Looking for ways to connect with the Fourth Church community and one another? On the church calendar you will find many opportunities to do so. Included among them are

• Blood Drive this Saturday morning and early afternoon, November 16
• “Foundations of Judaism,” in person and via Zoom, on Sunday morning, November 17
• Knitting and Crocheting in person on Sunday morning, November 17 and via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon, November 26
• Men’s Bible Study via Zoom on Tuesday mornings
• Zoom Morning Prayer weekly on Wednesdays
• Benevolent Guild in person on Wednesday mornings
• Grief Group via Zoom on Thursday evenings
• Free Friday Noonday Concerts, in the Sanctuary and livestreamed, featuring piano duo Jeremy Vigil and Florence Mak on Friday, November 22
• Organ Dedication Anniversary Concert, featuring organist Daryl Robinson, on Friday evening, November 22, in person and livestreamed
• Caroling on the Sanctuary steps in person on Saturday, November 23
• “Theology of Place: Honoring Our Land Ancestors,” in person and via Zoom, on Sunday morning, November 24
• Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in person on Tuesday evening, November 26
• Women’s Bible Study via Zoom on Wednesday noon and evening, November 27
• Advent Festival of Lessons and Music in person and livestreamed on Sunday evening, December 1
• Cornerstones Christmas Sing-Along in person (registration required) on Friday evening, December 6

For information about whom to contact for an event’s Zoom details or the link to register for an event, simply click on the down “arrow” to the right of the event name in the calendar (which is easily accessible from the “Calendar” at the top of the menu on our website).

You can also find the day’s events on the bottom of our website home page.

For highlights about additional opportunities, keep reading!

Sunday, November 17

9:30 a.m. worship in person and online

Nancy Benson-Nicol preaching

Worship bulletin

11:00 a.m. worship in person

Nancy Benson-Nicol preaching

Worship bulletin

2:00 p.m. worship in person

Nancy Benson-Nicol preaching

Worship bulletin

There are still openings for donating blood this Saturday!

Between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room the Center for Life and Learning will be cosponsoring a blood drive in partnership with Alderman Reilly’s 42nd Ward office.

Each donor can save up to three lives, and our participation as donors is one of the ways we live out our commitment to care for our neighbors and community.

Walk-ins are welcome, although advance appointments are appreciated.

Saturday, November 16

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Borwell Dining Room

Appointments appreciated; walk-ins welcome

Schedule an appointment online or by calling 800-7TO-GIVE (800-786-4483)

We are deeply grateful to all made a 2025 pledge on Commitment Sunday as we answered the invitation—through our financial support—to join in doing the good that is ours to do.

Thank you for your investment in the work of Fourth Church and Chicago Lights!

If you have not yet had opportunity to make your pledge for 2025, there is still time to do so by filling out the online form at bit.ly/fpcclpledge

Integral to who we are as Fourth Presbyterian Church — and thus the good that is ours to do — is mission.

How does this find expression?

Take a moment to watch this brief video and see just some of the many ways!

This Sunday we conclude the two-week class “Foundations of Judaism,” in which we are exploring the basic beliefs of Judaism and different perspectives within Judaism.

We are also comparing this Abrahamic faith with Christianity in general and Presbyterianism in particular as we discover new ways to further collaborate with our Jewish siblings.

Sundays November 10 and 17

11:00 a.m.

Borwell Dining Room and via Zoom

Register at bit.ly/judaism112024

Rabbis David Chapman and Amanda Greene lead the first session of the class.

Theology of Place: Honoring Our Land Ancestors

If you have stopped in the Loggia this fall, you will have had opportunity to enjoy the current exhibit, “Before Straight Lines,” featuring the artwork of Robert Wapahi, a local indigenous artist of Dakota Santee heritage.

Next Sunday morning, November 24 we look forward to the artist joining us to lead the class “Theology of Place: Honoring Our Land Ancestors,” when he will talk about autobiographical aspects of his life in a historical context and the intersection of identity, life, and art.

Sunday, November 24

11:00 a.m.

Borwell Dining Room and via Zoom

Register at bit.ly/ancestors112024

Each November a Friday evening organ concert marks the anniversary of our 2015 Andrew Pipe Organ dedication.

This year we are delighted to have Daryl Robinson in concert on November 22.

Winner of both First Prize and Audience Prize in the 2012 American Guild of Organists National Competition in Organ Performance, Mr. Robinson has since maintained an active career as a recitalist, collaborative artist, church musician, and educator, earning international acclaim from critics and audiences alike.

We look forward to hearing him perform at Fourth Church!

Friday, November 22

7:30 p.m.

in the Sanctuary and livestreamed

Sing in the season with us on Saturday, November 23!

At 5:00 p.m. that day we will gather on the Sanctuary steps to carol prior to the 5:30 p.m. Tree-Lighting Parade, part of the annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.

Plan to come spread holiday cheer to those gathered for the Michigan Avenue festivities!

Saturday, November 23

5:00 p.m.

on the Sanctuary steps

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

We will again this year join with our neighbors for an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.

This year it is our turn to host the service, and Chicago Sinai Congregation and Holy Name Cathedral will provide the music and the preaching.

As other faith communities from the neighborhood join with us, we hope you will come be part of our shared songs and prayers of thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 26

6:30 p.m.

in the Sanctuary (at Fourth Church)

Thanksgiving Day “Rhythm and Word”

On Thanksgiving Day we will share a Thanksgiving Day “Rhythm and Word” video on our YouTube channel.

