A Hopeful Future
Richard Gehring
A lot of people worry about the future of the church. Worship attendance has been declining for decades. Younger generations are less likely than their elders to consider themselves Christian. Many congregations are desperate for young adults and families.
Recent polls, however, suggest these trends may be changing. Pew Research reports that the decline in Christianity in the U.S. may have leveled off. And a recent Barna poll found that people in younger generations who attend church actually attend more regularly than older generations.
Attendance for Baby Boomers (those over 60) has been falling for decades, now averaging only 1.4 worship services per month. Generation X (ages 45-60) has been holding steady for several years at 1.6 services per month. Meanwhile, attendance patterns for younger generations are rising. Millennials (ages 29-44) are now found in church 1.8 times a month. And Gen Z (ages 13-28) averages 1.9 times a month in worship. This represents a significant increase from an average of 1.2 times a month for both these groups in 2019.
These trends are playing out here at LMC. We see significant contributions from 20- and 30-somethings. We are blessed with the presence and voices of children and youth. I am encouraged by the vitality and energy I experience as younger generations step forward to take responsibility and provide hope for the future.
In This Issue
Pledge to Support LMC’s Mission in 2026
Eric Nelessen
It’s fall! The time of year for digging out winter coats, cleaning out the garage, winterizing windows, and preparing the church budget. Thankfully, I’m only here to ask for your help with one of those.
Lombard’s commissions are preparing their budgets for 2026, and we’re asking for your help in making the planning process more accurate. Would you prayerfully consider submitting a pledge for what you are able to give in 2026? The total amount pledged by LMC members is the primary factor in how we plan our spending to support our mission, Christian formation, worship, and facility upkeep in the coming year.
Your contributions will help support LMC’s mission to be A Worshiping community rooted in God’s love, following Jesus, seeking peace and justice, and serving others.
There are several ways to submit a pledge:
- You can use the above convenient button.
- You can mail a pledge form to the church office, attn Katharine Richert, or put it in her mailbox. Forms are available in the narthex or I can email one to you, just let me know!
- You can send a confidential email to Katharine at [email protected].
One very quick financial update for 2025. As of now, we are approximately $56,000 behind budget in General Fund giving, resulting in expenses exceeding income by about $36,000. While this is not unexpected and aligns with our congregation’s typical giving patterns, it’s still something to be mindful of.
The good news is that there is still time this year to make up the difference! If you haven’t yet given and would like to, you can donate:
- Online via Church Center
- With Zelle (to [email protected])
- By check or cash in the Sunday offering box
- LMC can also receive designated gifts from donor-advised funds, as well as qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from retirement accounts. Contact me or Katharine to learn more.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the General Fund—your generosity makes it possible for us to continue serving God and our community!
Update on Phase Four Construction
Jeremy Kropf
The end of the asphalt paving season can come as early as the middle of October or as late as the end of November. As we reached the end of August, it became clear that we wouldn’t be ready to solicit bids from contractors for this season, so I made the decision to delay the parking lot renovation until spring. I know this will be disappointing for many of you, as it was for me.
For this winter, we will fill in the worst of the holes with gravel, and we will redouble our efforts to finish the plans and send the parking lot package for bid in January anticipating construction next spring. Planning for the classroom wing is continuing, and we are evaluating whether any of the other construction can be moved forward instead of waiting until next summer.
The good news is that we won’t have to wait for funding to arrive before breaking ground. As shared in the September Vital Signs, our Phase Four “Renew. Restore. Rejoice!” capital campaign was wildly successful, exceeding our campaign goal. Already, 33% of the total pledged—$134,808—has come in. Thank you for your generous and faithful giving!
A Safe and Welcoming Space for All
Nathan Perrin
As the Pastor of Christian Formation, one of my deepest commitments is to ensure that everyone in our church community has a safe and welcoming space. Part of that commitment means working to make sure our church remains a consistent testimony to protection and care.
One important step we’ve taken toward this goal is implementing background checks for all volunteers who work with youth of any age. You may have already received an email with a Google Form to complete as part of this process.
This is not only a new standard set by Mennonite Church USA, but also a meaningful way for us to express our commitment to the well-being of every person in our community. A church that prioritizes safety is a healthy church—and this effort reflects the heart of our welcoming statement. After all, hospitality cannot exist without a foundation of protection.
