Little Home Church by the Wayside / UCC | |
By the Way | OCTOBER 2025
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'Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.'
Philippians 3:13-14
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It is the first day of Autumn, I love this time of year. The tree in my front yard has already turned colors and on my drive to church there is a heightened awareness of the upcoming change of seasons. Autumn is a time of great beauty and a time to prepare for Winter. A time to tie up loose ends.
“Loose ends” literally means the ends of a rope, string, or cable that need to be attached. Most likely the term and the longer expression “tying up loose ends” come from nautical origins. When a sailing crew needs to prepare their boat for departure, they have many things to do—one is making sure to tie any untied ropes on board the ship.
Employees at a company might talk about tying up some loose ends of a work project. In this context, they mean that there are some final details about a project that they must work on before the project is fully finished.
Loose ends can be annoying and worrisome. The “Zeigarnik effect” is when people remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks. Unfinished projects, intentions, and tasks may weigh on our minds until we close the loop. Closing the loop happens when we either complete or end them.
I’m sure we all have some of these loose ends in our personal lives that we need to close or end. Maybe this seasonal transition is a good time to do it.
We also have some here at Little Home Church and our council and committees work hard to do that. We just celebrated Rally Day and had a great sign-up response. If you did not sign up for a ministry, you still can, just let me or a ministry chairman know where you want to help. You can reach out to them through this newsletter.
Here is a partial list:
- Community House
- Help on the Fall Stewardship Campaign
- Fill out the endowment survey
- Help Emma in Sunday School
- Be part of Congregational Care
- Help out on an Outreach Program (Exodus, Soup Kettle, Naomi’s House)
The tasks are many but as the saying goes “Many hands, light work.”
Grace & Peace
Pastor Larry Dieffenbach
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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
Contemplative Services—Thursday, Oct. 2, 8 am & 7 pm
Sisters in Spirit Craft Work Day—Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 am
New Member Sunday—Sunday, Oct. 5 & 12
A Book & A Prayer Book Club—Thursday, Oct. 9, 7 pm via Zoom
Men of LHC Monthly Breakfast Meeting—Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:30 am
Neighbors in Need Special Offering—Sunday, Oct. 12
Contemplative Service—Thursday, Oct. 16, 8 am & 7 pm
Wayne Garden Club Creepy Crawlie Presentation—Thursday, Oct. 16, 6:30 pm
By the Way Submission Deadline—Friday, Oct 17
Congregational Care Training—Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 am - 3 pm
Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteer Session—Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 am - Noon
Naomi's House Bag Assembly—Sunday, Oct. 19, after worship
CROP Walk—Sunday, Oct. 19, 1 pm
Elgin Cooperative Ministries Soup Kettle Kitchen—Sunday, Oct. 19, 4 - 6 pm
Church Council Meeting—Tuesday, Oct. 21, 6 pm
Confirmation Class—Friday, Oct. 24, 4:30 - 6 pm & Saturday, Oct 25. 1 - 2:30 pm
Movie Night—Friday, Oct. 24, 7 pm
Trunk or Treat—Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 - 5 pm
TPIRC Education Summit—Oct. 31 - Nov. 1
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm—630.584.4013
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"New Season, New Energy"
Friends,
This past month has been such a joyful reminder of the life and energy we share at LHC. Our church continues to grow in spirit and connection, and it was a gift to celebrate three of our dear members reaching their 90s. What a blessing to have such wisdom, faith, and history in our midst. Moments like these remind me that our church is not only thriving, but also deeply rooted in love and longevity.
As we move into fall, I’m struck by how this season mirrors our life together. Just as the air turns crisp and the colors around us grow vibrant, our church is filled with fresh energy and new opportunities to grow in faith and community. Autumn invites us to gather, to give thanks, and to celebrate all the ways God is at work among us.
Serving as moderator continues to be one of the brightest spots in my life, and I am grateful for each of you who make LHC such a warm and welcoming place. I look forward to all this season holds for us.
