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April 15,
2008
COVER
STORY
A
Celebration in Sudan
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
St. Michael's Community near and far,
On Wednesday
evening, Phil Darrow and I leave for a brief trip to the Sudan.
Read on to hear more about the basics of this mission.
WHO? Phil
Darrow is a member of our Renk Ministry Partnership Team, a long
time member of St. Michael's, and one of four of us who planned
to travel to Renk in February of this year before the trip was
canceled. He is married to Robin and they have three children
Adrienne, Mac and Mason. Phil is an attorney with Pulte Homes.
WHAT? We are
attending the enthronement of the Rt. Rev. Daniel Deng Bul, know
affectionately to us at St. Michael's as Bishop Bul. He was elected
the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Sudan. Since we at St.
Michael's—through the generous leadership of Jackie Kraus—have
been in a partnership relationship with Daniel and the Diocese
of Renk for over 10 years, we thought it was a good idea for our
parish to be represented at this gathering. We are also a part
of the official delegation representing the Diocese of Chicago
and Bishop Lee. Bishop Scantlebury will also be present under
the umbrella of an official delegation representing our Presiding
Bishop.
WHERE? We
leave Wednesday evening and fly through London, Heathrow (pray
for us) and on to Nairobi, Kenya. We then fly to Juba in southern
Sudan. We will be in Juba for two and a half days before heading
back to Kenya to visit a high school student that Phil and Robin
support. We fly home from Kenya leaving late Monday evening, again
through Heathrow, arriving back in Chicago Tuesday afternoon.
WHEN? Now!
Celebration is Sunday, April 20 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Sudan
time, which means any time from 11:00 a.m. to Noon. The service
will probably last somewhere in the neighborhood of five to six
hours. There will be much celebration and a great feast as well.
This is a big day in the life of the Episcopal Church in Sudan
and in the life of Daniel and Deborah Deng Bul.
WHY? As I
noted above, we as a parish community have been integral in supporting
the growth and development of the Church in the Diocese of Renk
where Daniel was most recently bishop. Our desire is now to help
serve the entire people of Sudan and bring hope and relief wherever
we can while still continuing our hands on support of Renk Theological
College.
HOW? First,
the Diocese of Chicago and St. Michael's Church have agreed to
give a gift of $1000 to Bishop Bul. We are also bringing several
other gifts from various people for Joseph and for Daniel…and,
of course, for the twins. Secondly, Phil's airfare and our accommodations
on land have been donated. My airfare is paid by our parish budget
under the heading of partnership expenses.
AND? Please
pray for Archbishop Bul and Deborah; for the Episcopal Church
in Sudan; for safe travel; for our families.
Love and blessings,
Alvin+
CHILDREN'S
FORMATION
In
the Eyes of Children
by Nerissa Brueckbauer
Children are
keen observers. They relish examining the details of the world
around them. They minutely inspect the veins in a leaf or the
segments in a long, wiggling worm. Children are also acutely tuned
into the adults around them, many times taking their speech or
behavior cues from these role models. And children make astute
conclusions and inarguable assumptions on the products of their
intense observations in a way that could put many adults to shame.
Take, for example, a recent Bible study in the Level III atrium
(fourth, fifth and sixth graders). We were reading from Matthew
when Jesus was brought before Caiaphas, the High Priest. The chief
priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony
against Jesus so that they might put him to death. We read the
following:
"…At
last two came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am
able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"
Matthew 26:60-61
Colleen observed,
"Isn't that kind of ironic?" I was a bit perplexed by
her comment and asked her to provide further clarification. She
went on to explain that she thought it ironic that the two witnesses
were accusing Jesus of saying he could build the temple in three
days when, in fact, he could do so much more in three days —
He would overcome death! How about that for some perspective on
the power and the glory of our Risen Lord? Alleluia!
