Weekly Messenger - October 22, 2021 |
|
Making and nurturing disciples of Jesus Christ to serve the community and the world |
|
CHURCH BEAUTIFICATION UPDATE |
|
The Trustees are leading a Church Beautification project to make our church building a safer and more-welcoming place. We have and will continue to declutter, recycle, sell, and dispose of unwanted or unneeded items as part of the project. In addition, we will also replace the floor covering in certain rooms and paint those rooms as well as painting several areas of the basement. Much of the carpeting it very old and wrinkling and therefore causes a tripping hazard. Please note that not all spaces in the church will have flooring replaced or be painted during this phase of the project. Below are diagrams showing the rooms that will be painted and have floor coverings replaced. The work will not begin until after Christmas. The project is being funded by the Trustees Reserve and therefore will have no impact on the operating budget of the Church.
If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy McNeil or Greg Lower.
|
|
Sunday Worship Services
October 24, 2021
|
|
Join us for our Worship Services
Indoor worship service in our sanctuary at 9:00 am
Our service are livestreamed at 9:00am
The service will be posted later on Facebook
Special Guest Speaker at 10:15 am
Susan Sperry, the Executive Director of World Relief Chicagoland, will speak to our congregation in our sanctuary.
|
|
Pastor Rob will begin a 5 part series titled "Good Grief" |
|
CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events!
Oct. 24: 1st - 5th Graders will be given bibles
Thu, Oct 28: See Below
Oct. 31: Sunday School class Halloween parties. Come to church dressed up in your costumes.
|
|
UMCG is taking part in the downtown Geneva Trick or Treating event on October 28 from 2-5 pm - Volunteers and Treats Needed!
We need volunteers to pass out candy and/or send in treat donations! We will also have a bounce house set up in the parking lot. Julie needs volunteers to monitor the bounce house as well. The police are giving us barricades to block off half the parking lot so everyone can stay safe.
Don't forget to invite your friends and family to join in on the fun!
|
|
We are in need of regular volunteers to staff our nursery during the 9 am service. We are looking for volunteers that can help out once every 6-8 weeks. All volunteers will need to provide information for a background check in accordance with our Safe Sanctuary policy. If you are interested in helping out please contact Julie Popplewell. |
|
YOUTH GROUP
Upcoming Events
All Events are combined Junior / Senior High unless otherwise noted.
|
|
- The Escape Room event will be held on Sunday, 10/24 at the St. Charles iPanic location at 1519 E. Main St.
-
We have reserved the Last Wish room at 3:45pm. Please meet the location at 3:15pm. for check-in.
- The cost is $35 per person.
-
More information can be found on the iPanic website: www.ipanicescaperoom.com , make sure you click on the St. Charles location.
-
iPanic requires a waiver pre-signup. An online version can be found here.
- Room size is limited, so we need to know if you plan on joining us. Please text Beth Sacrey at 630-989-0629.
|
|
SAVE THE DATE for Sunday, November 7th for a chance to serve senior citizens and those with physical limitations in our community. We have altered our plans for the Rake and Run because we have discovered a great opportunity to partner with other people and groups in our community to help rake yards. The Batavia United Way is holding a Day of Caring - Leaf Raking event on Sunday, November, 7th from 1:00-3:00 pm. We plan on participating in this event as a youth ministry. More details and information about signing up to follow soon.
|
|
EVENTS AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
|
|
|
Hey Adults! Halloween is on Sunday this year. Instead of letting the kids have all the fun, let’s join them!
Bring a non-perishable food item into the sanctuary with you and the kids will 'trick-or-treat' for the items during children's time in costume.
We can dress up too! Our pastors are going to be festively dressed for worship. Consider joining them in costume or simply dressing in Halloween colors like orange, purple and black. Let’s have a little fun together and collect food for the hungry and don't worry the kids will still get plenty of candy!
|
|
October is pastor appreciation month!
Our Staff Parish Relations Committee invites you to stop by their table in Fellowship Hall before or after our worship service to write a note to put on our poster boards to thank our pastors! You can also send them a note by snail mail, email, or drop a note at the church office. Let's let them know that the work they do for this congregation is truly a blessing and how much we appreciate all that they do!
|
|
You're Invited to the Creation Care Meeting on October 25
Creation Care will be meeting this Monday, October 25 at 7:00 pm on zoom.
|
|
This year marks the 10th anniversary of NIJFON. Over the last ten years, NIJFON has focused on serving our most vulnerable immigrant communities seeking asylum, worked tirelessly to win every case and ensure that their clients feel welcomed, are reunited with their families, and live without fear. You are invited to support NIJFON at their virtual fall fundraisers held on Sunday, November 7, at 4pm, livestreamed at, facebook.com/NIJFON. You can also donate online at nijfon.org/donate. |
|
On All Saints’ Sunday, November 7, the names of our members, regular attenders, and their immediate family members who have died in the past year will be read during worship, and their picture will be projected on the screen. Please submit your loved one’s name and a photograph to the church office at [email protected] by Monday, October 25. Digital photographs are preferred, but you may submit a hard copy, which we can scan. If you have any questions about All Saints Sunday, please contact the church office at 630-232-7120.
|
|
THE CHRISTMAS CANTATA IS BACK!
Please join us for the return of our choral Christmas cantata! This year we’ll be unwrapping joy as we present selections from the Alfred Burt Carols, including such classics as “Caroling, Caroling”, “Some Children See Him” and “The Star Carol”. The cantata will be presented, accompanied by the Metropolis Oboe Quartet, on Sunday, December 12. Rehearsals begin Sunday, October 31, 10:30 - 11:30 AM in the Sanctuary. We will rehearse distanced and masked for safety. If you are a singer high school age and older, and would like to participate, you will need to sign up here or at genevaumc.org. Questions? Contact Director of Music Scott Stevenson at [email protected]. |
|
ORDER SCRIP GIFT CARDS
Orders for Scrip Gift Cards will be placed in early November for the Holidays. We will not be selling gift cards in Fellowship Hall as in the past. This will be the ONLY time we will be taking orders till the end of the year!
