Church Events in 2006
This page preserves links to church events that have already occurred in 2006 for reference purposes. Look at the News and Events page for future events.
New Year's Eve
8:15am and 9:30am
Worship Service
Worship led by the Youth
"The Last Word "
Message by Rev. Nick Nicholas
Scripture: Psalm 148, Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52
- There will be no Sunday school.
- Nursery care will be available.
Christmas Eve Worship Services
8:15am, 9:30am, and 11:00am
Worship Services
"Song of Hope"
Message by Rev. Debbie Fisher
Scripture: Luke 2:39-45
5:00pm
Children & Family Worship
"The Christmas Story "
7:00pm
Candle-light Service of Carols and Communion
Music by the Connection
9:00pm
Candle-light Carol Service
Music by the Chancel Choir
11:00pm
Candle-light Carol Service
Music by the Chapel Choir
7:00pm, 9:00pm, 11:00pm
"What Child is This?" ~ Message by Rev. Jonathan Dean
Scripture: Luke 2:1-20
Childcare will be available in the nursery suite for the 7:00pm service.
Chapel Choir Alumni
All Chapel Choir Alumni are invited to sing with the Chapel Choir on Christmas Eve at the 11:00pm service. Arrival time for rehearsal is 10:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Seating will be limited so please call the church office at 968-7120, ext. 110 if you plan to attend. We will also have our traditional alumni reunion after the service. Come and see your old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.
Sunday School
December 24
- At 9:30am, the three year old class, four & five year old class and kindergarten class will be signed in at their normal classroom. Their teacher will then escort them to the gym for a Christmas party. First through fourth graders will go directly to the gym where the first through third graders need to be signed in by a parent. Parents are asked to pick up their children (three year old to fourth grade) in the gym following worship.
- At 11:00am, the children will be escorted for a special Sunday school following the children's sermon.
- There will be no Bible Bonus at 9:30am or 11:00am.
Living Nativity
Experience the Christmas story in the front garden of church. Our dramatization will be complete with stable and live animals.
Post-High Youth Group
Informational Meeting
Following the highly successful mission trip in 2005, PHYG will return to the Parish of Putney to help spruce up the church of St Mary, July 5-16, 2007. In addition, we will:
- Worship at Wesley’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey & St Paul’s Cathedral.
- Shop at Harrods, Covent Garden & Portobello Road.
- Visit Hyde Park & The British Museum.
- Go to the start of the Tour de France.
- See Harry Potter premier and Spamalot!
Join us for lunch on Sunday, December 17 in Chapel Hall at 12:30pm to find out more about the trip.
RSVP to Nick at nick@dgfumc.org or (630) 968-7120 ext 123.
|PHYG Mission Trip Brochure|
Blue Christmas
Christmas is not a completely joyfilled occasion for everyone. Some have lingering grief because of a death, job loss or divorce. Some are experiencing acute loneliness. Others may have moved to the area recently and are missing familiar people and places.
In recognition of this we are offering a worship service on December 16th at 5:30pm in the Chapel. If Christmas is going to be a less than joyous time for you this year, you are invited to our Blue Christmas worship service.
Guatemala Trip Meeting
There will be an open meeting of the Guatemala committee on Thursday 14th at 7pm in Room 202 (Jonathan's office). Please come, to hear about our plans for next year's trip, to talk to those who went this year, and to share your thoughts or questions with us about our link with the UPAVIM women's co-operative in Guatemala City. Coffee and cake will be served.
|Guatemala Mission Trip Photos|
Christmas Celebration & Potluck
The Young At Heart group for senior adults will have a Christmas Celebration and Potluck for their Wednesday, December 13th activity. The Celebration will be in Chapel Hall with the potluck beginning at noon. Each one attending will be asked to bring a dish to pass. Following lunch we will have a Christmas presentation by Archie Benfield (our resident actor) and we will have some carol singing accompanied by Marilyn Gillham. You may sign up in the parlor on Sunday morning as to what dish you would like to provide or contact Marilou Welch through the church office (968-7120).
O Holy Night...Christ is Born
The Chapel Choir
A musical mosaic of contemporary and traditional sounds,
directed by Belford Hernandez.
Featuring more than 80 students from 11 area high schools
plus a 10-piece band!
Buy your tickets early, we anticipate being sold out! Tickets are $7.00 and are being sold by choir members. The proceeds help to pay for their Spring Tour.
Christmas Party
Christmas Tea
All women of the church are invited to the parsonage for a Christmas Tea on December 5 at 1:00PM. Join us for tea, cookies, and fellowship and see what UMW (United Methodist Women) is all about!
Please RSVP by visiting or calling the church office at 968-7120.
United Methodist Women
Holiday Happening
This is an annual opportunity to let the kids have a great time at church while adults get a chance to shop or even relax. Drop the kids off for an afternoon of movies, pizza, crafts, and games while you take time off to do whatever you want. All children from birth through 6th grade are welcome.
The cost is only $5.00 per child with a maximum of $15.00 per family. Children will be divided in to groups by age so they can do age-appropriate activities. We always have our regular childcare workers in the nursery and many of the other rooms as well. This is really a great time for everyone!
Registration deadline: November 26.
Call the office (968-7120) or email john@dgfumc.org to register.
Attention:
Parents of Preschool Children
2007-2008 Registration
It is time to register your child for the First United Methodist Preschool for the 2007-08 school year. Our preschool serves children who will be either 3 or 4 years old by September 1, 2007. Classes meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings or afternoons from mid-September through mid-May.
For further information, contact Deb Howard through the Church Office.
Church Member Registration
10:30-11:00am Room 101
Open registration
A $60.00 non-refundable registration fee and completed application is required to secure a space.
PLEASE NOTE
Church member registration dates are strictly adhered to. If you miss the church member registration dates you must register at open registration.
Join the ADVENTure
An Advent Family Devotion
The four Sundays before Christmas are called Sundays in Advent. December 3rd is the first Sunday in Advent. The church marks these days by the lighting of an advent candle each Sunday. On the first Sunday, we light one candle, on the second we light two candles, and so on.
This is an important act of worship to do in community but is also an important act of worship to do as a family at home. I have prepared packets to guide you through the lighting of an advent wreath as a family in your home. Each packet includes a reading, a prayer and a discussion topic for the four Sundays in advent.
The packets can be downloaded below or picked up in the church office. I would suggest that lighting the advent wreath at home will make our Christmas celebrations more meaningful. The readings will help us to remember what Christmas is all about as we enjoy all the fun cultural stuff of Christmas. Let us, as a church and as families, journey together through Advent by lighting the advent wreath each Sunday!
Rev. John Smoke
|Advent Family Packet (PDF)|
Care and Share
Sponsors are needed for the Care and Share program on Dec. 2 from 12:30pm-3:30pm at Faith United Methodist on 59th St. We still have 3 families without sponsors. A sponsoring family/group will provide cleaning supplies, a holiday meal, and a gift for each family member.
Volunteers are also needed to provide cookies and juice for the event. Please contact Christy Greenblatt through the church office for more information.
High School Youth Retreat
Brian da Vinci of Montreal?
|More Details|
All Church Conference
Everyone in the Congregation is encouraged to come! Our Annual Church Conference with our District Superintendent will be held at 7:30pm in Chapel Hall. This yearly conference will review our congregation's missions and ministries, review candidates for ordained ministries, set clergy compensation, and other items required by the conference
Join the ADVENTure
Advent Family Workshop
Sunday, November 26 from 3-6pm
There will be all sorts of fun things to do as a family in preparation for Advent. Each family will have an opportunity to make an advent wreath to be used at home and an advent calendar type craft (along with other crafts). There will also be a food station and a chance to watch a Christmas movie. Crafts are most appropriate for children between 3 and 12 yrs old but all are welcome. Cost is $10/family. Also, please bring a donation of men's or women's winter hats, gloves or socks for our PADS homeless ministry.
