The Season of Advent

This Sunday — which is the first of four Sundays before Christmas — marks the beginning of Advent, the first season on the liturgical calendar and thus the beginning of a new church year.

Advent is observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming.

The season takes it name from the Latin word meaning “coming,” and its liturgical color is purple, to remind us that this is a season of humility and reconciliation.

First Sunday of Advent, December 3

9:30 a.m. worship in person and online

with Communion

Tom Are Jr. preaching

Worship bulletin

11:00 a.m. worship in person only

with Communion

Tom Are Jr. preaching

Worship bulletin

2:00 p.m. worship in person and online

The Gathering: Communion at 2:00

Rocky Supinger preaching

Worship bulletin

Celebrating Communion

This Sunday we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper at all three services. Those worshiping with us online are invited to have bread and juice on hand as we share in this meal from wherever we are.

The season of Advent invites us to set aside time for daily personal prayer and reflection, creating space to prepare our hearts and lives to receive the gift that comes to us in the stable and embracing what it means to travel through life guided by the Light that darkness cannot overcome.

Our daily Advent devotions — which are written by Fourth Church members and staff — offer a resource for this meditative journey. 

To receive them daily by email beginning this Sunday, December 3, sign up online at www.bit.ly/fpcdevotions.

If you already receive our daily devotions, you need not sign up to receive the Advent devotions; they will automatically be sent to you.

Meals Ministry Gift Bags

Our Meals Ministry Holiday Gift Bag Drive goal is to prepare bags for 475 Sunday Night and Monday Night Supper guests, including 75 gift bags for children.

A list of items needed is available online. Items can be shipped to or dropped off at the church by this Monday, December 4.

We are also in need of 475 McDonald’s gift cards in the amount of $10 each. (Please keep the cards to $10 so each guest receives the same amount.)

Read more

The Thanksgiving gift bags were a big hit with our Meals Ministry guests!

Christmas Wishes for Tutoring Students

Our annual Christmas Wishes project provides gifts for Chicago Lights Tutoring students.

This year we are collecting gift cards to Target, Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, and McDonald’s, along with books. These gifts for our nearly 200 students are needed by this Wednesday, December 6.

Monetary contributions toward book and gift card purchases can also be made to Fourth Church, noting “Christmas Wishes” in the designation of an online gift or on the memo line of a check made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Read more details about card values, books, and dropping off items

Light Up a Life

The annual “Light Up a Life” offering provides funds for Fourth Church programs that support our neighbors and congregation; for Chicago Lights, as it extends kindness and love to those who are most vulnerable; for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance; and for the Presbyterian Church (USA) Joy Offering. 

Gifts can be made to this offering by noting “Light Up a Life” in the Designation or Comments section when giving via the Fourth Church website or Venmo or by writing it on the memo line of a check made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Gifts can also be made using the “Light Up a Life” envelopes in the Sanctuary on Sundays.

Remember loved ones and recognize those who are special in your life by making contributions in their name toward the purchase of Christmas flowers to decorate Fourth Church during the Advent and Christmas seasons. A list of those remembered will be printed in the Christmas bulletin.

With rising flower costs, we are suggesting a donation of $50 per dedication to enable us to purchase flowers, wreaths, and garlands to adorn the Sanctuary and the Gratz Center, but know that all gifts to this project are gratefully received.

Contributions can be made online and must be received by next Sunday, December 10 in order for names to be included in the bulletin.

For more information, contact Gloria Vicente.

Next Sunday evening December 10, we will gather in person and online for one of our beloved Advent traditions at Fourth Church, the Festival of Advent Lessons and Music. 

Once again we will hear the scripture readings of the season and hear and sing the music of Advent as we anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, December 10

6:30 p.m.

in the Sanctuary and livestreamed

This year the Cookies-and-Cocoa reception will take place a week later, during morning Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 17.

“How (Not) to Build a School in Haiti:

Conversation with Filmmakers”

This Sunday Kat Evans will lead us in a dialogue with filmmakers Dinesh Sabu and Jack Newell on their documentary How (Not) to Build a School in Haiti. We will discuss the film, ask questions of the filmmakers, and ponder what lessons Fourth Church and other mission-oriented communities can glean from the story of the documentary.

Attendees will be invited to view the film online (for free) before the class.

Sunday, December 3

11:00 a.m.

Borwell Dining Room and via Zoom

Register here for the link to the film as well as the Zoom link

“Light in the Darkness”

An Art Exhibition Opening Reception

This coming Friday we will host an opening reception for a new art exhibition in the Fourth Church Loggia.

Curated by Monica J. Brown, “Light in the Darkness” features the works of Jan Brandt and Amy Hanks.

Jan Brandt says of her work, “Seeds of hope have been planted through my artwork. Inspired by my dreams and memories, my paintings and fiber art sprout abundantly in vivid color and pattern. My work is a testament to resiliency, a reminder that hope can be restored even as we struggle with despair.”

Amy Hanks says of her art, “My work currently explores the concept of belief, focusing on times when loved ones embark on paths I can’t follow but must witness. Through challenging times, I learn unexpected lessons and experience unwelcome aspects of life. Yet, in these journeys into the unknown, my aspiration remains simple — to hold onto hope for the lost to be found.”

