Adult Small Groups

At FPCLG, we love fostering community and friendships, and small groups are a wonderful way to meet people and engage in fun and meaningful ways.  

The following are some of the adult groups available at FPCLG. You are welcome to join any of them. Your thoughts and ideas on future groups are encouraged and welcomed. Contact the Church Office at admin@fpclg.com for more information on these groups.

Adult Weekly Groups

From September-May, a women’s book group meets every Wednesday morning, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Church Parlor, for lively conversations about a variety of books.

A men’s discussion group meets every Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-Noon in the Church Parlor. They discuss a variety of topics from scripture to current events and appreciate the friendships that are formed over thoughtful discussions.

Sunday Morning Adult Education

Our Adult Education class meets in the Parlor most Sunday mornings following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. The topics change throughout the year but have included lectures on organic gardening, classes on artificial intelligence and wrestling with the concept of hell. Come to learn and engage and leave feeling connected!

Adult Education on March 29: Making Sense of New Tax Laws
Greg Beglen will present a session about tax trends and new laws, with a time for Q&A at the end. Greg is a volunteer tax counselor for AARP, preparing about 10 tax returns a week, and is registered with the IRS.

Women’s Ministry

Women’s Ministry offers several monthly small groups, including Bible studies, book clubs and a sewing circle. They host monthly speakers and special programs open to everyone. Please see the church calendar for details on upcoming events!

Thursday, April 2, at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall: All are invited to help prepare a meal for Constance Morris House and share a dessert with each other. Please RSVP to the Church Office at admin@fpclg.org or 708.354.0771 by Monday, March 30. Rides and childcare are available upon request.

Earth Care Discussion Group

This group meets one Thursday evening per month in the Parlor to discuss environment and climate issues, and our stewardship of God’s earth. It is also a forum for updates on our Earth Care Congregation activities. Please contact the Church Office to sign up.

Garden Team

Ten organic, raised vegetable garden beds line the parking lot of FPCLG. A team of dedicated people organize and work the garden from March through October, sharing the harvest with two local food pantries, Second Baptist food pantry and Share Food Share Love free market. The team has partnered with community groups such as LTHS Urban Agriculture class, LTHS Future Farmers of America club, La Grange Apollo Camp, DePaul University’s urban planning initiative, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, Monarch Watch’s waystation program and The Chicago Tomato Man.

You can read more about the Grace Garden mission in this RB Landmark news article.

Exploring Mission through Media

These Mission and Outreach sponsored discussions use a variety of sources—books (printed and audio), documentaries and more—as the basis for exploring faith, meaning and ministry in a small group. Informal, inter-generational, and open to all. Past discussions have included the books Being Mortal by Atul Gawande; Anne Lamott's Help, Thanks, Wow; Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection and the documentaries Crip Camp and We Feed People. Please contact the Church Office to find out about our next meet up!

Sewing for Mission

Meets the second Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. in Westminster Hall. The cozy comforters are made for Constance Morris House and BEDS Plus.

Music Ministry

Please learn more about our music ministry here.

Seasonal Groups

Occasionally we offer a limited-time small group on a special topic, sometimes coinciding with a Sunday sermon series, such as a weeknight small group during the weeks of Lent leading up to Easter.

News of the Church

Worship and Children’s/Youth Ministry

We gather for worship on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Recordings of the services can be found at www.fpclg.org/sermons for those who are unable to attend. You can also subscribe to "FPCLG Sermons from the Sanctuary" on your favorite podcast platform: Apple, YouTube, or Spotify.

Cross Trainers for grades 5-8, Faith Forest for grades K-4 and Noah’s Ark Preschool for ages 2-5 meet during the 10:00 a.m. service. Nursery care is also available for infants and toddlers.

Our TUXIS High School Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings during the school year from 7:00-8:15 p.m. in the third floor youth room.

Visit our Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry pages for more information.

Coffee Time After Communion

On the first Sunday of each month, we gather for coffee time and fellowship in the Narthex after sharing in Communion during worship.

