TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Message from Pastor Mori 

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Weekly Newsletter    Message from Pastor Mori Dear RFUMC Family    Last week, we talked about the poor. We also talked about the ministry of poverty in our sermon. Sometimes, our busy summer schedules when family vacation plans and summer events fill our schedule, we simply forgot about our neighbors who are suffering from poverty, or don't have food and shelter.    I was wondering how many poor neighbors are currently living with us. So, I started to search for information. The research surprised me because the number of poor Americans is expected to fall by nearly 20 million from 2018 levels. I expected that we would have a higher poverty rate during the pandemic, but the result was the opposite. According to Columbia University's Urban Institute "the poverty rate fell to 7.7 percent this year from 13.9 percent in 2018. That decline, 45 percent, is nearly three times the previous three-year record." A New York Times analysis suggests that this is because of pandemic assistance from the government has pushed poverty to its lowest levels.    This is good news, but this is also temporary news because the pandemic assistance checks are temporary. This is why we still must listen carefully to the many reports about increased hunger and other pandemic-area hardships. The relief check helps poverty but some people who are suffering from mental illness very hard to find new jobs. Without a job they need depend on this help. Even families who receives pandemic assistance checks report that they have swung between moments of surplus and desperation.    This is why we need to keep up our good work for the poor.  Temporary checks are definitely a big help for the poor, but it does not seem that this will be a permanent solution. In addition to government help, we, the RFUMC family, should keep our ministry moving forward.     This Sunday (Aug 01) after worship, we will be packing meals for The Night Ministry. We need your helping hands for packing the lunches.  Last week we heard that Jesus fed the hungry, now it is our turn. This is a chance to feed our neighbors who do not have a safe shelter and live on the street.    After worship, we will gather in the gym, and we will make sandwiches and pack lunch bags. If you have any questions about The Night Ministry, please contact Lisa Goodman who is our coordinator for the work we do for The Night Ministry.  Here is her email address:     I believe that our love and work is one way to help end poverty from the bottom up because to love and serve is a great work of our church. We do not just pack a meal; we pack our love, too.    I hope many of you will come this week to worship and join us after worship to help The Night Ministry!    Blessings   MORI    Give on PayPal    Community Info & Links          This Saturday (July 31) we will have a sound check in our sanctuary. Please join us if your schedule allows. We will start to set up 9:30 AM at the sanctuary,  If you are able to assist, please bring your own device (phone or ipad or laptop) to aid in checking the zoom audio sounds for worship service (earphones or headphones would help). And please wear your mask! Thank you all for your time and effort to make progress for our worship service sound!   12 Resources for Anti-Racist Discipleship - Week 11                                                                                          BY   WENDY HUDSON                                                                                       As a predominantly white new church start, Two Rivers Church embraced from day one the value of inclusion, especially a commitment to anti-racism. As we begin dismantling racism in our own lives, our congregation, and our community, our connection to one another and to God began to deepen and our own commitments to God grew. Read more.                                   Back-to-School Backpack Drive & RFUMC Backpack Blessing                                        Kids Above All's Back-to-School Backpack Drive is here! Each year Kids Above All partners with members of the community, as well as our faith, corporate and community partners to make sure the school-aged kids in our programs have what they need to succeed this upcoming year. The Backpack blessing will take place here at church on Saturday August 28. (Time to be determined).  As with our recent drives, we've created Amazon Wishlist to help make ordering items for our kids and easy as possible. Please send or drop off donated school supplies at the church office (4511 N Hermitage Ave Chicago IL 60640) by August 27.  The Director from Kid's Above All will pick up the supplies the following Sunday. Download a copy of the flyer for distribution here.                          Thirsty Ears Returns on August 14 and 15                                                  Saturday, August 14 2:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday, August 15 2:00 – 9:00 PM           Jonathan Hannau will be performing on Saturday August 14 at 7:00 PM  ACM is proud to present the sixth annual Thirsty Ears Festival: Chicago's only classical music street festival! For two days Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood will be closed to feature seventeen stellar ensembles and soloists performing music from Beethoven to Shostakovich to Reich and everything in between on the main stage. There will also feature vendor booths, kid friendly activities and food trucks on both days. Highlights include a special performance of our Sound of Silent Film Festival Saturday at sundown and, to close out the fest on Sunday, a classical remix from Origin of Animal. $10 suggested donation, all proceeds support the ACM School of Music, a non-profit organization. 1758 W. Wilson Ave. Parking is limited to street parking           Rainbow Sunday                          During the months of August through November, we will be celebrating Rainbow Sundays where we will invite guest preachers from the LGBTQ+ community to listen true inclusiveness and welcoming. Remembering that we are a reconciling congregation who welcomes everyone, our first Rainbow Sunday will be August 15, 2021.                                                                            The Night Ministry Volunteer                        This Sunday, August 1st, we will be preparing meals for distribution with the Night Ministry.  We will be assembling the sandwich meals after worship service.  If you have some available time to help, please stay after worship service.  Thanks to Lisa Goodman for gathering the supplies and coordinating with the Night Ministry.                                                           Southport Grocery is looking to hire servers.                         A note from Megan, in case you know anyone looking for work: Southport Grocery (3552 N. Southport Ave.) is a full service restaurant looking to hire servers. It is an incredibly friendly environment with a very creative, intelligent, and supportive staff. You can rely on solid and consistent tips from our customer base, many of whom are regulars and/or live in the area.  We are looking for people who are 21/up and have some weekend availability. (If you are available one weekend day but not the other that is okay!) The restaurant closes at 3 p.m. every day and the hours are flexible. Anyone with questions can write to me (Megan: mjm@u.northwestern.edu); those interested may fill out an application in person at the restaurant.   Many of the people who work here have their Master of Fine Arts (MFA); however, that is NOT required. While most people here are "creatives" (actors, directors, producers, writers, etc.) all are welcome                                                                                       Sermon by 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!                                                                                  RFUMC Building Ministry                  Ravenswood Fellowship UMC July 2021Calendar  Click Here Aug 2021 Calendar Here  Church Room Reservation Form (to request use of the common areas of the church Click Here                                                                              After Covid-19 Updates.  Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here. Chicago is currently in Phase 5. Click here to view phase 5 recommendations. Chicago Reopen guidelines Here  Cook County Depart of Public Health Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CCDPH                                              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.  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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