Sunday, October 01, 2006
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2006
November 3, 4, and 5York Center CoB
in Lombard, Illinois
YOU ARE INVITED!!
Conference is almost here. Where has the year gone? It has been a year of new experiences in the Lord for me. I have done, seen, heard, LISTENED, LEARNED, and tried to SERVE the past eleven months (one more to go). God has opened my eyes and my heart in ways that I couldn’t imagine. The three words are all in capitals because, this is what I feel God called me to do this year. I knew if I did these three things as I traveled around the District, worshiping, attending meetings and celebrations, I would be blessed. Praise the Lord what a blessing I have received.
I invite you to come to District Conference. If you have been many times, I pray you will find the friends from the past / present. If this is your first time you are thinking to come to conference, come see. I pray that all will be touched by our Lord in some way during the weekend. There will be wonderful worship services. Sunday morning’s message will be brought by Annual Conference Moderator Belita Mitchel. Both Friday evening and Sunday morning worships will be full of different opportunities to worship and praise God. The program following the Saturday evening dinner should be enjoyable and fun. We will start with our very own Christian Comedian, Scott Sturtevant from the Lanark CoB. He will have all ages in stitches. Then we will enjoy the musical group the “Community Renewal Chorus”. We will send ourselves off with a good old fashion hymn sing. Bring your favorite hymn to suggest!! The Youth have an Ice Cream Social planned. Yes, ice cream!! Boy are we Brethren!! I can’t forget the Sunday morning Insight sessions. It will be hard to pick which one to attend. Then there is business. Here is where I really got a little crazy. We are going to do all, yes all (Lord willing), the business in the morning, but don’t miss the afternoon!! It is going to be a time of celebration!!! We have three LIVE reports you won’t want to miss. There will be a time of open prayer to share the joys and concerns with the body of Christ. A time of Anointing for healing will conclude our prayer time.
Please come, because YOU are the District. If you cannot attend, please be in prayer all during the weekend for God’s will to be done among us, the people of the Illinois and Wisconsin District!
In service to Christ,
Leonard W. Matheny, 2006 Moderator
SPECIAL OFFERING AT CONFERENCE
For those churches who picked up the holder, candle, and jar and have had them in you houses of worship, it is time to see the fruits. Please bring the money collected during the past year. There will be a time during offering Friday evening worship for all to bring this special offering to the worship center collection container.The lit candle represents the light of Christ we all share. The jar is a symbol of our need to support one another as a district. Why? Because we are the District. There is no amount too small or large to be given to the service of our Lord. The gifts will be divided equally between the District Budget and the New Church Development Board funds. Both are ministries of our District. Both are in need of our help. Please remember these are separate from your budgeted giving to either. This should be from the extra God calls you to give.
COMING AND SEEING AT NYC
The National Youth Conference (NYC) trip to Colorado began early on July 21, in the Church parking lots at Naperville and Peoria. The two buses converged at Dixon, picking up the rest of the Illinois/Wisconsin District group, and the journey was on.107 senior high youth and advisors registered for the district bus trip (including nine Pennsylvanians that rode with us). Other district members traveled by other means to serve on staff at NYC. Sixteen congregations were represented.
On the way buses stopped in Omaha, Neb. The evening included a vespers service in a large ditch next to our motel. An early start the next morning took us across the long stretch of Nebraska. We stopped for lunch in Ogalalla before cruising on to Fort Collins for the main event at Colorado State University.
What an event it was! Twice-daily high-octane worship services, workshops, small groups, service projects, hiking, concerts, and much more filled the schedule. A group from the district entered an ultimate Frisbee team in the NYC tournament. "Ultimate Illinois" reached the championship game before losing in overtime.
Speaker after speaker challenged the 3,600-plus NYC participants to follow Jesus' invitation to "Come and See," the theme for the week. Many placed an emphasis on connecting our faith in Christ to serving the needs of the world by relieving hunger, working for justice, and volunteering our time. Almost $90,000 was raised through a run/walk and other events at NYC. More money has been coming in since then.
