News @ Fourth Church: June 15, 2019

June 15, 2019

What’s coming up on the church calendar? Among other things—

Men’s Bible Study on Tuesday morning, June 18
LGBTQIA Brunch on Sunday, June 23
Knitting and Crocheting on Tuesday, June 25
Women at Fourth, with Fourth Church Organist and Director of Music John Sherer presenting a program on sacred music, on Thursday, June 27
Walking in the Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30

The complete calendar is easily accessible from the home page of our website.

Sunday, June 16: Trinity Sunday

8:00 a.m. Communion

Rocky Supinger preaching

9:30 a.m.

Shannon Kershner preaching

11:00 a.m. New Members

Shannon Kershner preaching

4:00 p.m. Jazz Communion

Joe Morrow preaching

This Sunday is Trinity Sunday, the day when the church celebrates the mystery of God as Three in One: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one God who is Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter.

Looking Ahead to Sunday, June 23

Next Sunday, June 23, we will welcome two of our global partners in ministry.

Joshua Heikkila, West Africa Regional Liaison for Presbyterian Church (USA) World Mission and a member of Fourth Church prior to his ordination, will be preaching at our 8:00 a.m. worship service. At 11:00 a.m. in Borwell Dining Room, he will also talk about his ministry since his World Mission move to Ghana in 2009.

We will also welcome Liudmila Hernández, pastor of our sister congregation, the First Presbyterian Church of Havana, and the vice-moderator of the Presbyterian Synod of Cuba. She will take part in 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship and preach at Jazz at Four, after which we will have a reception in her honor in Allison Library. Then on Monday, June 24 Liudmila will join us at 6:30 p.m. in the Randolph Room for a conversation about the current atmosphere in Cuba.

More about worship, including bulletins

This Sunday we continue our “ Big Questions” sermon series with another question you asked be addressed from the pulpit: “What does a Christian have to believe?”

Then on Sunday, June 23 Nanette Sawyer and Shannon Kershner will consider together “What do Presbyterians believe about homosexuality?”

Come think about big questions with us!

Curious about our previous questions? You can read online the sermons exploring them.

Have you seen the behind-the-scenes video tour of our Andrew Pipe Organ that we shared on Facebook earlier this week?

Guided by John Sherer, it offers a fascinating look—from the pipes high above the Sanctuary floor to the mechanics of the blower in the basement—at how this impressive instrument makes its beautiful music.

This Sunday morning we will commission our Urban Youth Mission (UYM) leaders for 2019: Claudia Benz, Brianna Kennedy, Abigail Mace, and Lynne Santos.

They join Fourth Church staff member and UYM Director Katie Patterson as staff for our summer program, which hosts youth groups from across the country, each of which comes to Chicago for a week of service and learning about urban mission and ministry.

During their week with us, these groups have opportunity to explore diverse city neighborhoods while performing valuable hands-on service and reflecting on God, faith, and the Christian call to justice.

Then on Sunday afternoon, we will kick off the UYM summer by welcoming the first youth group of the season: youth from the First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills is the title of an important book by David Ansell, Senior Vice President for Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center.

On Thursday, June 27 we will have opportunity to hear Dr. Ansell speak about the book and his work. All are invited to join us at 6:00 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel that evening for this event hosted by the Interfaith Coalition Against Racism—of which Fourth Church is a partner—and introduced by Toni Preckwinkle.

Dr. Ansell, who has spent nearly four decades as a doctor at hospitals serving some of the poorest communities in Chicago, will share with us the realities behind the statistics that poor urban blacks die sooner than almost all other Americans.

Come engage in conversation about how to address this devastating inequality!

There is just one week left to get your tickets to Encore! This annual benefit to celebrate and support the Center for Life and Learning, our learning community for adults sixty and more, takes place next Saturday, June 22 at 5:00 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel.

Broadway and Great American Songbook classics—sung by Morning Choir tenor Cole Seaton and soprano Brittany Clearfield—are on the program for this year, and afterwards we’ll gather in the Commons for refreshments and a reception.

Come join us for an encore evening of music and fellowship!

Tickets are only available through Friday, June 21.

Each week Fourth Church Meals Ministry distributes more than 900 snacks as part of our Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday lunch in Anderson Hall—which translates into an ongoing need for a lot of snacks!

So as you’re out grocery shopping in the days ahead or placing orders online, please consider adding to your cart some individually packaged snack items—particularly single servings of granola bars, chips, pretzels, and fruit or applesauce cups—for our lunchtime guests.

Donations (labeled “Meals Ministry”) can be dropped off on Sundays during Coffee Hour or at the reception desk on weekdays and Saturday, or they can be ordered for delivery to the church.

Information about what snacks are needed.

We currently have need for a variety of volunteers. Do any of these opportunities match your time, talent, or interests? We could use your help!

Chicago Lights Summer Day volunteers to work with students at the church on summer weekdays; register online for Thursday’s 90-minute orientation
Silverware wrappers to prepare for Sunday Night Suppers
Cooks and servers for Meals Ministry Sunday Night Suppers

Unless otherwise noted, sign up or learn more by contacting Robert Crouch, Director of Volunteer Ministry.