Season of Creation

The Season of Creation offers intentional time to consider the role of all creation in Bible stories and in our lives, and to remember that humans are just one part of the ever-unfolding story of God’s creation. This week’s texts call us to reconnect with our special relationship with Land, Earth, with whom we have an intimate relationship some people take for granted. How will we sit with Land, enjoy their company, hear their story, and find ourselves invited into the worship of Creator with them?

Can You Host Coffee Fellowship?

Please join us for coffee fellowship this Sunday following church service. You can sign up to host in the commons.

Do You Love Singing?

Join the choir! Singing has always been an important part of First Presbyterian Church's worship service. We are delighted to announce choir will begin again on September 10th. So, if you love singing and would like to get involved, join us Sunday mornings for rehearsal at 9:15 in Cook/Diller Lounge and singing at the 10:45 service starting September 10th. Email Becky Kemp for more information.

Faith and Fellowship

Mon. September 11, at 10 am, Faith and Fellowship will meet to remove all our items from the nursery for the duration of the renovation. Come if you can help.

Faith and Fellowship will also meet Friday, Sept. 15 at 10 am in the Commons. At that time we will distribute yarn for next year's projects.  

The Peace & Global Witness Offering enables the church to promote the peace of Christ by addressing systems of injustice in our own communities and across the world.  

Your gifts to the Peace & Global Witness Offering are helping our neighbors in need — those who live next door, down the street, and across the globe. 25% of this Offering stays with our congregation to support peacemaking and reconciliation in our own community. 25% of this Offering goes to our mid-council to join with other congregations to support peacemaking work in our region. 50% of this Offering supports the work being done by Presbyterians across the globe.

RENOVATION UPDATES

Our congregation began sincere conversations about who we are and where we believe God is leading us almost five years ago! In October of 2018, we hosted several Geography of Grace workshops with sixty members. Since then, we have also hosted a Community Asset Mapping Event with 39 community leaders and support from Partners for Sacred Places, another congregational workshop visualizing our future, a design Charrette, a feasibility study, an architectural design process, and launching Our New Season: Building Community capital campaign.

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1920's Service of Gratitude

Thanks!

Dear Staff of First Presbyterian Church of Springfield,

Thank you so much for the Zuiderveld Memorial Concert! Our hearts were filled with joy and god's love through the many musicians and people Rudy's life had touched.

Blessings,

The Rev. Dr. Paul Schwartzkopf and Ann Schwartzkopf

Thanks from the Temple Israel

Susan,

We all had a wonderful feeling when you let us use the garden and social hall for two Friday Shabbat Services. The friendship we share is very special.

Pamela Cohen,

Board President

Travel to Cuba in March 2024

We are planning a trip to Sancti Spiritus Cuba, March 4-11, 2024. Help us celebrate our 20th anniversary as partners with la Iglesia Reformada Presbiteriana in Sancti Spiritus. Approximate cost is $1100 per person and includes air fare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation. Enjoy real Cuban culture, music, and food; participate in church activities in Sancti Spiritus, and visit their mission sites in Toyos and Jatibonico, walk with tour guides through town, view breath taking views of central Cuba, and experience heartfelt faith. If interested contact Mick Bernasek at M.Bernasek1@comcast.net

September Devotional to Sancti Spiritus

by Kathy Bacon

Romans 5:2-5

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Romans 15:13

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

We will face many disappointments in this world from those around us as well as disappointment in ourselves. Holding onto our Christian hope, which is different than faithless hope, we are assured of God’s grace, strength, and love, which is never failing. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts, minds, and souls with God’s unconditional love. Let us all pray we never lose hope that you walk beside us every day and will fulfill all your promises to us. May we be a flame of hope to others in this world as an

example of your never-ending love for us, even when some situations may seem dark and hopeless.

Prayer from Sancti Spiritus

"Prayer of the Night"

May God make us happy

May God tell us to appreciate his being, to believe in him, and to trust him with our life and family.

