God gives His best gifts to us in unexpected ways. The Christmas season is a reminder of the gift that God gives to us through His son Jesus. During this season, Wednesday Night Bible Study will be studying the Right Now Media video series of “The Unexpected”. Please join us on December 4, 11 & 18 at 7:00 pm in Classrooms 1302/1303. Contact Linda Romann (Mobile: 618-560-9532 / Email: lromann@sbcglobal.net) for more information about our study.
The Nominating Committee is pleased to present the following candidates to serve on the Eden Church Council. The election of council members will take place at the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 24 in the Sanctuary immediately after the 9:15a service. Please remember that nominations can also be made from the floor.
Darci Strohmeier is a resident of Moro, Illinois. Darci has been a member here at Eden Church for 17 years and was confirmed April 1, 2007. She works as a secretary at Northeast Central Water District. Darci serves as a Youth volunteer, Confirmation Mentor, and Finance Committee, member of Small Group #1 and Young ns Bible Study. She previously served as a Council member/president.
Nancy Kruckeberg is a resident of Moro, Illinois. Nancy has been married to her husband Jerry for 39 years. They have 2 adult children and 5 grandchildren. Nancy has worked as an Accountant working on their farm raising corn, soybeans, wheat, horseradish, and hogs. Nancy serves as an Adult Education Committee Member, attends, and leads Adult Sunday School & Bible Study Class, is a Co-Leader of Small Group #7, attends Prayer Meetings, Past Council Member, and coordinates and leads Funeral Lunches.
Greg Schmidt is a resident of Edwardsville, Illinois. Greg has been married to his wife, Heather, for 25 years. Their daughter Hannah graduated from the University of Alabama in 2022 and is now a 3rd year medical student at Southern Illinois University in Springfield. Their son Geoff is a junior at Mississippi State University and majoring in either history or secondary education. Greg & Heather have been members of Eden Church for 24 years. Greg manages the business system for Heubel/Shaw Material Handling. His job revolves around reporting, analytics, user support, and process improvement. Greg has served as a committee member, church school teacher, organizations, small groups, etc., served on the church council from 2020-2022, has been on the Finance committee since 2020, currently serve as a greeter with his wife, has worked on many fundraisers with the youth, and went on mission trips to Belize and Uganda.
Eden Church needs volunteers to help light the Advent Wreath at each of our 9:15a in-person services. We need readers beginning December 1 - December 22. We also need volunteers at our Christmas Eve services at 5p and 8p. If you want to volunteer, contact Pastor John at 656-4330 or jroberts@edenchurch-edw.org.
It is that time of the year again for decorating the church for Christmas. We are looking for everyone to help with the task on Sunday, November 24 after the Congregational Meeting. The Christmas tree will need to be put up, along with the wreaths and the garland. If there are enough helpers, the job will go fast. Please consider helping with this task. If You would like to volunteer or for more information, contact Janet Holshouser at 659-9211 or tennisgal1@att.net.
Prime of Life will be going to The Pasta House on Sunday, December 8 at noon. The bus will NOT be available. The sign-up sheet will be in Fellowship Lobby.
Please sign up by Dec 1. Call or text Ruth Joachimsthaler at 618-978-1584 with reservations or any questions.
Dear Church Family,
The council has asked me to write a summary of my time in sabbatical and all that I
learned. So, what follows is my attempt to put into words the impressions on my heart,
direct things I believe God spoke to me, ways He corrected and encouraged me,
things I am still learning and will continue to, and ways I needed to change in order to
continue to grow in my apprenticeship to Jesus. And above all, how fiercely God
loves each of us, is faithful in keeping His promises to His children, and wants all of us
to enter into abundant life that can only be found in Jesus.
In my twenty years of ministry at Eden there have been many ups and downs,
relationships formed and lost, staff that has come and gone, and lots of lay leadership
changes. Through it all, it has required resilience and trust that God was doing
something good. However, I found myself during the time of COVID and the years
following the loss of the Family Ministry Coordinator, truly exhausted. However, I kept
pushing and tried more than I cared to admit to keep all the plates spinning in
ministry, home, and “regular” life in my own strength. Through a series of events, I
realized I could no longer do it. I found myself in a place where I had failed to do all of
the things I tell all of you to do- to stay connected to the vine, Jesus. It became
abundantly clear that I was trying to do most things on my own and because of that
my heart was dry, my emotions raw and was left often feeling that they were not
reflective of Jesus, and I had lost the passion for the love that had given me life. This
was not the person I wanted to be, nor was it healthy for myself or this congregation.
This drove me to ask the council for a summer sabbatical. They met quickly and we
got things moving towards that. I met with my incredible volunteers, (who truly made
this possible because of their dedication to our teenagers and the friendships we
have built) and we came up with a plan for the summer.
