"The Best Worst Buffet"
What’s the
best spread of food you can imagine? Would it include filet mignon or
scallops or grilled vegetables? How about bats, lizards, snakes, toads, or
vultures?
As odd (or
possibly even as unappetizing) as those may sound, as we continue our
sermon series on the Acts of the Apostles, bats, lizards, snakes, toads, and vultures were on
the menu for Peter in Chapter 10.
Why?
Was this seriously strange smorgasbord merely some sort of fever dream born
of Peter’s hunger?
Or was God’s Spirit of Wisdom revealing a deeper a truth to Peter?
Fortunately,
we don’t have to wonder about that.
The text goes
on to have Peter answer that for us: “It is clear to me now…that God
accepts every person whatever his or her culture or ethnic background.” In
other words, this story is not about food — it is about people. People whom
the church has rejected.
To wrestle
with this text requires asking ourselves:
• Who are those we, the church, have deemed outsiders or Other?
• What categories are we using to judge and forbid people?
• Who are we excluding from the family of God?
• How do we change?
Pastor Dave
will tackle these questions and more this Sunday, May 6 in his sermon “The
Best Worst Buffet.”
WUMC gathers
for worship at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings. All are welcome!
WUMC gathering
for worship on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!
Woodridge UMC
is an open and loving United Methodist community striving
to:
Welcoming
to all;
Uniting in service toward greater social justice for all;
Moving forward with understanding and acceptance of all
peoples;
Creating disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation
of the world.
Our purpose is
to offer a safe place and community to all races, cultures, religions,
genders, sexual identities, ethnicities, age groups and other
beliefs.
upcoming
events
Sunday, May
6th
- Worship Services at 9:00 & 10:30 am
- Filipino Baptist at 3:30 pm
- A.A. Meeting at 7:00 pm
- Cub Scout Leader Meeting at 7:00 pm
Monday,
May 7th
- Girl Scouts at 6:00 pm
- Staff Parish Meeting at 7:00 pm
Tuesday,
May 8th
- Bible Study at 10:30 am
- Preschool Board Meeting at 7:00 pm
Wednesday,
May 9th
- WNL at 6:00 pm
- Bible Study at 6:30 pm
- Cub Scouts at 6:30 pm
Thursday,
May 10th
- Yoga at 6:30 pm
- Irshad at 7:00 pm
- Boy Scout Meeting at 7:30 pm
Saturday,
May 12th
- Sorority Workshop at 9:00
am
Sunday, May
6th
- Irshad at 8:00
am
- Worship Services at 9:00 & 10:30 am
- Choir Rehearsal at 11:45 am
- Filipino Baptist at 3:30 pm
- A.A. Meeting at 7:00 pm
Recognizing
Graduates Sunday, May 13th.
Did you
graduate from high school, college, or beyond this year? Please let the
office know so we can include you in our celebration on Sunday, May
13th.
Summer Worship
Schedule 2018
For June
3rd through September 30th, we will have one single
worship service at 10 am. The regular two service schedule
will return in October.
SOMETHING NEW –
MEETING SCHEDULE
In an effort
to allow more people to be involved, to provide greater coordination of
efforts and not be inundated with meetings, we have streamlined our meeting
schedule for some of the church’s organizations. Many of the groups
are meeting approximately once per quarter with a few exceptions.
Here is the schedule for the next few months:
MAY:
Saturday, May 19th – 9:00 a.m. ---
Education Committee / Fellowship Committee / Youth Council
JUNE:
Saturday, June 23rd – 9:00 a.m. – Ad Council/Vision
Team
JOIN US FOR
YOGA on Thursdays at 6:30 pm
Please wear
comfortable clothing that ensures privacy while allowing mobility. Bring a
mat or a large towel. Cost is $5 per person. If you are attending for the
first time, please arrive a few minutes early to sign a health waiver and
meet the instructor. Any questions, please contact Carrie Santucci at
630-532-7741 or via email.
