Bethel
United Church of Christ Women Host Annual Victorian Tea
Bethel
United Church of Christ Women Host Annual Victorian Tea
On Saturday, April 14, at 12:30 p.m., the Women of Bethel, of Bethel United Church of Christ, will hold their 14th annual Victorian Tea at the church, located at 315 E. St. Charles Road in Elmhurst.
The event features a full-tea menu in an elegant setting followed by Jenny Riddle‘s presentation, in character, of “It’s the Journey—Not the Destination,” a review of books written by three interesting people. Grant Achatz, who wrote Life, on the Line, is Chicago’s own renowned chef. From the time he was a young boy working in his parents’ restaurant in Michigan, he knew he wanted to cook. His quest to become a great chef took him to Chicago, California, Spain, and finally to his very own restaurant in Chicago, Alinea. That beautiful plate of food served in his restaurant has a lot of heartache, joy, and sheer creativity behind it, especially in Achatz’s case, because he had to overcome tongue cancer. The second journey is with Jane Borden whose book, I Totally Meant to Do That, explores Jane’s move from North Carolina. How does a southern debutante survive in New York City? She had to use grit, wile, and humor (how often she wished for a sledgehammer) to subdue that giant, NYC. Finally, Jenny shares Erma Bombeck’s approach to life from Forever, Erma, a philosophy filled with humor that has been a great boost to others on their own journeys through life.
Jenny Riddle started In Character in 2000 and appears frequently throughout the Chicago area in her popular one-woman shows.
Victorian Tea guests are invited to wear hats and gloves. Tickets, available beginning March 15th, are $25 per person and must be purchased in advance. Seating is limited. Tickets for the program only (without tea) are $10 at the door. The program begins at 1:45 p.m. Call 630-350-1219 for ticket availability and information.
A portion of the proceeds from the Victorian Tea helps support the Elmhurst Shoe Fund, a Women of Bethel-administered program which in 2011 provided shoes and boots to the children of 33 families in Elmhurst schools at a cost of nearly $4,000. Another $1,200 has recently been authorized for additional families to purchase footwear for their children. A number of other local churches, service clubs, and individuals also contribute to the Elmhurst Shoe Fund.
Bethel UCC Hosts Singer/Songwriter Bryan Sirchio January 29
On Sunday, January 29, Bethel United Church of Christ will host nationally-known Christian singer/songwriter Bryan Sirchio at its 10:00 a.m. worship service. A United Church of Christ minister, Sirchio began his “Crosswinds” musical ministry in 1987, and since then has given over a thousand concerts throughout the U.S. in churches of many different denominations. He is the composer of dozens of songs for all ages, expressing his personal faith but also focusing on issues of social justice, peace, compassion for the poor, and honoring the earth, often with a dash of humor and whimsy. “I write and share songs that somehow offer snapshots of thoughts or feelings or experiences I’ve had as a person who is trying to take the life and teachings of Christ to heart,” Sirchio says. “My gift is primarily in the area of putting lyrics and melodies together and coming up with songs that somehow communicate messages that I trust God has given me to share.”
Members of the community are invited to hear this inspiring performance and to join the Bethel family in worship. Bethel, an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, is located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst. For more information please call the church at 630-279-4040.
Advent and Christmas at Bethel United Church of Christ
Date: November 30, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
Join us at Bethel for two special Sunday worship services, Christmas Eve services, and Christmas Day worship in December. On Sunday, December 11, we will hear the story of Christ’s birth in the countryside of Bethlehem, delivered by a cast of Bethel’s children and youth in a good ol’-fashioned country way. In It All Happened in the Country, the Christmas story is retold in word and song by a couple o’ country cousins for the first time to two city slicker kids, who learn that there is far more to Christmas than decorating for the holidays and getting presents.
On Sunday, December 18, Bethel offers its annual Christmas Music Sunday, when the adult voice and bell choirs, along with several guest vocalists and instrumentalists, will present a morning of wonderful sacred and traditional Christmas songs.
