Banner Newsletter, April 2020

Our
Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed
be
thy
name
B BA AN N NE ER R N NE EWWS SL LE ET T TE ER
R
February April 2020

Rev. Chris Winkler
Senior Pastor
cwinkler@barringtonumc.com
Rev. Matthew Johnson
Associate Pastor
mwhjohnson@barringtonumc.com
Rev. Wendy A. Witt
Senior Pastor
First UMC, West Dundee
wwitt@barringtonumc.com
Pastor Bonnie Bevers
Director of Youth Ministries
bbevers@barringtonumc.com
Luis Vega
Lay Pastor
Comunidad Cristiana
lvega@barringtonumc.com
Susan Brown
Director of Family Ministries and
Noah’s Ark Christian Academy
sbrown@barringtonumc.com
Lynne Richardson
Director of Finance
lrichardson@barringtonumc.com
Sharon Orr
Director of Campus and
Missions Ministries
sorr@barringtonumc.com
Sign up to receive our weekly
e-news through the sign-up
form on our website,
www.barringtonumc.com.
WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
For the health and safety of our collective community, all in-person
gatherings have been suspended at both campuses until further notice.
An online worship service can be viewed each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on the
Barrington UMC and First UMC websites along with their respective
Facebook pages. If you wish to receive weekly email communications,
please contact communications@barringtonumc.com for Barrington UMC and
sorr@barringtonumc.com for First UMC updates.
Barrington United Methodist Church
98 Algonquin Road, Barrington, IL 60010
(847) 836-5540
Chapel Worship, Sundays at 8:00 a.m. | Suspended
You are invited to be a part of this welcoming, caring community that worships
God in an intimate setting. Essential elements of this service include a time of
gathering, liturgy, hymns, sermon and a sending forth into the world to live our faith.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month.
Classic Worship, Sundays at 9:30 a.m. | Online Only
Please join us in the soaring, light-filled Sanctuary for this more formal worship
experience. Essential elements of this service include a mix of traditional and current
hymns, liturgy, organ and choir, sermon and a time for children every Sunday.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month.
Crossroads Worship, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. | Suspended
There is a place for you in this casual, compelling worship service. The relaxed
atmosphere invites us to interpret scripture in today’s context with challenging
questions, a variety of musical genres and an open, interactive format. Communion is
celebrated regularly.
Comunidad Cristiana | Christian Community Worship, Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
1647 Ravine Lane, Carpentersville, IL 60110 | Suspended
You and your neighbors are invited to join this emerging worship. A welcoming,
caring community shares worship and a delicious meal on Sunday evenings.
Experience Hispanic-style worship offered bilingually with a mix of traditional and
contemporary worship elements. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of
every month.
First UMC of West Dundee
318 W. Main Street, West Dundee, IL 60118
Classic Worship, Sundays at 10:00 a.m. | Online Only at 9:30 a.m.
All are invited to experience this multi-generational blended worship service,
which incorporates traditional worship elements like hymns and liturgy with
more contemporary elements like thematic altar displays, video and occasional
contemporary music selections. There are scripture lessons, a sermon and a time for
children every Sunday. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month.
19
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the
doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear
of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be
with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to
them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send
you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:19-22)
It was a Sunday—the first Easter Sunday to be precise—and according
to the Gospel of John, Jesus’ closest followers had locked themselves in a house
out of fear. We know something of the fear those disciples were experiencing,
don’t we? On a very basic and fundamental level, they feared for their lives
and their safety. On a more spiritual level, they feared the unknown, what the
future would bring, what they were supposed to do next. In that moment, Jesus
appeared among them and said simply and powerfully, “Peace be with you.” John
intimates that the door remained locked and yet, Jesus was with them anyway. It
is, perhaps, a poignant and powerful statement about the power of Jesus to break
through barriers, especially for those of us who are experiencing something
called “social distancing” or “shelter-in-place”—terms and conditions most of
us had never heard of before the COVID-19 virus disrupted our world and most
everything we understood about it.
When John tells us that Jesus stood among them and showed them his hands and
his side, I don’t think he was merely showing off his scars in order to prove it was
him. Rather, he was doing something intentional and important. By showing them
the places where they had driven nails through him and where soldiers had pierced
his side with a sword, he was reminding them that he had suffered and died for
them, that he had borne their sins and their sorrows and that he had overcome
every enemy that seeks to destroy life—and that he had risen from the dead.
I think this can be an important story for us. We are physically and metaphorically
locked in our houses, and the fear we are feeling is real. As I write this letter to
you, three of our own members have tested positive for the Coronavirus, and
continued on page 2
1

