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A New Creation Sermon Series
In the coming weeks, First Church will be having conversations about faith and caring for the earth. The Christian scriptures are rich resources for this conversation.
The conversations that we will consider at 9:30 am Sunday Worship:
April 14 A Special Responsibility (Genesis)
April 21 Facing Creation’s Brokenness (Romans)
April 28 A New Creation (2 Corinthians)
In addition, join us for two activities that will aid us in this conversation.
April 14 7 am – 8 am Birdwatching at Churchill Woods. Join Pastor Joe, an amateur birder, will help us experience some of our avian kin. Churchill is a DuPage County birding hotspot because of its diverse habitats. We’ll meet at the picnic shelter entrance parking lot. Bring binoculars if you have them. Possible species include: woodpeckers, warblers, water fowl and wading birds. Please sign up here.
April 27 9 am – Noon In honor of Earth Day, the Illinois Prairie Path corporation, in cooperation with the Friends of the Great Western Trails, several municipalities, DuPage County and other partner organizations, has scheduled its annual cleanup for Saturday, April 27 at 9am. Please note that exact time and date are set by each site coordinator. We will probably be cleaning up in Berkeley, Bellwood or Maywood as that is where volunteers are needed. Please sign up here.
Lent at First Church
Worship (Available on Facebook)
February 14 6 pm Ash Wednesday Dinner and Service (Wesley Hall and Sanctuary)
February 18-March 17, 9:30 am Sunday Morning Worship (Sanctuary)
March 24 9:30 am Palm Sunday Worship (Sanctuary)
March 28 7 pm Maunday Thursday Worship (Sanctuary and Prayer Stations)
March 29 7 pm Salt Creek Cluster Good Friday Service (Prince of Peace UMC, Elk Grove Village)
March 31 9:30 am Easter Worship (Sanctuary)
10:30 am Scavenger Egg Hunt and Brunch (Wesley Hall)
Small Group
Wednesday 10 am Small group discussion on the scriptures with devotional booklet. Devotional Book available from church office for $3. (Feb. 21-March 27; Aldersgate Room)
Prayer
Six prayer stations will be located on the first floor (Narthex, Quiet Room, Aldersgate) for personal prayer throughout the Lenten season. Each station is self-guided.
Service
Feed My Starving Children March 23, 2pm
Schaumburg Packing Facility 740 Wiley Farm Court
Fall 2023 Christian Education Offerings
September/October
One Day I Wrote Back: Interacting with Scripture through Creative Writing by Jane Herring
Sundays, Sept. 24-Oct. 29; 9:15am – 10:15
Herring leads you to talk back to those scripture passages you don’t understand. Ask questions, explore your life, plead, praise and ponder.
She provides reflection questions and simple practical exercises to encourage writing.
November
Sundays in November 9:15 am
We will kick off this observation by learning about the Papal Bull
Romanus Pontifix, of 1452 that declared war on the non-Christian world and gave Spain and Portugal rights to conquest.
We’ll watch a 45-minute video for this first session.
We will explore our denominational teaching about Christianity and Native Americans the next three weeks by reading United Methodist Resolutions 6025, 3321 and 3334.
December
Advent 2023
Wednesdays, Nov. 29- Dec.20; 10 am- 11am
Sundays, December 3-24; 9:15 am -10:15 am
With the help of Bishop Willimon, we will explore the Incarnation of Jesus with his new book, Heaven and Earth.
“It’s not within our own power to make afresh start. If we’re to have a future different from the past, it must come as a gift, something not of our devising. What we need is a God who refuses to be trapped in eternity, a God who not only cares about us but is willing to show up among us and do something with us, here, now.”
ASIAN HISTORY & CULTURE
THURSDAY, MAY 25
Over 15 people gathered in Wesley Hall to participate in the Northern Illinois Conference’s Second Quarter Film Series highlighting Asian American and Pacific Islander History and Culture. Participants watched Pew Research Center’s Being Asian in America.
We gathered over a meal catered by Ming Chef and heard a brief history of AAPI in North America by Dr. Dr. WOOHEE ANNE JOH. She also facilitated four panelists reflecting on their experiences of living in the United States and the church. You may watch this presentation by clicking this link.
The next film series is
PRIVILEGE, POWER AND RACE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Thursday, September 21, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Different locations across the conference
AI Sermon Series
June 4 and 11 at 10:30 am
What is it? How is it affecting us? Human technology offers opportunities to enhance the created order and destroy it. When the newspaper was introduced in the 1600s, many feared it would stop all human social interactions. It didn’t. AI does not have to be feared, only understood.
Join Pastor Joe for this two-part series that will explore these questions and look at how our spiritual practices can help us navigate these waters.
Join us for this FREE event Comemmorating Juneteenth
Sunday, June 18, 2023 – 10:30 am-12 Noon – First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst, 232 S York St, Elmhurst
We will have music, soul food, guest speakers, education, and activities for people of all ages.
This event will take place outside but will moved inside if the weather is bad. Restrooms will be available during the event.
Youth Group Service Retreat
June 2-4, 2023
During the weekend the youth will serve at DuPage Habitat for Humanity, The Northern Illinois Food Bank, and The Night Ministry in Chicago. In addition, we will travel to the DuSable Museum of African American History to see the virtual reality exhibit “Step Into History, The March”.
For fun, we will go to an escape room and will have a lock-in at the church on Saturday, June 3.
Cost for the retreat is $25 each for Friday or Saturday, $50 if attending both days. All food, supplies, and admissions are included in the cost.
Click HERE to register.
Vacation Bible School 2023
When: Every Wednesday from May 31-June 28 – 5:30-7:00 pm
Where: First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst, 232 S York St. Elmhurst
What: Children will learn bible stories each week through art, music, crafts, science, recreation, and FUN! Dinner will be served each class.
Cost is $15 total per child. To register click HERE
THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS CONFERENCE ANTI-RACISM TASK FORCE 2023 FILM DISCUSSION SERIES
ASIAN HISTORY & CULTURE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Thursday, May 25, 6:00 – 8:00 pm – First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst, 232 S York St, Elmhurst
