January 2025 Connections by College Church In Wheaton

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CONNECTIONS JA NUARY 2 02 5

WINTER DREAMS Come in from the cold.

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INSIDE

WINTER WARMTH: LIVING IN ORDINARY TIME WITH OUR EXTRAORDINARY GOD

THE RINK SHACK OF FAITH

Thomas L. Martin

Keith Bodger

Nothing is wrong with ordinariness.

The things you could learn.

THE WARMTH OF GOD’S LOVE IN THE MIDST OF A COLD WINTER

IT’S ABOUT TIME

Esther Waldrop

Alex Lee

Celebrate the “ber” months.

It’s about eternity.

WORSHIP IN MINNESOTA WINTERS

PERSEVERING IN OUR FAITH: GOD’S PLACE IN A COLD WORLD

Wallace Alcorn

Pat Cirrincione

No snow days for worship.

God is resolute with his promises.

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FEATURES From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CROSS WORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Gallery SPOTLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ArtSpace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Our Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 CHURCH LIFE: January Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Under the Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

THE FACES OF CARING NETWORK

Facilities Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Sarah Lindquist

New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

God is still writing stories.

Opportunities for Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 SOHL Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 At the Bookstall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

24 GOSPEL NOW: RECOMMIT IN 2025

Give, Pray, Act—Now

GIVING JOY: Opening Hearts, Homes & Lives . . . . . . . . . . 27

Connections is a monthly newsletter published for and about the people of College Church. Send news items and suggestions to: connections@ college-church.org. Keep Connections in mind to promote a community event to the College Church family. Send event information by the following dates: For the February issue: January 9 | For the March issue: February 9 | For the April issue: March 9

332 E. Seminary, Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 668-0878 | www.college-church.org

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CONTRIBUTORS WALLACE ALCORN

ALEX LEE

has been a pastor of Baptist churches in Michigan, New Jersey, and Minnesota as well as teaching future pastors in a seminary.

was a letter-carrier for 35 years, and is counting down the days when he can hang up his satchel in retirement and take up his pen more frequently. He and his wife, Virginia, are blessed with a daughter and a son, and five grandchildren.

KEITH BODGER

THOMAS L. MARTIN

It’s Keith’s happy season: winter. Keith and his wife, Mel, have lived in Wheaton since they married 28 years ago. He and Mel lead a small group together.

PAT CIRRINCIONE

When not baking or reading or attending musicals, Pat can be found praying for her grandchildren and writing. Her greatest joys are God and her family, and time with both makes for much joy and laughter.

is Clyde S. Kilby Professor of English at Wheaton College, and author of Christ the Life: A Gospel Psalm.

ESTHER WALDROP

enjoys hearing and writing stories about God’s stories of faithfulness from our missionary family. She and her husband, John, have served the church in Ukraine, Czech Republic, the Middle East, and now in the Philippines.

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C H U RC H A S C A M PF I R E WIL TRIGGS | EDITOR

hanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s—they’re all over. The parties and late fall and winter festivities are more or less over and still it’s cold outside. Some days frigid even.

Our January theme serves as a reminder that gathering as a church can bring warmth and light to us on even the coldest day and the darkest night. The articles of the issue shine on various aspects of that truth. “Winter Warmth: Living in Ordinary Time with Our Extraordinary God” by Thomas L. Martin (p.2) reminds us that there is nothing ordinary about ordinary days. They are crucial to our walk with Jesus. It’s great to hear from Esther Waldrop who has moved from the cold winters of eastern Europe (and Wheaton) to the warm winter climate of the Philippines in her story “The Warmth of God’s Love in the Midst of a Cold Winter” (p.5). “Worship in Minnesota Winter” by Wallace Alcorn (p.6) is a reflective piece to help us consider what to cancel and not cancel due to the cold this or any other winter. “Winter Gear” by Keith Bodger (p.10), relates the ice rink shacks of his youth to God’s armor and our church. Alex Lee’s “It’s About Time” (p.12) looks at time and eternity in interesting ways. Consider their interaction as you read, “Persevering in Our Faith: God’s Place in a Cold World” by Pat Cirrincione (p.14). “The Faces of Caring Network” by Sarah Lindquist (p.22) introduces us to encouraging stories of different people traveling the road of life. This month also brings New Initiatives for 2025 (p.15) that you’ll want to read. With the new year, the Gospel Now committee challenges us to revisit Gospel Now and our commitment to it (p.24). Finally, our Giving Joy column “Opening Hearts, Homes and Lives” includes a perspective on daily living from Lydia in the Book of Acts (p.27). The warmth of living and walking the Christian life together helps me, and I trust you are the same. From birth to death, the church is here. Let’s remember to live our lives as children in the house of God. Let’s pray for a blessed 2025. 1

Winter Warmth: Living in Ordinary Time with Our Extraordinary God T HOM AS L . M ARTIN

s we enter January, we come down from the highs of Christmas and the prospects of a new year. We have spent extra time with family and friends. We have drawn closer to God through the gift of Christ made real through faithful Christmas preaching and joyous singing. As the bright lights of the season dim and high spirits wane, we enter a long winter. We mark the days on our new calendar as the gray skies settle into their all-too-familiar pattern. We have entered the

coldest part of the year. While the rest of nature has wisely tucked in for a long winter’s nap, we must keep the hearth fires burning. We must remain steadfast in our love for the Lord in the new year. We must bring all the light and love we draw from the living Christ into our families, our workplaces, our world. We have entered what the church calendar in an earlier age called Ordinary Time. We are now living between the mountaintops of the Christian year. From Advent to Easter, and then again from Easter to Advent, Ordinary

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Time comprises those weeks in between the highpoints of the Christian life. Those who write about Ordinary Time are quick to add that the name refers to the ordinals (or numbers in sequence) by which the weeks are counted and not to the commonness of that time. Yet none of the traditional Christian feasts accompany this stretch of weeks leading into months. We enter a prolonged season of obedience, of walking with Christ as he walked in this world depending upon and pleasing his heavenly Father. It is a time when we learn what Eugene Peterson called “a long obedience in the same direction.” So much happens in this lengthy journey across Ordinary Time. So much formation can take place in our character as we trust God to supply our daily needs and to bless the work of our hands done in his name. Nothing is wrong with ordinariness. In fact, we often miss what God is doing in our daily lives and regular routines. Though we are attracted to those thrilling mountaintop experiences, even define our lives by them, God is doing some of his most important work in ordinary days. Farmers know that after they plant their seeds in the soil, invisible growth occurs under the surface. Rhizomatic roots spread underground before any evidence of life shows its green promise in the sun. Farmers know that in between their acts of sowing and reaping are many days spent in steady faithfulness as they attend to the life of their crops. Any temple or cathedral is built one stone at a time. Educated minds are acquired one page at a time. These are the slow rhythms that mark growth in our lives. Though we may not hear the corn grow in the fields, God gives the increase. We turn our heads, and it has grown a cubit. Same with our children. Same with us. Remember that verse in Zechariah, never to “despise the day of small things.” (4:10) Out of small beginnings, God can do great things. A life of great service to our Lord is made up of many days of small service. The greatest saints I have known practiced this principle steadily across many years. My own father never wasted a single day of his life but awoke with eagerness each morning to do all he could for the Lord, for his family and for others. One of the greatest Christians scholars I know is a living model of that same steady work across many years. Can we find a way ourselves to awake with anticipation each day to see what we will do with the strength the Lord gives us for that day? Not only the strength, but the time itself is one of the greatest gifts he gives us, though we don’t recognize it as such because he gives it on such a regular basis. To enter a monotonous existence and not see the bright gift of time is to lose sight of what a gift it is. God gives it to us afresh each day, and each day we can afresh approach our lives, our loved ones, our calling. We support our families and build for the future. We work to increase our wisdom and our faithfulness in all things to which we set our hands in the Lord’s name.