continued from page 1
many more of us have family members and friends who have been exposed. But
Jesus is among us, he promised he would be when he said:
18
“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while
the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live,
you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father,
and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and
keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be
loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
(John 14:18-21)
Friends, there is no better time than this to remember that we are first and
foremost Easter People. We believe in the power of love over every other power
in the world, and that includes insidious diseases. We believe that our God is a
God of hope and new life. As we navigate through these difficult times, let us take
our lead from the Risen One who promised that we would all be together again.
In the meantime, “Peace be with you! Receive the power of the Holy Spirit.” We
will emerge from this as an even more compassionate people because of this
experience. That is the promise of Easter. Thanks be to God!
Journey with us through Holy Week
Palm Sunday | Online worship at 9:30 a.m., April 5
visit barringtonumc.com and fumcwd.org
Imagine together the excitement of the disciples’ entrance into Jerusalem. Experience their
surprise when Jesus and event are not what they expected. What now?
Apart together, we will share a ritual action of the entrance to the city. Palms will be available
on the portico of BUMC at the end of the week. Using safe social distancing, families can take
enough for their worship space. We ask that you also drop off personal care items for FISH
Food Pantry while you are there. Soap, shampoo, lotions, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors
and shaving cream are all especially requested.
If you prefer not to leave your home, you may participate using local foliage (that’s what palms
were) or a towel to represent the cloaks laid down in Jesus’ path.
Maundy Thursday: Making Bread Together | Online at 7:00 p.m., April 9
visit barringtonumc.com and fumcwd.org
Add one part YouTube Cooking Show, three scripture readings, and two prayers,
then mix with a generous portion of organ performance, and you get this year’s
online Maundy Thursday experience.
Pastor Matthew and his family invite you to gather in your kitchens, watch, and
join in making a traditional communion bread to share at your table on this holy
night. The simple recipe makes a hearty and wholesome bread that is inspired
by those made by the monks of The Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers,
Georgia. After we enjoy the shared experience of making the bread, there will be
time to hear from our sacred scriptures, pray, meditate on musical offerings by
organist Michael Rees, and silently smell the fragrance of it while it bakes.
Monastery of the Holy Spirit Altar Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
(white flour works okay, too)
2 tsp DOUBLE ACTING baking
powder (or 4 tsp of single
acting baking powder)
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Makes three, 6” bread rounds
Rev. Chris Winkler
Good Friday | Online worship at 7:00 p.m., April 10
Be transported with Mary to the foot of the Cross in a twenty-minute audio experience
including moving music, Mary’s story and a brief reflection. Choose an atmosphere that allows
you to fully engage the powerful emotions of the event and join us on the journey to Easter.
The
Lord’s
Prayer
We know it so well, we don’t know it at all.
celebrate
SERMON SERIES BEGINNING SUNDAY, APRIL 19
Following Easter, we will take a deep dive into the form, structure and life
lessons of the Lord’s Prayer. We will spend six weeks examining the weighty
messages carried in each line and how very significant our prayer lives can be.
visit barringtonumc.com and fumcwd.org
Gather online to celebrate the joy and hope of Easter!
Online worship at 9:30 a.m., April 12
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3

LOCAL MISSION PARTNER UPDATES
We have compiled an update on our local mission partners who are maintaining essential
services for people who need them now even more than ever. Here’s what they are doing and
how you can help:
FISH Food Pantry
The food pantry is an essential service and must continue operations throughout this time
period. They have moved to a no-touch system in which clients sign-in outside the front
door and wait in their cars until they are called on their cell phone to drive up to the side
door and receive their pre-packed boxes. Between 8 and 10 a.m., volunteers fill the boxes
according to a fixed list. There is a second box for larger households.
How can I help?
• If you are young and have no underlying are emptied as they are now, the stores have
conditions and live in a household where little to send.
no one is a vulnerable individual, consider
• If you prefer to shop (or clean a closet or
going to the FISH website (www.fish-foodpantry.org/volunteer)
and signing up to be
two), please provide hygiene items – soap,
shampoo, toothpaste and brushes, wipes and
a reserve volunteer – saying that you could
diapers. These items are essential and not
be called to come in if they need you.
available from the Food Bank. At Barrington
• Make a monetary donation so that FISH (or UMC, we have moved our Food Pantry
another local food pantry) can purchase donation bins outside onto the portico so
food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. that you can safely drop items off at any time.
Normally food banks rely on donations from We will make sure they are delivered to FISH
local grocery stores, but when store shelves during their business hours.
Community Crisis Center
The Crisis Center is a 40-bed emergency shelter for women and their children.
How can I help?
Please be in prayer for anyone in an abusive relationship during this time. Anxiety and
stress are often triggers for abuse. Please pray for the abuser as well as for the victims.
And, if you have a relationship with any domestic violence shelter, please check in to see
what they need.
Meals with Wheels
Meals with Wheels has changed their procedures to ensure that volunteers can safely
deliver hot meals to the homebound without endangering themselves or the clients.
When volunteers arrive for their routes, the on-site crew will bring the meals out to
your vehicle. Clients and their families have been notified to have a cooler on their
front porch to receive the meals. Delivery volunteers will leave the meals in the
cooler, ring the doorbell and remove to a safe distance. For everyone’s safety this will
be a no-contact operation.
How can I help?
First, we want to give a big thank to the new volunteers who have stepped up to join
the BUMC team! As above, if you are young and have no underlying conditions and
live in a household where no one is a vulnerable individual, consider letting Carolyn
Schneider (847)438-3148 know that you are willing to join her reserve corp. She will
call you if our team is short-handed or if our team needs to pick up additional routes
to make sure everyone receives their meals.
PADS of Elgin
Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) of Elgin provides safe shelter, comprehensive
case management and advocacy to homeless men, women and families in northern Kane
County and Hanover and Dundee Townships. They house between 45 and 70 individuals,
including women and children, on any given night.
PADS in Elgin has its own dedicated space and has notified us that they have changed
their procedures to stay open 24/7 during this time period. They are relying on everyone
who has committed to provide a meal to provide it, but volunteers will no longer enter
the shelter. A staff member will meet you at the door to receive any deliveries.
How can I help?
PADS has put out a request for hand soap, washcloths, 8-ounce cups and paper bowls.
Additional food, especially for snacking, would always be welcome. A general needs list
can be found at: padsofelgin.org/needs
The Crisis Center has asked for diapers (the largest size is generally preferable) and hygiene
items including those specifically for women. There is never access to this facility, call the
receptionist and let them know that you are there to drop off items at the front door. A list
of their greatest needs can be found at: crisiscenter.org/pdfs/GreatestNeeds.pdf
4
5

