First Congregational Church
United Church of Christ

We're off to a great start this fall with adult education's new look!  Each Sunday morning we begin serving breakfast at 9:00 in fellowship hall.  Juice, fruit, milk, cereals, pastries, and coffee are available.  Bring your whole family to the table and then settle in until 10:00 for a time of spiritual and intellectual growth.  Child care is provided for your young ones after they have eaten breakfast.

Now that we have been introduced to the Bible we will begin an in-depth study of one book.  At this writing the class has yet to decide which book we will tackle, so there is still time for you to put in your two cents' worth.  No need for biblical expertise or prior knowledge.  Just bring your mind, your heart, and your desire to learn and grow.

On October 15th and 22nd, in addition to the Bible study, there will be sessions titled "Help I Need Somebody."  (Please note the article on page 9.)  These classes will explore the myths and realities of mental health issues and discuss resources for help.  This is a subject which touches many more families in our community than most of us realize.  This promises to be a truly eye-opening series.

See you Sunday mornings at 9:00!

• Betty Ells had surgery on September 5 to remove a malignant growth. After staying at St. Joseph Hospital for a few days she returned home only to develop an infection and had to be returned to the hospital.
• Dorothy Cook developed bleeding around an ulcerated hiatal hernia and was admitted to Delnor Hospital. She is now recuperating at home.
• Cat Iverson had an emergency appendectomy at Sherman Hospital on September 12. She is home and recuperating well.
• Orval Volkening had surgery to remove his gall bladder on September 18. He is home and recuperating well.
• After a brief stint on the rehab floor at Sherman Hospital, Rowena Swan is home aand recuperating from a stroke.
• Ron Reuter had surgery to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome in his arm. The surgery was successful but he is still experiencing numbness in his fingers. More surgery may follow.
• Jim Lewis had surgery on his ankle September 15.
• Angel Tippet, daughter of Angela Slapinski, and granddaughter of Charlotte Flanagan has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
  

• Marvin Watterman, Mary Hewitt's father, recently had urinary tract surgery at Sherman Hospital.
• Eunice Stark, Brian Stark's mother, had knee replacement surgery on September 1. She is home and recuperating well.
• Former member Betsy Quinn had knee surgery in late August in Ohio.

Dear friends:

We want to thank you all for your many prayers and continuing emotional support during the loss of our beloved Elaine.

Many of you were with us just one year ago to celebrate our 60th anniversary. As some of you may know Elaine was in failing health for some time. We don't know how we would have made it through without the continuing support of our church family.

A special, thank you, to our exceptional pastoral team. Paris and Lois were truly wonderful during Elaine's illness. We know how much their visits meant to her.

When we lost Elaine we found out how truly great they both are. No amount of thanks can ever express the special place they held in Elaine's heart, or will hold in our hearts forever.

Forever yours:
Maurice Munch & Family

10-01 Deborah Sell
10-03 Taylor Powers
10-06 Helen Castle
10-06 Reese Schmitendorf
10-09 Christopher Leberecht
10-10 Grant Powell
10-12 Barbara Burton
10-14 Lauren Powers
10-15 Erin McMinn
10-17 Janet Aldred
10-19 Vaughn Pedersen
10-21 Connie Reuter
10-22 David Widder
10-22 Mark Brictson
10-22 Rob Stackowiak
10-23 Alyssa Steffen
10-24 Desiree Dahlstrom
10-24 Aiden Garcia
10-27 Molly Brictson
10-27 Lucas Brictson
10-28 Matthew Halfpenny
10-29 Marion Danner
10-30 Grace Ann Aldred
10-31 Michael Stackowiak

Our first session of FROG Friday was a hopping success with lots of kids and youth helpers too.

Our next FROG Friday will be on Friday, October 20th.  Once again, we will gather at 6 p.m. for a pizza dinner, story, music, crafts and games.  We conclude at 8:30 p.m.  Please spread the word and invite your friends to join in the fun.

Mrs. Roberta Reed kicked-off our children's choirs on Tuesday, Sept 19^th! The new choir times for this year will be Cherub Choir(kindergarten - second grade) at 5:00 p.m. It will conclude at 5:30 p.m. and the Chapel choir (3^rd - 6^th) will rehearse from 5:30 - 6:15. Many of you requested that we consider a later rehearsal time to make it easier for you to get your children to church. We've listened to your request.

