First United Methodist Church of Evanston, IL

Young Adult Potluck
2025-04-06 17:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-20 17:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
All young adults are invited to our potluck! Whether you are new around here, or looking for other adults to befriend— you are welcome here! We gather at the Bailey’s home, and all bring dishes to share. Contact Sydney for the address, and hope to see you there!

Music Ministry
2025-04-08 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary

Church Council Meeting
2025-04-08 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Glenna Hall

Coffee, Conversation, and Friends
2025-04-09 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
This group of women “of a certain age” meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Year round we gather at LePeep in Evanston for informal conversations on a wide variety of topics: books, the news, restaurants, grandchildren, and places to visit. No matter what’s on the table, we are all ears. Come join the conversation and make some new friends.

Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank hosting ETHS Community Serivce club for diaper packing
2025-04-10 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Chicago) | Room M
Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank hosting ETHS Community Service club for diaper packing on Thurs. 4/10, 4-5:30 pm in room M. Contact Nancy Brown at 847-271-1712.

Mom's Night Out
2025-04-10 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Come Join us for some lively conversation and friendly moms of all ages!!!!
Every MOM is Welcome!
Julie Womack’s home with Jess Chadwick as Cohost
RSVP to womackjulie@gmail.com
Bring something to share if you wish – no guilt!

ASP Fundraiser Dinner
2025-04-12 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room
Come join us as our youth and adult volunteers tell you all about our annual Appalachia Service Project mission trip! We need your help to help the people of Appalachia! Please join us for a pasta dinner and consider our auction table so you can donate to our cause and get a gift out of it! Hope you’ll help our Youth Ministry go on ASP for the 27th year!

Men's Fellowship Gathering
2025-04-13 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Chicago) | 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.

Men's Fellowship Gathering
2025-04-13 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room

Palm Sunday Procession
2025-04-13 09:15 - 10:30 (America/Chicago) | kitchen
Help us enter Holy Week! At 9:15 a.m., come together with area churches (and a live donkey!) in the Ecumenical Palm Sunday Parade. Following the walk, gather in the church kitchen to learn a bit about the history of hot cross buns — an early spring and Easter favorite — decorate one for yourself or a friend, and have a bite before worship! Then grab a palm branch outside of the Sanctuary between 10:25-10:30 a.m. and help lead the way into worship as part of the children’s Palm Sunday procession.
Please note that Sunday school and Faith & Parenting classes will not meet at 9:15 a.m. on Palm Sunday, April 13.

Children in Action
2025-04-13 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Children in grades 1-6 are invited and encouraged to step into service on Palm Sunday, April 13 from 12:00-1:30 p.m., with lunch provided! This month, we’ll help inspect and sort plastic Easter eggs to reuse all we can for this year’s Easter Eggstravaganza before painting and decorating real eggs of our own! Registration required. See details and register here.

Communications Committee Meeting
2025-04-14 19:30 - 20:45 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
The 2024-25 Communications Commitee meets monthly on the second Monday of each month at 7:30pm online. Questions? Please reach out to committee chair Andy Shotwell at ashotwell@gmail.com.

Bookends and Beginnings hosts author Colm Toibin
2025-04-15 16:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary
Evanston bookstore, Bookends & Beginnings, hosts author Colm Toibin, for the paperback release of his latest book, Long Island. They anticipate 300 attendees. Program to begin at 7:00 with doors open at 6:00. Contact person for the church: Krys Juleen

Faith Formation Council Monthly Meeting
2025-04-15 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
The Faith Formation Council will meet monthly by ZOOM. Attendees will receive the ZOOM link in advance. Any questions contact Tom Scott or Lee Rader.

Children's Ministry December Monthly Dinner
2025-04-16 00:00 (America/Chicago)
Children’s Ministry Month Dinner Gathering, Contact: Colin McDonald, colin@faithatfirst.com

Labyrinth Walk During Holy Week
2025-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Memorial Garden
Labyrinth Walk during Holy Week: Walk the labyrinth at the church in our Memorial Garden during Holy Week. Walking a labyrinth is a spiritual practice that involves walking a path (at our church, a circular single path design) to the center and back out again. It can be a time for prayer, reflection and healing. Why walk a labyrinth? …to see life as a journey of faith, to quiet the mind and practice mindfulness, to gain insight and self-knowledge, to feel solace and comfort, to renew strength and perspective, to pay attention and be present in the moment. The labyrinth will be available to walk from April 16th-18th, Wednesday-Friday during Holy Week, from 12:00 noon-1:00 pm. A member of the Faith Formation Council will be there to provide information and help guide you. You may find your way to the labyrinth by entering the Church St. door or by entering directly through the outside gate off of Hinman Ave.