Registration deadline: November 19.
Call the office (968-7120) or email john@dgfumc.org to register.
The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is now up in the Parlor. You have the opportunity to choose tags from ChildServ, Marcy Newberry or PADS.
- We have 90 tags this year for ChildServ. They provide a wish list for each child. Each gift tag has suggestions as well as the child's age and gender.
- We have 56 elementary age and 74 teenagers from Marcy Newberry. The tags provide us with ages and sizes, so clothing is a good choice.
Please select tags and put your name on the sign-out sheet. Please follow the instructions on the tags as to due date, wrapped or unwrapped.
The Children and Family Ministries Work Area and the Church and Society Work Area sponsor the Giving Trees project. We hope that you will be able to help.
Thank you!
PHYG Taco Dinner
Let Them Eat Tacos!
PHYG (Post High Youth Group) will gather at the home of Tony and Trudy Chelmecki (618 Hitchcock in Lisle) on Saturday November 25, 6:00-10:00pm for an evening of Mexican food, laughter and fellowship. There will be no TURKEY.
Bring a friend. RSVP to Nick by Sunday November 19.
A Christmas Tapestry 2006
The Handbell Ensembles of
First United Methodist Church
Sunday, November 19 at 7:00pm
Sharing a sparkling glimpse of the upcoming Christmas season will be the Westminster Handbell Ensemble, the Chancel Ringers, and Chicago Civic principal harpist, Julie Barnes Spring. Stories of delightful Christmas traditions from around the world will excite your imagination.
Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Be sure to buy early. Child care provided.
Celebration of Women in Ministry!
Bishop Sharon Rader (Retired United Methodist Bishop from the Wisconsin Conference) will be our honored guest of the day as we celebrate women in ministry, lay and ordained. Men and Women and their families are all invited to hear her profound and inspiring message. Come to worship, stay for lunch, and join in open dialogue with Bishop Rader after the meal.
Sharon Zimmerman Rader served in the Northern Illinois and Western Michigan Conferences before being elected Bishop and assigned to the Wisconsin Conference in 1992. She retired from there in 2004 and became Bishop-in-residence at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, where she gives lectures and serves on the board of trustees. She also serves on several other boards and assignments within and on behalf of the United Methodist Church.
- 9:30 & 11am Services
- Bishop Rader will preach at both services.
- 12:30pm
- Lunch: fried chicken, catered by White Fence Farm
Cost: $5 (Free to All United Methodist Women)
- 2:30pm
- Open dialogue with Bishop Rader about women in ministry.
Please plan on attending the worship and lunch on Sunday November 19th. Sign up on Sundays in the Parlor or in the church office, or email John Smoke.
UMW & Adult Education
Fall Blood Drive
FUMC is sponsoring a Blood Drive for Heartland Blood Centers Monday, November 13th from 3:00 to 7:00pm. If you would like to donate, we will save a spot for you. Come to the Parlor on Sunday and we will get you signed-up. Our community is in constant need of blood products. Let’s do our part to keep blood supplies readily available.
Blood Donation Saves Lives.
Health and Wellness
Dinner and Game Night
Join LiFT (formerly TnT) at church for a potluck dinner and game night. We will also have a short planning meeting to talk about upcoming activities. Childcare will be available. If you have never attended LiFT, this is a great chance to come and see what we are all about!
Please RSVP to Kent and Lynda Frederick at LIFTFUMC@aol.com.
Visit to Oak Park
The Young At Heart group of senior adults will be taking a bus to Oak Park on Wednesday, November 8 to tour the historical Frank Lloyd Wright homes. We will leave from the church parking lot at 9:00 AM and after arriving in Oak Park will tour one of the homes and then take a bus tour around Oak Park to see some of the other Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Before heading home we will have lunch at Peterson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor.
The bus, lunch and tour will cost $45.00 per person. You may sign up in the Parlor on Sunday mornings or by calling Marilou Welch at (630) 968-7120.
Global Warming: A Blueprint for Action
Rebecca Stanfield, Director of Environment Illinois will talk about global warming, its significant consequences and what can be done to address the problem. 
Environment Illinois launched a campaign this summer to get our state to adopt policies limiting CO2 emissions from major sources including power plants and automobiles. Specifically, Environment Illinois is seeking a 10% reduction by 2017 and an 80% reduction by 2050. In mid-November, Environment Illinois will issue a blueprint for achieving this target through a combination of energy efficiency, renewable energy and other regulatory measures. Her presentation will preview the findings of this report.
- At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.
- Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years to 300,000 people a year.
- Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.
Please do your part to reduce global warming. Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility.
All Saints' Sunday
We will honor our recently deceased members, or relatives, of the congregation on Sunday, October 29. Please submit your deceased’s picture to Sharon in the office no later than Monday, October 23. The pictures will be shown on a screen in the Sanctuary as the names are read. All pictures will be returned.
Understanding Mental Illness
The Mental Health Ministries invites you to a Thursday night series in room 216, exploring the important subject of mental illness.
Thursday, October 26
Bipolar disorder, also know as manic depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function. "It is an illness that is biological in its origins, yet one that feels psychological in the experience of it; an illness that is unique in conferring advantage and pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake almost unendurable suffering and not infrequently, suicide." Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD .
Dr Ralph Cusick was Chairman of Psychiatry and Inpatient Medical Director at MacNeal Hospital for 10 years, and former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois.
Thursday, November 2
Anxiety Disorders affect about 40 million American adults in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. There are several different types of anxiety disorders including: phobias panic disorder obsessive, compulsive disorder generalized anxiety disorder post-traumatic stress disorder Each anxiety disorder has different symptoms but all the symptoms cluster around excessive irrational fear and dread that interferes with daily living.
Patrick B. McGrath, PhD is the author of "Don't Try Harder, Try Different" and the Clinical Manager of Anxiety Services at Linden Oaks Hospital.
Thursday, November 9
A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mind, and thought process. It affects the way a person feels about himself and others and his sleeping and eating habits. Depression originates in the brain and may be triggered by life events or illness, although in many cases there is no precipitating event. Depression descends out of the blue. Depressive illnesses interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder but also to those who care about them. Serious depression can destroy family life as well as the life of the ill person.
Dr. Brendan Beresford is the Medical Director of Geriatric Psychiatry at MacNeal Hospital and a faculty member of the University of Chicago.
Thursday, November 16
Personality disorders are pervasive, chronic psychological disorders that affect an individual’s family, social and work life. They range from mild to severe and are characterized by several distinct features: self image and relationship problems, inappropriate emotional responses and difficulties with impulse control. People with personality disorders tend to be self centered, lack empathy, feel misunderstood and misunderstand others, feel victimized and engage in manipulative behaviors. They are unable to cope with normal stressors. Families are often confused and upset by the feelings and behaviors of the personality disordered person. They may find themselves in conflict with each other over how to help their family member.
Carol Lysne is the Director of Mental Health Ministries and has 32 years experience as a counselor in the mental health field.
