Our Pastors, Directors and Residents: Caleb Aulie, pastoral resident | Cheryce Berg, ministry director of children | Roger Burgess, pastor of visitation | Julie Clemens, ministry director of STARS disabilities | Erik Dewar, pastor of worship and music Matt Heaton, pastoral resident | Baxter Helm, high school pastor | Dan Hiben, middle school pastor | Tim Hollinger, technology director | Jim Johanik, pastor of evangelism | Ann Karow, human resources director | Howard Kern, facilities director | Ethan Kim, pastoral resident | Bruce Main, pastor of visitation | Josh Maurer, pastor of discipleship and care | Curt Miller, missions pastor | Josh Moody, senior pastor | Mindy Rynbrandt, ministry director for women’s discipleship and care | James Seward, pastor of community | John Seward, executive pastor Nancy Singer, director of administration and finance | Wil Triggs, director of communications Our
of Elders: Mark Bradley,
| Jay
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 August issue: July 9 | For the September issue: August 9 | For the October issue: September 9
332 E. Seminary, Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 668-0878 | www.college-church.org
CONTRIBUTORS
KEITH BODGER
is a recently retired environmental scientist. He and his wife, Melody, live in Wheaton and have two adult children. Keith serves in KMs and he and Melody, lead a small group. Keith enjoys writing and cooking in his newly found retired spare time.
PAT CIRRINCIONE
makes good use of her time reading, attending musicals and coffee and conversation with friends, old and new. She is devoted to praying for her grandchildren and writing. Her greatest joys are God and her family, and time with both makes for much joy and laughter.
GARY COOK
serves as the ministry associate for small groups at College Church and as an adjunct professor in theological studies. His pastoral experience and study of church history have given him a passion for faithful stewardship by the church of the essential truths of the Christian faith. Recently relocated from Texas, he and his wife, Karen, have two adult children: daughter Taddie, who serves in KMs, and son James, who serves on a church staff in Naperville.
RACHAEL CORAY
was the first art studio coordinator at STARS Family Services. She helps people develop their artistic skills at Plato Academy, Little Friends “Inklude” Art Studio and the DuPage Art League.
CHARLENE MILLER
preschool teacher, wife to Daniel, mom to Jonah—enjoys gardening, reading and painting.
LORRAINE TRIGGS
is in discussion with her 15 lavender plants about her dream of a backyard herb business. She and her husband, Wil, are excited about their devotional book, The Wondrous Cross (10 Publishing, a division of 10ofthose), that is coming out in January 2026.
WIL TRIGGS
serves College Church as director of communications and editor of Connections. This time of year he’s missing the summer camps they used to volunteer at in Russia and relishing the creative discussions of ArtSpace Gatherings (discussing Rembrandt Is in the Wind) and the Summer Book Group (discussing Scrolling Ourselves to Death).
KAYE WAUGH
and her husband, Kurt, have been members of College Church since 2019. She loves getting together with friends and families from College Church. A retired banker, Kaye’s passion is to start writing stories about seasoned missionaries, past and present.
FREEDOM FROM IDOLS
WIL TRIGGS | EDITOR
In his book Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller defined an idol as “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”
Given that definition, I find that I’m seeing idols in sports like Keith Bodger does in his “Lord’s Stanley’s Cup” or in personal achievement goals like Pat Cirrincione’s “God Had Other Plans.” Sometimes we may not even realize that the idol is obscuring the one true God on the other side of it—like Kaye Waugh found when tragic events tore away her idols, opening up the possibility of intimacy with the one true God. I remember the Kindergarteners as they chanted “money, money, money” with such glee, recalled in Lorraine Triggs’s “The Golden Calf Award,” or all the idols of culture and freedom and all things good in my own “Surrendering All.” Gary Cook’s “Idols in Our Time” provides a look at Christian idolatry from the early church until now, with insights in how to keep Christ at the center of our lives.
The anonymous Giving Joy column “Making Good Uses of Summer” can challenge us to set aside some idols and make room in our lives to do something new for God. If you missed the Pro-Life March this year, you can read the insights of several people who did participate in the report from the Sanctity of Human Life Task Force, and the Family Advocacy Task Force story from Charlene Miller “Back to School Shopping” gives us the opportunity to do some back-to-school shopping through donating gift cards along with notes and encouragements to children. You can also discover the latest on the plans and timing for the new parking lot in the Gospel Now feature.
Let’s live like there is nothing more important than God because that’s the truth. This summer, let God absorb our hearts and our imagination. May we yield ourselves to Jesus, that he might give what only he can to us. Let this be the month we find freedom from idols and the joy of the love of Jesus.
Let’s journey toward the Savior and cast off the idols we so easily collect.
dols in our
time
GARY COOK
God, the one true eternal God, is the creator of the heavens and the earth and the sovereign ruler of everything in existence. As such, he alone is worthy of worship by everyone. Since everything and everyone was brought into existence by God, nothing else and no one else should be worshiped. The Bible makes this very clear from cover to cover for its readers, recording the declarations God made about himself to his people in speech, in actions, in written discourse, in the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ, and even in creation itself.
“I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them.” (Exodus 20:2-5 NASB)
This truth seems very simple, very logical, and as such, irrefutable.
YES, BUT . . . THERE’S MORE
Yet the Bible also reveals another truth resulting from the fall: humans created by God in his very image chose—and continue to choose—to reject God and replace him with idols, gods of their own making. This, too, is addressed repeatedly and extensively throughout the Scriptures, from the time following Adam’s sin through the present age of the church.
The Apostle Paul describes this in his epistle to Christians of the church in Rome:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although
they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images (plural!) resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:18-25)
Alas! The transgression by the first humans, Adam and Eve, not only resulted in a sinful humanity but also ushered in the replacement of the one true God, as a now corrupted humanity imagined and crafted versions of gods that they worshiped. The brutal irony: sinful humanity rejected the living God who created them in his image and replaced him with gods of their own design, fashioned visibly for worship in wood, stone and precious metals. These gods—yes, there were many gods, not just one god—conformed to the image of what humanity believed a god should be like. These gods were worshipped primarily because people believed such gods could accomplish what they expected, such as victories over their enemies, fruitful produce in their fields, and ability to live as they desired.
IDOLS IN THE EARLY CHURCH
In the time of Paul and the other apostles, the culture of the Roman Empire was pervasive with the worship of idols. Such practice was ingrained into every stratum of everyday life. Idolatry was foundational to the economy, as we read in Paul’s visit to Ephesus, a city that produced substantial income from “silver shrines” to the goddess Artemis (Acts 19:23-41). Idols were discussed, debated and promoted among reputable academics, as described in Paul’s
encounter with philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:16-34).
One could expect that those who never knew the one true God or rejected testimonies about him would produce, worship and justify such idols. But surprisingly and sadly, though the one true God chose and called out a people to worship him, bring him glory and experience his acts of blessings and deliverance they, too, were susceptible—and at times succumbed—to turn from him to these false gods.
This is not a reality that ended in New Testament times. The existence of and temptation to fashion and worship idols exists even today. While there are religions that have continued the ancient practice of worshipping manmade idols, there is also a distinct and vastly different form of idolatry that has emerged in our current culture. Today’s society elevates and exalts human beings, even casting the term “idol” upon them in a casual way. Such persons, visible, tangible, charismatic and talented, are idolized and worshiped in a very different way than the gods of world religions. They are not prayed to, not anticipated to provide for human need, not expected to bring catastrophes on individuals or societies if disobeyed or deprived of tribute. But if not careful, because they are very visible and very real, they can subtly become elevated in one’s adoration, and even devotion, to a level of worship due only to the one true God.
