The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Great job collecting 3 huge boxes of school supplies for Fairview Elementary School!  Its not too late to bring in your donation if you haven’t already done so!   Please keep up the good work so we can ensure that all the students have all the supplies they need to have a successful year. 

     We are also taking names of people interested in helping in the library, starting up clubs and/or mentoring.  Just once a week during lunch you can bring real hope that matters!  These volunteer opportunities are incredibly beneficial in the lives of the students we are touching.  Please prayerfully consider your contribution to our adopted school and see Rev. Becky to see how you can start. 

Sunday School Kick Off

Let’s kick-off a great Sunday School year Sunday, September 7^th at 9:00 A.M. in Fellowship Hall.  We have some terrific elective classes on the horizon as well as great regularly scheduled classes as well.  Come for breakfast! Come and learn about a new class!  It is always a good time to learn something new about God, the Church, and your spiritual growth!  Join us on the 7^th!

Growing Old In Christ

Aging: We all do it, but in what context? This 4-week class will examine the influences that affect our attitude towards aging and the elderly. How can we use our Christian beliefs to make aging less frightening to us and those we love? Class will meet at 9:15 am in The Couples Classroom (off of Fellowship Hall) beginning Sunday, Sept. 7 and ending Oct. 5. There will be no class Sept. 14.  This class is taught by Dee O’Brien.  All are invited to attend.

Reach Out with Art—Once a Month!!!

Fairview School and Sheri      Ramsey need help with the Art Outreach program. We have grown to 14 classes (the whole school)! Sheri would like to have a partner who enjoys learning about art history, looking at art, and listening to children’s wonderful and original interpretations of art.

All the information we need and art from the Springfield Art Association.  It’s very fun and the children love the program—they get out of math—just kidding! Sheri would love to give a lesson in Art Outreach presentation. Just remember it is different for every class. There are almost no wrong answers and all the children are cute!!!

If you are interested and available, one day per month from  October-May, call Sheri Ramsey at   217-787-4259. 

JUSt WOMEN—embracing life

A new quarterly magazine for Christian women published by DisciplesWorld, Inc. in partnership with International Disciples Women’s ministries. Join your sisters in faith—theme articles inspired by scripture, devotions, meditations and prayers. News and notes from International Disciples’ women ministries.      Subscribe today! One year subscription—$19.00. Subscribe online at www.justwomenmagazine.org or call 317-375-8846.

175th anniversary Pictorial Directory
We are working on a special Pictorial   Directory for our church family that will honor the 175th anniversary.  Don't miss out on having your family picture taken in October here at the church.  The dates will be  October 15th, 16th, and 17th.  Information on signing up will be in the Visitor sometime in September.  If you know that you will not be in Springfield on those dates or your family is here just this summer, please call the church office 528-3407 or Cheryl Lipe 416-1843  and we will get yours taken this summer or fall.  Mark the dates on your calendar you won't want to miss this.

Puppet Ministry to Start!

The Debut of the new FCC Puppet Ministry will be  Sunday, September 7^th during worship.   Kevin Kirk, our very own Puppet Master, will bring a special message through his skillful puppeteering.   His background is vast and interesting.  From 1988-1990, he lead the Beginner Puppet group at Elm Street Christian Church.  During the next 4 years, Kevin lead the Advanced Puppet Group at ESCC.  In 1995, he initiated a puppet ministry at South Side Christian Church.  In 1996, he performed an impromptu show for John Hagee at Cornerstone Christian Church in San Antonio, Texas.  He was asked to become the Puppet Director, but had to decline due to his military service.  From 1996-1997, Kevin taught Land Mine Awareness to children in Bosnia-Herzegovina with puppets through an interpreter.  And in 1999, he initiated a puppet group at a Pentecostal Church in Ft. Polk, LA.  And now, he is beginning the Puppet   Ministry of First Christian Church.  Be sure to check out his great talent Sunday, September 7^th during worship!     

Married at FCC???

In honor of our 175th anniversary at FCC, Sunday, September 14th we are going to honor those couples who were married at FCC. After church we will gather in the fellowship hall to celebrate. If you know someone or you were married at 1st. Christian please call the church office.

New Ballroom Dance Classes

Steve and Marty Harris will be teaching new ballroom dance classes starting    Sunday, Sept. 7th. A new beginning ballroom dance class will meet at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall, followed by a continuing ballroom class at 7:15 pm. There is no experience required to sign up for the beginning class. To sign up for the continuing class, it is recommended that the beginning course be completed. Again, there is NO charge for this sex week set of lessons but donations to the church mission trip fund are suggested. Learning to dance is a great way to exercise and an excellent opportunity for fun and fellowship. Class size is limited, so sign up today be calling Steve or Marty at 726-8060!!!

Why Go to Church?

A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one

of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the preachers are wasting theirs by giving

sermons at all.”

This started a controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column, to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: “I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!” - Author Unknown

Associate Pastor

Rev. Rebecca Sundquist

“God Drew Him Out of the Water”

Children’s Moment

Rev. Rick Irwin—Senior Pastor

Scriptures

Matthew 16:13-20/Exodus 1:8-2:10

Instrumental

The Grateful Bread band

Special Music

Jane Hartman, Wendy Hayward             & Marty Harris

Van Driver

Steve Harris

Greeters

Jim Grigsby, Maribeth Norton, Leroy & Wand Gibson, Greg & Mary Lipe

Elders

Chauncey Cross & Marianne Stowers

Elder Serving Teachers

Marcia Monier

Elders Serving Shut Ins

Chauncey Cross & Marianne Stowers

Communion Preparation

Jill Hoos

Deacons

Greg & Mary Lipe, Julie Vernon, Robert & Jill Talavera

Offering Bearers

Jill Talavera & Marianne Stowers

Nursery Workers

Patti Finney & Linda Thompson

Sanctuary Flowers

Provided in memory of Gilbert Cross, A memorial fund was established by his brother, Roland Cross, to honor his birthday.