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CONTENTS
You're Invited to Brunch
oneYou're Invited to Brunch
An Easter Sunday Tradition
Join Fourth Church members and friends for the annual Easter brunch at 12:30 p.m. this Sunday. The menu for the meal will include sliced ham, crisp bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, fresh fruit, waffles and syrup, Danish, orange juice, coffee, tea, and milk.
 
There's still plenty of room at the table, so stop by the reception desk this week to get your ticket and reserve your spot. If there's space, a limited number of tickets may also be available at the door on Sunday.
 
All are invited for this special time of fellowship and celebration!
 
Time:  
     Sunday, March 27
     12:30 p.m.
 
Place:  
     Borwell Dining Room
     
Good Friday and Easter Sunday Opportunities
Children led us into Holy Week with their procession of palms this past Sunday. This week they have two experiences specially designed for them as they continue their journey to Easter.
 
On Good Friday, March 25, children and their families will have opportunity to attend a brief service at 5:30 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel. They will then be invited to explore at their own pace a variety of stations set up around the chapel. These stations will be loosely modeled after the Stations of the Cross and will have a variety of activities, crafts, readings, and media present, appropriate for various ages, so that families can engage in self-guided reflection together.
 
An Easter Experience for children five years of age through fifth grade will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Easter morning, March 27. Children will travel from room to room on the fourth floor of the Gratz Center, interacting with figures from the Gospel accounts of the resurrection and making special Easter crafts. After this journey through the Easter story is complete, children will be invited to go on an Easter egg hunt throughout the fifth floor of the Gratz Center.
 
Children can be dropped off on the fourth floor of the Gratz Center as early as 8:30 a.m. on Easter. There will be a variety of crafts and a movie playing to keep children entertained before the Easter Experience begins. Parents are welcome to attend with their children, if they like, or to return outside to join the line for worship in the Sanctuary.

Parents are asked to please use the Chestnut or Delaware doors to the Gratz Center both for dropping off children and then to exit for joining the line for worship in the Sanctuary. (The Loggia will only be used as an exit from the Sanctuary this Sunday, not as an entrance to worship.)
 
Nursery care will be available on Easter morning during all three morning services. It will be staffed beginning at 7:30 a.m. There will not be any children's programming (other than the Nursery for infants and toddlers) during the 11:30 service.
 
Good Friday Experience
Time: 
     Friday, March 25
     5:30 p.m.
 
Place: 
     Buchanan Chapel
 
Easter Sunday Experience
Time: 
     Sunday, March 27
     9:30 a.m.
 
Place:
     Fourth Floor of the Gratz Center
 
threeFrom Light to Darkness
Maundy Thursday 12:10 and 7:30 p.m. Services
Holy Week continues on Maundy Thursday, March 24 with worship services at 12:10 and 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Both services will include Communion. Nanette Sawyer will preach at the 12:10 p.m. service, and Shannon Kershner will preside at 7:30 p.m.
 
The evening service will follow the ancient Office of Tenebrae (from the Latin for "shadows"). The service portrays the progression from light to darkness in the passion of Jesus, beginning with his abandonment on Thursday and concluding with his crucifixion. The service ends with the Sanctuary in complete darkness.
 
Time:
     Thursday, March 24
     12:10 and 7:30 p.m.
 
Place:
     Sanctuary
 
fourThe Most Solemn Day
Good Friday Services at 12:10 and 7:30 p.m.
Good Friday worship opportunities on March 25 include a noonday service at 12:10 p.m., with Vicky Curtiss preaching, and an evening choral service at 7:30 p.m., both in the Sanctuary. The Good Friday Choral Service will feature the work Stabat Mater by Francis Poulenc and sung by the Morning Choir.
 
At 5:30 p.m. (see above), a Good Friday time specially designed for children will take place in Buchanan Chapel.
 
Time:
     Friday, March 25
     12:10 p.m. Good Friday Service
     5:30 p.m. Children's Experience
     7:30 p.m. Choral Service
 
Place:
     Sanctuary (except for 5:30 p.m.)
     Buchanan Chapel for Children's Experience
 
fiveKindling a Fire, Keeping Vigil
Holy Saturday Service at 8:00 p.m.
Again this year we will gather for a deeply moving Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, March 26 at 8:00 p.m. This special service, an ancient tradition of the church, invites us into the story of salvation as we mark the conclusion of Lent and the dawning of Easter.
 
