Psalm 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young at your altars, Oh Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

First Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 116, 4 & Alby Streets, Alton, Illinoisth

618.465.3592 www.fpcalton.com

First Hand August-September 2016

“If you keep the Sabbath, you start to see creation not as somewhere to get away from your ordinary life, but a place to frame an attentiveness to your life.” (Eugene Peterson)

Our youngest daughter told me some years ago that at my advanced age, I needed to start checking things off my bucket list. I followed her sage advice. To my shock, most of the things on my bucket list were national parks. So far, I have visited Yosemite, Yellowstone, Bryce, Zion, and Rocky Mountain Parks the last few summers.Maybe Glacier or Denali will be on the list

for the future. I love the idea that we, as a nation, decided to fence off beautiful natural areas and open them to the public, but seek to care for them at the same time. It seems to me a response to Genesis 1 that we are to take care of this precious earth of which we are a part.

We are marking the100th anniversary of the National Park system.I have no patience for those who want to see the Bible as a recipe book for science. I do appraoch the natural world with religious eyes, as the creation of God in the ways God’s methods are made clearer to us through scientific study.It fills me with awe to consider the enormous time scale I will witness in Mt Rainier and Olympic National Parks.For intsance, Mt. Rainier is a volcano, and it sits on a previous dome over 2 million years old. Olympic Peninsula formed from a shifting of tectonic plates 35 million years ago, and its remarkable variety of shoreline has emerged from years and years of erosion It helps me to live out the words of Ps. 8, what are we that you (God) are mindful of us? In the midst of natural wonder, how is it possible that God knows me by name, calls me, by name? It is a fabulous method toward humility. It gives some room to adjust one’s perspective. Vacation time is sabbath time. I always like that recreation, play, with a hyphen becomes re-creation.Once again, I heard a report that Americans do not usually take the vacation time they are granted. A young woman spoke of being constantly on call as the computer sent a constant stream of duties for herall day and all night.Vacation allows time for recreation, but also the interior work of re-creating one’s thoughts and feelings.

I have been working with the late Donald Capps’s book on aging, Still Growing:Creativity in OlderAdulthood. Aging has the time toward interiority as the press of events seems to become a bit less.Part of the wisdom of aging is gaining a long view of the ebbs and flows of life and the balance between work and recreation. I won't be getting physical rest, unless my knee prevents me from much hiking, but my soul will rest in the panoply of natural wonders.Capps speaks of endurance as a virtue of aging. Retrospectively, it shows what we have gone through, and that gives us a gu idel ine for the fu tu re , even i f our res i l ience takes longer to recover a t t imes. Perhaps one of the best things about vacation is a relinquishment of control and the ability to release the list of tasks, even for a little while.A balance between the two is an element of being in a state of grace. Imbalance may push us into being graceless.

In the first Genesis story, God took time to rest and appreciate the labor of the birth of creation.We do well to follow that divine pattern.

Don’t Miss the Block Party! SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

Volunteers are needed from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. forsettting up, working in booths & tearing downafterwards.

Please call the church (465-3592) or Sue Sinclair(466-5588) for times to volunteer!

WORSHIP

Commissioning Sunday will be on Sunday,

September 11, when we welcome the

Sanctuary Choir back to full choral leadership of

Sunday morning worship. On this special day,

we honor the time and talents of our choirs and

ensembles as well as children’s worship

leaders; and we ask for the consecration of all of

these offerings to God in our behalf. W e take

this opportunity to invite all who may be

considering participation in any of our choirs to

take a leap of faith and join us! Sanctuary Choir

rehearsals are held weekly on W ednesday evenings at 7:00

p.m. in the choir rehearsal room. Bell Choir rehearsals are

after worship. Sanctuary Choir rehearsals begin

Wednesday, September 7.

Children’s Church is also always looking for people to add

to our rotation or who can substitute, when needed.

Children’s W orship leadership is explained more completely

under Christian Education in this news letter. Children’s

Church for 2016-2017 will resume on Commissioning

Sunday, September 11.

An Alternative Sunday Evening Service of reflection is

held each week at 6:00 p.m. Entry is at the Fourth Street

doors downstairs.

