Saturday, January 21
- 9:00am-1:00pm Worship Planning Workshop (see announcement below)
Sunday, January 22
- 9:30am CCMC Hybrid Worship (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
- Speaker: Suzanne
- 10:45am Sermon discussion
Thursday, January 26
- 7:00pm Bible Study on Genesis 3 with Shane (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
Saturday, January 28
- 10:00am-3:00pm Illinois Conference Day of Discernment, Lombard Mennonite Church
Sunday, January 29 Service Sunday
- 9:30am NSMC and CCMC Service Project (see announcement below)
January 29 Service Sunday
After worship at NSMC, both NSMC and CCMC will do meal preparation for The Haven, a women’s and children’s shelter in Libertyville.
Each congregation will prepare one dinner for 10 people and one lunch for 10 people There will be tasks for those who can stand and those who need to sit. Volunteers to shop ahead of time are needed—please contact Anne if you can help ahead of time.
This Friday and Saturday, please pray for the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, as they meet online by Zoom. May God grant them wisdom and clarity during their time together.
In November 2022, the National Faith Leaders Climate Roundtable, which is made up of 16 U.S. denominational leaders — including Glen Guyton, Mennonite Church USA’s Executive Director — gathered to discuss climate justice. They acknowledged the importance of engaging local congregations and communities to reach their climate goals. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/accelerate-climate-action
What does it take for a rural church to install solar panels? For Metamora (Illinois) Mennonite Church, it required a team with a vision, a lot of planning and some flexibility, along with some help from the Mennonite Creation Care Network. Karla Kauffman, a therapist who is developing expertise in climate grief work, outline’s Metamora Mennonite’s process in “A rural congregation goes solar: Metamora (Illinois) Mennonite Church.” Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/metamora-illinois-mennonite-church
–from Creation Justice Ministries
Rest and Reflect
Winter is a time of rest and renewal for the earth and for God’s creatures, including us. How does winter reflect the Sabbath? How can you invite the practice of Sabbath into your life this season?
–from Creation Justice Tips | United Methodist Church
Avoid Adding to Landfills
Moving or decluttering? Keep in mind that 146 million tons of solid waste goes in to landfills in the U.S. every year. Imagine that! Located in “someone else’s backyard,” landfills are notorious for environmental injustice and for methane, which contributes to global warming. Look for alternatives. Donate, rehome, or recycle instead of trashing.
Reduce Clothing Returns
When you need to return an item of clothing you bought online, do you imagine it is handled with care and eventually sold to someone else? Unfortunately, much of what is sent back gets sent on to landfills. Before you buy, take your measurements, use the size charts, and rely on customer reviews. Before you return anything, check with friends. Perhaps they would add the piece to their wardrobe if it’s right for them.
MCC Thrifty 50 Challenge
Do you want to help our planet but aren’t sure where to start? MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Thrift is celebrating their 50th anniversary by issuing 50 challenges to help us be more equipped to care for our planet. We’ll include one challenge each week for the next 50 weeks.
Week 33 | Kitchen challenge | Kondo your fridge
This week, let’s spark some joy and (Marie) Kondo your fridge and make it more eco-friendly.
- Start by getting rid of any expired foods. Make sure to compost the out-of-date food and recycle any packaging or containers.
- Next, take stock of where you can use less plastic like using re-usable produce bags storage containers. Your local MCC Thrift shop is a great resource for these items.
- Once you’ve got your fridge cleared out, give it a good clean using eco-friendly cleaning products like a mixture of hot water, vinegar and lemon juice.
- Now, stock up on food items that you need for the week, making sure to purchase items from the bulk food shop when you can.
The final step? Bask in the beauty of your sparkling clean and organized fridge that you worked so hard for. It’s a level of joy that few will understand!
Kitchen Tip of the Week
–from The Washington Post
Stock up on reusable items
When stocking up on supplies for your kitchen, think about purchasing reusable items such as kitchen dish towels (Swedish dish towels are reusable, compostable and biodegradable) and reusable cleaning towels instead of paper goods.
Consider buying a mop and using it with a sanitized wet cleaning towel to mop the floor instead of using a mop with disposable cleaning pads.