“Widen the Welcome” Series – Part Three: |
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| New Member Classes If you're new to Wesley and are interested in becoming a member, we invite you to attend these upcoming New Member Classes!
June 23: Wesley Programming Information From 4:00pm to 5:30pm in the Wesley Lounge Join us at this meeting for the chance to hear about our many ministries and programs at Wesley UMC, and also get to meet ministry and programming staff and leaders. Learn about volunteer opportunities, projects and more!
June 26: Wesley UMC Building Tour From 6:00pm to 7:30pm throughout the Church Building Join us for a tour of our beautiful facilities and learn about our rich history. Following the tour, you will have the chance to participate in a service project hosted by one of our ministries.
July 7: Reception of New Members! On this Sunday, we will joyfully and officially receive our new members during our worship services at 9am or 11:30am. New members will receive a package of Wesley swag and supplies and enjoy a welcome from the whole church. Note: Because this will take place on the Fourth of July weekend, new members can elect to also be received on June 30th instead! |
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| UPCOMING SUMMER WORSHIP We have two more upcoming Outdoor Worship Services this Summer! We’ll be hosting a blended service at special venues off-site from the Wesley Property. See the dates and locations to the right!
Following the service on JUNE 30th, we're planning an afternoon of family fun at Miller Park. Lunch will be provided in the form of Gondolas from Avanti's and gluten free options will be available.
NOTE: If you need transportation from Wesley UMC to Miller Park in the morning of JUNE 30 for outdoor worship, sign up with the link below! |
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ON JUNE 30TH Join us at the Miller Park Band Stand at 9:00am 1020 S Morris Ave, Bloomington, IL 61701
ON JULY 28TH Join us at Aldersgate Pavillion at East Bay Camp at 9:00am 24248 Ron Smith Memorial Highway Hudson, IL 61748 |
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| Greetings from AIR Camp! Our SURGE Youth and Volunteers are having a great time at AIR Camp in Makanda IL. We've been worshiping, singing, playing games and sharing fellowship all week, and we're excited to share our stories with you later this summer. In the meantime, here's some media to give you a look at what we've been up to! |
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Tyshawn Mabrey, a frequent and hard-working volunteer at the Wesley Distribution Ministry, is recovering from serious injuries following an attack earlier this week. Folks are trying to raise money to help with hospital expenses - if you'd like to contribute, you can donate on our GIVE page under "Other Ministry Fund," and specify that you'd like your money to go to helping Tyshawn Mabrey. |
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| Calling All Wesley Bakers! We need your help to make the Mission Bake Sale at the Bloomington Farmers’ Market on July 13 a success! This year the sale will benefit Home Sweet Home Ministries. Cookies, muffins, rolls, breads, pies, cakes, caramel corn, trail mix—AND dog treats—helped us raise $1600 last year. Please bring your baked goodies to the church on Friday, July 12 between 9:00 and noon or make other arrangements by contacting Judy Burgess: 630-988-1205 or judyburgess2@aol.com.
More ways to help: (contact Judy) • Volunteer with packaging and labeling Friday—12:00-2:00 • Help at the booth Saturday morning • Advertise by telling friends about the sale and good cause! |
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| Vacation Bible School ARK ADVENTURE! |
| This year's Vacation Bible School, ARK ADVENTURE, has started! Join us on June 26 from 6:00pm - 7:15pm for great storytelling and a great time with family and friends. Ages for enrollment are 4 years old through 5th grade.
We'll be meeting outside in the Green Space at Wesley. Be sure to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy while we hear the opening story each evening. Wear a swimsuit or something you don't mind getting wet in the water fun!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kathi Pritts via email. We hope you'll join us! |
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Here are some photos of recent activities at Wesley's VBS! |
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| UNCLOBBER by Colby Martin INTERGENERATIONAL Study UnClobber examines six passages from the Bible, each frequently referenced by Christians for prohibition of gay marriage. The deep dives into these passages alternate with author Colby Martin's own story of being fired from an evangelical megachurch when they discovered his stance on homosexuality.
UnClobber (explores) what the Bible says (and does not say) about homosexuality in such a way that challenges some traditional assumptions and interpretations.
