This week's post is short on reading, but needs about 11 minutes of your time to watch an 8-minute video and 3 minutes for me to share some thoughts about church through the lens of the video. If you share the time with me, I doubt it would be wasted.

In this video from the SmarterEveryDay YouTube Channel, host Destin Sandlin, describes what it was like for him to relearn to ride a bike that was designed to steer opposite to conventional bikes and then...Read the rest of Rob's Message. 

Worship Service airs live on our Website and YouTube at 9:00 am and posted later to Facebook .

Pastor Rob Hamilton Preaches - The Walk: Serve

This week's blessing tables themes include kid's games, Hesed House Table led by Chris Schmal, Sharon Anderson & Howie Pribble and a Village Meats table led by Paul Darrow.

If anyone has a hobby or if anyone wants to highlight a church activity or committee just email Keith Bowgren at kbowgren@gmail.com.

College Students - We Want to Know: The youth ministry is planning on packing and sending out care packages later this Spring to all of our UMC Geneva students who are in college across the country. If you are a college student or if you are the parental guardian unit ;) of a college student, then please send the name of the student and the name of college/university to mike.crain@ministryarchitects.com. Use the subject line “College Student.” In fact, email this to Mike right now. It will take 30 seconds.

College Care Package Items Needed - The youth ministry is asking for donations of items to go in the college care packages. We are in need of the following items and you can drop them off at the church office. Also you can choose to make a financial donation if you wish. Items needed:

Good Friday Dinner for Youth - Friday April 15 from 6:00-7:20 The youth will gather in the parlor for dinner and to pack care packages for our current college students. We will also dig into the story of the last supper in surprisingly compelling and interactive ways.

Tri-City UMC - Bags, Bags, and More Bags Event: On Sunday, April 24 we will once again partner up with Baker Memorial UMC and Batavia UMC. This time we will meet at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles for some park clean-up, a bag lunch, and a bags (a.k.a. cornhole) competition. This event will be from 10:30-12:30 after service on Sunday morning.

For more information contact Mike Crain, mike.crain@ministryarchitects.com

Submit information each week by Wednesday at 12pm for inclusion in Bulletin Announcements or the Weekly Messenger.  Please use the submission form that can also be used for adding items to the calendar and reserving rooms . This form can also be found on the sign-ups page on our website. You may also send them to communications@genevaumc.org. Information sent to this email goes to Carolyn, Debbie, and Lorie. 

If you are one to follow United Methodist news, you’ve likely heard that the 2020 session of the General Conference has been postponed until 2024, that there will not be a 2024 General Conference, and 2028 will be the next General Conference....The assembly typically meets at the beginning of each quadrennium to consider revisions to church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current...Read the entirety of Rob's statement here.

We will begin the meeting with the How to Lead book study.

Here is the Zoom link to sign in.

The Agenda and Committee Reports can be found in the Document Center on our Website. All are invited to attend.

Colleen Fasbender has shared several opportunities to practice yoga this spring. Sessions start on April 4 and run through May 26. Different class times are available: Monday: 9:30-10:45am, Monday: 5:30-6:45pm & Thursday: 9:30-10:45am. Class cost is $70.

Therapeutic Yoga Workshop: The Issues Live in the Tissues -SomaYoga To Reduce Anxiety and Stress will take place at UMCG on Friday March 25 from 9:30-11:30am. Cost is $35 if you register before March 18.

Prepare a Lenten offering to be given in an Easter offering envelope.

Next week: Make one contribution for every time you intentionally act in love toward another person this week. 

We recently received updates from Lithuania as to how we can support the refugees there. We are posting updates to this crisis to Rob's Blog Post from last week. You can access it here.

Peace and greetings from the Finance Committee!

We have mixed results for the Operating Budget as the New Year begins.

Given our planned 2022 budget of $773,413 we will need operating contributions to average $64,451 per month. So “Hurray” for our February results!

Many of our regular reports highlight the goals of the budget – supporting our pastoral and office staff, making our Christian education programs possible, enabling vibrant worship and music ministries, supporting our many Missions & Church in Society efforts, paying apportionments to support our connectional work in the UM church, and maintaining our beautiful church & parsonages.

This month we would especially like to salute our pledgers and regular online givers for their consistent, strong support. Of the 139 individual & families who contributed to the budget in January & February, 101 have returned pledge cards or have committed to regular online giving. Together, these folks have contributed 84% of the operating funds received thus far. We are most grateful for their witness and the witness of all who have given offerings this year!

SPECIAL NOTE: If you would like to see how our budget dollars are being spent in 2022, please visit the Finance Committee bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. We have a special “Narrative Budget” that explains our plans in a new, very understandable form!

Thanks to ALL for your support of our operating budget and for your many contributions to special appeals. Your generosity helps spread God’s love to a world that sorely needs it.

Prayers for Haiti can be found on the Lent page on our website.

Prayer Chalk Walk - March 24, 2022 6pm meet up at UMCG or do it on your own. This weather permitting prayer practice invites us to grab some sidewalk chalk and head out on a prayer walk. You can meet up at church and pray for the neighborhood surrounding our church building or you can pray on your own block. On the public sidewalk pause for prayer in front of each home or business and simply write with sidewalk chalk “UMCG is praying for you”. If its too wet to write you can simply pray or pick another day to set out on your own Prayer Chalk Walk. When you're done send a few pictures to communications@genevaumc.org. For more information contact Pastor Rob Hamilton.

United Methodists across the globe condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand in solidarity with those experiencing violence, displacement and suffering in the midst of war. Learn more about the ways United Methodist prayers, aid and witness are being directed to Ukraine.

Register Here

TODAY: Work on a 30-second elevator speech. Think about or journal on how you would summarize the Christian faith in seven words or less. Answer these questions for yourself: How does faith in Jesus make a difference in your life? Why are you a Christian? Who is Jesus to you? 

NEXT WEEK: Invite someone to church for one of our Holy Week Services and participate in the Prayer Chalk Walk. Information above.

Check out our UMCG Facebook and Instagram pages for a weekly devotional post from Pastor Mary Gay to help deepen your spiritual life as she studies and connects the Bible and topics relevant to life today. You can also find them on our website.

Did you know you can find updates about our Adult Small Groups on our Website? Go to: genevaumc.org/connect/adult-small-groups/

Prairie Central eNews is here

The NIC weekly eNews is here.

The NIC Reporter for March is available here.

UMCG has a hidden page on the website for our church family to access called the Document Center. This includes our committee roster, communications submission forms and in the future, our committee agendas, reports and minutes.