Church summer book read.
A FAVORITE QUOTE – summer, Church staff devotion series
June 22 –Sue Skalansky
In chapter 3, Bishop Curry talks about "making do and making new." In the African American tradition, they made do with little they had or received and learned to creatively change the little they had into something glorious. A great example he gives is soul food! He goes on to talk about how we together as a society can make something glorious out of little. My favorite quote from the book is at the end of the chapter (p.70), where he talks about the slave preacher who preached one owner-approved sermon (encouraging how to be a better slave), and then secretly preached another sermon more relevant, ending every sermon with, "You are not slaves, you are the children of God." To quote Bishop Curry, "There the old preacher, like a creative artist, ripped from the givens of reality a new possibility. You are not slaves, you are children of God. That's making do. And that holds the making of a new and different world for all of us." On the heels of the Juneteenth celebrations, I hope a new world is breaking.
Please click on the video link below this devotion to hear Pastor Jeff's summary of chapter 3.
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Join us Sundays for in-person worship or via Livestream. The service will begin at 10 am. If you're joining us in person, check out the email from Pastor Jeff, which includes protocols and guidelines to make your worship experience meaningful and safe. We're excited to see you!
If you're joining us via Livestream, a video link will be included in the Saturday evening email. Peggy will begin prelude music at 9:50 am and we'll get underway after that, so please join us as you're able.
Two ways you can participate in worship are by (1) sending an email with a “God sighting” you've experienced this week to godsightings@fpcw.orgor (2) sending an email to prayersofthepeople@fpcw.org with any prayer, joy, or concern you have this week. Please send them in by 9 am on Sunday for inclusion in the worship service that morning.
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Fellowship Garden
When you get a chance, check out the Fellowship Garden because it is especially beautiful right now. This past Saturday, Dorothy Ballantyne and Joyce Knauff coordinated a flower planting project and Troop 5 jumped on board to help with the planting. A big thank you to Julie Moran a Troop 5 Scout Coordinator and the 4 Scouts who helped out on Saturday. They worked hard and managed to plant 6 flats of annuals before it rained. The Troop 5 Scouts are awesome!!
From left to right: Olivia Jobs, Declan O'Meara, Liam Salama, and Luke Moran.
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Ice Cream Social
Join us tomorrow, June 23rd, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm for an old-fashioned ice cream social. After VBS we encourage families to bring a picnic dinner for their families. We will supply water, lemonade, and yummy ice cream treats. We hope you'll join us for a fun mid-week outdoor gathering.
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This Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 pm, we're delighted to have John Jacoby as our second speaker. Jacoby is a two-term former Wilmette Village President and longtime resident. For many years, he wrote a weekly column for the Wilmette Beacon on local history and issues. In his time with us, Jacoby will discuss his work researching and writing about housing discrimination in Wilmette and help us think about how to be a more just and inclusive community today. The event will be held over Zoom.
Meeting ID: 826 1227 7876
Passcode: 563065
Call In: 312-626-6799
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Work Trip Informational Barbecue
If you have a child going on the Tower Work Trip this summer, please mark your calendars for the Work Trip Barbecue on Saturday, June 26 at 5:00 pm. There will be handouts and FAQ sheets and a time for Q&A, in addition to a nice summer BBQ! Parents and students are invited.
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Sponsor-A-Student
This summer during the last week of July our high school youth group, Tower, will be traveling to Hazard, KY to build a house for those in need. Please show your support for Tower by sponsoring a student. Sponsorships are $50 and a Tower student will send you a personalized postcard while on the trip!
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Housewares needed:
New Deacon Mercy Ndungu has a niece and family who have just moved here from Kenya. They have acquired an apartment but could use help to furnish it as they get on their feet. Needed gently used: any kitchen items, microwave, small table and chairs, any living room furniture or rug. They have a child around one, so a small dresser as well. Email Mercy at macygathoni@yahoo.com.
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Conversation Groups in July
An important theme that came out of the June 5th Session retreat was a desire to hear what the congregation thinks about this past year's experiences and how each one of us is feeling about church now. What do we want it to be? What should it be?
We are offering Conversation Groups to take place throughout the month of July and are, first, reaching out to existing groups in the Church. If you would like to be in a Conversation Group together, we will schedule it for a day, time, and venue (In-Person at the church or on Zoom) that works for you. Each Conversation Group will last 60 minutes and have a designated facilitator and notetaker. The questions will be sent to everyone in advance and written responses are also welcome.
Open sign-ups will also be available for both in-person and Zoom sessions on weekdays/evenings July 5-31 and in-person-only on Sundays following worship July 12, 19, and 26. For more information contact Pastor Laura Sherwood at lsherwood@fpcw.org.
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Gillson Park Beach Service
This summer we will gather again for our unique worship service along the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. The beach services begin on June 20th (Father's Day) at 8:00 am. Bring a lawn chair, or a blanket, a cup of coffee, and join us for worship.
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Lemonade on the Lawn
Join us Sundays after worship this summer for our much beloved, long-standing tradition of Lemonade on the Lawn. It's been a long time since we've been able to gather in person and this is a wonderful opportunity to check-in, and reconnect with old friends. We're always looking for a volunteer to host one Sunday. Check out the SignUpGenius link and pick a Sunday that works for you.
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Tower Youth Bonfire
Come join the fpcw Tower Youth bonfire nights this summer. We'll gather in the Manse backyard for s'mores, games, and some faith questions just to keep you thinking about God over the summer. If you will be in high school next fall or if you just graduated from high school this year come stop by on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Here's the complete list of dates for the summer: June 30, July 14th, July 21st, August 11th, and August 18th.
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The Livestream Team
Have you ever wanted to be “behind the scenes” running audio or visual equipment? Do you have an ear for sound and an eye for video? You are invited to join the Live Stream Team at FPCW! The requirements are a desire to learn (a commitment of initial training lasting 2-4 weeks, 1-2 hours each week) and commit to at least one Sunday a month to help run the audio or help with the visual aspect of our live stream worship services. You would be part of a team of people who know how to run both the audio and the visual equipment that broadcasts our service on YouTube. There is lots of support and camaraderie amongst the group already.
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Contact Your Church Staff |
Jeff Lehn
Laura Sherwood
Peggy Massello
Lindley Traynor
Sue Sklansky
Scott McElhenie
Madeline Weston
Marvin Behm
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