The Record
Second Presbyterian Monthly Newsletter - January 2019
Second Presbyterian Church is building a Christ-Centered Community Through Inspirational Worship, Education Ministry and the Power of Service.
FROM YOUR PASTOR
RING OUT WILD BELLS
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out wild bells and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to humankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care and sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out the shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant ones and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand,
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
JANUARY 6 ~ EPIPHANY SUNDAY
On the first Sunday of the new year, we hear the gospel story of the wise men encountering the light of the world (Matthew 2: 1-12). “To Seek a Star” is the title of Dr. Neff’s sermon. Where do we find God leading us to new joy in our lives? The Ghanaian Presbyterian Fellowship will join in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
JANUARY 13 ~ ORDINATION OF ELDERS AND DEACONS
One of the most exciting Sundays in the church year is the service of ordination and installation! The gospel lesson is Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22 recording the baptism of Jesus. What is required to be a spiritual leader in today’s world? How can we effectively serve and work to communicate the gospel to those around us? Being installed as an Elder is Cliff Crawford and Vicki Reynolds. Being ordained and installed as an Elder is Anthony Ochiabutor Sr. Being ordained and installed as a Deacon will be Linda Johnson. Being installed as a Deacon will be Denise Conway and Catherine Soberekon.
JANUARY 20 ~ MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SUNDAY
On Sunday, January 20 we will celebrate the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in our worship service. The sermon by Dr. Neff is “On Building the Beloved Community” based on 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11. A dynamic sense of community was at the heart of the Civil Rights movement orchestrated by Dr. King and other leaders. Special music will be provided by the Second Church Quartet. The service will conclude with our tradition of singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.
JANUARY 27 ~ CHRISTIAN UNITY SUNDAY
On Sunday, January 27th, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) celebrates Ecumenical Relations Sunday. As Presbyterians we work toward the goal of Christian unity. Our guest preacher that Sunday is the Father Brad Schoeberle, pastor of Old St. Mary’s Church. From Wausau, Wisconsin, Father Brad is a Paulist and has served churches in Massachusetts, California and Washington, D.C.. Please join us for this special Sunday in which we celebrate our unity in Christ as the basis for shared worship and ministry.
UPDATE ON SHANE WATSON
On October 9th, Shane Watson was released and paroled. He was reunited with his family in Kingston, New York. He has been working as an employee at Walmart for two months. A hearing will be held in the southern district of New York federal court to possibly exonerate him. Continue to keep Shane and his family in your prayers! For more information, contact Doug Walters
The Lunch Bag program is holding our annual “Winter Clothing Drive” during the month of December, January and February. Please bring scarves, mittens and caps; socks, sweaters, sweat shirts, hoodies and coats. There is a receptacle in the Fellowship Hall to leave your items of clothing. All donations of clothing will go directly toward those in need.
WHAT IS PER CAPITA?
In your pledge envelopes, there is a green envelope marked “per capita”. “Per capita” is the amount our church pays to the larger Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to help administer our mission. In the United Methodist Church, it is called “apportionment”. This per-capita amount goes to fund our national, regional and local Chicago area mission. This year, the per-capita amount per member is $ 34.20. Our Treasurer pays the “per-capita” on every active member, whether you contribute or not. Please support your church by turning in your envelope and paying your per-capita. And consider paying an additional amount for those who may not be able to pay.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday school is such a special time for children to learn about Biblical themes and stories. It is through Sunday school that children are able to ask questions, learn more thoroughly about scripture, and connect with other children from the church.
Confirmation Class/Post-Confirmation Class: The Confirmation and Post-Confirmation classes are well under way! Eugene Leonard is leading the charge by exploring the Christian values that are prevalent in the New Testament.
TAI CHI
Tai Chi is continuing in the New Year! The focus will be Tai Chi Chan (the pretty swaying kind) and will start again on Thursday, January 10, 2019 and will continue as long as there is participation every Thursday night at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We are continuing to keep costs low and the fee will continue to be $10 at each session. Beginners and all levels of experience are welcome.
