|
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
Fellowship Time with Bagels
Join us after service in Bonfal Hall for bagels and cream
cheese, jelly, honey, etc.! You can even toast your
bagel!
First Friday Lunch - TODAY
Please join us on Friday,
September 4th 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!
Youth
Lunch
The Youth are having lunch after service THIS SUNDAY,
September 6th. Let Karen know if
you are planning to attend!
Bible Study Resumes
Our Bible study will resume starting with a Kickoff Day on
Wednesday, September 9th at 6:00 pm.
We will be studying Acts. 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. Please plan to join us!
Restauran
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.
Buona & Rainbow Cone - THIS WEEK
Wednesday,
September 9th 7417 Cass Ave Darien, IL
Bring the flyer or use the online here.
Portillos
Thursday,
September 24th 5:00 to 8:00 pm at 1500
Butterfield Road Downers Grove, IL
Donating back 20% Bring the flyer
in the narthex or on your phone when you visit the restaurant
in person.
Home Run Inn
up between
Monday, October 5th and Wednesday, October 7th
where you select Active Fundraisers in the menu on the left
to get to CROP Walk. See the flyer here.
Culver’s
Wednesday,
October 14th 2500 Ogden Ave Downers Grove, IL
Bring the flyer or on your
phone to let the cashier know that you are with
the fundraiser.
Get
Ready to Spice Up Your Second Saturday Diners Evening
Join us on Saturday,
September 12th at 5:00 pm as we head to SGD
(So Gong-Dong) for an authentic taste of Korea! Whether
Korean food is already a favorite or you wouldn't know kimchi
from a cookie, come give it a try! We'll share some delicious
food, a few laughs, and plenty of good fellowship. Please
RSVP: Elisa Caligiuri at applei8122000@yahoo.com. SGD Dubu
So Gong Dong Tofu (1283 E. Ogden, Naperville)
Sunday School Returns September 13th
Sunday
School will return on September 13th. 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.
Church Picnic
We will have our Church Picnic on Sunday, September
13th after worship service. Invite your
whole family (parents, kids, cousins)! Invite your
neighbors! Games, food and fun! Chicken tenders
will be provided. Bring a dish (or dishes) to share.
Scout
Popcorn Sale!!
Our Scouts will have a table at our church picnic Sunday, September
13th to sell popcorn. Please stop by
their table, pick up some popcorn and help support OUR
Scouts!
Cub
Scout Recycling Fundraiser
Cub Scout Pack 104 is doing a fundraiser with Savers. They
are looking for donations (things you would typically give to
Salvation Army or Good Will or the like). The pack will earn
a certain amount per pound donated. The items will then be
re-sold in the stores or recycled. They are looking for:
- Clothes: men’s, women's
& children's, coats, shoes, scarves, handbags,
wallets, fashion accessories, belts, backpacks,
etc.
- Household Textiles:
bedding, comforters, blankets, sheets, towels, linen
tablecloths, curtains, pillows, etc.
- Small Household Goods:
kitchen items (such as pots/ pans, dishes, silverware,
glasses, serving pieces and hand-held appliances), home
decorative items, knickknacks, toys, games, and small
electronics.
- Books & Media:
paperback, hard cover – all genres
*media needs to
be boxed separately *no encyclopedias
or textbooks
The items will be collected
at WUMC on October 3rd or if you would prefer
to have them picked up, please schedule a pickup with the
pack by emailing Pack104Woodridge@gmail.com.
Thank you for your support!
Cub
Scout Car Wash
Help support the local Cub Scout pack that meets at this
church! Get your car washed! Sunday, September 27th from 11:00 am
to 1:00 pm. Stop by after worship
service!
Woodridge
UMC Craft & Vendor Fair @ 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 a success. 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. Share the news, so we can get
more people shopping this year! Contact the church
office if you can help in any way or if you have any
questions. Find the Vendor form online or
here if
you prefer a printed version.
Directory Update
It’s been a few years since we updated our printed directory
so it’s time for a refresh! But in order to perfectly produce
a printed Directory, we presently need perfect information.
So please proceed to the Narthex, put pen to paper, and
perform an update to your information. Check one of the
samples in the narthex for your entry and its accuracy and
either initial the entry as it being fine OR fill out a
yellow Directory Information form in the narthex (or here).
DO NOT make corrections in the samples. Thank You!!
Share
Your Talents!
Do you play an instrument? Love to sing? Are you looking for
a concrete way to help? Want to become more involved at WUMC?
Join in our church's practice of radical hospitality? Let us
know! Fill out a Volunteer Opportunity form in the narthex (or here)
to let us know what you are interested in.
