First United Methodist Church of Evanston, IL

Mom's Night Out
2025-01-22 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Mom’s Night Out- Wed Jan 22nd – A New Year!
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, 2025! 6:30-8:30 pm
Caroline Wagner’s Upstairs Kitchen (with Meg Hagenah and Liz Blackwell as Cohosts)
Please RSVP to carolinehwagner@gmail.com Or Caroline’s phone 646-271-0727
You can bring something to share but no pressure!

Winter 2025 Inquirers Class
2025-01-26 09:15 - 10:15 | Glenna Hall
The Inquirers Class is an intentional exploration of the people and ministries of First Church, the United Methodist Church (theology, structure, current issues), and an opportunity to reflect on our individual and collective faith journeys. The class, which is primarily led by Pastor Grace Imathiu and Mary Taylor-Johnson, is interactive in nature, as we believe building community among those present is as important as the “content.”
In 2025, the Inquirers Class will be offered twice:
Winter Class
January 26-March 2, 9:15-10:15am
Spring Class
April 27-June 1, 11:45am-1:30pm
Lunch provided. No class Memorial Day weekend.
Feel free to contact Mary Taylor-Johnson at mary@faithatfirst.com with any questions.

Chili Cook Off
2025-01-26 11:30 - 12:30 | Great Hall
Our annual Chili Cook Off is Sunday, January 26th following worship. This is an event you cannot miss! Please come for tasting or register and enter your chili for the contest. Multiple categories fo choose from: vegetarian, white chili, kids, etc. First five registrants recieve a Penzeys Spices gift card! Questions? Please contact the Fellowship Committee Chair, Cherie Asante at cherie.asante@gmail.com

Social Justice Intersections Special Event
2025-01-26 12:00 - 13:15 | Dining Room
January 26 at Noon in the Dining Room—Special Social Justice Intersections Event.
ZONING, HOUSING, FAITH COMMUNITIES: What does zoning have to do with the high cost of housing or people experiencing homelessness or hunger? Plenty, actually, but it’s complicated. Bring your chili and join us in the Dining Room around noon for a conversation to learn about the impact of past Evanston rules and regulations with Laurice Bell from Shorefront Legacy Center, the present with Sue Loellbach from Connections for the Homeless, and Envision Evanston 2025 hopes for the future with Mayor Daniel Biss.

Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank Committee Meeting
2025-01-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Conference Room
Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank Committee Meeting will take place on Mon. Jan. 27 from 7-8:30 pm at church.

Inquirers Orientation Tour
2025-02-02 09:30 - 10:00 | Tittle Chapel
Through an abbreviated building tour, Inquirers learn about infrastructure of First Church and begin to explore ministry areas as church leaders from Church Council, Trustees, Adult Education/Faith Formation, and Mission and Outreach share the church mission statement and strategic plan, the church building as a “disciple of Christ,” our identity as a welcoming and inclusive congregation (and affiliation with the Reconciling Ministries Network), some of our Mission and Outreach projects, and opportunities for growing in faith.

Congregational Care Meeting
2025-02-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Dining Room
Congregational Care is meeting on Feb 2 after church. This will be a hybrid meeting.

Music Ministry
2025-02-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Sanctuary

Staff Focus Group
2025-02-05 12:00 - 13:30 | Conference Room

Memorial Service
2025-02-05 14:00 - 17:00 | Tittle Chapel and Glenna Hall
Memorial Service for the Reid family.
Service time TBD- held in Tittle Chapel and Glenna Hall.

First Wednesday Potluck
2025-02-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Dining Room
Bring a side or dessert to share and join your church family for good food, fellowship, and seasonal activities for all ages on the first Wednesday of each month!
Please register to aid in preparations, noting dates you plan to attend and any dietary restrictions or food allergies in the memo field.

Audio Review and Changes
2025-02-06 10:00 - 13:00

Bundled Blessings Diaper Packing Event
2025-02-06 13:00 - 14:30
Staff from Goldfish Swim School will be coming to pack diapers

Memorial Service
2025-02-08 11:00 - 12:00

Men's Fellowship Gathering
2025-02-09 08:00 - 09:00 | Dining Room
The men’s fellowship group meets on the second Sunday of each month in the dining room for a light breakfast, fellowship and often a short program. Contact Jim Hagedorn (jehdvm@gmail.com) for more information or to be added to our contact list.

Sunday School for Preschool-6th Grade
2025-02-09 08:00 - 17:00 | 2nd Floor Classrooms

Social Justice Intersections: The Legacy of the Great Lakes with guest speaker Susan Prout, Counsel for the EPA
2025-02-09 09:15 - 10:15 | Dining Room

Children's Council
2025-02-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Glenna Hall

Mom's Night Out
2025-02-11 18:30 - 20:30
Mom’s NIght Out! Tues Feb 11th AND Reserve Women’s Club Mar 13th!
​MOM’s NIGHT OUT!!! Tues Feb 11th – 6:30-8:30 pm
Nancy Brown Host with Marianne Griebler Cohost
RSVP to Nandbrown@comcast.net OR 847-271-1712
Come Join Us for Lively Conversation and Delicious Snacks!​ Moms of every age are Welcome! Bring a Friend? If you wish, bring a snack to share but no guilt!
​RESERVE NOW – Join us for the Woman’s Club of Evanston Revue, “Life is But a Meme​!” benefiting the Ted Fund. Ladies night is Thursday, March 13 at 8 PM. Doors open at 7:30 at the WCE clubhouse, 1702 Chicago Ave.
Tickets are $50 each. Evelyn McGowan reserved a table for us. The first 12 people to send payment to Evelyn will get seats at the table. Otherwise, we will try for seats nearby. You can pay via cash, check, venmo or paypal- no refunds- it’s a donation! Contact Evenlyn for rsvp at em4mail@gmail.com

Canceled for Feb. 26th-Lunch Break with Mr. Colin!
2025-02-12 12:00 - 13:00
Lunch Break with Mr. Colin is canceled for February 26th.
This February, Children’s Ministry invites you to get out and warm up with stories and songs on Wednesdays at noon beginning February 12. Bring a lunch and settle in for live guitar, action songs and sing-alongs, and resonant stories of wonder, followed by a take-home activity and devotion. Open to all but especially suited for families with children ages 0-6. No registration required.

