August 2015

 

Saturday, August 29, 5 pm
Little Home Church

Feast of fresh shrimp from Biloxi, Mississippi and award-winning Caesar salad (beef & pizza for non-shrimp eaters)

 

TICKETS: $20 per adult; $5 per child (12 & under)

 

Guests are invited to bring craft beer & wine for themselves and to share in a BEER WINE SHARE

 

Proceeds from this event will support a mission to low-income seniors and veterans at Back Bay Mission of Biloxi, Mississippi as well as local community service by our LHC Men's Group.

Call 630.584.4013 to reserve your space, as it is limited.

Pastor's message...

 

Connections to one another, connections to Little Home Church, connections to God.

 

'Connections' is the name of the Small-Group Ministry we will be initiating this fall. Small groups in Christian life go back to the very beginning of our faith. The very first small group was a bunch of ragtag disciples brought together by the man from Nazareth! A few years later when the disciples were on their own they began to build house churches, small Christian communities: 'Day by day as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God...' 

Acts 2:46-47a

 

We know both from the history of the church and from a hard look at today's churches that a small group ministry within a congregation gives vitality to the church as well as support and spiritual growth for group members. One of the key criteria used to describe successfully growing churches today is churches that have a community of small groups.

 

For the last eight months we have been training six small-group facilitators who are ready to lead three new small groups where Little Home Church members and friends can deepen their connection to one another, can offer support for each other's life stories and grow together as part of Little Home Church.

 

We worship as a faith community, we enjoy fellowship in parish hall after worship. Our new connection groups will provide opportunities for more. More conversation, a greater opportunity to know one another as well as grow deeper in our faith. I have been involved in small group ministries in every church I have served I also continue to be a member of a small group that I wouldn't miss for the blessing it provides me to be listened to and to support others.

 

In September we will be inviting you to join one of our new Connections groups. Look for our announcement soon.

 

Pastor David



Worship schedule...

 

Aug 2

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Sermon: Feeding Our Souls

Theme: Jesus gives us Spiritual bread that gives us Spiritual life.

Scripture: John 6:24-35; Psalm 78:23-29

 

Aug 9

Sunday at the Movies

Sermon: Finding Our Swing/"The Legend of Bagger Vance"

Scripture: Gospel of Thomas; Psalm 139:13-16

 

Aug 16

Faith Stories and Hymn Sing

 

Aug 23

Sunday at the Movies
Sermon: Build Spirit and They Will Come/"Field of Dreams"

Aug 30
*
Guest Preacher *
Rev. Eric Dickey from Biloxi, MS

 


Moderator's update...


 

How many of you remember the song 'Summertime, Summertime' originally sung by the Jamies in the 60s? ('It's summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime....') 
My favorite lyric stanza is:
'It's time to head straight for them hills, It's time to live and have some thrills, Come along and have a ball, a regular free for all, It's suuuuummertime!' (click here to hear the song)

 

Well, we're having a fine summer now that the drenching rains have passed, and not as many folks are in church on Sundays. Evidently they decided instead to 'head straight for them hills' (or valleys, or lakes, or beaches, etc). Now that's NOT necessarily a bad thing as God is with us wherever we go. 

 

He gave us a wonderful summer and I'm sure enjoys seeing us "have a ball". How do we thank Him for this of time to spend pleasant weather having fun and memorable moments with our family and friends? Maybe you can thank Him by squeezing in a Sunday morning visit to whatever church may be near your vacation destination into your busy schedule. It might even be a UCC church. 

 

God is never too busy to hear about your vacation. As an added benefit, you might hear or see something in worship services or gain an insightful idea that you could bring back. 

 

Many people never really leave work behind when they go on vacation, and often (are required to) take their laptop computers with them to "stay in touch with the office". God doesn't want us to lose touch with us while we're on vacation either, and He doesn't require a laptop or Internet connection. 

 

Prayer is God's version of Instant Messaging, and in any of His churches you can plug into high speed Internet directly to Him. 

 

Peace,

 

Alex Kentfield

alex.kentfield@sbcglobal.net 
 
Activities... 

 

We had a productive painting session after our last breakfast in July. Portions of the Guild House as well as the outside entrance to the Pastor's office got a fresh look. Thanks to the gentlemen who came out with paint brushes in hand.


 Happy Men at Work...




Singing 'Up on the Roof...'
click here to hear

 

Traffic Engineers...

We hope you were able to find suitable parking for the very well attended visit on July 26 to hear Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi share stories and his hope for a peaceful world. Thanks to LHC Traffic Engineers, Alex Kentfield, Frank Muno, Paul Figge and Art Zwemke in directing the overflow crowd. (Art relived his Lane Tech High School traffic engineer days at the southwest corner of Addison and Western!)

