THE TOWER BELL - First United Methodist Church, Downers Grove

THE TOWER BELL FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS August 25, 2003

“The Tower Bell” is published weekly except for the months of July and August.

Sunday, August 31, 2003 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. — Worship 10:00 a.m. —Sunday School “Facing The Giants In Our Lives” Message by Rev. Debbie Fisher Scripture Lesson: Numbers 13:25-33

8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. —Worship 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.—Sunday School Sunday, September 7, 2003 Celebration of Holy Communion Rally Day “Tapping Your Frozen Assets” Message by Rev. Debbie Fisher Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:4 -11

Sunday, September 14, 2003 Message by Rev. John Smoke

Sunday, September 21, 2003 8:15 a.m. Worship “Jesus Is My Homeboy” Message by Rev. Nick Nicholas Scripture Lesson: Mark 9: 30-37 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Message by Dr. Tony Campolo

Sunday, September 7, 2003 Begins Fall Worship Times 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.—Worship 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.—Sunday School

Vol XI Issue 28

Upcoming Special Events

Sunday, August 31 8:30 & 10:00 am—Worship 10:00 am—Sunday School Monday, September 1 LABOR DAY — Office Closed Tuesday, September 2 7:00 pm—Small Group Ministries Training Meeting 7:00 pm—Mission Work Area 7:30 pm—Ad Hoc Committee Wednesday, September 3 10:30 am—Breast Cancer Support 7:00 pm—Onward Bound Orientation/Registration 7:30 pm—Board of Trustees 7:30 pm—Counseling Center Thursday, September 4 9:00 am—UMW Mission Team Mtg. 7:30 pm—Stephen Ministers Friday, September 5 9:30 am—Aerobics 6:00 pm—Chapel Choir Leaves for Retreat Saturday, September 6 10:00 am—Pre-Marital Workshop 6:00 pm—Chapel Choir Returns Sunday, September 7 Celebration of Holy Communion Rally Day 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 am—Worship 9:30 & 11:00 am—Sunday School 11:00 am—Finding Myself/Claiming My Life Monday, September 8 7:30 pm—Membership Development 7:30 pm—Divorce Support Group Tuesday, September 9 4:00 pm—First Day of Children’s Choirs Rehearsals 7:30 pm—Administrative Council Wednesday, September 10 8:15 am—Young at Heart 9:30 am—Spirituality Class (Wednesday is continued on page 2)

Joys and Concerns

Christian ShawonEducation Carlstrom Shannon Fredres, Director

IN MEMORIAM Walter Lipinski August 21, 2003 We extend our sympathy to his wife, JoAnn, and his daughter, Marjorie Maurer and family.

Our Sympathy To… We extend our sympathy to Sara and Shauna Rowe; Kenneth and Dorothea Rowe and Stephen Rowe and family on the death of their father, son and brother, David Rowe, on August 17, 2003. We extend our sympathy to Gary and Raina Gallt and family on the death of their sister and sister-in-law, Linda Hein on August 23, 2003.

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Recently Baptized… On Sunday, August 3, 2003, Alexander Addison Frederick, son of Kent and Lynda Frederick, received the Sacrament of Baptism.

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Special Events (Wednesday, Sept. 10 continued from page 1)

5:00 pm—Crusader Choir Begins 8:30 pm—Chapel Choir Informational Meeting Thursday, September 11 12:00 pm—UMW General Meeting 3:00 pm—Ready, Willing & Able 7:50 pm—Chancel Choir Begins Saturday, September 13 3:00 pm—OLDUNA Coworks

TNT Young Adult Group We are a group of young adults, single or married, who get together for fun activities, conversation, sharing, and community service projects. For more info, call Kent and Lynda Frederick at 630-852-5193 or e-mail at [email protected].