CHRISTIAN IDOLATRY
And Christians, who confess God the Son incarnate, Jesus Christ, as worthy of worship, are not exempt from this temptation. Both inside and outside the church, believers can fall prey to exalting someone other than God the Father and God the Son, be they performers, professional athletes, politicians, pastors and teachers—even oneself.
continued on next page
Stop for a moment and think about Jesus Christ, God the Son. Think about who Jesus is, what he has done, and what he has been promised to do when he returns. Everything that has been recorded in the Bible—everything that has happened and is happening in the history of humanity and in the world—points to him. He knows you. He gave his life on the cross as a substitutional sacrifice for sin, was resurrected, ascended, and will return for you. Does any exalted human being compare to him?
The great irony of the person and work of Jesus Christ is that unlike today’s human idols who seek to exalt themselves and receive glory, he “being found in appearance as a man, humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 NASB, italics mine). Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, fully God and worthy of worship, came not to exalt himself, but to point to and glorify God the Father (John 1:3-4). He was and still is, by many in this world, unknown, neglected, ignored and mistreated. And though he was very visible and is very real, we have not yet seen him. Yet the living though unseen Son of God is worthy of worship even now because, as the Bible tells us,
God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-10)
The great danger when you or I are caught up in exalting and praising human beings is the place to which we relegate the Lord Christ whom, unlike these modern-day idols, we have yet to see visibly and tangibly. We minimize who Christ is, misremember what Christ has done, lose focus or even shift allegiance to Christ onto others. Charles Spurgeon, in his sermon of January 7, 1855, “The Remembrance of Christ,”
heightens the reality of the ability of even Christians to fall prey to worship of humans in place of Christ. “We forget Christ because there are so many other things around us to attract our attention. But, you say, they ought not to do so, because thought they are around us, they are nothing in comparison with Jesus Christ. Though they are in dread proximity to our hearts, what are they compared to Christ?”
The one true God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—alone are worthy of our worship.
Now it is not wrong, nor sinful, to appreciate the artistry of gifted individuals. What can happen if your exaltation and adoration of human talent and accomplishment is unchecked is a subliminal reduction or transference of one’s worship of God.
KEEPING CHRIST AT THE CENTER
Here are a few helpful reminders to keep Christ as the center of your focus in every setting:
• Our affections should not distract us from our allegiance to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:21). How often do we think of him? Have we forgotten him?
• Our applause should be paused, particularly if the intention and performance being observed not be in service to Jesus Christ, to praise him and glorify God the Father (Colossians 3:17).
• Our actions should be measured by our focus on bringing glory to God, remembering that every admirable human ability and accomplishment is a gift from God (Genesis 1:26-27).
• Our assignment as believers is to profess the truth of who God is and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to a culture captivated by and caught unaware in false worship (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
This can help put all other claimants to worship, no matter how high their per-
ceived pedestal is, in proper perspective. Good it is at this point to recall this mindset which should be emphasized daily: “Christ is Lord: We believe that a Christian must strive to live a life in which Christ is Lord of all thoughts, actions, and words.” (Standards of the Christian Life, College Church in Wheaton)
This does require a focus on Jesus Christ whom we have not yet seen, and a resistance to the temptation to exalt or worship anything or anyone else. May it be said of us that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all our thoughts, actions and words.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
God Had Other Plans
PAT CIRRINCIONE
Growing up I dreamed of becoming a Broadway star. I would watch Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron (to name a few of the many) dance and sing their way across the movie and stage for years. I avidly watched the Oscars, the Emmys and the Tony Awards, all the while dreaming of the day I would walk down the red carpet in a beautiful designer dress and jewels, with my handsome leading man at my side. What a life I would lead, performing on stages around the world, my name at the top of stage or movie marquees. I knew I would be great. But and there was a big but! I was such a quiet person that each year when I tried out for my grade school variety show (well, we all have to start somewhere), the director (our parish priest), would always place me in the chorus line, because he couldn’t trust me not to clam up on stage if he placed me in a more prestigious role. I also didn’t make it as Maria or as one of the nuns in the “Sound of Music” in high school (again, I was a dancer in the party scene). So, one year I decided to write my own play, and pranced around the stage playing Captain Hook, while everyone played basketball on the court just below the stage. My play only lasted for one performance; however, I didn’t allow any of these things to deter me.
In college I decided to major in theatre. My first semester, I made house manager, and in my second semester, I passed the musical auditions and was cast in “Once Upon a Mattress.” Excitement engulfed me until I walked into a scene I will never forget. I was heading down to the actors room after classes one day, opened the door, turned on the lights, and couldn’t begin to describe what I saw, and I quickly closed the door. Let’s just say it
was enough to make me not return the following semester, and I decided to enter the work force instead. And yet, the idol of stardom would not leave me alone, because I thought this was my primary calling for my life. Notice the words: “I thought.” That was the crux of the matter, but I didn’t yet realize what was going on. Performing, the roar of the crowd, the applause, it was what I wanted. Yet, in the background, was my writing, which I considered secondary to stardom, as was the God I did not yet know. I didn’t realize that I was worshipping, admiring, revering and making an idol out of my hold on the world of celebrity and its performers as inspirational and charismatic. I didn’t realize it was taking the place of God. I was holding onto stardom in excessive regard. To me idols were statues people prayed to, not something that hindered me from worshipping my dream. God was not even someone I was praying to at the time, so my focus was totally self-centered and self-oriented. Ugh! At that time in my “unborn” phase of life, fame was my priority, and the stage was the center of my naïve life, what more did I need? Well, as it turns out, I needed a whole lot more. Instead, I began to meet real live stars and even received a dinner invitation from one of them. However, as I spoke to them about their lives, I began to realize that for them acting and performing was a job. It was a job they enjoyed. It was a job they worked very hard at perfecting. It was their gift, and it was very time consuming if you expected to see your name in lights. It wasn’t something one did alone, but with a whole lot of help from many people. Yet, instead of discouraging me, it made me want it more. The idea of stardom still held me in its grip, and it did allow me some fun moments. Even while I worked full-time, I managed to take acting classes, perform in Crusade of Mercy shows at work, and sing with groups such as Up with People and Sweet Adelines. God was kind to this misguided human, and he stuck with me, because as Jeremiah learned in chapter 1:1-11: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” God knew the tasks he had in mind for me. Imagine that? He also knew that it would require periods of growth and development to find out why and what it was he wanted me to do.
As Os Guiness says in his book The Call: “Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by him, to him, and for him. First and foremost, we are called to Someone (God), not to something or to somewhere.” He continues: “Our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, and in everything should think, speak, live, and act entirely for Him. Our secondary calling matters, but only because the primary calling matters most.”
When I read this, it made me realize how much more I might have accomplished if I had known God well enough to allow him to tell me what he wanted me to do, instead of listening to myself. And I am blessed now to realize and remember that God, in his infinite wisdom—and if we are willing to listen to him—sets limits for us. Walking into that actors room years ago was one of those limits he set for me. It was only by his grace that I closed that door and
walked away from what was a secondary calling to be enjoyed, but not what he had planned for me. I was faced with the reality that God had limits and boundaries for me that I could not pass, and that those limits had been preordained and predetermined by God, my living Father, who has always kept his eyes to watch over me. He set limits and boundaries for my life, and because of his love I never felt handicapped or incapacitated by them. His boundaries never stifled me or made my desires to perform hard or frustrating. He knew what was best, and that best was for me to get to know him. After all, he designed me, knowing exactly what I was going to need. If he set limits on my idols, so be it, because depending on me to fulfill my desires was going to leave no room for him. I discovered that surrendering and depending on him allowed me to get to know him, rest in him and enjoy him forever. What a gift.
God hardwired me to love the written word; to read, read, read (and move from romance novels to the Bible). He sent me to every writing class the College of DuPage offered; he sent me back to college to major in English literature, to classes where he had me writing constantly, and engaged me in various writing activities my whole life. Who knew he was leading me to himself the whole time? I sometimes wonder what I could have accomplished if I had listened to God earlier telling me where he wanted me, and what he wanted me to do, and not letting my own expectations for my life drive my actions toward the idol of stardom I had set my mind and heart on.