I began the sabbatical with anticipation, some anxiety, and finally feeling like I could
take a breath. I followed a “program” through Soul Shepherding, which exists to lead
ministry leaders through times of Sabbath. It consisted of creating a vision, guiding
verses, prayer and scripture exercises, and guides for creating sustainable rhythms of
life when it was over. I wanted to share with you what some of those things were, as
well as what I learned. As you read, I pray that you will not only be encouraged, but
challenged as I was to reflect on your own life and what you desire in your
relationship with God.
Vision
To find a new rhythm to life that connects me deeper to God, so that I can rest in Him
and live more fully the next chapter of life.
Guiding Verses
Matthew 11:28-30 & Jeremiah 31:2-3, 11, 25
Themes
Practicing sabbath rest, discovering deeper intimacy with Jesus, recovery from
burnout, fresh passion for life and ministry, life rhythm
Books I read
Your Best Life In Jesus’ Easy Yoke. Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D
Hearing God, Developing a Conversations Relationship With God. Dallas Willard
Breathe, Making Room for Sabbath. Priscilla Shirer.
The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus. Brennan Manning.
Things I Learned or Relearned
identity is in Jesus Christ, not in my roles as a wife, mom, youth pastor, friend, or
how others see me.
with freedom and abandon. God has called me into an exciting journey of life
together, even when it isn’t easy.
robot, but rather a child learning to trust in the one who invites me into a life that is
greater than I could ever imagine.
wrestle with, and I think I will continue to do so. If I am honest, I like my life the way I
have built it. I don’t like when God challenges me to step out into a place of
unknown or one that will stretch my abilities. I like to control things around me and
find security in my plans. Many times, those do align with God’s desires, but often He
wants to push me out of my comfort zone into new places, relationships, and
experiences that I am reluctant to go or say no to. I had to ask myself, why? Do I like
comfort more than following a narrow road? In what ways do I think I know better
than God? Do I trust more in stability and safety than God? And sadly, how does that
keep me from experiencing abundant life?
Christ, I can often get frustrated and amped up when they walk a different path. I am
learning to place him or her at the feet of Jesus more, and trusting in the verse of
Philippians 1:6, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will
carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. I am working on the patience
needed to see God at work in them, even when it veers off course. I want to be
someone who loves them unconditionally, speaks truth when necessary, and above
all pray for God’s work to be made evident in his/her life. God is their savior and
shepherd, not me. I am just blessed enough to walk the journey with them.
shares life with me and it is so much easier and sweeter. Not because the
circumstances have changed, but because I am trusting and giving him control.
everyone to experience the same freedom and life I have found following the Good
Shepherd. This means staying connected to God by reading the Bible, listening in
prayer, finding habits and activities that keep that connection, and to be brave
enough to change things that are not reflective of God as the Holy Spirit brings
those things to my attention.
While on sabbatical I was able to discover some of those habits and activities that
connect me to God and deepen my relationship with Him. I went on A LOT of walks (I
had to buy a new pair of running shoes), spent time hiking, rested, and read a lot of
books, journaled my thoughts and impressions as I interacted with the Bible,
practiced spiritual exercises, listened, and sang a lot of worship songs, spent time
doing things with others, and turned off distractions more like: TV shows and movies,
podcasts, internet surfing, and the like, in order to make room for God. It was so hard
to do nothing, to resist the urge to get those plates spinning and to trust God in all
things. I had to learn to say no to myself and others many times in order to say yes to
God; which before would have been difficult for me to do. I had to ask myself, “What
does God have in store that is better, but I can’t say yes because there is no room in
my life because I have filled it with other less important things?” So far, I am pleased
to say that I have kept up most of these practices, and I would encourage you to think
about what you can set aside for your soul to rest and be in God’s presence more.
I know that I am still a work in progress, and I am so grateful I have a God who is
forgiving, faithful, loving, and generous to His children. I pray that as you have read
this you too were challenged and encouraged to be loved more fully, to think about
possible changes you might need to make, and to know that we are all in this journey
together. If you want to talk further, please reach out to me. Thank you again to the
leadership for giving me this sabbatical, all the ways this church family prayed for and
encouraged me while I was away, for those who kept all the plates spinning and made
sure, our young people were cared for, and to God who makes all things possible. To
Him be the glory, forever and ever!
As the Thanksgiving and Christmas season are here, it is a time of giving more to those in need. At Sunshine Ministries, the need is for food and supplies to be used at the daycare and men’s ministry on site. Also, some of the items will be given to the parents of the daycare children to use at home when they participate in the bible study conducted at the ministry.
Below is a list of items that are most needed. Small group #2 is collecting items in the fellowship lobby now until the end of the year. This small group is led by Leah Johnson and Fred & Pam Heepke.
If you would like to help Sunshine Ministries provide for their clients, please donate items or money to purchase the items they need most. Our Emily Roberts is an employee at the ministry and will personally deliver these items on behalf of Eden Church. Thank you for helping Sunshine Ministries!
