wesleyan...the excellent work of hesed house continues caring for the homeless during a pandemic is...
TRANSCRIPT
wesleyan SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION
Pastor’s Column…..........…….....2
Events...………………………3,4&5
Outreach..………....….….….…6&7
Discipleship……………...…….8&9
Helpful Links……………….…....10
NIC…………………………….….11
Congregational Care…………....12
Financial Update……………...…13
Do you remember this song?
The church is not a building;
the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place;
the church is a people.
The current pandemic has proven this to be true. We are not a building. For some
of us this may have been a hard lesson to learn. Perhaps your affiliation or even af-finity with Wesley is worshipping in our beautiful sanctuary or gathering place. While our beautiful building may be a landmark in Aurora, it has not defined us for the last
five months. What does define us, then? That’s the question many are wrestling with, in our small groups.
What is the story you tell about Wesley? When you are talking to friends or family members and you tell them about Wesley, what do you tell them? Do you talk about
our beautiful building? Do you tell them about our talented staff? Do you tell them about our mission and outreach work? Do you tell them about the quadrilateral?
(Look it up!) Do you tell them about our social justice efforts both here and around the world?
In small groups this month, we are working on an identity statement. We are clarify-
ing what is important to us. What is our mission? What are our core principles? What covenant are we making with one another and with God? These are important
questions.
In October, we will be compiling all your comments, edits, suggestions, deletions,
etc. The Governing Board will make adjustments based on your responses. Then, they will send it back to you for your blessing sometime towards the end of the year. That’s the goal.
While this is important work for us to do as a congregation, I want to encourage you to do this important work for yourself. Spend time this month considering your per-
sonal mission statement. What is the story you tell others about yourself? What is the story you hope others will tell about you? Create two or three core principles by
which you live your life. Make a covenant between you and God to uphold the mis-sion and principles you are called to live out.
Both as individuals and as a congregation, let us recommit ourselves to following Je-sus for our own transformation and for the transformation of the world!
Worship and Event Updates
Sunday Worship Watch Party Join us at wesleyumcaurora.online.church on Sunday mornings at 10am to
watch worship together. You can find a sermon archive on our Vimeo page.
Meditation Mondays John presents a short video meditation to start out your week.
A new video is available every Monday via any of the platform links. Tuesday Prayers with Kathy
Kathy will lead the congregation in weekly prayers. Join live on Tuesdays at 11am (email [email protected] for link to Zoom meeting). Or watch a
recording later via any of the platform links.
Wednesday Midweek Moments with Michelle Michelle presents music and a time with kids every Wednesday. You can watch on any of the platform links.
Thursdays with Thew
Thew presents music every Thursday on any of the platform links.
Saturday Sabbath Consider unplugging from social media for the day.
NDY Meetings On August 7th, NDY met for lunch in the shade of the beautiful yard of the church.
The NDY (Not Dead Yet) friends met again on the lawn at Wesley on Friday, August 28th bringing chairs and lunch.
Everyone practiced social distancing before and after this picture.
The next two dates we will be getting together on the lawn at Wesley are September 11
and September 25 at noon. Bring your lunch, drink, and chair and join us!
Happy 55th Wedding Anniversary to
Emmy Lou and Herb John! To celebrate they arranged for an ice cream truck to
arrive during lunch. Thanks Emmy and Herb for treating us to the delicious ice cream bars!
All Church Read
The Outreach Team is sponsoring an All Church Read. The selected book is:
Tears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric Dyson
This book is written to the church asking us to look at our own racism. In the book Dy-son argues that if we are to make real racial progress, we must face difficult truths, in-
cluding being honest about how black grievance has been ignored, dismissed, or dis-carded.
The Rev. Dr. Dyson is an ordained Baptist Pastor and is a professor at Georgetown University. He has authored or edited more than twenty books.