The buses on the trip home stopped at McPherson College in Kansas and made a construction detour in Iowa before arriving back in Illinois, returning home after an incredible week.By now congregations are feeling the repercussions of the uplifting and inspiring week the group experienced at NYC. The prayer now is that our youth with continue to encounter the Jesus they "came and saw" at NYC in the people, the worship, and the activities of our district. ---Walt Wiltschek
FALL YOUTH RETREAT: NOV. 3-5
Senior high youth: Want to reconnect with all the friends you made at camp and National Youth Conference? Are you ready to learn more about your faith and the journey on which God is calling you? Come to the FALL DISTRICT YOUTH RETREAT!
The retreat is Nov. 3-5, as part of district conference at York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill. We will take part in worship at district conference, but most of our other activities will take place at a nearby church, where we'll also be staying overnight.
The speaker for the retreat will be Jim Chinworth, campus minister at Manchester College in Indiana. Jim, who has also served as a pastor in Pennsylvania, brings a unique and engaging style to exploring what God's Word has to say to us. Food, games, vespers, recreation, and a service project will also be part of the weekend.
It is open to all youth in grades 9-12 and youth advisors. Watch for registration materials soon, or visit www.cobyouth.org for updates.
Other dates to put on your calendar: Christian Citizenship Seminar March 24-29, 2007; Regional Youth Conference at Manchester April 27-29, 2007. A district volleyball fundraiser and spring youth retreat are also in the works.
The retreat is Nov. 3-5, as part of district conference at York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill. We will take part in worship at district conference, but most of our other activities will take place at a nearby church, where we'll also be staying overnight.
The speaker for the retreat will be Jim Chinworth, campus minister at Manchester College in Indiana. Jim, who has also served as a pastor in Pennsylvania, brings a unique and engaging style to exploring what God's Word has to say to us. Food, games, vespers, recreation, and a service project will also be part of the weekend.
It is open to all youth in grades 9-12 and youth advisors. Watch for registration materials soon, or visit www.cobyouth.org for updates.
Other dates to put on your calendar: Christian Citizenship Seminar March 24-29, 2007; Regional Youth Conference at Manchester April 27-29, 2007. A district volleyball fundraiser and spring youth retreat are also in the works.
A RED HEADED PASTOR AND NYC
Eight youth and three adults boarded an early morning bus for Fort. Collins, Colorado. Their destination: National Youth Conference. They were excited, and a little sleepy anticipating what lay ahead the next few days.
NYC exceeded their expectations and they were inspired to be a moving force in the Peoria Congregation when they got back. On the bus on the way home, Pastor Dana McNeil challenged the youth to bring their individual testimonies to the congregation and then prepare a Sunday service based on their experiences. The youth agreed, with a commitment from the Pastor as well. If the youth accepted the challenge the Pastor would allow the youth to dye his hair RED.
Sunday morning, August 20th, a Red Headed Pastor and 8 youth entered a Sanctuary that had been turned into a Construction Site. Yellow construction tape, ladders, a big screen and 8 hard hatted youth began the service entitled, Who are you becoming. The theme said our youth are Christians "under construction" and are active members of our Congregation who contribute to the total energy of the group. And energy they provided for a fantastic Worship Service. They encouraged the rest of the congregation to "Come and See" what they saw at NYC.
Contributed by Gil Crosby, Peoria
NYC exceeded their expectations and they were inspired to be a moving force in the Peoria Congregation when they got back. On the bus on the way home, Pastor Dana McNeil challenged the youth to bring their individual testimonies to the congregation and then prepare a Sunday service based on their experiences. The youth agreed, with a commitment from the Pastor as well. If the youth accepted the challenge the Pastor would allow the youth to dye his hair RED.Sunday morning, August 20th, a Red Headed Pastor and 8 youth entered a Sanctuary that had been turned into a Construction Site. Yellow construction tape, ladders, a big screen and 8 hard hatted youth began the service entitled, Who are you becoming. The theme said our youth are Christians "under construction" and are active members of our Congregation who contribute to the total energy of the group. And energy they provided for a fantastic Worship Service. They encouraged the rest of the congregation to "Come and See" what they saw at NYC.
