What’s coming up on the church
calendar? Quite a variety of things, including—
- “Jehovah’s Favorite Choir: The Biblical Story in the Songs and Shows of the Grateful Dead,” the second session in a two-week Sunday morning class led by Andy McGaan
- The continuation of “The Foundations of Faith” Bible study led by the pastors on Sunday mornings, with video of past sessions available online
- Men’s Bible Study on Tuesday morning, December 17
- TwentiesThirties Christmas Party on Thursday evening, December 19
- “Widening Our Welcome” LGBTQIA Brunch on Sunday, December 22
- Candlelit New Year’s Eve Taizé on Tuesday, December 31 in Buchanan Chapel
Not sure of the date for an event? Use the
calendar “Search” function (the magnifying-glass icon to the left of "Today")!
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Third Sunday of Advent: December 15
8:00 a.m. Communion
Judith L. Watt preaching
9:30 a.m.
Judith L. Watt preaching
11:00 a.m.
Judith L. Watt preaching
4:00 p.m. Jazz Communion
Nanette Sawyer preaching
Advent Reflection Stations
“How are you bearing God’s good news of joy and love out into the world?” is the prompt you will find at the Advent reflection stations this weekend.
Take a moment to stop by one of the tables, topped with a tree and ribbons, in the Narthex, Commons, and Allison Library and write on a ribbon your response to the question. These ribbons will be used to line the manger at the Children’s Pageant on Christmas Eve.
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This Sunday Judy Watt will preach at all three morning services on what will be her final day with us as Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care.
Judy is retiring effective this Sunday, December 15, and so we will come together in the Sanctuary following the 11:00 a.m. service for a
congregational meeting during which we will act to dissolve the pastoral relationship between Fourth Church and Judy and also offer expressions of gratitude for her ministry.
Please plan to be with us for the meeting and then, immediately afterwards, for a
reception in Anderson Hall, as we gather to thank Judy for her ministry among us and wish her Godspeed in her retirement.
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This Sunday, December 15 is last day to submit photos for inclusion in the “
Fourth Church, One Family” exhibit sponsored by our LGBTQIA “Widening Our Welcome” group
Submitted photos will be featured in a slide show during Coffee Hour on Sunday, January 12. Additionally, from among the submissions, fifty photos showcasing the wide diversity of our Fourth Church families will be displayed in the Loggia Gallery from January 6 through February 26.
To submit your photo, please send it at the highest resolution you can—along with a brief caption (sixty words or less)—to
familyphotos@fourthchurch.org by Sunday, December 15.
Please note:
Submission of photos constitutes permission and release by all family members shown in the photo for the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago to use the images in digital display during Coffee Hour on January 12, 2020; in physical gallery display in the Fourth Church Loggia from January 6 through February 26, 2020; and in any promotion of those exhibits.
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For many, the celebration of Christmas is made difficult by feelings of loneliness, grief, alienation, and sadness, whether personal or collective.
The “Longest Night” service, which will be hosted by our Stephen Ministers on Tuesday evening, December 17, recognizes and makes space for these feelings and challenges.
Tuesday, December 17
6:30 p.m.
in Buchanan Chapel
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You are invited to Christmas dinner!
Come join old friends or make new ones, all while enjoying a traditional Christmas dinner after worship on Christmas Day.
Wednesday, December 25
12:15 p.m.
in Anderson Hall
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In this season, as the temperatures drop and the year comes to a close, the number of guests in need who come to Fourth Church increases significantly.
Your gifts to our “Light Up a Life” offering make it possible for Fourth Church to be a welcoming, serving presence for our neighbors, providing a shower and clean clothing for those living on the street, meals for those who are hungry, a warm place to escape the winter cold, a listening ear for those searching for a supportive community, and so much more.
Please keep our neighbors in prayer this season and consider making a “Light Up a Life” gift today
online or through Venmo (@Fourth-Church). Gifts can also be made using the special envelopes available in the pew racks.