 

Saturday, August 8

Our next Breakfast Meeting will be on Sat. Aug. 8 at Colonial Restaurant on Route 64 at Tyler in St. Charles at 8:30 am. We will look toward the future in keeping with our mission of Fellowship, Service and Growth as follows:

 

Saturday, August 29

Our first Shrimp Boil, starting at 5 pm, should be a great time. Tickets are $20 per person (children 12 and under will be $5) and please bring your favorite craft beer or wine to enjoy and share with your friends including a live auction of any remaining beer or wine. Net proceeds will benefit Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, MS and our LHC Men's mission projects.

 

Sunday, September 13

We will organize an Outdoor Service at Pratts Wayne Woods. Instead of breakfast before the worship service at 9:30 am, we will provide meat for lunch supplemented with a side dishes to share (brought by attendees). At 10:45 am we plan to Bless the Hogs (i.e. motorcycles) and their riders. Fun and games will be throughout the event.

 

October 2 & 3 - A Men's Retreat at Tower Hill in Southwest Michigan that includes dinner at a brewery/restaurant on Lake Michigan on Friday night, sleepover in their new facility and a program that will be led by Paul Metres, a strong Christian layman, psychologist and Viet Nam Veteran. We have at least 8 members attending and we have room for more!

 

As can be seen, we are gaining momentum and hope to energize all the Men of LHC. We hope to see you at breakfast on Aug. 8 or another second Saturday of the month.

 

 

 


Singing 'Angels Among Us...'     click here to hear

The Gardening Angels gathered in the courtyard garden on Saturday, July 11 for fellowship, much-needed weeding and de-foliating the brick courtyard. We also prepared a garden flower bouquet for Sunday's Service. Thank you to Anne Bouchard; Janet Figge; Kathy Haben; Karen Kaluzsa; and Kathleen Sullivan Kaska for such good work.

 

Next meeting: Saturday, August 22, 9 to 11 am
Let's gather in the LHC garden for fellowship and inspiration. Bring a friend...and a favorite prayer, book, poem, or just a good gardening tip to share. For those who are willing and able, we will then tend the garden.
 
Mission project: We are making plans to help 'Tammy's Trace'--the new house in Wheaton, IL for women veterans established by Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. More to come on this...!

Questions/ideas: 
Contact Kathleen at ksk@kaskadesign.com, 630.443.9670 
or Anne Bouchard at anne.bouchard1@gmail.com, 630.234.8167  

 

 
A Book & A Prayer Book Club
1st Tuesday of every month
7 pm in the Parish Hall

Join us on Aug. 4 at 7 pm as we discuss the bestselling Pat Conroy memoir, The Water is Wide, the moving story of a young teacher's experience on an island forgotten by the world. 
Though the children of Yamacraw Island live less than two miles from the coast of South Carolina, they can't name the president or the ocean that surrounds them. Many can't sign their names. Most can't read or write - they're unable to reach their potential to grow and learn because they have been failed by their school district and handicapped by their poverty and isolation. But with the arrival of an eager young teacher, their prospects begin to brighten.
Based on Pat Conroy's experiences teaching elementary school for a year on South Carolina's Daufuskie Island, The Water is Wide is a revealing portrait of the inequalities of the American education system and a powerful story of the group of children who changed one man's life forever. We'll meet in the Parish Hall, Aug. 4 at 7 pm and we hope you'll join us and bring a friend.

Our September selection will be Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor and author, known as much for such spiritual classics as The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together, as for his 1945 execution in a concentration camp for his part in the plot to assassinate Hitler. We will meet Sept. 1 at 7 pm.


Choir and musical happenings...
Please sign up to do some special music during the summer while the choir is in recess. 

Thanks to all the choir members who participated in the National Conference. The Little Home Church was very well represented!

SPECIAL SUMMER CHOIR PRACTICE will be on Aug. 26 at 7 pm for the Aug. 30 church service.

Choir practice starts on Sept. 9 and the choir begins singing again in worship on Sept. 20.  

 

Larry Dieffenbach, Director of Music, Organist


Ministry news... 

Worship & Spiritual Growth
Hi Everyone! 
"I'm Jane Shelton, your new chairwoman of the Worship & Spiritual Growth Ministry. I am learning the ropes from Sandy Antonelli who has served us all very well for the past few years. Thank you Sandy!

As head of WSG, I am in charge of securing ushers and pulpit associates (among other important worship-related activities) so please prayerfully consider serving the church in this capacity. If you haven't experienced the heady rush of guiding people to their pews or spouting Scripture from the pulpit, but would like to, please let me know. I will be happy to put you on the schedule!

Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to serving you this year on this ministry."

Jane Shelton


Outreach Ministry  outreach ministry logo

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV) was founded by Vietnam War veteran Bob Adams and Gulf War veteran Dirk Enger. MSHV is a registered 501(c)(3) organization that provides transitional and affordable housing programs and supportive services to U.S. Veterans of any era, as well as their families, to help them out of homelessness and back to useful, productive lives. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, the MSHV has named its homes in honor of two Wheaton North HS graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The organization provides support services to veterans and their families throughout DuPage, Kendall, Kane, Will, Grundy, LaSalle and DeKalb Counties. 

 

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation to help homeless veterans regain their rightful place as productive members of our community

 

MSHV recently added a program specifically to benefit female veterans. Tammy's Trace is a house in Wheaton that will support four single low-income female vets. The House was named after Tammy (who was killed in combat) by her dad's donation. These women will have access to case management, counseling and employment assistance services as needed to work towards improving their independence and financial circumstances. Other groups who have donated rooms include the Assistance League Chicago West and the Glen Ellyn Rotary. LHC is the only church providing support to Tammy's Trace today.

 

Preparations are being made for the house to be occupied in the fall. John Dixon, volunteer organizer, provided his wish list for Tammy's Trace grounds: 1.] Removal of the bushes directly in front of the house and stumps removed. Then planting of this opened area.  2.] Sides along driveway need to be cleaned out, weeded and some dead bushes removed. The backyard needs to be weeded and raked. A lot of mulch needs to be put down throughout the backyard. 3.] A pile of garbage, old sofa, tires, etc. needs to be taken out front for garbage pick-up. 4.] Closer to the date of move-in, the entire inside of the house needs a freshen-up cleaning.


You can also help MSHV by taking part in their Annual Golf Outing and Texas BBQ on Sunday, August 23. Tickets for golf and dinner are $135 per golfer. You may purchase tickets in advance by visiting their website www,helpaveteran.org



Christian Education 

Friday Night at the Movies

August 14, 7 pm

Parish Hall 

Chocolat
This is a movie set in a mountain-top village in France with an all-star cast including Dame Judy Dench, Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Alfred Molina. It is religion versus chocolate...and both win! A young, single mother who makes exquisite chocolate creations moves to a remote village where, while battling her own demons and dealing with her daughter's imaginary friend, she encounters religious hypocrisy, domestic abuse, the issues of an aging parent, the inability to accept outsiders, and of course...love. 

 

If you have any questions, please contact Maureen O'Donnell at 630.462.0331 or odonnellmo13@gmail.com

 


Bible Study - Wednesday Mornings, 10 am
The group continues to study James. Whether you are a newbie to Bible study or have some experience you are welcome. NO preparation is necessary. The group meets in Pastor David's office and they are anxious for you to join them.

 



The Search & Call Committee continues to review the personal profiles of candidate UCC pastors that are referred to us by the Conference. As we identify a candidate who appears to fit our criteria for Little Home Church's next pastor, we request a video sample sermon delivered by the candidate. We also pay close attention to the statements of the the candidates references (3). Using these pieces of information, we decide to interview selected candidates who remain interested in serving as LHC's pastor, after they have reviewed and considered our Profile. We meet three times a month, working diligently and conscientiously to identify and engage the reciprocal interest of the most appropriate candidate(s) to serve LHC in years to come.


View profile

 

Please contact any one of us with your questions or comments: 

Greg Abell 630.204.8277; Carol Berger 630.584.7088; 

Anne Bouchard 630.234.8167; Anne Haben 630.632.8329; 

Matt Hadfield 630.200.2367; Judy Hopkins 630.443.6981; 

and Alex Kentfield 630.947.9305

 


Our love & prayers...  lhc steeple

Our condolences...
To Frank Muno and family on the recent loss of his brother, Jim.

Thank you to all our service men and women.
We continue to keep SSG Greg Haben in our thoughts and thank him for his service to our country. 

Good luck and safe travels
To all our LHC students who are headed back to college...
we'll miss you. 




Sunday Service
9:30 am




upcoming  
dates...
Bible Study
Wednesdays, 10 am

A Book & A Prayer
Book Club
Tue Aug 4, 7 pm

Men of LHC Breakfast
Colonial Restaurant 
Sat Aug 8, 8:30 am

Church Council Meeting
Tue Aug 11, 7 pm

Friday Night at the Movies
Fri Aug 14, 7 pm 

Gardening Angels
Sat Aug 22, 9 am

September BTW Deadline
Mon Aug 24

Special Summer Choir Practice
Aug 26, 7 pm

Shrimp Boil
Sat Aug 29, 5 pm



church calendar
  







 
mark your calendar...