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? During Vacation Bible School, that is exactly what the children did! This year’s theme was Marketplace 29 A.D. The children were divided into family groups of all ages to experience what life was like in the year 29. Many activities were offered such as: pottery, brick making, jewelry making, embroidery, weaving, candy making, carpentry, games and storytelling. The children learned about Jewish heritage in their family tents and saw a little bit of what it may have been like in Jesus’ own house. The 65 children that attended had a great time. We will continue with the same theme next year and add more activities for the children to continue in their learning. Vacation Bible School would not have been possible without some very special people. A big THANK YOU goes out to: Jeanine Cockrill, Angela Loveless, Verla Boyle, Kay Vandenbark, Martha Stauffer, Chris Kelch, Sue Bolton, Pam Schettek, Gwen Clore, Kevin Dwyer, Stuart Seale, Casey Conger, Andrea Simnick, Rev. John Smoke, Bryan Bolton, Amy Skarr, Patty Blystone, Debra Hansen, Brenda Bromfield, Hannah Hudson, Doris Fetyko, Katie Cook, Donna Royston, Joette Conger, Megan Fechner, Anne Muradaz, Allyson Gray, Julia Ossler, Kathryn Skorupka, Lenore Pitstick, Laura Roose, Rev. Debbie Fisher, Mimi Brile, Whole Foods, all of the office staff and receptionists and the person who organized it all - Nancy Bifulco. Thank you for your servant hearts!

Special Charge Conference There will be a Special Charge Conference Tuesday evening, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel Hall. This will be immediately before the regularly scheduled Ad Council meeting. The two items for the Charge Conference are: 1.

Election of officers for 2004

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Vote on a Trustee proposal for renovation and expansion of our church building.

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United Methodist Men Shawon Carlstrom United Methodist Men meet the first Saturday of the month for breakfast, fellowship, and prayer. Come for breakfast and/or stay for the work project. Put some food in your stomach, fuel your soul and enjoy fellowship with service! Downers Grove Walk-in Ministry Community Meal of Pot Luck Each year, DGAWIM has an Annual Gala in recognition of it’s volunteers and celebration of its ministry. Please help us celebrate by attending this year’s Community Meal on Sept., 25th where everyone is invited. It will be held at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove. Our most accomplished achievement is in the number of clients we are now servicing. In the past year our client visits have increased by 86%. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness a ministry in the making!

Confirmation Registration Our Confirmation training for 7th and 8th graders is called Onward Bound. The class meets on Wednesday evenings. Each Wednesday consists of Crusader Choir: 5:00—6:00 or Work Crew 5:30—6:00 p.m., Dinner 6:00— 6:30 p.m. and Class 6:30—7:20 p.m. Onward Bound provides fellowship, service opportunities, small group work and recreation while teaching the youth how to be disciples of Christ. Registration and Orientation for 7th and 8th graders and their parents will be held on Wed., Sept. 3rd at 7:30-9:00 p.m. Classes begin Wed., Sept. 17. Paperwork was sent in July; duplicates may be obtained from the church office.

Pastor’s Column

Rev. Debbie Fisher

Habitat for Humanity Highpoint Community Duplex

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Roberta Bondi is one of my favorite authors. Those of you who know me well, realize that cats are one of my favorite animals. Therefore, it is no surprise that I snatched up one of Bondi’s most recent books titled Nick The Cat. Nick adopted the Bondi family one hot summer afternoon. Roberta Bondi uses his story as the basis for her theological reflection about welcoming the stranger in our midst. When Nick first appeared in their driveway he was a mess. He was barely recognizable as a cat. The author writes of her beloved pet: “He was hideous. Besides being mangled and hairless, he was so filthy…we decided he must have lost his mother at some crucial time in kitten hood, because he never did seem to learn how to wash himself or even keep his whiskers clean.” The first impression of Nick being different from norma l cats became a lasting impression. He would jump into the laps of invited guests, whether they were wearing tuxedos or blue jeans, stand on his hind paws and lick their noses. He would completely disappear for months at a time, abandoning the family that had so generously taken him in and saved him from certain death. Bondi, as she reflects about the abnormality of her cat, reminds the reader that Jesus was not normal either. His unconventional behavior upset many normal religious people of his day. The unifying theme of her book is a caution about our tendency to label certain human behaviors as normal and to discount those we regard as beyond normal. It is easy to do but it is also a slippery slope. Once we claim the ability to decide what is normal and begin to mentally attach labels to others so as to exclude them, we move a giant step away from “loving God with our heart, mind, soul and strength and our neighbor as ourself.” If you are looking for some light reading that has profound meaning, I recommend Bondi’s book to you. Joy and peace,

