A PUBLICATION OF THE
PROPHETSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
OCTOBER 2025
NEWSLETTER
PROPHETSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Joey Garcea
200 West 2nd Street
Prophetstown, IL 61277
Church phone: 815-537-2496
Email: ptumc@thewisp.net
NEWSLETTER
PROPHETSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Joey Garcea
200 West 2nd Street
Prophetstown, IL 61277
Church phone: 815-537-2496
Email: ptumc@thewisp.net
The sacrament of Holy Communion is observed the first Sunday of every month. Thank you to the following for set up:
October 5 Karen Richey
November 2 Esther Wagenecht
December 7 Al Posey & Pat Kasterke
October 5 Karen Richey
November 2 Esther Wagenecht
December 7 Al Posey & Pat Kasterke
I would like to thank Lorraine Thompson for filling in for me while I was on vacation. It meant the world to me because I got to visit my brother in Tucson and my sister and brother-in-law in Albuquerque. As I get older, I realize that it is very important to spend time with loved ones when we can.
“God made the lovely sunshine and the blossoms on the trees. The rainbows and the starlight and the gentle Springtime breeze. God gave the earth its beauty and as a final touch, He blessed our lives by giving us those who mean so much.” Excerpt from Treasury of Thoughts.
“God made the lovely sunshine and the blossoms on the trees. The rainbows and the starlight and the gentle Springtime breeze. God gave the earth its beauty and as a final touch, He blessed our lives by giving us those who mean so much.” Excerpt from Treasury of Thoughts.
Prayer Concerns
Dave Anderson
Marcus Bomleny (1-year-old from Fenton)
Matthew Decker
Nicole Olinger
Rusty Roselieb
Rosemary & Paul Sibley
Bill Uhler
Jess Wirsing
Jacob Woodworth’s family
Gordon Francis
Marcus Bomleny (1-year-old from Fenton)
Matthew Decker
Nicole Olinger
Rusty Roselieb
Rosemary & Paul Sibley
Bill Uhler
Jess Wirsing
Jacob Woodworth’s family
Gordon Francis
Birthdays
2 Jim Miller
2 Sally Renkes
3 Pat Crump
8 Porter Bebon
9 Virginia Giffin
14 Avery Olinger
14 Morgan Russell
17 Makenzie Glassburn
18 Tara Miller
20 Khloee Wolf
21 Barbara Stewart
22 Mike Glassburn
2 Sally Renkes
3 Pat Crump
8 Porter Bebon
9 Virginia Giffin
14 Avery Olinger
14 Morgan Russell
17 Makenzie Glassburn
18 Tara Miller
20 Khloee Wolf
21 Barbara Stewart
22 Mike Glassburn
01 Tara & Jim Miller
20 Kelly & Jeremy Brooks
21 Angie & Shawn Smith
24 Ellie & Garrett Plumley
20 Kelly & Jeremy Brooks
21 Angie & Shawn Smith
24 Ellie & Garrett Plumley
BAPTISM
Brielle Robin Renae Carpenter, daughter of Kaitlyn Nicole Dunning, and great granddaughter of Al Posey, was baptized during the morning worship service on Sunday, September 14. God’s blessings to Brielle and her family.
Administrative Council Meeting is Sunday, October 5 following the morning worship service. Please plan to attend
PAT’S TABLE
The next Pat’s Table dinner is Monday, October 13 from 5-6 p.m. The Advent Christian Church will serve. Come join us!
The next Pat’s Table dinner is Monday, October 13 from 5-6 p.m. The Advent Christian Church will serve. Come join us!
USHER SCHEDULE
5 – Pat Crump, Pat Uhler
12 – Garett Plumley, Glenn Ackeberg
19 -Tammie Oleson, Shelly Misch
26 – Alan Posey, Pat Kasterke
5 – Pat Crump, Pat Uhler
12 – Garett Plumley, Glenn Ackeberg
19 -Tammie Oleson, Shelly Misch
26 – Alan Posey, Pat Kasterke
LITURGIST SCHEDULE
5 Kim Smith
12 Adam Carr
19 Sally Renkes
26 Gloria Verhulst
5 Kim Smith
12 Adam Carr
19 Sally Renkes
26 Gloria Verhulst
ACOLYTE SCHEDULE
5 Brayden Garcea, Olin Shaner
12 Ava Gravila, Knox Butts
19 Porter Bebon, Sutton Bebon
26 Peyton Garcea, Tamber Rippy
5 Brayden Garcea, Olin Shaner
12 Ava Gravila, Knox Butts
19 Porter Bebon, Sutton Bebon
26 Peyton Garcea, Tamber Rippy
Please join us for coffee and fellowship every Sunday before the morning worship service.
Treats are served on the first Sunday of the month.
