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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 at the end below.
All are
Welcome!
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"Ruining
Our Routine"
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Most of us like
routines. Those of us who aren’t so keen on them tend to
fall into routines anyway. Just to name a few: How our
days begin, our route to and from work, what we eat and
when we eat it, or how our days conclude. Also on that
list for many of us? Prayer. We tend to pray in the same
way using the same words.
We may even like it
that way—and there’s nothing wrong with routines! In fact,
Psychology Today reports, “Good routines can provide
structure to your day. A disciplined and humane routine
can free your creativity by putting some daily tasks on
autopilot; protect you from your more self-destructive
impulses, and bring order and predictability to your
life.”
However, there is a
shadow side. “Even good, healthy routines can drag us
down if we don't break them and re-form them from time to
time.”
Is that true for
prayer as well? If so, why would Jesus tell us to pray in
such a particular way? As we ruminate on that, we may
find ourselves wondering what is the purpose of prayer?
Who is prayer for? What even does prayer do?
With the Gospel of
Matthew as our guide, Pastor Dave will consider those
questions and more this Sunday, September 25th, in his
sermon, “Ruining
Our Routine.”
Worship with us Sundays at
10:00am 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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The weekly worship guide is attached to this email.
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Sunday, September 25th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
- 6:30
CSA Committee
Monday, September 26th
- 7:00
pm Den 1
- 7:00
pm Den 2
- 7:30
pm Square Thrus
Tuesday, September 27th
- 10:30
am Bible Study (online)
Wednesday, September 28th
- 8:30
am Life Line Screening
- 6:00
pm Bible Study
Thursday, September 29th
Saturday, October 1st
Sunday, October 2nd
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- 11:00 am Communion
(in person)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
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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.
Pastor Danita is Away
Pastor Danita is away this Sunday morning preaching
at Metropolitan Community Church in Chicago. Our prayers
are with her as she shares the message of God for their annual
Revival Kick-Off.
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Ministry Opportunities
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 is Back
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. 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. Following the conversation, the Sunday School
teacher will meet the children in the Narthex and walk them
to their room (either Trinity Room in the main hallway or
Blue Room in the Preschool wing).
The Bible for Curious People
This bible
study meets Tuesday mornings at 10:30am on Zoom.
The Bible for Curious People is currently reading through the
New Testament epistle, 1st Peter.
Reading
assignment for Tuesday, September 27th: Chapter
2 of 1st Peter (and any notes your study bible provides.)—again. This chapter is so meaty and good and
frustrating that we need another week with it!
Questions to
consider:
—Do you feel like a “resident alien living in exile”? Would
the original audience? What does that phrase mean?
—And then we get to the “submit” section. Given all the ways
this text has been used over the centuries as an excuse to
abuse, oppress, enslave, rape, pillage, and kill, is there
any redeeming this? Is it even worth trying to redeem? If so,
for what purpose?
Contact
Pastor Dave (pastordave@woodridgeumc.org) to learn more or to join in the adventure.
Wednesday
Bible Study
Our Wednesday
night Bible study class is on Wednesdays
at 6:00 p.m. We are 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.
Youth
Ministry 2022-2023
Youth Group returns with a kickoff event this Wednesday,
September 28th. Meet at Novak’s home from 6:30-8:00pm for
s’mores, games, prayer practices, and planning missional
events for the fall. Contact Pastor Dave to RSVP: pastordave@woodridgeumc.org.
All students in 7th-12th grades are welcome in Woodridge
UMC’s Youth Ministry activities.
Panera's Crop Walk Fundraiser
Panera of
Downers Grove (160 Ogden Ave) is having a fundraiser for
South DuPage Crop Hunger Walk on Tuesday, October
4th from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. Bring the
flyer with you and give it to the cashier when you make a
purchase (or use the code FUND4U online) and
Panera will donate 20% of the net sale to South DuPage Crop
Hunger Walk. There are flyers in the narthex and here.
