Happy New Year, Found Family!Hey, I’ve got an idea: Let’s talk about Epiphany! This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday* and Epiphany is all about light: The star in the sky leads the magi to Jesus, who is the light of the world. As the Gospel According to John reminds us, “The light [of Christ] shines in […]
Epiphany lights up Read More »
Merry Christmas Found Family! No matter which version of the song you prefer (or do all you can to avoid), we are now in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas. All those birds, rings, dancers, drummers, and such help us mark the church season of Christmas—officially called Christmastide. I only just figured out
So happy Christmastide Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,It is well known that I am bad at math, but even I can count the days well enough to realize this is our last newsletter before Christmas. I’m sure many of you are, like my family, feeling the pressure of seemingly innumerable expectations this holiday season. So allow me just
Remember to breathe this Christmas Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,This Christmas and holiday season, as pressure and responsibilities ratchet up, it can be quite difficult to respond well to God’s incredible gift of self-revelation that is the Incarnation in Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us. My hope for you this Christmas is that you will give yourself some gifts. Give yourself the gift
Give yourself some gifts Read More »
Advent (the churchy name for the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve) is the season of anticipation and longing as we await the incarnation of God in Jesus. Our theme for Advent this year is “What Do You Fear? Insisting on Hope this Advent.” This theme will permeate our Advent experiences in worship, Sunday
Advent reflections Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family, Everything feels different now, doesn’t it? Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror, temperatures have plummeted, and snow blankets nearly all we see. Here in December, even this early in the month, everything just feels different somehow. I think it is part of the magic and the chaos of this month,
Invitation to Observe a Holy Advent Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,Have you noticed that there seems to be a special name for, like, every single day this week? Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday (aka Bears Game Day!), Small Business Saturday, First Sunday of Advent, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday…all we seem to be missing is Taco Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, and Thank God it’s
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family, Last week in this space, I shared a bit about our Church Conference that occurred at the end of October. You can read part one by clicking here. Read part two by clicking here. Today, I offer the third and final part. I asked our committee chairpersons and the leaders
Church Conference: Embodying Hope Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family, Last week in this space, I shared a bit about our Church Conference that occurred at the end of October. You can read part one by clicking here. Today, I offer the second part. I asked our committee chairpersons and the leaders of our various ministries to offer a narrative
Church Conference: Challenges Read More »
Dear Minooka UMC Found Family, Church Conference was a success! We gathered last week for, as Methodists have historically called it, Holy Conferencing. Meaning it was more than a business meeting. Though it was a business meeting too. We handled all the required items: —We passed our 2026 budget —We elected our chairpersons and members
Church Conference: Wins Read More »
Christmas Eve at Minooka UMC
Wednesday, Dec. 24
4:00PM featuring Pop-up Pageant
9:00PM featuring Communion
