In the early years of Lyonsville Church, church members often opened their homes to those who were travelling through the wilderness around the church.  According to oral history, a founding church member used his home as a refuge for escaped slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.  The Lyonsville Cemetery is a final resting place for two unknown soldiers from the Civil War.  In the 1980s, Pastor Tom Nielsen began a ministry to Guatemalan Refugees forced to flee to Southern Mexico by the violence in their country.

We continue this important work by participating in the annual special offering, One Great Hour of Sharing. A part of this offering goes for disaster relief and economic development throughout the world.  Giving to One Great Hour of Sharing in 2011 was $601.

Lyonsville Church served as a shelter site for the B.E.D.S. homeless shelter program for more than ten years.  Although we are no longer a shelter site, members of Lyonsville Church still serve as volunteers for the other shelters.

We assembled 70 clean-up kits to help folks who are cleaning up after natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes or earthquakes.

We support the work of The Night Ministry in Chicago -- an ecumenical ministry to people on the nighttime streets of Chicago, many of whom are young people who have run away from abusive homes.  We are currently collecting cold weather clothing items: packages of new, white, cotton tube socks (ADULT SIZE ONLY); and new or slightly used hats, mittens, and scarves.

We seek to be a welcoming church, where all people feel valued and affirmed, especially those who have felt alienated from church in the past.  We are an Open and Affirming (ONA) congregation of the United Church of Christ.  "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."  You can learn more about what it means to be an ONA church on our website's home page.