Faith Community United Church of Christ Bensenville

Faith Community In Action

May 2022 Lectionary & Worship Schedule

1st ~ Third Sunday of Easter

Sacrament of Holy Communion

John 21:1-14

8th ~ Fourth Sunday of Easter ~ Mother’s Day

Rev. Terrance Gallagher preaching

Blanket+ Sunday Special Mission Offering will be received

Acts 9:36-43 and John 10:22-30

15th ~ Fifth Sunday of Easter

Food Pantry Sunday

John 13:31-35

22nd ~ Sixth Sunday of Easter

 John 14:23-29

29th ~ Seventh Sunday of Easter

John 17:20-26

E-Giving at Faith Community

Greetings From Pastor Philip Price, Interim Minister

I am so excited to have been selected to be your transitional minister! 

                                           Memorial                                   

Chris spent 18 years of her life being a part of the Faith Community Family.  Know that she treasured every moment.  Music was her life – and had been since she was child.  She started playing for Church services when she was in grade school.  For her to continue to use her talents at Faith in service to God and in service to this congregation was a delight to her.

She loved every time any of you would come up to her after worship and express your appreciation for her music choices.  She always made a note of who liked what, either to play it again for a special occasion or to find similar pieces you might like just as much.

To Voices of Faith Vocal and Bell Choir – Know that Chris loved working with you all.  Your dedication to her, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to learn and try new music amazed her.  She spent many hours listening to and finding music you would enjoy and pieces that would challenge you because she knew you could do it.  She was so proud of you and loved you all.

Her favorite quote was a simple, but profound one, “Long after the toys of childhood are forgotten, the gift of music will remain.”  Chris’s legacy to Faith Community is the joy of music she brought to so many of you.

Chris Albiniak was a wonderful friend and mentor to many musicians in our church.  She directed our vocal and bell choirs, and played piano and organ for church services.  She was a great accompanist who knew how to follow the person doing special music, changing the piano part to bring out the talents of the soloist.  She also drew out the best from the choirs, whether the members were experienced musicians or not.

Chris spent many hours scouring the online music websites for anthems that would showcase the choirs’ talents.  She also spent much time finding “just the right song” when we were to sing a memorial piece for a specific member of the congregation.

Chris helped us catalog the choir pieces into a vocal choir database that could be put in order by title, subject, number of vocalists, etc.  It is a great aid when we’re searching for music for specific times of the church calendar year. 

Chris was the rehearsal pianist for the church’s Quartet of Faith, and The Vagabond Singers when we were out singing professionally.  She helped us learn many complicated songs, and kept a look out for new quartet pieces that we could provide for our church services.  She even helped us by accompanying The Vagabond Singers when our performances included songs that were not suitable as a cappella music.

As friends, Chris and I could be found talking for hours on the phone in the evening, probably at least once a week.  We’d talk about music, families, and life in general.  I greatly miss her, and her talents of playing piano, finding wonderful music, guiding our musicians, and helping us bring out the best in all our endeavors. – Diana F.

~ Chris was always so willing to have the children participate in the service.  Rowan always enjoyed talking to her and she was always so patient.  -Sondra O

~Chris Albiniak was more than a choir director.   She was a great friend.  She led a busy life with students and church duties, but I could still call her when she was off duty, and she was genuinely glad to spend time listening and talking about music, life, and our church.  She was a night owl like most musicians and when I could not sleep, I knew Chris was still up till early in the morning and we would have some of the best conversations.  We would laugh about the antics of her pets and new songs either of us had heard that might be fun for the choir to do.  In a world of texting and voicemails people do not genuinely get to know each other anymore.  Genuine people like Chris are rare.  I already miss her and will continue to miss her.  – Al Thurkow

Here’s where you’ll find us

             Mission Moment for May 2022             

“Breaking Chains”             Acts 16:16-34

When Paul and Silas broke the walls that bound them, they created a new life not just for themselves but for the other prisoners and the jailers, as well. Suddenly, everyone in the story began thinking of themselves and their place in the world in a transformed way. Like the transformed people in the story of Paul and Silas, as old walls and ways of being crumble, many churches and conferences are opening themselves up to a new way of being and doing in the world.

In recent years, many UCC Conferences have gone through the wrenching process of letting go of their beloved church camps, for a variety of reasons. Tears have been shed over these decisions, because of the poignant memories and formative faith experiences that have taken place at these camps. Many clergy are camp alumni; they felt their call to ministry in the beauty of nature among extraordinary people.

After the tears, one such camp alum felt propelled by the Holy Spirit to start a non-profit to purchase and operate Camp Mimanagish in central Montana. Rev. Cathy Barker, with her husband, Rev. Dick Weaver, started talking with others who love that particular sacred space. The group sent out a “What If” survey to gauge the interest in seeing Mimanagish into a new future.

Within months, the working group had founded and incorporated Singing Waters Montana, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The group consulted extensively with the U.S. Forest Service, who manage s the land, sharing their vision of becoming “A Camp for those who have no Camp.” Mimanagish alumni lent their expertise in fundraising and Singing Waters Montana raised over half a million dollars for the purchase and maintenance of the facility.

At the Dedication Celebration on July 31, 2021, over 50 people, including UCC Conference leaders, honored the past and shared hopes for the future. In addition to faith communities, this lovely wilderness retreat on the Boulder River will host recovery groups, veterans, LGBTQ+ support groups, youth de-stress weeks, Foster and Adoptive Family Camps, and more. Fishing, Art, and Music will round out the schedule. The welcome will be wide.

When the Holy Spirit is leading, anything can happen!

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