This Week

Sunday Worship | November 8, 2026
Walk the Word: A Journey Through the Bible Series

This Weekend in Worship

Great… But…

2 Kings 5:1–15 | Pastor Gregg DeMey

Naaman was a great military leader, respected and successful—but he also suffered from leprosy.

There is always something that coexists with what is good—or even great—about us that can pull us down to the depths of despair. Through the story of Naaman, we are reminded that God's healing power is meant to extend to the ends of the earth, and our natural response to His healing and grace is gratitude.

Services at 10 AM and Online

Sunday Morning Live (SML), Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29
Dr. Oliver Hersey — The Life of David
Journey through David’s life—from overlooked shepherd to Israel’s greatest king—through triumph, suffering, failure, and hope. Each week explores a pivotal moment in David’s life, offers lessons for faithful living, and concludes with a Psalm of thanksgiving. Together, we’ll discover how David cultivated gratitude, even in times of hardship and uncertainty.

Walk Up Choir, Sunday November 15
Want a little extra preparation? Come for choir rehearsal on Wednesday, November 11 at 7 pm, or Sunday, November 15 at 9 am.

Christmas Store York Outreach - Donate, Volunteer or Give!
Saturday, December 12
The Christmas Store is a special one-day event held each December for families served through Outreach York. Families are invited to shop for brand-new Christmas gifts for their children, from infants through age 18, at affordable prices. This approach honors the dignity of parents and grandparents by allowing them to personally select and purchase gifts their children will love. Elmhurst CRC is joining with Outreach to help make this Christmas Store possible as part of our Blessed to Be a Blessing month in November. Participate by donating gifts, volunteering, supporting financially. Details here.

November Activities, Events & Celebrations
Hearts Ablaze Worship Celebrations | November 1 & 8
Join us for special Sunday worship services as we reflect on God's faithfulness throughout our two-year Hearts Ablaze journey. Blessed To Be A Blessing...visit our display in the lobby. bless others locallythrough the York Outreach Christmas Store.

Chicagoland Youth Worship Night | November 8
Middle and high school students from across Chicagoland are invited to gather at Elmhurst CRC at 6:30 pm for an evening of worship and community.

Hearts Ablaze Homecoming | November 15
Celebrate God's faithfulness with a 10 am worship service, 4:30 pm Hymn Sing, and 5:30 pm all-church celebration featuring dinner, music, children's activities, and a mortgage note bonfire! Hearts Ablaze details and itinerary.

Serve Weekend | November 21–22
Put faith into action as we serve our neighbors and ministry partners throughout Elmhurst and the greater Chicago area. Join us for a weekend of worship and service.
Details & Sign Up - check it out.

Thanksgiving Worship Service | November 26
Gather with our church family on Thanksgiving Day to give thanks and praise to God for His faithfulness and blessings. Come on out for a service capstone season of thankfulness. Details.

________________________________

Thrive (55+) Welcomes Chicago Author Dave Larsen, Thursday, November 19
Join Thrive as Chicago author Dave Larsen shares stories and insights from his historical novel, Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story. Drawing on his childhood experiences, Larsen explores life in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood during the racial and social changes of the early 1960s. Free and open to all! Come enjoy an evening of Chicago history, storytelling, and conversation. Dinner at 6 pm, Author presenation at 7 pm. Dinner details and sign up here.

Journeymen, Thursday, November 12
Join us for Journeymen with speaker Justin Lawrence. We'll have the coffee and bagels. It all starts at 6:30 am.

Cancer Support Group, Nov & Dec
For those currently going through cancer, cancer survivors, caregivers, and anyone who has been affected by cancer.The group will meet for six Thursday evenings this fall and will discuss Seeing God in Your Cancer Journey by Karen Tripp of Cancer Companions. Together, we’ll explore faith, hope and the challenges of a cancer journey in a supportive, welcoming environment.Thursdays at 7 pm, November 12 & 19, December 10 & 17. Details

Prayer Lab - Nov 22
Have you ever wondered about prayer? How do we pray? What does prayer accomplish? Is it really necessary? Coming this fall, you'll have an opportunity to explore prayer more deeply. This Prayer Lab combines teaching, training, practice, and conversation as we learn how to pray for others and discover the Spirit's work in bringing freedom from the strongholds and wounds that bind people. Nov 22, 4:30-6 in the upper gathering room. Details here

Young LIfe Capernaum, Nov 12
Teens and young adults (ages 13-22) with and withoutdisabilities are invited for pizza, worship, and lots of fun! Nov 12, 6-7:30 in the Youth Room. For more info, email
Michelle DeJong

Thrive (55+) Christmas of Joy, Dec 16
Come our for lunch and afternoon of music at White Fence Farm. Details.