For a list of participating retailers, please go to the Shop with Scrip website shopwithscrip.com/brands and you will see a complete list along with card denominations offered.
Deadline for orders - October 31, 2021. To place orders, or questions, please contact John or Mardel McNally @ 630-845-3367. Check or Cash must accompany your order.
|
|
Wedding Invitation!
Peggy Bartlein and Scott Stevenson would like to invite any members of the congregation who are interested to attend their upcoming wedding ceremony, which will be held in the Sanctuary on October 30, at 5:00 PM.
|
|
It was a beautiful day to work on a Habitat home! Pastor Lisa, Gary Dittmer and John Eifler worked at the Habitat for Humanity Build day in Batavia with regular Saturday volunteer Keith, and Tyler Iscra, HFH staff. |
|
Dear UMCG Family,
On July 30th, our family lost the Patriarch of our family, John A. Andersen at the age of 93. The UMCG also lost a pillar in the church, as Dad was a longtime member for 60 years.
He loved, supported and cared deeply for everyone in the church and it was given back to him tenfold. Dad will be missed by all of us; his family and those whose lives he touched over the years. But his loving and caring spirit will live on in our hearts and minds forever.
Thank you to Pastor Rob for your support, love and prayers in planning Dad’s Memorial Service. We're SO grateful that we were able to have the Memorial Service in the church and the fellowship time afterwards. Dad always enjoyed the “social time” after church, so it was appropriate to have some light refreshments after the service!
Thank you also to Scott Stevenson for his accompaniment during the service and to Mike Popplewell, for his beautiful rendition of "The Lord’s Prayer” and "This is My Fathers World.” And thank you to Linda McConnell, Keith and Rita Bowgren and volunteers, who helped during the Memorial Service and fellowship time.
Lastly, on behalf of the John Andersen family, I would like to thank all of you for your kind expressions of sympathy; cards, phone calls, hugs and prayers. Your love and support was truly felt by our family and we are grateful.
Peace,
Christine Andersen Donovan
|
|
Thanks to Trustees, Creation Care and Tech Help!
Many of you know that there has been a lot going on at the church lately. I have to say I have been impressed by the hard work of the many, many volunteers working at the church. Chuck Bolvin and Kurt Beier have spend many evenings upgrading the internet service at the church so we can have access to faster internet speeds. Gale Dias, Cindy Caliendo and the trustees have been working tirelessly cleaning and organizing the church. Colleen Fasbender has been organizing the church office and Howie Pribble is assessing our computers and electronics. The Creation Care team lead by Debbie Karr & Val Erickson, has been diverting many of the items from the landfill to people that can use what we no longer need. Thanks to Pastor Rob Hamilton for lighting a fire under us to get this done and challenging us to look at our building differently. I'm just getting started. If I left out a name or a group, please share with me and I will include them in future thank-yous!
Carolyn Burnham
|
|
Thanks to Memorials for donating funds toward the purchase of lightweight and washable melamine dishes. With events such as the pancake breakfast, potlucks and funeral lunches in mind, Creation Care felt that these additional dishes would allow us to continue our commitment to end the use of all single-use plastic, disposable dinnerware and styrofoam. There are dinner plates, dessert plates, small bowls (coming soon) and coffee mugs along with our plastic juice cups in the kitchen. The melamine is dishwasher safe but NOT microwave safe. This does not replace the china which is still available for use.
Val Erickson, for the Creation Care Team
|
|
Each Wednesday our Rev. Mary Gay McKinney posts a devotional message to our Facebook Page at 12 pm. They are also available on our Website.
|
|
Check out our UMCG Friday Music Feature at 12pm on Facebook! |
|
NEWS FROM THE UMC COMMUNITY |
|
Prairie Central District Prayer Initiative
Our congregation is invited to participate in a season of prayer for the 70 United Methodist Churches in the Prairie Central District over the next 5 weeks.
Personally, each day we pray for one of the 7 churches and then congregationally, each week in worship our congregation will pray for one of the churches and their prayer concerns.
Sunday: United Methodist Church of Geneva
Monday: Elgin: Journey of Hope UMC
Tuesday: Naperville: Wheatland-Salem UMC
Wednesday: Bensenville: First UMC
Thursday: Elmhurst: First UMC
Friday: Naperville: North Central College Campus Ministry
Saturday: Cary UMC
Congregational prayer focus for the week of October 24th: Wheatland Salem Church
- A prayer of joy and thanksgiving for our new and growing Saturday evening Multicultural Worship Service. This new Service is engaging our larger community in meaningful way.
- A second prayer of joy and thanksgiving for our new Satellite Sudanese Worship Service and Ministry currently serving 30+ refugee families.
|
|
The NIC weekly eNews is here.
The NIC October Reporter is available here.
|
|
SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION FOR ENEWS AND MESSENGER |
|
Submit information each week by Wednesday at 12pm for inclusion in Bulletin Announcements or the Weekly Messenger. Please use the submission form. This form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. You may also send them to [email protected]. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Debbie, and Lorie.
If you would like a thank-you included in the Weekly Messenger, we need you to request that it be shared here. Anyone sharing a thank-you should have consent before sharing with the congregation.
|
|
|
|
|
Watch Online Worship Services |
|
211 Hamilton Street
Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: (630) 232-7120
|
|
Connect with us on Social Media |
|
|
|
|
|
|
