THE CHIMES, July 1, 2007

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	Get ready for an exciting celebration of Jesus’ love filled with amazing Bible adventures, unforgettable songs, memory-making crafts, and life-changing missions. Welcome to Avalanche Ranch, a wild ride through God’s word! Vacation Bible School is scheduled for July 16^th – 20^th 6:00 – 8:45 p.m. Click on VBS for more information.

On this page: Calendar, Prayers, Announcements, St. Paul School News, Stewardship

Of all the gifts for which we thank God, above all is the gift of Himself to us, His erring but redeemed children! “Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25).

Our purpose is to reach out to families and individuals of all backgrounds and bring them into healing and transforming relationships with the Lord Jesus and with others in His Church through the sharing of God’s Word and Sacraments.

THE CHIMES

July 1, 2007

Listen to Sermon Here

St. Paul Lutheran Church and School

a multiethnic family of faith

1025 Lake Street * Melrose Park, IL 60160

Church Ph. No. 708-343-1000 *

School Ph. No. 708-343-5000

Fax No. 708-343-8635 www.stpaulmp.org

Rev. Thomas R. Johnson, Pastor

Mr. Douglas Grebasch, Principal

CALENDAR

EVENTS THIS WEEK AT ST. PAUL, July 1 – 8, 2007
TODAY:	9:00 AM	Worship Service (NHC)
		Servicio de Adoración (NSC)
	10:15 AM	Coffee Hour
		Patriotic Sing-Along
	10:30 AM	Sunday School / Christian Growth Hour
TUESDAY:	7:30 PM	Praise Team
WEDNESDAY:	Independence Day - Offices Closed
THURSDAY:	7:00 PM	Estudio Bíblico
SATURDAY:	5:30 PM	Contemporary Service (HC)
	11:00 AM – 3:00 PM	VBS Decorating
SUNDAY:	9:00 AM	Worship Service (NHC)
		Servicio de Adoración (SC)
	10:15 AM	Coffee Tour
	10:30 AM	Sunday School / Christian Growth Hour

EXTERIOR DOORS. All the locks to the outside doors will be changed soon. If you have a key, you will need to get it replaced. You will be receiving a “Key Fob”. This fob is a little grey gadget that electronically (or, for some of us, magically) unlocks the door. This fob will be used on the church office and school office doors. Certain other doors will require a “high-security” key. Please see Jane in the church office to request a key fob. We will be requiring a deposit of $10.00.

CARE CORPS REMINDERS

Be sure to send names and addresses of College Students and all Military Personnel of St. Paul Congregation to Gail and Barb G. We try to have mail contact with all of them.

We continue to accept all Handicap-aid materials. Any surplus items are forwarded to appropriate organizations as Wheels for the World who forwards them to third world countries. Notify church office or Carla and Len S. if you are in need of any handicap item.

Pillows for seating in church are always available. Ask an usher if you can’t find one when needed. They are usually located on the first and last pews.

A big thank you for the Bathroom Tissue donation. The Proviso Pantry appreciates your assistance. We will continue this effort periodically.

Please include the following prayer needs in your personal and family devotions this week.

ü We pray for those in care facilities and at home who are physically unable to worship with us. We also ask God to heal and comfort the following members and/or friends of our congregation:

Alma M.	Mary R.	Hildegarde W.	Lydia G.	Clara K.
We also want to continue to remember those in nursing facilities, those who are recovering, and those who are receiving ongoing treatments.

*(If you would like us to pray for someone, please let Maria, our church secretary; know, either by phone or with a request card. Names of congregational members will remain on this list for 4 weeks unless additional requests are received.)

FROM PASTOR JOHNSON. “If you are in the hospital or are in need of pastoral care, please notify Maria in the church office. If it is an emergency, please call my mobile phone (in printed copy of chimes). Please don’t hesitate to call me at any hour if it is important; I keep the phone with me at all times. If the matter is important enough to think about calling a pastor, by all means call me. Please do not think you will disturb me or I will think the matter unimportant. Thanks!”

ü We pray for those celebrating birthdays the week of June 30^th - July 6^th

30:	Yolanda B., Christiana B.
July 3:	Henry L., Helen J.
5:	Alma M., David B.
6:	Karen M., Lillian L.

ü In thanksgiving
For Gail & Barbara G. who yesterday, June 30, celebrated their 45^th Wedding Anniversary.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mars Hill: A Forum For 'Em

Following Paul’s example of witnessing to the gentiles on Mars Hill in Acts 17, a service our church would like to offer is the opportunity for searching students and community members to express their views on life and religion. We want to know our community’s answer to the question Jesus posed to His disciples in Matthew 16:13-17 - Who do people say that the Son of Man is? We want to have an open place where people feel comfortable expressing their own views of the world, whether different or similar to our own Christian worldview. As we allow people to express Who they say the Son of Man is, we pray that the Father reveals His very real self to them and maybe someday, they will be able to answer with Peter and ourselves saying, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." If you would care to join us in this endeavor to outreach to the students and community around us, please pray:

for the students and the community, that God will work in people's hearts that they might honestly examine themselves and then be open to hear His truth
for the forum, that God will bring the people in whom He is working
for the teachers, that God will give them humility to openly hear others' views, discernment to know when it is necessary to speak, and words that are His when they are necessary.

