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Opportunities to Connect & Serve

Christ calls us to be in community with others, and to serve people.  There are many meaningful events, causes, and opportunities to serve our community in fellowship with the great people of Carol Stream and DuPage County.  Here are some of the many ways to connect & serve through Heritage!   

Check back frequently for additions!

Key opportunities by month

August

  • Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Support for Hawai’i  -  Presbyterian Disaster Assistance’s motto, ‘Out of Chaos, Hope,’ takes on a new meaning as we see images of the devastating wildfires in Hawai’i.  PDA has established a special fund to support the Presbytery of the Pacific in this time of need.  You have options for giving to this fund: 

  • Pastor’s Preview: Sundays at 9:00 AM - Group Bible study is an important part of our Presbyterian roots. As we learn from one another we can also learn more about God and how God is revealed to each of us. All are welcome as we gather on Sunday mornings to engage with the sermon text, learning more about the history of the passage, exploring the passages surrounding the text, and sometimes looking at translation challenges between the original language and the English translation.

  • All Church Prayer - Every Thursday at 1:00 pm on Zoom.  Check Monday's email for link. 

  • St. Andrew UMC 51st Annual CornFest: August 5 from 11:00-4:00

CornFest is back for its 51st year! Come celebrate this annual event at St. Andrew United Methodist and enjoy all the fresh sweet corn you can eat plus hot dogs, brats, pulled pork, and home-baked treats. All proceeds support the mission and ministries of the church, including Citizenship mentoring and ESL, Food Pantry and Clothing Bank, Sandwiches for the Homeless, and Sunday School for all ages. See the flyer in the narthex for details.  Also, swing by the church on Friday, August 4 between 8:00 and 4:00 for the all-church garage sale.

  • Pollinator Garden Tour: Sunday, August 13 at 11:30 - Jan Smith invites all ages to a tour of her pollinator gardens at Windsor Park following worship on Sunday, August 13. Through her gifts and passion for earth care Jan has created not only beautiful gardens but also places of physical nourishment for pollinators and spiritual nourishment for humans. We will depart the church at 11:30 to enjoy our lunches at the Lakeside Terrace on the grounds of Windsor before walking to Jan’s gardens at Windsor Park.  Please bring your lunch and a beverage, wear comfortable shoes, and have a hat and sunscreen on hand just in case.

September

  • Pastor’s Preview: Sundays at 9:00 AM - Group Bible study is an important part of our Presbyterian roots. As we learn from one another we can also learn more about God and how God is revealed to each of us. All are welcome as we gather on Sunday mornings to engage with the sermon text, learning more about the history of the passage, exploring the passages surrounding the text, and sometimes looking at translation challenges between the original language and the English translation.

  • All Church Prayer - Every Thursday at 1:00 pm on Zoom.  Check Monday's email for link. ​​

 

  • NEW! The Gathering is back: Wednesday, September 6 at 10:30 in-person and on Zoom.  The Gathering will resume on Wednesday, September 6th at 10:30 am. (This is a change, as we are moving to the first and third Wednesdays of the month instead of on Tuesdays) We will continue offering the class in person at the church and on Zoom.  We will be starting a five-session video and discussion based on the book, How (not) to Save the World. The author, Hosanna Wong, will explore how sharing our faith is not as frightful or as difficult as we might think. The study covers the following topics: Revealing God’s Love, God’s Power; Not Ours, The Power of Your Story, The Truth about Community, and Never Giving Up.  Come, join the conversation!

  • Heritage’s Fall Kick-off on Sunday, September 10th

Join the celebration as we begin the new program year at Heritage! We have classes and opportunities for all ages, from nursery through adults. During worship we will celebrate all the Christian Education teachers who volunteer to teach throughout the year. And we will welcome Heritage’s choir back after its summer vacation. With so many events, there is bound to be something that catches your eye. Come, join the celebration; all are welcome at Heritage!  

  • NEW! D2D Missional Spotlight Series begins: Sunday, September 17 at 11:30.   As Heritage continues to explore the community, its needs, and the current services available, the Missional Action Committee members have invited engaging and informative speakers from organizations and institutions that are deeply invested in service to speak about their work at Heritage.  Mark your calendars and come to the first D2D Missional Spotlight featuring Keith Draper, Director of Church Relations at World Relief, following worship on Sunday, September 17. We will gather in the back room for a light lunch and a time of learning and growing together.  The D2D Missional Spotlight Series will continue the third Sundays of the month in October and November. We will take a break in December for Advent and will pick up again on the third Sundays in January through May 2024.