LOCAL MISSION PARTNER UPDATES
ChildServ
ChildServ maintains three group homes in DuPage County. The teens living there are
out of school and stuck at home as are all of our own children, grandchildren, nieces
and nephews.
How can I help?
The Group Homes team has requested 15 digital forehead thermometers. Any brand
is acceptable, these are very hard to come by at the moment.
The team has also requested any of the following:
Taboo, Pictionary, Apples to Apples, 5 Second Rule, Connect 4, Paint, Paint brushes
(various sizes), Canvases, Sponges, Kits for making bracelets, and Beads
They can be shipped directly to:
ChildServ
1260 Iroquois, Suite 102
Naperville, IL 60563
ATTN: Shenekia Stimage
or if you would like to drop off items at our door, please email them at info@childserv.org,
and the program director or a supervisor will meet you and say thank you from a safe
6-foot-distance, as per the CDC recommendations.
Kids Hope Celebration
On February 29, this group of Kids Hope mentors was privileged to join over two
hundred others in the western suburbs for a training conference. Some of us heard
from child therapist Trish Jonker about working with traumatized children. Fellow
mentors led conversations about how to handle differences in ethnic and racial lived
experiences. There were sections on how to use art to open conversation and on the
impact of poverty on childhood and families. There was an opportunity to discuss the
role of prayer in our program and another one to look at mentoring resources available
to us online. In addition to all the learning, it was a great day to celebrate all the good
that KidsHopeUSA and the mentoring program can do in the lives of children.
Connecting Small Groups
Facetime, What’s App, Zoom, Skype, there are
many ways to see the person on the other end of
the phone line. Google Hangouts Meet or Google
Meet is the tool that we are recommending for our
small groups and work teams. First reason, because
it is the tool that the staff already uses and we
can most easily help everyone to access. Second
reason, because no one is excluded by device
or ecosystem.
What can we do together? Groups can
hold conference meetings by phone or by
videoconference. Pre-meeting documents and
meeting codes can be sent with the meeting
invitation. Members can see who plans to attend
and who is in attendance. And presentations can
be shown from a separate screen of anyone using a
Gmail account.
Who could use this? Any small group – for Bible
or book studies, for friendship and connection, for
committee meetings.
What do group members need to participate?
If you already have a Gmail account, you can click
on the teleconference link to join the meeting and
it will attempt to turn your computer’s camera and
microphone on, which you will have to agree to.
Then you can see everyone, note who has unmuted
to speak, send a message to everyone on the call,
and view any presentations on the screen. There is
a close caption option that works very well.
If you have a Gmail account and you are away
from your computer, you can teleconference from
your phone by downloading the ‘Meet’ app from
your app store. The icons are the same as on your
computer, your phone camera may be higher def,
and you can use your computer to view documents
while in the meeting.
If you don’t have a Gmail account, you are invited
to a phone conference. The key tool here is to
know that pressing *6 on your keypad both mutes
and unmutes your phone.
If you don’t have a Gmail account and find not
seeing faces or presentations frustrating, Gmail
accounts are free and you can get one with a very
few clicks. You’ll need to let your meeting leaders
know about your new email, and you’ll need to
check it for invitations, don’t feel excluded—join in!
What do group leaders need to know?
Anyone in your group can set up your meeting from
Google calendar with an @barringtonumc.com
address. They will need a list of emails to be invited,
the time, date and details to go in the invitation and
any attachments to go to the participants.
If no one in your group has an barringtonumc.com
address, you can send the same information
referenced above to Elizabeth Schule or Paula
Gordon to calendar your meeting. One of us will
need to sit in for the first few minutes to ‘allow
guests’ if anyone without a Gmail has a hiccup
joining the meeting.
What if my group isn’t ‘official’?
We are happy to support small groups within
our congregations. Create your group offline and
then advise us of its connection, its members
and its leader. Email one of the pastors or
communications@barringtonumc.com.
CHURCH
6
7