Jill Briscoe says in her book Faith Enough to Finish: “If God has appointed you to a task, he has also anointed you to perform it via the Holy Spirit who will teach, guide and empower you to fulfill the Father’s plans for you.” For me, this appointed task has been with using words and my writing. And when I don’t bank on only myself but ask him to give wings to my words and to assist me with the right tools to finish the work he has place me here for, I experience the Spirit’s power over and over again.
In Exodus 31: 2-5, God chose Bezalel of the tribe of Judah and filled him with ability, intelligence, knowledge and all craftsmanship, and Obadiah to teach others to do all that was needed in the construction of the sanctuary. God gifted them. Just as he has gifted all of us to finish the tasks he has given us. Think about this: “His plan in your life means his work in your hands, and you can be sure it is a work He has chosen and gifted you to do.” (Jill Briscoe, Faith Enough to Finish) So, instead of idolizing movie stars, money, sports figures, statues, etc., and allowing fear (like it did me) to stop you from being obedient to God’s calling for you, become aware of something more important: His love for you, and the callings or tasks along the way, which are a part of his loving and eternal plan for your life.
As Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Artist SPOTLIGHT
RACHAEL COREY
As an artist, my passion manifests on two fronts: in the personal creation of art, and in guiding others to understand themselves and discover their strengths through artistic expression. I am devoted to assisting individuals who are underserved or feel overlooked, empowering them to articulate their worldviews through art. My goal for those I work with is to help them unearth creativity and imagination, while providing a safe space for self-expression without fear of judgment. To me, art is the unveiling of one’s inner world—a gateway that allows us to step into another person’s realm and witness the landscape of their mind.
I facilitate art studio groups which encompass both individual and collaborative work. Guided by the artists’ ideas, passions and interests, these projects aim to enhance fine motor skills, emotional regulation, visual observation, creativity and grounding techniques.
In my personal practice, I often combine many mediums together to create a piece. For instance, these works were made in layers of acrylic, oil, chalk, pastel, graphite, colored pencil, wax, and dried plants.
GALLERY
BÄTZSCHRIFT
the art of Timothy R. Botts and Jeremy Botts
JUNE 1-JULY 11 IN CROSSINGS
Watch the video of a live Art Demo by Timothy Botts on our webpage.
ART & STORY
Artist & Writer collaborative Works
COMING IN JULY
are available ($15 cash or check while supplies last. We will discuss portions of it at our gatherings now through September.
July word of the month: IDOLS August word of the month: REST ALL ARE WELCOME!
WORKSHOPS
GROWING YOUR WRITING
MUSCLES IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2025
SATURDAY, JULY 19
10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Crossings
Optional donation: $5. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Call for artists/writers A collaborative gallery displaying the work of both artists and writers. If you haven’t already done so, register ASAP to sign up to participate. Choose your own collaborative partner, or we can choose one for you. Both partners must sign up separately.
https://dynamic.formstack.com/ forms/art_story
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.
TUESDAY, JULY 8 at 7 p.m. in Crossings
Join us for our July gathering as we discuss the preface and first three chapters of the book Rembrandt Is in the Wind. Copies
Not a repeat of the February workshop, this time we will build on the basics and encourage one another to persevere and branch out in writing in the second half of 2025. Panelists still to be determined.
POTTERY WORKSHOP
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9
1-3 p.m. at ClaySpace Studio, Lisle, IL
Cost: $75 per person. Space is limited. Registration is on a firstcome, first-served basis.
Work under the guidance of our own potter Lin Fallon to create your own pottery. All pieces will be fired at the studio and available for pick up at a later date.
For more information or to sign up for a workshop, visit our webpage: college-church.org/artspace.
The Golden Calf Award
LORRAINE TRIGGS
One Sunday in Kindergarten Bible school, we gave out the 2025 Golden Calf Award. It was a close contest as the children and teachers voted on what they really, really, really would love to have. The entries ranged from all the candy you could eat for a year to your favorite sports team throwing you a birthday party to the pet of your choice and you didn’t have to clean up its business to one million dollars. The two finalists were the pet and the money. I was rooting for the pet.
But when the votes were counted, the clear winner of the 2025 Gold Calf Award? One million dollars. The kids went wild, shouting the chant, “Money, money, money!”
Wil calmed them down with a missionary story about Martin Luther, which turned out to be a providential choice considering the winner of the Golden Calf Award. Luther had no tolerance for using money to gain standing with God. I am certain that Martin Luther was not the winner of the 1517 Golden Calf Award.
As we made the transition to the actual golden calf in Exodus 32, we explained to the kids that loving money or anything or anyone else more than God was just wrong, a sin. In making and worshiping an object, God’s people had just broken the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” and the reason why they broke it? They had grown impatient. Moses wasn’t rushing down the mountain, so let’s make other gods. Makes sense to me.
The whole story would be funny, if it weren’t still true for us today. I can become a bit obsessed with personal nominees for my very own Golden Calf award. Some days my idols of choice are elevated to finalists through my association with the right people in the right places, as I am careful to avoid the poor in spirit, the meek and those who mourn. Then there are days when the glitter of my stash of talents and treasures distract me from the true treasure and the true prize.
Whether we chalk up our idols to impatience or another excuse, loving anyone or anything more than God is dangerous business. Just ask the children of Israel who drank the gold dust from their now shattered calf.
Instead of drinking the gold dust, Jesus invites us to come and drink of living water, to feast on living bread and be satisfied. Whatever we love in life can’t hold a candle to the One we love beyond life.
Wrote Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Christ: “Whoever find Jesus finds a great treasure, yea, a good above all good; and he who loses Jesus loses much yea, more than the world. Poorest of all is the one who lives without Jesus, and richest of all is the one who is close to Jesus.”
Once we grasp Jesus as our greatest treasure, our greatest good—our very life—then everything else is worthless because we have all that matters in life and death, forever.
Lord Stanley’s Cup
KEITH BODGER
When I learned the Ten Commandments (in my late 20s, early 30s), I figured the first two didn’t apply to me. I worship God and only God. And I don’t have idols . . . Asherah poles or figures of Baal, other gods to whom I bow, things like that. So, let’s just skip to the third commandment, taking the Lord’s name in vain. Guilty as charged (back in the day).
Then I spent some time in church and hearing sermons and gained new perspectives on idols. They are anything and everything that takes your focus off God. Jonah 2:8 says, “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.” Things like television, food, music artists, movie stars, sports figures, your spouse, political figures, and, of course, yourself. That last one came as a surprise. It’s very true, but still a surprise. But what really surprised me was what my idolatry revealed about twelve years ago when the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest accomplishment in sports and the Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in sports. The sterling silver cup was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892 to be presented to the winning amateur hockey team. Lord Stanley was the governor general of Canada. He was Queen Victoria’s representative in Canada. Living in Canada, Lord Stanley’s kids played hockey, and the Lord and Lady became avid hockey fans. Thus, the good lord donated the cup. Fast forward a few decades and it’s been used by the National Hockey League (NHL) since 1926.
In the NHL, you win the Stanley Cup. In other sports, you win the game or the series, or the championship. You’re awarded a trophy, but you win the game. In hockey, you play in the Stanley Cup playoffs. You win the Stanley Cup.
When you win the cup, you get your name engraved on it (“Thou shall not
make unto thee any graven image.” Exodus 20:4 KJV). Players, coaches and management also get to spend a day with the cup during the summer. A whitegloved handler always travels with the cup. He protects it from drunken hockey players (“Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink.” Isaiah 5:22) and cleans the cup to prepare it for the next player. Interestingly, three babies have been baptized in the cup. I’m not sure if that’s holy or idolatry. Likely the latter.
When the Blackhawks won the cup in 2013, I downloaded an app that tracks the cup. Since several people in management lived in the Chicago area, the cup would be local several times. I wanted a picture of me with the cup. I wanted to touch or hold the cup. I wanted that sterling silver graven image.