South DuPage CROP Walk
The South DuPage CROP Walk is a 5 km (3.1 mile) walk held annually, with participants asking friends and family to sponsor them. All the money raised supports both the international programs of Church World Service (CWS) and local charities, such as our own PADS site. CWS works in more than 80 countries, combating hunger and helping to provide tools of hope that empower people to meet their own needs.
If you can walk:
- Pick up a donation envelope from the sign-up desk in the parlor on Sunday and get people to sponsor you on the walk.
AND/OR
Note
- All walkers will receive a CROP Walk water bottle.
- If you bring $150 or more in donations on the day of the walk, you will also receive a cool CROP Walk baseball cap.
Wear red to show you are a member of the DGFUMC team!
If you can't walk:
- Sponsor someone who can when they ask (or even if they don't).
AND/OR
Sponsor Debbie or Jonathan
The pastors, Debbie and Jonathan, are both walking this year. Their challenge for 2006 is this:
- If Jonathan raises more money than Debbie, he will provide wonderful British Treats for Coffee hour the first two Sundays in November.
- If Debbie raises more money than Jonathan, she will bring homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies for Coffee hour those first two Sundays of November.
- If they each raise $1,000, they will both bring treats for all FOUR Sundays in November!
| Sponsor Debbie | Sponsor Jonathan |
Calling All Youth
Julie Stone will bake a dozen cookies for each DGFUMC youth that walks with $30 in pledges. That could mean over 1000 cookies!
We would love everyone to take part in the South DuPage CROP Walk – either by walking, pledging or praying for good weather. You can find out more details (including times and route maps), on the South DuPage CROP Walk Page.
2006 South DuPage CROP Walk: Results | Photos
Crazy Closet
What is Crazy Closet?
Crazy Closet is a service project sponsored by the United Methodist Women. The purpose is to offer quality clothing and household items at low cost. The profit made on the sale goes to a variety of organizations that support women and children. Last year we raised over $4,000.
Start cleaning out your closets, basements, and attics!
SELLER Registration
- Sunday October 1, 2006 after the 9:30 and 11:00 services, in the gym.
- Tuesday, October 10 from 5:00pm until 8:00pm in the Parlor.
If donating 100% of the profits, you do not need to register. You can pick up Gold tags in the church office. OTHERWISE, THE PROFITS WILL BE SPLIT 60/40.
United Methodist Women
Seeking Justice and a Bed
October 16-22, 2006
A group of farm workers from Florida will be visiting the Chicago area in the week of October 16th-22nd. They are members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, and come as representatives of a wide coalition seeking justice in the pay and conditions of tomatopickers in that region. You may remember a successful campaign to persuade Taco Bell to increase the price it paid for tomatoes; this gave those who pick the tomatoes a fair price for their labor. The workers are coming to raise awareness in this area of the deep inequalities and injustices to which they’re still subjected.
One of the visitors will briefly share something of their situation in worship on Sunday 22nd. Additionally, we’re looking for hosts to offer a bed for the night to one or two of them on the evening of Thursday October 19th. Can you help by showing your solidarity with their cause in this way? We need to accommodate about 15 in total. Please email the church office if you can help.
October at Morton Arboretum
Join LIFT (formerly TNT) as we enjoy the autumn colors at the Morton Arboretum on Sunday, October 15 from 1-4pm. Meet us at the entrance to the Visitor Center and then we'll tour the Maze Garden that's been specially adapted for fall with actors presenting seven of the Grimm's Fairy Tales in the maze's rooms. We can also tour the Scarecrow Trail around Meadow Lake or take the Tram tour through the Arboretum, and of course, taste the wonderful fall treats, including taffy apples, gourmet popcorn, and an ice cream parlor in the outdoor food court.
Admission to the Arboretum is free for members, and it's $7/$5/$4 for adults/seniors/children for non-members. Please RSVP to LIFTFUMC@aol.com by October 14.
DGFUMC Welcoming Statement
God, as known to us in Jesus Christ, welcomes all.
We welcome people of any race, national origin, ethnicity, 
gender, sexual orientation, age, social or economic status, employment status, or life situation;
including people with physical or mental illness or disability.
We practice loving acceptance of each person and respectful discussion of our differences.
Our Welcoming Statement
One of the goals of the Adult Education Work Area is to support the adoption of the church welcoming statement by providing educational opportunities for each aspect of inclusion covered. In October there will be a three week series to address National Origin, Ethnicity and Employment Status. The series will be offered through the Koinonia Sunday School class that meets at 9:30 every Sunday.
- October 15 ~ Room 218
- Claire Marich will share her experience of the 75 mile migration march she participated in this spring. She will be addressing issues of the borderlands economics, hospitality, and migration. The presentation will include a PowerPoint with pictures from the march.
- October 22 ~ Chapel Hall
- A group of farm workers from Florida are coming as representatives of a wide coalition seeking justice in the pay and conditions of tomato pickers in the region. They will speak to us about the working conditions and systems that keep migrant farm workers in the cycles of poverty. A part of the presentation will be to inform us with ways to stand in solidarity with those in the struggle.
- October 29 ~ Chapel Hall
- Matthew Soerens, Citizenship & Outreach Coordinator from World Relief DuPage will speak about how church can be involved with immigration issues.
Please come to one or all of these special educational opportunities. Contact John Smoke, Discipleship Pastor, with questions or comments.
Adult Education Work Area
Environmental Speaker Series
Water at Issue
Discover what we can do to preserve that most precious resource we can’t live without but take for granted ~ fresh, clean, inexpensive water. While we expect that we will always be able to just turn on the tap and it will be there ~ it may not; just as it is not for an estimated 2/3 of the world’s population. Without preservation, we can expect more illness, suffering, and wars to occur over it in the future.
Come and hear what Karen Hewitson has to tell us about how we can become better water stewards on Sunday, October 15th at 11:00 in Chapel Hall. Ms. Hewitson is the National UMW Go Green Team Representative and has a wealth of knowledge to share.
United Methodist Women
Progressive Dinner
The first event of the season is our Progressive Dinner on October 14th at 6pm. It's a fun evening and a perfect time to meet and dine with old and new friends in our congregation. There will be one location to enjoy appetizers, several for dinner and one location for dessert. If you do not wish to be a host, we ask that you bring a dish to share.
The menu will be simple and made available when you RSVP to Sharon at the Church Office (968-7120) by September 29th.
Saturday Night Live is a fellowship group in the church for anyone who is past the age for our young adult group, LiFT, and not quite ready for Young at Heart.
African Safari
"An African Safari", a travelogue by Mr. and Mrs. Chapek, will be the special program of the Young At Heart group for senior adults on Wednesday, October 11. This not your usual travelogue and as the Chapeks have been to Africa a number of times they have many interesting and unusual things to share with us.
We will start with lunch in Chapel Hall at noon followed by the program. The cost per person for this activity will be $10.00.
You may sign up in the parlor at Sunday mornings or call Marilou Welch at 968-7120 (church).
Let's Go To The Theater!
Planning Meeting
Returning by popular demand! A wonderful evening of dining and seeing local live performances.
Our planning meeting will be on Monday, October 9 at 7:00pm. All suggestions are welcome. Bring your calendars to set the dates. If you can’t make the meeting, contact Diane Kerr in the church office 968-7120 or email diane@dgfumc.org to sign up.
Methodist Open Golf Outing
Join us for our combined Men's and Women’s "Annual Golf Outing." We will have all sorts of fun prizes for golfers of all abilities. You may also wish to invite some of your friends to join us as your guests.
The outing will be held at the Downers Grove Golf Club with tee-off times beginning at 1:00pm. The registration fee, which includes green fees and prize fund, is $25 per person.
