First United Methodist Church of Evanston, IL

Festival Choir Rehearsal
2024-04-10 19:30 - 20:10 (America/Chicago) | Choir Room
Adults and high school youth from the congregation and the community rehearse in preparation for the Festival Choir Concert on May 17, 2024. No audition is required and music is provided at rehearsal.
For more information, email brian@faithatfirst.com

Sunday School
2024-04-14 09:15 - 10:15 (America/Chicago)
Sunday School takes place before Worship from 9:15-10:15 a.m. from mid-September through May, with an emphasis on learning and responding to stories in the Bible through reading, conversation, and play. Sunday School is offered for children ages Pre-K-6th grade. Classroom locations are posted throughout the building.

Finding God in the Natural World (Adult Ed Class)
2024-04-14 09:15 - 10:15 (America/Chicago) | Rooms 33 and 34, Third Floor
Please join us for any or all of this four-week exploration of nature as God’s first sacred text. Participants will be invited into a deeper understanding of God through nature. For additional details and online registration, click here.

Young Adult Retreat
2024-04-19 - 2024-04-21
We are beginning a new tradition for our Young Adult group! We will be having a Young Adult Retreat on April 19-21st. The location of where we stay will be determined by our group size. We will do group lessons, crafts, self reflection, and plenty of bonding. This is a wonderful time to recharge your soul and get away for a weekend with other folks. Come join us! Contact Sydney Harkrider, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, at sydney@faithatfirst.com to sign up.

Couples Salon Spring Gathering
2024-04-20 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago)
Come join Couples Salon for an evening of good food and fellowship on Saturday, April 20th, at the Barbours’ home in Evanston. This fun evening co-hosted by Nancy and Dennis Barbour and Evelyn and Mike McGowan will begin at 6:30 pm.
Please RSVP to Evelyn at em4mail@gmail.com or via text at 312-816-5353 to let her know you are coming, and whether you are bringing an appetizer, dessert or side dish that goes with ham.

First Church Architectural Building Tour
2024-04-21 11:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary
Our resident building expert, Bill Brown, will lead a 30-minute tour on Sunday, April 21 after worship. This tour will focus on the history and architecture of the sanctuary and Tittle Chapel. Participants will get a close look at the carved reredos above the altar, the original and “new” stained glass, the awesome yet intimate space of Tittle Chapel, and many other treasures in the spaces.
Interested? Please sign up online, and plan to meet in the rear of the sanctuary five minutes after worship. Can’t make it but want to be notified of the next tour date? Please email mary@faithatfirst.com.

AGO Meeting
2024-04-21 13:30 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Conference Room

AGO Workshop: Continuo Playing
2024-04-21 15:00 - 16:30 UTC | Sanctuary
First Church’s Music Ministry hosts organist David Schraeder as he presents a workshop on continuo playing featuring our Fisk continuo organ. The event is presented by the North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is free and open to the public.

Mom's Night Out
2024-04-24 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Spring into fun with us! Every Mom Welcome!
Julie Womack Host and Jessica Radcliffe Cohost
RSVP to Julie WomackJulie@gmail.com
You can bring something to share IF you want (No guilt!)
Thank you Catharina Maerklin and Julia Jackson for hosting in March!

Connecting Through Storytelling
2024-04-27 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room
“Connecting Through Storytelling”
Take this course if you want to meet and get to know other members of FUMC, Evanston. You will create and tell 3-minute stories during our four class sessions. Invite your family and friends to hear one of your stories at our Performance Hour following worship on May 19, 2024. There is no preparation for the first class session. I cannot begin to describe how much I enjoy teaching this course. – Kitty Dutenhaver

ASP Training
2024-04-28 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
This is a training meeting for all folks who are attending ASP on July 13-20th.

First Wednesday Potluck
2024-05-01 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room
Bring a side or dessert to share and join your church family for good food and fellowship on the first Wednesday of every month!
Please register to gain building entry aid in preparations, noting any dietary restrictions or food allergies in the memo field. Register here: https://onrealm.org/faithatfirst/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=MmE0YTA4NmQtMGMxZi00NzRiLWFlOWYtYjEzMTAxNDJmMTdk

Confirmation Brunch
2024-05-05 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room

Homelessness in Evanston
2024-05-05 09:15 - 10:15 (America/Chicago)
Join us as we pick back up on our fall 2023 discussion of homelessness in Evanston to learn about current services for those experiencing housing and food insecurity and explore our response as a Faith Community.

Festival Choir Rehearsal
2024-05-15 18:30 - 21:00, 2024-05-17 18:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary

Festival Choir Concert
2024-05-17 19:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary
On Friday, May 17th, the Festival Choir of First United Methodist Church of Evanston presents a concert featuring two choral masterworks: Paul Winter’s “Earth Mass” and Louis Vierne’s “Messe solennelle.” The 7:30pm concert is free and open to the public.

Connecting Through Storytelling
2024-05-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room
Participants in the spring Connecting through Storytelling Class share their stories to a live audience of congregants, friends, families, etc.

