WORSHIP

...worshiping God in Spirit, with enthusiasm and devotion...

Traditional Worship Service
A reverent atmosphere, hymns sung from hymnals accompanied by an organ, moving organ preludes and offertories as well as choral anthems are highlights of the service. The Traditional Service continues at 11:00 am on Sunday mornings.

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Sanctuary Choir
The choir supplies anthems and special music for the Traditional Worship Service throughout the year. The Choir meets for rehearsal on Thursday nights.

Handbell Bell Choir
This choir plays for worship on special occassions. Their presentation is always a welcomed highlight to the service.

KFC - Kids for Christ Choir
This choir of 1st - 4th graders meets on Sunday mornings during the last half of the 9:30 Contemporary Worship Service. They learn songs ranging in genres from Charles Wesley hymns to Veggie Tales tunes. Every new song is an adventure and lesson in its own when learning points or activities are incorporated.
The choir occassionally performs in the Contemporary Worship Services.

Contemporary Worship Service
At 8:15 and 9:30 am on Sunday mornings Thornton Woerner, Director of Music, and gifted volunteer musicians continue to lead praise worthy music in this service. The service features up-tempo music, a relaxed, come-as-you-are atmosphere, innovative use of drama, video and other fine arts. All these combine to lead participants into the presence of God.

Programming Team
This team plans and programs all of the Contemporary Services throughout the year. During monthly meetings they enhance worship by synchronizing songs, drama and video with sermon content.

Praise Band
This team practices with the Praise Singers on Wednesdays evenings and energizes Contemporary Worship Services. The band typically includes an electric guitar, an acoustic guitar, an electric bass guitar, keyboard, and drums.

Praise Singers
Four Praise Teams made up of 4 - 5 members rotate each week and help lead the congregational singing every Sunday morning for the Contemporary Worship Services. Members model an attitude of praise and the congregation is led to worship God.

Tech Team
This team operates the audiovisual equipment for the Contemporary Worship Services each week. Every Sunday we count on these people to make all the music, audio visual, and Pastor Joe sound good. They are unseen, unheard, but never unnoticed. This is perhaps the hardest job on a Sunday morning. Being able to think fast on their feet and handle last second issues that can occur on a Sunday morning are what make these folks great.

Drama Team - InACTION
We are blessed to have many actors and actresses of all ages. Under the leadership of Nancy Carlson, this troupe always brings home the message of the Word of God in the most powerful ways. The group practices on an as needed basis. For more information click the link below.

PRAYER

praying without ceasing, that God's will be done in our lives and in the world

Flowers & Cards
Cards are sent to those in the hospital or recovering at home, sympathy cards, cards for families with new babies, as well as timely "thinking of you" and Christmas cards to our shut-ins and "Boosters." The single rose buds that "appear" on the Lord's Supper table in the church auditorium on Sunday mornings celebrate new births in the congregation and are provided by this team.

Prayer Chain
Members can confidentially submit prayer requests via an email address, prayerchain@chathampresbyterian.org. These are accessed only by password.

Visitation
Caregivers (formerly known as Deacons) visit and make phone contact with members who are hospitalized and homebound. This is a way for us to stay in contact and express Christian love in Christ's name.

Home Communion
Two Home Communion Teams offer communion visits on the 1st Sunday of the month for those who are unable to attend worship services. After education/instruction from Pastor Joe Eby, and with session approval, Caregivers serve the elements during home communion visits.

Meals
This team coordinates the congregation's ministry in providing meals for families after funerals and for those who are recovering at home after hospitalizations. Church members are enlisted to prepare and deliver meals during these challenging times in families' lives. Everyone's support in these efforts is greatly appreciated.

Odd Jobs
This new ministry offers assistance with simpler "odd jobs" around the homes of our shut-ins, (e.g. installing furnace filters, hanging blinds, etc.)

College/Military Members
The Caregivers work to enhance communication with college youth and those of our membership in the military. Ideas have included sending the church newsletter, "care packages", email contacts, etc.

STUDY

studying and applying God's word to our daily lives

Rally Day
Rally Day kicks off the Sunday School year with a "bang" on the Sunday after Labor Day each year. One unified worship service is followed by a potluck meal. Bibles were presented to all 3rd graders during the service. Intergenerational activities and program follow the meal.

