March Messenger - Millburn UCC Home

THE MESSENGER
March 2015
Millburn Congregational
United Church of Christ
Celebrating 175 years in the community
1840 - 2015
Church Staff
Pastor Jed Watson
pastor@millburnchurch.org
Monday – Thursday- 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday - Pastor’s study day
Friday - Day Off
Margo Paramski, Director of Christian Education
directorce@millburnchurch.org
Monday and Tuesday – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Laura Dragin, Office Coordinator
secretary@millburnchurch.org
Monday 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.,
Tues, Wed, Fri — 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.
Becky Fuller, Music Director
Beckyfuller03@gmail.com
Millburn Church Early Learning Center
Julie Zehner, Preschool Director
preschool@millburnchurch.org
Worship
8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care and Sunday School
at 10:00 a.m.
www.millburnchurch.org
T: 847-356-5237 F: 847-356-5669
Messenger Team
Editor/Publisher—Kris Franks
psychokittie53@hotmail.com
Collators:
Toots Bennett, Ron Bratzke,
Lynnette Bratzke, Barb Coon,
Donna Geiger, Ruth Young
Deadline for article submission is the
2nd Sunday of each month. Next
deadline is Sunday, March 8th.
Do you like this new look for the Messenger?
Please let the editor know your thoughts.
Email your articles, comments, kudos, etc.
to Kris Franks, Editor or to the Church
Office Coordinator. You can also drop off
your submissions at the church office.
1
Pastor Jed’s Message
Friends:
As I write we are about to enter the season of Lent. The liturgical color has
changed. We’re in the season of purple now, which invokes a sense of heaviness, or
gravity. Originally Lent was a time for confirmation students to endure some very
rigorous self-examination, repentance and spiritual renewal as they prepared for
their baptism vows on the Saturday before Easter. Today most Christians ignore it.
But for those few who take it seriously, Lent can be a very meaningful time, though
often, if done well, it can be a bit of a struggle. (Oh, that word - don't like that so
much.)
But it seems to me that we can never escape the reality that all of us do
things, and say things, and ignore things, allow things, encourage things, and foster
things that do harm to others, and ultimately to ourselves. Everybody knows what
these things are in their own case. Does this not need to be confronted? Don’t we
need a time like this season of Lent? Could we not all benefit from a little spiritual
reflection, not the sort that’s designed to prey ravenously on our sense of guilt, but
rather the kind that appeals to our consciences, that admonishes us to grow in righteousness, mature in character, and ultimately become stronger people? It’s possible
to avoid this, and many of us do, but to live a life of authentic Christian discipleship
we need to endure a bit of struggle as well as enjoy the peace.
So we begin the Lenten journey together. It’s a heavy season – the heaviest
of the year. It’s a time for reflection, and contemplation. It’s a time for honesty. It’s
a time for penitence. Certainly it’s an opportunity for renewal. I would invite you to
think of it that way. 6 weeks.
It definitely offers an opportunity to grow – a time to rise above the habitual
and conditioned ways of thinking and behaving and living, and to become the kind of
spiritual persons we can be, and that God calls us to be. Peace and comfort, these
are good things. But there’s something to be said for a little reflection, too.
Peace and Love,
Pastor Jed
2
argo’s Message
Our Youth will be hosting another Parents’ Night Out on March 14 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Sign-up on the
bulletin Board in Lauren Hall or outside the Preschool Room.
It’s that time again, Noisy Offering on March 29! Save your change and let’s make some noise! All
change collected goes to Mission Trip 2015.
Youth Club Schedule for March: We will be meeting on March 1 for our regular youth meeting. Our
next meeting will be March 15 which is our “mission” day. We will be helping with the P.A.D.S. meal.
Youth from 7th grade through Sr. High are welcome.
It’s that time of year again, we are preparing for VBS 2015! Don’t miss the fun as we enter The G-Force,
God’s Love in Action July 13-17! Registration and more information coming soon!
Don’t forget the Millburn Church Early Learning Center’s Preview Night Thursday March 5 from 5:307:00. We will also be celebrating Dr. Suess’ Birthday!
Meet our Council Members
Donna Zradicka- Administration Committee Chair
Donna has attended Millburn Church with her family for many (30+)
years. Husband, Jim, and kids (Anna, Scott) reside in Lindenhurst and often
help with the Food Pantry and other Mission projects. Donna leads the spring and
fall Thrift Sale fundraisers, and has served on the Pulled Pork Dinner and the Auction committees, and now, the 175th Anniversary Planning committee.
