Little Home Church by the Wayside / UCC | |
By the Way | FEBRUARY 2026
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“At the Table:
The History and Power of a Shared Meal”
From manna in the wilderness to breakfast on the beach after the resurrection, God repeatedly meets people at the table. Meals form identity, reveal grace, expose injustice, and create belonging. Lent invites us to slow down, notice hunger, and rediscover the holiness of eating together.
We begin with Ash Wednesday Traditional Potluck followed by our service including Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes on February 18.
Sunday, February 22: “Hungry Enough to Listen”
Texts: Exodus 16:1–15; Matthew 4:1–4
Hunger is not a failure of faith; it is often the place where faith begins.
Sunday, March 1: “Room at the Table”
Texts: Genesis 18:1–8; Luke 14:12–24
God’s table has always been larger than our comfort zone.
Sunday, March 8: “This Is How We Remember”
Texts: Exodus 12:1–14; Psalm 78
Shared meals carry the memory of God’s saving work.
Sunday, March 15: “Jesus Eats with Them”
Texts: Luke 5:27–32; Luke 19:1–10
Jesus does his best work not at the pulpit, but at the table.
Sunday, March 22: “When the Table Is Unequal”
Texts: Isaiah 58:6–10; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34
God is deeply concerned with how food is shared—and who goes hungry.
Palm/Passion Sunday, March 29: “The Night He Took Bread”
Texts: Luke 22:14–20; John 13:1–15
Love is revealed not just in words, but in bread broken and feet washed.
Thursday, April 2: Maundy Thursday
Our traditional Potluck Supper followed by a service of Holy Communion
Friday, April 3: Good Friday
Service at 1 pm at LHC shared with the Bartlett and Streamwood Churches
Easter Sunday, April 5: “Breakfast with the Risen Lord”
Texts: Luke 24:30–35; John 21:9–14
Resurrection is first recognized not in sermons, but in shared meals.
We will be having four “themed meals” on Wednesday nights in March. Please see Cris Kalomiras’s column in Congregational Life Ministry for more details on that.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Larry
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WE ACCEPT, EMBRACE AND AFFIRM THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF EVERY PERSON,
AS WE ARE ALL CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE.
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'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 and 11 am in the Community House
Contemplative Service—Thursday, Feb. 5, 8 am & 7 pm
Scout Sunday—Sunday, Feb. 8
All Church Read Discussion #2—Sunday, Feb. 8, 11 am
A Book & A Prayer Book Club—Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 pm via Zoom
Classic Movie Night—Friday, Feb. 13, 6:30 pm
Men of LHC Monthly Breakfast Meeting—Saturday, Feb. 14, 8:30 am
Sisters in Spirit Breakfast Potluck—Saturday, Feb. 14, 9 am
Elgin Cooperative Ministries Soup Kettle Kitchen—Sunday, Feb. 15, 4 - 6 pm
President's Day Holiday—Monday, Feb. 16 OFFICE CLOSED
Church Council Meeting—Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 pm
Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteer Session—Saturday, Feb. 21, 9 am
Ash Wednesday Potluck & Worship—Wednesday, Feb. 18, 6 pm & 7 pm
Contemplative Service—Thursday, Feb. 19, 8 am & 7 pm
By the Way Submission Deadline—Friday, Feb. 20
THIS SUNDAY...!
Sunday, February 1, 11 am
'Februal' Congregational Meeting
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm—630.584.4013
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From the Middle of It
There are moments in life when you don’t feel brave or strong or particularly inspiring. You just feel…exposed.
Cancer does that. It doesn’t only invade your body. It rearranges your interior landscape. In my case, perhaps even my interior design.
I’ve learned that you can be deeply loved and still feel lonely. You can be full of faith and still feel afraid or angry. All of those things can live in the same heart. They do in mine.
This is not my first time on this road, and there is a particular grief in realizing you have to be brave again. This time looks different. I look more like myself, but I feel less like myself. My energy has slipped quietly away. My body feels like a house I still love, but no longer fully recognize.
I love my family with a fierceness that surprises me, and I want ordinary time. More dinners, more holidays, more chapters. I am not done loving this world.
And yes, I have faith. Real faith. But faith doesn’t cancel out fear or exhaustion. It just sits beside them and holds my hand.
