Woodridge United Methodist
Church
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Join
us on Sunday for worship services
at
10:00 am.
Instructions
can be found at the end below.
All are
Welcome!
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"From Doubt to Declaration"
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This Sunday we will reflect on the story of Thomas
in Gospel
of John 20:24–31. Often remembered as “Doubting
Thomas,” he struggled to believe the resurrection until he
experienced the risen Christ for himself. Yet his story reminds
us that doubt is not the opposite of faith—it can be part of the
journey toward deeper belief.
In this message, we will explore how honest
questions, when held within a caring community, can lead us to a
stronger and more mature faith. Just as the risen Jesus met
Thomas in his uncertainty, Christ continues to meet us in our
questions, struggles, and search for truth.
Join us this Sunday as we discover how faith can
grow even through doubt, and how the community of believers can
become a place where hope and trust are renewed.
Join us for worship this Sunday at 10:00 am in
person or on our Woodridge UMC YouTube Channel!
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Calendar
Friday, March 6th
- Noon
First Friday Lunch
- 2:00
pm RGA - Emerge
Saturday, March 7th
- 9:30
am Caller Seminar
- 7:00
pm Square Dancing
Sunday, March 8th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- Noon
Communion (online)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
Monday, March 9th
- Church
Office CLOSED
- 10:00
am RGA
- 7:00
pm Square Dancing
Tuesday, March 10th
- 10:00
am RGA Cooking
- 10:30
am Lenten Book Study
- Noon
SS Orchestra
- 7:00
pm Square Dancing
- 7:00
pm DG Camera Club tbd
Wednesday, March 11th
- 6:00
pm Lenten Book Study
- 6:20
pm Dens 2 & 4
- 7:00
pm Square Dancing
Thursday, March 12th
- 6:00
pm Sorority Cooking
- 7:00
pm Scouting America
- 7:30
pm Toastmasters
Friday, March 13th
- Church
Office CLOSED
- 2:00
pm RGA - Emerge
- 7:30
pm Square Dancing
Saturday, March 14th
Sunday, March 15th
- 10:00 am Worship Service
- Noon
Communion (online)
- 4:00
pm Filipino Baptist
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Church Office Hours
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 9:00 am to noon
Wednesday
- Thursday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Friday: CLOSED
We ask that you call
before visiting.
The
church office is CLOSED on Monday, March 9th and
Friday, March 13th.
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Important Information
Music Director Job Opening
The Staff Parish Committee has updated the job
description for Music Director and will be posting the
opening in various locations. Please share that we are
looking for people who are interested in the position. The
committee prays for guidance as we work to fill this very
important role in our church.
Ministry Opportunities
Lenten Schedule
March
7th – 9:00 am – Feed My Starving
Children
March
22nd – 11:10 am – Easter Egg Filling
March
28th - 10:00 am - Easter Egg Hunt
March
29th - 10:00 am – Palm Sunday Service*
April
2nd - 6:00 pm Soup Supper
- 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday Service*
April
3rd – 7:00 pm Good Friday Service*
April
5th – 10:00 am Easter Sunday Service*
with the Choir
Lenten Outreach Project (full 40 days) –
West Suburban Food Pantry Collection
*In
Person & YouTube Livestream
New
WUMC T-Shirts!
We have a new WUMC t-shirt!! They are a bright blue
color and come in the standard crew neck OR NOW in a V-neck
women’s version!! (See the poster and sample in the
narthex). These shirts will help make us visible at
events like Feed My Starving Children, the Easter Egg Hunt,
Backpack Packing, and the Craft Fair. There is a
sign-up sheet in the narthex for the size and style (crew
neck, women's v neck or long sleeve) you would like. Short
sleeve shirts cost $20. We now have 100% cotton long sleeve
shirts ($25)!
Choir
Schedule
The Choir will be rehearsing on Sundays after worship service
during the month of March & performing during Easter
Sunday service. Rehearsals will start late March 22nd for
Easter egg filling.
First
Friday Lunch
Please join us on TODAY,
Friday, February 6th at noon for lunch.
No planning, no reservations, no responsibilities! Bring your
sack lunch and a good sense of humor because there are sure
to be laughs. Everyone is invited!
Scouting
America (Formerly BSA) Plant Sale
Our Scout Troop 109 is selling outdoor
plants with orders and payment due to the scouts by TOMORROW,
Saturday, March 7th. There are dozens
of different types of plants available: flowers, foliage,
vegetables, and herbs at reasonable prices. Plants are grown
to order and will be delivered in early May. Contact the
scouts directly after noon today.
Feed
My Starving Children Sign Up
For those that have signed up for Feed My Starving
Children THIS Saturday
March 7th at 9:00 am - 10:45 am, it
is back
at Benedictine.
Support
Our College Students
Outreach is once again planning to support our college
students before final exams by sending care packages.
We are asking the congregation to participate by signing up
to bring in an item or gift card. All items are due
by
March 29th. Sign up will be in the
narthex.