Let us not lose heart in the protracted season of winter. My father had a great saying: “Snow is the best fertilizer in the world.” God is working even in the dormancy of wintertime. For God “gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” (Psalm 127:2, NASB 1995) He ordains the seasons. Observe the seasonality of life he gives us in these times. Work, worship and rest. Let us awake in worship to our loving God and daily dedicate our strength to him. Even in our weakness, he works through us. The main thing is to consecrate all we have to his glory each day. Whether it be our weakness or strength, all we dedicate to him he will altogether transform. Solomon and Paul meet in law and grace on this point: “To everything there is a season,” and “be instant in season and out of season” (Eccl. 3:1, 2, KJV; 2 Tim. 4:2, JUB). Keep in step with the rhythms God puts in life. Make the most of every opportunity. As we do, he will give the increase, for we know our labor in the Lord is never in vain (I Cor. 15:58). What is the result? There is nothing like the first fruits of spring. Envision what is to come. Let it drive you on. Did you know that the very first yield of blueberries is always the best tasting of the year? There is a reason we give the Lord of our first fruits. Do you know what kind of a life you will build if you give your best each day to the God who gave you his best in Christ Jesus? Do you know the heights you will scale with him? The American poet Longfellow looked admiringly at the heights Augustine scaled even after he wasted his early years in dissipation. In “The Ladder of St. Augustine,” Longfellow celebrates Augustine’s ascent: Saint Augustine! well hast thou said, That of our vices we can frame A ladder, if we will but tread Beneath our feet each deed of shame! All common things, each day’s events, That with the hour begin and end, Our pleasures and our discontents, Are rounds by which we may ascend. The low desire, the base design, That makes another’s virtues less; The revel of the ruddy wine, And all occasions of excess; The longing for ignoble things; The strife for triumph more than truth; The hardening of the heart, that brings Irreverence for the dreams of youth; All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds, That have their root in thoughts of ill; Whatever hinders or impedes The action of the nobler will; — continued on next page 3

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All these must first be trampled down Beneath our feet, if we would gain In the bright fields of fair renown The right of eminent domain. We have not wings, we cannot soar; But we have feet to scale and climb By slow degrees, by more and more, The cloudy summits of our time. The mighty pyramids of stone That wedge-like cleave the desert airs, When nearer seen, and better known, Are but gigantic flights of stairs. The distant mountains, that uprear Their solid bastions to the skies, Are crossed by pathways, that appear As we to higher levels rise. The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.… How does Augustine leave so great a footprint in the sands of time? He faithfully stewarded the gifts God gave him. Although

CROSS WORDS Although some could wonder why the hurry to move on so soon from Christmas, we can never outgrow our understanding in celebrating what the Cross represents. So instead, consider this an unseasonable opportunity to provoke more expansive consideration of the Easter theme. In completing the puzzle, take a moment to consider the implication of each word and may that lead to greater clarity of vision and appreciation making this year’s Easter celebration more meaningful and inspiring. Submitted by Jon Smalley

ANSWER KEY ON PAGE 18

he came to faith only at the age of 31, the diligence with which he approached the rest of his life continues to inspire. The “rounds by which we may ascend” are rungs of a ladder that by spiritual discipline we pile up “[a]ll common things, each day’s events,” and then we reach up to beseech the Lord to redeem them one at a time. How we might rise up when we draw into every moment the promises of our Redeemer-God. It is never too late in life to begin meaningful work for the Lord. In the realm of education, we are reminded that “every class is an opportunity to start the class all over again.” What is true in education is true in life. Every day we have a chance to start our lives again. Let us run our race well. Let us finish strong. Moses was not called until he was 80 years of age. What a wasteland he stood in when God came to him. But look what God did in that time forward! Is there some stretch of time you feel you have wasted? Do your spirits flag and fail over this long winter? Some of the most remarkable work ever done has been done in the cold quiet of out-of-the-way moments. But in God’s calendar, Ordinary Time can be redeemed by the One who redeems all things (Eph 5:16). Seek him there. Seek him with all your heart. What a blessing when God meets us in Ordinary Time.

The warmth of God’s love in the midst of a cold winter Esther Waldrop

ost of our family’s winters have been cold, whether in Wheaton, Illinois; Donetsk, Ukraine; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; or Istanbul, Turkey. Warmth is found around the fireplace, in the kitchen, sipping a hot drink, or sitting in a circle with friends and loved ones. We gather together around the things that keep us warm—in the places where we find belonging, identity, friendship, home. We have seen this in the cold places we have lived—whether over mulled wine at the Christkindlmarkt; tea or coffee in a warm, brightly lit place; crowds watching a fire with metal on it, cooking sweet pastry, the smell of toasted almonds and hazelnut fill the air—or in the lights from a million windows. But there are other images too—the lone beggar kneeling over his empty cap; the nostalgic smell of chestnuts sizzling on the cart that rolls along the cobblestone streets, incongruent somehow and yet oddly comforting during the bustle. Our invisible winters are validated in the bare trees and hard ground, the cold air and the bracing wind. Our losses, our feelings of existential loneliness are starkly pictured in the barren landscape of the branches scraping the sky. So, every winter I find myself reflecting on the seasons of loss, and the way that no matter how bleak things might look, we know that spring always returns, and despite the apparent deadness, something deep within keeps pumping life into the trees and plants, and they come back to life again when the time is right. And ultimately, our hope is in the Resurrection. And in those quiet moments alone, whether before a fireplace or a candle, or sipping a hot drink as we look out the window, we know that no matter what else is going on in our lives, there is a constant warmth in God’s love for us, evidenced in his gift of Jesus. This year we moved again, and once again it was in the midst of many griefs and losses that we set out on another adventure, once again clinging to his steadfast love, trusting in his care for all the dear scattered ones we leave behind. This is the first winter we find ourselves living in a warm climate. The Philippines is warm weather-wise, but also relationally, and in every way. A birthday, an anniversary, an accomplishment, a meeting—anything can be cause for celebration, especially Christmas. In the Philippines, all the “-ber” months are Christmas months. They pride themselves on being the country that celebrates Christmas the longest. In September the decorations go up, and don’t come down until well into January. I wonder why, when they don’t even have the outer evidence of bleakness, they have a need to celebrate Christ’s birth even longer and harder than the rest of the world. We have only been here for a few months, but already we see that although the weather is nicer than ours most of the time, people also have the same griefs and losses, and they also cling to the one, single hope we have in Jesus. We celebrate so long, because he came down to us, because we could not rise to him. And we celebrate because the light and warmth we gather around, when we gather around him, is the one true light, the one true love that will keep us warm no matter where we are in the world. 5

