The Magnificat  Weekly


St. Mary's Episcopal Church        
Crystal Lake IL

Weekly E-Newsletter                                        November 8, 2018

In This Issue

 
Worship Times
Sundays, 8 & 10 am
Nursery available at 9:45
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Coffee Hour fellowship  follows both services;
join us for treats, and conversation

 

Children's Worship, for ages  3 through 2nd grade, meets in the Education Wing every Sunday

 at 10:00 am


 


Clergy & Staff
Amy Noe, Parish Administrator
Sandra Molyneux, Organist and Choir Director
-----
Parish Vestry  (term expires)
Marge Smith, Warden (1/19)
Tracy Higgins, Warden (1/20)
Peter Becker, Treasurer
Judy Tracy, Clerk of the Vestry
Members:
(1/19)   John Amrein, Peter Carroll, Jerry Kolarczyk
(1/20)  Amy Koegel, Judy Thornton, Sally Van Vranken
(1/21)   Steve Brooks, Stacy Cook, Jane Helmboldt

Monthly Events
 
The next CRYSTAL LAKE FOOD PANTRY volunteer opportunity is Friday, November 9. Contact Aimee Day if you can help.  Shift times are 8:30-11:30 am, and 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.
 
CENTERING PRAYER meets the first and third Tuesday of every month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. 
Contac Rev. Fran with any questions, or for more information.
 
TAIZE is an ecumenical, meditative common prayer, incorporating song, chant, scripture readings, and silence.  People of ALL faith traditions are welcome this monthly candlelight service.  The services are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, 461 Pierson St.  The next Taize service will be held on Tuesday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m.

A FREE COMMUNITY MEAL  is offered at St. Mary's on the third Saturday of every month.  The meal is served from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and ALL are welcome.  There is no RSVP required.   Free will donations will be accepted.  Please watch the newsletter and website for the menu, which will be published a week or two before the event.  The next  Community Meal is Saturday, November 17.


We Pray For
Parishioners Cameron,
Jerry, Jack, Miles, Matthew, Bob, Carol, John, Matthew, and Elizabeth,  Mary, Gladys, Susan, Galen & Betsy, Harry & Marion, and all those seeking employment
Family/Friends Nancy, Joanne,  Lynn, Brian Rachel, Maria,  Kay, Virginia, Cora,  Saul, Naomi, Aimee, Susan, Brian, Mark,  Neil, Desmond,  Will, Tom, Tom, Tim,  Pat, Billy, Kay, Gary, Kevin,  Kelly, David, Susie, Carole, Diana, Kelly Marie, Lori, Kurt, Gail, Regina, Darcy, Julie, Betty, Sue, Nancy, Maggie, Nicci, Sarah

Those Who Have Died
Linda Robert; Anna, sister-in-law of Dorothy Nyberg; former parishioners, Paul Lorenzo,  Eileen Greenwald

Those Serving in the
Armed Forces
Michael, Jeremy, Terry, Dan 

Anniversary Nov. 8-14
11.12  Gary & Thelma
   Chesterfield

If you would like your  name added to the birthday / anniversary list, please contact Amy in the Parish Office.

Quick Links

 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
News from The Episcopal Cafe



From the Rector

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary's,

This week as we approach Veterans Day, please remember all of the men and women in the armed forces who have faithfully served our country and sacrificed so much. This Veterans Day is also the 100 th Anniversary of the end of WWI. WWI started on July 28, 1914 and officially ended on November 11, 1918. It is considered one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, killing approximately 22 million people. The war ended on the 11 th day of the 11 th month at 11:00 a.m. As we mark this 100 anniversary let us pray that we will be a nation of peacemakers, and let us remember all who have faithfully served our country.

This Sunday at coffee hour following the 10:00 a.m. service I will be presenting a brief overview of our General Convention, which took place in Austin TX this past summer. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Episcopal Church and how we make decisions in our denomination.  

Mark your calendars for Sunday November 18 when we will celebrate Thanksgiving at one 9:00 a.m. service followed by a parish wide potluck. Please bring a dish to share. All are Welcome! We are also celebrating Stewardship Sunday and asking everyone to turn in their pledge for 2019. Many of you have already stepped up to the plate and handed in your pledge, and I thank you for your generosity. All pledges are needed and our goal is 100% participation. Add your name to our giving tree, which is located in the hall between the church and the Great Hall.

Thank you to the choir for the lovely music last Sunday for our All Saints' Day celebration. It was truly wonderful. Thank you also to Cheri Dudek for the wonderful festive coffee hour which added to our celebration.

This Saturday at 11:00 a.m. we will celebrate the life of parishioner Linda Robert, who died last Sunday at Autumn Leaves Memory Care Center in Crystal Lake. A lunch will follow in the Great Hall. Please keep Linda's husband Cameron in your prayers. Cameron and Linda have been members of St. Mary's since 2012. You may read Linda's obituary here.  

Blessings,
Fran +                                                                      
Want to find out more about the Episcopal Church ?
Join us for a Coffee Hour Conversation:
Sunday, November 11 after the 10:00 a.m. Service
 
What is General Convention and why do we have it?  Rev. Fran will be providing us with an overview of the General Convention, which was held this past summer in Austin TX.  Fran served as a deputy to convention along with three other clergy and four lay persons from the Diocese of Chicago. Come and hear more about General Convention as Fran shares with us some of the important highlights of the convention and some other interesting facts about the Episcopal Church. 

