Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church The Weekly Newsletter | | Message from Pastor Mori
Dear RFUMC Family,
In this Lenten season, how is your soul doing?
If you don't have a satisfying answer, I would like to recommend journaling. Writing a journal can be a type of prayer. During the time of writing, when you are holding your pen, God is listening to your story. Journaling prayer can be a time of healing.
When I write in my journal about my burdens, I feel God is there listening to me, and I find myself understanding my life events more clearly and I find my emotions being accepted by God.
What is the best way to do journal?
Today, I want to share a model of journaling prayer through the Confessions of St. Augustine (354-430). When he shares his life story, he tells of his emotional and spiritual experience. Augustine's book-length prayer provides an example of journaling prayer for us.
When we read his own life story, we find that he was trying to discern the trace of God's hand in his journal. He also practices self-examination and he meditates on scripture and the mysteries of living.
Now I want to share a more specific way of using St Augustine's journaling, so we can practice writing our journal prayer in our daily life.
First, he was finding evidence of God, in the Confessions we find that St. Augustine is trying to discover what God did to make him a Christian. Telling the truth and write down what God was doing all along in your life journey. Your story will be the story of God. You are traveling with God when you write about your story. You will find what God was doing throughout your life.
Second, He was telling God the truth. When we heard his book, "Confessions" we might imagine that this book is about his sin, lust, and his self-examinations. However, it is about all kinds of truth including God's goodness. I hope we can write about the truth of God, a god who love us above all things.
Third, Augustine demonstrates how to meditate on scripture and creation. St Augustine's prayer was frequently made up of a string of quotations from the Bible, especially the Psalm. Through the scripture he resonates with the mysteries of life. He fills many pages with his meditations and his theological questioning in the process. We, too, can take some time and write about the events of our life and its theological meanings.
I don't know how often you have a chance to journal, but when you write about yourself, let's remember the most important truth that God is our creator and God is there with you in every moment. Therefore, let's try to write down your reflections on God's action in your past, present, and future. As we write, we will find that God will lead us and help us to move forward toward a spiritual mutuality with God.
I hope everyone of RFUMC family might experience journaling prayer!
Blessings,
MORI
| | Community Info & Links Spaghetti Dinner Our Spaghetti dinner fundraiser was last Saturday. Many thanks to all who picked up spaghetti meals or had them delivered. We could not have had a successful event without the hard work of many of our members and family. Thanks to all who helped make this fundraiser a fun and profitable event. It takes many volunteers working together to carry off even a scaled back curbside pickup dinner. We are always hoping that we can have an in-person dinner next time and be able to visit with our many friends and church family.
Holy Communion
 This Sunday, April 3, we will have holy communion during worship service. Join us, in person if you are able, or through Zoom at this link: https://zoom.us/j/806489040. This week we prepared a pastry "VUSHKA" from the Ukraine, to use during Holy Communion. Come and let us pray together.
NIC Committee on Lay Servant Ministries invites you to attend an informational session to learn: - What is a Certified Lay Minister (CLM)? What do they do?
- What is the process to become a Certified Lay Minister?
- How do I know if I'm being called?
- How do I begin?
"But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted." - 1 Peter 2:9-10 (The Message) For those members of the laity feeling a call to go deeper into ministry, they will learn the levels of certification of lay servant ministries. They will understand the special call of Certified Lay Ministers, the prerequisite training and the process towards certification. They will also hear from current Certified Lay Ministers about their ministries. Certified Lay Ministry is NOT for all members of the laity; it is NOT a path to leading a congregation; it is a means of fulfilling our individual call to do ministry. 3 SESSION OPTIONS ALL ONLINE VIA ZOOM: -
Thursday, March 31 @ 7:00 pm -
Saturday, April 2 @ 9:30 am -
Tuesday, April 5 @ 1:00 pm QUESTIONS? Peggy Hansen - prhisu71@att.net
Lenten Daily Prayer
Mon - Friday Every Morning 8:00 AM
Holy Week Worship Service  We will have in person and Zoom worship service on Good Friday, April 15th.
The service will be at 7:00 pm.
Easter egg hunt Candy Donation
Easter Sunday is April 17, 2022. Please join us in person, if you are able, or through Zoom. Worship service begins at 10:30 am. We will have an Easter egg hunt outdoors for all to participate, weather permitting (an indoor alternate plan will take place if inclement weather.). If you would like to participate by donating candy, please bring candy small enough to fit inside the typical plastic Easter egg, and deliver it to the church office
Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund
Illinois has received approval from the U.S. Department of the Treasury on its Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) program to provide assistance to Illinois homeowners who have struggled to pay their mortgage due to COVID-19. Starting in April 2022, the state will begin accepting applications from homeowners for grants of up to $30,000 to eliminate or reduce past-due mortgage and property tax payments. Go to: ILHAF (illinoishousinghelp.org) for more information.
Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot
The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot is a $31.5 million dollar commitment from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City of Chicago as part of her effort to tackle poverty and put residents at the center of the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 5,000 Chicagoans will be selected through an open application and a citywide lottery to receive $500 per month for twelve months, with no strings attached. That means that there are no limitations on how the money can be spent by recipients. Visit the website at: Home (chicago.gov).
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
April 2022 Calendar click Here.
Church Room Reservation Form
(to request use of the common areas of the church) Click Here
- 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. March and April Scriptures and sermon titles are 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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