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Welcome... to the latest issue of
Beyond the Bricks!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
There's a strange story tucked away in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew's gospel about who's in and who's not. A foreigner comes to Jesus and asks that her daughter be healed. Jesus initially ignores her request and then says he has come only to the people of Israel. The woman persists and boldly confronts Jesus, finally convincing him that her daughter is worthy of his healing. We learn from this story that Jesus' grace and healing is meant for everyone.
That story says something about who we are as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We accept and welcome everyone.
Each Sunday I say that all are welcome at the communion table. I point out that all truly means all. We erect no barriers to the Lord's Table; everyone is invited to share in communion. God loves everyone.
As you read through this issue of Beyond the Bricks, perhaps you'll come across something that will help you be more inclusive. Maybe you'll find a way to reach out beyond yourself to help others.
Remember that today you'll not meet anyone whom God doesn't love.
In Christian love,
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Ends Tomorrow! Online Auction for Tee It Up! for GFPD 2020
Bid Now through August 13, 2020 at 9:00 p.m.
Although we were disappointed to cancel our Tee It Up! For The GFPD
2020 events this past May, we are excited to open our first even on-line auction.
Thanks to the generosity of our auction donors, we have a wide array of wonderful items to bid on!
Take a look by logging in at https://one.bidpal.net/teeitup4gfpd/welcome. The site will guide you to log in to your BidPal account or to create one if you do not already have one. Each time you go to the site, you will se e current bids in real time! Local delivery will be arranged for any purchased items and bids include cost of shipping, if applicable.
If you have questions about any of the items, please contact Alan Chapman at chapman410@aol.com or 309-838-9247.
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Attend Black Lives Matter in B/N Book Club's Public Discussion of the 1619 Project
ONLINE!
Thursday, September 3, 2020
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom
A public discussion of the 1619 Project. We'll discuss this 5-part audio series about how slavery has created America, connecting past and present. 1619 was the date of the arrival on American shores of the first ship containing slaves.
The series is available to listen to here:
Click More Info button below for a link to Facebook Page that will have the Zoom link you'll need for the discussion. Contact: Marie-Susanne Langille 309-310-2701 marie.susanne@frontier.com
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Support INtegRIty Counseling by Eating at Portillo's
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Portillo's
Normal, IL 61761
Help support our efforts to provide affordable counseling to the un-insured and under-insured in McLean County! We are a non-profit that relies on client contributions, fundraisers, and public donations. We are expanding our reach to youth, families, and non-English speaking clients. Every $ we receive helps pay our expenses! Our vision is Stigma-free Mental Health Support for All.
#youth #families #dobeheal
When you purchase your meal mention your group's name and follow the restaurant's instructions to receive 20% of your meal's price donated back to INtegRIty Counseling.
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Support Faith in Action by Ordering Mums
9-inch Mum sale!
Purple, Red, Orange, Bronze, Yellow, White
$9.50 Cash or Check; $10.00 Credit Card
Order Deadline: September 10, 2020
Order Pickup: September 17, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
St John's Lutheran Church,
1617 E Emerson St
Bloomington, IL
(Please use Emerson Street to enter and exit)
Social distancing and Illinois COVID-19 safety guidelines will be observed.
Help us sell 500 mums! Please share ordering info with your family and friends!
Click below to pay by credit card only. To pay by cash or check, call the Faith in Action office at 309-827-7780.
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Support Recycling Furniture for Families
At Recycling Furniture for Families, we are an organization that truly supports diversity in our community. This value comes through in the agencies we work with and the families we serve.
We treat each of our families with the respect we would wish to receive ourselves. The homes we furnish become a refuge for individuals escaping violent partners, poverty, and personal tragedies that left them without a home to call their own. RF4F plays a role in the bigger picture of building a thriving community and relies on a network of social services and donors that reaches all corners of our county. The need for home furnishings continues to grow as more and more local families face unemployment, reduced income, and other barriers, We need your help to shine light and hope into our community. Please help local families make their house feel like home by donating at
RF4F.ORG/DONATE or by mailing a check to 515 N. Center St., Bloomington, IL 61701.
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Get the Whole Family Involved in the Ewing Park Fitness Challenge
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Ewing Park II in Bloomington, ILBloomington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts (PRCA) in partnership with Dust2Glory Fitness and Certified Spartan SGX Coach Dustin Webb are proud to present Ewing Park Fitness Challenge. This first year event will be held Saturday, September 19, 2020 beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the football field at Ewing Park 2 in Bloomington, Illinois. The Fitness Challenge event is perfect for families with youths 7+ and adults from recreational level to the competitive level. "This fitness challenge is the perfect fit for those with a competitive spirit or the family wanting to accomplish a fitness goal," said Program Manager Nicole Kohler, adding, "We have designed the course and challenges to be scalable to every participant's fitness level." Within this event there will be ten fitness zones with exercises scaled to ability level. The zones will have lifting, carrying, crawling, and more. After each zone activity, participants will be asked to do running totaling three miles. This event is great for the whole family ages 7+ and will have both recreational and competitive flights for solos or teams of two. The first wave begins at 9:00 a.m. with waves departing every 15 minutes. Youths ages 7 - 13 must participate with a registered adult. The City of Bloomington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts will adhere to the most current CDC guidelines and recommendations. If the event is cancelled due to changes in the recommendations or guidelines regarding COVID-19 that does not allow for the event to be held, full refunds to participants will be issued in a timely fashion. For an additional cost, Meltdown Creative Works will be on site printing t-shirts for those participants who want a memento of the event. The full map with a list of obstacles will be released closer to the event.
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Stay Up to Date on COVID-19 Community Resources
Assembled by PATH
McLean County, ILWith the "STAY-AT-HOME Order" in full effect, people are in need of help, emotional support, and resources now more than ever. We know how important it is to stay informed and band together in this time of crisis, so thank you to all the community members who have helped us stay up to date with resources!
We have been making daily updates to our Google Document to keep up with changes. Please visit the link in the button below to see the last COVID-19 community resources.
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Volunteer at or Donate to the WBRP
(West Bloomington Revitalization Project)
WBRP
724 W. Washington Street
Focus on the Tool Library: The Tool Library is open for walk-in customers starting July 7! Tool Library hours are Tuesday & Thursday 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday & Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Because the library is a small space, and to protect our customers and volunteers, we can only allow one person to browse at a time. Make an appointment with the button below or by calling the WBRP at 309-829-1200. You can also just stop by the building during our open hours. You can check the inventory in advance at westbloomington.org/tool-library.
The WBRP has many goals:
Driven by the voice of residents, the WBRP leads impactful, collaborative efforts of neighbors and local stakeholders that honor our historical and cultural roots, build on the pride and strengths of our neighborhoods and empower residents to be leaders and achieve a vision for a better community.
Maybe you can help! Find out more by clicking the button below. And the WBRP is hiring, so check out their website for details.
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Around the Community
Click on any organization to access its website and learn about support/volunteer opportunities
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First Christian Church | info@blmfcc.org| 309 829-9327 | www.blmfcc.com401 West Jefferson St. Bloomington, IL 61701 Bloomington's Oldest Continuing Congregation |
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