DuPage. CELEBRATiNG OUR ViLLAGE. Pastor Miller FROM THE PASTOR S PEN: MOVIE PREMIER: The Members, The Mission, The Legacy

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1 VOLUME XXX, ISSUE III FROM THE PASTOR S PEN: fall 2016 CELEBRATiNG OUR ViLLAGE DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church 4300 Yackley Avenue Lisle, IL fax info@dupageamec.org Rev. Dr. James F. Miller Senior Pastor Rev. Lana Parks Miller Executive Pastor Rev. Albert D. Tyson, III Presiding Elder Rt. Rev. John Franklin White, Sr. Presiding Prelate Inside this issue: New Members 2 Usher Day 6 DuPage Theatre Group 7 Quarterly Calendar 7...and more Rejoice in the Presence of God, your God: you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, the Levite who lives in your neighborhood, the foreigner, the orphan and widow among you; rejoice at the place God, your God, will set aside to be worshipped. ~Deuteronomy 16:11 Pastor Miller & Rev. Lana MOVIE PREMIER: The Members, The Mission, The Legacy On Sunday, September 18 th, we will celebrate our church s birthday with a short movie during the 8:15 and 11:15 worship services. The movie will document the challenge of founding our church and learning to work together as a family. It will explore the grassroots of our faith and the vision to establish a first class worship facility for African Americans in DuPage County. Some of the great civil rights heroes and sheroes of that era, including our church founder Syd Finley who was a national figure and officer in the NAACP, will be celebrated. From the Underground Railroad to the tumultuous 60 s up until the present, the remarkable journey of faith for African Americans in DuPage County will be a highlight in the poignant story of DuPage AME Church s story. The movie will also detail moving out of the old church in Wheaton, our time at the Holy-Day Inn, the construction of the new building and the formulation of our village here in Lisle. The movie wonder is the brainchild of our chairpersons this year, James and Nancy Ferguson. LeVern Danley III is the videographer and the movie will include historical footage as well as in depth interviews with members. With your prayers and God s help, Pastor Miller will cap the celebration with a sermon of hope from heaven, The Best is Yet to Come! Please bring your family and invite a friend to our 37 th Church Anniversary celebration and worship on the 3 rd Sunday. God bless you now, and see you in church! Pastor Miller

2 PAGE 2 WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following New Members to our DuPage AME Church family! May each of you always be open to the ministry of the Lord s church. Remember: Active Christians create churches that are alive! Malcolm Young Oswego Nadia Neal Woodridge Rev. Dr. Oscar Walden Jr. & Evangelist Mary G. Walden Chicago Jordyn Brazier Aurora Charles Thurston Winfield 27 TH PASTORAL APPRECIATION PRESSING FORWARD TOWARDS THE MARK those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. ~Isaiah 40:31 Sunday, September 11 th, our Steward Board will lead in celebrating the 27 th year of Pastor Miller & Rev. Lana s pastoral leadership at DuPage AME Church. Every year before the Annual Conference, it is the tradition throughout the AME Church to honor the pastor for their service. It is an opportunity to say thank you to the pastor and to show honor to the servant that God has sent to church, as scripture instructs. On that day our guest preacher will be the Rev. Dr. Michael K. Bouie, who is the pastor of Mt. Hermon AME Church in Miami Gardens, Florida. Rev. Michael K. Bouie The Miller Family is a blessing to God s kingdom and have given their best to us here at DuPage. DuPage is blessed with a loving spirit which is the foundation of our Christian faith. DuPage continues to prosper under God s favor. The bible teaches that when we honor God s servant, we honor God. Let s be present and accounted for on the second Sunday of September and be a blessing to Pastor and Rev. Lana. See you in church! The Lord s name be praised! THE NEWSLETTER is a publication of DuPage AME Church, 4300 Yackley Avenue, Lisle, IL 60532, , Editor Rev. Lana Parks Miller. Staff Rev. Morgan Dixon & Brooke Denham , info@dupageamec.org. Ted McKee, photographer. Rights reserved to edit for content and space. Our aim is to communicate with you, provide an outreach to you, and truly reflect the spirit of the congregation and it s leadership. THE NEWSLETTER is published quarterly.

