|
Important Information
Frontage
Road Construction Update
The frontage road to the church will be under construction by
the county and completely closed to through traffic.
Currently and for the foreseeable future the far
north entrance to the church parking lot off Catalpa is
available with the other entrances only being available
sometimes. As
of this morning (& most likely through the weekend), the
frontage road is open to our driveway, but is
often closed off at the fire department. To get to
via Catalpa, go to Janes and take Sioux. Then, take a RIGHT
at Hawthorne, and then follow Ravinia to Catalpa. The
church is on the corner of the frontage road and
Catalpa. (There is a map in the Narthex). The
entire project is projected to be completed by
November. We are very sorry for the inconvenience.
See the letter from the County here.
Ministry
Opportunities
Sunday
School
Please join us!
Most Sundays, Children begin the worship service in the
sanctuary with their family. Following the “Praying” segment,
the children will be invited up to the chancel steps for
conversation with the pastors. Then, the Sunday School
teacher will meet the children in the Narthex (the big room
outside the sanctuary) & walk them to their classroom.
They will be in the Trinity Room in the main hallway.
Activity Bags are available in the Narthex every Sunday.
September
- October Upper Rooms
The large print Upper Rooms are now available in the
Narthex. We are out of regular print Upper Rooms for
September - October. Please note that prices have
increased. Regular print is now $1.50 and large print
is $2.
Bible
Study
We are studying Jeremiah. The study will be
offered on Tuesday
mornings via Zoom (10:30 a.m. to Noon)
and Wednesday
evenings in person (6:00 p.m. to 7:30
p.m.). We will read one chapter
together each week and go deeper with questions and
discussions. SLet Pastor Dave know if you are
interested in joining!
Second
Saturday Diners
Please join us to celebrate at Outback Steak House, 2970
Finley Rd. Downers Grove, on Saturday, September 13th at 5:00 pm.
We always have a grand time and look forward to welcoming new
faces. Please RSVP to Jo Bennett at jobennett2004@icloud.com
or 630.432.3301. Everyone is invited!
Blood
Drive
Along with St. Scholastica, Prince of Peace and Christ the
Servant churches, we are sponsoring a blood drive at St.
Scholastica on
Saturday, September 13th from 7:30 am to noon.
To schedule your donation, go to www.versiti.org/IL
or call 800-7TO-GIVE. Appointments appreciated; walk-ins are
welcome! Photo ID is required. Flyers are in the e-News or
Narthex.
Woodridge UMC Craft and Vendor Fair and Bake
Sale
Woodridge UMC is having a craft and vendor
fair on Saturday,
November 15th from 9 am to 2 pm. Last
year’s sale was very successful. Let’s see if we can
make it a bigger success this year! We are currently
looking for crafters/vendors, donations for the bake sale
table from our members and volunteers to man the bake sale or
raffle table and help price the items. Contact the
church office if you can help in any way or if you have any
questions. See the flyer here.
See the Vendor Application here or
register online here.
Restaurant
Fundraisers Scheduled to Benefit CROP Walk
This year there are four chances to eat out and donate to
CROP Walk at the same time! Yum! None of the
restaurants are far away, but Baker’s Square is just down the
street from Woodridge UMC. Please pay attention to the
times. Most locations require that the flyer be
presented when you order.
Panda
Express - THIS WEEK
Thursday,
September 11th 10 am to 9:30 pm at 1010 Ogden
Avenue Downers Grove, IL
Donating back 20% Bring the flyer
in the narthex or on your phone when you visit the restaurant
in person or order online with
fundraiser code 3840598.
Buona
& Rainbow Cone
Wednesday,
September 24th 7417 Cass Ave Darien, IL
Donating 20%. Bring the flyer or use the online one here.
Home
Run Inn
Online orders ONLY before October 1st (see link to the
fundraising order site in the e-News) 7521 Lemont Rd. Darien
with pick up between Monday, October 6th and
Wednesday, October 8th. Donating 30% of pretax
purchases. Home Run Inn
Online Order.
Culver’s
Wednesday,
October 15th 2500 Ogden Ave Downers Grove, IL
Donating 20%. Bring the flyer
or let the cashier know that you are with the fundraiser.
If you don't want to eat out, our church's fundraiser page is
already up and you can donate there!
2025 CROP Hunger Walk - Woodridge UMC
Membership Class
Those who wish will have an opportunity to
attend a membership class to learn more about what it means
to be and how to become a member of Woodridge United
Methodist Church. Class(es) will be offered October 4th and/or
October 5th with the times and exact dates to
be determined. Pastor Dave will be leading this
experience. For more information, contact the church
office. Signups will be available closer to October.
Women's
Retreat Coming this Fall!!
Join us for a women's day retreat at church on Saturday, October
11th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The theme is
"Doing and Being - You are Made for Both". You do
not have to be a Mary or a Martha only - God made you to do
God's work while maintaining a spiritual perspective. Cost
will be $10. You can sign up here or
get a paper form in the narthex.
Toastmasters
Would you like to speak with more confidence in any setting?
Toastmasters can help! The Woodridge Toastmasters club meets
on the 2nd
and 4th Thursday of the month at Woodridge United Methodist
Church. Come visit us and see for yourself!
For more information contact John.
