July 2018
First Chronicles
The Newsletter of the First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC
Stewardship Committee Wants Your Feedback
as Part of Its “Listening” Theme
What inspired you to come to First Congregational
Church today? What do you value about being at
First Congregational Church?
We’ve been asking a lot of questions lately at our
church. In small group meetings and leadership retreats,
we’ve been pondering questions such as “how do we
express our identity as a community?” and “what are
our priorities?”
The Stewardship Committee is also asking questions
as part of its theme for this year: “We are still listening.”
The committee is gathering feedback through a paper
survey, which is in the pews. We’ve also posted it at
www.firstchurchevanston.org/stewardship-survey.html.
Gary Hardesty, a member of the Stewardship
Committee, has compiled initial results from the
Stewardship survey and other sources. He shared these
in a presentation at the quarterly congregational meet-
ing on May 20.
According to Gary’s presentation, these words
consistently emerge about why we value our church:
• Community
• Welcome
• People
• Music
• Connections
• Family
• Support
• Social justice
• Inclusiveness
Why has the Stewardship Committee gathered this
information, and why are we planning to gather more?
We decided this year that stewardship should be more
than a pledge campaign in the fall. It should be an
ongoing conversation between the committee and all
of you. Not only are we financial stewards, but as the
Stewardship Committee we also want to be good stew-
ards of your passions, priorities, recommendations, and
other feedback, particularly about church programming.
That’s why we’ve adopted the theme “we are still listening.”
If you haven’t filled out the survey, please do so and
return it to the offering plate. Or you can complete the
survey on the church website (see link at left).
If you have additional ideas about what the
Stewardship Committee can do, please let us know.
We are still listening.
The Stewardship Committee
Hal Sprague, chair; Nancy Anderson; Gary Hardesty;
Bob Krause; Thekla Metz; Doug Smith, ex officio
Upcoming Events
Sunday, July 8
11:30 a.m., Sunday Forum Series: Beginning to Talk
about the End—Heaven, Body, and Soul
Sunday, July 15
11:30 a.m., Sunday Forum Series: Beginning to Talk
about the End—Five Wishes for End-of-Life Care
Sunday, July 22
11:30 a.m., Sunday Forum Series: Beginning to Talk
about the End—Planning a Memorial Service
Sunday, July 29
11:30 a.m., Sunday Forum Series: Beginning to Talk
about the End—Financial Considerations at the End
Sundays, August 5, 12, and 19
Art making for youth with Rhonda Storm
during Summer Spirit
Sunday, August 12
5 p.m., Bonfire and Picnic, Lighthouse Beach,
Evanston
Sunday, September 9
10 a.m., Rally Day and Picnic
Church Office Summer Hours
As of June 11, the Church Office will be open
Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
This Month’s Offertory Music
July 1
Kevin Siembor, tenor solo
July 8
Wayne MacPherson, tenor solo
July 15
Lyn Page, poetry reading
July 22
Kingsley Day, piano solo
July 29
Anne Trompeter, poetry reading
News and Notes
March with Interfaith Action in Fourth of July Parade
You are invited to march with Interfaith Action in the
Evanston Fourth of July parade! Participating is fun, and
IAE would like to have a big group. The parade takes
place on Wednesday, July 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on
Central Street in Evanston. IAE marchers should meet
at 1:00 p.m. at Sector 10, on Highland Avenue north of
Central Street. IAE is Unit 70—remember this number.
Please wear blue and/or white. Contact Laurie Brown at
847-328-3268 or laurie.brown4@gmail.com for a map
of the parade sectors, a parking permit for Ryan Field,
and a sheet of parade instructions.
July Sunday Forum Series:
Beginning to Talk about the End
All sessions begin at 11:30 a.m. after worship.
July 8 Heaven, Body and Soul
July 15 Five Wishes for End-of-Life Care
July 22 Planning a Memorial Service
July 29 Financial Considerations at the End
Ember Kenya Grandparents Empowerment Project
In support of the Ember Kenya Grandparents Empower-
ment Project, the critically acclaimed film A Man
Without a Past will be shown at the home of Anne
and George Gauthier on Friday, July 13, at 7:00 p.m.
and again on Sunday, July 22, at 2:00 p.m. Suggested
donation for admission is $15; all proceeds will bene­fit
Ember Kenya. Refreshments will be provided. The
film will be shown on a 56-inch screen (downstairs).
To RSVP and for directions to their home, contact
Anne at 847-328-6484.
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Summer Spirit Continues
On Sundays this summer, children head outside with
two adult leaders for Summer Spirit in Raymond Park
(or Fellowship Hall if weather requires). During Summer
Spirit, we let God speak to us through playing, laugh-
ing, and deepening friendships together at the park. The
leaders bring the children back to join their families for
coffee hour. Drop-ins and visitors welcome! Contact
Sarah Petersen at spetersen@firstchurchevanston.org for
more information or to volunteer for one or more Sum-
mer Spirit Sundays—no prep work required. Come play
with us!
If It’s Broken—Let’s Fix It!
As staff, members, or friends of the church, we are all
responsible for the upkeep of our beautiful buildings.
If you see something broken or missing, please contact
Melia Pappas at 847-864-8332, ext. 22, or mpappas@
firstchurchevanston.org. Be as specific as possible. Let’s
all collaborate in being good stewards of our space.
Chancel Flowers
Donating chancel flowers is a wonderful way to honor
someone special in your life, to commemorate a special
occasion (perhaps a birthday or anniversary), to say thank
you, or to honor the memory of a friend or family mem-
ber. The flowers cost $35. Donations are acknowledged
in the Sunday bulletin. For more information or to make
a donation, contact Melia in the church office at 847-
864-8332, ext. 22.
Donate via Text Messaging
You can now donate to First Congregational Church of
Evanston via text messaging! How it works: To give gifts
via text, send a text message with the dollar amount (e.g.
“$10”) to 1-847-443-9923. You will have to fill out a
short form with your billing info. After the initial setup,
giving is as easy as sending a text message.
All-Church Retreat
A lively, reflective, creative group of all ages gathered
for our First Church Retreat at Tower Hill Camp and
Retreat Center. Our weekend included time around the
campfire and at the beach, making art, outdoor worship,
laughing, and dancing. Using the metaphor of a tree,
we explored all we have to celebrate in our identity roots,
our connections with one another, and the many expres-
sions of God within and around us.

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 Happy Birthday
to everyone
cele­brating a
birthday in July!

Justin Bauer David Ogbolumani

Barbara Bright Sylvia Petersen
David Colton Ann Rosewall
Nicole Connors Carole Schumacher
Connor Doyle Avery Shikanai
Anne Gauthier Molly Shikanai
Brock Janicki Nolan Shikanai
Chris Julcher Neal Stamell
William Koestring Matthew Tripp
Christopher Krei Laura Wilson
Daniel Martin

Healing, Mending, and Scars, the Narthex

Gallery Art Show, opened on Sunday, June 3,
and continues through July.