing Faith to Public Life”The Academy invites adults age 50 and above to participate in its Fall Program. Sessions take place on several Fridays between August 8 and October 31 from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., with an hour for lunch and conversation with fellow participants and instructors.

All the sessions meet at the following location:The Cornerstone Center, Room 1001111 N. WellsChicago, IL 60610Registration fee: $250 — Full scholarships are available.

For further information or to apply to enroll, contact:Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer – Union Church of Hinsdale(630) 323.4303 ext. 6693 tparrott-sheffer@uchinsdale.org

Plan to attend the Union Forum on July 13 to hear more about this opportunity from the Dean of the Academy, Dr. Doug Sharp.

The Academy for the Common GoodInstructional Faculty includes:

Walter Boyd, Dr. Charles Cosgrove, Todd Dietterle, Laura Dean Friedrich, Rev. Dr. Franklin Gamwell, Rev. Dr. Larry Greenfield, Margaret O’Dell, Rev. Dr. Thom Parrott-Sheffer, Rev. Jeffrey Phillips, Rev. Alexander Sharp, Rev. Dr. Douglas Sharp, Rev. Dr. Geneace Williams

Summer Reading Group: “Take This Bread”

Join Rev. Harley for a drop-in book discussion group from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, in the Lounge. You don’t need to read the book in advance, but it helps. We will review “Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion,” by Sara Miles. The August 5th summer book review will feature “Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation,” by Eboo Patel, executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core in Chicago.

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Invitation to Faith: Expanding Mission and Social Justice

Faith in ActionWe are collecting School Supplies for the children of Erie House in Chicago, through-out the summer.

Backpacks, Calculators, Pens, Loose Leaf Paper, Pencils, Markers, Notebooks, Colored Pencils, Binders, Glue Sticks, Erasers, and Protractors.

All supplies need to be donated by August 24, 2008 – and can be dropped off at Pastor Thom’s office. They will be delivered to Erie House by August 26, 2006. Join in the fellowship and service.

African Mission TestimonyConnie & John Riemer

Nelson Mandela is quoted as saying, “Each time one of us touches the soil of this land, we feel a sense of personal renewal.” Our Africa Mis-sion Team surely did touch the soil of Soweto, in a very literal sense. We washed, scraped, [painted, sawed, worked with and prepared food for the after school programs – and lifted ourselves to personal renewal.

Our time at the Bridgman Centre was spent doing whatever needed to be done. We came to serve, and serve we did. Many of us served in ways we never thought we were capable of, or inclined to do, in Hinsdale. We were renewed and invigorated by the very spirit of willingness that all our team brought with them. Watching our work improve the appearance of the Centre brought great satisfaction. The new kitchen facilities were a major improvement for the staff and children they serve. We learned to work with each other, sometimes with less than ideal tools.

We shared tools, paint, cleaning supplies and friendship. We worked with local carpenters and experienced yet another connection with the Soweto community. The newly painted roofs were a signal to the community that Bridgman Centre was ready and able to serve their religious and personal needs.

John and his various assistants, mostly Penny, vainly attempted to cut ceiling molding without a miter box. Replacing rain gutters on the various buildings kept them occupied, as well. A cherished memory for Connie was singing and clap-ping endless verses of “Miss Mary Mac” with the after school children. The wonderful smiles and happy laughter of the children made everything worthwhile.

This was our second trip to Africa, but our first mission work tour. Out trip made us want to return to “Mother Africa”. The ancient dust of Africa had surely found a resting place in our souls. Isaiah 6:8 says, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘Here am I, send me.’” Sometimes we can hear the voice of adventure, God’s adventure, calling and we must respond.

Each of the mission team members provided devotions (morning and evening) through-out the trip. John and I chose to build our devotion time around the hymn, “Here I Am, Lord”, which draws its inspiration from the passage in Isaiah. The closing phrases are, “I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.” We truly came to hold the people of the Bridgman Centre in our hearts. We can only hope and pray that we have made a difference for the better in their lives. We know for certain that they have made a difference in ours.

Invitation to Faith: Expanding Mission and Social Justice

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Donations Needed for Pillar’s Domestic Violence Shelter

The Christian Mission Ministry wants to help Pillars do a make-over of the living room and waiting room at its domestic violence shelter, the Constance Morris House. Currently, blankets cover the windows and the furniture is inadequate. The Mission is looking for gently used or new vinyl or leather sofas and chairs, a TV cabinet (with clos-ing doors), lamps, shelving, window treatments/blinds, a small table, and paint. A date will be determined when 3-4 volunteers will be needed to paint the rooms. If you can help with either a donation of the needed items or would like to be part of the work crew, please contact Karen Lutz at (630) 325.2508 or kwlutz@hotmail.com. This project will make things a little brighter for every woman and child served by the Constance Morris House throughout the year.

