The Mustard Seed Fall 2011

The Mustard Seed

Rally Day Sunday, Sept. 11

Worship, 10 am

It is time to gather! We are gathering to worship as a church family at one

worship time of 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 11th.

Parents come early to register your children for Sunday

School from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Games and picnic to follow at 11:00 a.m. Hot dogs will be

provided. So just bring a chair and a dish to pass.

Choirs begin again Our Bell, Junior and Senior

Choirs are returning this fall.

Details inside.

Pages 2 & 7

Fresh Start Do you feel like you could use a

fresh start? Read more about

this upcoming sermon series.

Page 5

Sunday School Find out what is new for Sunday

School this fall. We have a new

start time and procedures.

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Marengo United Methodist Church Fall, 2011

We are a community of compassionate fellowship, Bible-based teaching,

Christ-centered worship and opportunities to serve.

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Marengo United Methodist Church Fall 2011

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Bells & Junior Choirs

Last year was a new

adventure as we celebrated

the life of Nancy Richard and

began a new chapter in our

children’s music program.

Susan Gieseler directed our Jr.

Bells and Dawn Hoffman

directed the Jr. Choir. Both

will remain in their roles for

the upcoming Choir year. One

change that was made is the

opportunity for our 1st graders

to be a part of Jr. Choir.

Typically the choir was open to

2nd – 8th graders. We had the

1st graders join the group last

year after the Christmas

holiday. They took to the

group and sang like little birds!

So we are extending that

welcome immediately this

year. Also new is that we will

welcome our current

kindergarteners to join after

the Christmas holiday this

year, after half a year in school

working on their reading skills.

It is necessary for the kids to

read to be a part of the Jr.

Choir. Our Jr. Bells are also

expanding! Once only open to

3rd-8th graders, the Jr. Bells

welcome our 2nd graders to

ring. 1st graders are welcome

to come and audition for Jr.

Bells. We look forward to a

year of lifting our voice and

musical talents to the Lord!

Singing and Ringing our

Praise!

Dawn Hoffman & Susan

Gieseler

Our PDO PM After School

Program currently has 5

students enrolled.

Hopefully as word spreads

about this quality,

affordable program, it will

grow by leaps and bounds!

Not only are the children in

PDO PM given a safe,

caring environment in

which to spend their after

school hours, they are

provided with daily snacks,

free play in the gym, nature

walks, daily activities

based on weekly themes,

homework assistance,

weekly bells instruction

with Mrs. Gieseler, and

weekly computer lessons

with Pastor Keck! No other

after school program in the

community offers such a

diverse curriculum.

We appreciate your support

of the PDO programs here

at church. Through your

donations, financial

contributions, prayers, and

word of mouth advertising,

our programs are now

entering their sixth year in

the community! Please

continue to pray that our

programs reach the

children in this community

who would benefit from

what we have to offer. God

Bless!

Parents Day Out Preschool &

PM Start their Fall Programs

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auctor vel, vestibulum in, elit.

The 2011-2012 school

year is officially underway!

After a successful

Summer PDO Preschool

program, we are now

looking forward to an

exciting year for our

preschool and after-

school programs. We are

blessed to see our

programs continue to

grow and thrive!

Our PDO Preschool

continues to offer

programs for the following

age groups- 1 & 2 year

olds, 3 year olds, and 4

year olds. Right now, our

toddler class is full with

13 students. Our three

year old class has 13

students with more

registering every day! The

maximum allowed in that

class is 16. Our four year

old class is full with 18

students, most of who

were in the preschool

class last school year. We

continue to offer a quality

program that consists of

structured lessons based

on the Houghton Mifflin

Preschool curriculum, bi-

monthly music class with

Miss Betty, bi-monthly

chapel chats with Pastor

Keck, monthly field trips,

and much more!

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Prairie Street in Marengo) on

Tuesdays at 9:30 am. The group

is open to women of all

ages. You can reach Judy at

(815) 568-7746.

Thursday

Marj Murray leads a group that

meets at the church on Thursday

nights at 7:00 pm. The focus for

this group is to write

encouraging notes and cards to

members of the church who are

in our thoughts and prayers.

Following a short devotion, this

group is task orientated and

welcomes men and women of all

ages. You can reach Marj at

(815) 568-5739.