If you need more details, contact Bruce or Linda Swanson. Deadline for registration is Monday, September 25th. You may drop off or mail your registration, payable to Bruce Swanson, to the church office. Attn: Bruce Swanson.
Tex Sample
"Getting the Story and Practices Right"
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Tex Sample, a wonderful storyteller and down-to-earth theologian to our church.
Over the course of his life, Sample has worked as a cab driver, as a laborer, and as a roust-about in the oil fields. In addition, he pastored churches for eight years and served three years as the Director of Social Relations of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. In this last capacity, he was the lobbyist for the Council and worked actively in the civil rights and peace movements.
Sample has authored several books: Blue Collar Ministry, Ministry in an Oral Culture: Living with Will Rogers, Uncle Remus, and Minnie Pearl, White Soul: Country Music, the Church and Working People, and The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World.
This southern "down home" sounding preacher can challenge us to enter "God's story," as well as enlighten and amuse with his stories. Be sure to mark your calendars for this unique opportunity to get to know him on the last weekend in September.
Schedule
- Friday, September 29
- 7:00 to 7:30pm: Coffee and refreshments & books for sale.
- 7:30 to 9:00pm: Tex will be speaking in the sanctuary.
"Getting the Story and Practices Right"
- 9:00 to 9:30pm: Book sale and book signing in the parlor.
- Saturday, September 30
- 8:30 to 9:00pm: Coffee and bagels.
- 9:00 to Noon: Tex will be speaking in the sanctuary.
"Proclaiming Good News to the Poor"
- Sunday, October 1
- 8:15, 9:30, and 11:00: Tex will be preaching.
"The Power of Gathering", Scripture: Acts 2:1-15.
There is no charge for any of the sessions. Please come and bring a friend! Tex will inspire us to connect our faith with everyday living.
Adult Education Work Area
Stewards of Our Earth
Kay McKeen, Director of SCARCE
Practical information on becoming better stewards of our Earth.
The 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
You will be amazed at what happens to our garbage, the problems it creates, and how we can reduce it.
You're invited to the Chapel Hall on Sunday, September 24, from 12:15 – 1:30pm to hear Kay McKeen, founder and director of SCARCE, an environmental education organization. She will be assisted by Ms. Deanie LaConte.
Ms. McKeen has chaired the Wheaton Environmental Improvement Commission since 1987, and has developed courses, programs and exhibits for College of DuPage, Benedictine University, the Children's Museum, the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. She started the Book Rescue Enter in 1991, and in 1993 developed and established the DuPage County Solid Waste Education Center. A recipient of many awards, Ms. McKeen has been instrumental in environmental education in our schools, in establishing Illinois Clean Air and Asthma Awareness Day, establishing a diesel vehicle idling ban (including our school buses), and is leading efforts to develop a comprehensive policy for composting of organic wastes in Illinois.
Lunch Provided (no reservation needed).
Church & Society, United Methodist Women & Koinonia
Bring a Friend for a Sundae
Each year during the month of September the United Methodist Church runs Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors TV commercials inviting persons to come back or give the church a try. I don't believe that a commercial by itself will bring people into the church (I know there are some exceptions). I believe that a commercial along with a personal invitation is what will bring someone to church. This is true with adults and kids.
The Pathfinders Sunday school will be participating in a "Bring a Friend for a Sundae" on September 24th. Children and youth from preschool through high school are invited to bring a friend to Sunday school on September 24 at 9:30 or 11:00. On that Sunday I will be visiting each classroom and if you have brought a friend, I would like you to introduce him or her to the class. Once you do that, I will give you and your friend a coupon for free ice cream at Every Day's A Sundae!
Let us invite others to experience the blessing of a Christian community with Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors. Please bring a friend for a Sunday and enjoy a Sundae!
John Smoke, Discipleship Pastor
10th Annual Olduna Cow Works
Have you "herd"?? It's time for the 10th Annual Chapel Choir Fundraiser: The Olduna Cow Works.
Join us for a Fabulous Food Fest:
- Slow-cooked, Rotisserie Roast Beef
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Caryl's Famous Baked Beans
- Notable Baked Potatoes
- Luscious Lemon Shakeups
- Snappy Salads
- Delectable Desserts
Make up a table of your friends and neighbors if you'd like, or join the general partygoers for a memorable event of food and fellowship.
Registration in the Parlor on Sunday or Church Office. Adults 21 and over. Suggested donation $20.
The Joys and Challenges
of Families and Teens
"Our youth now seem to love luxury. They have bad manners and contempt for authority. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers." ~ Socrates 470 - 399 BC
Shelly Zabielski BSN, MAT will be in room 203 every Wednesday at 6:30pm. Discussion on various topics promoting resilience and maturity in teens will begin at 7:00pm.
- September 20
- Identifying and Utilizing our Assets as Parents
- September 27
- Gaining Perspective - Do you Remember When?
- October 4
- Helping Teens be R.I.C.H.E.R. with Positive Values
- October 11
- Responsible Homework Help for Teens
Shelly brings with her a wealth of experience. She is the mother of three grown daughters, worked as a nurse at Hinsdale Hospital for seven years and as a teacher for fifteen years in Westmont Unit District 201. She is completing her clinical Psychology degree at Benedictine University by working here for a year.
Woman To Woman
The "Woman-To-Woman" book group will start up again on Wednesday, September 20 at 9:30am. We will be discussing the book Death by Suburb, written by David Goetz. Books will be available in the church office in September.
"Woman-To-Woman" meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and is open to any woman of the church who is seeking spiritual renewal or nurture. Debbie Fisher and Sheila Hallmann facilitate the group.
Listening to the Parables
Jesus was a great story teller. The parables of Jesus, found in the Gospels of Mark, Luke, and
Matthew, are without a doubt authentic words from Jesus, stories told by him many times during his short ministry, easily remembered, and not changed too much by the intervening years before they were written down in the Bible.
These stories use ordinary events in the life of first century Jews as a instrument for Jesus to expound a higher spiritual truth about God and life. They are gifts to the imagination, challenges to the way that the people were living, and a call to a higher spiritual understanding of life. In our class we will give everyone a chance to listen to these stories, hopefully with a fresh mind, open to the Word of God that comes to us through the ordinary experiences of people who lived in the first century and became the actors of these powerful stories. The response to the meaning of these stories is in each one of us. The question we will ask is " What was Jesus saying to the people of his day in this parable and what is he saying to me today?"
- September 13 Mark 4:3-20
- September 20 Luke 15:11-33
- October 11 Luke 10:25-37
- October 25 Luke 19:11-27
- November 8 Luke 12:13-34
- December 13 Matthew 25:31-46
Adult Education
Onward Bound 2006-2007
Onward Bound is our Youth Ministry for Junior High students. Through OB we hope to lead and support the students as they explore and develop of their faith and their relationships with God, with each other and with their community of faith. We do this through our Wednesday night meetings, Pathfinders on Sunday morning, special fellowship events and service to our church and the community throughout the year. For most students this leads to joining Downers Grove First United Methodist Church at the end of their 8th grade year.
|More Details|
Young at Heart
Fourth Anniversary
Young at Heart, a group of senior adults, will be celebrating their fourth anniversary on Wednesday, September 13. We will have a picnic lunch with Don Safford grilling hot dogs, hamburgers and brats. We will have several salads and for dessert we will have a special anniversary cake. Miss Emeline has promised to come visit with us and we will have a sing-a-long of the golden oldies.