Worship in Minnesota Winters WAL L ACE ALCOR N

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lying from Seattle, the plane began to descend to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport one spring day, and I was amazed by the density of Minnesota lakes. Natives claim there to be almost twice that if one counts what Iowans consider a lake (mud hole in the middle of a corn field). I was met in Rochester by a farmer and wife who would host me while preaching in their small town. They drove me through rich farm country, the fields recently planted for corn and soybeans. I marveled at the black topsoil as far as I could see, which back in Puget Sound region was being sold by the bushel. In August, I drove my family to that town as its new pastor, and we soon saw the state’s famous and glorious autumn (which lasts a week). Then, well, what is inadequately called winter. When we moved back to Wheaton eleven years ago, friends in Minnesota asked what Chicago winters are like. Fraudulent. Lovely light snow for the morning and slush for the rest of the day. (If slush is not part of the adamic curse, it might be thought of as at least the “abomination of desolation.”) The impact of Minnesota snow is not just its volume but its durability. The snow that falls in late October is still there in early April. Mid-winters are usually too cold to snow much, and when it does, the snow is powdery dry. Strong winds redistribute it in unpredictable patterns, drifts to roofs. Many times, I have shoveled three times in one day without a flake having fallen. On the second, third and fourth weekends of our first January, the windchill factor was minus 114 degrees. Making a pastoral call in the county, I parked alongside a snowbank towering above my head. I found a low spot and waded through snow to my waist. (I asked the Lord if this really is what he intended.) The executive head of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Southern Baptist churches told me he no longer bothers

to recommend pastoral candidates not born there. None had ever stayed to a second winter. Stylish winter clothing was anything that kept us warm. I developed a catalog of additional warm clothing to wear when I ran. I set limits on running, i.e., minus 30-degree wind/ chill and minus 50º with no wind (which never happened). Although we often cancelled other events, we seldom cancelled Sunday morning worship. We advised those unable to endure the worst weather to stay home. We phoned the elderly and almost directed them to stay put. One Sunday, I had to ask a farmer with a four-wheel-drive truck to pull up to the parsonage on a cleared narrow lane so our family could wade to the truck, and though our house was next to the church, he could then drive us on a circuitous route to get around the worst drifts. On such Sundays, we closed all rooms in the church except a small one in the basement. This diverted heat to this holy-of-holies, enabling us to be reasonably warm. Some never took their outer clothing off, although I suspected it was for emotional reassurance.

As people straggled in, we immediately admired each other’s fortitude and greeted all warmly. Some who seldom spoke to each other suddenly acted like old friends. The biggest surprise was some who couldn’t get out of bed on mild summer mornings but popped up triumphantly on the worst of winter’s. They even surprised themselves. Everyone sang out even though they couldn’t hide their voices in a crowd. The cash offerings were disproportionately larger. People sat in the first row of folding chairs. They gave attention to the sermons, which were better because the preaching was better. The preacher was better because the minimal congregation was both attentive and responsive. (I was even tempted to pull out a weak sermon and insert it to exploit the situation.) We learned these cold Minnesota mornings. Church services are better when you make an individual investment in them—worship ROI, you might say. When you put something into worship, you get something out of worship because you experience worship. You don’t merely attend, you participate and contribute.

The attendance was always low, sometimes but a dozen brave souls. We got right into the services and kept them short because we knew just how long we could leave our vehicles outside their garages. The church only had one outside electrical outlet into which to plug the block heaters we had. Whoever was first to arrive got the heater. Yet, those sub-zero winter mornings we often found to be the best of the year. We watched to see who would make it in. They came in with looks on their faces you don’t see in summer. Their warm smiles communicated, “Look, what I just did! I’m here through all this.” 7

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Gallery SPOTLIGHT WINTER DREAMS It was a joy to see people of all ages gathering in groups to paint together along the theme of winter in workshops and gatherings. On the cover and this page you can see a few of the 70+ canvases. Be sure to see them all at the gallery this month. Visit the gallery to see them all!

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GALLERY

WORKSHOP

WINTER DREAMS

GROWING YOUR WRITING MUSCLES IN 2025

RUNS THROUGH JANUARY 24 in Crossings Experience the seasonal artistry of our church community GALLERY HOURS: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. NOTE: For other opening times, contact the church office at (630) 668-0878 or email artspace@college-church.org

GATHERING A monthly coming together, where we discuss our personal projects and the many facets of creativity and God.

Best practices for the new year. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Crossings OPTIONAL DONATION: $5

A panel of College Church writers share ideas for how to grow your writing muscles in 2025. Our panel will include Wallace Alcorn, Thomas and Dyanne Martin, John Maust and others. • Everyday writing every day • Obstacles to writing and how to overcome them • Recommended books on writing • Setting goals for 2025

Visiting artist missionary Allison Regnier plans to guide us through a calligraphy project and give us an update on her arts ministry. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 at 7 p.m. in Crossings Jan. word of the month: WARMTH Future Meetings: February 11, March 11

For more information or to sign up for a workshop, visit our webpage: college-church.org/artspace.

The Rink Shack of Faith KEITH BODGER

t my elementary school, back in the early ‘70s, each winter they’d set up an ice rink in the playground. They’d put up boards and flood the area. Anybody could use it. You had to bring shovels to clear the snow if you wanted to use it after a snowfall. Near the rink was a rink shack. This was a culturally significant building. The rink shack was heated by a wood stove and had benches for you to sit on while you pull on or off your skates—all in the warmth of the building. There was an older teenager (likely 15 or 16) whose job was to maintain the rink shack and stoke the fire. He was in charge. And it wasn’t the shack. It was the rink shack.

a cold wind out of the north. Actually, it’s worse than cold out there. It’s evil. Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) We must take up the whole armor of God to combat these evils. For cold weather, we have a similar outfit. Let’s compare.

The rink shack’s cultural significance was related to what you could learn inside of it. You could learn to smoke. Many kids’ first puff of a cigarette was in the rink shack. The older kids supplied the cigarettes they stole from their parents. You could learn to swear, if you hadn’t already mastered that vernacular. You could learn stories that wouldn’t be told in other settings. But the main point of the rink shack was warmth.

Put on the breastplate of righteousness, a breastplate of warmth that protects the core of our being—heart, mind and soul. You must keep your core warm in winter. Layers are the key. Moisturewicking body layer is important. Wool is great. An outer layer that blocks the wind is key, especially in the Midwest. I grew up in Canada but have never been as cold as I have in Chicagoland.

The rink shack—cultural significance and all—was but a temporary respite from the cold outdoor rink. Far better and eternally significant is Jesus and the warm respite he offers from an often-cold world. We can go to him for comfort when times are harsh like 10

Fasten on the belt of truth, that’s the Word of God. Read the Bible to get comfort, advice, and wisdom. For the cold weather, we fasten on the belt of supplies. It’s good to have a pouch to hold gloves, sunscreen for your nose, ChapStick and hand warmers.

As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Good winter boots are a must. If your feet are cold, it affects your whole body and outlook. Waterproof, insulated boots with layers of underlying socks will keep your feet warm. Activity also

helps. Perhaps get out there and tell people the gospel and why you have peace in Christ. The shield of faith—faith in Christ. The Risen Lord. Who died for your sins. Put your faith in him. A blanket of faith? Okay, I have to admit, this is a stretch. In our cars, we have blankets, just in case. A blanket can be a shield around you to battle the cold. Or a shawl when you’re inside. The helmet of salvation. A good hat or balaclava will save you, but not eternally. I have several good hats and balaclavas because I have so little hair. I keep the warmth from escaping from the top of my head. They also keep my ears warm. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God Perhaps a sword of sorts is a good trekking pole? Thankfully, we have a church that can help us far more than a rink shack. Although, there are similarities. We have paid attendants who guide us to the Holy Spirit rather than the smoke of a first cigarette. In church, there are many who teach us new words like justification, Tzedek (righteousness), and antediluvian. We tell stories of salvation and thankfulness that are far better and purer than those in the rink shack.