Lenten
Outreach Project - In Support of West Suburban Community
Pantry
This year, our Lenten Outreach project is to provide personal
hygiene items for the West Suburban Food Pantry. We will
collect items through Palm Sunday, March 29th. Also, for
every cart that is filled with items, the Outreach Committee
will donate $200 from the Burke Estate fund to the
Pantry. A Church World
Services article explains the high need for
feminine hygiene products.
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General List:
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menstrual pads and tampons
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deodorant
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shampoo and conditioner
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razors (for men and women)
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toothpaste
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soap or body wash
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toothbrushes
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Lenten Book Study
The coming Lenten Study will be a six week study on Tuesday
mornings (ZOOM) & Wednesday evenings (In Person) at 6:00
pm on “The
Third Day”. On the third day, he rose
again. The author unpacks the Bible’s Easter stories
and helps the reader see their significance in the lives of
people today. This is compelling, honest, and hope-filled
book.
Easter
Egg Hunt Assistance
Last year was a success, so we’re having an EASTER EGG HUNT
once again!!!! YAY!!! But we need your
help. We need lots of assistants. Please donate Easter
candy to put into the eggs in the box in
the Narthex. All
candy needs to be individually wrapped and small enough to
fit in an egg: no nuts, peanut butter, or fruit snacks. All
donations need to be in by worship service on Sunday, March
22nd so we can fill the egg after
service. There is a box in the Narthex to drop off
donations.
Sunday,
March 22nd
- - Fill the
Eggs - after service
Saturday, March 28th
- – Egg Hunt
Set Up – at 8:30 am
- We need helpers to set out the
eggs and set up the narthex for the Egg Hunt (let the
office know if you can come)
- We need helpers to make
sure that everyone stays safe, collect the empty eggs,
hand out flyers and serve milk, juice and donut holes
(let the office know if you can come).
Palm Sunday Parade
Join us on Palm Sunday for a shortened worship service.
Afterwards we will come together to make posters in the
narthex proclaiming Jesus’ love with slogans like: Love One
Another and Jesus Welcomed the Stranger and Jesus is King.
Then we will parade like Jesus entering Jerusalem around the
outside of the church and spend a short time showing our
signs to passing cars on 75th Street (from the
grass). The church can provide large pieces of paper,
but if you can bring your own posterboard or boxes to hold
the signs up after we are through that would be greatly
appreciated.
CROP Hunger Trek
Carlene and David Smith are taking their adventuring to a new
level and hiking the Grand Canyon on Palm Sunday, 13.7
miles. They’ve done a CROP Hunger Walk many times but
this CROP Hunger Trek is a new challenge. They will
hike with a group of 10 led by someone who has hiked the
Grand Canyon many times. Donations will support the 80
years and continuing work of Church World Service.
Check out the details here:
CROP Hunger Trek -
Carlene Smith
CROP Hunger Trek - David Smith
Read both of their stories! They would appreciate your
donation on either of their pages. And your thoughts
and prayers as they trek on Palm Sunday.
Gift Card Sale
Do you need gift cards for graduation or Father’s Day or
weddings or confirmations?
Or, do you just like to support a great cause during the
course of your normal shopping? Then do we have a deal for
you! Gift card order forms will be available starting THIS
Sunday and are due
with payment by Sunday March 22nd.
Cards will be available for pick up Palm Sunday, March 29th.
A percentage of the sales will go back to the church.
Special
Second Saturday "Diners" - Go to Billy Elton
Instead
We are excited to share that instead of our regular Second Saturday
Diners, we will be coming together for something
very special — the Billy
Elton Benefit Concert! This promises to be an
uplifting evening of incredible music, fellowship, and
community. The concert will take place on Friday, March
13th, at 7:30 pm. We are especially proud to
share that the evening will be led by our very own Reid Spears,
performing on lead vocals and piano. It will be a wonderful
opportunity to support this benefit event while enjoying a
fantastic night of music.
Please note that everyone will need to purchase their own
ticket for the concert, and we will not be meeting at
a restaurant that evening. We hope you will make
plans to attend, invite friends, and come out to support Reid
and this meaningful event. It’s sure to be a memorable night!
Billy
Elton Benefit Concert
Billy Elton is a band that celebrates the music of Billy Joel
and Elton John and is led by our very own Reid Spears on the
lead vocals and piano. The band is returning to the Neuqua
Valley Auditorium in Naperville for another benefit concert
on Friday,
March 13 at 7:30pm to benefit the memorial
funds of three fondly remembered Neuqua Valley teachers. Over
the course of the previous benefit concerts, the band has
raised over $26,000 for the memorial funds. Tickets are $15
in advance ($20 day of show and at the door) and are all
general admission. Advanced tickets are now on sale and can
be found at this link!
If you are unfamiliar with the band and would like to learn
more, please feel free to watch this short demo video
or visit their website at Billy-Elton.com.
This concert has become a wonderful biennial tradition at
Neuqua and you won’t want to miss it! Come out for a
phenomenal show for a phenomenal cause!
Patio
Committee Meeting
The Patio Committee (formerly the Preschool Committee) will
be meeting on Saturday
March 14th at 9:00 am. Please
plan to discuss how to turn the old playground into a patio.
Blood
Drive at Prince of Peace
The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a blood drive at
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Saturday, March
21st 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.
