Messenger - December 22, 2023 | |
We illuminate our community with God’s grace as we lovingly accept, listen to, and serve all in the Spirit of Jesus. | |
It can be hard to know what we're looking at here. Pictured is Rev. Munther Isaac, of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, kneeling before his church's nativity scene. Perhaps you've already seen this image on the news or in your newsfeed. NPR reported, "Rev. | | | |
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES | |
|
SUNDAY SERVICES TAKE PLACE IN-PERSON & ONLINE AT 9:00 AM
Worship Service airs live on our Website , YouTube and Facebook at 9 am.
Go to the Worship Page on our Website to find more information about future services.
| |
|
CHRISTMAS EVE SUNDAY, FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, DECEMBER 24, 2023
When Light Shines - Luke 1:26-38
When the Grinch attempts to steal Christmas, he dresses as Santa Claus. Our traditions about Santa Claus involve accountability. He rewards well-behaved children and punishes naughty ones. As Christians, we serve a God who holds us accountable. But God doesn’t punish our misbehavior by withholding gifts. God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit and our fellow Christians, works to redeem and transform us. How do we experience the same redemption and transformation that the Grinch does at the end of Dr. Seuss’s book?
| |
EVENTS AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
Submit information each week for the Messenger and Bulletin Announcements by WEDNESDAY AT 12 pm for inclusion in these communications. Please click here for the COMMUNICATIONS submission form -- all requests for communicating an event should be made here, including getting items on the calendar and reserving rooms for your event. This form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. If you cannot use the submission form please send them to communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Lorie and Kimberley. | |
|
For contributions to be considered as a 2023 tax deduction, they must be received in the church office by 4:30 p.m. on December 29, or postmarked via the mail by December 31, 2023. You may also make a donation online before midnight on December 31 or in the Elexio app, Elexio online, or you can text 630-686-7120 and include donation amount in the message.
Donations received in the church office or postmarked January 1, 2024 or after, by IRS law, must be considered a 2024 donation even if the check is dated for 2023.
By going to your profile in Elexio, you can see your giving history at any time. You are able to download a copy of your giving history and print it off.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Carolyn in the church office during the day or you can email Alan Rutherford at alan@genevaumc.org.
| |
|
REMEMBER, DON'T COME TO UMCG SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 --
MEET US AT BAKER UMC AT 9:30!
| |
The Magi that brought their gifts to baby Jesus were not Jews or Christians. They were of another religion, to whom God spoke in dreams. This seems to indicate that God can reach people of any religion. Join Pastor Rob Hamilton January 7 as he opens a 6-week series exploring questions about how Scripture suggests God views people of religions outside of Christianity. | |
|
Christmas Cantata 2023!
Thank you to all the singers and musicians who participated and a special thanks to our music director, Scott Stevenson, for “Christmas Portraits!”
| |
|
It's that time to register for our next ASP trip in 2024!!
We are scheduled to serve in the Appalachia region June 15th-22nd, 2024. We will find out our location sometime in March. Please use this link to register and find out more information on upcoming dates!
Interested but want to learn more first? We will have our first official ASP Meeting (with pizza!) on Sunday, January 21st at 3:30pm.
| |
OUR BEAUTIFUL ANGELS HAVE BEEN REFURBISHED!
We are in the height of the Advent Season. The sanctuary has been beautifully decorated to reflect the significance of the celebration of Jesus Christ, yet to come. The angels hanging on the walls above the choir and the pastors are stunning examples of our homage to Christ.
The much-loved angels were the collective vision and work of Janet Catlow, Judy Burgess, and Val Erickson. A paper Christmas ornament, purchased from the local shop, The Paper Merchant, was the catalyst for the project. Using an overhead projector, they magnified the image to achieve the larger size. Judy’s husband, Dudley, remembers cutting the bases for the angels from plywood. The remainder of the creative paper work was done by Janet and Val.
While we are not sure of the exact year the angels first appeared, consensus is that it was a few years after we moved into the sanctuary in 1999. Originally they were hung up on Christmas Eve, but later a decision was made to hang them during Advent as well.
After approximately 20 years, the angels were showing signs of wear and tear and Heidi Howlett volunteered to give them a makeover. This entailed many hours of hard work and included completely redoing the wings with vibrant new paper, repairing the arms, adding netting to the arms and torso and putting new ribbon on the hems of the robes. Heidi did an outstanding job! She and her husband, Chuck, then walked the angels from their home to the church (we wished we had pictures) and hung them up.
Thank you to Heidi and Chuck!!!
|  | |
|
SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE HOSTS
NEEDED FOR 2024
It's easy! Set up and brew coffee starting at 8:00 to 8:15 am Sunday morning, worship, and start cleanup at about 10:45. Call or text Keith Bowgren at (309)854-1497, or email at kbowgren@gmail.com
| |
|
UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION FOR NAMETAGS
We are making new name tags for the congregation! Before we do that, we need each of you to check Elexio and make sure the name in the system is what you want to use on your name tag. We also can make tags with your choice of magnets or clips.
Please update your profile and let the office know if you need a clip name tag by December 28. If you need help setting up Elexio, please refer to this video. If you still need help, call or stop by the office.
| |
|
Salvation Army Food Pantry Needs for December are:
- Hamburger Helper
- Pasta Sauce
- Canned ravioli
- Ramen noodles
- Rice-A-Roni & Pasta-Roni
- SpaghettiO’s
- Baby wipes
| |
|
We need volunteers to buy or prepare meals for Lazarus House in 2024. Please visit Sign Up Genius to choose a convenient date. Directions are on the sign up page.
Please call/text Gwen Powell at (479)899-1779 with questions.
| |
|
HELP AN ADULT LEARN ENGLISH
If volunteering is on your 2024 agenda, you will want to attend Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley’s tutor training workshop. It will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 9, 11, 16, and 18 at the St. Charles Public Library.
If you know English, you can teach English to one of the 30 adults who are eager to learn. Volunteers do not need a teaching background or a second language to help. The workshop provides material and instruction so anyone can be successful.
Each volunteer will be matched with one adult learner. Volunteer tutors and their students meet for one hour each week at a time and public location that is convenient. Students say that the best volunteers are patient, listen, and give practical information.
For more information or to register, call 630-584-4428 or visit www.lvfv.org.
| |
NEWS FROM THE UMC COMMUNITY | |
|
Prairie Central eNews is here.
The NIC weekly eNews is here.
Download the NIC Reporter here.
| |
ACCESS THE UMCG DOCUMENT CENTER | |
UMCG has a hidden page on the website for our church family to access called the Document Center. This includes our committee roster, communications submission forms and in the future, our committee agendas, reports and minutes. | |
211 Hamilton Street
Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: (630) 232-7120
| |
Connect with us on Social Media | | | | |