The
Monarch Walk: Championing People with Disabilities
The Monarch Walk and Fall Fest are coming back to Ray Grahams
flagship property in Burr Ridge, and we'd love for you to
walk alongside us.
HERE'S
HOW IT WORKS: Folks like you rally
family and friends around our mission by way of generous
support of all different sizes through online fundraising now
through September 20th. After the online fundraiser,
join us for a fun-filled, family-friendly morning at our
signature property in Burr Ridge on Sunday, September
20th from 9:00 am to noon. You're
invited to a serene half mile walk along our newly-installed
sensory path, and a Fall Festival featuring a DJ dance party,
yard games, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, and
healthy snacks for all. Lace up your shoes, connect with your
community, and champion people with disabilities. See here for more
information and to donate.
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.
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.
Free
Square Dancing
Downers Grove Square Thrus is hosting a FREE Square Dance on Monday September
14th 7:00pm - 9:00 pm at our church. No
experience needed. No partner required. Couples, singles and
families are all welcome! Wear casual attire and
comfortable shoes. Lessons start Monday, September 21st. For more information go to www.SquareThrus.com or
call 630.881-4467.
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
NIC/GCORR
CRCC Cohort
Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Cohort Sponsored by the Northern
Illinois Conference and the General Commission on Religion
and Race
The cohort exists to strengthen adaptive leadership of
Cross-Racial/Cross-cultural (CRCC) clergy in the Northern
Illinois Conference by affirming belonging, creating space
for theological reflection and navigating cultural awareness
and healing. Through a trauma-informed and formational
learning environment, the cohort supports CRCC clergy in
integrating their lived experience, cultural identity, and
theological vocation, fostering both personal healing and
sustained leadership in CRCC ministry settings.
A few of the 2026-2027 events church leaders. Please
let Pastor Dave or the church office know if you are
interested in any of them:
World
Celebrations of Christmas
Sat.
12/5/2026, 10 a.m. to 1 pm at Journey of Hope
UMC in Elgin: Explore global expressions of Christmas and how
they enrich the church’s incarnational ministry
Closing
Retreat - Lessons for the journey ahead
Sat.
5/22/2027, 9 a.m. to 3:30 pm at Our Saviour’s
UMC in Schaumburg:
My
Omaha Film Screened Sept. 14-20
The Northern Illinois Conference’s Collective
Action to Build Community (CA2BC) will host showings and
discussions about the film
My Omaha during the fall of 2026. My Omaha is
essentially a film about the search for truth and common
ground between a son and his father. But it also traces
the search for truth and common ground that has been playing
out for decades between Omaha’s African American community
and the larger, dominant white community. It is an 85-minute
documentary released in February 2025, directed, written and
produced by 31-year-old Nick Beaulieu. It premiered in Omaha
in October last year. See here for more
information and to register.
Partial
List of Showings:
Monday,
September 14th at 6:30 pm Glen Ellyn
Thursday,
September 17th at 5:30 pm Naperville
Friday,
September 18th at 6 pm La Grange, IL
Sunday,
September 20th at 2 pm Lombard, IL
There is an individual at home film streaming option where the
link will be emailed out on September 14th and will be
available until September 20th.
Disability Education Summit
The Northern Illinois Conference Committee on
Accessibility is hosting a summit on Saturday,
September 26th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at Bethany of Fox
Valley UMC in Aurora. This free event
features accessible worship, four workshop sessions, lunch
with a panel discussion (optional $10 lunch fee), and
practical tools to help churches become more welcoming and
accessible to people of all abilities. Workshop topics
include disability awareness, accessible worship,
neurodiversity, advocacy, technology, and creating inclusive
ministries on any budget. See the e-News
for more information and to register for the event.
Outreach Opportunities
September Outreach Offering - CWS Crop Hunger
Walk, South DuPage Walk
CROP Hunger Walks help to provide tools of
hope that empower people to meet their own needs. From seeds
and tools, to wells and water systems, to nutrition-enhancing
Moringa trees, to technical training and micro-enterprise
loans, the key is people working together to identify their
own development priorities--something CWS has learned through
80 years of working in partnership around the world. For more
information go to https://southdupagecrop.org/.
When CROP began in 1947 it was an acronym for the Christian
Rural Overseas Program to help Midwest farm families share
their grain with hungry neighbors in post- World War II
Europe. The first CROP Hunger Walk was held in Bismarck,
North Dakota in 1969. Each year, some 2,000 communities
across the U.S. sponsor CROP Hunger Walks. Nationally,
upwards of 200 corporations match employee gifts and/or
volunteer hours to the CROP Hunger Walk. Locally, thousands
of businesses and media outlets support their community's
CROP Hunger Walk.
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!!!
|
