• Encourages you to step into the world of God’s love and grace
• Helps you build your faith
• Enables you to meet new friends
• Engages you in thought-provoking forums for learning and fellowship
• Aids your community and affects the needs of the world

We welcome you to become a part of a congregation that:

• Understands God to be loving, caring and forgiving
• Honors scripture, reason, tradition and personal experience
• Expects and respects questions
• Reveres great music as proclamation and enjoys new songs of jubilation
• Celebrates differences
• Wants to be in the world serving people
• Seeks to be a warm, caring, growing family of faith

Check out our ministries and programs described throughout this website and join us!

Feel free to contact us at:
friends@fumcah.com
or call our friendly office staff at (847) 255-5112.

1. On Monday, Feb. 13^th at 9:30am Friendship Hall Kitchen cleaning. This space was NOT in the current phase of construction but got covered with construction dust. All cupboards must be emptied, items washed, and things organized.
2. There are bulletin boards to be affixed to masonry.
3. There are bulletin boards to be “created.”
4. Two spray painting projects.
5. Furniture to be assembled.
6. Nametags to be sorted (call Diane Piper)
7. Books to be sorted (call Lynn Mikels)
8. The week of February 20th, hymnals and other pew materials to be placed
9. The week on February 20th, bells, bell tables and related items to be moved.
10. Lots and lots of odds and ends to be done. Call the church office if you have an hour or two to help.

February 5^th worship will definitely be @ The METROPOLIS. At the end of this week we’ll be able to say more about Feb. 12^th and 19^th. Wherever we worship however, we remain the church, God’s people, called to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Check back here regularly for updated news.

Arlington Heights celebrated the 125th anniversary of its incorporation Wednesday with the ringing of church bells and a reception for village officials, members of the Quasquicentennial Committee and sponsors who have donated to support the yearlong celebration.

Read the rest of the story at the Daily Herald.

There is additional exciting news in the fight against malaria. A new vaccine is being developed that shows strong promise to protect children against this terrible disease. The first results of the RTS.S vaccine given to five to seventeen month-old children prevented malaria in 56 percent of trial participants; it prevented severe malaria in 47 percent. The next step is a much larger trial to evaluate effectiveness and further development in the years ahead.

Hopefully you are asking yourself what about the other 44 percent for whom the vaccine was ineffective. They will certainly need a mosquito net. Nets will continue to play a large roll in the fight against malaria. Children are the most vulnerable because they have not built up the natural immunity as in some adults. A child dies of malaria every 45 seconds. Together we are making a big difference.

Over the past five years we’ve raised $19, 462 towards the eradifiction of malaria. This year will cross the $20,000 marker headed toward “the END” of the disease!

Our special Malaria No More valentines will be available on January 20, February 5, and February 12 in the lobby of Metropolis. Come and collect a valentine kiss.  And for more information visit ImagineNoMalaria.org .

As of November 17, we have received 146 pledges and we are excited to report that 49% of those who submitted their pledge increased their financial commitment above the previous year’s amount, and 23 were new pledges. If you have not yet had the opportunity to return your Estimate of Giving commitment, we hope you will do so very soon and join your faith family in this exciting privilege of generosity and blessing.

We hope everyone enjoyed the celebration brunch at the Metropolis Ballroom. Thank you to the angel who made it possible for us to gather in fellowship for this meal. All of you – the ministers of our church – make the future possibilities of First United Methodist Church come to fruition. Thank you to everyone for believing in the possibilities.

In the spirit of Christmas, our church will once again CONNECT to the 2011 ChildServ Holiday Gift Mission Project — but with a bit of a twist. This year, due to our renovation, we do not have a place to store the Christmas gifts that we usually purchase for 125 disadvantaged children. Instead, we will provide 28 names of children to receive purchased gifts. The rest will be donations of GIFT CARDS ($40 — preferably Target or WalMart). ChildServ’s caseworkers will then buy the gifts for the children. Please drop off ChildServ gifts and Gift Cards by December 4th at The Metropolis on Sundays or at the church office.

If you buy your ChildServ Gift Cards from our Youth Group’s fundraiser to benefit their Appalachian Service Project, you can make your purchase count twice! Youth group orders are placed once a week and available for pick up on Sundays at the Metropolis until December 11th.

Donations of wrapping paper, scotch tape, and batteries are also appreciated. ChildServ is an affiliate of the United Methodist Church. For more information, contact Roylene via email at rwg60004@yahoo.com or by phone at 847-222-1071 (home) or 847-989-1071 (cell). THANK YOU!

ChildServ’s mission is accomplished by providing leadership and programming that will educate children, families, and communities to overcome the challenges encountered by underserved children, youth, and families. Its success stems from its capacity to deliver effective, innovative services. We are proud to help an organization with a long term vision for children. We hope you will be generous in giving to this exceptional organization.

As Joel Hunter said in his review, “If you think you know the story of Jesus’ birth, think again!  This wonderful book sets us on a journey to the times and characters of Christmas so that we experience the birth of Christ in our lives in a new way.”

Participants will enjoy brief video footage of the holy land during each session as well as faith-provoking group discussion. This story of Christmas past will enrich the present and give us hope for the future.

Sunday mornings
Dates: November 27-December 18
Time: 10:40am-11:30am
Location: The Metropolis, Art Studio, Second Floor
Facilitator: Tedd Steele

Tuesday mornings
Dates: November 29 & December 6, 13, & 20
Time: 10:00am-11:00am
Location: At the church on Euclid
Facilitator: Lynn Mikels
(child care available by request; Tuesdays only)

Wednesday evenings
Dates: ongoing, beginning November 16
Time: 7:00-8:00pm
Location: At the church on Euclid
Facilitator: Leah Nakamura
(with the Progressive Pilgrims Study Group)

Thursday mornings
Dates: December 1, 8, 15, 22, Room 255,
Time: 10:00am-11:00am
Location: The Moorings of Arlington Heights, 811 E. Central Rd.
Room 255 (This session open to members of the community, as well as residents of The Moorings)
Facilitator: Bonnie Beckonchrist