November Chic Chat

Tables of Christmas

Share the Season... Share the Story
Tuesday, December 8
The Gathering Place
5:00 p.m. Doors open for table viewing
7:00 p.m. Program begins

Our menu...
Asian Ginger Chicken Skewers
Chinese Slaw
Frozen Cranberry Salad
Dessert Assortment

Ticket sales from October 25 through November 22 before and after church services, $10.00 per person. For more information, contact Jeanine Isham, 887-1866, jeaninei@hotmail.com or Sheila Grohnert, 889-8881, sgrohnert@att.net.

A note from our speaker...

Sharon Barrett will be sharing her life experiences as she talks to us about Christmas "Presence."

"I have always loved Christmas! CD's loaded in the stereo, cookies piling up on the counter, candles in the windows. The tree decorated, the gifts wrapped. I love the way Christmas looks, the way it sounds. But mostly I have always loved the way Christmas feels because I liked the way it made me feel... all warm and fuzzy, loving and patient, sacrificial and forgiving... a kinder, gentler version of myself that only appeared during that magical month of December. I've always loved Christmas, but when it was over, I'd pack away my Christmas spirit with the ornaments and greenery... until I learned the secret of Christmas presence!"

"For many of you, CCG's Tables of Christmas has become an annual part of your holiday tradition, and I'm pleased to be sharing it with you this year. I hope you'll join me in a look at some memories and a few memorable characters that have allowed me to fulfill a life-long dream... celebrating Christmas all year through!"

Pearls of Wisdom: Come, Connect, and Grow!

A super group of 20 women, including cooks, mentors, and students met in Beth Wright's home for the first class of Pearls of Wisdom. They prepared Cranberry Lemon Tea, Greek Grilled Chicken, Tangy Greek Lemon Soup, Salad, and Lemon Bars. Then the group interacted on a relevant, challenging Bible study. They finished the evening eating the yummy food they had prepared and making new friends. If you missed this class, the next one will begin in February 2010. You can sign up on the church Website at ccgonline.org (Adults/Women/Pearls of Wisdom) or contact Valetta Crumley, 888-2304, acrum1923@sbcglobal.net.

New Single Moms Small Group Fellowship

This new small group for single moms and their children meets at CCG at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings in the Hospitality Center where we begin the evening with a family dinner provided by various groups within the church. Then at 6:30 p.m. after the children have gone to their classes, the moms regroup and alternate weeks between having a homework-free Bible study on Living Victoriously and listening to a guest speaker. The speakers' topics include how to save money with coupons, how to have a healthy meal for under $4, and how to do easy home repairs. Our evening closes with a special time of encouragement. We have moms of all ages, so if this group sounds like something you would like to join, please contact Sandy Cunningham, 997-8134, sandycunningham1@att.net. (This e-mail is a correction from the one on the pink ministries sheet that you received in your mailboxes.)

Meet Pastor Jan Billups

Jan Billups has been on the staff at CCG since 1996 when she and her husband, Larry, moved to Greenwood from Atlanta. Jan was the first woman to be licensed and serve on the pastoral staff at CCG. For 11 years Jan served as the Pastoral Care Pastor, whose duties included caring for the overall well-being of the congregation through funerals, hospital and nursing home visits, and divorce and widow care. For the past two years, Jan has been the Pastor of Senior Adults, which includes caring for such groups as Anna's Circle, Hope Restored, Uplifters, and all the seniors.

Most of Jan's working career has been in Christian service, but her most rewarding times in ministry have been spent at CCG traveling with the seniors. Some of her adventures included losing a bus wheel, backing into a car, being stranded at a fast food restaurant, making emergency hospital stops, having no air conditioner on the bus in July, and... accidentally leaving two people behind on a trip! This experience gave new meaning to the words Left Behind!

Family is important to Jan and Larry. They were married in 1962 when Jan was only 16 and Larry was 19. Friends told them that only one in a million marriages work out when the partners are that young. Larry's reply was, "We are going to be that one in a million," and 47 years later, they have the strong marriage to prove it. Jan and Larry have a son, Doug, and a daughter, Dawn. They have two granddaughters, Shaundi and Jamie, and one grandson, Triston.

The verse that has been closest to Jan's heart as she has served in ministry is from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

October Chick Chat

Click HERE for printable version.

