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All Saints will be celebrated on November 4th
The loved ones who have gone before us will be remembered with chimes and the lighting of candles. As the liturgy comes to a close, we will process to the new Resurrection Garden for a brief service of R
ecommital for the urns that were removed from the former
Resu
rrec
tion Garden and have been placed in their new resting spots.
The Annual Chili Lunch
will follow
instead of the usual coffee hour. Please bring a small container of chili for the common pot. There will be two choices: meat and vegetarian. We also need a couple people to bring cornbread and tossed salad.
Don't forget to VOTE on November 6!
Rides to the polls are available by contacting:
Al or Cathie Elsbree 815-777-2469, Georgia Hansen 312-771-4946, or Bonnielynn Kreiser 815-777-1468.
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Royal Wedding Bishop Michael Curry Talks About Power Of Love | TODAY |
Our celebrity Presiding Bishop was interviewed this week on the TODAY show talking, in part, about his new book of sermons and reflections about "The Way of Love."
This took place in the immediate wake of the Tree of Wisdom and Kroger shootings, and he provides words of wisdom about grief and the absolute necessity for love--love as the opposite of selfishness and self interest; as a concern for and desire to serve others.
He makes a compelling case, too, for why we need a community and the rituals of faith. We need these things as support when we are unable to handle the challenges that come our way. Of course, when life is good, there is nothing like having a caring community with whom to share our joy and celebrations! And our gratitude to God for our blessings.
There are more special occasions coming up at Grace as we come closer to the holiday season. Won't you share these with friends and neighbors who do not have a church community? People who are new to Galena, perhaps? Those who are alone or going through life transitions? Maybe they would enjoy that bagpipes and Scottish dishes on November 18. Or a quiet place to give thanks on Thanksgiving morning at 9:30 am. Our Advent Quiet Day on December 8. Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve.... So many opportunities to invite and welcome, and share the Way of Love!
See you in church,
Gloria+
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READINGS:
Isaiah 25: 6-9: This excerpt contemplates what happens after God's judgment is complete. God is the host of a great banquet on the "holy mountain" Zion/Jerusalem. It is the consummation of humankind's most enduring dreams of fulfillment and peace. God will provide a "feast of rich food" and "well-aged wines strained clear." The dark cloud of death will be lifted. Tenderly, God "will wipe the tears from all faces."
Revelation to John 21: 1-6a: After God's final, great judgment and the passing away of the earth, the mystic John sees "a new heaven and a new earth," and "a new Jerusalem." The creator of the earth is also the creator of this new world, "the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end."
John 11: 32-44: The calling of Lazarus back from death comes just before Jesus enters Jerusalem for his trial and execution; it is also present as the final straw for the enemies of Jesus. John tells a story that elicits strong emotions and, at the same time, exposes a "sign" with many, many possible meanings for the reader/hearer to live with.....Jesus prepares [the sisters, friends, and onlookers] for something astounding by reminding them: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
"God will swallow up death forever," the visionary Isaiah writes. "Death will be no more, the mystic called John echoes centuries later. After death, "The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God," the writer who honors the legendary "wisdom" of King Solomon imagines. Jesus stage-directs the friends and family of Lazarus in a dramatic scene in which the dead man walks out of his own grave- alive! That biblical texts are wild, fiery, imaginative, bold and uninhibited by human reservations is certainly clear in these readings and gospel for All Saints Day. When read aloud in the liturgy, hearers are in the presence of holiness that challenges our blase, dulled imaginations and abandoned longings. These readings and gospel do nothing less than re-imagine death in a wholly new way that does not make dying unavoidable, but imagines death as a cause for improvisation. They begin to fulfill the promise of Jesus: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
The thumbnails
and reflections excerpted from Sacraconversasione
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And what a wonderful
celebration it was!
Thanks to everyone who made our dedication day possible. It took a village!
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The kitchen crew awaited! |
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Procession from church
to Parish House |
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More Dedication |
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| Dedication |
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| Ready for the feast! |
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Meanwhile, some more developments:
With a little luck, Civil will be on site Thursday to do some prep work so they can pave the following week
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Front door camera should be installed Thursday.
Trim
board in chapel is painted - nothing more to do in the chapel at this point.
Will start bringing over more things from the old PH.
Some painting has been done in Sacristy and second coats still needed. Nothing major, just freshening up.
The wrong size rectangular tables have been picked up and are on their way back to shipper.
The new round tables for the main room should ship this week.
Lots still on the list but it will get shorter week by week.
Pete Stryker
Cell 312 504 82
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A former member of our Bishop's staff, now Bishop of the Diocese of Indiana, The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroghs, offers her reflections on love and sacrifice in this season of stewardship and pledge campaigns:
Every morning before 5 a.m., my great aunt Gladys rises to bake bread for the small island of Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. She's been doing this six days a week for some 50 years. She shapes loaves in a small bake house behind her home and makes enough coconut bread, cinnamon raisin, and white sandwich loaves to sell at the store near the ferry's dock. While the loaves rest during the first rising, Aunt Gladys goes off to Bible Study. When she returns, the loaves are prepped for the second rise and finally baked, bagged, and sent off to be sold. Aunt Gladys has put her children through school, supported missionary needs around the globe, and will tell you without prompting that she has never wanted for anything. When I think of sacrificial love and sacrificial giving, her strong hands kneading pounds of dough before sunrise come to mind.
