I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them…And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End.” (From Revelation, Immerse 479)

Have you ever flipped to the last chapter of a book to see how it turns out? As an author, I want to protest this practice; I understand how carefully a book is put together. And yet, I confess I’ve done it once or twice. Occasionally, a story is just so tense we can’t continue without releasing some suspense.

In a way, Revelation is a chance for us to do just that: peek ahead and see how things turn out. When life is hard, when suffering is constant, and evil seems to be winning, we’re desperate to know how the story ends.

But John’s letter full of deeply apocalyptic symbolism doesn’t unveil the details of the future so much as the victor of the future: Jesus.

John invites us to stand firm no matter what, because the Author who started writing our story has creative control over how the story finishes. The same redemption-determined Creator who formed this earth and breathed life into humans will ultimately finish his task and make a home among us. The same God who took on flesh, who laid down his life to overcome evil and show us the way to abundant living—this God promises to be victorious and wipe all the tears from our eyes.

Does knowing this help you find the strength to follow Jesus with compassion and courage today, even amid such a broken world?

We look to you, Alpha and Omega. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

-Catherine McNiel

Pastor Nate (and Rick Wolff) will be traveling May 16 through June 2. 

Celebrate the season with light & refreshing dishes made with spring vegetables & fruits Bring an entree, side dish, or dessert to share! Bring enough to feed 7-10 people.

Can’t contribute food? No worries, you can also make a donation. We will have a donation box at the church meal for cash or check donations, or you can click the link below and give online. Select "Give to Church Meals" in the dropdown box.

We need you! Summer Sunday School takes the place of Young Children and Worship during the months of June, July, and August for children ages 4-6. Each year we ask for volunteers to teach ONE Sunday during the summer. It is taught during the worship service after the children’s message time. All materials are prepared, and it is easy to teach. Contact Wendy Smith for more information or to volunteer as a teacher or assistant.

You will have an amazing time with God and others on the All-Church Retreat. The retreat cost includes two nights in a room and four meals--breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. You can add on the pizza dinner on Friday and a grilled lunch on Sunday afternoon. Scholarships are available in the pricing menu. 

We so excited to welcome baby Josiah into our church family and to celebrate alongside Brooke and Jonathan. You can help them in these first few weeks by signing up to provide a meal. Thank you to those who have already signed up! You can add you name and the meal you'll deliver by clicking on the link below. 

Save the date! FECC Golf Scramble June 21, 12:30 p.m. @St. Andrews GC in West Chicago followed by a BBQ dinner at the home of Gene & Barb Frost. Plan to join us and bring a friend! Details to follow.

Join us for a joyful evening as we celebrate all that God has done at Faith Covenant over the past ministry year! We’ll share a delicious catered meal, worship together, and hear encouraging testimonies and reports from every ministry area in our church. To thank our amazing volunteers, we’ll wrap up the evening with a fun ice cream social.

RSVP is appreciated, but not required. Gluten-free and dairy-free options will be available. RSVP to Bethany Romero.

May 18 Last Sunday School; Church Meal
May 25 Start of Summer Schedule- worship will start at 10:00 am. 

**Worship will start at 10:00 am May 25-August 31**

More summer calendar details coming soon!

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.

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!

Prayer Requests:

• Thank you for your prayers, calls, texts and offers of support this past week! My surgery went well and my recovery has been great - all because of your prayers! -Rita C.
• My cousin’s husband, Richard, had a heart attack this past week. After surgery to clear the two blocked arteries, he was sent home. After a few days, he had a stroke. A blood clot had formed in his heart following the surgery. A portion went to his brain causing the stroke, but the rest remains in his heart. He is in ICU as they work to dissolve the part in his heart so they can do a bypass to clear a newly impacted artery. -Ben F.
• Our apartment has had an issue with termites that keep coming back. We've been put up in a hotel a few times, and we have been told that they're gone, but then they still return. Prayers that the exterminator will do their job and really get rid of the termites. -Stephanie M.

Continue to Pray for:

• Sally & Gary H
• Ben H & family (find updates on Ben's CARING BRIDGE page)
• John & Wendy W

 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.

• Kim
• Paula
• Rob
• Conor
• Dave
• Brigette 

Pray For Our Church Family:

• Jo Ellen R.
• Dan & Hannah R.
• Emily R; Ben & Connor 
• Adam & Elaine R; Makenna and Harrison
• John R. & Terry H.
• Abby R.
• Ralph & Valery R.

Pray For Our Missionaries/Ministries:

J & H’s work with Serve Globally MENA.

• Pray for logistics in the closing of our NGO organization.
• Pray for preparations for our international move to the US for home assignment in July.
• Pray for smooth transition and all details will come together well.

If you want to learn more about these missionaries and how you can support them, please talk with the missions team. For their safety and security, we cannot post more about the amazing work they are doing. 

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.

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.

May 14
Grace Wittekind
May 18
Ethan Harkrider
May 20
Janet Fitchuk

Wednesday (5/14)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Sunday (5/18)
Morning Prayer (8:45 am)
Sunday School (9:15 am)
Worship (10:30 am)

Wednesday (5/21)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Sunday (5/25)
Morning Prayer (9:15 am)
Worship (10:00 am)

This week we continue our series Messiah with a sermon on Luke 15.

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... 

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