From:                                         Woodridge United Methodist Church Communications <noreply@elexiochms.com>

Sent:                                           Friday, March 26, 2021 12:11 PM

To:                                               office@woodridgeumc.org

Subject:                                     "Palms, Passion, and Power" Woodridge United Methodist Church Newsletter

Attachments:                          161677857303.28.21_Worship_Guide.docx; 161677858003.28.21_Worship_Guide.pdf; 161677858704.01.21_Worship_Guide_Maundy_Thr.docx; 161677859304.01.21_Worship_Guide_Maundy_Thr.pdf

 

            Woodridge United Methodist Church

Join us on Sunday for worship services
at  10:00 am.

Instructions can be found below.
All are Welcome!

 

 

 

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

 

 

"Palms, Passion, and Power"

How many times have you read or seen or heard the story of Jesus’ last week? Dozens? 50? Hundreds of times?

 

Whatever your answer to that, it is a well-known story. Many of us can likely quote all the lines (as it were) from beginning to end — this year from the gospel of Mark. So how do we keep such a frequently-encountered story fresh?

 

Perhaps the same way we keep any good story fresh: by immersing ourselves in its narrative, by opening ourselves to think and to feel again. Perhaps we keep it fresh by striving to really experience the story and let it move us. After all, there must be a reason we continually return to this particular story, mustn’t there?

 

Perhaps this week we can see the palms waving in our mind’s eye. Perhaps this week we can hear the roar of the crowd in our imagination. Perhaps this week we can feel the tension building between Jesus and the crowd; between Jesus and the disciples; between Jesus and the powers that be.

 

Power. Perhaps that is the ultimate question to which this story distills: Who has power and how do they wield it?

 

And the follow up question is like it: What forms of power do we choose and why?

 

Pastor Dave will consider those questions and more this Sunday, March 28th, in his sermon, “Palms, Passion, and Power.”

 

Register to worship with us in person Sunday at 10:00 a.m. OR join us online as we live stream worship on our Woodridge UMC YouTube Channel.

 

Woodridge UMC is an open and loving United Methodist community striving to:       

Welcoming to all;
Uniting in service toward greater social justice for all;
Moving forward with understanding and acceptance of all peoples;
Creating disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.       

Our purpose is to offer a safe place and community to all races, cultures, religions, genders, sexual identities, ethnicities, age groups and other beliefs.      

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Friday, March 26th

  • Noon Lunch on Zoom
  • Holy Week Filming
  • 6:45 pm Boy Scouts

Saturday, March 27th

  • 1:00 pm Sorority
  • 1:00 pm Cub Scouts Egg Hunt

Sunday, March 28th

  • 10:00 am Worship Service
  • Noon Communion
  • 1:00 pm Cub Scouts Egg Hunt Rain Date
  • 1:30 pm Youth Group
  • 4:00 pm Filipino Baptist 

Tuesday, March 30th

  • 10:30 am Bible Study Online

Wednesday, March 31st

  • 6:00 pm Lenten Study Online

Thursday, April 1st

  • Church Office CLOSED
  • 6:00 pm ONLINE Maundy Thursday Worship
  • 7:00 pm OUTSIDE Maundy Thursday Worship
  • 7:00 pm Boy Scouts

Friday, April 2nd

  • Church Office CLOSED
  • Noon Lunch on Zoom
  • 6:00 pm ONLINE Good Friday Worship
  • 6:45 pm Boy Scouts
  • 7:00 pm OUTSIDE Good Friday Worship

Sunday, April 4th

  • 10:00 am Worship Service
  • Noon Communion
  • 4:00 pm Filipino Baptist 

Monday, April 5th

  • Church Office CLOSED

 

The spread of the COVID-19 virus requires our attention and immediate response to how we gather as a community of faith.  While serious, please know that we must refrain from becoming panicked.  Please be cautious and mindful of your own health and the safety of others.  Our Bishop and Annual Conference are regularly updating their website with information and resources for our church.  Please take a look at it for details:  www.umcnic.org.

 

 

 

Worship

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES

Where to find the YouTube Live Stream
From the YouTube app or on the YouTube web page, search for: Woodridge UMC or follow this
link.  Join us early for Joys and Concerns and the Prelude with music starting around 9:50 am. Services at 10:00 am.  If you have questions or problems, please contact media@woodridgeumc.onmicrosoft.com.  Full assistance will be available prior to 10:00 am on Sunday morning.  After 10:00 am, assistance becomes more limited. If you are not available at 10:00 am or cannot get the live streaming to work, a recording of the video will be posted to the Woodridge UMC YouTube page

We are now ready to welcome a limited amount of persons in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. You must register to let us know you will be attending.  The link for registering is:
register for worship.  Please be sure to register no later than Friday at noon.  Should you change your mind after you have registered, you may cancel your registration at any time. When you register to attend, you will receive the guidelines that all must follow for everyone's safety and well-being. 

