2023 Spring Concert Series

First Congregational Church of Elgin invites the wider community to our annual Spring Concert Series, featuring four performances from local and international musical artists. All concerts are free admission and open to the public. A free-will offering will be collected for donations to the Music Program at First Congregational.

 

 

Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 4:00 PM

Lindsay Garritson, concert pianist

Dr. Lindsay Garritson has performed throughout the United States and abroad since the age of four. She has appeared on stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Place des Arts (Montreal), and has been featured as soloist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra (Texas), Orchestre Métropolitain (Montreal), Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica Barra Mansa (Brazil), the Yale Philharmonic Orchestra, and the European Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. An award-winning performer, Lindsay has received top prizes at the Montreal International Piano Competition, USASU Bösendorfer International Piano Competition, and the Mozarteum International Chopin Competition (Salzburg).

 

Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 4:00 PM

Elgin Symphony String Quartet

Eleanor Bartsch is a violinist with a diverse and vibrant career as a chamber musician, orchestral musician, Concertmaster, soloist, educator, and entrepreneur. In addition to serving as Associate Concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, she is Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, a performing member of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 2018 was named first violinist of the critically acclaimed Kontras Quartet.

Eric Pidluski is a native of Fairfield, CT, where he began playing the violin at age 9. He is currently a member of the first violin sections of Elgin and Rockford Symphonies. He attended the DePaul University School of Music, where he received a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a certificate in violin performance.

Rebecca Swan received her Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory. She is a member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and is principal violist with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and Illinois Philharmonic. She is also a member of the Elgin Symphony and Chicago Sinfonietta.

Sara Sitzer is an active and versatile freelance cellist and entrepreneur in Chicago. A member of the Elgin Symphony, Sara also performs regularly with orchestras and ensembles including the Milwaukee Symphony and Chicago Opera Theater. 

 

 

Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 4:00 PM

Harper College Steel Drum Band

Paul Ross, director

The Harper College Steel Bands have been entertaining audiences for over 35 years. They perform on a family of instruments called steel pans which were invented and developed in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. These instruments are hand crafted from 55 gallon oil drums/barrels. Harper owns ten steel pans made for them by legendary pan builder and Trinid native Cliff Alexis. Caribbean styles such as calypso, reggae, ska, cha cha, and mambo along with rock, bossa nova, samba, and pop make up the heart of their musical repertoire. Director Paul G. Ross arranges most of their music and has also written many original pieces for them over the years.

 

Friday, April 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM

Good Friday Choral Concert and Service

Several church choirs in the area join to perform Faure's Requiem, including liturgical elements of scriptures and prayer.

 

Opportunities

Food for Greater Elgin

The second largest food pantry in Kane County hosting client-choice distributions offering both day and evening shifts for our clients’ convenience. This style of food distribution has been proven to lower waste while preserving the dignity of clients. Shoppers can receive food twice monthly, and may choose from a variety of products, including meat, fresh produce, dairy, deli, and shelf-stable items, and are assisted by volunteers during the shopping process.

Interfaith Food Pantry

FCC provides space to house the All Peoples Interfaith Food Pantry.  Its hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9:30 am – 11:30 am. All Peoples Interfaith Food Pantry distributes food to Elgin and South Elgin residents. People can receive food once per week from January 1 – December 31. No referral necessary. Click here to volunteer.

Crop Walk

Since 1983, Elgin area faith communities and civic organizations have banned together in a local CROP Hunger Walk effort to bring awareness to the persistent problem of poverty and hunger locally and globally. During that time, Elgin CROP Walkers have raised over $500,000 (thats 1/2 million!) dollars in support of the sustainable projects of Church World Service and Elgin area soup kettles and food pantries.

Themes

Live Love, Stop Hate

 Live, Love, Stop Hate.  We adopted this as our mission theme in 2018, addressing issues of religious and racial intolerance in our community. In 2019 we took up the crisis of opioid addiction, sponsoring addresses by nationally known addiction speakers, networking with local governmental and social service agencies working on addiction issues and founding a support group for families struggling with the addictions of family members. The theme for 2020-2021 will be Environmental concerns, Income inequality and Criminal Justice Reform.

Small Groups

Small Groups

DAMARIS Women's Group

DAMARIS- Women’s Group 

The women’s dining out group meets the 4th Thursday of each month at a different restaurant each month.  They  meet at 1 PM for lunch followed by a short Bible study.    Click here to email  for more information.

ECO Group

A small group exploring how to live greener, connect our faith in to faithful stewardship of the environment and address global climate change. Meets every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

B.O.B.S. 

Are you a “BOB”?  Would you like to be a “BOB”?  Our men’s breakfast group called “Boys Out for Breakfast” (hence “BOB” - get it?) meets at Alexander’s on Hwy. 31 just north of the tollway on the third Tuesday of each month at 8:30am. There is no agenda except fellowship and good food at the start of the day.  Click here to email Tom Howard that you're interested.

Women's Study Group

Are you free during the day on Thursday? We’d love to have you join our Women’s Study Group which meets on Thursdays from 10:30 am — 12 pm in the Conference Room at FCC.  We choose books and Bible studies on various topics and discuss how they are relevant to our lives today.  Many go out to lunch after the study. Feel free to join the group at any time.

Serving the Church

Serve on a Ministry

Opportunities include ushers, greeters, coffee hour setup/cleanup, sanctuary decorating, and funeral or event luncheons.

A-OK (Acts of Kindness)

A small group that reaches out to people, who attend our church, in their time of need. Supporting them  by coordinating meals and /or transportation, equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and other hospital equipment. 

Volunteer

The church gardens beside and in front of the building need general maintenance including planting, weeding, pruning and spring and fall clean-up.