This page provides information about upcoming events at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton, Illinois, and related organizations.  Please contact Susan Miller at 630-682-0108 or by email at GGM81@aol.com with any items you would like to have posted.  Some events require advance reservations.  If you wish to attend but didn't make reservations by the due date, please call someone from the group or the church office to inquire about attending.

ADULT UPCOMING EVENTS

Because there are so many upcoming events, the youth events (infants through high school) are being listed on a separate page.  Click here for upcoming events primarily for youth.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB:  Come join us for fellowship and lively discussion on Thursdays in the Living Room at 7:00 p.m.  Our current book is "Bad Girls of the Bible, And What We Can Learn From Them," by Liz Curtis Higgs.  All chapters are self contained; you can pop in anytime.  Join us for friendship, conversation, and Bible study.  Questions?  Call Lynne Danekas at 630-668-7354, Sandy Nielsen at 630-668-0066, or Mary Kinsey at 630-668-5147.

CANCER CARE GROUP:  All those in our congregation whose lives have been touched by cancer are invited to join us the first and third Fridays of the month in the Apartment at 2:30 p.m. for this faith-based support group.  If you have any questions, please call Pastor Kyle at the church office. 

CAREER MINISTRY - BETWEEN SUCCESSES.  Our Career Ministry provides education, prayers, and support for those who are looking for new career opportunities.  We will continue to meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7:00 p.m. at Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton for the remainder of the year.  Please contact Angela Stephenson (630-784-0775 or email angelastephen@gmail.com) with any questions.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY of long time-church member Mary Louise (Scottie) Houliston.  The family will be holding an open house at Scottie's home at 704 N. Gary Avenue (just a block from church) on August 29 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  Refreshments will be provided; stop in when you can!  Scottie and her family joined First Presbyterian when they moved to this house in Wheaton in about 1925. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS mark your calendars for a “get ready for the fall” meeting on Wednesday, September 1, at 7:00 p.m. in SH101.

PW MISSION POSSIBLE:  Please join us on September 2 at 11:30 a.m. for a time of fellowship and mission work. We will be filling school bags and making up health kits.  Bring your own sack lunch and your donations for the kits.  Babysitting is available on request. Contact Janet in the church office if you need a sitter for the meeting. Everyone at First Presbyterian is asked to help provide supplies for our Back to School Kits to help children in impoverished schools, refugee camps, or other difficult settings.  The Presbyterian Women (PW) are also collecting supplies for Hygiene Kits that can mean the difference between sickness and health for struggling families.  Marked baskets will be placed around the church for collection of these supplies.  Complete lists of items needed are online.  PW will be putting all the kits together at our gathering on September 2.  If you have any questions, please contact Phyllis Josephson (630-668-5378), Alice Lechiara (630-462-0536), or Doris Wiechmann (630-665-0828).

THE SINGLE ADULT FELLOWSHIP (SAF) WELCOMES singles, guests, and anyone who wants to enjoy a summer picnic and good fun on Labor Day to our Labor Day picnic! Join us on the beautiful deck of Sue Hervey’s house on Monday, September 6, at 4:00 p.m.  Please let us know if you can come and what dish you would like to bring to share by September 1 by calling the church office or emailing Jane Daniels at jane.daniels@att.net.  We will have soda and coffee available, or you may bring a beverage of your choice.  Come and make new friends!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FAITH BUILDERS will be on Wednesday evenings from September 8 through September 29.  Each week we will offer adult education classes or guest speakers, a time of worship and music, sports activities for children grades 2 – 5, and dinner for all!  Our program schedule is dinner at 6:00 p.m., a devotional time in the sanctuary at 6:45 p.m., and classes and activities from 7:00 – 7:45 p.m.  The cost for dinner is $7 per person with a family maximum of $20.  Please call the church office to RSVP at 630-668-5147 or register online, as reservations are needed for dinner, children’s activities, and/or babysitting.  A full schedule of classes and speakers and online registration may be found on our Faith Builders page.  Can't make it by 6:00?  Arrive at 6:45 p.m. for the worship and music or at 7:00 p.m. for the classes and other activities - these are all free!

OUR NEXT TAIZE PRAYER SERVICE will be on Friday, September 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.  Taizé Prayer is an ecumenical form of prayer meant to foster reconciliation and peace among all people.  Christians of all traditions share in this ecumenical group.  Taizé Prayer is meditative common prayer.  Gathered in the presence of Christ, we sing uncomplicated repetitive songs, uncluttered by too many words, allowing the mystery of God to become tangible through the beauty of simplicity.

MEN OF FIRST PRES PLEASE JOIN US for a new Saturday Morning Men’s group!  Starting September 11 at 7:00 a.m., our men’s group will meet weekly for breakfast and Bible Study in Stewart Hall.  The Bible Study is intended to address issues that the men of our community face on a daily basis, viewed from a biblical perspective.  The study is designed to allow members to join at any time and/or miss an occasional meeting without losing the train of thought.  RSVP to the Church Office at 630-668-5147.  (We need to make sure there are enough waffles, eggs, & bacon.)  Contact Denny at dennylawson@hotmail.com if you have questions.

TAKE A STEP TOWARD ENDING HOMELESSNESS:  Join PADS for the annual Run/Walk for DuPage PADS on September 11.  This run/walk supports programs that provide housing, job training, and other support services to assist men, women, and children who are homeless.  You may register as an individual or a group, and full registration and event information may be found at http://www.padsrun.org. 