Bible Study is every Wednesday at 1 p.m. led by Pastor Joey. They are currently studying the book of Genesis. All are welcome to attend.
BEAR NECESSITIES PERSONAL CARE PANTRY
Leon United Methodist Church
17173 Lomax Road
Prophetstown, IL 61277
3rd Saturday of every month
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Available items:
Laundry detergent, toilet paper, bath soap, toothpaste, dish soap, and shampoo.
Other items are available from time to time.
BEAR NECESSITIES PERSONAL CARE PANTRY
Leon United Methodist Church
17173 Lomax Road
Prophetstown, IL 61277
3rd Saturday of every month
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Available items:
Laundry detergent, toilet paper, bath soap, toothpaste, dish soap, and shampoo.
Other items are available from time to time.
October Little Thoughts
By Connie Blackert
October—-What a beautiful month—-Like I said in September let’s enjoy God’s beauty! My little thought for October is about pumpkins, can you believe that—-It’s almost Halloween—-have you got your Halloween costume?
PUMPKINS
A woman was asked by a coworker, “What is it like to be a Christian?”
The coworker replied, “It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.
I hope each of you are shining for all the world to see!
Happy Halloween!
A woman was asked by a coworker, “What is it like to be a Christian?”
The coworker replied, “It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.
I hope each of you are shining for all the world to see!
Happy Halloween!
I used this last year and enjoyed it so much I thought we’d have a repeat. Hope you enjoy!
Sunday, October 26 is the next “Noisy Change” collection. Bring your coins and make some noise!
Congratulations and best wishes to:
Tiffany Onken and Adam Carr on their wedding Saturday, August 23 at our church.
Jayden Fortune & John Scanlan on their wedding Saturday, September 20 at our church.
Pastor Joey Garcea officiated both ceremonies. May God richly bless their marriages.
FIELDS OF FAITH
Will meet at the Erie Football Field on Sunday, October 5 from 6-8 p.m.
Will meet at the Erie Football Field on Sunday, October 5 from 6-8 p.m.
Fields of Faith is an FCA certified ministry program where athletes gather at sport environments in their communities to challenge their peers to read the Bible daily and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 1:9
The annual Trunk or Treat will be held Friday, October 24 from 5-7 p.m. at the Prophetstown United Methodist Church. Anyone interested in setting up is free to do so in the parking lot or have a table in the horseshoe drive. Vehicles of all types are welcome.
The Prophetstown Lutheran Church and Prophetstown Proud will also participate at their locations. There will be food, music, and games!
The Prophetstown Lutheran Church and Prophetstown Proud will also participate at their locations. There will be food, music, and games!
Welcome to October. As we enter fall, we welcome the cooler weather and all the fall activities that we love. Pumpkin spice coffees, apple orchard trips, and looking at the fall colors as the leaves change.
We also remember the people in our lives that give our lives meaning. Each of us is surrounded by a beloved Christian community. This community prays for us, cares for us, helps us and continually checks on us to make sure we are ok.
This community consists of our church families, our immediate family, and our friends. But did you know this community is a lot larger than we think. During the last weekend of September I was asked to serve on the Walk to Emmaus retreat. I was one of the spiritual directors for this event. There were 5 pilgrims that attended the retreat. There were 30 staff members that prayed for the attendees, taught them about Christian faith and helped them get reconnected to God. That’s not the end of the community. There were also 15 different Emmaus communities that prayed to this retreat from all around the country. There were people that prayed for this retreat around the world and there were 72 people that prayed for an hour each during the entire time we were at the retreat. That is a large community!
So many times when things are tough, we think we are alone, but we are never alone. God is with us, but so are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
They support us and continually help us. Sometimes they are people we will never meet but they still support us. We are made to be in a community and it gives us perspective, how God works and how God is in control. I am praying for each of you. Pastor Joey
We also remember the people in our lives that give our lives meaning. Each of us is surrounded by a beloved Christian community. This community prays for us, cares for us, helps us and continually checks on us to make sure we are ok.
This community consists of our church families, our immediate family, and our friends. But did you know this community is a lot larger than we think. During the last weekend of September I was asked to serve on the Walk to Emmaus retreat. I was one of the spiritual directors for this event. There were 5 pilgrims that attended the retreat. There were 30 staff members that prayed for the attendees, taught them about Christian faith and helped them get reconnected to God. That’s not the end of the community. There were also 15 different Emmaus communities that prayed to this retreat from all around the country. There were people that prayed for this retreat around the world and there were 72 people that prayed for an hour each during the entire time we were at the retreat. That is a large community!
So many times when things are tough, we think we are alone, but we are never alone. God is with us, but so are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
They support us and continually help us. Sometimes they are people we will never meet but they still support us. We are made to be in a community and it gives us perspective, how God works and how God is in control. I am praying for each of you. Pastor Joey