Illinois & Wisconsin District: October 2014

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

The Reflector -- October 2014 -- Vol 11 Issue 8

Thoughts from the Moderator - Stan Rodabaugh

As I reflected on a good word to share as we prepare to come together as the Illinois/Wisconsin District of the Church of the Brethren, the words of Jesus quoted throughout the New Testament came to mind. “He that hath ears, let him hear”. These words remind me of my years of schooling, especially my time at the Earlham School of Religion. Often, while engrossed in a topic of discussion being addressed by the professor or other students, I would be mentally composing my response. Then I would raise my hand eager to share my great insight into the issue. Meanwhile, I had totally missed the insights of professor and fellow students. It was a major turnaround in my academic career when I came to the conclusion that what I had to say wasn’t nearly as important as hearing what the professor had to share; he was the “teacher” after all. In realizing that I was in school to learn and not to teach, I became more teachable. Consequently, I learned more and my grades improved. I am sure my classmates were relieved. While it was important that I learn to speak my mind and share my thoughts, learning to listen first and speak later proved the fruitful plan for me.

May we pray and think about the spirit in which we participate as we prepare to come to District Conference in Elgin. As Moderator, I encourage everyone to be willing to share thoughts and feelings openly and honestly. I also want to encourage us to be committed to ask the Lord to help us listen to each other with the desire to truly understand each other. Let us make it more important to understand than to be understood (See prayer of St. Francis 733 in HYMNAL: A WORSHIOP BOOK). My suggestion may seem radical, but I believe it is true: I do not believe we will convince each other of our positions on various issues. Although debates may result in someone’s mind being changed, more often they result in strained or broken relationships. May we embrace this goal-- that at the end of conference we will know it was safe to speak from our hearts, that we were understood, and that we offered others the same safety and understanding. Whatever we decide about the issues will be more pleasing to the Lord Jesus if we part having compassion, love and understanding for the ones with whom we disagree. After all, we are family, and parents continue to love their children even when they choose a path they don’t approve. Yes, In Christ Jesus we can be gracious to people we do not agree with. If we let Him, Jesus will help us with this. I am looking forward to District Conference, and I hope you are too!

Last Chance for District Conference Auction

Silent & Live Auctions 2014 District Conference to benefit District Ministries - Nov. 7 - 8

Last year at District Conference the themed baskets went over so well that we are going to do the same again this year! We are asking each church to provide a basket or two of goodies with a theme, such as kitchen, movie night and so on. We are also asking for baked goods for the Silent Auction. For the Live Auction we are asking people to provide nice Arts and Crafts items, such as woodworking, paintings, maybe pottery, and, of course, it would be nice to have a few quilts! We would like to have a dozen or so items in the Live Auction. If you would like to provide an item, please let me know ahead of time what you are planning to bring.

For more information please contact Rick Koch @ 815-499-3012 or at revrick-dutchtown@jcwifi.com

DE Ponderings by Kevin Kessler

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:12-15 (NRSV)

About six months ago I subscribed to another magazine—Plough Quarterly. It is published by “the Bruderhof, an international movement of Christian communities whose members are called to follow Jesus together in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount and of the first church in Jerusalem, sharing all our talents, income, and possessions (Acts 2 and 4).” A sampling of articles and materials can be found at www.plough.com.

The theme of the Autumn 2014 issue is Building Justice. One article is an interview with Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, on the subject of marriage as social justice. Professor George maintains a very traditional view of marriage and, from additional research I did, I learned that he is a prominent conservative thinker. His views were evident in the article.

A little over mid-way through the article, the interviewer presents this statement to the professor: “You have surprised people by your friendship with Cornel West, the famous Afro-American Studies scholar...who often takes positions radically opposed to yours, including on marriage, affirmative action...and a host of other hotly contested issues.” Cornel West is also a professor at Princeton and from research I learned he holds a very different view on various subjects than does Professor George. I don’t know either one of these professors and have never heard of either of them before, but from what I’ve learned about each one it would be hard to imagine them as friends, or sitting down in the same room and having a civil discussion. Their views seem that divergent. Yet the interviewer’s statement suggests that the two men are friends.

