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This Week at LaSalle • October 9, 2024

NOTE! OUR WORSHIP SERVICE THIS SUNDAY BEGINS AT 11:30 AM

TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHICAGO MARATHON.

Preparing for Marathon Sunday

THIS SUNDAY, October 13, is the day of the Chicago Marathon! In order to accommodate the marathon, we will begin our worship service at 11:30 AM rather than our usual time of 10 AM.

Because the marathon route runs directly in front and behind our church building, many of the roads you may regularly use to get to LaSalle will be closed -- please refer to this flyer noting all the road closures to be aware of.

If you'd like to join our staff and other LaSallers cheering on the marathon runners, please plan to come to our sanctuary as early as 7:00 AM, where we'll receive some orienting information.

Posture of Prayer & Political Action

Throughout October, we’re creating spaces to pray together in a focused way for the upcoming election, and connecting one another to ways to take action and empower people to get out and vote in Nov. There are a several ways you could join us for prayer, or to take action: 

• Pray together in person before Sunday services: From 9:30-50 AM each Sunday in October, all are welcome to gather and express your hopes, fears, and petitions to God. We’ll gather in the park beside the sanctuary (or in the Lower Level, weather permitting) to be led by lay leaders or pastors in informal prayer together. Join us whenever you can!
• Join our Prayer Team email list: Did you know LaSalle has a Prayer Team that prays for specific needs from the congregation, shared via email? Sign up to join the team, and in October we’ll be sharing weekly prompts to pray in specific ways for our political climate and current events. Request to join the group here.
• There are several groups within LaSalle forming around postcard write ins, zoom parties, and helping register Breaking Bread neighbors to be eligible to vote. More details will be shared soon for any who want to join!  

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

Happy Hispanic Latino Heritage Month!

"It is not enough to simply survive. To truly live, we must thrive, resist, and challenge the systems that keep us from our full humanity." - Cherríe Moraga

Submit Names of Loved Ones for All Saints' Day

On Sunday, November 3, we'll be marking All Saints' Day at LaSalle — a day to honor and remember loved ones we've lost over the last year.

Our service will include a recitation of names of loved ones within and outside our congregation who have passed away since last All Saints' Day last November. Please submit any names you would like to be read by October 30 at the form below.

November Skills Lab: Financial Health

After worship on Sundays, November 3 & 17

Money can be a stressful and complicated part of life, especially when debt is involved. Join us for a special two-part class on overcoming debt taught by LaSalle's Treasurer, Karl Lauger, and Susan Martin, someone who's overcome debt themselves. We'll focus on the details of a specific plan for getting out of debt, and we'll hear stories and hold the emotional realities that accompany finances.

All are welcome to this two-part course (after worship on Sunday, 11/3 and Sunday, 11/17, one hour each), and advanced signup is required. (Attending both sessions is ideal, but you are still welcome if you can attend only one session or the other.)

Parent's Book Discussion

In his book, Anxious Generation, psychologist Jonathan Haidt shares research connecting the current mental health crisis in teens and young adults with use of technology and social media. Haidt issues a call to action which includes steps for parents to take (as well as other entities) to combat this epidemic of mental illness. 

After our worship service on November 17, we will have a book discussion on this book, sharing experiences and tools to help our kids and youth create healthy habits with the virtual world. Dave and Ann Healing will lead this discussion as parents of young adults who have been there. We hope to foster a non-judgmental space for sharing and learning from one another, recognizing that none among us are perfect parents. 

This book discussion is geared for parents of kids and teens. Reading the book ahead of time will be helpful in understanding the conversation.

Share Your Favorite Worship Songs!

We're in a season of trying some new things in worship, related to music, singing, ensembles, creativity, art, and more. If you're interested in getting involved, please contact our new Artist in Residence and Music Coordinator, Rob, or Rev Liz - we're looking for musicians, singers, and song writers, as well as poetry readers, writers, painters, creators - all those who get energized by expressing beauty and creativity as part of our spiritual life. Also, be sure to check out two new resources - submit your favorite songs to be considered for worship below, and check out our new LaSalle Worship Playlist to hear songs we've sung, and a few new ones coming up. Contact us at info@lasallestreetchurch.org for more.

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!

Community Connections:

Voting on Chicago's School Board

On November 5, Chicago will select the members of its first elected school board. We encourage all members of our congregation to make prayer-filled and informed choices this election season. WBEZ, Chalkbeat Chicago, and the Chicago Sun Times have developed a comprehensive voter guide that provides detailed information about this historic election, the candidates, and their policies. Longtime LaSaller Adam Parrott-Sheffer is a candidate in the 10th district that covers the south side lakefront. Adam will have be at a table in the Lower Level after service this Sunday to meet you and share more about his vision for the school board!

Partnerships

& Outreach