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IT’S ABOUT TIME Now is the accepted time. ( 2 Corinthians 6:2) ALEX LEE

have a problem with time. Whenever an appointment is in my schedule, I tense up. If it is an appointment with an endodontist or an auto transmission mechanic, I fear the worst and wish the appointment would never come. At the same time, I wish the appointment would arrive in the next minute, to spare me the agony of waiting. I am a worrier. Even when the appointment is a pleasant one—a dinner party next week, say, or a package promised by Amazon for delivery tomorrow—I suffer still, for then the anticipation becomes a distraction. Lurking glitches and theoretical odds of misfortune pop up like gremlins in my brain. Time makes me uneasy. It’s like having a chronic existential allergy, or worse an existential sentence to the confines of time. Though unseen, time talks (or tick-tocks) to us in the voice of a grandfather clock, a looming yet inconspicuous presence in its corner of the family room. Its repetitive monotone and chiming have become background noise in our existence as it counts the vital, doomed seconds of that existence and all we can do, after accepting the fact of our sentence, is to make the best of it. The truth is that we all want time, essentially, to disappear. We would prefer everything to happen at once, or else never to happen at all. In other words, we prefer and, deep down, crave eternity. Just as a person, when exercising, employs physical resistance with weights and straps to strengthen his or her muscles and burn fat, so we must employ the spiritual equivalent of resistance, patience, in forging through life.

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Patience—a virtue, and an end product of our grappling, 24/7, with an absent eternity. Patience is the power we acquire when we force our way, grunting, through the inertia of procrastination. Or when we stand our ground in prayer before an onslaught of things-to-do. It is the power transferred to us from a dimension we long to inhabit, whose magnitude cannot be calculated by a clock—eternity, where God’s tireless baton holds sway before a golden stand, from which the sheet music of time (which is the extent of our mortal experience) bursts fulfilled into a limitless symphony. Blaise Pascal described the intrinsic hole in the human heart as a measureless void, which is why God alone, who is immeasurable, can fill it. The physical organ beats to the tempo of nature, but within it, created before the installation of its valves and blood vessels, resides a longing for timelessness—thus, our quandary: We move in an element alien to our nature; how then to escape? Did I say “move”? I meant to say “persevere,” or “slog,” or “struggle along,” or “get by.” Moving through time is a trial, running the gamut of stress: from emotional thrill rides to ennui and the blues, to the quicksand of anxiety. Father Time, sitting blank-faced at his desk, drums his fingers by the entrance to a maze of his design and making. We are life-long day trippers trapped in that maze, a maze of high walls and ineluctable geometry, where the paths are narrow alleys branching out in fractal or perpendicular dead-ends, crisscrossing and looping in a confusion of choices: This way or that, to the right or the left? We can only grope or race either straight ahead or to the side. There is no going back in time, only forward. Like a morose, ruminant animal, quietly chewing every trace of every choice we have ever made, follows our steps, the past, continually behind us, forbids any chance of turning around. Thus, we are stuck, unable to recover the past, its embers of remembrance ground to soot, and unable, as well, to espy our future,

whereby we may reach the confounded exit. Our only option is to move on, hoping the future is safe and clear, or even available. But the future, always around a corner or a bend, remains a mystery. Sometimes it is a phantom. We wonder if our job will be lost to artificial intelligence. Should we get long-term care health insurance? Sometimes the future is a mirage, as when we expect the Bears to win an upcoming home game. Or when we assume our retirement funds will fund our retirement. The future is in its own way a more horrid beast than its kindred, the past. Although we entered through one common opening, there is in fact no structural egress from the maze of time. Life’s only escape is death—the lonely spot in the labyrinth at which we happen to fall at last and expire. Perhaps you, too, have a problem with time. There is hope, however, even for me, a valiant, Medicare-bound worrier brandishing a blunt weapon. The prison of time has four metaphorical walls, a stout door metaphysically locked, and a single window with iron bars. I crouch in the forlorn center of my universe, my cell. I descry, beyond the bars, many stars, clouds, and sometimes a flying bird, a dove wholly and miraculously free, a sight to surprise the soul, joy on the wing— The clouds and stars betoken eternity and seem certainly to be unattainable. The clouds curtain the sky by day, and the stars decorate it at night. But the iron bars, though symbols, look terribly real. Yet I listen.

years during which the mission he was born to fulfill had to be accomplished. Imagine the pressure. Now, as before, the Master dwells in the heavens. And I read these words: whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life In the beginning was the Word has planted eternity in the human heart with you always, to the very end of the age Now I see my salvation, an escape hatch hidden by the grime of sin on the jail floor—there for me to lift as easily as though I were receiving grace. Or for me to try to move futilely by my own exertion. Hope and despondency chase each other’s tail in a mad circle about my head, a sick, unfunny trick time likes to play on its captives. A thin crevice on the floor, running in the form of a square, lets in transcendent drafts of the wonderful wind outside. I bring my palm down, sweeping the dirt to expose the crevice. It is a revelation brighter than dawn. A waft of air kisses my skin, air from an unknown world beyond time. The exit. My spirit knows eternity is not a mere elongation of time, time stretched out indefinitely like teleologic taffy. Rather, it is a renunciation of time as we know it. It has room for me, room in its many mansions. Eternity cannot be rushed or delayed or conjured. We cannot save some of it for later. It is now, forever ongoing. Eternity shall wash over us, baptismally, when the time comes. Can hardly wait.

I listen to God’s promise...whispered in the divine wind blowing outside my prison. I turn to read the glinting words of Scripture etched on the rough stone around me and at my feet. The Author of time, the Alpha and Omega, stepped out of his infinite realm to write those words for my sake, and for my deliverance. Once, he too was imprisoned in time. He had three short 13

Persevering in Our Faith GOD’S PLACE IN A COLD WORLD

PAT CIRRINCIONE

t’s that time of year again. The beginning of a new year— the time when people I’ve known, me included, make resolutions. There’s no other word that can discourage me in a heartbeat like resolutions. If there is one major thing I’ve learned over the years—no one keeps them. Nevertheless, each January people resolve to enjoy life more; eat better and exercise more; learn something new; quit smoking; manage money better. So, during the month of January, you won’t be able to find a parking spot at Lifetime Fitness, but don’t worry, within two to four weeks there will be plenty of spaces to park your car.

beginning; he will restore his people and establish his rightful rule (see Isaiah 2:1-5, NIV).

Come mid-February (when the weather gets really cold and snow is falling more) a majority of people have given up the exercise routine, and instead of facing the elements, they prefer facing their much cozier pillow and blanket. It’s just too hard and I’m too busy to stay on my diet, plus I am too tired to exercise. Why do I need to learn something new? I love my bad habits. They relax me! I’ll consolidate my debt into one bill, and then open another credit card. Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t those who keep resolutions, but the majority? Why do we do this to ourselves? Why can’t we stay determined and resolute in keeping a promise to ourselves to do or not do something?

• Make God the focus • Seek him • Meditate on his Word • Worship him • Praise him • Marvel at his mercies • Obey him • Pray • Serve • Love one another

I turned to my trusty Google and discovered some common synonyms for the word “resolution” are: courage, mettle, temerity and intent. While all these words can mean “mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship,” resolution also stresses a firm determination to achieve one’s ends.

What will your New Year’s resolution be? The worldly resolutions we never keep, or the resolutions made by nurturing our love of Jesus. Will you turn to the world or to our Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can imagine or deserve, whose love is unending and intensely personal, no matter how many new year’s resolutions we keep or break.

As I was perusing all of this, I began thinking about God, his Word, and his people. Unlike us, when God resolves to do something, he doesn’t deviate from it. For example: God will not tolerate sin; he will preserve creation; for those who love and serve God’s Son the ending actually initiates a glorious 14

How do you keep close to God and persevere in the faith in the here and now? Instead of the usual and mundane resolutions we make each January, how about worshipping and adoring the exalted Christ, who is the sweetest blessing given to humanity? God deserves our wholehearted submission. Instead of merely surviving, we can thrive like Joseph or Daniel. How? By patient endurance; learning how to trust God; and nurturing our love of Jesus with resolutions such as these:

As we stay close to God, we persevere in the faith in a cold world.

Happy New Year!