For ease of access, you can now find both formats of the weekly worship guide attached to this email.  This will take the place of the Saturday Connections email.
 

OFFERING OPTIONS

There are different options for getting your offering to the church while worship services are online.

  • Go to the website & click on the Giving tab at the top of the page or go straight there with this link.
  • Text 630.449.7121 with the amount
  • Drop off in the gold mail slot next to the east door of the church.
  • Mail your offering to the church.

 

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE

If you watch the online service, please email the church office at office@woodridgeumc.org and let us know that you joined us for worship, so that we might record your attendance.

 

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR WORSHIP

If you want a prayer request shared during worship, please email the Pastor Danita at pastordanita@woodridgeumc.org by 8:00 am on Sundays.

 

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Palm Sunday          10:00 am online and in person
Maundy Thursday    6:00 pm online and 7:00 pm in the parking lot
Good Friday             6:00 pm online and 7:00 pm in the parking lot
Easter Sunday        10:00 am online and in person



FLOWER CROSS
For the last couple of years we have had a large cross covered in flowers on the parkway facing 75th Street to remind passersby the JESUS IS ALIVE!  Please drop off a bouquet of flowers to be used in assembling the Flower Cross.  There will be a bucket with some water in it just inside of the narthex doors on the south side of the building.  Please have them at the church before noon on Saturday, April 3rd.
 

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

SPECIAL HOLY WEEK Church Office Hours:
Monday -  Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Thursday & Friday OFFICE CLOSED

Our building is not ready for full activity, so we ask that you call before visiting.

 

 

 

Pastor Danita's Vestment

Many people have asked about the purple vestment that Pastor Danita wears during the season of Lent.  It was a gift from her friend, Reverend J. Jeannette Cooper, retired clergywoman in South Carolina, which Pastor Danita wore as a part of Reverend Cooper's wedding ceremony.  It was handmade in Ghana, Africa and the symbol on the sleeve Means "believe in God".  There are only 12 of these vestments which were made exclusively for Reverend Cooper's Sisters in Spirit (S.O.S.) who served communion at the wedding ceremony.
 

Memorial Page Added

Please check the church's website to view a new page in memory of our beloved Jorie Manderfield.  Jorie was such an intricate part of the life of this church, we thought it only fitting to have a tribute to her life on our church's website.  You can also donate to the memorial fund set up in Jorie's memory on that same page.  The family will decide at a later date how the funds will be used.


Do You Know UMCOR?
UMCOR stands for United Methodist Committee on Relief and will be the focal point of a Special Sunday Service in March. When watching disaster unfold around the globe, many of us feel the call to help but are at a loss as to what we can actually do to help. UMCOR Sunday is the day for congregations around the globe to help.

Your donations to UMCOR on this Special Sunday help:
● Refugees in Clarkston, GA earn a living wage and get job training.
● Deliver food, water, shelter, and long-term recovery assistance to help many of the 68.5 million people displaced by war, persecution, and natural disaster.
● Distribute relief kits to those in need following the U.S. hurricanes of 2017.

The UMCOR Special Sunday is on March 28th, and we want to remind you that even though writing a check or putting cash in the offering doesn’t feel exciting, you really ARE making a difference.
Your gifts on UMCOR Special Sunday underwrite UMCOR’s “costs of doing business.” This helps UMCOR keep the promise that 100% of any gift to a specific project will go toward that mission, not administrative costs. If you want to learn more about UMCOR visit:
www.umcgiving.org/UMCOR

This is such an important gift and one that we can do together. Let’s make a difference, together.
 


Bible Study - Via Zoom

THE BIBLE FOR CURIOUS PEOPLE

Join us Tuesday mornings at 10:30am on Zoom as we explore the Gospel of Mark.
 
Reading Assignment for Tuesday, March 30th
Chapter 15-16 of the book of Mark, plus any notes your bible provides.


