Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father…it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.  (Matthew, Immerse 343)

My retirement-age parents have a new puppy. What were they thinking?! you may be asking, and I’m right there with you. This little one is brand new, energetic, mischievous: everything my nearly 80-year-old parents are not. She requires their constant attention, night and day. Puppies are very, very needy—but oh-so-precious.

This is how God wants us to view each other: the more care needed, the more care we offer. But that isn’t our tendency.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus mentions “these little ones” over and over. It’s the children who are greatest, not the men with status. It’s the lost sheep he goes to rescue. It’s the little ones he refuses to let perish, the little ones who see God’s face in Heaven (which even Moses couldn’t do!). It’s the vulnerable party in a marriage or contract Jesus protects. It’s the blind and lame at the Temple he pays attention to, ignoring and infuriating the priests and teachers. The banquet feast is fed to the uninvited commoners, not the invited guests. The little ones are gathered under the wing of God while those in authority are chased away as snakes. Those who offer water to the thirsty, shelter for the traveler, and friendship to the prisoner are actually offering all those things to God himself.

Once you see the theme of “these little ones” in Matthew, you can’t unsee it. Over and over Jesus says: it’s the child, the hurting, the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, the one who cannot repay you, the one you rejected that I’m paying attention to.

Who are “these little ones” in our world today that Jesus is paying attention to—and calling us to pay attention to—do you think?

-Catherine McNiel

Maundy Thursday: April 17, 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
**Our worship service will begin with Communion in Peterson Hall**
Meal menu:
Portillos mostaccioli with meat sauce and without meat sauce
2 salad options
gluten/dairy free options

Good Friday: April 18, 6:30 pm
Easter Sunday: April 20

*childcare provided on during all worship services

Please help us welcome guests by parking outside our parking lot. If you are able, please park at the Northwestern Medical building (we have permission to park there). See the diagram!

We expect our parking lot to be full on Easter Sunday, so please park away if you can.

BLESS is the Covenant's approach to intentional evangelism. Each year, we collect the names of people in your lives for whom you are praying to come to know Jesus this year. We want to be praying with you, so on BLESS Sunday, we join other Covenant churches in submitting the names (first names only) of these loved ones.

We will compile the list of names you submit so we can add them to our prayer list throughout the year. We will send these names to the Central Conference offices, where all the BLESS names in our conference will be prayed for by the Central Conference staff. Then, all the names will be sent to Gather, our denomination's annual meeting, to be prayed over by delegates from Covenant churches from across the country.

We encourage you to be ministering to these loved ones throughout the year using the BLESS model: Begin in prayer, Listen with care, Eat Together, Serve in Love, and Share your story. Reach out to Pastor Zachs if you would like more resources about the BLESS model, or find resources HERE.

Help us celebrate our Graduating Seniors and send them off to their next adventure!

Thank you to all who brought forward your stewardship planning card this past Sunday. It was a beautiful expression of worship! If you weren't able to join us in person, you may still mail or bring your card to this office. Alternatively, you can fill out a digital stewardship planning card by clicking on the button below. We hope to collect all responses by Sunday, May 4th. Thank you for your participation and generosity!

Our denomination's annual meetings are coming up, and we need to send delegates from our church to represent us at these meetings. If you're a member of our church, you're eligible to be our delegate!

Central Conference Celebration: May 2-3 at Libertyville Covenant Church in Libertyville, IL.
Gather 2025 (ECC annual meeting): June 25-28 in Orlando, FL (can be an in-person or a virtual delegate; celebrating our denomination's 140th anniversary!)

If you're interested in being a delegate, contact Peter Smith.

Don't you love the sight of kids running around with whole loaves of bread after church? We need your help to continue providing Panera bread each week!

Sign up to help pick up the bread donations HERE.
Sign up to help wrap/package the bread on Sundays HERE.

We are looking for a regular, paid childcare worker for Sunday mornings during worship and could include helping with childcare during ESL classes on Wednesday nights. Maybe you know a neighbor who would be a good fit or have a friend who attends another church with a different worship time! Click on the job description below to learn more. Email questions and inquiries to Pastor Eliza, discipleship@faithecc.org.

Support World Relief as they navigate changes in their funding due to recent executive orders issued by our new administration. These changes impact both the critical services World Relief provides and those helping to provide these services.

Continue to keep their staff and clients in your prayers.

Current Class: Women Leaders of the Bible
Teacher: Jessica Johnson

4/20: Easter Sunday (no Sunday School)
4/27: Mary, Apostle to the Apostles

Up next: The book of Hebrews with Kevin Johnson

Let us know how we can be praying for you or how God has been answering prayers in your life by clicking on the link below!