We would like to come together as an outreach-oriented congregation to pray about using this type of ministry to reach our community, so please mark your calendars for a Forum meeting on Sunday, July 22^nd, at 8:00pm. If you have any questions, call Pastor Johnson at ext. 241 or Chelci at ext. 243. Thank you, and God be with us!

STEWARDSHIP CORNER. Because of our hard work and toil, we often take personal credit for our financial success by saying, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Deuteronomy 8:17). How easy it is for us to say, “It’s my money!” However, God reminded the people of Israel as He does us that He gives us the ability, energy, and skill to produce wealth. Through Moses, God said, “Remember the LORD your God, for it is He Who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). We need to remember that without God we don’t exist and without Him our wealth doesn’t exist.

LUTHERAN H. S.:

You are invited to “TEE OFF FOR THE STUDENTS” at the 9^th Annual Walther Karen Erjavec Memorial Scholarship Golf Outing” on Monday, September 17, 2007, at The Royal Fox Country Club, 4405 Royal and Ancient Drive in St. Charles. Karen, a 1985 Walther Lutheran H.S. graduate, was slain by a stalker in February 1992. The Karen Erjavec Memorial Scholarship was established in her memory to make a Walther education available to young women with financial need. The annual golf outing raises the income to continue this scholarship. To sign up as an individual golfer or foursome, attend the dinner, sponsor a hole, donate an auction item or prize, call 708-344-0404.

During the school year, the cafeteria and multipurpose area at Walther Lutheran H.S. is usually packed with students, but on weekends through July, these rooms will be full of new and gently used furniture sale. The proceeds from the sale go to provide financial aid scholarships at the fifty-three year old college preparatory secondary school. Sale hours are from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, July 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27 & 28, 2007. The sale is operated by the Bronco Resale Shop which is an auxiliary of Walther Lutheran H.S.

Happy Independence Day!

Avalanche Ranch

www.stpaulmp.org/vbs

Vacation Bible School

Important Dates:

Set up and decorating: Saturdays, July 7 & 14, 11 – 3:00

Volunteer training: Sunday, July 8, during Bible Study hour.

Avalanche Ranch VBS: July 16^th – 20^th, 6 – 8:45 p.m.

July 22: VBS music presentation during 9 a.m. worship service.

All our ranchers will be invited to share the special music they learned with the congregation!

VBS is for kids ages 3 (and potty-trained) to those who have completed 5^th grade.

Anyone who has completed 6^th grade or older can volunteer to help with VBS!

Registration forms are in the Narthex and on the VBS Bulletin Board.

Needed: Volunteers!

Wahoo! The Lord has answered our prayers for Station Leaders! We still need lots of help though! Some of those stations need assistants and we need lots of crew leaders for elementary and preschool crews. NOT AVAILABLE VBS WEEK? Join us on July 7 and or 14 for decorating and set up. Please help me out and fill out a Volunteer Registration Form and return it to the office or go to WWW.stpaulmp.org/VBS and register to volunteer online. This is a HUGE time saver. Any questions, just call or email me, Lynette Welter.

Needed: Supplies!

If you wish to donate supplies for VBS check out the master list on the VBS bulletin board in the lunch room (copy below). Check back frequently as items may be added as we get closer to the date. In addition to the items on the list, we can always use: Pens, paper, crayons, washable markers, permanent markers, glue sticks, glue, tape, paper towels, western themed decorations, saddles, undecorated Christmas trees, cowboy hats, empty wrapping paper tubes, Cardboard tubes from carpeting or upholstery fabric, hula hoops, cinder blocks, etc. Contact Lynette Welter if you are unsure about any item. If you wish to loan an item, please mark or tag it so we can return it to you easily.

Needed: Kids!

Grab a few registration forms from the Narthex or VBS bulletin board and share them with your neighbors, your friends, your kids friends, local business people, whomever you know who might know a kid. Let’s spread the word that God is Awesome!

Needed: Funds!

We are blessed to be able to provide an exciting and rewarding Vacation Bible School for our children and the children in our neighborhood. Because Vacation Bible School is a mission outreach into our community, there will be no set charge for students who attend. About half of the cost of VBS is covered through the church budget; the rest is dependent on voluntary contributions from members like you. Please prayerfully consider making a monetary donation to VBS so that we may reach as many kids as possible with the message of Jesus love. Whether it’s just one dollar or one hundred, it will make a difference in the lives of the kids who attend. Please place donations in an envelope clearly marked “VBS” or include this form and place in the offering basket or bring to the church office. (Note: writing “VBS” in the “memo” line of your check will not guarantee it will go to VBS. Please include a note.) Thank you and God bless you.

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I want kids to have a wild ride through God’s Word!

Here is my contribution of $ ___________ for Vacation Bible School.

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: