Illinois Conference Update August 19, 2009

To follow is the text version of the Illinois Conference Update, August 19,
2009.  To view this e-news publication in full color, click on the
attachment. This file can be opened with the latest version of Adobe Acrobat
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Touch Every 1 For Jesus

Don’t forget Signs of the Times as a useful tool in Touching people for
Jesus.  Contact the Adventist Book Center for more information about
subscriptions or sponsoring a Signs distribution box at 1-800-765-6955 or
online at www.AdventistBookCenter.com.
“When God Said Remember” is a new pocket size book from Mark Finley on the  Sabbath.  It is an excellent book to place in the hands of a person with
whom you are studying the Bible when you come to the Sabbath.  It is
available from the Adventist Book Center for $1.99 per copy, less in
quantities.  With Elder Finley coming to do a series in Chicago next year
this is a good way to begin developing a tie-in to those meetings, too.

One of the ways that a church can help strengthen new members in the faith
is by providing them with a good Christian television alternative.  The
Texico Conference (New Mexico and western Texas) has a program where
churches purchase a satellite dish for each new family that is baptized.
Members install these dishes and so the cost is only about $150 per home.
Then these new members can enjoy the Hope Channel, the Hope Church Channel,  3ABN, LLBN, as well as several Adventist radio stations including LifeTalk Radio.

New Jerusalem SDA Church held a Tent Meeting in Kankakee.  Evangelist Ron  Williams II, from Dallas, TX was the speaker.  Pastor Wayne Odle reports
that 37 new people were baptized.

News
Congratulations to our Trust Services Department. On July 20 they received a continuation of their Level A accreditation from their accrediting body.
The chairman of the committee wrote: “The latest audit verified the quantity
and quality of the work you have accomplished. Congratulations on a job well
done?”

We had an unusual one-time tithe blessing in February last year.  When you
factor that out of the accounting, we have had a 4.6% tithe increase
year-to-date through the first two quarters of 2009.  Thank you for your
faithfulness.

Natanja Hensley is the editor of the Broadview Academy Alumni Newsletter.
If you are not on her email list but would like to be you can subscribe by
contacting her at hope_chgo@hotmail.com.  She would like to feature our
former summer camp, Little Grassy, in an upcoming newsletter.  If you have
old pictures of Little Grassy Camp she would love to hear from you.

For those of you who would like to have a video of the Chicagoland
Convocation, DVD’s are available for Sabbath School (Afternoon Service
included in this DVD), Main Service & Praise Festival at a cost of $5.00
each, shipping included.  We may have a photo DVD available as well.
Contact Norma Gregory to place your order.  (630) 856-2874  or
norma@illinoisadventist.org

Upcoming Events
NAD Health Summit will be held in Orlando, Florida on January 29 – February  7. Keynote speakers will be Mark Finley, DeWitt Williams and Peter Landless.  Visit nadhealthsummit.com for all the details.

Illinois Conference Women’s Ministry invites you to a special one day event  Sabbath, October 17, 2009.  Treasures in the Sand, beauty in God’s hand to be held at Lindner Conference Center, 610 E Butterfield Rd, Lombard,  Illinois.  Keynote Speaker is Sally Streib, author, naturalist,
conchologist, Bible student & teacher.  To register or for more information
call 708-596-2000 X2404 or visit www.illinoisadventist.org for a brochure.

A SABBATH SCHOOL WORKSHOP by Dr. Donna Habenicht, Religious Educator and founder of Wisdom Tree Ministry, is scheduled for Friday evening, 7 p.m. at  Burbank SDA Church.  The Workshop continues all day, Sabbath, August 22.
Topics are: It Takes a Church; How to Help Children Grow Spiritually;
Children’s Ministry for Small Churches; How Today’s Kids Learn; and Grace
and Kids.  Please join us August 21 & 22 at 8351 S. New Castle Ave.,
Burbank, to improve Sabbath School programming.  Sabbath noon will be a
fellowship meal.  For more information please contact:  Stanley Hagen
630-968-3940

Elmhurst SDA Church is celebrating its 40th Anniversary on November 21, 2009.  Everybody is invited to come to look back at all of God’s blessing.
If you would like more information please contact them at 630-530-0600 or
visit their website at www.tagnet.org/elmhurst or leave us a message at
girose@aol.com.  If you know any past members of Elmhurst Church please let them know of this special celebration.
The Fall Campmeeting at 3ABN is scheduled for September 24 – 26. The keynote speaker will be Elder Robert Folkenberg, Sr., former president of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and now director of the
evangelistic program, ShareHim.

Personnel
Here are the names of new teachers in the Illinois Conference educational
system this year:
.       Tamara Darrow – Science Teacher at HAA, is coming from Guam
Adventist Academy in Yona, Guam.
.       Gordon Dezotell – Math Teacher at HAA, just graduated from Atlantic
Union College, South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
.       Gabriel Mendez – Principal/Teacher at  Springfield is coming from
Berrien Springs, Michigan.  Gabe is a graduate of Hinsdale Junior Academy
and Broadview Academy.
.       Catherine Morse – 5-8 Teacher at  Gurnee is coming from Rogue Valley
Adventist School, Medford Oregon.  Cathy is returning to the Illinois
Conference.
.       Marie Ott-Benson – 3rd grade Teacher at HAA is coming from Meadow
Creek Adventist School in Wisconsin.  Marie’s husband, Jeremy, graduated
from HAA.
.       Starla Powell – Principal/Teacher at  Marion is coming from the
Lincoln Public School system in Lincoln, Nebraska
.       Karen Reinke – 5th grade Teacher at HAA has been working as the NAD
editor & writer for the new North American Division language arts
curriculum, Pathways.
.       Melanie Joy Uzarraga – 2nd grade teacher at HAA – Over the last 5
years she has been a stay-at home mom raising her young family here in
Illinois.  Before that she taught in the same position at HAA.

We also have some new pastors in our conference:
.       Blaine Fults is the new pastor of the Rockford and Freeport
Churches.  He has come to us from the Oregon Conference.
.       Zorislav Plantak is the new pastor of the Elk Grove Village Church.
.       Arek Bojko, pastor of the Chicagoland Polish Church, has added Deer
Park to his district.
.       Alex (Sasha) Bolotnikov is raising up two new congregations:
Russian and Jewish.

Obituaries
Betty Simmons, wife of longtime Illinois Conference pastor, Earl Simmons,
passed away on August 10 after a long struggle with cancer.  The time and
place for her memorial service have not yet been announced.
Lula Connour, member of the Rushville congregation, passed away on Friday,  August 14.  Visitation for Lula Connour will be at the Hurd-Hendricks
Funeral Home in Galesburg on August 19 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.  A graveside
service will be held in Oaklawn Memorial Gardens in Galesburg at 11:00 a.m.
on August 20.
Dr. Harold May, member of the Hinsdale Church, passed away on May 18, 2009.  Since retiring as a physicist, his passion has been for community service.  He was 90 years old.
Alberta Holt, member of the Salem Church, passed away on June 10.  She and
her husband, Jack, were instrumental in establishing the very first 3ABN
satellite downlinked television station.
Dr. Gloria Mouzon, member of the West Central Church, passed away on June 25  at the age of 61.

Illinois Conference Update August 19, 2009 (PDF)