As I approach another New Year, I think of those words of Francis Ridley Havergal:

“Another year is dawning

Dear Father let it be,

In working or in waiting, Another year with thee.” My prayer for us as a church is that 2015 will be a spiritually prosperous and productive year in the service of Christ our Savior. I want us as a church to be able to look back with gratitude in the years to come and view 2015 as one of the best years as far as eternal things are concerned. One of my prayers for our church is that we will be more focused on the future and less on the past, and that there will be a wider vision amongst us as a congregation and a greater willingness to invite and encourage people to come and worship in this church.

G.K. Chesterton said “The object of the New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears and new eyes. Unless a person makes New Year resolutions, they would make no resolutions. Unless a person starts afresh about things, they will certainly do nothing effective.” We, as a church family, need to go forward into 2015 looking back with gratitude, but looking forward with faith and trust. We need to look for fresh ways to serve the Lord, and be open to new ideas instead of being entrenched in personal prejudices. Remember that the difference between a rut and a grave is only the depth!

In our thinking, our service and our commitment —— let this be a Happy New Year!

— your pastor and friend, Brian Anderson

Page 1

NEWS OF TH E C ONGREGATI ONAL CH URC H OF SUN CITY 1 8 4 0 1 N . 9 9 T H A V E N U E — S U N C I T Y , A R I Z O N A 8 5 3 7 3

J ANUAR Y 2015 — VOLUME 28 — ISSUE 1

P A S TO R ’ S M E S S A G E “New Hearts For A New Year.”

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER Page 2

The Roadrunner is published 10 times per year. Please call the church office if you have a question regarding an item in the Roadrunner.

Sunday Worship: October thru May: two services at 8:30 & 10:30AM; June thru September: one service at 9:30AM. Church Office: Monday thru Friday, September thru May, 8:00AM – 3:00PM. Summer hours 8:00AM — 1:00PM. Choir Rehearsals: September thru May the choir meets on Thursdays at 2:30PM in the choir room. Church Email addresses: — congchsc@ccsc.phxcoxmail.com — Church Office — banderson@ccsc.phxcoxmail.com — Dr. Anderson

— ccscchoirdirector@me.com — Jane Higgs — bshetley@ccsc.phxcoxmail.com — Bonnie Shetley

— mlstoll@ccsc.phxcoxmail.com — Mary Stoll

Church Website address: www.ccscaz.org

◊ Randy Asendorf ◊ Barbara Dabul ◊ Sue Dawson ◊ Neil Dawson [1 year] Bill O’Neill [2 years] Ula Miller [3 years] ◊ Ken Sims ◊ Dick Ohnstad ◊ Erv Leifheit ◊ Howard Cripps ◊ Jeanne Cook ◊ Beverly Eilken ◊ Pat Canfield ◊ contact person: Sharon Smith ◊ Carl Wolkenhauer ◊ Ginger Hamilton ◊ ________, Butch Bowman ◊ Norma Sandvig ◊ Doris Shulze / Sharon Smith ◊ Carol Zimmermann, Beverly Eilken ◊ Mary and Carl Wolkenhauer ◊ Marie Brannan, Marian Buchanan, Sharon Crafton, Annie Hall, Phyllis Krusenstjerna, Wilma Schroeder ◊ Paul Adams, Ralph Canfield, Dick Clauer,

Norman Dufresne, Jane Higgs, Ken Signor

Church Moderator Church Council Clerk

Church Moderator Elect Council Members at Large

Board of Trustees Chair Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair

Deacons’ Board Chair Membership Board Chair

Missions Board Chair Columbarium Board Chair

Church Historian Women’s Fellowship

Men’s Club Chair Flower Committee Chair

Fellowship in Travel Coordinator Sweat Shop Sorority Chair Needle Chatters Co-chairs

CARE Ministries Co-coordinators Church Bridge Coordinators Roadrunner Mailing Team

Sound System Engineers

Church Office: Phone 623-977-4241; Fax 623-977-0008 The Congregational Church of Sun City

18401 N. 99th Avenue Sun City, AZ 85373-1650

Senior Minister — Dr. Brian Anderson Music Director — Jane Higgs Accompanist, Memorial Services Organist and Substitute Organist — Marg Burg Organist — Virginia Harmon Senior Custodian — Paul Adams Maintenance Support — Calvin Lamp Administration Manager — Bonnie Shetley Administration Assistant — Mary Stoll

To contact our pastor when he is away from the office: call Dr. Anderson on his

cell phone: 1-781-534-5701.