FORMATION
Faithbooking
by Nerissa Brueckbauer
Join Hilary
Schultz on Sunday, April 20 following the 9:00 a.m. service to
learn about a wonderful, personal expression of faith: Faithbooking!
Many of the
books of the Bible allude to the importance and power of memory
keeping, including, “But take care and watch yourselves closely,
so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor
to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make
them known to your children and your children’s children…”
(Deuteronomy 4:9). Faithbooking is a unique way to approach this
important work.
There are
several purposes to faithbooking:
- It increases
our faith. By keeping a record of the happier times in our lives
it can help us withstand tomorrow’s tests. We can remember
those times when God sustained, upheld and rescued us.
- It reminds
us how to teach our children – to give them help to stand
firm against pressure to conform.
- It glorifies
God by ensuring we don’t forget the amazing feats God has
performed in our lives.
- It shifts
the focus of your work away from the decorative craft. Faithbooking
is more cost effective than many scrapbooking techniques and
it focuses on fewer, more meaningful photos and on thought-filled
words.
- It helps
develop a grateful attitude in your life.
- It encourages
memorization of God’s word.
- It can
increase quality family time especially if all work on faithbooks
together.
There are
several types of faithbooks that we can make, including:
- An Amazing
Grace album captures a person’s most life changing events.
In this type of book journaling should be done first, and then
photos are added.
- Faithbooking
by month selects one spiritual idea per month to weave into
your family album.
- Christian
ABC album uses an ABC approach to citing Godly characteristics,
scriptures, Bible verses or inspirational quotes.
- Christian
Inspiration albums document your gratitude for God in your life
and share the impact He has had in your life.
- A Prayer
album collects special prayers or photos of people for whom
you are praying and annotations to reflect how prayers for those
people have been answered.
- An album
of favorite hymns or worship songs.
Hilary will
conduct this short workshop after the 9:00 a.m. service on both
Sundays in the Community Room. Please attend one or both of these
opportunities. Bring your own materials or materials will be available
for purchase.
A
Celebration with Redeemer
Celebrate
St. Michael's partnership with Church of the Redeemer on Sunday,
April 27 at 11:00 a.m. (one half-hour later than usual). The worship
will be offered in English and Spanish and will include the gifts
of the talented dancers from Redeemer. Following worship, the
celebration will continue with a reception in St. Michael's Community
Room.
Partnership
Picnic
Plan to be
come to the second Partnership Picnic with Holy Apostles on Sunday,
June 22 at 10:30 a.m. The morning will begin with Holy Eucharist
on the Holy Apostles Lawn and will be followed with a picnic full
of food, fellowship, family and fun! This is a great event for
the entire family! Watch for more information in upcoming issues
of The Sword.
Children's
Clothing Drive
Little Angels
Preschool and St. Michael’s Church School are sponsoring
a children’s clothing drive (new or gently used) for St.
Clement’s Open Pantry in Harvey, IL. Please keep this in
mind as your children try on spring and summer clothes from last
year, and, if they no longer fit, consider donating to our drive.
Collection will take place in either the Preschool or the Church
School hallway between May 1 and May 18.
United
Thank Offering: Spring Ingathering
As the Easter
season continues and spring finally comes to Barrington, it is
a good time to reflect on the abundance of God's blessings in
our lives. When we think about all the wonderful and generous
things that have been provided to us by God, we realize that we
also need to give back to others. Donating to the United Thank
Offering is one small way to share our blessings. This ministry
of the Episcopal Church, started in 1889, encourages adults and
children to give thanks to God every day. The thanksgivings lead
to offerings to God, which when combined with the offerings from
around the nation, provides funds to support mission projects
both in the U.S. and abroad. 100% of the money collected is given
out in grants each spring. Projects have included kitchen equipment
for a homeless shelter, a school in the Dominican Republic, a
dental clinic for the poor, a library for a seminary in Africa,
handicap access to churches, and many, many more.
