Looking for ways to connect with the Fourth Church community and one another? On the church calendar you will find many opportunities to do so online (or, where noted, in person). Included among them are—
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Knitting and Crocheting on Tuesday afternoon, March 22
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Benevolent Guild on Wednesday mornings
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Friday Noonday Concert—both in person and online—featuring our organist John Sherer on Friday, March 25
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LGBTQIA+ Widen Our Welcome fellowship and discussion on Wednesday evening, March 30
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A Cornerstones program, for those fifty and over, on Ukraine and Russia on Friday evening, April 1
For information about whom to contact for an event’s Zoom details, simply click on the down “arrow” to the right of the event name in the calendar (which is easily accessible from the “Calendar” button in the upper left corner of our website).
For highlights about some additional opportunities, keep reading!
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Third Sunday in Lent, March 20
10:00 a.m. worship in person and online
9:45 a.m. prelude
Shannon J. Kershner preaching
4:00 p.m. Jazz at Four worship in person
with Communion
in Buchanan Chapel
Rocky Supinger preaching
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The Session of Fourth Presbyterian Church has called a congregational meeting for next Sunday, March 27 following 10:00 a.m. worship.
The purpose of the meeting is to hear a report from the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee and to receive and act on their recommendation of a candidate to serve this congregation as Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation.
The meeting will be held both in person and online.
The Zoom link will be posted on our website in the coming week.
The candidate will be present for the meeting, and information about that person will be shared that morning, as we respect the necessary confidentiality until then since the individual is currently employed elsewhere.
All members are encouraged to take part in this important moment in the life of our congregation!
Sunday, March 27
11:15 a.m.
In the Sanctuary and online via Zoom
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You can remember loved ones and recognize those who are special in your life by making a contribution toward the purchase of flowers to decorate the Sanctuary and Buchanan Chapel for our Easter services.
A list of those remembered will be printed in the Easter Sunday bulletin. For names to be included in the bulletin, contributions must be received by Sunday, April 3.
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Beginning this Sunday morning, Nanette Sawyer will lead us in an important three-session class on “Israel and Palestine: How We Talk about the Conflict.”
Join us as we discuss in person and online
- the basic history of the region
- the meaning and importance of homeland for Jews and Palestinians (Muslim and Christian)
- competing claims of sovereignty
- the lenses through which we see and interpret the conflict
- a brief history of Presbyterian Church (USA) statements on the region
- how the words we use affect how we are heard and not heard
- how our faith calls us to act
Sundays, March 20, 27, and April 3
11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
In person and via Zoom
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Dementia 101
Alzheimer’s and other related dementias have touched many lives and will impact many more families and caregivers in coming years. On Thursday, March 24, Women at Fourth invite you to join them in learning more about this topic, as they host a presentation by Dr. Jeannine Forrest, a dementia educator, speaker, and private care consultant with more than thirty-five years of clinical practice, education, and research in the field.
In “Dementia 101: Cognitive and Behavioral Changes and Effective Communication Strategies” Dr. Forrest will help us understand the many facets of dementia, including the variety of ways in which it affects people, and will share insights to enable better communication with individuals living with dementia.
Thursday, March 24
6:00 p.m. via Zoom
First Tuesday Book Club
The First Tuesday Book Club invites you to join bestselling author Parker J. Palmer for a Zoom discussion of his new book On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old. This conversation—and book—are for all who want to age reflectively, seeking new insights and life-giving ways to engage in the world.
Looking back on eight decades of life—and on his work as a writer, teacher, and activist—Parker Palmer explores what he’s learning about self and world, inviting readers to explore their own experience.
Tuesday, April 5
7:00 p.m. via Zoom
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Several ministry areas at Fourth Church are in need of additional volunteers. Might you be able to help?
Fourth Church Meals Ministry is in need of volunteers to help with a variety of projects—opportunities that can be done at home, behind the scenes at church, or by interacting with our guests. You can learn more—and sign up—via our Volunteer Ministry platform, VOMO: www.bit.ly/fpcvolunteers)
Youth Ministry is in need of chaperones for their youth mission trips this summer—trips for Junior Highs to St. Louis (June 26–July 1) and for Senior Highs to Memphis (July 9–15). If you are interested in accompanying the youth, please fill out the form at www.bit.ly/youthtripleaders22
Fourth Church Jail Ministry is in need of additional volunteers to join them in visiting the Cook County Jail. Two identical online information sessions will be offered in the weeks ahead for those who would like to learn more about what is involved. Additional details are also available by emailing Maggie Shreve at jailministry@fourthchurch.org
Sundays, April 3 and 24
12:30 p.m. via Zoom
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Fourth Church Shower Ministry supports people of our surrounding community who are without access to bathing facilities, providing them shower times in the Gratz Center on Tuesday afternoons.