We will begin by kindling a fire in the Michigan Avenue Courtyard and processing by candlelight into the darkened Sanctuary. As Easter draws near and the light of the Sanctuary increases, we will hear readings from scripture that cover the entire story of salvation, from creation through redemption, and join together in sacred song. The evening will culminate in a reaffirmation of our baptismal vows and the celebration of the Lord's Supper.
 
Your heart, mind, and body will be engaged by this experiential celebration of the new life we are given in Christ. Please join us! 
 
Time:
     Saturday, March 26
     8:00 p.m.
 
Place:
     Beginning in the Michigan Avenue courtyard
 
sixEaster Alleluias
Services at 6:30, 8:00, 9:30, and 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Join us in singing the festive songs of Easter this Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord! Our Easter worship opportunities include a sunrise service at Oak Street Beach, three Easter morning services in the Sanctuary, and afternoon Easter jazz worship service with Communion in the Sanctuary.
 
The Easter sunrise service on Oak Street Beach will be held at 6:30 a.m., with Hardy Kim preaching. There will be three morning worship services--in the Sanctuary--at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:30 a.m., with Tower Brass providing music leadership during all three and with Shannon Kershner preaching. The jazz service with Communion will be held at 4:00 p.m., with Layton Williams preaching.
 
Please note that the last worship service of the morning begins at 11:30 a.m. on Easter in order to accommodate the number of worshipers on Easter morning. Also please keep in mind that Sanctuary seating for all morning services--the 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. services in particular--fills quickly and early. Additionally there may be possible delays in entering and exiting the parking garages as a result of increased traffic volume.
 
Entrance to the Sanctuary for morning services on Easter will be through the Michigan Avenue doors (and not, this week, through the Loggia or the Gratz Center entrances, except for those who need to make use of the handicap accessibility there).

Nursery care for children under the age of four will be available on the first floor of the Gratz Center between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and children five years of age through fifth grade are invited to participate in our 9:30 a.m. Easter children's experience and egg hunt on the fourth and fifth floors of the Gratz Center (see above).
 
Time:
     Sunday, March 27
     6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service
     8:00, 9:30, and 11:30 a.m. Easter Worship
     9:30 a.m. Children's Experience
     4:00 p.m. Easter Jazz Communion Service
 
Place:
     Oak Street Beach for the Sunrise Service
     Sanctuary for all other services
     Fourth Floor of Gratz Center for the children
 
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sevenShare Our Easter Service Online
A Live Stream of the 11:30 a.m. Service
Are you unable to join us for worship this Easter? Would you like to share with out-of-town friends and family our Easter celebration? We will be live-streaming our 11:30 a.m. Easter service online at bit.ly/FPCEaster2016, which can be accessed Sunday morning at www.fourthchurch.org.  
 
Those who will be with us but who would like to experience the festive worship again will also be able to view the video there later in the day and throughout the coming weeks.  
 
eightA Tallis Scholars Concert
Next Tuesday Evening
We are honored to host the Tallis Scholars as part of the citywide Shakespeare 400 Celebration on Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Led by director and founder Peter Phillips, this world-renowned a cappella group from the United Kingdom will perform a concert of exquisite Renaissance and contemporary music, featuring works by William Byrd, John Taverner, Richard Davy, Thomas Tallis, and Alfonso Ferrabosco.
 
The group, which was founded more than forty years ago, has since become the gold standard for Renaissance sacred music. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Their immaculate intonation and accuracy were a given; their full, pure, clear sound, big enough to fill the hall, distinguished their performance."
 
Tickets are available online or by calling the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (312.294.3000).
 
Time:
     Tuesday, April 5
     7:30 p.m.
 
Place:
     Sanctuary  
 
nineCalling All Singers
Sing with the Fourth Church Choral Society
Interested in singing with the Fourth Church Choral Society as they join with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra to present Mozart's Mass in C Minor?
 
All singers are invited to join us for rehearsals on Thursdays, starting April 7, through May 19 at 7:00 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel. The performance will be on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
 
For more information about the Choral Society, contact John Sherer (312.787.4570).
 
tenTie a Blue Bow Next Week
National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month
Stop by the Commons next Tuesday-Thursday, March 29-31 to tie a blue bow to help us prepare to recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month.

