Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1409
Pulaski Street, Lincoln
Proudly presents
A Walk through The Old Testament
Sunday, October 26, 2008 1:00
– 7:00 p.m.
Immanuel is excited to host this day trip through the ancient
Scriptures as they come alive! This seminar, presented by Mount
Carmel Ministries from Minnesota, will lead you and your family on a
fast-moving, entertaining, and enriching journey as you discover how
the people, places, and events of the Old Testament fit together.
Youth from grades five through adults will be drawn into a 21st
century encounter with the ancient Scriptures while you broaden your
Biblical understanding and deepen your relationship with God.
Everyone will be on their feet actively moving through the books of
the Old Testament. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity!
Cost: $20.00 for adults
$12.00 for grades 5 – 12
There is a $45.00 minimum for family
Cost includes the workbook and a light supper. Make checks payable
to:
Immanuel Lutheran Church
To register, or if you have any questions, contact the church office
at 732-6777
Thank you Lincoln and Logan
County!
Thank you for being with us from the beginning and faithfully
sharing a measure of your time, talents, and resources with the
Harvest of Talents for World Hunger ministry that now celebrates its
Silver Anniversary!!
At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Harvest Founder, Pat Snyder,
and Harvest Chairperson, Carolyn Neal, graciously accepted a special
Proclamation from City of Lincoln Mayor Elizabeth Davis-Kavelman
that officially proclaimed the fourth Saturday of October 2008 as
‘Harvest Day’ in Lincoln. The Mayor commended the efforts of those
involved with seeing the Harvest welcome its 25th anniversary.
Harvest of Talents began in 1984, when, inspired by a sermon given
by Gene Shepherd at Lincoln Christian Church that challenged
everyone to use their God-given talents and abilities to help others
in the name of the Lord, Pat Snyder envisioned an ‘every person
ministry’ that would involve people of all ages and ‘harvest’ their
talents to raise funds for hunger relief. The church leadership
fully endorsed the new venture, and the first Harvest raised
$20,816.45! Since then, every penny raised has been disbursed by
International Disaster Emergency Service, a 4-Star Charity (see
www.ides.org and http://www.ides.org/hungerprograms.php), through
missionaries to aid hunger victims in 19 countries (including the
U.S.A.). Over $1,272,000 has been raised in the past 24 years in
Lincoln alone, in addition to that raised through four other
Harvests we have mentored in Illinois and Indiana.
The Harvest now encompasses more than offering the ‘work of our
hands’ for sale on the fourth Saturday of October; it has grown into
a year-round ministry that involves people from across the nation
and even the world! The Harvest now recycles aluminum, saves coins,
has special event license plates, authors an annual prayer calendar,
and hosts ‘Spring for Tea in Lincoln’, ‘In the Garden’ garden walk,
‘Golf Play Day’, ‘Musical Offering for World Hunger’, ‘Harvest Run’
(in cooperation with the local YMCA), ‘Holiday Homes on Tour’, and
‘Wrapping up the Harvest’ cookie walk for Christmas. The 22-member
Harvest Ministry Team works throughout the year to plan and
coordinate all Harvest events.
Thousands of people die each day from hunger-related causes. Through
the Harvest, we have a way to turn our talents and resources into
food for the hungry. We are better when we give. Lincoln and Logan
County can be proud of the generosity and compassion of its talented
people expressed in many ways, but certainly through the Harvest of
Talents for World Hunger, a home-grown original idea that became an
exciting and victorious ministry ~ victories in lives that are
changed ~ both the life of the giver and that of the receiver.
On our Silver Anniversary, we highlight God’s faithfulness through
the blessings of this ‘every person ministry’, recognizing that each
person has a talent (1 Peter 4:10), that we are blessed to be a
blessing, and that each Harvest is a success because people are fed
physically and spiritually while bridges of hope are built in Jesus’
name. We want to be found faithful to Matthew 25:35, ‘For I was
hungry, and you fed me.’
A special Celebration Sunday Worship Service will be held at the
Chapel of Lincoln Christian College and Seminary on October 26, at
10 a.m., with guest speaker, Tom Gerdts, former preaching minister
of Lincoln Christian Church for 20 years, and featuring special
music, a ‘Parade of Flags’, and brief remarks from Rick Jett,
Executive Director of International Disaster Emergency Service (a
4-star charity), Pat Snyder, Harvest Founder, and Carolyn Neal,
Harvest Chairperson. The amount of funds raised so far this year
will be announced with the presentation of a check to I.D.E.S. for
hunger relief around the world. Funds raised through the remainder
of the year will be sent to I.D.E.S. in late December.
Come to the 25th Anniversary Harvest this Saturday!