Tables of Christmas

It's almost here... anticipation grows... table decorations are planned... silver is polished... or paper plates are bought... friends and family are invited... and prayers mount up. Our 7th annual Tables of Christmas is coming on Tuesday, December 8... and YOU are invited! You can bring just yourself, a friend or two, or an entire table. You can decorate one table, several tables, or you can sit at someone else's decorated table. However you come and whomever you invite, you will have an evening to remember, and one that honors our Savior's birth.

Our speaker this year is Sharon Barrett, a favorite teacher and Bible-study leader with many CCG women. In her first career, Sharon was trained as a registered nurse, working primarily with mentally handicapped adults. She and her husband, Ray, have been married for 41 years and have two grown children and four grandchildren.

Sharon came to know Christ as her Savior at the age of 31. This transformation as an adult resulted in Sharon's passion for teaching adult women. In her second career, she has been writing and leading Bible studies for over 20 years and considers her teaching to be "faith fertilizer." As part of the Fresh Heart Teaching Ministry, Sharon is the keynote speaker and workshop leader at many retreats, banquets, and seminars across the United States as well as in Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa. She enjoys incorporating dramatic monologues and humorous characters into her teaching. Her sense of humor permeates every aspect of her presentations even as she is quite serious in her desire to encourage women to reach their full potential in Christ. Sharon is currently a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Greenwood and is active in its women's ministry and kindergarten Sunday school.

Sharon will be sharing her life experiences as she talks to us about Christmas "Presence." You will be laughing and crying at the same time!

Tables of Christmas 2009 tickets will be on sale on Sunday mornings from October 25 through November 22. The cost for a table is $80.00, payable by cash or a check made out to CCG with "Tables" written on the memo line. Individual seats, up to a limit of four, may be purchased for $10.00 each. You will be able to select your table on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact Jeanine Isham, 887-1866, jeaninei@hotmail.com or Sheila Grohnert, 889-8881, sgrohnert@att.net.

Pearls of Wisdom: Come, Cook, & Connect!

The fall class is filled with a blessed mix of women and is well under way. However, it is not too early to sign up on the church website for the next Pearl's class starting in February 2010: ccgonline.org (Adults/Women/Pearls of Wisdom link).

Anna's Circle

The ladies of Anna's Circle enjoyed their End-of-the-Summer, Too-Hot-for-a-Picnic event at Gray's Cafeteria on August 26. The food and desserts were plentiful and tasty. The ladies enjoy getting together each month for their birthday luncheons and are looking forward to their annual Thanksgiving banquet at MCL on November 21. Two of their members have 90th birthdays approaching in October and November: Mary Beckham and Betty Boren. Happy Birthday and a blessed year to you both!

Meet Betty Bouzeos

Betty is the wife of Dean Bouzeos, the Director of the Gathering Place. Let's find out about Betty in her own words:

After growing up as an only child in a wonderful Christian home in Illinois, I attended Wheaton College and spent five years traveling the country and representing the college for the admissions office. For the next five years, I directed special events for a Chicago area hospital corporation. It was a very exciting season of life. But the Lord knew my heart's desire for marriage and family, and I was blessed to be introduced to Dean on a blind date in 1984. We were married ten months later.

Our marriage also began a new career for Dean as the Lord called him from high school coaching to full-time ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where both our daughters were born. In 1992, we moved to Ponte Vedra, Florida, where Dean was invited to join the FCA Golf Ministry. At this point, I was able to improve my golf game as we traveled around the country to direct FCA golf camps each summer.

In 2005, Dean received a call to serve as pastor at Santa Cruz Bible Church in California. This was our first experience with a multi-generational household because we asked my parents to move in with us. What a comfort it was to have them there as my mom became weaker and passed away in 2007. After several years of challenging and fruitful ministry, we were excited when the door opened to come to CCG.

The Lord was so good to bring us back to the Midwest to be near both families for the first time in 17 years! It has been an exciting and rewarding year as we have had the opportunity to get to know many of you, discover Indianapolis, and be a part of the exciting ministry at CCG through The Gathering Place. During the past year, I've enjoyed becoming an Indiana sports fan, playing golf, catching up on my pleasure reading, and sewing curtains for our new home. Our daughter Debby attends Wheaton College, and Susy started at Anderson University this fall. The house will be quiet, and I'm wondering what an "empty nest" will feel like! I am so happy to be here and have great hope for our future together in friendship and ministry at CCG.

September Chick Chat

Click HERE for Printable Version.

