FAITH EVANGELICAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MARCH 2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
FAITH EVANGELICAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Creating Connections MARCH 2021
Through Extending
Christ’s Love A Pastoral Letter
Greetings in Jesus Christ,
I hope and pray that all of you stay warm and are healthy in
every respect.
The New York Times reported “The United States reached a
staggering milestone on Monday, surpassing 500,000 known corona-
virus-related deaths in a pandemic that has lasted almost a year. The
nation’s total virus toll is higher than in any other country in the world.
It has far surpassed early predictions of loss by some federal experts.
And it means that more Americans have died from Covid-19 than did
on the battlefields of World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War
combined” on Feb 22nd, 2021.
In 2019 census, 65% of Americans were Christian. Even though
it is not easy to apply the same ratio for this matter, we can estimate
approximately 325,000 Christians died due to Covid-19 in the past
year. When we face the death of a loved one in our family, and among
church members, friends, colleagues, and so forth, we are devastated
and deeply sad because we know that we can’t be with the loved one
anymore. I know that some of our own family members, friends, and
other people whom we have known died in the pandemic.
However, the Good News for Christians is that God has given
us Jesus Christ so that we can have eternal life, which means we can’t
be separated from our loved ones despite their physical death. We re-
cently had an Ash Wednesday service which was the beginning of the
Lenten season, reminding us of the beginning and the ending of our
lives. We are dust and to dust we will return. It means that we will re-
turn to our heavenly God with resurrecting power and will blossom in
our eternal life.
The words of God tell us that God has given us eternal life and
resurrection as they are written in John 10:28-30 and John 11:25-26.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will
snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I
and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one
who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives
by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)
(continued on next page)
We are not perished because we do have hope from God that God will comfort and
strengthen us to overcome all our hardships and sorrows, in which only we can win over death
thanks to God. Let us mourn the death of 500,000 with a compassionate and Christ-like heart
deeply. In addition, let us reflect where we came from in the beginning and come back at the end.
We came from God and come back to our God. Let us try to make our best efforts to be closer to
God as we practice our spiritual discipline in this Lenten season. Then, we will join the resurrect-
ing hope all together. Take good care of you and your family!!!
With care and love in Christ,
Pastor Ko
• Fast from hurting words… and say kind words.
• Fast from sadness… and be filled with gratitude.
• Fast from anger… and be filled with patience.
• Fast from pessimism… and be filled with hope.
• Fast from worries… and have trust in God.
• Fast from complaints… and contemplate simplicity.
• Fast from pressures… and be prayerful.
• Fast from bitterness… and fill your hearts with joy.
• Fast from selfishness… and be compassionate to others.
• Fast from grudges… and be reconciled.
• Fast from words… and be silent so you can listen.
-Pope Francis of Rome
Page 2
Faith Evangelical United
Methodist Church Lent 2021
Pick a challenge for Lent !
Congregation Activity 1 – Lenten Scripture Challenge!
Use the Lenten Scripture Calendar to read one chapter a day
from Proverbs, Hebrews, and Titus
Congregation Activity 2 – Holy Habit Group!
People will gather, read scriptures together, and pray for oth-
ers every Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm.
Page 3
Laura Shafer, a chair of the Nurture Committee initiated
“Soup Delivery Ministry” which was held on Saturday,
Feb 13, 2021. Seven people volunteered to cook the
soup and several others also volunteered to deliver the
soup to those who want and need it. For those who
cooked the soup, for those who got the soup, for those
who delivered the soup, all of them shared and multiplied
joys to one another. Praise to the Lord for allowing us to have such a great time to care for one
another.
Volunteers: Shauna Simmons, Mae Kingzette, Laura Shafer,
and Nancy Hails
Mae hard at work
decorating the
sanctuary for Lent
Page 4
FINANCIAL UPDATE
February 2021 Giving Statistics
Expenses
Date Weekly Income Income to Date Budget to Date
Exceeded
Income
By 31-Jan 1077.00 7675.88 13941.63
$2,728 7-Feb 2426.00 10101.88 16729.96
In 14-Feb 420.00 10521.88 19518.29
January 21-Feb 2785.50 13307.38 22306.62
January Budget Status
Expenses $10,403
Income $7,675
Deficit -$2,728
_______________________________________________________________________
BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES
3 GRACE HOUSEMAN 13 PASTOR UZIEL & ANDREA
15 BRIDGET REYNOLDS 15 JOHN & LATHA SANGHA
20 JACOB HOUSEMAN
21 BRYAN SERRANO
23 RICK RUELO
25 MARIA NAVARETTE
27 EMILY TURNER
31 SANDY WIECH
_______________________________________________________________________
The Church Council will meet on Monday, March 15 at 7 p.m. via zoom. If you
have any questions, please contact Jane Ahrens.
_________________________________________________________________
The "Beyond Colorblind" Book Discussion Group will meet on Monday, March
1, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. This is an ongoing discussion on exploring ethnic rec-
onciliation. The group will be discussing chapter 7 about exploring trust-
building with ethnic strangers. For more information or to receive the Zoom
link, please contact Jane Ahrens.
Page 5
Announcements from the Pastor/Staff Parish
Relations Committee
Kevin Leonor has given notice that he is resigning his position as
janitor at Faith Church. Kevin has been doing the cleaning of Faith
Church for the last three years but feels that with his growing responsibili-
ties will not have adequate time to dedicate to this position. We want to
thank Kevin for the job he has done including stepping up and replacing
Gil Sidner. Anyone wishing to send a personal note of thanks to Kevin
can do so by sending a message through the church office.