GREETERS

August 7 – Carol & Emma Fletcher

August 14 - Erma Maloney

August 21 - Jim Johnson

August 28 - Jeff & Nancy Matis

September 4 - Greg & Debbie Gates

September 11 - Ann W angelin

September 18 - Rick & Susan Monical

September 25 - Mike & Nancy W ilson

Thanks to those who graciously “greet” on a regular basis!

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Pets Unleashed, our children’s summer Vacation Bible

School, was held at The Nature Institute for the eighth

summer. W e had a terrific response this year from the

community, both for children attending and volunteers. This

year, our theme was “God cares for us.” Our crafts, snacks

and activities reflected our VBS lessons each night.

The mission challenge for the week was for teams to bring

animal food and cleaning supplies for the local no-kill animal

shelter. W e collected 85 items over three days of VBS. One

of our craft projects was making braided chew toys for dogs

and feathered cat toys. The children were able to make

some to take home for their own pets and some to donate.

W e had 48 children register for VBS and 41 children

attended each evening. W e had a lot of help with our activity

stations and with shepherding children from place to place.

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers from First

Presbyterian Church: David Crowley, Nancy Matis, Sue

Sinclair, Jane Lewis, David Marshall, Marcia Gaskill,

Carolyn Gibbons, Debbie Gates, Charlene Hamilton,

Hannah Shultz, Ivy Thornberry and KJ, Jon & Kathleen

Botterbush. Thanks, also, to Chandler Herron and Will

Dixon from Alton High & Marquette High Schools. Thank

you to Marj Bryant, Ann McLaughlin and Mary Cordes

from Elm Street Presbyterian and Marilyn King from

College Avenue Presbyterian. Finally, thank you to Patti

Brown, Education Director at The Nature Institute, who

always is so welcoming and invites us to return each year.

All of our volunteers went above and beyond the call of

service to provide an exceptional experience for all of the

children, who came from different churches and

denominations from the eastside Metro-St Louis Area.

Everyone had a wonderful time and the weather cooperated

with us completely!

Thanks to ALL OF YOU who worked in an activity area,

recruited kids to attend and prayed for our success! W e

thank and appreciate all of the help that made our Vacation

Bible School experience a great one this year! Pictures of

Pets Unleashed are on the board outside the nursery.

Children’s Church will begin on September 11 at during

worship this fall. Children’s W orship leaders will be

commissioned that morning during the worship service.

Children’s worship is open to children in grades Pre-K

through 5. The service follows the lectionary and order of

worship that is used at the adult 10:00 a.m. service. Each

children’s church service includes a craft, kitchen activity, or

game as part of the lesson. Children also have the

opportunity to “practice worship roles” by serving as

acolytes, ushers, and readers. They are encouraged to fill all

of these important aspects of worship and take turns.

W e have a wonderful group of children's worship leaders

who serve on a rotating basis. W e are always looking for

others who are willing to help lead our children. The more

people we have involved, the longer our rotation is extended

(i.e. every eight to ten weeks, or only 3-4 Sundays per

school year). All lessons, craft supplies, samples, etc. are

already prepared for you and ready to complete in the Youth

Room. You simply need to review that morning’s Children’s

Bulletin and lesson, which is emailed to you in advance of

worship on Sunday. On Festival Celebrations (Christmas

Sunday, Easter, Pentecost, etc.), we encourage family

worship together and offer no children's service; however,

children’s activities are always found in the narthex to work

on during family worship upstairs and the nursery is

provided for infants/toddlers.

Please consider serving as a Children’s W orship leader,

and call the church office.

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are

walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4

MISSION

The 8 Annual Market Street Block Party will be onth

Saturday, August 20, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Help is needed setting up tables, chairs and booths early

that morning. There will be food, bounce houses, arts and

crafts, music and entertainment. The Health Fair area at St.

Paul Episcopal Church will offer free cholesterol, glucose

and blood pressure screenings. Additional health screenings

for children with bone, muscle or joint problems and other

health information materials will also be available at St.

Paul. First Presbyterian will sponsor a craft area on Market

Street and a cooling area in the church fellowship hall with

ice cream & cookies served by their church members. This

event is open to the public and everything is being offered

free of charge.

