Highlights
July 21 — Folk music during worship
July 28 — Taize singing during worship
July 28 — Fourth Sunday Offering: First United Church Nursery School scholarships
Aug. 4 — Liturgical dance during worship
Aug. 11 — Art incorporated into worship
Aug. 18 — Contemporary music during worhsip
Aug. 25 — Blessing of the Backpacks
Sept. 1 — Blessing of the Animals; pets welcome at outdoor worship
Through Sept. 1 — Sunday worship at 10 a.m.
Sept. 8 — Gathering Day; worship returns to 11 a.m.
Evotional
"I Wanted There to be One More"
— Lydia Mulkey
July 16, 2019
Calendar
July 11 and and July 25 — One Book, One Oak Park reading group: Palaces for the People, by Eric Klinenberg, 6-7:30 p.m.
Aug. 8-12— Family Camp
Sept. 13 — Dinner and a Movie, Spotlight, 6 p.m. (NO film in August)
Sermons
"Our Neighbors, Ourselves"
Luke 10:25-37
"Brene Brown is a professor of social work who burst into prominence on TED Talks a couple of years ago with a presentation about vulnerability. Much of her research focuses on human capacities like compassion and empathy. She has much to teach us about caring. She thinks of compassion as a collective value: the deep belief that we are 'inextricably connected to each other in love and goodness.' Empathy, though, she thinks of as an interpersonal capacity, the ability to bring compassion alive. The Samaritan has empathy for the man lying on the side of the road. That is what compels him to stop and help."
— Deborah Kapp
July 14, 2019
About Us & Registration Forms
What’s Happening
The congregation of First United Church has called the Rev. John M. Edgerton as our new lead pastor. John comes to us from Old South Church in Boston, where his primary focus as associate pastor was on ways Christians live their faith outside the church's walls. John and his wife, Heather, have a 2-year-old daughter, Veronica. They will move to the Oak Park area in late summer, and he will start at First United on Sept. 3. "A growing church is one where the future is dreamed together by the people courageously taking up hard and holy work that changes lives and builds community," he wrote in his application. The entire congregation is thankful for the hard work of the Pastoral Nominating Committee in choosing John and looks forward to our church's new chapter.
Welcome to our new members: Our 2019 confirmation class
On June 2, First United welcomed 10 new members who completed a year-long study in Quest, the church's confirmation process. It's a year of learning, questioning, challenging, service projects, and field trips. Lifelong faith is a journey, as these 10 young people are finding out. Thanks goes to Quest teachers Alicia Reese, Pastoral Associate for Youth and Congregational Care, and Art Spooner for leading the class all year.
