News @ Fourth Church: June 1, 2019

June 1, 2019

What’s coming up on the church calendar? Among other things—

Men’s Bible Study on Tuesday morning, June 4
Sacred Pause meditation on Tuesday morning, June 4
Benevolent Guild on Wednesday, June 4
Encore—with Cole Seaton and friends presenting Broadway favorites—on Saturday, June 22 to benefit our Center for Life and Learning

The complete calendar is easily accessible from the home page of our website.

Sunday, June 2: Seventh Sunday of Easter

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

Abbi Heimach-Snipes preaching

More about worship, including bulletins

This Sunday, June 2 we will say farewell to Abbi Heimach-Snipes and to Shawn Fiedler.

Abbi, who has been our Pastoral Resident for the past three years, has accepted a call to serve as associate rector at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oak Park, a role she will begin later this month. This Sunday afternoon—her last with us—she will be preaching at the Jazz at Four service, after which we will have a special time of fellowship to thank Abbi and wish her Godspeed in her journey.

Please join us Sunday afternoon in expressing our gratitude to Abbi for her commitment to our TwentiesThirties young adult group, for which she served as as the primary pastoral presence, and for being a key worship team member for the Jazz at Four community.

Earlier in the day, we hope you will stop by the morning Coffee Hours to greet Shawn, who in the coming week will be moving back to Boston, where his partner has accepted a new position.

As Ministerial Associate for Worship, Shawn has been supporting the worship life of Fourth Church since 2017, including being an integral presence at all four Sunday worship services. Please join us in thanking Shawn for all that his ministry among us has meant and wish him Godspeed in the next chapter of his journey.

This weekend our Summer Sunday School for preschool through fifth-grade children begins, with all classes meeting at 9:30 a.m. in Borwell Dining Room. (There will not be an 11:00 a.m. class during the summer; it will resume in the fall.)

Again this summer we are mixing ages and grades together before breaking up into smaller groups for some self-selected activities. We’ll have a short Chapel lesson along with opportunity to continue learning about our Bible story for the morning through choices of crafts, activities, and games.

During the 11:00 a.m. worship hour, when we do not have Sunday School, the Nursery on the first floor of the Gratz Center will be welcoming children up to age five. As always, children are also welcome to join their parents in worship. Special family worship bulletins are available from the ushers.

It’s also not too early to register for our week of Vacation Bible School fun, which this year will take us to ancient Greece with the Apostle Paul on the mornings of August 5–9.

This Sunday we continue our “ Big Questions” sermon series with another question you asked be addressed from the pulpit: “Will we recognize each other in heaven?”

Then next Sunday, June 9—which is Pentecost—we will consider “What’s the deal with the Holy Spirit?”

Come think about big questions with us!

Ten years ago this June we began our weekly Jazz at Four afternoon service. If you’ve not yet had opportunity to experience this unique worship opportunity, why not make a point to join us some summer Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel!

You will find a service whose lifeblood is music—specifically jazz, along with its musical cousins soul and blues, as the primary art form through which we praise God in our worship.

You will also find yourself embraced in an experience that strengthens the feeling of community, imaginatively employs visual and musical arts, deepens forms of prayer, and demonstrates the power of the Communion table to help us experience God’s powerful welcome.

Curious? Come join us in praise and prayer, community and welcome, song and moving music!

A Stonewall celebration lunch, hosted by our LGBTQIA “ Widening the Welcome” Group and marking the fiftieth anniversary of the event that sparked the gay rights movement and international Pride Parades, takes place this Sunday, June 2 at 12:15 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room

On Friday evening, June 7, our Cornerstones group for individuals fifty and over will host a dinner program at 6:00 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room with Rob Koon talking about art in the life of Fourth Church. Registration is required by Wednesday, June 5.

Then on Saturday morning, June 8, Men’s Breakfast will host an 8:00 a.m. breakfast program in Room 4E. This month’s speaker is Robert Jordan, former news anchor and reporter for WGN and author of the new book Murder in the News. RSVP to Anne Ellis.

Those graduating from eighth grade, high school, college, or a graduate or professional program in 2019 are asked to send their names to Rocky Supinger no later than Monday, June 10.

Graduate names received by June 10 will appear in the worship bulletin on June 16, which is Baccalaureate Sunday.

It’s almost time for our annual family drive-in movie night!

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14, families will share a taco meal in Anderson Hall, followed by time for kids to make their own drive-in vehicles out of cardboard boxes and a variety of other decorative materials that we will provide.

Then we’ll transport our vehicles up to the Bumpus Room to enjoy a “drive-in” viewing of Toy Story 3. Come enjoy some family fun!

Friday, June 14

5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Anderson Hall and Bumpus Room

Individually packaged snack items—particularly single servings of granola bars, chips, pretzels, and fruit or applesauce cups—are needed by Fourth Church Meals Ministry for our Bag Lunch program.

Each month we distribute more than 900 lunches as part of our Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday lunch in Anderson Hall, and that translates into a need for lots of snacks to help fill them. So as you’re out grocery shopping in the days ahead or placing orders online, please consider adding to your cart some extra snacks for our lunch guests.

Donations (labeled “Meals Ministry”) can be dropped off on Sundays during Coffee Hour or at the reception desk on weekdays and Saturday, or they can be ordered for delivery to the church.

Information about what snacks are needed.

We currently have need for a variety of volunteers. Do any of these opportunities match your time, talent, or interests? We could use your help!

Silverware wrappers to prepare for Sunday Night Suppers
Cooks and servers for Meals Ministry Sunday Night Suppers
2020 Gala of Hope Committee members to share their talents and connections in support of this annual fundraising event benefiting Chicago Lights and the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being; apply online
Chicago Lights Summer Day volunteers to work with students at the church on summer weekdays; register online for a 90-minute orientation
Greeters for Jazz at Four on Sunday afternoons
Ushers for the 11:00 a.m. services of worship