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Trinity Trumpet September
, 2018
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In this issue: A Message Scott Peterson, a health update from Kent Organ, upcoming Mission projects, important information about upcoming events, and Sunday Themes for September.
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Message From Scott
We are entering a new phase for pastoral leadership for Trinity. The Pastor Search Committee (PSC) is continuing its work. We hope that our church profile, describing Trinity and our aspirations for a new pastor, will be formally posted next week. That posting process will make the profile available for viewing by prospective candidates; we hope that we will begin receiving inquiries from interested candidates shortly after that.
It is difficult to guess how long it might take to find the candidate who is right to be Trinity's next pastor. Experience of recent searches at other churches suggests that the person will most likely not be ready to join us when Kent leaves in late October or early November (see the article titled "Health Update" for the latest information about his health situation). Consequently, the Personnel Committee and Council have developed a "gap strategy" for pastoral coverage covering the period from Kent's departure until our new settled pastor arrives at Trinity. The same three individuals - Harriet Dart, Roger Dart, and Susan Martersteck - who will cover for Kent during his treatment will continue to provide pastoral care after Kent leaves until our new pastor is settled in our pulpit.
The plan for this gap period is for the office to be staffed by a pastor 3 hours a day, 2 days a week (typically Tuesday and Thursday). Susan, Harriet, and Roger will rotate, with one taking responsibility for office hours and worship leadership each week. Each will also be available for other pastoral needs outside of the formal office hours.
We are blessed to have Roger, Susan, and Harriet support us in this way. Aside from their strong existing involvement at Trinity, they have worked together as a team in similar shared pastoral situations in the past at Deerfield Congregational Church. We are grateful that the three of them have agreed to continue their support for us in the months to come. We are in good hands!
Scott Peterson
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What we know about Kent Organ's situation as The Trumpet goes to press...
Our interim pastor has been a cancer survivor for eighteen+ years. Periodically, the lymphoma has come back, as it did again this summer. Kent's oncology team at Northwestern Medical Center plans to treat it this time with an immunotherapy called Yescarta. Immunotherapies harness the power of the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The plan is first for T-cells to be removed by I-V; for Kent this will probably happen early in September. It takes three weeks for the T-cells to be reengineered in a lab, adding a "chimeric antigen receptor" (CAR) gene. Next Kent will have three days of out-patient chemotherapy and then the modified CAR T-cells will be infused into him at the beginning of a hospitalization of approximately two weeks; likely that will happen in mid to late October. In the meantime, Kent expects to function pretty much as before, including his ministry with us. When he is in the hospital, Trinity's pastoral ministry will be in hands of Susan Martersteck, Harriet Dart and Roger Dart. Further updates will be shared as they are available. We hold Kent and his medical care team in our prayers.
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The Gleanings Project - Pictures from August 4
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Mission Core Doings
I can enthusiastically report that the several groups that constitute our Mission Core have been very busy! Here's how:
The Creation Care team spent an hour on a Todd Kerschke-guided tour of our forest to learn about the conditions that exist there. We have much work to do there including removing many dead ash trees. Todd and Lee Hardt have been involved with that work, which is opening up opportunities for us to create some new open spaces within the woods that can be replanted with new, better trees and / or planted with plants that are native to this area, including wildflowers. There is much planning to do before we implement any activities, as this will be a long-term project.
Closer to home, our children are just about to launch into a new year of classes. To prepare for that, our Love of Children teachers completed their planning session after worship last Sunday, August 26th. Could you not help overhearing their enthusiasm during their discussion? I did!
Not to be outdone, our Trinity Love of Neighbors will demonstrate to our Deerfield neighbors by providing the "people power" for the Gleanings project at the Farmer's Market on Saturday, September 1st. We follow that up on September 15th, when we will have our Trinity UCC "Welcome Team" doing something special for all of the Farmer's Market shoppers.
Roger Dart
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Go Wild!