10-01 Andrew Duncan
10-01 Keaton Fahnestock

10-08 Nicole Lewellyn
10-08 Eric Turnquist

10-15 Phillip Brictson
10-15 Emerson Lewis

10-22 Brad Rantz
10-22 Taylor Stark

10-29 Samantha Kottmeier
10-29 Dennis Turnquist

This fall the offerings that the children bring to their Sunday School classes will be donated to CROP - the hunger relief agency of Church World Service. In addition to bringing their offerings the children are asked to participate in the CROP walk on Sunday, October 15^th.So gather the family, secure some pledges and come out and walk to help alleviate hunger.

The junior high and senior high youth group will venture off to the haunted house sponsored by the Turners on Friday, October 20th immediately following FROG Friday.  It will be a spooktacular evening.  Invite your friends to join us for this fun outing. Sign-up on the bulletin board in the hall.

We're off to the Wilderness

The junior high and senior high youth groups will be going to the "wilderness" for a weekend of fun and group building on November 11th and 12th. That is, the Wilderness Lodge in Wisconsin Dells. We are excited that people have begun signing up to be a part of this fun fall weekend in the dells. Our weekend will include lots of time at the indoor water park and fun and games in our "entertainment cabin!" We will be leaving Elgin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 11th and returning late afternoon on November 12th.

When: Sunday, October 1st
Immediately following 10:15 church
Where: Church Parking Lot
Cost: $5 donation

This is a car wash of love.  Bruce, our mission trip bus driver, injured himself (almost severing two fingers) and is having difficulty working.  We are hosting a car wash to give him a love gift to help with some of his expenses.  Please help us help Bruce by bringing us your dirty cars on Sunday, October 1st.  We will wash them in the church parking lot immediately following the church service.  You can drink coffee at fellowship hour while your car is getting a good cleaning.

The next meeting of our Sister to Sister group will be on Thursday, October 12th at 7 p.m. in the library.   Bring a good story, article, or poem to share. We meet on the second Thursday night of EVERY month so mark your calendar and plan to join this group.

Damaris is a women's fellowship group that meets each month to go to dinner together. Damaris meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. The October Damaris meeting will be on Thursday, October 26^th at 6:30 p.m. at Panera Bread on North Randall Rd. (just north of the tollway). For more information please contact Lois or Lee Ellsworth.

Many women have signed-up to join us for our HeartSpa retreat which will be held at Country Inn and Suites Hotel on Friday night, September 29th and all day Saturday, September 30th.  We will be exploring the story of the Woman at the Well as we gather to refresh our spirits and receive some pampering (manicure, pedicure or massage).  It will be a great time to relax, fellowship and grow in your faith.  Come be refreshed and rejuvenated at the "well."  This retreat is open to teens also if they attend with their mother or other adult.   Contact Lois for more information.

The Golden Years ladies group meets faithfully every Wednesday morning in our Fellowship Hall.  One of their activities is to sew cancer pads that are delivered to patients by Home Healthcare nurses.  This group is always looking for old sheets and blankets (they can even be electric blankets) that can be used for their projects.  If you have anything to donate please bring your items to fellowship hall.  For more information please contact Margaret Schmoldt.

Last Call!  Many people have responded to our call to join a Dine With Nine Group.  Groups will be formed in the next few weeks.  If you want to be in a group, but haven't responded yet please call Lois (or drop off a form) to be added to a group.   Each group will consist of eight or nine adults.  The group takes turns meeting for dinner in each other's homes.  We also have a restaurant dining group.  For the home groups, the hostess decides on the menu for the evening and lets the other guests know what to bring.  Following dinner there is time for games, discussion, movies, or whatever.  This is a great way to get to know the people you worship with each Sunday.

We have ordered a beautiful fall evening with a bright moon for our annual fall gathering at Randall Oaks Park. This year Fall Fest will be held on Sunday, October 29th  at 4 p.m. We'll gather at shelter two (the back shelter) at 3:45 for a hayride. Don't be late because the hay wagon will leave promptly at 4:00.  Following our hayride we'll return to the shelter for a hot dog roast and picnic supper. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to pass and their own beverage (pop, hot chocolate, etc). We will provide water to drink. We'll conclude our evening by roasting marshmallows around the campfire. Maybe Paris will even entertain us with some of his silly campfire songs. So, come and bring some friends for some great fall fun. The cost is $5 per person. Please complete the registration form and turn it in as soon as possible. Space is limited.

We Walk Because They Walk - Elgin CROP WALK

Millions of people around the world walk long distances everyday to get water, to bring home food, to find safe shelter, to find food for livestock, to go to school, to farm distant fields, to take goods to market and to find medical care.

The Elgin area crop walk seeks to reduce hunger and bring basic health care to countries around the world. Through Church World Services the CROP WALK aids these basic needs, and 25% of everything raised stays in the community to help alleviate hunger through local food pantries.