Saturday

The first Saturday of every

month Chuck Andrews leads a

group of men at a breakfast

meeting. This group meets in

the Fellowship Hall in the church

basement at 8:00 am. Following

a hearty breakfast, the men

study topics from various

books. Chuck encourages lively

discussion, opinions and

feedback. This group is open to

men of all ages and

denominations, You can contact

Chuck at (815) 568-7746.

This Fall it is Time to Join a Group!

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auctor vel, vestibulum in, elit.

Thank You! 200 sack lunches for

the Rockford Rescue

Mission! Thanks to the wonderful spirit of

generosity and mission of our

church family, Pastor Keck and

Grateful Praise were able to

provide a meal on Sunday evening,

August 7, to 180 residents of the

Rockford Rescue Mission. Many of

you prepared sandwiches and

added fruit and chips to the lunch

bags that were so beautifully

decorated by our MUMC and PDO

children. Others baked dozens of

yummy cookies, also added to the

bags. Many residents kept their

decorated bags, touched by what

our kids had done for them.

Following a half hour of powerful

worship led by Pastor Keck and

Grateful Praise, we served the

lunches and many, many thank

you’s were expressed. This was a

great way for us to be in mission –

as the body of Christ working

together!

Monday

Monday afternoons at 1:00

p.m. you will find Marcia

Simons leading a women’s

group, who meet at Brenda

Rommel’s home (765 Mallard

Drive in Marengo). This group

is open to women of all

ages. You can reach Marcia at

815-568-8735.

On Monday nights at 7:00

p.m., beginning on September

26, Dewey and Betty Meinders

host a group at their home in

Union (17913 Meadow

Lane). Friendship, good

snacks, and a variety of topics

for study characterize this

group. Men and women of all

ages are welcome to join

them. If you would like to be a

part of this group, you can

reach the Meinders at (815)

923-3411.

Also on Monday evenings,

beginning on October 2nd,

Chuck & Judy Andrews host a

group in their home (529 E.

Prairie Street in Marengo) at

7:00 pm. This diverse group

of men and women enjoy

fellowship and invigorating

discussions. All ages are

welcome to attend. You can

reach the Andrews at 815-

568-7746 for more

information.

Tuesday

Beginning again on September

13th, Judy Andrews leads a

group at her home (529 E.

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Celebrating our Survivors Russ Murray, Bill Piper, Connie Boxleitner and Jerry Wright walk the first lap—the Survivor Lap—

at the Relay for Life in Huntley. Also walking in this lap but not pictured was Sean Romine.

It started with a feeling of being called to

lead a Relay for Life team because our

church family had both lost members and

friends to cancer AND celebrated the

victories over cancer of several church

members. The response was overwhelming

as our team grew to the largest in the

Northern Fox Valley region’s Relay—22

individuals raising money to fight cancer +

6 other family members who joined the

walk on June 17-18. The team decided to

set an amazing goal of $10,000 (the

minimum expected goal for each team is

only $1500). We passed that goal with the

generous support of our church family at

our Spaghetti Dinner/Flea Market/Karaoke

Night on June 4. We didn’t stop there,

though, and ended up with a total of

$13,650.62 in donations, the 2nd highest

total for the region! A big thank you to our

supporters—for your donations, your

presence at our dinner, for your participation

in the Hong’s fundraiser, and to those who

came by to cheer us on and even walk with

us at the Relay. You have made a difference!

Team members: Amanda Christensen,

Kathy Cregan, Jim Evans, Brenda Ferreira,

Susan Gieseler, Claudia Kachlik, Cathy

Koplin, Vicki & Celeste Loudenbeck, Norma

Lowrey, Jane McDonald, the Moehrlin family:

Mike, Stacey, Aaron & Devin, Russ and Dana

Murray, Deb and Tara Oakes, Gina Rickerd,

Dennis, Julie and Sean Romine, Bonnie &

Stephanie Voller.

Betty Meinders, Team Captain

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Celebrating our Survivors “The LORD supports all who fall down, straightens up all who are bent low.”

(Psalm 145:14, Common English Bible)

Have you ever felt like you needed to start over? Perhaps you had made a mess of everything

or circumstances conspired to bring you to a place you neither wanted nor planned. Then you

begin to feel trapped and alone. You are desperate for a fresh start. We have all been there.

But how do you start again and not end up in the same situation?

