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Woodridge United Methodist
Church
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Join
us on Sunday for worship services
at
10:00 am.
Instructions
can be found below.
All are
Welcome!
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"The
Jesus Wars Get Loud"
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Jesus gathers his
friends and asks them an inescapable, vital question: “Who do you
say that I am?” We’ve heard the version
of this story from the gospels of Matthew and Mark and
this week we hear it from Luke.
But why?
Why read the same story three weeks in a row? There are a
plethora of reasons, including:
—We almost never do
this, so reading scripture this way is akin to working
out a muscle group with a different exercise than you
usually use. (Think: biking when you normally run or
doing dumbbell floor press instead of your typical
barbell bench press.) A new challenge can create a new
stimulus, producing a new result.
—This gives us a
direct, first hand experience with both the similarities
and the differences (subtle though some may be) that
exist in the various gospel accounts. And that in turn
can help us remember what a glorious gift it is to have
four distinct gospels in our biblical cannon.
—Spending this much
time with a story forces us to truly wrestle with the
text—and all the questions, concerns, celebrations, and
insights that the text engenders.
—In this particular
case, figuring out our response to Jesus’ question, “Who
do you say that I am?” just might be the most significant
way to live our faith in a way that leads to
transformation for us and our neighbors.
So one last time (for
now!), we look some of the most attention-grabbing
responses to Jesus’ question—and consider why they are so
frequently connected to racist ideas. In other words, who
put the White in White Christian Nationalism and why?
Pastor Dave considers
these questions and more this Sunday, August 28th, in his
sermon, “The
Jesus Wars Get Loud.”
N.B. Again, an action of
resistance you can take right now is adding your name to this statement by Christians Against Christian
Nationalism.
Worship with us Sunday at
10:00 a.m. in person or online via our Woodridge UMC YouTube Channel. All are welcome!
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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.
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Saturday, August 27th
- 1:00
pm Cub Scout Recruitment (Parking Lot)
Sunday, August 28th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
- 6:30
pm CSA Committee
Thursday, September 1st
Saturday, September 3rd
- 9:00
am Chapter Meeting
- 1:00
pm Executive Committee
Sunday, August 28th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- 11:00 am Communion
(in person)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
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In Person
WUMC considers the good health and well-being of not
only our members, but also our community, an act of Christian
stewardship. We continue to seek to avoid harm and do good as we
attend to the practices that help us grow in the love of God as
the COVID-19 Pandemic continues toward an endemic status. As a
result of guideline changes from the Illinois Department of
Public Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
we have updated our COVID Safety Guidelines:
- For worship services and Sunday School, masks
are optional but strongly encouraged.
- Nursery attendants and Sunday School teachers
are required to wear masks.
- Masks are encouraged, but not required for all
other meetings, gatherings, or groups. We recommend each
group consult with each other on how to do good and avoid
harm as a group in consideration of each other's needs and
desires.
- We will continue to practice COVID-19 safety
best practices throughout our building including cleaning
protocols and air circulation.
If you are feeling sick, please stay home and join
us via livestream on YouTube. If community transmission spikes in
our area, we may return to mask requirements for all
activities. We follow the CDC guidelines.
Online
Where to find the YouTube Live Stream
The worship service is live-streamed every Sunday at
10:00 a.m. on our Woodridge UMC YouTube Channel. All available worship service recordings are on
our channel too.
The weekly worship guide is attached to this email
for ease of access.
OFFERING OPTIONS
There are different options for getting your
offering to the church.
- 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.
NEW LECTIONARY BEING USED
Since Advent, Pastor Dave and
I have utilized a new "arrangement" of scripture
lessons. We have been using "A Women's
Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year W" by
Dr. Wil Gafney. While there are some texts that have been
challenging, the majority of it has been refreshing. We are
not "abandoning" this lectionary, but are planning to
be a bit more flexible in our choices from week to week,
especially with summer approaching and our inclination to be more
thematic (following a particular theme). We will share
those details each week in the "sermon blurb" portion
of the e-news.
SACRAMENT OF
COMMUNION 1ST SUNDAYS
We will be celebrating the
Sacrament of Communion in person on the first Sunday of each
month immediately following the livestream of our worship
service. We will need a few moments to set up our ZOOM link for
those who are not able to be with us in person. Please
remain seated following the postlude on the Sundays that we are
serving communion. Please remember that communion is
available every Sunday via ZOOM. Please contact the church
office or Pastor Danita for the ZOOM link.
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR WORSHIP
Our joys and concerns are announced during worship
service and printed and placed on the table in the narthex as you
come into the sanctuary. We will continue to do this going
forward. Therefore, all joys and concerns must be emailed
to Pastor Danita (PastorDanita@woodridgeumc.org) no
later than 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. If joys
and concerns are received after that, they will be sent on Monday
to the Prayer Ministry Team. Thank you for your flexibility
as we make updates to our worship services.