TREE OF LIFE
5
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 Then
he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves,
and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to
distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd. 7 They had also a few small
fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed.
8
They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven
baskets full. ~Mark 8:5-8
Your gift can make a difference –
help Tree of Life fund the matching grant
Oglala Lakota County (inside the Pine Ridge Reservation) and Todd County
(inside the Rosebud Reservation) are the 1st and 3rd poorest counties within the
50 states. Only on the islands of Puerto Rico and American Samoa do people
have a lower per capita income.
Linda Garriott and her team at Tree of Life are truly making a difference. Their
soup kitchen, thrift shop and support services reach members of the Rosebud
community living between 40 and 70 miles away in every direction. It can take
between an hour and an hour and a half to reach the last person served at the
end of their meal delivery routes.
Our adult mission team is scheduled for a second trip to Tree of Life this June.
Linda has several projects already lined up for the team. As of March 20, Tree of
Life’s soup kitchen and thrift shop operations are shut down for 15 days. Instead,
Linda’s team spent the day helping to deliver 5,000 meals to youth who are out
of school. She was tired but ready to get out and help again next week, and again
the week after that… Those of us who met her last spring or on the 2018 mission
trip know that her tireless energy, deep faith and thoughtful concern for her
neighbors make her a wonderful leader for this agency.
When Linda visited Barrington UMC in 2019, she was deeply involved
in planning a new soup kitchen. Her dream was not only to feed
more people but to be able to teach and build self-reliance.
The new kitchen would be attached to a teaching garden and a
greenhouse, both growing native plants that will thrive in South
Dakota. The harvest would be brought into the kitchen where folks
Tree of Life Ministry is a part of the working hands and feet of God to the Lakota Nation residing on the
Rosebud Reservation serving body, mind, and soul. We feed, cloth, shelter, and love. We demonstrate His love,
power, and grace to a broken, hurting society.
could learn how to can and preserve foods for
themselves.
The new kitchen would also be optimized to
prepare meals for delivery. This is important
to prepare for a future that will include
significantly reduced food subsidies. Planning
began three years ago to be able to provide the
local safety net that would be required as food
assistance for welfare, and low-income families are reduced significantly over
the next decade. As we discussed these plans, the question was always: “How will
you pay for it?” Linda’s answer: “God will make a way.”
This past Fall, as we began to make mission trip arrangements, she was so
excited to let us know that there will be a way. She had been given a
$30,000 matching grant and was in the process of raising the funds to
meet the match and: “Would we help?”
Since receiving the matching grant, Linda and her team have raised an
additional $15,000. She needs only $15,000 more to create a space that
will not only provide the ‘fish’ that people need but will also teach the
‘fishing skills’ that are necessary for self-reliance. This has been Linda’s
watchword since she came to Tree of Life, always engaging with the
community to give back, help out, and encourage locals to take the lead
wherever and whenever possible.
A donation toward this matching grant can help give this community
another tool for self-reliance and self-improvement. Send your gift to BUMC and
mark Tree of Life in the memo line. Watch this space for future reports on the
ministry; and thank you.
The soup kitchen
normally serves
breakfast and lunch
every weekday.
Celebrating our relationship
with Tree of Life,
our mission trip and the
tuxedo project.
When we were asked to
provide tuxedos for the
young men at prom time,
some of our members
found a way. Linda again
expressed her thanks for
the additional shipment
of tuxedos that arrived
last month in preparation
for this year’s prom
and at the same time
her sadness for all the
students who are missing
the traditional rituals of
senior year.
8 9

We are Easter people, a people of hope and great faithfulness. Especially in this time, we are
eager to Do.Be.Live. Church – to worship together, to care for one another and to reach out
to our neighbors and our world.
GIVE+Text | One of the fastest ways to give
In less time than it takes to write a check to Barrington UMC, you can now make weekly offerings and
respond to special appeals by simply sending a text message to (847) 469-9048 with the amount you
would like to give as the text message. You will receive responses to prompt you through the process.
Our missions and ministries continue albeit in new and different ways. Our staff continues
to work to bring worship, devotions, music and programming to our church community –
children, youth, adults and families alike. We are ever mindful of those who are hurting and
continue to need our help during these times. And, we continue to care for our buildings
including regular bills for utilities, maintenance and insurance.
We ask for your continuing support of our churches. We are collecting our mail, making
deposits, and paying our bills. We ask that you give:
Mailing your regular donations to your home church:
Barrington UMC, 98 Algonquin Road, Barrington, IL 60010
First UMC West Dundee, 318 W. Main Street, West Dundee, IL 60118
Online through your bank’s bill paying service;
Online through your church’s website, www.barringtonumc.com or www.fumcwd.org,
either of which will direct you to our provider of many years, Vanco Payment Solutions.
On your first visit, you will need to ‘Create Your Online Profile’ (on the lower right
hand side). After you’ve entered your email and selected a password, you will
first be asked for your donation amount and then be asked to select your method
of payment which can be either a card or a bank account. You will receive a
confirmation email.
After you have set up your profile, you can simply sign in and make a donation or
pay for a special program.
Barrington UMC also offers a Text to Give option detailed on the opposite page.
Dial (847) 469-9048, set up your profile in a few steps, and enter an amount to give to the
operating fund into the text line.
Each and every gift is always gratefully received, especially in this time when we are apart.
CHURCH
ing ing ing
10-Digit Give Plus Text #: 847-469-9048
Frequently Asked Questions
How to give to BUMC
by text message:
After registering, you will receive
instructions on how to send donations
by text message. Text donations are
sent to a 10-digit number where they
are received and processed by Vanco,
BUMC’s online payment service.
How will you know when your
donation is processed?
You will receive immediate
confirmation via text that your
donation was received. After a text
donation has been processed, it
appears on your credit card or bank
statement.
How quickly are text
donations deposited?
Text donations are electronically
deposited into the BUMC’s bank
account within 2 to 4 business days for
debit and credit card transactions.
Church Name: Barrington United Methodist Church
Are all contributions set at a fixed
dollar amount?
No. You are able to choose the amount
of each donation.
Will I be assessed any
special fees?
No, but normal text messaging
fees from your cell phone carriers may
apply.
Are text donations ever charged to
my mobile phone bill?
No. Donations are processed using
the payment method specified in your
online profile. Phone carriers handle
only the text message, never any
financial information.
What payment methods are available
for giving by text?
Vanco’s Give+ Text supports donations
via debit and credit cards.
Can I set up recurring
donations by text?
Yes. You can text “Repeat” after you
have made a donation to make it
recurring. You can also text “Schedule”
to set up a
recurring donation.
Can I text donations to
individual funds?
Currently, donations by text are
deposited into the BUMC operating
fund. If you would like your
donation to be directed otherwise,
please contact Lynne Richardson,
lrichardson@barringtonumc.com.
10
11

