Little Home Church by the Wayside / UCC

By the Way | APRIL 2026

PASTOR'S PONDERINGS

Christ's Table...A Place of Welcome

Over these past weeks of Lent, we have gathered “At the Table”—exploring the history and power of shared meals in scripture and in our own lives. We’ve sat with stories of welcome and exclusion, abundance and inequity, betrayal and grace. Again and again, we discovered that the table is never just about food. It is about belonging. It is about who is seen, who is valued, and who is invited to stay.

And just when it feels like the story reaches its breaking point—when the table is overturned by betrayal, fear, and even death—Easter happens.

The table is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of something new.

In the season of Easter, those fifty days that stretch from the empty tomb to Pentecost, we discover that resurrection doesn’t pull us away from the table—it sends us back to it with new eyes.

The risen Christ keeps showing up at tables.

He is made known in the breaking of bread.

He cooks breakfast on the shore.

He meets his friends not in grand temples, but in ordinary, shared meals.

And perhaps that is the quiet miracle of Easter: what was once a place of fear becomes a place of presence. What was once a place of division becomes a place of deep connection.

What was once a table of scarcity becomes a table of abundance.

Easter does not erase what happened during Holy Week—it transforms it.

So as we move into this season of resurrection, the question before us is not simply, “Do we believe in Easter?” but rather:

How will we live differently at the table because of it?

Will we make room for someone new?

Will we notice who is missing?

Will we choose generosity over fear, connection over convenience?

Because the truth is, the Easter story continues every time we gather.

Every time a table becomes a place of welcome.

Every time a meal becomes a moment of grace.

Every time we recognize Christ in one another.

So this April, as spring unfolds and new life pushes up through the soil, may we carry the spirit of Easter with us—not just in celebration, but in practice.

Pull up a chair.

Set an extra place.

Stay a little longer.

Invite someone to your table at Grateful Gifts.

Because the risen Christ is still meeting us there.

And the table is still being transformed.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Larry

Connect With Pastor Larry

WE ACCEPT, EMBRACE AND AFFIRM THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF EVERY PERSON,

AS WE ARE ALL CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE.

HAPPENINGS AT CHURCH

'Come together to serve'—get involved and join a group,

an event, or a LHC initiative.

Worship Service Sundays—9:30 am

(recorded/uploaded to our YouTube channel during the week)

Weekly Bible Study—Wednesdays, 10 am via Zoom and in person

Community Yoga—Tuesdays, 9:30 am in the Community House

Maundy Thursday Potluck & Worship—Thursday, Apr. 2, 6 pm (potluck), 7:15 pm (worship)

Good Friday Community Worship—Friday, Apr. 3, 1 pm at Immanuel UCC/Streamwood

Good Friday Evening Worship—Friday, Apr. 3, 7 pm at Little Home Church

Easter Sunday—Sunday, Apr. 5, 9:30 am

(Fellowship & Children's Egg Hunt follows)

Easter Holiday—Monday, Apr. 6—CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

A Book & A Prayer Book Club—Thursday, Apr. 9, 7 pm via Zoom

Men of LHC Monthly Breakfast Meeting—Saturday, Apr. 11, 8:30 am

Sisters in Spirit Meeting—Saturday, Apr. 11, 9 am

Confirmation—Saturday, Apr. 12, 11 am

Contemplative Service—Thursday, Apr. 16, 8 am & 7 pm

Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteer Session—Saturday, Apr. 18, 9 am

Elgin Cooperative Ministries Soup Kettle Kitchen—Sunday, Apr. 19, 4 - 6 pm

Church Council Meeting—Tuesday, Apr. 19, 6 pm

Confirmation—Sunday, Apr. 26, 11 am

By the Way Submission Deadline—Thursday, Apr. 23

Contemplative Service—Thursday, Apr. 30, 8 am & 7 pm

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm—630.584.4013

CHURCH CALENDAR

MODERATOR'S MESSAGE

Following Together

As we move through Lent and begin to look toward Easter, I’ve found myself thinking about a simple idea: following. Not in a big, complicated way…just in the small, everyday ways we show up.

