Past Events 2010

This page includes information and links to pictures about events that either took place at First Presbyterian Church or involved members or supported organizations in 2010.  Please contact Susan Miller at 630-682-0108 or by email at GGM81@aol.com with any items and photos you would like to contribute.

Past events from 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, and 2002 are all online.  Some information and photos about events prior to 2002 can be found in our Church History Section.  Information about our church's initiatives, classes, activities, and upcoming events can be found online in our Weekly and Monthly Newsletters, our Sunday Bulletin, Church Life, and our Weekly and Monthly Calendars.

Everyone in attendance had a great time at our Red Carpet Family Movie Night on Friday, December 17, 2010.  Many of the younger children wore their pajamas and brought their pillows and blankets, and everyone enjoyed watching Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

On December 15, 2010, 44 of our Genesis LOGOS youth enjoyed visiting 28 of our special FPC seniors, learning about their Christmas traditions and favorite memories, and bringing them beautiful rag Christmas wreaths they had made as well as a plate of Christmas cookies and lots of love and cheer.

The annual Fifth Grade Breakfast with Denny Lawson was hosted this year by the Brink family on December 12, 2010.  As usual, everyone had a great time and plenty to eat.

Many volunteers of all ages worked together from December 6-11, 2010, as we again participated in Christmas Sharing, a community-wide event in which various area churches, Wheaton/Warrenville School District 200, and the township offices all collaborate each December to share the Christmas spirit with local needy families.

Worship leadership at our annual Festival of Carols Services on December 5, 2010, was provided by our Westminster Choir, Humble Singers, and Celebration Ringers, as well as the children who are participating in our Academy of Music and Art.

The excellent performances of Jan Foster and Carol Brushwyler enacting the story of Elizabeth and Mary gave us new insights into a better understanding of Mary at our Presbyterian Women's Christmas Luncheon and Program on December 2, 2010.  Everyone also enjoyed the music shared, including a solo sung by Lisa Wolfe and Christmas carols played by Alice Logan on the piano that everyone sang together.

During November 2010 LOGOS members collected items and packed and wrapped Christmas gifts in shoe boxes for “Operation Christmas Child” to share with children in traumatic and impoverished circumstances in countries around the world.

Sunday, November 14, was a busy day in the life of the church as we celebrated two wonderful events; CONSECRATION SUNDAY when we celebrate our commitments to Him and His church, as well as CONFIRMATION SUNDAY when we welcomed 34 of the newest (and youngest) members of First Pres Wheaton.

Twenty-two high school students and adult leaders shivered in their sleeping bags and cardboard box "homes" in the First Pres courtyard on the night of November 6, 2010, as WF participated in our third annual Sleep Out Saturday, an evening hosted by Bridge Communities of Glen Ellyn designed to raise awareness of homelessness and funding for homeless recovery.

We gathered in the Courtyard to thank God for His wonderful gift of animals at a very meaningful Blessing of the Animals Service on Saturday, October 2, 2010.  The service included three hymns, prayers, and a Litany of Thanksgiving for our pets.

The Deacons hosted the Annual Fall Senior Luncheon on September 30, 2010 which featured season appropriate home-made soups. Everyone enjoyed the presentation of "Letters from the Civil War", a personal account from our guest speaker Gay Johnstone, whose Great Grandfather was a Union soldier.

On Sunday, September 12, 2010, the Barbary Coast Dixieland Band played during both the 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. services as well as during a 3:00 p.m. concert; our new plasma screens were used in the Sanctuary for the first time as Dr. Paul Kirbas presented our new logo and vision statement; and the Genesis Bake Sale and Connections Expo were held downstairs between the two worship services.

The Annual Church Picnic was held on August 29, 2010 and it was the perfect chance to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

Church members  and visitors of all ages had a great time at the back-to-school Family Ice Cream Social at the Morton Arboretum Children's Garden on Sunday, August 22, 2010.

Our Genesis middle schoolers and friends had a BLAST at Jus-Fun Amusements in Oakbrook Terrace on August 16, 2010, playing mini-golf, driving go karts, trying the batting cages, and enjoying “water wars.”

Our Genesis Church Cleanup Mission Project was held on the very hot humid evening of August 10, 2010.  Our middle schoolers, led by our fearless 8th grade Sunday school teacher Jerry Meyer, attacked weeds in the courtyard, wrestled with thousands of markers, sorting and pitching, and “took on” the dishwasher, assisting Mrs. Gagnon and Mrs. Shine washing the toys from the two-year old preschool room.  Our middle schoolers then enjoyed pizza and Mr. Meyer’s famous gutter banana split.

Our Genesis mission project at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in St. Charles on July 19, 2010, was a big success.  Twenty-four of our youth and leaders spent the afternoon packaging up 960 boxes of breakfast cereal and wiping off and putting ingredient contents labels on over 2952 Capri Sun juice pouches. 

Our Genesis baseball BLAST trip on June 10, 2010, gave 25 First Presbyterian Church Genesis middle schoolers, friends, and leaders, including some brand-new Genesis members, an opportunity to watch the Kane County Cougars beat the Fort Wayne TinCaps.  Everyone also enjoyed watching Jake the Diamond Dog and a spectacular fireworks show set to 70s music.

Galactic Blast was the theme of Vacation Bible School 2010 for children entering 4 year old pre-school through Grade 4 and was a huge success!  The children all enjoyed Bible stories, games, activities, crafts, music, being with their friends, and making new friends.  The adult and high school student volunteers did a wonderful job!  Youth entering grades 5 through 8 participated in Service Squad, a Hands-On Mission Experience for Tweens, the same week.  Over 90 children participated in our Vacation Bible School programs June 21-25, 2010.