It will be an invitation to you — and those with whom you may be gathering — to pause for ten minutes of spiritual reflection and a time of giving thanks.

To receive the video on Thanksgiving Day by email, subscribe at bit.ly/rhythmandwordemail

On the First Sunday of Advent, December 1, not only will we gather for our weekly Sunday morning and afternoon services, but we will also come together in the evening one of our annual Advent traditions: the Festival of Advent Lessons and Music. 

Once again we will hear the scripture readings of the season and hear and sing the music of Advent as we anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, December 1

6:30 p.m.

Sanctuary and livestreamed

Remember loved ones and recognize those who are special in your life by making contributions in their name toward the purchase of Christmas flowers to decorate Fourth Church during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

A list of those remembered will be printed in the Christmas bulletin.

Contributions can be made online and must be received by Sunday, December 8 in order for names to be included in the bulletin.

For more information, contact Gloria Vicente.

Christmas Wishes for Tutoring Students

Our Christmas Wishes project to provide gifts for Chicago Lights Tutoring students is underway!

This year we will be giving each student $25 worth of gift cards and a book.

Thus we are collecting gift cards to Target, Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, and McDonald’s. Cards can be dropped off at the church reception desk to the attention of Simon Crow. Please designate on each card the card amount.

Monetary contributions toward book and gift card purchases can also be made to Fourth Church, noting “Christmas Wishes” in the designation of an online gift or on the memo line of a check made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church.

These gifts are needed by Wednesday, December 4.

For more information about the Christmas Wishes project coordinated annually by Women at Fourth, contact Simon.

The Chicago Lights Social Service Center is in need of men’s clothing, new or gently used, of all types and all sizes, as well as men’s shoes.

Items can be dropped off at the church reception desk (enter at 126 E. Chestnut) between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Today our free Friday Noonday Concert series featured the Black Moon Trio (left to right: Khelsey Zarraga, violin; Jeremy Vigil, piano; Parker Nelson, French horn) performing a set of lively and contemporary works.

Next Friday Mr. Vigil returns with his wife, Florence Mak, to perform a duo piano program.

Last Friday evening the Fourth Church Choral Society performed Mozart’s timeless Requiem for its fall concert, directed by Interim Organist and Director of Music Doug Cleveland with Associate Organist Michael Rees at the organ.

On Sunday we were treated to the worship-beginning Introit “Sing to the Lord” by the Children’s Choir.

As they do on the second Sunday of most months, the Sunday School youth joined their parents for the first part of 9:30 worship before meeting up with their teachers and heading to their classrooms.

Our eighth-grade confirmands had their first Sunday morning Confirmation gathering this past weekend, after spending time together at a lock-in earlier this fall.

Also on Sunday the Junior High and Senior High groups worked with the Benevolent Guild to make blankets and taggies that will be donated to Lurie Children’s Hospital and Hello Baby.

Saturday night’s Deep Listening Dinner provided opportunity to build connections and strengthen friendship in our community.

Deaths

We give thanks to God for the gift of life eternal.

Mary Bartholomaus

Died November 10, 2024

William (Bill) A. Fisher

Died this past weekend

Lois A. Waller

Died September 16, 2024

Conversation and Presence

If you would like to talk to a pastor, please call the church (312.787.4570) and your request will be forwarded to someone on the pastoral staff.

If you would like to alert pastoral staff to emerging pastoral care needs, illnesses, hospitalizations, or deaths, please email Gloria Fleming, Assistant for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation; however, if the situation is an emergency or requires immediate attention, please call the church at 312.787.4570 to be connected to the Minister on Call.

For one-to-one spiritual and emotional support through life challenges, we encourage you to consider being paired with a Stephen Minister. To learn more about this resource, contact Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation, or leave a confidential message for a Stephen Minister at 312.573.3365.

Grief Groups facilitated by our Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being meet for four weeks via Zoom. To learn more or register for an upcoming group, contact the group facilitator, Sharon Crawford-Tucker (312.787.8425).

To set up a time to talk or for more information about how the staff of the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being can be a resource for you, call the Center at 312.787.2729, ext. 2260.

Prayer

If you would like to submit a prayer request to our Morning Prayer or Deacon Prayer Ministries, please email Gloria Fleming or Nancy Benson-Nicol.

If you would like to offer individual prayers of praise or concern with a Deacon, you are invited to do so on Sunday mornings in Stone Chapel (through the Sanctuary door to the right of the pulpit) following the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services.

If you would like to join in praying for others — members of Fourth Church and those in need — we invite you to gather with us for Wednesday Morning Prayer weekly at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. On the first Wednesday of the month (Wednesday, December 4) we also gather at 10:00 a.m. for in-person Morning Prayer in Buchanan Chapel. For Zoom details, email Nancy Benson-Nicol.

Children in Worship

Children are always welcome in worship at Fourth Church! If you need to step out to comfort your child, the Hospitality Suite, on the second floor of the Gratz Center, is a quiet space for families where worship is livestreamed.

During the morning services nursery care is available on the fourth floor of the Gratz Center for infants through two-year-olds.

Worship Livestream

We livestream the 9:30 a.m. worship service on our YouTube channel, which is accessible by going to www.bit.ly/fpcvideos, subscribing to our channel, or clicking on the photo with a “Play” arrow on the home page of the Fourth Church website.

The livestream is available to view anytime after the service begins if you would prefer to connect online at a later time. For tips on how to watch — from the beginning — a service already in progress, see www.fourthchurch.org/watch-from-the-beginning

Audio-only by phone is available (toll free) by calling 888.916.9166 just prior to the start of the 9:30 service.