Westchester Community Church
United Church of Christ
1840 Westchester Blvd  Westchester, Illinois 60154
(708) 865-1282
WCC Website: www.forministry.com/USILUCOFCWCCUW

Church email:  westcomchurch@hotmail.com

 Rev. Joseph E. Mills, III Pastor
Rev. Godwin Kanjaka Raj Tamil UCC
UCSI Website: www.ucctamilchurch.com

 Sunday Service 10:00 am
Office Hours Monday-Friday 9:00 am—4:00 pm
Volume 15       Issue 12
Issue Date  October 21, 2009

TRANSFORMATION”

            She was not the nicest person.  It had something to do with her alcoholic husband.  It had something to do with years of working a full-time job, being a full time co-dependent.  Her power at the local church was incumbent on her being the “go to” person.  But she was also the “go to” person for gossip and negative comments about others.  I remember the day she changed.  It was shortly after her husband died.  Maybe it was clearing all the hidden bottles found in the walls and rafters of the garage.  Maybe it was being tired of being tired.  But she changed.

            What made the transformation so wonderful was who she became.  She went from being always complaining and always talking about things to just wanting people to be kind to one another.  What made the transformation so difficult was that other members, who knew how to “work her” no longer had their easy source to foster their complaints and begin their “fires” at the church.  They couldn’t hide behind her.  So they got angry with her.  They began not to ask her to help with things.  Eventually, that little group pushed her out of every position she had once run.  In one of my last visits with her, she told me that it was actually quite refreshing.  One of the reasons she had been in some of the positions was simply to get information and then use it.  Now she had a purpose that was life-bringing and no longer destructive.

            One of the key beliefs in our faith is that God can bring life to any situation.  We say we believe that things, and people, can change.  But one of the hardest things for us to do is allow that person to become new.  This is because when they change—we have to change.  We can no longer work with them the same way we did before.  We see them with all of our memories; they look the same; why don’t they act the same?  We have to take a risk of faith, and of trust, to believe that the “leopard” now has new spots.  Sometimes, even worse, we give them less rope than before, so that they now have to be more perfect, even as before we dealt with them before in their imperfection.

            Transformation is such a challenging concept for us in our faith.  We are told scripturally that one of the goals for a mature faith is to be “transformed from one form of grace into another”.  But the rub is that we also like comfort.

Once we have found “stasis”, a type/place/form of behavior that seems to work well for us, we want to live in it.  If you have ever caught yourself thinking or saying to yourself that you wish things were like when you lived….  then you understand the concept that there is a sense of comfort that makes sense for us.  We like not having things too complicated in our thinking.  We crave simplicity, especially in how to respond to things.  Have you ever been at a meeting where you get tired of hearing multiple ideas, only wanting to hear one quick, simple solution to a problem?

            And that is only one of the problems with “stasis”.  What looks to you (or to me) as simple and sensible is actually the result of a very complicated process of living.  Most of live with various forms of dysfunction.  We have to deal with friends and family members who like and don’t like other friends and family members.  We discover that school, our job, even our social relationships, are very complicated.  And once we get to a place where we think we know how to live in that relationship or job, we don’t like having to re-figure it out.

            So when someone changes, or the situation changes, the entire landscape becomes different.  What made sense before now looks difficult.  That is why single friends begin to rapidly change when one of the members begins to date or get married.  That is why a close-knit social group begins to change their activities and frequency of meeting when even one person joins or leaves the group.  And that is why churches look so different every few years.

            For we who are in Christ, it becomes paramount to us to remember that God not only permits for change, but promotes it.  God does not want us to stay the same.  God wants us to become more mature in our faith.  God makes us human; we will age and die.  God wants us to break all forms of injustice and oppression in our lives.  God wants us to stop dysfunctional, destructive personal and other-oriented behavior.  And God breathes outward every day a new Spirit, breathing around us and into us the grace to allow us to become new and the forgiveness which allows us to move on.

            It becomes critical for us to remember that we are called to help God in this work, and allow people to become new.  When they, and we, are willing to change, we MUST (it really is a loving command from God) support them in their transformation.  Especially when we begin to see how loving a person can become, how good they choose to be, we MUST give them the affirmation needed to become whole.  See it as we see a broken leg or a heart surgery.  When something clearly needs to change for our physical wellness, we promote the medicine or the surgery or the therapy needed to create for health.  And when our spirit is broken, or lives in hurt, hatred, or despair, we promote the spiritual change in prayer, in community, and in love.

