This Week at First Pres!
January 24 thru January 30, 2021
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Song to Steady
and Soothe
This week’s eNewsletter feature
was written by Rev. Raymond Hylton,
FPCE senior pastor.
Greetings!
At a time when the familiar routines of life are upended by a global pandemic, when the health of our economy is languid, and with over 400,000 Americans dead from COVID so far, I found the words of an old hymn to be ballast to my shaken faith.
I first heard an arrangement of this hymn by the late David Smart (former member of FPCE), accomplished writer and composer of numerous hymns and choral works. We sang these words set to David’s music at a Maundy Thursday service in March of 2014. If the song is unfamiliar, you may listen to this version here.
Written by the German poet and hymnist Georg Neumark, it captures the sense of Psalm 48:14.
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Missions Adult Ed Class continues after Sunday's service. See below!
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Prayer Gathering meets next Wednesday at 7 pm on Zoom. Look for details below.
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Book study led by Pastor Henry Coates begins TONIGHT. See below for details!
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FPCE has hired a new business manager and a nighttime custodian. Scroll below to learn more!
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We have one part-time position we are hiring for. See more info below.
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WORSHIP SERVICE
AT 10 AM SUNDAY
You can find our online worship service by going to the "Click Here for Sunday Services" button on our home page which links to live.firstpresevanston.org.
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A brief Zoom fellowship time and
Adult Education class after Sunday's online service!
A Fellowship Time will take place on Zoom this Sunday, right after our online service ends. Following this time, we will transition to our Mission Adult Education Class hosted by Mission Council. The class is called “God’s Story: Perspectives on the World Christian Movement”. We’ll hear from prominent teachers from here and around the world and spend time in discussion in order to discover new aspects to God’s story and how we fit into it. Please see the attached brochure for details and join us!!
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.
The Zoom link for this class will also be made available at the end of the service in the chat and on the FPCE website, too. All are welcome each week!
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Prayer Companions available Sunday!
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Online Prayer Gathering meets January 27
Our online Wednesday Prayer Gathering meets again January 27, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome to join us as we raise our prayers and praises to our awesome God!
A Zoom link will be sent out next Tuesday via email. You can also find the link on the website home page on Wednesday evening at https://firstpresevanston.org/
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FPCE hires new business manager
After an extensive search process and numerous interviews, FPCE has hired Renee Lewis to be the new FPCE business manager. She began work this week. Renee comes to us with considerable experience as an accounting and financial executive working in not-for-profit organizations for the past eight years. Renee has a Master's in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School, and a Bachelor's in Accounting and Finance from Governors State University.
Renee, who began on Tuesday, has been hired to fill the position being vacated by Melody Henrie at the end of the month. Melody has served in the position for seven years and is helping in the transition. Melody and her husband, Scott, have long ties to FPCE. This past fall they moved from Chicago to Arkansas. In announcing the hiring decision, FPCE Senior Pastor Rev. Ray Hylton gave thanks for the excellent work done by Melody. He also expressed his gratitude to the FPCE search team (Sarah Wuellner, Clark Robinson, John Powell, Kelly Jackson) for carefully evaluating all the candidates, and to Administrative Associate Janice Dobschuetz for her behind the scenes efforts in helping to bring Renee on board.
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FPCE hires new building custodian
FPCE recently hired Tony Robinson as building custodian. An Evanston Township High School graduate living in Rogers Park, Tony began working here on January 4 and will eventually be the nighttime custodian once the building is open for evening events. He was previously employed at Lacosta Facility Support Services.
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Book study led by Rev. Henry Coates
begins tonight!
The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?,
by Michael J. Sandel
The world-renowned philosopher and author of the bestselling "Justice" explores the central question of our time: What has become of the common good?
These meetings will be starting on Thursday, January 21 at 7 pm on Zoom. Please register with Pastor Henry at hcoates@firstpresevanston.org to express interest in the group or for more information.
Amazon Link below:
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Mission Prayer
Please pray this week for Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF) and the help they provide for medical missions around the globe. Pray as the future need for medical care in developing countries is changing radically. In lower resourced countries there is no existing infrastructure to handle an upcoming huge wave of chronic health care issues such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, trauma, etc. It is a praise that people are being given the opportunity to live longer and we celebrate that! Pray for the ministry of MBF as they help support the important need for creating better critical care in countries around the world.
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6-Week Evangelism Class Your Ministry Can Join
Title: How To Share the Gospel When You Don't Feel Ready
Taught by James Chambers, former InterVarsity Christian Fellowship staff member and FPCE mission partner.
Description: Has Christ impacted your life, but you don't know how to share His hope with others? Sharing the hope of Jesus can be as simple as sharing how He's transformed your life. When we are intentional to share the story of Jesus and pray for peoples' hearts to be opened, God works miraculously to bring the lost to Himself! Join us for a 6-week online community where we will discover "How to Share the Gospel When You Don't Feel Ready".
When: Wednesdays at 7:30 – 8:45 PM CDT (Jan. 20 – Feb. 24)
Where: Zoom - When people register they'll receive an email with the private Zoom link
(People are allowed to come and go as their schedule permits)
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No clothes donations being accepted
We are not accepting donations for the Deacons Clothes Closet at this time. Donations left at FPCE (other than new face masks), will be discarded. CLICK HERE for alternative giving locations!
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Nourish Women's group meetings twice Thursdays on Zoom
Nourish, a women's fellowship, meets this winter on Thursdays at 10 am and 8 pm via Zoom. Please join our weekly virtual gatherings for a study discussion of 1 and 2 Kings, sharing, and prayer. Women of all ages are invited! Contact Sally Ivaska at sallyivaska1@gmail.com for the Zoom link. |
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Men's Breakfast on Zoom
The Men's Breakfast group continues to meet weekly on Saturday mornings from 8-9 am via Zoom for scripture, prayer and speakers (but BYO Breakfast). Please join us!
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Parish Nurse Book Club meets online February 16
Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 16 from 1:30-3 pm. We will be reading Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. According to Good Reads, the book is "a love letter to city life—however shiny or sleazy... Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney paints a portrait of a remarkable woman across the canvas of a changing America: from the Jazz Age to the onset of the AIDS epidemic; the Great Depression to the birth of hip-hop." Contact Julie Ruchniewicz at jruchniewicz@firstpresevanston.org for the meeting link. |
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Job opportunities at FPCE:
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Summary notes from the November Session Meeting are available here.
The most recent summary of the Chicago Presbytery Meeting is available here.
Paper copies are also available in our literature racks.
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1427 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
847-864-1472
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