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Messenger
Winnetka Congregational Church IN THIS ISSUE

April 26, 2014 No. 15 Volume XLIX

-Fiesta del Sol -Interim Pastor Called -Rummage -Adult Enrichment -Call to Meeting -2020Vision Update -Easter Egg Hunt -Music Sunday -A Purse for Joseph -Long-Term Members

Church Hours Monday Friday 8-5 Sunday 8:30-Noon Business Office closed Fridays

Link to Calendar Link to Sunday Readings

Online Calendar
Sermons of our pastors are available on our website: Sermons.

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Keep joy of Easter rolling and join Servants on Sunday, April 27th for two exciting events: Youth Sunday and Fiesta del Sol! The Servants, our high school ministry group will be leading a very special worship that morning at 10am. Hear them bring the gospel to life in their style word and music. Following worship, you are invited to join us for Fiesta del Sol in Alsdorf Activities Center where there will be a delicious meal and an opportunity for you to learn more about our mission trip through a great visual experience. We hope you will join us for both events!

The Messenger is published weekly (semimonthly in June, July and August). The deadline for submission of articles is the Wednesday ten days prior to publication date. Please contact the Desktop Publisher for more information (847-441-3400, ext. 14). Joseph A. Shank, Senior Pastor Jennifer A. Gleichauf, Associate Pastor William A. Mueller, Associate Pastor Robert A. Harris, Director of Music/Choirmaster Elaine Clemens, Director of Childrens Music/Organist Floy Schrage, Business/Facilities Manager Sarah Vollmer, Church School Coordinator Paul Allen, Pastor Emeritus 725 Pine Street, Winnetka, IL 60093 Phone: 847 441 3400; Fax: 847 501 4287 char@wcc-joinus.org | www.wcc-joinus.org

Looking Ahead:
Plan to be with us for worship on Sunday, May 11. On this day, the 5th and 6th grade Seekers will be our worship leaders, the Alleluia Singers and Pastor Joe will share a special presentation entitled High Flying Geese, long-term members will be recognized, and Sunday School teachers will be thanked for their ministry to our children.

Interim Senior Pastor Called:

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The Executive Committee, Personnel Committee and Council are pleased to introduce our Interim Senior Pastor Reverend Ben Bishop. Ben embodies the characteristics, experience and skills we seek for this role. He has extensive pastoral and interim experiBen and Sue Bishop ence in Presbyterian, UCC and independent churches (Kenilworth Union) over the past 18 years. Interestingly, Ben has quite a bifurcated career. After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1965, he pursued a 25 year career in Advertising. He faced a personal pivot point in 1992 that led him to McCormick Theological Seminary and his subsequent pastoral career. Ben is known as faithful minister with a healing presence. Germane to our Interim role, we learned he has a heart for ministry and a head for business. He is a strong worship leader and a natural Adult Ed teacher. He is particularly strong working with existing staff members and congregational leadership. Ben is called to WCC and we enthusiastically welcome him and his wife, Sue. A full write up is linked under the 2020 Vision tab on the website and provides considerable detail on Bens career and skills. He will be more formally introduced to the congregation in June.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Preparations are well underway for our Annual Spring Rummage Sale, so now isthe time to do your spring cleaning and donate your good quality clothing, accessories, household goods and other items to Rummage. We also need medium sizeboxes, shoe boxes and paper bags with handles.

7AM to 3PM

Please join us as we work together to raisefunds for nearly 40 social service agencies, carefully selected by theWoman's Society Benevolence Committee. To learn more or to volunteer, please contact Leslie Sholten atwaslks@aol.com or one of the general chairs - Julie Eldring, Beth Maentz, Barbara Robertson, and Luretta Spiess.

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Countdown to Rummageps

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ADULT ENRICHMENT
April 27 May 4
Sister Tahera Ahmad, Muslim chaplain at Northwestern University, will introduce us to the Islamic faith.

April 27, May 4 and 11 Sunday Morning

We meet at 8:45 for Refreshments and Fellowship, followed by Program at 9:00.

Dr. Melvyn Schwartz returns us to our highly acclaimed winter series on Thank God for Evolution and discusses a Mathematical Foundation for Belief in God.

May 11

Rev. Kozan Jim Matson of the Zen Buddhist Temple Chicago (Evanston) will introduce us to Buddhism.

April 27: Frank Kastelic, Laura Jackson 28: Brian Sullivan, Craig Johnson, Lauren Sudekum, Amanda Huels, Zachary Struckman 29: Phillip Tuman, Jeffrey Cash, Olivia Alcala 30: Barbara Willis, Kyle Kenly, Tyler Kenly

Happy Birthday

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Bob Smith, the Clerk of Winnetka Congregational Church, has called our Annual Congregational Meeting for Sunday, May 4, 2014, immediately following the worship service. Please plan to attend to vote on the slate of Church Officers.
Anyone who is interested in serving on any of our committees can call Anne West at 847-687-5957 or email me at awwest@comcast.net. Nominating committee:
Mike Walther Theresa Law Jane Dowding Shari Felty Trey Felty Anne West (Chair)

Open positions:
Outreach Councilor (1) Education Councilor (1) Education Committee (4 for children/youth and 4 for adult) Liturgics (1) Music (1) Mission Doing (2) Interfaith (1) Small Groups (1) Care and Calling (4) Fellowship (2) Prospective Members (2) Buildings and Grounds (2) Financial Management (1) Human Resources (2) Annual Giving (1)

2020 Vision: On Tuesday April 8 the Council agreed to have the 2020 Vision team share the latest, and nearly final, strategic plan revision with the Congregation. They will do this through small groups and after-service listening sessions over the next four weeks. Please see Jeanne Ebersole or Brad McLane, or contact them at jgebersole@sbcglobal. net or mclaneb@comcast.net to arrange a 2020 team member to attend your group meeting. There will also be an online survey to provide feedback. The goal of Council and the 2020 Vision Team is to present the final plan to the Congregation for approval at the May 4 congregation meeting.

