Announcements

New Associate Regional Minister for Clergy and Lay Education

We are delighted to announce the selection of Rev. Cassie Sexton-Riggs as the new Associate Regional Minister for Clergy and Lay Education for the Christian Church in Illinois & Wisconsin. Cassie will begin her ministry on Jan. 1, 2025.

Rev. Cassie Sexton-Riggs is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where she most recently served as Pastor of Union Avenue Christian Church in Litchfield, Il.

She brings a wealth of experience in leadership, spiritual care, and community engagement, deeply rooted in her work across congregations in Illinois, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Florida.

Cassie holds a Bachelor of Arts in American History with a focus on African American Pop culture, along with a minor in education and technical theater from Lynchburg College (now known as the University of Lynchburg). She also earned a Master from Divinity from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University (Go Frogs!).

Cassie is married to Michael Riggs, who serves as the Senior Minister at First Christian Church in Springfield, IL. Together they enjoy cooking and collecting vinyl records with their two rescue cats, Dewey and Domino.

Cassie will be based out of Springfield and her congregational care area will be in southern and western Illinois.  See our Interim Regional Minister, Rev. Rick Hamilton, introduce Cassie via video here.

New Paraments from the Webb family

Blessing of Paraments

This past Sunday, October 20th, we offered a special litany and prayer of consecration for new paraments for our communion table, pulpit, and lectern.  Additionally, the family has purchased clergy stoles in all four liturgical colors (green, purple, red and white) for all three of our ministers.  These were given in memory and honor of Bob and Wanda Webb and in the liturgical colors of green, purple, and red.  The green paraments have been used since August and will continue to be in use until December 1.  In Advent, we will switch to purple.  We will see purple again in Lent (late winter/early spring) and then red by Pentecost (spring) at the latest. 

Stewardship 2025 – Imagine Together!

Something to Think About – Imagine Together!

As we move into the month of October, our worship focus moves from Prayer to Community.  The theme for our annual stewardship campaign is “Imagine Together” and we will, indeed, seek to imagine what might be accomplished when we all come together for the sake of the Kingdom.  Our biblical focus will be the Letter of James, which is about the Christian community coming together and experiencing the benefits of that togetherness.  There are three (3) you can connect to our worship theme this month!

First, attend worship!  Here is what you can expect in terms of scripture and worship themes each week:

• October 6 James 4:13 – 5:19 Pastor Michael
• Caring for one another is more valuable than earthly treasures
• October 13 James 3:1 – 4:12 Pastor Vicky
• We are called to encourage and build one another up with our words
• October 20 James 2:1 – 3:1 Pastor Michael
• We are called love all others, not just certain “others”
• October 27 James 1:1 – 1:27 Pastor Melinda
• Putting faith into action

Second, sign up to participate in a weekly bible study, led by Pastor Michael, on the Letter of James.  We will read the entire letter and discuss significant portions of it.  Everyone is welcome!  Please sign up ( ) to a reserve a place.  Due to Pastor Michael’s travel schedule, this class will not begin until mid-October.  It will be held at the church, location TBD:

• Thursdays, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
• October 17, October 24, October 31, November 7

Finally, join us in a Daily Bible Reading project to begin Monday, October 7.  We are asking everyone to read a few bible verses from the Letter of James five (5) days a week for four (4) weeks.  If you keep up with the bible reading, you will be able to reflect on the same scripture we will have covered the preceding Sunday.  We will be reading the Letter James “back to front” (meaning, we will begin with chapter 5 and end with chapter 1).  This is the order we will be covering the material in worship on Sunday morning and we will say more about why that is this Sunday, October 6.  A Daily Bible Reading pamphlet will be made available on October 6 to help instruct you on what verses to read on which days.  Feel free to pick one up and follow along at home, during your own personal devotional time.