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

OUR VISION 2025 INITIATIVES Vision: “Proclaiming the Gospel”

PATHWAY. We will foster a pathway for our gospel ministries: Discover Jesus, Grow in Your Faith and Impact the World. In 2025, we will continue to expand and strengthen this pathway by 1) equipping and encouraging congregants so that they are motivated to share the gospel and their personal faith stories within the community; 2) expanding outreach initiatives by building upon our existing programs and developing new efforts designed to invite community members to engage with the church more frequently and meaningfully; and 3) promoting the proclamation of the gospel and what College Church offers to the community through a variety of communication channels. Rationale: After consultation with a Christian communications company, and surveying the neighborhood, we have discovered that we need to present the distinctive gospel ministry opportunity of College Church more clearly and invitationally to the surrounding community.

COMMUNITY. We will cultivate care, encouragement and connection in 2025 by: 1) Calling a pastor focused on care, encouragement and connection; 2) Establishing a permanent Care Team to support congregational care; and 3) Exhorting our congregation to: make consistent attendance on our Sunday morning worship a priority; be active in a smaller gathering; and to be involved in an area of service.

DISCIPLESHIP. We will elevate biblically rigorous and practical discipleship in 2025, by developing a clear track to introduce people to the foundations of Christian discipleship: basics of the Christian faith, spiritual growth (including training in Bible study and prayer) and gospel impact. This will parallel our church-wide ministry pathway of discover, grow and impact.   Rationale: After a churchwide discipleship survey, we have ascertained a growing need for more rigorous and practical discipleship that is coherently coordinated across both small and large groups.

PARTNERSHIPS. We will leverage the church’s history of church planting, training programs, and connections across the country and world by seeking to develop one new church partner in each category (planting, strengthening, revitalizing) by December 2025. Rationale: By partnering with like-minded churches and organizations, and by broadening our scope to including planting, strengthening, and revitalization, we can increase our gospel impact through gospel-centered, Bible preaching churches. We bathe all these initiatives in prayer.

CAMPUS. We will increasingly activate our campus by utilizing the Crossings as a crossover space to reach the community and for student, worship and family space, executing year two of the three-year capital campaign launched in 2024, prioritizing safety and accessibility upgrades to our parking and other key areas, and clarifying the highest and best missional use for our portfolio of rental properties. Rationale: After the Site and Facilities committee’s extensive work surveying the ministry pinch points, it is apparent that we need to develop our ministry space, and we will target the Crossings space.

Rationale: After conversations with key ministry leaders, it is apparent we need to increase connectivity between members and attenders of the church through mutually loving and caring hospitality. 15

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

CHURCH LIFE JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICES Everyone welcome. Join us at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Livestream broadcast is at 9:30 a.m. You can watch it at college-church.org/ livestream. MORNING SERMON SERIES:

The Gospel of Matthew

ADULT COMMUNITIES

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

Adult Communities will not meet on January 5.

MOM2MOM

FORUM 15 Sundays 8 a.m. in C104F • Teacher: Bruce Main • Study: Jonah/Nahum GREEK EXEGESIS CLASS Sundays 9:30 a.m. in the Board Room

Senior Pastor Josh Moody preaching

• Teacher: Jon Laansma

JANUARY 5: New Year, Same Word, Fresh Joy, Psalm 19, Pastor Josh Maurer preaching. Two services at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

• Study: 1 John • Description: Knowledge of Greek is not required for this class. LIFE TOGETHER Sundays 9:30 a.m. in Commons Gym • Teacher: Teaching Team • Description: Various Topics with small group discussion. Authentic, biblical community for adults ages 25–40

JANUARY 12: The Path of Life, Psalm 16, Pastor Jim Johanik preaching. Three services at return at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.

LIVING WORD Sundays 9:30 a.m. in C104A & C104C • Teachers: Felipe Chamy • Study: Gospel of John

JANUARY 19: When You Pray, Matthew 6:5-15, Senior Pastor Josh Moody preaching

LOGOS Sundays 9:30 a.m. in C104E

JANUARY 26: When You Fast, Matthew 6:16-18, Senior Pastor Josh Moody preaching

• Description: A caring community centered around interactive Bible teaching and prayer, spanning a range of ages and family situations.

EVENING SERMON SERIES:

Let’s Gather: What is a Healthy Church Like?

• Teacher: James Seward • Study: The Book of Hebrews

THRIVE Sundays 9:30 a.m. in Crossings-Clapham Main Area

JANUARY 5: No evening service

• Teachers: Joe Becker

JANUARY 12: 2 Timothy 2:19-21, Baxter Helm preaching

• Study: Gospel of John

JANUARY 19: 2 Timothy 2:21-26, Dan Hiben preaching JANUARY 26: 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Tate Fritz preaching

VERITAS Sundays 9:30 a.m. in C104B & D • Teacher: Dr. Gregg Quiggle • Study: Christian History since the Reformation

JANUARY 13: 9:30-11 a.m., Large Group Gathering: School Readiness, Commons Hall JANUARY 20: 7:30-9 p.m., Mom’s Night Out, Location TBD JANUARY 27: 9:30-11:30 a.m., Gym Playdate WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY Wednesdays, January 15 through April 30. We look forward to studying 1 & 2 Chronicles together and we’d love to have you join! Register on our website. MORNING: 9:30-11 a.m. EVENING: 6:45-8:15 p.m. WOMEN’S MONTHLY GATHERING Join us on January 11, 9-10:30 a.m. in Commons Hall. We’ll spend the morning diving into Jesus’ statement in John 10: “I am the door of the sheep ... If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” Whether you’ve joined us before, or this would be your first time, we hope to see you there!

MEN’S MINISTRIES MEN’S BIBLE STUDY Wednesdays, 6:45-8:15 p.m. in Commons West On January 15 we will begin the new semester with the Book of Isaiah: Here is your God by Tim Chester. Bible Study meets on Wednesday nights in Commons Hall. The session combines teaching, table discussion, and fellowship. Light refreshments are provided. MEN’S BREAKFAST SERIES Saturday, February 1, 7:308:30 a.m. in Commons Hall

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

Join us for our Men’s Breakfast series: Leadership Essentials. Along with breakfast and fellowship, we will discover together the biblical principles and tools for godly leadership. We meet at 7:30 a.m. in Commons Hall. No registration is required. Invite a friend!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES (KIDS’ HARBOR)

GOD’S GOOD DESIGN CLASS, open to fourth and fifth grade students and their parents, Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on January 19, 26, February 2, 9, Registration required. FOLLOWING JESUS CLASS, Tuesdays at 3:45-5 p.m. on January 21, 28, February 4, 11 for fourth and fifth grade students, registration required.

SUNDAY MORNING Nursery (0-2) at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOL (KINGS MESSENGERS)

Bible school (preschool-third grade) at 9:30 a.m.

SUNDAY MORNINGS: 9:30-10:30 a.m., in the KMs room

At the 9:30 hour, fourth and fifth graders begin with their families in the service (or an Adult Community) until dismissed for Bible school. Wonders of Worship “WOW” (K-third grade) dismissed during second half of 11 a.m. service Children’s church (older preschool) during second half of 11 a.m. service Children’s church (younger preschool) at 11 a.m. SUNDAY EVENING Nursery will resume on January 12. God’s Children Sing will resume on January 12. CHILDREN’S CHOIRS Children’s Choir will resume on January 12 KIDS’ HARBOR FALL WEDNESDAY MINISTRIES KIDS KORNER: 9:30-11 a.m., Kids Korner will resume January 15 Evening Programs: 6:45-8:15 p.m., clubs will resume January 15. KIDS’ HARBOR EVENTS FAMILY OPEN GYM, Saturday, January 25, 9-11 a.m.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: 6:45-8:15 p.m. in the Crossings.

