Connect
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 adult groups.
Adult Weekly Groups
From Sept - May, a women’s book group meets every Wednesday morning 9:30 - 10:30am, in the church Parlor. The women have lively conversations about a variety of books and all are welcome to join the conversation!
From Sept - May, a men’s discussion group meets every Thursday from 11:00 - 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.
Environment and Climate Change 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. Open to all.
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 book "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande, the documentary "Crip Camp", Anne Lamott's "Help, Thanks, Wow", and the documentary "We Feed People". Please contact the church office to find out about our next meet up!
Music Ministry
Please learn more about our music ministry here.
Sewing Circle
Meets the second Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. in Westminster Hall. New members are welcome. The cozy comforters are made for Constance Morris House and Beds Plus.
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!
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!
Weekly Groups: Men’s Group & Bookclub
We currently have a women’s book group on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 during the school year and a men’s discussion group on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Contact the Church Office to find out how to get involved.
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!
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.
Serving Others
Mission & Outreach
First Presbyterian Church of La Grange (FPCLG) works to serve our neighbors near and far with both hands-on and financial support. Some of the missions we support are listed below. If you are interested in volunteering, or know of a mission that could use support, please contact the FPCLG office at admin@fpclg.org.
Local Mission
BEDS+ (Building Ecumenical Discipleship through Sheltering)
BEDS is an ecumenical cooperative that provides services and night-time shelter to the homeless. Volunteers provide hospitality through laundry, cooking, and cleaning. LATH (La Grange Area Transitional Housing)– A Beds Plus program, LATH helps people on limited incomes, providing up to two years of temporary, subsidized housing. Volunteers mentor residents on finance and budgeting. BEDS and LATH were started by a group of caring FPCLG members in 1988 and have since grown throughout the area.
Community Assisted Rides (CARS)
CARS is a non-profit organization that provides rides to older adults in the Lyons, Proviso, and Riverside Townships to medical appointments, therapies, and life-enhancing errands such as the grocery store, bank, and church. The CARS office is located in our church near the Catherine entrance.
Constance Morris House
The Constance Morris House serves those affected by domestic violence. FPCLG provides dinner for (up to) 20 residents on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Giving Trees
During the Christmas season, gift tags are placed on our “Giving Trees” and marked with a requested gift idea. Participants may select a tag and purchase the gift for a local senior or child in need.
The Grace Garden
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. The Grace Garden has been featured in Greet La Grange, RB Landmark, and LION newspapers.
Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House receives the market value of recycled metal pop tabs plus a charitable match from United Scrap Metal. FPCLG donates pop tabs to support this vital charity. You can drop off your pop tabs any time in our east cloister.
Share Food Share Love
A free market located in Brookfield, IL serves 15 neighboring communities, approximately 150 families each week. FPCLG donates vegetable seed packets and organic produce in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. We also contribute funds to stock the market shelves and fill the community fridge that is available 7 days a week, for our neighbors who can not shop the market during opening hours. FPCLG also holds an annual school supply drive, which SFSL distributes to students and families.
Share the Harvest
A Grace Seeds mission that encourages people to bring in their excess produce, whether from their own backyard garden, the local farmers market, or a grocery store, to be shared with a food pantry to help those facing food insecurity.
2 Cents-a-Meal
Members are encouraged to donate two cents for every meal they eat, or an amount that feels right to them. The money raised is collected on the first Sunday of the month and donated, through the Presbytery of Chicago, to support local food programs and food-related mission projects.
World Mission
Living Waters for the World
Our church is part of a global mission to partner with communities whose water supply is a regular source of illness, causing medical, financial, and educational hardships. FPCLG is partnered with five communities in El Salvador: El Espino, El Paraiso, San Cristobal, San Rafael Cedros, and Mercedes Umana. Through Living Waters for the World, FPCLG installed 3 new water purification systems and trained communities on when and how to use the purified water. We provide ongoing support to increase the storage and distribution of water, and are preparing for a fifth installation in fall of 2025.
Feed My Starving Children
The FPCLG High School teens participate in an annual mission trip to pack meals specially formulated for malnourished children and sent to partners around the world for use in orphanages, schools, clinics, and feeding programs.
PC(USA) Special Offerings
Throughout the year, we promote and collect four different special offerings of the Presbyterian Church (USA) : One Great Hour, Pentecost, Peacemaking, and Christmas Joy.
To learn about or get involved with any of our mission projects, please contact the FPCLG office at admin@fpclg.org.
News & Opportunities
Week of August 4, 2025
Sunday Takeaway
It was a wonderful service with great music from Jeff Kust and Tyler Kivel. There was also a sermon about the futility of life...but why should we care, right?
We concluded worship by singing the closing chorus of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”: Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Do we greet each morning anticipating that we will find new mercies?