Donna left Advocate Condell Medical Center after 25 years in the Public Relations
& Marketing field. Donna enjoys relaxing at home with a fun craft project or cooking for the family.
3
March 2015
SUNDAY
MONDAY
12
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
4
5
6
7
6:30 Troop 87
6:15 Handbell Choir
7:00 Confirmation
7:15 Adult Choir
8:15 House Band
5:00 Soup Kitchen
5:30 Preschool
Preview
7:00 Adult Ed
5:00 Set-up
Button Show
9:00 Button Room
Show
10
11
6:30 Den 3 & 9
6:30 Troop 87
6:15 Handbell Choir
7:00 Church Council 7:00 Pack 87 Comm 7:15 Adult Choir
8:15 House Band
12
13
14
6:00 Parents Night
Out
16
8:30 Worship/Commun
6:30 BSA
10:00 Worship/Commun. Dens 1,2,5,&7
Sunday School
11:00 MYLO Soup & Salad
11:30 CLUB
8 Messenger Deadline
8:30 Worship
10:00 Worship/S. School
TUESDAY
3
9
5:30 Girl Scts #40994
7:00 Adult Ed
11:00 Coffee Hour
Daylight Savings Begins
15
8:30 Worship
10:00 Worship/S. School
11:00 Coffee Hour
11:30 Mission CLUB
17 St. Patrick's Day
6:00 4H
9:00 Messenger
7:00 Pack 87
Collating
7:00 CE Committee 1:00 Homemakers
6:30 Troop 87
18
6:15 Handbell Choir
7:00 Confirmation
7:15 Adult Choir
19
23
25
6:15 Handbell Choir
7:15 Adult Choir
26
20
7:00 Compassionate
Friends
21
1st day of
Spring
MYLO's 71st Anniv.
22
8:30 Worship
10:00 Worship/S. School
24
7:00 MYLO
27
28
5:30 Girl Scouts
#40990
7:00 Adult Ed.
11:00 Coffee Hour
29 Palm Sunday
Noisy Offering Sunday
8:30 Worship
9:15 Handbells
10:00 Worship/S. School
11:00 Coffee Hour
30
31
6:30 Troop 87 PLC
4
Chili Cook-Off Results
Congratulations goes to Tim
Overocker who won the 7th Annual Chili CookOff and trophy! It was another popular family
event and all the chefs who entered made it
possible. A big thank you to the Youth Group
for making the very popular grilled cheese
sandwiches and to Russ Slade and Mikkel
Storaasli for their assistance.
Another thank you goes to Vi Miller, Sue Watson and Russ Paramski for all their help in
setting and cleaning up, and to all the families
who stayed, tasted all eleven chili’s and cast
their vote. It was another very fun day in the
life of Millburn Church. My last thank you is
for Margo Paramski, my partner in this annual
family event. –Mary Lester
Discipleship Committee
The Discipleship committee is working
on some upcoming activities.
Pulled Pork Cookout Committee
We have changed the date to June
6th this year. That means we are
starting the planning process! We are
keeping the menu the same with the
exception of making homemade mac
and cheese instead of boxed. We've
spent time reviewing and tweaking
last year's event. We are very excited for this year’s BBQ! There will be
many volunteer opportunities again. If you'd like to
volunteer in advance, please
contact Sarah Storaasli:
storaaslis1313@gmail.com.
Spring Rummage Sale
Looking for Donations
Coffee Hour Hosts
Special thanks to all the Coffee Hour
Hosts who provided refreshments
during the month of February.
1st
MYLO
8th
Church Council
15th 175th Anniv. Planning Comm.
22nd None
Please consider signing up to be a
host(s). Groups and families are encouraged to host. Coffee, tea,
sugar, cream, plates and plastic
utensils are provided by the
church.
On April 17 and 18, the church will hold
its Thrift & Bake Sale fundraiser. Now
is a good time to clean your closets and
start to gather outgrown clothes, unused housewares, decorations, linens,
collectibles, trinkets, toys, small furniture and small electronics. The church
will accept non-clothing donations starting in March to allow us to start pricing
the merchandise. Early donations must
be in boxes for storage. Then in April,
we will accept all donations toward the
sale. Please help support this fundraiser
- donation receipts are available. Contact Donna Zradicka at 847-265-2708
or donnazradicka@aol.com
with any questions.
5
Mission Committee Happenings
The Mission Committee works to coordinate and inspire mission program participation for Millburn Church. If you have an interest in helping with a mission activity,
suggesting an activity for committee consideration or joining our committee, contact chairman Marianne Turnbull.
