Recent News

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, handcrafted items from the Peru-Titicaca Border Ministry, and help support the United Methodist Committee on Relief. 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.

This afternoon, it was inspiring to see so many children, youth and adults selflessly step up to the plate, cover it in whipped cream and thrust it in the face of our Youth Pastor, Katie Bartholomew, and our Children's Pastor, John Smoke. As so often in our church, people responded to the challenge with amazing enthusiasm, throwing more than two dozen pies at $5 each, more than Katie and John can possibly have hoped. Even Pastor Greta joined in. At the end, they both seemed dazed by the experience. 

The event raised money for two charities that have done so much to alleviate hunger in the local community and around the world, Church World Service and Feed My Starving Children, both of which have been supported by DGFUMC over many years. This was a follow-up to the South DuPage CROP Hunger Walk a couple of weeks ago, in which over fifty church members participated, twenty of them members of Katie's youth group and John's Sunday schools. Over $28,700 has been raised by the walk so far and the eventual total is likely to be over $2,000 more than last year. Thank you to Katie and John for their enthusiastic support and to everyone who participated a couple of weeks ago and today.

Today's event was so successful that there is already talk of a follow-up, but the victims have yet to be chosen. Any volunteers?

There are still openings for our Fishes team beginning Tuesday, November 6 for both workers and food. Fishes serve PADS the first Tuesdays in November, January, March and May.

Volunteers Needed:

• 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. - Female Volunteer
• 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. - 1 person to prepare and serve breakfast
• 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. - 2 people to clean up

Food Items Needed:

• Tetrazzini Casserole (recipe available) - Need 1
• Salad - 15 servings and 2 bottles of dressing
• Fruit - 10 servings (melon, oranges, grapes, bananas - no apples) - Need 2

If you are able to volunteer, please contact Scott and Renie Curry.