Merry Christmas

Message from Pastor Mori 

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Monthly Newsletter    Message from Pastor Mori Dear RFUMC Family   Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord!    As our Christmas celebration begins, I pray that each of you would be reminded that we are called to reflect the sacred each and every day. Also, I pray that we could find the opportunity to reflect on our own faith and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.    I hope this Christmas season the RFUMC family experiences God's unfailing love for the world and shares this good news with everyone so that we can find hope, joy, peace, and love in baby Jesus Christ!!    Christmas has a way of bringing to church individuals and families who for various reason and sometimes due to the past few years' pandemic situation have not been to participate in worship for months or years. Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to put aside past differences and old habits and begin anew a prayerful relationship with the Lord and God's church community. I extend to all of you an open, grateful heart of welcome! We invite you to join for the following special Christmas worship service and community events that will touch our hearts with joy and peace. Christmas Eve Service on Saturday, Dec 24 3:00, PM  We will have candlelight Christmas Eve service, in-person and zoom online.   Christmas Sunday Service on Sunday Dec 25 10:30 AM  This year Christmas Day is a Sunday. Since most families wake up late and enjoy a relaxing morning, we have prepared, "Wear Your PJs Christmas Sunday" worship. Please come with your PJs, we will prepare cookies and sing Christmas hymns and family worship. Do not lose your chance to worship God on Christmas Day!    We are filled with joy and consolation at Christmas to know that all that we hoped for has been fulfilled in the person of the Christ Child.    I hope to meet each of you at RFUMC. May our Lord Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem, bless you, your families and loved ones at this blessed time of hope and grace !!    Merry Christmas    Pastor Mori                                            Give on PayPal      Community Info & Links                                              Dec 18 RFUMC Annual Christmas Potluck  We had a nice group for our Christmas potluck lunch on Sunday December 18th.  There was plenty of delicious food to eat while we shared a nice, relaxing lunch with friends.  Thanks to everyone who shared their favorite dishes.  Special thanks to Debbie Buscato and Marlynne Nishimura who did the last minute warming and plating of the food.  Thanks to the kitchen clean-up crew  who always stay late and keep our kitchen sparkling clean.                                                              Dec 24  Christmas Eve Worship Service 3:00 PM   Christmas Eve worship service will take place on Saturday December 24th at 3:00 pm.  It will also be broadcast by Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.    Zoom link https://zoom.us/j/806489040. Or call in at 1-312-626-6799                                                                          (Meeting ID: 806 489 040).                                                    Dec 25 Christmas Sunday Worship 10:30 AM    Christmas Day is on a Sunday this year.  We realize many families like to sleep in or engage in morning rituals so we are having "Wear Your PJ's Christmas Sunday Worship"  Come in your PJ's as we enjoy a relaxed worship service including many Christmas hymns, and some cookies too!  Hope you can join us!  Zoom link https://zoom.us/j/806489040. Or call in at 1-312-626-6799                                                                                             (Meeting ID: 806 489 040).                                                   New Years Day Sunday Online Worship Service Only    .  New Years Day is also on a Sunday.  With the tradition of ringing in the New Year at midnight on New Year's Eve, many people will be up late.  We have decided to have our New Years Day Sunday worship service Online Only.  We will provide a link to a pre-recorded worship service that you may view at your leisure.                                                   Holiday Church Office Hours  We will close the church office on Thursday December 29th through Monday January 2.  The church office staff will resume on Tuesday January 3rd.                     Winter Church Office Hours                  We will have a "winter office schedule" for the church office from January 2nd through February 19th.  Church office hours will be as follows: Monday:       office is closed Tuesday:       9:30am - 12:30pm Wednesday: 9:30am - 12:30pm Thursday:     9:30am - 12:30pm Friday:          9:30am - 12:30pm             Winter Mitigating Winter Weather Risks                                    I hope everyone of RFUMC stay warm and safe!  Also the following link provides access to a number of essential safety communications on auto (e.g. vehicle telematics & winter driving), property (e.g. winter checklist, winter property protection, and freezing pipe prevention) and liabilities (e.g. slip, trip and fall prevention). Article link - Click Here    Free Covid HomeTest Kit  As COVID-19 cases rise, it's important to stay safe this winter. Each U.S. household can now order 4 COVID-19 at-home tests shipped straight to their door at no cost. Here is the link for register (Click here)                                  Scripture Reader Sign-ups                   Would you like to participate in worship service by being a scripture reader?  If so, please sign up by clicking HERE Thanks for assisting in worship!           Coffee Hour Sign-ups    We have begun to have a light coffee hour following worship service on the first and third Sunday's each month.  If you would like to sign up for a coffee hour (bring a light snack and serve beverages) please sign up by clicking here                                                                      RFUMC Building Ministry                    Ravenswood Fellowship UMC January  Calendar click Here  Church Room Reservation Form  (to request use of the common areas of the church) Click 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).  Want prayer? During our Prayers of the People, we will read your prayer requests. Submit your prayer requests here. Download. Get your bulletin here (12/24 click here, 12/25 click here). 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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Happy Thanksgiving