If you’re currently volunteering with youth, please be on the lookout for the form in your inbox. And thank you to all of our dedicated teachers and volunteers. Your support, encouragement, and care for our young people continue to inspire me.
Cotton Patch Gospel Coming to LMC on Oct 25
Imagine if Jesus had been born in Gainesville, Georgia in the 20th century. Now picture that story woven into a musical, with one man portraying over 20 characters, playing 11 instruments, and singing his own backup vocals. Now imagine the event is free to attend, with 100% of a freewill offering going to fight hunger!
Join us on Saturday, October 25 at 7pm as Lombard Mennonite Church hosts The Cotton Patch Gospel, performed by Phil Kauffman. This unique musical—written by Tom Key and Russel Treyz—features music by singer/songwriter Harry Chapin and draws inspiration from Clarence Jordan’s modern Southern translations of the Gospels, rooted in his work at Koinonia Farm. The familiar Bible stories take on a new twist as Mary Hagler and Joe Davidson raise a most miraculous child in the heart of the American South.
A native Illinoisan, Phil Kaufmann brings the story to life with permission from the Chapin family and through the use of audio and video technology. His one-man performance, combined with an excellent script, makes this a production that you won’t want to miss.
Best of all, your enjoyment will support a worthy cause: 100% of the proceeds from the freewill offering will go to fight hunger—locally, nationally, and globally. Half of the funds will stay right here in Lombard to support The Outreach House. The other 50% will be split evenly between WhyHunger (an organization founded by Harry Chapin and New York radio host and Catholic philanthropist Bill Ayres) and Mennonite Central Committee’s global food programs.
So far, Phil has taken his one-man show on the road for hunger relief with over 130 performances, raising over $130,000. Be a part of this effort on October 25!
New Wing for Radical Hospitality Ministries
Katrina Baugh
James and I continue to be deeply blessed by this church’s generosity and support of Radical Hospitality Ministries. In the last few months, we have built out a new wing of the ministry, and our Pretrial Services division is now in full swing!
As we continue working with people being released from prison and advocating for our right to purchase the future Radical Hospitality House, we’ve also expanded our clientele to include individuals being released from DuPage County Jail for the duration of their trial.
The work we have been doing for the past five years to coordinate services and support for formerly incarcerated folks has laid a strong foundation for connecting our new pretrial clients to the resources they need. We’re able to provide transportation, food, and court reminders directly to all of our clients. From our expansive network of relationships, we’re also linking clients to housing, job opportunities, healthcare, financial support, and anything else they may need on the path to stability and self-sufficiency.
We’re loving this new branch of our work, especially alongside our two amazing team members, Neph and Cassandra. We’d love for any of you to stop by our office and meet the newest members of the Radical Hospitality Team. We’re located right across the street from the county complex and open Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. We hope to see you soon!
Villages Store Rebrands as Glen Ellyn Fair Trade
Sharon Ewert
Major change is coming to LMC’s Ten Thousand Villages store in Glen Ellyn. Earlier this year, Villages corporate asked all its brick and mortar stores to rebrand (corporate wants to retain the Ten Thousand Villages name for online sales and wholesale). Consequently, LMC’s store will relaunch as Glen Ellyn Fair Trade in mid-November, at the same time as our annual Bag Sale.
This process of rebranding and preparing to stand more on our own has meant creating and adopting a new logo and new signage, planning publicity about the change, purchasing new point of sale equipment and software, and picking up numerous costs that Villages corporate used to cover for all of its stores. These relaunching costs are all the focus of our mission matching grant this year.
We hope to emerge from this process as a stronger store, still connected to the Ten Thousand Villages network of stores (all with new names), but able to operate more independently by choosing our own purchases and setting our own promotions. We remain committed to our mission of supporting artisans around the world and enabling them to live lives of dignity through certified fair trade practices.
One event that supports artisans in Pakistan is our annual rug event (October 8-12). We’ll be bringing in around 350 handmade rugs, crafted by artisans involved in a fair trade project (Bunyaad Rugs) started by a Baptist minister over 40 years ago. Norm and I have visited this project twice—25 years apart—and have seen firsthand how fair trade empowers communities. The proceeds have helped build schools, hospitals, churches, and infrastructure, enabling families to live sustainably.
Please tell your friends about this event and come yourself to see these pieces of art that support humanitarian efforts in the Lahore area of Pakistan. Sale hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10-6, and Sunday, 12-4.