THE DOVE
October 2016
The Sacrament of 
Holy Baptism
All Saints' Sunday, November 6
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is celebrated four times each year at Holy Comforter:  at the Great Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday evening;  on the Feast of Pentecost, our parish birthday and the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit;  on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord in early January when we commemorate Jesus' baptism at the hands of his cousin John in the Jordan River;  and on All Saints' Day, the first Sunday in November, when we remember and rejoice in our identity as God's holy and beloved children.  Each occasion has a unique quality and a unique connection to Holy Baptism;  and all are poignant and powerful.
 
Our next celebration of Baptism will occur at the 9:00 Eucharist on Sunday, November 6.  If you are interested in having a child baptized, or desire baptism for yourself, please contact the Rector at [email protected] or at 847/251-6120, ext. 115.   The next baptismal feast will be Sunday, January 15, 2017.
Fall Festival 
Blessing of Pets
Saturday, October 15
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noo n
On October 15, we will observe what has become one of our favorite parish moments:  the Fall Festival, complete with hayrides, popcorn, a pumpkin patch, corndogs, and good old-fashioned fun and fellowship.  The Festival begins at 10:00 on the west lawn, and everyone is invited:  young and not-so-young, parishioners and ATB&B families, neighbors and friends!  About halfway through the event (at approximately 11:00) we will once again bless all pets in the columbarium cloister in a simple and lovely rite.  So please make a special point to bring your four-legged, furry, winged, or scaly friends so that they can receive God's blessing and take part in the festivities!
Adult Forum for October
by Chris Hardman

We will be "digging deep" and "rising high" in the month of October.  Dr. Adam Miglio of Wheaton College will be with us on October 16th and 23rd.  With his help we will dig deep into the time of Solomon's Temple and the time of Isaiah and the Assyrians.  You won't want to miss Dr. Miglio.  He is a wonderful teacher.  Schedule and more here...
CUMALI Clothing Drive
By Mike Murphy

In addition to serving 80 hot meals on Monday nights, CUMALI, which stands for Chicago Urban Ministries and Life Intervention, tries to provide blankets, coats, jeans, and sweatshirts during the winter months for homeless people in Chicago, especially those who live on Lower Wacker Drive downtown.  During the month of October, there will be a donation box in the corridor near the church office. 
 
We are in need of new or used large and extra-large men's coats and sweatshirts, all sizes of jeans and blankets.  If you have such clothing at home, or are able to buy new items, please bring them to the church any day of the week, and they will get distributed very quickly as the weather turns colder.
Many members of Holy Comforter are involved in this ministry, including Deacon Sandy Rex, Ann Barrett, Eric Beatty, and Mike Murphy.  Thank you, in advance, for your generous support.
Pumpkin Carving & Pizza
 
Sunday, October 23rd
4:00 pm
In the great hall
 
RSVP to Mary Johnson
[email protected] b y October 19th
Wednesday Adult Class
By Chris Hardman 

Our programmatic theme this year is "Digging Deep and Rising High" and that is what we plan to do in our Wednesday Adult Class. Our first session will be about digging deep into Native American Spirituality. Our trip to Standing Rock Reservation has helped me see some new aspects of our relationship with God.  We will address these first.  For those who want to start practicing a Creation Spirituality right now, please attend the Contemplative Eucharist on Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 am.  Much more here...
Stephen Ministry Training  
by Cindy Mancillas, Stephen Ministry

Please keep our eight Stephen Minister Trainees in your prayers as they undertake the 50 hours of training classes. We are so fortunate within Holy Comforter to have these       devoted parishioners willing to dedicate their time and energy to prepare themselves for the Stephen Ministry. Thank you Lisa Abrams, Eric Beatty, Emily Berlinghof, Margo Browne, Alicia Prewitt, Stacy Hunt, Susan Newsome, and John Quigley.
Worship Schedule
Sunday:

8:00 a.m.     Holy Eucharist [Rite One]
9:00 a.m.     Holy Eucharist [Rite Two with Choir]
11:15 a.m.   Holy Eucharist [Rite Two]
      Child care is available from 8:45 to 11:00
 
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday:

9:00 a.m. Eucharist
 
Thursday :

7:00 a.m. Eucharist and Healing  Liturgy
The Rector's Column 
by The Rev. Dr. Jason L. Parkin, Rector

Several years ago, the Parkin family spent a week in Manhattan on vacation in August.  Needless to say, New York City truly is one of the most exciting, vibrant, stimulating places in the world, filled with fabulous museums, marvelous skyscrapers, seductive restaurants, and countless notable sites and sights, and we tried to see and experience as many as possible during our visit.
 