-Rev. Jonathan Krogh
Join us for worship on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
On August 10, our high schoolers will lead us in worship as they share their recent mission trip experiences.
Pray for the children and volunteers participatin giin or Kid's’ Summer Camp this week.
If you would like to include a prayer request, please contact the Church Office. You can also share confidential prayer requests through our prayer line at pray@fpclg.org.
Dear Forgiving Fellowship:
I’m musing this morning about a time in my life when I struggled to forgive. This comes at a time when there is so much hostility dividing families, communities, the nation...and perhaps because of this, I am thinking again about why Scripture commands us to forgive the sins of others when, sometimes, I don’t want to.
In my own life, the operative issue about forgiveness is how we think of it as reconciliation. While Scripture does command us to forgive, reconciliation is seen as a work in progress, because we are warned about reconciling with evil. We are commanded to forgive; we aspire to reconciliation…
FPCLG Sermon Podcast
Thank You for the Supplies!
This Month’s Community Concert
Kids’ Summer Checklist can be Turned in Sunday
Spirits & Spirituality on August 12
Discussion of “We Feed People” on August 17/Film Viewing on August 14
August’s Loose Offerings for World Central Kitchen
Thank You for Your Prayers…and for the Pop Tabs!
Coming Up in Women’s Ministry
FPCLG Sermon Podcast
Did you know we have a podcast? It’s a 20-minute compilation of the scripture readings and the sermon recorded in the worship service. FPCLG’s weekly podcast, “Sermons from the Sanctuary,” can be found on popular podcast platforms Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Listen to the message if you missed the service, or listen a second time to contemplate it on your own time. Go back to some prior messages. Having this pop up in your podcast feed is a convenient way to consume it while you are on a walk, doing a household task or simply resting. It usually arrives a few hours after the service. Subscribe and enjoy!
FPCLG Sermon Podcast
FPCLG’s Water Team brings lots of supplies on each installation trip—the components of the water purification system are only the beginning. We recently created a Wish List of items for Mercedes Umaña, our fifth partner community in El Salvador, to be used for health education lessons and then gifted to the in-country educators so that they can continue the lessons in turn with their community members. We thank you for providing ALL of the items from our Wish List—we couldn’t continue our ministry as a Water Church without the generous support of our congregation. We are so appreciative and are looking forward to working with the Water Team in Mercedes Umaña at the end of this month.
August Community Concert
This month’s free Community Concert in our Sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19, features Chris White, jazz pianist.
A native of Toronto, since 2000 Chris has called Chicago his home. He has appeared extensively at clubs throughout the city and has given concerts internationally in Bangkok, Japan and Vietnam.
Chris has performed at the top jazz clubs in Chicago such as Andy’s, The Green Mill and the Jazz Showcase with his own groups and as a sideman. The Chris White Trio performs the music of Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” regularly throughout the Chicago area at the end of each year.
Chris is also an active educator, currently teaching at Lake Forest College, North Park University and North Central College.
Kids’ Summer Checklists
Kids who participated in our summer checklist activities can turn in their checklists on August 10, with prizes being awarded August 17.
Contact Director of Christian Education Kelly Higgins with questions at khiggins@fpclg.org.
Spirits & Spirituality
You’re invited to join neighbors and fellow FPCLG members for Spirits & Spirituality—an evening of connection, conversation and community on Tuesday, August 12, at Barrel House Social in downtown La Grange, 100 W. Burlington Ave.
Happy hour: 5:30-6:00 p.m.
Discussion begins at 6:00 p.m.
In a relaxed and welcoming setting, we’ll reflect together on how the world around us calls us to recognize that we are surrounded by God’s love—especially through the support of a generous, accepting and loving community like FPCLG.
Spirits & Spirituality is a chance to meet an amazing group of people, share meaningful conversation and explore faith in everyday life. Whether you’re a regular at FPCLG or simply curious, we invite you to come as you are.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Discussion of
“We Feed People”
The Mission & Outreach Committee will be hosting a discussion of “We Feed People,” a film that documents how the nonprofit World Central Kitchen and founder Chef José Andrés have responded to humanitarian crises over a 12-year period.
FPCLG has financially supported World Central Kitchen the past two years; you can see your pledge dollars at work in this film. In addition, they are the recipient of our loose offerings for the month of August (see announcement below).
We will meet at Imperial Oak in Brookfield on Sunday, August 17; social time is 4:30-5:00 p.m., and discussion 5:00-6:00 p.m. In our discussion, we will explore what service means to us in the context of our faith. The film is available on Disney+ and Hulu.
We will meet at Imperial Oak in Brookfield on Sunday, August 17; social time is 4:30-5:00 p.m., and discussion 5:00-6:00 p.m. In our discussion, we will explore what service means to us in the context of our faith. The film is available on Disney+ and Hulu.
