LHC By the Way... AUGUST 2019

A SUMMER FEAST AT LHC BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW Shrimp Boil Saturday, August 10 6 - 10 pm Feast on fresh shrimp, potatoes, corn & salad (an alternative will be available for those who might be allergic to shrimp) BYO-BEER & WINE LIVE MUSIC - Salsa del Norte $30 per adult / $10 per child Tickets are limited & need to be ordered & prepaid by August 2 Tickets... Call 630.584.4013 or purchase online Click Here

This event is organized by the LHC Men's Group and proceeds will support their local community service.

PASTOR'S MESSAGE REV. RICHARD E. MALMBERG Friends, Churches save lives. It is true, literally. One of our members shared an article he found in the July 11 Wall Street Journal . The author, Erika Andersen asked, “Is God the Answer to the Suicide Epidemic?” I think many of us would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” But, if God is the answer, what does that mean? Certainly we are talking about something subtler than the hand of God reaching in to intervene and stop the act. Even so, I think we are talking about the hand of God. Saint Paul described the Church as “The Body of Christ.” We are the Body of Christ, a manifestation of God’s living presence in the world. We are the hands and feet, eyes and ears. “For as in one body we have many members,

and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” (Romans 12:4-5) The bad news is: the suicide epidemic is real. For the last twenty years the suicide rate in the US has been climbing. The good news is; we can be part of the solution. The Pew Research Center found that people involved in a religious community tend to be happier, and people who attend religious services on a regular basis are less likely to take their own lives. This is not just about being a place for people to come, gather and socialize. Andersen says, “People living in our increasingly secular culture are hungry for spiritual wisdom and spiritual purpose…For thousands of years, practicing a shared faith was a principal way to meet these needs. It can be again.” I say, it still is.   Saint Theresa of Avila said, “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” I pray that we might be a blessing. Yours in Christ, Pastor Richard Connect with Richard  

WHAT'S HAPPENING... Worship Service  - Sundays, 9:30 am Bible Study  - Wednesdays, 10 am Meditation Group - Thursdays, 9 - 10 am Queen of Hearts Raffle - Wednesdays, 8 pm @ Spotted Fox Ale House Playdate - Wednesdays, Aug. 7 & 21, 1 pm Men of LHC Monthly Breakfast - Saturday, Aug. 3, 8:30 am Friday Night at the Movies - Friday, Aug. 9, 7 pm SHRIMP BOIL - SATURDAY, AUG. 10, 6 - 10 am   2nd Sunday  - Food Pantry Offering  - Sunday, Aug. 11, 9:30 am Sunday Small Group - Sunday, Aug. 11, 7 pm A Book & A Prayer Book Club  - Thursday, Aug. 15, 7 pm Sisters in Spirit (SiS) Meeting - Sunday, Aug. 18, 11 am Rummage Sale Set-Up Begins - Sunday, Aug. 25, 11 am Church Council Meeting  - Tuesday, Aug. 27, 7 pm BTW Deadline  - Monday, Aug. 19 // Pastor Richard - Vacation - August 19 - 25 // Church Office Hours - Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm, 630.584.4013 SAVE THE DATES Rummage Sale - Friday & Saturday, Sept. 6 & 7 [ PREVIEW - Thursday, Sept. 5 ] Outdoor Worship Service - Sunday, Sept. 8 Women's Retreat - Friday & Saturday, Sept. 27 & 28 'Music of Broadway' Concert - Sunday, Sept. 29, 2 pm

MUSIC NOTES MOM'S WISDOM “My mother was truly my saving grace, because she would take me to church with her. I would see my mother smiling in the choir, and I wanted to know this God that made her so happy. If I had not had that faith in my life, I don't know where I would be right now.” - Tyler Perry

It’s almost time for the choir to start again. We will begin Wednesday night rehearsals on August 28 to prepare for the Outdoor Worship Service on September 8 . We have three new numbers to learn for that service and we will be singing with the band that day. Come on out and give it a try! So be like Tyler Perry’s mom and come join the choir to sing and smile!  Larry Dieffenbach, Director of Music, Organist Connect with Larry 

MODERATOR NEWS S WINGING SUMMERTIME Summer is in full swing, and with it brings many opportunities for us as a congregation to support our Outreach Ministry charities. Some upcoming events are the Hands of Hope  2019 5K to Remember Walk/Run on Saturday, September 7, and the Neighborhood Food Pantry’s  Shopping Cart Shuffle 5K and Kids Dash on August 3 at 8:30 am at Mallard Lake in Bloomingdale. To participate in any of these events, check out the charities’ websites or see Karissa James.