HIGH SCHOOL (HYACKS) HYACKS will resume on January 12. SUNDAY MORNINGS at 9:30 a.m. in the Crossings. Enter through the door across the street from the Chase ATM. Baxter will be teaching on the Book of Hebrews. Afterwards, you are welcome to walk over to the Sanctuary with us for the 11 a.m. church service and sit together. WEDNESDAY MORNING: 6:30-7:30 a.m. Men and Women of Courage groups meet every other week. Women meet in Welsh Hall and men meet in the Crossings conference room. A time of Bible reading, prayer, worship and Scripture memorization. WEDNESDAY NIGHT: 7-8:30 p.m. Large group gathering (in Crossings) and small group gatherings (location varies per group) alternates weekly.

COLLEGE GROUP Will resume on January 19. AFTER HOURS: Sunday evenings, 6-7:30 p.m. in the Crossings

STARS DISABILITY SUNDAY Children/Adult/Multi-Generational Sunday classes meet at 9:30 and 11 a.m. starting January 5. STARS Choir resumes on January 12. Praise in Action resumes on January 15. Family Feud Game Night: January 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in C002 Friday Night Fun: January 17, 6:308:30 p.m. in the Commons Gym

SIGNS OF LOVE January 5 and 19, 3:30-5 p.m. in the Crossings conference room.

BECOMING ONE is a class for engaged, soon-tobe-engaged and newly married couples. Topics covered include a gospel-centered marriage, roles in marriage, communication and conflict, intimacy, and a panel discussion with Q&A (including topics of finances, relationships, expectations and more). Becoming One consists of one day-long class with other couples, an online assessment, and two personal sessions with a mentor couple. Meets Saturday, January 25, 2025, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and includes lunch. $50 fee per couple covers online assessment, lunch and materials (only one registration needed per couple). continued on next page

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

ARTSPACE Details on page 9.

MEMBERSHIP Ready to participate fully in the life and ministries of College Church? Come find out about College Church’s history, core beliefs, ministries and what it means for you to be a member. This membership opportunity will be Saturday, February 8, from 8 a.m.noon; registration is requested. For more info, contact Christy at membership@collegechurch.org, or call (630) 668-0878, ext. 175.

ABOUT US LUNCH

Under the Radar

Facilities

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION

What did it take to decorate College Church properties for Christmas 2024?

Through his camera lens, William North draws you into the ways Mayslake Hall highlights and amplifies its bucolic setting, creating space for contemplating and enjoying nature. Join us Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. for a two-hour reception, and meet the artist. All ages; under 13 with an adult. Free. No registration. Questions? Call 630-206-9566.

Are you new to College Church or would you like to learn more about us? If so, you’re invited to a special lunch on Sunday, January 19, at noon in 211 (our previous library space on the second floor above the Sanctuary). Come and meet pastors and staff, learn about College Church, and find out how you can get involved. Lunch is on us! RSVP to help us plan.

Forest Preserve Location: Mayslake Peabody Estate

KEENAGERS

Overshadowed Theatrical Productions present “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” January 17-Feb 1. Visit www.overshadowed. org/shows-events for tickets and theater location.

Keenagers start the new year together on Friday, January 17. Come enjoy the music of the DuPage Symphony Trombone Quartet. The evening begins with a reception at 5:30, dinner at 6, and the program at 7 p.m. Reservations are required by January 16 by emailing keenagers@collegechurch.org. The cost is $10 per person, payable that evening.

OPERA Wheaton College Opera MainStage: Into the Woods, January 15-18, 7:30-9 .m. at the Armerding Center for Music and the Arts Concert Hall. Visit www.wheaton.edu/calendar for information and tickets.

THEATER

GRACE MARRIAGE Save the Date: Saturday, March 22, 8:30–10 a.m., in the Crossings.

ANSWER KEY FROM PAGE 4.

FACTS

The scope of the project included three large buildings with multiple lobbies, and large interior and exterior spaces that were configured the Saturday after Thanksgiving to be ready for the following Sunday morning, the first week of Advent. To accomplish this task, the facilities department implemented organization, promotion, recruitment and management of dozens of volunteers, the involvement of staff, the use of a large inventory with scores of poinsettias, 16 trees, over 40 wreaths, 20 hurricanes and candles, thousands of lights and the coordination of schedules and departments. This past year marked our third Annual Christmas Set-Up Party on November 30, where highschool aged and older joined in to deck the halls for the season and then headed down to the gym for pizza and dodgeball mania.

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

NEW MEMBERS KRISTOPHER & HEATHER ANDERSON

MATT & LIZ FARBER

JONATHAN BARRETT

MAIS KHOURY

The Andersons have been married 35 years and have three adult sons. Kris, the son of a career Amy officer, now works as a transaction tax attorney working in the IT industry. Heather has worked at Outreach Wheaton for 33 years where she is the senior therapist and associate director of a counseling program for at risk youth.

Jonathan is from Normal, Illinois, and came to Wheaton to attend Wheaton College. As a Wheaton grad, he is involved in the 20s ministry and works in software development. He likes to read and play pickleball!

NOËL BEYER

Noël and her husband, Roger, have three adult children, including Allison who is one of our STARS. Noël is a small group leader in Women’s Bible Study and enjoys bringing women together to get to know them, having fun or over a meal. She works in the insurance industry.

The Farbers were high school sweethearts and have been married 17 years and have four children. His parents are members Ed and Joey Simon. Matt works as an investment lawyer. He serves with Boys Brigade, and Liz with Pioneer Girls. Liz is a nurse practitioner and homemaker.

Mais is married to Ziad, and they have one daughter. Mais was born in Amman, Jordan, and moved to the U.S. when she was two years old. She is a stay at mom now, taking a break from her career in marketing and presentation design.

ETHAN KIM

Ethan has lived in New Jersey, the UK, Hong Kong and Wheaton. A recent Wheaton College graduate, Ethan married Becca Losey in the fall. He is working in finance at the time, with hopes to go into cross cultural missions work in the future.

REBECCA BRUSH

Rebecca grew up in this area with her parents, Jim and Susan Brush, and her younger brother. She works at the Glen Ellyn Park District as the assistant facility manager. At College Church she is involved in Life Together and a 20s ministry small group.

EMMA COOKSEY

Emma is from Honolulu, Hawaii, and made the decision to stay in the area after graduating from Wheaton College with a degree in music pedagogy. She now works as the administrative assistant to Erik Dewar and the worship and music ministry at College Church, as well as an early childhood music instructor at the Community School of the Arts at Wheaton College.

JEFF & RACHEL KONDRASCHOW

Jeff and Rachel met on the track team at Valparaiso University. They married in 2006 and have four young children. Jeff is an in-house tax accountant for a testing, inspection and certification company. Rachel is a former elementary school teacher and now a full-time homemaker.

MIKE LEONARD

Mike married Lisa Speranske in May, and they have five adult children between them. Mike has had careers practicing intellectual property law and design engineering and now provides home remodeling services. He enjoys riding his motorcycle in his free time.

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

God Centered Life is an independent, listenersupported ministry that brings the preaching and teaching of Pastor Moody to all corners of the globe. Listeners from more than 200 countries visit the GCL website for resources. A broadcast listener shared this: “I live and work in Japan. My wife is Japanese and not a believer. We have two daughters. There has been a lot of pressures, suffering and difficulties. But I am hopeful, holding on to God’s wonderful promises. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. God bless God Centered Life…” This global ministry is here for you, College 20 Church. Use it to augment your daily devotions and re-listen to pastor Moody’s sermons throughout the week. Or get it in your email daily. Download the God Centered Life app and listen to the daily podcast, wherever you get your podcasts.

