December 13, 2018
Greetings!

Preparing for Christmas!
We have Advent Activity Books and Devotionals you can down load and print! Click the link for your choice:
This Week:
Friday 12/14: OA at 9 am, Spiritual Directors at 10am, Alanon at 7:30 pm
Saturday 12/15: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am, Christmas Musical Rehearsal at 10am
Sunday 12/16: Confirmation Class at 8:15 am, Worship-Children's Musical at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am, Green Team Meeting at 11:15am, Called to Care Ministry Session 1 at 11:30 am, OA at 7 pm
Monday 12/17: AA at 7:30 pm
Wednesday 12/19: Be Still and Know 12 Step Meeting at 4 pm, Church Council Meeting at 6pm, Carillon Handbell Choir at 7:30 pm, Chancel Choir Rehearsal at 8 pm
Friday 12/21: OA at 9 am, Alanon at 7 pm,
Saturday 12/22: Saturday Meals Program at 8 am, Kindermusik at 8 am
Sunday 12/23: Confirmation Class at 8:15 am, Worship at 10 am, Fellowship Hour at 11:15 am,Christmas Eve Rehearsal at 11:30 am, OA at 7 pm
Monday 12/24: Family Service at 5:30 pm, AA at 7:30 pm, Prelude at 10:30 pm, Lessons & Carols at 11 pm
Music News
Christmas Musical Sunday
Christmas Musical Sunday is during the December 16 service and is called Radio J-O-Y . Our youth have been working hard, singing great songs, and we can’t wait to share this musical with you. Our biggest pasture of wee sheep in several years will also be featured!
All Ages Choir for Christmas Eve
We will rehearse on December 24th at 4:45 pm in the Sanctuary. If you haven't signed up but would like to join us, please let Ryan know by Sunday.
Call to Care Ministry
Come and learn with others how to support families, friends, and loved ones with effective Pastoral Care training. Learn the techniques of Active Listening, the Spirit of Presence in silence, and comforting adults and children with words of prayers and encouragement. We will begin Session 1 on December 16th at 11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m in the Family Room off the Chapel. Led by Marietta Hebert-Davis.
SMP Guest Gift Bags
This year our gift bags for our Saturday Meals Program are going to be assembled at the church. Following worship on December 16th, we will have a family-centered workshop to assemble the bags for the SMP guest.
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 late Christmas Eve service. Place your order in the Founders’ Room after worship or in the office anytime. The last day to order is December 16 th .
Food Pantry
For December, please contribute what you wish for at this time of year: hearty soups with crackers, cookie-baking supplies, instant coffee or cocoa and other shelf-stable foods.
Green Team News
The Green Team will meet in the Drawing Room at 11:15 this Sunday. We will continue to discuss plans for the coming year. New faces and ideas are always welcome!

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.

Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund
The 2018 theme of the Christmas Fund is The Light Is Surely Coming. The recipients of these gifts have faithfully served the church and are now in need. We invite you to shepherd God’s light and support this year’s offering. On December 16 and 23, FCCLG will collect for the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund. This fund is a tangible expression of God’s love and light in the world. It gives an opportunity for us to reach out to those who have faithfully shepherded our Church and now face unexpected needs. The funds enable the UCC Board for Ministerial Assistance to provide supplements of Small Annuities, Retiree Health Premium supplementation, Emergency Grants, and Thank You gifts. These funds provide direct financial assistance to individual UCC clergy and lay church employees and do not support programs or institutions, only people! So please give generously to those who have given generously to the church.
Messy Church
The next Messy Church is January 6th from 4:30-6pm in the Dining Room. If you can assist or have questions, please contact Amanda Ries .
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 14 th .
Evening Book Club
We will meet on January 31 at 7:30 in the Chapel conference room. We move from our recent interest in the Civil War to Tara Westover’s Educated , a memoir of her experience being raised and home schooled by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho.
Gifts of Gratitude
Thanks to all who took ornaments off the gratitude tree! We appreciate your generosity and kindness to the children of Casa Central!
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.
Renee Meier, who is dealing with cancer.
The Maley family who mourn the sudden loss of mother and grandmother Pat Maley.
Prayers for Margaret Melkonian.
Fred and Vera Weiss.
Brian White, who awaits healing.
Our sister congregations in Downers Grove and Waukegan.
The people of Indonesia.
Those impacted by wildfires here and abroad.
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.