Debbie Methodist Open Golf Outing Saturday, September 20th ~Tee-off Time: 1:00 p.m. Join us for our combined Men’s and Women’s “Annual Golf Outing.” We will have all sorts of fun prizes for golfers of all abilities. You may also wish to invite some of your friends to join us as your guests. The outing will be held at the Downers Grove Golf Club with tee-off times beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Registration Fee, which includes green fees and prize fund, is $25 per person. If you need more details, call Bruce or Linda Swanson at 630-969-2514. Deadline for registration is Thursday, September 11th. You may drop off or mail your registration to the church office at: First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515. -- - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - -

Registration Form Methodist Open Golf Outing September 20, 2002 Name: __________________________Address: __________________________ Phone # ____________________$25.00 reg. fee: Check _____ Cash ____ Please return this portion, with your $25 fee, to the FUMC Church Office by Thursday, September 11th.

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Habitat for Humanity is building a new Duplex at Highpoint Community, Romeoville for limited income families. Habitat aims to put an end to substandard housing. The Church and Society Work Area is sponsoring workdays on Saturdays, Sept. 27 and Oct. 11. Morning and afternoon shifts are available. Possible activities include drywall and painting. Sign-up in the Parlor on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Counseling Center Events Finding Myself ~Claiming My Life A group that encourages women to take their own needs and development as seriously as they take their families and friends. Join us as we explore the many facets of our personality and develop a plan to enrich our lives. Sundays, Sept. 7, 21, Oct. 5, & 19 11:00 a.m., room 116 (library) Led by Carol Lysne Ready, Willing and Able Unemployed? Looking for a job? You are not alone. Thousands of good employees have lost their jobs in the last three years due to the economic recession. In this class we will set goals, discuss job hunting strategies, resume writing, interviewing skills and the important of maintaining a sense of confidence throughout the job hunting process. Thursday, 3:00 –4:30 p.m. Room 203 Begins Sept 11 Led by Carol Lysne Divorce Support Group Are you in the process of, or newly divorced? Would you like to talk with people who understand how you feel and the challenges you face? Please join us every other Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. in Room 117. Meets Sept. 8, 22, Oct. 6, 20 WELI A support group for women that have experienced an illness that has caused them to re-evaluate their lives in terms of meaning and lifestyle. For information, call Carol Lysne at 968-5592. Meets Wednesdays, Sept. 10, 24, Oct. 8, 22 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 117.

Holy Cow!

Have you “herd”? ? It’s time for the 7th Annual Chapel Choir Fundraiser: The Olduna Cow Works An “udderly” good time at The Safford’s Saturday, September 13, 2003 22 W 421 Oldswoods Drive, Naperville 3:00 p.m. to ??

Music Ministry

Good Food & Good Fellowship Our savory menu includes: succulent roasted rounds of beef, Caryl’s Celebrated Baked Beans, Don Dunham’s Delightful Cookies, sensational singing entertainment and so much more! Adults only $20 per ticket; buy them by Sep. 8th, please!

Why not join one of our wonderful church choirs? This would be a perfect time to join! Start up dates for Fall are:

While we may “milk” this for all it’s worth, we wouldn’t “steer” you wrong! Bring your friends & your lawn chairs. Tickets sold in the Parlor or Church Office Profits go to help the Chapel Tour Choir—this year heading to NY City ?s Don & Devra Dunham 322-8314, Raina 968-7120, or Don Safford 985-8555

Wednesday, August 27th Chapel Choir High School 6:00 p.m.—Kick Off Picnic at Fishers followed by Choir Practice at Church 8:30 p.m. —Informational Meeting at Church for parents and students (a second Informational Meeting is offered on September 10th at 8:30 p.m.)

“Standing on the Promises” Finance Campaign 2003

Tuesday, September 9th Cherub Choir Kindergarten and First Grade 4:00-4:30 p.m.—Choir 4:30-5:00 p.m.—Character Counts Chorister Choir Grades Two and Three 4:30-5:00 p.m.—Character Counts 5:00-5:45 p.m.—Choir Wesley Choir Grades Four, Five and Six 5:00-5:45 p.m.—Character Counts 5:45-6:30 p.m.—Choir Wednesday, September 10th Crusader Choir Grades Seven and Eight 5:00 p.m. Thursday, September 11th Chancel Choir Adult Choir 7:50 p.m.