ALPHA TO OMEGA
The Alpha to Omega Club is a group designed to help folks with meeting their goal of reading the bible cover to cover. Rather than discussing specific versus we discuss a general theme of the overall book in the bible. Last year we completed Genesis through Ruth but you can join anytime.
We meet in the fellowship hall on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 9:30am or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 6:00pm. Listed below are the dates and themes for the readings for Alpha to Omega Club for the first half of the year. We hope you will join us.
NEWS ANNOUCEMENTS DURING COFFEE HOUR
We have begun putting all of our announcements on the television screen during Coffee Hour. Please be sure to pay attention to these announcements so that you don’t miss out on the great opportunities that we offer!
TUTORING PROGRAM BEGINS FOR A NEW SEMESTER
On Wednesday, January 16, the Tutoring Program will begin a new semester. Approximately 20 tutors from the Junior League and another 10 tutors from the community join in this ministry with approximately 30 students. Tutors are always needed. If you can give 90 minutes a week to help with homework, reading, math and science, please contact the church office at (312) 225-4951.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Board of Deacons: January 6th 12:45pm in North Parlor
Recreation and Interest Ministries: January 7th 5pm in Fellowship Hall
Communications: January 7th 6pm @ Kroll’s South Loop
Community Outreach: January 8th 2:45pm in Fellowship Hall
Facilities: January 13th 9:30am in Fellowship Hall
Hospitality: January 14th 1:30pm in Fellowship Hall
Children and Young Adult Education: January 27th 12:45pm in Library
COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE IS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS
The Hospitality Committee is seeking new faces to join the committee! One of the biggest misconceptions is that you will be working hard every Sunday preparing meals and that is simply NOT true! We have many folks who sign up to help host Coffee Hour so most of the work is already done but we would like to enhance our Coffee Hours and we need YOUR fresh ideas! The Hospitality Committee meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 1:30pm. If you are interested in checking out the committee but cannot attend the meetings, please contact Argie Johnson, Barbara Floyd, or Denise Conway!
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The Church Development Committee is responsible for helping to fund the growth of our congregation and missions and to raise the capital needed to provide the facilities necessary for our space to become more relevant to the life of our community. In this endeavor, Development is working with Session, Stewardship, Facilities and Outreach to be sure that we share a VISION for our church, for its role in our community.
Watch for initiatives to adopt a more “generous” element to our regular giving, for the roll out of gift programs, to publicize the tax efficiency of making gifts to the church out of your IRA Required Minimum Distributions, the creation of investment programs that will pre-fund your gifts to the church, but allow you to earn a return on those gifts during your life.
Oh, and we will have some FUN ways of being able to participate in helping the church to raise capital…we promise!
COFFEE HOUR
The 2019 calendar is now available for you to sign-up to host the next Coffee Hour! Do you want to celebrate a birthday or anniversary? Hosting a Coffee Hour is a GREAT way to do that! If you want to bring warm/hot items, we have chafing dishes with warmers below to keep that food at the desired temperature. Check out the sign-up board in Fellowship Hall to see all available dates!
THANK YOU!
The Hospitality Committee would like to give a big THANKS to all who hosted a Coffee Hour in 2018. We had some beautiful celebrations and delicious food from so many of you! Thank you again for making our post-worship fellowship time wonderful week after week!
TOUR OF THE HOLY LAND
Dr. Joel Tolliver will be leading a nine-day tour of the Holy Land June 3rd through 11th. Cost include round trip airfare, seven nights’ accommodations, all meals and entrance fees. The group will visit the Sea of Galilee, the fortress of Masada, the Dead Sea, the Shrine of the Book, the Via Dolorosa, the Knesset, the Israel Museum, Yad Vashem (Holocaust Memorial), the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Dome of the Rock. Brochures are available on the literature table. For more information, please contact Dr. Joel Tolliver (312) 842-1971.
SPIRITUALITY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
The joint ecumenical spirituality book discussion group will not meet in January. On Tuesday, February 14th, the group will discuss Strength to Love, a collection of sermons by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Tuesday, March 12, the group will discuss The Cross and Creation by theologian Elizabeth Johnson. All are welcome to join the discussion at 9:15 a.m. at Old St. Mary’s Church, 1500 S. Michigan Avenue.