January 31st was our Love INC furniture project. Thank you to Maria Moreano for
heading this activity. Our furniture team of seven moved a senior from her apartment in Lake Villa to assisted living in Round Lake Beach. Check out their team picture on our bulletin board.
Our ecumenical bread and bakery distribution is ongoing weekly. Each week volunteers from our church and others join Tom and Marianne Turnbull at the Pepperidge Farm outlet in Pleasant Prairie to box up the donated items for distribution to
six food pantries. Thank you to Deb Morrissey for joining our Saturday morning
bread pick-up team.
The church Food Pantry continues to serve area families by appointment. Items
that are in low supply are listed on the small bulletin board just outside the drop
off room door (across from the Chapel). Take the slip as a handy reminder when
shopping. Contact Donna or Jim Zradicka with any questions about the Food Pantry.
Coming up: March PADS meal will be a turkey dinner. The turkeys are purchased
and need to be cooked. The sign-up sheet posted in Lauren Hall lists needed meal
items, and contact Marianne Turnbull if you can help with the meal.
Spring activity will include our highway clean-up. The date is not yet set but there
will be a sign-up sheet posted. Contact Al Sommer for further information.
The literacy project is moving along with training classes scheduled. Information is
on display in Lauren Hall. Contact John Storaasli for information on this rewarding
project.
MYLO News
At our February 24th meeting we had “learn to knit and crochet” as our program. For
our March 24th meeting we will be making chemo caps for the Lake Forest Hospital
Cancer Center. We will be making them out of fleece or knit fabrics. If you would
like to help with this project, we are accepting donations of fleece, cotton or knit fabrics. It takes about 1/2 yard per hat. You are also invited to join us on the 24th to
sew hats (bring your sewing machine if you can). If you can’t sew, your help is still
needed to cut out fabric.
We are also collecting hats that are knitted or crocheted. These need to be made out
of soft yarns (donations of yarns are also accepted). This will be a year-long mission
of MYLO. We are inviting members of the congregation to share their skills with us.
Hats will be for men, women and children so various sizes are needed.
If you have any questions or need patterns please contact Sue Heinlein.
6
CELEBRATING 175 YEARS
AT MILLBURN CHURCH
Millburn has a long history of nurturing people for ministry in the church. Frequently, students from Chicago Theological Seminary supplied the church as they completed their training. Two of them, Norman Rice (1923-25) and Everett McNair (1927-28), were ordained at
Millburn Church. Lauren Messersmith came to Millburn Church as a student pastor in 1942
and was ordained in the church in 1945. Unlike other student pastors, he stayed for a 31 year
pastorate.
The church has also nurtured ministers from within the congregation. William Bradford
Dodge Gray, Father Dodge’s grandson, and Alexander Thain, sons of the congregation, became Congregational ministers. More recently, Aaron James, who grew up in the church,
graduated from Yale Divinity School and since 2009 serves as Senior Minister of First Congregational UCC of West Dundee, Illinois.
The church has also nurtured women in ministry. Clara Stedman, a grand-daughter of Father
Dodge, in 1885 accepted an appointment with the American Missionary Association to teach
in a missionary school in Kentucky. Una Minto began a 26 year missionary ministry in Angola, Africa in 1920. Marjorie Hughs, another daughter of the church, was appointed by the
Methodist Board of Foreign Missions first to a Calcutta Girls school and then the Mount Herman Girls school in Darjeeling, India before her death in 1936. In 1996 The Rev. Kathleen
Bleyaert, another daughter of the congregation, was ordained and served on the church’s
staff as Minister of Pastoral Care. The Rev. Alisha Mills is the most recent member of the
church ordained.