We just had our first Council meeting of the 2019-2020 church year, and there is good news and great momentum for the coming year. Here are a few highlights. Pete Connolly of our Stewardship Ministry reported that we had a very successful Spring Campaign which raised $20,190. Thanks to everyone who contributed! Our Christian Education Ministry is in active pursuit of a “whole church” approach to worship and Sunday School. More will be revealed in the coming months, but a strategy is being developed for recruiting and training teachers who are interested in the privilege and pleasure of instructing our children about living in the Christian faith. If you’d like to get involved, see Nancy Schatzeder. The Fundraising Committee is getting ready for our first Queen of Hearts raffle on July 31 at the Spotted Fox in St. Charles and stay tuned since after last year’s very successful concert there are preliminary plans for another one in the fall. Our annual Rummage Sale is scheduled for September 6 and 7 with a special preview night planned for September 5. For more information or to get involved in fundraising see Valeri Baldwin. As mentioned in last month’s  By the Way , Little Home Church is among 35 churches in the Illinois Conference of the UCC chosen to participate in a program called  Thriving Pastors in Revitalizing Congregations  or TPIRC. Each church will have a Leadership Team consisting of the pastor and five lay persons who will participate in the training and learning sessions and bring ideas and knowledge back to the congregation. I am pleased to announce that Carol Berger, Chip Braulick, Jennifer Harmon, Emily Miller and Susi Winquist will join Pastor Richard on our Leadership Team. TPIRC kicks off on September 13th in Peoria. Warmly, Karen Kaluzsa, Moderator Connect with Karen 

 FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES AUGUST 9, 7 PM BEATRIZ AT DINNER Beatriz is a Los Angeles massage therapist and holistic healer who drives to the seaside mansion of her client Cathy. When her old Volkswagen breaks down, she receives a friendly invitation from Cathy to stay for a seemingly innocent business dinner. As the guests arrive and the wine starts to flow, Beatriz finds herself in an escalating war of words with Doug Strutt, a ruthless real estate mogul who cares more about money than people. Stars Salma Hayek and John Lithgow.     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.  

A BOOK & A PRAYER 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, 7 PM MEETING - August 15 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Newlyweds, Celestial and Roy, are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive and she is artist on the brink of an exciting career. They are settling into the routine of their life together, when they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. This stirring love story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward--with hope and pain--into the future.

 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. 

SISTERS IN SPIRIT WOMEN'S RETREAT IN SEPTEMBER We're hoping to get a group together and attend the upcoming 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. Any woman is welcome to attend. Details and a link for registration are described below.   9th Annual Illinois Conference Women’s Retreat Sep 27, 4:30 pm to 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. CLICK FOR INFO & REGISTRATION   Please contact Anne Bouchard or Judy Hopkins for more information. 

HANDS-ON SERVICE OPPORTUNITY NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK 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, IL

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. DIRECTIONS TO OUR CENTERS:   CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION  about your shift, click here:  Frequently Asked Questions for Volunteers If you have any questions or need to cancel, please feel free to contact us at  volunteer@northernilfoodbank.org  or 630.443.6910. Contact Anne Bouchard for more information. 

OUTREACH MINISTRY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES Here are just a few upcoming events that you might be interested in participating in and showing your support: Hands of Hope (HOH): HOH is sponsoring the 2019 5K to Remember Walk/Run on Saturday, September 7. Registration opened on July 22. Proceeds benefit the organization, but the race also gives participants a chance to run/walk in honor of those fighting life threatening illnesses or those who have been lost. The race will take place at the Peg Bond Center in downtown Batavia. Registration can be completed after the aforementioned date at  https://www.fvhh.net/our-events/5k-to-remember-run-walk/   Neighborhood Food Pantry (NFP):   NFP is hosting the Shopping Cart Shuffle 5K and Kids Dash on August 3 at 8:30 am at Mallard Lake in Bloomingdale. All proceeds go to helping NFP reach their 2019 goal of providing 2 million meals. Registration is now open and can be found at  https://raceroster.com/events/2019/21831/shopping-cart-shuffle-5k Karissa James, Outreach Ministry Connect with Karissa       

Joyful, Joyful, We Restore Thee LHC CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE The Joyful Committee met in June and July to discuss finances and next steps. We currently have pledges of $1,469,288. Based on budget negotiations earlier this year, this will not be enough to cover the costs for the scope of work we plan and hope to accomplish. Specifically, costs associated with work required in the Guild House are excessive due to the deterioration of the building. One cost saving possibility is to tear down the building and rebuild, rather than try to restore the existing building. In June, we met with the Historic Sites Commission for the Village of Wayne to propose this idea. They asked if we would investigate preserving the Army Trail Road façade and rebuild the rest of the building.