BIBLE STUDY 8

BIRTHDAYS – JANUARY 4

CARE MINISTRIES 2

CHURCH CALENDAR 7

CHURCH INFO 3

COMING EVENTS 4, 6

MEN’S CLUB 5

MISSIONS BOARD 4

PASTOR’S MESSAGE 1

SWEAT SHOP SORORITY 5

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP 5

NACCC UPDATE 3

SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF: - Armin Heine, died 12/14/2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! Whoa, can you believe that our church family is starting another new year! We hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. As we start the year, let us know of those with special needs. Our volunteers are ready and able to serve. We thank you. — Bev and Carol

CARE MINISTRIES

YOU ARE INVITED We invite you to join us each Sunday morning for worship and fellowship. If you do not have a church home, we encourage you to consider membership in our church family of Faith, Freedom, and Fellowship.

Please call the church office for more information. Our minister will be glad to answer questions you may have concerning the Congregational Way.

Our next New Member Joining is on Sunday, January 18, 2015, with an orientation on Friday, January 16, 2015, at 9:30AM in the choir room. Please call the church office if you would like to be part of this class.

Thank you to all of our church volunteers for your help

throughout the year.

Page 3 PILGRIM ROADRUNNER

CHURCH INFORMATION

UPDATE FROM THE NACCC

2014 CONTRIBUTIONS: The 2014 financial books are closed. All contributions are now being posted to the 2015 calendar year. 2014 Giving Statements are mailed by January 31.

2015 PLEDGE CARDS: Our thanks to everyone who has given the church your pledge card. We ask those who have not given the church your pledge intention for the 2015 year to please mail it, bring it to the church office or drop it in an offering plate on Sunday morning. Extra pledge cards are available on the counter in the narthex. The main purpose of a pledge is to help our trustees / finance committee / and church staff plan and appropriately direct our support.

BOARD CHAIRS, COMMITTEE CHAIRS, STAFF MEMBERS: If you have yet to provide the church office with your 2014 annual report, it is due by Monday, January 5. � Several of you are required to provide a yearly financial accounting of your funds as part of your

report (beginning balance, income, expenses and remaining balance). We understand these reports will, generally, not make the January 5 deadline because you are waiting on year-end bank statement information. � Reminder to all 2014 board chairs: per our bylaws you remain the chair/responsible for your board

until a new board chair is elected. INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS: Our installation of 2015 officers and commissioning of new deacons will be held at both worship services on Sunday, February 8. All incoming officers are asked to please make every effort to attend one of these services.

Your National Association of Congregational Christian Churches continues to effect changes that will ensure a strong future and quality services to you, our member churches. Several decisions in the past few years have set us on this pathway: 1. Successful establishment of the Center for Congregational Leadership 2. Successful restructuring of our governance needs 3. Finalization of the IRS determination establishing the Corporation as a non-profit corporation The decision to eliminate the Executive Secretary and Dean of the Center's positions and create instead one Executive Director position.

Search for the Executive Director. The initial search for the new Executive Director began in September with applications closing in November. During this time, The Dean of the Center, one of the anticipated applicants, discerned that she was being called to other opportunities outside of the NACCC and chose not to apply for consideration as the new Executive Director. For this and other reasons, the Executive Director Search Committee will re-open its Call for Applications beginning February 15 through March 31.

Staffing. Recognizing that the Interim Executive Secretary's non-renewable contract ends March 31, the Dean of the Center has agreed to stay on to provide leadership and support through June 30, 2015. Beginning in January, the Dean will be working out of her home in Connecticut.

Additionally, a search will be opened for a new Editor of The Congregationalist Magazine in anticipation of the current editor's retirement in December 2015.

Other staffing changes will include the development of the Coordinator of Volunteers position and the hiring of the program manager for the Congregational Foundation for Theological studies.

Going Forward. The Interim Executive Secretary and the Dean of the Center will be working together with elected leadership to ensure a smooth transition. This will include continuing discussions on vision and institutional sustainability, as well as support for the incoming Executive Director. Please keep your Association in your prayers as we embrace these exciting changes.

