Circuit Rider December 2017 Pastor Rev. Dr. Solomon Sudhakar, PhD Cell: 773.936.8979 [email protected]Church Office Phone: 815/625-0114 [email protected]Director of Music Ministries Kevin O’Keefe Organists Pat Simester Lori Kyger Tom Luther Pianist Lori Kyger Director of Christian Education Jodi Perez Director of Communications Janna Groharing Custodian Craig Deem Church office hours will be 9 AM until Noon Monday thru Friday. For the time being, please submit any information to be included in the monthly Circuit Rider to Janna Groharing by the 20th of each month. Email: [email protected]or call/text 815.625.1248. Please also submit anything to be included in the weekly Informer to Janna by end of day each Tuesday. Check out these Easy Ways to Help Raise $$ for RFUMC! Our Scrip program is back! Just in time for holiday gift giving…Shop with Scrip and raise money for our church! See Suzie Branch for details. Don’t forget to connect your Kroger Plus card to earn Community Rewards for our church as well! Sunday December 17th Children’s Christmas Program during Sunday morning worship UMW Cookie Sale following the service Cookie donations are needed! Drop off Saturday the 16th between 1—3 at the Church, or before service on the 17th. See Robyn Meinen for details. Sunday December 24th @ 7 PM Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Church office hours will be 9 AM until Noon Monday thru Friday.
For the time being, please submit any information to be included in the monthly Circuit Rider to Janna Groharing by the 20th of each month. Email: [email protected] or call/text 815.625.1248.
Please also submit anything to be included in the weekly Informer to Janna by end of day each Tuesday.
Check out these Easy Ways to Help Raise $$ for RFUMC! Our Scrip program is back! Just in time for holiday gift giving…Shop with Scrip and raise money for our church! See Suzie Branch for details.
Don’t forget to connect your Kroger Plus card to earn Community Rewards for our church as well!
Sunday, December 17th
Children’s Christmas Program during Sunday morning worship
UMW Cookie Sale following the service Cookie donations are needed! Drop off Saturday the 16th
between 1—3 at the Church, or before service on the 17th.
See Robyn Meinen for details.
Sunday, December 24th @ 7 PM
Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
Dear Friends:
Greetings to you all in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ! Christmas is around the corner. I am writing this letter to you as we are celebrating Thanksgiving Day 2017. There is this chill in the air, the trees are barren, holiday decorations and lights are up and beautiful. And I hope you all had a great thanksgiving too! We had a very eventful November here at church. We had a great Annual Conference, with new committees, budget and plans for 2018. This year the City of Rock Falls celebrated its Love Lights Ceremony and other holiday celebrations at our church. Hundreds of community members visited our church space during that time. I am thankful to our God for being with us all through the year. I thank God for each of you and all the members. I am also thankful to our God for blessing the children at our church, with various talents and gifts. I was proud to see several of them excel in various sports and games, in music and band, as well as in their academics this year. May God continue to bless and guide them all through the coming year too! The scripture passage quoted above comes from the book of Isaiah referring to a different context in the lives of the Israelite community but it also foreshadows the coming of the Messiah – the Christ. Christians today see this prophecy as a description of the titles and the atoning work of our Savior Jesus Christ. For us, Jesus demonstrated in his life, ministry and through his passion and sacrifice on the Cross and through his resurrection, that he is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He assured us the pardon for our sins and made possible the reconciliation with God the Father with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore in the words of prophet Isaiah – “For us a child is born, a son is given to us.” And in the words of St. John we are informed that, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ,” for you and for me and for the entire God’s creation. That is the reason we celebrate Christmas! Christ is the greatest gift we can ever dream of. This is the Good News for you this Christmas time! May our loving Lord give you a great time with family and friends. May you experience the peace and presence of God in your hearts and lives. And may you live as channels of God’s love and grace to all those around you. Satya and the girls join me in sending our warm wishes and blessings for a Blessed and Merry Christmas and also a Happy New Year 2018!
Pastor Solomon
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. For
a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:2, 6
From the Pastor’s Desk...
Coffee Time 3 - 10– Robyn Meinen & Mary Nichols 17 - Cookie Sale in Pippert Hall 24- Peg & Deb Dill Arneson 31-
2018 Church Envelopes will be available beginning in December in Café Brandt. Now would be the perfect time to consider Electronic Funds
Transfer (EFT) for your Church Giving.
EFT is a method of instructing financial institutions to transfer money from one bank account to another bank account electronically.
EFT eliminates the need for a paper check and the costs related to check processing.
The payments post to your account the next business day following the initiation of your payment.
Convenience - you no longer have to remember to write a check or put cash in an envelope each week.
Timing – you can choose to have the money sent weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
Forms are available in the Café Brandt. If you have additional questions about how this process works, please contact Janelle Henson (815-440-8282).
Completed forms may be turned into the church office.
December Ushers Mary Janssen, Matt Laws,
Craig & Sue Wolfe
On Sunday, November 26th we celebrated Bible Sunday, presenting our 3rd graders with their first Bible. Congratulations to Owen Laws, Madelyn Mertes, Cale Nettleton and Kasey Weeks.
Thank you Christa Moeller and the Crew for beautifully decorating our Church for the Christmas Season. God Bless!
On behalf of the Church, I’d like to sincerely Thank and Appreciate Janelle Henson, Janna Groharing and Larry Thompson for stepping up and helping out with the Office and Business aspects during this transition at our Church Office. God Bless you all!
Pastor Solomon
NO Sunday School classes on December 24th or 31st
Sunday School will resume on Sunday, January 7th
2 - Lyndsey Hollowell 4 - Loretta Cullison 5 - Bill Burnette 7 - Tim Eshleman - Kevin Henson 8 - Doug Kent 9 - Cody Britt - Joanne Crocker 14 - Chuck Slifer 15 - Angel Lillpop 16 - Lori Kyger - Raychel Scott 27 - Vicki Scott 28 - Olivia Wolf 29 - Ken Hines 30 - Donna Hoffman
3 - John & Lynn Marhsall 7 - Jim & Susan Weeks 8 - Darwin & Traci Nettleton 10 - Lloyd & Joanne Crocker 21 - Bob & Marilee Ashley 28 - Greg & Deena Gallentine 28 - Matt & Angel Lillpop
Pre-ordered church directories are now available for pick up.
If you did not pre-order, a limited number of additional ones are available for purchase for $5
For Committee Chairs: UMW, Memorial, Heritage Foundation,
Bear Necessities & Scrip
The Annual Church Audit will begin in Mid-January. Please begin gathering your bank statements and any supporting documentation which may be needed for the audit.