Thank You Kevin
The Pastor/Staff Parish Relations Committee is looking for individu-
als interested in applying for the Janitor of Faith Church. The duties will
include but not be limited to the general cleaning in and around Faith
Church. Some of the weekly duties include collecting and taking out the
garbage, mopping as needed, vacuuming as needed, cleaning and stock-
ing the bathrooms, dusting, etc. Anyone interested should contact Rod
Kingzette or the church office.
______________________________________________________________________________
Updates from Missions and Outreach
Our January 5th Sunday offering for "Joy in the Harvest" for Lowell &
Claudia Wertz was $370 collected combined with the Faith Church
tithe, totaling $500. Thank you to all who gave!
EASTER MISSION
Missions and Outreach has decided to collect paper
goods, for Yorkfield Food Pantry. The pantry gets some
food from the Illinois Food Bank, but are in need of paper
goods. Please bring your donations to the wooden box in
the narthex of the church by Easter. Contact Nancy Hails if
you need your paper goods donation picked up from your
home. Faith Church’s Easter tithe will also be going to York-
field Food Pantry. So look for sales this month and stock up
on paper goods for Yorkfield Food Pantry!
Page 6
Faith Church will be part of the Prairie Central District come July 1, 2021
Bishop Sets New District Boundaries
At our recent virtual annual conference session on November 14, 2020, the Northern Illinois Annual
Conference voted to reduce the number of districts (and district superintendents) from six to five, ef-
fective July 1, 2021. You can find the letter sent out on November 18, 2020, explaining the history
and process of this action here.
Let me remind you that the Book of Discipline states that the annual conference decides the number
of districts and the bishop, in consultation with the Cabinet, draws the lines for the districts (par.
415.4).
On December 17, 2020, the Cabinet and I approved the redistricting plan. Click here to see the full
redistricting plan and interactive map and click here to see lists of churches in each district. As you
can see, the names of the districts are Lake North, Lake South, Prairie Central, Prairie North,
and Prairie South. I am setting the boundaries of these districts as of December 31, 2020.
In addition to setting the boundaries, I am also announcing the following appointments to these new
districts, effective July 1, 2021:
Prairie South – Rev. Brian Gilbert
Prairie North – Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer
Prairie Central – Rev. Jeffry Bross
Lake South – Rev. Jacques Conway
Lake North – Rev. Brittany Isaac
I thank you for your spirit of cooperation in making this change. Again, I encourage you that you not
let redistricting be a distraction as much as an opportunity to align anew so as to fulfill our mission to
make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Sincerely,
Bishop Sally Dyck
List of Churches in the Prairie Central District
Addison: Good Samaritan Geneva Roselle
Algonquin: Christ Glen Ellyn: First Schaumburg: Our Redeemer’s
Antioch Hebron Schaumburg: Our Savior’s
Aurora: Bethany of Fox Valley Ingleside: Joyful Spirit Schaumburg: Salem Korean
Aurora: First Nueva Vida Itasca: The Center South Elgin Community
Aurora: Flowing Forth Joliet: Cristo Es El Camino NFC St. Charles: Baker Memorial
Aurora: Wesley Joliet: Grace Villa Park: Calvary
Barrington Joliet: Hope Wauconda: Federated Church
Barrington: Salem Joliet Ingalls Park West Chicago: First
Bartlett: Good Shepherd Joliet Trinity West Dundee: First
Batavia Lake Villa Wheaton: Aldersgate
Bensenville: First Lombard: Faith Wheaton: Gary
Bolingbrook: Crossroads of Faith Lombard First Winfield: Community
Bolingbrook: Friendship McHenry: First Winfield: South Asian
Carol Stream: St. Andrew McHenry: Mount Hope Wood Dale: Community
Cary Naperville: Community Woodridge
Crystal Lake: First Naperville: Grace Woodstock: First
Elgin: Cornerstone Naperville: Hope Indian NFC
Elgin: First Naperville: Naperville Korean
Elgin: Journey of Hope Naperville: Wesley
Elgin: La Luz de Cristo Naperville: Wheatland Salem
Elk Grove Village: Prince of Peace Oswego: Good Shepherd
Elmhurst: Christ Oswego: New NFC
Elmhurst: Faith Evangelical Plainfield: First
Elmhurst: First Plainfield: Sharon
Fox River Grove: Community Ringwood
Page 7
All are March 7 Way of Love: Learn Luke 13:1-9
welcome Third Sunday in Lent
to join us
each March 14 Way of Love: Bless Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Sunday UMCOR Sunday
at 10 a.m.
for our March 21 Way of Love: Rest John 12:1-8
Worship Fifth Sunday in Lent
Services
March 28 Way of Love: Worship Luke 23: 1-49
Palm/ Passion Sunday
April 4 Way of Love: Go Matthew 28:1-10
Easter Sunday
Page 8
Faith Evangelical United Methodist Church
“Creating Connections through Extending Christ’s Love”
111 W. North Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
630-941-0212
email: faithelm@gmail.com
web page - www.feumc.org
Pastor Eun Young Ko
Hannah Leonor, Church Office Manager
Worship Service 10:00 a.m.
March 2021
You can also read