            When this happens, the person changes.  And yes, at the onset, it becomes a bit frustrating as the “lay of the land” becomes different.  But how wonderful it becomes when we see a fundamentally more healthy and joyful person.  How much more wonderful it becomes when we see that this new health promotes truth, just living, and we discover that there is no need for deception and complication.  Quite frankly, it becomes easier to live in than the old system, even though it takes some time to get used to it.  But it is always more healthy.  That is why transformation is ultimately one of God’s greatest gifts to us.

            To your health and to our mutual life in joy, Pastor Joe

Come Study With Us

Sunday Evening Bible Study meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Sunday of  each month, 7:00–8:00 pm.

The Wednesday Bible Study meets Wednesdays, 9:30 am, Westchester Health and Rehab. Center

Faith Conversations Meets the 1st and 3rd Sundays after church at 11:30 am.

THANKYOUS

Mary Kurzawa, sister in law to Esther Baricza would like to thank the congregation for their thoughts, cards, prayers, good wishes during her recent battle with cancer.  She has now tested cancer free.  She has also just recently earned her RN license.  Thanks again.

Pastor Joe, I wanted to thank you for coming to visit me in the hospital.  It was a pleasure and I enjoyed your company!  I know you come a long way and it’s important to me that you knew I appreciated it!  Maybe someday you’ll see me in one of your pews!  Sincerely Cindy Watt (Wayne and Rose’s youngest daughter)

Thank you for your support of Lifelink and all of its programs.  Because of your generosity, you made a major impact on the lives of children who are learning in Head Start or safe in Foster Care; the lives of seniors and physically challenged adults who are living affordably and independently; and the lives of the families who are getting the help they need to stay united.  On behalf of the thousands who rely on us, thank you!  The Reverend Timothy C Rhodes, President and CEO

Dear friends, you were our mother’s church family and you extended your love and support to all of us in our family.  We thank each and every one of you for the many many cards and calls and visits.  Your prayers and thoughts accompanied us and helped to “carry” us through the difficult days of mother’s illness.  We are grateful for our Christian fellowship.  The Katsis daughters Karen, Theda and Linda and families.

Pastor Mills, We wish to express how wonderful of a job  you did for us.  Florence Richards and thank you for your time and for being there for us.  The service was perfect for my dad  He was a great man.  Thank you Peg & John and thank your for the beautiful service and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Todd, Jen, Shawn, Jake, James and Samantha

The Trustees would like to thank, Pamm Zomchek, Sharon Ross, Esther Baricza and Melanie Navarro for their help with the office, during Sue Becerra’s time off.  Betty Koenig

Dear Sassy Stitchers, I just received two more bags of beautifully knitted baby items from you.  Thank you so much for continuing to care about those mothers and babies in Aunt Martha’s Parents Too Soon program.  Though I don’t see the mothers open the layettes, the program director has repeatedly reported how thrilled the mothers are to have these items.  Sincerely, Ellen Kaplan

Dear Mary, Howie & family, What a lovely surprise when I opened the box with the beautiful prayer shawl!  I was so touched, it brought tears to my eyes.  Thank you, thank you!!  Our weather has turned cooler and I have been enjoying it each evening—I feel so special with its softness and warmth draped around my shoulders and arms.  Your “Sassy Stitchers” are doing a beautiful job—This is such a wonderful service to others.  I deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness, and covet your continued prayers.  Love you all Aunt Irene

To the wonderful people at Westchester Community Church, thank you for your generous gift of yarn dogs, you are all angels in our corner.  With love, the children and teens the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation serves.