Lunch will begin at noon in Chapel Hall. All of this for $5.00 per person. Sign up is in the Parlor on Sundays or by calling Marilou Welch at 968-7120 (church.)
Bear vs Packers
Join LIFT (formerly TnT) for the Bears/Packers football game at the Saffords' house on Sunday, September 10th at 3:00 PM. Snacks will be provided, and there is no cost to attend.
Please RSVP to Kent and Lynda Frederick at LIFTFUMC@aol.com.
Run the Race...Keep the Faith!
Rally Day is the day each fall when we start the "race." It is the day to register for Pathfinders Sunday School and begin a new year of fun and learning.
We are planning a very exciting Rally Day this year. Our church has reserved the Tivoli movie theater for our Rally Day celebration. Everyone that attends church and Sunday school will receive a free movie ticket. The movie Racing Stripes will be shown at 1pm on September 10th. 
The movie is about an abandoned zebra who grows up believing he is a racehorse, and, with the help of his barnyard friends and a teenage girl, sets out to achieve his dream of racing with thoroughbreds. A line from the movie states, "His stripes made him an outcast. His heart made him a hero." It is a wonderful movie for everyone.
When you attend church and Sunday school on Rally Day, you will not only get a ticket to the movie, you will also have a chance to meet a real live zebra (it might even be a relative of Stripes!). The zebra will be at our church from 9:00am until noon.
Rally Day is a wonderful time to begin a new year and enjoy time together as a faith community. Please make plans to attend September 10 and keep your afternoon open for the movie.
Pathfinders should receive through the mail a packet of registration materials for Pathfinders Sunday school, for all the choirs, and for the family fellowship program. If you would like a packet, please contact the church office at (630) 968-7120 or email dgfumc@dgfumc.org.
On September 10th, let us begin to
RUN THE RACE...KEEP THE FAITH!
Twelve Hour Prayer Vigil
On Friday, September 8 from 6:00pm, there will be a twelve hour Prayer Vigil. Each of you is invited to participate at some point during the twelve hours. You may sign up in the Parlor after worship services or by calling the church office. When you select the 30 minute time period in which you will be praying, you will be given a list of names of people within the congregation.
Please pray for each person on the list during the 30 minutes. Ask God to bless them in special ways; ask that God touch them at their point of need. During the weeks following the prayer vigil, if you happen to see someone on your list, please don’t hesitate to say: "I prayed for you".
So, on September 8th, I suggest that you find a comfortable place in your home or go to your favorite pew in the sanctuary and have a "chat" with God. You don’t have to use fancy phrases. Pray in your own words and from your heart. Our goal is that every person within our church family has at least one other person praying for them that night. It will be a powerful experience both for the one who is praying and the ones for whom the prayer is offered.
Chapel Choir 2006/2007 Season
Details of this year's Chapel Choir season are now available. There will be an informational meeting on September 6 at 7:30pm in Chapel Hall, which all parents or guardians of Chapel Choir youth are encouraged to attend.
|Chapel Choir 2006/2007|
The Rev. Debbie Fisher and the Campaign Finance Committee of the First United Methodist Church invite you and your family to be their guest at a
Kick-off Jazz Brunch for our
Growing Together Campaign
Join us for a complimentary brunch (thanks to an anonymous donor) and catch the excitement as we launch The Growing Together Building Campaign!
The Jazz Brunch begins at 11:30 at the Carriage Greens Country Club, 8700 Carriage Greens Drive, Darien, IL.
There will be no solicitation of pledges.
Free childcare is available at the church.
Movies, crafts, lunch and games will be provided to entertain your children.
RSVP by August 21, to the church office at 630-968-7120 or email dgfumc@dgfumc.org. We are limited to the first 350 people so don't delay.
Living in Faith Together
TnT has a new name... LIFT
LIFT = Living In Faith Together
Our new name better describes who we are as a group. Not bound by an age range, we are a group of younger adults, who get together for social activities, conversation and sharing, and community service projects. If you have never attended, we would love to have you join us for any of our activities. We even offer child-care during many of our events.
Our next event will be Saturday, August 19 at 2:00pm. We will play "Lost Mountain Adventure Golf" followed by treats at Coldstone Creamery. Lost Mountain is located at 1535 75th Street in Woodridge. The cost for miniature golf is $6.95 per person. Childcare will be provided at the church.
Please contact Kent and Lynda Frederick at LIFTFUMC@aol.com to RSVP or to learn more about LIFT and join our e-mail list.
Youth Mission Trip
$tockholders' Dinner
$tockholders don’t forget the $paghetti Dinner on Wednesday, August 16, at 6:30pm. It will be followed by a slide show to share our experiences working in Pascagoula.
MS $tock Certificates are for $ale
$10 a $hare
in the Church Office
Break bread with us; see and hear about our trip! The impact of our Youth Mission Team went far beyond the roofs and dry walling we replaced in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Lives were touched, friendships made, and we had the comforting sense that our sweaty, sore muscles were not in vain. The dedication of the 60 youth and 19 adults to help the victims is impressive. Yet, it is undeniable that it will take years to recover from the hurricane damage.
Stock is still available in the church office; come, eat with us and share our Mission experiences.
Blood Drive
Heartland Blood Centers will be visiting our church for a blood drive on Monday, August 14, from 3:30pm - 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall. Patients in our community need our help, as the need for blood never goes away. Please consider giving blood as all blood types are needed and utilized.
All donors will receive a MOOLA card, preloaded with a free quart of Oberweis Ice Cream.
Contact Char at (708) 342-9770 or cgromala@heartlandbc.org to reserve your slot. Please bring a photo ID with you.
Thank you for your donation!
Young at Heart
The Lipizzans
Have you ever wanted to see the Lipizzans and their show at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Il.? This is what the Young At Heart Group of seniors will be doing on Wednesday, August 9. We will take a bus to Tempel Farms for the 10:30 AM show. After the show we will enjoy a box lunch, tour the grounds, before coming back to Downers Grove. All this for $40.00 per person.
Reservations are now being taken in the Parlor on Sunday morning or by calling Marilou Welch at (church) 630 968-7120 or (home) 630 968-4136. Reservations are limited to 36 persons and our list is filling fast.
Vacation Bible School
August 8-10, 2006
Hold the dates for Vacation Bible School for children from 4-12 yrs old. We're taking an Around-the-World trip!
We have a fun new program this summer called, Trading Places.
We'll learn about Bible stories where people made major changes in their lives - trading one place in life for another. At the same time we'll learn about what it would be like to trade places with children that live in other parts of the world. We'll learn how they live, what they like to do, and try out some fun foods.
Vacation Bible School meets from 9:00-Noon each day. Also hold Thursday evening at 6:00 for our VBS picnic. The cost is $10.00 per child or $25.00 for families registering more than two children. Download a registration form below and hand it into the church office.
Registration Form: MS Word | PDF
|View Photo Album|
Youth Mission Trip
Pascagoula, Mississippi, July 22-30, 2006
Pascagoula is in the southwest corner of Mississippi. Last year, it took a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina and sustained severe damage to homes and businesses. In July, 2006, Senior High and Post High School Youth groups will join together on a mission trip to Pascagoula to help the residents in restoring their communities.
|More details|
TnT July Activity
The Jim Guter Big Band
Hear one of Chicago's most exciting groups performing jazz, big-band, Latin, and swing. Bring your lawn chair or blanket for a free concert at the Fishel Park band shell (located across Grove Street from the back of the church).
