Car Wrecks St. Alexander's Sign

The relatively new sign has seen better days.

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful: Where Do You Gather?

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  Each week Patch focuses on a different product or service. This week, we're doing something a little different. With Hanukkah starting this week and Christmas this weekend, many readers will be visiting places of worship. New residents might even be looking for the right place for them. So tell us where you worship, readers, what newcomers can expect, and why your place is special. When a new family moves into your neighborhood and they ask for your recommendations for stores, take-out places or professional services, what do you say? Because Patch has an extensive directory of businesses, we want all of our readers to benefit from your experience the way your neighbors do. What are your go-to places for dinner on those nights when you …

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Food Pantry Grows as Demand Increases

Elsie's Pantry in Palos Hills has seen a dramatic increase in clients over the last two years.

When Elsie's Pantry was started 10 years ago some questioned if there was really a need for a food pantry in Palos Hills. A decade later, and the pantry has seen steady growth and now services hundreds of people a month. The pantry's monthly stock of 3,500 to 5,000 pounds of food comes from local community groups and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Open Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the pantry is always looking for volunteers and donations. To find out how you can help call 708-598-4434 or click here.  

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UPDATE: Police Arrest Sex Offender Sunday at St. Alexander

A parishioner's complaint prompted police to arrest a convicted sex criminal from Orland Park during Sunday services on Sept. 19.

Police arrested a registered sex offender at St. Alexander Church's Sunday Mass after a parent noticed the man among the worshipers. Anthony J. Olszowka, 38, of the 13600 block of South Howe Drive in Orland Park, was inside the Palos Heights church but outside of the sanctuary when police took him into custody on Sept. 19, police said. The same main entrance is used for both the church and St. Alexander Elementary School, and that was grounds for arrest, police said. Olszowka is charged with unlawful presence within a school zone. "At no time were any kids harmed," said Palos Heights police Detective Gerard Wodka. Olszowka was convicted of two counts of indecent solicitation of a child and one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault …

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Classes Aim to Unite Religious Denominations

The Alpha course at Palos Park Presbyterian Community Church brings a variety of faiths together for discussion and fellowship.

To save money, a church painter stirs water into his mixture. As the scaffold rises a little higher, he decides to add a little more water. Finally, as the painter reaches the top, a great storm erupts and a disapproving voice is heard. "Repaint," the voice says, "and thin no more." So the joke goes. It's a favorite of the Rev. David Carlton, associate pastor at Palos Park Presbyterian Community Church, and his reason for liking it is clear. Carlton presides over the area's Alpha course, a program designed to transcend denominational lines and welcome a post-Christian era of Christianity — one that embraces humor, fun and open-mindedness rather than rigidity. "The nature of groups is that they're going to scatter and divide and there's …

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