From A HISTORY OF MILLBURN CONGREGATIONAL
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST by Paul R. Meltzer
7
Circle of Prayer
Concerns
Sarah Storaasli’s mother, Merilyn
Recovering from pulmonary embolisms
Dianne Etienne’s mother
After surgery
Scott Etienne’s mother
After placement of a stint
Janele Overocker’s friend
After surgery
Glenda Class
Recovering from a fall
Becky Fuller’s friend, Jeff Howe
After back surgery
Jeff Howe’s daughter, Addie
Has been ill
Danielle Ende
Recovering from mono
Mourning
Joan Simmons
Mourning the sudden death of her sister, Jean
Eric Walters
Grieving the end of his daughter’s pregnancy
Nanette Thorson
Mourning the death of her father, Marvin
Continued Prayers
Meryl Perlstrom
Stacy Messner’s brother
Struggling with ALS
Warren Wells
Rehabbing at Rolling Hills
Linda Ryckman
Diagnosed with breast cancer
Maureen Slade’s Aunt Sheila
Fighting 2 forms of cancer
Dave Force’s sister, Eileen
Diagnosed with early stage breast cancer
Norma Welch
Steve Strang
Barb Coon’s cousin, Sue
Cancer has returned
Chuck Beach’s sister and brother-in-law
Recovering from illness
Sarah Storaasli’s cousin
Diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer
Tim Chichester
Recovering from a fall and surgery after car accident
Alicia Rayner
Tumors are stable
Joan Simmons’ daughter
Diagnosed with breast cancer
Cindy Rendl’s friends, the Pruess’
Expecting a baby diagnosed with terminal kidney disease
Carol Rossi’s niece, Eileen
Fighting a serious illness
Nanette Thorson
Continued recovery from a stroke
To add or remove a name to the Circle of Prayer, please contact
Pastor Jed or Laura Dragin, Office Coordinator.
8
March Birthdays
1st
Laura Dragin
2nd
Mara Tanneberger
4th
Steven Strang
Alicia Rayner
7th
Grace Strahan
Wayne Nowack
Scott Messner
8th
Joan Stewart
Sarah Warrem
9th
John Plonka
Mark Denman
10th Sierra Slade
11th Maryella Mills
12th Ruth Holst
13th Jenna Denman
14th Kelly Grimes
15th Ron Bratzke
Carly Kraft
16th Al Sommer
Donna Geiger
Altar Flowers
We need your help!!
Our Altar Flower Chart is posted on the bulletin board in Lauren Hall. There are several
open Sundays needing to be filled. Please
check out the chart and consider signing up
for a Sunday. Laura Dragin, Office Coordinator, will call you during that week to ask if
you want the fresh flowers in a vase or a
dish arrangement and also if you have a color choice. The flowers are delivered to the
church from Floral Acres, Antioch—your cost
$27. You can also provide your own flowers
if you wish—just indicate that on the chart
next to your name.
This is a nice way to participate in decorating
the altar but still able to take home and enjoy yourself after the 10 a.m. worship service.
If you have any questions, please contact
Laura Dragin, Office Coordinator.
Evan Zaloudek
17th Sue Heinlein
MYLO Hosts
Soup & Salad Luncheon
21st Zachary Slade
Emily Monahan
23rd Zachary Moreano
24th Laura Petroff
Landin Majerowski
26th Scott Messner
27th William Strahan
Lorel Chichester
Cloe Etienne
Mark your calendar for Sunday,
March 1st. MYLO is hosting another
Soup and Salad Lunch after the 10
a.m. worship service. We will be serving 5 homemade soups, salads and
desserts. Cost is only $5.00. Please
stay after church to join us for a
great meal and visit with your Millburn Church family and friends!
29th Hannah Skinner
Millburn Church fact:
In 1845 the first benevolent (mission) offering the
church collected amounted to 51 cents.
9
Can you fit the underlined words correctly into
the grid? One letter has already been entered
to get you started.
Is It Time to Get Up?
by Duncan MacKellar
Ho hum, is it time to get up?
How long have I been asleep?
Are you aware it's freezing out there?
The snow is three feet deep!
What do you mean by waking me up?
This cold is just insane.
An Arctic hare or a polar bear
Would feel the need to complain!
A tortoise needs a lot of sleep
So I'll carry on if I may.
It's far too wet to get up yet,
Try again on a sunnier day.
I don't know why you're bothering me,
I've important things to do.
I need to dream and plan and scheme,
Wake me up with a better view.
Put me back in my box again
With all that lovely straw.
Do the right thing, wait until spring
When the wind is not so raw.
Ah, that's better, it's cosy in here,
It all could have ended in grief.
I'm all right now but could do with some chow,
Any chance of a lettuce leaf?
How many shamrocks
like this one can you
find in this Messenger?
10
Millburn Congregational
United Church of Christ
19073 W. Grass Lake Rd.
Lake Villa, IL 60046
Celebrating 175 years in the community
1840 - 2015
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we worship God as
a spiritually alive church, welcoming all and
reaching out with love as Christ’s disciples.
March 8th starts
Daylight Savings Time…
turn your clocks ahead
1 hour !
Answer to Kids Page:
16 shamrocks
Please recycle...save our earth.
11

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