“LORD , you have examined me. You know me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up.

Even from far away, you comprehend my plans.”

(Psalm 139:1-2, Common English Bible)

If you are acting alone, or trying to change your life alone, than you are likely to fail or end up in

the same place. The truth is you need someone to help you, guide you, support you, if you want

to change your life. That someone is God.

“God won’t let your foot slip. Your protector won’t fall asleep on the job.”


Starting September 18th, we are going to learn how we can make a fresh start in life. Are you

ready to be re-freshed and re-newed? Join us for this four week study. Invite a friend who needs

a fresh start.

“Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth!”


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Pictures from our wonderful Vacation Bible School

Thank You to everyone who helped out!!

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We Celebrate Weddings at MUMC.

Upper Left: Gaye Ann & Richard

Anderson celebrate their 50th.

Right: Chuck & Judy Andrews

celebrate their 50th.

Lower Left: Ed & Pam Richard

celebrate at their wedding reception.

♫ Sing To The Lord ♪

Singing to the Lord is my favorite way to worship on Sunday, or any day of the week for

that matter. I’ve been singing since I was born I think. My dad would sing us up to bed with

“Climb, Climb Up Sunshine Mountain.” I was singing in Junior Choir as soon as they’d let

me in. In High School I was allowed to sing in the Senior Choir – with the adults. That’s

where I first learned to hear the harmony.

When I was looking for a church to join after college, I knew that it had to have a good

choir. And it was the music that I heard the first time I visited Marengo UMC that made it

clear to me that I’d found my new church home.

Continued on 12

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Over 40 children attended

the week’s festivities. The

kids had a blast visiting

friends in “Hometown

Nazareth.” Upon arrival, the

kids joined in

celebration with

songs and dances.

They joined their

“tribes” and

discussed God

Sightings and their

experiences in

Nazareth. The

tribes then took to

the streets of

Nazareth for a

variety of fun and

interesting stops.

One stop was to Mary’s

House. The kids learned

about Jesus when he was

just a kid. They heard stories

about his life straight from

his mom, Mary! They

smelled Frankincense and

Myrrh, tasted flatbread,

helped clean for the

Passover celebration and

enjoyed daily visits by Mary’s

neighbor Eunice. Eunice

didn’t believe that Jesus was

really God’s son, but by the

end of the week, the kids

helped to convince her that

He truly is! The kids went

outside for Fun and Games

and made daily visits to the

Marketplace Shops where

they used their “Shekels” to

purchase food items and

make and take crafts. The

Shop-keepers in the Wool

Shop taught the kids to make

wool soap! The Carpentry

Shop helped the kids as they

created pull along wooden

sheep. They took to the

streets of Nazareth one day

to visit the Barnyard where

the kids got to pet and play

with real baby

goats! The kids

took part in a

mission and tie-

dyed backpacks

at the Dye Shop

that will be filled

with Bibles and

sent to children

in Latin America.

Finally the kids

took a day at

Synagogue

School and

created tzedakah boxes, little

coin boxes to save coins for a

charity.

Thank you again to the many

volunteers. The time you

gave to our kids gave them

an experience that will last

them a lifetime.

Vacation Bible School was a HUGE success!

There is More Than One Way to Help with Our Community Blood Drives

Our Community Blood Drives are heading into their 3rd year here at MUMC. It began as a mission for one of our

Wesley Fellowship Groups as part of “40 Days of Community.” The group committed to having a drive 4 times a

year. Since its inception, that particular Wesley Group has been unable to meet and the responsibility of the Blood

Drive has fallen to me. I am okay with coordinating the drive, but really need the help of our church family and

friends to volunteer a short time one Sunday every four months to sit at our registration table. The job is very

easy. It is basically welcoming the donors and giving them the paperwork they need to fill out. Volunteers then

communicate via walkie talkie to the Heartland personnel in the Mobile Blood Drive coach and send the donors in

as space becomes available.

The Blood Drives typically fall on the following Sundays. The 3rd Sunday of September, Sunday before

Thanksgiving in November, the 3rd Sunday in January and the 2nd or 3rd Sunday in May. There are three time slots

that need to be filled - 7:30-9:00am, 9:00 am -10:30 am and 10:30-12:00pm.

Thank you for considering being a part of this important, life-saving, community mission project.