Come with your family and friends, as there’s something for
everyone. The excitement is building as we look forward to
celebrating the Harvest’s silver anniversary! The doors to the
Family Room of Lincoln Christian Church at 204 N. McLean Street will
open at 7 a.m. with fall décor, fresh-baked homemade cinnamon and
pecan rolls, lots and lots of handcrafted items for sale, outside
snack tents with tasty treats, and new this year: outside
entertainment!
There is no admission fee, but Harvest will gratefully accept
non-perishable food items for donation to the Lincoln/Logan County
Food Pantry all day Saturday; shopping carts will be available at
the entrances to place your donated items in ... let’s fill them to
overflowing! We recycle aluminum all year long, and you’re welcome
to bring your aluminum cans to Harvest as well. Every penny counts
and goes a long way in places like Haiti, where $3/month will
purchase a year’s supply of rice for one person ~ or in India, where
$10 will fee one person a meal a day for one month ~ and in Zimbabwe
where $4.50 will provide a meal for 16 kids.
Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the music and entertainment outside
while you choose from hot chocolate, cider, flavored coffees, tea,
soft drinks, and bottled water to go with your muffin, scone, snack
& trail mixes, walking taco, hot dog, caramel apple sundae, curly
fries, gingerbread cookies, apple cake, caramel corn, popcorn balls,
or smoked pork sandwich! And don’t miss the new CUPcakes ~ easy to
enjoy in a complimentary mug. We even have ‘stroller snacks’ for our
toddler guests.
Step inside to savor a bowl of H.O.T. and hearty vegetable soup made
in the big black kettles outdoors. You’ll love the homemade bread
and pie. (Yes, we have carry-outs if you need to get back to work or
on the road.) Place a bid at the silent auction, get your face or
hand painted with a cool design, stop by the calligraphy table for a
personalized pressed flower bookmark, and sign the Harvest Guest
Book fireside in the hospitality room where you can learn more about
the Harvest and get your favorite Harvest logo wear. Get everyone
together for a professional photo, suitable for framing or as your
holiday card ~ processed at the photographer’s booth while you wait
or shop. For your convenience and a small donation, you’re welcome
to take advantage of the monitored coat check room to store your
stroller, coat, or packages to save a trip to the car.
Commemorating the 25th anniversary are limited edition silver 3-D
Harvest logo ornaments and a new cook book with over 700 of our
favorite Harvest recipes. These make great gifts at $10 each. Be
sure to bring your holiday gift list with you on Harvest Day, as
you’ll find all kinds of neat items made and donated to the Harvest
by talented people. We recommend you come early for best selection
from the popular specialty areas that include refurbished vintage
objects, fun things for your pet and gardens, beautiful Christmas
decorations and silk floral arrangements, gifts from around the
world sent by our missionaries, bracelets and accessories,
needlework and quilted items, and gifts for babies, children, and
sports fans. Now’s the time to stock up on homemade jellies, jams,
salsa, pickles, candies & sweets, and all kinds of baked goods,
including homemade pies, breads, rolls, cookies, muffins, and cakes!
The Harvest is also thrilled to announce the return of the fun
‘Harvest Run’, in cooperation with our local YMCA. Sign up with your
friends and family to take part in the 5K Run/Walk that begins at
8:30. Participants will receive a water bottle and breakfast; the
first 25 persons to sign up will also receive a t-shirt. Awards will
be given for top male and top female in each age division.
We love the little Harvest Hands and have special activities planned
inside for Kindergarten through 4th graders. Over 25 years, we have
had the good fortune to see the third and fourth generation of
Harvest families. Through the Harvest, we can help our children
develop compassion for others and share their own talents and
resources.
We’re fortunate again this year to receive a semi-truck load of
freshly harvested potatoes from the Maynard family farm in South
Dakota. 50# bags are available for $10, and a few 20# bags are $5
while supplies last. Many of us cannot use that much, but we can
still buy them and have them delivered free to the local food
pantry, Inner City Mission in Springfield, or Home Sweet Home
Mission in Bloomington.
Always lots of fun and suspense is our live auction at 2:00. Mike
Maske will donate his auctioneer services and the opening prayer
will be given by T. Lunkim, missionary and minister from northeast
India’s Kuki Tribe. We never know what to expect for sure til later
in the week, but we have received word that there’ll be a hickory
chest of drawers, an oak bookcase made from church pews, a little
Illini rocking chair, a signed original cartoon by local artist
Julie Larson, creator of ‘The Dinette Set’ syndicated cartoon
series, fine needlework, a framing of A. Lincoln, and heirloom
quality hand-stitched original design quilts and other treasures! We
have received a quilt from Indonesia, illustrating how the Harvest
has come full circle, since some quilters there learned the art of
quilting from our own Harvest of Talents quilters. Another stunning
quilt has been received that was made for the 25th Harvest in memory
of a loved one.