3 VOLUME XXX, ISSUE IV PAGE 3 WILL YOU BE HOLY? When you fast ~ Matthew 6:16 Our Will You Be Holy Campaign is specifically undertaken so that we might grow in our fasting discipline and learn how fasting may be regularly practiced. The truth is, very few people want to hear about fasting and few churches teach fasting. Our culture is one of hyper consumerism. Immediate gratification is the order of the day. Fasting is not the most popular of spiritual subjects. And I believe this is one reason we lack the spiritual power to make the difference in the world that God wants us to make. As humans we have trouble sacrificing. There must be a sacrifice. God honors sacrifice. And God s honor is glory. Remember too that fasting was never intended to be an annual spiritual exercise, relegated to the Holy Season of Lent. Fasting is a spiritual discipline, like prayer and worship and is to be practiced and benefitted from with a more frequent regularity. Matthew 6:16 says, When you fast Fasting helps us see ourselves in the midst of the world. Fasting gives us a degree of separation from the world and joins us closer to the almighty. It helps evidence a sincere humility. In our flesh and weakness we are called to acknowledge and recognize God s majesty. As a result, miracles occur, and we are made more holy. This is the work of the Lord and the work of the church. As a songwriter once penned, Lord make me more holy. King David pleaded in prayer, Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. ~Psalm 51:10 Please read your materials and correspondences. Please participate in the enjoyable and fulfilling exercises we will have and above all things, PRAY! We are now anticipating the great and wonderful joy and deliverances that can only come with prayer AND fasting. Congratulations to our WINNING Bible Bowl Team!

4 PAGE 4 YOUTH MINISTRIES FROM REV. MARLAND BRAZIER Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. ~Matthew 20:26-28 Youth Leaders, Parents and Youth I pray that you have enjoyed a great summer break and are now preparing yourselves to be fully engaged in a fruitful year of academic achievement and service in Kingdom-building work! Beloved, it goes without saying that we are living in a season plagued by chaos in our communities, political unrest, racial tension and social injustice. We see this confirmed every time we turn on the television or scroll through the latest postings on our preferred social media outlet. In the midst of this all, I believe that DuPage AME Church, is well positioned for a spiritual growth breakthrough. How we prepare ourselves and respond in community as youth leaders, parents and youth will tell the story! As armor-bearers of the Christian faith, it is critical that we draw deeply from the Well of Hope upon the words of the old hymn in times like these you need a Savior. In times like these you need an anchor; be very sure, be very sure your anchor holds and grips the solid rock. How do we anchor ourselves so that we are positioned for victory over the enemy? Through prayer, fasting, study and working together to execute the vision! Throughout the upcoming Conference Year, our youth leaders will be provided resources that reinforce the theme this year: Answering the CALL: Character, Accountability and Love of Life through a series of mandatory 30minute, Power for Life sessions covering topics ranging from Preparation and Persistence to Loving Back Giving to Community. Our very own, Rev. Dr. Geneace Williams, will facilitate the kick-off for the Power for Life series over two sessions Sunday, September 25 th (Part I) and Sunday, October 23 rd (Part II), respectively. God has made it clear that in order to be successful in stewardship over ministry assignments this year, youth leaders, parents and youth each of you must be equipped with the proper spiritual tools. To this end, we have already kicked off our year with an All Hands on Deck youth ministry meeting that included both current and prospective leaders/volunteers. During this team huddle time we recognized our new youth ministry leaders and interested volunteers; reviewed the youth ministry leadership structure; introduced the Guiding Theme, Scripture and Vision for our youth and youth leadership; discussed church office protocol for programs and Event/Space Requests and reviewed a combined Youth Activities Calendar snapshot for the Fall. Parents, on behalf of our youth ministry leadership team, we would love to have you participate with your children in the following Welcome Back activities: Welcome Back Youth Ministry Family Picnic Saturday, September 17 th (3pm Tate Woods Park directly across the street from the church Youth Ministry Fair Sunday, September 24 th. Following the 8:15am service, join us in the Fellowship Hall where you can meet and ask questions of the representatives from each of our thirteen youth ministries. Looking forward to a spiritually prosperous year of service and growth in the Kingdom!