The commissioning of the latest class of Stephen Ministers, Jane Daniels, Diane Easter, Fred Hutson, and Dave Chiesa, was recognized and celebrated at a gathering of Stephen Ministers on June 7, 2010. 

Our 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. worship services on Pentecost, May 23, 2010, were enhanced with special music provided by our Westminster Choir, the Humble Singers men's choir, our Celebration Ringers, musicians, and liturgical dancing.  Our new Sanctuary Garden was dedicated following the 11:00 a.m. service.

Over 80 members of First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton and the Wheaton Ward LDS enjoyed an interfaith fellowship trip by bus to the Mormon heritage sites at Nauvoo, Illinois, on May 22 - 23, 2010.  After touring the sites First Presbyterian Pastor Jay Moses and LDS Bishop Reed Nuttal led an interfaith worship service in the Seventies Hall in Nauvoo on Sunday, May 23, 2010.

Everyone had a great time at our annual Seniors' Spring Luncheon on May 20, 2010, which was hosted by our deacons and featured storyteller Joy Wilcox as well as a delicious lunch.

Joan Reuss was presented a Good Citizen Award by the City of Wheaton at the City Council meeting on Monday, May 17, 2010.  Joan is an active member of First Presbyterian Church.

View photos from Youth Sunday on May 16, 2010.  All three of our worship services were conducted by the high school students of First Presbyterian Church.  During the education hour our Sunday School Closing Program was held in the Sanctuary.  The children in each of the classes, Kindergarten through Grade 5, shared scripture they had learned during the year with the large crowd in attendance.

Enjoy a You-Tube Video slide show with royalty-free background music with scenes from our Sunday School classes during the 2009 - 2010 program year prepared by Denny Lawson.

WF (Westminster Fellowship) is the Senior High youth group at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton.  View a You-Tube Video prepared by Denny Lawson with more information and scenes from some of our WF activities during the 2009 - 2010 program year.

Marion Blumenthal Lazan, co-author of Four Perfect Pebbles, A Holocaust Story, captivated the large crowd on hand during her presentation at our Wednesday Evening Faithbuilders Program on April 28, 2010.

Our April Red Carpet event was a fellowship dinner followed by a concert in Villa Park by the Wiffenpoof a cappella choir from Yale University. As you can see by clicking for more details, much fun was had by all.

Our Maundy Thursday service on the evening of April 1, 2010, included a stirring rendition of The Living Last Supper following the meditation. 

Our choir led our pastors and members, all carrying palm branches, in a procession into the Sanctuary before the 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. worship services on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010.

LOGOS is our mid-week ministry for young people in Kindergarten through 8th grade.  Meetings are on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. from October through March each year.  The goal of the ministry is to nurture a relationship with Jesus Christ and Christian relationships with peers and adult leaders.  This is accomplished through a four-part program that includes Bible Study, Worship Skills, Recreation, and a family-style dinner.  View a You-Tube Video prepared by Denny Lawson with more information and scenes from some of our LOGOS activities during the 2009 - 2010 program year.

Children age 3 through grade 3, along with their parents and grandparents, had a great time at our annual Easter Craft Party and Egg Hunt on March 20, 2010.

First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton celebrated the Ordination of Patricia H. Locke to the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church USA on Sunday afternoon, March 21, 2010.  Pat joined the staff of First Presbyterian Church of Grand Haven, Michigan, as their new Associate Pastor on February 1, 2010. 

Our third grade Sunday School class made snack bags of trail mix to share with the people at PADS on Sunday, March 14, 2010.  Everyone had a great time making them, and the folks at PADS were very appreciative.

Over 40 Genesis middle schoolers and their friends enjoyed an evening filled with friendly competition at our March Madness Game BLAST on March 12, 2010.

Everyone enjoyed the All-Church Pancake Breakfast hosted by our Genesis middle schoolers on February 21, 2010.  All proceeds went towards our adopted child from Compassion International and to supplement costs for Genesis retreats.

Scout Sunday was celebrated at First Presbyterian Church on February 14, 2010.  This year marks the 100th anniversary of scouting in the United States.

Our third annual Kirkin' o' the Tartans worship services at 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. on February 7, 2010, were a celebration of the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church through a wonderful service of bagpipes and drums, tartans, beadles, Scottish liturgy, and traditions of the old Scottish Kirk.  During our usual education hour between these services everyone enjoyed a time of Scottish Fellowship in the Ministry Center and entertainment provided by the Thistle & Heather Highland Dancers of Chicagoland, with children from First Presbyterian joining them and beginning to learn Scottish dancing.

Our second annual Kirkin' o' the Tartans Supper Club Dinner on February 6, 2010, featured great food, fellowship, music, and dancing, with a Scottish flavor.

Our 2010 Annual Congregational Meeting was held in the Ministry Center during our education hour on Sunday, January 31, 2010, and was very well attended.  The State of the Church message by Dr. Paul Kirbas can be heard online in mp3 format.

On Sunday, January 17, 2010, we gathered in the Rotunda between the 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. services to wish "Farewell and Godspeed" to our departing Celebration Service Coordinator, Jeff Leavitt.  Our WF Bake Sale was held in the Rotunda at the same time, with all of the proceeds being donated to World Vision's Haiti Earthquake Relief.   At the same time in the link area between the Rotunda and Stewart Hall generic plaid scarves were being offered for sale for $10 each to members who do not have official tartans for our Kirkin' o' the Tartans events on February 6-7, 2010.

On Sunday afternoon, January 10, 2010, our church family gathered to experience "The Blizzard."  We enjoyed a simple meal in Stewart Hall and then did a number of fun exercises to determine our individual core values using a story line of an impending blizzard.  These values will be used to shape our future together as a body of Christ. 

Everyone had a great time at our Genesis Winter Xtreme Retreat to Timber-lee on January 8 - 10, 2010.