Our Wednesday Lenten gatherings have been such a gift. There’s something really special about pausing in the middle of the week to sit down together, share a meal, and just be in each other’s company. No pressure, no expectations—just time spent as a church family. It feels simple, but also meaningful in a way that’s hard to put into words.

At home, Jan and I have been binge watching The Chosen, and we’ve really enjoyed it. What stands out is how real everyone feels. The disciples aren’t perfect or polished—they’re figuring things out as they go, asking questions, showing up as they are. And yet, they’re still called.

Again and again, Jesus simply says, “Follow me.”

Not “have everything together.”

Not “know all the answers.”

Just…come along.

It makes me think about what following might look like for us, right here at Little Home Church. Maybe it’s coming to a Wednesday night dinner. Maybe it’s sitting in the pew with someone new. Maybe it’s lending a hand, saying a prayer, or just being present.

We’re also seeing that spirit of “showing up” in such a wonderful way as preparations continue for our annual Grateful Gifts fundraiser on May 1. It’s been so encouraging to see the progress our committee is making—the energy, the creativity, and the care behind it all. Remember, keep your eyes peeled and those thinking caps on…our Silent Auction is fabulous, can you add something to it? Grateful Gifts is yet another beautiful example of how this church comes together to support something bigger than ourselves.

These small moments and big efforts matter. They’re how we build community. They’re how we live out our faith, together.

As we head into the final weeks of Lent, I’m grateful for the ways we continue to show up for one another. There’s something very special about a church that gathers, shares, and walks side by side.

We may not have it all figured out…but we’re following.

And that’s enough.

With gratitude,

Kit DeWitt, Moderator

Connect With Kit

GRACE'S NOTES

A Psalm of Thanksgiving—Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness;

come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him; bless his name.

For the Lord is good;

his steadfast love endures forever

and his faithfulness to all generations.

Easter Blessings to you and your families.

Grace Bardsley, Director of Music

Connect With Grace

GRATEFUL GIFTS 2026

MORE INFO

Seedling - $70 Individual Ticket

Helps us lay the foundation for new initiatives

Sapling - $750 Sponsorship includes 4 seats

Provides resources for outreach and development

Oak Tree - $1250 Sponsorship includes 10 seats and 10 drink tickets

Creates lasting impact, helping our church flourish for future generations

Forest - $1750 Sponsorship includes 12 seats and wine for table

Transforms our vision into reality by empowering long-term growth

Please RSVP by April 17

Payment can be made by

check payable to Little Home Church or
Venmo (LHC UCC) or
Zelle or
via the QR card shown here.

Seeking Silent Auction Donations for Grateful Gifts

As we prepare for Grateful Gifts on Friday, May 1, we are beginning to gather items for our Silent Auction. This year, we are especially excited about the possibility of including more experience-based offerings—but we warmly welcome traditional baskets and tangible items as well.

While gift baskets and physical items are always appreciated and incredibly successful, experiences create memories. They bring people together. They tell a story. And often, they become some of the most talked-about items of the evening.

Do you have a special talent, space, connection, or idea you could share?

Examples of experience-based donations might include:

• A hosted dinner party for 6–8 guests

• A backyard wine tasting

• Tickets to a sporting event

• A golf outing or sports lesson

• A guided nature walk or photography session

• A cooking class

• A themed children’s party

• A vacation home weekend

• A craft workshop

• A behind-the-scenes tour or professional service

• A private tour of Dunham Castle

At the same time, themed baskets, gift cards, services, and thoughtfully curated tangible items are just as valuable and appreciated. Every donation helps make the evening a success.

All silent auction items must be received by April 17 to allow time for organization and preparation. Our goal is to have 25 baskets this year.