(There have been
requests that we include full names and/or more detailed
information for people on our list of Joys & Concerns.
Please remember our services are broadcast on YouTube and are
available to anyone who has internet access. Details are shared
with our Prayer Ministry Team on Monday mornings. You are
invited to join them in prayer and share in this information by
contacting the church office).
CHURCH OFFICE
HOURS
Church Summer Office Hours:
Wednesday - Friday: 9:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Summer
Hours run through Labor Day
We ask that you call before visiting.
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Opportunities/Events
Pastor Danita is Away
Pastor Danita
is away this weekend attending the 50th Anniversary of the
Midwest Regional Conference of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Inc.. She will be returning home on Sunday.
Please keep Pastor Danita and the other sisters in the
Sorority in your prayers that they might have a good time of
learning.
Youth
Ministry 2022-2023
Enjoy the beginning of the school year! Youth
Group returns with a special kickoff event the evening of Wednesday,
September 21st. More details soon!
The
Bible for Curious People
This bible
study meets Tuesday mornings at 10:30am on Zoom. The Bible
for Curious People returns Tuesday, September 13th to
begin reading the epistle 1 Peter. Contact Pastor Dave (pastordave@woodridgeumc.org) to learn more or to join in the adventure.
Wednesday
Bible Study
The Wednesday
Bible study class meets at 6:00 pm in person and online
returns Wednesday,
September 7th. Email Pastor Danita (pastordanita@woodridgeumc.org) if you are interested.
Crop
Walk
Are you
looking for a concrete way to help people locally and
globally? Are you awaiting a new challenge? Then we have an
opportunity for you!
It is CROP WALK time! Well, ok, more accurately it is CROP
WALK planning
time. While the CROP WALK itself isn’t until Sunday, October
16th at 2:00pm, planning is under way and we could use some
help. After many many years of faithful
service as our CROP WALK Team Captain, Monica is not able to
do so this year. Thank
you, Monica for all your time and energy
organizing and promoting all these years!
Now, who
is ready to be like Jesus and care for neighbors near and far
that are experiencing hunger and poverty?
Contact Pastor Dave (pastordave@woodridgeumc.org) or the church office (office@woodridgeumc.org) to be the CROP WALK hero we need.
PLEASE JOIN THE TEAM CAPTAINS’ RALLY, this
Saturday.
DATE:
Saturday August 27
TIME:
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
LOCATION:
West Suburban Food Pantry, 6809 Hobson Valley Drive,
Suite 109.
The Rally will include details about the Walk and review
procedures for online donating and check/cash donations. We
will learn about Church World Service programs benefited by
CROP Hunger Walk proceeds. There will be materials for
recruiting and registering your team. Please let us know
if you have Crop Hanger Walk advertising yard signs from last
year. They
would appreciate your confirmation that you will attend the
August 27 Rally. Please RSVP at here.
Help
Wanted
One of the
fun events of our church "pre-COVID" was our
Harvest Fest. However we are now in need of a person
(or persons) to coordinate our event for this year.
(Yes, that was one of those things around here that fell into
the category of "Jorie used to do that"!!) In
the past the Harvest Fest has had components like pumpkin
carving, games, costumes or no costumes, indoors or outdoors
and a chili cook-off. It can include any, all or new
components... your choice!! The date is October 30th at
4:00 p.m.. Please let one of the pastors know
if you are interested and/or need additional
details.
Get
Ready to Welcome Our Guest Speaker on September 11th
Cynthia
Changyit Levin will share the message Sunday, September 11th.
Among other hats she wears, Cynthia is an author, a mom, and (like her friend,
Pastor Dave) a Bread for the World member.
Cynthia is the author of From
Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great
Advocates and How to Get Started. A non-partisan
activist working across a variety of issues, Levin coaches
volunteers of all ages to build productive relationships with
members of Congress. She advocated side-by-side with her two
children from their toddler to teen years and crafted a new
approach to advocacy based upon her strengths as a mother.
She is currently a volunteer with RESULTS, the ONE campaign, Bread for the World, CARE, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, MomsRising, and the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life Campaign.
Levin, says, “An everyday citizen who learns the skills to
advocate to our elected officials is democracy at its finest.
To save lives with those skills is humanity at its
finest."
Life
Line Screening
There is a
simple, convenient way for you to get preventive health
screenings and learn your risk for stroke, heart disease and
other chronic conditions. These painless screenings go
beyond your regular checkup to identify dangerous plaque
buildup or blockage, a major risk factor for stroke and heart
disease. The screenings are accurate, affordable and will
give you valuable information about your health that you can
share with your doctor.
We are pleased to host Life Line Screening, who will be on
site on Wednesday,
September 28 at Woodridge United
Methodist Church to conduct these valuable
screenings. These 5 vital screenings take 60-90 minutes
to complete. Register by calling toll free
1-888-653-6441, text the word "circle" to
797979 or online at https://llsa.social/HS.
