Adult Education class on Reading While Black continues this Sunday after Zoom fellowship!

This week, following our 10 a.m. online Sunday morning worship service, FPCE's Adult Education series led by Rev. Henry Coates, associate pastor will continue. The class is looking at the ideas discussed in the book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope. The book is written by Esau McCaulley (PhD, St. Andrews), an assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, a priest in the Anglican Church in North America, and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.

The class follows our Fellowship Time on Zoom, which begins right after our online service ends. Join us at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/478195199?pwd=eFNvbzgrakZQcTkzQ1FnbDBWUnlYZz09. The Zoom Meeting ID is 478 195 199 and the password is 207174. You can call in at 312-626-6799 and use the ID and password to get in, too.

This Sunday, October 25, FPCE will host in-person worship services in the parking lot (weather permitting). The service begins at 4:30 pm and will run no longer than one hour. Masks are required. Please register by clicking here. This will save you time when you arrive. Details about the service and the precautions being taken are available on the registration page. Sign-in will be on the Chicago Avenue side of the parking lot near the Walker Chapel Entrance. There will be no parking available in the lot. If you drive, you will need to find parking in the surrounding area and walk to the FPCE lot. Please bring your own chairs and blankets, and note that there will be no access to the FPCE building, including restrooms.

If you are interested in hosting a spot (which would involve buying the treats and decorating a car or table) contact Pastor Amanda ASAP at agolbek@firstpresevanston.org.

Wednesdays starting November 3, 7 pm

Contact Steve Smith: steve@wstephensmith.com

Tuesdays starting November 2, 7:30 pm

Contact Robert McConnell: rpmcconnell@gmail.com

Election of officers took place at the October 21 Congregational Meeting, held on Zoom. Betsey Newenhuyse, Rick Parris, James Bodan, and Dan Allen were all elected to three-year terms as Elders. Dan Allen's election extends his current one-year term to three.

The following Deacons were elected to three-year terms: David Sloan, John Carlson, Amy Powell, Susan Powell, Trudy Wenger, Fred Wenger, Theresa Nissan, Melissa Sloan (extending one-year term), Bev Bolsen (extending one-year term), Dorothy Moran (extending one-year term), Marilyn Haase, Steve Takushi and Linda Takushi.

During the meeting of the corporation (as required by law), Annette Stover and Michael Witwer were elected to three-year terms as trustees, with Jon Philips elected to a two-year term.

A brief presentation about the current financial conditions and the preliminary 2021 budget was made by Treasurer Clark Robinson. John Powell spoke briefly about efforts being made to reopen the building for limited use, as well as the COVID-19 safety guidelines which were approved by Session, and staff changes in FPCE business office.

If you missed the meeting and would like to see a recording of it, here is a link:

https://vimeo.com/471075974/bf06662ca8.

Please pray for our partners Keith and Louise as they resettle in a new country in Central Asia. They are excited about this new opportunity but will need prayers to establish new friendships and working relationships, and for learning a new language. Pray, as well for their work in curriculum development in this new language. Ask God to protect them and provide for them as they expand their work with unreached people groups throughout Central Asia.

Congratulations to Benjamin, Kristan, and Lincoln Kenney on the birth of their son and brother, Cormac Bjorn Jiggetts Kenney, on September 3.

Chancel Bell Choir and the Beginners Bell Choir are both looking for new members! The beginners meet at 4 pm on Wednesdays in the FPCE parking lot, while the Chancel Bell Choir meets at 5 pm. All are invited to join in this socially distanced activity! Contact Hannah McConnell at hmconnell@firstpresevanston.org with any questions you might have.

The Parish Nurse Book Club will be meeting again online on Tuesday, November 10, from 1:30-3 pm. We will be reading This Tender Land: A Novel by William Kent Krueger, the bestselling author of Ordinary Grace. Amazon describes This Tender Land as "The unforgettable story of four orphans who travel the Mississippi River on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression." All are welcome to join us as we discuss this book on Zoom. Contact Julie Ruchniewicz at jruchniewicz@firstpresevanston.org for the meeting link.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Diaper Drive last Saturday. It was a tremendous success! Bundled Blessings let us know that we collected 7,039 diapers which will provide enough for 500 children for a month. In addition, four refugee families will be served! 

The Thursday Women’s Bible Study is convening via Zoom and running through December 10, 2020. The time will be from 5:30-6:45 pm. The study is based on LIFESTYLE PRIORITIES: LIVING WITH PURPOSE IN A FAST PACED WORLD. It is not necessary to purchase the book in order to participate. Please contact Alyce Claerbaut at a-claerbaut@neiu.edu for any additional information and access to the Zoom Links.

October 24 - Jamil Chabbouh, interim general secretary of IFES and the regional secretary of IFES for all of the Middle East and North Africa will be speaking. 

Contact Bob Bastian at Bob.Bastian55@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

Nourish, a women's fellowship, meets this fall on Thursdays at 8 pm via Zoom. Please join our weekly virtual gatherings for Bible study, discussion, sharing, and prayer. Women of all ages are invited! Contact Sally Ivaska at sallyivaska1@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

The Congo Mission Network continues its online annual gathering on Saturdays, November 7 and November 14, at 10 am, with presentations on theology. Prominent theologians will speak during the two-part series titled: “Theological Reflection on Legacies of Racism and Ethnic Conflict.”

Speakers will be: Dr. Elsie McKee, professor of Reformed Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, the Rev. Simon Kabue Mbala, Professor of New Testament and Rector of UPRECO in Kananga, DR Congo, the Rev. Kabala Mboyamba, director of evangelism and church life and legal representative of Congo Presbyterian Community (CPC), and the Rev. Jimmy Hawkins, director of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness in Washington DC". The event is free and all are welcome, but you must register at https://congopartners.org/register2020/ to receive a link to attend. 

Click on the links above or visit the Employment page on the FPCE website for details, or email Janice at jdobschuetz@firstpresevanston.org.

We are not accepting donations for the Deacons Clothes Closet at this time. Donations (other than new masks ), will be discarded.

Summary notes from the September Session Meeting are available here.  

The most recent summary of the Chicago Presbytery Meeting is available here.