Church guide

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.'" (Romans 15:2-3) We will not be having a typical church service this morning, but will rather be doing things #4dupage in our community, trying to follow the example of Christ, who took on the needs and concerns of others. --DJC

"[B]ecause of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79. I was jogging early this morning, and the air was cold in the dim light; but, I could see the glow of the sun as my half of the planet turned to face it. This monumental shift is echoed in Zachariah's prophesy: from darkness to the light of the appearance of Christ. I suspect we can experience this mercy of God by looking for it in our lives through prayer and an active pursuit of the way of peace with those around us. --DJC

This Friday, at 6:30 PM, we will have a free showing of The Incredibles, a family-oriented superhero adventure with humor and heart. Plus: free popcorn! Come as a family or leave your kids with our background-checked child care personnel for an 8:30 PM pickup!

Watch us live: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoGfgSQWZvJgCu6SP8wywA

"The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night." (Psalm 121:5-6) Folks, it was already quite humid and warm in DuPage County even at sunrise! If you don't have a place to keep cool, here's a handy link for hot weather shelters throughout the county. #4dupage Stay safe! --DJC

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." 1 John 15:5-6. I took my family to the dunes along lake Michigan. In the midst of all the sand and sun, I found a lifeless, charred piece of wood. The sand heated up enough to dry out and burn practically any wood but a small copse, gathered at the top of the dune. In an otherwise inhospitable--if beautiful--landscape, the wood that lived was part of the trees grouped together. Perhaps this is a way to imagine what Jesus is saying to his followers: it is through a connection to God that we thrive; otherwise, the spiritual environment around is desolate and we cannot survive.

July 8th-12th is our Creative Arts Camp from 9-12 noon! If you've registered children, we'll see you on the 8th!

Happy 4th of July! As we acknowledge the freedoms we have, and honor those who safeguard our freedoms, we also consider how we use our earthly freedom as well as our spiritual freedom to bring about good: "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:16) #4thofjuly --DJC

Our congregation is partnering with the College of DuPage Food Pantry to ameliorate food insecurity among COD students and staff as they pursue educational and career goals. So far donations of cereal have exceeded peanut butter, in our "contest" between the two. Ultimately, we are striving to be #4DuPage and to serve our community in the name of Christ.

You can watch the live performance of "Light at the Museum" this Sunday. 10:30 am or 5:00 pm (central time) at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoGfgSQWZvJgCu6SP8wywA

You can watch the live performance of "Light at the Museum" this Sunday. 10:30 am or 5:00 pm (central time) at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoGfgSQWZvJgCu6SP8wywA

"Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Ps. 143:8 On this morning's jog, I encountered billowing sheets of fog across my usual path. At times, it was quite thick, obscuring the way. And, as I ran, a cool damp settled in. I knew the way to go, but it might've been more disorienting if I'd come this way for the first time. In life, figuring where to go and what to do is challenging, because we arrive at every day as a first--and only--time navigating through its challenges and opportunities. The psalmist is reassured by God's constant love and responds by lifting his soul to God, which I take to mean offering his whole identity, his whole life to God for guidance. --DJC

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) My kid can't play by himself in the pond, yet. But, it doesn't seem to stop him from trying. Without me, he'd likely stumble, get bruised or cut, and very, very wet. With me, he can do anything the big kids do. I used to think it was shameful to rely on others' strength, but it's so much of how my children develop--and so much of how life together works--that I'm reminded of what is possible beyond mere self-reliance. --DJC

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." (Psalm 1:3) The psalmist writes about a person who meditates on God's word day and night, and how this person prospers. This means we cannot compartmentalize: we must live all of life out of a knowledge that we have internalized about God--if we want to prosper. As one speaker (whose name I've regrettably forgotten) put it: "long obedience on a single verse can change your life." What could life look like if we lived in this way? If we selected even one biblical principle and asked God to shape our life around it? G.K. Chesterton once stated: "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." My prayer is that God would strengthen us to try. --DJC

"The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night." Psalm 125:5-6 As we near summer, the days are slowly warming up, and the sun burns hot in the sky. The psalmist compares God to shade and protection from the elements. But, it's more than physical protection that God offers. There is a spiritual comfort that--whatever the day or night brings--He is our keeper. --DJC

And I say, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;" (Psalm 55:6) The Psalmist is quite angry here, and also fears for his life and wants respite. We don't often discuss psalms where negative--even violent--emotions surface. But, it's important to acknowledge that life is not often simple and sometimes not happy. However, God answers our rage and hurt with sustaining power, even while we wait for ultimate justice: "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Ps. 55:22) --DJC

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God." Psalm 92:12-13 I was at the arboretum today with my son, under a tree at least seven times my height, marveling at the scale of a cultivated tree. I've watched over the years as caretakers climb, trim branches, cut down unhealthy surrounding trees and cultivate the trees planted long ago. I've seen gnarled, wild trees with their own sort of beauty. But, I can't help but imagine these cultivated trees flourish in a way that others do not in years of drought or stormy seasons. Perhaps the difference is not the lack of natural challenges or even unhealthy parts of the tree, but the presence of a caretaker. The Psalmist draws the parallel between a cultivated tree and someone God has made righteous. It might both humble and encourage us to think of God as a caretaker. --DJC

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." (Proverbs 15:4) "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:15) How do we talk--or post--about others? To others? Do we speak the truth in such a way as to demean others or break their spirits or in a way that seeks to give life? In an age of both anonymous and public vitriol on the internet that can spill over into face-to-face interactions, we can contrast with culture and be a "tree of life" to our neighbors--especially when we don't agree. --DJC

Singing. Weaving. Sculpting. Painting. July 8-12, 9am-12pm, for students entering K-5th grades. Creative Arts Camp is a place to have fun, and learn about God in a creative way. Only $25 per student. Scholarships available. Register Today at Villagegreenbaptist.org

Join us for services this Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. We'll have scripture, song, communion, dramatization, and Easter morning breakfast at 9:00 am.

Explore with us. Sunday, 10:30 AM. #exploregod #4DuPage #pain #hope #exploregodchicago

Answering a difficult question this Sunday with truth and vulnerability. Join us at 10:30 am.

October 31, 4:30-7:30. Free Candy. Free Games. Free crafts. Free Raffle. $2 Hot Dog Meal.