5 PAGE 5 THE 134 TH CHICAGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE WELCOMES OUR NEW BISHOP AND SUPERVISOR!!! Bishops of the church serve their regional district four years at a time, with a maximum of two consecutive terms in any district. The Chicago Annual Conference is one of five conferences in the Fourth Episcopal District of the AME Church, which encompasses the Midwestern states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and parts of Canada. At this year s annual conference we welcome our new Bishop and Supervisor, the Right Reverend John F. White and Supervisor Penny H. White. The Bishop s spouse traditionally serves as the Supervisor for all the Missionary Societies of the local churches in the district. As God wills, they are our spiritual and administrative leaders for the next four years. We thank God for the support, guidance and encouragement that we anticipate from these two servants of God. Bishop John F. White, Sr. & Supervisor Penny White The Bishops of the church direct the AME Church with Godly wisdom and administrate through their annual conferences. The annual conference is the venue for such sacred and special events as: the ordination of new ministers, the consecration of new Deaconesses, the hearing of reports of the churches and the annual assignments of the pastors. DuPage AMEC is a member of the Chicago Annual Conference. The Chicago Annual Conference this year is being hosted by JW James AME Church and will take place from October 4 th 9 th, at the Doubletree Hotel in Oakbrook. There will be great singing and preaching, as well as the business of the church, all week. Since the conference is located so close to DuPage AMEC, every member who is able should try and take in a session of the conference. Learning our church helps us serve our Lord better. An added special treat this year, is that our own Pastor James F. Miller has been selected to preach the Annual Sermon on Wednesday, October 5 th at 7 pm. All members of DuPage are encouraged to come and support. Our combined adult choirs will sing as we give God thanks for another year together. GOSPEL ON THE GREEN: An Outdoor Musical Festival In the early afternoon Saturday, October 15 th on the grounds of our own church property, our church is sponsoring a musical extravaganza of our choirs and special guests. There will be refreshments games and activities for our young people. This is going to be an signature event of sacred music, faith, fun and fellowship. The purpose of the concert is to raise funds to complete the cost of completing the relocation of our REACH Ministries Food Pantry. As many of you know, we held a campaign earlier in the year to raise funds for this purpose and for our new media system. Our campaign goal $132,000 and we achieved 61% of that goal. This effort would help to close that gap. The church, thanks to our good tithing and supporting members, has covered the difference up to this point. This event will help the church continue to do dynamic and progressive ministry to this year. The bottom line is we are honored God chose us to help feed hungry families. We are going to continue with this work of the Lord! Hallelujah! So spread the news and get your lawn chairs out. We will see you at Gospel on the Green!