But the Lord (the true Lord, not Lord Stanley) worked on me. In Malachi 3:23, it says the Lord will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Just as the Stanley Cup is refined silver, the Lord is refining me. He’s holding me over the flames until the dross of my idolatry is burned off and then God can see his image in me as I can see my image in the polished Stanley Cup. When the Chicago Blackhawks won the cup, it became an obsession to see the cup. I’d start breathing rapidly and my heartrate would increase. I recognized (eventually) my idolatry and stopped my ardent pursuit.
But some of that idolatry still needs to be burned off. There’s a kid from the Barrington area who plays for the Montreal Canadiens. When the Canadiens win the cup, as they should every year, that player will likely bring the cup to the northwest suburbs. Perhaps then I will get to see my precious. Better still, perhaps by then that aspect of dross will be completely burned off and I can still have the hope of God’s steadfast love.
Surrendering All
WIL TRIGGS
The first commandment is a pretty direct imperative from our Lord.
“You shall have no other gods before me.” (EXODUS 20:3)
A clear vertical command, no other gods before me. It doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room.
The thing is, I like a little wiggle room. The competitors for space in my soul, the place where God wants to reside fully and freely, are more welcome there than I care to know or admit. I’ll confess, there are many, and all are horizontal, encroaching on God’s first commandment space. Yet I persist in thinking that they are all good.
And most of them are. Good books. Reading. Good coffee. The best chocolate. Late summer harvest. In terms of time, the creation and consumption of media. These are just off the top of my head.
I started thinking about this in relation to the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I’m not sure what brought it to mind, probably all the non-stop political reporting. The first commandment and the first amendment. I liked the juxtaposition, the pairing of the phrases and it got me thinking.
A quick civics class refresher of the first amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This is a good thing. There is much to love about it. For a news junkie and one who is sometimes mistaken as a member of the press, freedom of the press is kind of a thing for me. This is especially true when I monitor the persecution of Christians in countries where the press is not free to report. Free speech is definitely not a universal right, but one that we and our neighbors all enjoy and maybe even take for granted.
And the freedom of religion—I find great hope that our forefathers did not establish an official religion. That means I can freely believe and follow Jesus, as can other people. Seeing majority religion
countries enshrine one religion as official leads often to them aiming their ire at minority Christian citizens and churches. Established state religions so often seem to turn faith into history, regular people seem to abandon them in daily lives. These are cautionary reflections when I look in the mirror and see myself and my home.
In the course of our political and social upheaval these days, I wonder if my citizenship in the country where I was born carries more weight in my heart than my citizenship in heaven, where I am a son of the most high (and humble) king. I hope not.
You might remember from two general elections ago, seeing the campaign signs “Jesus 2020” on the internet or in social media, maybe even in your neighborhood. This is a strange mixing of the horizontal and vertical. I kind of like it and I kind of don’t, but it’s interesting.
The idea came from some women at the Sampey Memorial Baptist Church outside Montgomery, Alabama, when their community was in COVID-19 quarantine. They wanted to make something that would point people to Jesus.
“We don’t see Jesus’ name out there,” said Joyce Hubbard, one of the women in the church who made this happen. “We’re going to put him out there. He’s the one that doesn’t lie to you, who keeps his promises.”
This church gave away more than 7,000 signs and then the website they set up sold at least 30,000 more across the nation. They don’t mean for us to start a write-in campaign. It’s not literally political. They’re trying to point people to Christ.
It’s the secular and sacred, the horizontal and vertical, constantly colliding. Life gets messy like that.
My wife and I got into the car one Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, and the classical music station WFMT was on. As we drove, I interrupted her talk. “Isn’t that a hymn?” I asked.
We turned up the volume.
“It is,” she said. Sure enough. It was a contemporary setting on piano of “I Surrender All.”
It brought back memories of altar calls and televised Billy Graham Crusades, walking the aisle to give everything to Jesus, to surrender everything over to the loving Savior.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give I will ever love and trust Him In His presence daily live
All to Jesus I surrender Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken Take me, Jesus, take me now,
I surrender all I surrender all All to Thee my blessed Savior I surrender all All to Jesus I surrender Make me Savior wholly thine May Thy Holy Spirit fill me May I know Thy power divine
Surrendering all to Jesus is more than an item on my to-do-list It’s a faithful choice to focus my heart and soul on the Savior of the world instead of the things of the world. In one Sunday sermon, former College Pastor Ben Panner said, “In our hearts there is spiritual adultery against God. …He demands and he deserves full allegiance, full devotion, full loyalty. …God will not share space with anyone.”
Jesus, why do I let so many idols in when you gave everything that I might have your peace, your life, your all-devouring grace. Help me surrender over the spaces of my heart to make more room, actually, to make all the rooms of my life, open and filled with only you, not the cares of this world, the little sins I like, the good and noble causes I fight for, or my favorite coffee in the world. (It’s Kenya; thank you, Jesus, for making it.)
CHURCH LIFE
JULY HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICES
Everyone welcome.
Join us at 9:30 and 11 a.m. You can watch it at college-church.org/ livestream
MORNING SERMON SERIES:
The Gospel of Matthew Senior Pastor Josh Moody preaching
JULY 6: Opposition, Matthew 10:16-25
JULY 13: Fear God, Matthew 10:26-33
JULY 20: The Word of the Cross, 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5, Pastor Dan Hiben preaching
JULY 27: Psalm 67, Pastor Curt Miller preaching
SUNDAY EVENING SERVICES: Everyone welcome.
Join us at 5 p.m. in Commons Hall.
Let’s Gather: Songs of Wisdom: Sermons from the Psalms
JULY 6: Psalm 119:49-56, Pastor Curt Miller preaching
JULY 13: Psalm 119:57-64, Pastoral Resident Jacob Samuel Raju preaching
JULY 20: Psalm 119:65-72, Pastoral Resident Caleb Aulie preaching
JULY 27: Psalm 119:73-80, Pastor Baxter Helm preaching
SUMMER FORUM
Sundays 9:30 a.m. in Commons Hall
Praying Together with the Psalms
Join us for Bible teaching, corporate prayer and singing through the Psalms. The Summer Café will be open for business with coffee and home baked treats. We welcome our students and their adult leaders.
JULY 6: Have Mercy on Me, O God, Psalm 51
JULY 13: Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul, Psalm 42
JULY 20: Preserve Me, O God, For in You I Take Refuge, Psalm 16
JULY 27: Oh, Let the Evil of the Wicked Come to an End, Psalm 7
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
MOM2MOM
Join us for Summer Park Playdates, 9:30-11:30 a.m., on Mondays throughout the summer.
JULY 14: Babcock Grove, Glen Ellyn
JULY 28: Briar Knoll Park, Wheaton
*If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll move inside to the Commons Gym at College Church. Check the Mom2Mom website for any updates.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
Spend the summer in the Psalms! Along with the psalmist, we will set our hearts and our minds on the goodness of God’s work and character as we celebrate his faithfulness, love and mercy. Unlike the school year, we don’t organize groups over the summer. Rather, we encourage you to gather women you know, where and when works best for
you. Pick up your six-week study guide(s) at church in the Commons Lobby. Books are available for free, please take one per person.
WOMEN’S MINISTRY
SUMMER SOCIALS
We hope you’ll join us as we learn new things this summer, whether that is a new game, like bunco, or a new skill, like breadmaking. Registration is requested, so we can plan accordingly, and can be found on the website.
JULY 11: 7 p.m. in Commons Hall
Join us for an evening of fun as we enjoy a classic women’s retreat card game, led by Marilyn Enstrom. This easy to learn game is great for beginners and repeat players.
JULY 22: 7 p.m. in Commons Hall
We had so much fun playing Bunco earlier this summer, we decided to do it again! Pairs rotate as the night goes on so there is no need to come with a partner, though we do encourage you to bring a friend. Never played before? No problem. We’re happy to help you learn or remember how to play.
