United Methodist Church of Elmhurst
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.
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
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
Peace with Justice Sunday is a faithful expression of shalom in the Bible. It calls the church to strengthen its capacity to advocate publicly in communities and nations throughout the world. The offering is administered by the General Board of Church and Society and benefits peace with justice ministries in the annual conferences and around the world. Half of our gifts stay with local ministries in this conference and half support the work of Church and Society globally.
Peace with Justice Sunday is June 4th this year. In preparation for this offering, Pastor Joe will lead a 6-week Peace with Justice Study. The study will explore what the Bible says, what the church says, what the facts say and “what do you say”. The topics are: Peacebuiliding, Multilateralism, Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Gun Violence, & Peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Study will have two in person sessions Sundays at 9:15 am and Wednesdays at 10 am. Begins April 23 and 26. Sign up in Narthex or complete the form.
On Sunday, March 19, Elena Aronson led over twenty people in a workshop exploring the origens and expressions of Christian Nationalism. Christian Nationalism claims that Christianity should have a privileged position in the public square.
Aronson provided a worksheet that helped participants counter the features of Christian Nationalism with civically-engaged Christian responses. For example: “America was founded as a Christian nation” is countered with “America was founded as a place of religious freedom.“
The unedited workshop is available on YouTube.
Additional resources include:
Christian Nationalism Reading and Resource List
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.
For children the crunch of wrapping paper and finding a hidden treasure within can mean so very much. That’s why for fifty-six years the members and friends of First Church have delighted in taking children’s names from our Narthex Christmas tree. This year the name tags will appear on Sunday, November 27th. Once again children from Lord’s Lambs Ministry in Pembroke and from Bethany Pastore El Buen Church in Chicago will be the recipients of our gift giving. If you take a pair of tags from the tree, please remember to write your name and phone number on one tag, place it in the basket, and take the matching tag with you, so that you have the child’s age and size for shopping. After wrapping the gift, please securely attach the tag that you took with you to the present. If you prefer, sending money for others to shop for you, your monetary gift is also much appreciated. Please make checks payable to First United Methodist Church Elmhurst or use this PayPal link: HERE or use this QR Code:
Gifts will be delivered on Sunday, December 11, after worship. Over the years, these Christmas gifts have brought joy to literally tens of thousands of children. Be part of the joy and take a tag or two from the tree this year!
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, 2 happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah. Mark 1:1-2
Advent prepares us for the The Incarnation–God comes to earth in human form to be baptized, teach, heal, eat, and die–is what we celebrate at Christmas, and Mark shows us just how radical and celebration-worthy it is!
Sundays November 27-December 18 , 9:15 AM & Wednesdays November 30-December 21, 10 AM
Join us in reading Mark’s Gospel during December:
Looking for an electronic version of Mark’s Gospel? Try the Common English Bible Translation.