From the Interim Minister     
     Sometime in July First Christian Church, Lafayette, Indiana will be 179 years old.  Since I have been unable to establish the exact date, I have arbitrarily chosen the middle of the month, July 15 th , as the time to celebrate our birthday.
     My sermon on the 15 th is "Bad Birthday Party."  That sermon has nothing to do with our congregation's birthday.  The sermon will deal with Herod's birthday party during which he had John the Baptist executed.
     First Christian Church of Lafayette was organized in July of 1839.  The Reverend John O'Kane, an evangelist, was the organizing pastor.  The congregation met for a few years in the county courthouse.  Other meeting places included the Wallace school house on North Street, Heath's school house, and the Stockton school house.  In 1845, a church building was erected on North 6 th Street between North and Brown Streets.  The brick structure served a congregation of 48.
     In 1850, the church building was destroyed by fire, and was rebuilt immediately.  The church worshiped at this location until November 1874.  In June 1874, the congregation purchased the Methodist Church property at the Northwest corner of 5 th and Ferry streets.  
     On May 31, 1914, a new church building was dedicated at the corner of 6 th and North Streets.  This of course is the location of the present education/offices building.  The sanctuary seated 700.
     In 1954, the present sanctuary was built, and in 1964 the 1914 portion of the building was remodeled into the present configuration.   The Schantz 37 rank pipe organ was added in 1974.
     A devastating fire started by an arsonist ravaged the educational facility on Christmas day 1992.   Reconstruction was accomplished in nine months.
     This history is mostly about the building and doesn't mention the faithful people that these meeting places housed.   However, it does suggest the many changes that our congregation has experienced throughout 179 years.   So it should surprise no one that our congregation is facing changes again.   No one knows at this point just what those changes will be, but one thing we do know is that we will face those changes and continue to bring people to Christ for years to come.
See you in church,  Pastor Phillip Hayes   Interim Minister

PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS:
REHAB:  Ken Curtis, Westminster
Mary Lou Curtis, Westminster 
NURSING HOME/HOMEBOUND:
**Donna Adams: Home - M. Charlene Bowman: 502 W. Jackson St. Mulberry 46058 Jeanne Dible: Home - Sue England: Rosewalk Village #216 Marilyn Galloway: Creasy Springs #201 (Mailing-3529 Creek Ridge Lafayette 47905) Vernetta Lynn: Rosewalk Commons - Lynn Mann: St Anthony's : - Lucille Maris: Westminster #1112 Suzie Mounts: Elmcroft #124 - Flo Peters: Friendship House #320 - **Jan Rybka: Home  Wanda Sharp: Indy - **Delores Simms: Springs Nursing Home  Ralph Ward: Rosewalk Commons #87 - Rosemary Ward: The Heritage @ Ft. Wayne Ruby Ward: @ home with son - Marcus Haley: 8415 Turner Rd. West Point IN 47992 Connie Zarzour: #114 Fowler Apts
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:
Julie Bowlds and Cory and Aiden Kirts: (friends of the Chitty family)
 Brenda Durflinger: diagnosed breast cancer (Ellsworth's)
Sandra: Surgeries shoulder & back (Sue England's niece)
Sheryl Kenny: Lymphoma bone cancer/broken leg (Jane Kenny's daughter)  Ann Prather - Barb Renaud: Prescott MI, aggressive lung cancer (friend of Carolyn Weedon),  Don Weedon: health issues  - Larry Sturgeon: Hard times with Step-Father, June Beigh, Dorothy Hayes, Hugo Hurible, Joan Stafaniak-heart surgery, Jessica Ramey-colon cancer
Pastoral Search Committee
A couple weeks ago you should have received a document titled "Ethical Guidelines For Congregational Conduct".  This has been received from the region to share with the congregation.  Please take time to read this as we will be discussing it at the next congregational board meeting.  We are asked, as a congregation, to adopt and abide by this during the search process.
As New Beginnings has come to a close and the thoughts have been summarized, the Pastoral Search Committee is ready to move forward with the next step of the search process.  We will be working on the Congregational Profile which, when completed will be sent to the region.  This profile will give the region an idea of the qualities that are most important to us in our next senior pastor.  The next step on our agenda will be to create an Information Packet.  This will contain information about our church, the community and the school systems in the area.  This will be made available to potential pastors as we enter into conversation with them.  Please support the search committee and keep the entire church and committee in your prayers daily.  Respectfully,  Sandie Hauser


Thank You!
A BIG THANK YOU from the Ruth Circle to Jeff Goodspeed and Barry Kimble for their great music to take us on a "Mosey Down Broadway!"

Thank you also to all that donated food, cash, helped set up, serve and clean up.
******MONTH OF JULY: Donations being taken for Food Pantry!!
Click on this link to see the calendar.   http://www.fcclaf.org/#/calendar
July Muggers
Norm & Cay Long

July Diaconates
July 1st
Worship In the Streets One Service 10:00am
Team Leader: Dave Schluttenhofer
Serving: Kathy Kremer
Serving: Gery Kremer
Serving: Sue Dismore
Serving: Josh Tully
Set Up & Clean Up: Sue Dismore & Josh Tully
July 8th
1st Service
Team Leader: Hilgediek
Serving: Hilgediek
Serving: Sam Hilgediek
Serving: Lou Hill
Serving: Marsha Hill
Set Up & Clean Up: Hilgediek
2nd Service
Team Leader: Donna Adams
Serving: Linda Brammell
Serving: Richard Brammell
Serving: Richard Shaw
Serving: Crystal Cover
Set Up & Clean Up: Linda & Richard Brammell
July 15th
First Service
Team Leader: Hilgediek
Serving: Hilgediek
Serving: Sam Hilgediek
Serving: Lou Hill
Serving: Marsha Hill
Set Up & Clean Up: Lou & Marsha Hill
Second Service
Team Leader: Kathy Stirlen
Serving: Megan Eberhard
Serving: Mike Nelson
Serving: Greg Smith
Serving: Zach Dismore
Set Up & Clean Up: Megan Eberhard & Zach Dismore
July 22nd
First Service
Team Leader: Hilgediek
Serving: Hilgediek
Serving: Sam Hilgediek
Serving: Lou Hill
Serving: Marsha Hill
Set Up & Clean Up: Hilgedieks
Second Service
Team Leader: Sandie Hauser
Serving: Paula Floyd
Serving: Letcher Floyd
Serving: Dee Chitty
Serving: Crystal Cover
Set Up & Clean Up: Paula & Letcher Floyd
July 29th
First Service
Team Leader: Hilgediek
Serving: Hilgediek
Serving: Sam Hilgediek
Serving: Lou Hill
Serving: Marsha Hill
Set Up & Clean Up: Lou & Marsha Hill
Second Service
Team Leader: Harriet Beeler
Serving: Carolyn Weedon
Serving: Greg Smith
Serving: Richard Shaw
Serving: Sue Dismore
Set Up & Clean Up: Carolyn Weedon & Greg Smith
First Christian Church | [email protected] | http://www.fcclaf.org
329 North 6th Street
Lafayette, IN 47901