Coffee and Fellowship at Friendship Manor

Several members of the Church of Peace United Church of Christ enjoyed coffee with residents of Friendship Manor this morning, October 18, 2011. This fellowship time was organized by our Parish Nurses, Mary Oelschlaeger and Nancy Olsen.
We gathered at 10 am for coffee and delicious coffee cakes.
There was a brief time of speaking when Carla McGreevey read about coffee cups and the coffee that fills them. The coffee itself is like the gift of life that God gives. The cups are our efforts to distinguish ourselves from others. What we really enjoy is the coffee.

Light Mission Pentecostal Church Workday

On Sunday, Epimaque of the Light Mission Pentecostal Church (LMPC) told me that he had the week off from work and that he would bring a group by the church on Tuesday to help out. Well, today he came by and was joined by members of the church. They said they wanted to help because they appreciate the hospitality.
Two fellows joined Ed Johnson in the kitchen to help prepare lunch for the children from the neighborhood and from the Intersession program.

One of the women from the church helped out with the childcare program on the third floor that is provided for the infants and toddlers of the ELL adult students. She and her baby fit right in.
Another fellow helped by cleaning windows in the church. A constant need.
And most helped in the garden, raking downed leaves and picking up trash that gets lodged in the little nooks and crannies around the big church campus.

Their help in keeping the church beautiful is much appreciated.

Inter Session, October 2011

The Rock Island School District #41 is on its fall break and the Church of Peace United Church of Christ decided to continue the Family Literacy Program that takes place at the church. So with help from the Doris and Victor Day Foundation and United Way of the Quad Cities we are providing English as a Second Language instruction for adults, a daycare program for the young children of these adult learners, and for the inter-session time, a reading focused program for the elementary age children of these adult learners. The church is a busy place with programming on all three floors!

On our first day we had 27 in the elementary age group, 21 in the daycare, and over 40 adult learners pursuing their study of the English language.

One of the really strong developments this fall semester is that we have been able to provide small group instruction for adults that is more closely sorted according to level of English competency. This is made possible with the help of volunteers. And many of these volunteers are credentialed teachers with years of experience! How fortunate for our new immigrant and refugee learners.


Another source of volunteers is Augustana College and St Ambrose University. The students provide a freshness and enthusiasm that is very positive. Additionally, our adult learners are relatively young adults, and they relate well with the college and university students.

Finally, because school is not in session the church is able to provide breakfast and lunch to the students through the Illinois State Board of Education nutrition program. With children bussed down from the Academy we had over 125 folks enjoying lunch yesterday. We had to set up extra tables and chairs in the fellowship hall!

Busy church

On a recent Tuesday I arrived a little later that my usual time and was unable to park in my regular spot in the parking lot. I counted seventeen cars! I count that a good problem. Lots going on at the church even on a Tuesday morning. The Church of Peace has become a seven day a week church.

NAMI Walk

On Saturday, October 1, a group of walkers from the Church of Peace participated in an event sponsored by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill that took place at Schweibert Park in Rock Island. From Left to right we are Ernie Colclasure, Mary Oelschlaeger, Molly McGreevey, George Oelschlaeger, Rebecca Swartz, Nancy McConnell, Tom McGreevey and Michael Swartz. This walk raises money for services to mentally ill persons, and also helps combat the stigma that is sometimes associated with these diseases. Nancy Olson, one of the parish nurses at the church helped coordinate our team.

It was a beautiful day and we had an enjoyable time. We joined hundreds of other walkers for the event.