Professor George offers a response to the interviewer’s statement that points to the reason they can be friends and interact with each other in a civil manner. He responds, “There is no bond between people more powerful, in my opinion, than a shared love of truth. That will include the desire to be corrected when one is in error. My vocation as a scholar and as a Christian is to get at the truth. That means I need to avoid falling so deeply in love with my own opinions that I prefer holding them, even when they are erroneous, to being corrected.” The professor continues saying that he and Professor West share a similar vocation, that they both love the truth, that they are engaged in a cooperative venture to pursue truth. And then Professor George adds: “So when we engage each other, we know that neither of us is seeking victory—something only one party in a contest can acquire. Rather, both of us are seeking truth—a common good that interlocutors can share.”

A couple paragraphs later, Professor George talks about his efforts of criticizing the thought of John Stuart Mill, a great nineteenth-century liberal thinker. He notes that in the middle of one of Mill’s essays he found a compelling point, that all of us “need to earn the right to have our opinions, and we do that by considering very carefully, sympathetically, and in the best possible light what reasonable people who disagree with us have to say.”

Professor George is quick to point out that the right to one’s opinion is not “freedom from government interference with the expression of one’s views.” What he means, rather, “is that if you don’t understand why some reasonable people of goodwill disagree with you, then you don’t really grasp the basis of your own view, you don’t have a grip on the reasons for holding it. You are a mere ideologue. That’s why the kind of open-mindedness Mill calls for—in other words, the virtue of intellectual humility—is critically important.”

As I read and pondered over this article, I thought about truth. I searched the scriptures where truth is mentioned. I liked the verses from the gospel of John printed above stating that when the Spirit of truth comes we will all be led into truth. Implied is that truth comes from the Spirit. Truth is not ours but it is something that comes to us, that leads us. How easy it is to claim truth as our own and insist on others knowing it as we know it. Is this more like opinion rather than truth? I wonder.

As John Stuart Mill claims, we have a right to our opinion. But it seems inappropriate to identify our opinion as truth. More appropriate, in my opinion, is that we together seek truth as we seek the presence of the Spirit in our midst and within our lives. All of us seeking truth puts us on a level playing field. We may have strong opinions and very ably vocalize our position. But our goal should not be to win or defeat the other. A better objective is to find more truth than either of us knows. The words from the Gospel of John seem to say this, in that the Spirit of truth will declare to us things that are to come. In other words, there is more truth we don’t know that is yet to come, to be declared by the Spirit.

I am convinced that we have only glimpses of truth. So how can we claim to have truth and declare that others do not have? Would it be more accurate to say we all share some truth and that there is more to come for all of us? Now then, together, let’s search for it, wait for it, celebrate it when it arrives. Again, it’s my opinion, but this way of being community sounds inviting. What do you think? Is this possible for the Illinois/Wisconsin District, the Church of the Brethren, the Church in general? In my opinion, I think it is.

Fall District Youth Retreat

When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me. —Matthew 25:31

The youth of IL/WI District will be working at the Northern Illinois Food Bank during District Conference weekend. They’ve asked the district people to make a donation of foods. Below is a list of most-needed food items (no glass jars please):

Peanut Butter, Canned Tuna/Chicken, Whole Grain Pasta and Rice, Cereal, Dried Beans, Canned Fruits (in own juice), Canned vegetables, Reduced-Sodium Soup, Pasta Sauce

Please bring the food items with you when you register Friday night for district conference.

Powerhouse regional youth conference to be at Camp Mack in mid-November

Courtesy of Manchester University

The logo for Powerhouse 2014, a regional youth conference for the Midwest sponsored by Manchester University and held at Camp Mack

By Walt Wiltschek

The Powerhouse regional youth conference has reached its fifth anniversary! Powerhouse will return to Camp Mack near Milford, Ind., on Nov. 15-16, providing a weekend of worship, workshops, music, recreation, and more for senior high youth in the Midwest and their advisors.

Join in this action-packed and faith-filled weekend following on National Youth Conference. The theme this year is “Almost Christian: Seeking an Authentic Faith,” drawing on the book “Almost Christian” by Kenda Creasy Dean and other studies that have been done in this area.

