The Giving Tree, which is now in the Parlor, gives you the opportunity to purchase  gifts for needy children, youth, and adults in our township and across the Northern Illinois Conference.  This year, we are supporting ChildServ, PADS, and the Peoples Resource Center. Just choose a tag marked with the name or initials of these agencies.

The gifts for all the agencies other than PADS should be returned with the tags firmly attached NO LATER THAN NOON ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1st. Gifts for PADS will continue to be collected into December. Contact Nancy Bifulco if you have any questions.

The Children and Family Ministries Work Area and the Church and Society Work Area sponsor the Giving Tree project. We hope that you will be able to help.

Thank you!

What do you buy the person who has everything? How about a goat, a beautiful South American craft, or a share in the aid work being done to help people in more than 100 countries around the world?

The Advent season is filled with many warm traditions, and one of those traditions at First United Methodist Church is the Alternative Gift Fair. Many of you are familiar with the beautiful crafts handmade by the artisans of our church's Guatemalan sister organization, the UPAVIM (United for Better Living) cooperative. These are gifts that give twice – your family and friends will enjoy receiving these lovely items, and you will also be supporting improvement projects in UPAVIM’s impoverished home community of La Esperanza in Guatemala City. We have a large selection to choose from - colorful bags of all sizes, scarves, Christmas ornaments, kitchen accessories, jewelry, and more.

You can also purchase livestock to combat world hunger as part of Heifer International. Best of all, you’ll be able to check off a few more names on your holiday gift-giving list while making a difference in our world. What a perfect way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!

Please come visit us in the Parlor after each service during the Advent season.

Dear Brothers, Sisters of Our Home Church Greetings from Copacabana, Bolivia!

We have great news! The UMC General Board of Global Ministries has a declared December 3 to be Giving Tuesday. On this day, GBGM will match every dollar donated to an Advance Mission Site such as the Peru-Bolivia Lake Titicaca Border Mission - #3021288!

We are always thankful and proud of the support – both financial and spiritual – we receive from our home church. We are serving here because the direction our spiritual journey took while at DGFUMC. Thanks to what we learned in classes such as Just Faith, and serving as volunteers for programs like Bridge and PADS we found ourselves yearning to serve in a way unique to us. Thank you all for all you have already done for the mission we serve.

If individuals or the congregation are willing and able to again offer support for the mission’s work, we’d be most grateful, as would the poor indigenous Aymara people with whom we live and work.

Both nationally and locally, suburban communities are experiencing growth and change. In particular, trends emphasize a growing low-income population, greater ethnic and racial diversity, and a changing and maturing economy. At the same time, resources are in shorter supply and the legacy of sending resources to the city of Chicago has created an imbalance because the growth in need has shifted to the suburbs.

Amy Snodgrass, from the DuPage Federation, will present up-to-date information and statistics on DuPage demographic trends and statistics, why suburban communities are particularly challenged in addressing these local issues, and what we can do. Please join us on Tuesday, November 19, at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel to hear more about this important issue. Light refreshments will be served.