Thank you God for the benedictions of today, for peace of the night, and for the knowledge of your word we received for today.

Thank you for sustenance and protection this day and night.

Thank you God, always.

Hospital Notices

In the past, we have encouraged members and friends of First Pres to let us know when you go to the hospital so Pastor Susan and Chaplain Tim can provide pastoral support if it blesses you. With the news that Memorial Health has cut their pastoral care department staff, we cannot rely on them to notify us.

So, please call the church office whenever you or a family member is hospitalized.

Donate to The ReStore!

At The ReStore, our mission is to make a positive impact in our community, and we need your help! We are currently in need of donations to continue our work effectively. If you have dressers or other large furniture, windows and doors, lighting fixtures and lamps, kitchen wares and appliances, or any other household items that you no longer need, please consider donating them to The ReStore.

Donating is easy and convenient. You can visit us in-store Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm. Our friendly staff will be more than happy to assist you with your donations.

If you have a busy schedule or are unable to drop off your items, we also offer a pickup service. Simply give us a call at (217) 523-2710 to schedule a pickup time that works for you. Your generous donations go a long way in helping us support those in need in our community.

Illinois Breast and Cervical program

Funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health and housed within the Sangamon County Health Department, the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) serves eligible women living in Cass, De Witt, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Piatt, Sangamon and Shelby counties. IBCCP provides qualifying women with FREE breast and cervical cancer screenings. Clients do not have to travel to Sangamon County to receive services. Providers are available in each of the ten counties. 

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Now through September 13th: A Celebration of Survival

Jewish Federation of Springfield is bringing 12 violins to Springfield.

These instruments, whether played or hidden, survived the Holocaust. They have been lovingly restored and have traveled the world to give voice to the victims and reinforce messages of hope, harmony, and survival.

Below are the opportunities to hear and/or view these historic violins.

Jewish Federation of Springfield - sjf@shalomspringfield.org or 217-787-7223 ext 18

More Information

Aiden Meyer from Faith in Place would like to invite you to Faith in Place's annual Green Team Summit! Taking place from October 8-11, this highly anticipated event offers a unique hybrid experience. While fully accessible virtually, local keynote watch parties will also be available in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Faith in Place would like to invite you to their in-person Watch Party on October 8th from 5-6:30 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Springfield to watch the Key note Speaker Leah Thomas. Leah is the founder of Intersectional Environmentalist and recognized by Time Magazine as one of the world's top 100 rising stars, as the keynote speaker.

READ MORE ABOUT THE EVENT

Register Here

Poverty Simulation Event: Be a Volunteer or a Participant! 

OCA is organizing a Poverty Simulation for OCA staff in Springfield, at the Department of Agriculture building, on December 6, from approximately 9 AM until noon. We will offer lunch immediately following the event.

In order to provide this valuable insight to our staff we need your assistance. We don’t have enough people to act as volunteers and participants. If you have staff that would like to help volunteer in the simulation or participate please let us know.



Approximately how many staff could act as volunteers or would like to participate? Please email deirdre.coughlin@illinois.gov by 9/15 and indicate which role; i.e. #volunteers, #participants. They will reach out to you closer to the date to confirm names and numbers. At this time they are offering this opportunity to the agencies closest to Springfield.

To volunteer or for any questions please reach out to Deidre Coughlin at deirdre.coughlin@illinois.gov. 

Humanitarian Crisis in Cuba.

U.S. policy is contributing to a severe humanitarian crisis in Cuba. In 2021, President Trump re-added Cuba to the State Sponsors of Terrorism List. The list was intended as a tool for the state department to identify and sanction countries that “repeatedly provide… support for acts of international terrorism.” Countries designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) are subject to sanctions on U.S. foreign aid, exports of defense and dual-use items, and financial transactions. 

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TAKE ACTION

Worship videos available

If you missed church on a Sunday or would like to re-visit a service, videos are available at the bottom of our home page.

