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

I pray that this email finds you uncomfortable. I know, that sounds wrong doesn't it? As humans we work very hard at being comfortable and we don't like it when that comfort is disturbed, but lent calls us to let go of the death grip we have on that comfort and seek the discomfort of true self examination. What parts of our lives do we truly believe are in absolute alignment with the life and ministry of the One we call Lord, and what parts do we need to lay on the anvil for God to do some work on? True self examination can be frightening, very frightening. It helps to know that you're not alone. We are "Community of Christ", a very imperfect, rag tag group of not quite good enoughs that desperately want to be everything that God hopes we will choose to be. We are all, everyone of us, in the process of becoming. So... if you'll hold my hand while God works on me, I promise to hold your hand while God works on you. But I warn you, you'll almost certainly be done long before I am. Hold my hand anyway.

Here are this week's announcements:

Tomorrow we begin 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. Please read the Introduction and chapter 1 for tomorrow. 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: Generously Share

Scripture: John 12:1-8

Presiding: Robb Kent

Speaking: Testimonies

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 RETURNS!!!

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

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

Starting April 3, 2002 our new schedule will be:

9:45am. Coffee time

10:00am Sunday School

11:00am Worship

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!

ew 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

Here are some other on line opportunities you may be interested in:

From the World Church, anyone who is interested in further study regarding WCR 1319 on nonviolence should plan to attend these Thursday evening workshops:

All are invited to engage in USA field-wide conversations on nonviolence. This experience is planned to address WCR 1319 in preparation for World Conference 2023.

Each online session is scheduled for two hours.

 Each online session is scheduled for two hours.  • Session 1: Thurs, March 31, 7:00PM CT— Introduction—Barbara Carter, facilitator • Session 2: Thurs, April 7, 7:00PM CT— History—Lach Mackay, facilitator • Session 3: Thurs, April 21, 7:00PM CT— Scripture—Ron Harmon, facilitator • Session 4: Thurs, April 28, 7:00PM CT— Principled and Pragmatic Nonviolence

. Session 5: Thurs, May 5, 7:00PM CT— What role should nonviolence play?—Robin Linkhart, facilitator

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 3, 2022 Announcements

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

.ELGIN CONG / AREA EVENTS