A VERY BUSY WEEKEND ON THE HORIZON

Every once in a while it feels like the "scheduling gods" like to have a little fun to see how much we can juggle at once - and the weekend of November 16-18 is that kind of weekend for St. Mary's. Here's a list of very important events to make note of. We expect to see YOU at most of them!!!

Fri-Sat, November 16-17: Diocesan Convention in Lombard. Rev. Fran, our three Delegates, and a few other parishioners will be attending the annual gathering of the Diocese.

Saturday, November 17:  
Free Community Meal
, 5:00-7:00 p.m.   Remember, this meal is open to anyone, and no RSVP is required. Bring your family and friends! There is no charge for the meal, but free-will donations are appreciated. If you'd like to volunteer to help, please contact Tracy Higgins
November Menu: SW Chicken Chili, Rolls, Salad, and Dessert

Sunday, November 18:
Thanksgiving Celebration -   Plan on joining us on as we celebrate our Thanksgiving service at ONE 9:00 a.m. service , followed by a potluck brunch in the Great Hall. You may sign up to bring a dish if you wish. The sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board in the Great Hall.

Stewardship Sunday We are asking that pledge cards be returned on or before November 18.   If you have not yet received your pledge card, there are additional cards available in the Narthex.

Community Harvest Donations Due  - Any food or monetary donations brought in will be blessed at the service on November 18. Please see the article in this newsletter for more details.

Serve the PADS Meal - For many years now St. Mary's is one of the churches that serve the evening meal three times a year at the PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) location at Bethany Lutheran Church. For the upcoming winter we need volunteers for November 18, January 20, and March 17.  If you can volunteer to shop or serve on November 18, please contact Mary Frake.
 

28th Annual 
Community Harvest

The Crystal Lake Community Harvest combines the efforts of the Crystal Lake Chamber and the Crystal Lake Food Pantry to collect food and funds throughout the Fall to be distributed to local families during the winter months.

Grocery bags can be found in the Narthex, with a list attached of needed items.   Please take a bag, fill it with your donations, and return it to church on Sunday, November 18th . For monetary donations, checks may be made payable to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry , with notation " Community Harvest". All donations will be blessed and then taken to the Food Pantry.

On Thanksgiving morning, November 22, 8:00-10:00 a.m., volunteers will help organize the donations . If you would like to volunteer, sign-up online.

Please help the pantry reach it's 2018 goal of 75,000 pounds of food, and $75.000.   No donation is too small. Thank you!!
   
14th Annual Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Thursday, November 22   ~   12:00 Noon (one seating)

Our friends at St. Michaels's Episcopal Church in Barrington, are once again hosting at Free Thanksgiving Dinner, open to anyone. There will be plenty of food, music, entertainment and fellowship for the entire family.   If you are interested, please call the office so they can be prepared with enough treats for everyone!
 
St. Michael's Episcopal Church
647 Dundee Ave.     Barrington, Il
847-381-2323

Sign Up for Christmas Basket Program Continues

St. Mary's is once again participating in the ReVive Center's Christmas Basket Program. This is a wonderful opportunity for members of our Parish to purchase Jewel gift cards or shop for individual Christmas gifts for some of the most impoverished families and seniors of our metropolitan area. This year we have been asked to sponsor 14 seniors and 7 small families.

Sign up in the Great Hall.   See the display for more detailed information.

Please wrap and label gifts (new) and put them in a cardboard box for transport to the ReVive Center. Label the box with the family code number. Please leave the box unsealed, so that we may add gift cards to it.   Please bring gift cards to the office  and  gift items to the Nursery  by  11:00 a.m. Sunday, December 2.

Thank you to everyone for continuing to make this special outreach ministry so meaningful and successful!

Christmas Basket Ministry Coordinator 2018


Advent Begins December 2

Light Bearers Needed
During the season of Advent, families or individuals are invited to light the candles on the Advent Wreath. It is a very special moment to bring the light into church at the beginning of the service, and then light the Advent candle(s). If you are interested in lighting the wreath, please see the sign-up sheet in the Narthex.

Advent Lessons and Carols
One of the very special traditions of our Anglican heritage, during the season of Advent, is the observance of a Service of Lessons and Carols, a service many Episcopal congregations   have adopted, and one that has come to be a joy for those who have participated in it over the years at St. Mary's.

This liturgy begins with a lovely Bidding Prayer, and continues with a series of Scripture readings, each followed by a carol or hymn. If you are interested in reading one of the lessons, a sign-up sheet is available on a Narthex table.

This year the Lessons & Carols service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 2 . The 8:00 a.m. liturgy will be celebrated as usual on this day.    Please note the Eucharist will only be celebrated at the 8:00 a.m. service .

Save the Date: Senior Holiday Luncheon
Saturday, December 1
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Seniors, mark your calendars for Saturday, December 1, the date of the annual Senior Holiday Luncheon. Festivities will begin at 11:30 a.m.   More details will follow in the next few weeks.
 
Baby Congratulations
 
Congratulations to Jerry & Jennifer Kolarczyk, and Kyle & Abbey (Kolarczyk) Nicholas, at the birth of Lucille "Lucy" Marie Nicholas.   Lucy was born very early Saturday morning, November 3, in Charlottesville VA. She weighed 8.5 lbs, and was almost 20' long.   Lucy is the first child for Kyle and Abbey, who were married at St. Mary's in 2014. She is also the first grandchild for Jerry and Jennifer.   All is well with everyone, and we look forward to photos and stories when the proud grandparents return from Virginia!

St. Mary's Episcopal Church |   210 McHenry Ave.   |   Crystal Lake IL  60014-6009
815-459-1009    |    parishofc@stmarysepiscopalcl.org