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GOOD NEWS YOU CAN USE
for
Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church
November/December 2008

Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church
2201 County Road 900 East
Champaign, IL 61822
Church Phone Number: 359-6183

Rev. Dr. L. Rachel Berry, Interim Minister
Home Phone Number: 359-0196
Cell Phone Number (emergencies only): 618-499-0565
E-Mail Address: rachel.berry@sic.edu

Pastor's Report
submitted by
Rev. Dr. L. Rachel Berry
Since many of you were not able to attend the annual church conference last month, I thought I would share with you the Pastor's Report that I turned in. I hope all of you can feel a virtual pat on the back!

Mt. Vernon is a wonderful church of committed disciples of Jesus Christ. Over the past year they have worked on conflict resolution and healing. Members take on challenges with Christian optimism and team spirit. As disciples of Jesus Christ they are inviting new people to worship and to groups such as the United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, Choir, Praise Band, Orchestra, and First Saturday Breakfast. As disciples of Jesus Christ, the members are involved in the following outreach programs: Crisis Center for Women, Cunningham Children's Home, Chaddock, The Baby Fold, Generations of Hope, Salt and Light, Habitat for Humanity, Helping Hands, Times Center, Mahomet Boys and Girls Club, Urbana Ministries, Liberia Well Project, Mission Trip to Puerto Rico, Salvation Army, and others. We tripled the number of walkers in CROP WALK this year. Members are currently participating in a walnut harvest and sale to help pay for apportionment mission giving.

Sunday morning attendance is increasing. We have added a Praise Band, made up of primarily youth and college-age students. A guitar class helped a number of young people get started with a musical instrument and several people in the congregation donated guitars for the young people. We have added an orchestra, which encourages folks to dust off those instruments in the closet and play along on one hymn each Sunday. Our choir is growing and planning a Christmas program this year.

We had a confirmation class of four this year. As their mission project, they helped the church raise over $3500.00 for Wells in Liberia. These new members have taken active rolls in worship in addition to being regular Praise Band members.

The spiritual focus of the congregation has been to focus on our connection to Jesus Christ and the reflection of that connection in all our relationships. Mt. Vernon is a congregation which is excited about their future and the opportunity to grow closer to their Lord and serve him in their community and the world!

Blessings,

Rev. Rachel J

The best way to reach Rev. Dr. L. Rachel Berry is via e-mail at rachel.berry@sic.edu. You can also reach her on her home phone - 359-0196. In an emergency, you can contact her on her cell phone at 618-499-0565.

Eagle Scout Project
for
Aaron Weckhorst

Aaron Weckhorst has proposed an Eagle Scout project in which he will be doing a significant amount of landscaping around the parsonage, all in an effort to prevent water seepage into the basement and to improve the appearance of the parsonage as a whole. Aaron has estimated that the cost of this project will be $740.00. Therefore, if you would like to make a donation towards Aaron's Eagle Scout project, please see him and/or Lynn and Dave Weckhorst.

Local Mission
Opportunities

Helping Hands - Please remember to bring your donations of toilet paper and/or crackers to Mt. Vernon by the first Sunday of each month. Monetary donations are also accepted (make checks payable to Mt. Vernon UMC with a notation to Helping Hands).

Salt and Light - They accept stained and unusable clothing. Clothing must be placed in a plastic bag, tied, and marked for recycling. Salt and Light makes a little bit of money from recycling unusable clothing.

THANK YOU!!!
…to EVERYONE who picked up, hulled, and cracked walnuts, picked the meat out of the shells, baked goodies, and helped sell them at the Urbana Farmers' Market. Over $300.00 was made from the sale on November 8th, and these funds will help meet the missions' portion of our church's apportionments.

First Saturday Breakfast
On the first Saturday of each month, members of Mt. Vernon meet for breakfast at Urbana Garden Family Restaurant in Urbana at 8:30 a.m. The next first Saturday breakfast will be held on November 1. It was reported that the October first Saturday breakfast had 11-12 people in attendance - our numbers are growing! Everyone is invited to come and share good food and good fellowship.

United Methodist Men's News
The Mt. Vernon UMM will be holding their monthly breakfast and fellowship on Sunday, November 9, at 7:30 a.m. This group meets the second Sunday of each month (this is a change from the third Sunday of every month). Please contact Bob Sherman (586-4490) for details. All men are welcome to attend.

United Methodist Women's News
The next meeting of the morning circle of the Mt. Vernon UMW will be on Thursday, November 13, at 9:30 a.m., at Joan Neef's home. The December meeting will be the 22nd annual UMW potluck at the home of Myra Francis at 12:00 noon on Thursday, December 11. Please bring a dish to share. Plates/napkins/cups/utensils will be provided.

All morning circle meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month. If you have any questions or ideas concerning this group, please contact Myra Francis (356-5674).

The next meeting of the evening circle of the Mt. Vernon UMW is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, at 6:30 p.m., at Mary Kae Sherman's home. The December 3rd meeting will be at 6:00 p.m. at the church to decorate for the holidays. Pizza, cookies, and drinks will be served.

Evening circle meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. If you have any questions or ideas concerning this group, please contact Judy Cameron or Sam McCall.