Maundy Thursday Pizza Potluck
2025-04-17 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Great Hall
On Maundy Thursday, we remember that Jesus invites us to His table that we may leave strengthened and repurposed to love as we are loved. While Maundy Thursday worship tends to be a bit heavy, help us lighten the mood and look forward to Easter’s joy at Pizza Potluck. Following the Maundy Thursday Family Service at 5:30 p.m. in Tittle Chapel, we’ll gather in Great Hall for a taste of things to come with delicious pizza and time together around the table.
All are welcome, though not required, to bring a side dish to share. As the kitchen will be in service for Thursday Soup Kitchen, please only bring sides that require no preparation or heating. Register here!

Chancel Choir Rehearsal
2025-04-17 18:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Tittle Chapel
Chancel Choir rehearsal in Tittle Chapel balcony before worship.

Styrofoam Collection
2025-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
The Earth Care Committee holds its monthly Styrofoam collection time at First UMC Evanston on the third Saturday of the month at the Church Street entrance between 10am and Noon. Material to be collected includes all clean No. 6 plastic foam. Acceptable items include disposable coffee cups; take out containers (such as clamshells); plastic plates, bowls and cutlery; meat and poultry foam trays and packing foam. When recycled, these items can be processed into a material used to make park benches, picture frames, and other items. Recycling these items helps keep this harmful plastic, which cannot be processed locally, out of the waste stream.

Styrofoam Collection
2025-04-20 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
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.

Festive Prelude
2025-04-20 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary
The Music Ministry of First Church present 30-minutes of music as we prepare for our Easter worship service.
The Festive Prelude and worship will feature the Chancel Choir, Brass, and Organ.

Earth Care Lending Library
2025-04-20 11:30 - 12:00 UTC | Great Hall
Looking for a place to continue growing in your understanding of environmental justice and how to care for God’s creation?
Visit the Earth Care Lending Library, which is open every 2nd Sunday after worship in Great Hall. A small lending library with books for readers of all ages, the titles were curated by the Earth Care Committee and include Newbery Award-winning children’s books, as well as titles by leading voices from the spiritual and scientific communities.

Church Office Closed
2025-04-21
In recognition of the hard work and dedication our church staff has shown in the months leading up to Easter and throughout Holy Week, we will be observing a Sabbath on the day following Easter. This time of rest is a way for our staff to renew and recharge after a season of faithful service. We will return to our normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., on Tuesday, April 22nd. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Adult Education Council Meeting
2025-04-21 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Glenna Hall
Monthly Adult Education Council Meeting
Third Monday of each month from 7:00-8:00pm
Jan Womack, Vice Chair Womack.jan@gmail.com

Bundled Blessings Diaper Packing with Producemobile volunteers
2025-04-22 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Room M
Bundled Blessings Diaper Bank will be hosting volunteers from Producemobile team to pack diapers on Tues. 4/22 from 10:30-12. Contact Nancy Brown at 847-271-1712 or nandbrown@comcast.nst

Couples Salon Sips and Dips
2025-04-26 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
Come enjoy Sips and Dips with Couples Salon on Saturday, April 26th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Susan and Steve Prout’s home in Evanston. Please RSVP to Susan at swprout@comcast.net to let her know you are coming and whether you are bringing a sip or dip to share.

Church Council Meeting
2025-04-27 11:30 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Dining Room

Spring 2025 Inquirers Class
2025-04-27 11:40 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Glenna Hall
2025 Spring Inquirers Class

Sundays, April 27, May 4, 11, 18 & June 1, 11:40-1:30pm (lunch included)

What is Inquirers?

An exploration/inquiry into First Church, its ministries, and people.

A six-session class that meets on Sundays led by Pastor Grace Imathiu, Mary Taylor-Johnson and other church leaders.

An experience to help you discern whether this faith community will nurture you and provide opportunities to grow and serve.

What will we do/learn/think about in Inquirers?

Learn about the First Church mission, strategic planning, and what it means to be a Reconciling Congregation.

Talk about the collective faith journey and reflect on our own individual experiences.

Learn about (or review) the structure, theology, and current issues in the United Methodist denomination.

Hear about opportunities such as Adult Education and Faith Formation, soup kitchen, sack lunch ministry, diaper bank, fellowship groups, Young Adult potlucks and gatherings, opportunities for children and youth.

Build relationships with each other through weekly conversation and sharing in small groups.

Listen to what current members share about their experiences in this congregation.

Take a tour of the building.

Inquirers is also the centerpiece of our membership process, so we’ll talk about the membership vows and expectations. While we ask all persons considering membership at First Church to participate, we don’t assume that Inquirers are considering membership. If the experience helps your discern whether or not this faith community is a good fit for you, that is a win.

If    If you are interested in participating in Inquirers, or have questions about this opportunity, please reach out to Mary Taylor-Johnson, Director of Membership and Engagement, at 847-864-6182 or mary@faithatfirst.com .

Standing Together
2025-04-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Sanctuary