In the middle of all this, I find myself in the strange position of being your moderator while not always feeling much like one. Some days I wrestle with imposter syndrome, while watching with deep gratitude as Julie and Samantha so beautifully and generously carry the visible work of leadership. Our church is being shepherded with such care, and I am profoundly thankful.
So this is where I am. Not at the beginning. Not at the end. Somewhere in the middle. Still fighting. Still hoping. Still here.
And despite all of it, I know this is true: I have been given a life filled with love, and I remain deeply, humbly, and profoundly blessed.
With love and gratitude,
Kit DeWitt, Moderator
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Reflection
This year Ash Wednesday falls on February 18; the beginning of Lent, the forty days leading up to and culminating in Easter! This season of the church year is a time for spiritual self-examination as we contemplate Jesus’s 3 years of ministry on earth ending in his crucifixion and resurrection.
For generations, this quiet, sober time has inspired composers who have written a vast array of music reflecting their perspectives on the depth and breadth of the emotions that may arise during this multi-faceted journey of life and death.
We in the music department of the Little Home Church hope to enrich your Lenten experience through the music we offer. We pray that in the pieces we have chosen of varied styles, lyrics, instrumentation, and moods you will hear something that may challenge, confirm, or comfort you as you contemplate your understanding of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection and what it means to/for you.
With love and care,
Grace Bardsley, Director of Music
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It's not too late to join the All-Church Read 2026...Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship by Gregory Boyle.
In a moving example of unconditional love in difficult times, the author, a Jesuit priest and New York Times bestselling author, shares what working with gang members in Los Angeles has taught him about faith, compassion, and the enduring power of kinship. This book is guaranteed to shake up our ideas about God and about people with a glimpse at a world defined by more compassion and fewer barriers. Gently and humorously, Barking to the Choir invites us to find kinship with one another and re-convinces us all of our own goodness.
The next sessions are February 8, and March 8 at 11:30 am in the Community House with a lite lunch served. See the sign up sheet in the Parish Hall.
Support a local business and friend of the church and get your book at Town House Books in St. Charles. Mention it’s for the Little Home Church All Church Read!
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Having a well-attended Fellowship every Sunday is a blessing! However, providing it every Sunday is problematic at times when a week or two ahead on the calendar shows no one signed up. To avoid that situation, the committee is trying something different. We have named the initiative “Fellowship Volunteers.”
We need your help! We need individuals to sign up to help with a very specific task. We need 6 or 7 people to bring food. This could be one dozen donuts, a bowl of fruit, a coffee cake, or meat and cheese roll ups. Anything will do as long as the food does not need to be heated up. Then we need one person to bring juice. We would also need 2 people to help set up and 2 to clean up. Committee members will be available to assist with setting up or cleaning up as needed if someone is unsure of how to proceed.
I or another committee member will have the sign-up sheet ready on Sunday so you can sign up to volunteer. February 8 is the first “Fellowship Volunteers” Sunday. This date was chosen because, as I write this, no one has signed up. So, if in the past you have thought of helping but were overwhelmed by the thought of doing it yourself, this is your opportunity. If you cannot assist that day, we will GLADLY take your name for future Sundays.
Rose Mayer, Evangelism Ministry Chair
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HELP KEEP THOSE IN NEED WARM
The Outreach Ministry of Little Home Church needs your immediate help in collecting
Winter Outwear for women in the Fox Valley, clients of the Wheaton based Naomi’s House, an organization which address the needs of those impacted by sexual exploitation. Many of these women are homeless, living in tent encampments which are regularly visited by staff of Naomi’s House who routinely pass out basic necessities of life (socks, toothpaste, shampoo, water etc.) and provide counsel and encouragement, meeting these victims where they are.
The need for new, gently used COATS, HATS, SCARVES and GLOVES has never been greater as The Fox Valley experiences the longest, uninterrupted period of sub zero temperatures in decades.
We ask that you drop off your donated Winter Outerwear at the Parish Hall of the Church between now and February 15. Naomi’s House Personnel will collect these items and distribute them to those who need them most. In addition to collecting women’s apparel, Naomi’s House will also distribute donated Men’s Outerwear to those residing in the Tent Encampments they visit.
The congregation of Little Home Church has always responded to those in need and we trust this latest request will be no exception. We thank you.
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And as a reminder...
We have a volunteer session every third Saturday of the month from 9 am - 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 few sessions are February 21, and March 21. 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
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Our next Classic Movie Night is Friday, February 13 at 6:30 pm in the Community House.