Join us for Worship in the Garden and Potluck!

Join us in our beautiful garden for Wednesday worship and stay for potluck. Service begins at 5:30 pm. Pastor Susan, Chaplain Tim, and Emily Wheeler guide us in worship each week.

Are You Willing to Share Some Coffee?

Helping Hands keeps a pot of coffee going for its day services, but is currently running low.  Please consider supporting the Helping Hands mission by donating a can of ground coffee. You can bring it to church and put it in the Helping Hands box in the narthex or call or text Kathy Johnson at 832-729-0357 for pickup or drop off. Thank you!!!

Shelter Meal Volunteers

Jesus says: "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in."

~Matthew 25:35

We are looking for volunteers to join our shelter meal teams. We usually do three meals a month including 2nd Tuesday of the month for Helping Hands and 4th Tuesday for Overflow Shelter (Salvation Army).

If it blesses you to help feed our neighbors, please join us. You can assist with the preparation of the meals, serving, visiting or all of the above. If you are interested or have questions, please see Keith Dhom, Frank Schultz, or Margie Palmatier.

Image by Harole Ethan from Pixabay

You can still contact us!

Even though some of us may not always be in the building you can reach us by phone at home.

Just dial 217-528-4311

and put in the extension of the person you are trying to reach.

Pastor Susan x1020

Chaplain Tim x1030

Bookkeeper (Tara) x1050

Church Office (Michelle) x4

Facilities Manager (Tom) x1040

Scott Minos, a veteran of the US Department of Energy, has travel tips for people concerned about the planet

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

Scott Minos, who heads up the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Saver initiative and works in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, made the case during a Presbyterians for Earth Care webinar last week that sustainable transportation is an important way to care for the planet.

READ MORE

Photo by Natali Quijano via Unsplash

Chris Y.

Carolee D.

Aaron C.

All events are via Zoom unless otherwise specified.

September

11

Building and Grounds Committee meeting 4:00

Christian Formation Meeting 5:00

Earth Care Team Meeting 6:00 Commons

12

Cuba Meeting 7:00

13

Wednesday Worship Service 5:30 Garden, potluck to follow

14

Finance Meeting 6:00

17

Rev. Susan Phillips to lead Service 9:00 Zoom

Rev. Susan Phillips to lead Service 10:45 Sanctuary

NOTE: Links to all events are attached to items on the church calendar .

If you click on the Zoom link in the calendar the invitation will open.

How to Join a Zoom Meeting

From your computer, cell phone or tablet:

Click the link provided.

To join a Zoom meeting via telephone:

Dial number given for the meeting. You will be prompted to enter the meeting ID provided followed by #.

Worship Attendance

Different Ways to Give

Thank you to everyone that shares in the Joy of Generosity at First Presbyterian! There are several ways to support our ministries and many ministries to support. In order to ensure your gift is credited to the correct fund, please take a moment to include the following information when making a donation:

1. Writing a check – Add the fund name in the memo section (Capital Campaign, Peacemaking, Samaritan Ministry, etc.)
2. Online portal – Select “Other Donations” when entering the amount then enter the name of the fund in the Notes section
3. Text giving – Text “$10 CC” to 217-284-2546, this example is a $10 donation for the Capitol Campaign fund. Other commonly used text codes are: Pledge, SM (Samaritan Ministries), Donate (Non-pledge), Peace, Joy, OGHS, Pentecost and BB (Brown Bag)

Church Contact Information

Our church numbers reach us even while we are working remotely.

Pastor Susan Phillips

RevSusan@LincolnsChurch.org

217.528.4311 X 1020

Chaplain Tim Haworth

Tim@LincolnsChurch.org

217.528.4311 X 1030

Bookkeeper, Tara Kaeding

Bookkeeper@LincolnsChurch.org

217.528.4311 X 1050

Administrative Assistant, Michelle Hastings

Michelle@LincolnsChurch.org

217.528.4311 X 4