The people of God sing in all times and all places. Miriam sang songs of celebration after
crossing of the Red Sea. David sang in despair when he had Uriah killed. Jesus and the
disciples sang a hymn as they left the Last Supper toward Gethsemane. Paul and Silas sang
praise in prison.
Do you have a favorite song of praise? Or faith? Or comfort? Share your favorite hymn
with your church family. Jot down your story in a paragraph and email it to Patti Mangis,
pmangis@barringtonumc.com. Put “this is our story” in the subject line. Include a
photograph if you have one.
In this time of confined insolation, I find myself at the piano playing my favorite
comforting hymns; those which Mom sang with me in the farmhouse during my grade
school years. One of those hymns was written by Thomas Dorsey at the time his wife died
giving birth to their first child, who also died. He was lost in grief, sat down at the piano
and composed “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”. The three verses captured a suffering soul
that is reaching out. He is at the end of his rope, “I am tired, I am weak, I am worn”. There
have been several times in my career where I was tired, weak and worn including layoff by
a major biological manufacturer in New Jersey. Not only was I faced with the challenges
and uncertainties of unemployment, my Dad passed away back home in Illinois and my
family needed me. I was at the end of my rope. In the sixth month of unemployment,
severance pay was running out, when God heard my cry and held my hand lest I fall. I was
offered a job at a medical device manufacturer in the Chicago suburbs, and my house sold
prior to listing. Mom was in the hospital in intensive care, and I drove to Illinois in one
day. Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home. —Nancy Jensen
These are the words to one of my favorite hymns. I was 5 or 6 when I
attended church with my dear grandma Aukerman at a Methodist Church
in Bridgeport, Ohio. I remember us standing for the hymn, she would take my
hand and boy would she belt out that hymn! It became one of my favorites
because she was such an important part of my life. Even today when we sing it
at church I can barely get the words out because I can still hear her voice and
feel her love. —Sheila Harrigan
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
our song shall rise to thee
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons blessed Trinity
My Grandma Aukerman with Grandpa and
Uncle Russell. —Shiela Harrigan
Visit barringtonumc.com/my-story-my-song to hear recodings of these hymns.
Nancy Jensen’s music room.
12 13

As these days of Social Distancing pass by, I’m drawn to my grounding tools. For me,
that is music. At home, I play the radio all day long. I generally switch between two
public radio stations, WFMT 98.7 for classical or WDCB 91.5 for jazz. They make up my life
soundtrack, I suppose. One of my favorite songs that has ministered to me during difficult
times by singing it or listening to it is a song written by an East coast songwriter, singer,
director, author and friend, David Friedman. He told me that he wrote this during a time
of upheaval in his life. When I sing it, it helps me to believe that while I may not feel like
God is paying attention, He has, in fact, already planted people into my future to help me.
As I have experienced various upheavals in my 58 years, I have met amazing individuals
who stepped in to help me from all over the country. During this time, I can draw on God’s
words and this song to reassure me. Go in peace, my friends. —Holly McNeill
HELP IS ON THE WAY by David Friedman
Don’t give up the ship, even when it’ sinking and you don’t know what to do.
Don’t give up your dreams, even though you may be thinking they never
will come true.
Life has its own ideas of how things come
about and if you just hang in there, life is
gonna work it out.
Because I am a church musician, you can imagine that many hymns dwell in
my heart. At first I thought it would be hard to choose one. But as Holy Week
approaches, I vividly remember coming home from church on Palm Sundays and
going straight to the piano with my mom, because we wanted to sing “All Glory,
Laud and Honor” one more time. Such a great hymn. Full of strength and promise
and praise. But you only get to sing it once a year! So after waving our palm
branches at church, we would come home and sing it again.
As I grew up and started serving as a church musician, every year it would
sneak up on me. I would be standing in the back of a church getting ready to
lead a procession of palm-waving kids and adults into the sanctuary. I would
hear the first chords of “All Glory, Laud and Honor,” and suddenly my heart
would fly back in time to playing the piano with my mom at my shoulder,
singing together prayers and praises to Jesus.
How blessed are we, dear friends, that in this tumultuous and uncertain time
we can lean on these hymns. This year when Palm Sunday comes, we won’t
be together physically. Yet still we can still lift our voices together, singing
prayers and praises to Jesus who delights in all good, who lavishes us with
grace and who deserves all glory, laud and honor.
—Patti Mangis
Help is on the way, from places you don’t
know about today. From friends you may not
have met, yet, believe me when I say, Help is
on the way.
You don’t have to know, where the path
you’re on is leading, you just have to walk
along, dreaming as you go, asking for the
things you’re needing, you never can go
wrong. If you have faith that things are
happening as they should and just believe
each step you take is leading you to something good,
Help is on the way, from places you don’t know about today. From friends you may
not have met, yet, believe me when I say, Help is on the way.
So open your heart, open your mind, no matter how you’ve tried and failed,
tomorrow you may turn and find that
Patti with her mother,
Joan Fowler Hughes,
approximately 15 years ago.
Visit barringtonumc.com/my-story-my-song to hear recodings of these hymns.
Help is on the way, from places you don’t know about today. From friends you may
not have met, yet, believe me when I say, Help is on the way.
Help is on the way.
14 15