Food servers, kids’ craft assistants and other jobs are

needed during the afternoon. Some folks will be preparing

2,000 hot dogs that day!!! If you prefer, we have “inside

jobs” at The Salvation Army (TSA), St. John Missionary

Baptist, St. Paul Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian.

Help will also be needed at 2:30 when clean up begins, until

4:00 p.m. Please call Sue Sinclair (466-5588 or 920-0415)

for more information or to donate funds, time or talent. Your

support of this community event, either financially or as a

volunteer, is greatly appreciated!.

Volunteers are still needed in these areas:

1 Information booth person (10:45-12:45,12:45-3:00)

4 Adult Male Crossing Guards (10:45-12:45 & 12:45-3:00)

1 Carnival Games Supervision (10:45-12:45 or 12:45-3:00

inside TSA)

2 Carnival Games Supervision ( 10:45-12:45,12:45-3:00

inside TSA)

4 Combination Bounce house attendants (10:45-

12:45,12:45-3:00)

Helpers with Nancy Matis for kids’ crafts 10:45-12:30, or

12:45-3:00

Helpers inside First Presbyterian distributing ice cream with

the Deacons. Please talk to Carrie Schildroth or Sue

Monical to choose a shift during 11:00-3:00.

Backpacks and school supplies will be distributed to

children by St John’s Missionary Baptist Church

members in the Cousley Library at First Presbyterian

Church, during the block party.

Michelle Lovett of St John Missionary Baptist needs to

have all supplies by Sunday, August 6. Since we're

trying to fill 650 backpacks, this is what's needed:

550 - (2pk) glue sticks

550 - spiral wide width notebooks

464 - scissors

650 - washable markers

600 - crayons

350 - colored pencils

314 - pink erasers

350 - bottle white glue

350 - pencil boxes

238 - pencils (8pk)

Some of these school supplies are on sale this week at

Office Depot, Target, W algreens, and W almart.

Thank you for your generosity!

The Saturday Café and Tuesday Soup’s

On served an average of 70 meals

(including carry-outs) to 45-55 people at

each lunch in June and July. A total of 40

adult and 7 children’s Good Neighbor

bags were distributed in June, which

contained personal items (shampoo, toilet

paper, body wash, razors, etc.). W e also

give out items by request from people in

need anytime during the week.

College Avenue Presbyterian, NCNW , Evangelical UCC, the

faithful of Trinity Lutheran Church, W ood River W oman’s

Club and the Junior League of Greater Alton volunteered

during June and July at First Church.

W e thank all of the Saturday Café and the Tuesday Soup’s

On mission volunteers who serve at First Presbyterian at the

outreach lunches, some on a weekly basis, for their service,

compassion and dedication.

DONATIONS NEEDED for the café on August 20, (at the

Market Street Block Party) are lots of cookies, either

homemade or purchased. W e will offer ice-cream and

cookies only at the block party. Needs for September are:

any desserts, fruit (watermelon, bananas, apples, etc.) or

anything from the Alton Farmer’s Market- especially

tomatoes and cucumbers that we will serve at the meal.

We are also always collecting items for the “good

neighbor” articles that will be distributed at the Saturday

Café in August and September. Our present needs are:

toothbrushes for adults and children, toothpaste and travel

size bottles (like hotel sizes) of shampoo, body wash, etc.

Since its inception in 1994,

this group has taken over 200 trips

August 28, 2016 - Sunday: St.

Louis Jazz Club presents Red Lehr’s

Dixieland Powerhouse Five. W ith Red

Lehr on Sousaphone, Noel Kaletsky on

Reeds, Steve Lilley on Cornet, Jack Tartar on Drums, and

Dave Majchrzak on Piano. At the Doubletree Hotel at

W estport Plaza from 2 p.m. until 4:30 pm. Food and

beverages available for purchase (not covered in trip cost)

during concert. Depart at 1:00 p.m. from Macy’s upper

parking lot and return after dinner. Restaurant to be

decided. Inclusive cost: $75.

September 24, 2016 - Saturday: Stages - "Sisters Act",

very familiar musical comedy most of us saw at the movies.

