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Walk by Faith

June 3, 2016 - 7:13pm

Welcome to June!  We will kick off the new month by moving to our summer worship times of 8:30 and 10:00 a.m., beginning this Sunday, June 5.

A very special part of this Sunday's 10:00 service will be the Recognition of graduating high school seniors in our congregation.  We'll celebrate with them this milestone in their life, and bless them as they step into the future.

We'll reflect on the scripture account, in Acts 13:1-3, of Paul and Barnabas being prayed for by their church as they embarked on a new journey, with the message You Are Called.

Spiritual Gifts

May 27, 2016 - 5:38pm

This week as the temperatures rose, we were giving a reminder of what summers in Chicago are really like; a surprising reminder after a cool spring.

With the warmer weather, comes the job of dusting off the winter debris. I want to thank the 20 plus volunteers from DGFUMC who joined in cleaning up a stretch of the St. Joseph Creek as part of the annual DuPage River Sweep last Saturday.

"Shall We Gather at the...St. Joseph Creek?"

May 20, 2016 - 9:02pm

Last Sunday's special service, celebrating and dedicating our new sanctuary stained glass windows, ended with the Chapel and Chancel Choirs singing the powerful anthem, There Is a River in Judea. That anthem lifted our vision to God's ultimate purposes of love and healing for humanity.

So Much to Celebrate

May 13, 2016 - 9:52pm

This Sunday's worship will include a celebration and dedication of the new stained glass windows that have been added to our church sanctuary over the past two years. As we'll be reminded on Sunday, they tell a story of the "Hymns of Praise" that teach and inspire us as a congregation. But they remind us of other stories of our life together, too.

Mother's Day

May 6, 2016 - 8:45pm

This week, I ran across a quote from Abraham Lincoln about his mother's influence:  "I have always remembered my mother's prayers. They have clung to me all my life."

On Mothers' Day, May 8, people across the country will be thinking of their mothers, or the women in their lives who have been, in some way, like a mother to them. In the church, we celebrate every woman on Mothers' Day, thankful for the ways their particular personalities and gifts have influenced us in our lives and faith, and have influenced the world.

Back to the Cross

April 29, 2016 - 8:46pm

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.  - John 10:27-28

These are the words Jesus spoke when the Jews rejected him at the festival of the Dedication. Jesus tells them that those who believe in him will never perish. "No one can snatch you out of my hand." The question becomes, if God is catching us all the time, what are we holding on to? Let's explore this question together at the 8:15 a.m. service this Sunday.

Living Easter!

April 1, 2016 - 8:42pm

Just as I expected, the music from last Sunday's Easter services echoed in my mind throughout the week - reminding me of the gift of Christ's resurrection even in the midst of the more ordinary days of the week.

Easter, of course, is much more than just one day - it is reality that changes how we live the other 364 (or, in the case of 2016, 365) days of the year.

To Throw a Party, or Teach a Lesson?

February 26, 2016 - 5:35pm

This week I am preaching on the Prodigal Son story, or if you are a positive person, it is really a story about the compassionate father and two sons. I uncovered some surprising insights while reading about life in a Palestinian village during the time of Christ that I will share in my sermon.

For insight into life and friendships old and new with music to lift your spirits to a new place, come and join us this Sunday as we bring a bit of Easter into the last week of February.

A Day to Remember

February 19, 2016 - 10:14pm

This Sunday, we'll hear together what happens when Jesus helps to lead worship at a local synagogue.  Not surprisingly, he shakes things up a bit with his different perspective on a standard religious idea - this time on what it really means to "remember the Sabbath."

How do you "remember the Sabbath" in your life? Do you find ways to pause in the midst of your week for an hour, for a day, for a change of pace that allows your spirit to be refreshed, or to make some space to listen for God?

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2016 - 5:04pm

Pastor Greta and Pastor JimThis is the time of year we often focus on fresh starts - perhaps in diet or exercise, perhaps in tackling new projects, or setting new goals. And it can also be a time of "fresh starts" in our spiritual lives.

We will start off 2016 with a "Covenant Renewal Service" on Sunday, January 3 at each of our worship services - 8:15, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m.

The Covenant Renewal Service has been used by Wesleyan-related churches for over 200 years. This traditional service helps us to reflect on the year past, recommit ourselves to God in the year ahead and return to a life of integrity, service and joy in the world. Our scripture for the day is Matthew 2:1-12, the account of the wise men's journey to find Jesus, and Pastor Jim's message will be "Interpretive Understanding."

We hope to see you Sunday - the first Sunday in 2016!

- Pastors Jim and Greta

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Welcome

God, as known to us in Jesus Christ, welcomes all.

We welcome people of any race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, social or economic status, employment status, or life situation; including people with physical or mental illness or disability.

We practice loving acceptance of each person and respectful discussion
Reconciling Ministries Network of our differences.

Affiliated to Reconciling Ministries Network

First United Methodist Church 1032 Maple Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515 - Phone: 630.968.7120 - E-mail: dgfumc@dgfumc.org

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