New Guatemala Adult Mission TripAdult Mission Trip Being Planned to Guatemala

Habitat for Humanity, International

Plans are being made for a return to the beautiful and need-filled country of Guatemala. An Adult Mission Trip is be-ing planned for January 17-24, 2009. Applications and in-formation are available from Pastor Thom. Plan to join us for this life changing event!

Lifelink: Faith Creating Caring CommunitiesFor more than a century, Lifelink has been assisting people of all generations to build and maintain individual well-being and community life by providing services that promote spiritual, physical, social and emotional health. During this time, Lifelink has provided quality, compassionate, comprehensive and ethical services to thousands of older adults, children and families. We will hear from CEO Tim Rhoes on July 20, when he is our guest preacher.

Lifelink's history began in 1895 when pastors of 13 churches of predecessor denominations of the United Church of Christ saw the need for a faith-based home with the mission of caring for elderly and children. Formerly known as Bensenville Home Society, Lifelink provides a variety of programs in Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Florida and Il-linois including:

• Head Start and Early Head Start Preschool • Both domestic and international adoption • Foster care and counseling • Residential foster care and services for parenting teens, homeless and runaway youth • Latino family services

Additionally, Lifelink's Hoyleton Youth and Family services program in southern Illinois, which provides specialized programs for teenagers with severe developmental disabilities, remains an important extension of the Lifelink family of services. Union Church has been a faithful partner of Lifelink for many years, through representation on their Board of Directors, Christian Mission Ministry support and Union staff and volunteer liaison. Volunteer opportunities abound at Lifelink. Visit their website at www.lifelink.org to learn more about this remarkable organization.

Fourth of July Breakfast$4.00 per person

9:00 a.m. in the circle drive

Bring your chairs and join in the festivities on the Fourth of July. The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. Breakfast will be served beginning at 9:00 a.m. Sponsored by the Parish Life Ministry.

Volunteers Needed for Good News Community Soup Kitchen

The Christian Mission Ministry has long supported the ef-forts of the Good News Community Soup Kitchen located in the Rogers Park area of Chicago. The Kitchen is open every day of the year serving dinners to about 120 persons each night. It has partnerships with more than 30 orga-nizations that provide volunteers and food for the meals. Union Church is one of those partners, providing the food and volunteer help on the fourth Sunday of each month. Volunteers are needed for the following Sunday dates: July 27, August 24, September 28, and December 28. A list of food needed (ham, milk, fruit, etc.) is given to the volun-teers who purchase it, deliver it to the Kitchen and help serve if needed. The volunteers can pay for the food or they will be reimbursed by the Mission budget. The total time needed is from 3 pm to 8 pm. If you are interested in volunteering for this meaningful activity, please contact Brad Graveline at (630) 323.7266 or bgraveline@winston.com.

• Affordable housing for low-income seniors and physically challenged adults (Twenty facilities serve Chicago and suburban areas of Cook and DuPage Counties.)• Home care and Alzheimer’s at home services• Housing management services

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Invitation to Faith: Christian Formation for Youth

Go to http://youth.uchinsdale.org for summer calendar info about Middle School (TNT) and High School (Discovery) events!

ALSO, check the blog for Daily Photos: http://UCHinsdale.org/youthcmsblog

Why I Want To Be Confirmed

Every year Pastor Thom and I have the privilege to shepherd our 8th graders through our Confir-mation program. It is as much a transformative experience for me, as I always hope it is for our students. And, every year we are amazed by the depth of thought, contemplation, emotion and spirit that is put into “final projects” which chal-lenge our kids to put into words, image, lyric, text or other medium, just what the journey through confirmation has meant to them. It is a chance for them to share part of their spiritual journey, using the gifts with which God has blessed them, and then proclaim is as their own. This year was no exception, and there are several examples that I’d like to share with the congregation. Over the next few months, I hope to enlighten you with some of the different expressions of our 8th graders’ journey. For now, please enjoy the poetic expression of one of our Confirmands, Claire Walker. Claire wrote several poems which express her thoughts on Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. I want to share with all of you one of her poems, titled “Why I want to be Confirmed.” I think it’s a beautiful and thought provoking response. Thank you Claire, for your permission to reprint this.

Why I Want to Be Confirmed

People cover their heads, shave their heads People grow beards, get tattoos and scars

People wear jewelry; crosses, or other symbols People fast, people make pilgrimages

Symbols, ceremonies, aren't faithThey show faith, though, just like kindness and charity and prayer

Whether it is right, can be argued But humans feel more secure

Feel more satisfiedWhen their faith is declared, proclaimed

There for all to see

There is also an element of unity;So many people going through the same procedures

Like an entrance exam, or freshman who all have to live in dorms What could possibly be more comforting than being on the same page

When entering something new(It might not seem new at times, but all things are new in God)

Someday, looking back, I might feel like my faith was incomplete If I wasn't confirmed;

So I want to be confirmed,For my future self, for community's and unity's sake

And because I am only humanAnd need the satisfaction of seeing my faith proclaimed for all to see.