Join us for this study during Adult Sunday School between services, meeting in the Lounge or on Zoom. This will study will be open to both adults AND youth! Books are available for $10 donation on the Welcome Desk and in the Lounge. Contact Pastor Sara or Kelsey Ross for more information. |
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| Inspired ("Called Good" Study) by Rachel Held Evans "Called Good" Study "In Inspired, Evans explores contradictions and questions from her own experiences with the Bible, including:
- If the Bible was supposed to explain the mysteries of life, why does it leave the reader with so many questions?
- What does it mean to be chosen by God?
- To what degree did the Holy Spirit guide the preservation of these narratives, and is there something sacred to be uncovered beneath all these human fingerprints?
- If the Bible has given voice to the oppressed, why is it also used as justification by their oppressors?
Drawing on the best in biblical scholarship and using her well-honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, and even a short screenplay."
We are currently reading "Inspired" in our Young-Adult Ministry group, "Called Good." Contact Kelsey Ross for more information. |
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The CHOSEN Video Series In July & August join us on Wed nights 6-7:15pm for a viewing of The Chosen story, a light potluck and a bit of discussion in Wesley Hall!
"A charismatic fisherman drowning in debt. A troubled woman wrestling with real demons. A tax collector ostracized by his family and his people. A religious leader struggling with his beliefs. In this ground-breaking first season of The Chosen, see Jesus through the eyes of those who met Him. Contact Kathi Pritts if you have questions. Kathi will provide the main dish each week and drinks and paper products. Bring a bag of chips, a side dish, or a dessert." |
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| Upcoming Adult Book Study - Starting July 13th The Book of Ephesians with J.W. Barnett Learn about Paul’s writings from prison, his teaching on adoption, mystery desserts, school uniforms, and blind spots. Come see what this is all about from July 13th - August 21st on Wednesday evenings in the Lounge from 6 to 7 pm. |
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We have fantastic Sunday School opportunities for all ages! |
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| During June's Distribution Day, we served 438 families and had 38 volunteers. In addition, we had 49 volunteers who worked throughout the month to prepare for the distribution. We have the best volunteers!
Unfortunately, we will not be receiving products from Midwest Food Bank for our July 20th distribution. We are not certain that we will be getting products for August or September either. The paper supplies we were receiving each month from MFB has been low and they have told us that they just aren't getting paper products from previous sources. This means anything we give to those in need of paper products, we will have to purchase.
This year, we have already been purchasing diapers, wipes, hygiene items and paper towels. Last month, we needed to buy some toilet paper. We are spending around $5000 each month without purchasing much toilet paper. We are able to do this because of grants and donations received. We are looking at every source for donations, both monetary and product wise, we can.
I get asked frequently if we accept opened packages of diapers, Depends, toilet paper, etc. The answer is YES! We repackage opened items and give them away. If you have questions about what we will accept, please let me know.
Most needed for July 15th:
- 1750 rolls of toilet paper
- Diapers - every size
- Goodnites - Size Xsmall and L
- Feminine hygiene: pads and tampons, liners
With your help, we will continue to serve those most in need in our community!
- Karen Daudelin Contact Karen Daudelin at kpdaudelin@frontier.com to volunteer or if you have any questions about our Wesley Distribution Ministry. |
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There are many ways to give from the safety and comfort of your home. The easiest way is to click below to give online with our secure and SSL-encrypted donation site. |
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| You may also submit an online offering by texting. To do this, simply text: "${your donation amount}OFFERING" to:(309) 822-4442 |
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| For mail-in offerings, please mail a check to: Wesley United Methodist Church - 502 East Front Street, Bloomington, IL 61701
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| You can view the most recent issue of News of Wesley online! Click the image to the left or right to view or download!
NOTE: The congregation deadline to reserve space in the July News of Wesley issue is June 22nd |
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| Wesley Emergency Number after Office Hours: Rev. Sara L. Isbell 217.299.4870
Wesley United Methodist Church: 502 E. Front Street Bloomington, IL 61701 Office 309.827.8046 Visit www.WesleyUMCBloomington.org for more information about our news and events. You can also visit us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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