We engaged Lisa Sharp to review and revise plans for the Guild House. (This work is outside the scope of our original contract with her.) Her new drawings specify a one-story building that will include one larger gathering room, three classroom/meeting rooms, two ADA bathrooms, and a nursery. Our next steps are to revisit costs with Lisa and with Fred Schramm. We hope to have a revised budget within the next month. Ann McLaughlin (LHC Financial Secretary) and I met to coordinate fundraising efforts to date.* Ann M is working on a spreadsheet that will show how we are doing in terms of what was pledged and the timing of pledge payments versus what has been received so far. This information is necessary as we move closer to the time of seeking loans. I will be sending a letter to the congregation at the end of the third quarter detailing fundraising, expenses and the project budget. Everyone is excited about getting started and utilizing some of the funds we have collected to date. Lisa suggested that we tackle the septic system, Parish Hall bathrooms and kitchen. Detailed drawings, bids and permits will be required. It is possible that this work could begin in early 2020. As always, please seek out a member of the campaign committee if you have any concerns, questions or suggestions. We plan to meet monthly through the end of the year. Anne Bouchard, 'Joyful' Capital Campaign Connect with Anne * If you would like to meet with someone on the committee to discuss participation in the campaign or if you are now ready to make a pledge, please let me know! Our goal is 100% participation so that we can be eligible for a $100,000 grant.

QUEEN OF HEARTS RAFFLE FUNDRAISING EFFORT HAS BEGUN Our LHC Queen of Hearts fundraiser began on Wednesday, July 31 at the Spotted Fox Ale House in St. Charles. Tickets, 6 for $5, will be sold throughout the week and the first drawing will be on Wednesday, August 7, at 8 pm. Drawings will then be weekly on Wednesdays at 8 pm until a winner picks the Queen of Hearts. The winner gets 50% of the pot and 50% goes to Little Home Church. A $50 cash prize is awarded to the second ticket winner each week. We are very excited to raise funds in support of six local charities. All are welcome to join the fun! Carol Berger and Mary Roach, Fundraising Committee Members Connect with Carol and Connect with Mary 

RUMMAGE SALE TIME SALE - SEPTEMBER 6 & 7 PREVIEW - SEPTEMBER 5 Start collecting all those treasures to donate to our annual Rummage Sale. Set-Up Sunday August 25, after worship service Sorting Days August 26 through September 4 Lots more info to follow soon...!

Coming Soon... 'Music of Broadway' Concert Sunday, September 29, 2 pm Melisa Piantedosi and Nicholas Metzger, along with pianist Rosemary Schroeder will perform music from Broadway hits including: Street Scene; Oklahoma!; The Music Man; Show Boat; and West Side Story. Tickets: $30 - Reception to follow.

THANK YOU FROM REV. DR. DAVID RUSSELL Dear Little Home Church, You are a wonderful congregation serving others, caring for those in need, celebrating community in Christ. Thank you for helping to make my retirement service a musical joy! Blessing in your future growth in spirit and building. Pastor David Russell

 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 

 August 4 Pulpit Associate - Karissa James Ushers - Charles Sbarbaro & Greg Hege Flowers - Ruth Lishamer Fellowship - McLaughlin/Hege  August 11 Pulpit Associate - Chip Brauick Ushers - Jennifer Harmon & Catherine Walsh Flowers - (Open) Fellowship - Jennifer Harmon August 18 Pulpit Associate - Ann McLaughlin Ushers - Mark & Susannah Lesswing Flowers - (Open) Fellowship - Frank & Jean Muno August 25 Pulpit Associate - Samantha Prang Ushers - Lori Prang & Jane Shelton Flowers - Emily Miller Fellowship - Emily Miller 

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS Aug 4 - Bronwyn DaRin Aug 5 - Charles Sbarbaro Aug 7 - Kelly Shelton Aug 8 - Scott Burkoth Aug 9 - Dianna Cave Griffin, Richard Malmberg Aug 10 - Catherine Walsh, Chuck McDonough Aug 13 - Ellie Sterner Aug 16 - Marilyn Poole Aug 17 - Duke Ferguson Aug 18 - Don Heinrich Aug 25 - Corinne Thornton Aug 28 - Thelma Kaluzsa Aug 29 - Jim Winquist Aug 30 - Greg Abell

LOVE AND PRAYERS Those recently ill or hospitalized...  Kathi Abel, Thelma Kaluzsa, Susannah Lesswing, and Kathleen Sullivan Kaska Our sympathies... To Lori Prang and her family on the loss of her mother, Marion Eckholm.

 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 // // // 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 

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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