What am I? Can you guess yet? Our foundations of faith are our belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Our first promise is through baptism. Our promises to the church as we become members are to give our prayers, presence, gifts and service.

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PARISH NURSING

by Mimi Brile, RN

Parish Nursing at First United Methodist Church and Advocate Health Care Thank you to all who donated blood on Monday, August 18. I hope you enjoy your ice cream! Our next blood drive will be Monday, November 10, 2003, for those of you who are extremely organized!!!! September 2, 3 and 4 at Drury Lane, there will be a Senior Lifestyle Expo that is worth a visit. There will be a plethora of information available for seniors and families venturing or soon to be venturing into the world of CAREGIVING. There will be exhibitors from many organizations and companies that do all they can to allow seniors their independence for as long as possible. And there will be health screenings. Admission at the door is $3.00, but there are many places to pick up $1.00 off coupons. But, the admission fee goes to support Holiday Meals on Wheels, a worthy place for your money to go. Tuesday evening, at 6:30 p.m., Dr. Rhonda Montgomery will present a seminar entitled “The Mystery of Caregiving Revealed!” She is a noted author on families and aging. This presentation is free – RSVP to 630-293-5990. If you attend the expo on Thursday, September 4, there is a matinee performance of “The Mouse Trap” with specially priced tickets- $16 to attend the Expo and the show. I hope many of you will take advantage of this opportunity. It is like our Health Fair, but all about Seniors. I went last year and found the information available to be very useful. If you want more information, contact the number listed above; or check your local paper for details. The advertising for this event has been excellent.

Tony Campolo Tony Campolo will be speaking at our church the weekend of Sept. 19, 20, and 21. Dr. Campolo has a PhD in Sociology from Temple University. He is an ordained minister, presently serving as associate pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia. Dr. Campolo is the author of numerous books. Date: Sept. 19 Time: 7-9:30 p.m. Cost: $5.00 Topic: Congregations Making a Difference through Service in Community Date: Sept. 20 Time: 6-9:30 p.m. (dinner at 6 p.m.) Cost: $10.00 Topic: Men Making a Difference through their Faith You can save by attending both events —combined cost is $13.00. Dr. Campolo will be preaching at the 9:30 and 11:00 services on Sunday, September 21.

From the Desk of Our Youth Minister Rev. Nick Nicholas 968-7120 ext. 123 or [email protected]

Youth Happenings It has been a great summer. A summer filled with: Mission Trip, Church Camp, Heritage Fest, trips to the Lincoln Park Zoo, a potato field and Cypress Cove. The Chapel Choir gathered for "softball" every Monday night. A small group of Youth and Adults met several times to plan for the Fall. Rick Ralph gathered a group together to plan the "rebirth" of our High School Youth Group. This group will meet on Sunday nights starting on September 14th. The schedule of events and activities of the Youth Group will be in the next Tower Bell. Chapel Choir starts on Wednesday, August 27th with a picnic at the home of Debbie and Randy Fisher. On Friday September 5 and Saturday September 6 the choir will be at Wesley Woods Conference Center for a group building retreat. Their first Sunday back in worship will be Rally Day September 7. The Onward Bound parents meeting will be on Wednesday, September 3. Once again we will have nearly 90 seventh and eighth graders in our confirmation program. Onward Bound starts on Wednesday, September 17. The Fall schedule of events for Jr High Youth Group will be in the next Tower Bell. They will meet twice a month on Sunday afternoon. There are many opportunities for youth to be involved in ministry, mission and fellowship at DGFUMC.