 

 

Outdoor Worship

Pratts Wayne Woods

Breakfast/Worship/Blessing of the Motorcycles

Sun Sep 13, 8:30 am

 

Rummage Sale

Fri & Sat, Sep 18 & 19

 

Interfaith Dialogue with Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,

Baet-ul-Jaamay Mosque, Glen Ellyn

Sat Sep 26, 6 pm

 

Men's Retreat

Fri & Sat, Oct 2 & 3

Tower Hill in Michigan

 

More information to come!


 


 


 


 


 

 
church  
leadership...

Pastor
Reverend Dr. David Russell

 

Pastor Emeritus
Reverend Dr. Don Heinrich

 

Director of Music Organist 
Larry Dieffenbach

 

Office Manager
Lori Prang 

Custodian
Odie Perry 

 

 
 
Church Council
 
Moderator 
Alex Kentfield

 

Moderator-elect
Kathleen Sullivan Kaska

 

Stewardship Ministry
Bob Kaska

 

Evangelism Ministry
Ann McLaughlin

 

Outreach Ministry
Valeri Baldwin

 

Congregational Life
Ministry
Barbara Braulick
  
Christian Education
Ministry
Frank Muno

 

Worship & Spiritual Growth Ministry
Jane Shelton

 

Facilities Ministry
Anne Bouchard
Chip Braulick

 

Members at Large
Susi Winquist
Carol Berger

 

Financial
Art Zwemke
  
Clerk
Kristin Thornton

 

 

 

 



office 
schedule...

 

 

Pastor David's schedule: 

 

Mon - Thu 

Mornings, afternoons, and one or two evenings

 

Thu mornings 

Sermon writing time

Pastor is available in an emergency.

 

When Pastor David is out of the office Mon-Thu for meetings or pastoral care, the Church Office will know how to reach him.

 

Fridays-Day off

 

Saturdays-Day off unless there is a wedding or LHC special event

 

Pastor David cell: 847.890.2774

 

 

Office Manager's schedule:

 

Mon - Thu

9 am to 3 pm


 

Office is closed on Friday and Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 




flowers+   
fellowship... 
 
Provide Altar flowers or host a Fellowship Hour after worship. 
 
Email office or sign-up in Parish Hall. 

Reminder call will come from the Church Office so you can note what should be listed in the Sunday Bulletin.

Check the church web site for updates.
 
  
 

Altar Flowers

Aug 2
Shelton

Aug 9
Figge
   
Aug 16
 (open) 

Aug 23
Bouchard

Aug 30
Graham


Fellowship Hour

Aug 2
McLaughlin/Hege
  
Aug 9
(open)
 
Aug 16
(open)

 

Aug 23
(open)

Aug 30
(open)











happy 
birthday!

 
Aug 5
Charles Sbarbaro

Aug 9
Dianna Griffin
Huxley Kapoor
  
Aug 10

Brianna Milam


 Aug 12

Jonathan Berger


 Aug 13

Ellie Sterner

 

Aug 16

Marilyn Poole
Lynn Tuttle
 
Aug 17
John Thorne
Duke Ferguson
  
Aug 18
Don Heinrich
 
Aug 25
Corinne Thornton
Chase Odegaard

Aug 29
Jim Winquist

Aug 30
Greg Abell







note...

Missed Arun Gandhi speaking at LHC last Sunday? CDs of the service are available for you to check out from the church office.
 







we noticed...

Thank you to the Men of LHC and the Gardening Angels for all the work done on our buildings and grounds July 11. Many hands made for light work. Much was accomplished with scraping, painting, weeding, pruning and planting to greatly improve our church's appearance.

Special shout-out to Dave Hochstetter who stopped by for additional painting on his own during the week. 

Thank you to Emma Kaska for her media/video tech support for Pastor David's sermon 'visual aids.'

Thank you to the many people who were involved in making Sunday's Arun Gandhi visit to our church a big success, including those who promoted the event, set up the Parish Hall, provided sound equipment, made the beautiful flower arrangements, ushered and greeted attendees, directed parking, brought something good to eat for the reception, cleaned up...and of course, Pastor David for making it happen. It was a lovely day at LHC.









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Little Home Church by the Wayside UCC      32W128 Army Trail Road, Wayne, IL 60184
630.584.4013    fax 630.584.8427     info@littlehomechurch.org
Editors: Lori Prang and Kathleen Sullivan Kaska