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Feedback, corrections, or additions?
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Christmas Eve Service Survey
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 We're thinking about Christmas Eve! Please take the time to answer a one question survey. Multiple choice answer...3:30, 4:30, or 5:30pm for our early Christmas Eve service?
Click here to complete survey online. If you prefer to respond on paper, we will have copies available at Fellowship Hour
this Sunday.
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It takes a lot of STUFF to meet the needs of our clients. BEDS is looking for friends to organize STOCK A SHELTER drives, collect goods, and drop off to BEDS by October 1. A group of friends grabbing a couple of extra supplies at the store will make all the difference! A list of what is needed can be found
here
. Contact April at [email protected] or call us at 708/354.0858, ext. 9.
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Neighbors In Need Offering -
October 2nd
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The Neighbors in Need offering, which we will receive on October 2nd, supports the UCC's ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. Through ucc.org/justice, our national Justice and Witness Ministries office offers resources, news updates, and action alerts on a broad spectrum of justice issues. Working with members of the UCC Justice and Peace Action Network (a network of thousands of UCC justice and peace advocates), Justice and Witness continues its strong policy advocacy work on issues such as the federal budget, voting rights, immigration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties, and environmental justice. Neighbors in Need also supports our American Indian neighbors in the UCC. One-third of the offering supports the UCC's Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM). Historically, forebears of the UCC established churches and worked with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Hocak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and northern Nebraska. Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These churches and their pastors are supported by CAIM. CAIM is also an invaluable resource for more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations who are members of the other UCC congregations in the U.S.
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ZACKLEY AND YZAL BBQ
On September 25th, the Zackleys and Yzals will be having their first combined event. We will be BBQing, playing games and getting to know one another! The BBQ will begin at 5:30pm and go till 7:00pm.
CALLED TO SACRED JUSTICE
Chicago Metropolitan and Fox Valley Associations-Joint Fall Meeting and Youth Event. Free youth event
on
October 15,2016. Click
here for more information.
SUNDAY SCHOOL / YOUTH REGISTRATION
Sunday School has resumed! We need people to fill teacher and shepherd positions. Please sign up through Access, on the clipboard during Fellowship Hour, or contact Sylvia at
[email protected]. If you have children birth through 12th grade please fill out a Sunday School Registration
form so we can keep up to date records!
FALL SCHEDULE
Beginning this year, the Ministry of Education is going to try a new schedule! Here is an example of our Monthly meeting schedule
First Sunday of the month:
Confirmation: 2:30-4:30pm Drawing Room
Messy Church: 4:30-6:30pm (Dinner at 5:45pm)
Zackleys: (High School) (Welcome to join Messy Church!)
6:30
Second Sunday:
Yzals 6:30 (6-8th grade)
Third Sunday:
Zackleys 6:30
Fourth Sunday:
Yzals and Zackleys service/outing
To make these the best programming we can we need volunteers! If you are able to help plan or just be at these events please let Sylvia know!
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Children and Youth Music Opportunities
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Tiny Toes Music is a newer addition to the music offerings housed at FCCLG. Tiny Toes is this area's organization offering Music Together classes. The Fall session starts soon! To enroll, visit
www.tinytoesmusic.com
Tiny Toes classes:
- Are for children ages birth to kindergarten and their parents and caregivers.
- Build on your child's natural enthusiasm for music and movement.
- Provide you and your child with the basic musical skills needed to enjoy and participate in musical activities.
- 45 minutes of PURE FUN with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers every week!
Ring 'n Sing
: It's back and it does what the name suggests. We sing. And we ring. Sometimes at the same time. Children in 1st-8th grades are welcome to join the fun. Rehearsals begin on September 18 from 11:15-11:45am. This program is great for introducing new families to our great youth programming.
Treble Choir:
An extension of Ring n' Sing, this ensemble is designed for children in 3rd grade and up. The focus is on voice development, music reading and singing more challenging music. Normally we meet right after Ring n' Sing from 11:45am-12:15pm. However, our first rehearsal will be combined with Ring n' Sing on September 18 from 11:15-11:45am.
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Messy Church
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Messy Church will be
Sunday, October 2nd at 4:30. Our theme this month will be Love Your Neighbor!
Come and have a great time and support our youth. See you there! Click here for our flyer!
4:30-5:15pm: Crafts and Stories
5:15-5:30pm: Celebration
5:30-6:00: Dinner
6:00-7:00: Yzal/Zackleys
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Volunteers For Pew Cushion Repairs
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Are you tired of hard pews and numb bottoms?
Then come join us on Saturday mornings during the month of
September from
9 am-12 noon in the Founders Room for an upholstering party!
