Tower Notes (USPS 634720) is published

Weekly, except week of Christmas, by First Presbyterian Church, 204 W. Prairie Ave., Decatur, IL 62523. Periodical postage paid at Decatur, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to Tower Notes, 204 W. Prairie Ave., Decatur IL 62523 (217)429-4195; (217)429-4712 FAX www.firstpresdecatur.org or email: fpdec@comcast.net

********************************************************************************************************************* VOLUME 47 July 8, 2015 NUMBER 26 ********************************************************************************************************************* July 12, 2015 8:00 a.m. Worship Service – Chapel 7th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 9:00 a.m. Christian Education Hour 9:15 a.m. NewSong Worship Service – Chapel 10:15 a.m. Chapel Class – Chapel 10:30 a.m. Worship Service – Sanctuary

First Presbyterian Vision and Mission Statements

VISION: As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we seek to be an open, caring, compassionate congregation, and to bring about positive changes in our community and world.

MISSION: We celebrate, explore, and demonstrate our Christian faith in loving service. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: 1) Continue to be an active community-oriented congregation; 2) Develop a passion for discipleship and advocacy; 3) Celebrate unity of purpose with diversity in action.

DECATUR CELEBRATION

PARKING The Youth are renting parking spaces for the Decatur Celebration held on August 7, 8 & 9. One-time visit passes are $5, or for $20, you may rent a space for the entire weekend. The weekend pass allows you to come and go as often as you wish with the guarantee of a parking space during the times when the parking lot is monitored. You may also transfer the parking pass to a family or friends when you are not using it. The lot will be monitored on Friday, August 7, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., on Saturday, August 8, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., and on Sunday, August 9, from 12 noon until 8 p.m.

In addition, the Youth need volunteers to help monitor the parking lot. Two-hour shifts are available. Please call Christl in the church office or Pam Neeley at

413-8087 to volunteer. Thank you for your support in this fundraising effort.

Boxes of giving envelopes for 2016 will be available in the church library for those

who use them. Also, the generic envelopes in the pews are available to use at any time. The use of envelopes is helpful when cash is given to identify the giver, but is not necessary when checks are used. You may sign up in the library now if you want them.

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 4:00 – 6:00pm

TRAVEL TO INDIA You won’t need a ticket or a passport. Just arrive at First Presbyterian Church in the Gathering Room at 4:00. Cathy Force will share some of her adventure in India after her daughter’s wedding. Debbie VanZant will have fun with school-age children in the Church School classroom downstairs. At 5:00, the children will join the adults for supper. Please let us know by July 12th if you will be attending so that Andrew Taylor will know how much food to prepare. (Yes, he made the wonderful sandwiches for a Lenten Supper - YUMMY). Sign up in the Gathering Room, or contact the church office by phone or email. Let the church office know if you will need child care for preschoolers and younger.

Planning on a Hospital Visit

If you will be in the hospital, please notify

the church office so that our Minister of

Visitation, Rev. Miley Palmer, or

our Parish Nurse, Phyllis

McPherron, may stop by to visit

and pray with you. We call the

hospitals every day for new

patient information, but they only release

your name if you give them permission and

said you were a member of First Presbyterian

Church. Thank you.

Tower Notes

Notes

OUR CHURCH FAMILY

PRAYER CONCERNS Pauline Carter is home recovering after being in the hospital for a week with pneumonia. Her address is 315 N. Chestnut, Litchfield, IL 62056 for those wanting to send cards. Prayers also for Pauline’s son-in-law who is scheduled for surgery at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

Ed Downs, First Pres String Band member, is now in Room 210 at McKinley Court.

Harry Dyer, father of Debbie Eckart, passed away on June 29th after a long illness. Debbie has expressed her gratitude for prayers throughout the past year. She keeps her First Pres family near in heart, holding dear her late friend, Jeannette Swartz. You may send her words of sympathy and encouragement to: Debbie Eckart 3630 Bluecrest Dr. Lake Havasa City, AZ 86406-7227

NEW CELL PHONE NUMBER Theresa Boes 217-520-6607

THANK YOU

Several intrepid gardeners of First Pres worked diligently last week to prepare our landscape for summer. Seven “plain dirt” folks weeded, trimmed, dead-headed, weeded, sprayed bagworms, pruned, weeded, mulched, fertilized, transplanted, and Oh yes, weeded some more. Many thanks go to Craig Mandernach, Verlyn

Rosenberger, Judy and George Batson, Bill and Barbara Keagle, Sue Grieve, and Terry Hogg, who also does such a great job with those back islands. We thank in advance those who signed up to water through the summer, but couldn’t come last Wednesday: Kathy Beube, Rick Koetje and Susan Marshall. Do you like it? Thank a gardener!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! A HUGE thank you to all who donated cookies and treats, cooked chicken, helped prepare the meal and served it at Good Samaritan Inn last Sunday! Your continued support of this mission is greatly appreciated.