Christmas Eve services, led by Interim Senior Minister Gordon Smith, will be at 4:00 and 11:00 pm.
Both will include traditional carols, reading of the Christmas story, and candlelight. The family-oriented service at 4:00 pm is planned with the youngest child and oldest grandparent in mind, filled with familiar and well-loved songs and stories along with a surprise or two. At the 11:00 pm service of lessons and carols the Bethel adult voice choir will sing traditional and contemporary pieces. The service will end with the traditional singing of “Silent Night” by candlelight, accompanied by guitars, as we move from the warmth of Bethel’s sanctuary into the early, chill hours of Christmas morning.
Informal worship will be held at the regular time on Christmas day. All Sunday services begin at 10:00 am.
Everyone is invited to attend any or all of these special services. Bethel, located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst, is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. For more information call 630-279-4040.
Elmhurst Churches Will Once Again Host Grace Café
Date: September 19, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
Anyone who is hungry, feeling the pressure of the economy, struggling with a tight budget, or lonely and eager to share a meal with others is invited to attend Grace Café one Monday night a month, with the first meal being offered on September 26 at First United Methodist Church, 232 S. York Rd., in Elmhurst, 630-834-2440. Six Elmhurst churches—First United Methodist, Bethel United Church of Christ, Epiphany Lutheran, Christ United Methodist, St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, and First Congregational United Church of Christ--are carrying on a program begun in 2009 as part of an ecumenical effort to meet a growing need as families and individuals were faced with economic pressures. A rewarding experience for guests and church members as well, Grace Café host churches hope to have even larger groups join them for dinner and conversation this year. Other dates and sites for the remainder of the year are:
October 24 Bethel United Church of Christ, 315 E. St. Charles Rd. 630-279-4040
November 21 Epiphany Lutheran Church, 314 W. Vallette St. 630-832-8457
December 19 St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 125 W. Church St. 630-530-6000
Serving begins at 5:00 pm and concludes at 6:30 pm. There is no charge to participate. For more information, please call the church hosting each month. Grace Café dates and sites for January through May, 2012, will be announced when they are confirmed.
Bethel United Church of Christ Youth Travel to Colorado on Annual Mission Trip
Date: October 18, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
At
the beginning of August, fourteen youth and seven adults from Bethel United
Church of Christ in Elmhurst headed for Colorado for the annual Bethel Youth
Fellowship mission trip, driving 16 hours to Buena Vista where they spent a week
helping the local Habitat for Humanity organization and enjoying this beautiful
part of the Rocky Mountains. The work undertaken was challenging, but the
rewards and enjoyment made the days go quickly. Those under the age of 16 worked
at the Habitat ReStore, a store selling reclaimed building materials and
appliances from tear downs, whose profits help support Habitat projects. They
performed tasks from store operation to inventory, and also completely
reorganized the outdoor display of fixtures and appliances so they could be
easily identified and purchased by customers. Those in the group 16 and older
helped build a starter home for a local family, whom they had the opportunity to
meet and work with on the project. When the group arrived at the work site they
learned that they would be building side by side with ten low-risk inmates from
a nearby prison, the first time the local Habitat had ever conducted a joint
project with a youth group and the correctional facility. It was a new and
unique experience for the all the participants, but in working and interacting
with these inmates youth group members were able to see how focusing on serving
others and going beyond their own concerns and opinions revealed the many things
we all have in common and how much we are alike. With a single purpose, the
combined group was able to install exterior insulation, siding, windows, doors,
trim, and some interior insulation in just three days and in the process, with
expert assistance, became measuring, cutting, hammering and caulking pros! The
progress on construction allowed members of the youth group to leave Angels in
the Attic notes for the owners of the new home, words of encouragement, prayers,
and best wishes penned by members of Bethel and carried to Colorado, where they
were attached to the rafters of the house to welcome its new occupants. The
work done by the youth and their adult leaders on the trip was part of Bethel’s
ongoing commitment to others, “….to serve as an instrument of God’s love in our
community and the world.”