Men's
Group Meeting - Everyone Welcome
The next meeting of the Men’s Group will be on March 21st at 9:00
am. We will have a brief time of fellowship
and prayer before working doing some work around the
church. There a variety of projects that anyone can
help with! We might start work on the garden around the
sign, please bring gloves (and shovels) just in case.
Everyone is Welcome!
All
Church Work Day
Green thumb?! Black thumb?! Any kind of thumb!!
All levels of skill are welcome! It’s time to get our
gardens shining again for Spring! Come and help on Saturday, April
18th from 9:00 am to noon. Please bring
any gardening tools that you may have including gloves and
buckets. Someone will show you everything that you need
to know, and you can come and go as you need.
Sharing
Our Gifts with Ray Graham
Our Ray Graham day program is looking for volunteers to spend
an hour or two sharing their gifts with their clients. Can
you bake (above the cupcake level), teach simple carpentry
(fastening two boards together), talk about your culture,
etc.? You are welcome to share your hobbies and knowledge!
Please let the church office know, and we will share the list
of volunteers with Ray Graham, so they can work out a
schedule.
Altar
Flower Donations
If you would like to donate an arrangement of flowers for the
altar, you are welcome to bring one in. Please let the
church office know by noon the Wednesday before, especially
if the flowers are in memory/honor of someone, so that they
may be acknowledged in the bulletin and announcements.
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.
Prayer Ministry
Our Prayer Chain is a group of caring people who believe in
the power of prayer. We are dedicated to praying for your
concerns and joys. Prayer requests will be shared with the
church’s prayer chain, honoring your confidentiality. If you are
interested in being a part of the church’s prayer chain
ministry, please contact the church office.
If you
would like to submit prayers to the Prayer Chain of Joys and
Concerns, please contact the church office, text Pastor
Dave with your prayer requests or give him a note
before worship service.
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.
Northern
Illinois Conference
2026
Laity Convocation
With the theme Moving
Forward with Hope, the Board of Laity invites you
to a meaningful morning of learning, connection, and
encouragement. Gather on Saturday, March 21st 9:00 am to 12:30
pm in person at First UMC in Glen Ellyn or
watch the live-stream at one of our satellite locations at
Princeton: First UMC, Freeport: Faith UMC, or Orland Park:
Faith as we reflect, grow, and look ahead together.
Registration is now open. Learn more.
Cultural
Shift Leadership Training
The Prairie Central District Shepherding Team is bringing
Rev. Jim Ozier back to Northern Illinois for Part Two of Culture Shift: Cultivating Healthy
Congregations, a one-day experience that
builds on the foundation of the January 31st Zoom
gathering viewable here, offering space for
reflection, discussion, and shared learning. Participants are
encouraged to attend and continue this important work of
helping our churches become healthier and more vital
together. The event is open to all church leaders. Join us
at Barrington UMC, on Sunday,
May 3rd, from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
Registration will open later.
NIC
Annual Conference Will
Focus on Hope
Under the
theme “Practicing Hope,” clergy and elected lay members will
gather for NIC’s 187th Annual Conference session, June 14th – 16th,
at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in
Schaumburg. The theme invites participants to explore how
hope shapes ministry, mission, and the future of the
church. “Hope allows for newness. Hope allows that God
will call us forward. Hope allows us to say yes to whatever
call is placed on our lives,” said Bishop Schwerin.
March Outreach Offering - UMCOR
What is UMCOR?: The United
Methodist
Committee
On
Relief
is the humanitarian relief arm of The United Methodist Church
— learn more here.
What does UMCOR do?
UMCOR alleviates human suffering around the world by helping
individuals and communities ravaged by storms, wars, fires,
displacement, and climate change. One tremendous fact about
UMCOR: 100%
of gifts to a particular project go to that
project, not administrative costs.
Please prayerfully consider joining with
faithful people around the globe to fund UMCOR’s work through
a generous donation.
Ways to donate to the March 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!!!
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Worship Attendance
If you watch the online
service, please email the church office at office@woodridgeumc.org and let us know that you joined us for
worship, so that we might record your attendance.
Prayer Requests
for Worship
We are starting fresh with our list of Joys and
Concerns. Please text Pastor
Dave (224.600.0446) or give him a note before service
with your prayer request. You are also welcome to let the
office know during the week. Names will only stay on the
list for one month unless other arrangements are made. Make
certain that you have permission to share other’s information,
too. Thank you for
your flexibility as we make updates to our worship services.
(There have been
requests that we include full names and/or more detailed
information for people on our list of Joys & Concerns.
Please remember our services are broadcast on YouTube and are
available to anyone who has internet access. Details are shared
with our Prayer Ministry Team on Monday mornings. You are
invited to join them in prayer and share in this information by
contacting the church office).
Offering
Options
There are different options for getting your
offering to the church.
- Go to the website & click on the Giving
tab at the top of the page or go straight there with this link.
- Text 630.449.7121 with the amount
- Drop off in the gold mail slot next to the east
door of the church.
- Mail your offering to the church.
March 6th, 2026,
Volume 16, Edition 10
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