The Board of Directors, staff, and patrons of The Good Samaritan Inn wish to thank you (Mission Committee) for your generous contribution. Your support provides the funds to purchase food, pay our operating expenses, and employ a staff that is capable of preparing and serving excellent meals that are nutritious and ample for our patrons. Without your assistance, fulfillment of our mission on behalf of Jesus Christ would not be possible. Once again, we are greatly appreciative of your benevolence and look forward to remaining loyal partners with you in serving the less fortunate of our community.

SUMMER FUN AT FIRST PRES

You are invited to attend two special events this

summer for food, fun, and fellowship:

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. EXPERIENCING INDIA, A COUNTRY OF

CONTRASTS! Cathy and Chuck Force will share

pictures of their brief trip to the “Golden Triangle”

of New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (the Pink City) after

their Hindu wedding. Sign-up information is on

page 1.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. GOING TO DUBAI with John Kay

VERY GOOD

July 12 SUNDAY GREETERS

Before Service #1 Liz Jones #4 Dale Jones #2 Carolyn Meyer #5 Chuck Boes #3 Jean Gift Computer Tech Norm Jensen Web Team Media Tech Theresa Boes Jackie Evans Andy Rauff

Dove’s Open House 45th Anniversary

Sunday, August 30, noon to 4:00 p.m. 302 S. Union Street

Music by BAM, 1:00-4:00

Snacks and cookies! Tours of 302 S. Union

History Hallway Dove’s Display of Programs

Family fun games

1 more VOLUNTEER wanted FOR AUGUST NEWSLETTER –

Thank you, Betty Zeaman, for volunteering.

429-4195 OR email fpdec@comcast.net.

Decatur Area Arts Council is in need of a few volunteers to help out with their next kid friendly event , the Lego “Glow in the Dark” party on July 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help refill art supplies, monitor the elevator, and all-around, be an extra pairs of eyes to help parents and children navigate through the evening. Call Charlie or Sandy for more information at 428-6616.

E-mail concerns to: amcelder@comcast.net

WORSHIP SERVICES

July 12, 2015 7TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Rev. Miley Palmer, preaching Harriet Sadowski, 8:00 a.m. lay leader

Jackie Lawton, 9:15 a.m. service leader George Wells, 10:30 a.m. lay leader

Scripture

Matthew 5: 1-12

Sermon “The Way of Peace”

July Ushers

Myung Kim, captain Joli Cirks

Debbie and Ralph Czerwinski Eric Nevitt-sub

Nancy and Tom Force Charlie Platt-sub

Trish Spinner David Williams

Worship Aids

Children’s bulletins, large-print Bibles, and hearing amplifiers are available for use

during worship. Ask any usher.

AVAILABLE FLOWER DATES:

July 12 & 26 Purchase Sunday

flowers in memory of your loved ones-

429-4195 or fpdec@comcast.net.

Caregiver's

Support Group will not meet in July. If you need

to contact someone, you may call

Phyllis McPherron at 412-8838

or Connie Requarth at 972-6304.

1ST PRES STRING

BAND PRACTICE Every Wednesday at

5:00PM in the Choir Room until the AC is fixed – All levels welcome. Call Doug at 521-1314.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY – NEW MEMBERS WELCOMED We are using a study guide, “The Present Word” and applying it to our modern lives. We meet from 7 to 8 each Thursday morning at church. Come, try us on for size! Questions? Contact Jerry Atkins, Dick Fiala, Paul Rosenberger, George Batson or Ray Landon.

SESSION MEETING

A meeting of the Session has been called for Monday, July 20, at 7:00 p.m. for the following purposes: 1) To act on a proposal from the Finance Committee that the Stewardship Campaign in the Fall address both the 2016 Operating Budget and the Capital Goal of at least $455,000.

2) To act on the proposal from the Officers' Workshop for the creation of a Strategic Planning Committee.

3) To approve the following Weddings: Rebecca Clark & Brad Dahman on September 19, 2015, and Carol Dixon and Carol Wood on October 24, 2015.

4) Any other items related to these topics.

SUMMER SHOWCASE Our Prayer Shawl Ministry group meets 10-11:30 am on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from September till June. Those who can't meet regularly can drop in anytime and/or don ate creations as they are completed. We make prayer shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets throughout the year with special emphasis on scarves, hats & mittens at Christmas for our annual mitten tree.