CHOIR TOUR INFORMATIONAL MEETING:  The combined choirs of Wheaton and Glen Ellyn First Pres Churches are planning a concert Tour to Germany May 2 - 12, 2011.  Due to the value of the U.S. Dollar in Germany the price for this tour has been reduced.  Along with music appreciation of Bach and other composers of the region, your tour will be complemented with visits to the sites of the Protestant Reformation.  Four planned performances are part of this tour.  If your interest is to join a group of fellow singers and friends and to immerse yourself in the musical, historical, and religious culture of this region, you must join us for this final information meeting.  Singing in the choir is not a requirement to attend this exciting tour.  The final meeting will be held at First Pres Wheaton on Monday, September 13, at 7:00 p.m. in LL107.

ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN WILL MEET ON Wednesday, September 15, at 8:00 p.m. in LL107 following Faith Builders.  The meeting is called to plan events for the remainder of 2010 and for 2011.  The events that we sponsor help to support the work of Archbishop Elias Chacour, the Mar Elias Schools, including the newly accredited university, Nazareth Academic Institute, Bethlehem Imports, and educating all of us on issues facing Christians in the Holy Land.  Come with your ideas and enthusiasm.  We welcome new members and guests.  Questions? Please contact Rev. Paul Kirbas, Chairman.

PATHWAYS ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES and our regular 7:30 a.m. Worship Services in the Chapel begin on September 19, 2010.

NEW MEMBER CLASS:  If you are a frequent visitor, an active participant in the life of our church, or perhaps a new resident to the Wheaton area, and would like to become a member of our congregation, we would like to invite and welcome you to become a member of First Presbyterian Church.  Our next new member class, "Believing, Belonging and Becoming: Preparing to Join the Church," will be held on Sundays, September 19 and 26, and October 3.  The congregation will welcome the new members through the Celebration of the Lord's Supper at the 11:00 a.m. service on Sunday, October 3.  To register, call Janet in the church office at 630-668-5147.

WE HAVE SEVERAL FAMILIES HERE AT FIRST PRES who are battling a rare, progressive disease called mitochondrial disease.  Please consider joining us on September 19 at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles for the Energy For Life Walk to raise awareness and funding for mitochondrial disease.  Registration starts at 11:00 a.m. (rain or shine), and the walk starts at 12:00 p.m. (noon).  For more information please go to www.energyforlifewalk.org/chicago, or contact Sally Taylor at saltaylor01@aol.com.

MEN'S LUNCHEON:  The opening Luncheon for the 2010 - 2011 year will be held on Tuesday, September 21.  We will view a presentation of Wheaton Rotary’s Mission in Uganda.  For this meeting only we will gather in the private dining room at Wyndemere at noon.  Please call the church office to RSVP by Friday, September 17.

SENIOR LUNCHEON:  The Fall Senior Luncheon, hosted by the Deacons, will be on Thursday, September 30.  More details will be posted soon.

JOIN US FOR SATURDAY WORSHIP IN OCTOBER!  We will be in the Sanctuary at 5:00 p.m. on all five Saturdays in October.

FALL COLORS LAKE MICHIGAN CIRCLE TOUR:  Make sure your passport is current, and click the link for details on this Red Carpet ALL-INCLUSIVE tour via deluxe motorcoach from October 2 - 6, 2010, which will take you all the way around our very own Great Lake--MICHIGAN, stopping at a delightful variety attractions along the way.  There are two new spots available, but they will go fast!  Please contact Janet in the church office or Robb Frank at rdr97@sbcglobal.net or 630-4747-5038 to sign up.

THE FULL LIST OF RED CARPET FELLOWSHIP EVENTS - Details and registration information for all of our upcoming adult and family trips and events may be found on our website at www.firstpreswheaton.org/fellowship/redcarpet.

OUR BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS SERVICE will be on Saturday, October 2, at 10:00 a.m.  This service includes special music and a meditation by Dr. Paul J. Kirbas. 

BLOOD DRIVE - Our Annual Blood Drive will be on Saturday, October 16, from 8:00 a.m. to noon.  Look for a "blood drive" table in the Rotunda on Sundays in October to sign up.  Your deacon will be calling soon to see if you are available for a donation and answer any questions you may have.  This is a wonderful chance to give something to others in need.

THE GREAT BANQUET: The Great Banquet is a 72-hour “retreat” for spiritual growth, fellowship, and personal renewal.  It begins on a Thursday night and ends on a Sunday night.  All activities, including lodging and meals, occur on the campus of Knox Presbyterian Church in Naperville.  Separate Men’s and Women’s Great Banquets are held on consecutive weekends.  The Men's Banquet will be held October 14-17, and the Women's Banquet will be held October 21- 24.  The Great Banquet program is a national ministry affiliated with the worldwide “Cursillo” movement of spiritual renewal.  Its foundation is Christian love and friendship, and it utilizes the study of God’s Word and discussion with friends to help each person understand more deeply God’s plan and purpose for our lives.  The result of a weekend spent at a Great Banquet is that you will know the Lord better, have deeper friendships with others, feel part of a community of believers, and feel refreshed and renewed.  If you have any questions regarding the Banquet, please contact Jennifer Kirbas, Cerena Fischer, or Margaret Bucholz.

CHOIR TOUR:  The combined choirs of Wheaton and Glen Ellyn First Presbyterian Churches, along with friends, are planning a Concert Tour to Germany from May 2 – 12, 2011 with an extension to Prague from May 12 – 15, 2011.  Along with music appreciation of Bach and other composers of the region, your tour will be complemented with visits to the sites of the Protestant Reformation.  Four planned concert performances are part of this tour.  The trip brochure, including additional information, a complete itinerary, and the enrollment form, is here on the website.  For additional information please contact David Lincoln by or by phone at 630-668-5147 x 22.

Because there are so many upcoming events, the youth events (infants through high school) are being listed on a separate page.  Click here for upcoming events primarily for youth.