Email from LaSalle Street Church

View this email in your web browser

This Week at LaSalle • February 11, 2026

Preaching This Sunday:

"The Spirit of the Lord"

Rev. Liz Mosbo VerHage

Events Upcoming

+ High Schooler Gathering 2/15

+ Ash Wednesday Service 2/18, 7:00 PM

+ Women's Gathering 2/22, 11:30 AM

+ Family Volunteer Day with Breakthrough 2/28

FIND MORE ON THE CHURCH CALENDAR

This Week

for Kids

During service:

Nursery and Pre-K/K will be in the Lower Level of the Sanctuary.
1st-5th Graders will be invited to Room 300 during service, and 6th-8th Graders will be invited to Room 308.
Youth Group is meeting after our worship service in Room 308.

A (Personal) Invitation to Ash Wednesday

The other day I was chatting with a few LaSallers who were unfamiliar with the tradition of Ash Wednesday. I could barely contain myself trying to persuade them that Ash Wednesday is a highlight of my year every year—a wonderful, powerful, and strange practice of our faith here at LaSalle. Let me try to tell you why. (And don't even get me started on Holy Week...)

Read the rest of today's blog post

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, February 18, 7:00 PM

Mark the beginning of the Lenten season with our Ash Wednesday service at 7:00 PM in our Sanctuary on February 18. Our contemplative service will end with the imposition of the ashes. We will also be streaming service to our live page! We hope you can join us in the sanctuary or online.

Last Sunday

Thank you for joining us for a fantastic Serve Sunday! Rev. Liz continued our Made Visible series, we heard lovely worship from guest leader Luther Young, and many joined us to reflect on LaSalle's hospitality after worship in Leslie Hall. The Hospitality Exercise yielded lots of fruitful conversations and the surveys have tons of useful feedback our pastoral team is working through. If you missed the Hospitality Exercise but would still like to fill out the survey, fill it out here!

Lenten Formation Groups

Midweek Groups Meeting Throughout Lent

We have three midweek small group opportunities this Lent open to all LaSallers!

Better Ways to Read the Bible

A 6-week discussion + practice group led by Pastor Brent centered on Zach Lambert’s Better Ways to Read the Bible
Tuesdays, 7-8:30 PM on Zoom starting 2/24
For anyone seeking a healthier relationship with Scripture—especially those who’ve been hurt by the Bible
Includes prayer, shared Scripture practices, and conversation (book encouraged, not required; copies available)
Closed after the second session (plan to attend as many as possible)

“Be Still” Morning Prayer Group

A gentle Thursday morning gathering to slow down and be present with God led by Pastor Julie
Thursdays in March, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM in Cornerstone Room 308
Includes scripture, song, and silence—creating space for stillness and prayer together

Creating Worship Liturgy and Art

A creative workshop + collaboration group to learn about and help create worship elements led by Rev. Liz
Wednesdays, 7-8 PM on Zoom on March 4, 11, & 18
For anyone interested in writing liturgy/poems, crafting calls to worship, recommending or writing music, making visual art, and other creative worship contributions

For now, please Save the Date for these groups you may be interested in, and stay tuned to join these groups on Church Center!

Table Circle Conversations

Beginning March 1

This Lent, we’re creating space after worship to process and practice our faith together through Table Circle Conversations. Each Sunday in March, you’re invited to stick around after the service for a small-group conversation where we’ll reflect on the sermon and explore themes of Lent in a tangible, real-life way.

Different groups will be available based on shared interests or life experience, but all groups will be engaging the same material: Kathy Escobar’s Turning Over Tables. More details (including group options) are coming soon—plan now to join us for one or all Sundays in March.

Also throughout Lent, we have three midweek small group opportunities we'll be inviting you to join:

Sunday Morning Parking

Available every Sunday 9 AM - 1 PM

New Parking Rules Starting March 1 - purchase a placard today!

We’re grateful to have a convenient parking option just steps from the Sanctuary! Our primary parking lot is at Walter Payton College Prep High School. The entrance is at 281 W Oak Street, between Wells and Orleans, beyond the school’s baseball field. Look for our parking attendant when you arrive.

Important update (effective March 1):

Beginning March 1, we’ll be asking members and regular attenders to contribute toward the cost of parking at Walter Payton. You can choose the option that fits best for you:

$10 weekly
$120 for six months
$200 annually

How it works:

Pay online through our regular giving platform (select the 'Parking' fund).
Placards will be available at the Welcome Wall — please place one on your dashboard when parking.
We’ll begin enforcing this in March.
Parking for guests is free. After 2–3 visits, we’ll ask regular attenders to begin paying.

Elm Street Garage update:

Validated parking at the Elm Street Plaza Garage (69 W Elm Street) will no longer be available. You may still park there at the standard rate ($28.35 for up to two hours) through their platform Metropolis.

Street parking:

Free unmetered street parking is also available nearby on Elm, Oak, and Hill Streets around Seward Park.

Women's Gathering

After worship on Sunday, February 22, Room 307

Pastor Julie will be hosting a women's gathering in Cornerstone Room 307 after our Sabbath Sunday worship service on February 22. Come and fellowship with other LaSalle women -- and if you can, bring a favorite snack to share!

RSVP to the Gathering Here

Family Volunteer Day

Saturday, February 28, 9:30-11:30 AM

All families are welcome to join our ministry partner, Breakthrough, on their Family Volunteer Day. This day is designed so all ages can participate - younger children with a parent will enjoy a fun, hands-on experience with crafts, games, snacks, and a simple service project. Older children and parents will work on behind-the-scenes service projects across the Breakthrough campus. It will be a morning of serving and learning together.

There is a $20 cost per family to help offset the cost of supplies, but let us know if cost is prohibitive to participation.You can sign up your family at the link below!

Celebrating Black History Month

"We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers." - Bayard Rustin

Join Us at Breaking Bread

Looking for a midweek opportunity to serve our neighbors in the Near North Side? Come to Breaking Bread! We have multiple ways to serve on Wednesdays -- from meal prep, to helping distribute meals to our guests, to delivering meals to some of our senior buildings around the church.

Sign up to help at an upcoming Breaking Bread (there are multiple times to sign up for on any Wednesday) or contact Pastor Julie for more information. Or click the link below to send needed items to directly to Breaking Bread via Amazon!

AMAZON WISHLIST

Outreach & Advocacy

GIVE