The ECW of
St. Michael's will be collecting UTO offerings on Sunday, April
20, at all three services. Please bring your checks or Blue Boxes
at that time, or mail your donation to the church. If you or your
children would like a Blue Box in which to collect your offerings
daily as you count your blessings, they are available near the
front door of the church or in the Sunday school area. Please
prayerfully consider your blessings and join us for UTO Sunday
on April 20.
The
Little Red Wagon
During the
months of April and May, food and personal items collected in
the Little Red Wagon will be offered to St. Clement's Open Pantry.
The pantry was started in 1990 by a parishioner who was a retired
dietitian. It is managed and staffed by volunteers from the parish.
Food is distributed the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month,
and clothing and household goods on the fourth Wednesday. In the
summer, the Community Garden on the church property is tended
by clients and supplements the pantry offerings. Last year the
pantry distributed food and clothing to over 700 households, or
over 3000 individuals.
The U.S. government
used to supply such foods a peanut butter, canned meats, and dry
beans but does not now so the wish list starts with:
- Peanut
butter
- Canned
meats (stews, etc.)
- Tuna
- Pork &
beans
- Cereal
- Personal
items (toothpaste and toothbrushes, bar soap, detergent, toilet
paper, etc.)
The Little
Red Wagon is located in St. Michael's narthex/front entrance each
Sunday or in the coat area near the foyer during the week.
Nerissa
Brueckbauer to be Honored at May Friendship Day
Church Women
United (CWU) will be celebrating "May Friendship Day"
on Friday, May 2 at 11:00 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington
located at 6 Brinker Road. May Friendship Day is an annual event,
celebrating its 75th anniversary, that unites all Christians in
a common worship experience. This year's theme, "God's Wisdom
Inspires Hospitality," centers on the scripture Matthew 25:35:
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me." The program
will present many avenues of extending hospitality, not only to
friends but also to strangers.
Women
named by various churches who live up to the motto of CWU, "Agreed
to differ, resolved to love, united to serve," will be honored
at the event. St. Michael's has nominated Nerissa Brueckbauer
for this distinction! All members of St. Michael's (both men and
women) are invited to come help honor Nerissa.
A potluck
lunch will be served after the service. Please bring a salad to
share. Donations to the "Fellowship of the Least Coin"
will be collected during the service. For more information, call
St. Michael's CWU representative, Marie Schriefer at 847-719-1012.
Toiletries
Needed for Dwight Correctional Center for Women
Donations
of toiletries (regular size) are being collected by Church Women
United for "Christmas in July" at Dwight Correctional
Center for Women. Deodorant is most needed, plus lotion, shampoo,
toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Please, NO soap or travel-sized
items. Donations can be dropped off at St. Michael's before May
2 and placed in the designated box outside the community room,
or they can be taken to May Friendship Day at the Presbyterian
Church. Thank you for helping the women in our prison system.
Don't
Forget Mom!
It will be
Mother's Day before you know it! In celebration, And All the Angels
will be offering sumptuous chocolate covered strawberries for
mom. This year, two box sizes are available in milk, dark, and
white chocolate:
- Small (6-8
berries) $7
- Large (10-12
berries) $10
In addition,
any pendant with a value of $50 or more will be 30% off now through
Mother's Day.
And
All The Angels Looking for Web Help
Do you have
a talent for web design or marketing strategies? And All The Angels
is planning to launch a website later this year with the intention
of reaching more people, and, in turn, increase our outreach potential.
We have received a generous contribution from an angel within
the congregation to get the "clicks" going and would
like to tap into the strong talent pool here at St. Michael's.
If this is
your passion and you would like to help, or if you would like
to be an angel to contribute to the website fund, just contact
Nancy Carney, Chris Robinson or Marti Callahan in the gift shop.
And All The Angels is located on St. Michael's lower level.
