News @ Fourth Church: January 5, 2019

January 5, 2019

What’s coming up on the church calendar in this new year? Among other things—

The monthly TED Talks for Parents this Sunday, January 6
Horizons Monthly Bible Study for women on Wednesday, January 9
The annual Center for Life and Learning Memorial Service on Thursday, January 10 to remember CLL members who died in 2018
A Day School open house, including time for play, for parents and preschoolers on Saturday morning, January 12
A “Connecting to the Heart” workshop offered by the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being on Saturday, February 9
An Enneagram workshop offered by the Replogle Center on Saturday, February 23
The annual Gala of Hope, benefiting Chicago Lights and the Replogle Center, on Friday, March 1

The calendar, which is easily accessible from the home page of our website, includes opportunity to register online for any event for which registration is involved (along with an option to make online payment of any registration fees).

Not sure of the date for an event? Use the "Search" function (the magnifying-glass icon to the left of "Today")!

Want to learn more about an event? Click on the down arrow to the right of the event name.

Epiphany of Christ, January 6

8:00 a.m. Communion

Vicky Curtiss

9:30 a.m.

Joe Morrow

11:00 a.m.

Joe Morrow

4:00 p.m. Jazz Communion

Shawn Fiedler

This Sunday is Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas. The Greek word e piphany means “appearance,” “manifestation,” or “coming to light,” and in the church it names the day when we remember the magi following the light of the star to worship Jesus as king of all people. It is also the beginning of a season by the same name—the season between Christmas and Lent—when we reflect on the ways in which Jesus' divinity is revealed.

More about worship, including bulletins.

Dreaming of warmer times and places? Consider joining us for one of the 2019 trips planned by our World Mission and Social Justice Committee!

Visit Havana, Cuba—and our friends at the First Presbyterian Church of Havana—from May 6 to May 13 with Nanette Sawyer and Gretchen Wahl.

Travel to Guatemala—and work with Common Hope alongside members of the local community—from August 4 to August 11 with Tom and Sue Schemper.

Applications for these two trips are due Tuesday, January 15.

If you would like to travel with Fourth Church in 2019 but would prefer to stay closer to home, the Racial Equity Council invites you to join them for a trip to Alabama and Mississippi that focuses on the civil rights movement. Details about this October 26–November 2 trip include an online application.

We are still looking for more entrants for next Sunday’s Chili Cook-Off. Share your favorite chili with us and enter the running for the competition to win this year's Golden Ladle for Best Fourth Church Chili!

Those entering a chili in the cook-off are asked to sign up here and then bring a 6-quart pot of chili to Borwell Dining Room by 10:30 a.m. on January 13.

Everyone is invited to enjoy this chili lunch between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 13, sampling as many chili recipes as you like for $15 per person. All proceeds will support the 2019 Fourth Church Youth mission trips.

For youth planning to join us on those trips to Cuba, Detroit, or the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, remember: summer youth trip registrations are due by Tuesday, January 15!

Chili Cook-Off

Sunday, January 13

10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Borwell Dining Room

Looking for opportunities for learning, exploration, and growth in the new year? Consider joining us for one or more of the several education and enrichment events we offer, including the following:

The Calvin College January Series is exploring topics such as “Bringing America Together,” “Searching for the Image of God in a Digital World,” and “Sustainability, Happiness, and the ‘Slow’ Movement.” The live video stream of these lectures is shown each weekday through January 23 (except Monday, January 21) at 11:30 a.m. in the Page Smith Room.

Beth Hessel will be with us on Sunday, January 13 at 12:15 p.m. in Room 4G to talk about the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS), of which she is executive director. Organized in 1852, the PHS is the oldest denominational archives in the United States.

Also on Sunday, January 13, Jeff Doane will lead a new three-session Academy for Faith and Life Class at 11:00 a.m. in Room 5E. This class, “Faith in the Midst of Turmoil: Exploring ‘The Theological Declaration of Barmen’” will study this confession of faith that emerged from a meeting of the Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches as a response to the Nazi national church movement in 1934.

For those looking farther ahead on the calendar, this year’s Lenten Path of Discipleship Series, hosted by the Spiritual Formation Council, will take place on Tuesday evenings, March 12–April 16. This Lenten journey, which combines presentations by the associate pastors along with small group discussion, explores and applies particular spiritual practices that can deepen our faith journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. Space is limited, so register soon!

Fourth Church also offers a variety of ways in which to connect and build community with members and friends of Fourth Church. Some of the upcoming occasions include—

A Books by Women discussion of the novel A Walk Lillian Boxfish Takes by Kathleen Rooney on Tuesday, January 8 at 6:00 p.m. in the Bumpus Room. Books by Women meets on the second Tuesday of each month, September through June, and invites women to join in the conversation when their schedules allow and the month’s book is of interest.

On Friday, February 1, Cornerstones, a group of those fifty and over, will be hosting a presentation by Father Michael Pfleger at 7:00 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel. All are invited. Beforehand, the Cornerstones’s monthly dinner will be held in Borwell Dining Room beginning at 5:30 p.m. Prepaid registrations for the dinner (space is limited) are required.

Is volunteering on your list of New Year’s resolutions? If so, we could use our help! Specifically, we are in particular need of

Ushers to serve Communion and greet at the 8:00 a.m. service
Lay liturgists to read scripture at the 8:00 a.m. service
Sunday Night Supper greeters and servers on Sundays from 3:45 to 6:15 p.m.
Volunteers to unload food trucks at the church on second and fourth Mondays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.; must be able to lift 50 pounds

You can sign up or learn more by contacting Robert Crouch, Director of Volunteer Ministry

Additional volunteer opportunities.

Our free Friday Noonday Concert series continues this year with the Chen Family string quartet, a program for trumpet and organ, and organist John Sherer.

Friday, January 11 at 12:10 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel

The Chen Family, string quartet

Tuesday, January 15 at 7:30 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel

Chicago Ensemble (soprano, violin, cello, and piano)

Tickets available from Chicago Ensemble

Friday, January 18 at 12:10 p.m.

in the Sanctuary

Rhonda Edgington, trumpet and organ

Friday, January 25 at 12:10 p.m.

in the Sanctuary