Please sign up
online or during Fellowship Hour if you are able to come lend a hand.
Any questions, contact
Debbie Llewellyn (708-602-0070) or
Jan Ceranek (708-784-3482)
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Air Conditioning Work Update
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Work on the Sanctuary and Founder's Room Air conditioning is coming to an end. All materials will be here to hopefully, barring any unforeseen difficulties, complete the project by the 1st week in October. We are sitting down with the contractor this Friday to schedule the final stages of work. If the work is not done prior to October 8, the Sanctuary will be put in a presentable condition for the wedding to be held on that date and remaining work will be finished afterwards.
All drawings have been completed for the kitchen work in the Founder's Room kitchen. We are currently in the process of finding bidders to accomplish the needed work.
Quotes received for the Founder's room carpet replacement were above the expected price. Currently we are exploring ways to bring that cost down.
We are still awaiting bids for the painting of the Founder's room ceiling.
As mentioned before, we are waiting to see what the final cost of the air conditioning project will be before proceeding with these other projects. So far we are hopeful that we will be able to do the projects discussed above.
Thank you for your patience during this process.
Jerry Palmer
Project Coordinator
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Safe Church/Boundary Training
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All volunteers and staff who work with and around children in the church are required to complete Safe Church and Boundary Training annually. The session is offered twice every year: in September and February. This class will take place on
September 25 from noon to 1:30 in the Founders' Room. If you are a teacher, Messy Church volunteer, mentor, or youth leader, please register for training as soon as possible. Please sign up
here or on clipboard during fellowship hour.
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What Can We Do About Racism?
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 Race Relations is the topic of a nine week study in Adult Education this Fall. Beginning on
September 25, we will discuss Debby Irving's book,
Waking Up White and Finding Myself In the Story of Race. This unit will be co-led by Linda Lauterbach and Pastor Carly Stucklen Sather.
Adult Education meets from 8:30 to 9:15(ish) each Sunday morning in the Drawing Room.
Participants can either order a copy of the book at
Smile.Amazon.com, or purchase one of a limited number of copies from the office.
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 Who can possibility understand the mystery that is the Lord's Supper? And yet the table celebration is deeply meaningful to us regardless of our age. In the Tradition of the Congregational Church, we welcome everyone to the table for communion. Since every family is different, we emphasize that each family and each person determines what is right for them: some parents choose to encourage their children to take communion; others wait until the child is a teenager and goes through confirmation/baptism classes.
Individuals and families who would like to explore the multiple layers of meaning of communion are invited to a 2 hour, hands on, multi-sensory workshop on
October 1 from
10 a.m. to noon. While we make bread and squeeze grapes, we will learn from where the tradition comes, what it might mean for each of us, and how we might participate in the common table.
This event is open to all, and is free. Reservations are required, however. Please sign up using the paper sign up sheet in the Opportunities corner at fellowship hour. Please sign up
online
, or using the paper sign up sheet in the Opportunities corner at fellowship hour.
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Let's explore what it means to belong, to sense that you're at home in the community of faith. Three gatherings are planned for those who have been worshiping and participating in the ministries of the congregation and who would like to explore a deeper relationship.
- Sunday, October 9th in the Dining Room following our Sunday morning worship. We will explore the work and ministries of the congregation and tour the church building.
- Sunday, October 23, at 4:30 p.m. the journey will continue over dessert in small groups over dessert the church manse where we'll explore the vision and values of the church.
- Saturday, November 5 at 4:30 p.m., we'll explore faith journeys over wine and cheese at the manse.
- During morning worship on November 13th, participants will have an opportunity to formalize their relationship with FCCLG.
This is an exploration only with no obligation or strings attached. There is no cost to participate, but registration is appreciated. Sign up in the Fellowship Hour following worship, or
online.
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Fundraising Events For FCCLG!
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Eat and Earn for FCCLG Thursday, September 29th
Back Alley Burger and First Congregational Church of LaGrange are excited to announce an Eat and Earn fundraiser on Thursday, Sept 29th from 11am - 9pm. Every diner who mentions FCCLG when ordering will have a percentage of their check donated back to the church. Last summer we raised over $300; let's see if this year we can reach our goal of $400! So tell your neighbors and friends to take a night off from cooking and plan to dine out at Back Alley Burger on Thursday, Sept. 29th. And don't forget to treat yourself to one of their shakes!
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Pop Quiz: Do you have what it takes to be the first ever FCCLG Trivia Champions?
Join us in the Founder's Room on Friday, October 14th to see who will take home bragging rights. Each table will consist of a team of 10 players and if you don't have a team, that is no problem! We will find a team for you to join!