Let's
Get Back to First Friday Lunch!
Join us for
lunch on the first Friday of each month for a lunch of easy
conversation and even some laughs. It’s so easy! Bring your
own sack lunch and beverage. Our first lunch will be Friday, October 7.
EVERYONE is invited!
Upcoming
Music Opportunities
Do you have hidden musical talent? You no longer
have to hide it. You are cordially invited to share your
musical gifts in one of our three music ensembles: the
Worship Band, Adult Choir, and/or our Handbell Choir. These
ensembles are LOW commitment. Please attend the rehearsals
leading up to the service at which the ensemble will provide
the music. See the schedule here.
First
up is:
Adult Choir (singers will be provided with a “singer’s mask”)
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Rehearsal
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Oct. 9
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11:30AM-12:30PM
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Music Room
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Rehearsal
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Oct. 16
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11:30AM-12:30PM
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Music Room
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Service
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Oct. 23
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10 AM
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Rehearse in the sanctuary at 8:30 AM
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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:
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
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 pamphlets available now on the round table in
the Narthex or—even easier!—register online at our Woodridge UMC Team Page!
Thank
you, Karen for volunteering to be our CROP WALK Team
Captain!
October Birthdays
4
Linda Hedborn
5 Jason Kabella
Ryan Novak
6 Chit Shain
8 Davina Anderson-Burnett
10 Kendra Moore
11 Jay Jeske
12 Alice Marianyi
13 Robert Saner
15 Romy Viernes
16 Gavin Krughoff
17 Daniel Grosch
Dave Miller
20 Faye Hoffman
24 Kaylee Ford
Marj Rowe
25 Krista Waynick
26 Haley Lietz
Trisha Valenta
27 Kevin Read
28 Carol Todd
30 Molly Manderfield
Kayleigh Smith
31 Olivia Cash
Northern
Illinois Conference
Help for Immigrant Families Arriving from
Texas
More than 300
asylum seekers have arrived on buses sent from Texas since
Aug. 31. In collaboration with local, state, federal, and
community governments, the city of Chicago
is taking action to ensure they have access to
shelter, food, and other resources.
The city of Chicago expects to receive hundreds more migrants
from Texas. Under the direction of Governor Greg Abbott,
the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas
National Guard, thousands of migrants have already been bused
to Washington D.C. and New York City.
Last week several Lay Missioners with the NIC Hispanic/Latino
Academy and for Faith Community Development who serve Living
Waters New Faith Community in Franklin Park brought donations
and toys to dozens of immigrant families staying in a
suburban hotel. The Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors is also helping with legal assistance.
NIC Refugee Coordinator Rev. Jonathan Crail is putting
together a list of churches for drop-off locations across the
conference. Check back online here soon and read more.
The NIC is
working with the city of Chicago and several agencies on
donation and volunteer requests. Click below for more info.
City of Chicago - Chicago.gov/support
World Relief
Chicagoland - worldrelief.org/chicagoland/bus-response
Illinois
Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) - download flyer
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.
Northern
Illinois Conference
Find out
about upcoming events in the Northern Illinois
Conference of the United Methodist Church by clicking
this link
Outreach
Opportunities
UMCOR Continues to be Present in Puerto Rico
Hurricane
Fiona, the first major hurricane of this year's Atlantic
hurricane season, caused catastrophic damage in Puerto Rico
and brought torrential rains to the Dominican Republic. It
has left millions without power and running water, and only
continues to gain strength as it batters Turks and Caicos and
heads for Bermuda.
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is in close
contact with the disaster response coordinator of the
Methodist Church of Puerto Rico and has continued to be
present since Hurricane Maria. We support UMCOR through
our apportionment giving as well as our special outreach
giving.
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.
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).
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Wellness
Guidelines
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 Worship
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.
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.
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
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).
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.
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.
September 23,
2022, Volume 12, Edition 39
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