Late lunch before the show at Schneidhorst's where you

will choose and pay for your own lunch. Depart Macy's

upper parking lot at 12:30 noon sharp. Arrive at

Schneithorst's by 1:15pm. After lunch, off to Stages where

the show starts at 4:00 pm to be over by 7:00 pm, and home

by 8:00 pm. The cost for this trip is $75 per person and

covers the show ticket and bus.

October 19, 2016 - Wednesday: Trip to Alhambra and

Greenville, Illinois to visit the Mustang Sanctuary in

Alhambra, then onto lunch in Greenville at Adams Bros.

Coffee House, then off to Marcoot Jersey Creamery dairy

farm and cheese store where we will have a short dairy and

creamery tour. You may want to buy cheese to take home.

Depart 9:00 am Macy's upper parking lot and home by 4:00

pm. Inclusive cost per person is $62.00 and includes tour

fees, bus and lunch.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

November 2, 2016 - Wednesday: Sheldon Coffee

Concert featuring "The Gaslight Squares" with lunch at a

favorite restaurant

December 17, 2016 - Saturday: SLSO Christmas Concert

with lunch at a favorite restaurant.

April 7, 2017 - Friday: SLSO Coffee Concert, Gershwin’s

Rhapsody in Blue, Bernstein’s Three Dance Variations,

Gershwin’s Concerto in F. Lunch at a favorite restaurant.

May 3, 2017 - Wednesday: Sheldon Coffee Concert to

hear the fabulous "Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers".

W ith lunch at a favorite restaurant

Reservations to Marjory Bryant at Elm Street

Presbyterian Church, 101 West Elm, Alton, IL 62002, 466-

5421. Pick-up bus at Macy’s upper parking lot, SW corner.

WITH SYMPATHY

Soup’s On, our Tuesday m ission meal, lost two faithful

members from their volunteer team recently. Gregory

Mitchell passed away on March 31. Maurice “Mo” Brown

passed away on July 12, and his memorial service was held

here in the chapel at First Presbyterian. Both men were

dedicated volunteers each week at the Soup’s On meal

mission. They served with joy and kindness, often singing in

the kitchen while they worked preparing food or cleaning up.

They are greatly missed by all who came to know them

through their volunteer work. Donations in their memory may

be made to Soup’s On, payable to First Presbyterian

Church with Soup’s On in the memo line of the donation.

We also send sympathy and God’s Peace to the family

members of Rick Mader. Rick was a friend to First

Presbyterian. He faithfully attended our salad luncheons,

chili suppers, church dinners and Lenten luncheons here

over the years. He and his wife, Mary Cousley Mader had

two sons, Matt and Drew, and three grandchildren. Mary

preceded Rick in death in 2004. W e extend our heartfelt

prayers and sympathy to the Cousley, Thornberry and

Mader families.

IN OUR PRAYERS

Patricia Barnd, W alt Blackledge, the family of Maurice

Brown, Jill Bubert, Dorothy Carney, Joshua Collman, Todd

Domin, Betty Emons, John Gaskill, Bill Gibbons, W ill Heath,

Ken and Christopher Hirlinger, Kim Hill, Shari Hudalla, Liz

Johnson, Laura Keating, Leontine Kelso, Paul Lacke, Robert

Logan, the family of Rick Mader (Cousley, Thornberry,&

Mader families), Tori McGrath, C.C. & Bea McNair, C. J.

Moran, Frank Nagy, Rachael Narup, Don Alan Nicholson,

Lisa Osborne, Kenneth Owens, Mary Lou Paris, Roland

Pruetzel, Marcia Quakenbush, Dorothy Ridder, Collin Rives,

Hannah Shultz, Joyce Scott, Floy Shaw, Betsy Simms, Bob

& Jeanette Threadgill, Vanessa Vassar, James & Rita Velloff

Homebound: Judy Dick, Dick Johnson, Genie Keller, Lorrie

Nielsen, Virginia Porter, Sylvia Roberts, Virginia Ryrie,

Grace Summers, Jeanne Theen, Donna W egman

Armed Forces: Jed Purcell, Nathan Rockholm, Joel

Radunzel, Nathan Sykes

Serving in Middle East: Brett DeMond, James Nugent,

Louis Robinson

NOTE: Please check our prayer list names. If you know

that someone’s situation has changed and can now be

removed, please contact the church office.