Nicholas
Alvin Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Established
in August 2006 through the generosity of Friends of the Alvin
Johnson Family, this scholarship will be awarded to a high school
graduate, who has been and is active at St. Michael’s in
Barrington, Church of the Redeemer in Elgin, or Holy Apostles
in Wauconda, for the purpose of college or university fees. The
scholarship amount is $2500. The scholarship is renewable for
four years based upon meeting the standards established by the
Scholarship Committee.
Please call
the parish office at 847-381-2323 if your graduating senior has
not received an application packet. Completed application packets
need to be submitted to the Parish Office by May 1.
Derby
Day Progressive Dinner
The ECW is
organizing an adult, all-parish "Kentucky Derby Day"
Progressive Dinner on Saturday, May 3, starting at 4:00 p.m. At
the starting gate, there will be appetizers, drinks, and fun enjoying
the big race. Attendees will then gallop on to the half-mile post
(various homes) for a delicious dinner followed by a sprint to
the finish line (St. Michael's Community Room) for dessert and
coffee. If you would like to join the race and host part of this
event, please contact Marie Schriefer at 847-719-1012 or schriefer2@yahoo.com.
Food and beverages will be provided, so hosts just need to provide
a dining room table and a friendly smile. Entry forms (reservation
forms) will be available at the church starting on Sunday, April
13. Look for the "Race Table" outside the Community
Room!
Twelve
Who Changed the World
Vacation Bible
School (VBS) will take place from July 14 through July 17, 9:00
a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This year VBS will, as so many have through
the centuries, examine the lives of the twelve men who were closest
to Jesus. Much has been written about them and many legends have
sprung up around the events of their lives and their deaths. Jesus
called very ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We, too,
are called to help do God’s work.
Part
Time Opportunity: Child Care Provider Needed for St. Michael's
Nursery
St. Michael's
is looking for an individual to work Sunday mornings from 8:30
a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with the children in the nursery. Experience
with children birth to three years a plus. Provider's child is
also welcome. $10 per hour. A background check required. For more
information, contact Tammie Kennedy, St. Michael's Nursery Coordinator
at 847-830-0342 or Tammie24@aol.com.
In
the Parish Family
Birth
Jenny and
Jay Welsh are the parents of a new daughter, Phoebe Therese, born
on March 29. Phoebe is the new baby sister of Hannah, Julia, and
Olivia.
Friends
Far Away
Long-time
parishioner Frank Blanchard who relocated to Washington in recent
years, is recuperating from a heart attack suffered on March 31.
Cards are most welcome and can be sent to Frank at 229 E. Horton
Road, Bellingham, WA 98226
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
Ray, Kevin
& Marti, Mary, Brad, Patrick, Margo, military troops in danger,
Mary Beth, John, Nancy, Peyton, Jim & Katie, Phil, Al, Fr.
Joseph & Roda, Natalie, Mike, Newland, Peter, Dolores, Andy,
Frank, Mary, Archbishop-elect Daniel Deng Bul & Deborah.
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 4.19 Judy
Heinrich, David Fleer, Charles Pehaligen, Richard Kunkle
- 4.20 Katherine
Cannon, Bradley Kean, Rachael Bushnell, Christine Segin, Carol
Schmidt, Steve Schultz
- 4.21 Margaret
Blass, Brittany Jaekel, Emily Stoettner
- 4.22 Michael
Breidenbach, Christine Cressey, Mary Nicol, Robert Tilly
- 4.23 Jonathan
Blass, Brian Lorenzo, Wesley Holland, Conner Rejman
- 4.24 Ethan
Jones, Jaquelyn Maire, Priscilla Marsh, Vicki Montgomery
- 4.25 Cynthia
Neff
Anniversaries
- 4.22 Sue
& Stephen Barnum, Susan & George Sell
- 4.24 Michelle
& Bill Bradtke, Robert & Christina Robbins
- 4.25 Judy
& Bill Heinrich, Linda & James Rabb, Lynn & Forest
Mayberry
Deaths
- 4.21 John
Malmsten
- 4.24 David
Capulli
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