December 7 , 2017
Greetings!



Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund
The 2017 theme of the Christmas Fund is Shepherding the Light. The recipients of these gifts have faithfully served the church and are now in need. We invite you to shepherd God’s light and help support this year’s offering. On Sunday December 24, First Congregational Church will.. . to read on

Christmas Eve services
With Christmas Eve on a Sunday this year, it will be a full day: regular Sunday morning service at 10 am, early Christmas Eve service at 5:30 pm, and late service at 10:30 pm. See you there!
Music Opportunity
Christmas Eve Family Choir:  Let’s have a choir at the 5:30pm Christmas Eve service. Singers of all ages are welcome. A rehearsal will be scheduled based on the singers’ availability. Please contact Ryan Cox ryan@fcclg.org to join this merry band!
Audit Reports
For the first time since 1987 our church accounting was professionally audited. We came out looking good! If you would like to see the church audit reports please click here .
This Week:
Friday 12/8: OA at 9 am, Be Still and Know 12 Step at 4 pm, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 12/9: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am, Children's Musical Rehearsal at
10 am
Sunday 12/10: Adult Education-Creation and Birth Across World Cultures at 8:30 am, Worship at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, All Teams Meeting at 11:15 am , Yzals Meeting at 6:30 pm, OA at 7 pm
Monday 12/11: Tiny Toes Music at 4:30 pm, Hooks & Needles at 7:00 pm, AA for under 30s at 7 pm,
AA at 8 pm
Wednesday 12/13: Be Still and Know 12 Step at 4 pm, Tavern Table Talk at 6 pm (Palmer Place- 56 S. La Grange Rd.), Carillon Handbell Choir at 7:30 pm
Thursday 12/14: Chancel Choir at 7:30 pm
Friday 12/15: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 12/16: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am, Children's Musical Dress Rehearsal at 10 am
Sunday 12/17: Adult Education-Creation and Birth Across World Cultures at 8:30 am, Worship at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, Zackleys Meeting at 6:30 pm, OA at 7 pm
FCCLG Welcomes New Families!
We'd like to welcome new members to our church family:
     The Crumrine family comes to us from an affirmation of faith. Orin and Amy live in La Grange. They are parents of Osten and Asher.
     Kendra VanKempen comes to us from the Catholic faith. Peter Van Kempen comes to us from the Reformed Church of America. Kendra and Peter live in La Grange. They are parents to Cora.
     The Toman family comes to us from an affirmation of faith. Christine and Erik live in La Grange Park. They are parents to Leo.
Poinsettias
It’s time to order poinsettias to decorate our sanctuary for Advent! The cost is $13 per plant and you are welcome to take them home after Christmas Eve service. Place your order in the Drawing Room after worship, in the office during the week, or print an order form here ! The last day to order is December 13 th .
The Church Needs YOU!
We are in need of people to fill officer and committee positions on almost every committee. If you are interested in helping the church leadership, please see here for more info. or please contact Jill Tobin or JoAnne Konkle for more information on the openings. 
Volunteer Opportunity - Urgent! Nursery Shepherds needed!
Do you like to play Legos? Do you need help putting together an alphabet puzzle? Than we have the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! We need help making sure that the nursery ministry is fully staffed each Sunday morning! You'll get to play with our wonderful little ones AND build flying submarines with wheels! If your talents include driving toy cars, making voices for animals and you are safe church trained please sign up to help in the nursery. The sign up is in the Founders Room or you can contact Sylvia ( sylvia@fcclg.org ) with your Lego credentials!
Adult Education Opportunities
 Gather with us in the Drawing Room at 8:30 on Sunday Mornings for good coffee, engaging conversation, and challenging questions.
 
Creation and Birth Narratives in Diverse Cultures   -- Nov.26 – Dec. 17
A survey of creation and Birth narratives in faith traditions from around the globe. Materials will be available in class each week except December 17. See the note about that day.

December 10:  Consequences: Sin, Fear, Fire, Suffering.
December 17:  Creation (Episode 4) of Morgan Freeman's National Geographic Series The Story of
God. This can be borrowed from the Public Library System, purchased or streamed from Amazon, or
viewed on YouTube. Carly has a copy of the DVD for anyone who would like to get together and watch it
before the class.
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 will be on December 11th.
Tavern Table Talk
Here’s an opportunity to talk about faith in the real world. We’re taking conversations to the local tables in our community. We’ll ask questions and discuss our responses as Christians to issues of the day. Join us on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Palmer Place (56 S La Grange Rd), or on the Fourth Tuesday of each month at Wild Monk (88 S La Grange Rd). Both locations are accessible to all. All are welcome to join in on the conversation! Our next conversation will be on December 13th at Palmer Place!
Sunday School Sign-up for 2018
Superb! Amazing! Exciting! These are all words to describe our Sunday School experience! Want to get involved in this program? You're in luck! The Sunday School Teacher/Shepherd Sign-up is ready for your name! We have the most amazing children in our Sunday School and they need your help in learning the stories of the bible! So come on down to the Founders Room and sign up to help in our super amazing, full of fun and learning classrooms!!
Disclaimer: You must be Safe church trained to participate in said amazing, superb, exciting Sunday School rooms. But don't worry, we will have training again February 18th. Put it on your calendar!
Messy Church
Messy Church will be Sunday, January 7th at 4:30 pm. Our theme is Messy Communion. 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
Positively Green Team
First Congregational’s Positively Green Team is off to a running start! Seven people attended the initial meeting, and we have lots of ideas and a commitment to making a difference. We need you, too, if the environment is one of your interests. The next meeting will be Sunday, January 7 , following worship service. Please join us!  
Save the Date
The Women’s Retreat will be at Plymouth Place on February 3 rd , 2018 from 9:00 to 3:30 pm. More information to follow.
Missions Book Discussion Group
Calling all men and women of the church along with your friends and neighbors. Join us on February 5 at 7:30 pm for a discussion about "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Princeton University sociologist Matthew Desmond. Desmond follows eight racially diverse families in Milwaukee as they are swept up in the process of eviction. Winner of multiple awards including the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Award and the Heartland Award,."Evicted" can be found at the library, bookstores and, if you are lucky, under your Christmas tree.
Food Pantry
In December, we're collecting holiday meal fixings for the Second Baptist Food Pantry: canned sweet potatoes or yams, brown sugar, pecans, canned green beans, corn, or pumpkin, boxed stuffing mix, Jell-O, etc. As always, donations of any nonperishable food are appreciated.
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.
2017 Nationwide Vigils & Events to #End Gun Violence Vigil
When: Monday, December 11 at 7:00 pm at Congregational of St Joseph Chapel.
Location: 1515 Ogden Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526
Click here for the full flyer!


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.
Prayers for Jeffrey Arnold as he recovers from surgery.
Prayers for Charlene Tobin’s sister, Ardell Arthur, who needs healing and comfort.
Emil and Maria Balz.
Prayers for Bonnie Day’s granddaughter Ashley Albers who is dealing with health issues.
Karl Fresa at the loss of his brother.
Prayers for Barbara Hultman as she recovers from hip surgery.
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.
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.