Spring Bible
Study
This spring,
we explore another book by Adam Hamilton entitled UNAFRAID: LIVING WITH
COURAGE AND HOPE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES. Drawing on
recent research, inspiring real-life examples, and fresh biblical insight,
Hamilton shows how to untangle the knots we feel about disappointing
others, failure, financial insecurity, loneliness, insignificance, and
aging. Then he helps readers understand and counter fears related to such
outsize perils as terrorism, death, and the apocalypse. Writing with
generosity and intelligence, Hamilton shows how believer and unbeliever
alike can develop sustaining spiritual practices and embrace Jesus’ recurring
counsel: "Do not be afraid." For anyone struggling with fear or
wondering how families and communities can thrive in troubled times,
Unafraid offers an informed and inspiring message full of practical
solutions. Join us on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. or on Wednesdays
at 6:30 (dinner with the youth with class at 7). There is a
sign-up sheet in the narthex.
First Friday
Lunch
The next First
Friday Lunch is on May 4th at noon. Join us for a relaxing
hour of smiles and conversation. Just bring your lunch and if you wish, a
dish to share. Everyone is welcome!
Filipino Egg
Roll Sale
Yes! They’re
Back!! Everyone’s Favorites! Fresh Hot Filipino Egg Rolls!!
On Sunday,
May 6th, we will be having a Filipino egg roll sale between
services to benefit the Trustees Wish List. Satisfy you egg roll cravings
AND help out your church!
Volunteer at
the Woodridge Rotary Club Recycling Extravaganza
We will be
volunteering for two hour shifts at the Woodridge Rotary Recycling
Extravaganza Saturday morning May 12 at Cyprus Cove. You
can volunteer between 7:45-10:00 or 10:00 to 12:15. They
will need volunteers to direct traffic, hand out flyers and help with
collections. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign the
sheet in the Narthex or contact Debbie Wordinger at 331.645.7779. For a
list of recyclable materials click here. For more information about the
event visit the website.
Prince of Peace
Garage Sale
The Annual
Prince of Peace Garage Sale is May 17th through May 19th.
Hours are 9 am to 2 pm Thursday and Friday and 9 am to noon on
Saturday. All are welcome!
Life Line Screening
Life Line
Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health
screenings will be in our community on Monday, May 21, 2018 at
Woodridge United Methodist Church. Ultrasound screenings to Identify risk
factors for Cardiovascular disease include; Carotid Artery
(plaque buildup-a leading cause of stroke), Abdominal Aortic
Aneurysm (an enlargement or weak area in the main blood vessel
that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body),
Peripheral Arterial Disease (hardening of the arteries in the
legs), a Heart Rhythm Screening (an EKG to detect Atrial
Fibrillation-irregular heartbeat) and an Osteoporosis Risk
Assessment for men and women. Being proactive about your health by
knowing your risks helps you and your doctor address problems early.
Register
online TODAY at www.lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle
and receive your "Community Circle" discount and your Preferred
Appointment!
2018 Northern
Illinois Annual Conference
The 179th
Northern Illinois Annual Conference will be held June 3-5 at Pheasant Run
Resort in St. Charles, IL. The theme is "Navigating Uncharted
Waters" with a focus on Romans 5:3b-4: "trouble produces
endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces
hope."
● The
cost is $95. Registration closes May 20. Onsite registration costs
$130. To find the registration link and all AC info visit www.umcnic.org/AC2018.
● The Memorial
Service will be held on Tuesday, June 5 at 10:30 am. Please submit
names and photos of Lay Members to Annual Conference who have died since
June 2017 to Megan Casey at mcasey@umcnic.org.
Families, friends, and congregations are invited to attend the service.
● Volunteers needed.
If you are interested in ushering, greeting or volunteering during
plenaries and worship services, please email Alka Lyall at pastoralkalyall@gmail.com.
United
Methodist Women Mission U
Mission U is
an opportunity to study current issues impacting society based on
current mission study topics with particular attention to the
responsibilities of women in fulfilling the mission work of the church.
Participants grow in understanding the mission of the church in the current
world context; conference events are open to members and non-members of
United Methodist Women. In the Aurora district Summer mission U runs
from July 12 -July 15 (Pastor Danita is a speaker) and the
One Day Event is on July 21. Everyone is welcome:
women, men, children and youth! See the bulletin board in the narthex for more
details.
Wanted:
Coordinator for WUMC’s participation in PADS (Public Action to Deliver
Shelter)
In order for
our church to continue to participate at PADS a WUMC PADS coordinator is
needed. That person acts as the liaison between DuPage PADS and First
United Methodist Church in Downers Grove where we serve. Other tasks
include recruiting volunteers each fall to donate food and to volunteer at
PADS on the nights we act as host, maintain and post the volunteers lists,
send out reminder emails and bulletin articles each time it is our time to
serve. For more information please contact Debbie Wordinger 331 645-7779.