No need to RSVP; we will just meet at the park.
Mission Trip to Guatemala
What are the lives of our neighbors like that share the same hemisphere? What do we have in common? How are we different? In an effort to understand the lives of the Guatemalan people, and they of ours, seven 1st UMC members are preparing to live with members of the Unidas Para Viver Mejor (UPAVIM) Christian community in the impoverished outskirts of Guatemala City, July 16-24.
UPAVIM is a group of 66 women from marginalized areas. Some are widows, some were abandoned by their husbands, and some are dealing with alcoholism in their families. Many are sole providers of economic support for their families. They began helping themselves and their community in 1988 with a Healthy Baby program, then decided to create products to sell to generate funds. They are now working in a number of ways to achieve better housing, clean water, better education and health care for their people.
This mission trip, sponsored by the Missions Work Area, is different from the adult mission trips our church has taken in the past. For the first time, we are going beyond our borders, and we are going, not to build buildings, but a long-term relationship. 
As Christians, we are charged with reaching out in understanding. In the Beatitudes we are told to put ourselves in "the other person's shoes." Because our world is so diverse, we need greater understanding of cultural traditions, religious practices, trade, sharing resources, reducing pollution, and peaceful ways of resolving conflict. And, as Christians, we need to stand in solidarity alongside one another in the problems we face.
Our delegation needs your support in a number of ways to build this long-term relationship. First, please pray that God will open channels of understanding through us; second, if you would like to make a monetary donation, please earmark your gift for the Guatemalan trip and send it to the church office; third, if you would like to take part in a development committee, we need your ideas; and finally, have open ears, eyes, minds and hearts when the group returns to share information about our new sister community there.
|Photo Album|
Wash and Worship
5th Annual Youth Car Wash
The 5th Annual Youth Car Wash will take place on Sundays, July 16 and August 13, 8am-11:30am. Buy tickets on Sundays, July 9 and August 6, or on the car wash Sunday.
Cost: Any donation
Proceeds to support the Youth Mission and Chapel Choir.
Back to Broadway
This group of senior adults called "Young At Heart" will go Back To Broadway with Fred Moore for their July 12th get together. This program features Broadway music before 1921. We will learn about the Broadway music of which we might not have been aware. This will be a salad lunch and we will ask that those attending bring either a salad or dessert.
Our lunch and program will be in Chapel Hall beginning at noon and is open to all our church friends. Each person attending will be asked to pay $3.00 to cover costs. You may sign up in the parlor on Sunday mornings or by calling Marilou Welch at (church) 630 968-7120.
All Church Conference
On Thursday, June 29th at 7:30pm, there will be an All Church Conference in our Sanctuary. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Danita Anderson will preside.
We have concluded our Focus Groups. The Building Committee has taken careful notes at each Focus Groups and on June 29th will show how changes that you have suggested have been incorporated into the plan. Preliminary architectural drawings, a preliminary financial estimate, and a preliminary financial plan will also be presented that evening. The Building Committee will have prioritized the project based upon your feedback and that information will also be available.
Finally, there will be a motion from the Building Committee to proceed to the next steps of the building project.
ALL church members have both voice and vote at this important meeting!
| Building Project Page | Church Conference Poster |
The fun and good times of Downers Grove Heritage Festival are just around the corner. That’s right, the corner of our parking lot on Grove Street! That’s where we will be setting up our food booths and serving the Best BBQ Ribs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Luscious Lemon Shake-ups and other enticing Festival Fare.
Heritage Festival runs from Friday, June 23 to Sunday, June 25. Come and meet your friends under our covered eating booth and support our Youth Missions at the same time!
It's fun to be a part of our Heritage Festival team! Adults and high school youth alike are encouraged to help. Lots of opportunities are still available to help in the food booth or parking lot; two of our major youth fundraisers. Contact Nick for details (630-968-7120).
Parking
Bright pink slips will identify you as a FUMC member if you put them on your dashboard to attend Sunday service on June 25. If you plan on staying for the Festival, our Youth Mission Trip Fund would certainly benefit from your parking donation. This year we are traveling to Mississippi to provide assistance to Katrina victims.
Thank you for your consideration. See You At the Festival!
Junior High Mission Trip 2006
Evanston and Chicago
Metra and the "L" will be our means of transportation. The First United Methodist Church of Evanston will be our home for Monday night.
All students entering 7th or 8th grades are welcome to come.
|More Details|
Father's Day
Ice Cream Sundae
Join the Membership Development Work Area for our First Annual Father's Day Ice Cream Social!
Enjoy complimentary ice cream with toppings and cookies on this special day! The Father's Day Ice Cream Social will be held on the breezeway (porch between the Sanctuary and Chapel).
If you are planning on attending a Focus Group that morning, you will receive a special ticket so you will be permitted to go to the head of the line.
Bring Dad to Church and Share Your Love!
Summer Small Groups!
Call the Office - 968-7120, or email john@dgfumc.org to register.
Making Love Last a Lifetime
Whether you’ve been married 50 years or you are thinking of getting married in the future, everyone wants their marriage relationship to last forever. Yet it’s no secret that marriage can be stressful. Join us for an insightful, and sometimes humorous discussion on Biblical and practical suggestions for staying in love.
Wednesdays, 7:00-8:00pm, Parlor
July 12, 19, 26, August 2
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
Join this small group discussion on Ann Lamott’s much loved book by the same name. This book describes faith as it shows up in real life—a down to earth approach to living our faith. Books available in the office.
Thursdays
7:00-8:00pm, Room 203
July 6, 13, 20, 27, August 3
A Walk in the Park
Get off to a healthy start this summer by joining your church
family members for a walk in various local Forest Preserves.
This is great time to enjoy the beauty of our world, get to
know some new people, and get a little exercise!
Saturdays,
8:00-10:00pm, Parking Lot
June 17, 24, July 1, 22, 29
Just One More Story!
Especially for parents with pre-school children. Dress up the
kids in their pj’s and come for a healthy evening snack.
Then snuggle up to hear John Smoke read his favorite
children’s books. Make story time special this summer!
Mondays,
6:30-7:30pm, Parlor
July 10, 17, 24, 31
Bucket Sundays
It is Bucket Sunday time again. As we have done in years past, Church and Society Work Area and United Methodist Women will be passing out empty buckets on Sunday, June 4, after the worship services. We ask the congregation to fill the buckets with cleaning supplies and return them on Sunday, June 11 or June 18. The buckets are then delivered to local food pantries for distribution to their clients. Items such as soap and cleaning supplies cannot be purchased with food stamps and are greatly appreciated.
Church and Society & UMW
Revelation Youth Choir
The Senior High Revelation Choir from Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas, will share their music ministry at FUMC on Monday, June 12 at 7:30pm. The choir is on a 10-day tour of the Midwest.
The 125 member chorus is made up of high school youth who lead the music at Custer Road’s 8:30am worship service every Sunday.
Under the direction of Rev. Tim Morrison, the 45 minute musical presentation revolves around the tour theme of "Everything By Prayer" through music, scripture and drama and will feature a variety of musical styles from classical to rock and gospel to pop.
Another Dazzling Handbell Concert
East Texas Handbell Ensemble
The professional community group, East Texas Handbell Ensemble, directed by Arnold Sherman, is coming to FUMC June 11 at 7:30 p.m. to present the closing concert of their Midwest tour. You'll want to hear this renowned professional community handbell ensemble. A free-will offering will be taken.
