Hello Church —

I am writing this to all of you to let you know that my time at Elmhurst Presbyterian is coming to an end. My four years (and a few months) here have been filled with joy, learning, and love. I can’t believe it’s ending and I can’t believe how much I’m going to miss all of you. 

I’m taking a work from home position as a writer at a tech company for a time, so that I can pursue my next calling in life; seminary! My dream is to someday be a Wilderness Chaplain (someone employed by the National Parks) or to work in Pediatric Hospice Chaplaincy. Both of these have been laid on my heart and I’m heeding the call to discern where my life goes next. The seminary is Chicago Theological Seminary in Hyde Park. By taking this new position, I’ll be able to complete my degree and move onto my next journey. 

This job offer came for me abruptly so I don’t have a large amount of time to tell you how much I’ll miss you and how much you have all meant to me. My last day is March 25th.  But my office door is open until then, and my schedule has room for coffee and my heart is still full of prayers for you and your kids. 

That’s the biggest heart break for me; the kids and youth. The kids and youth of this church are so completely special, funny, quirky, witty, spiritual, and encouraging. They pray for each other, they encourage each other, and they teach each other. I have learned so much from them, about God. I will never forget these small theologians and the lessons they’ve taught me. 

My time with the staff at Elmhurst Presbyterian has been filled with laughter, love, prayers, and deep and meaningful conversations. I will take with me what I’ve learned from my coworkers and how they see the world. Leaving them, as friends and colleagues, will be so difficult. 

And all of you. How can I put into words what you’ve meant to me? Your encouragement and your jokes, your hardships, your pains, your blessings. You have enriched my life and I leave with so much love and excitement for what lays ahead of you. I’m remembering all the events we’ve planned together and the hilarity of plans that have gone wrong only to be propped up by your ingenuity. I think of specific instances of laughing with some of you and hearing the wild stories of your faith and journey with God. I know the seeds we’ve planted together will keep growing.

I’m leaving EPC with a heart full of gratitude and love for you.

With fondness,

Emily

Hi EPC Friends and Members, 

Here's my "3-2-1" for this week...

3 Things I'm Looking Forward To

1. Sending Emily off to her next chapter with our love and joy. As you just read, Emily Culella is headed to her next chapter of life, career and calling. I will miss her so much! We'll say goodbye and celebrate her departure on Sunday, March 20th after worship. Help us send her off with our best wishes by writing a note of appreciation. We have some special "seed paper" that, when planted, turns into flowers. If you'd like to write your message on that paper, it will be available at church beginning this Sunday and all next week, or you can write a note on whatever paper you have. If you have a child or youth who has been blessed by Emily, there's a special surprise project we could use your help with. I'll be sending the information about that on Thursday morning, so check your inbox or ask me on Sunday and I'll help you know what to do! 
2. Easter Sunday Children's Egg Hunt -- Can you help with our Children's Egg hunt this year? We're looking for four volunteers to help with the egg hunt after worship on Easter -- April 17. Please see Pastor Traci to volunteer! 
3. EPC Live! Pastor Traci is starting a live video podcast called "EPC Live!" It will feature guests from our own congregation and community talking about... whatever we want to talk about! I'd like to focus on outreach, service, big dreams and the Holy Spirit. It'll stream live to our YouTube and Facebook pages. Who will the first guest be? Maybe it will be you! Watch your e-notes and bulletin for information about our very first episode! 

2 Interesting Links

1. A Poem (And a Painting) About the Suffering that Hides in Plain Sight (HERE) 
2. Faith Practices at Home! Looking for some simple faith practices to do this Lent? I created this series of videos for the Office of Christian Formation for the PCUSA and you can find them HERE. I tend to cycle through faith practices. I'll do one for a few weeks or months and then try something new. 

1 Thought

I love this quote from CS Lewis, though he and I likely differ on our understandings of heaven and hell (spoiler alert: my views on hell are very non-traditional... SIGN UP to come talk to me about them!) 

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

There you have it! Our 3-2-1 for the week. See you Sunday! 

It's not the same without you there, 

Pastor Traci

Stay tuned! Pastor Traci is starting a live video podcast called EPC Live!  It will feature guests from our own congregation and community talking about various topics including outreach, service, big dreams and the Holy Spirit. It'll stream live to our YouTube and Facebook pages. Stay tuned for our first episode.

The season of Lent officially began on Ash Wednesday. This Sunday is the second Sunday of Lent and we will be continuing our Lenten Sermon Series, Come Follow Me: A Disciples' Journey Through Lent. This series looks at defining moments in Jesus' ministry and helps us deepen our commitment to Christ as we discover what it means to follow Jesus and serve in the work of Jesus.

There is a lot going on in the life of the church in the next few months. Please make sure you mark your calendars for all of our upcoming events: 

March 13 --  Pride Planning Meeting after Worship
April 17 -- Easter Sunday + Children's Event
April 24 -- All Church Future Visioning 9am - 3pm 
May 7-8 -- Art in the Park 
June 5 -- Pentecost Sunday

Our new directory is LIVE and we need your help to create your online profile. All you need is the email address you have on file with the church (probably the one you are getting this email sent to!). If you aren't sure, contact Cristi. Our Pastoral Assistant, Kaleigh made this helpful video for walking you through the steps of how to create your own profile. You will need to go HERE to create your login and update your information. If you have questions, contact Cristi or Kaleigh.

Join Pastor Traci Wednesdays from 12-1 PM for a drop-in bible study on Zoom. We will be exploring the Gospel of Mark, asking questions like “What does the text say?,” “What does the text mean?” and “How does it call us to live?” This week we'll be focusing in on Mark 2. Use the zoom link below to join in. All are welcome!

Click Here for the Zoom Link for Bible Study

Don't forget! You can worship with EPC via livestream! We are grateful for our behind-the-scenes team who makes it happen every week. The link is below! 

Click here for Sunday Morning's Live Stream Link

An update to our Afghan Family Support: The family of 11 was able to get Afghan passports, visas to safety in Pakistan, and a flight to Islamabad, Pakistan. Thanks to your contributions, we are able to help them with housing expenses in Pakistan while they wait for paperwork to be processed. Please consider making a contribution by giving online, text to give, or placing a donation in the offering plate noting “Afghan Family Support.”

Make a Donation to Afghan Family Support

Join us for Sunday School downstairs this Sunday! We'll be talking about Jesus being tempted in the Wilderness on Sunday, downstairs! There's a coloring sheet below as well.

Click here for a Coloring Sheet!

10:30 Sunday Worship Livestream - Click Here!

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