Music Ministry
2024-05-26 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary

Diaper Days -- A Two-Week Community Diaper Drive sponsored by Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank
2024-05-27 - 2024-06-07

Men's Retreat on Bridging the Generational Divide
2024-06-08 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
Men of all ages and life stages are invited to the first men’s retreat in recent First Church history! Our Retreat Leader Rodric Smith will facilitate reflection and conversation around the topic “Bridging the Generational Divide.” Our time together is an opportunity to grow in our relationships with those that we know and don’t yet know. We also expect to explore what separates us and how we can join together, and to enjoy each other’s company.
$20 registration fee covers lunch and expenses. Register now. Questions? Please contact Tom Butler at theo1033@comcast.net.
Retreat Leader Rodric Smith, PhD studies the role of love in leadership development systems. He retired from the US Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel after 24 years. During his time in service, he led undergraduate and graduate leadership development efforts in classroom, mentoring, coaching, facilitation, consulting, seminar, and conference settings at the United States Air Force Academy.

"I've Been Meaning to Ask..." Sermon Series
2024-06-09
Join us for summer worship at our 9:00 am outdoor service or the 10:30 am service in Tittle Chapel. This summer, our two services will be very distinct in format. 9:00 am will be conversational and reflection focused. 10:30 am will look more traditional with a sermon.
Our first sermon series will begin on June 9th and we invite you to join us!
During the month of June we will focus on questions that begin with “I’ve been meaning to ask…”
In essence, this question also implies the following statements: “I’ve been thinking about you and I’ve been wanting to check in… You’ve been on my mind… I haven’t known how to have this conversation, but I’m getting started with a question.”
The ellipses symbolize the main objective of this series: to cultivate courageous conversations—and to keep having them, even if we need to pause. And provide us a starting point to ask questions such as: “where are you from?” “where does it hurt?” and “what do you need?”
These weekly sub-themes provide a trajectory for going deeper. As you can see, these questions aren’t surface level; they invite us to share our pain and seek ways to care for one another. May this series help us to behold each other as images of the divine. May it help us strengthen our capacity for empathy and compassion. May it remind us of the power of asking unassuming questions. May it show us that courage is rooted in the heart. Through vulnerability and authenticity, may our courageous conversations lead us to glimpse hope, joy, and beauty—and to become the community God created us to be.

Summer Office Hours
2024-06-09 - 2024-09-08
Summer Office Hours
Beginning on June 10th, the church office will be closed on Mondays and Fridays. If you have church business in the building, the office will be open as they usually are between 10am-4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and from 8am-12pm on Sundays. Staff will be working remotely on Mondays or Fridays, depending on which of those days they take for sabbath. We will resume program year hours beginning September 3rd.

9:00 am Summer Outdoor Worship
2024-06-09 09:00 - 09:45 (America/Chicago)
Join us for a new, conversation and connection-based take on our Summer Worship service. Now in the Memorial Garden!
Come as you are, and bring a blanket or chair if you have one!

Holy Communion
2024-06-09 10:10 - 10:25 (America/Chicago) | Glenna Hall
Holy Communion on Sundays that HC is not celebrated in the main service.

10:30 am Worship in Tittle Chapel
2024-06-09 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Tittle Chapel
In the Summer, we move our traditional 10:30 worship service to the beautiful (and air-conditioned) Tittle Chapel!

Summer Couples Salon
2024-06-22 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Come join Couples Salon on June 22nd as we celebrate summer outdoors (fingers crossed!) at the Federers’ home in Evanston. Clark and Linda and Mike Bergmann and Rob Meyer are co-hosting this fun evening of good food (Green Chili Enchiladas by Rob!) and fellowship, which will begin at 6:30 pm.
Please RSVP to Linda by text at 224-420-0999 or by email at Lfederer30@gmail.com to let her know you are coming, and whether you are bringing an appetizer, dessert or side dish to share.

Creation Camp 2024: "Linked by Love"
2024-06-24
First Church’s Children’s and Youth Ministry programs are returning to Camp Wesley Woods in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Join us for a four-day overnight camp experience suitable for children and youth entering grades 3-8 in the fall of 2024 as together we seek to create life-giving relationships and life-changing memories.

Learn more and register at https://faithatfirst.regfox.com/creation-camp-2024.

Mom's Night Out
2024-06-26 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Happy Summer! Come celebrate with us!
Stephanie Peters Host and Jackie Owens Cohost 6:30-8:30 pm
RSVP to Stephanie at stephdeloney@gmail.com
(Stephanie Deloney Peters)
This MNO will hopefully be in Stephanie’s beautiful backyard! You can bring something to share IF you want (No guilt!)
Thank you to Mari Leonard and Debbie Zimmerman for a wonderful patio party – the charcuterie board and salads were awesome! The rain cleared and we were able to enjoy Mari’s creativity with outdoor spaces!.
Thank you to EVERY host and Cohost and Participant of MNO! It has been a wonderful year to make new friends and reconnect!
Save the Date!
Sept at Cherie Asante’s

Appalachia Service Project
2024-07-13 - 2024-07-20
Our youth ministry serves the Appalachia area every Summer, and we are returning once more! We have been placed in Tennessee and it’s time to start getting our group together! Appalachia Service Project is a week of service work for youth to help in various ways. We’ve built wheelchair ramps, painted houses, or even just some basic home repairs. This is a week of showing God’s love in action, and we’d love for as many youth to come with us! Contact Sydney for more details.