Sunshine Ministries List of Need
As the Christmas season approaches, we pause and give thanks for the many blessings that touch each and every one of us.
At Eden Village, it is our mission to provide excellence in senior living and health care. From independent living to assisted living and serving those that need long term care, Eden provides a safe and caring environment for all of our residents.
The plans were made to remodel the Care Center in 2020. However, the safety and health of our residents and the financial strain of the pandemic kept us from moving forward.
The Eden Village Foundation was created to raise funds and lend support to Eden Village Senior Living for upgrading and remodeling our aging facility. The challenges are great. Progress has been made, but much more needs to be done.
We are reaching out today to ask that you can find it in your heart to support our campaign.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help us improve the Eden Village campus.
Eden Village Foundation, 400 South Station Road, Glen Carbon, IL 62034.
If you are considering an end of the year donation of securities or a distribution from a qualified retirement account, please contact Pam Heepke at 618-920-6940
The council voted to hire Ange Steinway as our new Office Manager. After conducting interviews the committee unanimously agreed Angel was the most qualified candidate for the job. Angel will continue to perform her normal secretarial duties. In addition to her current duties, she will also be taking over the bookkeeper’s duties. Angel’s salary will increase to compensate her for her additional duties. Keep Angel in your prayers as she adjusts to this new role.
We are excited to begin our fundraising efforts for the 2025 summer youth trips to J Creek camp in KY and Belize. This first fundraiser will run November 10-December 1 with a pickup day of Sunday, December 8.
Scrip
This is a great fundraiser because you can purchase gift cards from many stores that you already shop at each day. So, you can use the cards for your everyday purchases, to buy Christmas gifts with, or to gift them to those folks on your Christmas list. For every gift card sold, the youth will receive a portion of that purchase making it a win for everyone. Please stop by the Fellowship Lobby to pick up an order form or to ask additional questions. Any order received after December 1 we may be unable to order them, please make sure you get them in by the deadline!
Cookie Shop
Each year our youth group elves spend time in the kitchen whipping up batches of cookies for you to enjoy. There will be a variety for you to choose from, and you can get a variety box or make a box with only your favorites. There will be order forms for pick up in the Fellowship Lobby, so please stop by November 10-December 1 to fill one out. If you cannot make it to church but want to order some, please contact Erin Swank to inquire. We have planned a lot of fun things for you to participate in as we raise funds for these life-changing trips, so be on the lookout for those announcements in the coming
Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in.
If your family would be interested in opening your home to an International Student/Students for Thanksgiving, please contact Lora Partney at 618-410-2303.
Eden’s Friday Women’s Bible Study Group is studying The Book of 1 Samuel. The heroes of the Bible offer complex, flawed examples of leadership. Their stories prompt us to examine the difference between our outward appearance and what God sees in our hearts. In this Right Now Media series, Sharon Hodde Miller guides our group through the Book of 1 Samuel, exploring the frailty of the human heart and the faithfulness of God. Our class meets at 12:30 pm on the second and fourth Fridays of each month in Classroom 1302/1303. Contact Nancy Kruckeberg (Call or Text: 618-920-6941 / Email: nkruck85@gmail.com) for more information.
The High School Boys Bible study group meets at Eden in Fellowship Hall on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:00. We are starting a new study on the book of Romans. The book of Romans is rich with spiritual wisdom. By studying Paul’s letter to the Romans, we will explore everything from new life in Christ to how to live like Jesus. If you are a High School boy, please join us for this time of study and fellowship. If you have any questions, please contact Fred Heepke (618-304-0928), Mike Schiber (618-920-0862) or Roger Stahlhut
(618-972-3672).
A catechism is a method of teaching where a teacher recites the question and the pupils respond with the prescribed answer. For centuries, the church has used catechisms as a tool to instruct students in the basic truths of the Bible. The Heidelberg Catechism, first published in 1563 in Heidelberg, Germany, has stood the test of time and is still one of the best tools available for learning what it means to be a Christian. Eden’s Adult Sunday School Class is studying the Heidelberg Catechism using a study guide authored by G.I. Williamson. This study guide will walk us through the Catechism questions, answers, and applicable scripture readings. Please join us on Sundays at 10:30 am in Classroom 1302/1303-B/C for this valuable study.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uWEcz1mXdJFCvSoNjsJNRYsjdYMQZEFh?usp=drive_link
If you click on the above link, you can open a folder that contains hundreds of Doris Gvillo’s wonderful devotional articles that were published in the Edwardsville newspaper over many, many years. Her daughter Ruth brought me a box full of these articles and I will continue to scan these and add them to the folder. There are now hundreds of her devotional articles just waiting for you to read them and when you do thank our Father for giving her all this inspiration for us as they are each based on the Scriptures.
Pastor Karl Kindt
