pleasure is all his, he says.

McGuire describes these 7th and

8th graders as “hard-working but

fun-loving.” He points to how

well everyone gets along: “There

is no sense of cliques; these

youth are very open and inviting.”

Recently in class, the confirm-

ands reflected on “Why join a

church, and why join this particu-

lar church?” Caroline points to

several reasons she will take

membership vows at here: “Our

church is very accepting of every

knew one or two of her fellow

confirmands well, but that

through the weekly classes,

youth group, retreats, and mis-

sion trips, she has become close

with many of them. “We’ve

shared lots of experiences.”

Mike McGuire has come to know

this group through the Rockford

Mission Trip, which he leads

along with Chris Winslow.

McGuire spent five consecutive

days each of the past two sum-

mers with these youth, and the

M A Y 2 0 1 6

Walking group strolls on Saturdays.

Children’s musical is May 8.

Sunday lunch ministry resumes.

Proposed material for the June/July

issue is due May 20. Please send

info to Editor@faithatfirst.com.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

Confirmands Claim a Sense of Belonging

When asked to name a high point

of the confirmation process, Henry

doesn’t hesitate: “Hanging out

with Jane and the others and

building the community.”

Henry and 10 other youth will offi-

cially join First Church during wor-

ship on May 15. As Henry and his

8th grade peers near the end of

the two-year preparation, they

clearly name a centerpiece of the

process: community.

Jim Hagedorn, lead teacher for the

7th and 8th grade confirmation

class, says it’s intentional.

“Whether spoken or not, we try to

allow much time for the formation

of a community of confirmands.”

Hagedorn budgets time for “play

and conversation” in the form of

donuts and chit chat at the begin-

ning of class each week and pray-

er and reflection at the end.

Caroline, another eighth grader,

says that two years ago she only

After a two-year process of learning, service, and fellowship, our 8th graders will

take confirmation vows during worship on May 15. Above: First Church youth and

leaders on the Rockford Mission Trip in 2015.

(continued on page 3)

Dear Friends:

On Sunday, May 1, First Church

will join scores of other United

Methodist congregations for It’s

Time Sunday. During the past

few months, many of you have

watched the film An Act of Love,

sent letters to our General Con-

ference delegation, and prayed

that the denomination will finally

stand with and for love.

Page 2 F A I T H A T F I R S T

understood. They point toward

the question of how we can

maintain a world-wide commun-

ion knowing that the theologies

that emerge from developing and

developed regions differ at

times. They point toward our

heritage of social justice that is

being challenged and subverted

by narrow understandings and

agendas. And they point toward

a challenge of our pastors’ au-

thority to minister to all people.

Regardless of the General Con-

ference’s final direction, I am

confident that our congregation

will continue to be an accepting

and affirming Body of Christ at

the forefront of inclusion of all

people within the United Method-

ist Church and our society as a

whole. Our mission and minis-

tries will continue, and I pray

grow stronger. All struggles for

human dignity are unfortunately

long but in the words of the aboli-

tionist Theodore Parker they

“bend toward justice.” It’s Time!

Grace and peace,

—Dean Francis

Senior Pastor

The Dean’s List I have asked Bishop Sharon Z.

Rader to preach during 10:30

worship on May 1, and worship

that day will serve as a call to

commitment and prayer as our

denomination gathers for its

General Conference in Portland,

Oregon, May 10-20. The Confer-

ence is expected to vote on

whether or not to include LGBTQ

congregants and ministers or

continue to reject them and for-

bid same-sex marriage. As a

Reconciling Congregation and a

congregation that practices mar-

riage equality, we are joining

scores of congregations that day

who are praying and working

toward an end to these exclu-

sionary policies. Please plan to

join us.

The path forward is not at all

clear for our denomination. The

issues go far deeper than LGBTQ

inclusion.