Our gifts are blessed in a worship service and go to those who are ill, grieving or celebrating, e.g. baptisms. This Sunday, July 12, will be our 11th blessing with over 200 gifts created since 2010. Many hearts have been warmed by these generous offerings!

Contact any member listed on the Gathering room bulletin board or Cathy (cathyforce@comcast.net) for more information about this caring creative ministry.

CHURCH SCHOOL HOUR

July 12, 2015 9:00 Everyday Issues: Downstairs Youth area – The Gospel of Thomas – For the next three Sunday mornings, July 19 through August 2, Tom Griffith will speak on the Gospel of Thomas by Ron Miller. He will have Chapter 12 reprinted to hand out for study materials. This unique guidebook leads you through the Gospel of Thomas, offering practices that help you translate Jesus's wisdom into a more fulfilling, enriching daily life. The goal of such daily practice is to become Jesus's twin.

10:15 a.m. Chapel Class – Choir Room

CONQUERING LONELINESS Faith In Action sponsored by Catholic Charities (our neighbor across the street) is in need of a few good men. Male volunteers are needed to visit with homebound men. Converse about

anything for an hour a week and help a neighbor “stay connected and bright”. They prefer Thursdays or Fridays, but happy to work around your schedule too. Call Charlie at 428-6616 to learn how you can help a senior combat loneliness.

First Presbyterian Church Prayer Chain

To request prayer for someone, call any one person on the prayer chain. Contact Lori Jensen or Yvonne Lewis for further questions or information. An alternative to making a phone call is to send an email to the church at fpdec@comcast.net and/or lori.jensen1@comcast.net. Your prayer chain people who pray for you are compassionate and caring. We do have a request for those who call in petitions for prayers: Please update Yvonne Lewis or Lori Jensen following your initial request within two weeks, so we can all pray specifically and intelligently.

Joan Brown 877-0880 Gayle Bruckner 877-4116 Marty Cushman 433-0526 Jean Gift 428-1698 Lori Jensen 429-3400 Yvonne Lewis 423-8727 Susan Marshall 422-0824 Verlyn Rosenberger 877-4789 Harriet Sadowski 428-5607 Jane Spires 520-1884 Sue Weinstein 454-7819 Joan Winick 428-5437

Volunteers Needed Beth Bachtold is the registration coordinator for the Rodney T. Miller Lakeside Triathlon. This

year's event is Sunday, July 12, with the kids’ race on Saturday, July 11. She is looking for volunteers to work at packet pick-up on Friday evening, July 10 from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday evening July 11 from 4 to 7 p.m. or Sunday morning, July 12 from 5 to 7 a.m. The pre-race packet pick-up is at the lakefront at Nelson Park, very close to the Beach House restaurant.

Volunteers, who would not need to miss Sunday morning church activities, will check athlete IDs and distribute race materials like bike and helmet stickers, swim caps, and shirts. Volunteers can work an entire three-hour shift or just an hour or two.

If you are interested and available, sign up with your information and preferences at www.decaturtriathlon.com/volunteer.aspx. Thank you!

National Night Out Decatur Parks Caravan Event

Tuesday, August 4 5:00-9:00 p.m.

More information next week!

Please remember our

members, friends, and relatives in retirement communities and assisted living facilities:

The Glenwood: Mary Elizabeth Platt Heartland: Bill Grieve, John Winick Hickory Point Christian Village: Louise Bear, Esther Grissom, Festus Paul Imboden Creek Living Center: Norma Stephens, Jean Peak McKinley Court Care: Ed Downs Primrose Retirement Community: Julia Bright The Willows of Hamburg, Lexington, KY: Joanne Sly Wesley Willows, Rockford, Illinois:

Maxine Mussulman

Domestic Violence Shelter Needs For Adults and Children

428-6616

Air Freshener Box Fans

Chap Stick Alarm clocks and pillows

Healthy snacks for children Baby wipes and baby lotion

Diaper rash cream, Vaseline Disposable diapers, all sizes

Shampoo—large bottles Large bars of bath soap

Deodorant, toilet paper, paper towels Over-the-counter cold medicine

Prepaid gas and phone cards Walmart and K-Mart gift cards

New bath towels and wash cloths Journals and appointment books

Air freshener Tylenol, pain reliever

Please drop off any donations to 302 S. Union

from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

FARMERS MARKET COUPONS

The Senior Center will once again have Farmers Market

coupons to distribute to low-income persons 60 years of age and older. The coupons can only be used at the local Farmers Markets to help purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Please call the Senior Center at 429-1239 for more information regarding income guidelines.