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t... Easter Egg Hun

About 40 children ran to find Easter

eggs scattered around the front lawn. The joy was quite short. All eggs were found within one minute.

ic Mus Sunday!

service? Are you kiddin' me?' -which is exactly the reaction some of the Choir members had when I told them about the music plans for that Sunday. But after the first rehearsal, the Choir fell in love with this piece. Sunday, May 4, is Music And Peter Cosyns was so taken with Sunday at WCC. This year, it that he prepared rehearsal CD's for the musical presentation is the entire choir! Yes, Peter Cosyns, something you will not want WCC's resident music dilettante! A to miss at the 10:00 service. few things about the music and the The Chancel Choir will pres- text. The text of the work include ent an exciting and somewhat both liturgical and adapted prose unusual choral work entitled texts that amplify the traditional The World Beloved - A Blue- texts of the Latin Mass. The Bluegrass grass Mass by Minnesota instrumental ensemble that accomcomposer Carol Barnett. panies the Choir consists of fiddle, You are probably thinking mandolin, banjo, guitar and string and asking yourself 'What? bass. Plan to be in church for this very Bluegrass music in a church special service!

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On Saturday, May 10, our Choirmaster Robert Harris will be conducting the New York premier of his Gloria for chorus and orchestra at Alice Tully Hall. The text of the 30 minute work is set to the traditional Latin text. In addition to several local performances (NU, Millennium Park), the Gloria has been performed in Dallas and just this last December, in Denver with a 105 voice choir and members of the Denver Symphony Orchestra Several members of our Chancel Choir will be a part in the 110 member chorus for the NYC performance.

A Purse for Joseph

As we prepare for Josephs retirement from WCC, we are planning many wonderful ways to say thank you and goodbye. We hope you have all received invitations to the three different events on April 25, May 16 and June 1. In addition, we plan to offer Joseph and Leslie some gifts of appreciation at each event. It is part of our tradition to also offer our ministers the gift of a purse a collection of donations from members of the congregation which offer our appreciation. We would like to present a purse to Joseph on Sunday, June 1st. If you would like to contribute, please send a check to our accountant, Doug Coulter at WCC with Joes purse in the memo line. Joseph and Leslie plan to split most of their time between Ireland and Roatan, Honduras in retirement and we know this purse will go a long way in helping them to settle into their new homes.

Online Calendar

LONG TERM MEMBER

Parish Calendar
Sunday, April 27 - Youth Sunday 8:45am Adult Enrichment: CR 9:30am Child Care: Nursery 10am WORSHIP: S 11am Fiesta del Sol: TFH Monday, April 28 9:15am Zumba: AC 3:30pm Prayer Group: CL Tuesday, April 29 9:15am WERQ w/Candus: AC Wednesday, April 30 9:15am WS Board Meeting: CR 4pm Last JK-2nd Grade Choir: MR 4:30pm Night Ministry 4:45pm 3-5 Grades Choir: MR 7pm Prayer Series: CL 7pm FMC: Rm 205 Thursday, May 1 9am AA Meeting: TFH 6pm Bell Choir: MR 7pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal: MR 9pm Choir Gathering: TFH Friday, May 2 9am 9:15am 6:30pm Bible Study: CR Zumba: AC First Friday: CR

SUNDAY, MAY 11
Join us on May 11 when we celebrate our annual Long Term Member Sunday at our 10:00 am worship. As this is a notable year of transitions at Winnetka Congregational Church, we especially want you and your family to be a part of this special day in the life and history of our church family. We will feature our recent tradition of the Living Portrait when all Long Term Members come forward to the chancel as we sing together: Forward Through the Ages Forward through the ages, in unbroken line Move we on together to the shining goal. William A. Mueller Care & Calling Pastoral Liaison

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Saturday, May 3 6:30pm Confirmation Fellowship: TFH Sunday, May 4 8:45am 9:30am 10am 10:15am 11am 11am 11:30am 4:30pm 6pm Adult Enrichment: CR Child Care: Nursery WORSHIP: S Church School: EW Fellowship: TFH ANNUAL MEETING: S WCC Singers: TFH Servants: LL1 Final Confirmation Class (7 & 8): TFH

AMP - Amphitheater AC - Alsdorf Center LC - Conference Library CR - Centennial Room EW - Education Wing JK - Jr. Kindergarten L - Library LC - Little Chapel LL - Lower Level (Youth Rooms) MR - Music Room NN - New Narthex S - Sanctuary TFH - Tolman Fellowship Hall WS - Womans Society