Of course, the focus of this Harvest Day is at the heart of
missions. As visitors enter the church’s family room, one of the
first things they’ll see is a large 7’x8’ globe in front of 23
flags, representing some of the countries where we know
missionaries. We trust the Lord of the Harvest to multiply our
efforts and funds to help provide lots of rice and beans for His
hungry children near and far. While we are all facing tough economic
times, we have resources not found in most of the world’s poorest
countries. Even in these times, we are grateful to have something to
share. On behalf of those who will receive much needed food in
Jesus’ name, thank you for your generosity. You are storing treasure
in Heaven
For more information, contact:
Carolyn Neal, Harvest Chairperson, 737-9170 (cell)
Lincoln Christian Church, 732-7618
http://www.ides.org/hungerprograms.php/harvest@lincolnil.us
Value is
Relative
Value is relative. You have only to
watch Antique Roadshow once to realize that one person’s trash is an
antique dealer’s treasure. So let me ask this question…when is a
gallon of gas not worth $5? The answer is…when no one will pay that
much. Things are worth what a person is willing to pay for it. A
watch that sells for a thousand bucks in New York City is less than
worthless to someone in the desert who needs a drink of water. A
house purchased in Lincoln in 2003 for $300,000 is not going to sell
easily today. It is just not worth the price that was paid.
I heard a preacher tell a story a number of years ago about a woman
he was counseling. The minister, Peter Lord, was trying to get at
the bottom of her feelings of worthlessness. After a long session
with no progress, he handed her a Bible and told her to go into a
room by herself and ask God what she was worth. “Come out when you
hear from Him,” he told her.
A good amount of time passed and the woman finally emerged from the
room, her face showing all the signs of an emotional breakthrough.
Mr. Lord asked her what she learned and she responded, “I felt him
tell me, ‘You are worth the price I paid.’”
Memory Verse:
Romans 5:8 (New International Version)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.
Thank you, Lord, for
the blood that bought us from the slavery of sin and for the grace
you lavished on us. Help us to remember the value you placed on us
and treat others with the same worth.
Lincoln Church of the
Nazarene to celebrate centennial Oct. 5
When you find them, they might be together inside worshiping Christ
or outside working or playing in the yard. But when they part and
drive away, these folks know they've still got important work to do
-- to be the hands and feet of Jesus to show his love to people.
This is what the Church of the Nazarene has been doing for the last
85 years in Lincoln. "A fellow minister once quipped, 'When I first
came to town, I drove by your church with a friend who said, "Those
people know where Jesus came from, but they don't know why he
came."' At first that remark irritated me," says Pastor Greg Wooten.
"Now I let it guide my focus. I'd rather equip a small congregation
to serve quietly than have us spend all our time trying to make
headlines. That's the difference Jesus has made in my life. And, if
I read the Bible correctly, that's the difference Jesus would have
us make in the world."
This little church family is part of a much bigger family that
will be celebrating a major milestone on Oct. 5 -- the 100th
anniversary of the birth of the denomination known as the Church of
the Nazarene. In 1908 in the little town of Pilot Point, Texas, two
holiness church groups merged. Both groups believed that God calls
his people to be holy -- to be like Christ -- and that he also makes
this possible by the real presence of the Holy Spirit within the
hearts of fully devoted believers. These Northern and Southern
Christians put away years of unhealed divisions dating back to the
Civil War and sealed their union with a time of worship and
celebration that ended in a "Hallelujah March" around the tent where
they were meeting as they sang a song of unity to the tune of
"Dixie":
With forces all united,
We'll win! We'll win!
We'll preach a gospel o'er the land
That fully saves from sin!
Praise God! Praise God!
Praise God for full salvation!
Now, 100 years later, the Church of the Nazarene serves Christ and
his kingdom in 151 world areas in more than 20,000 local
congregations made up of over 1.5 million people. Lincoln Church
of the Nazarene will join in this
centennial celebration with a day full of special events on Oct.
5. At 9:45 a.m. there will be a special lesson highlighting the
history of world missions in the denomination. During the worship
hour at 11 a.m. the church will unite with every Nazarene
congregation across all 24 times zones by sharing communion, reading
the same Scripture and hearing the same message preached. Included
in the service will be highlights of denominational history as well
as local church history, as several special families will be honored
whose faithfulness and commitment have made the church's existence
possible today.
Following the worship hour will be an old-fashioned potluck
dinner. Then, finishing the day's activities on a high note, a
concert featuring Barry Wilson from Bourbonnais will begin at 2:30
pm. Wilson is a Nazarene pastor-turned-recording artist with a great
sound and a great sense of humor.
Lincoln Church of the Nazarene invites all their brothers and
sisters in Christ to join them for any or all of the day's
festivities.
For more information on the centennial celebration of the Church
of the Nazarene, call Pastor Greg Wooten at the church office at
732-8362 or e-mail him at
pgw@netzero.com.
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