The books have been ordered. When they arrive, the church will send an email to let
you know when to get them. Sarah and Elena Swanson will be in the church parking lot at a designated day and time so you may get your book. We will be having groups
meeting on different days and times to discuss the book the week of October 18th.
Milk Distribution
The Outreach Team of Wesley, in coordination with the Aurora Interfaith Food Pan-try, distributed more than 200 gallons of milk.
Sarah Swanson and Lekha Cristanujaya, members of the Outreach Team, worked tirelessly the morning of August 12th to give milk to very thankful recipients. The
Team is extremely grateful for the dedicated work of the recruits, Nathan Crista-nujaya, Bob McKnight and Shirley McKnight, who stayed with us on this very
warm day giving milk to many Aurora families.
The Excellent Work of Hesed House Continues
Caring for the homeless during a pandemic is a big challenge. Hesed House has demonstrated it is up to the challenge.
In early April, several Hesed House residents tested positive for COVID-19. The state of Illinois stepped in to help with the funding and all healthy residents were
transferred to local hotels until it was safe to return to Hesed House. The staff were told they could no longer house as many as was the tradition. Fifty in the Family
Shelter was immediately reduced to 20. The warehouse across the street from Hesed House has been converted to sleeping areas. Grants have recently been re-ceived to make additional renovations to the warehouse.
The reduction in numbers at Hesed House plus the new number of people looking for a job has increased those having to live on the street. Homeless camps have ap-
peared in forested areas near Hesed House. The staff at Hesed has provided the tents and sleeping bags. Generous donations have maintained a steady stream of
food and water for the people living in the camps. Each morning at 11:00 am people can go to the Hesed House gate to receive a shower and bag lunch. Try to imagine the increase in the workload for the staff. Try to imagine living in a tent day after day
after day. These have been tough times!
There is good news! Almost all the families that entered the Family Shelter Hotel in
the beginning of April, are now in stable housing! Many of the individual adult resi-dents have also been helped to find stable housing. The goal is to transition all of
those living in camps or on the street back into Hesed House before the winter storms begin.
If you want to make a financial donation to Hesed House, you may do so through the church. There are two ways to do this. The first is to donate online through our website. The second method is to write a check and mail it to the church with
“Hesed House” in memo line.
Thank you for whatever help you can give to help our homeless neighbors during
this pandemic.
Bad Girls Bible/Book Study
The Bad Girls are meeting weekly on Tuesdays on Zoom until further notice. We are currently reading “White Fragility” by Robin Diangelo. If you are interested in joining
us for lively discussion, please contact Kari Nicholson-Rigaud so she can send you the link for Zoom. Her email address is [email protected]. For more information, contact Meredith Lindgren at [email protected], or call me at 630-788-
6911.
Let’s Go Adult Fellowship
Let’s Go is a social group open to all adult members and friends of Wesley. Due to the pandemic we have not been meeting. We hope to be able to start planning events
again sometime, keeping safety in mind first and foremost. Our first event will be a joy-ous Welcome Back to Live Fellowship Party! Stay tuned for details. Please contact Meredith Lindgren if you are interested, 630-788-6911 or [email protected].
Caregivers Support Group
If you are a caregiver for a loved one or a friend, or are working for a company that places caregivers in homes of those in need; if you have been a caregiver; or if you
anticipate being a caregiver and want to commiserate with us, you are invited to join us. All are welcome, men and women, young and old. We offer one another support, compassion, and a willing ear to listen. If you are interested in joining us, please con-
tact Wendy Evans at [email protected] and let her know so she can add you to the list. We meet the third Thursday of the month. We have been meeting live at
church under the trees on the New York Street side of the building, with masks, chairs, and our lunches! There is always room for more!
Mug Club Enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation. This is a social group of men with lots to talk
about and too much time on our hands. We have not had too many solutions, but we’ve had lots of fellowship. We invite you to join us! For more details call Herb at
630-264-2892.
