Pastor Brian's Blog

 As we commemorate the centennial of the end of World War I, we remember all those who have given their lives for freedom and peace in the world.  We especially lift up one young man from our church family who was killed in action on the day before the armistice.  His friends from church (when Trinity was called First Methodist Episcopal) planted a tree in his memory.  A bronze plaque on a stone at the foot of the tree reads: "This tree planted by the young men's class of the First Methodist Episcopal Church to perpetuate the memory of their classmate Louis Mason Bruch, Lieutenant Pilot, 91st U.S. Aero Squad, killed in combat - Inor, France, November 10, 1918."

November Worship Themes   In November, we’re focusing on God’s blessing in our lives.   During the first week of November, we’ll explore John Wesley’s instructions to earn, save, and give.   On Consecration Sunday, Anne Coon will encourage us to consider giving from the perspective of “fearless generosity.”   On Thanksgiving Sunday, we will count our blessings and give thanks to the Lord.   On Reign of Christ Sunday, we will consider our how we participate in Christ’s reign through worship and service.

  What does it mean to be blessed?   On social media, people use #blessed a lot. One woman (@shloks) used #blessed when she became a homeowner for the first time.   Another person (@juliem228) felt #blessed when she realized that her bank balance was bigger than she thought.   One man (@ldreiling) typed #blessed after announcing that he was at home after his medical procedure.   Another guy (@RotoRadarCEO) believed that his scenic drive to Starbucks justified a #blessed . Is being blessed only about having good fortune or things going to your advantage?   In the Old Testament, blessing is a chain reaction.   One blessing begets another.   First, God blesses humankind after creating us in the divine image, and then our response as God’s people is to bless or worship God.   In fact, the Hebrew word barak means both to bless (with a gift) and to kneel (in deference, adoration, or gratitude).   As those who re...

Another mass shooting in another house of worship.  On Sat., Oct. 27, eleven people were killed at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The hatred that led to this senseless killing breaks my heart.  It is a threat to civil society. Unlike other mass shootings, which have seemed far from me, this one felt a little closer, although through degrees of separation.  One of my retired clergy colleagues lives in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood where the shooting took place.  His Weight Watchers group meets at Tree of Life, and the doctor who diagnosed his prostate cancer, Jerry Rabinowitz, was killed in the attack.   A woman from First United Methodist Church in Elmhurst told her pastor in tears that two brothers of her friend were also killed.   David and Cecil Rosenthal were inseparable from each other and from their community. The Anti-Defamation League reports that this was the deadliest attack on the Jewish com...

Consecration Sunday is November 11, 2018. Our Guest Leader this year is Anne Coon from the Generosity Group. She was one of the consultants who worked with our Capital Campaign Team.  For over ten years, Anne Coon has been helping churches undertake financial campaigns. Prior to co-founding the Generosity Group, she served for three years as the in-house capital campaign coordinator for the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church and managed a $5 million conference-wide capital campaign to raise money for planting new faith communities. She has been a consultant for Solid Ground Stewardship Services, and she worked at BMO/Harris Bank for over ten years and held positions in cash management sales, corporate lending and the Community Affairs Office. Anne received a BA from Denison University and completed a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management from North Park University in 2014. Anne is married to Rev. Chris Coon, one of the pastors at Urb...

How did you become a disciple of Jesus?  How is it different than simply going to church?  Last month, our district superintendent asked those present at the charge conference to share their answers with two other people.  I’d like to share how I became a disciple with you.  I have been “going to church” ever since I was born.  It was part of my family’s weekly habit.  Unless we were traveling, we all attended the early worship service, including my dad who worked on Saturday nights.  We sang the songs, prayed the prayers, listened to the sermons, gave our offerings, received the bread and cup once a month, and greeted the pastors after the benediction.  Then, we went to Sunday school with our peers to learn more about Jesus through Bible stories, crafts, activities, and more songs and prayers.  Over time, all those things shaped me.  As a teenager, I was well on my way to being a disciple.  But my pastor said t...