Thank you so much for your generous gift of $143 to Neighbors in Need  in 2008!  Two thirds of your NIN offering goes to support Justice and Witness Ministries and one third to support the Council of American Indian Ministry.  Alice Harper-Jones, Justice and Witness Ministries Board Member, Representing the Illinois Conference

PRAY WITH US

WE GRIEVE

We grieve with the following families who have recently lost loved ones…

The Katsis family in the death of member Winnie Katsis; the Randle family and friends in the death of Timothy Pate; the Proviso Math and Science Academy family in the death of teacher Tom Dix (only 39), the Yeater/Moore family in the death of Ken Yeater

PEOPLE AT THEIR HOMES:

Jan Monahan	Howard Woltman	Kay Ulicny	Bernie Finnigan	Larry Haynes
Dorothy Letz	Kathy Loresch	Gary Kasanders	Phyllis Fojtik	Marge Wanielista
Kim Powers	Martha Hovorka	Shirley Galanti	Mel Siska	Ruth & Herb Edelmann
Helen Wallace	Ed & Shirley Socall	Tom & Vivienne Buckert	Ralph Ruiz	Sylvia Hovorka
Elaine Klika	Pamela Martens	Jerry Kec	Patricia Ladner	Elaine Kelstrom
Ken Gardner	Evelyn Beck	Jean Rowe	Evelyn Compton	Fran Wexelberg
Sean Tavernier	Mike Smith

IN IRAQ:

PEOPLE AT LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES:

FRIENDS TO KEEP IN PRAYERS:

PEOPLE AT AREA HOSPITALS:

Dick Widick	Gottlieb
Shirley Zaviska	Lexington Elmhurst
Dan Poulos	Burgess Square
Wayne Scharlach	Elmhurst Hospital
Rev. Charlotte Nold	Weiss Hospital

SENIOR Youth

 (7^th – 12^th Grades)

Aluminum cans for recycling (not steel or tin cans).  Please bring them the first Sunday of the month.  Cans can be left in the narthex by the blue recycling can near the back door. 

If you would like to receive emails about upcoming Youth events, please email wrbluemeaniewrx@gmail.com or visit the MySpace page.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Youth Group are selling Entertainment Books for $20 apiece.  All proceeds benefit the Youth Group.  Pick one up on Sundays in the narthex, or contact the Church Office. 

Confirmands—Service Project forms are available on the Rose Room Door—also, we need the completed covenant/class policy sheets for several of you (parents/mentors need to sign it).

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

November 6—Second Fish Fry—either 4:30 or 6:00 shift

NEXT OVERNIGHT
SHOPPING/MOVIE

Our Annual Pre-Christmas night out to shop for family is Friday November 20.  We will meet here at church by 6 p.m. and go shopping and to a movie.  Then we will hold an overnight.  You must sign up on the Rose Room door by November 18, as we have to figure out rides.

WCC ACTIVITIES

Bell Choir rehearses Saturday, at 8:30 am in Fellowship Hall.  Please consider joining us.  The Bell Choir is open to anyone Junior High age and above.

Please be one of our Sunday liturgists! Please sign up on the liturgist calendar in the Narthex or call Brian Hart. Thanks

Please keep donating food, it will be used for our local food pantry and for our St. John UCC mission pantry.  This will be greatly appreciated.

If you would like to be added to a NEW Email notification list, please email the church westcomchruch@hotmail.com and let us know that you want email notification on event of the church.  Please remember that if your email changes, you are responsible to et the church know this.  Thanks

A STEWARDSHIP MOMENT

“The most important aspect of tithing and stewardship is not the raising of money for the church, but the
development of devoted Christians”- Fred M. Wood

Please GIVE REGULARLY!!
We understand the economic difficulties of the day, and sincerely thank you for keeping current your giving.  BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

We now have a true deficit, running at $53,000!!!
Please help us attend to this.

Pastor Mills will be on sabbatical beginning October 19 through 31.  The purpose of the sabbatical is two-fold, rest and education.  The educational component will include reading and future work preparation.  The rest component…  If there are emergencies during this time, please contact the church office.  They will be responded to!!!

NEW ADDRESS FOR:
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Kec
865 N. Cass Ave.
Westmont IL 60559-6404
(the wrong zip code was recently announced in the bulletin—please change the zip code to 60559—Jerry enjoys getting  cards, so be sure you change this.)Thanks

Dorothy Letz
Lakewood Center
14716 S. Eastern Avenue
Plainfield, IL  60544

The WCC Bell Choir has begun rehearsals on Saturdays, at 8:30 am in Fellowship Hall.  Please consider joining us.  The Bell Choir is open to anyone Junior High age and above.