— submitted by Year-round Delegate, Bonnie Shetley

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER Page 4

OUR JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

01/01 Dick Clauer Ron Gall Lois Wells 01/02 Shary Harris Carol Suhr 01/03 Don Linthacum, PhD 01/05 Nancy Assendorf Eve Bilsten 01/06 Marie Brannan 01/07 Dr. Grover Rodich 01/09 Pat Morgan 01/10 Becky Penberthy 01/12 Clare Forstner 01/14 Ruth Russell 01/20 Connie Burda 01/24 Ken Caraway 01/25 Sandy Roderick 01/26 Phyllis Droege Doris Reher 01/29 Neil Dawson Carolyn Knowlton

Our 2014 Thanksgiving special offering gifts totaled $3,903. This amount will be divided equally and given to Valley View Community Food Bank and St. Marys/ Westside Food Bank.

Thank you to all who provided the needed funds to help feed those in our area in need of food for themselves and their families.

MISSIONS BOARD REPORT THANKSGIVING OFFERING

SCHEDULE TO START THE NEW YEAR

Thursday, January 1, 2015 HAPPY NEW YEAR — church office is closed Tuesday, January 13 “`50s Night” church family potluck with music by Dan Reed

Wednesday, January 14 Bible study classes resume — 10:00AM & 6:30PM

Wednesday, January 28 Our Church Annual Meeting — 1:00PM in Alexander Hall

Monday & Tuesday, February 9 & 10 “Bar-D Wranglers”, CONCERT ONLY both nights

Monday, February 16 Presidents’ Day holiday — Church office is closed

Wednesday, February 18 ASH WEDNESDAY — worship service: 2:00PM Wednesday, March 25 “Southern Style” church family potluck with music by “Duane’s Dukes of Dixieland”

Sunday, March 29 PALM SUNDAY — two services: 8:30 and 10:30AM

Friday, April 3 GOOD FRIDAY — church office is closed Worship service 7:00PM — Jews For Jesus presentation Sunday, April 5 EASTER — two services: 8:30 and 10:30AM

Monday, April 6 Easter Monday — church office is closed Wednesday, April 22 “A Night On Broadway” church family potluck with music by Dan Reed & Co.

2015 ALTAR FLOWERS COMMEMORATION CHART The 2015 chart is posted on the right side of the hallway bulletin board. You are asked to select only one Sunday at this time so that we may accommodate as many requests as possible. Please do not wait until just prior to a date that is special to you and your family, as that date may already have been selected.

If a few spaces remain unclaimed after we have had time to sign up, an announcement will be posted in our worship bulletin that additional sign-up opportunities are available. A member of our flower committee will contact you prior to your week to ask you about the details of your gift.

Thank you for your financial support. We depend on your contributions to the flower fund to be able to provide the flower commemoration program. — your Flower Committee

“Laughter rises out of tragedy when you need it the most and rewards you for your courage.” — Erma Bombeck

“Faith is the word that describes the direction our feet start moving when we find that we are loved. Faith is stepping out into the unknown with nothing to guide us but a hand just beyond our grasp.” — Frederick Buechner

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER Page 5

MEN’S CLUB At our December meeting the following Men’s Club positions were elected for 2015. Please give them your full support: Chair: Dick Clauer, Vice Chair: Nelson Droege, Treasurer: Scotty MacCleary, Assistant Treasurer: Paul Adams, Secretary: Jerry Lenz, Speakers’ Bureau: Bill Muir, Randy Asendorf, and Butch Bowman.

If you have an interesting topic you would like to either share or know more about, or you know of a great speaker, contact Bill, Randy or Butch; they will take it from there.

Our next Men’s Club breakfast meeting is on Tuesday, January 6, at 8:00AM in Alexander Hall. As always, our breakfast and speakers are open to ALL (men and women). It’s a great way to introduce someone new to our church. A brief business meeting will follow our speaker.

The speaker is Beckie Borquez, Environmental Coordinator for the City of Peoria Utilities Department, speaking to us on ‘The Recycling of Waste Products.’ Following the brief business meeting there will be a hosted tour of the Peoria Recycling Facility. The tour will leave the church between 9:00 — 9:15 and return at 11:30.

There will be separate signup sheets in Alexander Hall: One sheet is for the breakfast/presentation; the other signup is for the tour. If you are going to all events, please sign on BOTH lists. We will use car pooling to get to/from the recycle facility. The facility is located on the east side of I-17, just north of Jomax Road. Maps will be provided. Please add your name to the signup sheets in Alexander Hall. — Dick Clauer, Men’s Club Chair

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP

We had a very successful Arts & Crafts Fair this year. A great outreach for our church, plus a good money maker. Our sales were good. We have more quilts to give to charity, as well. Since our group also makes a variety of craft items in addition to our quilt making, it is fun to see what else sells. The Christmas trees made from small, wrapped boxes all sold.

