What do you give the person with everything? Well, a gift from our Advent Alternative Gift Fair! Every Sunday until Christmas, the Missions work area will be in the Parlor offering a range of Christmas gifts to bring not just a smile to your loved one's face but also justice and hope to people far away.
Hola! Today was day two of our Guatemala mission, and we were exposed to a closer look at Guatemalan history and scenery. We started off the day with a representative from NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala), which is an organization that works for justice in Guatemala. Carrie came to the Sister Parish Center to help provide the DGFUMC delegation a better understanding of the history of Guatemala and the involvement that the United States had in the Guatemalan civil war. We learned that, in order to understand the present, a knowledge of the past is necessary. 
The 2011 DGFUMC delegation to our sisters in UPAVIM has arrived in Guatemala City. After an early morning flight from Chicago and a brief stopover in Houston, we landed safely in Guatemala City (with all our luggage) just after 1pm. We were greeted by a number of UPAVIMAs, including several who visited Downers Grove in 2009, waiting patiently outside with the Sister Parish coordinator, Ellen Moore. The value of our hermanamiento was once again demonstrated by the warmth of their welcome, whether renewing past friendships or meeting new faces. This is a relationship that is enriching both communities, and we are excited that it is being refreshed once again.
You can be in ministry with our Guatemalan mission delegates as they travel to Guatemala City July 6-14 to deepen our friendship with UPAVIM, our sister organization. How? By being a letter or prayer sponsor. To be a letter sponsor, simply write a note of encouragement that the delegates can open and read each day they are there. Notes need to be turned into the church office by July 3. Or email 
We are excited to announce that we plan to send a delegation from our church to visit the women of UPAVIM in Guatemala City this summer. The visit will take place from July 6th through the 14th. Ray and Ina Osborn, who participated in the 2008 delegation, will be leading the group and we hope to encourage anyone who is interested in developing our relationship with these remarkable women to join us. Under-18s need to be accompanied by a parent and we already have a family considering this; you do not need to know Spanish as a translator is provided. Most of the cost of the trip is covered by fundraising that we’ve already done, but participants will be asked to fund their own airfare and some expenses, which will amount to around $550.
A delegation from our church will visit the women of UPAVIM in Guatemala City from July 6th through the 14th. This is a different kind of mission trip where we offer ourselves and our friendship rather than our building skills and material wealth. During our time in Guatemala, we will spend a few days living in the homes of some of the women, discovering the delights of their culture and the hardships of living on the margins of society. We will witness their courage, strength and faith in God and we will be changed! In the past few years, we have begun to share how we can work together to build a better world and we are working on a joint project to help the women reopen their medical laboratory at the clinic within UPAVIM.
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.
Affiliated to Reconciling Ministries Network
Upcoming Events
Video Skype with Jeff Wasilevich and Debbie Rissing in Bolivia
June 3, 2012 - 11:00am
Young At Heart: Miniature Golf at McCollum Park
June 13, 2012 - 11:00am
Ichthus!
June 20, 2012 - 12:00pm
Church Camp: The Secrets of the Kingdom
June 25, 2012 - 8:00am
Wash and Worship
July 8, 2012 - 8:30am
Downers Grove Garden Walk
July 14, 2012 - 9:30am
Jr. High Mission Trip
July 15, 2012 - 12:00pm
Senior High Mission Trip
July 22, 2012 - 12:00pm
Recent News
DGFUMC Scholarship Fund
May 18, 2012 - 2:51pm
Spring Tea Pictures
May 18, 2012 - 8:40am
Housing Needed for Visiting Choirs
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Thank You!
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