6 PAGE 6 CELEBRATING HOPE May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy & peace in believing, so that you may abound in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Romans 15:13 On Wednesday, November 9 th, a small group of DuPage AME pilgrims will travel to Prairie View Texas. The trip is a mission trip to give assistance to Hope AME Church, which marks the spot where our daughter, Sandy Bland, was arrested. We have felt the pain of this loss like no other, excepting the family. We have continued in faith and have been prayerful about justice with her case. Hope AMEC, a small mission church primarily for the college students of Prairie View A&M University, has become somewhat of an attraction to visitors since Sandy s death. The church needs work and it would be nice to memorialize Sandy here also. The purpose of the trip is to raise funds to do a few cosmetic repairs to the church, as well as to establish a memorial for Sandy. This is a contribution that DuPage can make, as Sandy s church. We are trusting the Lord in this journey. If you are willing to make a contribution to support this effort you may do so through our offering with memo or designation, Celebrating Hope. All funds and expenses will be processed through the Steward Board. Thank you in advance. USHER DAY Serving Faithfully "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God s grace in its various forms." ~1 Peter 4:10 Hallelujah church! Get your cameras ready and your praise on blast! We are about to see a procession of faith that is unparalleled in God s kingdom. On Sunday, November 13 th, we will celebrate our Usher Board and when the ushers come together and make their recession, it is simply awesome. Rev. Dr. Derrick Scott, Pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Irmo, South Carolina will be the preacher of the day. He has a dynamic conversion story and you will be amazed to hear it. We are anticipating another great move of the Spirit. Something special is going to happen on Usher Day. Fast, pray and get ready church, holiness is coming! Rev. Derrick Scott We thank God for heaven s servants who stand by the door and keep watch over God s worship services. Our ushers are always ready to give assistance to those who may need it. If you are looking for a place to serve and work out your souls salvation (Philippians 2:12) the Usher Board is an excellent opportunity. Not only to you gain the joy of connecting with others, but you will feel a sure sense of purpose, meaning and fulfillment in the Lord. Every usher is asked to serve one service per month. We need everybody to keep God s house in order so pray about how the Lord may use you on the Usher Board.

7 PAGE 7 R.E.A.C.H. FOOD BANK When I was hungry you fed Me ~Matthew 25:35 We thank all the many volunteers who have assisted with the Food Bank. Upcoming dates for serving: 10 am 12 Noon Saturday, September 10 th Saturday, October 8 th Saturday, November 12 th Make a contribution of your service! Assistance is also needed the Friday prior to truck days. Pray about how you can be a blessing to someone in need. To volunteer please contact Dr. Sweet through the church office. Your assistance is greatly appreciated! DATES TO REMEMBER SEPTEMBER th Pastoral Appreciation 15 Quarterly Conference th Church Anniversary OCTOBER th Chicago Annual Conference Oakbrook 15 Gospel On The Green th District Planning Meeting Rosemont DuPage Theatre Group Production NOVEMBER 8 Election Day! 9-12 Celebrating Hope Trip Texas 13 Usher Day 20 Annual Church Conference 23 Thanksgiving Eve Service DTG PRESENTS FINDING JOY: A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE An Original Production written by the DuPage Theatre Group Playwriting Committee Finding Joy: A Second Chance at Life is a play about witnessing and evangelism. It tells the stories of ordinary people who are struggling with real-life situations: the loss of a loved one, domestic abuse, infertility and criminal recidivism. They have lost faith they wonder if God even cares Saturday, October 29 th is Opening Night! Many times God uses us to help others through witnessing to them about our own struggles and telling how the Lord, faith and prayer brought us through! Your past hardship could be the testimony that brings somebody else through! Mark your calendars and plan to join us!

8 DuPage AME Church 4300 Yackley Avenue Lisle, IL Blessed To Be A Blessing Calling all DIVAS! It s that time again DuPage DIVAS for the GirlTrek National Church Challenge! GirlTrek, a national health movement for Black women and girls, is challenging us as a community of faith to pray and walk for better health. Women of Color are leading the lists of heart disease, diabetes, and other preventable diseases and real consistent change is needed! This kind of change can begin simply by taking the first step! Fall is a time to reflect on God s grace. For 9-Days beginning October 1 st, we will serve as Walking Witnesses. We will give thanks for our temples and come together as a community of faith. For more information on the National GirlTrek Movement itself visit Over 70,000 women and girls have taken the pledge to make their health a priority! Join us as we glorify God in our bodies! For additional information please contact the church office. do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. ~I Corinthians 6:19-20