Each of our pastors has committed to send a reflection once a week. You can expect to
receive a Note of Encouragement by email each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here
is a sample, if you would like to sign up to receive these, please send your email to
communications@barringtonumc.com.
Maybe Twice Isn’t Enough
I don’t know if I really feel like rejoicing right now. I’ve been running on adrenaline for
a few weeks, rethinking how we can keep being communities of faith in the midst of
a global pandemic, but now I’m coming back down to earth with a thud — like Wile E.
Coyote in those old cartoons. With everything that is going on — the anxiety, the loss, the
sadness — I don’t want to listen to Paul’s call.
Reading this passage from Philippians again today, I had to step away from it for a
moment. I have to take a deep breath and remember that Paul, who gives the command to
“rejoice” to his friends in Philippi, was likely suffering. He was under house arrest. He was
awaiting word from someone in an office far from him, and appealing to every power on
earth and heaven with the hope he would be released. It
seems quite grim, yet, to the people whom he loves, he
says “Rejoice.”
It is more than a suggestion to “be positive,” or “think
happy thoughts.” It is a call to keep celebrating in spite
of everything that is happening. Don’t worry. Instead,
rejoice to turn the tide of pain.
The struggles of the world should not preclude us from
being joyful. In fact, operating from a core of joy — even
if it is tiny — is necessary if we are to have any hope that
the world can change. If we are unable to begin with
joy, we fall prey to fatalism and despondency. This is
why the Philippians are told twice to rejoice; it is that
important to the future of faith and community.
Maybe twice isn’t enough for us today. Maybe, for hope to thrive, we need to hear it
thrice. Maybe it needs to be looped. Maybe it needs to be our alarm, our ringtone, and
text notification sound. Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice! Maybe we need to
say it again and again — as many times as it takes — until we can actually do it.
Say it again and again until it becomes your reality.
Rejoice.
Reboot, Renew, Reassess
When I was a teenager, one of my best friends was Scott Lafoy. Scott and his family moved to
Naperville and started attending Community UMC where my father was pastor and where I was
very involved in the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. When Scott started attending youth
group, we discovered that we shared a number of the same interests: sports, fishing, cars and
girls as I recall. One other thing that Scott and I had in common was that we were both the sons
of very “type A,” driven, workaholic fathers who were impatient and demanding.
One day Moses Lafoy—Scott’s dad—suffered a massive heart attack on the floor of the Chicago
Stock Exchange where he was a very successful trader. Moses Lafoy’s death was deeply troubling
for me. In part because my friend had lost his father, but also because I was convinced that his
death should have been a sign, a wakeup call to my own
father. Of course, from my perspective, my father was too
busy and preoccupied with living his calling as a pastor to
see the handwriting on the wall and refused to slow down
even a little bit.
Later, I came to realize that God doesn’t work the way I
thought. Moses Lafoy didn’t die to teach my father some
kind of cosmic lesson; he died because he had heart disease
exacerbated by the stress of job, his drive to achieve and
what was likely an unhealthy lifestyle. And yet, as I have
reflected on that terrible time, I have also come to realize
that there are often lessons embedded in tragedy that we
can learn when they are viewed through the eyes of faith.
I wonder if we should pay attention to new perspectives
this COVID-19 crisis provides for us. Perhaps this time of forced solitude can teach us the
value of having friends we love, a community of faith that cares for us, and a church to journey
with. Perhaps those of us who also struggle against those “type A” tendencies, who are driven
to succeed, to acquire more and better stuff, or even to “save” the church, can take this
opportunity to adopt healthier habits and routines.
I want to encourage you to take time—forced upon us as it may be—to reboot, renew and
reassess what is really important in life. Indeed, I would suggest that doing so is the most faithful
response we can have in a time such as this. My prayer is that as we “shelter-in-place,” we
would find shelter in the God who loves us and wants only the best for us, even as we know that
suffering is part of the human condition.
—Pastor Chris Winkler
—Pastor Matthew Johnson
16 17

Unexpected Gifts
Gifts are wonderful things. Sometimes they are tangible and material. Sometimes
they are more ethereal and abstract. Sometimes they are anticipated and expected.
Sometimes they are unexpected and surprising.
My husband gave me a treadmill for Christmas this year. This gift has given me both
expected and totally unexpected benefits.
Expected: I am walking every day and that means I am more fit and have greater energy.
I am eating and sleeping better. Taking care of yourself in one area has a way of spilling
over into other areas as well. The treadmill gives me an almost immediate outlet to
let off some steam, work out some frustration, and, in these days of the pandemic and
economic collapse, walk off some anxiety, tension, and worry about things that impact
me, but I have no ability to impact in return.
want to hold onto and incorporate into our new ways of being. For example, videotaping our
worship services (or at least parts of them) is proving to be a great gift to those who cannot
physically come to church but still long to be part of in community. Through it all, we are
reaching new people.
In these crazy days, let us find ways to delight in the gifts of time and the ability to simply be.
There are unexpected gifts being given, let’s remember to receive them.
—Rev. Wendy A. Witt
Unexpected: The unexpected gift that truly delights me is now that I use the treadmill
for power walking and stress relief, I am discovering the joy of being outside and simply
strolling. Walking with my dog, allowing her to stop and smell all the smells, and instead
of being irritated and tugging at her leash, I use this time to breathe deeply and be
aware of the beauty that is all around me. Sounds quaint, but it is so true, I am hearing
and seeing things on my strolls that I had never noticed before. I stop and watch the
kids playing in the park. I hear the birds sing, and stop to listen. I walk along the river,
slowly, and enjoy the beauty and consistency of the flowing water. I see the flowers and
plants trying to push their way through the soil to bring us beauty and color. On these
daily strolls, I am finding the simple pleasures of simply being.
This time of social distancing now compounded by the state-mandated “stay@home”
order, has also been a gift in many ways.
Expected: Time to slow down and rest. Time to read, meditate, and journal. Time
to cook and eat new and healthy meals. Time to be silent and time to be in deeper
dialogue with others.
Unexpected: As is the case when crisis strikes, we are coming together as a community
in new ways. People are reaching out to one another and finding creative ways to
stay connected; there is a willingness to try new ways of communicating and showing
care. Neighbors who normally rush by each other, are pausing and waving, shouting
greetings across the street. We are finding new ways to DO BE LIVE Church. Some of
these will be temporary and will go away with the end of the pandemic. Others we may
18 19