Please be one of our Sunday liturgists! Please sign up on the liturgist calendar in the Narthex or call Brian Hart. Thanks

Please keep donating food, it will be used for our local food pantry and for our St. John UCC mission pantry.  This will be greatly appreciated.

If you would like to be added to a NEW Email notification list, please email the church westcomchruch@hotmail.com and let us know that you want email notification on event of the church.  Please remember that if your email changes, you are responsible to et the church know this.  Thanks

JAY MILLS BECOMING
AN EAGLE SCOUT

Thanks to his work and all of your help, Jay Mills will become an Eagle Scout on Sunday, November 22 at 3:30 p.m. here at the church.  All members and friends are invited to attend the Eagle Scout Ceremony in the sanctuary; a Coffee Hour will follow in the Field Fellowship Hall.  **Take the time to look at the wall; it looks great thanks to him and to you!!

One of our members is offering a service called Errands and More.  This service will include shopping, prescription pick-up, pet walking and more.  If you need further information please call the church office.

Come Scrapbook here at the church on Saturday, November 7th from 9 am to 11 pm.  Registration forms are in the narthex.  If you have any questions, please see Barb Mills or Mary Linville.

Cardmaking for the soldiers overseas with Brenna McKenzie will be held on Saturday, November 7th from 10 am to 2 pm.  Signup to bring a salad or desert or make a $5 donation for your lunch.  See Brenna McKenzie or Barb Mills if you can attend.

CHURCH CLEAN UP DAY
IS SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 14
8:30-NOON

HELP US GET READY OUR CHURCH FOR THE
WINTER!!

We have a new supplier for altar flowers and the price is back to $22.50/altar flower arrangement.  Please sign up on the Altar Flower Calendar.  Thanks, The Deacons

2010 Calendars are coming out, so if or when you have extras, please leave them in the Narthex, and I will take them to Hines Hospital for the Veterans.  Thank you, Marge Nelson

The second Fish Fry of the season will be held on November 6 at 4:30pm to 7:30 pm.  Please plan on attending, invite your friends.  The prices have gone up this year all fish, chicken, shrimp dinners have gone up to $9.50.  The craft ladies will hold a Fall Raffle.

November MANNA will be collected on Sunday, October 25th  and Sunday, November 1 for distribution on Sunday, November 8. November, how  about buying some groceries for your Thanksgiving Dinner.  We have many gift cards to choose from – either to give as gifts or to use to buy something for yourself.  Gift cards make great gifts, it’s not too early to buy Christmas presents.  Buy a few extra for Pastor Joe to give to those less fortunate.    Remember that when you purchase gift cards thru MANNA the church benefits too.  Please turn your orders in to Charlene Dolnics or Sue Becerra

The Parish Fellowship Board is hosting a 60th Anniversary Luncheon on November 15th following worship.  The luncheon will consist of Antipasto Salad, Italian sausage, baked mostaccioli, chicken, bread, desert and coffee and tea.  Signup is in the Narthex or by calling the church office.  The cost is $12.50 adults, Ages 4-9 $5.50, Ages 101-up Free.  No tickets will be sold after November 5th. No exceptions!

The Board of Parish Fellowship is planning a Memory Book for our Church’s 60th Anniversary.  Please send to Colleen Horek stories you want to include.  Choose  your paper and we’ll combine the memories into a book.  We will have a  memory wall of old photos.  Submit photos with your name on the back and any additional info you would like to include to Colleen or anyone on the Board of Parish Fellowship.

Please consider joining a board
The Nominating Committee of our church has kicked off its annual campaign to find “new blood” in the form of new members for our governing boards.   If you consider yourself an active member (as opposed to a passive member) of WCC, we need your talent, dedication and passion.  Most of our seven boards (plus the Auditing Committee) have openings, either now or in January, when board members’ terms are completed.  You’ll work with interesting and fun people, and you’ll be giving back to your church in a way that is just as important as your monetary donations.  If you are willing to help or have questions, contact any one of these Nominating Committee members:  Kathy Triska, Charles Marinier, Mary Straube, Donna Wright, Colleen Horek, Pamm Zomchek and Carl Panek, Chairman.