Finance
Sumamry
July
2025
|
|
July 2025
Actual
|
July 2025
Budget
|
Year-to-Date
Actual
|
Year-to-Date Budget
|
|
Income
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contributions
|
$17,527.13
|
$21,174.17
|
$146,571.41
|
$154,719.19
|
|
Building Use
|
$300.00
|
$833.33
|
$2,425.00
|
$5,833.31
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
$86.26
|
$558.33
|
$3,371.17
|
$4,308.31
|
|
Total Income
|
$17,913.39
|
$22,565.83
|
$152,367.58
|
$164,860.81
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
Staff Parish
|
$14,352.31
|
$13,799.26
|
$93,527.80
|
$96,594.82
|
|
Apportionments
|
$0.00
|
$2,767.00
|
$19,458.00
|
$19,369.00
|
|
Trustees
|
$6,519.84
|
$6,407.48
|
$43,808.69
|
$47,472.36
|
|
Administrative
|
$163.34
|
$651.67
|
$3,457.22
|
$4,561.69
|
|
Program Ministries
|
$35.99
|
$546.24
|
$1,140.41
|
$3,823.68
|
|
Finance
|
$249.57
|
$268.34
|
$2,487.88
|
$2,333.38
|
|
Total Expenses
|
$21,321.05
|
$24,439.99
|
$163,880.00
|
$174,154.93
|
Staff Parish expenses: salaries for Music Director, Office Manager,
Custodian, Pastor salary/benefits, pastor transition costs
Trustee
expenses: mortgage, insurance, church
utilizes, church maintenance, parsonage expenses
Administrative
expenses: postage, office supplies, database
fees, media fees
Finance
expenses: finance software license, offering
envelopes, EFT/e-giving charges
Questions or concerns? Contact Wally Jeske, Chair of Finance,
wjeske@luc.edu
Northern
Illinois Conference
Letter
from the Bishop -
Lead Us
Not into Temptation
Siblings in Christ,
I feel called to compel us to return more often to the Lord’s
Prayer these days, and more deeply. Pray it slowly. Consider
the tenets of the prayer, the moral vision of Jesus calling
us to pray, “bring in your kingdom so that your will is done
on earth as it’s done in heaven” (Matt. 6:10, CEB).
Years ago, I read The
Greatest Prayer, by John Dominic Crossan,
and I was reminded that Jesus taught his disciples to pray in
a world of Roman occupation that offers some context for the
petition, “lead us not into temptation.” While our own
praying may be about help with many temptations, Crossan
suggests that perhaps Jesus’s view is that we should pray
that we do not fall
into the temptation of violence as a solution to the problems
that vex us. The Lord’s Prayer affirms there can
be bread enough, forgiveness enough, and God enough to order
life between us with compassion, abundance, and
neighborliness.
Read more here.
Viral
Conversations on Immigration
The Vital Conversations on Immigration series
was developed to help local churches explore a sacred
calling: a Church that embodies justice, mercy, and
hospitality.
With a study guide and accompanying videos,
each session invites you into deeper reflection on the
realities of immigration today, guided by the voices of faith
leaders, theologians, advocates, and immigrants themselves.
Immigration is not merely a political issue—it
is a theological and spiritual matter deeply rooted in our
Christian faith. The United Methodist Church has spoken
clearly on this matter. See here for
more information.
Midwest Methodist Foundation Ministry Grants
Now
through September 30 is the time to
apply for 2026
Ministry Grants! https://midwestmethodist.org/grants/
The board of directors has expanded the 2026 grants to
$50,000
total. The Foundation will award up to $5000
to two churches in each of the five districts in Northern
Illinois. The application deadline is September 30. Per
usual, the recipients will be finalized in
mid-December. The purpose of our Ministry Grants is to
provide seed
money to create or expand programs at local
United Methodist churches in Northern Illinois.
Priority
will be given to applications focused on community outreach
and service.
For more information and to apply, visit the Grants page and
read the PDF Guidelines.
2025 NIC Youth Fall Retreat
The Youth Fall Retreat for Middle School and
High School students (6th to 12th grade) will be on Friday, September
26th through Sunday, September 28th, 2025 at
Lutherdale Camp and Conference Center, Elkhorn,
WI. The theme will be “In Rhythm!”
In music, dancing, and sports, it’s essential
to be in rhythm to be successful. But are we living our whole
lives in a kind of rhythm that makes us whole, well, and
joyful?
Retreat guest speaker: Uli Widmaier,
Congregation Etz Chaim
Topic: Sabbath. What is it? Why is it
necessary? How do we do it? Where can we find it?
Cost: (Note: Includes a $30 non-refundable deposit due
at Registration)
Early Registration (until Aug.15): $180
Registration (Aug. 16 to Sept. 10): $200
Questions? Contact: Leah Ostwald
Find out about
upcoming events in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United
Methodist Church by clicking this link.
September Outreach Offering -
Rosecrance
Kinely Charity Care Fund
Rosecrance has been a leader in mental health
and addiction treatment for decades, with over 60 locations
across Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. The Kinley Fund
provides charity care to reduce financial barriers to
treatment at Rosecrance. The fund supports special programs
including those for veterans, first responders as well as
mental health programs and support for their most vulnerable
clients. To learn more about this important mission
visit rosecrance.org.
Ways
to donate to the September Outreach Offering:
- Check or cash in an Outreach
Offering envelope placed in the offering plate in the
- Narthex (the room outside the
sanctuary) or in the gold-plated mail slot at the
church’s east door.
- Online via our website. Select
“Current Month Outreach” in the drop down menu.
- Text the amount you want to give to
630-449-7121 and select “Current Month Outreach” in the
drop down menu.
Ongoing Opportunities
"Goin' Green" Shoes & Clothes
Recycling Box
Located in the northeast corner of our parking lot,
this receptacle is a convenient place to recycle any shoes
and your clothes that are at or near the end of their
usefulness.
West Suburban Food Pantry
There is a shopping cart that is waiting
for donations. It sits in the narthex, usually near the
sanctuary doors. The food pantry serves many
households and always welcomes donations!!!
|