Sponsor-A-Youth (SAY) And Be a Part of Summer

Work Tour

Summer Work Tour 2008 is fast approaching. On July 11th we head for Swan Quarter, NC with 33 Youth and 7 Leaders. We’ll be hosted again by Youth-Works! doing house painting, Kid’s Club and working with families in the local community! We do this because we feel we have been called to “ be the Christ others will see – out in the world.”

Your SAY (Sponsor-A-Youth) sponsorship of $100 will pro-vide much needed financial help for our youth and leaders, but more importantly it will help you to build a relationship with our youth in a more personal way. It is our goal to have ev-ery one of the kids and leaders going on Summer Work Tour to be sponsored by a member of the congregation. Contact me at (630) 323.4303 ext. 6655 or dknecht@uchinsdale.org, or stop by the S.A.Y. Table in the Gathering Place for more info. Please fill out and send in a SAY Registration Card today.

Ryan Anderson with his Spring WT Sponsors, George and Alice

Bauder, and their son Bill.

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Invitation to Faith: Community Life

Dear Union Church

Family,I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love and support you have shown me during my semi-nary journey. So many peo-ple have been influential.

The first was Don Trask who, back in 1975, urged me to join Union Church so that I could serve on the Board of Christian Educa-tion. He affirmed that I had a leadership voice which, at the time, was unrecognized by both myself and others.

Next came Michael Surratt who introduced me to theological conversation as we drove many long miles with the Allegro Bell Choir and all three of our chil-dren. Mike’s deep theological beliefs have significantly affected me.

Following Mike came Hadley Pihl who nominated me to the CMA Church and Ministry committee. Through Hadley’s action I have met all kinds of wonder-ful clergy who over and over again urged me to go to seminary.

After Hadley was Verlee who, when I broached the idea of going to seminary part-time said, “You’re too old to dabble. Jump in feet first!” That was excel-lent advice.

Then came Julie Ruth who chairs my Union Church In-Care Support Group consisting of Maria Coyne, Nancy Ging, Kearney Kilens, and Bob Nienhouse. This group has been invaluable as they have confronted me, comforted me, and guided me through the tears and the angst of seminary.

Lastly, I want to thank all my church friends and the Union Church Women’s Association. Both financially and spiritually I have been supported and nur-tured by the women, and men I might add, of Union Church. I feel like I have at least a hundred church mothers who have been cheering me on and taking pride in my achievements.

Finally, I want to thank my family, especially my mother-in-law Evelyn who was ordained in 1976 and Paul. Without Paul’s patience and willingness to go down a whole new road with me I wouldn’t have graduated from seminary.

Thank you for the biblical Concordance that our clergy staff tells me I won’t be able to live without. I have yet to discern where this degree is leading me but be assured that I won’t keep it a secret when I find out.

With love and gratitude,

Beth Dickerson

Where do you see God?Summer Photo Project

In your travels this summer, next door or far from home, take some photos answering the question “Where do you see God?” and submit them to Rev. Thom Parrott-Sheffer in the church offices. Over the next several weeks a collection of these photos will be assembled and displayed in order to start a conversation among our church community. Below you can find a couple examples:

InsIde thIs Issue...2 3 4 5 6 7

TransformaTive Worship

ChrisTian formaTion for adulTs

expanding mission and soCial JusTiCe

expanding mission and soCial JusTiCe ChrisTian formaTion for YouTh

CommuniTY life

C a l e n d e r o f e v e n t sSunday, June 298:00, 9:00 & 10:00 a.m. Worship Services9:45 a.m. Sunday School, Nursery11:15 a.m. Union Forum1:00 p.m. Summer Work Tour Training #2

Monday, June 306:00 p.m. TNT Movie Night7:30 p.m. Tai Chi Ch'uan

Tuesday, July 17:00 p.m. Summer Reading Discussion Group

Wednesday, July 2 GOOD NEWS Submission Deadline for July 13 Issue7:00 a.m. Men's Breakfast Group11:00 a.m. TNT Water Park Trip

Thursday, July 36:00 p.m. DISCOVERY Fireworks Outing

Friday, July 49:00 a.m. 4th of July Breakfast Saturday, July 55:00 p.m. Journey Worship

Sunday, July 68:00 & 10:00 a.m. Worship Services9:45 a.m. Sunday School, Nursery11:15 a.m. Union Forum

Monday, July 79:00 a.m. Soup Making Ministry

Tuesday, July 8 8:00 a.m. DISCOVERY Great America Trip (Reservations Required)

Wednesday, July 96:00 p.m. Summer Work Tour Final Prep. Meeting #3

Thursday, July 107:30 p.m. CODA Friday, July 119:00 a.m. Summer Work Tour Departs

Saturday, July 128:00 a.m. Caring and Sharing5:00 p.m. Journey Worship

For our full events calendar please visit:http://uchinsdale.postman.com/