But the week was not all work. The group visited the old mining town of St. Elmo, immersed themselves in a freezing mountain waterfall, played some very competitive Ultimate Frisbee games, hiked to the Continental Divide, and went on an overnight white water rafting trip. Sleeping in tents or under the stars and rafting 3.5 level rapids was great fun and an accomplishment for the entire group. “We had an exceptional group of kids who tried many challenging tasks and experiences they had never done prior to the trip,” said John Carman, Director of Youth at Bethel. “The kids were fantastic, doing something this great for another family. At the end of the week we were amazed at all the things we had learned and the opportunities to do things we never knew we could do. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had the opportunity to be involved in.”
The group from Bethel returned to Elmhurst with new perspectives, fresh appreciation for each other and those they worked with, and good memories. Kaitlin Riddle summed up the sentiments of her fellow group members when she said, “Being able to give my time and service while being in the most beautiful part of the United States made for an unforgettable week!”
Those on the trip were youth: Jonah Carman, Cori D’Onofrio, Dana D’Onofrio, A.J. DeLeon, Alexandra Kalinich, Tyler Kalinich, Kayla Lubicz, Brianna Murray, Madeline Rago, Alex Riddle, Kaitlin Riddle, James Rogers, Brendan Vasko, and Suzanna Vasko and adults John Carman, Jim and Jan Dondlinger, Kyle Kalinich, Dan Murphy, Bill Riddle, and Roxanne Schwoch.
Bethel United Church of Christ Announces Fall Christian Education Opportunities
Date: August 5, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML574@aol.com
Bethel United Church of Christ begins its fall Christian education program on Sunday, September 11, with an exciting Rally Day celebration. Worship will include songs and stories to engage the children and youth, followed by a picnic on the church lawn. Fun with crafts and games as well as great food and the highly-anticipated water balloon games for both children and adults will cap the celebratory morning of worship and fellowship.
Each week Bethel provides varied opportunities for children to grow on their faith journeys through Pocketful of Promises and Breakfast Club. Pocketful of Promises, for pre-K through 5th graders, begins with the children in attendance at worship for music, fellowship and a children’s sermon. They then join their teachers to explore and learn as individuals and as a community through games, art, music and science, which bring Bible stories to life. Those in 6th-8th grades attend Breakfast Club for faith formation and fellowship. This active group also participates in service-oriented and social activities. For those 3 years of age and younger, loving child care is provided by experienced high school students.
Forms for registration and enrollment are now available on the Bethel website, www.bethel-ucc.org. Classes are held each Sunday from 10:00 am to 11:15 am, beginning September 11 and running through May 27, 2012, and are taught by teams of adult church members. For more information, contact Director of Christian Education Jenny Pozen at jenny@bethel-ucc.org.
Bethel Youth Fellowship, for those in senior high, is a service-oriented group looking for opportunities to further serve the Elmhurst community. BYF members have been involved in numerous community service projects around the country, and their Teen Fellowship Program would like to share members’ talents, time and labor to help those with needs. Anyone looking for assistance with small projects or who know a family or group that might use help from Bethel youth, or those with suggestions of ways to support our town are welcome to contact John Carman, Director of Youth Ministries, at john@bethel-ucc.org.
Confirmation class for those in 8th grade begins the week of October 11 and will end on Confirmation Sunday, April 1, 2012. This study of the Christian faith, life and community prepares young people for membership in the church. In addition to weekly classes the students will also enjoy a series of field trips, retreats, and activities with interesting congregations of both the Christian faith and other faiths. Rev. Gordon Smith, Interim Senior Minister, will teach the class.
Young people are also invited to participate in youth bell choir for those in grades 5 through 12 and children’s choir. For more information, contact the church office at 630-279-4040. Bethel United Church of Christ is located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst.