$20 per person at the door. BYOB and BYOS(nacks). There will be different raffles held throughout the night, so be sure to arrive early to get your tickets situated before the games begin!
For questions and to reserve your team's table, please contact Mike Ries at 708-308-0426.
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Unleashing the Ministry Chicago Metropolitan Association and Fox Valley Association will gather on
October 15 at St. Paul's UCC of Palatine for our Fall Meeting. The theme will be Unleashing the Ministry. Watch for more information in the Tidings and the Bulletin.
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Mission Trip Opportunity:
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Oct 31 @ 8:00 am - Nov 5 @ 5:00 pm Church World Service Disaster Center & Heifer Ranch. Get more information and register
here.
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Sign up here to receive the UCC Daily Devotional in your inbox!
Into the Mystic: Listen to podcasts of the UCC General Minister, John Dorhauer, here.
Disaster Ministry Learn about the UCC's efforts and what you can do
here!
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Check your calendar and think about those special dates this year you could celebrate with altar flowers! To reserve a Sunday, sign up at Fellowship Hour or contact the office. Dates are first-come, first-serve, so reserve early!
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Amazon Smile
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Here's an easy way to give back to FCCLG! When you shop on Amazon, use smile.amazon.com and choose First Congregational Church of La Grange as your charity. Amazon then donates 0.5% of your purchase back to FCCLG.
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YOU can bid on FCCLG's Birdhouse to own it! All proceeds from the sale will go to the First Congregational Church! C
lick here to bid. The Live Auction is taking place on
Saturday, September 17 at 6 pm at the Stone Ave station.
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Blooming Where You're Planted
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Would you like to grow in faith while making new friends? Ladies, here's an opportunity for you to do just that! The Illinois Conference is offering a Women's Retreat from
Sept. 30 @ 4:30 pm to Oct 1 @ 3:30 pm. Get more information and register
here.
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Saturday Meals Needs Your Help!
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The Saturd
 ay Meals Program is a ministry of our congregation that serves anyone who would like to share a hot meal.
There are two shifts of volunteer service available each Saturday:
Breakfast set up and serving is from 8 to 10 a.m. Breakfast volunteers cut and plate pastries, serve hot food to guests in a buffet line, run the dishwasher, make sandwiches and pack brown bag suppers for distribution after lunch.
Lunch set up and serving is from 10:45 to 1 p.m. Lunch volunteers plate desserts, serve hot foods to guests in a buffet line, run the dishwasher, and wipe down tables and chairs following the meal.
Email Volunteer Coordinator JoAnne Konkle for information.
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Serving at FCCLG
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- Bring in treats of your choice and serve beverages and snacks after worship
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Proclaim the scripture to the congregation during Sunday service
- Deliver the donated altar flowers to home-bound church members after worship
- Arrive at 9:30 am, pass out programs, collect the offering
Greeters
-Arrive at 9:45 am, wear your name tag, smile!
- Pick up the Saturday Meals Program laundry outside the kitchen after worship and return it clean before next Saturday
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Attend the Nursery during worship on Sunday
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Hooks and Needles meets in the Family Room off the Chapel on all but the first Monday of the month.
We make blankets for Project Linus and Still Missed along with prayer shawls, baby blankets and prayer squares for the church. Please join us in this valuable ministry. Beginners are welcome; we would love to teach you to knit or crochet. Call Linda Lauterbach or the church office if you need a code to get into the building.
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St. Barbara's Food Pantry Collection
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St. Barbara's
is especially in ne
ed of
peanut butter and jelly. Thank you for all your support!
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Prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God. Please lift these friends, family, and members in your prayers.
We lament the loss of innocent lives to fear, hatred, and bigotry in Baton Rouge, Chicago, Dallas, Minnesota, Nice, and Orlando.
Charlotte Ansted, who was born very early and is being treated in the NICU.
Emil and Maria Balz, who are both in rehabilitation.
Bonnie Geist, Jenny Geist's mother, as she recovers from two back surgeries in one week.
Bert Happel, Jim Happel's brother.
Linda Lauterbach's friend Sophia, her husband, and 22 month old son; Sophia has a brain tumor.
Bobbie Nunez's new granddaughter Sienna, who continues to be cared for in the NICU and is doing very well.
Petra Palmer's granddaughter's friend Summer who is having chemotherapy for leukemia.
Thoughts and prayers for the Palmers' neighbor's brother, wife and newborn son, who need to gain strength and weight.
Jennifer Powers as she deals with health issues.
The family of Allison Taylor, Robert and Rose Taylor's daughter, who died on August 20.
Char Tobin, for God's healing touch and comfort.
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