They point

toward a

struggle for

the denomina-

tion’s under-

standing of

the Bible and

how these

sacred stories

are read and

A baptism for the history books: Sierra’s baptism during

worship on April 24 marks the eighth consecutive genera-

tion of membership for her family at First Church. Sierra’s

great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Catherine

Kline, was on the on the membership roster when this

congregation was formed in 1854. Photo by Jeff Wolfe.

Page 3 M A Y 2 0 1 6

one, and I think that is really important for a church. It is really cool that we

have so many opportunities to help people, like the sack lunch ministry. And

there are a lot of fun things our church does.”

Having participated in the life of First Church for two years as confirmands --

and even earlier as acolytes, Children’s Choir members, Creation Camp and

JUMP youth group participants – these youth already have a sense that they

have been accepted as part of this faith community. As Caroline says, I feel like

I already belong – confirmation just makes it a ‘for sure’ thing.”

We are a Reconciling Congregation.

First Church is a vibrant, accepting congregation

that welcomes all who seek God, inclusive of age,

race, education, economic status, sexual orientation,

gender identity, and special needs.

Faith, Fitness, Fellowship, and Fun

What do you get when faith

friends meet for fitness and

fellowship? First Feet!

The newest fellowship group

(dare we say faction?) of First

Church was launched in mid-

April. First Feet meets on Sat-

urdays at 9:00 a.m. in front of

the church to walk along the

lakefront for 45-60 minutes.

The walk ends at Peet’s, where

those who can linger for a cup

of Joe and conversation.

Melissa Lindner calls First Feet

“a blast.” She seeks out fun

ways to exercise and likes the

chance to get to know church

folks she hasn’t met yet. Ditto

for Leah Holzwarth, a new

member who also wants to mix

up her exercise routine a bit.

Nora Francis says she needed

a nudge to get back into her

walking routine. Francis is

credited with the group’s name.

Susan Prout spearheaded the

group: “We wanted to create

another avenue for fellowship

at First Church – and do some-

thing healthy to boot.”

First Feet walkers end their Saturday morning walk with a cup of coffee and lively

conversation. Walkers (of all speeds) are invited to meet on Saturdays at 9:00

a.m., weather permitting. Photos by Nora Francis.

Confirmands — continued from cover

Children’s Choir Shares the Story of Esther

F A I T H A T F I R S T Page 4

stands up and saves her people.

It is fun and cool to be such a

powerful character.”

Lara Korneychuk directs the

Children’s Choir and the musi-

cal. She finds this story fitting

given the current conversation in

our society about privilege. Kor-

neychuk points to how Esther,

as a woman of her time, did not

have full rights, but that “when

she was later given a position of

privilege, she used it to stand up

for the oppressed.”

Korneychuk hopes the perfor-

mance on May 8 will be enjoya-

ble and motivating: “I hope that

the story of Esther challenges

the members of the children's

choir, and our congregation as a

whole, to recognize how we ben-

efit from our privilege, and how

we can use that privilege to

serve those less fortunate.”

On May 8 our Children’s Choir

will share the Old Testament

story of Esther when they lead

worship with their musical

Malice in the Palace.

The part of Esther is played by

Charlotte, a fifth grader who

summarizes the story for us.

“Esther is a Jewish person,

and the king picks her as his

new queen. One of the king’s

advisors wishes to destroy all

the people of Israel, and es-

pecially Mordecai [the king’s

faithful servant] who is Es-

ther’s guardian. Esther has

to stand up to the king and

the court, and reveal

Haman’s plans.”

Charlotte enjoys the role of

Esther. She explains the part:

“In the beginning Esther is

pretty shy, and then she

Echoing one of the key lines from

the show, she asks: “Who knows

but that we have come to our

privileged position for such a

time as this?”

+ + + + + +

Lara Korneychuk has directed

the First Church Children’s Choir

and served as a member of the

Chancel and Gospel Choirs since

2011. Korneychuk, whose

teaching position at Deerfield

High School will be eliminated in

June, has accepted a job teach-

ing vocal music and drama in La

Jolla, CA, near her family.

