CONTENTS
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An Invitation to Coffee Hour Chats
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Join Us for Brief, Informal Conversation
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Join Fourth Church pastors and members in a series of brief, informal Coffee Hour Chats this Lent.
- Learn why Vicky Curtiss is passionate about discovering your spiritual gifts.
- Get tips on meditative practices from Nanette Sawyer.
- Share Betsy Storm's interest in writing or recording family history.
- Join a discussion of the day's sermon.
Grab some coffee from Coffee Hour after the 9:30 and 11:00 services and head over to the Morse Lounge (next to the receptionist in the Gratz Center).
There's no need to sign up in advance. Coffee Hour Chats will last fifteen to twenty minutes, and we invite you to come and go as your schedule allows.
- Sunday, March 5: Christian Meditation with Nanette Sawyer, Minister for Congregational Life
- Sunday, March 12: Sharing Thoughts on Today's Sermon, facilitated by a Fourth Church member
- Sunday, March 19: Writing or Recording Your Personal or Family History with Betsy Storm, Fourth Church member
- Sunday, March 26: Exploring Your Gifts with Vicky Curtiss, Associate Pastor for Mission
- Sunday, April 2: Stephen Ministry at Fourth Church with Fourth Church Stephen Ministers
- Sunday, April 9: Sharing Thoughts on Today's Sermon, facilitated by a Fourth Church member
Time:
Sundays, March 5-April 9
10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
Place:
Morse Lounge
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Making a Difference through Mission
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To all who supported the Chicago Lights Gala of Hope and the Youth Bake Sale, thank you!
This year's Gala was full of generosity, fun, and, most of all, hope. To all the Gala guests, sponsors, patrons, donors, drawing participants, and dedicated staff and volunteers, thank you! Your generous contributions of resources and of time translated into record-setting revenue raised at the February 24 event.
Thank you for making possible this extraordinary gift of hope for those who are facing challenges in our city, for those served by Chicago Lights and the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being.
Thank you, too, to all who enjoyed tasty goodies at last Sunday's Youth Bake Sale. Thanks to your support, the youth met the day's goal as part of their overall fundraising plan for their upcoming mission trips to Cuba, Montreat, and Detroit.
If you missed out on the bake sale or are hungry for more delicious delights, you're in luck: the annual Youth Pancake Breakfast is coming up in just two weeks, on Sunday, March 19.
Tickets will be available beginning this Sunday during Coffee Hour as well as at the door on the day of the breakfast--which will again include opportunity to enjoy, for an additional donation, special pancakes custom-made by Rocky Supinger.
Come join us for breakfast on March 19!
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Reading through the Lens of Karl Barth
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Join us for a four-week Bible study of Romans this Lent, with Karl Barth as our guide.
Karl Barth (1886-1968) became one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the twentieth century, responding to the crises of two world wars, the rise of fascism, and the secularization of Europe. We will read parts of his groundbreaking commentary on Paul's letter to the Romans, first published when Barth was an unknown pastor in a Swiss mining town. The readings will also help us understand the Barmen Declaration of 1934 against the Nazi regime and the Confession of 1967 of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Leading us in this study will be Robert Cathey, Professor of Theology at McCormick Theological Seminary and a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbytery of Chicago.
Time:
Sunday, March 5-26
9:30 a.m.
Place:
Room 5G
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A New Academy for Faith and Life Class
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What is the theology and philosophy of how we do mission? What are some of the ways our national church is engaged in outreach and justice work?
Fourth Church supports mission engagement nationally and internationally through our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and so we have invited staff of the PCUSA General Assembly to be with us over the next three weeks to talk with us about the mission work we are supporting.
Come and be inspired by our teachers!
- March 5: Sara Lisherness, Director of Compassion, Peace, and Justice
- March 12: Rachel Yates, Associate Director of World Mission
- March 19: Tony De La Rosa, Interim Executive Director of Presbyterian Mission Agency (who will also preach at the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services that day)
Time:
Sundays, March 5-19
11:00 a.m.