Nursery
Anna Gathard teachs a nursery Sunday School class. She uses songs and puppets to interest babies from about 6 months to 2 years old. The babies who participate are happy to sit with Anna and learn about Jesus & the many blessings God gives to us. We have increased the number of babies in Anna's class this year. Something Anna is very happy about.

2 & 3 year olds
The preschoolers are taught using a storybook curriculum that appeals to the two and three year olds. They love being read to, coloring and playing with Play-Doh, and having a small snack during the Sunday School hour. This class averages five to seven per week per week.

Pre-K
The kids in this class adore their leaders. They are learning to love Jesus. The average attendance is between nine to twelve children each Sunday.

Master's Adventure (grades 1-5)
This workshop rotation model Sunday School continues to interest the children who attend as they rotate through different classrooms and teachers. Each week they are inspired by a unique "hands-on" lesson. Those who teach continue to be pleased with the short term commitment.
Each class is assigned a "shepherd" who accompanies them to Sunday School and provides consistency within this new format.
Classes this year are: 1st & 2nd grade, 3rd & 4th grade Boys, 3rd & 4th grade Girls, 5th grade. We average 30 children each week.
The classrooms this year are: The Temple, The Garden, The Oasis, Mary & Martha's Hearth (the kitchen), and Masterminds Computer Lab.

6th & 7th Grade
This middle school class meets for Sunday School. The attendance is usually 12-15. Two teachers lead this class cooperatively.

8th Grade
This additional middle school class was added because of it's growing numbers.

High School
This class meets in the 9:30 a.m. each week.

"The Firm Foundation Class"
The leaders of this class change from time to time based on the topic. They meet at 9:30 a.m. Sunday's in the Parlor.

WWJD Day Camp
Day Camp is held mid summer each year. There are usually 40 to 50 children in attendance. Middle and High School students serve as Team Leaders and adults assist throughout the week.
The children work on projects for groups like Contact Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Kumler Neighborhood Ministries, Mini O'Beirne Crisis Nursery, Mercy House, Illinois Presbyterian Home, Daily Bread of Chatham, Chatham Food Pantry and also senior adults from the congregation. Projects also included collecting food for the Central Illinois Food Bank and Helping Hands shelter for the homeless.

Confirmation
Classes for confirmans are held on Sunday during the Sunday School hour (typically during their 8th grade year). The students enjoy studying about their faith and beliefs. Each is paired with an adult mentor from the congregation for the duration of the class.

Kids for Christ
This one half hour program is offered for four and five year olds during the second half of the 8:15 am service. Kids for Christ Choir meets for 1st through 4th graders at this same time.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
The VBS curriculum "God Calls Us Around the World" used last summer "took" children to a different country each night. The children "travelled by plane" to the country and learned about that country's customs, missionaries, foods, traditions, games, and music.

The students got to hear letters written by real missionaries about the needs of these countries.

Throughout the week, loose change was collected that totalled over $200. The money was used to sponsor Heifer projects in three of the five countries "visited" druing the week.

Dorothy E. Wiley Circle
"Pray. Have faith. Be the one to get something started."
Dorothy E. Wiley, 1970

The Circle, a monthly women's small group, bases its studies on books chosen group designed to strengthen spiritual lives of the group members. In the past books by authors like Fran Sciacca and Max Lucado have been used.
The Dorothy E. Wiley Circle welcomes newcomers to join the group on the fourth Monday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the library for study and fellowship in Christ.

We continue to conduct background checks on all adults working with children as a precautionary measure to protect the children who come to Sunday School and the church.

FELLOWSHIP

building community together and living by the example of Jesus Christ

C.R.A.F.T. Night
(Creating, Relaxing and Fellowshipping Together)
The name really says it. This group meets to share a relaxing evening together around a common interest in crafts. We meet from 6:30 until 8:30 pm at the church on the second Monday of each month and are open to all women in our congregation and their guests. We schedule programs in which someone shares a new technique with the group. Ocassionally we each bring whatever craft project we were currently trying to complete from home and work on it as we chat together.

If you have a special craft or hobby interest you'd be willing to share, we'd like to hear from you; and we certainly invite you to join us anytime. This group's common interest in crafts and time spent chatting and sharing ideas with one another has branched out into other related events throughout the year, as well.

Cookie Walk
The idea for this fund-raising event was born at a C.R.A.F.T. Night gathering and has become an annual event, usually scheduled for a Saturday in early December. Members of the church supported the sale by donating baked goods or working to make it happen. We have "regulars" from the community who come every year now to get their holiday cookies and candies from us. Funds raised from this event will support various mission projects and church needs.

