LHC
By the Way...
JULY 2019
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PASTOR'S MESSAGE
REV. RICHARD E. MALMBERG
Friends,
Last month our denomination, The United Church of Christ gathered in Milwaukee for our biennial General Synod. The keynote speaker was
Matthew Desmond
, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
. Our denomination has proposed Desmond’s book as a 'Whole Church Read.' Anyone interested is encouraged to read the book and gather with other members of Little Home Church for discussion. In this way, we join with our sisters and brothers of the wider church considering a matter of growing concern.
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Desmond, a professor of sociology at Princeton University spoke last September at the Chicago Humanities Festival, where he was presented with an award for excellence in non-fiction writing by
The Chicago Tribune
. Tribune’s publisher and editor in chief, Bruce Dold interviewed Desmond before a live audience at the festival. The entire 50-minute interview was recorded on video and can be found online.
CLICK FOR VIDEO
.
The interview gives a sense of the scope of the eviction problem, as well as the evenhandedness with which Matthew Desmond explores the subject. I hope many of you will take time over the summer to read the book, then come and join the discussion. We will gather in the Parish Hall at 11 am, following Fellowship on Sunday,
September 22
for discussion and pizza.
Library copies will be made available for you to sign out from the church office.
If you wish to purchase a copy from a local independent bookstore,
TownHouse Books & Café
,
105 North 2nd Avenue, St. Charles,
will stock extra copies and will hold a copy for you at the front counter upon request. Simply call during store hours: 630-
584-8600.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING...
Worship Service
- Sundays, 9:30 am
Bible Study
- Wednesdays, 10 am
Meditation Group
- Thursdays, 9 - 10 am
Playdate
- July 3 & 17, Noon - 1:30 pm
Independence Day Holiday - July 4, OFFICE CLOSED
Friday Night at the Movies
- Friday, July 12, 7 pm
2nd Sunday
- Food Pantry Offering
- Sunday, July 14, 9:30 am
Sunday Small Group
- Sunday, July 14, 7 pm
A Book & A Prayer Book Club
- Thursday, July 18, 7 pm
BAPS
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Tour
- Saturday, July 20, 9 am - Noon
All Church Outing-Kane County Cougar Game
- Sunday, July 21, 1 pm
Sisters in Spirit (SiS) Meeting
- Sunday, July 21, 11 am
Church Council Meeting
- Tuesday, July 23, 7 pm
BTW Deadline
- Wednesday, June 24
/// Pastor Richard - Vacation - July 15 - 22 ///
Church Office Hours
- Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm, 630.584.4013
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MUSIC NOTES
FOR THE TIME OF SUMMER
Thanks to our choir for singing at David Russell’s retirement service on Sunday June, 30. It was an honor to be asked and we really appreciate the effort!
Starting this summer, we will be having a children’s bulletin every Sunday with activities, games, and readings about the liturgy readings that the adults hear and read in church.
Also, I will be starting a bible verse memory program with prizes and rewards – more to come!
Remember that summer is a time to share your talents with special music for the anthem spot or the offertory so if you're interested let me know and we'll pick a Sunday!
Larry Dieffenbach, Director of Music, Organist
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MODERATOR NEWS
OUR NEW CHURCH COUNCIL
I am happy to introduce our new Council that was voted in at the 'Junual' meeting. Please reach out to any of us to either join in the fun of belonging to a ministry team or to share your suggestions and ideas.
Moderator:
Karen Kaluzsa
Moderator Elect:
Carol Berger
Christian Education:
Nancy Schatzeder
Congregational Life:
Kathy Haben
Evangelism:
Mary Roach
Facilities:
Mark Lesswing
Outreach:
Karissa James
Stewardship:
Peter Connolly
Worship & Spiritual Growth:
Samantha Prang
Member at Large:
Jen Haseltine
Member at Large:
Scott Johnson
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By the way--do you know the purpose of our two Members at Large? Per our Bylaws, their job is to "represent the congregation, bringing a viewpoint to Council discussions that does not speak from a particular ministry's point of view. The At-Large members specifically receive concerns from members of the congregation and presents those concerns at Council meetings." So be sure and reach out to Jen or Scott with your concerns and to get your voice heard.
Connect with Jen
Connect with Scott
This church year our Council will meet in the Parish Hall at 7 pm on the
fourth
Tuesday of each month.
