This Sunday September 27, is the annual McHenry Country CROP Walk. Please sign up to walk with and/or make a donation to the St. Mary’s team. We will gather in the St. Mary’s courtyard at 1:45 p.m. and kick off at 2:00 p.m. We will be taking team photos before we kick off. Water and snacks will be available. The links and more information are found in this newsletter. This is a distanced walk this year and we will have two maps: a one-mile walk and a three-mile walk. You may also choose your own route. Thank you to all who have already made donations. Thank you for helping us to help our neighbors in need and care for the more vulnerable in our communities.
Next Sunday October 4th is the Feast of St. Francis, and we will be celebrating this feast day at both the 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. services, as well as on our 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer. Stop by the church from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the courtyard to have your pet blessed. All pets are welcome! You may also submit a photo to be posted on our Morning Prayer service slide show. See more information in this newsletter.
The Diocese of Chicago 183rd Convention will be held online on SaturdayNovember 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Convention is the annual business meeting of the diocese when we elect leaders, consider resolutions and hear reports from around the diocese and wider church. This year we will also have a goodbye to Bishop Jeff Lee, as this is his last convention with us. All elected and certified delegates and clergy who are voting must register by this Wednesday September30. There will be practice sessions to prepare for virtual voting, and you must have access to a smart phone, tablet or a computer in order to vote. Practice dates will come out soon. General attendees are welcome to listen by phone or go online to watch the convention, and more information will be coming out soon. For more information, or to register, please visit the Diocesan website.
The New Bishop will be elected at a virtual election on Saturday December 12, andthe ballot is expected to be announced on October 5th. There will be a number of sessions where anyone who wishes can go online and listen to the candidates discuss their views and answer questions. Bishop Search, and Election information can be found online here.
If you need or wish a hospital visit, please contact me. I have been visiting people in all of the hospitals in McHenry County and the Chicagoland area; however you must request a visit and provide my name to the staff so that they can give it to the front desk. Most hospitals will allow me to visit in addition to one or two family members, however each hospital has its own visiting policies so please ask the staff about this if you are admitted. You can also contact me and I can assist with getting this information. If you or a family member is in a nursing facility I am still able to have outdoor visits with residents as long as the weather permits. Some senior communities are allowing less stringent visitor polices so again, if you wish me to visit, please check on the policy of your community.
To participate by phone only: 312-626-6799; phone meeting ID: 826 0737 1151
If you are participating by phone, you can access the same service document that Zoom participants can see. Click here to view the service on your computer. (The Zoom link, phone number, and ID will remain the same every Sunday.)
This service will also be recorded and available to watch at any time. The bulletin for the service is available here. It will remain the same throughout the Fall, so you only need to print it once.
CROP Walk ~ This Sunday September 27
Gather at St. Mary’s, 1:45 p.m.
Kick off at 2:00 p.m.
The McHenry County CROP Walk will be held this Sunday September 27, kicking off at 2:00 p.m. There are several ways that you can help the St. Mary’s team raise money to help eradicate hunger.
You can register to walk with our team (link below): Meet at 1:45 p.m., and we will kick-off from St. Mary’s at 2:00 p.m.
You can do a one-mile or three-mile walk. We will have a map available, or you can choose a route of your own.
You can go to our Crop Walk Page and make an online donation. We've exceeded our $1000 Goal! Thank you!! Let's keep adding to it. (link below)
CROP Walk Fundraiser: On Saturday, September 26, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., Chipotle of Crystal Lake will be donating portion of their proceeds to the McHenry County CROP Walk. Please mention the fundraiser when you place your order.
Please note that Living Waters Lutheran church is the host this year, however because of the pandemic we are doing a distanced walk of our own to raise the funds. Rev. Fran will be outside of St. Mary’s to sign up our walkers and to pass out special treats when the walkers return.
St. Mary's will be celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi next week and would like to add pictures of your pets to our Morning Prayer Zoom service. Please email pictures of your dog, cat, tarantula, parakeet, goldfish, or other beloved pet toMike Choquette.
Pet Blessing Next Sunday
A wonderful tradition on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is to have our beloved pets blessed. Rev. Fran will be available in the courtyard from 2:00-3:00 p.m., next Sunday, for anyone interested in bringing their pet to St. Mary’s for a blessing. In the event of rain, the blessings will be given in the Narthex, with everyone properly distance, of course.
Bible Study
Women's Bible Study meets in the Great Hall every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. All precautions are in place: hand sanitizer is available, chairs are distanced, and masks are required. All women of the parish and their friends are welcome.
Men’s Bible Study meets virtually every Saturday morning, at 8:00 am, on ZOOM. All men of the parish and their friends are welcome. If you are new to the group, please contact Peter Carroll for the ZOOM link and further information.
In-Person Worship Guidelines
Maximum of 40 person in the pews.
Stay home if you feel sick.
Masks are required.
Sanitize and wash hands (sanitizer is available throughout the building).
Keep a distance of 6 ft from people you are not quarantined with at this time.
No singing is allowed in the church.
Coffee Hour will be held outside following both services, weather permitting.
Communion will be available in a pre-sealed cup with bread / wine, or gluten free bread / juice.
One person in the bathrooms at a time in order to be distanced.
Rev. Fran will be on the altar with one LEM. We will not be using ushers, acolytes, or the altar guild at this time.
Disinfectant is being used to clean the church and bathrooms.
Online Resources Available for Worship / Devotions
Washington National Cathedral: Live-streaming of daily morning and evening prayer, Sunday worship, and many other resources.
Diocese of Chicago: Links to online prayer and worship from churches throughout the Diocese; Homilies and Sermons from Bishop Jeff Lee; pandemic updates and other helpful resources.
National Episcopal Church: Meditations and sermons from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry; and a wealth of information/resources regarding the national Episcopal Church.
