Daily Bread

Tuesday, February 2. 2021

Dear friends:

I recently came across an article by Desiree Youngblood, a pastor in Pickerington, Ohio who specializes in older adult ministries, entitled, Purpose in Practices: Spiritual Landscapes of Older Adults. As a 50-something church member, I don’t usually consider myself an older member, but entering into the second half of my life, there is great wisdom in the words of Pastor Youngblood, so I would like to share some of her thoughts here briefly. The link to the entire article is here. They are also very relevant to both the needs and strengths of our older members during this pandemic season we are in.

“We are always searching for answers about the meaning and purpose of our lives…the searching, expressing, questioning and relating are part of our spiritual self. As we grow older, our spiritual self changes along with our physical, mental, and emotional selves.” Certainly, with this pandemic on our minds, our mortality has never been quite so close to the surface. I have been in the company of some very wise older adults lately (yes, they have learned to be quite adept at Zoom too). It is reassuring to me that we are all continually searching for deeper meaning and deeper connection to one another and to God. It is an ongoing process until we are no longer here. We are never “done” growing.

Pastor Youngblood highlights practices that help us to connect to God and to each other as we all journey together toward greater understanding.

Participating in corporate worship—reminds us we are never alone, helps us remember our value is in being, not doing or having. Being together we are the body of Christ.
A community that bears each other’s burdens—older members are susceptible to loneliness and depression. Being connected to the community helps lift us out of that.
A personal relationship with God is important—“prayer is how we converse with God, and meditation is how we listen to God.” We can pray for one another no matter our own limitations.
Worship and prayer offer hope—better overall health is directly related to having hope. Hope offered in worship and through prayer doesn’t exist in other aspects of society. Science shows that life expectancy is longer for those who attend church weekly than those who never do.
Serving God and others plays an important role in the spiritual life of older adults—giving back to God for our own abundance helps us to be grateful, and gives us a role. Giving back looks different as we age, but is no less valuable. You may no longer be able to swing a hammer, but I am sure your wisdom shared with others is invaluable.
Studying the Bible and biblical topics is important for our spiritual growth at all ages—participating in discussions and reading stimulates are thinking and allows us to engage in conversations that connect and touch our deep selves.

It is reassuring to me that no matter our age or stage in life, we are all searching together for meaning and purpose. I am grateful for our older members who are the foundation and legacy of fpcw, who we can value and support in all kinds of ways whether we are in worship together or not. Reach out to one today—a grandpa, a small group leader, a wise prayer partner, a favorite Sunday school teacher. They continue to be vital to our spiritual development and their own. We are blessed to have them among us.

Warmly,

Sue Sklansky

Racial Justice: Two Reports from the Field

Join us the next two Sundays, February 7 and 14 from 8:30-9:30 am, for adult faith formation as we hear from two of our mission partners about the work of racial justice from the field. This Sunday, Sunday, we will hear from Sue Murphy, Executive Director of Interfaith Action of Evanston. As we embark on our Racial Justice Challenge in February together, we’d love to have you join us. Everyone is welcome! Please click this Zoom link to join the class.

Nominating Committee News:

It is that time again to consider your role in church leadership. We are looking for nominations for Elder and Deacon for the coming years (a three-year term). Consider nominating yourself or a friend or a spouse. Church leadership has changed a bit this past year, but it has never been more important as we look to how the pandemic has shaped how we do church together, and how we serve those in need. Send nominations to Elder chair Rick Baer at rickbaer2112@gmail.com

Church Directory 2021!!!

Yes, it is finally coming! Our last directory was completed in 2017. A lot has happened in those years, and our congregation has changed much in that time. Please help us get it right. Send us an email with any changes of address, additional children, and any new phone numbers or preferred email addresses since 2017. We are pretty sure many of you are not using a landline anymore, so cell numbers for each adult and preferred email addresses for both if they have changed, are key to our communication with you! Send your updates to suesklansky@gmail.com Thank you!

For the past 28 years, one of our longtime mission partners Sarah's Circle has sponsored a Winter Walk through their Chicago neighborhood to raise awareness and support for women who are homeless. Like so many other events, this year's walk will be virtual. Between now and February 28, we invite you to take the mile-long Walk in her Shoes with two optional guided audio walking tours that give you the chance to listen to stories from women helped by Sarah's Circle and learn more about the agency's work ending homelessness for women in Chicago. The multi-week fundraising effort will conclude with a virtual event on Sunday, February 28 that will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the agency's newest building at 1005 Leland Avenue. To register for the walk, please click this link and register as a team member. Our team name is First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette and we have set our team's fundraising goal at $500.The desperate need for affordable housing grows more intense as millions of Americans face eviction. Are you passionate about housing and believe every person deserves a home? If so please consider being a part of this important fundraiser on Sunday, February 28th. If you have questions or would like more information...either about Sarah's Circle or about the walk...please contact Mary Watt at mhw1117@gmail.com.

Every Monday in February, an email will go out to the congregation with resources and links to a particular category/theme related to Racial Justice. We hope you will interact with the resources presented each day, or as your schedule allows.

Monday Poetry, Prose, and Essays
Tuesday History We Didn't Learn in School
Wednesday Family, Kids, and Youth
Thursday Today's Leading African American Voices
Friday Recent Accounts of Racial Inequities
Saturday Call to Action
Sunday Grounded in The Word

Tower Parent Meeting

Sunday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom click here for the Zoom link.

Meeting ID: 872 1045 8074

Passcode: fpcw21

A chance for Tower parents to come together, get to know one another better, learn about the Tower programming this year, and ask questions. We look forward to seeing you there!