Volunteers are invited to sign up to host and provide a treat, such as doughnut holes, for one of the coffee times. Regular and decaf coffee are provided. If desired, hosts may provide an additional beverage option (such as tea, juice, pop or a fun creamer flavor). Contact the Church Office or use the SignUp Genius to pick a date to host. You can sign up on your own, as a family or with a group. Thank you!

Adult Education: Making Sense of New Tax Laws

On Sunday, March 29, Greg Beglen will present an Adult Education session immediately following worship in the Parlor about tax trends and new laws, with a time for Q&A at the end. Greg is a volunteer tax counselor for AARP, preparing about 10 tax returns a week, and is registered with the IRS.

Easter Sunday Breakfast & Tablecloths

We have Good News! He is risen! And we hope you will rise a little early on Easter morning to share a meal with your church family before worship. You're invited to Easter Sunday breakfast at FPCLG on April 5. Breakfast will be served from 8:45-9:45 a.m. You can sign up through the SignUp Genius or by contacting the Church Office. Use the comment section to list the names or number of people for your RSVP.

We are looking for donations of spring tablecloths to use for church events. if you have a gently used pastel or spring tablecloth that you would like to donate to the church to use for Easter/spring/summer brunches, please contact the Church Office. We are mainly in need of 5’ round and 8’ rectangle tablecloths, but 6’ rectangle tablecloths could also be used.

Coming Soon—FPCLG Online Community!

In mid-April we will launch an online community for our church, to connect our members with church life and each other outside of Sunday services and other gatherings. It is called Realm Connect and is offered by our church management software company ACS as an extension of our system.

A sub-committee was formed in November to evaluate this tool, and is very happy with the way it communicates our activities and engages the entire church family! Hundreds of churches already use this tool, and our committee has worked with another local church that has been using it to learn about their experience.

Realm Connect will be limited to those in our own church membership directory. All of the various groups and committees in our church will have their own "group" in Realm within which they can communicate and store information. There will also be a churchwide group where staff and other ministry leaders will provide content and updates to all. Since ACS is our accounting system, the tool also has online giving and reporting of our statements, in an improvement to these processes.

More information will be forthcoming, and the launch in mid-April will be followed by an Adult Education session and one-on-one help for anyone who wants it.

Free Community Concert Series

Stop by on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., and you'll be in for a treat. Invite a friend or neighbor, and meet us in the Sanctuary. You can support our Community Concert Series through our Online Giving page.

‘Rooted in Service’ Summer Camp, June 8-12, 2026

Middle schoolers entering 5th through 8th grade are invited to join us for a meaningful week of serving others at our Rooted in Service Summer Camp, June 8-12, 9:00-11:30 a.m.! Together we will grow in compassion, teamwork and faith as we learn how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in our community. Throughout the week, campers will take part in hands-on service projects, meet local organizations and reflect on how we can care for our neighbors. Each day offers a new opportunity to serve and learn. Rooted in Service Camp is a great way for middle schoolers to build friendships, learn about community needs and discover the joy of helping others. Use the SignUp Genius here to let us know which days your child(ren) can attend, and note their ages in the comment section. The cost is $35. Payment may be made through our online Giving page, through Venmo or by cash or check (made out to FPCLG) to the Church Office. Contact Director of Christian Education Kelly Higgins with questions at khiggins@fpclg.org. We hope you’ll join us for this inspiring week of service!

Polar Pals Summer Camp, August 3-7, 2026

Preschoolers (at least four years old and potty trained) through incoming 4th graders are invited to bundle up for a week of fun, friendship and kindness at Polar Pals Kindness Camp, August 3-7, 9:00-11:15 a.m.! Each day we’ll explore a different polar animal and discover how they remind us to live out the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Through engaging stories, creative crafts, active games and tasty snacks, campers will learn how kindness, teamwork and caring for others can make the world a warmer place—even in the chilliest places on earth! Come make new friends, learn about amazing animals from the Arctic and Antarctic, and practice spreading kindness everywhere you go. Use the SignUp Genius here to let us know which days your child(ren) can attend, and note their ages in the comment section. The cost is $35. Payment may be made through our online Giving page, through Venmo or by cash or check (made out to FPCLG) to the Church Office. Contact Director of Christian Education Kelly Higgins with questions at khiggins@fpclg.org. We hope you can join us for some arctic acts of kindness!