Taste of CCG
Ladies, please join us for the Third Annual Taste of CCG on Monday, September 28th at 6:30 p.m. We will enjoy appetizers, salads, side dishes, entrees, and desserts. We'll have a fun evening of fellowship, a heart-felt testimony by Linda Lewis, and a cookbook of all the recipes for you to try at home. Ticket sales and information will be available in the church lobby after Sunday services on September 6 & 13. Recipe forms are available online or  in your mailboxes. Contact Nancy Burk at 445-3890 for more information. Bring your friends!

Pearls of Wisdom: Come, Cook, & Connect!
An 8-Week Class - Thursdays at 6:45 p.m.
October 1-November 19, 2009

Our wonderful Lord has put together a dynamic group of mentors and cooks for the upcoming Pearls of Wisdom class beginning Thursday, October 1. These women include Sandy Cunningham, Lorna Chandler, Cheryl Christian, Kim Ruder, Connie Medlock, Jennifer Huffman, Beth Wright, and Jessica McDanell. You will want to sign up soon for this class. The cost-which includes materials and food-is $20.00 up front or $3.00 per night. All eight classes will be at the home of Beth Wright. For more information and to reserve class space, please add your name to the Sign-Up Pole in the lobby or contact Lora Wilson (738-3239) or Vicki Jordal, (888-6783). Class size is limited.

Evening MOPS

The CCG Evening MOPS group began the fall semester with a kick-off meeting on August 19th. If you're a mother of preschoolers and are interested in getting to know other moms like yourself, it's not too late to join. Meetings are on the first and third Wednesday evenings of every month from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, contact EveningMOPS@ccgonline.org.

Tables of Christmas

Ladies, please reserve Tuesday evening, December 8, 2009 for Tables of Christmas. Be planning your table decorations and thinking about whom God leads you to invite to the event this year.

Fall Session Bible Studies
September 13-November 15

Please check your mailboxes for details about the schedule for the Fall Bible Studies. For more information, please contact Sheila Grohnert, 889-8881, sgrohnert@att.net. Come join us as we grow in the Word.

Meet Sandy Turner

Sandy is the wife of CCG's Pastor of Children's Ministries, Bill Turner. Bill and Sandy have been members of CCG for more than 25 years and have been active in various children's programs since they started attending. They both enjoy being around children and have nurtured and loved hundreds of children through the years at CCG. They have one child of their own, Mikaela, who is 14 and will be entering Center Grove High School as a freshman this year. Sandy and Bill have been married for 32 years.

Sandy grew up in Vincennes, Indiana, and was the second of four children. She and her siblings loved animals and adopted all sorts of them into their family: horses, dogs, cats, ducks, and snakes. They even started a pet cemetery on their property so that their "friends" could have a decent burial! Sandy learned early to have a soft heart for animals and children.

Sandy participated in everything as she was growing up. She played the trumpet in band; she was a majorette; and she was a Homecoming princess for her high school. But her first love was always sports. Sandy was a self-described "girlie jock" and participated in softball, cross country, and tandem bike racing...and she had the broken bones to prove it! Not only did she break her nose playing regular softball, but she nearly broke her neck while playing donkey softball-a version of softball in which you actually ride a donkey as you are at bat and as you try to field a ball. In one of her donkey games, the donkey didn't appreciate one of Sandy's moves and threw her off. Sandy ended up in a neck brace for two months. But the most painful part of the story (for someone who hates the spotlight) was that Sandy's story was featured in three newspapers in the Vincennes area. She's still recognized today!

Sandy attended Vincennes University and Indiana State University and graduated with a B.S. degree in education. Throughout the years, she has worked for Methodist Hospital as an assistant in the radiology department, for Greenwood Christian Academy as a teacher, and currently for Center Grove High School in its Special Services department where she helps students with special needs one-on-one.

Sandy enjoys lots of hobbies, including sewing, scrap booking, painting (as in painting walls!), reading, baking, decorating cakes, and auto racing. She used to bake 500 cookies every May to treat her fellow workers, and she would bring the cookies to work wearing the Indy 500 black-and-white color scheme throughout the whole month. She still loves to bake for other people, so if you get a sweet-tooth craving.... Sandy is also very good at packing. This comes from the experience she got early in her married life when Bill moved her eight times in the first two years they were married because of his job. So if you need help in your next move....

Sandy has lots of wonderful stories to tell. When you see her in the hallway, ask her about the young people at CCG, or ask her about her miracle delivery of Mikaela, or ask her about her personal testimony, or ask her about her adventures growing up as a child.... You will come away blessed!