New Members of Barrington UMC
Reflection
We are thrilled to welcome our newest members
Rebecca & Luis Guerra and Kay & Bob Mukomela.
On behalf of the Church and Society Committee, we hope you are safe and offer
this anonymous poem as a reflection.
Today I was warmed by fires I did not build.
I drank from a well I did not dig.
I sat in the shade of a tree I did not plant.
Let me pause to give thanks for the efforts of those who came
before me and vow that I too, shall work to make the world a
better place for those who follow.
UMW Geranium Sale
Sunday, May 10, is coming up soon, and it is not only Mother’s Day but also the day of
our United Methodist Women’s Geranium Sale! We have been in touch with Sherry at
Hager’s Country Store and have talked about this year’s sale. The growing season has
just begun in central Illinois, where we purchase the plants from a nursery there. At
this time, we are not sure how the Coronavirus is affecting the local
nursery personnel. Thus, we are not sure but are very hopeful we
will have geraniums to offer to you this Mother’s Day.
To prepare for the sale, we are asking you to start thinking
about how many you would like to purchase (at $5.50
each) and to fill out one of the forms below so we will be
ready to serve you. Please order your flowers online,
barringtonumc.com/geraniums or fill out the form
below and mail to Norma W. Jung-Stein, at 1272 Noble
Drive, Port Barrington, IL 60010. We appreciate your
participation in helping us meet our “giving” to United
Methodist Women. Thank you, Norma
Five colors will again be offered—white, light pink, salmon,
bright red (traditional), and bright violet (a blue-red) in 4.5”
pots. We’d like everyone to fill out one of the order forms no
matter how many or few you order.
Bless you all, Norma Jung-Stein, Chairperson
Name
Email
Phone
White Light Pink Salmon Bright Red Bright Violet
20
21

Update | Women’s One Day Retreat For the health and safety of our collective
community, the Women’s RENEW One Day Retreat scheduled for April 4 has been
canceled. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
Update | Traveling Tea Party The Traveling Tea Party has been suspended until
further notice. If you are in need of meals or of transportation to a medical appointment,
please contact the Member Care Team through the church office, (847) 836-5540, or email
Elaine Anderson, RNEAA@comcast.net.
Update | Volunteer Appreciation Brunch We look forward to rescheduling this
brunch once we are worshiping back in the building. Stay well!
The Member Care team would like to share this article recently printed in the Daily Herald.
Turn Concern Over Coronavirus Into Silent Prayer
by Annettee Budzban | March 20, 2020
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but power, and of love ...”
— 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
I
was shocked when my routine trip for
groceries looked more like a Black Friday
frenzy. Except for the hot items on sale
weren’t the latest technology or toys, they
were everyday needs such as water, sanitary
wipes, and the hottest commodity of all was
toilet paper.
I was amazed that toilet paper would ever
be in such high demand. It shows how not to
take for granted the simple things in life, such
as clean water and T.P.
Usually, lines from the checkout to the back
of the store occur the day after Thanksgiving.
Other than lines at the gas pumps created by
the Oil Embargo back in the 1970s, and Black
Fridays, I haven’t seen anything like this.
Even the swine flu epidemic years ago, which
took the life of a family member of mine, was
not dealt with nearly as severe as this. And
the fact we lose 20,000 people each year to
complications of the flu in the U.S., doesn’t
cause us to hit the panic button. So why so
much chaos and pandemonium this time?
As a medical professional, I clearly
understand the seriousness of the disease.
When my friend sent a text to inquire if I was
washing my hands, I replied, “You’re talking
to a nurse. And my sons have been listening
to me get on them for years about their
hand-washing habits.” Now with the recent
growing popularity of hand sanitizer, I feel I
have finally been vindicated for all my years
of nagging my kids to wash their hands.
Besides gaining awareness of hand-washing
precautions, I’m concerned with our
attentiveness to how God wants us to handle
a crisis.
The Bible claims we haven’t been born
again with a spirit of fear, but calm. Yet,
we haven’t quite learned how to be calm in
chaotic times. Jesus managed to walk straight
through a mob of people trying to kill him.
That’s an amazing example of calm in a
chaotic situation.
I wonder when God tells us to remain calm,
could it be because hitting the panic button
causes us to become our own worst enemy.
Perhaps in our panicked state, we tend to hoard
and hurt instead of share and help. By looking
out for number one, we can lose sight of others,
then often someone gets physically hurt, or
I know this is a frightening time. We want
to be aware of the potential danger, yet use
wisdom and quench any undue fears and
panic. It’s not wrong to feel afraid. Even the
most mature can be challenged to stay calm
in the crisis. The difference is they manage to
control their fearful urges. Like when we feel
the impulse to push the panic button, we can
turn the terror to silent prayer and let God
know we need his healing and protection over
our family, community and nation. We can
add special prayers for the healing of those
their needs go neglected in the process.
22 23
afflicted.
For our economic strain, this crisis has
caused, we can pray for wisdom and strategic
plans for our businesses and households.
And we can seek wise advice or counsel from
friends or professionals who can help us keep
things in a proper perspective.
When shopping, we can practice patience
with the store checkers and other servers
who are working extra hard to take care of
us. And we can work on our ability to trust
God to supply all we need without our need
to hoard.
We can check that our family and friends
have their needs met. Caring for others has a
way of turning around and blessing us.
When we’re stuck at home, we can turn our
anxious thoughts into prayers to calm our
nerves. We can play a game or put a puzzle
together, or as my friend exclaims, watch our
favorite movie on our streaming network.
This gives us something constructive to do,
making us more at ease, and shows God we’ve
turned our tension into trust.
With help from above and these things in
practice, we can show ourselves to be calm
and confident in the midst of the crisis. It’s
my personal prayer, all your needs are met,
and you stay safe, fed and healthy. God Bless.
Annettee Budzban is an author, speaker, life
coach, nurse and Bible teacher. Annettee
is available to speak to your church group,
business, civic organization or be your
personal life coach. She can be contacted at
Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.
This article is printed with permission.