Gratefully yours,
Kit DeWitt, Moderator
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“My Symphony”
This month I offer a poem written by William Henry Channing (1810-1884). Channing was a clergyman, philosopher and writer. Born in Boston, he was largely supported by his uncle—the famous Unitarian theologian, William Ellery Channing—when his father died shorty after William’s birth. He graduated from Harvard and served at Unitarian churches in New York, Ohio, Washington, D.C., and England before becoming chaplain of the U.S. Congress. A strong supporter of women’s rights (Susan B. Anthony was a member of his congregation in Rochester, New York), and an avid socialist, William was a close friend of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
My Symphony
By
William Henry Channing
To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
And refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy not respectable,
And wealthy not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,
Act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,
And sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,
To all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,
Grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.
Your fellow traveller on this journey called life,
With love and gratitude,
Grace Bardsley, Director of Music
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A Wayne Community Event
Sunday, October 26, 3 to 5 pm
We once again are joining forces with the Wayne School PTO, Wayne Residents Committee,
and the Wayne Police to give area children a safe Trick or Treating experience.
Decorated car trunks will line up along School Street and around Army Trail Road
in front of the church.
Volunteer to decorate your trunk in a fun Halloween theme (look online for ideas)
and distribute candy to the trick or treaters.
Sign Up Here
Volunteers are also needed in the Parish Hall during the event with pizza, snacks and drinks.
We'll also take donations of Halloween candy!
There will be a sign up sheet in the Parish Hall.
We're excited to play a continued role in what has become a fun, family-friendly community event!
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The Neighbors in Need offering is one of the UCC’s special yearly offerings, which we will receive on October 12. It supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Love of Church Unit to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. Through the national Love of Church Unit, you can find 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), the Love of Church Unit 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 other UCC congregations in the U.S.
Look for the special offering envelope in your bulletin on Sunday, October 12 and we are grateful for your support of Neighbors in Need.
For more information check out ucc.org/nin
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For a change of pace this month, I suggest that in October during Fellowship you sit and talk to someone different each week. There are so many wonderful people to meet and so many interesting stories to hear. As always, be aware of any new visitors to our church and invite them to join us. Make them feel welcomed!
Rose Mayer
Evangelism Ministry Chair
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If you couldn’t be in church on Sunday, September 21, please take the time to watch the service online. Rev. Jeffrey Phillips, introduced the Congregational Care Program. The training will be on Saturday, October 18, from 9 am to 1pm in the Parish Hall. You can come to the training and not commit to being a Congregational Care Minister. The training will be recorded for those who can’t attend in person.
Please fill out the survey attached to this article if you are interested.
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Gather, Grow, Give
This year, our Stewardship focus is Gather, Grow, Give—a call to live out our faith together, strengthen our community, and support the mission of Little Home Church.
Gather
Faith is not a solitary path. God calls us into community, to walk with one another as siblings in Christ. Together, we worship, serve, and support each other, embodying the truth that “we are not alone; we live in God’s wonderful world.”
Grow
As we gather, we also grow—spiritually, relationally, and in our outreach. Our shared time, talents, and willingness to serve help us live out God’s vision and expand our ministry to others in need.
Give
Giving is how we turn faith into action. God’s call to generosity inspires us to share our resources, making possible the ministries and programs that serve our members and community. Your financial commitments and gifts sustain the work we imagine and build together.
You will soon receive a Stewardship letter and pledge card. Your support provides the largest share of our church’s resources, and every gift matters. Please join us in Gathering, Growing, and Giving together.
Stewardship Sunday is November 9.
We thank you for your thoughtful support,
With gratitude,
Emily Miller, Stewardship Chair
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Thanks to all who signed up to be part of the Congregational Life Ministry for this upcoming year. We have a great roster of volunteers who are busy planning social events, church related dinners and other opportunities to connect, become better acquainted, have thoughtful conversations and have some fun. We are planning a movie night with dessert & coffee and thoughtful conversations afterwards in October.
Congregational Life started planning for the Advent Tea to be held on Saturday, December 6. Ladies, please save the date!
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Our first movie night will be held Friday, October 24 at 7 pm. We will be showing a movie classic from 1947 'Gentlemen's Agreement' with Gregory Peck. It won three Academy Awards including Best Picture.
When journalist Phil Green (Gregory Peck) moves to New York City, he takes on a high-profile magazine assignment about anti-Semitism. In order to truly view things from an empathetic perspective, he pretends to be Jewish and begins to experience many forms of bigotry, both firsthand and through a Jewish friend, Dave Goldman (John Garfield). Phil soon falls in love with beautiful Kathy Lacy (Dorothy McGuire), but their relationship is complicated by his unusual endeavor.
