G.I.F.T. (Growing in Faith Together)
What questions do you wrestle with in your faith? How can you deepen your relationship with God? What are we called to do in this world as Christians? This is a time when adults of all ages gather together to learn, share, and grow in their faith. A variety of different series and opportunities are planned throughout the year and are offered from different ministries within Southminster like Creation Care, Discipling, Mission & Social Justice.
G.I.F.T. Classes
Cloud of Witness Testimonies
Cloud of Witness Testimonies on Sundays August 4 and August 11
Two faith stories will be shared. In the past, we have been blessed when people share their stories—please come, listen, and be encouraged by these stories of trusting in God. For those unable to attend we will record the presentations and provide the link in the eblast and on the website:
August 4 11:15 AM: Cheryl Warmann’s faith story
August 11 11:15 AM Kathy Gudonis’ faith story
Music After Worship
August 18 11:15 AM: Come hear Marshall Hjertstedt perform a different kind of music, some of his original songs that put life in perspective. His original song, Merry-Go-Round sums up his life as a musician and his approach to songwriting, “I’ve got something to say, but I just don’t know how to say it. So I wrote this song.” Song writing became a way to condense and express the emotions the world stirs up in us all, a way to put life in perspective. Marshall will have his CDs to buy with the donations going to the church. Be sure to come and hear this treasure within our own midst! To learn more about Marshall see More about Marshall Hjertstedt: below!
August 25 11:15 AM: “Old hymns of Faith Sing along” The old hymns of Faith tell stories in a melodic, unique way. Bill Bauza will accompany his wife Marg’s singing. We’ll project the lyrics on the screen. If there’s a favorite you wish to hear, let Bill (bauza2015@comcast.net) or Marg know ahead of time so we’ll have the lyrics ready too. An old-fashioned hymn sing will bring smiles to everyone’s face!
More about Marshall Hjertstedt:
You may think you know him, someone who plays the guitar and sings nearly every Sunday for Southminster. But did you know…
- that he is a founding member of Central Road?
- an award-winning composer?
- a recording artist?
- a regular at Hey Nonny in downtown Arlington Heights and at the Copper Fiddle Distillery?
- both a solo performer and with his band, Marshall and the Deputies?
There is so much more to know about Marshall Hjertstedt! His singing career began with a junior high talent show – and the girls screamed! And he never looked back! Music has always been Marshall’s true love, even as he put it aside to raise a family and pursue a successful career as an architect. He came back to music, recorded three CDs, Overflow of the Heart in 2007, Painting the Scene in 2012 which received excellent reviews and local airplay, and Carnivals & Other Tragedies in 2018,
Also consider joining his friends at Hey Nonny on August 24th!
Be sure to check out his website: marshallsongs.com.
Past G.I.F.T. Series
Video Recordings
Creation Care Movie
Men’s Breakfast
Saturday June 22nd
Thanks to the 35-38 men who turned out for breakfast and a very enlightening presentation by Mark Thompson on the history and constitutional aspects of our United States government. The food was outstanding and everyone learned aspects about our government that we weren’t aware of.
For those interested in listening to Mark’s presentation, Click Here for the link.
Mark Thompson’s background:
Southminster member Mark Thompson has had a very interesting, varied career. He is a former Assistant State’s Attorney, former judge in the State’s administrative legal system, former Deputy Director in the enforcement division of the Illinois Secretary of State, former Legal Counsel to the Lt. Governor, and now Deputy General Counsel for Professional Regulation in the Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation overseeing legal issues related to professional licensure. During his senior year of college, he was a Congressional intern in the House of Representatives in Washington. He also was an adjunct professor in the 1990s teaching government and the Constitution. He has a BA in history and political science from Augustana College and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law. He has been a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois since 1980. In addition, he holds licenses to practice before the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals, and in March 2024, he was granted a license to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
June 2 part Series
2 part series Sundays June 2 & June 9
The Discipling Team will be hosting “What is the Soul?” over two after-worship discussions, June 2 and June 9. We would be very pleased if you would join us and share your ideas!
The current Christian understanding of an immortal soul, separable from the body, first came into existence as a result of the powerful influence of Greek thought in the early church. The early church came to believe God breathed the soul into the body at conception and then it separated again at death. Curiously, however, no one in the Bible spends much time discussing or opining on just how this all works and what a soul is.
We are going to spend some time discussing our own thoughts and beliefs about the soul, its origins, its existence and its fate. We will also venture into non-Christian and secular traditions and beliefs to inform parts of our conversation. We will discuss whether ‘soul’ is a universal attribute of living creatures, or unique to humanity.
Click Here for the video from June 2 and here for Questions to consider before June 9.
Click Here for the Video from June 9.
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