Our December Mission is Sustainable Action International (SAI). SAI works to fulfill basic needs for the Haitian people in LaVictoirie, Haiti through their church, elementary school, high school, farm, medical clinic, and other various programs. This year has been incredibly challenging for those living in Haiti due to extreme political unrest and violence causing catastrophic levels of hunger. We are raising funds to assist SAI in their efforts to bring hope and encouragement to the Haitian people in this time of urgent need.

One of our holiday traditions is known as Poinsettias with Purpose. Rather than purchasing live poinsettias, we encourage your donations in honor or memory of loved ones. For each $10 donation (which goes to SAI), a paper poinsettia will hang in the church and will be designated with your name and the name of your loved one(s). The names of your loved ones will be included in the Christmas Eve bulletin.

Submissions are due by December 17. Please fill out the online form at fumcah.com/poinsettias or the paper form available during Sunday services.

Additionally, all proceeds from our annual Missions Cookie Sale will benefit SAI. Cookies may be purchased before and after worship on Sunday, December 17.

Help support Missions by donating at fumcah.com/give and selecting “Missions” from the drop-down menu. You can also send a check, made out to FUMCAH with "Missions" on the memo line, to the church at 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL.

During November, FUMCAH is supporting the work of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). UMCOR provides humanitarian relief and disaster response in the United States and internationally. Their efforts are targeted in places where natural disasters, war, or conflict have done so much damage that communities are unable to recover on their own. In addition, UMCOR helps communities in the United States and abroad prepare for emergencies and address issues of health, sanitation, poverty, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and food security. Many development problems are interrelated, so UMCOR uses integrated solutions to address their root causes. UMCOR seeks to empower local hospitals, schools, churches, and other stakeholders by enhancing their capacity to address these issues.

UMCOR and its partners are responding to disasters around the world every day. They are providing humanitarian aid to those affected by war in Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, earthquakes in Afghanistan and Morocco, flooding in Syria and Haiti, and many other humanitarian crises, including those closer to home such as hurricane Idalia in Florida and the fires in Hawaii.

Help support Missions by donating at fumcah.com/give and selecting “Missions” from the drop-down menu. You can also send a check, made out to FUMCAH with "Missions" on the memo line, to the church at 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL.

Our October mission at First United Methodist Church is the Tree of Life Ministry to the Lakota Nation residing on the Rosebud Reservation in Mission, South Dakota. They feed, clothe, shelter, and love this tribe. There is a soup kitchen which provides breakfast and lunch for free and boxes of food to help supplement the evening meal. Due to the area they serve, they also have created a mobile thrift store for community members that are not able to get to their home base in Mission. One of their needs for October is hats and mittens. We will be collecting hats and mittens through Sunday, October 29th. There will be a barrel in the Gathering Place labeled “Hats and Mittens” for your donations. If you are unable to shop and wish to contribute, please consider making a financial donation to help cover the shipping charges. Thank you for your generosity. If you want to learn more about the mission, their contact information is http://treeofliferelief.org.

Help support Missions by donating online at fumcah.com/give and selecting “Missions” from the drop-down menu. You can also send a check, made out to FUMCAH with "Missions" on the memo line, to the church at 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL.

The Night Ministry is a wonderful Chicago-based organization that supports our most vulnerable neighbors, those that are homeless or experiencing poverty. They provide human connection, housing support and healthcare. After worship on Sunday, September 24, anyone that would like can join us in making sack lunches to be distributed via their Health Outreach Bus for their Roseland Stop.

Help support Missions by donating online at fumcah.com/give and selecting “Missions” from the drop-down menu. You can also send a check, made out to FUMCAH with "Missions" on the memo line, to the church at 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL.

Straddling the geographic border of two neighborhoods in north city St. Louis, New Roots Urban Farm maintains and nurtures a farm site, a greenhouse with an outdoor kitchen, chickens, bees, ducks, bunnies, and each other.

New Roots does much more than simply grow organic produce in the city, they are actively working toward building a new economy based on caring for each other and the planet.

“On the most local level, we think each block or each neighborhood should have a localized food system that they create to meet their community food needs. We cannot rely on distant farms in distant countries and markets to feed us, let alone nourish us. We must take responsibility for ourselves and our communities. We are here as a fledgling experiment and model for what urban communities can accomplish for themselves.”

The FUMCAH youth were blessed to be able to able to be a part of the beautiful work that New Roots has been up to. We spent two mornings there during our 5 day stay in St. Louis: weeding, caring for the animals (and playing with them too!), creating art for their farm and advertising around the city, and learning about systemic food injustices in St. Louis (and every city).

visit FUMCAH Happenings to view photos from the trip

We were also gifted with the chance to visit Sk8 Liborius, the Catholic Church-turned-indoor-skate-park next door. That was an incredible experience of witnessing the resurrection and transformation of a space that was no longer serving the original need for which it was erected. The same story plays out with urban lots that have been abandoned and have become neglected urban prairies. And the work Antajuan and his crew were doing at New Roots is actively transforming these forgotten places into fruitful, beautiful spaces of constructive creativity and nourishment.

To our great dismay, we learned that two weeks after we had visited the farm, Sk8 Liborius caught fire, burned the roof off and reduced the rest of the building to a brick shell. The devastating result of this four-alarm fire is that New Roots Urban Farm, situated immediately next door, was contaminated, covered with soot and debris, and rendered completely ruined. New Roots is literally rising from the ashes in an effort to rebuild an even better version of their dream, and we, at FUMCAH, get to be a part of that hopeful work during the month of August as we highlight them as our monthly mission focus.

We hope you’ll support the ministry our youth have been up to, as well as help New Roots get back on their feet. The Lord provideth!

FamilyForward (formerly Faith Community Homes) strives to “strengthen northwest suburban families to achieve financial stability and independence, through mentoring, rental assistance, and support services.” The community leaders and volunteers of FamilyForward are dedicated to assisting underserved local families. They teach solid financial principles and important career-advancement and life skills to help families become more stable and create a brighter future. Learn more about FamilyForward at fchomes.org. This summer, FamilyForward has identified quite a few children in the families that they serve who could use some help getting ready for school. The Missions Committee is looking for financial help in the month of July to purchase gift cards that FamilyForward will distribute to the families of those children. These gift cards will allow the parents to purchase the school supplies that each child will need. Help support these children by donating online at fumcah.com/give, selecting “Missions” from the drop-down menu, and typing FCH on the memo line. You can also send a check, made out to FUMCAH with FCH on the memo line, to the church at 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60004.

Youth Outlook is our June Mission. They are the first social service agency in Illinois solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ+ youth. They work in six counties in the Chicago suburbs, offering drop-in centers for youth, parental support, and community education.

Drop-in Centers meet weekly and are a social setting for youth to meet other LGTBQ+ young people.

Thrive is a support group for parents and those actively parenting LGTBQ+ teens. It offers safe confidential space for parents to share their journey and concerns.

Community Education initiatives inform professionals and educators on needs specific to the LGTBQ+ community in addition to current trends in working with LGBTQ+ youth and creating LGTBQ+ inclusive environments.

For more information regarding Youth Outlook, please visit youth-outlook.org.