Shower Ministry is currently in need of the following hygiene items, unused and in travel sizes.
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Deodorant
- Shampoo
- Bandages
- Combs
Donations can be dropped off at the church reception desk, to the attention of “Shower Ministry.”
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In Lent we embrace the faith journey by reflecting upon and deepening our relationship with God and acting upon our Christian beliefs. In doing so, we invite you to join with others in using the variety of resources and opportunities available from Fourth Church.
Bible Study
Men’s Bible Study meets online on Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m., and Horizons Bible Study for women will host two online sessions this Wednesday, March 23, one at 12:00 p.m. and one at 6:30 p.m. For Zoom links or more information about either Bible study, email Simon Crow.
Lenten Devotions
Offered as a resource for personal meditation and prayer, our daily Lenten devotions are written by Fourth Church members and staff.
Lenten Rhythm and Word
Each week during Lent we are offering for your midweek reflection a new video in our Lenten “Rhythm and Word” series. You can find these fifteen-minute worship experiences on our YouTube channel (www.bit.ly/fpcvideos).
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Sacred Pause Meditation
Walking the Labyrinth
Another opportunity for meditation is offered on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, when the Buchanan Chapel labyrinth is available to walk between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. For details, email Rocky Supinger.
Morning Prayer
On Wednesdays we gather to pray together for members of Fourth Church and the community as well as those in need.
Morning Prayer via Zoom takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays; in-person Morning Prayer is held in Buchanan Chapel on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. For Zoom details, email Rocky Supinger.
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If you would like to pray with a Deacon on Sundays, the Deacons invite you to come to Stone Chapel (through the door next to the Sanctuary pulpit) following Sunday morning worship.
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 Jeff Doane, Parish Associate 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.
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About Masking
As Shannon Kershner wrote in her congregational email at the end of February, “until you hear otherwise, please assume that we will keep doing what we are doing now—masks required, restricted campus access and hours, etc. I thank you for your patience.”
The wide range of programs, activities, and participants that are part of our Fourth Church and Chicago Lights community make how we move forward around masking complex, particularly given the number of vulnerable populations we serve—from preschoolers to older adults to those with insufficient access to health care—and given the range of staff and volunteers who work with them.
So while we have not yet lifted our mask mandate, please know that we are hard at work determining what our life together will look like when we do!
In-Person Guidelines
In the Sanctuary, the front section is for those required to or choosing to practice social distancing. The remainder of the Sanctuary is open seating. Seating for Jazz at Four is all socially distanced.
We continue to require that everyone on the Fourth Church campus wear a mask, fully covering the nose and mouth, at all times. Anyone not wearing a mask fully covering their nose and mouth will be asked to leave, as we know that some people make the decision to worship with us in person—or participate in adult education classes—based on the knowledge that everyone will be fully masked. This is but one of the ways we continue to live out our commitment to value the health and safety of all.
Since everyone is masked throughout the service, the congregation is invited to sing.
We are not checking vaccination status, but anyone coming on site certifies by doing so that (a) they do not currently have COVID-19; (b) they are not experiencing COVID symptoms; (c) they have no reason to quarantine; and (d) they will practice social distancing if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Worshiping with Us Online
Our Sunday morning worship service is livestreamed at 10:00 a.m. (Central) via our YouTube channel (www.bit.ly/fpcvideos)
The service is also available online any time afterwards on YouTube.
For those who do not have Internet access, we also make our livestreamed worship services available to listen to via the phone. If you know of someone for whom this audio opportunity would be welcome, please encourage them to call 888.916.9166 (toll-free) at the time of the service.
Throughout the Week
Our Sunday services are available for viewing following the conclusion of worship and throughout the week at www.bit.ly/fpcvideos.
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If you know someone who would like to receive email updates from us but currently is not, please encourage them to add their email address to our distribution list by signing up at www.bit.ly/newsfromfpc
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