Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church

The Weekly Newsletter

Message from Pastor Mori

Dear Ravenswood Fellowship Family,

This week was the first week of Lent. How was your week?
Finally, the snow stopped and my house's icicles have also started melting. The fresh air brings the feeling of spring.
Though the weather was beautiful my schedule for the week was so packed that I grew tired of following my Lenten schedule.

So instead of being overwhelmed, I choose to read some poems. This poem was shared by my friend pastor and it was written by Rumi (1207-1273), a famous Sufi theologian and poet.

say yes quickly ~Rumi
Forget your life. Say God is Great. Get up.
You think you know what time it is. It's time to pray.
You've carved so many little figurines, too many.
Don't knock on any random door like a beggar.
Reach your long hand out to another door, beyond where
you go on the street, the street
where everyone says, "How are you?"
and no one says How aren't you?
Tomorrow you'll see what you've broken and torn tonight
thrashing in the dark. Inside you
there's an artist you don't know about.
He's not interested in how different things look in moonlight.
If you are here unfaithfully with us,
you're causing terrible damage.
If you've opened your loving to God's love
you're helping people you don't know and have never seen.
Is what I say true? Say yes quickly,
if you know, you've known it
from the beginning of the universe.
~Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks

"How are you?" We hear this question almost every day every time we meet someone. I think it is a simple greeting that is very powerful. We ask, "How are you," because it is sign of caring and a gesture of wanting to know about others. This question makes me stop my daily routine and think, Hhow actually am I doing?" To me, the poem asks "How are you" and gives us a chance to stop and breath deeply and feel the peace and love of God who always is with me even when I totally forget about God.

I hope this beautiful poem gives you a chance to stop and ask yourself, "How are you." Take care of yourself as you inhale the fresh spring air and exhale the stress of your noisy daily tasks.

Blessings

MORI

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Community Info & Links

The United Methodist Church joins with others in celebrating February as Black History Month, the annual observance of the history of the African diaspora. And, it is a time to reflect on the history of Black Americans and to honor the individuals and groups who have worked tirelessly toward racial justice. As we embark on Black History Month, I want to share poems during February.

PROTECT MY BOYS

BY CURRY F. BUTLER

Dear Father,

I'm about to go away and I need to get this off my chest. I have done my best to follow your request and to bring fame to your name. Now I just have one favor to ask…

Please protect my boys.

They have kept your word. They know about our family and understand our truth. They actually believe. I'll be home soon and I'm leaving them behind.

I just have one favor to ask . . . Please protect my boys.

Like Grandma used to sing, "I'm going home on the morning train." I really don't want to stay around because "the evening train may be too late." I'm on the first cloud out of here. I'm leaving this world behind. I did my best to protect them while I was here in this mean, cruel, world where social injustices, public lynchings, and poverty are the name of the game.*

I just have one favor to ask . . . Please protect my boys.

This world doesn't like them. It hated me! Wrap them in your truth so that they may be sheltered from the manipulation and the bullets of the enemy.

Did I mention . . . I just have one favor to ask . . .

Please protect my boys.

Sincerely,

Your Son, Jesus

Resource from : https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/worship-resources-for-black-history-month

Lent Bible Study Group

Thursday March 04
7:00-8:00 PM

Zoom link - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85235718340

Meeting ID: 852 3571 8340

+13126266799,,85235718340# US (Chicago)

Lent Daily Prayer (Feb 17- April 03 2021)

We will be sending a prayer sanctuary booklet for the Lent 2021 to you. Please join us every day in daily prayer on Facebook live 8:00-8:20 AM. We hope the Lent daily prayer helps you faithfully journey through Lent as we prepare to experience the joy of the Resurrection.

Lent Prayer Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88005037516
Meeting ID: 880 0503 7516
Or call
+13126266799, (Chicago)

Prayer Request
https://tinyurl.com/2tgdtu8z

Lent Prayer Scripture Reader
https://tinyurl.com/q4x1l2f1

The Pink Dress

Please join a community gathering to share a story from the Japanese American experience… In remembrance of the signing of Executive Order 9066 that authorized the Japanese American Internment,

A very special reading of the children's illustrated book THE PINK DRESS, a story from the Japanese American Internment by Leslie Kitashima-Gray*based on her mother's** experience during World War 2.

An online event via Zoom read by members of Centenary United Methodist Church

When: Friday March 5th, 2021
Time : 7:30 PM

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/93903313202

+12133388477,,93903313202
Meeting ID: 939 0331 3202
(Passcode: PinkDress)

NIC Annual Conference
AC2021 Dates Announced - Will be Virtual

The 2021 Northern Illinois Annual Conference will convene again as an all-virtual session from July 16-17 with new Interim Bishop John L. Hopkins presiding. Stay up to date on news and announcements at umcnic.org/AC2021.

FRESH EXPRESSIONS WITH BISHOP KEN CARTER

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021, 9 AM TO 12 NOON

Explore the wave of new Christian churches emerging to reach unchurched and dechurched people living in a culture that is increasingly non-religious and multi-religious. These established churches and new faith communities gather with people who typically have never been to church, listening to them and meeting them where they are on their journey toward Jesus. They have learned fresh ways to communicate their identity through discipleship.

Our presenter is Bishop Kenneth Carter, resident bishop of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church and author of "Fresh Expressions: A New Kind of Methodist Church" (with Audrey Warren; Abingdon Press, 2017)

Registration Due March 01 ($10) Click here
The flyer is here

COVID-19 Vaccines and Appointment

Go to your county website for local information. Sign up for alerts. Offer encouragement and resources. Click here for an interactive map of vaccination sites by zip code. The City of Chicago is partnering with the Zocdoc online scheduler for people to find vaccination appointments when they're available. Click here for the link.

For more information to share, check out the Illinois Department of Health Services' vaccination FAQs. Want to know more about preparing your church for re-opening? View the NIC's ReTurn Team Plan here.

Weekly Sermon Phone Service

If you do not have computer access or cannot access our Sunday worship service through a smart phone, we now have a sermon by phone service, which is available at any time! The phone number is (773) 219-0861.
You can listen to a recent version of Pastor Mori's Sunday sermon and it's free!

Ravenswood Fellowship UMC March- Calendar Click Here

Church Room Reserve - Form Click Here

Meeting Announcement

Re-Opening Team Meeting
Tuesday March 02 7:00 PM
(Zoom Online)

Trustee Meeting
Sunday March 07
After worship (Zoom Online)

Lent Bible Study
Thursday March 04 7:00 PM
(Zoom Online)

After Covid-19 Updates.
Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here.
Our Regions 10 and 11 are still at Tier 2 Mitigations
Here our Interim Bishop Hokin's letter

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 service 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.

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Our mailing address is:
4511 North Hermitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60640
Contact us at:
ravfelumc@yahoo.com
(773) 561-2610

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Ravenswood Fellowship UMC · 4511 N Hermitage Ave · Chicago, IL 60640-5303 · USA

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Second Sunday in Lent