The Elgin CROP WALK will begin at the 1st Methodist Church on Sunday October 15, 2006 at 1:00 P.M. A 5 mile and 1 mile walk are available. All routes are on the east side this year, no steep hills. Sunday school has chosen this project as a mission focus this year. Make this a family outing and help reduce the number one cause of child deaths in the world (starvation).

Watch for details posted at church, Speak to Pastor Lois or contact Mary Hewitt at 847-741-3576 for more information. Take a STAND against hunger in Elgin and the world. Join the CROP WALK or sponsor a CROPWALKER.

So, how do you get involved?   It is simple.  Pick-up a CROP packet from church any Sunday and gather some sponsors.  People can donate a lump sum or an amount per mile walked. Their donations are tax deductible.  Most people are willing to give at least $5 to help alleviate hunger.  Then plan to stay for lunch after church on October 15th (pizza lunch) and join us for the walk. We'll go together to the starting point.

The United Church of Christ has four special offerings during the year.  The next of these is gathered during October, close to World Communion Sunday, as a reminder of the use made of these extensive offerings. Through our generous gifts to Neighbors In Need, the United Church of Christ is offering hope to millions of people; we transform lives, the nation, and our world.

Through the Neighbors in Need offering, the church expresses a common commitment to justice and compassion throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. One-third of the offering undergirds the work of the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM), including much-needed financial support for 20 American Indian congregations in the UCC. Two-thirds of the offering supports justice advocacy and direct service projects such as just-peace programs and community grants.

Historically, the forebears of the UCC established churches with the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Ho-Cak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Northern Nebraska. You recall the Lakota reservation was where our Mission Trip took place this summer.

Today, there are 19 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban inter-tribal congregation in Minneapolis. In addition, there are more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations scattered in nearly every conference in the UCC. Your contributions to Neighbors in Need directly impact the UCC's ability to support American Indian ministries and congregations.

Small but essential grants are made throughout the year to congregations and organizations engaged in community organizing, public policy advocacy, and direct service. Although grants are made to address a wide range of justice priorities, a significant portion of these grants is made to address issues of hunger and poverty.

These grants are consistent with the goals of our Mission Grant Committee. The Neighbors in Need offering provides another opportunity on a denomination wide basis to assist those whom we do not ordinarily contact. Let us continue to be generous as the chance comes along in October.

Church Women United has invited our church members to join them on a unique field trip Thursday, November 16th, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Illinois Youth Center in Warrenville. We will have a tour of the facility, see the performance of a musical produced by the inmates (ages 13-21) in co-operation with Chicago Music Theater Workshop. This will be followed by a catered buffet lunch with the warden and the school principal. Cost is $25 which will pay for lunch and help with production costs. If interested contact Ann Schneck. Paid reservations must be in by October 10th. We will try to car pool.

Bring your holiday decorating and shopping lists to the next Karen's Corner Sale on Saturday evening, October 28th and Sunday morning, October 29th in the church library.  (Coincidentally the Saturday date is the same day as the Cross I'd Players fall event!)  All proceeds from the 2 day sale will again go to paying down our church debt. Items for sale include ornaments, wreaths, decorations, wooden reindeer, lighted glass presents, and gift items.

A big thank you to all the shoppers on September 10th.  Purchases from that sale allowed us to buy down the debt an additional $246.15 !!

In the course of life, people inevitably need help with many different issues.  This fall, our Adult Education Program is offering two opportunities for persons and families to learn more about coping with the difficult issue of mental illness.  But how does a person know when they need professional help and what kind of professional help should they be looking for?

On October 15, we will have a panel of professionals including a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a counselor.  Each professional will explain what is unique about their specialty followed by an opportunity for questions.  On October 22, our class will focus on Recovery - Who, When, Where, and How?

Not being able to do any delivering myself I thought I might have problem fulfilling our obligation. But not at all! Our wonderful volunteers came thru in amazing style as follows:

Provena-St. Joseph Hospital

Sherman Hospital

        Lee Ellsworth
        Janet Diaz
        Kay Durham
        Chuck Zimmerman

Many thanks to all who participated. If you would like to be a part of this happy crew for the weeks of November 6 and 13, please give me a call.

Saturday, October 21. 7pm The Elgin Historical Society is presenting the Illinois Brass Band in concert at FCC. Come and hear musicians breathe new life into old Watch Factory Band music and other favorites. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, under 5 free. Tickets are available from Carl Flaks, at the Museum (360 Park St) or at the door. Come and enjoy the music our ancestors did 100 years ago.

We will be having our next Taste of Christ Care on October 1 and 8 in the Fellowship Hall. We have already begun explaining about ChristCare with two leaders speaking at each worship service this month, kicking off a series of invitations to join one of our dynamic ChristCare groups.