Pray requests:

• Jean had her chemo infusion on Monday. Pray that the side effects would be minimal. – Tom Peterson
• Praise that I got a job! Prayers for figuring out housing as I prepare to move to Pennsylvania. -Miriam O'Bert

Continue to Pray for:

• Sally & Gary Hutchinson
• Ben Hayes & the Hayes Family (find updates on Ben's CARING BRIDGE page)
• John & Wendy Wilson

 Pray For Our BLESS people:
BLESS is the Covenant's approach to intentional prayer and evangelism. Listed below are names of people in your lives who you are praying would come to know Jesus this year. We are praying with you.

• Jane
• Susan
• Roger

Pray For Our Church Family:

• Brenda Lenway
• Deirdre Liddle
• Michaela Liddle
• Jay & Kristy Luciano; Nathaniel, Ellie, and Gigi
• Caleb & Stephanie Mahn
• David & Karen Mains
• Mike & Nancy Mauriello

Pray For Our Missionaries/Ministries:

Robert Reed & Nancy Maldonado serve with Freedom in Christ to equip the church to transform the nations by providing discipleship training and resources to pastors and leaders in the local church. As Directors for Latin America they support country representatives, recruit and train people to open up new countries, promote connection between countries, provide ongoing training and spiritual formation for pastors and leaders in Latin America.

• Pray for travel to Colombia May 13-19 ( Leadership retreat in Medillin) then May 20-31 in Bogota (connecting with churches on Alpha) and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico June 24-30 (Setting Your Church Free).
• Pray for our daughter Sofia and fiancé Zeke as they anticipate their marriage in September.
• Pray for new family friends in Spain who are from Albania (nominal Muslim background).
• Pray for our need for additional support.

Send them a word of encouragement at roberto.reed@freedominchrist.org.

The Care and Prayer Ministry Team prays for all prayer requests submitted through the digital and paper Connect Cards.  If you have an urgent prayer need, you can email careteam@faithecc.org or call Team Leader Rita Christensen at 630-835-8737.

Week 13
Day 61 pp. 367-371 
Day 62 pp. 371-377
Day 63 pp. 377-381 
Day 64 pp. 382-387 
Day 65 pp. 389-396 

Week 14
Day 66 pp. 397-402 
Day 67 pp. 402-408 
Day 68 pp. 408-413 
Day 69 pp. 413-418 
Day 70 pp. 418-423 

Looking for the audiobook? Listen to this week's reading here: Immerse website, Spotify, or Apple Podcast.

April 16
Bonnie Pihl
April 20
Sara Clark
April 21
Karen Olvera
April 22
Robin Wynsma

Wednesday (4/16)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Thursday (4/17)
Potluck (5:30 pm)
Maundy Thursday Service (6:30 pm)

Friday (4/18)
Good Friday Tenebrae Service (6:30 pm)

Sunday (4/20)
Morning Prayer (9:45 am)
Worship Service (10:30 am)

Wednesday (4/23)
Tiger Breakfast (7:00 am)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Sunday (4/27)
Morning Prayer (8:45 am)
Sunday School (9:15 am)
Worship (10:30 am)
412 Youth (6:00 pm)

This week we continue our series Messiah with a sermon on Luke 24:1-12.

Sunday worship begins at 10:30 am. Join us in person or via live stream on Facebook or YouTube.

We have two assisted listening devices available at the sound booth every Sunday morning. Ask one of our sound booth volunteers if you would like to use one during worship!

The Community Board is a space for us to...

House Sitting: Hello Church family! We will be in Germany for the month of July, and we are looking for someone to stay in our home and take care of our cats while we are gone. Even if you have friends or family from out of town who would possibly want to come spend a beautiful month in Wheaton, they would be welcome! Our two cars will be available as well. Let me know if you are interested! Email Virginia Johnston, Virginiakeen@gmail.com.

-Selling or Donating a Car: My brother-in-law is currently studying at a seminary. Unfortunately, their family's minivan, which they relied on for daily transportation, has recently broken down beyond repair. They urgently need a vehicle to help manage everyday responsibilities, such as attending classes and running errands, but they have very limited funds. If you know anyone who has a vehicle they might be willing to sell or, even better, donate, please reach out to Pastor Zachs, outreach@faithecc.org or 331.236.0316. Your assistance would mean the world to them! Thank you! 

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Give stuff away that’s useful to someone else 
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Have something to contribute? Send it to the church office: office@faithecc.org