Jonathan Shively, executive director of Congregational Life Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, is the keynote speaker for three worship times during the weekend. Seth Hendricks, pastor of Happy Corner Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Ohio, and a member of the band Mutual Kumquat, returns as music leader. Opportunities also will be available to visit and tour the Manchester University campus in North Manchester, Ind., about 45-50 minutes from Camp Mack, before or after the conference, and perhaps as a workshop option on Saturday.

Groups coming from a distance and needing a place to stay in the area on Friday night may contact us and we can help make arrangements to stay at Manchester University or with congregations in the area.

Cost is $75 for youth, $65 for advisors (for extenuating circumstances, please contact us). Everyone will have a bed to sleep in. Participants should bring their own bedding and towels. The camp will be preparing the meals. All the forms needed to register and a host of other information is at www.manchester.edu/powerhouse. Please be in prayer for this event and encourage your youth and advisors to attend.

— Walt Wiltschek is director of Religious Life and Church Relations at Manchester University. For more about Manchester go to www.manchester.edu.

Reprint from Church of the Brethren Newsline September 3, 2014

Honor God by Honoring Others’ is theme for Junior High Sunday

Churches of the Brethren are encouraged to celebrate Junior High Sunday on Nov. 2. The theme for the 2014 observance of Junior High Sunday is “Honor God by Honoring Others,” based on Matthew 7:12, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Go to www.brethren.org/yya/jr-high-resources.html for more information and resources.

Copied from Brethren Newsline, October 15, 2014

Chaplain Position at Pinecrest

Pinecrest Community, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community, in the Rock River Valley, is seeking a full time Chaplain. The primary purpose of this position is to care for the spiritual needs of our residents, families and staff as needed. The qualified candidate must be a licensed and ordained minister within the Church of the Brethren and have experience with and understanding of the needs and challenges of the geriatric population. Clinical Pastoral Education preferred. This person will lead a variety of pastoral care services and serve as interdisciplinary team member assisting in resident care plan sessions, documenting the pastoral care provided and spiritual assessments of residents from admission through discharge. Must also possess leadership ability and willingness to work harmoniously with other staff.

Please submit resume to Victoria L. Marshall PHR, Human Resources Director, Pinecrest Community, 414 South Wesley Avenue, Mount Morris, IL 61054. Our web address is: www.pinecrestcommunity.org

Camp Emmaus Leaf Raking/Hot Dog Roast

Engage Day Introduces Prospective Students to Bethany

Richmond, IN - Bethany Theological Seminary will welcome prospective students to the fall Engage Visit Day on Friday, October 31, 2014. Now in its seventh year, this event is designed to both provide students with practical information about enrolling in seminary study and to include them in seminary activities and experiences.

Campus guests will take part in worship, interact with a panel of current students, attend class, meet with faculty, and be informed about the admissions process, all with encouragement for each participant to continue discerning the path to which they are called.

Registration is now open at www.bethanyseminary.edu/visit/engage, which also lists the day's schedule. For more information, contact Tracy Primozich, director of admissions, at primotr@bethanyseminary.edu.

Pinecrest seeks Director of Social Services

Pinecrest Community, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community, in the Rock River Valley, is seeking a Director of Social Services. The primary purpose of this position is to plan, organize, develop and direct the overall operation of the facility’s Social Service Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, our established policies and procedures to assure that the medically related emotional and social needs of the residents are met and maintained on an individual basis. This person manages the admission process and needs to be knowledgeable in the area of Medicare, Medicaid and insurance. The qualified candidate will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (Master’s preferred) and must be licensed in the State of Illinois. Must possess leadership ability and willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise personnel. A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in a long term care facility or other related medical facility is required.

Please submit resume to Victoria L. Marshall PHR, Human Resources Director, Pinecrest Community, 414 South Wesley Avenue, Mount Morris, IL 61054. Our web address is: www.pinecrestcommunity.org

Bethany Seminary Peace Essay Contest

Richmond, IN - Aspiring student writers are encouraged to begin considering their entries for Bethany Seminary's 2015 Peace Essay Contest: Peacemaking, Creation Justice, and the Beloved Community. Building on its success in 2014, the contest is again being held as part of the peace studies program at the Seminary.