Where: Colonial Café at West Plaza When: Each Thursday at 9am (temporarily meeting via Zoom)
Tuesday Crafters
Tuesday Night Crafters are currently holding virtual gatherings via Zoom. At this time, we are sharing projects we have been working on. Please contact Vicki Martin at 630-859-2320 or [email protected] if you are interested in joining the Crafters on
one of these meetings.
NDY (Not Dead Yet) Group This group meets for lunch on the fourth Friday of each month at 12pm at Oak St. Restaurant in North Aurora at the corner of Oak St. & Randall Rd. Currently meeting
in Wesley Church yard! Connect with Wendy Evans for details at: [email protected]
Wesley Gardeners
Due to the diligence of some of our members, the gardens are looking better! Thanks to Emmy Lou John for her work on the rose garden, and to Deb and Randy Fisher for
weeding and mulching the Peace garden. Also, thanks to our benefactors who pulled out the bushes and planted hostas at the May Street entrance! It looks great! If you have spare time and would like to help with weeding and watering (once the mon-
soon season is over, we may need to water), feel free to stop by. I would recommend that you call Jenny in the office and check to see if anyone is at the church before
you go. Now that we are in Phase 4 in Illinois we can gather in small groups to work on the church grounds, making sure to socially distance. Contact Meredith Lindgren
at [email protected] if you are interested, or let Jenny in the church office know. Thanks!
Videos You Should Watch!
As we continue the work of acknowledging and dismantling racism, we encourage you to sit again with this video created by the UMC in the wake of the deaths of George
Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. It challenges and inspires, and draws us all into deeper communion.
And, for a moment of joyful inspiration, we share again this video of Brandon Kazen-Maddox signing "Still I Will Love" by Shaina Taub. You'll want to dance along at the end!
Amy Karl 9/3
Houston Godfrey 9/4
Michael Rumple 9/5
Jamela Covalt 9/5
Yasmeen Shamsuddin 9/12
Mari Curless 9/14
Kari Nicholson-Rigaud 9/17
Ella Karl 9/18
Patricia Price 9/20
Jewel Sapnu 9/21
Elizabeth Skaggs 9/21
Ed Skaggs 9/22
Belinda DeVoss 9/23
Wendy Connell 9/27
Amy Rapinac 9/29
September Birthdays
Dear Friends, Brothers and Sisters of Wesley,
On behalf of all my family, I would like to thank you for all the words and prayers re-membering my brother Daniel F. Aquize Mendoza.
There are not enough words, ideas, or thoughts to express the deep gratitude, just a thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Best regards,
Aquize Mendoza family
Thank you WUMC! Thank you Wesley Church, friends and family for your generous 75th Birthday Blessings. Thanks be to God. Love, Bill Frazier
Rev. John Bell Senior Pastor
Bad Girls Bible Study Meredith Lindgren 630-788-6911 [email protected] Caregiver Support Group Wendy Evans 630-897-5149 [email protected] Fine Arts Committee Jamie Reynolds 630-460-3989 [email protected] Hesed House Bob McKnight 630-896-5287 [email protected] Let’s Go Fellowship Meredith Lindgren 630-788-6911 [email protected] Morning Needle Crafters Mari Curless 630-892-9373
United Methodist Men Herb John 630-264-2892 [email protected] United Methodist Women Mari Curless 630-892-9373 Welcome Desk Volunteers Jennifer Pawlowski [email protected] Wesley Gardeners Meredith Lindgren 630-788-6911 [email protected] Wesley Golfers Ralph Breazeale 630-897-6657 [email protected] Yoga Classes Ann Merk 630-907-1614 [email protected]
Mug Club Herb John 630-264-2892 [email protected] NDY Group Wendy Evans [email protected] Ruth Ann Little [email protected] Prayer Shawl Ministry Mari Curless 630-892-9373 Special Events Coordinator Lynn Burnett [email protected] Sunday Morning FaithLink Emmy Lou John 630-264-2892 [email protected] Tuesday Crafters Vicki Martin 630-859-2320 [email protected]
