January 4 , 2018
Greetings!
This Week:
Friday 1/5: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 1/6: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 1/7: Worship at 10 am, Positively Green Team meeting at 11:15 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, Messy Church at 4:30 pm, OA at 7 pm
Monday 1/8: Hooks & Needles at 7 pm, AA for under 30s at 7 pm, AA at 8 pm
Wednesday 1/10: Be Still and Know 12 Step at 4 pm, Carillon Handbell Choir at 7:30 pm
Thursday 1/11: Chancel Choir at 7:30 pm
Friday 1/12: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 1/13: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 1/14: 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
Thank you
To everyone who donated Santa bags, gift cards, & other items to give to the guests of our Saturday Meals Program, thank you. The hats, scarves, undies, socks, personal products, & snack items were warmly received. Every guest received a bag and we even had enough that we sent a bag for each woman who is currently a resident of Constance Morris. You were able to make many people very happy. We hope your Christmas was filled with blessings! JoAnne Konkle, Volunteer Coordinator for SMP
Our Christmas Meal is a very joyous occasion and this year, Jim Peterik of the Ides of March was able to join us.
Can’t Get To Sunday Services?  
You can watch them live Sundays at 10 a.m. on the web.  Click on the link  to go to see Sunday worship streamed live and past worship services are also available. This ministry is brought to you by the estate of Ginny Palansky, and maintained by your gifts, offerings, and pledges.    Https://livestream.com/fcclg/worship
Winter Warriors
Do you ever wonder how the church entries, sidewalks, and parking lot are kept clear of snow? 

A.     The new glycol snow-melt system that was funded by the church's budget surplus
B.     Magical elves
C.     It doesn't really get cold enough to snow in La Grange
D.     None of the above 

Yes, D is the correct answer. The snow is cleared and entries salted from a pool of just eight volunteers who make time amid their full-time jobs, parenting, and/or other responsibilities in the community. Typically, only two are able to come out any given snowfall. If you think you're up to helping out occasionally, please contact Erik Sander 708-557-4859 to be added to the snow-alert text distribution list. Full article.
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!
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!
Annual Meeting, Town Halls, Budget, and Annual Reports   
Our Annual Meeting will be held January 21 following worship. On January 2, the proposed budget will be sent to all members as either email or US Mail (according to how you receive the Tidings). Shortly after, the full Annual Report will be available for download. Watch the Sunday bulletins, your email and your mail box for more information.
There will be two Town Hall meetings to present and discuss the 2018 Budget. Please review the budget and accompanying introduction and plan to bring your questions, concerns, suggestions, and ideas to these meetings. 
  •        January 7 in the Founders’ Room following worship
  •        January 14 in the Founders’ Room following worship
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!  
Hooks and Needles
Our next scheduled meeting will be on Monday, January 8 . We meet every Monday except for the first Monday of the month. Feel free to drop in anytime and join us at 7 pm in the family room off the Chapel. Because of winter weather cancellations, please call Linda Lauterbach (352-5332) or email ( lslauterbach@gmail.com)  to confirm we are meeting. Winter is a great time for charity knitting!
Guatemala/Adult Education
Join us in the Founders' Room on January 28 at 8:30 am to learn about our work in Guatemala with Common Hope's Western Springs Vision Team. We will show pictures of us building a house for Francisca Hernandez Lopez and her family. She had worked 100 hours at Common Hope to earn her new home. Learn about life in Guatemala by taking part in a Privilege Walk. - Linda and Dick Lauterbach
Potluck Sunday Luncheon
To welcome the New Year, please join us immediately following worship on January 28 in the dining room to share a meal and fellowship! The Ministry of Nurture will provide bread & butter, plates, utensils, and beverages. If you are able, you are invited to bring a crock pot creation or dish of your choice to add to the spread. Or just bring yourself and enjoy this special version of coffee hour.
Women’s Mid-Winter Retreat
We have put away the lights and decorations of Christmas. We’ve put away the tunes and songs of joy. We have reached a quiet time, not the reflective time of Lent. The time when new life is known to be coming, but before it is stirring in the womb. A time when a woman knows she has another life within her, but has not felt it move. We feel the hope... but are still afraid. Join us, as we explore hope, as it waits to be born.
The Women’s Retreat will be held at Plymouth Place on February 3 rd , 2018 from 9:00 to 3:30 pm.
Missions Book Discussion Group
Evicted by Matthew Desmond made Bill Gates' list of 5 books you should read right now. "If you want a good understanding of how the issues that cause poverty are intertwined, you should read this book about the eviction crisis in Milwaukee. Desmond has written a brilliant portrait of Americans living in poverty. He gave me a better sense of what it is like to be poor in this country than anything else I have read." Join us on February 5th at 7:30 in the drawing room for our discussion of this important book.
All Teams Retreat
When: February 11 th from 11:30 to 3:00pm
Where: Founders’ Room
Food Pantry
In this bleak midwinter month of January, please consider helping to fill the collection baskets for the Second Baptist Food Pantry outside the chapel and sanctuary. We would especially appreciate donations of oatmeal, soups, and stews. As always, donations of any nonperishable food items will be gratefully accepted.


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  Prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God. Please lift these friends, family, and members in your prayers.
Emil and Maria Balz.
Fred Bell, who is recovering from leukemia.
Bonnie Day’s granddaughter Ashley Albers is regaining her health & thanks you for prayers.
The family and friends of Marjorie Duhatschek, who died on December 28 th .
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.
Renee Meier, who is dealing with cancer.
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.
Prayers for Steve Roper, as he recovers from open heart surgery.
Prayers for Mike Tobin as he faces surgery.
Nancy Coleman’s friend Sharon Veltre, who continues to fight her battle against cancer.
Prayers for Vera Weiss, who has pneumonia and other challenges along with cancer.
Those living in fear and without hope, and those who use fear to control others.