Bethel United Church of Christ Welcomes New Interim Senior Minister
Date: July 18, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
Bethel United Church of Christ in
Elmhurst is pleased to announce the appointment of its new interim senior
minister, Rev. Gordon Smith, who started in his position on June 1. Rev. Smith
has specialized training and experience in interim church ministries and most
recently served as interim senior pastor at Immanuel United Church of Christ in
Evergreen Park. As a graduate of Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and North
Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Rev. Smith embarked on a career that has
included not only ministerial positions in a number of United Church of Christ
churches but also 20 years in the business world at Baxter Health Care and Baird
and Warner Corporation. “We feel blessed to have Rev. Smith with us at Bethel
during this transition period,” said Stacey Rago, Bethel Church Council
president. “We welcome his leadership and support as we continue to mourn the
death of our pastor, Rev. Stephen Schuette, and as we prepare to search for a
new permanent pastor.” Rev. Smith expressed his enthusiasm for his new
position, saying that he is delighted to be at Bethel. “I am looking forward to
our ministry and time together,” he remarked.
Bethel United Church of Christ is located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst. Worship and Christian education are at 10 a.m. on Sundays. For more information call the church at 630-279-4040 or visit www.bethel-ucc.org.
Bethel United Church of Christ to Host Performer Honey West on June 5
Date: May 5, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
The talented and well-known transgender entertainer, Honey West, will present her popular cabaret show at Bethel United Church of Christ on Sunday, June 5, at 4:00 p.m. Accompanied by Jeffrey Panko, Bethel's Minister of Music, Honey will share with her audience an afternoon of musical standards, comedy and interaction. “Within the songs I sing I do interject banter with the audience and whatever is on my mind,” Honey says. “Sometimes it is a memory or a story of my life or just observations I make during the show as I get to know the audience, which I really like to do. These are the moments that many people enjoy the most. I am always open to questions and interaction.”
Honey West has twice won the After Dark Award for Chicago’s Outstanding Cabaret Entertainer. She appears in theaters and clubs throughout Chicago and has performed on major cruise lines as well as The Oprah Show, where she backed up Cindy Lauper. Her cabaret show ran for 13 years. “I am unique because I am transgender,” says Honey, “but people who attend my shows usually see me ‘turn into a person before their very eyes.’ They find out that I am not that different from them. I enjoy this process very much. I have performed for gay audiences, straight audiences, and mixed audiences. They all seem to melt into the same category—people.”
Tickets for Honey West’s performance are $20 at the door. For more information call 630-279-4040.
You can help support the outreach programs of Bethel United Church of Christ, enjoy great food, and have a wonderful time when you eat dinner with your friends and family at Francesca's Amici on Sunday, June 5, from 4-9 PM. As part of its effort to give back to the community, Francesca's has generously offered to return to Bethel 15% of dinner checks for that day. Just mention Bethel UCC to your server to ensure that the church will receive the donation. Carry-out meals are also included, so plan ahead even if you can't stay for dinner. Reservations are recommended. Call 630-279-7970.
The United Church of Christ in Elmhurst to Hold Vacation Bible School in June
Date: April 25, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
The United Church of Christ in Elmhurst--Bethel, First Congregational, and St. Peter's--invites all children, from 4 year-olds entering pre-school to students entering grade 8, to be part of its Vacation Bible School. Those entering grades 6-8 are invited to be members of the Junior High Service Squad to assist adult leaders and younger children. They will also undertake mini-service missions daily.
Shake It Up Café, where kids carry out God’s recipe, is a fresh, one-of-a-kind vacation Bible school! Through biblical festivals, children will explore the Bible as an exciting cookbook filled with recipes for living out God’s word. The fun begins Monday, June 13, and ends Thursday, June 16, from 9:00 a.m. until noon each day at St. Peter's UCC, 125 W. Church St., Elmhurst. A VBS celebration and ice cream social will be held Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. Fees are $20 per child until May 15, $25 after. Scholarships are available; please check with individual churches.
Come join in the fun! Adult volunteers are needed. A teacher training luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, at St. Peter’s. Please call 630-530-6000 for information and to volunteer. Registration forms and Service Squad permission and release forms can be downloaded from St. Peter’s web site, www.stpeterselmhurst.org. Click on Vacation Bible School.