(except 12:30 p.m. on March 19)
Place:
Borwell Dining Room
(except Room 4G on March 19)
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| A Lenten Sermon Series |
Following Jesus through the Gospel of John
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In this year's Lenten sermons we will follow Jesus through the Gospel of John
March 5: John 11:1-44
Jesus raises Lazarus
March 12: John 13:1-17
Jesus washes the disciples' feet
March 19: John 4:5-30, 39-42
Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well
March 26: John 18:28-40
Jesus goes before Pilate
April 2: John 19:1-16a
Jesus goes before the crowd
April 9 | Palm/Passion Sunday:
John 12:12-27, 19:16b-22
Jesus enters Jerusalem and is crucified
April 13 | Maundy Thursday: John 19:23-30
Jesus' last words
April 14 | Good Friday: John 19:31-42
Jesus' burial
April 16 | Easter Sunday: John 20:1-18
Jesus' resurrection
As we make our way through this season of Lent, we also invite you to join us in exploring spiritual practices that can deepen our faith journey as disciples of Jesus Christ, whether by drawing on our daily Lenten devotions for your personal reflection or by taking part in the six-week "Path of Discipleship" series, which begins on Tuesday. (Space is limited for the latter, so if you are hoping to attend, please register now.)
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| Faithful Resistance |
Our conversation with members of pastoral staff about books they've selected for our discussion continues this week with a new topic: Faithful Resistance.
Beginning this Wednesday evening, Abbi Heimach-Snipes will be leading a conversation about the institution of the church. With Faithful Resistance: Gospel Visions for the Church in a Time of Empire as the foundation of this discussion, we'll explore the ideas fourteen contributing authors suggest for ways to move the Christian church to a place of faithfulness in the midst of the empire.
Editor Rick Ufford-Chase adds his own observations about the condition of our church institutions, along with concrete suggestions for bringing us home to the heart of the gospel. Come join the conversation!
Time:
Wednesdays, March 8 and 22
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Place:
Page Smith Room
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| Men's Breakfast: College Mascots |
Food and Fellowship on Saturday Morning
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Men, have you ever found yourself wondering about college mascots?
If you have, then you'll want to join us for the next Men's Breakfast when Jay Fehnel, a lifelong college sports fanatic, presents a brief history of college sports mascots.
Come hear Jay, who has visited more than 100 college campuses in his travels and loves learning about their traditions, discuss how mascots developed over time. He'll even share his list of current Top Ten Oddest Mascots!
Our monthly breakfast is a great time for fellowship and to get to know other men at Fourth Church. Come join us!
RSVP to Anne Ellis.
Time:
Saturday, March 11
8:00 a.m.
Place:
Parish House Dining Room
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Worship This Week
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8:00 a.m.
Communion
Judith L. Watt,
Associate Pastor
9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Shannon J. Kershner,
Pastor
4:00 p.m.
Jazz Communion
Hardy H. Kim,
Associate Pastor
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Concerts at Fourth Church
All concerts are free unless ticket information is noted.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Chicago Ensemble
7:30 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel
Tickets available through Chicago Ensemble
Friday, March 10, 2017
Elizabeth Lenti, organist
12:10 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Friday, March 17, 2017
Credo Ensemble
12:10 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel
Friday, March 24, 2017
Sarah van der Ploeg, soprano
12:10 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel
A complete concert schedule is available online.
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Volunteer at Fourth Church
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There are several ways to get involved in the mission and ministry of Fourth Church. See below for details!
Current Volunteer Needs
Tutors are needed one evening a week from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the church to work with student of the Chicago Lights Tutoring program. A one-session orientation will be held Monday, March 6 at 6:00 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room. RSVP to Fernie Tiflis at
ftiflis@chicagolights.org
Hosts and refreshment servers
during the Sunday morning Coffee Hours that follow the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services
Greeters and ushers for the 4:00 p.m. jazz worship service
Current Donation Needs
Individually wrapped granola bars, fruit cups, and nonrefrigerated juice boxes for the Meals Ministry bag lunch program
Nonperishable food items, such as canned goods, for the food pantry of the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center
Paper or plastic bags with handles
A complete list of volunteer needs is available
online.
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