May 14, 2021
Dear Prairie Avenue Family,
Finishing up this e-note just after picking up Patrick from his High School graduation rehearsal at Eisenhower High School today. The ceremony is held at 5 pm tomorrow (hence no Saturday worship this weekend!) and I am certainly proud of all of our graduates this year (Abraham Long graduates from MacArthur tomorrow, too!). It has been a remarkable journey of time from these youth who have been part of our Prairie Avenue family since infancy and toddler years.
Worship This Weekend:
Witness: Living in a Postresurrection World
The Ways of the World
We encounter Jesus once again at the "Farewell Address" recorded in four chapters of the Gospel of John. He is offering his "high-priestly prayer," a prayer given on our behalf. Imagine it, the son of God, one with the Father, prays for us! He prays that will accept our mission following his departure: to go into the world and witness to God's reconciling love at work and offered that many would come to believe.
There is a tension in this arrangement between being sent into the world and keeping separate from its ways and behaviors. Not that Jesus is calling us to never engage or work in it as if we are an escape pod of faithful followers sheltering from the world's ills or hate. The world will oppose us, but Jesus has overcome it. Too often we become so involved in the world that we lose Jesus from the equation. Our witness depends on sharing it with others, but we should think, see, and act differently than the well-worn efforts of wealth, status, and fame that call us to be of the world's agenda. We are about the business of Jesus, and revealing God's purpose to move into the earth rather than trying to escape it. Whatever we chose to belong to we will act like. And we will act according to who (or what) we belong to.
Starting this Sunday, we will have an additional element in our worship service experience. Following the pastoral prayer, we will recite the Preamble of the Design as our affirmation of faith. The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) governs our life together as a covenantal community of faith operating in three manifestations: local, regional, and general church. The Governance Committee of the General Board has spent the last two years considering what revisions to the Design might help the church better live out our calling. This exploration led to a deeper exploration of our theological foundations, revealing the reinforcing concept of covenant through the life and work of the church in all of its manifestations. They have recently completed a small group study to explore the topic and encourage participation and use of the materials. Printed cards will be available for you to use in the pews (it will be on the screen as well), so you do not need to memorize. We hope it will remind us of the central expressions and commitments of being a part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Of course, it is not meant (nor intended) to be any form of test for membership.
COVID-19 GUIDELINE & PROTOCOL CHANGES
This past week, Governor Pritzker announced the state of Illinois will enter the "Bridge phase" towards full reopening next month (June 11). Fully vaccinated individuals do not count towards capacity limits, which are now lifted to 50% or 50 persons, whichever is smaller. All worship services have a 50 person limit at this point, an attendance we have not seen in nearly 15 months.
The CDC also announced new guidance about masks and vaccinated people. It has indicated that the chances of a fully vaccinated person contracting COVID are very low, and if they do, chances of having a life-threatening case of it, are negligible. Therefore, fully vaccinated people (I trust your honesty in claiming vaccination) no longer are required to wear masks in worship. Fully vaccinated people are also encouraged to sing! The masking requirement is still recommended for unvaccinated persons and will be in place.
We know that some of you are not yet comfortable in public without masks, and some have yet to be vaccinated, so while masks are optional, we encourage you to wear your mask. Our pastors and staff will continue to wear masks when interacting with worshippers and serving communion. I will continue to wear my mask while leading worship except when preaching.
2021 PENTECOST OFFERING: Be the New Church
Sunday, May 16 & May 23
From hospital and prison chaplains to tri-vocational pastors, courageous new church leaders have answered the call to be the new church.
To support them and their efforts to continue the new church movement, please contribute to the 2021 Pentecost Offering, which we will collect on Sundays, May 16 and May 23.
Each year, half of the gifts made go to your own Region to support local new church development. The other half goes to New Church Ministry, which trains, equips, assists, and multiplies new church leaders. Through programs such as Leadership Academy, New Church Hacks, and Water the Plants, your gifts
make a difference across the life of the Church. By participating in this Special Day Offering, you ensure the viability, vitality, and sustainability of unique new church plants in your area and in states, provinces, and territories far away.
Please give generously. Let’s all be the new church, together.
Adopt-A-Street
Saturday, May 15, 10 am
They will know we are Prairie Avenue, a group of learning, loving, and serving disciples of Christ by our love for others and acts of service. Nolan's Community Clean-up group will join us. Litter gitters and COVID-19 measures in place.
Worship Leaders Needed
Our in-person services need worship leaders to assist in speaking the call to worship, invocation prayer, and the call to worship for each of our services: Saturday at 5 pm or Sundays at 8 am or 9:30 am. These materials are prepared each week by Tuesday afternoon, so you do not have to create your own! You can sign up a particular Sunday of the month, a particular time, or which service you already (or will eventually) attend in person. Contact Barb Hodges at 217-620-3268 if you would like to sign up or have questions.
Parking Lot Attendants / Greeters Needed
We need smiling faces and joyful hearts in greeting and security. I need two parking lot attendants to greet our guests and assist them with their entrance. Once service begins, these parking lot attendants will secure all entrances to the building, locking the doors, closing the garage about 15 minutes into the worship services. I would like to have attendants for each service -Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 8 am & 9:30 am. Contact the church office (217-428-3327) if you are interested in helping assist in guest/welcome services.
Music Ensembles Resume Wednesday Rehearsals at 7 pm
I would like to have a music ensemble for each worship service: Saturdays at 5 pm and Sunday mornings at 8 am and 9:30 am. These groups are tentatively called Meadowlands 1, 2, & 3. You will lead the congregation in singing the hymns and leading our expanding list of familiar praise songs and choruses. While the ability to read music is helpful, and holding a musical pitch (no matter what size bucket) is expected, all those willing and able are welcome to join these small ensembles.
Building Fund Needs
Thank you for your generous response to our campaign! We have collected $1300 of our $5000 goal. The final cost of our circulating pump repair was nearly $2,300. Our building fund is not as robust as it should be to handle this expenditure in addition to anticipated capital needs associated with the elevator modernization project later this year. I am asking you to consider a one-time special offering or a recurring gift to increase our building fund balance by $5,000. Each donor with offering envelopes has building fund envelopes included to solicit support for costly maintenance and anticipated replacement, remodel, and repair costs outside of the operating budget. Please mark your donations "building fund" if not using a building fund envelope.
Invite friends to join you for worship
this weekend, in person, online
In-person on Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday mornings at 8 am or 9:30 am (masks and social distancing required).
See you this weekend online or in person,
Blessings to you all,