This month's featured film is "Marty," a 1955 American romantic drama starring Ernest Borgnine, recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor, and Betsy Blair, a nominee for Best Supporting Actress that year.
Bring a snack and a drink and join us for dessert and thoughtful discussion afterwards.
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Sharing a meal serves as a symbol of unity, trust, and fellowship, cultivating meaningful connections and a sense of community by providing an environment conducive to open dialogue. Pastor Larry's Lenten Sermon Series, "At the Table: The Power of Shared Meals" will feature six Wednesday potluck suppers at 6 pm throughout Lent.
Alongside Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday dinners, additional gatherings will offer dedicated themes including Soup Night, Deli Sandwich Night, Comfort Food & Healing Beverage. The planned schedule is listed here. Not all dinners will be provided by our church members. Look for sign up sheets in the Parish Hall later this month.
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Community Potluck Suppers - All dinners begin at 6 pm
Wednesday, February 18
- Traditional Ash Wednesday Potluck & Service
Wednesday, February 25
- No Meal Scheduled (Pastor Larry on vacation)
Wednesday, March 4 – Soup Night
Sign up to bring your favorite Soup [and recipe to share]
- Bread [limit 4]
- Dessert [limit 6]
Sample multiple soups and get a bowl of your favorite soup
Wednesday, March 11 – The Deli Sandwiches Night
- Sandwich bread, meats, cheeses, chips, fruit & cookies provided
Wednesday, March 18 – Comfort Food & Healing Beverages
- Bring your favorite Comfort Food or Healing Beverage (and recipe to share)
- Sample others Comfort Foods or Healing Beverage
Wednesday, March 25 – Pizza Night
- Bring your favorite pizza to share with others
- Sample other pizzas
- Salad will be provided
Thursday, April 2
- Traditional Church Maundy Thursday Potluck & Service
We hope you'll be able to attend these shared meals. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Church Office or Cris Kalomiris.
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A Small Step with a Big Impact
There’s something small but meaningful worth sharing as we think about stewardship together.
Many of our households have generously given by keeping their pledge amount the same year over year, and that consistency is something we are truly grateful for. It provides a strong and dependable foundation for our church’s ministry and allows our community to continue to gather in meaningful ways.
Here’s the interesting part: if those same pledges were increased by just 5%, the collective impact would be significant. That modest adjustment—often just a few dollars more per week—could help us grow toward an important financial goal for the church without placing the burden on a few.
This commitment is especially meaningful as we continue to offer thoughtful, well-deserved rate increases to our small but mighty staff. Their dedication, care, and faithfulness are essential to the daily life of our church, and supporting them responsibly allows them to continue serving with excellence and heart as we give, grow, and gather together.
This isn’t a call rooted in pressure, but in possibility. A small step, taken together, can make a big difference.
Thank you to each of you for making this year’s campaign a success so far. Your generosity gives us the ability to propose a budget grounded in our most important attribute—member pledges.
If you are interested in increasing your pledge or contribution, please reach out to
Mary Harling, our financial secretary.
With gratitude and blessings,
Emily Miller, Stewardship Ministry Chair
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Yes, it’s frightfully cold! Yes, it’s February! And YES!! It’s time to order plants for the summer!! Back by popular demand, the SiS Plant Sale. In addition to the assortment of previous years, we are offering TWO new items this year.
Flower Pouches: plastic vertical pouches planted with mixed impatiens or mixed pansies. ($22 each); and 12” Fiber Hanging baskets: lovely, large, dark brown pressed fiber baskets with a mixture of premium annual flowers, available in flower combinations for sun, shade or part sun. ($30 each - click here to see photos).
Orders are due by Monday, March 16.
Plant pick up day will be Saturday, May 2, from 1 – 3 pm at the church.
Feel free to share order forms with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and passersby.
Please contact Anne Bouchard with any questions.
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COMMUNITY YOGA AT LITTLE HOME CHURCH | |
Yoga classes have begun here at The Little Home Church in our Community House. These classes are open to the community and are designed to support both physical well-being and inner calm.
Traditional Hatha Yoga emphasizes breathwork (pranayama), gentle postures (asanas), relaxation, and moments of stillness (meditation). The classes offered at the Little Home Church focus on mindful, accessible movement that nurtures the body–mind connection. Whether practiced at a steady pace or with added support, participants are encouraged to leave each class feeling centered, balanced, and renewed.
