Adult Ministries

The desire to know God and grow in relationship with him is innate and lifelong. Whether you grew up in a house of worship, or have never stepped foot in one, you are welcome to join any of our adult faith formation opportunities at any time. Grace offers several distinct Sunday school classes for adults as well as midweek on- and off-site small groups, all-church studies, and spiritual retreats. Newcomers are always welcome!

Sunday groups

We have several faith formation opportunities for adults on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. Take a one stop shop and sign up for all the faith formation groups by clicking here.

9:15AM

New Connections (Room 227): a casual gathering for coffee and conversation for 30-40-somethings. The group occasionally dives into deeper study.
The Forum Class (Room 232): a faithful and welcoming group that enjoys a spirited study of the scriptures as well as presentations from guest speakers, often incorporating discussion and thought-provoking audio/visual material. Contact Sandy Bray via email for more information.
Hearts on Fire (Room 250): gathers each Sunday morning with a welcoming atmosphere to share in fun but challenging and meaningful discussions around faith and discipleship. On Sunday, September 1, we begin a six-week study about Matthew: The Gospel of Promised Blessing. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion! Contact Bob Pacanowski via email for more information.
Questors (Room 254): welcomes all adults to participate in presentations/discussions on a variety of topics: contemporary living issues, religious history, Biblical studies, etc. Class offers mission and fellowship opportunities. Contact Betty Long via email or Joan Bratton via email for more information.

weekday groups

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays

Mondays & Wednesdays

Temple Builders meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9:00AM in the Activity Center for exercise and strength training. Contact Keia Carter via email for information and availability.

Bible Year Challenge Groups meet on Mondays at 6:00PM and Wednesdays at 10:00AM in Room 231. Contact Pastor Eric Blachford via email for information.

Brown Faces, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration by Latasha Morrison

All are welcome to participate in a 3-week September book discussion of Latasha Morrison's (New York Times best-selling author of Be the Bridge) new release, Brown Face, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration. Members of Grace's Racial Justice Group will facilitate two discussion groups:

Wednesdays at 7:00PM to 8:30PM

September 11, 18, and 25: In-person/Rm 254 & Zoom

Mondays at 7:00PM to 8:30PM

September 16, 23, and 30: Zoom-only

We encourage you to visit semicolon.com to read a description and purchase your copy from this black woman-owned Chicago small business. Order your book today and CLICK HERE TO REGISTER HERE to receive the reading syllabus and additional information. We encourage you to invite friends, neighbors, and family members of all ages to join the discussions. ALL ARE WELCOME! If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Leitzen at lynn.leitzen@peopleofgrace.org.

Mondays

Sisters Study meets on Mondays at 1:00PM in Room 254. All women are invited to join the Sisters Group on Mondays beginning October 7 at 1:00PM to discuss a new book that promises to help in the journey toward wholeness after loss.

The author, Dawn Sanders, has traveled this path before and lived to tell the tale―not once but twice. After a divorce and then the sudden death of her second husband, Dawn discovered a buried treasure in Genesis 1: God's process for creating new life out of chaos. In her new book, When Your World Ends, Dawn digs deep into the creation story and unearths a seven-step process by which God brings us out of the void and into new beginnings. With her unique perspective, authenticity, and courage, Dawn meets those who are starting over and guides us into renewed hope.

Let's encourage one another in Christ through this time spent together. Please join us! Invite a friend or neighbor. The book is available on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore: When Your World Ends: God's Creative Process for Rebuilding a Life by Dawn Mann Sanders. Our group begins on Monday, October 7 at 1:00PM and will finish up before Thanksgiving. Please reach out to Pastor Cindy Marino at cindy.marino@peopleofgrace.org if you have any questions.

Tuesdays

Parenting with Grace Mom’s Faith Formation Group meets on Tuesdays at 7:00PM to 8:15PM in Room 231. If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Abderhalden at stefanieabderhalden@gmail.com.
Our Fall Study begins September 17, and we will study the book Women in the Bible by Marina Hofman PhD. We will discover how women in the Bible respond to challenges, take bold actions to bring about justice, and triumph through adversity. Wei will explore leadership, character, perseverance, and the role of women in God's plan of salvation. Each chapter presents a fresh perspective and addresses faithfulness, redemption, and friendship. The accompanying study guide to each women's story provides insights and key questions to encourage thoughtful reflection and lively conversation.

Thursdays

Thursday Morning Bible Study meets at 9:30AM to 10:30AM in Room 254 and on Zoom beginning September 12. We invite you to join us in these two studies:

Thursdays, September 12 to December 5 at 9:30AM to 11:00AM - “The OId Testament”
Thursdays, January 9, 2025 to March 27, 2025 at 9:30AM to 11:00AM - “The Prophets”

The first sessions will cover the Theological Themes. “Creation, Sin, Covenant, Deliverance, Order, Atonement, Leadership, Security, Warning, Consequences, Wisdom and Hope.” (12 weeks) The second sessions, will cover The Prophets Themes. “Return, Near, Hunger, Obey, Divine Purpose, New Covenant, Doom, Promise, Redeemer, Vision, Courage and Witness.” (12 weeks).

