January 10, 2019
Greetings!
This Week:
Pastor Carly is on vacation until January 18th. Please contact the office if you have a pastoral emergency.

Friday 1/11: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 1/12: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 1/13: Confirmation Class at 8:15 am, Worship at 10 am, Fellowship Hour and Town Hall Meeting at 11:15 am, All Teams Meeting at 11:15 am, Ring and Sing/Treble Choir at 11:15 am, Junior High Group Meeting at 6:30 pm, OA at 7 pm
Monday 1/14: AA at 7:30 pm
Wednesday 1/16: Be Still and Know 12 Step Meeting at 4 pm, Carillon Handbell Choir at 7:30 pm
Thursday 1/17: Chancel Choir Rehearsal at 7:30 pm
Friday 1/18: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7 pm
Saturday 1/19: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 1/20: Worship at 10 am, Congregational Meeting at 11:15 am, Ring and Sing/Treble Choir at 11:15 am, OA at 7 pm
Notice of Annual Meeting, Town Halls, Budget, and Annual Report
Our Annual Meeting will be held January 20th following worship. The full Annual Report and Budget is available for download . You should also have received an email with a link to the Report. There are a limited number of printed copies available in the office. The final Town Hall meeting to present and discuss the 2019 Budget will be January 13th in the Founders’ Room following worship. Please review the budget and accompanying introduction, and bring your questions, concerns, suggestions, and ideas to the town hall.
JR High Youth Group
The Junior High Youth Group meets on the second Sunday of the month from 6:30-8 pm in rooms 104/105. All 7th and 8th graders are invited for an evening of games, snacks, and more! Friends are welcome, too! Contact Nick Redmond if you have any questions. The next meeting is January 13 th .
Community Diversity Movie and Discussion
The Ministry of Missions invites you to the “Expanding Our Circle” movie and discussion series organized by The CommUNITY Diversity Group of La Grange. Join us to view The Long Shadow and learn more about the history of race relations in the US. The movie will be shown on January 11 th at 7 pm at the Lyons Township Performing Arts Center (4900 Willow Springs Rd, Western Springs, park in South Lot). Click here for more information about the movie, or here for more information about this and other movies in the series.
Food Pantry
For January, we would especially appreciate donations of oatmeal, pasta, and crackers. Donations of any nonperishable food items will be gratefully accepted.
Hooks and Needles
As the new year begins, the Hooks and Needles group is embarking on a new mission. In addition to the prayer shawls and baby blankets that we make for the church, we will also make baby layette items such as blankets and newborn hats for Pillars Community Health in La Grange for the moms in their health system. If anyone would like to make items for this cause, whether or not you can make it to the 2nd & 4th Monday get-togethers at the church, we would be delighted to pick up your crocheted or knitted items! Hooks & Needles will meet next on January 14 th at 7 pm in the Family Room off the Chapel. Contact Claudia Byrne at 708-205-1409 or email her if you have questions or would like a pick-up. Thank you!
Galaxy Theater Auditions
The conveniently located Galaxy Theater Company will be auditioning for Twelve Angry Jurors starting Monday, January 14. Casting is looking for thirteen parts - all genders, ages 18+. The director is Carla Alcorn. If you are thinking about coming out for this awesome show, here are some important dates:
           Auditions: January 14 & 15, 7:30-9 pm. Callbacks are January 16, 7:30-9pm
           Auditions, rehearsals, and performances are held here at FCCLG in the Dining Room
           Show dates: March 29, 30, 31 and April 5-6
Green Team News
Annual Recycling Check-Up
Recycling can be confusing - it can even be a little tricky for the experts to keep up. Visit the Illinois EPA website for their interactive Online Curbside Recycling Guide for lists of items that can and can’t go in your curbside bin. Scarce.org has a crash course in what holiday items you can and can't recycle.

