On Friday May 17th and Sunday May 19th, First UMC will join United Methodist Churches all over the country in spending a weekend in service to our community.  In the spirit of Hopefest 2011, we have several opportunities to make a hometown impact and CHANGE THE WORLD!

Church Food Drive

We are hosting a HUGE food drive!  Donation bags will be provided at church beginning on Sunday May 5 when our sermon series on Ministries continues, highlighting our Outreach work area. All are encouraged to take bags around your neighborhood, inviting your friends and neighbors to help meet this need.  All food should be brought to First UMC by Sunday, May 19. Donations will be given to Maine Township and New Hope pantries, where we will make a difference by feeding the hungry!

Greater Chicago Food Depository

Friday, May 17 / 9 a.m. to Noon

Take a field trip to the GCFF to see this amazing facility! We will spend three hours helping to feed Chicago’s hungry by repacking, sorting, and assembling food products.  Sign up at Grant Place or contact Lorie Bartel at 847-370-4455.  Please reserve a spot by May 10.

LifeSource Blood Drive

Sunday, May 19 /  8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It only takes a few minutes to help save a life! LifeSource will again be in Jorgeson Hall, welcoming all, including walk-ins. Want to reserve a time? Sign up online here.

Health/Hygiene Kits for Missions

Our goal: 40 Hand Towels from First UMC

Our Northern Illinois Conference is taking the challenge to assemble 1,000 Health/Hygiene Kits to bring healing to those experiencing natural disasters. Each District has been asked to bring specific items. The Chicago NW District churches are collecting 500 hand towels. Only new towels, please, and towels must measure approx 16” x 28”. No fingertip, kitchen, or bath towels.   Bring your donation to church by Sunday, May19, and help meet FUMC’s 40 towel goal. The kits will be assembled by volunteers attending our Annual Conference.  (Our representatives this year are Alice Crawford and Andrea Thomas.)

Notes for soldiers 

Write your own note at home or visit our table during coffee hour on May 19 to jot down a note of appreciation and encouragement to wounded soldiers. Jinny DeAcetis volunteers at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, and she will deliver our notes.

Our weekend will make a big impact on many lives… including our own!  Let’s work together and provide food, blood and care as God continues to use us here and around the world!

Sunday, April 21  1 – 4 pm Jorgeson Hall and outside
It’s an Open House reception to honor our very own Abigail Mendoza who is a 5 year cancer survivor! Join us for cake, punch, DJ, karaoke and a Jumping Balloon (weather permitting).
Abigail is 9 years old now and she has a vision to help other children! Her goal is to raise $5555.55 for the American Childhood Cancer Organization and you can help! Donate by writing a check to “American Childhood Cancer Organization” and leaving it at the church office; or give online at www.acco.org and designate Abigail Mendoza.

The recent torrential rain and flooding in our area has caused the re-scheduling of our first Axehead Lake clean-up. It will now take place on Saturday, May 11 from 1pm to 4pm.

Our Evergreen ministry has launched the initiative to clean up Axehead Lake eight times per year in partnership with the Cook County Forest Preserve.  Supplies such as trash bags will be provided.  Bring your own gloves if you need them.  This lake is located by Chippewa Woods with parking south off of Touhy and east off of River Road, and includes a lovely picnic area. It’s a favorite dog walking and fishing spot for many locals.  Directions: from church, take Touhy west towards I-294.  Pass Dee and pass Talcott and turn left into the parking lot.  (If you go under 294, you’ve gone too far.)  This project will earn the church a sign giving us credit for the adoption.

Saturday, April 13 • 12 Noon In Jorgeson Hall

The Rise And Fall of Ladies’ Underwear

Presented by Ellie Carlson • LADIES ONLY!

Tickets are $20. Proceeds to benefit local missions.

This entertaining cultural history is a novel and sometimes naughty peek at women’s fashions, and will unveil some myths about women’s unmentionables!

Experiment, Experiment, Experiment!

The last time I wrote this article Donna and I were preparing to spend some time with her Mom in Sarasota, Florida in early January.  I got things off on the wrong foot by giving you her wrong age so I was informed early on in our visit that Marge is 92, not 91. (Mom, you are amazing!)  I also told you we were looking forward to some shore fishing.

Well, here’s an update on our fishing off Big Pass.  Right off the bat we were told by the bait store that we wouldn’t catch any pilchards (bait fish) using our throw net; live shrimp was the way to go.  After hardly catching a thing on shrimp we decided to throw the net and lo and behold, we caught pilchards!  Not as many as we had caught this past  summer,  but pilchards nonetheless.  And using them, we started catching fish!

Fact # 1: Don’t believe everything you hear, especially from the owners of the bait store who have only shrimp to sell.

Changing weather conditions—from summer to winter—meant different species of fish (e.g., blue fish) and hence the need to experi-ment.  An experienced angler at a tackle store suggested I try a particular white jig and a special orange crank bait. And voila!  It worked!

Fact # 2:  Listen to what the experts have to say.  At times they are right.

Fact # 3:  Experiment, experiment, experiment!

So…what in the world does this have to do with church?  A lot actually.  Several Saturdays ago I attended the conference Laity Convocation to listen to what our new bishop, Sally Dyck, had to say about the role of pastoral leadership in vital, growing congregations.  One thing particularly stuck out to me.  She said she wants to promote “a culture of experi-mentation” in the Northern Illinois Conference.  Take risks.  Try new things at church and in the community.  Expect some failures, but for God’s sake (literally), experiment, experiment, experiment. And if you’re not failing, you’re not taking enough risks.  You’re not trying enough new things.

Remember Sue Laurie’s great sermon on Love Sunday early in February?  About Jesus telling the disciples to get out of the shallow water and in over their heads and try something new…like fishing during the day?  Remember how that story ends?  The disciples caught so much fish their nets were breaking.  Fact is, that didn’t happen until they were willing to get out of their comfort zones and in over their heads and try something new.  Let’s follow their example, and our bishop’s good advice and experiment!

Pastor Rich