Message from Pastor Mori 

Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Monthly Newsletter    Message from Pastor Mori Happy Thanksgiving !!    This year we have been so deeply affected by disasters and violence in our world. So when preparing for a Thanksgiving prayer for a clergy retreat, I was a little concerned that the time spent announcing our prayers of thanks might be quiet. However, the prayers were full as people shared how they had been blessed in 2022. There were so many thanksgiving prayers: family, community, beautiful natures, friendship and food and society and ministries…   Thanksgiving gives us to time remember Psalm 136:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."    John Wesley also said:    "Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from Him, and receive them for His sake – not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking, anything but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will."    Thanksgiving is a time to pray with a grateful heart, a time to pray to God for life and for loved ones and God's loving mercy that God stands with us on the path of our spiritual journey.  This thanksgiving means a lot to me. We have weathered the storm of COVID-19 for these two years, but we have been not giving up our ministry. Rather, we have tried new ministries in this Ravenswood Fellowship. I am thankful to God for each of you! It is a joy and a privilege to minister together in Christ. Through the ministry at RFUMC, I have learned that God provides us with true blessings in abundance. God encourages us to move forward and gives us hope where there is doubt. God comforts when we have tears or broken hearts. God leads us to a place of prayer and helps us continue to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.    With a thankful heart, I want to invite you to Stewardship Sunday. This year's emphasis is on our continual stewardship of God's bounty on Ravenswood Fellowship UMC.   We will be celebrating these gifts on Sunday, December 4, during which we will rejoice and express our gratitude tother during this yearly celebration for all that our Lord has done among the RFUMC family. For your lunch order, please RSVP by Sunday, November 27.  Here are ways to RSVP: Please write the pledge card and mail it back to Church office.  Please look at the reminder email and click the RSVP link. Please contact the church office (773-561-2610, ravfelumc@yahoo.com)    I hope I can join with all of you on Stewardship Sunday to give thanks to the Lord with a grateful heart as we pray and celebrate together the next steps of our ministry!  Happy Thanksgiving !!  Pastor Mori  Give on PayPal      Community Info & Links                      December 4 RFUMC Stewardship Sunday       On Sunday December 4, we will have Stewardship Sunday.  We will have a special lunch served after worship service. Please click here for the RSVP  This is a time to consider the impact the church has on your life and pledge your support for the coming year. Ravenswood Fellowship UMC continues its existence with your ongoing support.   The Night Ministry  Holiday Stockings                    Please join us as we share the Christmas love with our homeless neighbors!  If you are able to donate items, please sign-up using the link, and drop the items off at the church office. If you have any questions, please contact our Night Ministry coordinator, John Davis.Thank you so much                        Adult Socks Donation Sign - Up   Click Here             Young Adult Socks Donation Sign-Up   Click Here   Winter Conversation in Faith 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 (6:30 PM, Zoom only)                  Please join Conversation in Faith with Rev. Cody Johnson. We are invited to a special program; Christian Life and death. If you are interested in joining, please email Rev. Cody at "Codyjohnson.dsc@gmail.com"    Advent Tea Meditation Group 12/1, 12/8 ,12/15 (2:00 PM, In Person + Zoom)                       What could be more relaxing than a cup of tea in the afternoon?  Join Pastor Mori and the other North Side Co-op pastors for tea and meditation on Thursday afternoons during Advent.  Tea will be served on Thursdays December 1st, 8th and 15th at 2:00 pm in Pastor Mori's office, also known as "Mori's Cafe." The Meditation will come from an Advent Study booklet which will be available upon registration.  This will be a fun, relaxing time to get to know the Co-op pastors and share with each other. Sign-up using the QR code or click here      Christmas Poinsettia order                       Poinsettias are available for $14 and will adorn the altar in time for our church  potluck and also for our Christmas worship service.! Please order by Sunday, December 11.To order, complete the following form, (Click here) or call the church office to place your order. You may also contact Marlynne Nishimura directly at marlynnenish@yahoo.com     RFUMC Annual Christmas potluck lunch                   Please join us on Sunday December 18th directly following worship service for our Christmas potluck luncheon.  Bring your favorite dish to share. It's a fun time to share the holiday spirit while having a delicious meal together. There's no need to sign up or RSVP; just bring yourself and a dish if you are able to.                     This week is the First Sunday of Advent  The shiny additions to our Advent and Christmas visuals remind us that we are called to reflect the sacred each and every day. "Incarnation" is a word that means that God's presence came to dwell among all people, and we believe this happened in a special way in the birth of Jesus. All creation has always been imbued with the Creator's brilliance. This season, we will remember the call to shine with this holy light.                                     Scripture Reader Sign-ups                   Would you like to participate in worship service by being a scripture reader?  If so, please sign up by clicking HERE Thanks for assisting in worship!         Coffee Hour Sign-ups    We have begun to have a light coffee hour following worship service on the first and third Sunday's each month.  If you would like to sign up for a coffee hour (bring a light snack and serve beverages) please sign up by clicking here                     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 December Calendar click Here  Church Room Reservation Form  (to request use of the common areas of the church) Click 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 service Bible reader Sign-Up here December sermon titles are here 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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