Friday, December 8

5:00 p.m.

in the Loggia

Conserving Historic Murals by Frederic Clay Bartlett:

A Primer in Art Conservation

Next Sunday, Elizabeth Kendall and Peter Schoemann, principals of Parma Conservation, who led the recent restoration process of our Sanctuary murals, will share with us the challenges, techniques, and desired results of mural conservation in an architectural setting.

We will see examples that illustrate the science involved in art conservation, with featured attention given to mural conservation projects here at Fourth Church and also Second Presbyterian Church.

Those attending the class in person will have opportunity to view the Bartlett murals in our Sanctuary after the 11:00 a.m. service has ended.

Sunday, December 10 

11:00 a.m. 

Borwell Dining Room and via Zoom

Register here for the Zoom link

Plus mark your calendars for another Sunday morning class planned for later in December!

“Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan” on Sunday, December 17

Our holiday concert schedule kicks off this coming week when on December 5 and 6 a Chanticleer Christmas takes place in the Sanctuary, followed on Friday, December 8 by Holidays a cappella in Buchanan Chapel.

A Chanticleer Christmas

Tuesday and Wednesday

December 5 and 6

7:30 p.m.

in the Sanctuary

Tickets required, available through the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Holidays a cappella

with Chicago a cappella

Friday, December 8

7:30 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel

Tickets required, available through Chicago a cappella

Handel’s Messiah

by Chicago Camerata

Friday, December 15

7:30 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel

Tickets required, available through Chicago Camerata

(25 percent discount with code FPCC)

A Tower Brass Christmas

Saturday, December 16

5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary

No tickets required, but a $20 donation per person is suggested

For a complete schedule of concerts at Fourth Church, see www.fourthchurch.org/concerts

Wednesday, December 20

“Longest Night” Service

6:30 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel (in person only)

This service is for those for whom the celebration of Christmas is made difficult by feelings of loneliness, grief, alienation, and sadness, whether personal or collective.

It is preceded by a labyrinth walk in Anderson Hall between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 24

Fourth Sunday of Advent Service

10:00 a.m.

in person and livestreamed

Four Candlelit Christmas Eve Services

Christmas Eve Children’s Pageant

4:00 p.m.

in person only

Christmas Eve Family Service

6:00 p.m.

in person only

Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols

8:00 p.m.

in person and livestreamed

Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols

10:00 p.m.

in person only

Monday, December 25

Christmas Day Service

10:00 a.m.

in person only

Read more about Christmas at Fourth Church

Every gift to our 2024 Stewardship campaign matters in making it possible for us to do together the work that God has called us to do.

Thank you to all those households who have already pledged to Fourth Church and Chicago Lights for 2024!

If you have not yet made your pledge for next year, there is still time to submit your pledge for 2024 and help us reach our goals!

We are grateful to Bryan Johnson (right) for his leadership of our Gospel Choir, Voices of Light, during the past two years.

While Bryan is stepping aside to focus on his ongoing role as Music Director at Trinity United Church of Christ, Voices of Light will continue singing. We wish Bryan God’s blessings as he goes forward from this place!

If you are interested in joining the choir, please contact John Sherer.

We are also grateful to our children and youth for creating Christmas cards that will be given to our Meals Ministry guests.

Last Sunday saw an early dusting of snow on our Christmas decorations.

For those who have wondered about the street closures before the 9:30 a.m. worship service a couple of Sundays ago, here is what was going on up above: a helicopter lowering an AC unit onto a building a block west of Fourth Church.

This view, looking west down Delaware Place, shows the dangerous challenge of descending between neighboring high rises. The fountain in the center of Washington Square Park (in front of the Newberry) is visible to the lower right of the helicopter.

Prayer

If you would like to submit a prayer request to our Morning Prayer or Deacon Prayer Ministries, please email caringministries@fourthchurch.org

If you would like to join in praying for others—members of Fourth Church and those in need—we invite you to gather with us for Wednesday Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom or at 10:00 a.m. in person. For Zoom details, email Nancy Benson-Nicol.

Conversation and Presence

If you would like to talk to a pastor, please call the church (312.787.4570) and your request will be forwarded to someone on the pastoral staff.

If you would like to alert pastoral staff to emerging pastoral care needs, please email caringministries@fourthchurch.org; however if the situation is an emergency or requires immediate attention, please call the church at 312.787.4570 to be connected to the Minister on Call.

For one-to-one spiritual and emotional support through life challenges, we encourage you to consider being paired with a Stephen Minister. To learn more about this resource, contact Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation, or leave a confidential message for a Stephen Minister at 312.573.3365.

To set up a time to talk or for more information about how the staff of the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being can be a resource for you, call the Center at 312.787.2729, ext. 2260.

To join a Grief Group facilitated by our Replogle Center, email Sharon Crawford-Tucker.

Children in Worship

Children are always welcome in worship! If you need to step out to comfort your child, the Hospitality Suite, on the second floor of the Gratz Center, is a quiet space for families where worship is livestreamed.

During the morning services nursery care is available on the fourth floor of the Gratz Center for infants through two-year-olds.

Livestreamed Services

Livestreamed worship services (9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) are accessible by going to www.bit.ly/fpcvideos, subscribing to our YouTube channel, or clicking on the photo with a “Play” arrow on the home page of the Fourth Church website.

These livestreams are available to view anytime after the service begins if you would prefer to connect online at a later time. For tips on how to watch — from the beginning — a service already in progress, see www.fourthchurch.org/watch-from-the-beginning

Audio-only by phone for the 9:30 service is available (toll free) by calling 888.916.9166 just prior to 9:30.