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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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"Workin'
9 to 5 or Labor of Love"
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Many people view the
Labor Day weekend as the last "summer
holiday". School starts, church activities
"begin again", pools are covered/closed for the
coming season and pumpkin spice everything appears in
full force!!!! It used to be that all of your white
clothing was also stored away, but with the newer fashion
trends, this tends not to be fully the case!
This weekend actually pays tribute to the contributions
and achievements of American workers and was created by
the labor movement in the late 19th century. At
that time, it was common for people to work 12 hour days
and 7 days a week. While a lot has changed within
the labor force, there are still some glaring
disparities. I'll mention a few on Sunday!
There are many "jobs" that are unrecognized and
under-supported. Some that are considered more
"reputable" "distinguished" while
others are considered minimal and not worth the
effort. During the time of Jesus, tax collectors
were considered to be the most despicable of all
occupations. Yet, in our scripture lesson for
this week, Jesus chooses not only to go to Zaccheus' home
but to even have dinner with Zaccheus' family!! What
a change of heart, mind and soul occurred for all
involved and even us as the modern day readers!!
Join us on Sunday at 10:00 a.m., in person or virtual on
our Woodridge UMC YouTube Channel, and let's take a
look at this weekend and how Zaccheus sizes up and what
it says for all of us!!!!
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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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Sunday, September 4th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- 11:00 am Communion
(in person)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
Thursday, September 8th
- 7:00
pm BSA
- 7:30
pm Toastmasters
Saturday, September 10th
- 9:00
am Chapter Meeting
- 1:00
pm Executive Committee
Sunday, September 11th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- Noon Communion
(online)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
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Pastor Dave's Blog Post
Refute and
Resist White Christian Nationalism
“Who do you say that I am?”
Jesus asks his followers that question in the gospels of Matthew,
Mark, and Luke. Jesus asks that question of we who would follow
him today.
White Christian Nationalist respond to that question by declaring
that Jesus is the one who ordains that White Christian men should
be in charge of America, and are willing to use violence to
achieve that.
And that
is an idea that demands refutation and resistance by all
Christians of goodwill.
But let’s back up a pace or two…
[read the rest of Pastor Dave’s blog post here]
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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 Office Hours:
Monday & Tuesday: 9:00 -
noon
Wednesday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
We ask that you call before visiting.
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Opportunities/Events
Celebration of Life for Jim and Cleo Carpenter
On Saturday,
September 17th at 1:00 pm there will be a
Celebration of Life for long-time members Jim and Cleo
Carpenter who moved out of state after retiring. Both
Jim and Cleo passed on in the last year. The service
will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wheaton (515 S
Wheaton Ave.). Please RSVP to their daughter Diane
Gioia by September 15th. The church office has her contact
information and it is posted in the narthex.
More
Help Wanted
Another one
of the fun events of our church "pre-COVID" was our
Hanging
of the Greens time. What's that you
say?? It is the time we set aside to "begin
decorating" the inside of the building for the
Advent/Christmas season. This always occurs on the 1st
Sunday of Advent which usually falls on the Sunday after
Thanksgiving!!! Over the years we have done a number of
things, knowing it is a difficult weekend for those who may
be traveling and/or with family. Hanging of the Greens
is usually supervised by our Worship Committee. However we
are in need of persons to coordinate with the Worship Committee
chairs our event for this year. The date is Sunday, November
27th. The time is to be determined by the
coordinator(s). Please let one of
the pastors or Karen Miller know if you are interested and/or
need additional details.
Sunday School Resuems September 11th
Inspiring stories, creative crafts, and fun
games—all done with guidance of loving, dedicated teachers.
What’s not to love about Sunday School here at Woodridge
UMC?! Well, Sunday
School for Preschool and Elementary School-aged children is
back every Sunday starting September 11th!
Sunday School begins after the ‘Blessing Our Children’ time
in the worship service.
Here’s our process: Children are invited to
begin the worship service in the sanctuary with their family.
Following the prayer time, the children will be invited up to
the chancel steps for conversation with the pastors. Then the
Sunday School teacher will meet the children in the Narthex.
Crop
Walk
Are you
looking for a concrete way to help neighbors experiencing
hunger both locally and globally? Then the CROP WALK is for
you! On Sunday,
October 16th starting at 2:00pm at Gloria Dei Lutheran
Church, Downers Grove, people from all over
the south suburbs walk together to raise awareness, funds,
and food to help people who are hungry and hurting.
Registration available soon!
Thank
you, Karen for volunteering to be our CROP
WALK Team Captain!
Youth
Ministry 2022-2023
Youth Group returns with a special kickoff event
the evening of Wednesday,
September 21st. More details soon! Woodridge
UMC’s Youth Ministries are designed for students in 7th-12th
grades.
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.
Reading
assignment: 1Peter chapter 1 and any
introduction your study bible provides.
Contact Pastor Dave (pastordave@woodridgeumc.org) to learn more or to join in the adventure.
Wednesday
Bible Study
Our Wednesday
night Bible study class will begin on Wednesday, September
21st at 6:00 p.m. (a little later than previously
announced). We will be using the resource "JESUS REVEALED"
by Matt Rawle. Through this study we will examine the
"I AM" sayings of Jesus as found in the Gospel of
John. If you are interested in joining us, please let
Pastor Danita know. This class will be in-person and
via ZOOM simultaneously.
Upper
Rooms
Upper Rooms
for September-October are now available in the narthex with a
limited number in the mailbox.
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
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).
September Outreach Offering
African University
Africa University, located in Zimbabwe, is the
first fully accredited United Methodist-related institution
on the African continent. The University promotes
independence and empowerment through a diverse student body
from across the continent.
Ministerial
Education Fund
Another one of the 7 General Apportionment Funds
that would have previously been funded through the churches
general apportionments payments, the Ministerial Education
Fund provides funds for recruitment of clergy candidates and
provides financial support for 13 United Methodist seminaries
including Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in
Evanston and Pastor Danita’s alma mater, Gammon Seminary.
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
September
2, 2022, Volume 12, Edition 35
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