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Each week in worship we have opportunity, through the offering, to express our gratitude for what God is doing in our lives and to recommit ourselves to doing God’s work in this world.
Whether you give through Venmo, online via our website, electronically via automatic debits to your bank or credit card, or through gifts of stock or make your contributions monthly, quarterly, or annually, we want you to take part in our communal offering of our gifts.
If you give in one of these ways, we encourage you to use the new “I give” cards, which you will find in the pew racks.
As others place envelopes, checks, or cash into the offering plate at the time of the offering, please acknowledge your giving in other forms and place one of the "I give" cards into the offering plate as an act of stewardship.
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Chicago
a cappella
: Holidays
a cappella
Friday, December 13 at 8:00 p.m.
in Buchanan Chapel
Christmas with Tower Brass
Saturday, December 21 at 5:00 p.m.
in the Sanctuary
Freewill offering received at the door
Christmas Cantata:
A Winter’s Night
by Cecilia McDowall
Sunday, December 22
at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
during worship in the Sanctuary
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Families are invited to join us as we celebrate the start of Christmas break with cookies, cocoa, and carols!
Our December “Cookies, Cocoa, and Caroling” Family Night will include a variety of crafts, including several ornaments that your children will be able to make for friends and family, as well as a shared dinner starting around 6:00 p.m.
After dinner, we’ll decorate Christmas cookies for dessert before heading over to Anderson Hall for a few games and Christmas carols.
Friday, December 20
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Borwell Dining Room
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Have you seen the images people have posted as part of our Advent Photo-a-Day challenge? Search social media for
#adventfpc2019 to check them out.
And if you haven’t joined in already, it’s not too late to participate in this opportunity for reflection on the season and engagement with the world around us.
The words for the coming week are
Sun., Dec. 15:
#Joy
Mon., Dec. 16:
#Shepherd
Tues., Dec. 17:
#Counselor
Wed., Dec. 18:
#Wisdom
Thurs., Dec. 19:
#Mercy
Fri., Dec. 20:
#Justice
Sat., Dec. 21:
#Awake
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The season of Advent invites us to set aside time for daily personal prayer and reflection and to create space to prepare our hearts and lives to receive the gift that comes to us in the stable.
Devotions are also posted daily on
Facebook, on
Twitter (@FourthChicago), and on our
devotions web page. They are available in a printed booklet in the literature racks at the church.
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We hope you will join us in celebrating the birth of Emmanuel, God-with-us, this Christmas! On Tuesday, December 24, we will gather for
four candlelight Christmas Eve services:
4:00 p.m. Children’s Pageant
6:00 p.m. Family Service
8:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols
10:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols
The 8:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols service will be
live streamed at
www.bit.ly/FPCworship (and will also be accessible from the Fourth Church website).
On Wednesday, December 25 we will also come together for
Christmas Day worship at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary.
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We are in need of individuals to—
- Greet and welcome Christmas Eve worshipers at one or more of the Christmas Eve services: 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00 p.m.
- Help with the Book Nook during Coffee Hour following the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services
- Create and manage spreadsheets for a church program one day a week; schedule is flexible
To learn more about these or other volunteer opportunities with Fourth Church and Chicago Lights or to sign up, please contact
Robert Crouch, Director of Volunteer Ministry.
If you have signed up as a volunteer in the past, you will have received an email invitation to
register with VOMO, our new volunteer management software.
We are excited about this platform that will allow you to easily sign up and manage your volunteer engagements here at the church. If you have received an invitation as someone who has previously volunteered but have not yet registered with our VOMO account, please do so at your earliest convenience.
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Birth
We give thanks to God for the gift of new life.
Colette Reese Drake
Child of Steve and Nikki Drake
Death
We give thanks to God for the gift of life eternal.
Juliette Bacon
Died December 1, 2019
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Fourth Presbyterian Church | 312.787.4570 | www.fourthchurch.org
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