Our Church is Powered by the Sun

FPCLG is happy to announce the launch of our new Solar Electricity Program. As stewards of God's creation, our church is taking a meaningful step toward responsible resource management. Solar electricity will be used by FPCLG starting this month due to a new arrangement we have with a solar farm in Burlington, IL, in partnership with ComEd. By using this renewable energy source, we are aligning with PC(USA) and Village of La Grange initiatives to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. We are saving money too, since solar electricity is less costly than fossil fuel or nuclear energy that is normally used by ComEd. It's a shining example of a win-win-win proposition.

FPCLG Certified by PC(USA) as an Earth Care Congregation

Our designation as an Earth Care Congregation recognizes our desire to take seriously God’s charge to “till and keep” the garden that is our shared common home. It certifies and celebrates environmental ministry across four major areas of a congregation’s life: worship, education, facilities and outreach in the community. Our building has had recent upgrades with energy efficiency in mind, such as LED lighting and solar-powered electricity. The Grace Garden and Hope Garden have been key elements of our emphasis on sustainable food sourcing and community outreach. Living Waters provides an essential natural resource to those lacking it. Our youth are keenly interested in this topic, and we have had many activities involving nature and the environment throughout our kids and teens programs. We will be looking for ways to spread this message and become an even more vital part of our community.

2026 Youth Scholarship Application

The FPCLG Scholarship Committee, Youth Ministry Committee and congregation are pleased to announce that college and technical school scholarships will again be offered for the coming school year to our graduating high school seniors and continuing education students of active faith. Fill out the scholarship application and tell us how FPCLG has played a role in your faith journey. Applications are due in the FPCLG office or emailed to Kelly Higgins at khiggins@fpclg.org by 2:00 p.m. on FRIDAY, MARCH 27,2026. ALL scholarship recipients are expected to be in worship on Scholarship Sunday, June 7.

Tote Bags for Sale

Support the TUXIS high school youth group’s summer mission trips AND celebrate our Grace Garden by purchasing a canvas shopping bag. You can purchase one for $8 or two for $15. They are available during the week in the Church Office (M-F, 9-2), or contact Kelly at khiggins@fpclg.org. As always, we appreciate your support!

Food Pantry Donations

Food donations (of both non-perishable items AND fresh produce!) for the local food pantry may be placed in the bin in the Ashland Ave. vestibule of the church. In addition to food, the pantry gratefully accepts donations of toiletries and other non-food items. We feature an "item of the month" to highlight some of these needed supplies. March’s item of the month is toothpaste.

Magazine Collection

Our Board of Deacons is collecting magazines with lots of pictures (not technical info) for use at an area nursing home's memory care unit. Examples are People, National Geographic, Better Homes & Gardens, etc. Please place donations in the blue bin in the Ashland Ave. vestibule.  

“You are Loved” Comfort Care Totes

Many thanks to our generous congregation for supporting the “You Are Loved” Comfort Care Totes project for people going through cancer treatment. If you are aware or become aware of anyone of any age to whom you would like to give one of these totes, please let your deacon know or contact the Church Office.

2026 “Per Capita” Amount is $38.00

Each year, PC(USA) churches pay to support the work of their Presbytery, Regional Synod and National General Assembly based on each church’s total membership. You help us to cover this cost by paying the $38.00 per capita amount for each member of our church in your household. Per capita contributions may be made through our website or sent in to the Church Office. Contact Rick Foulke at 708.354.0771 or rfoulke@fpclg.org with questions.  

Click to Give

Online giving on our website allows you to make one-time donations or set up recurring payments by charging your checking account, savings account or credit card through one of the industry leading vendors for secure payment processing. A confirmation e-mail is sent to you for each gift, and a record of your gifts is also visible to you. It is very quick and easy. To make an online gift, click this link. There is no need to set up an account, but taking a few minutes to do so will make it easier to track your giving history as well as make subsequent or recurring gifts. You can also complete our direct debit authorization form to set up recurring payments directly from your account.

Podcast

FPCLG's weekly podcast "Sermons from the Sanctuary" can be found on your favorite podcast platform: Apple, YouTube, or Spotify.