Join us after worship Sunday, September 16th for "Going Wild: Using Native Plants in Landscaping." The Creation Care team is excited to bring in guest speaker, Sandra Washburn of the Wild Ones. Sandra is an expert on creating sustainable landscapes. This program is part of our ongoing Creation Care mission.
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Ice Cream Social
Our annual Ice Cream Social will take place on Sunday, September 9th from
2 - 4 PM. Please join us for Chicago's best ice cream and all your favorite toppings. There will also be special "winged" visitors from the Lake County Forest Preserve.
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Lars-Birger Sponberg Art Exhibit
The artwork of Lars-Birger Sponberg will be on display in the Gathering Hall beginning Sunday, September 9th with a special preview after worship. The exhibit will continue through Sunday, September 30th. Please see the poster in the Gathering Hall for specific dates and times.
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"Thinking Faith"-Taught by Kent Organ Thursdays at 10:30am
After last year's successful year-long "Bible 101" course, we have decided to keep the adult education ball rolling. On Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., our interim pastor will offer a short course in contemporary Protestant theology, "Thinking Faith." We begin on Sept. 13. All are invited. Bring a friend. Here are the topics:
Sept. 13 - God in a World of Troubles
Sept. 20 - Christ in a World of Humanity
Sept. 27 - Christianity in a World of Religions
Oct. 4 - The Bible in a World of Knowledge
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FLAP: Farm-worker and Landscaper Advocacy Project
On Sept. 23 during coffee hour, Alexandra Sossa will talk about FLAP: Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project - Ayuda para Trabajadores. Their mission is to improve working conditions for migrant and seasonal workers in Illinois, including low-income farm-workers, nursery workers, greenhouse workers, landscapers, snow plowing workers, packinghouse workers, cannery workers, restaurant workers and meat and poultry workers and their households. FLAP carries out this mission through outreach, litigation, community legal education, community education, information and referrals and partnering with other organizations to fight human labor trafficking. Services are free of charge to the workers.
Violations that FLAP clients are exposed to include:
human labor trafficking, nonpayment of wages ("wage theft"), denial of overtime wage rates, illegal pesticide exposure, hazardous housing, unsanitary working conditions, illegal deductions from wages (for visa, travel, housing, equipment and uniform expenses), discrimination.
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Illinois Conference 8th Annual Women's Retreat
Friday, September 28 - Saturday, September 29, 2018
Pilgrim Park Camp in Princeton, Illinois
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Biblical Women of Power, Persistence, and Perseverance
Enjoy this brief get-away as we look at the lives of women who lived so very long ago and the relevance of their lives for us today. Sadly, too many women in the Bible were not even mentioned by name and yet, along with women like Deborah, Hannah, Jochebed, Lydia, and Phoebe, their strength, bravery, and determination shaped not only the Jewish faith but the Christian faith as well.
As we celebrate these women along with your gifts and talents we will realize how much we have in common with them and each other through Bible study and discussion, fun activities, free time, good food, great friends, laughter, and relaxation. Enjoy the beautiful Pilgrim Park accommodations and surroundings as summer leaves and autumn begins. Return home feeling re-energized and refreshed.
All bed linens and towels will be provided so just bring along casual clothing and shoes, personal items, flashlight, umbrella (just in case), and your Bible. If you want, bring a snack, soft drink, or water to share.
Check-in on Friday, September 28, starts at 4:30 pm with dinner at 6 pm. Homeward bound is on Saturday, September 29 around 3:30 pm. Cost is $113.75.
Or contact Harriet Dart
847-370-2088
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September Worship Themes
Sept. 2 - "Lit From Within" (Psalm 45; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
Sept. 9 - "Family Reunion" (Genesis 45:1-15; Mark 3:31-35)
Sept. 16 -"This Journey Called Discipleship" (Philippians 3:7-14; Mark 8:27-36)
Sept. 23 - "To Welcome a Child" (Psalm 131; Mark 9:30-37)
Sept. 30 - "Words Matter" (Mark 7:24-30)
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