  • The Gathering: Wednesday, September 20 at 10:30 in-person and on Zoom.  We will be continuing a five-session video and discussion based on the book, How (not) to Save the World. The author, Hosanna Wong, will explore how sharing our faith is not as frightful or as difficult as we might think. The study covers the following topics: Revealing God’s Love, God’s Power; Not Ours, The Power of Your Story, The Truth about Community, and Never Giving Up.  Come, join the conversation!

  • Congregational Meeting: Sunday, September 24 following worship.  Heritage will hold a brief congregational meeting following worship on Sunday, September 24 for the purpose of electing elders and deacons.  All members of Heritage are eligible to vote at congregational meetings.  The meeting will be held on Zoom to allow for voting remotely.  The Zoom link will be provided in the Monday Email the week before the meeting.  It will also be included in the email containing worship materials, which is typically sent on Thursdays.

October

  • Peace and Global Witness Offering - October 1st
    The Peace & Global Witness Offering encourages the church to cast off anxiety and fear, discord and division, and embrace our God's mission of reconciliation to those around the corner and around the world. A gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. This offering is collected on World Communion Sunday, October 1st.  Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ's peace.  The Presbytery of Chicago retains an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation.  The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.  To read about some of the stories of people impacted by this offering go to https://specialofferings.pcusa.org/offering/peace-global-witness/
    To give, you may use HPC’s regular online giving link found on our Stewardship tab and click on the give now button, or you may give by check at church.  Please make a note that it’s for Peace and Global Witness, either online or on your check.   

  • The Gathering: Wednesday, October 4th at 10:30 in-person and on Zoom.  We will be continuing a five-session video and discussion based on the book, How (not) to Save the World. The author, Hosanna Wong, will explore how sharing our faith is not as frightful or as difficult as we might think. The study covers the following topics: Revealing God’s Love, God’s Power; Not Ours, The Power of Your Story, The Truth about Community, and Never Giving Up.  Come, join the conversation!

  • Harvest Fest - October 7, 2023 - Medinah Banquets, 550 Shriners DR, Addison, IL
    A gala event with food, silent auction and many stories of impact and service, the Harvest Fest is a fundraising event for the Neighborhood Food Pantries.  It will be emceed by CBS2 award-winning investigative reporter Dave Savini.  Heritage members join for fellowship and fundraising at this annual event.  For more info click this link:  HarvestFest | Neighborhood Food Pantries (neighborhoodfp.org)

  • CROP Walk - October 15
    Heritage participates in the Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk, raising funds to combat hunger around the world and in our local community.  If you'd like to support our walkers or become one yourself, contact the church office.  CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising events held in cities and towns across the United States, created to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.  After a CROP Hunger Walk ends, 25% of the funds raised is returned to the host community to support local hunger fighting efforts.  For more info go to: 2023 CROP Hunger Walk

  • The Gathering: Wednesday, October 18th at 10:30 in-person and on Zoom.  We will be continuing a five-session video and discussion based on the book, How (not) to Save the World. The author, Hosanna Wong, will explore how sharing our faith is not as frightful or as difficult as we might think. The study covers the following topics: Revealing God’s Love, God’s Power; Not Ours, The Power of Your Story, The Truth about Community, and Never Giving Up.  Come, join the conversation!

November

  • The Gathering: Wednesday, November 1st at 10:30 in-person and on Zoom.  We will be continuing a five-session video and discussion based on the book, How (not) to Save the World. The author, Hosanna Wong, will explore how sharing our faith is not as frightful or as difficult as we might think. The study covers the following topics: Revealing God’s Love, God’s Power; Not Ours, The Power of Your Story, The Truth about Community, and Never Giving Up.  Come, join the conversation!

  • Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets
    Heritage collects all of the necessary elements for a Thanksgiving feast for underserved families in the area. We gather the turkeys, cranberries, stuffing and many more ingredients for a thankful meal, and work through the Neighborhood Food Pantries to distribute them to deserving families.

December

  • The Christmas Store - December 10
    A ministry of the Outreach Community Center in Carol Stream, the Christmas Store provides opportunities for the underserved people of our community to shop for discounted gifts for their families while supporting the Center. Heritage supports the Store through gift drives and volunteering to serve as gift-wrappers, shoppers' helpers and hospitality hosts.

  • Christmas Joy Offering - December 24
    By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor God's gift of Jesus Christ by providing assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.

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