{Greetings Elgin Family!  (from Craig Perrman, Interim Pastor)

{}Please forgive any typing mistakes that you find in today's announcements. I'm afraid that my hands are shaking and not just from the coffee I've consumed this morning.

My hands and frankly my body is shaking as I sit here contemplating what this moment must have been like for our Lord more than 2000 years ago. As he prepared to enter Jerusalem, everything indicates that he fully understood that his time here on earth was drawing to a close. Not just his time on earth, his time with his friends, with his family (biological and spiritual), with all that he had come to love and hold so dear. Yet it is that exact same love that bound him to his friends and family, the same love that caused him to fall on his knees in the garden and cry out to His Father, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me", it is that same love that also gave him the strength and determination to stand back up on wobbly legs, put one foot in front of the other and walk the path he knew he had to trod to show you and me just how far love can and must go. Nothing, absolutely nothing was more important to Him than showing us just how completely adored we are.

And so, as a true disciple wannabe, being completely overwhelmed and humbled by the realization of that love, I sit here shaking, praying that somehow this week, I can respond to Christ's life giving example by showing someone, anyone who does not know, who does not believe, that they are adored.

May you be enveloped in the overwhelming love of Christ this day and every day!

Here are this week's announcements:

Last week we began our process of discernment in earnest with the beginning of our new Sunday School class: Pursuing God's Will Together. This class is an effort to help us all have a shared understanding of what discernment is and some basic practices to help us in the process. Last week we explored the Introduction. This week you were asked to read chapter 1 and to read John 9 placing yourself in the story as one of the characters (not Jesus or the blind man). Class will start at 10:00am in the sanctuary and we will be joined by some folks on zoom as we explore a new way of "being the church".

Worship will follow at 11:00am. I have attached a bulletin for tomorrow's service to these announcements. Here is the the login and information for the service:

A few notes:

     1     The Zoom meeting will open at 9:30am, but all microphones will be muted.  There won’t be a chance to talk to one another except via chat.

     2     Class will begin at 10:00am.

     3     There will be a break at 10:45 with some prelude music.

     4     The service will begin at 11:00am.

     5     Sharing of Joys and Concerns has been moved to the end of the worship (following the sending forth).  This time is for everyone, but those logging in via Zoom have a choice: all are invited to stay and share in this time with the larger group, or they can accept an invitation to join the breakout group.

     6     Hymn texts are printed in the bulletin for your convenience. However, they will also be projected as part of the Zoom meeting for all to see.

Theme: Blessed Is The One Who Comes

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-2, 19-29

Presiding: Sylvia Elrod

Speaking:  Jayne Ackley

Join Zoom Meeting via computer or smart phone:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83305862258?pwd=UUl4S1JnUXlSMjJpbGEyNi9RQzU5Zz09

Join Zoom Meeting via landline:

Call: (312) 626-6799

Meeting ID: 833 0586 2258

Passcode: 244046

BIG NEWS!   SUNDAY SCHOOL HAS RETURNED!!!

Sunday school classes resumed on Sunday, April 3 with the Adults studying the book, Pursuing God's Will Together by Ruth Haley Barton. Craig is leading our discussions. Books have arrived and one book will be provided for each family.

Children's Sunday School will also began on April 3 with Linda Meyer leading the class. 

Our new Sunday schedule:

9:45am.  Coffee time

10:00am Sunday School

11:00am Worship

Holy Week Services

There will be a Good Friday service at Elgin and via Zoom at 7:00 pm. We will be considering the Seven Last Words of Christ. 

On Easter Sunday, a Son-Rise Service will be held at Elgin and on Zoom at 9:00 am.  A breakfast will follow the service.  Please see Jean Hedrich re: what you can bring to the breakfast. 

The 11:00 am Easter service will be in person and on Zoom as usual. Please note there is no Sunday School on Easter morning.

IMPORTANT: Upcoming Spiritual Type and Ministry Gift Assessment Workshop

On April 24th we will be taking part in a Spiritual Type and Ministry Gift Assessment workshop. This afternoon is vital to our efforts to create a successful discernment process. During this workshop you will discover what your primary way of connecting with God is and what ways you have opportunity to grow in. We will also discover what the predominant spiritual type of the Elgin congregation is. This will enable us to develop more successful worship services, identify other forms of worship that we need to pay attention to and develop a discernment process that works for everyone in the congregation. We will also discover what gifts God has placed in each of us so that we might choose to be instruments in bringing about the Peaceful Kingdom.

It is very important that everyone take part in this workshop or the information we collect will be incomplete and you won't be as prepared as possible for the discernment process.

So please, mark your calendar for April 24th. We will provide lunch immediately after our worship service and begin the workshop as soon as we get settled. The workshop will last until around 5:00pm.

EASTER BASKETS!!

Linday Meyer will be collecting items for Easter Baskets for the Crisis Center starting March 6th, 2022 through April 10th, (Palm Sunday), we will be assembling them on Palm Sunday to be taken after church to the Crisis Center. Monetary donations are also welcome to buy needed items.  A box for the items will be in the foyer for the collection.  We will be making 16 baskets altogether.

A big thank you ahead of time for all of your generous contributions.

ELGIN HISTORIAN REPORT - Jayne Ackley recently submitted the annual Elgin congregation 2021 Historian Report to World Church Headquarters.  Upon receipt, Rachel Killebrew was very complimentary about the report.  A copy of the report will be in our church library.  Thank you, Jayne, for a job well done!

Sister Sylvia Elrod shares this: The Women’s Fellowship will be meeting for a luncheon  on 4/7/22 at 12pm at Alexander’s Cafe in Elgin.  The address is 1725 S. Eighth St which is 31.  The format is informal since it is a restaurant, but we do include prayer, a devotional, and lots of fellowship.  All are welcome.

For additional information, just give me a text or call 224-858-3069.  Or email me at sylviaelrod@comcast.net.

Sister Jean Hedrich would like us all to know this: Easter Breakfast - Please view the attached Easter Breakfast Sign-up Sheet and let Jean Hedrich know what you will be bringing.  Just a reminder, if you are bringing a hot dish, please have it already warmed for immediate serving.  Thank you so much!

Email address for Jan Wolff: janlwolff@ameritech.net

New address for John Rossi: West Chicago Terrace, 928 Joliet Street, Room D1, West Chicago, IL 60185 - Main desk phone number: 630-231-9292

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

April 12 Kayla Kent

April 17 Yamarie Perez

April 25 Madelyn Smith

April 27 Blake Smith

April 29 Orlando Perez

Information about registration and preparation materials will be communicated in the coming w

And our friends in Europe have sent out an invitation to join them for the following activities:

Bible Art Journaling

Led by Rachelle Kent

Date and Time: Saturday February 5th, 8:00pm Brussels/7:00pm UK/1:00pm Independence MO (CST)

Email Rachelle at redseashelle@yahoo.com to receive the zoom link.

May God bless us as we attempt to become a blessing to God's creation!

Craig

APRIL 10, 2022 Announcements

BLACK = general information;RED = Elgin Cong;  BLUE = CHI MISSION CTR/ CofCHRIST

.ELGIN CONG / AREA EVENTS