Every meeting is open to all members, so please feel free to stop by.
Faithfully yours,
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LHC Council Meeting Dates
July 23, 2019
August 27, 2019
September 24, 2019
October 22, 2019
November 26, 2019
December - TBD
January 28, 2020
February 25, 2020
March 24, 2020
April 28, 2020
May 26, 2020
June 23, 2020
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FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
JULY 12, 7 PM
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WOMAN IN GOLD
Sixty years after fleeing Vienna, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), an elderly Jewish woman, attempts to reclaim family possessions that were seized by the Nazis. Among them is a famous portrait of Maria's beloved Aunt Adele: Gustave Klimt's "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I." With the help of young lawyer Randy Schoeberg (Ryan Reynolds), Maria embarks upon a lengthy legal battle to recover this painting and several others, but it will not be easy, for Austria considers them national treasures.
Join us in the pastor's office...we'll bring the popcorn.
The group will meet at 6 pm at Portillos on Rt. 64 in St. Charles for dinner beforehand and they invite you to join them.
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A BOOK & A PRAYER
3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, 7 PM
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July 18 MEETING
Mrs. Lincolns' Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini
In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. A gifted seamstress, she earned her freedom by the skill of her needle, and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln by her devotion. A sweeping historical novel,
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker
illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincoln’s days.
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Consider joining the book group for discussion, fellowship…and snacks! There is always room for one more. The group meets at the home of Sandy Harper, 30W680 Smith Road, Wayne.
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SISTERS IN SPIRIT
WOMEN'S RETREAT...AND MORE!
Happy early Summer! At our June meeting we continued to discuss a fall retreat. Rather than reinvent the wheel (this year), Kathy Haben suggested we consider the Women’s Retreat hosted by our UCC Illinois Conference. It will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 27 & 28, at Pilgrim Park in Princeton, Illinois. Details and a link for registration are described below.
9th Annual Illinois Conference Women’s Retreat
Sep 27, 4:30 pm - Sep 28, 3:30 pm
Cost: $116 per person
There’s a song called, “I Am the Church,” whose refrain also tells us we are the church together, all of us who follow Jesus. This year’s theme is…
Be the Church: From the Book of Acts to Infinity and Beyond.
We will explore the New Testament book–the Acts of the Apostles, share how we are the church in its many forms today, while wondering what the future holds and what our role can be in shaping what is to come. As our congregations struggle to be faithful to Jesus’ teaching, so did the early churches. This book tells us there are many ways we can serve in Christ’s name. We are also reminded of the importance of women not just in Jesus’s life but how women continued to be valuable disciples in very real and tangible ways in carrying out the mission of our Savior.
Join us for a 23-hour get-a-way to relax while engaging God’s Holy Spirit as we reconnect with old friends, make new friends and even bring along some friends. There is plenty of time to unwind, study the Bible in experiential ways, get to know one another, walk around the park and the labyrinth, take a nap, and shop the great selection from Global Villages. Even Jesus needed to get away for a while, and so do you so you can be fully present the rest of the time.
And don't forget these other upcoming dates:
Saturday, July 20
- LHC visit to The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, IL-Rt.59 in Bartlett. 9 am to Noon.
Any LHC worshippers may attend, but we need to sign up in advance. Contact Judy Hopkins by July 14 to join the group.
Saturday, September 28
-
SiS trip to Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford. We plan to meet for lunch, then tour the gardens, or vice versa. Timing and driving to be arranged.
December 13-14
- LHC Holiday Bazaar. More details to follow
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HANDS-ON SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
LET'S GET BUSY
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Sisters in Spirit invites congregation members and friends to volunteer at the Geneva location of the Northern Illinois Food Bank. We will pack food for three hours, helping the more than 71,500 hungry neighbors served by Northern Illinois Food Bank each week.
Our registration details are as follows:
Group Name:
Little Home Church
Date:
August 24
Shift Time:
9 am - Noon
Total Spaces:
12 (2 youth) - We can add more!!
Volunteer Location:
West Suburban Center, 273 Dearborn Court, Geneva, Illinois
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COMPLETE OUR
VOLUNTEER CONSENT FORM
if you are a new volunteer
and bring it with you when you volunteer. This form must be signed by a parent or guardian if the volunteer is under 18.
WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES
on the day of your shift. Individuals wearing open-toed shoes will not be allowed to work in the warehouse under any circumstances.
ARRIVE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES EARLY
in order to sign in and attend a brief orientation prior to your shift. We cannot accept volunteers later than 30 minutes after the shift has begun.
VOLUNTEERS MUST BE AT LEAST 8 YEARS OF AGE,
and minors must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older for the duration of the volunteer shift.
CHAPERONE MUST ACCOMPANY MINOR VOLUNTEERS
. A ratio of 1 adult for every 4 minors ages 8-13 and a ratio of 1 adult for every 10 minors ages 14-17 is required.
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MEN OF LHC
PLAY BALL -
SUNDAY, JULY 21
Join our annual LHC outing to see the
Kane County Cougars
play as they take on the Dayton Dragons at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.
Game begins: 1 pm
Tickets: $13
(parking passes are available)
630-346-3030
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MEN OF LHC
SUMMER FUN'S COMIN' SOON
Shrimp Boil
Saturday, August 10
Mark your calendars and plan to join the delicious fun...!
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FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
COMING SOON...
The Queen of Hearts Raffle!
Following unanimous approval from our Church Council we're launching The Queen of Hearts Raffle! Weekly drawings will be at The Spotted Fox (across from Cooper’s Hawk on Rt 64, St. Charles) at 8 pm on Wednesdays. Keep an eye on LHC communications for the actual starting date. Questions? Contact Carol Berger or Mary Roach.
Members of the Fundraising Committee
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FACILITIES
MOSQUITO BITE PREVENTION
The mosquito season is upon us and extra caution needs to be taken because West Nile mosquitoes have been found in Wayne.
The Daily Herald
reported that a mosquito trap reported positive for the virus in May. The DuPage County Health Department recommends that you use the following guidelines to protect yourself against mosquitoes:
• Drain items that collect standing water. Wash and refill pet water dishes and bird baths frequently.
• Use insect repellent when outdoors.
• Wear long pants, long sleeves, and close-toe shoes when outside.
• Mosquito activity is heaviest from dusk to dawn, so be careful at night.
No one has reported a West Nile case, but the symptoms are fever, rash, and body aches. Risks of developing more severe diseases after exposure increase for those of us over 60. It can take weeks or months to recover so prevention is the best way to avoid exposure. If you do not feel quite right, do not ignore the symptoms.
We are taking steps around the church grounds to prevent mosquito breeding. Church member Matt Hadfield and his company
The Mosquito Authority
has begun a spraying schedule but we cannot eliminate all of the insects.
Faithfully yours,
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WORSHIP & SPIRITUAL GROWTH
HELLO...!
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Happy Summer...
I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself as your new Worship and Spiritual Growth Ministry chairwoman. My name is Samantha Prang and I have grown up and been a part of the Little Home Church since I was about 4 years old, attending Sunday school, confirmation, many youth retreats and participated in oh so many Christmas Pageants! I currently work as a full time Firefighter Paramedic in the City of Geneva and I am loving it! Since I do not have the most flexible work schedule, I am happy to say that I have a great ministry team behind me made up of Jane Shelton, Maggie Purser, and Lori Prang (that’s my mom!). We are hoping to have many of you signing up to usher, provide altar flowers, fellowship, or be the pulpit associate. In fact the summer is a good way to test the waters at ushering or being a pulpit associate since church attendance is traditionally down a little bit with folks on vacation and such. The months of July and August have lots of availability so please contact
Jane Shelton
or myself if you would like to help.
Wishing you all a happy and relaxing summer.
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EXCITING NEWS!
THRIVING PASTORS IN REVITALIZING CONGREGATIONS
Little Home Church is among the 35 churches in the Illinois Conference of the UCC chosen to participate in a program funded by the Lilly Endowment with a million-dollar grant to our Conference. The 5-year program is called
Thriving Pastors in Revitalizing Congregations
or
TPIRC
. The individual churches will not receive actual cash money but rather services funded through the grant. Historically, Lilly awards grants for programs to support pastors. But our Conference leaders proposed that support for both pastors and congregations is essential to thrive, revitalize, and move into the future. How this new twist plays into the program will be determined by the 35 congregations as they are as different as they are alike with individual strengths and challenges.