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

MILESTONES

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER

BIRTHS

Call the church office or email info@college-church.org for details on these prayer meetings.

Axel Thomas Nilsson was born to Michael and Emma DeLew on November 21 in London, England. Axel’s paternal grandparents are Jon and Barb DeLew.

SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER: 8:15-8:40 a.m., meets in the Commons board room

Graham David was born to Josh and Paige Lawrenz on November 14 in Nashville (TN). He joins his brother Haddon and sister Lily. Graham’s paternal grandmother is Ann Lawrenz. Caelan William was born to Jameson and Paige Winfield Cunningham on October 9. Caelan joins his siblings Beatrice, Rian and Gray. His paternal grandparents are Jay and Paige Cunningham.

SIGNS OF LOVE DEAF MINISTRY POTLUCK & PRAYER: New: Building Bridges event, at 3:30-5 p.m., in Crossings. Meets every other Sunday. January dates are January 5 and 19. MIDWEEK PRAYER MEETING: Wednesdays now at noon via Zoom JANUARY 1: No Meeting

DEATHS Pray for the family and friends of STAR Cheryl Newing, who passed away on December 13. Pray for Amy (Lenny) Johncola and family as they grieve the loss of Amy’s father, who passed away on December 2. Pray for Heidi Thompson and family as they grieve the loss of Heidi’s daughter, Cara, who passed away on November 27. Pray for Dan (Charlene) Miller and family as they grieve the loss of Dan’s mother, Liz, who passed away on November 22.

JANUARY 8: Tim S, discipleship and training in Africa JANUARY 15: Elizabeth M., evangelism and discipleship JANUARY 22: Phil & Jessica Smith, First Love International, organizational leadership, worldwide JANUARY 29: John & Vivi Wickberg, administration and translation, U.S. PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: Fridays, 12-1 p.m. in the Board Room. AARON-HUR PRAYER FELLOWSHIP will meet on Thursday, January 9, at 7 p.m. at the home of Everett and Marcelyn Peterson, 127 Westminster Drive in Carol Stream (630784-0569). Our guests will be Steve and Mirian Cox, serving in Brazil.

Check out the online resource to learn about and to share Pastor Dewar’s worship songs. https://www.gloryandgladnessmusic.com

BARNABAS PRAYER FELLOWSHIP hears from Debby Nichols about the work she and Greg do in and near the Czech Republic when the group meets on Wednesday. January 15, at 1:30, in the Patio Dining Room at Covenant Living at Windsor Park on North Avenue. Men and women are welcome to visit or join the group for prayer for missionaries.

The Faces of Caring Network SARAH LINDQUIST

s of November 2024, Caring Network had reached 803 women who were pregnant and at risk of aborting their babies, saved 496 babies, and shared the Gospel with 170 women. 12 of them professed faith in Christ Jesus in our offices! Caring Network share Christ’s redeeming love with those in pain and in need of His grace. If we are faithful in sharing His truth, we know that God is not finished writing her story. Caring Network is privileged to show and speak of the unconditional love of Christ, and grateful that your support makes this possible. IMPACTFUL ULTRASOUND Olivia came to Caring Network feeling overwhelmed. She was shocked by her positive pregnancy test result at home. She had previous abortions and was afraid she’d never get pregnant again. Her boyfriend was initially supportive, and they planned to continue the pregnancy. A few days later, he changed his mind and told her she needed to have an abortion. By the time she arrived at Caring Network, she was set on aborting her baby. She had an ultrasound and found out she was already in her second trimester. Crying and stunned by seeing her beautiful baby, she said, “I know in my heart I won’t be able to have an abortion now.” Caring Network provided Olivia with information and resources, as well as spiritual encouragement to move forward in her decision to become a parent. After her session, she shared the ultrasound pictures with her boyfriend. Olivia said, “He completely melted,” and 22

now they are in a much better place than when they first searched for our services. Olivia’s mother even offered to help her take care of the baby. When Jamie came to Caring Network for help, she had just ended an abusive relationship. She was also pregnant, and had an abortion scheduled. Jamie did not consider carrying this baby until she met with a Caring Network consultant and was introduced to her child by ultrasound. That day Jamie learned that her unborn child was 17 weeks along, with beautifully formed features. She was moved;

yet with a heavy heart, she expressed her resignation to follow through with an abortion. Prayer partners, both inside and outside of Caring Network, lifted this mom and her child up in prayer. The day of her appointment came, and Jamie missed it. She scheduled a second appointment, as prayer continued, and her pregnancy consultant offered further support and encouragement. Then when the moment of truth finally arrived. Jamie turned back. She just couldn’t go through with the abortion. When asked what changed her mind, she said, “The ultrasound changed everything for me.”

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

RESOURCES MADE THE DIFFERENCE Lacy wanted to choose life for her baby, but she didn’t know if she would have the support she needed. She came to Caring Network where she discussed adoption and parenting, received an ultrasound, and was informed of resources available to her. After her ultrasound, Lacy said that she truly wanted to parent but needed to talk to the baby’s father. The following week, she brought him to Caring Network to see the ultrasound, hoping it would change his mind. Sadly, he still wanted her to have an abortion. Lacy began to think about what it might look like to be a single mom. Several weeks later, she let us know that she needed additional resources but was determined to choose life and parent her baby girl. After her daughter’s birth, Lacy said that she is so glad she made the decision to give life to her child. Michelle came to Caring Network feeling overwhelmed. She was already a young mom and couldn’t face another pregnancy. Michelle didn’t have a support system or resources to help. So, she was looking into having an abortion. During her appointment at Caring Network, her pregnancy consultant asked Michelle if she would feel differently if she had the resources she needed for parenting. Her consultant talked through the available Caring Network programs that could help--including the Connections program that would pair her with a group of women at a local church to come alongside her during her pregnancy. She signed up right away! Michelle began to feel hope for the future. She received a free ultrasound where she saw her baby move around on the screen. Afterward, she told her pregnancy consultant she couldn’t see herself moving forward with an abortion anymore. SACRIFICIAL MOTHER’S LOVE Tiffany recently got out of an abusive relationship with the father of her baby. She came to Caring Network when she

was in her third trimester. She already has a child and was unsure of how she would juggle a second child without the support of the baby’s father. Due to her Christian beliefs and being further along in her pregnancy, she decided to make an adoption plan for her baby. She kept in touch with her pregnancy counselor during the remainder of her pregnancy and also connected with an adoption agency. She chose a loving family for her child through the agency. With support, she made the bold, brave move to form an adoption plan for her baby. Praise God for rescuing Tiffany from abuse and giving her the strength and love she needed at just the right time! HEARTS TO OPEN TO CHRIST Ruth’s Caring Network pregnancy consultant kept in touch with her for more than a year, knowing that Ruth had gone through a previous abortion. She shared the Gospel and offered spiritual encouragement. Praise God that her consultant recently received this hopeful response: “I’m ready to be baptized. I want to live with the Lord and by His grace. I am a sinner in need of saving and know that I am lost without Christ.” What a transformation! Chelsea didn’t want to have an abortion but felt she had to go through with it. Afterward, the feelings of guilt and regret were overwhelming. She couldn’t believe what she had done. The thoughts of her abortion consumed her and she knew she needed help. A friend told her about the Restore program and she immediately reached out. She joined a group where she went through a Bible study called Forgiven and Set Free. She finally felt like she wasn’t alone. In the group, she not only connected with the other women but also grew in her relationship with God. She began to understand the depths of God’s forgiveness and started healing from the pain of her past abortion. Chelsea shared, “This experience changed my life…Restore is a wonderful program for any woman who is struggling with the pain after having an abortion.”

