Category: Spiritual Growth

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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.”

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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.

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Lenten Sermon Series 2023

Sundays at 10:30 am February 26-April 2

In conjunction with the Salt Creek Cluster of United Methodist Churches, First Church will explore the Lenten season with common objects found in the scriptures: dust, bread, cross, coins, shoes and oil.  This series is inspired by Jill Duffield who reminds us that God works through the ordinary and goes to great lengths to communicate with us about Jesus Christ, salvation, grace, and reconciliation.

Drawing from the Christian contemplative tradition, Duffield reminds us that it is often in “hindsight that God’s providence becomes recognizable.”  Throughout his teaching, Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is near and in our midst.  Each week through these objects you will be asked to consider the possibility, the promise, that God is present, speaking, seeking to be in relationship with you.

Finally, the churches in the cluster will participate in a pulpit exchange.  First Church will be welcoming Reverend Hong-kien  Jeremiah Lee of Addison: Good Samaritan Church and the Reverend Juyeon Jeon of Bensenville: First UMC.  Pastor Joe will be preaching at Addison: Good Samaritan and Elmhurst: Christ and Villa Park: Calvary.

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Experiencing God’s Grace

This series explores the sacraments of holy communion and baptism.  In preparation for this, consider watching the 1987 movie Babette’s Feast (available for rent  on Amazon and Apple tv for $3.99 or free to checkout at Elmhurst Public Library).  Additionally, the library is hosting a series of events called  Common Connection: Around the Table that uses lectures, discussion and critical thinking to identify topics that influence the world today.  Pastor Joe would love to hear about your experiences.  You can leave him a comment by clicking this form.

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Taize Prayer Returns to First Church

Sunday mornings: July 10, August 14, and September 11; and Wednesday Evening October 5 at 6:30 pm.  Taizé prayer is a meditative common prayer that uses uncomplicated and repetitive songs that allow the mystery of God to become tangible through the beauty of simplicity.