So, what is the program all about? Each church will have a Leadership Team consisting of the pastor and 5 lay persons. This Team will participate in the training/learning sessions and bring ideas and knowledge back to the congregation. The pastor will be assigned a trained coach that he/she will meet with on a bi-monthly basis and participate in a Clergy Community of Practice (CCOP) group monthly. The Leadership Team will meet twice a year with 5-7 other churches in Learning Cohorts to share ideas, exchange church program concepts, discuss challenges and possible solutions, and lend support. These gatherings will be facilitated by the TPIRC Coordinator and there will be sessions for pastors, lay leaders, and both. An Annual Leadership Summit will be held the second weekend in September with workshops, coaching, and training opportunities. The 2019 summit topic is
Leading Congregations in the 21st Century Culture
.
As a congregation, we can support the Leadership Team in their work and be open to new ideas and strategies for spiritual and programmatic revitalization that will see LHC move into the future. Now the work begins in earnest within the Council, Ministries, and congregation.
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Joyful, Joyful, We Restore Thee
The LHC Capital Campaign team is continuing to meet together and check in on the fundraising progress and plan for the much-needed renovation of our church buildings and property.
Current Pledge Progress
$1,468,668—from 67 contributing individuals & families
+ $100,000 — 100% participation pledge
Current Activity
—Management and tracking of pledge collection; follow-up communications; and reporting to our congregation
—Re-assessment and re-design of renovation plans based on needs and budget
—Planning for additional fundraising through grants and community support
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MORE
CONGRATULATIONS
TO OUR 2019 GRADUATES
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Elizabeth Berger
, daughter of Carol Berger graduated from surgical residency at Loyola Medical Center and will begin a fellowship in breast oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City on August 1.
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FLOWERS
FELLOWSHIP
USHERS
PULPIT ASSOCIATE
Sign-up to help decorate our altar table, provide fellowship, or assist with our weekly worship as an usher or pulpit associate.
Contact Office
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July 7
Pulpit Associate - Anne Bouchard
Ushers - Tim & Jane Shelton
Flowers - Ann McLaughlin
Fellowship -
(Open)
July 14
Pulpit Associate - Karissa James
Ushers -
(Open)
Flowers - Jennifer Harmon
Fellowship -
(Open)
July 21
Pulpit Associate - Barb Braulick
Ushers - Judy Britt & Lori Haseltine
Flowers - The Braulicks
Fellowship -
(Open)
July 28
Pulpit Associate - Lori Haseltine
Ushers -
(Open)
Flowers -
(Open)
Fellowship -
(Open)
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JULY BIRTHDAYS
July 2 - Greg Hege
July 4 - June Bruskewitz
July 6 - Grace Hadfield
July 10 - Doug Hancock
July 12 - Kay Clancy
July 18 - Meg Withall
July 20 - Art Zwemke
July 25 - Mary Roach, Ted Brown, Shelby Shelton
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LOVE AND PRAYERS
Those recently ill or hospitalized...
Kathi Abel, Marilyn Poole, Gladys Stevenson,
Ruth Lishamer, and Thelma Kaluzsa
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CHURCH LEADERSHIP
THANK YOU TO OUR CHURCH STAFF AND COUNCIL VOLUNTEERS
Pastor
- Rev. Richard E. Malmberg
Pastor Emeritus
- Rev. Dr. Don Heinrich
Pastor Emeritus
- Rev. Ronald Purser
Director of Music/Organist
- Larry Dieffenbach
Office Manager
- Lori Prang
Custodian
- Geraldine Fields
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CHURCH COUNCIL
Moderator
- Karen Kaluzsa
Moderator-elect
- Carol Berger
Stewardship
- Peter Connolly
Evangelism
- Mary Roach
Outreach
- Karissa James
Congregational Life
- Kathy Haben
Christian Education
- Nancy Schatzeder
Worship & Spiritual Growth
- Samantha Prang
Facilities
- Mark Lesswing
Members at Large
- Jen Haseltine; Scott Johnson
Financial Treasurer
- Susi Winquist
Financial Secretary
- Ann McLaughlin
Clerk
- Kristen Thornton
// // //
BTW Editors
- Lori Prang and Kathleen Sullivan Kaska
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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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JOIN US...
Coffee, tea, juice & tasty treats in the Parish Hall after worship service each Sunday. We'd love to chat with you!
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