The peace essay contest is open to seminary, graduate school, college, and high school students who are fully enrolled in a program en route to a degree. Prizes of $2000, $1000, and $500 will be awarded for the top three essays. Topics to address may include but are not limited to the following:

creation care
a just peace with creation
indigenous communities' rights
environmental racism
gender and ecology
creating a greener economy
creation-centered spirituality
forging alliances across the traditional "left-vs.-right" ideological framing of US politics
intercultural coalitions for the common good

Essays can be submitted between January 1 and January 26, 2015, and results will be announced by the end of February 2015. Winning essays will appear in selected publications of the Church of the Brethren, Friends, and Mennonite faith communities. For guidelines, terms, and submission procedures, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/peace-essay. Contact Bekah Houff at houffre@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1809 for additional information

Around the World at Pleasant Hill

Pleasant Hill Village in Girard took dinner guests on “A Trip Around the World” at the 18th Annual Fall Dinner and Auction on Oct. 18.

More than 220 people attended the event at the Virden Knights of Columbus and enjoyed fantastic food, marveled at wonderful decorations and enjoyed several rousing bidding wars on auction items.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and donors, PHV was able to offer enticing items, including the annual “War for the Pies” which generated almost $400 in bidding for three pies.

The event raised about $37,000, which will be used to purchase new tables for the Pleasant Hill Healthcare dining room; new vital sign monitors for PHH; equipment for the new assisted-living rooms at Pleasant Hill Residence and landscaping and beautification projects throughout the campus.

There are still plenty of items on the wish list and Pleasant Hill Village continues to accept support for the event.

Since 1905, Pleasant Hill Village has provided excellent care on a non-profit basis in the north Macoupin County, Ill. Area Pleasant Hill Healthcare is a skilled nursing facility providing 24-hour care, including a secured Alzheimer’s and Dementia unit. Pleasant Hill Residence, an independent living facility, offers 48 apartments of varying sizes and now offers assisted living rooms as well.

For more information, contact Darrin Burnett at 217-627-2181 or dburnett@pleasanthillvillage.org

District Leadership Team Meets at Neighborhood Church

The Illinois-Wisconsin District Leadership Team met at the Neighborhood Church in Montgomery on October 11. Those present were Members: Mandy Rahn, Chm; Jim Lehman, Asst. Chm.; Vicki Matheny; Gary Yoder; and Purvi Satvedi. Ex Officio Members: Kevin Kessler, DE; Stan Rodabaugh, Moderator; Dana McNeil, Mod. Elect; Gordon Heid, Treasurer; Gil Crosby, Sec.; Visitors: Pat Heid, Judd Peter, Mark Flory Steury.

Mandy opened with devotions using John 4:35 as the text. The Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Why do we fear telling others about Christ? She closed with prayer.

We welcomed Kevin back from his Sabbatical.

The financial report was good except for a downturn in the stock market which resulted in negative income from investments. Expenses for Douglas Park were $12,256 and will be offset with a transfer from the general fund. Gordon announced a new software system that makes the reports much easier to read.

The District Executive reported he is working with one congregation in a pastoral search and has met with the Ministry Team, who are renewing licenses, and the Program and Arrangements Team prior to District Conference. Kevin apprised the Team of the pending sale of the Douglas Park property for $170,000. The sale of the property had been approved at an earlier meeting by the LT acting as the Board for Douglas Park. Two individuals have purchased the property, Amy Little and James Ravenscroft.

A query was presented to the board by the Neighborhood Church stating: "How should Districts respond to churches and pastors who perform same sex marriages.” The LT voted to bring the query to District Conference. The Polo Church presented a query asking what the District and Denomination can do to promote renewable energy, reduce CO2 , reduce dependence on fossil fuels and support stewardship of the earth. Because the query had not been approved by the Polo LT or congregation it was returned to the Church.