BOOK GROUP THIRD SUNDAYS AT 9:30am.
Second Presbyterian Church Book Group is the third Sunday of each month at 9:30 a.m. The book schedule is as follows:
Jan 20 - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Feb 17 - Ghosts in the Schoolyard by Eve Ewing
Each discussion is led by one of the book group participants and will consider the book's principal themes, personal experiences, possible responses to issues raised, and will ask the question, "so what?" Please contact Cliff Crawford or Howard Tiffen for more information."
YOUNG HEARTS
All members and friends ages 21-40 are invited to share a meal and fellowship together at Kroll’s South Loop (1736 S. Michigan Ave) on Saturday, January 5th at 11:30am. Please let Pastoral Assistant Leslie Deslauriers know if you plan on attending by Thursday, January 3rd by either emailing her (studentpastorleslie@gmail.com) or texting her (615-630-2495).
SUNDAY MORNING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Adult Bible Class meets each Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m. to discuss Loving God by Trusting Christ. Using the Epistles as our study guide, our topics will be:
January 6 ~ Hold Fast to God’s Love 2 John 4: 1-11
January 13 ~ Submit to God’s in Love James 4: 1-10
January 20 ~ Submit to God in Christ Philippians 1
January 27 ~ Devote All to Christ Philippians 2
All are welcome.
LITERATURE FOR THE LIFE OF FAITH
On the literature table, three items are available to take home with you. “These Days” is a daily devotional guide for January through March. “Presbyterians Today” is an informative magazine about spiritual growth and churches that are involved in community and society. “Grace Before Meals” is one page of prayers to be cut out and used for table graces, written by Dr. Frank Hoffman.
BARBARA'S BASEMENT
Barbara’s Basement is now OPEN! Stop by for all of the South Loop’s greatest finds Tuesdays & Saturdays 10am-1pm. Donations of gently used items may be dropped off during shop hours.
NEWS FROM THE PEWS
Congratulations to Anthony Ochiabutor Jr for his recent victories in wrestling tournament.
Congratulations to Frank and Faith Dusek on their 49th wedding anniversary on January 26th.
Congratulations to Lydia Barnes on the publication of her mystery novel The 107th Street Murders. Lydia is a daughter of the church and of long-time member Louise Ganey.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH LECTURE
Sunday, February 24, 2019 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Black Women and Patriotism: From Ida B. Wells to Michelle Obama
In celebration of Black History Month, Second Presbyterian Church, Glessner House and Friends of Historic Second Church are hosting author, speaker and educator Michelle Duster in a lecture at Second Presbyterian Church. Her writing includes nine books. She wrote and edited two books that include the writings of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells - Ida In Her Own Words and Ida From Abroad. The most recent book she co-edited is Michelle Obama's Impact on African American Women and Girls.
Michelle was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Dartmouth College and her M.A. in Media Studies from The New School in New York City. She has received numerous awards including the 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award from Dartmouth College. Currently she teaches business writing at Columbia College Chicago and is working on several book projects.
This lecture is jointly sponsored by Second Presbyterian Church, Glessner House, and Friends of Historic Second Church.
Free admission, reservations not required.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Treasurer’s Report for period ended 30th November 2018
Year to date on an Operating Basis, we have generated an Operating Deficit of $36,571.26 including Loan Repayments of $18,482.89.
Operating Income YTD to 30th November 2018
$ 258,188.85
Total Expenses, including Loan repayments
294,760.11
Overall Deficit YTD
$36,571.26
It looks as if we will operate in December close to break-even.
COMMUNICATION
Do you feel like you’re missing out on information on the church? Have you missed a worship service that you would have liked to attend? Be sure to read your monthly newsletter, check your email, read the announcements in the back of your bulletin, check the church calendar (on the website and the bulletin board outside of the kitchen, and above the water fountain) and check social media. The calendar on the church website is a google calendar and you can even sync your phone or tablet so that you’ll never miss another church event! If you’d like more information or would like to update your contact information, please contact Pastoral Assistant Leslie Deslauriers (studentpastorleslie@gmail.com) or call the church office (312) 225-4951.