Baskets may be given to any member of the committee, dropped off at church, or brought to Emily Miller’s house.

Most of all we are looking forward to gathering together for a wonderful evening.

With gratitude,

Your Grateful Gifts Planning Committee

Louise Aughnay, Kit DeWitt, Julie Graham, Emily Miller, Samantha Prang, Andrea Redmond

EVANGELISM MINISTRY

Visitors

The good news is we have received three new visitor cards this past month. Thanks to those of you who welcomed these visitors and sat with them at fellowship. As we approach Easter, be mindful of all visitors and show them the way to the Parish Hall for fellowship.

Nametags

Have you made a habit of wearing your name tag?

If you forget to put it on as you enter the church, you can pick it up on the way out and wear it during fellowship. If you run out, let the Church Office know.

Fellowship Signups

As I write this in mid-March there are a lot of empty spaces on the sign-up sheet for Fellowship. There are opportunities to provide fellowship for every Sunday from April 12 through May 31. I have had numerous conversations with various people about why it is difficult to get people to commit to signing up. Some one used the phrase fellowship inflation to emphasize how much more expansive fellowship has gotten compared to the good old days when it was more likely just donuts. While I know some people love to bake and cook, this is not a prerequisite for doing fellowship. So, consider doing fellowship and bringing donuts, muffins, bagels, or whatever is available at your local supermarket. Keep it simple. If you are looking to contribute but do not want to do fellowship all by yourself there will be another opportunity in April or May. Listen for a future announcement or look in the bulletin for details.

Easter Blessings,

Rose Mayer, Evangelism Ministry Chair

Connect with Rose

OUTREACH MINISTRY

The Little Home Church has partnered with the Chicago based Exodus World Service organization since 2022, a collaboration which has enabled our Church Community to assist in the resettlement of immigrants arriving from such war torn, violence ridden countries as Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Somalia etc. The relationship has proven to be particularly rewarding in that it is “Action Oriented”, providing members of Little Home Church the opportunity to provide “Hands On” support in furnishing the apartments of arriving immigrant families and assisting in their assimilation to a new country, new language, and new way of life.

On Thursday, April 16, Exodus World Service will host its Annual Celebration of Hope Dinner at Drury Lane in Oakbrook. The event begins with a Reception at 5 pm that evening, followed by a complimentary Dinner and Special Program at 6 pm. Attendees will hear firsthand from those whose lives have been lifted and permanently changed by the work of Exodus and its volunteer partner organizations (including Little Home Church). Their stories contain riveting memories of fear, persecution, poverty, and war—yet, most of all, offer moving testimonials to survival of the human spirit against unimaginable odds. Little Home Church is a part of these stories, and we encourage congregants and their friends to once again come listen. In 2025, our Church Community filled three tables, and we hope to match or exceed that level of participation in 2026.

Anne Bouchard has graciously volunteered to be the LHC point person for this year’s event or you may contact Lori Prang in the church office for additional information. We can arrange carpooling if necessary.

As registration is required, a sign-up sheet is also available in Parish Hall for those wishing to attend an evening that will warm their hearts and, in the words of Jesse Jackson, “Keep Hope Alive.”

Did we mention that the dinner is complimentary?

And our montly reminder...

We have a volunteer session every third Saturday of the month from 9 am to Noon at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva. Our 'team' allows for six of us to help with various tasks each month. The next sessions is April 18. There is a sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall.

And as always, we are grateful to you for your support.

Andrea Redmond/Mary Fleishmann

Outreach Ministry Chairs

Connect with Andrea

Connect with Mary

SISTERS IN SPIRIT

The SiSters served up a lot of love and a tasty pancake breakfast on March 15. Plenty of everything to go around and the fellowship was lively. That afternoon the SiSters (and friends) also prepared and served the evening meal at the Soup Kettle in Elgin. We thank you all who shopped, cooked, served and cleaned up!