Class Schedule—Tuesdays
—Hatha Yoga / Mat Practice, 9:30 to 10:30 am / A full, balanced mat practice at a steady and approachable pace.
—Gentle Yoga with Props, 11 am to12 pm / A slower-paced class using supportive props, including chairs, to make the practice accessible to all.
Students will be asked to sign a health waiver prior to participating. Please bring a yoga mat, and a blanket. The cost is $15 per class.
New to yoga or have questions? Contact Chris Lund at chris.lund75@icloud.com.
She would love to have more of us joining her. Either class is a great way to start!
Chris Lund has been teaching yoga in the Fox Valley since 2012 and brings a depth of experience and care to her instruction. She holds a 200-hour certification from Prairie Yoga in Lisle, Illinois, and completed 500 hours of advanced training at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.
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This last month has been filled with various functions and activities around the LHC campus and we are off to a wonderful start of 2026!
A couple of church members have asked about a proposed rental agreement for the use of the Community House. There has been a draft drawn up and it will be discussed at the next meeting and, hopefully ready to be presented at the upcoming congregational meeting.
A question also came up at the last SIS meeting regarding which committee will assume the responsibility of the cost of memorials held at the church. That will be brought before the Treasurer and Financial committee to be clarified on the proposed budget.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Suzy Moore, Member at Large
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Wednesdays, 10 am—In person & via Zoom
The Wednesday Bible Study Class is studying the book of Acts through Feb. 11. Beginning Feb. 18 and throughout Lent the group will study "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.
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Our Contemplative services for this month will be February 5 and 19 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.
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Click Here LHC Book Club—Via Zoom
Meets 2nd Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Next Meeting—February 12
The February selection is James by Percival Everett. A reimagining of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. The book follows Jim's quest for freedom after he learns he will be sold and separated from his family, leading to a journey down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn. The novel offers a new, nuanced portrayal of Jim, emphasizing his intelligence, literacy, and agency, while also re-examining the historical period through satire and a critical lens.
Click here to see the books chosen for 2026!
Click here for Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 891 0088 0154
password: bookclub
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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
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JFeb 3 - Debra Galloway, Mary Sterner
Feb 5 - Jen Haseltine
Feb 7 - Kay Kendall
Feb 9 - Gary Figurski
Feb 11 - Lewis Okey
Feb 13 - Carol Berger, Dan Reid, Maureen O'Donnell
Feb 14 - Leigh Bechet, Lori Prang, Connor Walsh
Feb 15 - Brian Martisauski
Feb 17 - Grace Bardsley
Feb 19 - Maizy Soukup
Feb 20 - Clara Brito
Feb 21 - Andrea Redmond
Feb 23 - Josh Winquist
Feb 24 - Gallagher Casey
Feb 26 - Frank Muno
Feb 27 - Jamie Casey, Beverly Miller
Feb 28 - Glen Galloway
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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.
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To those recently ill or hospitalized...
Joe Sterner, Kit DeWitt
Our sympathies to...
Barbara Lyon on the passing of her daughter Sydney Baldwin, 71 on January 20. Sydney suffered from ALS and died at home surrounded by family. Please keep Barbara and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
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Congratulations to...
Clara Shelton and Clarence Burton on the birth of Marcie Jane Hale Burton born on January 16. Proud grandparents are Jane and Time Shelton,
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Thank you for continuing to remember Little Home Church by the Wayside.
Your support is greatly needed and appreciated.
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| THANK YOU TO OUR CHURCH STAFF, COUNCIL, AND ALL VOLUNTEERS | | |
Pastor - Larry Dieffenbach
Director of Music - Grace Bardsley
Office Manager - Lori Prang
Organist/Pianist - Nick Metzger
BTW Editors and Graphic Design
Lori Prang and Kathleen Sullivan Kaska
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CHURCH COUNCIL
Moderator - Kit DeWitt
Moderator-elect - Samantha Prang
Christian Education - Emma Kaska
Congregational Life - Cris Kalomiris
Evangelism - Rose Mayer
Facilities - Brian Martisauski/Jan DeWitt
Outreach - Andrea Redmond & Mary Fleischmann
Stewardship - Emily Miller
Worship & Spiritual Growth - Greg Abell
Members at Large - Suzy Moore, Doug Kurtz
Financial Treasurer - Chip Braulick
Financial Secretary - Mary Harling
Clerk - Kristen Thornton
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