Don & Betty June Nicholson have

moved from the Alton/Godfrey area

to be closer to their family in

Pennsylvania. They miss their

friends in the Midwest, and would

love to hear from you! Their new address and phone

number is:

Don and Betty June Nicholson

1900 Trolley Rd. ,Apt. 311

York, Pa. 17408

Phone: 1-717-767-3656

Frank & June Nagy have also moved to be closer to their

family in Quincy, IL. Their address and phone number is:

Frank & June Nagy

Good Samaritan Home of Qunicy, Apt 31

2130 Harrison St. Quincy, IL 62301

Phone (same as before): 618-462-4667

W e miss all of our church family members and wish them

the best in their new homes. Call or drop them a card!

To Anna Bumbacher &

Shaun Young, on their recent

engagement. The couple plans

to be married here at First

Presbyterian Church on March

25, 2017. Anna’s parents are

Phil & Carolyn Bumbacher.

Congratulations to K.J. and Jonathan Botterbush on

earning the God & Church (Boy Scouts of America) merit

badge.The boys and their sister, Kathleen, completed the

course during Youth meetings here. They received their

medals, patches and certificates on the 185 Anniversary ofth

First Presbyterian Church during worship on June 19. They

are the children of Kevin & Julie Botterbush.

Congratulations to Grace Roglis,

who celebrated her 100 birthdayonth

July 18. She was the guest of honor

of the Chicago Cubs at the

Mets/Cubs game at W rigley Field on

her birthday, and threw out the

honorary first pitch that day. Grace

was born and raised in Chicago, and has been a life-long

Cubs fan. Grace is the mother of Lynn Stewart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

AUGUST

2 – Marty Pfeiffenberger

6 – Jason Harper

7 – Judy Dick, Erma Maloney

9 – Jennifer Brainerd

10 – Emma Fletcher

12 – Hannah Shultz, Emily W igger

13 – Jacquelyn W illiams

14 – Laverne (Peet) Brueckman

19 – Jeremy Strohmeier

22 – Adam Rodgers

27 – Daniel Matis, Nicole Matis

28 – Fred Delano, Stephen Jacoby, June Nagy,

31 – Debbie Miller, Anne Oberlink

SEPTEMBER 4 – Richard Johnson

5 – Anna Bumbacher

8 – Hayley File

11 – Parker Rockholm, Jacqueline W iseman

14 – Jay Sinclair

16 – Ed Ryrie

17 – Betty Emons

19 – James Johnson

21 – Thomas Strohmeier

22 – Don Nicholson, David Oates

27 – Janice Spencer

28 – Rev. David Crowley

30 – Jim Lauschke

AUGUST CALENDAR DATES

August 6 – Saturday Café, Unity Fellowship

August 7 – Worship

Session Meeting, 11:00 a.m.

August 13 – Saturday Café, Trinity Lutheran

August 14 – Worship 10:00 a.m.

August 20 – MARKET STREET BLOCK PARTY

11:00 am- 3:00 pm

August 21 – Worship

CCEC Meeting, 11:00 a.m.

August 28 – Worship, Deacons Meeting, 11:00 a.m.

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR DATES

September 3 – Saturday Café, College Avenue

Presbyterian Church

September 4 – Worship 10:00 a.m.

Session Meeting, 11:00 a.m.

September 5 – Labor Day CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

September 7 – Choir Rehearsal begins, 7:00 p.m.

September 10 – Second Saturday Café, First

Presbyterian, Volunteers:10:30 -12:30

September 11 – Commissioning Sunday

Worship/Holy Communion 10:00 a.m.

Children’s Church begins

September 17 – Saturday Café, NCNW

September 18 – Worship/Children’s Church, 10:00 a.m.

September 25 – Worship/Children’s Church,10:00 a.m.

Congregational Meeting (tentative)/

Deacons Meeting, 11:00 a.m.

NOTES OF THANKS

Dear Scholarship Committee,

Thank you so much for this honor. This gift will cover the cost

of my text books for a full year. This generous amount of

money is a blessing to my family and me. W hat you do for

the local students is incredible.

Thanks again,

Joe Twichell