3R's Rehearsal
2025-02-12 18:00 - 19:15 | Great Hall

Stare at the Sun Choral Rehearsal
2025-02-12 19:00 - 22:00 | Sanctuary

Rainbows, Resistance and Reconciliation (R3)
2025-02-15 - 2025-02-16 | Sanctuary, Chapel, Glenna, Dining Room, Third Floor rooms, basement rooms, Great Hall
A Celebration of our Intersectional Pride
In the month of our 11th Anniversary as a
Reconciling Ministry Network (RMN) Congregation
Black History Month
First United Methodist Church of Evanston
REGISTER HERE

Saturday/Sunday, February 15-16th, 2025
First United Methodist Church in Evanston (FUMCE) is celebrating it’s eleventh anniversary as a reconciling congregation that seeks justice and dignity for all LGBTQIA+ persons. The event for February 15-16th is a time to revisit our commitment and move into the future in these difficult times.
Our focus is on Intersectional pride and justice. FUMCE is a welcoming Christian community of the United Methodist Church (UMC) that offers hospitality, congregational care, and fellowship to all. We embrace individuals and families of all gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, races, and economic backgrounds. We are a community of faith seeking the transformation of the world through Jesus’ courageous love.
On the 11th anniversary of joining the RMN fellowship, we are celebrating this milestone with an event called “Rainbows, Resistance and Reconciliation (R3)”. Our desire is to bring the Reconciling community and prospective congregations in Evanston, our district area and Conference together in the spirit of love and fellowship.
These types of events in Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church have not happened since before the beginning of the COVID epidemic.
On Saturday, February 15th at the Anniversary Celebration we will welcome a national speaker. There will be local clergy and lay leaders participating in a panel on “What Next post UM General Conference and post Election 2024”, Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey is the preacher for the Anniversary Worship Service on Sunday, February 16, and will lead us in reflections on what is to come as we move forward together. There will be workshops focusing on various topics, including intersectional justice, queer and trans issues, being allies and biblical interpretation that heals not harms.
In this event we seek to:

Provide opportunities for healing and hope: Build Community
Vision faithful movement forward. Strategize about what people and churches need for this work.
Identify ambassadors for LGBTQIA+ justice and advocacy (as RMN names them)
Address issues facing us now like ongoing prejudice and the many hateful laws restricting gender affirming care.
Strategize to take action against violence inflicted on members of the community,, especially transgender folk
Address issues of mental health as relates to homophobic Christian teachings and societal attitudes and seek to reduce high suicide rates (ie mental health )
Embrace Queer folk who because of cultural structural context (color) may still feel a need to be closeted

Please visit the event site for more details.

Styrofoam Collection
2025-02-16 09:30 - 12:00
Bring your Styrofoam to Church to be Recycled!
Every 3rd Saturday of the month, 10 am to 12 noon, at the Church Street entrance.
And now every the 3rd Sunday of the month, near the front office.

Focus Group
2025-02-16 11:30 - 12:30 | Dining Room
Members of the 2024 Winter Inquirers Class are invited to participate in a focus group after worship on February 16 to provide input to the Membership Committee about how to more effectively connect and engage newer members. Questions? Please contact David Smith or Mary Taylor-Johnson.

Stare at the Sun Choral Concert
2025-02-16 14:30 - 17:30 | Sanctuary

Adult Christian Education Monthly Meeting
2025-02-17 19:00 - 20:30
The meeting content is discussing and planning adult education events. Meetings are monthly Format is in-person and Zoom participation. Contact: Dennis Barbour at dennisbarbour@sbcglobal.net. This event is confined to committee members, though guests are welcome.

Youth Retreat
2025-02-21 - 2025-02-23 | Wesley Woods
Our youth are heading back to Wesley Woods for an exciting weekend retreat! This is a weekend full of self-reflection, bonding, and plenty of memories. This is open to all youth (7th-12th grade), so reach out to Sydney for more information!

Couples Salon Sips, Dips and Dessert
2025-02-22 18:00 - 22:00
Celebrate Mardi Gras with Couples Salon on February 22 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm at the Clemens’ home in Evanston. Come any time between 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm to enjoy sips, dips and desserts at this fun gathering co-hosted by Tom & Marion Clemens and Daniel & Catharina Maerklin.
RSVP to Marion at redmarion77@comcast.net to let her know you are coming and whether you are bringing a Sip, Dip or Dessert to share.

Distribution of One Church/One Book copies
2025-02-23 09:00 - 12:00 | Fountain Foyer
One Church/One Book Distribution, Sunday mornings, 2/23 and 3/2 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Two distribution tables will be staffed by ACE members who will distribute the books and collect the $10 fee. All church members and guests. Dennis Barbour, ACE Chair–dennisbarbour@sbcglobal.net, 815-806-9434.