However, we are a clergy family, and this means-as my children will forlornly tell you-that we spend an inordinate amount of time on vacation visiting churches, cathedrals, and other sacred spaces.  This particular trip was no different.  We stopped in at St. Thomas' Church on 5 th Avenue, a glorious, flagship parish in the Episcopal Church, and Trinity Church, Wall Street, where Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton and John James Audubon are buried, among others.  While in the neighborhood, we also viewed St. Paul's Chapel, the church that served as the center of spiritual, physical, and emotional care for the workers who labored at Ground Zero following September 11, 2001.  We dropped into St. John the Divine, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and Temple Emanu-el on Central Park East, the largest synagogue in the world.  Riverside Church, the stunning non-denominational church in Harlem, and St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral were also part of our itinerary. 
 
Famous churches.  Landmark buildings.  Faith communities with rich, inspiring, varied traditions and histories.  As I think back on that trip, I occasionally ask myself, "What do these places got that Holy Comforter don't got?"
 
The answer is:  nothing, really.  Our building is not as dramatic, our name not as renowned, our heritage not as storied as these venerable faith communities.  And yet, here, as in those more famous churches, the Good News of God is proclaimed and heard and embodied.  Here, children are loved and nurtured in a caring context.  Here, people are welcomed and encouraged to struggle with the difficult challenges of life in this world.  Here, we reach out to those in need or want or pain in the name of the living, loving God.  Here, we seek to worship God with vitality and energy and care;  to rejoice and weep together;  to baptize our younger brothers and sisters into God's family and to commend to God's care those who have finished their earthly pilgrimages;  to feast and fast and celebrate and sing and laugh and love in the name of the Risen Christ.  Here, in this simple, lovely, beloved old stone building, in this lively, noisy, occasionally chaotic world, we strive to know and acknowledge and revel in God's continuous grace to us.  Here, above all, we seek to become more and more what we already are:  God's holy people called to incarnate God's love in this time and in this place.  And we can rejoice in that heritage and calling, even as we dedicate ourselves to living into it ever more thoughtfully and faithfully.
Take Hold of the Life That Really is Life
by Marc Franson, Canvass Co-Chair

As I was sitting in church last Sunday waiting for some divine guidance for this month's stewardship message, the word of the Epistle from 1 Timothy 6 were read and struck a responsive chord in my mind.  The scripture reading ended with these verses:

"As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life."

As I reflected on this passage, it struck me as a poignant spiritual stewardship message.  Don't set your hope on the uncertainty of money.  Set your hope on God who provides us with riches.  Isn't this so true!  God provides us with great riches, "with everything for our enjoyment" but we do get haughty and put our hopes on riches. 

With fall comes the REALITY that it is time to plan for this parish's financial future, to provide for our worship, fellowship, education, outreach and COMMUNITY.  Our 300 pledging units comprise the vast majority of funds that pay our clergy and staff, keep our physical plant maintained, help our community, diocese and those in need, and fund our ministries from youth to seniors.  It is vital to our common life to be sure that our bills are paid, our community expanded and our parish vibrant.

Timothy's passage asks us to do just this.  We are to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share.  This of course speaks to the SPIRITUALITY of stewardship, a journey that takes us from thankfulness to response and commitment by giving back a share of what God has blessed us with. 

Take to heart Timothy's message as you contemplate your stewardship and your pledge for 2017, remembering in his words that in your generosity and sharing you are storing up the treasure of a good foundation for the future and more importantly, taking hold of the life that really is life. 

We do need to fund our parish's operations --that is REALITY. We do need to strengthen and preserve our wonderful COMMUNITY. And faithful stewardship is the SPIRITUALITY of giving for others and giving to yourself "the life that really is life."
Thank You!
Organ Restoration Project
by Derek E. Nickels, DMA, Director of Music

Many thanks to the generous individuals, couples, and families that graciously donated to the restoration of our organ!  The work which began in June with the complete removal of our beloved Aeolian-Skinner organ has been finally completed.  The most noticeable changes are the shiny pipes, the restored console which includes lighting that had been relatively non-existent, and because the wind pressures have been restored to their original pressures, a much gentler sound that blends much better than it ever had before .
Saints and Souls
by Pastor Heath Howe, Family Ministries

We have this small pottery bowl that is kept on the entry table just inside our front door.  Inside the bowl are small cards, and on each card is a cartoon-like picture of an angel.  Next to the picture is a word.  Some cards hold words you might expect such as Love, Peace, or Joy.  Other cards have words like Freedom, Creativity, or Courage.  Still other cards have words on them such as Harmony, Synthesis, or Balance.  Finally, some cards hold rather practical or directive words like Education or Responsibility.  We use these cards daily in my family in a particular way.  Each day as each of us leaves home, we gather around the bowl, close our eyes, and choose a card.  Whichever angel you choose is the angel who travels with you that day, and it is the angel you bring to all those whom you encounter.
What Children Can Handle
by Charlotte Long, Youth Ministries 
 
Okay. So I love Charlotte's Web. Not only for its name and awesome female heroine, but because of its assumption of the intelligence of children.  It is not unlike what we do in Chapel with Godly Play here at Holy Comforter: we assume the child has their own personal understanding of God without our instruction. The concept is not beyond them.  And it is not unlike what I believe can be taught to our children about the racial injustices at the forefront of our country right now.