The LT will respond to a letter sent by the Highland Ave. Church to the LT and to congregations in the District.

We need a volunteer to serve on the Gifts Discernment Team from the NE Region. The LT approved the appointment of Wil Nolen to a new 3 Yr term on the Property and Asset Mgt. Team.

The Leadership Team recognized the service of Jim Lehman on the Leadership Team. Jim's six years of service ends this year.

CROP Hunger Walks provide solutions

It’s CROP Hunger Walk season! Get involved with your local CROP Hunger Walk: www.crophungerwalk.org

Malnutrition leads to nearly half of all childhood deaths before age 5. During a child’s first 1,000 days, proper nutrition is vital. Without it, the risk is high for life-long health issues.

So, what’s the solution? A community garden? Training on feeding infants healthy food? The truth is, no single effort will eradicate hunger. In some areas, Church World Service uses CROP funds toward agricultural solutions to help families grow healthier food. Yet in reality most of the world’s poor buy their food, which prompts people of faith to look deeper at the root causes of hunger. Sometimes a clean water source will help. Other times discrimination blocks access to employment, meaning a small business grant or loan in the short term can help a whole family eat for years.

CROP Hunger Walk funds provide all these solutions and more for people struggling in poverty. CROP Hunger Walk funds also enable local food pantries and food banks to be with those in need.

CROP Hunger Walks are community-based events that bring people together to raise funds and find solutions! Please be a part of one this fall.

To get info, register, or raise funds for your local CROP Hunger Walk please visit www.crophungerwalk.org or call the Illinois regional office of CWS at (630) 200-4572.

2014 Pledged to Actual Comparison

Calendar of District Events

November

1 - All Saints Day
2 - National Jr. High Sunday
2 - Daylight Time Ends
7-8 - District Conference, Highland Ave., Elgin
7-9 - Fall District Youth Retreat, Highland Ave., Elgin
9 - Stewardship Sunday
15 - Leaf Raking/Hotdog Roast, Camp Emmaus
15-16 - Powerhouse Youth Conference, Camp Mack, IN
23 - Christ the King Sunday
27 - Thanksgiving
30 - First Sunday of Advent

December

1 - Aids Awareness Day
6 - Ministerial Leadership Dev. Team - Peru
10 - Human Rights Day
21 - First Day of Winter
24 - Christmas Eve
25 - Christmas Day
31 - New Year’s Eve

January, 2015

1 - New Year's Day
6 - Epiphany
16-22 - CODE Meeting, Coco Beach, FL
19 - Martin Luther King Day

February

14 - Valentine's Day
15 - Transfiguration Sunday
18 - ASH WEDNESDAY
22 - First Sunday of Lent

March

1 - Second Sunday of Lent
6 - World Day of Prayer
8 - Third Sunday of Lent
8 - (Daylight Saving Time)
14-16 - Mission & Ministry Bd., Lancaster Pa.
15 - Fourth Sunday of Lent
15 - One Great Hour of Sharing
20 - First Day f Spring
22 - Fifth Sunday of Lent
29 - PALM SUNDAY

April

Child Abuse Prevention Month
2 - Maundy Thursday
3 - Good Friday
5 - EASTER

May

Older Adult Month
3 - National Youth Sunday
7 - National Day of Prayer
10 - Mother's Day
14 - Ascension Day
24 - Pentecost
25 - Memorial Day
31 - Trinity Sunday

June

5 - World Environment Day
19-21 - Nat'l. Jr. High Conf, Elizabethtown College
21 - Father's Day

July

4 - Independence Day
9 - CODE Meeting, Tampa, Fl.
10 - Mission & Ministry Bd. Meeting, Tampa
11-15 - ANNUAL CONFERENCE, TAMPA, FL.

September

7-11 - Nat'l Older Adult Conf., L. Junaluska, NC
13 - National Grandparents Day
20 - Bethany Sunday, Mission Offering
23 - First Day of Autumn

October

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Pastor Appreciation Month
4 - World Communion Sun day
16 - World Food Day, Peace with Justice Week
17-19 - Mission & Ministry Bd. Meeting, Elgin, IL
25 - Reformation Sunday