Ministries
Ministries
One of the main purposes of gathering as a family of believers is to Worship the One in whom we find our truth and our wholeness.
In our Ministries, we find an array of ways in which we praise and serve the Lord beyond formal worship.
Our Ministries are ‘the doings’ of our people:
Meeting each other's fundamental needs, as well as those in our broader community and across the world.
Addressing the spiritual needs and supporting the spiritual growth of each of us
Come see how you might join us in those missions and service; and how you can be nurtured yourself, recognizing yourself as beloved within the MGCC community of brothers and sisters.
If you’re interested in exploring any of the below opportunities,
shoot us an email and we’ll hook you up with the folks who’ll bring you in:
847-965-7659
Morton Grove
Community Church
Reaching Out
Reaching In
We 'fellowship' whenever we're together...
from worshipping to serving to learning or just plain fun
Some of our activities that focus on simply being present with each other include: gathering and sharing conversation over refreshments following our worship service; Men’s and Women’s Breakfasts at local restaurants on Saturday mornings; Movie Nights, on Sunday evenings when we enjoy popcorn and share in the enjoyment of viewing a movie and contemplate the impact of it
Interfaith and Community
Collaboration
I charged your judges at that time:
“Give the members of your community a fair hearing,
and judge rightly between one person and another, whether citizen or resident alien."
Deuteronomy 1:16
We're called a community church for a reason...
we are part of the community
We always seek to understand ourselves in the community in which we sit. The community of the north suburbs is beautifully diverse and we at MGCC seek to revel in that diversity.
We are in communion with three area Presbyterian Churches to explore how we can serve more powerfully together as a Threefold Cord ministry; We participate in our local community’s Thanksgiving service; We participate in and host events of Soul Space, an Abrahamic Interfaith community of women. We maintain a beautiful garden to provide a calming space for anyone in the community to use for quiet contemplation; We maintain a Little Free Library
We have individuals at MGCC who collaborate in various ways in the community including: Assisting teachers at Parkview, the local K-8 school; Reading for preschoolers in the pre-school housed in our building; Participate in several community groups that support social justice initiatives; Participate in municipal initiatives to support our community’s efforts to better steward our planet
We may be small,
but we are mighty...
when it comes to supporting a myriad of mission partners, with ongoing projects including: PCUSA Missionary support in Democratic Republic of Congo; RELUFA – supporting micro-lending and food sovereignty in Cameroon; Build Congo Schools; Marion Medical Well Program; Niles Township Food Pantry; Phil’s Friends – supporting people affected by cancer; The Night Ministry – supporting young people who are homeless in Chicago; Soles4Souls; Feed My Sheep meal service; Refugee One – supporting Steve and Lara from Syria and many others; The Educational Foundation – supporting financially at risk students in Niles Township; Mary Lou’s Place of Evanston YWCA serving victims of domestic violence; Cents-Ability – Chicago Presbytery’s hunger program.
Prayer is so fundamental to who we are...
we have a team dedicated to all things prayer
Designated prayer time is held after worship each Sunday, facilitated by an elder. Prayer Request boxes – literal and digital – let us know who is joyful and who is in need so that we are intentional in our conversations with and appeals to our God. That intentionality includes discerning particular weeks during which the prayer team prays for specific people in whatever their endeavors that week.
We support our clergy,
not just as an adminstrator, preacher and teacher...
but as a pastor, a shepherd. One who supports and upholds their flock.
This includes prayer, presence, consoling and counseling – by the pastor themselves or via members whom the pastor supports.
Spiritual Nurturing is so important to us at MGCC that...
every team 'meeting' starts with a prayer and a spiritual exercise.
Feeding our spirit and girding ourselves for our faith journeys, is a priority. We have a team dedicated to creating and providing opportunities for each of us to mature spiritually. We share in collective devotional activities during Lent and Advent. Several times a year we participate in selected Bible study together over several weeks, most recently having studied the book of Ruth. While we do not have regular Sunday School for children, we accommodate children as they come and have materials and adults readily available to support children in feeling loved and valued as they learn. We nurture each other as we work in a variety of teams to support the church and our community. We have ‘Women’s Circles’, groups of women who study and fellowship to nurture their spiritual and human relationships. Our Caring Hearts team sees to the myriad of human needs of our members and those in our communities. Our Church Health Team assures that we continue to reflect on God’s purposes for us and drives us to act on those directives.
God doesn't call the qualified,
God qualifies the called
Our Education Team provides and creates learning opportunities to support us in carrying out God’s calling in a variety of ways, including: Book studies, like discussions from Adam Hamilton’s “When Christian’s Get it Wrong”; Speakers on topics from spiritual growth to practical tips on cyber security; Collaborative retreats to soothe our weariness while inspiring us to new divine adventures