So much to celebrate at RFUMC!

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Weekly Newsletter Message from Pastor Erin For the last several weeks, we've been reading through Matthew's gospel and Jesus's teaching to the twelve apostles sent out for missionary work. It is a fitting passage to read as we prepare for transition at Ravenswood Fellowship UMC. My time as your Interim Pastor is ending. Sunday is our last Sunday to worship together in this way. Oh so soon you will be welcoming your new pastor, Pastor Mori, as your leader and co-shepherd of this community. As I read over Jesus's words to those disciples he sends forth, I think of the relationship between Interim Pastor (me) and fellow followers of Jesus (you all!). My job was to work with you and teach you to go out and share your faith. Jesus told the disciples to be prepared to go and share. My job was to work with you and help you make your space welcoming and hospitable. Jesus told the disciples to be prepared to welcome. Followers of Jesus go out into the community to invite people to experience the transformational power of living a life following Jesus. And followers of Jesus find those who need welcome the most and offer them a cool cup of water. Your job now, now that I will no longer be your Interim Pastor, is to be people looking for those to invite to church, looking for creative ways to demonstrate God's love outside of the walls of you building. And your job, as the community of God, is when people show up for worship, for membership, for questions, and with their curiosities, is to welcome them and say, "You belong here."  A community seeking to embody the very things of Jesus must constantly go out to tell the news that God is still at work and be prepared to welcome people who find the community, to make space for those who need rest from their search to find that community.  During my short time serving as your Interim Pastor, I learned that you all, the folks of Ravenswood Fellowship UMC, are people gifted at welcome. You are a place of hospitality and regularly invite people to join the conversation. I know that in this new season under Pastor Mori's leadership, you all will continue to invite people to experience God, share with them the good news that God is still working, and inviting them to be a part of your community to worship God. I am so thankful for this time with you all and know that you will continue to grow and expand in you love for each other, your love for your neighbors, and your love for God.Thanks be to God for our time together!  Oh, and the church? Please join us online for Zoom worship. There will be lots of special music from Eriko and Kimiko Darcy. There will be gifts given and virtual hugs shared and pride to celebrate our LGBTQ+ siblings God created! I hope you can make it. Links and more information below.   Give on PayPal Community Info & Links Welcome Pastor Mori! Pastor Mori begins worship with RFUMC Sunday, July 5. You can say, "Hello!" and "Welcome to the family!" and "We are so glad you're here!" by emailing her. And make sure to show up next week for her first worship service with us. After Covid-19 Updates. Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here.  Pride Sunday in Chicago. RFUMC celebrates diversity and values social justice. And because of this we celebrate that our LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ can be proud of how God created them and their contributions to our community. Sunday, June 28 is Pride Sunday, a day of celebrating who God created as LGBTQ+. Consider wearing your brightest colors for worship. Hang a rainbow flag behind you. Make your own rainbow flag! Change your Zoom background to a Pride theme image. Celebrate! Links for Worship.  Join Zoom worship by going to this link at 10:30 AM on Sunday: https://zoom.us/j/806489040. Or call in at 1-312-626-6799 (Meeting ID: 806 489 040).  Want prayer? During our Prayers of the People, we will read your prayer requests. Submit your prayer requests here.  Download. Get your bulletin here.  Having trouble? Try logging off and logging back on to Zoom during the video. Or simply log off and call in.  Missed last week? Check out the Facebook Live video on our page here.  Give on PayPal Our mailing address is: 4511 North Hermitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60640 Contact us at: ravfelumc@yahoo.com (773) 561-2610 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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Practicing generosity at RFUMC