Questions to consider:

—Who do you find more sympathetic: Pilate for following the crowd despite knowing it was wrong? Or the crowd for choosing the violent revolutionary Barabbas over Jesus?
—More faithful women present when most of the men had run away. How did the church go from this to fully embracing patriarchy?
—Why do you think Mark ended his gospel as he did in verse 8?
—Why do you think others added the additional material of v9-20?
—What would you say is Mark’s thesis? Does he succeed in making the case for that thesis?


Due to the pandemic, this class is meeting online through Zoom on Tuesday mornings at 10:30AM. Please contact Pastor Dave (pastordave@woodridgeumc.org) to join the conversation. It is a great way to stay connected and all are welcome.
 
No prior bible reading or knowledge or expertise needed. No question is dumb and no one is forced to read the bible in one particular way. We will all learn as we go along exploring what the text says, what it leaves unsaid, what history and tradition tell us about the text, and how our own experience influences our reading.


 
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY ON ZOOM

This year our Wednesday Lenten study will be SAVIOR:  What the Bible Says About the Cross by Magrey Devega.  Please join us on Wednesday nights at 6:00 p.m..  The book is available at Cokesbury.com and Amazon in hard copy or Kindle/e-reader versions.  Please join us on ZOOM for the study.
 

Employment Opportunity

Small Miracles Preschool Open Director Position
Woodridge United Methodist Church's Small Miracles Preschool is seeking a Preschool Director to start immediately in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year. The Director is responsible for maintaining the daily operations of Small Miracles Preschool, a warm and friendly environment, and a quality Christian-based, child-centered program. The Director must meet and maintain the minimum State Licensing Requirements of Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for the State of Illinois, and lead and support the staff through teamwork and mutual respect to achieve individual and classroom goals. The Director reports to the Small Miracles Preschool Board of Directors with day-to-day accountability to the Lead Pastor of Woodridge United Methodist Church. You can find the requirements and how to apply at https://www.woodridgeumc.org/small-miracles-preschool/.


Opportunities/Events 

Youth Ministry Winter/Spring of 2021

Youth Group on Zoom returns this Sunday, March 28th at 1:30pm.

While the pandemic means we are unable to hold a traditional mission trip this summer, we are working on alternative opportunities. Stay tuned!

 

Vaccine Buddy Program

Seniors who need help navigating the technology necessary to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine can call Jim Hill at (630) 640-0804 to be paired up with a Vaccination Buddy through a new program offered by Naperville and Lisle Townships TRIAD and the Naperville Senior Task Force. This buddy will schedule the senior for a vaccination appointment and also can provide transportation to the appointment if needed.


Billy Elton Benefit Concert Cancelled

It is with much disappointment that we have officially decided to cancel the Billy Elton benefit concert that was originally scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020 at the Neuqua Valley Auditorium.  We had held out hope that we would be able to announce a rescheduled date for sometime during the 2020-2021 school year.  It has become clear that, while things are beginning to trend in the right direction, it will not be possible to hold a large-scale concert at an indoor venue during the next couple of months.
 
Tickets purchased online through Brown Paper Tickets will automatically be refunded to the purchaser.  For anybody who purchased physical tickets, please contact Reid Spears at
rspears711@aol.com to arrange for your refund.  If you choose not to obtain a refund, your ticket purchase will still be donated to the causes affiliated with this event.
 
The good news is that we are fully planning to do another benefit concert in spring of 2022!  If you choose not to get a refund on your physical tickets at this time, all physical tickets from the original 2020 date will be honored at the door.  Please keep an eye out for the announcement of the official date, which will be coming later.
 
We are proud of the over $20,000 that we have raised over previous concerts to support the memorial funds of some very fondly remembered Neuqua Valley teachers.  We sincerely thank you for your support of the benefit concerts, and we eagerly look forward to returning to the Neuqua Valley Auditorium stage in 2022! In the meantime, keep an eye out for info coming soon on Billy-Elton.com for the announcement of our outdoor season!

 

Birthdays 

April Birthdays
4        Rachel Sprague
11      Sarah Jeske
13      Tom Balamut
          Kevin Morman
          Joseph Shubert
          Matt Swick
14      Alex Todd
15      Rachel Grosch
16      Henry Tolentino
26      Lesley Balamut
27      Karl Borgehammar
          Patrick Cash



Outreach Opportunities

March Outreach Offering: UMCOR


The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the humanitarian relief and development arm of The United Methodist Church, operated under the auspices of the General Board of Global Ministries.
Vision: As the humanitarian relief and development arm of The United Methodist Church, UMCOR strengthens and transforms people and communities.
Mission: Compelled by Christ to be a voice of conscience on behalf of the people called Methodist, UMCOR works globally to alleviate human suffering and advance hope and healing.