Feel free to bring your own movie snacks and drinks. We'll serve coffee and cake afterwards.
Contact me with any questions.
Cris Kalomiris, Congregational Life Chair
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Doug Kurtz and I recently had the opportunity to introduce ourselves at the Rally Day worship service with Doug explaining our role on the council.
Several members agreed that a name change would help clarify the position and the majority expressed the preference of “Congregational Advocate.” The next step is to double check with the church bylaws to make sure the change can take place.
The acoustics of the new building was brought up to several Council members and a committee will look into the possibilities and report back when there are specific choices as to the best way to proceed.
If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to bring them to Doug or my attention so we can make our Church Council aware.
Respectfully,
Suzy Moore & Doug Kurtz
Members-at-Large
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Our monthly volunteer commitment to the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva continues on the third Saturday of each month. The next session will be October 18 from 9 am - Noon and there still are open slots. The tasks vary from month to month. There are sign up sheets in the Parish Hall or reach out to the Church Office
Please lets continue to do our small part to battle food scarcity!
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During the month of October, we will again be asking our community to donate items needed to put together 100 outreach bags for Naomi’s House. If you recall, this organization serves those involved in human trafficking here in DuPage County. Volunteers from Naomi's House go out into the community to offer these bags to those in need and let them know what services are available to them. We are seeking 100 of each of the 19 items to be added to each bag.
On Sunday, October 19, the bags will be assembled in the parish hall after the church service so please come to help with the assembling. Cash donations will also be accepted and will be used to purchase any needed items.
Click on the link below to sign up for the items you might be able to donate. We are not asking you to donate 100 of any particular item. Donate what you can. Purchases can be dropped off at the church office but please notate on the online list what purchases are being donated, so that we don't duplicate efforts.
Your generosity and commitment is appreciated.
Please contact us with any questions, or the Church Office
Andrea Redmond/Mary Fleishmann
Outreach Ministry Chairs
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You have now received the Little Home Church Planned Giving Program Survey that we announced in September’s By-the-Way. We strongly encourage each adult member of Little Home Church to complete and return the survey, and although it would be helpful if you provide your name, it is optional, what matters most is getting a high percentage of completed surveys returned. Your input will assist the Endowment Committee to build our programs around these results and your needs.
According to a 2024 study, only 32% of Americans have a will, marking a 6% decline from the previous year. This leaves nearly two-thirds of the adult population without a will with the reasons including procrastination, a perceived lack of sufficient assets, uncertainty about the process, and cost. While a majority (64%) believe a will is important, they often fail to act on it. Every adult needs a will! Young or old, married, or single, with or without children, whether you have vast riches or few assets, you have the opportunity to determine to whom your God-given possessions will be distributed after your death. Where minor or dependent children survive, you can name their guardian and appoint a trustee of any property they receive from your estate.
Thank you and looking forward to a great return of completed surveys.
The Endowment Committee
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As a first-time event, the mini plant sale (during the Rummage Sale) was a success, bringing in almost $200. SiS members will dedicate those proceeds to a specific need at our October meeting.
Production is underway for the Symbols of the Season event scheduled for Friday and Saturday, November 14 & 15. Homemade crafts, baked goods and other homemade items will be available for purchase. The next workday for finishing these items will be on Saturday, October 4 from 9 to11:30 am in the Parish Hall.
The next SiS general meeting will be held on Saturday, October 11, 9 am. All are welcome!
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SYMBOLS OF THE SEASON HOLIDAY SALE | | | |
SAVE THE DATES...
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Join us for our annual Symbols of the Season Sale!
Naughty or nice...there will be something for everyone on your list!
Here's how you can help make this sale a success:
- Share the dates of the sale with your family and friends
- Help craft items on Oct. 4, 9 to 11:30 am
- Supply items for crafting, specifically looking for wine corks
- Shop the sale and bring a friend or 12 on Nov. 14 and 15!
With the harvest season for fruits and vegetables upon us it's time to be thinking about canning and freezing your favorite delectables to offer at the sale. Food items are very popular and see well, especially jams, candy, pies, breads and specialty items. We welcome all of your favorite recipes. If you like to bring a perishable item or have questions, please contact Carol Berger.
Crafters gotta craft!