Come join us on Thursday mornings. Our Disciple Study is a welcoming, warm fellowship. In 2023-2024, we covered “Jesus in the Gospels” and had 15 members. Best of all, we welcomed five new members to the study. We sincerely hope you will join us for this Old Testament Study. A warm welcome awaits you.

Please let us know if you will join by no later than August 19, so that we can order the Study Manuals from Cokesbury and have them here by the end of August. Two manuals are required. Each is $9.98. CLICK HERE to register, sign up at the Welcome Desk, or please contact either Sandy Bray via email or 630-853-8347, or Pastor Doug Bowden via email or 815-990-0187.

fellowship groups

Over 50 Fellowship

Over 50 Fellowship group meets every other month for lunch with a speaker and discussion. We meet in Fellowship Hall at 12:00PM and have a catered lunch. Bring $15.00 to pay for lunch. Everyone over 50 is welcome to join us! CLICK HERE to register.

Upcoming Meetings:

Thursday, December 5 at 12:00PM - Christmas Program

Guys Gathering Together

Guys Gathering Together is a group for men who share common interests. Get out, eat, have fun, and have enjoyable conversations about various topics in a casual setting that impact each of us in today's world. The goal is to build relationships with other men around common values of integrity and honesty, while learning with and from each other.

Join us Friday, October 11 for our next gathering. Are you ready for a fun, high-energy night out? This month, we’re heading to Game Show Battle Rooms in Lombard for an epic evening of friendly competition!

When: Meet at the church on Friday, October 11 by 6:30PM to carpool, or arrive at the venue by 7:15PM. The event runs until 8:45PM.
Where: Game Show Battle Rooms, 2820 South Highland Ave., Lombard, IL 60148
Cost: $40 per person (prepay required)
Sign-Up Deadline: September 27. Click below to register.

We’ll split into two teams for an immersive game show experience, complete with a trophy for the winning team! After the battle, join us for more fellowship at Miller’s Ale House if you're interested. Sign up today and get ready for a night of fun! If the cost is prohibitive, please contact Bob Pacanowski via email. CLICK HERE to register

Grace Community Builders

Grace Community Builders help build a stronger sense of community within our church. This powerful idea is based on getting to know other members of our church better and to have an enjoyable time while doing it. Each (GCB) Group is comprised of six people. Each Community Builder will spend approximately one hour a week with a different participant in his/her group over a period of five weeks. The meetings are set up by each participant and can be at the church gathering space, at a restaurant, coffee shop, or wherever you choose. Soon after the five weeks, we will have a potluck at the church for participants and their spouse, significant other, or a friend. To join a group or for more information, contact Bill Fronk via email or at 913-961-2903.

Working for Racial Justice Group

Anyone interested in racial justice and eager to help Grace UMC and our community demonstrate how to love our neighbor and truly love our neighbor despite race or ethnicity is welcome to join our group. This group strives to provide opportunities for creating community and relationships among people of all races and ethnicities. In addition, this group hopes to provide opportunities for learning how to help our community and our world stand up against racial injustice through various offerings of speakers, service projects, book studies, and events. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 7:00PM in Room 254.

support groups

DivorceCare Support Program

DivorceCare is a safe place where caring people come alongside you as you find healing from the pain of separation or divorce. At this 13-week, video-based support program, you will find helpful counsel to manage the emotional turmoil and practical tools for decision making. You will meet others who understand how you are feeling and the struggles you are dealing with. You will find that you are not alone and there is hope. Through the videos and small group discussion time, you will hear from others who have thought there is nothing to look forward to who are now beginning to smile again and find that there is something to look forward to.

The next 13-week program meets on Wednesdays at 6:30PM to 8:30PM, beginning on October 9, 2024 and continues through December 18, 2024. We will have a pause for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year holidays. Meetings will resume on January 8, 2025. There will be a $10.00 fee which will cover the cost of the books and will be collected at the first meeting.
We will have a special Surviving The Holidays group on November 20, 2024. Please CLICK HERE to register and access helpful videos and other information.

If you have questions and for more information, please contact Richard Newell at richard.newell@peopleofgrace.org or 630-947-9311.

amplify media
digital faith formation resources

Amplify Media is a service that Grace subscribes to so that every member can have access to resources that encourage deeper discipleship and equip them to pursue their faith formation journey with greater impact. Amplify has videos that can be used in your small groups, Bible studies and, of course, in your own personal faith journey. You can access all of these videos anytime and on almost any device.

Who: Amplify has resources for all ages (adults, children, and youth) that can used for your own individual faith journey or as part of a small group. The resources are from publishers like Cokesbury and include popular authors such as Adam Hamilton and N.T. Wright.

Where: You can access all of these videos anytime and almost any devices.

How: To access our Amplify account, click here and enter our Access Code: BTSNPM

Why: To engage more deeply in your faith and to builder deeper community with Christ and others in a new way.

Music Ministries

Events

Worship