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United Methodist Women PURCHASE YOUR GROCERIES WITH A PURPOSE! How much do you spend a month on groceries, $200, $300 or $400? Think of how much you could contribute to the United Methodist Women’s mission projects by purchasing your Cub Foods, Dominick’s, Jewel or Meijer gift cards from UMW. Just think of all you purchase at these stores; prescriptions, stamps, garbage stickers, gas, not to mention groceries. If you spend $300 a month in groceries and UMW receives 5% of that $300 each month from the store, you would be helping to contribute over $180 per year to the UMW missions! Multiply this by 10 families and the contribution jumps to $1800 each year! Purchase with a Purpose does not cost you anything except your time to stop by our table to buy the gift cards. Here are some of the contributions made by each company: Cub Foods contributes 3% Dominick’s contributes 5%* Jewel/Osco/Peapod contributes 5%* Meijer Food and Gas contributes 4%* Sara Lee Outlet Stores contributes 14% *Available for Cash And Carry. Other stores take one week to receive the gift cards. Stop by the UMW table in the Parlor on Sunday mornings and Purchase with a Purpose!

Travel to Turkey with Fred & Carol Conger Fred and Carol will be leading a trip to Turkey Nov. 9-Nov. 20, 2004. If you would like to learn about this trip please come to an information meeting in the church Parlor on Mon., Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

YOUNG AT HEART This group of senior adults is getting ready to celebrate the first anniversary of their founding. We are planning to take a bus trip on Wednesday, September 10 to Lake Geneva, enjoy a boat ride and to do some sight seeing and shopping. All of this for $30.00 per person. Sign up for the Lake Geneva trip is in the Parlor on Sunday mornings between services or reservations can be made by calling Marilou Welch at 968-4136 (home or 968-7120 (church).

The Tower Bell Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Downers Grove, Illinois Permit No. 32

08/25/2003

First United Methodist Church 1032 Maple Avenue Downers Grove, Illinois 60515 (630) 968-7120 -- FAX (630) 968-4901 Web Site: http://www.dgfumc.org e-mail: [email protected] Counseling Center (630) 968-5592

Address Service Requested SUMMER SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 & 10:00 a.m. SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 a.m. Our Staff Rev. Deborah L. Fisher, Senior Pastor Rev. John Smoke, Associate Pastor Rev. Nick Nicholas, Youth Pastor Rev. Fred H. Conger, Pastor Emeritus Shannon Fredres, Director of Christian Education Mimi Brile, RN - Parish Nurse Music Ministry: Karen Wagner, Coordinator Directors: Diane Hires, Belford Hernandez, Brenda Bromfield, Rebecca Kriz, Janet Flewelling Organists: Patricia Barnes, Elizabeth Jacot

Fall 2003 Small Group Ministries – Sponsored by The Adult Education Work Area The small group sessions are now forming! Registration closes on September 10. Small groups share joys, concerns, needs, and common interest in a caring setting that builds Christian community, growing our relationships with God and each other. You must register before attending a session and attend the major portion of the session. Introduction to Spanish: Registration Closed. Small Group Filled. Ready, Willing and Able: Unemployed? Looking for a Job? This small group will set goals; and discuss job- hunting strategies, resume writing, interviewing skills and the importance of maintaining confidence. Facilitator: Carol Lysne. Meets Thursday afternoons 3:00-4:30 PM. Begins September 11. Looking Ahead: Share time in Bible Study and Prayer. Share your ideas for the ministry of First United Methodist Church! How do we minister the community around us? Join us in looking at ways to join Jesus in the mission field. Facilitator: Del Hargreaves. Meets Monday evenings 7:30-9:00 PM. Begins September 15. Getting the Picture: A fun photography session focusing on: camera types; flash use; composition; and different lens, film, and light. Bring what you have or come and find out what you need. Facilitator: Don Safford. Meets Monday evenings 7:30— 9:00 PM. Begins September 15. Basic Bible: Have you ever wondered what the whole Bible is actually about? Perhaps you’ve started reading it and stopped. We’ll make our way through the entire Bible—without homework! Please Join Us! Facilitator: Mary Zajac. Meets Tuesday evenings 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Begins September 16. Scrapbooking: Where are all your photos? Are they in a box or in an unfinished album? Join us to begin or continue scrapbooking! You will feel great completing an album for Christmas or get caught up on a 2003 album. Facilitator: Kay Vandenbark. Meets Wednesday evenings 7:30-9:00 PM. Begins September 17. Please complete a form for each person and return in the offering plate or to the Church Office NAME:_____________________________________________PHONE:______________________GROUP CHOICE:______________________________________________

Our Vision:

Open Hearts Open Minds Open Doors

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Reaching Up Reaching Out Reaching You