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Weekly Newsletter Message from Pastor Erin Oh so soon we will welcome Pastor Mori to Ravenswood Fellowship UMC. In the final weeks of my time worshipping and serving with you all, we continue to move through our phases of re-opening, garden around the building, prepare to be technologically ready to live stream from the sanctuary, and plan for other creative outreach opportunities.  Every week there are new opportunities to serve God and creative ways to give back to the community where we worship. The gardening team needed new hedge clippers, so we bought some that were sharp and safe to use. Volunteers worked to move our pew cushions and dust our furniture. At the end of their hard work, we replenished their bodies with burgers and Gatorade. In order to prepare to live stream our services for those who need or wish to stay at home, we are researching wireless microphones, new recording equipment, and a computer to hold all the information. On top of all that, we regularly buy stamps and mail out copies of our bulletin and sermons to home-bound parishioners who don't have access to the internet. All of this effort of outreach, streaming, feeding, and cleaning requires financial support. Church communities often ask for pledges and financial gifts during a certain season of the year, but generosity is a year long spiritual practice. I write about all of these expenses for our church and the practice of generosity, because we are doing exciting, good work. And I write to remind us that when we share our finances with our faith community we share in the work of the church. Please help us continue this good work of growing our community of God, sharing good news with our neighbors, feeding those who make our church great and feeding our neighbors, too. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention, we regularly donate money to our partner organization The Night Ministry to feed those experience food insecurity. Your financial gift to the church goes a long way in sharing God's good news. Thank you for what you do! You can give regularly each week online at our PayPal account or by mailing our checks to our office at 4511 N Hermitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60640.  Oh, and the church? It's still happening at the same time in all the same places. See links below. Pastor Mori starts July 5.  Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. We are still in Phase Two. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here.  Fellowship in Zoom Rooms  Stick around after worship for fellowship in Zoom rooms. You can chat in smaller groups with your fellow church folks and share what God is up to in your life!  Community Info & Links Review us on Facebook. Check out the page here! And write a review of our church. Reviews help people find and connect with our community before they join us in worship. Engagement on the page is one of the best ways new people can find us! Coffee Hour with Pastor Erin. Our last coffee hour is this week. Join Pastor Erin on Tuesday at 1 PM at this link or call at 312.626.6799 (Meeting ID 896 3613 2612). Pastor Erin will bring a thoughtful question for us to ponder and discuss.  Craft Group. Learn and practice making paper cranes! If you want fellow project makers during this quarantine, please email Yuko Darcy at yukochcago@gmail.com or join the Craft Group on Wednesday at 5 PM at this Zoom link. Young Adult Virtual Happy Hour. Calling all 20-30-somethings! Tired after a long day of staring at screen? Join us for another hour of staring at a screen but this time with a delicious drink in your hand and good company. Log on and hang out with your fellow RFUMC young adults. Email us for the contact info. Walking Group. Every week people walk together in our church gym for health and community. But while our building in closed the Walking Group takes their community online. And maybe now you can join their Zoom call to check in, support one another, and pray for each other. 8:30 AM on Wednesdays and Fridays. Go to this link here or dial in at 312.626.6799 (Meeting ID: 771 188 446). Young People's Bible Study. Ages 12-18 are invited to join the Zoom discussion of Jesus stories at 9 AM on Sunday mornings. Join the Zoom call here (Meeting ID: 732 784 767). No YPBS on Sunday, June 28.  Giving Back Mutual Aid Networks. As individuals struggle to respond to the public health crisis of COVID-19, the Mutual Aid Networks of Lakeview, Andersonville, and Lincoln Square/Ravenswood are hosting a fundraiser to directly help our neighbors with groceries and supplies. Consider contributing here.  Giving to RFUMC. Of course, we continue to share our finances to support God's work in our faith community. Support the ministry of Ravenswood Fellowship UMC online and by the mail. Your financial support helps us transform lives and make disciples. Go to our PayPal page here or mail in your gift to 4511 N Hermitage Chicago, IL 60640. Give on PayPal Worship Looks Different Below are some continued learnings for helping you grow confident and participate in our worship experience. And please remember, our building is closed! Worship. Join Zoom worship by going to this link at 10:30 AM on Sunday: https://zoom.us/j/806489040. Or call in at 1-312-626-6799 (Meeting ID: 806 489 040).  Want prayer? During our Prayers of the People, we will read your prayer requests. Submit your prayer requests here.  Download. Get your bulletin here.  Having trouble? Try logging off and logging back on to Zoom during the video. Or simply log off and call in.  Missed last week? Check out the Facebook Live video on our page here.  Our mailing address is: 4511 North Hermitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60640 Contact us at: ravfelumc@yahoo.com (773) 561-2610 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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