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS 40 DAYS FOR LIFE PRAYER On Saturday, January 11, 1-2 p.m., join the Sanctity of Human Life task force at 40 Days for Life’s year-round peaceful prayer vigil. Meet on Waterleaf pregnancy center’s property across from Planned Parenthood Aurora’s driveway.

SAVE THE DATE ILLINOIS MARCH FOR LIFE IN SPRINGFIELD On Tuesday, March 25, join hundreds of others in Springfield to stand for the value of every human life. Request the day off now. We are working on an option to travel together from College Church. If you’d like to assist with planning contact Kara at sohl@college-church.org. BABY SUPPLY NEEDS HAVE DOUBLED Did you know the number of financially needy families referred to the Caring Network Baby Bank in Wheaton has doubled? Bring diapers, wipes, baby lotion, shampoo, and wash, diaper cream, and formula to the crib (outside the sanctuary on the 1st Sunday of every month and in the Commons the rest of the month). Check out Everylife diaper company which funds pregnancy centers. https://everylife. com/ (20% off with auto renew. Use code LIVEACTION10 for an additional $10 off first order.) Or you can order from the Amazon wish list QR code to deliver directly to the Baby Bank.

Recommit to Gospel Now in 2025 If you’re the kind of person who reads every word of the weekly worship folder, you may have noticed a little box at the bottom that contains statistics on the Gospel Now project. As of January 2025, we have raised more than $4.1 million in gifts and pledges. After just eight months since the project launched back in May 2024, this is encouraging progress! What’s not so encouraging is the total number of gifts and pledges received—less than a third of the congregation. Why is this number discouraging? Because it means that we as a church are not yet fully behind this project. What is Gospel Now? It’s an invitation to everyone who calls College Church home to Pray, Give and Act for local outreach. Hopefully you’ve noticed the prayer cards available in the pew racks on the first Sunday of every month. These cards feature a memory verse and a series of prayer points to use as we pray together as a congregation. We’re also calling on everyone to commit to action by getting involved with the church’s ministries in some way. And we’re asking everyone to give financially to the Gospel Now project so we can accomplish three significant objectives: Create new accessible parking for disabled and elderly congregants, get the Crossings Building ready for a new phase of discipleship ministry, and retire the church’s debt. Currently our debt stands around $5 million, most of which is left over from our purchase of the Crossings Building. When the congregation voted to purchase the Crossings, we knew we were also voting to pay for its eventual renovation. Now the time has come to realize the full ministry potential of that facility. What is the building being used for now, and what kinds of renovations are needed? The second floor is currently not being used at all, but that’s where we envision our youth ministry taking place. There’s room up there for both our KMs and HYACKS groups, but we need to build walls and install sound barriers and put in stages for worship and create some good hang-out spaces. Our youth pastors and students are tremendously excited about this new space, but they can’t use it yet, because none of this work has been done. Currently our high-schoolers are meeting in the Clapham School, and on Sundays, our junior-highers meet on the gym level (the lowest level) of the Commons building in a room that’s too small for them. 24

The first floor of the Crossings Building will be used for our college ministry, Mom2Mom, our counseling ministry and community outreach. This floor actually is being used right now, but not to its full potential. Our ArtSpace ministry has its gallery there and holds gatherings and workshops in the conference room. The College Group meets on the first floor on Sunday mornings and evenings, but because there isn’t a kitchen there, they have to transport all their food over from the Commons. We have used part of the first floor for Sunday evening services, but if you’ve attended an evening service there, chances are you’ve noticed the acoustical challenges that have yet to be addressed. After renovations are done on the first floor, the College Group will be able to meet in an inviting café-themed space. The Mom2Mom ministry will use the first floor for their meetings and have a place for kids to play during the cold winter months. Small groups will use the Living Room spaces for hosting informal gatherings in a comfortable environment. And our counseling ministry will have access to private meeting rooms. College Church has many wonderful, fruitful ministries that are operating at a fraction of their full effectiveness due to lack of good space. The Crossings Building will put an end to that, but first it needs to be remodeled. That’s where the Gospel Now Project comes in, and that’s where we need your help. We need everyone who calls College Church home to get involved in this project. If you haven’t seen and experienced the Crossings Building for yourself, ask a pastor or a Gospel Now team member for a tour. Come to the March 12 Open House Commitment Event. If every College Church member and regular attender upped their giving by a third over the next three years, we would achieve our financial goals for Gospel Now. That would enable us to complete the parking project, utilize the Crossings Building properly, and pay down the church’s debt. That’s a worthy and achievable goal! But we can’t get there without everyone’s participation. Let’s all start 2025 off right by committing to Give, Pray, and Act on behalf of local outreach through the ministries of College Church. Let’s proclaim the Gospel—Now. GOSPEL NOW LEADERSHIP TEAM Jeremy and Nancy Taylor Eric Schlickman Eric Ollila Pastoral liaison: Jim Johanik David Gieser

JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

at the

BOOKSTALL MUD, BULLETS AND OPEN ROADS

THE GREAT LOVE OF GOD

by David Robinson

by Heath Lambert

is the story of an ordinary life lived in obedience to God with extraordinary consequences. Through testing and opposition, hardship and bereavement, the joy of conversions and the ups and downs of church planting, God is faithful.

The world is a cruel place, full of hate, betrayal, failure, etc. The Great Love of God provides an accessible, passionate exploration of how the divine love casts out fear, provides ultimate hope, and never fails.

Bookstall Price: $12

Bookstall Price: $17

EVERYDAY GOSPEL

THE GOSPEL A-Z

by Paul David Tripp

by Sarah Hull and Hannah Green

This is Paul Tripp’s latest daily devotional where he connects all of Scripture to every day life and points to the Gospel. It contains a 365 day Bible reading plan. Bookstall Price: $26

Familiar words and ideas provide an engaging and child-friendly way into the gospel story for little ones and early readers in this lovingly-illustrated A-Z. Bookstall Price: $12

Bible-Reading Plans Pick up your copy of the Discipleship Journal Bible reading plan, available for free at the bookstall. Most days of the year, this reading plan coincides with Pastor Moody’s daily Bible-reading devotionals.

Visit the Shepherd Shelf Between the fireside and the bookstall checkout desk, we are building a “Shepherd Shelf,” a curated collection of books our pastors and directors are referencing in their varied counseling and Christian living situations. Be sure to check out this new “Shepherd Shelf.”

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JANUARY 2025 CONNECTIONS

O P E N I NG H EA RT S , H OM E S & L I V E S The stories in the Book of Acts form an epic tale of the start of the church. Peter and Paul stand out as fathers in the family that is the church. Philip, Barnabas, John Mark—they all stand as early followers of Jesus as they blaze the trail that is the birth and growth of the church in the midst of deadly opposition from the Jews and the Romans. One other person stands out to me as an inspiration. That person is Lydia. She is said to be the first convert in Europe. In Acts 16, heeding the instruction from his vision, Paul heads for Macedonia. So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Acts 16:11-15) Lydia is said to be a worshiper of God. She is open to hearing the good news. The account tells us that God opens her heart to believe. Once her heart opened to Jesus, her home followed. In gracious response, Lydia opened her home to Paul and his entourage. She was hospitable and so the preachers had a place to stay. The church, too, had a place to meet and find rest. She opened her home in another way. Her conversion involved not only herself, but all the people of her house. The gospel flowed from Lydia to the people of her household. Home involved more then than now. Not only relatives were her household but also the servants of her home and purple fabric business. She and her home were really a person and place of lifechanging opportunity. We should all ask ourselves how we measure up to Lydia’s openness to the Lord and his people. Perhaps in 2025, we can strive in one little way how we might be more like Lydia in our relationship to Jesus and in our giving of all that we are to advance the church of Jesus Christ. 27