In a letter announcing her up-

coming transition, Korneychuk

writes:

Singing with the chancel and gos-

pel choirs and working with the

children's choir has brought so

much joy to my life for the past five

years. The first years after I gradu-

ated from Northwestern were not

easy, but this community of lead-

ers, singers, parents, and friends

has embraced me through the ups

and downs. When I left Irvine, CA

at 18, I truly did not expect to ever

find another "home-church," but

this congregation has been home

to me for five very important, form-

ative years.

Thank you for all you have given

me through your encouragement,

your voices, and your compassion.

I have learned and grown so much

here, and I will move on to my next

adventure with a full heart.

Under the leadership of Lara Korneychuk one last time, the Children’s

Choir will lead worship on Mother’s Day with a musical. Above: A scene

from the 2015 musical. Photo by Frank Montagna.

M A Y 2 0 1 6 Page 5

nary. She has also

served as a Chaplain

Intern at the Evanston

Hospital.

A graduate of South-

western College in Win-

field, Kansas with a

B.A. in Liberal Arts and

Leadership Studies,

Foster was born and

raised a Kansas farm

girl, but tremendously

enjoys exploring the

Chicago area.

In 2006, Foster com-

pleted a year of service through

AmeriCorps in Denver, Colorado,

working with homeless youth in a

transitional housing program.

Prior to entering seminary, she

served as the full time Director of

Youth Ministries at First United

Methodist Church in Leaven-

worth, Kansas for eight years.

She enjoys good company, cof-

fee, cooking, traveling, repurpos-

ing furniture, and all things

sports (especially Kansas bas-

ketball. Rock Chalk!).

Foster is passionate about

providing a way for others to

live out the love of Christ and

live into their own calling to the

fullest capacity. She is excited

to join the First Church staff

and to serve in this congrega-

tion.

S N E A K P E E K F O R

N E W A N D

Pastoral Resident to Lead Young Adult Ministry

The First Church Staff Parish

Relations Committee and staff

are pleased to announce that

Mollie Foster has been selected

as the inaugural full-time Pasto-

ral Resident. The residency is

funded through the generosity of

Russ and Vera Watts and the

Education and Outreach Fund

that was established as a be-

quest to First Church. Mollie will

be on staff from June 1, 2016

until May 30, 2017. She will

lead our congregation’s young

adult ministries, establish a per-

sonal financial budgeting pro-

gram, work to strengthen our

volunteer management and par-

ticipate regularly in worship.

Foster is currently a Master of

Divinity student at Garrett-

Evangelical Theological Semi-

nary. She spent the summer of

2015 in Pietermaritzburg, South

Africa as an Intern at Wesley

Methodist Church and studying

at Seth Mokitimi Methodist Semi-

Although young people often wander

away from their church roots during

their college and young adult years,

First Church has experienced strong

numbers of new twenty– and thirty-

somethings in worship the past few

years. Photo by Frank Montagna.

Page 6 F A I T H A T F I R S T

After a three-month hiatus, our

Sunday lunch ministry has re-

sumed. Once again, each Sun-

day after worship First Church

volunteers are needed to make

sack lunches for hungry persons

in our community. The lunches

are distributed at Hilda’s Place,

the drop-in center and transi-

tional overnight shelter run by

Connections for the Homeless.

This lunch ministry was sus-

pended in January as the State

of Illinois budget impasse con-

tinued and Connections for the

Homeless was forced to make

difficult decisions about cutting

services. Thanks to private

funding sources, the drop-in

center reopened in April on just

a part-time basis. “It’s not an

ideal situation,” reports Lisa

Todd, Community Outreach

Manager for Connections of the

Homeless, “but at least we have

the doors open two days a week

so clients can take showers and

restore some level of dignity

while we continue to work on

more funding.”

For the next school year Connec-

tions, assuming another year

without a state budget, plans to

engage in what Todd calls “a full

court press” for local support to

restore all drop-in programming

as well as Hilda’s Place funding.

