St. Mary’s is in the midst of our 2021 Stewardship Campaign, and you are invited to join me in making a pledge to support our parish for the coming year. Our pledge dollars are our main source of income that we have to support our worship and ministry in this place. Please prayerfully consider a pledge if you have not done so. Many of you have already generously sent in your pledge and we are very grateful for your commitment to the parish. Please know that all pledges matter. We are asking that pledges be turned into the church by Sunday November 22, so that we can begin to plan for the coming program year. Thank you all for your faithful dedication to this place that proclaims the love of God in McHenry County.
This Sunday November 15 you are invited to join us for worship in person or online. Please note that we will have the following services: 8:00 a.m. in person; 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer on Zoom; and 10:30 a.m. in person, which will also be live-streamed.
Please mark your calendar for Sunday November 22 as we celebrate Thanksgiving as a community of faith at the 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. in person services, and on Zoom Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m. We are currently monitoring any new directives from our diocese regarding any restrictions because of COVID-19. If anything changes we will keep you informed.
Thank you to everyone who has signed up to shop for the ReVive Christmas gift program. Thank you to all who have made generous donations. Because of your generosity, we are able to give 15 seniors a wonderful Christmas. Please note that these individuals have few resources and rely heavily on the ReVive gift program. Please remember that gifts and gift cards need to be at the church by November 29 so that they can be prepared for pick up. Thank you one and all!
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.
ReVive Christmas Basket Program
Many thanks to all who have participated in the Revive Christmas Basket program this year. Your generosity will give 15 individuals a wonderful Christmas that they may not otherwise have had. If you signed up to purchase gifts or gift cards, please make sure to bring your donations to St. Mary’s by Sunday, November 29.
Wrap and label all gifts. Leave on store tags (so they know the item is new), but cut off the price. Make sure the family code # is on each gift.
Pack all gifts in SMALL cardboard boxes. (Small enough for one person to manage and small enough to fit into a sedan.) You may use more than one box if necessary. Please, NO gift bags or plastic containers.
Do NOT seal the box. This will be done later, when we prepare the boxes for pick-up and transport to Chicago.
Keep the grocery gift cards separate from the gifts, and drop off, or mail to the parish office.
Good Samaritan Care Ministry
Amy and Tom Koegel are coordinating a new ministry to provide meals to anyone who could use the help when ill, or recovering from illness or surgery. This is a wonderful opportunity to care for our fellow parishioners.
If you would love to volunteer, please contact Amy Koegel. Meals can be home-made, store-bought, or even picked up from a restaurant. The goal is to get enough people signed up, so that no one is overwhelmed – many hands make light work!!
Galatians 6:2 - Bear another one's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
30th 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. During this time of pandemic, the need to support our community is even greater. If you would like to participate, please pick up any of the following items the next time you’re out shopping, and drop them off at St. Mary’s:Pasta, Paper Towels, Soup. We’ll make sure the items get delivered to the pantry. Please have your donations here by Sunday, November 22, and place them in the basket in the Narthex. Thank you for your continued support!!
Add Your Name to the Tree of Abundance
The 2021 Stewardship campaign is underway, and we have had many parishioners return their pledge cards ahead of the November 22 deadline. Thank you so much!! If you did not receive a pledge card, there are extras on the Narthex table, or you may contact the Parish Office. Please prayerfully consider making a pledge for 2021, as our pledge dollars are the main source of income we have to fund our ministries at St. Mary’s. Please return your pledge card no later than November 22, Stewardship Sunday.
"Who We Are: Voices of Faith Across the Diocese of Chicago"
In September, all congregations in the diocese were invited to submit a series of short video clips telling the story of who they are, what makes them unique, how God is at work in their congregations, and more. The Standing Committee received hundreds of files from all across the diocese. The video, produced by the Rev. Kevin M. Goodman, is designed to help the bishop candidates learn more about the diocese and its people.
Watch the video, and you just might see some familiar faces. (The Koegel family).
Candidate Conversations Continue Through Saturday
On December 12, at a special, virtual Electing Convention, the Diocese will elect it’s 13th Bishop of Chicago. There are four outstanding candidates, and you can read all about them on the Bishop Search and Transition website, In order to meet the candidates and learn more about them, a series of virtual Candidate Conversations have been scheduled, beginning last week and continuing through this Saturday.
The links for each of the dates below are available here, as well as answers to any questions you may have connecting to the ZOOM platform.
Thursday, November 12 at 6:00 pm, hosted by the Evanston / Waukegan Deaneries
Friday, November 13 at 10:00 am, hosted by the Chicago-North and Chicago-South Deaneries
Saturday, November 14 at 12:00 Noon, hosted by the Aurora / Oak Park Deaneries