We're in the home stretch! Our next work day is Saturday, October 4, 9:30 to 11 am in the Parish Hall, crafters of any or no skill level join us to help assemble the goods. Bring any supplies you might need, or just come to help out. Bring in prepared or nearly completed items for sale. We will also be discussing sale logistics. Come one, come all!
Contact Candy Boulay or Jane Shelton with any questions.
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Joyfully Winding Down
A final few loose ends are being tied up to complete the Community House construction. We are also awaiting necessary documents from Loberg Construction and a final signoff from architect Bret Mitchell.
In the meantime, the new sign is IN and LOOKING GREAT! Many thanks to Carol Berger for this beautiful gift and the sign company Mark Your Space in Bartlett.
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These Shoes Are Made
for Walking
Lace up your Keds and get ready to walk against hunger! Once again Little Home Church will be sponsoring the Northwest DuPage United CROP Hunger Walk, on Sunday, October 19. This is an annual interfaith community event sponsored by Church World Service (CWS) to raise money to help end hunger around the world.
The prolonged wars and numerous conflicts around the world continue to contribute to a global food crisis. Here at home, we need look no further than our monthly volunteer work for the Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Soup Kettle to know that hunger is also a threat to neighbors in our community.
From its birth in 1969, CWS-sponsored CROP Hunger Walks have grown to include walkers of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds in more than 500 communities throughout the U.S. The CROP Hunger Walk is the only nationwide walk that addresses hunger both locally and globally. The funds we raise will feed the hungry through life-saving emergency food, as well as the seeds, tools and programs that will help families feed themselves in the future.
This year’s walk will again take place at the DuPage Forest Preserve Dunham Trail, down the road from the church. In addition to LHC, several local churches are also participating and we are spreading the word to other community groups. We set a goal of $500 for our LHC team. Here is the link for the LHC page:
Team Little Home Church - CROP Walk
Registration will begin at 1 pm in the Parish Hall, followed by a brief service in the sanctuary, and off we go. We will offer water and light snacks (e.g., protein bars, fruit). We need 5-6 volunteers to help with the signage, set up, and registration on the 19th. Please contact Anne Bouchard if you are interested in walking or helping!
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Wednesdays, 10 am—In person & via Zoom
The Wednesday Bible Study Class is studying the book book of Acts. 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 will resume on Thursday, October 2 at either 8 am or 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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HEEBIE-JEEBIES & CREEPY CRAWLIES | |
The Wayne Countryside Garden Club invites you to their special presentation on creepy crawlies on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 6:30 pm. Kim White, The Natural Naturalist brings some of her favorite creepy crawlies, from spiders, snakes and even bats...to show us that they're not something to be feared! It will be held here at Little Home Church.
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LHC Book Club—Via Zoom
Meets 2nd Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Next Meeting—October 9
The October selection is A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power. From the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people to the bleak and brutal Indian boarding schools, A Council of Dolls is the story of three women, told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried. A modern masterpiece, A Council of Dolls is gorgeous, quietly devastating, and ultimately hopeful, shining a light on the echoing damage of Indian boarding schools, and the historical massacres of Indigenous people.
Click here to see the remaining books chosen for 2025.
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
Homepage: littlehomechurch.org
Email: info@littlehomechurch.org
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Oct 2 — Nancy Alex
Oct 4 — Chip Braulick
Oct 6 — Judy Britt
Oct 8 — Monica Thornton
Oct 19 — Pete Connolly
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Oct 20 — Michael Prang
Oct 24 — Steve Anhalt
Oct 26 — Denise Figurski, Sydney Neukirch
Oct 28 — Heath Neukirch
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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 this spring 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
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Our Congratulations...
To Little Home Church members, Cobey Bienert and Katelyn DeAlmeida on their recent marriage. The wedding took place here on September 20 with a reception in the Community House.
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Our heartfelt thanks to Fireplace Chimney Authority. The owner was driving by one day and noticed the chimney on the sanctuary did not have a cap on it. He called and offered to measure and install one for free! We were happy to take him up on this incredibly generous offer.
Please consider using them for all your fireplace needs or questions. An added bonus...it's good luck to shake hands with a chimney sweep!
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We'd also like to thank Abbott Tree Care Professionals. For the past many, many years they have provided weekly lawn cutting service to Little Home Church, saving us money and time. We are grateful for their continued generosity.
Please reach out to them for any landscape or tree care services you might need.
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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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