Ask St. Peter United Church of Christ

Bernie and Molly

They say there’s strength in numbers and that good things come in small packages. Growing up in the United Church of Christ, I’ve learned both.

I guess you could say I was an early bloomer. I was always taller and stronger than other guys my age, so whenever a helping hand–or muscle–was needed, guess who they called? Every Sunday at church, along with a few other guys, I became the unofficial elevator. This church was built in the 19th century with lots of chairs, and an electric lift just wasn’t on the horizon yet, until Lynn came around.

Lynn was a member of our church who’d recently learned to adjust to a wheelchair mobile life. Our church had not yet. So the guys and I would take turns carrying Lynn in her chair up the old steps of the church. Sure I didn’t exactly look forward to this, but it was something I knew I had to do.

I never knew exactly how important my job was until one Sunday. I missed church. When I went back the next week, it turns out that so did the other guys. It broke my heart when I heard that Lynn had no way to get up those steps and had to go back home.

I knew right then and there how important my service was to the church. I realized the value of each person’s service to carrying out our congregation’s mission. Each member has a purpose in the church. Communion reminds us that we all have a place.

Today, even though my job as a head of security for my city’s transit authority keeps me busy, I’m never too busy to help out at church. I’ve probably done just about every role in the church, from trustee to moderator, and I never forget who could use my help.

Lynn must have sensed I was pretty busy–or pretty tired–too. She ended up organizing rummage sales to get the lift chair she and the church needed.

Little did I know I how I’d need that it chair one day. My daughter was born with Cerebral Palsy, and she’s now using the same electric lift chair that Lynn helped secure. Every Sunday, Molly glides into a church where she is loved and accepted. I know there is a community there to support her and that makes me want to support it back even more. God calls all people. It is our mission to be a blessing to others as God has been to us. Through the church, my family feels accepted, nurtured and cared for–we feel whole.

Who knows? Maybe Molly will be the next Lynn and create a whole new campaign to help others with physical challenges.And who knows what challenges lay ahead for our church and each other. I do know that I look forward to helping that next young guy who wants to lend a helping hand. We may not need a strong guy to lift someone up the stairs like we used to, but we always need a strong person, no matter how big or small or young or old, to lift someone’s spirits.

So, what does matter to us? What is it that we are looking for in life? Are you one who considers yourself to be “spiritual” but not religious? What does that mean anyway when we say that we are spiritual? It is an interesting question, and interest thought. I often wonder what the motivation is behind that comment. I also wonder what connection if any is there between being spiritual and religious, or if there is any disconnection. Have you ever wondered why some people who claim to be spiritual do not feel it is important to be in worship? It makes sense for some folks and not to others. It is interesting. You see for me, my spirituality is both individual and communal. By that I mean, I have my spiritual side, but I also understand that part of my spirituality is about being in community with other people. So, what are your thoughts on this subject? I look forward to hearing them.

Want to see and hear more about the UCC? Need some confirmation of why the United Church of Christ is THE place to be? Click on the link below and read the comments below the videos.

UCC on Utube

Welcome to St. Peter, UCC in Lake Zurich, Illinois.Much has been said about the United Church of Christ in recent weeks, much of it hurtful for many in our country, including members of St. Peter UCC in Lake Zurich. That is why we are eager to share the broad and diverse story of the United Church of Christ, one that we celebrate.

With all Christians, we rest in God’s amazing grace and hear God’s voice in the words of Scripture. Yet, the UCC is unique to some because we do not require uniformity of belief. We are a church of open ideas, extravagant welcome and evangelical courage. Our passion for democracy extends to both government and church, where decision-making rests within each congregation. We support liberty in our pulpits, just as we affirm the individual conscience of our 1.2-million members to agree, disagree and wrestle with life’s biggest questions in a spirit of love.

Our story is this nation’s story. We are the people of the Mayflower. More than 600 of our 5,700 congregations were formed before 1776. Eleven signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of UCC predecessor bodies.

As early abolitionists, we came to the aid of the Amistad captives and founded hundreds of schools across the South after the Civil War. We were the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972). We were also the first to form a foreign mission society (1810). Our multi-ethnic membership includes persons from every immigrant group, as well as native peoples and descendants of freed slaves.

Our unity is not dependent upon uniform agreement, but in our shared allegiance to Jesus Christ. Ours is a risk-taking church, because ours is a risk-taking God.

P.S. We can’t take credit for writing this post. We unashamedly admit copying it from one of out sister churches, Trinity UCC in Berwyn, IL. All we did is to change the names from Trinity to St. Peter.

Why do you love you church? Here’s your chance to tell us!

Here are a few ways other UCC’s have said they love their church. Use them for inspiration and tell us why YOU love St. Peter UCC.

1. I love my church because it’s sort of like The Wizard of Oz– it’s about having a heart and a brain. And Courage!

2. I love my church because when we cried together on Sept. 11th, we cried for the whole world.

3. I love my church because the Sunday School Teacher gives out prizes to the kid who asks the best questions.

4. You know, if you want a church where you can pretend for an hour or two that everything is just fine with you, with your family, and with the world, then we’re probably not for you. But if you want a church where you can tell the truth about how it is and know that it’s okay, maybe you’ll find a home here.

Read the rest of this entry »

SIT UP FRONT: Help your children see what’s going on by taking a seat in the front pews near the aisle; don’t expect children to sit still, and don’t be afraid to “take a break” if your children need one.
READ ALONG WITH CHILDREN: Use the worship bulletin. Find the scripture readings in your Bible and follow the reading with them.
SING WITH YOUR CHILDREN: If your children are young, encourage them to sing simple responses, like the Alleluias or Amens. If they are older, point to the words and music and encourage them to sing along, even if they’re off-key.
HELP THEM NOTICE WHAT’S GOING ON: Call your children’s attention to the pastor and worship leaders, and seasonal colors. Point out the the Consecration during communion, the baptism of a child, or the liturgy of taking in new members, and other key parts of the service.
HELP CHILDREN PARTICIPATE: Help them to memorize common responses at home, like the Lord’s Prayer so they can be part of the service, too.

A Church goer 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 pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: