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CONTENTS
Interfaith Thanksgiving Tonight
Thanksgiving Day at Fourth Church
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Worship This Week
Upcoming Music Events
Volunteer
garage Interfaith Thanksgiving Tonight
7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Give thanks tonight as we join our partners in faith this Thanksgiving season to express our gratitude through word and song.
 
The annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Our cohosts are Chicago Sinai Congregation, the Downtown Islamic Center, Holy Name Cathedral, LaSalle Street Church, and the Niagara Foundation.
 
The service will begin with an Arabic call to prayer from Muslim participants and will include a responsive reading in Hebrew and English as well as readings from the Psalms, Qur'an, and New Testament.

Our preacher will be Father Greg Sakowicz, the new cathedral rector of Holy Name Cathedral, and Chicago Sinai Congregation will offer the music.
 
Time:
    Tuesday, November 22
    7:00 p.m.
 
Place:
    Sanctuary
 
one Thanksgiving Day at Fourth Church
A Worship Service and Traditional Dinner
Celebrate Thanksgiving at Fourth Church!
 
A special Thanksgiving Day worship service will be held in the Sanctuary this Thursday, November 24 at 11:00 a.m., with Vicky Curtiss and Kent Organ, her husband and also a PCUSA pastor, preaching. 

Following the service, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, which offers opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new friends in the spirit of giving thanks, will be served at 12:15 p.m. in Anderson Hall. Prepaid reservations are required for this traditional dinner and are available online here.
 
Parking for the Thanksgiving Day worship service and dinner is available at a discounted rate at the 900 parking garage. Please note, however, that the discounted rate will not be the Sunday morning rate but will be the $17 holiday rate set by the garage. The $17 vouchers can be purchased with cash or check at the church reception desk on Thanksgiving morning. There will then be no additional fee when validating your ticket at the garage upon exit.
 
two Remembering Loved Ones with Christmas Flowers
This Advent season there is again special opportunity to memorialize or honor loved ones through donations for the Christmas flowers and garlands that will decorate Fourth Church. Contributions are being received now through Sunday, December 11.
 
Names of those remembered through Advent and Christmas flower donations will be printed in the Christmas worship bulletin. Contributions can be made by completing the Christmas flowers form available in the literature racks or online at www.bit.ly/FPCgifts  
 
Forms must be received by December 11 for names to appear in the Christmas worship bulletin.
  
threeFamily Advent Wreath Workshop
Decorate a Wreath This Sunday
Families are invited to observe the first Sunday of Advent at this Sunday's annual Advent Wreath Workshop between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Parish House Dining Room. Each family will have opportunity to decorate together a wreath using live evergreens and candles and then take it home for use throughout the Advent season.
 
All materials--wreath forms, evergreens, candles, candle holders, and bows--as well as instructions will be provided; donations to cover costs are appreciated. No reservations are required.
 
Join us for this annual family favorite as we usher in the Advent season!
 
Time:
    Sunday, November 27
    10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
 
Place:
    Parish House Dining Room
 
fourFair Trade Bazaar: Dec. 3-4
Handcrafted Gifts from around the World
Save the date for the annual Fair Trade Gift Bazaar on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4!
 
From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday (and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday), Anderson Hall and Borwell Dining Room will be filled with an amazing variety of handcrafted merchandise, including jewelry, folk art, toys, textiles, clothing, and more.
 
Individuals in countries around the world benefit from the proceeds of this bazaar, making it possible for artisans to earn a fair wage for their labors and thus to provide food, shelter, health care, and education for their families.
 
We hope you'll mark your calendars and come shop for a difference!
 
Interested in volunteering? We need people to help take down the Fair Trade Bazaar on Sunday, December 4. For more information about helping out, contact Nancy Davis.
 
Time:
    Saturday December 3
    10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
 
   Sunday, December 4
    9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
 
Place:
    Anderson Hall and Borwell Dining Room
 
five"Dancing in the Dark"
A Seminar with the Presbytery of Chicago
Join the Presbytery of Chicago and members of the Chicago community for "Dancing in the Dark: Nurturing Healing and Resilience" on Saturday, December 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Fourth Church. Participants will learn about methodologies used in experiential healing prayer and how to seek further personal and community healing.
 
The seminar will be led by Matt Skolnik, a pastor serving in Coshocton County, Ohio. Associate Pastor Vicky Curtiss will preach that day, and the gift of music will be provided by the Lucy Smith Quartet, who provides music leadership at our 4:00 jazz worship service each Sunday.
 
Registration (required) is due Thursday, December 1 and can be completed online here. For more information about this event, click here.
 
Time:
    Saturday, December 10
    9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
 
Place:
    Fourth Church

sixFilling Christmas Wishes
Give a Gift to Our Tutoring Students!
If you're out shopping the sales in the days ahead, why not add to your basket something to make Christmas a little brighter for a Tutoring student!

The Christmas Wishes program collects the wish lists of these children from Chicago's under-resourced neighborhoods and then makes those lists available during Coffee Hour. You're invited to pick one of the items off a student's wish list to get for them and bring it to the church. Volunteers will wrap all the presents, and at the Tutoring party before Christmas, each student will have a gift to open.