Blood Drive
Heartland Blood Centers will be visiting our church for a blood drive on Monday, June 5th from 3:00pm - 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall. Patients in our community need our help, as the need for blood never goes away. Please consider giving blood as all blood types are needed and utilized.
Call the church office 630-968-7120 or sign up in the Parlor on Sunday to reserve your slot.
Thank you for your donation!
Farewell Reception
Mary Zajac's last Sunday with us will be June 4th. She graduated from Seminary on May 12th and has been appointed as the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Plainfield.
The Staff Parish Relations Committee has planned a farewell reception for her, in the gym, immediately following the 10:00 AM worship hour on June 4th. We are encouraging children to stay for this reception so they may say their farewells to Mary.
Informational Meeting
Calling All Incoming Freshmen
All incoming ninth graders and parents are invited to attend an informational meeting Wednesday, May 31st. Youth are invited to come at 7:00 p.m. for the first half-hour of the Chapel Choir rehearsal. They will then join parents in Chapel Hall at 7:30 for an overview of youth activities and programs.
This important meeting will provide information about:
- Summer and fall fundraising opportunities that will reduce the cost of missions trips and choir tours. These include Heritage Fest, car washes, tent rentals, bike and inline skating races, and the Olduna Cow Works.
- Monday night summer youth activities. We always need homes for parties on Mondays.
- Mission Trip
- Chapel Choir
- Methodist Youth Fellowship
Whether you plan to participate in some or all youth activities in senior high, this meeting will provide information and help answer some of your questions.
Two Visiting Choirs
CrossFlame
On Tuesday, May 30, CrossFlame, the youth choir of First UMC Dothan, Alabama, will present a concert in our sanctuary at 7:30 pm. They are on their first tour, with the theme "Many Gifts, One Spirit", which demonstrates their desire to worship God in the many ways available to all of us, through singing, band, hand bells, drama and dance. From Traditional to Contemporary Christian, there is an appreciation for many ways to worship through music. The group is directed by Mike and Shelley Keeley.
Come and share in the excitement of the very first CrossFlame tour.
Revelation Choir
The REVELATION youth choir from Custer Road UMC, Plano Texas, will be with us on Monday, June 12. Their concert will be at 7:30 pm. This 130 member youth choir made up of 6th-12th graders, will be needing places to stay. If you are able to host two or more youth please let Nick know.
Revelation provides inspiring music for the 8:30 am Sunday worship service. It also provides several additional concerts and tours throughout the year. All youth, regardless of experience or self-confidence, are invited to take advantage of this excellent youth and music program.
During our recent Chapel Choir Tour, we had audiences of 100 or more every night. Receptive, large audiences inspired our choir to do their very best. We know how much work it takes to take a large choir on tour. We were warmly welcomed everywhere we went. Please come and enjoy these wonderful youth choirs as they bring their message to our church.
Spring Ring XIV
A Walk in the Park
"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil."
(R. Heber)
At First United Methodist Church, spring unlocks the scintillating sounds of our many bells, revealing a fresh musical garden, as we invite you on "A Walk in the Park." On the evening’s "royal garden tour," you will hear narratives about famous bells, big and small.
Concert repertoire will include Karen Buckwalter’s A Walk in the Park and Psalm 42, Kevin McChesney’s Passacaglia, Pinnacle by Bill Payn, Gypsy Song from Carmen, Praise and Adoration by Mary Kay Parrish, Allegro Glorioso and Grazioso by Arnold Sherman, Soon and Very Soon, and Sing for Joy and Be Glad by Hart Morris.
As a special treat the concert will feature the prestigious Treble Ensemble from Downers Grove North High School, whose director is Frank Piekarz.
Tickets are $6 in advance; $8 at the door. For $18 and only in advance, a special gold level ticket is available offering preferred seating, a long stemmed flower, and your choice of a DVD of this concert, or any of our CDs. Child care is provided. And tickets are available in the parlor between services.
Robin Williams has said, "Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!’" Will you join us for the festivities? Be sure to buy early. Please call the church 968-7120.
Bread for the World Initiative
You’re relaxed in your living room, watching TV when suddenly images of people with eyes, empty and wonton, flash across the screen in a news brief about a drought stricken land, victims of a natural disaster, or refugees displaced by genocide or civil unrest. Then you get that gut-wrenching feeling all over again. You would like to reach out to help them, but how? The situation is overwhelming, and you feel totally disconnected.
Well, you have an opportunity to impact aid given by the U.S. Simply come to the Parlor on Sunday, May 21, and write a letter to one or more of your congressional representatives encouraging them to propose and vote for legislation that will alleviate hunger and poverty. Let them know how important it is to you that they appropriate dollars to help our neighbors.
Sample letters, paper, envelopes, and your representatives’ addresses will be provided by United Methodist Women. Missions Work Area will provide postage. We will even mail them for you! Please, come, take 5 minutes to write a letter and turn those empty eyes into eyes full of hope.
A Bread for the World Initiative
Focus Group Meetings
Scripture reports that Moses sent a party to investigate the land where God was directing his people to go. These scouts brought back a majority report that daunting obstacles stood in their way. Everyone returned with fears and reluctance - except Caleb - who "quieted the people and said it could be done!"
Caleb could see beyond where they were to where God wanted them to go
As part of our common effort to meet church building needs, you are invited to prayerfully join in weighing the promising alternatives before us. To achieve this, several Focus Group Meetings will be conducted. Following presentations, the floor will be open for candid inquiry and dialogue. Detailed records will be made of attendee observations and questions, from which our congregation will ultimately take direction and finalize a proposed building plan.
I urge you to attend one of these Focus Group Meetings to hear about the visition as it now stands and to share your heart on the issues. Meetings will be held at 9:00am, 10:30am, or 12:00pm on Sundays, May 21 and May 28. On Sundays, June 4, June 11, June 18, and June 25, they will be held at 9:30am and 11:00am.
To sign up for the Focus Group Meetings you may
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Exploring
Our Welcoming Statement
I Was in Prison and You Visited Me...
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We don't specifically mention prison ministries in our welcoming statement. However, we do say that we welcome people of, "any social or economic status, employment status, or life situation." Many of these statements certainly apply to people who have been in prison, or who have had family members in the prison system.
Our speaker, after supper, will be Dorothy Yeoman who has been active in prison ministries for many years.
Adult Education will provide a free soup and salad supper. Registration required so we can know how much soup to prepare.
Malice in the Palace
At the 9:30 and 11am services, the Connection, Chorister and Cherup Choirs will perform Malice in the Palace, a musical by Allen Pote and Tom Long. It is the story of Esther and includes all the ingredients for a great Hollywood thriller – a beautiful and spirited heroine, a dark-hearted villain, and a twisting plot full of danger and intrigue. And in the midst of this excitement we find a powerful message – the smallest person acting bravely can make an enormous difference, for God has placed us where we are for a reason!.
Fundraiser for the Youth Mission Trip
Everyone goes out for lunch or dinner from time to time. The Youth Mission Team would like you to eat at Max & Erma’s in Woodridge on Tuesday April 25. Download the Coupon below and print it off or pick one up from the church office and the Youth Mission Team will receive 20% of your bill to back their Youth Mission Trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
|Max & Erma's Coupon (PDF)|
Thank You for your help! Bon Appetit!
The Movie Lover's Festival
A New Vision of Film
Once upon a time... 
When we hear that phrase, we perk up because we know that something captivating is about to happen. Stories have been told around campfires, in tents, huts, and igloos all around the world, since time began. Stories take us to another place. We leave behind our experience of the world and enter into another's vision. We are mesmerized by the images that dance their way through our heads.
