Messenger - September 22, 2023

We illuminate our community with God’s grace as we lovingly accept, listen to, and serve all in the Spirit of Jesus.

PASTOR'S BLOG

I can't stop thinking about these three women!

Several years ago, Rolland Lang did some research down at the Geneva History Museum about our church and unearthed this photo. It is the earliest photo we have of Methodists in Geneva dating to around 1839, when the first Methodist class started in Geneva with two women and one man.

UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES

SUNDAY SERVICES TAKE PLACE IN-PERSON & ONLINE AT 9:00 AM

Worship Service airs live on our Website , YouTube and Facebook at 9 am.

Go to the Worship Page on our Website to find more information about future services.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle - 1 Corinthians 10:11,7,12-13

Is this one cap or slap? We do pray lead us not into temptation, but does that also mean that God is the cause of suffering? And the Bible and life are full of situations we can’t handle alone? What if we see in the Bible a God who helps us handle all the adversity life will give us? - Join Pastor Rob Hamilton as we explore another common phrase and see if it’s really in the Bible.

Click for this Sunday's Bulletin

EVENTS AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The deadline for submissions for the week's Bulletin Announcements and/or Messenger is every Wednesday at Noon. Please click here for the COMMUNICATIONS submission form -- all requests for communicating an event should be made here, including getting items on the calendar and reserving rooms for your event. This form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. If you cannot use the submission form please send them to communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Lorie and Kimberley.

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING HYBRID TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

The Church Council will be meeting Tuesday, September 26, at 7:00pm in the Parlor. For those who can not attend in person you can use this link to join via Zoom. Check the Document Center for the September agenda.

Do Your Loved Ones Know Your Final Wishes?

Join Pastor Rob on Sunday, October 8th from 10:30am-12pm in the Parlor for an informative, grace-filled workshop that will empower your loved ones to honor your wishes at the end of life and make plans for your pastor-led funeral or memorial service.

We will provide some resources, a planning guide and share with you what to expect upon death of yourself or loved one. The time spent in this workshop will be a gift to loved ones making your final arrangements. Light refreshments will be served. This workshop does not cover arrangements with life insurance, funeral homes, crematories or cemeteries.

Please sign up here so that we may prepare materials accordingly.

Thank you to all the volunteers from UMCG who joined us last Saturday to help us be good stewards of the earth as we cleaned up the Fox River.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

All teenagers from sixth through twelfth grades are invited to a bonfire at the Pepper Valley fire circle (2105 Pepper Valley Dr, Geneva) on the evening of Sunday, October 1 from 6-8pm.

This will be an informal time for the teens in our church to get to know one another and the Director of NextGen Ministries, Greg Coates. S’mores will be provided. Bring your lawn games to share and lawn chairs.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Can you help plan this year's Women's Advent Services?

If you are interested in helping to plan the 2023 Women's Advent Services, please log on to a Zoom call on Sunday, October 1st at 1:30pm.

Pastor Becky Nicol has graciously volunteered to help lead the advent services, which will be on Monday, December 4th at 9:30am and 7:30pm.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 990 114 4828

Passcode: 211

Contact Jenean Larsen if you can not attend or want more information

IN OUR CHURCH

Click here for the Zoom link for Barbie discussion

Meeting ID: 812 5070 4494

Passcode: 020488

SEPTEMBER NEEDS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY FOOD PANTRY ARE:

dry pasta
ramen noodles
cold and hot cereal
shampoo and conditioner
body wash
toothpaste
canned beans (except green)
rice

The Food Pantry Coordinator writes…”Truthfully, we are in need of just about everything. We are serving more and more families and are struggling to keep up with the demand. As always we are very grateful for your continued support.”

CHURCH IN SOCIETY

LAZARUS HOUSE REQUESTING GREATER AMOUNT FOR DINNERS 1ST AND 3RD TUESDAYS

In response to email from Lazarus House, (see below) we are increasing the meals we deliver to Lazarus House from 2 casserole-sized meals to 4 casserole-sized meals the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

Please click here to volunteer. Specific instructions can be found on the sign-up page. Homemade, store-bought, or restaurant meals are all appreciated.
Please email Gwen Powell or call (479) 899-1779 with questions.
Thank you to all who have helped this ministry with meals and prayers. If you would like a tour of Lazarus House, feel free to contact Megan.

_________________________________

Hello,

I hope you are doing well!

Thank you for all your help with meals each month, we couldn’t do all we do at Lazarus House without the help of you, your church and all your parishioners.

I wanted to reach out to let you know at Lazarus House we are growing in the amount of guests we serve, currently we are up to 50 guests.

If you could share that we are looking for more help with meals, lunches, breakfast items, it would be a huge blessing.

Dinners, Lunches, and breakfast items (cereal, milk, juice) Anything extra is wonderful!

If you would like for me to come share information about Lazarus House, our programs and our needs with others, I would be happy to do that. Or if anyone would like to come here for a tour, I would be happy to do that as well!

Feel free to call me with any questions!

Thank you for all you do!

Megan Lopez

Volunteer Coordinator

Lazarus House

214 Walnut Street, St. Charles, IL 60174

630.587.2144

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Pub Theology: Beverages, Conversation, and God

Co-Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, and the United Methodist Church of Geneva!

Join Pastor Rob and others for an open and honest conversation about things that matter, at a table where all perspectives are welcome. We aim to dive deeply into topics involving faith, meaning, identity, culture, politics, and more! Bring your questions and your curiosity and respectfully engage with people of varying religious traditions, philosophical perspectives, and life experiences. A good time to be had by all!

September 28, 2023,

6:30-8:30pm

Sturdy Shelter Brewing

10 Shumway Ave Batavia, IL 60510

RSVP Here

VOLUNTEER TO SERVE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK

UMCG Family,

We are invited to volunteer at the Northern Illinois Food Bank on Thursday, October 12 from 1-3:30 pm. We will be sorting and packing food at the West Suburban Center at 273 Dearborn Court in Geneva.

NOTE: If you haven't already volunteered at the food bank you will need to create an account here. There is a volunteer consent form that people will need to fill out before volunteering.

Online Sign Up and more information.

NEWS FROM THE UMC COMMUNITY

Prairie Central eNews is here.

The NIC weekly eNews is here.

Download the NIC Reporter here.

United Methodist Communications has created a video series The Recap to help us gain a better understanding of what is going on in The United Methodist Church, find inspiration in stories of ministry, and learn how our denomination is transforming the world.

Find All of the Episodes Here

ACCESS THE UMCG DOCUMENT CENTER

UMCG has a hidden page on the website for our church family to access called the Document Center. This includes our committee roster, communications submission forms and in the future, our committee agendas, reports and minutes.

U n ited Methodist Church Of Geneva

211 Hamilton Street

Geneva, IL 60134

Phone: (630) 232-7120

genevaumc.org

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