____________________________________________

Pastor Sabbaticals
As part of our church’s commitment to the health and longevity of pastoral ministry, our pastors will each take a sabbatical—a season set aside for rest, renewal, learning, and reflection.
Pastor Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor at ECRC
Oct 6 - Nov 6, Pastor Gregg will be on sabbatical from Oct 6-Nov 6
Rev. Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach
January 2027: Rev Klein will be on sabbatical during the month of January 2027.

Little Lambs Preschool Experience fall 2026
We have room in the Wed morning, afternoon and evening sessions. Register today for your class time and day. Check it out HERE.

Coffee Break Bible Study - Wednesdays & Thursdays
This fall we'll journey through the first half of the book of Exodus in a study titled Learning to Trust God. Details at elmhurstcrc.org/coffeebreak

Registrations for Mid-Week Ministries
Registrations for mid-week ministries are open! If you have not registered yet, and one a great place for faith and fellowship, this one's for you! GEMS Girls Club, Cadets Boys Club, Pathfinders Boy Club, Coffee Break Bible Study, and more.

November Events
Elmhurst Youth ✝️
We can't wait to see you! Come on out for...

Sunday
Chicagoland Youth Worship Night
Sunday, November 8 | 6:30 PM A full night of worship! Hosted by Elmhurst CRC

Sunday, November 15 — Hearts Ablaze: Homecoming & Celebration of Faithfulness
4:30 PM | Youth Room

All youth groups—middle school and high school—will meet together at 4:30 PM in the Youth Room for prayer and a devotional. Afterward, we’ll join the rest of the church to celebrate Hearts Ablaze: Homecoming & Celebration of Faithfulness!

Winter retreat, Jan 22-24. Watch for details. Registration is open.

Check out elmhurstcrc.org/youth

Nurmay Missions
Looking ahead: Elmhurst CRC is planning another mission trip to Nurmay Missions in Kenya, Africa in late July/early August of 2027. Sign up here if you’d be interested in details as they become available.

Operations:
Rental space continues at Elmhurst CRC. The Garden Room recently hosted the crew of Chicago Med for a few meals during their production in the area.

Financial Update:
As of November 2, 2026, our outstanding mortgage balance is approximately $160,000. We have a realistic goal of fully retiring the debt by November 15, and we remain on pace to fully fund the annual budget and meet the overall Hearts Ablaze target established at the beginning of the campaign.

Year-to-date, offerings have been received from 371 households. Throughout the year, we continue to see an increase in the number of families financially contributing to the ministries of the church. We are praising God for His faithfulness.

Personnel:
Matina (Mati) Pilafas will join us as our second Youth Coordinator, beginning November 9, 2026.

Farmers Market:
The Elmhurst Farmers Market ended on a positive note and will continue in 2027. There were more vendors and visitors this year than the previous year. The team is working on some great ideas for next year.

Elmhurst Farmers Market has concluded for the season. We'll be back June 2027!

FRONT OFFICE STAFF
ASSISTANT NURSERY COORDINATOR

Check out employment opening at elmhurstcrc.org/join-our-team

On-the-Go Devos Experience
Our weekday devotionals, delivered via text Monday–Friday, are live again this fall! . Sign up to get your daily dose of Scripture!

Prayer Chain
We invite you to join our church community’s email prayer chain. Through this twice-weekly email, we share prayer requests for the health and well-being of our members and their families. It’s a meaningful way to stay connected and support one another in prayer. To subscribe, simply sign up and receive prayer requests directly to your inbox.

Weekly Enews
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter of events, activities and connections: elmhurstcrc.org/subscribe

Church Office Hours:
Mon-Thu | 8:30 am-3:30 pm
Fri | 8:30 am-12:30 pm

We're available online 24/7.

Christians Against Poverty: Registration is now open for the Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Money Course, which consists of three sessions on Wednesday, November 4, 11, and 18 at 7 pm at Cityview Community Church, 343 S. York, Elmhurst, IL 60126. The course and all CAP services are free. Register at https://cityviewcc.net/registration

Samaritan's Purse Seasonal Opportunities
Our seasonal positions include a wide variety of customer service positions - including team coaches, greeters, and floor coordinators. There are also a variety of warehouse positions - including dockworkers, quality/inventory control, class A CDL drivers, and forklift drivers. The ideal candidates for these positions will have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, align with the mission of Samaritan’s Purse, work well with volunteers, be flexible, and be able to function well in a fast-paced environment. CHECK OUT JOBS HERE.

Caring Network is Hiring!
From Admin jobs, Development and Nurse specific, if you have a heart for babies, womena families, check out these openings online.