CPC Ladies' Christmas Party
This another event born at CRAFT Night appeal to all the women of our congregation and their guests (regardless of level of creative interest). It allows us to mingle with those ladies we don't get to see every week because of our varied Sunday morning schedules. CPC ladies enjoy an evening together including a make-and-take Christmas crafts (after all it was C.R.A.F.T. Night), refreshments and a program of information and entertainment.
Mark your calendars now for the second Monday evening in December and plan to be a part of this annual party.

Meets and Eats
Each year, potluck dinners were held in the homes of various members on the third Saturday of February, April, June, August, and October. The purpose of Meets and Eats is to provide an opportunity for both old and new members to get to know each other in a more personal way, in a relaxed social setting. Through these dinners many new friendships have developed and grown. About 80 people participate. We continue to encourage others to join us for evenings of delicious food, lively conversations, and good old-fashion fun!

STEWARDSHIP

practicing faithful stewardship through giving of our money, time, and talents

Administrative Team
The Administrative Team provides administrative guidance and support in the areas of personnel, management, and finances for Chatham Presbyterian.
Projects include assisting in budget preparation, presentation to the Session, and monitoring; creating a job description for all staff positions and a system of staff evaluation; planning for an audit on church financial records; planning future staffing needs; updating the church's building use policy; and planning next steps after the completion of the Building in Faith campaign.

Building in Faith Campaign
The capacity campaign, Building in Faith, was kicked off in the spring of 2004 after the congregation supported the idea of expanding the church building and spreading our missions and ministries to meet the needs of a growing congregation. As members of Chatham Presbyterian Church, we challenged ourselves to make "equal sacrifices" toward raising $500,000 in pledges for this capacity campaign. By May, we embraced God's vision for our church and surpassed our goal of $500,000 and, by year's end we had pledges committing over $610,000!
Through 2007, a dedicated team of men and women will officially function as "keepers of the program," making sure that God's vision for our church is realized. These activities include monitoring the receipt of gifts, encouraging participation by new members, planning for the building of a new sanctuary, and identifying missions that will benefit from 10% of our received gifts.

Keeping faith with the past…
Sharing faith today…
Building in faith for the future.

MISSION

showing love, mercy and justice of Jesus Christ through service regardless of geographical boundaries

Crossroads Counseling Center
(A ministry of Chatham Presbyterian Church)
Crossroads Counseling Center ministry continues to be a unique service to our community serving eight to ten clients per week. Referrals continue to come in from a variety of sources, including congregation members, pastors, physicians, former clients & advertising.
Client's who take advantage of our services continue to feel blessed by the sliding fee scale that makes counseling more affordable. Counseling offered with integrity, professionalism and the love of Christ continue to be the highest goals of the center.

Link to Crossroads Counseling Center

Habitat for Humanity
CPC supported Habitat for Humanity - Sangamon County during 2005, as a member of a partnership of other Sangamon County churches and groups to construct a home for a family of four. CPC contributed financially and members supported the project with construction labor and prayer. Pastor Eby participated in both the kickoff and the dedication for the home.

Your prayers and support, both financial and physical, for Habitat for Humanity are greatly appreciated.

For more information about local projects click on the links below:

Link to Sangamon County Habitat for Humanity

Link to Habitat for Humanity International

Group Workcamp 2007
A Group Workcamp was sponsored in Springfield and the surrounding area in June 24-30, 2007.

Link to Group Work Camps

Christmas Food Baskets
Small Groups organize the Christmas food baskets and delivery in conjunction with the Angel Tree ministry.

Numbered baskets are placed on the Angel Tree and are "purchased" by members of our congregation. This money is then used to purchase food items for families in need in the area. Donations by local businesses and church members provide families with all the "makings" of a Christmas dinner. Baskets are delivered by volunteers from our church families, many with children. The children see the needs in our community and participate in helping to meet the needs.

EVANGELISM

pursuing opportunities to share the Good News with confidence and without hesitation

Pie Ministry
Families who visit Chatham Presbyterian Church for the first time receive a "Presbyterian Pie" as a welcome gift during the week following their visit. Many thanks go to those who bake these delicious pies and deliver them. The pie ministry is an integral part of life at Chatham Presbyterian Church as we continue to reach out to new people and to welcome them into our family.