Inquiring about the position doesn’t mean you are on the hook for it! But
if you are considering if this is a job you can do, give Debbie a call.
Volunteer at
Rib Fest
The Exchange
Club of Naperville is in need of volunteers for this year's
Ribfest event to be held Wednesday, July 4th through Saturday, July 7th in
Knoch Park in Naperville.
Since the
start of Ribfest over twenty years ago, the Exchange Club of Naperville has
raised over 16 million dollars, which has been given back to
Naperville and surrounding communities to aid in the prevention of
child abuse and domestic violence. CASA of DuPage receives a significant
amount from the Exchange Club of Naperville each year, in part due to our
ability to organize volunteer help for the event each
year.
If you can
help out, you can sign up online at here.
Please be sure to specify "CASA" as the agency you are
signing up on behalf of, and let Beth Stremel (beths@dupagecasa.org)
know which shift you will be working.
Bishops Appeal for Annual Conference
Today, more
than 65 million people have been displaced by war, persecution, famine, or
natural disaster - in the highest number since WWII. By the end of this
day, over 28,000 more people will begin their own difficult and treacherous
journeys in search of safe haven.
In 2018, we,
who make up the Northern Illinois Conference, have a unique opportunity to
combine our resources to care for some of the families affected by the
Global Migration Crisis. Bishop Sally Dyck invites us to do some local
fundraising, to learn about the plight of migrants locally and globally, to
consider having a Global Migration Sunday and to bring a special offering
to Annual Conference in June as our 2018 Bishop’s Appeal for the
denomination’s Global Migration Advance (#3022144).
Offerings
brought to the 2018 Annual Conference will be sent to help families
affected by the Global Migration Crisis. 75% will go to the Global
Migration Advance for international assistance to refugees and migrants.
25% will stay in Northern Illinois to support organizations like Refugee
One and World Relief that work with local immigrant and refugee families.
For more information contact Rev. Jonathan Crail jcrail@firstumc.net or Rhodalyne
Crail at rgallocrail@gmail.com.
2018 Annual
Conference Mission Challenge
This year's
Mission Challenge is to provide Cleaning Kit items to the Midwest Mission
Distribution Center (MMDC). MMDC provides disaster relief kits
and resources as well as educational and medical supplies to those in need
locally and internationally. It is related to the North Central
Jurisdiction and is a cooperating depot in the UMCOR Relief Supply Network.
The 6 districts in our Conference are challenged to bring
different items that when combined will make complete Cleaning Kits.
To meet the challenge, the Outreach Committee is asking for donations of
these items:
● 5
Gallon Buckets with re-sealable lid
● Scrub brushes (no long
handle)
● Pairs of work gloves
(cotton with leather palm or all leather)
The last day
for collection is Sunday, June 3rd. That will be the day when our lay
leaders will be taking our donations to conference. The Conference
goal is to build 300 Cleaning Kits. Please participate to give any or all
of these items to help meet the Mission Challenge.
Needs From Our
Sister Church
Trinity United
Methodist Church in Joliet is our designated "Sister" Church.
This provides an opportunity for our Church to live into the Gospel by
extending its care and support in Community outside the walls of our
building. Trinity provides care and support to a very economically
disadvantaged area of Joliet.
Recently,
Pastor Leona of Trinity expressed a need for help in other ways. We are
asking for your help with the following:
·
DONATE CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY CHILDREN’S LIBRARY –
Primarily English, but some Spanish: (box in Narthex)
Note: The local library is geographically not accessible for
most local residents, and the schools are, of course, closed during the
summer months.
·
BICYCLES FOR VETERANS –Veterans and their families are in need of bicycles for
transportation to get to grocery stores. New/rehabbed housing facilities
for veterans have been developed on the site of the old Silver Cross
Medical Facility, but places to purchase food are NOT nearby. DONATE
USED BIKES; BRING THEM TO WUMC AND PLACE THEM NEAR THE CLOTHING DONATIONS
BOXES IN THE HALLWAY.