Race,
America, and the Church
A Speaker
Series from the Northern Illinois Conference on the History,
Causes and Effects of Racism and the Role of the Church in
America
This 4-part series that extends into December and includes a
6-week book study in the fall, we will journey together to
prayerfully learn, engage, and tackle our personal and
corporate role in addressing racism.
The journey continues with:
UNDENIED:
NO LONGER WILLING TO BE UNHEARD
THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Rev. Chebon Kernell shares insights and learning related to
indigenous communities’ history, present work being done, and
how we can be in solidarity as we prepare for the future.
In-person and via Zoom
Speaker: Rev. Chebon Kernell, UMC Native American
Comprehensive
Moderator: Rev. Pamela Pirtle
CALLED:
DOING GOD'S WORK FOR THE BELOVED COMMUNITY
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 1, 2022, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Dr. Hart addresses what the local church can do to combat the
continuation of racism in the church and in society.
In-person and via Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Drew G.I. Hart
Go here for more information
September Birthdays
2
Dee Dee Siver
6 Jaimie Morton
9 Tim Waynick
11 Bob Bonaguro
12 Patricia DelRosso
Keaton O'Leary
13 Martine Nelson
Janice Nitchals
14 Alexis Printz
Ashley Printz
19 Jeff Lietz
20 Brandon Byczynski
Ellie Cash
22 Brittany Grosch
23 Sherrill Hultgen
24 Esther Buerstetta
Northern Illinois Conference
Prairie Central District Informal Gatherings
with the District Superintendent
Beginning
Thursday, September 8 and every second Thursday through May
11. Zoom Links (The links will stay the same for
all meetings, though clergy links and lay links will be
different). Lay Gathering 7:00 pm link.
Lay persons: This is NOT for Lay Leaders only. It
is intended for all lay persons who want to know more about
what is going on and be connected.
Online Via
Zoom & In Person - Euclid Avenue UMC, 405 S Euclid Ave,
Oak Park, IL. Free event with lunch included. More
information here.
Outreach
Opportunities
Ongoing Opportunities
Suits for Success
There are donation boxes in the hallway by the
coat rack just outside the narthex for both men and women's
clothing. The clothes are picked up, dry cleaned and
then taken to area men and women's prisons for people being
released. NO belts, shoes or underwear.
"Goin'
Green" Shoes & Clothes Recycling Box
Located in the northeast corner of our parking lot,
this receptacle is a convenient place to recycle any shoes
and your clothes that are at or near the end of their
usefulness.
Did you know discarded clothes account for more
total landfill space than any other waste item? The “Goin’
Green” Box helps us reduce our waste.
How is this different from our “Suits for
Success” ministry?
The big difference is that “Suits for Success”
cannot accept shoes of any kind, nor can they accept belts,
ties, or underwear. “Goin’ Green” accepts all shoes and
clothes.
In summary: Keep bringing your gently used clothing
donations to the “Suits for Success” collection boxes in the
hallway.
For all shoes and any other clothes, instead of
throwing them in the trash, put them in the “Goin’ Green”
receptacle in the northeast corner of the parking lot.
West Suburban Food Pantry
We have a basket that we "inherited"
from the Faith, Lisle church that is waiting for
donations. It sits in the narthex, usually near the
sanctuary doors. They did not stop operating during the
pandemic and there is pending legislation in our state and
nation that might cut their corporate donations in large
amounts. Let's replenish our basket!!!
Used Eyeglasses
There is a
basket also in the narthex for collecting
used eyeglasses. Kendra Manderfield Moore makes
sure that they are recycled to the Lions Club and Gift
of Sight groups. (Prescription eyeglasses only).
August Outreach Offering
Nkemba and Mbwizu Ndjungu
The Rev. Nkemba Ndjungu and his wife Mbwizu
Ndjungu are missionaries with the Board of Global Ministries
of the United Methodist Church serving with The United
Methodist Church of Cameroon.
They oversee church development and construction, Christian
education, health, youth and prison ministries and VIM teams.
They also facilitate an intensive pastor’s training program
as part of the ordination process.
Born in Malonga, Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C), Rev.
Nkemba’s previous appointments have been as a pastor in
Kazembe and Lubumbashi and as a District Superintendent in
Sandoa, all in the D.R.C. From 1998-2007 he served in Dakar,
Senegal, where he was involved in evangelism, church-planting
and theological education.
Born in Kasaji, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.),
Mbwizu previously served as a midwife in Kazembe and Sandoa,
D.R.C., and as coordinator of an "Alphabet Center for
Women" in Lubumbashi, D.R.C. Mbwizu and her husband
served in Dakar, Senegal, from 1998-2007.
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
August
26th, 2022, Volume 12, Edition 34
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