Emily Kallemeyn will host a viewing of the film at her home on Thursday, August 14, at 7:00 p.m. Contact Emily at 708.955.6228 or emo1573@gmail.com if you plan to attend the viewing and/or the discussion.
August Loose Offerings
Each month we are supporting a specific mission or ministry beyond the walls of FPCLG where our weekly undesignated plate offerings will be shared. Of course, your designated gifts may also be given when the offering plate is passed, but we hope to see our generosity touch lives in our community and the world.
For the month of August, all of our undesignated gifts will be shared with World Central Kitchen, an organization that is first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises. They have been (among many places) on the ground in Gaza to the extent that they have been given access.
If you have a project or a program you would like to assist as our ministry of the month, please contact the pastor or a member of the Mission & Outreach Committee.
Little things like pop tabs can make a big difference!
Other Announcements
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" as podcasts through iTunes or your favorite content distributor.
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.
Coffetime After Communion
On the first Sunday of each month, we gather for coffeetime 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 coffeetimes. 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!
Preparations for Next El Salvador Visit
FPCLG’s Water Team will be traveling to El Salvador at the end of August to work with the Water Team at Iglesia Fuente De Salvacion in Mercedes Umaña, our fifth Living Waters for the World partner community. They are working diligently on the room where the water purification system will be installed, in preparation for our visit. And we are in the process of gathering supplies for the health education component of the installation. If you are interested in donating any of the supplies we’ll bring, you can view our Amazon Wish List here (purchased items can be shipped directly to the church). Thank you!
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.
Documentary Discussion
The Mission & Outreach Committee is hosting a discussion of “We Feed People”, available on Disney+ and Hulu. This film documents how the nonprofit World Central Kitchen and founder Chef José Andrés have responded to humanitarian crises over a 12-year period. In our discussion, we will explore what service means to us in the context of our faith. We will meet at Imperial Oak in Brookfield on Sunday, August 17; social time is 4:30-5:00 p.m., and discussion 5:00-6:00 p.m. Please contact the Church Office if you are planning to attend.
Environment and Climate Change Discussion Group
This group is open to all and meets one Thursday evening per month in the Parlor to discuss climate issues. Please contact Betty McGinnis or the Church Office to sign up.
Faith Forest Kids’ Summer Camp
Kids in preschool (at least four years old and potty trained) through incoming fourth graders are invited to join us for our Faith Forest summer camp taking place August 4-8, 9:00-11:15 a.m. Join us for a week of crafts, games, stories and snacks. Students will be divided by grade levels for age-appropriate activities. Please sign up for which days your child(ren) can attend, and note their ages in the comment section. Sign up here! Suggested donation to help cover costs is $30 per child for the week, which can be paid through our Online Giving page, through Venmo, or by cash or check (made out to FPCLG) to the Church Office.
Kids’ Summer Checklist
Happy summer! We are offering a Kids’ Summer Checklist to promote the use of our Church Library as well as other ways to be involved at church. Click here for the checklist with ways for incoming K-8th graders to earn points to win prizes. Print out the checklist and keep track on the back or on a separate piece of paper. Copies are also available in the Church Library (accessible via the Ashland Ave. entrance and down the stairs). The library is open on Sunday mornings and also during office hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.) We hope you enjoy the activities you choose to participate in!
Tote Bags for Sale
Support the TUXIS mission trip to Milwaukee this summer 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!
Provide a Dinner for Neighbors in Need
Constance Morris House is part of Pillars Community Health and serves those affected by domestic violence. They are in need of dinners for their 20 residents, and FPCLG has the opportunity to meet this need on the first and third Thursday of each month. This is a great activity to do as a family or with friends, and you are welcome to use the church kitchen for preparation and fellowship if signing up as a group. There is no need to worry about food allergies or restrictions. You can view the schedule here to see available dates. Please contact the Church Office at admin@fpclg.org for more information or to sign up!
"Buy a Part, Be a Part"
Our “Buy a Part, Be a Part” fundraising campaign for our Living Waters mission in El Salvador provides the opportunity to fund a specific piece of the water purification system that will be installed for our next partner community in El Salvador. Click here to visit our Living Waters Webstore and sponsor a piece of the system!
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. August’s item of the month is facial tissue.
Reminder to Save Pop Tabs
Pop tabs from cans are collected in a labeled drawer in our 'recycling center' in the east cloister and delivered to Ronald McDonald House, which receives the market value of the recycled metal plus a charitable match from United Scrap Metal to support their mission of providing a home away from home for families who have a child in the hospital. Little things like pop tabs can make a big difference!
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.
2025 “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.
Church Calendar
Please see the calendar of church services, activities and meetings here.
Contact Us
Prayer Request
If you are in need of prayer, please email pray@fpclg.org and our prayer team will lift you up in prayer.
Become a Member
For information about joining FPCLG, click here: Become a Member
Email & Phone Number
Email: admin@fpclg.org
Phone: 708.354.0771