Microfibers Part 2
A couple of Tidings ago, we learned that synthetic fabrics like nylon, acrylic, and polyester (the fleece and yoga pants we love) shed millions of microfibers when they are washed. The microfibers travel through our waterways, polluting shorelines and being consumed by fish and other wildlife. What can an individual do? Here are a few suggestions:
  1. Buy clothes made from natural fibers.
  2. Use liquid laundry soap instead of powder. Laundry powder scrubs and loosens more microfibers.
  3. Use the coldest wash setting you can. Higher temperatures release more fibers.
  4. Wash synthetic clothes less frequently and for a shorter duration.
  5. Buy a Guppy Friend wash bag, which traps the fibers.
These suggestions and more can be found at the Plastic Pollution Coalition's website .

Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls believes everyone around the world deserves a good pair of shoes. Drop off your gently used shoes, rubber banded together, in the box provided at the Sixth Avenue entrance. Your donation will be shipped to needy souls in developing countries.

Holiday Lights Recycling
Recycle any unwanted Holiday Lights until January 13 at these locations:
La Grange Village Hall, Police Dep’t., Public Library, Stone Ave & La Grange Road stations, La Grange Park Village Hall.

Wine Corks Recycling
Deposit your natural wine corks in the red box provided in the Styrofoam collection closet at the bottom of the stairs by the Sixth Ave/Parking Lot entrance. This natural cork is repurposed to make surfboards, footwear and insoles and helps provide a living to the workers.
Crockpot Sunday
Join us immediately following worship on January 27th in the Dining Room to share a meal and welcome the New Year! The Ministry of Nurture will provide bread & butter, desserts, and beverages. You are invited to bring a crock pot creations, side dish, or salad to share. Or just bring yourself and enjoy this special coffee hour.
Green Team Meeting
The next meeting of the Green Team will be Sunday, January 27, at 11:15 in the Drawing Room. Anyone with an interest in the environment is welcome to attend.
Evening Book Club
We will meet January 31 st at 7:30 in the Chapel conference room. Our original book choice, Educated , has been put on hold as there are hundreds of people on the wait list. Instead, we will read The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, an award-winning mystery-thriller and book club favorite that will keep you mesmerized to the end.
All-Ages Choir on February 3 rd
We will celebrate the wonders of God's work in our world and communion. Music for this service will be rehearsed on Saturday 2/2 from 10-11am in the choir room. All singers 3rd grade and up are welcome. Singing parents are welcome to bring younger children to the rehearsal. Our little ones will add rhythm and hand claps to the festivities. Please sign-up with Ryan .
C an’t Get To Sunday Services?  
You can watch them live on Sunday at 10 a.m. on the web.  Click here   to see Sunday worship streamed live and to view past worship services as well.  Or follow these instructions on how to watch through your Roku Device. Contact the church office to have the worship bulletin emailed to you on Fridays. This ministry is brought to you by the estate of Ginny Palansky, and maintained by your gifts, offerings, and pledges.
Attracting Friends Retaining Members Nurturing Spirits 
Developing Partners
Give to FCCLG when you shop on Amazon! Click the logo for our Amazon Smile page.
  Prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God. Please lift these friends, family, and members in your prayers.
Emil Balz.
Jameson Hogan.
Tom Pitman, doing rehab in Oak Park.
The family and friends of Jeff Berman, Carol Berman’s son.
Prayers for Jim and Vi Clayton.
Audrey Johnson, a friend of Saturday Meals Program.
The Maley family.
Prayers for Margaret Melkonian.
Janet Roman.
Fred and Vera Weiss.
Brian White, who awaits healing.
Our sister congregations in Downers Grove and Waukegan.
The people of Indonesia.
Those killed, the injured, and their families in acts of violence.
Those at the border.
Those living in fear and without hope, and those who use fear to control others.

If you would like to send your thoughts and prayers to someone listed above, please use one of the Touch Cards in your pew. Place the completed card in the offering plate and the office will address and mail it. Thank you for reaching out to others. We encourage you to let us know if you or someone you know is hospitalized or receiving medical treatment. Due to HIPAA privacy laws, we are not notified by hospitals or doctors. If you know someone who would like a visit from the church, please advise the minister or the office.