News @ Fourth Church: October 3, 2019

October 3, 2019

What’s coming up on the church calendar? Quite a variety of things, including—

Tying purple bows outside the Manse on Friday morning, October 4 for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
TED Talks for Parents on Sunday, October 6
A free screening of the film Stateville Calling, about elderly prisoners, an event hosted by the Interfaith Coalition Against Racism on Monday, October 7 as part of the (In)Justice for All Film Series
Books by Women discussing the 1925 Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big by Edna Ferber on Tuesday, October 8
Horizons Women’s Bible Study on Wednesday, October 9
A SoulCollage and Poetry Workshop through the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being on Saturday, October 12

The calendar, which is easily accessible from the home page of our website, also includes direct links to any online registrations (along with an option to make online payment of any registration fees).

Sunday, October 6: World Communion Sunday

8:00 a.m. Communion

Matt Helms preaching

9:30 a.m. Communion

Shannon J. Kershner preaching

11:00 a.m. Communion

Shannon J. Kershner preaching

4:00 p.m. Jazz Communion

Shannon J. Kershner preaching

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday, a day when worshipers around the world gather for the Lord’s Supper. We will celebrate Communion at all four services, and the junior high, Confirmation, and senior high youth will be joining us in worship.

This Sunday, we will also continue our six-week sermon series, “Remembering Our Past, Inspiring Our Future,” with a focus on our public witness. We hope you will join us on this exploration of defining moments in the story of Fourth Presbyterian Church—moments that to this day influence our ongoing commitment to participate in God’s redemptive work and that shape the church we are continuing to become.

If you missed the first sermons in the series last week— “Seek the Welfare of the City”—you can find them online. If you would like to receive the 9:30/11:00 a.m. service in your inbox every week, simply subscribe at www.bit.ly/fpcsermons

More about worship, including bulletins

We will receive a Peacemaking and Global Witness Offering Sunday as part of our observance of World Communion Sunday. The offering will support efforts toward peacemaking through the Presbyterian Church (USA) as well as local efforts to address violence in Chicago through CureViolence.

Also part of World Communion Sunday will be opportunity to learn about our global travel opportunities in 2020: the music mission trip to Cuba in March, a trip to Guatemala in July, and a trip to Colombia in August.

Those considering joining us in visiting our brothers and sisters in Havana are invited to an information session this Sunday, October 6 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 4G. Information about the trips to Guatemala and Colombia will be available during Coffee Hour, with details posted online next week.

Come travel with us!

Traveling in Europe for the next ten days are several Fourth Church members, who are participating in a Reformation trip led by Judy Watt and Lucy Forster-Smith. This Fourth Church adult education opportunity will take them to Prague, Germany, and Geneva, as they follow in the footsteps of Jan Hus, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. Please keep these travelers in your prayers.

Here at home we are kicking off a new adult education class this Sunday, October 6: “Job, Suffering, and the Limits of Pastoral Care” taught by an Academy for Faith and Life favorite, Tom Dozeman.

Join us at 9:30 a.m. in Borwell Dining Room as Tom leads us in exploring questions such as how do God and humans depend on each other, especially during times of suffering? And how might explanations for suffering threaten that relationship?

And save the date for a thought-provoking Michigan Avenue Forum we will be hosting on Tuesday evening, November 5: “How Love for God Asks Us to Embrace Rather than Exclude Each Other”: An Interfaith Conversation with Cardinal Blase Cupich, Rabbi Wendi Geffen, and Eboo Patel.

Also, there are still openings for the men’s small-group faith discussion gathering that will meet weekly for three months beginning on October 18. For details, or to sign up, contact Anne Ellis.

Our 2020 Annual Appeal for Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights is underway, giving us opportunity to celebrate the particular ways in which this faith community is committed to actively participating in God’s re-creating and reconciling work in this world.

“Called to Be a Church Alive,” the theme for our Annual Appeal, is also an invitation to each one of us to join in that work through our financial support.

In the days ahead, please prayerfully consider the investment you will make in your Fourth Church family and its work in 2020 and make a pledge by Sunday, November 3: Commitment Sunday.

More about the 2020 Annual Appeal

To all those who gave gifts to our disaster assistance offering...

...which we received during worship on Sunday, September 22, thank you!

Your generosity will make a difference in the lives of many! We were able to send more than $11,000 to those providing relief for individuals affected by Hurricane Dorian.

To those who took time to complete the Racial Equity Survey...

...we very much appreciate your sharing your thoughts and observations!

The Racial Equity Council will be using the more than 300 responses they received to help shape the recommendations they will make to Session about ways to move toward becoming a fully multicultural, antiracist church.

To those who donated snacks for the September snack drive...

...Fourth Church Meals Ministry is deeply grateful for your contributions!

Thanks to your generosity, we received 5,954 individually packaged items (which will fill five to six weeks of bag lunches!) and $1,365.

Bag Lunches are served each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday throughout the year, so snack donations are appreciated anytime!

At the congregational meeting this past Sunday, an Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC) was elected and charged with identifying and recommending to the congregation a candidate for the newly defined position of Associate Pastor for Evangelism and Community Engagement.

Elected to serve on that committee are Ken Gaines, Elizabeth Hurley, Jared Light, Brian Satre (chair), Linnea Schramm, Kashane Taylor, and Jessica Wang.

We are grateful to them for taking on this role and ask that you hold them in your prayers as they embark on a process of discernment in preparation for bringing a candidate to the congregation.

We are also grateful to the Officer Nominating Committee, which recommended this slate of APNC members. That committee continues to need additional names of members to serve in leadership roles as Elder, Deacon, Trustee, or a member of the Chicago Lights Board or Officer Nominating Committee beginning in 2020.

Please help them prepare a strong slate of officer candidates to present at the Annual Meeting: take a moment by Friday, October 18 to submit your recommendations, either by using the cards in the pew racks, by talking with a committee member during Coffee Hour, or by using this simple online form.

We are kicking off the fifty-fifth year of Tutoring this week!

Once again Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at the church are abuzz with activity as students and tutors gather for a weekly time of learning and mentoring.

To ensure all the students who have signed up for this Chicago Lights program can participate, we still need more volunteers, whether as a weekly tutor or to assist with the program.

Learn more about how to become involved in this life-changing experience!

Are you interested in exploring membership at Fourth Church?

Do you know someone who is?

Next Sunday, October 13 we will begin a two-week Inquirers’ Class during which we will explore faith stories and backgrounds as well as learn more about Fourth Church and how to connect with the community in ways that match your interests and gifts.

The class will meet from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. on Sundays, October 13 and October 20 and will include a light lunch. Come join us!

We could use your help with a variety of service opportunities this autumn!

Book Nook volunteers during 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Coffee Hours
Ushers for the 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday worship services
Greeters for the 4:00 p.m. Jazz at Four Sunday services

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

Coming up next on our weekly Friday Noonday Concert schedule is a performance cosponsored by Musicians Club of Women (MCW), which brings marvelous musicians to our series on the first Friday of each month.

Friday, October 4 at 12:10 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel

Sara Sitzer with Isabella Lippi, cello and violin

Friday, October 11 at 12:10 p.m.

in Buchanan Chapel

Jonathan Zeng, tenor

Friday, October 18 at 12:10 p.m.

in the Sanctuary

Patrick Scott, organ

A complete concert schedule