We illuminate our community with God’s grace as we lovingly accept, listen to, and serve all in the Spirit of Jesus.

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.

5th Sunday after Pentecost, June 23, 2024

"Don’t Bother"– Mark 5:21-43



Sometimes when we’re around so called ‘important people’ our needs can seem insignificant or bothersome to them, so we debate whether to even name them. In this Sunday’s story of Jesus, we learn that nothing is insignificant to Jesus and he’s graciously waiting for us to come to him. Join us this Sunday as we see that our needs are no bother at all. 

This week's Bulletin can be found in the Document Center.  

SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE OR EVENT INFORMATION

Submit information for July 5 Messenger and July 7 Bulletin Announcements by Monday, July 1 at 12 pm for inclusion in these communications. Please use button below or click here for the COMMUNICATIONS submission form -- all requests for communicating an event should be made via this form, 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 email communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Lorie and Kimberley, as does the submission form. 

HELP NEEDED TOMORROW Please consider helping our ASP team. We are STILL seeking volunteers to help clean and return the ASP vans to the St. Charles Enterprise location this Saturday, June 22 after 3 pm.  We need 4 van return drivers and 1 – 2 drivers to bring us back from Enterprise  (1 driver, if it is a 7-passenger vehicle or 2 drivers for 3 – 5 passenger vehicles).  

NOTES FROM JUNE CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

The communications strategy for UMCG 185th anniversary was reviewed and will be kicked off during Swedish Days. Look for banners, other signage, and invitations this summer as we prepare to invite our community to celebrate with us on September 27 - 29, 2024.

Trustees updated the Council on a long list of projects. The restoration and beautification landscaping will begin this month. Parsonage repairs and maintenance (roof/siding hail damage, and windows) is scheduled for July. The elevator repair work discovered that the existing fire detection system is obsolete and will not support the new elements of the elevator and thus needs to be replaced. The current estimate for elevator completion is the end of September. The upholstering of pews and chairs in the sanctuary is complete. Development of a comprehensive Asset Management system is underway.

Finance outlined their efforts to automate expenses via ACH payment thus minimizing check writing. Planning for an internal audit is underway. The Council approved Finance Committee’s recommendation to use the existing line of credit to pay for ongoing projects rather than using money from the UMG fund which currently is yielding favorable market returns.

The Scholarship Task Force in conjunction with Students First Consulting created a survey which was sent out to congregation, mission partners, and past recipients. Analysis of results available at next Council mtg.

Missions and Church in Society reported that Habitat for Humanity just closed on a property in St. Charles and construction will begin this fall and volunteers will be needed.

Next Council meeting is scheduled Tuesday, July 23, 7:00PM.

UMCG is sponsoring an end-of the-summer ALL CHURCH EVENT!

Come on out to cheer on your Kane County Cougars as they battle it out with the Sioux City Explorers. Enjoy hot dogs and drinks with your UMCG family / friends. Besides enjoying a fantastic game with our church community; kids can run the bases and enjoy fireworks after the game! Game tickets are $9.00 per person. General parking passes are $6.00 per vehicle or preferred parking is $10.00. Game tickets and parking passes must be purchased in advance for these prices. Buy tickets at this link or find it on the church website. The cutoff to buy online tickets is July 17th. Tickets and parking passes will be available in the church office July 23 – Aug 1.

If you have any questions, please contact Keith Rawson.

Do you have photos like these from past ASP trips?

In anticipation of celebrating our 185th Anniversary this September, we are trying to collect as many visual memories (photos or movies) that we can to help us create some historical exhibits.

We have very few pictures from ASP Trips.

Please look through your old photo albums and if you find a pic, bring it in to church and we will scan it and give it back to you! Thanks in advance!

UMCG HAS A LONG HISTORY PARTICIPATING IN SWEDISH DAYS

SWEDISH DAYS BUFFET

The first Swedish Days Buffet was held in 1984 and held by the United Methodist Women’s Board. The event made $1,071.61 and served 339 guests. The smӧrgasbord consisted of many favorite Swedish dishes.

There was also a Swedish Craft table in 1985 (and other years) that sold stenciled aprons, tote bags, wooden Dala horses, Swedish love knots, counted cross-stitch Dala horses, and woven heart baskets (Julgranskorg).

The last buffet was held in the late 2000s.

PARADE

We have often participated in the Swedish Days Parade. In 1976 we entered the Swedish Day’s Parade with a patriotic float that won a prize.

FOOD BOOTH

The Swedish Days Food Booth was started in the 1970’s and was organized by the Couples Club and later taken over by the Men’s Club. The booth was on the corner of State Street and Third Street, first on the east side of the street, then on the west side of the street. It was moved to the Fourth Street and James Street location in 2014. 

The booth primarily sold hot dogs and soda. The menu later expanded, adding more Swedish items including Ham and Korv sausage, ribbon cookies, shaved ice and more.

To run our food booth, we need to fill 156 volunteer slots during the week of Swedish Days. The booth makes our presence known in the community and raises money that is disbursed to many charitable organizations.

Carol Zars, UMCG 185th Anniversary Planning Team

If you have more information or details about our involvement in Swedish Days, please send your information and photos to Carolyn@genevaumc.org.

YOUR OFFERING SUPPORTS GARDENS AT HESED HOUSE

The free will offering collected at this year’s Earth Sunday Expo was used to purchase 2 yards of garden soil to fill the two new gardens built by the Harbor residents at Hesed House. The residents did the labor of filling the gardens and planting the pepper and tomato plants and seeds donated by Creation Care members. We will look forward to pictures of how the new gardens flourish under their care.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK SUMMER BIBLE STUDY

Join Pastor Rob in a companion study to the Tell Me The Stories of Jesus sermon series that will focus on the Gospel of Mark. All one needs is a Bible to participate. An optional resource that Pastor Rob will be using is “Mark: Immersion Bible Studies” by Emerson B. Powery. This book is widely available for download, library lending and via used book sellers if one chooses to add this to their studies. 

There are two options to participate: 



Sunday Morning Adult Sunday School,

Sundays 10:30-11:30am UMCG Parlor and Zoom 

OR

Early Bird Men’s Fellowship,

Thursdays, 7-8:30am at Colonial Café in St. Charles. 

Click here for the schedule and assigned readings.

For a video overview of Mark’s gospel, check out the Bible Project video below.

Prairie Central eNews is here.

The NIC weekly eNews is here.

Download the NIC Reporter here.