I am your servant leader!

Message from Pastor Mori 

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Weekly Newsletter    Message from Pastor Mori Dear Ravenswood Fellowship UMC   Thank you so much for the gardening team's beautiful flowers. This is a perfect gift since October is Pastor Appreciation Month. My office is full of a sweet smell!    I have served three months as pastor of RFUMC and as your pastor, I ask myself what can I do better and among several things, I have found an important thing.    I am United Methodist trained and educated with the United Methodist's modern vision of ministry direction and traditions. This is a rookie pastor's privilege to bring this new "UMC" perspective to Ravenswood Fellowship Church.   Today, I want to introduce "Servant Leadership," because I found after last week's worship, some people were asking about the term "servant leader."    I am a servant leader, and all of the UMC's leadership is called to be servant leaders.       The Book of Discipline says.   [The United Methodist ordained ministers are called by God to a lifetime of servant leadership, among the people of God. Ordained ministers are called to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world and the promise of God for creation.    … The ordained ministry is defined by its faithful commitment to servant leadership following the example of Jesus Christ, by its passion for the hallowing of life, and by its concern to link all local ministries with the widest boundaries of the Christian community.] (¶ 139)      The UMC official website also introduces UMC leaders as "United Methodists leaders are servant leaders who instruct and guide Christian disciples in their witness to Jesus Christ in the world through the worship, devotion, compassion, and justice under the Holy Spirit." Our denomination founder John Wesley also described servant leadership as, "watching over one another in love."   The term may be is not easy to understand, but we have a great model. Jesus Christ is a servant leader. In the Gospel, Jesus leads his disciples with servant leadership (John 13:1-17). Servant leadership is focused on the other with an unselfish, humble attitude. The servant leader does not covet the prestige of power and often give control away. Different from a traditional hierarchical and top-down leadership, I want to ask you first, listen to you first, and welcome others involved in the endeavor to solve problems together, and grow up together.    For a more vivid explanation, I want to say, you are my sheep, and I am your leader, but I will not forcefully lead you to the place that I want, rather I want to walk with you and guide you and protect you and lead you to the place that we want.    You have a pastor who strives to be a servant leader and is trained in servant leadership.  And, as your servant leader, I humbly invite you all, to lead together with a community of faith, Ravenswood Fellowship Church.   Blessings Your servant leader Mori        Give on PayPal Give on PayPal   Community Info & Links Pumpkin Spice Cinema Club This week we will watch a Halloween Movie!  If you like movies and pumpkin spice tea, please join the Ravenswood Fellowship Church Pumpkin Spice Cinema Club. From October 22 to November 19, we will have a cinema club with five movies through Zoom online. These five movies will allow us to talk about social justice issues such as racism, justice, and global warming. Also, we will talk about the love and beauty of relationships.  If you want to just come and enjoy with your popcorn, please log-in on the zoom links here:  (Meeting ID: 883 6694 3163)  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88366943163   Thursday,  October     29  7:00-8:00  Movie   Get Out  Thursday,  November 05  7:00-8:00  Movie   The Trial of the Chicago 7 Thursday,  November 12  7:00-8:00  Movie   Parasite Thursday,  November 19  7:00-8:00  Movie   Wonder               Free Flu Shots & Covid Tests   UMHEF Virtual Homecoming  October 27, From 10 am to 3:00 pm The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF) will host a virtual "homecoming" to celebrate Methodism and higher education, UMHEF scholars, and more. Festivities will include messages from United Methodist students, spotlights of UM-related institutions of higher education, interactive activities, messages from prominent leaders, and more. Click here for free registration and schedule for the day Introduction to Coaching   October 29  From 9 am to 4 pm Coach Jum Griffith will lead this interactive webinar for a new, turnaround, or vital churches. Sponsored by the NIC Office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment. Learn more here, registration here  Daylight Savings Time! Just a reminder:  Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, November 1st, so set your clocks back Saturday night!  All Saints Day - Sunday, November 1, 2020 On Sunday, November 1st, we will celebrate All Saints Day.  If you would like to remember a loved one who has passed in 2019 or 2020, please submit a picture with info to the church office.  We would like to share the photos during worship on November 1st.  Also, please share any other prayer concerns for those needing comfort and care during this time.    2020 Church Conference Save the date! The Church Conference season will look very different this year with most Conferences taking place through Zoom video conferencing. Ravenswood Fellowship UMC's Church Conference date is Sunday, November 15, at 12:00 PM. The SPRC meeting is at 11:30 AM. Click here to access the 2020 online forms for the committee chairs. The Night Ministry Holiday Stockings   The holidays are just around the corner.  We will support the Night Ministry's annual distribution of Christmas stockings by collecting items and assembling the stockings to donate to the Night Ministry.  Here is the list of suggested items.  We will update you soon on the deadline for collection and the date we will assemble the stockings. After Covid-19 Updates.  Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here.                                                                                                                                              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).  Let's boost our worship! Please sign-up for Worship Bible Reader. November's Scripture here. November Bible reader sign-up here.  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: 828 2305 3546, One-tap mobile+13126266799) 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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