Several comments from vendors include: • “Great job handing out the menu and

serving in such a graceful and helpful way. • Food was very good. • Appreciated some of your ladies covering

my table so I could take a break. • Thank you for taking good care of your

vendors.”

We are grateful to have two more ladies join our group: Jan Wagner and Betty Wright.

Norma once again hosted the Sweat Shop group in her home for her annual Christmas party. The walls of her house groaned as she squeezed everyone in. This is always a very special wrap-up for another productive and fun year.

If you do not have an outlet for your used Christmas or all-occasion cards, we would appreciate you continuing to give them to Marcia.

Sweat Shop resumes on Monday, January 5, 2015, from 8:30AM to noon in the choir room.

— Marcia Lynk

SWEAT SHOP SORORITY

Women’s Fellowship says a heartfelt thank you to everyone who gave so generously of their time, talents and resources to make all of our projects huge successes. The Christmas Angel outreach, the Arts & Crafts Fair bake sale, the beautiful Christmas decorations in Alexander Hall and of course our Christmas luncheon.

As I write this, a new year is approaching (very quickly) and some of our group are stepping down. This means we need to replace these ladies in order to be able to be active in our church as well as helpful in our community.

PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND BE PART OF OUR WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP TEAM FOR 2015.

— Betty Showers

NOT IN A PARTYING ‘MOOD’ A Sunday school teacher shared the parable of the prodigal son with his class, pointing out how resentful the older son was when the father welcomed the wayward brother home with open arms and a party.

Amid the celebration, the teacher emphasized, someone in the story failed to share in the joy. “Can you tell me who that was?” the teacher asked.

Eagerly, a little girl raised her hand. “I know, I know!” She exclaimed. “The fatted calf!”

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER Page 6

Monday and Tuesday February 9 and 10

CO N CER T O N LY

7:00PM in the Sanctuary Ticket Price: $15

WHAT NOT TO TAKE INTO THE NEW YEAR ♦ Self-help books — Trust in God first; don’t turn to him as a last resort. (See Proverbs 3:5-6). ♦ Tape measure — Consider only God’s standards; don’t compare yourself to other people (See Luke

18: 9-14). ♦ Rearview mirror — Don’t live in the past. You’ll miss out on what God is doing in your life now. See

Philippians 3: 12-14). ♦ Gavel — Instead of judging others; pray for them, help them and team with them. (See Luke 6: 37-38). ♦ Life vest — Don’t be overly cautious spiritually. Peter experienced Jesus in a real way because he

dared to step out of the boat. (See Matthew 14: 22-33). ♦ Garage-door opener — We think we’re networked but often isolate ourselves from our neighbors.

God intended for us to live in community with one another. (See Hebrews 10: 23-25). ♦ Handcuffs — Don’t offer excuses about why you can’t help out. God can do amazing things through —

and despite — us. Just follow him, with no excuses. (See Mark 6: 35-44). — The Newsletter, Newsletter, January 2012

Tickets available starting Sunday, January 11

Page 7 PILGRIM ROADRUNNER

P l e a s e s a v e t h i s c a l e n d a r f o r y o u r r e f e r e n c e u s e .

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER

18401 N. 99th Avenue Sun City, AZ 85373

Ph: 623-977-4241

Page 8

NON-PROFIT ORG. U. S. POSTAGE

P A I D SUN CITY, AZ

PERMIT # 152

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PD # 95289000

PILGRIM ROADRUNNER

BIBLE STUDY CLASSES READY TO RESUME On Wednesday, January 14, 2015, we begin a new season of Bible study; and as before, classes will be held at 10:00AM — taught by Lowell Roderick and at 6:30PM — taught by Pastor Anderson. Our theme for this new season of study is The Death and Resurrection of the Messiah; we will use one of the Ray Vander Laan DVDs. This will be a perfect preparation for Lent and Easter. We will look at the various incidents and people whom Jesus met on his journey to the cross, the tomb, and his glorious resurrection from the grave. Let’s make 2015 Bible study the biggest and best ever, with a really excellent turn out of people who wish to grow in their faith and learn more about their Lord.