ADVANCE NOTICES

Our Annual Thanksgiving Eve service will be Wednesday, November 25, 7:00 p.m.  Come; bring family and friends to a worship giving thanks to God!!

Sarah Van Drunen and Friends
To be here Friday, December 11!!
A special Christmas concert
Will be held by Sarah and her band—those of you who heard her last month know how
awesome she is!!
Tickets will be sold!
Let your friends and family know about this!!

St. John UCC needs canned sweet potatoes for their Thanksgiving Dinner.  If you would like to donate sweet potatoes, please leave them in the St. John’s food pantry box in the Narthex.  Please also keep Thanksgiving Day open, if you can, to come to St. John and help them serve meals that day.

A NEW MEMBERS LUNCHEON
WILL BE HELD NOVEMBER 1
AFTER CHURCH
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED
EITHER IN JOINING OUR CHURCH, OR WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR CHURCH, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE BY OCTOBER 30!!

One of our church member is looking for a room to rent, if you have a room or know of one that is available, please call the church office.  Thanks

A note from the Sassy Stitchers.  We are a small but productive group.  We have made many items that we give to charitable groups, such as baby items for young mothers, hats gloves and mittens for school children, lap robes for Vets at Hines, and prayer shawls and lap robes that Pastor Joe has distributed.  We have started a new project, chemo caps for women who loose their hair due to treatment: generally cancer treatment.  We would like to make them available to people that you may know who would like one.  They are in the rose room along with some prayer shawls and lap robes.  If you would like to give a cap, shawl and/or lap robe to someone you know, please do so.  It is a nice way to show that people care.

It’s “EZ”  to take part in Jewel Shop & Share Days fundraiser on November 9, 10 and 11.  Bring an ID slip to the store.  Shop for groceries, food pantry donations, baking supplies, paper goods, laundry needs, etc. at any Jewel-Osco.  Sign the slip, turn it in as you check out and WCC earns 5% of the $$$ spent — earmarked for kitchen appliances and lawncare/landscaping.  ID slips in November 1 bulletin; extras for friends, neighbors or co-workers available in the Narthex or office. ???, contact Charlene Dolnics at 708/345-1816.

The next Westchester Blood Drive will be on November 10th.  It will run from 2 pm to 7:30 pm.  Registration will be held here at the church with a LifeSource van parked in the south parking lot.  If you have any questions please call Carl Panek.

COMMUNITY & UCC ACTIVITIES

Trinity Community UCC, will celebrate their 125th Anniversary on Sunday October 18th.  All are invited to attend their special worship service at 10 am.  Trinity is located at 7022 Riverside Drive, Berwyn IL. 

Community blood drive October 17.  On Saturday, October 17, the Westchester Blood Program will conduct its fifth drive of the year.  It will take place from 8 am to 3 pm in the Community Center, our church’s next door neighbor.  The blood program has collected 399 units so far en route to its annual goal of 500.  It ha collected nearly 22,000 units since its founding in 1974 and, for several years, has ranked among the top three community programs sanctions by LifeSource Blood Services in northern Illinois.  Every unit donated can save the lives of as many as three hospital patients.  The process is safe and quick, usually taking no more than 40 minutes.  For details, contact Carl Panek, chairman at 708/865-1782.

“The Moving Wall”
On November 4th through November 9th the Vietnam Veterans “Moving Wall” will be on display at MayfairPark in Westchester, IL.  The Moving Wall is a half sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC.  The wall was created by Vietnam Veterans through contributions from the public and has never received any funding from the Federal Government.  There are 58,253 names listed on the memorial of personnel who gave the ultimate sacrifice while they served in the US military in Vietnam.  We invite all to visit the wall.

*We also invite members to participate in the Veterans’ Memorial Service, Saturday, November 7 (look for time later), and/or to run in the Veterans Day Run, to be held Sunday, November 8—8:30 a.m. (you just might see Pastor Joe even try to do this just before church!! - it’s the 20th anniversary of the run)

Our neighbor church Divine Providence will hold a Taize Prayer every third Friday of the month at 7:30 pm. a quiet time—a musical ensemble—ecumenical prayer.  All are welcome.
They will also hold a Four Seasons Bazaar & Craft Show on Saturday, October 3 from 9 am to 3 pm.

 WCC ACTIVITIES