“These services are essential for

Evanston. We can’t keep won-

dering what the state is going to

do,” says Todd.

A number of local groups and

faith communities provide sack

lunches for Connec-

tions for the Home-

less clients, but First

Church is the most

consistent source of

this assistance, re-

ports Oliver Crawford,

Volunteer Manager.

“With all the current

issues we would not

be able to do our

work without the help

of organizations like

yours,” he says.

To sustain that con-

sistent and much-

Lunch Making Resumes, Needs Volunteers

needed support, Mission and

Outreach seeks additional volun-

teers to commit to feeding the

hungry. Deb Hays and Craig

Chambers, who are active in this

ministry, report that help is

needed each week with all three

pieces of the ministry: one vol-

unteer to shop for supplies at

Gordon Food Service (supplies

are charged to the church’s ac-

count) and get them to the

church before worship on Sun-

day; one volunteer to supervise

and 10-15 volunteers to make

the lunches during fellowship

hour on Sunday; and a volunteer

to deliver the lunches to Hilda’s

Place shelter (1458 Chicago

Ave.) on Sunday between 6:00

and 10:00 p.m.

When asked what motivates her,

Hays, who has helped with this

ministry since the beginning,

points to the Bible verse “I was

hungry, and you gave me food.”

Chambers appreciates the

chance to do something “direct

and meaningful” with a do-able

time commitment.

Persons who can help with

shopping, supervising, and deliv-

ering lunches are asked to sign

up at www.faithatfirst.com/

registrations/ . No sign up is

needed to help make lunches

after worship each Sunday in

Great Hall.

Above: Lunch making in the fall of 2012, near the

beginning of our lunch ministry.

Page 7 M A Y 2 0 1 6

F A C E S A T F I R S T

Adult ASP Teams Tackle Floors, Foundation, Food Fifteen First Church members participated on the adult ASP mission trip in April. The group traveled by van to Brenton, West

Virginia, where they were divided into three work teams. One team removed and replaced a deteriorating living floor (and

reportedly ate delicious homemade desserts every day). A second team faced a similar job but discovered extensive water

damage in the walls which had to be repaired before addressing the floor. The third team installed support posts and girders

to stabilize the foundation of a house (replacing concrete blocks and “strategically placed tree trunks”), insulated the under-

side of the house and replaced ceiling tiles. Here are a few moments from the trip.

Planning is in the works for the next adult mission trip in the fall.

A N O T H E R W A Y T O

F E E D T H E H U N G R Y

Our Friday lunch ministry seeks

volunteers on the first Friday of

each month at 10:30 a.m. to

make lunches in the kitchen, and

then head over to the First Con-

gregational Church House to dis-

tribute them from noon to 1:00

p.m. at the Interfaith Action soup

kitchen. Want to be added to the

mailing list for this Friday lunch

ministry? Please email Jane at

jane@faithatfirst.com.

E X P L O R E T H E S E A

Children entering kindergarten

through 4th grade are invited to

“Deep Sea Discovery,” the theme

of our Vacation Bible School this

5 1 6 C H U R C H S T R E E T

E V A N S T O N , I L 6 0 2 0 1

( 8 4 7 ) 8 6 4 - 6 1 8 1

W W W . F A I T H A T F I R S T . C O M

N E W S A N D N O T E S F R O M A R O U N D F I R S T C H U R C H

July 11-14, from 5:00-7:30 p.m.

at the church. (supper included).

Please register at

www.faithatfirst.com/

registrations/.

T H A N K S F O R T H E

B O O K S !

Many thanks to the First Church

congregation for donating nearly

550 books to Reach Out & Read,

an early childhood literacy pro-

gram at Erie Family Health Cen-

ter, which serves patients regard-

less of their ability to pay.

Above: The Adult ASP trip included Hazmat suits and communing with under-

house wildlife. “More fun than humans should be allowed to have,” comments

Jim Champlin, who suggests spider-whispering is a valuable ASP skill.