Our next meeting will be on April 11, at 9 am in the Parish Hall. All women are invited.

Anne Bouchard and Susi Winquist

Connect with Anne

Connect with Susi

MEMBER ADVOCATE—Supporting our church members...

Looks like winter might be closing soon and spring arriving—hopefully.

Many of the concerns presently brought to my attention concern the Community House: When will the ramp be built? Has there been any solution to the noise problem in the building? When can we begin to see the landscaping project start? Has there been a contract written to cover the leasing of the building (there are currently 2 proposals awaiting approval of the Council—one for church members and another for outside groups).

The Council is aware of the concerns and is diligently working on the answers, but some of the solutions hinge on contractors and the Village Board.

Another concern expressed has to deal with the parking and drainage problem after rain in the front. Again, there will possibly be structural changes needed, and all must be worked out with the Village.

Looking forward to our beautiful campus being completed soon!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Suzy Moore, Member Advocate

Connect with Suzy

BIBLE STUDY

Wednesdays, 10 am—

In person & via Zoom

The Wednesday Bible Study Class begins studying the book "Making Sense of the Bible" by Adam Hamilton. There is minimal preparation needed. Come for some great discussion!

Bible Study meets in person in the Pastor’s Office or on Zoom at 10 am.

Click Here for Bible Study Zoom Link

CONTEMPLATIVE SERVICES

Our Contemplative Services for this month will be on April 16 and 30 at 8 am and 7 pm. The list of dates can be found here.

Spread the word and bring a friend. It's a peaceful way to either start or end your day.

A BOOK & A PRAYER

LHC Book Club—Via Zoom

Meets 2nd Thursday of the Month, 7 pm

Next Meeting—April 9

The April selection is Project Hail Mary by Andy Wier. A science fiction novel about Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with amnesia. He gradually remembers he's on a last-chance mission to save Earth from a dimming sun caused by alien microbes called Astrophage. The mission's goal is to investigate a resistant star, Tau Ceti, for a solution. On his journey, he unexpectedly encounters and allies with an alien from another star system facing the same problem, and they must work together to save both their species.

Click here to see the books chosen for 2026!

Click here for Zoom link:

Meeting ID: 891 0088 0154

password: bookclub

Click for Zoom Link

PRAYER CHAIN

As Christians, one of the most powerful privileges of our spiritual life is the invitation to feel God’s grace and presence through ongoing prayer. Believing in the power of individual prayer, a prayer offered up by many becomes even more powerful. With that thought in mind, we invite you to join our Prayer Chain to support the spiritual life of members and friends of Little Home Church.

To Make a Prayer Request: Click Here

Email: info@littlehomechurch.org

Click HERE to Join the Prayer Chain

Apr 1 - Anne Bouchard

Apr 2 - Kay Brynelsen, Heather Bragg, Alex Karwowski

Apr 6 - Lane Harling

Apr 12 - Ron Dippner, Gerry James

Apr 14 - Joe Sterner

Apr 15 - Rik Alex

Apr 17 - Cooper Hadfield

Apr 18 - Rose Mayer

Apr 20 - George Bouchard

Apr 21 - Susan Lyons

Apr 24 - Peg Schramuk

FELLOWSHIP / USHERS / PULPIT ASSOCIATES / FLOWERS

Time to sign up!

A simple way to give the gift of your time and enhance our worship experience at the same time is by signing up to be an Usher or a Pulpit Associate! We have upcoming openings over the next few months where we can use your help! It's easy and appreciated.

Our Fellowship coffee time after worship is in full swing. Consider hosting one Sunday with a friend! You provide the goodies, we provide the coffee and tea.

You can also check out the flower sign up sheet to provide Flowers one Sunday to decorate our altar table.

The sign up sheets are up in the Parish Hall. If you have any questions, just contact the Church Office.

USHER/PULPIT ASSOC Sign-up