Contributed by Gil Crosby, Peoria
FULL BUS TO NOAC!
Our "District Bus to NOAC" has turned into a regional cooperative. The itinerary originally included stopping in Ohio, but we were still struggling with half a load. We learned the bus from South/Central Indiana .shared the same problem. So Indiana invited us to take over their partial load. We've added a few more since and revised our route. Our 57 passenger bus is full as NOAC approaches. There are 22 from Illinois (including a visitor from Arizona), 23 from Indiana, 1 from Michigan, and 11 from Ohio. The Dixon-Myers Transportation Co. operates the bus which is, run by Marv and Beverly Binkley, members of the Mt. Morris congregation. For future NOAC's, we will need to be thinking of inter-district cooperation.
Duly Dulabaum, Bus Coordinator.
Duly Dulabaum, Bus Coordinator.
WE HAVE AN APOSTLE!
The New Church Development Board (NCDB) of the IL/WI District is pleased to announce the filling of the Apostle position. After months of prayer and open searching, Lynda Lubbs-DeVore has accepted an invitation to perform this most needed ministry within our district. A start date near the end of this calendar year is anticipated. Lynda is co-pastor along with husband Tom DeVore, of our most recent fellowship, Christ Connections Community Church (CCCC) in Montgomery, Il. Lynda comes to us with seven years licensed ministry experience, three years experience in new church development with CCCC and numerous ministry experiences through Neighborhood Church of the Brethren dating back to 1989.
You can expect Lynda to be out and about among the Churches, educating all and calling out Church Planters. As she has shared with us:
You can expect Lynda to be out and about among the Churches, educating all and calling out Church Planters. As she has shared with us:
"God does not ask us to do that which He has not equipped us for. Among us therefore, are individuals that God is calling to be planters of new churches and church restarts. We are called to identify those individuals and to nurture, encourage, and coach them to fulfill their call. To make available to them the resources they need to maximize positive outcomes. Existing congregations are vital to this process. They are the incubators for the church of tomorrow."More about the role of the Apostle and work of the NCDB can be found on their website: www.ncdb.org.
26TH ANNUAL COUNTRY STORE BAZAAR AT FREEPORT
The Freeport Church of the Brethren 26th Annual Country Store Bazaar and Luncheon takes place Thursday, October 19, 2006. The bazaar includes fall decorations, produce, houseplants, gifts, cards, homemade noodles, collectibles among the Attic Treasures, crafts, a complete line of bakery items, hard-to-find jams like ground cherry and rhubarb, woodworking such as decorative birdhouses, benches, wheelbarrows, bird feeders, and couch snack tables. Bazaar hours are from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
The luncheon begins at 11 AM, featuring homemade chicken noodle soup, gelatin salad, rolls, cake, and beverage. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door with a $4.50 donation. Freeport Church is located in Freeport at 777 W. Pleasant Street at the corner of Hwy. 26 (S. West Ave.). Handicap parking and a chair lift are at the Pleasant Street entrance. The contact person is Linda Simler (815) 232-7344.
The luncheon begins at 11 AM, featuring homemade chicken noodle soup, gelatin salad, rolls, cake, and beverage. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door with a $4.50 donation. Freeport Church is located in Freeport at 777 W. Pleasant Street at the corner of Hwy. 26 (S. West Ave.). Handicap parking and a chair lift are at the Pleasant Street entrance. The contact person is Linda Simler (815) 232-7344.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH NEWS
Neighborhood Church announced the arrival of their new Pastor, Rob Tevis. Neighborhood Church is located in Montgomery, IL. The church also acquired a new E-mail address: ncotb@sbcglobal.net
Welcome to the Neighborhood, Rob!
Welcome to the Neighborhood, Rob!
Editors: Gil Crosby at crosbygm@juno.com and Leonard Matheny at mathelw@mindspring.com