If you are someone who happens to have some extra free time, here are some suggestions
from the website, unitedmethodistwomen.org, following the purpose of United
Methodist Women:
“...to know God and experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ”
If you would like a prayer for those affected by coronavirus:
unitedmethodistwomen.org/news/prayer-and-responsive-reading-for-thoseaffected-by-coronavirus
If you would like meditations for the Lenten season. You will be able to go to additional
links for each Sunday from this site.
unitedmethodistwomen.org/news/first-sunday-in-lent-a-time-for-self-awareness
“...to develop a creative, supportive fellowship...” Well, this takes a little imagination at the
moment, but in addition to reaching out via calls, emails, or any other actions you deem
safe, you can read about creative women:
“and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global
ministries of the church.”
Check out response magazine:
unitedmethodistwomen.org/response
Listen to podcasts on a variety of subjects:
unitedmethodistwomen.org/faithtalks
Read about the four social justice issue priorities:
unitedmethodistwomen.org/issues
If you find yourself shopping from Amazon, consider choosing “United
Methodist Women Northern Illinois Conference” your Amazon Smile recipient
(learn more about this by entering “amazon smile” in the search box).
The fellowship of eight women in 1869 led to a school in India, which is now Isabella
Thoburn College: unitedmethodistwomen.org/news/living-the-legacy-in-india
Check out the 2020 Reading Program list, see if your library can connect you to
a digital copy, find a friend to read the same book and start a “mini book club”:
unitedmethodistwomen.org/readingprogram
Read about 10 Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2020
sojo.net/articles/10-christian-women-shaping-church-2020
24 25

Hello!
It is so good to be connecting with you in this small way! I miss seeing
everyone’s smiling faces on Sundays! What strange and anxious times
we are experiencing. I wanted to remind everyone that I am here if anyone needs to chat or
needs some good ole human interaction! The Youth Team and I are committed to being here for
and with each of you as we navigate these unusual circumstances. Please feel free to reach out
to Tammy, Susan, or me if you need anything. We will do all that we can to help you!
While we are separated in body, it is my intention and goal that we will remain connected
in spirit. To help with this, we have scheduled a virtual God’s Squad at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday
evenings until we are able to meet in person again. We will hang out, chat, have a short lesson,
and pray together. It is even more important in times such as these that we remain connected
and together as the Body of Christ and the God’s Squad family! You can find the link to our
Google Hangout below.
I hope to see all the youth’s beautiful faces this Sunday! In the meantime, please do not hesitate
to reach out to me at bbevers@barringtonumc.com.
As that great Troy Bolton once said, We’re All in This Together! :-)
Blessings and Peace, Pastor Bonnie
God’s Squad: We have scheduled a virtual God’s Squad at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday evenings. We
will hang out, chat, have a short lesson, and pray together. meet.google.com/ffr-onpt-snc
FAMILY MINISTRY
“Once Upon a Parable”
Our multisite youth delighted the First UMC
congregation with their performance of the
musical “Once Upon A Parable” on Sunday,
March 8.
Walk with Jesus
In light of current public health concerns
around the COVID-19 virus, we are
disappointed to have to cancel this event.
We hope you are staying safe and healthy. If
you have not already, be sure to follow us on
our multisite family & youth Facebook Page
facebook.com/groups/bumcyouthgroup.
LEAP YEAR GAME NIGHT! | Thank you for the
great evening!
Confirmation: We have scheduled virtual gatherings at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings.
meet.google.com/jee-paag-fte
Multisite Family & Youth Facebook Page: Stay connected with the
multisite families and youth by joining the facebook page, www.facebook.com/groups/
bumcyouthgroup/
26 27

We are getting creative with our e-learning. We love our kids and miss seeing
them in person but it has been so great to see all their smiling faces online.
We are so blessed to have our amazing staff of teachers. While the classrooms
are empty, we have had the opportunity to give them all a really deep cleaning.
At this time, our NACA Summer Camp is still scheduled for May 26–June 12! Children
ages 3 through kindergarten are invited to outdoor adventures in the Nature Explore
Classroom Sign up for one, two or all three weeks. For more information, or to register,
call (847) 844-3738.
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98 Algonquin Road
Barrington, IL 60010-6145
barringtonumc.com
(847) 836-5540
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
BARRINGTON, IL
60010
PERMIT NO. 27
First UMC West Dundee
318 W. Main Street, West Dundee, IL 60118
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