Bethel United Church of Christ
Holy Week Services
Date: April 7, 2011
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com
Bethel United Church of Christ to Conduct Holy Week Services
Holy Week at Bethel United Church of Christ, 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst, begins with worship on Palm Sunday, April 17, at 10:00 a.m. Members of this year’s confirmation class will take their confirmation vows during the service. Music provided by the adult voice choir and distribution of palms will be part of worship.
On Thursday, April 21, traditional Maundy Thursday services will be held at 7:00 p.m. with Communion, which is open to all.
Services continue on Friday, April 22, with open meditation in the sanctuary from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and a Taizé prayer service around the cross at 7:00 p.m. with liturgy to be sung by all in attendance.
Easter Sunday, April 24, begins with breakfast at 8:30 a.m., followed by an Easter egg hunt at 9:15 and celebratory Easter worship at 10:00 a.m. with music by the adult voice choir and instrumentalists. Everyone is invited to bring a fresh flower to adorn the barren cross, a Bethel tradition.
Associate Minister Rev. Sally Scheib will lead the services and everyone is welcome. Bethel is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. Please call the church at 630-279-4040 for more information.
Bethel United Church of Christ
Will Host Annual Alternative Gift Market
Date: November 2, 2010
Bethel United Church of Christ in Elmhurst will host its annual Alternative Gift Market and Ten Thousand Villages from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday, November 21. This annual gift event continues Bethel’s tradition of supporting the needy around the world with self-sustaining programs providing safe water, health care, education, and environmental protection. The Ten Thousand Villages store will offer crafts, jewelry, home décor and other items made by artisans in Third World countries, allowing them to earn a fair wage.
Monetary donations are directed through Alternative Gifts International (AGI), a nonprofit interfaith agency whose global mission is to send authentic, life-giving gifts to people in crisis worldwide that build peace in our global villages and protect and preserve earth’s endangered environment. Over 400 alternative gift markets were held in the USA last year. More information about AGI can be found at www.altgifts.org.
This year’s market at Bethel will support international projects as well as local missions. Gift prices start at $3 per giving share.
An order form can be obtained from the church office or downloaded from Bethel’s website at www.bethel-ucc.org (click on Publications) and submitted through December 12. Checks should be made payable to Bethel United Church of Christ referencing AGI. Adult or children’s cards will be provided at the market with inserts describing the specific mission to which the donation is directed. Cards can then be sent informing recipients about the gift given in their honor.
For more information, contact the church at (630) 279-4040. Bethel is located at 315 E. St. Charles Road in Elmhurst.
Bethel United Church of Christ to Host Rally Day on September 12
8/27/10 News from Bethel United Church of Christ
Bethel United Church of Christ in Elmhurst will host its annual Rally Day on Sunday, September 12, to kick off the new year of Christian education programs. This year’s Rally Day, beginning at 10 a.m., will resemble an Indian pow wow—a gathering for celebration, community, and food! The child-focused worship service will include Native American stories that honor Creation and our stewardship of creation. Music will be by the adult voice choir and the Bethel Band. Following worship, lunch will be served. The tipi that has been standing on Bethel’s front lawn this summer, in honor of the Oglala Lakota and our recent youth trip to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in August, will be open for viewing. Children are invited to apply colorful handprints to the outside of the tipi and to participate in other games and activities. All are welcome to participate in worship, lunch and activities.
Bethel’s innovative Christian education programs include Pocketful of Promises (age 4 to 5th grade) and Breakfast Club for those in middle school as well as senior high Bethel Youth Fellowship and adult education classes. Child care is provided for infants and younger children.
Senior minister Rev. Steve Schuette, an alumnus of Elmhurst College, invites all newcomers and Elmhurst College students to participate in Rally Day as well as the fine music program at Bethel. Bethel has adult voice and handbell choirs, youth voice and handbell choirs, and looks forward to the 12th season of its successful Music at Bethel concert series.
Bethel is located at 315 E. St. Charles Road in Elmhurst. For more information please call 630-279-4040.