UMCOR’s work can be categorized into three major areas
1) Humanitarian Relief / Disaster Response 
2) Sustainable Development
3) Global Health (in collaboration with Global Ministries)

UMCOR’s MANDATE
The United Methodist Committee on Relief exists to assist United Methodists and churches to become involved globally in direct ministry to persons in need through programs of relief, rehabilitation, and service, including issues of displaced persons, hunger and poverty, disaster response, and disaster risk reduction; and to assist organizations, institutions, and programs related to annual conferences and other units of The United Methodist Church in their involvement in direct service to such persons in need.



DUPAGE PADS
Due to the continuing pandemic, DuPage Pads will not be using Downers Grove FUMC or any church to house Pads guests until late 2021.  They will continue to hotel guests at the guidance of the DuPage Health Department for both the Pads guests and the volunteers’ safety. 
 
DuPage Pads has enough funds to house 70 hotel rooms through March 31, 2021.  Their goal is 115 hotel rooms (approximately 150 guests) per night.  Each hotel room is approximately $45 a night which requires them to raise approximately $450,000.  Additional federal government funding is uncertain at the moment.
 
Cold weather has arrived, and people are still very much in need. There are several ways you can help:
 

  1. Food and Toiletry Donations: Please consider donating essential items using this link using curbside drop off boxes located in the DuPage PADS parking lot of 703 W. Liberty Wheaton, IL 60187. Drop off hours are Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm and Saturday-Sunday 8:00am-4:00pm. Please do not leave donations outside of the scheduled times, especially food items overnight.

 

  1. Monetary Donations: A special fund has been set up for this purpose. PADS is working hard to maintain and add additional housing in hotels for guests, as well as provide them with food. This requires significant financial resources to sustain this long term.  Visit the PADS website here and look at the very top for the link to donate.

 

  1. Bring Food or Monetary Donations to DGFUMC:  First United Methodist in Downers Grove is collecting microwave meals to bring to PADS guests starting November 5th. Microwave meals may be brought to the church Monday thru Friday 10am-1pm and monetary donations can be made on the church website dgfumc.org using the Giving tab. The church is located at 1032 Maple Avenue in Downers Grove.

Please call or email Larry Cash with questions at 630-808-8713.

 

Northern Illinois Conference 
Bishop John Hopkins Lenten Video

In a new 6-minute video, Bishop Hopkins greets all NIC churches while reflecting on the meaning of the Lenten season. Click here to view the video. 

 A transcript of the video 
is also available. 

Get to Know Interim Bishop John Hopkins
With the new year, we welcome retired Bishop John L. Hopkins, who is serving as the interim bishop for the Northern Illinois Conference through 2021.

Typically we would host a meet-and-greet event or a formal welcome, but because COVID-19 prevents us from gathering we are introducing him through a Zoom interview.

Did you know Bishop Hopkins served in campus ministries? NIC Dir. of Communications Anne Marie Gerhardt "sat down" with Bishop Hopkins to ask a few questions about his background and ministry to help all of us get to know him a little better.

Watch this video
.



Monthly Aurora District Lay Leader Virtual Meetings

There will be monthly Aurora District Lay Leader meetings on the Third Thursday of every month at 7 pm through May. "See" you there! If you are a lay leader and cannot make a meeting, invite another lay person from your church to attend. These meetings are not just for official lay leaders but any lay person who is a leader in a church! Your Zoom video conferencing invitation will be sent by Leola Tucker (ltucker@umcnic.org). Contact Leola if you would like to join.


New District Boundaries Set
The new names of the districts, which go into effect July 2021, are Lake North, Lake South, Prairie Central, Prairie North, and Prairie South. Click here to read the list of churches in each district.


Amazon Smile 


Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Woodridge United Methodist Church whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.       

AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.  Support WUMC by starting your shopping
here.  


Ways to Connect

Northern Illinois Conference
Find out about upcoming events in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church by clicking this link  

      
March 26th, 2021, Volume 12, Edition 13

 

 

 

Facebook

Twitter

Link

Website

 

 

 

Copyright © 2018 Woodridge United Methodist Church, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.
If you unsubscibe, you unsubscribe from all emails using the database.

Our mailing address is:
2700 75th Street
Woodridge, Illinois 60517


Add us to your bookmarks.

 

If you would like to not receive any more emails from Woodridge United Methodist Church, then click here to unsubscribe.