SUMMER BOOK GROUP
Tuesdays, through August 6
7 p.m. in Commons Hall. Join us for a chapter-by-chapter discussion of Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age
JULY 1: Chapter 6: How the Medium Shapes the Message for Preachers (Collin Hansen)
JULY 8: Chapter 7: Apologetics in a Post-Logic World (Keith Plummer). Chapter 8: Telling the Truth about Jesus in an Age of Incoherence (Thaddeus Williams)
JULY 15: Chapter 9: “Unfit to Remember”: The Theological Crisis of Digital-Age Memory Loss (Nathan A. Finn). Chapter 10: Use New Media Creatively but Cautiously: Video as Case Study (G. Shane Morris)
JULY 22: Chapter 11: Reconnect Information and Action: How to Stay Sane in an Overstimulated Age (Brett McCracken)
JULY 29: Chapter 12: Embrace Your Mission: Tangible Participation, Not Digital Spectating (Read Mercer Schuchardt)
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES (KIDS’ HARBOR)
SUNDAY MORNING
9:30 a.m. Nursery (0–2) and preschool
9:30 a.m. KIDS ENTERING GRADES 1–5 are dismissed during the service for Elementary Summer Lighthouse.
11 a.m. Nursery (0–2) and preschool only for children of first-time visitors and Kids’ Harbor teachers.
5 a.m. No Kids’ Harbor programs
MIDDLE SCHOOL ( KINGS MESSENGERS)
SUNDAY MORNINGS:
Students are encouraged to join their families in worship services.
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: 7-8:30 p.m.
JULY 2: NO meeting
JULY 9: Boys: Wood Shop Night (N190 Pleasant Hill Road, Wheaton). Girls: Gym Night in Commons Gym
JULY 16: Crossings Night, 6:15 p.m. 6th-grade dinner, 7:00-8:30—All KMs for games, snacks, worship, and teaching from the Bible
JULY 23: Sundaes on a Wednesday (Location TBD)
JULY 30: Crossings Night, 6:15 p.m. 6th-grade dinner, 7:00-8:30—All KMs for games, snacks, worship, and teaching from the Bible
HIGH SCHOOL (HYACKS)
SUNDAY MORNINGS:
Students are encouraged to join their families in worship services. They also may participate in our optional discipleship groups studying Galatians for the summer. Details on the website. Sunday morning HYACKs meetings will resume on August 17.
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: Wednesday Night HYACKS 7-8:30 p.m.
JULY 9: Large Group at Tweeten Home (316 E Illinois St., Wheaton, IL 60187)
JULY 16: Special Event Night—Stay tuned for details
JULY 23: No Large Group. Optional Discipleship Group Meeting time
JULY 30: Large Group at Jones home (1N066 Ellis Ave, Carol Stream, IL 60188)
SUMMER COLLEGE GROUP
Bible study in Ephesians, worship music and fellowship, Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
JULY 8, 15, 22, & 29 in the Crossings
STARS DISABILITY
Children, Adult and MultiGenerational Sunday classes
meet at 9:30 only. This will be our summer schedule until September. No classes on July 6
JULY 4: STARS participate in the Wheaton Independence Day Parade.
STARS Music Camp: Wednesdays, July 9, 16, 23 and 30: 3-5 p.m. in Welsh Hall. This year’s theme is Trains: Bringing the Gospel to All Nations.
SIGNS OF LOVE
Deaf Ministry. Building Bridges meets July 6 and 20, 3:30-5 p.m. in the Crossings conference room.
PRISON TASK FORCE
Every Saturday our Prison Task Force heads to Stateville Prison for ministry to the inmates there. Join them in prayer in the parking lot at 9:10.
• Other ways to get involved:
• Commit to pray at home during our services (15 minutes).
• Pray for the names of men who share requests (10 minutes).
• Help establish a new ministry of weekday, in-person visitation.
• Be a pen pal to help disciple believers behind the walls.
• Find out more by emailing prison taskforce@college-church.org.
ARTSPACE
Details on page 9.
STEPS OF FAITH
Steps of Faith such as believers baptism or confirmation, and infant baptism or dedication are important signposts in our lives.
If you are interested in pursuing one of these for yourself or a family member, contact Christy at baptism@college-church.org.
Looking Ahead
Farewell for the Dewar family
August 10 | Hymn Sing
5 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Reception in Commons Hall following the service.
Fall start-up dates
AUGUST 17: Startup for Sunday adult ministries, children, middle school and high school.
AUGUST 24: College Group
SEPTEMBER 7:
• Return to three services
• STARS
Under the Radar
FAMILY PROGRAM
Mayslake Peabody Estate: Second Saturday Family Program
July 12, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Talk about medieval symbols as you make a small shield and do a needlework activity.
KLINE CREEK FARM
Kline Creek Farm: Time to Go Chorin’
Monday July 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Free.
CONCERT
DuPage Symphony Orchestra
Memorial Park, downtown Wheaton Sunday, July 20 3-4:30 p.m.
ARTS FAIR
Ruth Gregornik (Greywren Watercolors) will be showing her watercolors at the Geneva Arts Fair, July 26-27, in downtown Geneva, IL. For information visit:
https://genevachamber.com/ events/arts-fair
SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare in the Park: The Winter’s Tale Memorial Park downtown Wheaton
• Aug 28 at 7 p.m. (Thursday)
• Aug 29 at 7 p.m. (Friday)
• Aug 30 at 7 p.m. (Saturday)
Additional time info: 5:30 p.m. park opens, 6:45 p.m. puppet show, 7 p.m. performance
ADVENTURE
Northwoods Adventure will be taking place this year at HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development (aka HoneyRock Camp) located near Three Lakes Wisconsin from September 29-October 4. This is the annual fall retreat specifically designed for those adults over the age of 50. There are three options for housing on the beautiful campus owned and operated by Wheaton College. Activities generally include archery, riflery, pontoon boat rides, climbing, biking, and ceramics. (Our own Linda Fallon, skilled potter and experienced teacher, will be leading the ceramics activities for the sixth year in row.) Morning teaching and worship times will be lead again this year by Rev. Jeff Root, the lead pastor at Glen Ellyn Covenant Church. The delicious meals (breakfast. lunch, dinner) are served family style in the spacious Chrouser Center dining hall. You are cordially invited to discover new learning opportunities and rich fellowship in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin. To learn more, check out the website: wheaton.edu/nwa25
FREEDOM SEMINAR
Foundations of Freedom Seminar Sponsored by the Center for Law and Culture
The Declaration of Independence:
“WE
HOLD THESE TRUTHS…”
What does it mean to be an American? According to the founders, an American was someone who followed the moral and legal truths enshrined in our nation’s foundational legal document, the Declaration of Independence. Take this enlightening seminar, taught by Professor Charlie Emmerich, and learn what it means to be a virtuous American citizen, including how to vote in light of the Declaration’s truths, and how to effectively defend JudeoChristian values in public life.
Specifics: Saturday, July 26, 1-4:30 p.m.; Commons Board Room. Questions? Contact Jon Penner: jumbocat007@gmail.com; 630207-3927. Professor info: Professor Charlie Emmerich, founder and president of the Center for Law and Culture, professor of legal studies and legal scholar in residence at Olivet Nazarene University.
Facilities FACTS
HANDRAILS
The value of handrails is typically attributed to safety, as the use of rails on stairs can prevent people from falling and are required by law to be set withing certain parameters especially for public use. College Church properties have 83 handrails made from various materials (steel, brass/ bronze, wood) listed in their inventory files and are checked and maintained yearly. If you are handy and looking to serve and use your skills on the facilities team, please contact Howard Kern. Hkern@college-church.org.
Work with US
GENERAL CUSTODIAN (25 hours per week)
College Church in Wheaton has an opening for a year-round, permanent part-time custodian to join our facilities staff to help maintain our buildings and set up for events. A successful candidate for this 25-hour year-round position will be able to lift up to 50 pounds, move an 8-foot table and stacks of chairs, have a thriving relationship with Jesus and be able to be treat all church people and visitors in a courteous and professional manner. Facilities is looking for someone with an excellent attendance record, a willingness to learn new tasks and functions and who can follow instructions with a good attitude. Must be able to work 25 hours per week consistently (6 a.m. to 11a.m, Monday through Friday) and be able to read and understand directions in English as well as supervisory instruction is in English. All applicants must be able to sign and adhere to our Articles of Faith and Standards of the Christian Life document.