Then next Friday morning, April 1
at 10:00 a.m. we'll wrap the twine--to which you tied those blue bows--around the trees along Michigan Avenue, creating a visually stunning and thought-provoking reminder for all who pass by.
 
Prior to the 10:00 a.m. blue-bow tying on April 1, a Blue Bows Interfaith Prayer Service will be held at 9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Nanette Sawyer, Minister for Congregational Life, will lead the service. All are invited to take part in this opportunity to remember and hold in prayer all those affected by child abuse.
 
The service will be followed by a press conference, and afterwards volunteers will tie blue bows on our Michigan Avenue trees.
 
To volunteer to help tie bows on Friday morning and afternoon, please contact Anne Ellis.
 
Time:
     Friday, April 1
     9:00 a.m. Prayer Service
     10:00 a.m. Bow Tying
 
Place:
     Sanctuary and outside the Manse
 
elevenWelcome, New Members!
Please join us in welcoming those who were received into Fourth Church membership this month:
 
Ada Addington
Whitney Addington
Rachel Bianchi
Suzanne Brown
Lynn DeJong
Ralph DeJong
Dhaval Gadani
Adam Giblin
Jenny Giblin
Audrey Hootman
Nicholas Johnsen
Stephanie Knox
Johanna Paul
Justin Paul
Dennis Porick
Lavanya Premkumar
 
worshipWorship This Week
Maundy Thursday
March 24, 2016

12:10 p.m. with Communion
Nanette Sawyer, Minister for Congregational Life, preaching
Scripture texts:

7:30 p.m. Communion Tenebrae Service

Good Friday
March 25, 2016

12:10 p.m.
Victoria G. Curtiss, Associate Pastor, preaching
Scripture texts:

5:30 p.m.
Good Friday Children's Experience
in Buchanan Chapel

7:30 p.m.
Choral Service
featuring Stabat Mater by Francis Poulenc  

Easter Vigil
March 26, 2016

8:00 p.m. with Communion

Easter Sunday
March 27, 2016

6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service at Oak Street Beach
Hardy H. Kim, Associate Pastor, preaching
   "Looking among the Dead"
Scripture texts:
   Luke 24:1-12  

8:00, 9:30, and 11:30 a.m.
 
Shannon J. Kershner, Pastor, preaching
Scripture texts:

4:00 p.m. Jazz Service with Communion
Layton Williams, Pastoral Resident, preaching
Scripture texts:
   Psalm 118
   Luke 24:1-12  
 
Worship bulletins

for this coming Sunday are available online Friday afternoon at www.fourthchurch.org/worship/this-week.html
 
"News and Opportunities"
is the weekly printed newsletter distributed with the Sunday bulletin and is available online Friday afternoon at  www.fourthchurch.org/news/2016/032716no.pdf

Sermons
from previous weeks are posted online at www.fourthchurch.org/sermons 

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passagePassages
Death
We give thanks to God for the gift of eternal life.

Marie Haddad Tyler, March 22, 2016
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 30 at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. 
 
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Concerts at Fourth Church
Friday Noonday concerts are free.

Friday, March 25
No Noonday concert on Good Friday

Friday, March 25
Good Friday Choral Service
   with the Fourth Church Morning Choir
   singing Francis Poulenc's Stabat Mater 
7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Friday, April 1, 2016
Chicago Harp Quartet
12:10 p.m.in Buchanan Chapel
Cosponsored by the Musicians Club of Women
 
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
The Tallis Scholars
   directed by Peter Phillips
7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Tickets available at www.cso.org |312.294.3000

Friday, April 8, 2016
Scott Montgomery, organist
12:10 p.m. in the Sanctuary 
 
A complete concert schedule is available online. 
 
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volunteerVolunteer at Fourth Church
There are several ways to get involved in the mission and ministry of Fourth Church. See below for details!
 
Current Volunteer Needs
To sign up for any of these volunteer opportunities or to learn more about them, stop by Coffee Hour on Sunday morning or contact Larry Nicholson, Director of Volunteer Ministry.
 
A complete list of volunteer needs is available online

Fourth Presbyterian Church | 126 E. Chestnut St. | Chicago | IL | 60611