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Messenger - March 29, 2024

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

PASTOR'S BLOG

What's so 'good' about Good Friday?

That was the question around our dinner table earlier this month. No pun intended... that is a good question. Sometimes as Christians we think of what Jesus went through on that fateful Friday - the mockery, flagellation, the carrying of the cross, the crown of thorns and the nails in his wrists and feet - as some utilitarian means to an end.

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Watch Rob's State of the Church video!

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.

EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024

When Prayers Don’t Get Answered in the Way We Expect - John 20:1-18


The people prayed for a Messiah. I’m sure Jesus’ mother and disciples all prayed for him to live into his calling to redeem Israel and the world. However, the powers that be made sure Jesus died before he had the chance. But just as we think the story is over, God answers prayers in unexpected ways. Join us at UMCG this Easter as we celebrate an unexpected answer to prayer.  

Click for this Sunday's Bulletin

EVENTS AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Communications Form 

Submit information each week for the Messenger and Bulletin Announcements by WEDNESDAY AT 12 pm for inclusion in these communications. Please use above button 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 eventThis 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. 

Special Church Conference - April 7th


Rev. Bross has authorized a Special Church Conference to authorize funding for elevator repair and the restoration, repair and renewal of our church grounds after or sewer repair and geothermal installation. The Special Church Conference will be on Sunday, April 7th at 10:15am in the Sanctuary.


A special email will be sent next week explaining the projects, costs, and funding request in detail. 

If you prefer a more formal worship service, please join us this evening at 7 pm for Good Friday service.


To make your Easter Offering online, click here.


Choose "one-time gift," then "Easter Offering" from the drop-down menu.

IT'S TIME TO START THINKING "PANCAKES!"

Join our Planning Meeting via Zoom

TOMORROW at 10:00 a.m.


Our 68th Annual United Methodist Church of Geneva Pancake Breakfast is only two months out. The permits have been applied for -- so let’s talk planning!


Saturday's meeting agenda will focus on streamlining the tasks before and during the day of the pancake breakfast. I anticipate this being a fairly quick Zoom meeting. Zoom information is below. For those of you who cannot attend, we have scheduled a follow-up meeting on April 17 at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. -- Tony Zefron


Click the link to join the Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88520115819?pwd=d2RtbHUzclhkSno1N1FFTC93UHkrQT09


Meeting ID: 885 2011 5819

Passcode: 739076

ORDER YOUR FREE UMCG T-SHIRT!

We want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to the amazing volunteers who give their time and energy to serve our community through our church. To show our appreciation, we're purchasing church volunteer t-shirts for anyone in the congregation that wants one!


We would like everyone to wear these t-shirts when volunteering for upcoming events like the Rummage Sale, Pancake Breakfast, Swedish Days and other outreach opportunities.


Time is of the essence. We need you to order your FREE t-shirt by Monday, April 8 so we can receive our order prior to the Rummage Sale. Use this link to pick your style and size.

SHARE YOUR STORIES/PHOTOS TO HELP CELEBRATE OUR ANNIVERSARY!


📝 Share Your Personal Church Stories: Whether you've been a part of our church family for decades or you've recently joined us on this journey of faith, your story is an integral part of our collective history. We encourage you to share your cherished memories, meaningful moments, and reflections on what our church means to you. Your stories remind us of the strength of our community and the power of God's love working through us.


📷 Submit Your Photos: We believe that our congregation's history is best told through the images that capture the essence of who we are. Whether it's a snapshot from a special event, a candid moment of fellowship, or a cherished memory from years gone by, we invite you to share your photos with us. Together, these images paint a vivid portrait of our journey together as a church family.


✉️ How to Contribute Your Stories and Photos: Sharing your stories and photos is simple!

Click this link to share stories and photos or documents; If you need to upload multiple files use this link.

We have also set up timelines in Fellowship Hall where you can write your story on post-it notes, see below.


***If you have photos or documents that need to be scanned you can drop them off in the office

and we will scan and return to you.

The Anniversary Committee invites you to come sign and share on the anniversary timelines! We will have them out again this Sunday in Fellowship Hall during coffee hour.

Come sign your name and share a memory of UMCG!

IT'S RUMMAGE SALE TIME!


We need help the entire week of rummage!




  • Set up: Monday, April 22 – 6pm in Fellowship Hall
  • Donation drop offs: Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23 & 24, from 9am to 7pm
  • Bake Sale donations: Please drop off in the Library on Thursday, April 25.
  • Sale DatesApril 25 – 6-8pm, April 26 – 9-5pm, and April 27 – 9am to Noon
  • Clean UpApril 27 –12:15 pm to 2:30pm
Sign up here!

We are anticipating a huge amount of donations again! Please only donate items that will be highly saleable—please be picky to ensure success!  At the risk of sounding ungrateful, please nothing dirty, dusty, torn or broken. Clean items sell faster and we can charge more for them! If you need larger items to be picked up, please call Lorne Tweed at (908) 723-2617.


***Please, we cannot accept TV’s, monitors, printers, entertainment armoires, textbooks, magazines, car seats, mattresses and cribs.***


Thank you, in advance, for all the donations and support we get during rummage week. 


Rummage sale questions: Jenean Larsen, (847)707-6598, Bobbi Alderfer (630) 272-9445 or Wendy McKeehan (630) 310-9861, or Nancy Tweed 973-216-3363.

Bake Sale and Food for Volunteer Questions: Joan Hansen (630)251-4628

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

ADULT STUDIES

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL BEGINS NEW STUDY:

 "THE BIBLE'S ROCK STARS AND ONE-HIT WONDERS: TEN STORIES YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS!


BYOB -- BRING YOUR OWN BIBLE! (we DO have extras on hand, though) With videos, songs and Bible commentaries, Jo Ann, Nola and Mary Gay invite you to Eastertide joy as we dive into the Bible's pools of wisdom. With ample time for discussion, together what treasure(s) will we find? As disciple Philip says, "Come and see!"


When? 10:30 a.m. Sundays after worship from April 7 through June 9.

Where? The Parlor upstairs, just off Fellowship Hall.

Come once or come often. If you can join us occasionally -- no problem -- each session stands alone. No previous Bible study necessary. In fact, the insights & responses of newbies can be the most interesting!

MEN’S EARLY BIRD FELLOWSHIP (MEBF) NEW STUDY

BEGINNING APRIL 11


Early Bird Men’s Fellowship will begin a new study of seven shorter but important books of the Bible on Thursday April 11. The study isImmersion Bible Studies: James, Peter: 1 & 2, John: 1, 2 & 3, and Jude,by Michael E. Williams. The book is available through Amazon, Abe Books(used), Ebooks with the Hoopla app at Geneva Public Library, and others.


MEBF meets each Thursday at 7:00AM at the Colonial Café in St. Charles at Tyler and East Main Street (Rt. 64). After discussion, breakfast is ordered and they finish about 8:30. For further information please contact Jim McConnell: mcjamesc@aol.com or David Hood: chichood@aol.com. Join them for fellowship, discussion, and food.

VOLUNTEER AND COMMITTEE NEWS

DINNER FOR LAZARUS HOUSE


  • We need volunteers to buy or prepare meals for Lazarus House in 2024.
  • Please CLICK HERE to choose a convenient date and sign-up.
  • Directions are on the sign up page.
  • Please call/text Gwen Powell at 479-899-1779 with questions.

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
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