Movies offer us a combination of visions. There are the writers', producers', directors', actors', and the editors' vision. Movies are a collaboration of many visions. We have all seen good stories made into bad movies; a failure of collaboration.
We have also seen good stories made into good, even great movies, films we can watch over and over. These great movies are where many visions come together to give us a feast for our senses.
On Friday, April 21, we begin our Movie Lover's Festival. Sue Thornquist, Archie Benfield, Wilhelmina Schoger and Josh Larson will present classes to help us understand the different types of visions that go into the making of a movie. We will follow the class with a movie that demonstrates that particular vision.
|Movie Festival Page|
Maundy Thursday Communion
Music by the Chancel Choir
Good Friday Service
"The Garden of Gethsemane"
Includes a performance by Chancel Drama
The Resurrection Story
Message by Rev. Debbie Fisher
Service at 8am
Music by the Chapel Choir
Services at 9:30am, and 11am
Music by the Chancel Choir & Brass Choir
Chapel Choir Post-Tour Concert
Do You Need a Miracle?
Join us in welcoming home the Chapel Choir after their highly successful 35th Annual Spring Break Tour to Washington DC. During the tour, they performed to appreciative audiences at churches in Elyria, OH, Bedford, PA, Olney and Frederick, MD, and Burke, VA. Because this concert is always so popular, there will be two performances at 4pm and 7:30pm, each one followed by a slide show of the tour. No tickets are necessary - just come and enjoy their spirited rendition of "Do You Need a Miracle?"
Full details of the tour are available on the Chapel Choir Spring Tour page.
|Chapel Choir Tour 2006|
Chancel Choir Cantata
A Celebration of God in Nature
The Chancel Choir, conducted by Diane Hires and accompanied by a chamber orchestra (string quartet, trumpet, flute and horn), will perform a choral celebration of God's creation, drawing on five centuries of music from Palestrina to John Rutter.
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Words by F. S. Pierpoint
Music by Conrad Kocher
- The Heavens Are Telling
- Joseph Haydn
- Sicut Cervus
- Words from Psalm 42
Music by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
- A Rose Touched by the Sun’s Warm Rays
- Text by Maria Brubacher
Music by Jean Berger
- The Moon is Distant from the Sea
- Poem by Emily Dickinson
Music by David N. Childs
- When Rooks Fly Homeward
- Words by Joseph Campbell
Music by Arthur Baynon
- This Day
- Words by Norman Greyson
Music by Antonín Dvořák
- Look at the World
- Words and music by John Rutter
- Hymn of Promise
- Words and Music by Natalie Sleeth
Arranged by John Ferguson
- The Earth Adorned (Psalm Of Summer)
- Music by Waldemar Âhlen
- This we know
- Words by Chief Seattle
Music by Ron Jeffers
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Words by F. S. Pierpoint
Music by John Rutter
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- Words by Francis of Assisi
Music from the Geistliche Kirchengesäng
Arranged by Mark Hayes
Pirates of Penzance
On Saturday night April 8th,this lively group will be going to Drury Lane in Oak Brook to see 
The Pirates of Penzance, a Gilbert and Sullivan musical with swashbuckling comedy to boot.Dinner will be served at 6:30 and the show will begin at 8:30. Total cost for dinner and a theater ticket is $44 per person (includes tax and gratuity.)
Reservations and money must be received by March 12th. Kathy and Sandy Kreps will be available in the Parlor on Sundays between 10:30 and 11:00 to take reservations, specify dinner entree, and collect money. Checks may be made out to First United Methodist Church.
Several members of our congregation went to Mississippi for a week in February to lend a hand, in labor and in friendship. Please attend Church Chat in April where they will share their story with those of us who stayed behind, holding them and the people they met in our prayers.
April 5
We will see a video of how hurricanes Katrina and Rita created terror for all who lived in the areas struck by these powerful hurricanes, and be introduced to the task of recovery.
April 12 and 19,
The mission members will share their experiences in words and pictures.
We meet from 7:15-8:30pm in Room 218. No registration necessary - please join us!
Come to Guatemala
Are you interested in meeting new people in a foreign land? Does really getting to know a new friend and understanding their life sound exciting to you? The Missions Work Area is gathering a group of up to ten people to travel to Guatemala City, July 16 to 24, 2006 to link up with UPAVIM, Unidas Para Vivir Mejor, translated, United For Living Better, a group of approximately 66 courageous Guatemalan women.
The purpose of this trip is to stand in Christian solidarity with other people of this world. We will not come with answers to their problems but rather as friends willing to spend time in another's life, sharing and caring. The possibilities that will come out of this relationship are only limited by our imaginations.
UPAVIM is an active community providing health and dental care, daycare, nutrition, education and employment opportunities in a country that sorely lacks all of these. Time spent with this group should be very energizing to one's soul.
If you feel you would like to come and share nine days of your life this summer in solidarity with another then come and learn more at an informational meeting on Monday, April 3, 7:00 PM in Room 201.
A Taizé Service
Actively Listening
Lent is a 40 day period where we intentionally turn toward God and seek to hear God's voice through prayer, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines. In our busy lives it can be challenging to set aside quiet time to pray and to actively listen for the voice of God. If you seek a quiet space that is worshipful, consider attending our next Taizé service on April 2.
Taizé is a style of worship designed to help us pause, pray, and be renewed. Singing is an essential element of this service. Short songs offer a meditative character to worship which becomes a way of listening to God and praying even when you don't know what to say.
The service will be done in candlelight in the Chapel and will include communion.
For more information about Taizé, visit their website.
Voices of Praise Gospel Choir
North Central College's Voices of Praise Gospel Choir is a dynamic spirit-filled singing group spreading God's love on and off campus. The group provides students with an opportunity to worship God through traditional and contemporary gospel music.
Come and help us give them a great big FUMC Welcome!
Chapel Choir Spring Break Tour
Do You Need a Miracle?
The 35th Annual Spring Break Chapel Choir Tour will take place March 25 – April 1 and feature performances in Elyria, Ohio; Bedford, Pennsylvania, Olney and Frederick, Maryland, and Burke, Virginia. Full details are available on the Chapel Choir Spring Tour page.
|Chapel Choir Tour 2006|
Pre-Tour Concert ~ March 19, 2006
The pre-tour concert will be at First UMC in Arlington Heights at 7:30pm on Sunday, March 19. There will also be two home performances at 4pm and 7pm on Sunday, April 9.
|Pre-Tour Concert Driving Directions|
Potato Bar Lunch
Feed Yourself and Others
Join Missions Work Area for a delicious Potato Bar Lunch at 12:00 in the gym next Sunday. Fluffy potatoes are on the menu with lots of toppings like sour cream, cheese, bacon, broccoli. Okay – so if you don’t like broccoli – try salsa!
Admission? Just a 10lb bag of potatoes that will be donated to area food pantries. Members of the Missions Work Area will collect the potatoes as you arrive at church that day.
Missions Work Area
NCAA Basketball
Join TnT at Buffalo Wild Wings, 6450 Rt. 53 in Woodridge, near Seven Bridges, to watch the NCAA basketball tournament on Saturday, March 18th from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Childcare will be available at church.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Kent and Lynda Frederick through the church office.
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Easter EGGstravaganza
Sunday, March 12, 2006
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This is a fun time for families to prepare for Easter with crafts, a movie, an Easter Egg hunt, and by making an Easter basket devotional to be used during Holy
