Wednesday August 26th, 2020
A daily e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
You note two newsy things in our mailer today. The first is a “drive-by” celebration marking “Shorty Eichelberger Day” coming up in September. The second is an attached PDF about a celebration of Dr. Ben Robbins pediatric legacy at Carle. Give both of these opportunities your attention.
Also, don’t forget the congregation-wide book study I’ll be leading for 6-weeks in September. See below. We’ll meet for one hour via Zoom per meeting; we won’t meet for 6-weeks straight—that would be one, 1008-hour meeting. While I enjoy meetings, that’s on the long side for me. Six meetings, one meeting per week, one hour per meeting. Join us!
News:
BOOK STUDY: You are invited to a congregation-wide book study on race via Zoom. White Fragility: Why Is It So Hard for White People to Talk about Race? by Robin DiAngelo (Beacon Press, 2018). Begins the week of September 14. Sign up by emailing or calling Patty Farthing in the church office. 217.356.7238 / Patty@firstpres.church
The church received a letter from Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Grandview Heights, OH, informing us that Rev. Preston Shealy will be retiring from his life-long ministry on September 13, 2020. Preston served as a youth pastor here at First Pres from 1988 – 1992. Their Session wanted to give our congregation the opportunity to join in thanking him for his ministry and congratulate him on his retirement. Preston wrote in a letter to the congregation: “While Debbie and I do not know exactly what is ahead for us and how God will use us in ministry, we do look forward to finding God’s call as we transition to the foothills of South Carolina.”
Send cards to: Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1235 Northwest Boulevard, Grandview Heights, OH 43212
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The First Generation Scholarship/Award: $1,000
Godoy Law Office is pleased to announce The First Generation Scholarship. This scholarship is open to students currently enrolled in a community college, undergraduate, or graduate program in the U.S. To apply, students should answer the following prompt: In a 700-1000 word essay, describe your experience as a first-generation citizen. Describe your own personal immigration success story as a first-generation immigrant or as the child of a first-generation immigrant. Explain the struggles involved and what lessons the experience of being a first-generation immigrant has taught you.
To learn more about this scholarship, visit The First Generation Scholarship page.
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This news from Dick Arnould:
Lou Liay, Dick Arnould and various neighbors of Shorty Eichelberger are planning a PARADE of CARS to honor Lila Jeanne on Friday, September 11, 2020 at 4:30 pm. This is being advertised as LILA JEANNE (Shorty) Eichelberger Day in Champaign. Mayor Deb Feinen is presenting a Framed PROCLAMATION that will be given to Shorty in the “Drive-By”.
Those who join the drive by parade will remain in your car and if you have cards or mementoes for Shorty, there will be a few neighbors ready to retrieve them from your car as you slowly pass by. Cars should meet on VALLEYBROOK DRIVE. Please enter from Duncan Rd west on to Valleybrook. (There will be a sign with balloons stating to TURN WEST from Duncan to Valleybrook.) Cars will line up on both sides of Valleybrook At 4:45 the parade of cars we proceed on Valleybrook turning left on Meadow Valley Rd. for 1 block, then turning right back West on to Meadowbrook Drive.
We hope to have sheriff deputies to help direct traffic going west one way on Meadowbrook Drive to the western edge of Valleybrook Drive.
Yes, you are encouraged to have signs, balloons or decorate however you like. The purpose is to show appreciate for Shorty and all she has done in our community throughout her years since beginning her teaching career here in 1954.
It is NOT HER BIRTHDAY, it is an APPRECIATION DAY.
And, YES, Shorty is aware of the parade and is looking forward to it. She plans to decorate her house. (She loves displaying both Illini and PATRIOTIC symbols). It is 9-11 Day so if you would like to wave a FLAG, that is appropriate. FLAGS, ILLII STUFF, anything significant!
Two Things you can help the committee with are:
#1 Please send an e-mail to GALE BIUCKEL at the Alumni Assoc.
gbickel@uillinois.edu or text her at 217-412-4612 so we have an idea of how many cars there will be. OF COURSE, we HOPE a lot.
#2 PLEASE, pass along this information to the vast number of friends of Shorty who might want to participate in this special day honoring her, her service and love demonstrated in her 92 years.
Hope to see you in the parade. Barb Barker
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
Jokes from Gary and Linda Peterson:
1. When will the little snake arrive? I don’t know, but he won’t be long.
2. Why did Dracula lie in the wrong coffin? He made a grave mistake.
3. Why should you not let a bear operate the remote? He will keep pressing the paws button.
Good Word:
Amos 5:14ff 14 Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
15 Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Let us pray:
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
for health and food, for love and friends,
for everything Thy goodness sends.
Amen.
(Emerson)
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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