MINISTRY ASSOCIATE FOR INCLUSION (10-13 hours per week)
College Church in Wheaton is looking for a person to assist the Disability Ministries with integrating children with special needs into the programs of College Church in Wheaton. A successful candidate will have a thriving relationship with Jesus, have some experience and training in disability ministries and have a love for children with special needs. Candidates need to be able to participate in Sunday morning service times and inclusion events during the school year. Regular attendance and membership at College Church in Wheaton preferred.
Visit the college-church.org/job-openings or email Ann at akarow@college-church.org.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER
Call the church office or email info@college-church.org for details on these prayer meetings.
SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER: 8:15-8:40 a.m., meets in the Commons board room
MONDAY MORNING PRAYER: 6:15 a.m., meets in C104A
MIDWEEK PRAYER MEETING: Wednesdays at NOON via Zoom
JULY 2: C & D H, community development in Asia
JULY 9: two workers, evangelism and teaching in Africa
JULY 16: John and Leila L, church planting in Asia
JULY 23: Robbie & Lauren Becker, Resourcing Christian Education, teaching in Colombia
JULY 30: Rod & Kathy Duttweiler, Faith & Learning (East Mountain), discipleship and organizational leadership, worldwide
PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: Fridays, 12-1 p.m. in the Board Room.
AARON-HUR PRAYER FELLOWSHIP
will meet on Thursday, July 10, at 7 p.m. at the home of Ruth Diffin, 1917 Ardmore, Lane, Unit B, in Wheaton (610) 291-2437. Please join us.
BARNABAS PRAYER FELLOWSHIP
meets Tuesday, July 15, at 1:30 p.m. in the Patio Dining Room at Windsor Park to hear an update from Kim Viands whose husband, Jamie, teaches at the Africa International University in Nairobi, Kenya. All are welcome to visit or to join the group to Kim and to join in our prayers for other College Church cross-cultural workers.
of a THE Thrill New Learning
Day
It was just one of those days when I woke up totally fired up to learn something new and soak up as much wisdom as I could. The kind of day when curiosity and eagerness surge through my veins, pushing me to embrace every opportunity to expand my mind and horizons. The question was, what new knowledge could genuinely capture my interest, hold my commitment over time, and find a place within the rhythm of my already full and busy days?
The thought of taking free online classes surfaced, and naturally, my mind turned to one of my favorite places for deep, thoughtful learning—Hillsdale College, a Christian institution I’ve long admired. The array of subjects available was nothing short of remarkable—from classical literature to the foundations of Western philosophy, each course promised an enriching journey.
The study of C.S. Lewis’s life and teachings immediately captured my attention. His profound insights into theology, literature and human nature spoke to me on a deeply personal level. Born Clive Staples Lewis on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland, Lewis’s journey into the realms of literature, theology and philosophy is both fascinating and inspiring.
However, it was C.S. Lewis’s conversion to Christianity in 1931 that marked a profound turning point in his life—a moment of quiet surrender after years of intellectual struggle and personal sorrow. The trauma he endured during World War I, coupled with the early death of his beloved mother, had shaken his foundations and led him to question not only the existence of God, but the very meaning of life itself. These wounds carved deep hollows in his soul—spaces that, in time, would become openings for grace.
As I look back on my own life, I realize that though I was raised in a deeply
KAYE WAUGH
religious household, with both of my parents devoted to the Catholic faith, I never once held a Bible in my hands. My siblings and I were taught to pray— faithfully, fervently—but our prayers were directed not to God directly, but through the names of saints, and most often to Mary, whom we were told was the true and only path to God.
C.S. Lewis embraced Christianity not with mere assent, but with fervent conviction—a wholehearted turning that reshaped both his soul and his vocation. His conversion was more than a private spiritual milestone; it became a wellspring from which some of his most profound and enduring works would flow.
It was during this sacred awakening that Lewis gave the world literary treasures that still stir the heart and challenge the mind. From the enchanted landscapes of The Chronicles of Narnia, where deep truths are cloaked in wonder, to the lucid clarity of Mere Christianity, where faith is reasoned and revealed, his pen became an instrument of divine imagination.
But of all his works, The Screwtape Letters holds a special place in my heart. Its brilliance lies in its reversal— truth unveiled through the cunning of fiction, and light revealed through the study of darkness. Lewis, in his unique way, taught us not only to think more clearly, but to be more awakened to the schemes of the enemy, yes, but more so to the quiet work of grace.
Reading The Screwtape Letters felt, at times, like holding up a mirror to my own soul. Through the clever voice of a demon, Lewis revealed the subtle workings of temptation, the quiet compromises, the distracted prayers, the pride that dresses itself in humility. It was as though he had pulled back the veil on a hidden war, not raging in distant lands, but within the chambers of my own heart.
What struck me was how ordinary the darkness looked—temptation creeps in subtly, and evil often hides behind comfort or good intentions. I realized how easily I could be enticed into spiritual sleep while believing I was fully alert.
Yet beneath the satire and irony, there was a deeper message: that even in our weakness, grace is stronger. That the enemy may be cunning, but he is not sovereign. And that God, in his quiet faithfulness, continues to pursue the soul, even when it is most unaware.
Lewis helped me realize that the Christian life is not a grand performance, but a daily surrender. A returning. A remembering. And through his words, I began to pray more honestly, live more attentively, and lean into the mercy that holds us even when we stumble.
For many years, I learned to embrace other gods, false gods, idols carved in wood and stone. I carried that understanding of faith—structured, reverent yet strangely impersonal. God, though often spoken of, felt distant, unreachable, veiled behind rituals, and I did not fully understand. My prayers were sincere, but not intimate. I knew of him, but I did not know him.
It wasn’t until much later, and sadly through a series of tragic events, and unexpected encounters, that I began to sense a different kind of invitation— one not influenced by tradition alone but extended directly by grace. The God I had long feared from afar began to draw near, not through incense or stained glass, but through Scripture, through silence, through a personal hunger I could no longer ignore. It was John 3:16 that pierced the veil of my understanding and rescued my soul from the shadows of eternal separation.
Those familiar words—”For God so loved the world...”—were no longer a distant verse recited by others, but a divine whisper
directly to me. At that moment, I saw not just the world, but myself as the object of that love. And through those living words, grace broke in, and salvation found me.
Looking back now, I see that my early faith was not without value—it laid a foundation. But it was only the beginning of a journey toward something deeper: a relationship not built on distance, but on communion with the one true Living God.
On Tuesdays, from after school till closing, you could find me nestled in an armchair at Barnes & Noble reading a book. From sixth through eighth grade this was our Tuesday routine—my mother would pick me up from school, take me to Barnes & Noble, and we would go our separate ways. Tuesdays were visitation days with my mom.
I went to so many places on Tuesdays such as a school in England, surfing in California and enchanted forests. I can’t say this is how I would have liked to spend my Tuesdays as a preteen, but I did get to read a lot of books. It wasn’t until early adulthood that I realized that people buy books at Barnes and Noble. They don’t sit and read and then put them back.
Buying a book would have been viewed as a frivolous purchase when there were so many other things my family struggled to afford, including school supplies. Back to school was always stressful for me. I knew I had to go through my notebooks and folders from the last school year and see what I could make work for the next year. Frugality and asking for as little as possible was important.
When I got to high school, we needed a fancy calculator. I couldn’t fathom asking for one. So, I didn’t. I borrowed a friend’s who was in a lower math class. When she needed the fancy calculator, I worried I would need to return hers. Then what would I do? But her parents bought her a new one. She gave it to me without worrying whether I would give it back.