·
VOLUNTEER FOR THE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR
PRE-SCHOOL/ELEMENTARY CHILDREN: Trinity offers
this program 2 days per week from 9 am to noon, from the 3rd week of June
through the end of July. You do not have to have an education degree or
speak Spanish---All that is required is a caring heart. Sign p to help on
the sheet near the children’s book donation box. This would be a great
opportunity for youth needing to beef up their academic resumes through
community service or a great summer activity for children and their
parents.
For more
information, call the church office or Pat DelRosso of our Outreach/Mission
Committee.
Prayer Chain
and Prayer Request Cards
Our prayer
chain is a group of caring people who believe in the power of prayer. We
are dedicated to praying for your concerns and joys. Prayer requests will
be shared with the church’s prayer chain, honoring your confidentiality. If
you are interested in being a part of the church’s prayer chain ministry,
please contact our coordinator, Sharon Place (630) 852-4172 or trngplaces@aol.com.
If you are
seeking prayer and in the church building, we invite you to fill out a
prayer request card from the pew or from an usher, return it to the usher moving
through the sanctuary during the first hymn or place it in the brass prayer
request box located near the coffee in the narthex.
If you are not
in the church building, please contact the prayer chain coordinator, Sharon
Place (630) 852-4172 (trngplaces@aol.com)
or one of the Pastors through the Church Office (office@woodridgeumc.org). We will
list persons with prayer concerns in the expanded bulletin.
Amazon Smile
Amazon
will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Woodridge
United Methodist Church whenever you shop on
AmazonSmile.
AmazonSmile is
the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
Support WUMC by starting your shopping here.
PRISON CLOTHING
MINISTRY
Our Outreach
Committee is pleased to announce that we are now able to partner with
other participating area churches in the Suits for Success Program.
This non-profit, volunteer organization which was founded by Bill Denwood
of Community Methodist Church in Naperville provides, at no charge, gently
used clothes to parolees throughout the State of Illinois that are suitable
for interviews with prospective employers. Prior to this time,
WUMC’s donations served only the Logan Correctional Facility in Lincoln,
Illinois.
The Suits for
Success Program also partners with area dry-cleaners which serve as
drop-off points and clean and press the clothes for free. The
participating dry cleaner closest to us is Signature Cleaners, Steve
Hirmer, Owner, on Werhli in Naperville. You may drop off your
donations directly with Steve or bring them to WUMC and place in the boxes
in the hallway which leads from the Narthex to Fellowship Hall.
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR DONATIONS!!!!
“Spice Up” Your
Neighbors’ Lives
Donate to the West Suburban Food Pantry
Woodridge
United Methodist Church (WUMC), our Church, partners with the West Suburban
Food Pantry (“Pantry”) in providing food for the economically-disadvantaged
of our community. A basket sits near the entrance to our sanctuary to
accept your food donations; and we graciously accept financial
contributions, at any time.
This Month the
Pantry is in need of items that will assist recipients in enhancing the
preparation of their meals:
· -Spices
used in cooking and baking, such as, baking powder and baking soda, salt,
pepper, garlic salt, dried basil, dill, onion, or “parsley, sage, rosemary
and thyme”, etc.;
· -Sugar,
flour, corn meal;
·- Oils(Olive
and other cooking/baking oils);
·- Vinegar
and marinades and sauces, i.e. barbecue, marinara, chipolte, soy sauce,
etc.
·- Other
condiments, i.e. ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, steak sauce, hot sauce,
etc.
Our Neighbors
include those who rely on our food pantry for sustenance and
nutrition. So, “Spice Up” your neighbors’ lives by donating
generously. Thank You!
Looking
Ahead
May 13th - High School Senior Recognition at both services
May
19th - All Church Outdoor Work Day at 9 am
Connect
Learn ways you can get involved at Woodridge UMC!
Sign up for our newsletter and email notifications
Find out about
upcoming events in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist
Church
Every Sunday
is "Selfie Sunday" at Woodridge UMC! Send your pictures of
worship, fellowship, and events to communications@woodridgeumc.org. And
don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram,
and Twitter!
Our Mission:
Welcoming
to all;
United in service toward greater social justice for all;
Moving forward with understanding and acceptance of all
peoples;
Creating disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation
of the world.
Our purpose is
to offer a safe place and community to all races, cultures, religions,
genders, sexual identities, ethnicities, age groups and other
beliefs.
May
4th, 2018, Volume 9, Edition 18