Ogle County Newspapers, Thursday, December 26, 2013, Page A4
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Local church donates $5,000 in honor of founder Lifeline receives $5,000 from Church of Jesus Christ Forever By Rick Ryland Church of Jesus Christ Forever Elder During this time of seasonal celebration and giving, a small church congregation is doing a big thing: they are donating over $5,000 to a local charity that feeds the poor and needy. They are giving it in honor of their founder, Rev. Rose M. Aluli. “When God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, He showed to the world and to all mankind His great love. As we know, Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem, placed in a manger, and within a year threatened with death at the hand of a despotic king. Christmas sets the record straight, that God is truth – He keeps His promises – and that He is love: of Himself, He gave freely and completely. With this donation, our church wants to set the record straight, namely this: that Rose was a true woman of God, and that her integrity
was to give in love – even as Christ and the Father did,” said her husband Rev. Kale Aluli, pastor of The Church of Jesus Christ Forever. The church was incorporated in 1981. We met with Sharon Wallace and Earl Martin, co-presidents of Lifeline, an Oregon-based charity that provides food to the needy. They, along with other long-time members of the church (some flying in from Hawaii to celebrate the holidays), presented Lifeline with a cashier’s check for $5,181.57. “Rev. Aluli and Rick met with me and asked about Lifeline’s administrative costs. They were concerned about the percentage of charity dollar that goes directly to the recipient. I told them that Lifeline is an allvolunteer organization. “They then asked if a donation could be presented with the understanding that it was being done in honor of their founder – and to set the record straight about her. I met and discussed this with Earl, and we agreed,” said Wallace. “The donation was presented with the blessing of the whole church, and we are very grateful and happy to receive it,” added Martin.
The church owned and operated Maxson Manor and The Rose of Rock River from 1985 to 1992. “When Rose passed away in ’92 we were forced into litigation to determine ownership of the restaurant, an adjoining property and the riverboat. Their combined value was over $975,000,” said Aluli. I served as the restaurant and riverboat manager. There is a horrible rumor that has circulated for many years: that Rose used her influence as pastor and founder to work her church members hard, and then gave Maxson’s and the riverboat to her family. That is completely false – not true. Rose was a woman of her word, a woman fully dedicated to God. This is the truth: that Rose spoke to the adults of the church, and offered to use her money to purchase the manor. She told us that if we were willing to work and build the restaurant, we would own it together. She further said, “If we ever sell, all profits will be split equally.” The church with Pastor Aluli, as spouse, spent almost 10 years in litigation. By eyewitness testimony
Gertie Bornemeier Family
Manor staff. “We hope this offering during the Christmas season provides food to the needy and settles the truth about our beloved founder. Together, in this wonderful time of gifting and giving, we echo the glorious words of Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate: “In the end we stood for ‘It is better to give than to Rose and her integrity – that receive.’ All blessings and is what mattered to us,” said thanksgiving to Him.” 11 members who remained in her church and who were And tidings of goodwill to part of the original Maxson Lifeline.
Byron. Christopher I. Wheat, Oregon, and Jozi L. Steele, Mt. Morris. Brody S. Tobin-Stuebinger and Amy E. Grobe, both of Byron.
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Thank You
Your kindness and love shown to us will always be remembered.
“Rose could have had a legal document drawn up by her attorney, but she strongly believed that the honesty within her church leadership was of greater value than anything else, and that integrity and truth before God would stand,” said Aluli.
Dec. 17 Ogle County Clerk Colby W. Keefe, Pingree Rebecca Huntley issued the following marriage licenses: Grove, and Eden E. Zeibert, Byron. Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Brandon J. Marcellis and Joshua H. Carpenter and Andrea M. LaJeunesse, both Stacey L. Peterson, both of of Villa Park.
Maternal grandparents are Nancy Bell and Marvin Bell, both of Mahomet. Paternal grandparents are Mike and Brenda Anderson, Mt. Morris. Maternal great-grandfather is J. C. Karr, Seymour. Paternal great-grandfather is Dale Gingrich, Kewanee.
The family of Gertie Bornemeier wishes to express our sincere thanks to our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers for all the flowers, food, memorials and other acts of kindness shown to our family at this time of great loss.
and documents they tried to prove to the court that the nominal ownership of two elders, her daughter and son-in-law, was not the true ownership. Because they could not produce the original document known as “The Common Purpose Agreement” (they maintain that it was removed from office files while they were in North Dakota burying Rose’s body next to her father’s), the court ruled otherwise.
Marriage Licenses
Birth Kendall McDonnell Anderson Brad and Kendra Anderson, Champaign, announce the birth of their son Kendall McDonnell Anderson on Nov. 15, 2013. He weighed eight pounds seven ounces and was 20.5 inches long at birth.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ Forever present a check to Lifeline Food Pantry co- presidents Sharon Wallace and Earl Martin. Pictured left to right in the front row are Rev. Jacqueline Jacobs, Rev. Kale Aluli, Wallace, Martin, Rick Ryland, Rev. Laurie Ryland. Back row: Rev. Bob James, Eric Jacobs, Mona Rinaldo, Joyce Mallette, Rev. Candy Morris, Dwight Miller, Mike Ryland. Photo supplied
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Augustana College Several area residents were among the 839 students named to the dean’s list for the fall term at Augustana College, Rock Island. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.
Those earning acadmeic honors include Keith Cline, Byron, a junior majoring in biology and psychology; Amy Fagan, Oregon, a sophomore majoring in business administrationadvising; Heather Gorsegner, Oregon, a sophomore majoring in pre-elementary education; Bethany Hayenga, Kings, a sophomore majoring
in philosophy and German; Daniel Reine, Stillman Valley, a senior majoring in biology and pre-medicine; Jeneen Schier, Oregon, a junior majoring in biology; Holly Scholl, Polo, a sophomore majoring in graphic design; and Hunter Winstead, Stillman Valley, a junior majoring in premedicine and biochemistry.
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