All women are invited to attend these circle meetings. Watch your newsletters and weekly church bulletins for news involving future meetings and events.

Enclosed with this newsletter is a list of dates/events that the NOW (Nurturing, Outreach, and Witness) Committee has put together through June 2009. A few events that will be coming up soon are:

November 23 - Thanksgiving dinner after worship service (hosted by the UMW Evening Circle)

December 7 - Hanging of the Greens/
Poinsettias (potluck luncheon following the worship service)

December 13 - Christmas caroling (time to be determined). Please come and help make a joyful noise for some of our church's shut-ins.

December 21 - Christmas Cantata by the choir during worship service

December 24 - Christmas Eve service - 7:00 p.m.

Remember to check the weekly church bulletins for updates on these and other events.

Here are a few more updates for you to make note of in your church directory:

Anna Birks' room number at Heritage Manor in Gibson City has changed to room 212 (page 2).

Judy Brown's birthday is March 27 (add to page 11).

Remove Amie Pankau from your directory (pages 7 and 15 - December 2nd birthday).

News Regarding Members of our Church Family
Please continue to keep Anna and Marion Birks and their family in your thoughts and prayers. Anna and Marion appreciate your continued prayers, cards, and visits. ANNA'S ROOM NUMBER AT HERITAGE MANOR IN GIBSON CITY HAS CHANGED. IT IS NOW ROOM 212.

Judy Brown will be wintering in Florida. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers and send her a card to keep in touch (her mail in Thomasboro will be forwarded to Florida).

Congratulations to Jean McCall on being awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the State of Illinois for her volunteer hours.

Rita Scott is the proud grandmother of a new granddaughter, Payton, born on September 23, 2008.

DECEMBER 15, 2008

1. Wake Up!! - Decide to have a good day.
"Today is the day the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up!! - The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart."
I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!! - Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.
"He who guards his lips guards his soul."
Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!! - For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.
"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."
Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up!! - To the Lord.
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up!! - For something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your path."
Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up!! - Your prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead pray about everything."
Philippians 4:6

2008 Budget: $65,507.00
Monthly Need: $5,458.92
Weekly Need: $1,259.75

2008 Offerings:*
September: $5,187.37
October: $4,278.17
Year-to-Date: $38,077.81

(Total offerings should be $54,589.20. We have a $16,511.39 deficit.)

*Totals do not include money given for special projects or offerings (this includes the building and memorial funds as well).

Balances as of October 31, 2008:

Checking Account: $10,296.24
Savings Account: $1,438.53
Time Deposits: $21,716.07

Lorie Hatfield

Newsletter Editor
Contact Information

Lorie Hatfield
1902 Country Squire Drive
Urbana, IL 61802
384-9038 (evenings)
E-mail: loriehat@yahoo.com

Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church
2007 Leadership

Church Council
Charles Arbuckle*
Phil Francis**
Robert Sherman
Kathy Biehl
Joan Neef
Jeffrey Graham
Lorie Hatfield
Myra Francis
Ruth Brock
Cheryl Manuel
Liz Reis

Board of Trustees
Robert Sherman*
Barry Couch
Marion Birks
Roger Reis
Joan Neef
Donna Brown
Ron Manuel
Jean McCall
Dave Weckhorst
Jeffrey Graham

Finance Committee
Kathy Biehl*
Phil Francis
Charles Arbuckle
Lorie Hatfield
Tracy Cameron
Doug Graham
Tracy Hitt
Joan Neef
Jeffrey Graham
Robert Sherman
Liz Reis

Pastor Parish Committee
Joan Neef
Phil Francis
Marcy Hitt
Richard Rayburn
Jeffrey Graham
Charles Arbuckle
Tracy Cameron
Liz Reis

Lay Leadership Committee
Charles Arbuckle
Ruth Brock
Bob Biehl
Lorie Hatfield
Barbara Gerdts
Lynn Weckhorst
Gloria Rayburn
Liz Reis*

Lay Leadership Secretary
Vacant

Lay Leader
Charles Arbuckle

Annual Conf. Lay Member
Jeffrey Graham

Church Treasurer
Lorie Hatfield

Nurturing Ministries Representative (Education, Worship, Stewardship)
Sam McCall

Outreach Ministries Representatives
(Church and Society, Mis-sions Health and Welfare,
Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns, Religion and Race)
Myra Francis*
Katie Manuel

Witness Ministries Representatives
(Outreach, Evangelism, Membership Care,
Spiritual Formation, Communication, Lay Speaking)
Lorie Hatfield*
Anna Birks

Cluster Representatives
Myra and Phil Francis

UMW President
Myra Francis

UMM President
Robert Sherman

Church School Superintendent
Vacant

Alternate Lay Member of Annual Conference
Judy Hardwick

Child Advocate
Ruth Brock

Recording Secretary
Cheryl Manuel

Parsonage Committee
Jean McCall*
Anna Birks
Charles Arbuckle

Audit Committee
Robert Sherman
Tracy Hitt
Gary Darling

Communion Steward
Jan Darling

Church Historian
Phil Francis

NOW Committee Coordinator
Myra Francis

* = Chair
** = Vice-Chair