Date: September 14, 2010
Contact: Linda Lyman at 630-530-4509 or LindaML575@aol.com, or Bethel United Church of Christ at 630-279-4040
Bethel UCC Youth Travel to Pine Ridge Reservation for Annual Work Trip
On July 30 ten youth and six adults from Bethel United Church of Christ in Elmhurst packed their work clothes, sunscreen and sleeping bags and started on a two-day trip to the home of the Oglala Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. A week later they returned to Elmhurst with new perspectives and appreciation along with their aching muscles and thought-provoking memories. In the days between the group experienced relationships and learned things that have changed the way they view the world.
The group from Bethel, along with volunteers from four other states, worked with Re-Member (www.re-member.org), an organization begun in 1997 which seeks to improve the quality of reservation life through relationships, shared resources and volunteer services. Bethel volunteers lived in large, un-airconditioned buildings where they shared responsibility for cleaning and food preparation and service. Evening presentations by tribal members, known as “Wisdom of the Elders,” included history, commentary on the current situation on the reservation, and time for conversation. The Bethel group also visited historical sites such as the cemetery at Wounded Knee, the visitor center at the Badlands, considered to be the “cradle” of the Lakota people, the Red Cloud School, and KILI radio station, which is the voice of the people on the reservation. They attended two pow wows, where the group joyfully purchased and gave away lots of popsicles to the young children, especially appreciated in the tremendous heat of August in the Great Plains. One of the Bethel youth, Dana D’Onofrio, observed, "It is one thing to learn about our country's history at school but when you hear it and see it firsthand, it is life changing. One of the speeches I remembered the most was at Wounded Knee. A man and his son spoke from the perspective of the natives...the perspective with the most insight.”
The Bethel group’s work on behalf of the residents included constructing and installing skirting around the base of trailer homes, constructing and installing wheelchair ramps and porches, digging six outhouse pits and placing the outhouses themselves, re-roofing a home, painting, delivering mattresses and bedding to families in need, helping a family move, and hand digging a 40' trench and installing the electric cable from a trailer home to the pole. “Some of us were lucky enough to find ourselves at homes where children were present to provide us with some good companionship and fun in temperatures that soared into the mid-nineties each day!” said Jan Dondlinger, one of the adult volunteers. “Our young people each left a back pack with some school supplies and a personal note in it, hoping to make ten kids smile when they receive them.”
The poverty on the Pine Ridge Reservation is numbing. It is considered one of the poorest places in the western hemisphere. Unemployment hovers above 80%, alcoholism is rampant and health issues, especially diabetes, abound. Over the course of time the U.S. government has made over 350 treaties with the Oglala Lakota people, all of which have been broken. Hope is scarce and fragile. “I can't imagine how difficult it is for these proud people to live there and carry so much pain,” said Dondlinger. “Many of us have struggled with what we can do to ‘fix’ things. Perhaps the best that we can do is to simply hope to leave whatever the situation is in a better state than when we came upon it, but it is often frustrating and heartbreaking”.
Along with opportunities to help, the trip to Pine Ridge gave Bethel youth and adults alike the opportunity to think about new realities and to learn about the lives and challenges of the Lakota people. It was an experience they will long remember. Many would like to return. Kaitlin Riddle, one of the youth, summed it up like this: “"Pine Ridge was a life changing experience that I will never forget and has made a true impact on the person I am today. It gave me the chance to see life through an entirely different perspective, opening my eyes to a world I only read about in books. Just from the one week I spent there, it showed me what is important to me, what I want to do with my future and what kind of person I want to be. I can't wait to go back!"
Those on the trip were youth: Wendi Castrejon, Cori D'Onofrio, Dana D'Onofrio, Alexandra Kalinich, Kayla Lubicz, Christina McCarthy, Brianna Murray, Kenna Rago, Madeline Rago, and Kaitlin Riddle and adults: Jan and Jim Dondlinger, Kyle Kalinich, Stacey Rago, Rev. Steve Schuette and Roxanne Schwoch.
PHOTO CAPTION: Bethel UCC Youth and Adult Volunteers at Pine Ridge Reservation