Through this "Christmas Wishes" gift-giving project organized by Women at Fourth, gifts are being collected through Sunday, December 11 at the church reception desk or during Coffee Hour. A gift-wrapping party will take place that Sunday afternoon.

Also, volunteers are needed to help collect and sort gifts, do data entry, and prepare for gift distribution. For more information about how you can help, contact Anne Ellis.
 
sevenAdvent Music with Carl Grapentine
Join Us December 11
Next month join 98.7/WFMT's Carl Grapentine for an exploration of the music of the Advent and Christmas seasons. This special one-session Academy for Faith and Life class will be held on Sunday, December 11 at 12:15 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room.

Carl Grapentine, who led us in an exploration of Lenten music this past spring, first joined WFMT, Chicago's classical fine arts station, in 1986 after thirteen years as the morning host of the classical music station in Detroit. He also presents preconcert lectures for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Music of the Baroque, and several other groups. An accomplished conductor and singer, Carl has twenty-five years of experience as a church music director. Currently he sings in the choir of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest. 
 
Time:
    Sunday, December 11
    12:15 p.m.
 
Place:
    Borwell Dining Room
 
nine A Chorus of Christmas Concerts  
Special Seasonal Musical Opportunities
'Tis the season for holiday music: Mark your calendars for these upcoming musical opportunities at Fourth Church!
 
From the annual St. Charles Singers "Candlelight Carols" concert on Saturday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m. to a Chanticleer Christmas on December 6 and 7 to the Christmas Cantata sung by the Fourth Church Morning Choir on Sunday, December 18 during 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship, we hope you'll join us throughout the month as we celebrate the season through song!
 
St. Charles Singers "Candlelight Carols"
Saturday, December 3
 
"A Chanticleer Christmas" 
Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7
 
"Holidays a cappella
Saturday, December 10 
   
Festival of Advent Lessons and Music
Sunday, December 11: 6:30 p.m. worship service  

Lakeside Singers
Friday, December 16 

Christmas with Tower Brass
Saturday, December 17 

Christmas Cantata 
Sunday, December 18: 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services
 
Ticket information is available online along with concert times for these performances, which will take place in the Sanctuary.
 
We will also be hosting next week the festive finale of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago's annual Bach Marathon. In a free concert on Wednesday, November 30, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, you will have opportunity to hear all of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos in one performance.

tenWelcome, New Members!
Please join us in welcoming those who were received into Fourth Church membership this month.
 
Jenna Bardwell
Matthew Bardwell
Noel Bonamer
Stacey Brown
Christine Denning
Jeffrey Drew
Austin Duffie
Mary Kenefake
Adam Mademann
Dawn Mayfield
Enjolique McCullough
John McTurnan
Tiffiny McTurnan
Justin Myers
David Schuurman
Kathy Schuurman
Mitchell Smith
Katherine Woleben
 
worship Worship This Week
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
7:00 p.m. Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
in the Sanctuary
Father Greg Sakowicz, Holy Name Cathedral, preaching

Thursday, November 24, 2016
11:00 a.m.
Victoria G. Curtiss and Kent Organ preaching

First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2016
8:00 a.m. with Communion
Matt Helms, Associate Pastor, preaching
   "The Urgency of Advent"
Scripture texts:
   Psalm 122
 

9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Matt Helms, Associate Pastor, preaching
   "The Urgency of Advent"
Scripture texts:
     
4:00 p.m. Jazz Service with Communion
Hardy H. Kim, Associate Pastor, preaching
   "Longing for Salvation"
Scripture texts:
   Psalm 122
   Isaiah 2:1-5  
 
Worship bulletins
for this coming Sunday are available online Friday afternoon at www.fourthchurch.org/worship/this-week.html
 
"News and Opportunities"
is the weekly printed newsletter distributed with the Sunday bulletin and is available online Friday afternoon at www.fourthchurch.org/news/2016/112716no.pdf

Sermons
from previous weeks are posted online at www.fourthchurch.org/sermons 

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Concerts at Fourth Church
Friday Noonday concerts are free.  

Friday, November 25, 2016
John W. W. Sherer, organist
(Organist and Director of Music at Fourth Church)
12:10 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Civic Orchestra of Chicago
   presents Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Free event; no tickets required

Friday, December 2, 2016
Anne Slovin, soprano
Brian Locke, pianist
12:10 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel
Cosponsored by the Musicians Club of Women
 
Saturday, December 3, 2016
St. Charles Singers: Candlelight Carols
7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Tickets available through
St. Charles Singers 

A complete concert schedule is available online.
 
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volunteer Volunteer at Fourth Church
There are several ways to get involved in the mission and ministry of Fourth Church. See below for details!
 
Current Volunteer Needs

Greeters and ushers for worship services
 
Sunday School teachers for 9:30 a.m. Sunday School classes

Shower Ministry Greeters
to check in and provide supplies to guests of the Meals Ministry program; Tuesdays, 1:15-4:00 p.m., on a rotating schedule .

Tutors
for the Chicago Lights Tutoring program, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays


To sign up for any of these volunteer opportunities or to learn more about them, stop by Coffee Hour on Sunday morning or email volunteerministry@fourthchurch.org.
 
A complete list of volunteer needs is available online