September 28 , 2017
Greetings!

You are Invited to engage in this powerful learning experience!
Strengthening Spiritual Alignment: Making Worship Dangerous Again  
 
These leaders are at the forefront church revitalization and renewal – and are the keynoters of the upcoming Symposium hosted at Our Church!
 
How can we maximize every minute of our time gathered in public worship? How can we stimulate curiosity, eliminate boredom, intensify focus, clarify message and purpose, invite commitment, replace wasted moments with worthwhile moments, and enrich the worship experience?
 
Friday, October 27 from 7 - 9 pm
Saturday, October 28 from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

For more information click here
This Week:
Friday 9/29: OA at 9 am, Be Still and Know 12 Step at 4 pm, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 9/30: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 10/1: Sunday Morning Talks: Christians and the Environment at 8:30 am, World Wide Communion Sunday at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, Ring & Sing / Treble Choir at 11:15 am,
Messy Church at 4:30 pm , OA at 7 pm
Monday 10/2: Tiny Toes Music at 4:30 pm, AA for under 30s at 7 pm, AA at 8 pm
Tuesday 10/3: Carillon Handbell Choir at 7:30 pm
Wednesday 10/4: Chancel Choir at 7:30 pm
Thursday 10/5: Tiny Toes Music at 10:00 am
Friday 10/6: OA at 9 am, Be Still and Know 12 Step at 4 pm, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 10/7: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 10/8: Sunday Morning Talks: Christians and the Environment at 8:30 am, Worship at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, All Teams Meeting and New Members at 11:15 am, Belonging: Exploring Membership Part A at 11:15 am, Ring & Sing / Treble Choir at 11:15 am, Yzals Meeting at 6:30 pm,
OA at 7 pm
Disaster Relief
To aid victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the earthquakes in Mexico, click here
To donate by mail, make checks payable to United Church of Christ. Mail to: United Church of Christ c/o Financial Services, 700 Prospect Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100.
100% of funds to the United Church of Christ designated for U.S. disaster relief are used for disaster relief and rehabilitation programming within the United States.
Can’t go on Back Bay Mission Trip, but you’d like to help?
When you make a gift to Back Bay Mission, you give people a place of extravagant welcome. You meet the immediate needs of low-income and homeless people, like showers and clean clothes. You also help people by connecting them to employment and housing services. Click here to see the Micah Day Center wish list of needed items. Bring donations to the office by Oct. 8 th .
October 15th means CROP Hunger Walk
Our church will again be the hosting the CROP Hunger Walk on October 15 at 12:30 pm . The route is approximately 3 miles long and will loop back to our church. You can help by walking and collecting donations, donating, or hosting the event. Stop by the table at coffee hour for details. The website for the event is  here.
Craft Fair 2017
October 21st is the Church Craft Fair from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Check out the FCCLG website to become a volunteer or sign up for a table. Call Dave Bryant at 708-352-3034 for more details. Click here for the flyer!
Trivia Night
Another fun night of testing your knowledge of all topics at the 3 rd FCCLG Trivia Night. Join us on November 4 th at 7pm in the Dining Room for trivia, puzzles, raffles, and prizes. You may register ($20 per person paid at the door) as a team of up to 10, or solo to be joined with others. Please contact Mike Ries at 708-308-0426 or email to reserve your spot.
Concerned About the Environment?
FCCLG is exploring interest in starting a Green Team, and we need you and your ideas! An organizational meeting will be held in the fall. Watch this space for more information.
Music Opportunities
Songs for the Spirit
Ryan Cox and Jeffrey Arnold will present a recital of spiritual music on November 5 at 2pm in the sanctuary. The first half will be Psalm settings, powerful prayers in Hebrew and French, and songs of comfort by Schubert, Brahms and Strauss. The second half will partner the Biblical Songs of Antonin Dvorak, sung in Czech, with spirituals arranged by Henry Thacker “Harry” Burleigh. There are no tickets; a free-will offering will be taken.

Chicago A Cappella
Hear Ryan Cox sing with the acclaimed vocal ensemble Chicago a Cappella. We will delve into the rich diversity of Jewish composers at their season-opening concerts Funny, That Doesn’t Sound Jewish . The program features works by Salamone Rossi, Mendelssohn, Bernstein, Irving Berlin, and Chicago-area composers including Max Janowski and Stacy Garrop. To read on click here !
For tickets and information, visit www.chicagoacappella.org or call (773) 281-7820.
FCCLG Christmas Service Survey
Let us know what you think! Please go to this link and take a quick one question survey!
Hooks and Needles
We make prayer shawls, baby blankets and pocket prayer squares for members of the congregation. We also donate to organizations like Project Linus. Meetings are Mondays, except for the first Monday of the month, at 7 pm in the Family Room off the Chapel. Coming every Monday is not required, we do a lot of our stitching at home. Please email Linda Lauterbach for the door code. Our next gathering on October 9th.
Messy Church
Messy Church will be this Sunday, October 1st at 4:30 pm. Our theme is Who is the Holy Spirit? Come and have a great time and grow in faith and in your love of others on the journey. Click here for flyer. We need volunteers!
4:30-5:15pm: Crafts and Stories
5:15-5:30pm: Celebration
5:30-6:00: Dinner
Neighbors In Need Offering
This Sunday, October 1, 2017 , there will be a special offering to support our Neighbors in Need. This annual offering by the UCC goes to support the ministries of justice and compassion throughout the USA. 
For more information, or to make an online contribution, please visit ucc.org/nin .
Volunteer Opportunity
We are seeking interested individuals in assisting with the church service. We would like any adults who love children to sign up to provide the weekly children’s sermon. You can be added to a monthly rotation or just do it once. The children thank you in advance for your participation! Contact the church office or let Deb Gardiner-Zigulich know of your interest.
Prayers to End Domestic Violence
The Domestic Violence ministries of St. Cletus, St. Francis Xavier, and St. John of the Cross parishes invite you to join us in an ecumenical prayer service for victims and families who have been impacted by domestic abuse. The service will be held Tuesday, Oct 3 at 7:00pm in St. Francis Xavier Church. All are welcome.
Congratulations!
Congrats to Heather Leininger for receiving the Adult Volunteer Award from the LeaderShop!
Give back to FCCLG when you shop on Amazon! Click here
  Prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God. Please lift these friends, family, and members in your prayers.
Ojo Adedji, seeking asylum in the U.S., whose hearing date has been postponed to October.

Emil and Maria Balz.

Prayers for the Biegert Family as they mourn the death of Evelyn’s sister Phyllis Langhofer.

The family and friends of Renee Bryant’s friend Melissa, who passed away.

Prayers for Bonnie Day’s granddaughter Ashley Albers who is dealing with health issues.

Dave King who died on September 17th from West Nile Encephalitis surrounded by family who thank us for our prayers.

Genesis Matthiesen’s friend Vincent Franco, who has lost his way.

Adrienne O’Toole, as she heals after having a liver transplant.

Petra Palmer’s granddaughter’s friend Summer who is having chemotherapy for leukemia.

Prayers for Tom Pitman, who is living with cancer.

Erik Sander and family, whose mother died unexpectedly August 24 th .

Nancy Coleman’s friend Sharon Veltre, who continues to fight her battle against cancer.

Prayers for Vera Weiss who is living with cancer.

Those living in fear and without hope, and those who use fear to control others.

The victims of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and the earthquakes in Mexico.