The school year is around the corner and there will be kids in our community that won’t have school supplies. In April 2024,
there were 342 kids in foster care in DuPage County. This may be something you’ve never thought of when it comes to school supplies. As a child, I was hyper aware of finances and what each notebook or folder cost. It would have meant the world to me to be given all new supplies and a backpack. It would have meant the world to feel on par with my classmates and not less because of something as basic as school supplies.
Studying 1 and 2 Chronicles this past spring with the Women’s Ministry, it struck me that when a righteous king led the Israelites, God’s people gave generously. They didn’t give used bulls, lambs and calves. But the finest, unblemished. To be burned. Under Asa, the people gave “700 oxen and 7,000 sheep.” And they entered a covenant with God to seek the Lord “with all their heart and with all their soul” (2 Chr 15:11-12). This sacrifice of giving with nothing given in return is awe inspiring.
Kids’ Harbor is getting our children excited to love on foster kids through donations of school supplies for elementary students. To fill in the gaps, the Family Advocacy Task Force is asking College Church to donate gift cards to purchase supplies. We are also asking for people to write notes of encouragement and blessings for these kids.
May we be a church that gives freely and abundantly. May we seek the Lord with our whole hearts. May a new backpack full of school supplies show them Jesus.
If you wish to donate or write notes, please reach out to the Family Advocacy Task Force at familyadvocacy@collegechurch.org.
ILLINOIS PRO-LIFE MARCH: Why We Marched
and What We Learned
KARA BETH VANCE, TONY VISCONTI, HOLLY BURKE, SUE PHILLIP, JONATHAN BARRETT & SARAH LINDQUIST
On Tuesday, March 27, twenty-five people gathered at the Crossings early in the morning to travel three or so hours to Springfield via bus. Once there, we joined thousands of participants in the Illinois Pro-Life March. This was our first time taking a group from College Church to the march’s new location in Springfield and it was a great experience. Our group ranged in age from eight-year-old to 70+, was a mix of men and women, and included some who’ve been to prolife marches and others who had never attended anything like this before. I asked a few of the participants to share brief reflections in response.
Tony Visconti answered a few of our questions.
Why did you decide to go to the Illinois Pro Life March?
One of our family’s focus values is serving the least of these. Demonstrating at the March was a great way to put this value into action with our son Pearson (age eight).
Were there any speakers or aspects about joining in the march that made an impact on you? Tell me about it.
I think I was surprised by how close the counter protesters were to us. It was encouraging that we could have a peaceful co-demonstration where our values could collide without violence.
What did you take away from the experience of joining for the march?
I think I have shied away from previous marches and the prolife movement because I am not that informed about the topic and sometimes feel at odds with the legislative agenda, tactics, candor etc. Hearing the speakers at the march confirmed to me that I am not in complete alignment with some elements, but that I have a part to play, and I can find meaning in participating and shaping the narrative.
Any other thoughts or reflections from that day?
The day definitely left an impact on Pearson as he had lots of great questions, and I think it will be an experience he will reflect on as he makes sense of what his faith means in very practical terms. We are looking forward to the march in Washington D.C. and have tentative plans to travel to it in January.
HOLLY BURKE
When I first learned about the Illinois Pro-Life March in Springfield, I felt excited. As I had participated in past marches in Chicago and Rockford, I knew how powerful and inspiring it is to gather with other like-minded individuals to publicly affirm our belief in the sanctity of life. Standing in front of our state capitol with a sea of pro-life signs around me was a sight I will never forget. Former State Representative Jeanne Ives was among the speakers who ignited my enthusiasm when she declared, “To be actively pro-life in Illinois is more significant than in our neighboring states.” That’s why I plan to return to Springfield next year.
SUE PHILLIP
I enjoy participating in the March for Life for several reasons:
It is important to me that babies are protected in the womb.
It is a special opportunity to spend time with and get to know other College Church members who are pro-life.
Participating in the larger community of pro-lifers in Springfield or Washington D.C. is inspiring. Meeting Wheaton College and Moody students who are carrying on the passion for life, fellow travelers, is very encouraging.
Something what always inspires me is seeing whole families, teens, college students and young adults. The young really are the pro-life generation! Praise God—to him be all the glory.
JONATHAN BARRETT
I decided to go to the Illinois Pro-Life March because of the training pastor and founder of Passion Life, John Ensor, did at College Church. Specifically, he highlighted that God has given us a positive mandate to protect preborn children and actively seek justice.
It was encouraging to walk alongside others who are also committed to protecting and supporting preborn children and their mothers.
SARAH LINDQUIST
If you have not attended a public pro-life event, there is nothing like it. Even when my schedule seems packed, God blesses me with massive encouragement when I obey and simply show up to join fellow Christians. The Illinois Pro-Life March was a true highlight for both profound and mundane reasons. My kids loved riding the bus, stopping at Wally’s rest stop for snacks (I highly recommend the jalapeno beef jerky), and catching the crowd’s enthusiasm in Springfield. At home months later, they continue to chant the pro-life cheer led by Mary Beth Zander, Illinois Right to Life president and emcee.
Signing up for the Illinois Pro-Life March seemed like a sacrifice at the start of the day while hurriedly organizing my boys, my mother and myself, but participating actually brought me great joy as well as an opportunity to teach my children more about supporting life. Courage is a muscle and only grows when we use it. Joining in public pro-life presence builds the communal and individual “courage muscle” while depending on the Holy Spirit and trusting in God’s providence. The church in Illinois must not retreat from doing right and speaking the truth about human dignity, or we risk no longer being salt and light. Although abortion casts a dark cloud over our state, God encourages me when I represent those who
cannot speak for themselves and whose fears are exploited for profit, the unborn and their parents.
Seeing so many brothers and sisters in Christ from various traditions, churches and parochial schools united for human rights and honoring our Lord impacted me strongly. Connecting with Wheaton Voice for Life students and other pro-life friends like Vince from St. Michael’s had a special significance. One day, all the Christian marchers will reunite and glorify Christ when he makes all things new, wiping away every tear, and defeating death!
BE ENCOURAGED
The Illinois General Assembly recessed without passing the Medical Aid in Dying Bill (MAID) through the Senate. The MAID bill would have made it legal for physicians to give “qualified” terminally ill patients lifeending drugs. We do need to stay alert in the fall for new physician assistance suicide bill as the House passed it at the very end of spring session. The MAID bill would have made it legal for physicians to give “qualified” terminally ill patients life-ending drugs.
PRAY FOR CHANGED HEARTS AND MINDS
Saturday, July 12, 1-2 p.m. Join 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. Questions? Contact sohl@college-church.org.
SOHL T-SHIRTS ARE HERE!
We have t-shirts available for $10 in sizes S, M, L XL. Great to share a pro-life message when you’re out and about. Contact us at sohl@college-church.org.
DID YOU KNOW THAT IN ILLINOIS…
Chicago and Aurora Abortion Businesses Abort Viable Babies
According to AbortionFinder.org, six out of the 12 abortion clinics and hospitals in Chicago as well as Planned Parenthood Aurora do abortions of viable babies, those who can live outside the womb. Note: The viability window has been changing with technology to
around 22 weeks in recent years. As of a 2020-2022 US study, survival ranged from 24.9% at 22 weeks to 82.0% at 25 weeks.
CARING NETWORK CORNER
Help
Caring Network Find Staff
Two new Caring Network pregnancy centers in Chicago are ready to open, but three other centers still lack essential staff needed to open. Please pass on job listings for nurses and sonographers to your contacts. https:// caringnetwork.bamboohr.com/careers
Left a Baby Bottle at Home? Bring your bottle to the ushers or give online to provide operating funds for Caring Network as they open more centers this summer and fall in Chicago. If you give online through the QR code, please indicate you are from College Church so we can track the total. As of June, our church total has not yet met last year’s amount donated.
Baby Bank Bring diapers (size 6 especially needed), 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.) You may also order from the Baby Bank Amazon QR code.
SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS
MILESTONES
BIRTHS
Gabriel Joshua was born to Caleb and Marlee DeMoss on June 22, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His paternal grandparents are Shawn and Mary DeMoss.
Cyrus Thomas was born to Ransom and Mia Wisely on June 12. Maternal and first-time grandparents are Chad and Mindy Rynbrandt. Mindy is ministry director for women’s discipleship and care.
Peter Joseph was born to Joseph and Natalie DiCicco on June 6. Peter joins his siblings Louie, Jude and Sylvie. Soren Richard was born to J.J. and Michelle Oslund on May 25. His cousin Josie Wren was born to Erika and Phil Tuttle on June 3. Paternal and maternal (respectively) grandparents are Jeff and Alison Oslund. Soren’s siblings are Annika, Owen and Freya, and Josie’s are Ava, Jack, Addie and Junie.
Madeline Elaine Love was born to Jared and Hannah Wiggins on May 16 in Bridgewater, Virginia. Madeline joins her big sister, Jayne. Her paternal grandparents are David and Heather Wiggins.
Selah Ann was born to Timothy and Pamela Larkin on May 16 in Harwood Heights, Illinois. Selah’s maternal grandparents are Isaiah and Shirley Sheppard.
MARRIAGES
Alison Taylor married Parker Smith on April 25 at College Church. Alison is the daughter of Jeremy and Nancy Taylor, and the granddaughter of Mark and Carol Taylor and Leland and Mary Ryken.
DEATHS
Pray for Bob (Barbara) Kay and family as they grieve the loss of Bob’s mother and long-time College Church member, Jan Kay, who passed away on June 10.
Pray for Mary (Randy) Atkison and family as they grieve for Mary’s sister, Anne Haig-Fountain, who passed away on June 6 in Machias, New York.
Pray for Judy Pollard and Amy (Mark) Burdett and family as they grieve the loss of Judy’s husband and Amy’s father, Bill Pollard, who passed away on June 6.
Pray for Jenn (Rob) Hankes and family as they grieve the loss of Jenn’s father, Dennis Skogen, who passed away on June 5 in Janesville, Wisconsin.
at the BOOKSTALL
EVERYDAY HOLINESS
by Josh Moody
You don’t have to choose between being boring or being bad—there’s a better way.
In Everyday Holiness, Josh Moody shows how real joy and freedom come from becoming who you truly are in Christ. Rooted in Colossians, this short, practical book is a fresh, gospel-rich call to live a full and holy life
Bookstall Price: $8
SAVED
by Nancy Guthrie
Want to dive deeper into the book of Acts?
In Saved, Nancy Guthrie offers a theologically rich and accessible journey through Acts—connecting its stories to the bigger picture of God’s plan to save people from every nation. Perfect for individual or group study, Saved is part of a full suite of resources to help you understand the early church, the Holy Spirit’s work, and the unstoppable spread of the gospel.
Bookstall Price: $15
Visit the Shepherd Shelf
COMPELLED
by Paul and Sarah Hastings
Seven stories.
One extraordinary God. Compelled shares powerful, true stories of ordinary people whose lives were radically changed by the gospel. Based on the hit podcast, this book reminds us that God is still at work— rescuing, restoring, and drawing people to Himself today.
Bookstall Price: $3
THE SECRET OF THE FOURTH CANDLE
by Patricia St. John Mysterious. Hopeful. Unforgettable.
In The Secret of the Fourth Candle, Patricia St. John weaves three short stories full of wonder and meaning. Follow Aisha as she uncovers a mysterious secret—and discover timeless truths about faith, longing, and light.
Bookstall Price: $8
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.”
Update on North Seminary Avenue Parking Lot
By the time you read this July issue of Connections where this article appears, the church should be within days of submitting its paperwork to the City of Wheaton to apply for the necessary permits to demolish the houses on the north side of Seminary Avenue in order to install a parking lot providing 110 parking spaces with 14 spaces accessible spaces. While this will increase our parking spaces by two-thirds, the most important aspect is that these new spaces will be on the same side of the street with accessibility with a ramp for those with mobility issues. Dedicated visitor spaces will also be marked.
The funding for this project comes from two sources:
(a) the 2020 capital campaign had dollars remaining after the two primary goals were met: purchasing the last of the two remaining houses and paying off the mortgage on three other houses purchased earlier; and
(b) funds that have been raised through the Gospel Now Project launched just a year ago. Pledges launched early in the campaign on which payments have already been made and cash gifts from those who did not want to make a pledge have been combined to get us very close to being able to fund this part of the Gospel Now Project.
You might be curious about what happens when we submit our permit request. The City Planning Committee reviews every aspect of the project, encompassing at least these key areas:
1. Environmental perspective when the houses are razed and the heating oil tanks that everyone used during the days when the houses were built or moved to those lots, to assure the public that no undue contaminants will be released into the air or underground water.
2. Water detention because an asphalt surface obviously doesn’t absorb water (even though we will use permeable asphalt) as readily as lawns.
3. Engineering to assure that the ground slope is within the limits for those with mobility issues.
4. Lighting to make sure that even during dark hours, enough light is available for safety, but the light is diffused enough and turns off early enough to pass muster with the town ordinances without negatively impacting the neighbors.
5. The plans satisfy any possible concerns of those who live within 250 feet of the proposed parking lot.
Each of those with property within 250 feet of the proposed parking lot will receive a letter announcing the time and date of the public hearing where they will be able to ask questions and state their opinion. The City of Wheaton will consider all the opinions and the materials and plans that our architects and engineers have put together. That information along with opinions from those of the neighbors will result in a final decision which will be announced.
The goal would be to have the City approvals and permits in hand by August 15, which is the date all the tenants are to have moved.
Some of you have asked if the project could be expanded to include a covered entrance to the Sanctuary building. Unfortunately, this would create a significantly more complicated and expensive plan which cannot be accomplished given the time and fiscal constraints at this point but certainly could be considered in the future.
MAKING GOOD USE OF SUMMER
ANONYMOUS
As we all enjoy our own versions and activities of summer, we have many opportunities that are distinct from the other seasons of the year.
There’s no school and many people spend at least a part of the summer in schedules that are different from the rest of the year—more relaxed and leisurely, perhaps less structured without the rhythms that keep our schedules and habits in sync. Sometimes this means that we have the time and opportunity to do things we don’t have time to accomplish in the hustle and bustle of the other three seasons.
Summer could also be an excellent time to renew or start afresh in spiritual growth. The habits we establish this summer might even carry over to the rest of the year.
Here are a few ideas for how we might grow more like Jesus during the summer season:
1. Break out of your school-year habits. What ruts have you developed in your life road? Consider moving in some different and fresh way in how you live your daily life.
2. Pray at a different time of day or at a different location, perhaps outside in the morning with your cup of coffee? If you pray morning and/or night, consider adding in some time for prayer at lunch or an afternoon break.
3. Revisit your giving. At our recent annual meeting, the budget with a modest 3% increase was approved. That means that all of us should try to give at least 3% more this year. Don’t
forget your church and charitable giving when you go on vacation by signing up for recurring gifts online on the church website. Ask yourself if there are new ways to give to the church.
4. Consider serving in a different ministry. Those who serve in the school year have a well-deserved break because of other volunteers who serve in church ministries in the summer. Thanks to all of you who volunteer at any time of year. Is there another place of service God might be calling you to join in the days ahead? Listen to him and talk with a friend or family member about this.
5. Read the Bible with a friend or family member rather than just by yourself. This could become a daily or weekly routine and provide new insight into familiar Scriptures.
6. Pray for God to bring to you an opportunity for a gospel conversation with someone whose life may be changed through that divine appointment.
If you have already begun, or plan, to use this summer to start a new habit, or do things differently, this summer, how about sharing them with us so we publish them in a future Connections article, completely anonymously. Perhaps you can form a new habit for yourself and change someone else’s as well. Grow your soul this summer.
