Seeing God’s Faithfulness: Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Over the past year and a half, our church family has walked through a season few of us could have imagined. A devastating storm damaged our historic building and temporarily displaced us from our sanctuary. Yet through every challenge, change, and blessing, God has been profoundly faithful. We continued to gather, worship, care for one another, and serve our neighbors—demonstrating that the church is never just a building, but a living community of faith.
Now, as we celebrate our return home to our restored sanctuary and look toward 2027, we are reminded that discipleship is a journey, not a destination. Looking back helps us see how God has been at work in and through us. Looking ahead invites us to ask where God is calling us next.
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?"
— Isaiah 43:18–19
Where is God Inviting You to Grow?
Last year, we invited everyone to take one step in faith. This year, Practicing Hope: Continuing the Journey invites us to reflect together on two central questions:
- How have I grown in my faith and love over this past year?
- Where is God inviting me to continue growing in the year ahead?
A healthy church grows stronger when each of us takes a next step. Whether you are just beginning to explore your faith or have been walking with Christ for decades, there is always room to deepen your relationship with God and neighbor. As we prepare for 2027, we invite you to prayerfully consider your next steps across our five core discipleship practices: Worship, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness.
The Five Practices of Discipleship
Discipleship is an ongoing journey of becoming more like Christ in our daily lives. The Five Practices of Discipleship—Worship, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness—provide a holistic framework for living out our faith. Each practice offers concrete ways to deepen our love for God and neighbor. Explore the chart below to see examples of how you can take your next faithful step in each area.
The Discipleship Process (Growth Stages)
Rooted in Wesleyan tradition, our spiritual journey unfolds through God’s grace as we move from exploring faith to helping others grow in theirs. The Discipleship Process outlines key stages of spiritual maturity—from Exploring Faith to Maturing in Christ—helping us recognize where we are today and where God is inviting us to go next. Use this framework as a personal reflection tool to discover your current stage and prayerfully consider your next steps.
Join Us in November: A Four-Week Worship Journey
November offers a sacred time for our church family to gather, reflect, and look ahead together. Following our return home to our restored sanctuary, our four-week worship series—Practicing Hope: Continuing the Journey—will guide us through a progressive spiritual movement:
LOOK BACK ➡️ LOOK AROUND ➡️ LOOK WITHIN ➡️ LOOK AHEAD
Rather than treating stewardship as a separate obligation, each Sunday connects financial generosity directly to our larger Wesleyan journey of Christian formation and sanctifying grace. Through scripture, sermon, prayer, and song, we will explore how God has been at work in our history, what God has placed in our hands today, and where Christ is calling us to take our next faithful step in Worship, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness.
Mark your calendars and join us each Sunday morning in the sanctuary or online as we celebrate God’s enduring faithfulness and step boldly into the future together.
🕯️ Week 1 | November 1 – All Saints Sunday: Look Back
Sermon: We Didn't Get Here By Ourselves
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1–3 (NRSVue)
Discipleship Focus: Worship + Presence
Theme & Message: We begin by remembering that God has been forming us through the faithful people who walked before us. As we honor the saints who helped plant faith in our hearts, we are invited to consider: Who helped form you, and what are you now planting in others?
Special Afternoon Event:
2:00 p.m. – Church/Charge Conference: We gather as a congregation to celebrate our shared ministry, conduct official church business, and prepare with gratitude for the year ahead.
⛪ Week 2 | November 8 – 189th Anniversary & Sanctuary Rededication: Look Around
Guest Preacher: Bishop Daniel J. Schwerin
Sermon: Entrusted With Hope
Scripture: Joshua 24:14–25 (NRSVue)
Discipleship Focus: Gifts + Service
Theme & Message: This Sunday serves as a joyous hinge between looking back with gratitude and looking forward with renewed hope. As we celebrate our 189th anniversary and rededicate our restored sanctuary, Bishop Schwerin will lead us in reflecting on all that God has entrusted to us—our building, our resources, our gifts, and our mission. Ask yourself: What has God placed in your hands that you can make available for God's work?
🔍 Week 3 | November 15 – Look Within
Sermon: Are You Still Growing?
Scripture: John 15:1–8 (NRSVue) & Ephesians 4:11–16
Discipleship Focus: Presence + Service + Witness
Theme & Message: Following Jesus means continuing to grow throughout our whole lives. Using Jesus’ image of the vine and the branches, this service offers an opportunity for honest, shame-free self-examination. We will ask whether we are remaining deeply connected to Christ, allowing God to prune what hinders us, and bearing fruit in our everyday lives. Consider: What might be choking your spiritual growth?
🙏 Week 4 | November 22 – Commitment Sunday & Christ the King: Look Ahead
Sermon: My Next Faithful Step
Scripture: Matthew 25:31–40 (NLT) & Colossians 1:15–20
Discipleship Focus: All Five Practices (Worship, Presence, Gifts, Service, Witness)
Theme & Message: On Christ the King Sunday, we declare that our entire lives belong under the loving reign of Christ. During worship, we will hold unhurried space for prayer, quiet reflection, and dedication. Everyone will be invited to present their 2027 Growth Commitment and Estimate of Giving as a joyful offering of life and faith. Ask God: What is your next "yes" in worship, community, service, or generosity?
Take Your Next Step — 2027 Commitment Form
Practicing Hope: Continuing the Journey Together
A healthy church grows stronger when each of us takes a next step in faith. Stewardship is our joyful response to all that God has entrusted to us—our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.
As we look ahead to 2027, we invite you to prayerfully consider where God is calling you to grow and how you will offer your time, talents, and financial resources to support the ongoing ministry and mission of First UMC Elgin.
Step 1: Reflect & Pray
Before completing your commitment, take a moment to reflect on your journey over the past year:
- Looking Back: How have you seen God at work in your life this year? What steps did you take in your faith journey?
- Looking Ahead: Where is God inviting you to grow in Worship, Presence, Gifts, Service, or Witness in 2027?
Step 2: Complete Your Online Commitment
Use the confidential form to the right to submit your 2027 Personal Growth Commitment and Financial Estimate of Giving.
Step 3: Paper Commitment Cards
- Mailed to Your Home: Physical commitment cards were mailed out to church members in late October. Please check your mail for your packet.
- Available at Church: If you need a physical card, printed commitment cards are available in the sanctuary lobby every Sunday.
- Commitment Sunday (November 22): You may bring your completed paper card to morning worship as an act of prayerful dedication or drop it off at the church office.
13731*_*Practicing Hope: Continuing the Journey 2027 Commitment Card