Dawn Hoffman (815) 568-0997 ([email protected])

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“Eyesight may diminish with

age, but all other forms of

vision -- hindsight, foresight,

second sight, and insight--

improve as we grow older” --

Golden Wisdom

How do we acquire wisdom?

The dictionary definition: “the

quality of following the

soundest course of action

based on experience,

knowledge and

understanding”. My mother-

in law passed away at the

age of 93! I still smile when I

remember her saying “I may

be old but I’m not stupid!”

To bundle good advice with

wisdom, my mother taught

some important wisdom to

me. Some of the most

memorable:

“Always wear clean

underwear -- you could

have an accident … think

how embarrassed you

would be in torn or dirty

underwear!”

“Be sure to wash behind

your ears and do a good

job of washing your

neck”

“Pretty is as pretty does”

“Cleanliness is next to

Godliness”

“Bad things happen after

midnight” (I passed this

one along to our girls

during their teen-age

years”

“The best things in life are

free”

This merits some serious

thought as we live through

tight economic times. But,

after mulling it over we know

it is indeed true!

Salvation, grace - Free!

God’s creation: Our

beautiful world - Free!

Smiles, hugs, things that

make us laugh! Free!

The people the Lord has

chosen to be a part of

our life… family and

friends! Our church

home, Children: Precious

in his sight and ours!

According to the Bible:

”The Lord by wisdom

founded the earth”

By understanding he

established the heavens:

”Keep sound wisdom”

“Whatever we may say,

Whatever we may do, O

God help us to live in a

way credible to you”

Your will be done Father.

What a magnificent

exchange: your wisdom

Senior Moment by Ann Stein

MUMC Kids T-shirts are available to our families. You can pick up an

order form at the Welcome Center table or from the church office.

Shirts are available in many colors including: White, Ash, Light Blue,

Lime, Yellow, Pink, and Violet; and Crew Neck Fleece Sweatshirts are

available in Ash.

Cost Youth: $11.00 t-shirt $15.00 sweatshirt

Adult: $12.00 t-shirt $17.00 sweatshirt

T’s Me Magic Ink Designs will donate back a portion of their proceeds

for our children’s Sunday School program.

Thank you for your support of our MUMC Kids.

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Focus on Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry

where those receiving care can be sure that

their identity and what goes on in the caring

relationship will remain private. A Stephen

Minister and one adult care receiver of the

same gender meet at least weekly on a one-

to-one basis for as long as is necessary to

allow God to work in the caring process as

the cure giver. There may be times in our

lives when each of us needs the care of

another person, a Christian friend, a

Stephen Minister. These needs might

include hospitalization, serious illness,

aging and elderly crisis, those facing life

transitions, those grieving a death or loss of

a loved one, job crisis, separation or

divorce, spiritual crisis, and those needing

the support of a Christian friend.

Stephen Ministry is in its ninth year of

serving those in our church and community

who are in need of a trained Christian

caregiver. Pastor Mowry’s recent sermon

series has illustrated many of the caregiving

skills that trainees in Stephen Ministry

develop and practice in the course of their

initial 50 hours of training before being

commissioned as Stephen Ministers. Since

2002, twenty eight Stephen Ministers have

been trained by Stephen Ministry Leaders

and commissioned by Marengo United

Methodist Church. Fifty seven care

receivers have been served by these

dedicated people. Although the initial

commitment to Stephen Ministry is only two

years, many of our Stephen Ministers have

served for the full duration of our Stephen

Ministry program. Everyone who has

received training recognizes the wonderful

benefits of learning the key skills necessary

to provide care to hurting persons while

trusting God to be the only true cure giver.

We have two requests of our church

community:

1) If you are interested in learning more

about serving as a Stephen Minister,

please call one of our Stephen

Leaders (Pastor Mowry, Gaye Anne

Anderson, or Richard Anderson).

2) If you personally feel that you need

help from a Stephen Minister, please

call one of our Stephen Leaders who

will work with you to provide care

from an active Stephen Minister.

Our currently active Stephen Ministers are

Gaye Anne & Richard Anderson, Barbara &

Jack Carder, Penny Collins, Sue & Dick

Evans, Belle Mahon, Lynette Paradiso,

Brenda Rommel, Betty Struckmeier, and

Maureen & Joe Whiting. Our Stephen

Leaders are Pastor Keck Mowry, Gaye Anne

Anderson, and Richard Anderson.

