If you know someone who would like to receive updates from us but currently is not, please encourage them to add their email address to our distribution list by signing up at
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After a break last week for Good Friday, our online Friday Noonday Concerts resume today.
Our April 17 program will be a livestreamed concert by Carlisle Wagner Sherer singing Broadway songs from the Sherer family living room. She will be accompanied by her father and our organist, John Sherer. Join us for a fun musical break this noon!
Friday, April 17
12:10 p.m.
Carlisle Wagner Sherer
(where you can also click on “Videos” to view our previous online concerts)
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Second Sunday of Easter, April 19
11:00 a.m. online
Rocky Supinger preaching
Our offering and continued pledge fulfillment in this season supports the ongoing work of our being church, as we continue to serve those in need and to pay our staff, whether they are able to work remotely or not. Our offering will be
received online
or
via Venmo (@Fourth-Church). Checks made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church can also be
sent via mail to Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, IL 606011.2014.
If the 11:00 time does not fit your schedule, the service will be available for viewing throughout the week.
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Your pastors, Fourth Church staff, and this faith community walk alongside you in these disrupted days. We are a connectional community committed to living out our care for one another and remaining together while apart, so we very much we want to hear from you!
Our pastors, Deacons, Stephen Ministers, and other volunteers are available to connect with you by phone and email.
Please let us know—
- if you have a prayer request. Dave Handley, our Interim Minister for Pastoral Care, is receiving these as part of our Morning Prayer and Deacon Prayer Ministries.
- if you would like to join us via Zoom for Morning Prayers on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m., to pray for those in need, please contact Carol Allerton for the Zoom information.
- if you are a medical professional, please let our Pastoral Care Office know who you are so we can reach out and care for you as well in what we know are are difficult days for you.
- if you are—or someone you know is—in self-quarantine or feeling isolated, lonely, anxious, or sick, please contact our Pastoral Care Office so that we can reach out to you.
- 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 be in phone contact with a Stephen Minister, please leave a confidential message at 312.573.3365 or contact Dave Handley.
- if you are available to reach out via phone or email to those in our community who might be feeling isolated or lonely, our Pastoral Care Office is collecting names of those willing to help in this way.
- if you can help sew face masks for health care workers and other providers of essential services, please contact Nanette Sawyer.
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As the world around us changes in uncertain ways, meditation can connect us to a deep stillness and source of calm. In meditation we focus on our breath, that unchanging and essential connection to life, and are drawn into a peace that quiets and strengthens us
Whether you have a meditation practice or not, we invite you to experience the power of meditation by participating in a
virtual Sacred Pause.
Each Tuesday and Saturday morning, Tom Schemper, Director of the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being, guides the meditation. It begins with a short instruction and reflection followed by time for silent meditation and closing words.
Tuesday mornings
7:45–8:15 a.m.
with 20 minutes of meditation
Saturday mornings
8:30–8:50 a.m.
with 10 minutes of meditation
Adapting to and enduring the changes we are all facing in this time of pandemic summons us to access our inner strength, hope, patience, and generosity of spirit. This requires maintaining our psychological flexibility and emotional well-being, not only for ourselves but for the benefit of the community around us. Our Replogle Center for Health and Well-Being is also here to help us with that.
The therapists at the Replogle Center are available to offer support by the use of
teletherapy. In a teletherapy session therapists and clients meet face-to-face via the computer, a tablet, or smartphone. As in all therapy, these sessions are strictly confidential.
To schedule an appointment with a therapist or to learn more about how teletherapy can work for you, please call the Center at 312.787.2729, ext 2260.
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In this time of social distancing and our closed campus, we remain firmly committed to caring for the most vulnerable among us.
Fourth Church Meals Ministry is continuing to serve those in our community who are hungry. Staff and volunteers are outside in the Cloister handing out “to go” lunches on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and “to go” meals for Sunday Night Supper. They are also handing out “to go” meals for Monday Night Supper at Catholic Charities. This enables us to distribute meals while also limiting lines and in-person gatherings.
How can you help? You will find online
lists of items we particularly need as we continue to feed our neighbors. These can be ordered and shipped directly to the church. You will also find, along with the list, information about making a financial gift to support this ministry for those in need.
The
Chicago Lights Social Service Center is also continuing to offer “curbside” emergency services on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Wednesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. These services include essential emergency clothing, hygiene items, and pre-assembled bags of food for those who have scheduled Food Pantry appointments
How can you help? While we cannot receive individual donations of canned goods, clothing, or hygiene items direct from households, you can order and have shipped to the church the items on our
emergency distribution list. In this cooler weather
particularly needed are the sweatshirts and pants on the list.
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Did you read the
Chicago Tribune
commentary “A Challenge for Preachers: Connecting with Congregations during the COVID-19 Crisis,” cowritten by Shannon Kershner and Rabbi Seth Limmer, which we shared on Facebook and Twitter?
Or see the
two CBS Chicago segments—one from Holy Saturday and one from Easter Sunday—showing the Fourth Church campus and including interviews with Shannon, also shared on our page on Facebook?
Or our
photos of Holy Week and Easter posted on Instagram?
For these and ongoing glimpses into what we’re up to, be sure to follow us on
Instagram and
Facebook!
As you engage with us via these platforms, please know that
you are what makes our social media social! Your liking, commenting, sharing, and inviting is what connects us with others, expanding our reach and increasing our visibility. That in turn is how we together spread the word about what is going on at Fourth Church and Chicago Lights, build community, and extend hospitality and care, even while apart!
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Families, are you looking for something to do this Sunday? Why not have your own Sunday School at home!
In addition to the Sunday School lessons and crafts that Pastor Matt has available online, there is also a resource for parents: an archive of our past
TED Talks for Parents discussion guides, with links to those talks.
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This Friday evening, April 17 youth families will gather via Zoom for Family Trivia Night hosted by Fourth Church’s very own receptionist, Stew!
Youth Ministry also continues to host online weekly Junior High Family Gatherings, Senior High Gatherings, and “Suddenly-Home-from-College” Gatherings.
For information about participating in these online gatherings, contact
Katie Patterson.
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Death
We give thanks to God for the gift of life eternal.
Hugh Halverstadt
Died April 14, 2020
Thomas H. Miner
Died April 11, 2020
Richard C. Moenning
Died March 30, 2020
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