This third "Taste of ChristCare" promises to continue our mission as a circle of care with Christ at the center. We have been listening and experiencing questions about where and how we have seen Jesus in others and what our God experiences have been. ChristCare groups offer more opportunities for deepening this relationship.

We are looking forward to a new season. A couple of our groups are reframing their interests, and we expect that we will still have about one half of our Sunday attenders actively participating. All are invited, and we have some ChristCare group members who have found our church in this way. All are welcome to any of the groups. All the leaders are enthusiastically working toward the four aspects of ChristCare; Community Building and Care, Biblical Equipping, Prayer and Worship, and Missional service. We learned that each group approaches these four principles in different ways, but Christ is still at the center of all that the groups do.

Consider one of these, or contact anyone in ChristCare to learn how to become trained as a leader to start your own group. We have Movie Maniacs-Gina Green and Steve Stauffacher, Crafty Christians-Marilyn Kauffman, Cross I'd Players-John Kauffman, Writers in the Storm-Gina Green, Pray it isn't so-Janet Aldred, Exploring our Path-Jodie Stackowiak, Opening Doors (to the Bible)-Roger Dieringer, "Son"shine readers-Patti Scroggins, Beginnings (an overview of ChristCare)-Ron and Liz Schaaf, the Key o'Life-Beth Iverson, or The Comma Group: Listening for God led by Sandra Taenzer.

The Cross I'd Players ChristCare Group continues to build community, conduct prayer and worship, review Bible passages, and seek mission opportunities. On August 27 we took our show on the road to the Elgin Mental Health Center, at the invitation of Rev. Pat Lindquist, and had a great time. We gave three performances to three different groups of consumers, and had ice cream treats and fellowship with them following each of the shows. We are ready to go back sometime, too, and suggested to Pat that there may be other groups within our church who would like to go and entertain the groups.

We invite all who are interested in what we do to join us. We usually meet on Saturday mornings at church, and prepare for skits to emphasize different mission opportunities. If you have seen us, you know we are having a good time; we are a circle of care with Christ at the center, and we have a mission of helping others. Join us as you can and would like to share your gifts. You do not have to wait for the next Taste of ChristCare for the chance to sign up, just contact John Kauffman at jksts@aol.com.

Watch for more information about our next evening of fun, frolic, and fund raising on October 28!

"We do not write in order to be understood. We write in order to understand."  Lewis is "write" on with this quote.  If you enjoy jotting down your thoughts, please join us at Writers in the Storm.  Our first meeting was Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. in the library.  Contact Gina Orazi Green if you would like further information. Writers that use smoke signals, crayons, pen, pencil or computer are welcome!!

The Crafty Christians have been taking a break during the summer months so that we could enjoy gardening, family activities, vacations, etc., but will resume meetings on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1:00 in our usual classroom at church.  No experience or special talents necessary, just a desire to enjoy the fellowship of being together creating fun and beautiful projects.  Please call Marilyn Kauffman at if you have any questions or are interested in joining us.

As I sit and contemplate another church year, I can't help but reflect on everything that has happened over the past year.  It has been a good year for our congregation.  We started five new Christ Care groups which offered yet more opportunities for members to get together.  In fact we have more active groups and more members involved in those groups than our sister church in Crystal Lake which has three times our membership.

Our youth, and other concerned members have returned from yet another successful mission trip; this time to a South Dakota Indian reservation.  If you were at the 10:15 service on August 13th you heard from the group how they impacted the lives of the Lakota people, and how, in turn, their lives were impacted as well.

Nineteen members, family and friends took the trip of a lifetime to Greece and Turkey this summer to follow in the "Footsteps of Paul."  Just ask anyone who went on that trip how meaningful it was.

The climate for our Sunday worship services has been a great deal more tolerable this summer because of the air conditioning installed in our sanctuary.  All of these are blessings from God.  Each one of you is also a blessing from God.  You ARE this church.  As we progress through the fall, you will be hearing a great deal about why we Christians are different and about the culture that makes us different.  The Fox Valley Association will feature Anthony Robinson, author of "Transforming Congregational Culture" at its fall meeting on October 13 & 14th at First Congregational UCC in Glen Ellyn.

Many of our church leadership have read this book, and will look forward to meeting Tony Robinson and asking him questions regarding this thought provoking book.

All of this is possible because of the commitment of this congregation, it's members and friends.  It is all of us working together and giving of our time, talent, and treasure that makes this church such a great place to be. Our God is an awesome God! You truly are awesome!

Patti Scroggins
Ministry of Stewardship