Life Touch Photography will be available in September to take Directory photos.

Thursday, September 8th - 2:30-9:00pm

Friday, September 9th - 2:30-9:00 pm

Saturday, September 10th - 10:00am - 4:00 pm

You will be able to view your photos immediately after being taken. Each family or

individual who has their photo taken will receive a free 8 x 10 picture and a church

directory. Sign up for your time now either online at www.marengoumc.org or by calling

Sally Hoesel at (815) 544-5963.

http://www.marengoumc.org/

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It is hard to believe that summer is almost

gone and fall is around the corner. We are

excited to have our children back for

Sunday School! Last year the kids began a

new adventure with BUZZ Sunday School

curriculum. It was a great addition to our

program as it was simple for our volunteers:

no planning involved, they just showed up,

had fun and learned right along with the

kids! The kids never sat still. They learned

by experiencing and doing. It was so fun to

see their faces as they jumped to answer

questions about their week and how they

saw God in it. We will be using the BUZZ

program again this year.

The Sunday School schedule for the day is

changing a bit this year. We are asking

parents to sign their children in as they

enter church on Sunday morning. There will

be a sign-in book in the Narthex just outside

the church office. Parents will sign in that

their kids are here and will be part of the

Sunday School program for the day.

Parents will then take their children into the

Sanctuary for the beginning of worship. It is

important for our kids to be a part of the

church family as a whole and experience

worship together. They will stay for the

welcome and opening praise songs and

then be asked to join Pastor up front for

Children’s Time. We all know how they love

their time with Pastor Keck! After Pastor

dismisses the kids, they will head with their

teachers to their classrooms. Our kids will

be split into four classes by grade. Our

Preschool and Kindergarten kids will meet

downstairs on the stage classroom. The 1st

& 2nd graders will join together downstairs

in Fellowship Hall. The 3rd & 4th graders will

take their learning and fun to the gym and

our oldest kids, 5th & 6th graders, will head

upstairs in the Annex classrooms for their

Sunday School day.

After worship we are asking that Parents

please head to their child’s classroom to

sign them out and then we welcome you to

stay for Fellowship Time and enjoy a cup of

coffee or juice and a snack while catching

up with church family.

We are trying to make the teaching

commitment less so that our teachers can

attend worship, too. We can always use

more help with our great MUMC Kids. The

curriculum is very easy to administer and

really a lot of fun. If you have questions

about helping, please don’t hesitate to call

me. Thank you for all you do for our MUMC

Kids.

Dawn Hoffman

Sunday School Superintendent

815-568-0997

[email protected]

Our next Heartland Blood Drive will be on

Sunday, September 18th from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm.

“Fall” into helping your community and sign up for your blood donation time today! Sign-

up sheets are in the Narthex or you can call the church office (815) 568-7162 to set your

time, although walk-ins are ALWAYS welcome!

During this month of September, all donors to the Heartland Blood Center will receive an

exclusive "Remember 9/11" T-shirt as a way of saying "thank you" for your life-saving blood

donations. Photo ID is required.

A New Start for Sunday School

Marengo United Methodist Church

119 East Washington Street

Marengo, IL 60152

www.Marengoumc.org

Marengo United Methodist Church Spring 2016

Singing to the Lord lets you tell the message that’s in your heart without stumbling over

awkward words. You can tell everyone how much you love Jesus and God.

Singing to the Lord is good for your health – it lowers your blood pressure. It’s been known

to relieve a headache.

Choir is also a place to make friends. Here you can become a part of a group that will pray

for each other, support one another through the hard times, and celebrate life’s joys.

It’s hard to find soloists to sing in the summer, because we are not a choir of great soloists.

Most choir members are timid about singing alone. But we are a great choir when we sing

together. Perhaps you, too, can find your voice to tell the world of God’s love, by singing in

the choir.

“The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best” Henry

Van Dyke

Senior Choir Rehearsals are on Wednesdays, 7-8 pm in the room above the Narthex

(Sanctuary lobby). You can get there using the stairs by the Taylor Street door, or the windy

narrow steps by the Washington Street door, or the elevator.

Continued . . .

The Mustard Seed Fall 2011

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Transcript of The Mustard Seed Fall 2011