Faith in Action

The Giving Tree

November 26, 2019 - 4:18pm

This holiday season we are again partnering with several organizations to provide gifts for those in need! Stop by the parlor when you are at church and choose a "giving ornament" from the tree!

You can choose to:

  • purchase gifts for PADS families who stay at DGFUMC. These gifts will be collected throughout December.
  • pick up a "giving ornament" for a $25 Jewel gift card for those served by United Church of Rogers Park this year. You can visit the Purchase with a Purpose table in the parlor on Sundays to buy Jewel gift cards (due by December 15).

Thank you for giving generously!

All Church Community Hour - Creating Blessing Bags

This summer, we're offering a monthly All-Church  Community Hour after the 10:00 a.m. service to provide new ways for our congregation members to gather in community.

This Sunday, we will make Blessing Bags for the homeless and learn about how our church provides shelter for homeless individuals in our community by hosting PADS once a week. You will be able to sign up to volunteer too!

Join us in the parlor and, together, everyone will make up ziplock bags full of items for homeless individuals. The idea is to keep a ziplock bag in your car so that you can hand it out when you see someone in need.

Date: 
Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 11:15am

PADS Giving Tree

November 30, 2018 - 7:57pm

The PADS Giving Tree is now up in the Parlor. Gifts for PADS families will be collected throughout December. Pick a tag from the tree, buy the gift, and return the unwrapped gift back under the tree to help make a PADS client warm and cozy this holiday season.

Gifts will be collected throughout December. 

United Church of Rogers Park

United Church of Rogers ParkThe United Church of Rogers Park (UCRP)  has been our Sister Church for several years. Helping with the Summer Camp for neighborhood children has been a week-long mission of the DGFUMC junior high youth for more than 10 years. The Missions, Justice and Community work area has provided financial support to UCRP through the Rainbow Covenant and other financial donations.

One of the benefits of being United Methodist is the way we work together to be in mission all around the world. The first, foundation level of mission outreach is through the “apportionment” giving that is a part of our regular church budget. The second, “extra” level of mission giving is through the “Rainbow Covenant” which allows us as a congregation to select specific ministries and mission projects for our congregation’s support. The Rainbow white band is for a Sister Church of our choosing, which is UCRP.  

In the summer, our youth group went to UCRP to assist with Summer Camp. Adult members of DGFUMC can also be of service to UCRP. Always, our sister church needs financial contributions to help with overdue building repairs and to support its extensive community outreach programs. Watch DGFUMC communications for specific dates and times as opportunities to help at UCRP are announced. Here are some projects our church members have completed in recent years: 

Care Packages for the Homeless

Join us as we make care packages for the homeless on Wednesday, March 23rd, in the gym. Pizza will be served at 6:00 p.m. and bag assembly will begin at 6:30 p.m. All ages welcome! No cost! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to impact the lives of homeless individuals in our community. The bags contain personal hygiene and nonperishable food items. They may be kept in cars and handed to people at intersections.

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 - 6:00pm

Care Packages for the Homeless

Unsure how to help when you see homeless individuals at traffic lights or at the train station? On May 21, our congregation will be making homeless care packages that may be kept in cars and handed to people at intersections. Pizza will be served as we enjoy a time of fellowship in the Gym, starting at 6pm, and assemble Ziploc bags full of helpful items.

During May we will collect the following items in the church parlor:

  • Care PackageGallon size Ziplock storage bags
  • Socks (Men and women)
  • Rain Poncho
  • Chapstick
  • Comb
  • Individual Kleenex packets
  • Non-perishable foods such as Tuna Salad with pop-tops
  • Fruit cup or applesauce snack
  • Crackers with peanut butter or cheese
  • Granola or cereal bar
  • Juice boxes

Look for the Homeless Care Kit collection box at the UMW table in the parlor.

Please register below so we know how many supplies are needed. If you need any more information, contact: Ina Osborn

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 6:00pm

Helping Kids in Our Community

January 11, 2014 - 1:50pm

healthy snacksAccording to recent data, nearly nine percent of children in DuPage County are living in poverty. The figures are alarming, but you can help. The Missions Work Area is coordinating with Downers Grove elementary school social workers to support school-age children. Stop by the Purchase with a Purpose table in the Parlor during January to donate money for the purchase of gift cards for social workers to use to obtain healthy snacks and to assist children with specific needs. Every dollar directly benefits children in Downers Grove.

DuPage United

DuPage UnitedDuPage United, founded in 2003, is an inclusive, non-profit, non-partisan organization whose members are civil society institutions: churches, mosques, synagogues, non-profit agencies, and associations. They have come together to form public relationships and to act together to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities. DuPage United engages in democratic action in the public arena.

A group of clergy and lay leaders founded the organization in order to build the capacity to sit at the table with decision-makers to change systems and structures that were unjust. DGFUMC is a member of DuPage United.  For more information, please contact Rachel Brooks (703-955-6401).

Sharing Connections

Sharing ConnectionsSharing Connections Furniture Bank provides donated furniture and household items to low-income families, most of whom are coping with crisis like domestic violence, job loss, or financial hardship and include the previously homeless, unemployed and working poor, veterans, victims of domestic violence, immigrants, individuals with mental or physical disabilities, victims of fire, flood and natural disasters, etc. Clients have housing, but are faced with the harsh reality that their “home” is empty or severely under-furnished. The goal of the organization is “tonight, everyone eats at a table and sleeps in a bed.”  The average salary of a client family of four is approximately $12,400 a year. After basic expenses are paid, there’s little if anything left for the common household furnishings most take for granted. 

For more information, call 630-971-0565 or visit the Sharing Connections website.

Literacy DuPage

Literacy DuPageLiteracy DuPage serves over 30 communities in DuPage County by providing accessible and customized tutoring in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English to help adults achieve independence. Trained volunteer tutors provide customized, learner-centered English language instruction in one-on-one or small group settings at a mutually convenient time and location for both tutors and students.  For further information, call 630-416-6699, send an e-mail to info@literacydupage.org or visit the website at www.literacydupage.org.  You can complete the 'Contact Us' form on the website.

Pages

Subscribe to Faith in Action

Facebook Twitter  Flickr  YouTube

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

Copyright © 2023 First United Methodist Church, Downers Grove. Please report any problems to webmaster@dgfumc.org.