To speak of sacrificial love, sacrificial giving, and self-offering is to expose the complicated relationships we have with our money, material resources, and other people. And yet, we are called to have the commandment to love God with all we have and to love our neighbor as much-or more-than we love ourselves written in our hearts so that our entire lives become the offering. Giving and living sacrificially become less a choice than a daily decision to live as Jesus lived and love as Jesus loved.
For reflection ...
❖ Sacrifice isn't always just about loss. Can you name an instance in your life when you made a sacrifice that was life-giving?
❖ What prayers of thanksgiving might you offer for those who have made extraordinary sacrifices for you?
❖ What might you need to let go of or release to make the daily decision to walk in the ways of Jesus?
In the midst of all of the activity around moving into the new Parish House and celebrating that wonderful happening, we may be excused if we have lost track of another event that takes place each fall--the annual pledge campaign! The commitment of pledges from members is the primary way that we assure the funding of Grace's ministries for the upcoming year.
We are following the same process as in recent years, using resources from The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS). This year the theme is "Transforming Generosity." All Grace members should have received a letter from the rector along with a brochure explaining the theological underpinnings of making pledges to the church. We have had two members present "Moments for Ministry" expressing the importance of Grace Church in their lives. The final "Moment" will be offered on November 11. There will also be a second letter, this one from the Senior Warden containing a pledge card. We ask that the pledge cards be prayerfully completed and returned for dedication at the Sunday Eucharist on November 18.
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Formations Ministries News
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THEOLOGICAL THRILLERS
November's Theological Thrillers will be led by Bill Boehler on Saturday, November 3rd. If interested please see Bill for a book or call him at 563-581-2749.
WEDNESDAY MORNING STUDY GROUP
The Wednesday Bible group is embarking on a study of the prophet Amos this coming Wednesday, November 7, at 10:30 a.m., in the new parish hall. All are welcome! Contact Larry Poston in church this Sunday or by e-mail (
lsposton@jcwifi.com) if you want the handout for the first session.
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Cooking with God's Bounty
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REQUESTED BY MANY: One of the Dedication Day Entrees
Terri Jackman's Stuffed Peppers
For three additional variations
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
4 green (red, yellow, orange or purple may be substituted) tops and seeds removed, then halved
1 # chorizo sausage links or rope - sliced, then cut in fourths
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups cooked white (or brown) rice
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1 jar (8 oz) salsa
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Clean peppers and put in greased baking dish. Combine chorizo, onion, rice, seasonings and salsa; spoon into peppers. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.
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Buildings and Grounds News
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OVERWINTERING--MEDITATION GARDEN POND
Good day all! Just wanted to let you know our plans for the meditation garden pond over winter . . . we will be putting out a minnow trap (hopefully in the next few days) to gather as many goldfish as we can and bring them to our pond (we have a de-icer). The frogs will be quite happy in the muck in the bottom. We'll leave the lily to over-winter in the pond. Once most of the leaves are down we will clean out the shelves a bit. Although we understand it's been closed up in past years, we've always left our ponds open so we'd like to do the same here. And, we will be keeping an eye on the pond over the winter.
Best regards,
Don & Crystal Mason
815.777.3792
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Vestry Liaisons
V
estry Liaisons' primary purpose is to assure two-way communications between the various groups and the
Vestry,
to represent the groups for resources
or
policy issues, and to
support
their
events
an
d activities.
Worship:
Rector
Building and Grounds:
Pete Stryker (Sr. Warden 2017-2019)
Worship Committee: Pam Malik
(class of 2019)
Formation and Spirituality:
Greg Serwich (Jr. Warden 2018-2019)
Fellowship &
Hospitality: Anita Sands (class of 2021)
Pastoral Care/
LEMs: Bonnielynn Kreiser
(class of 2020)
Outreach:
Tony Packard (class of 2021)
Deb Pausz (class of 2019)
Communications: Larry Poston (class of 2020)
Governance: Wardens & Rector
Officers:
Pete Stryker, Senior Warden
Greg Serwich, Junior Warden
R
ichard Luther, Treasurer
Elizabeth Ludescher, Clerk
Rect
or
: The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell
Ad
ministrative Asst.: Fräni Beadle
O
rganist/Pianist: Robin French, Nancy Cook
Choir Director: Pat Terry
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November 4, 2018
Sunday Morning Eucharist
24th Sunday after Pentecost
10:30am
For quick reference, find Sunday's readings by clicking here:
The Lectionary
Ministers of the
Service:
Lector:
Carmen Ferguson
1st Chalicist:
Cathie Elsbree
Elizabeth Ludescher
Acolyte:
Deb Pausz
Vestry Coordinator:
Tony Packard
Greeter:
Charlotte Stryker
Altar Guild:
Ann Berrry & Amy Hardwicke
Presider: Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell
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25th Sunday after Pentecost
November 11, 2018
Eucharistic readings
Psalm 146
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44
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For a current prayer list, click on the following link:
Grace Prayer List
The
Request For Prayers notebook is in the Narthex/ Entrance area of the Church. Please feel free to request prayers for yourself or others at any time by filling out a form or contacting the office by either phone or email. May we first and always be "a people of prayer."
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7:30 am
Midweek Morning Eucharist
8:10 am
Community Breakfast at Victory Café
Cursillo Reunion
St. Francis Room
Morning Bible Study Parish House
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| Wednesdays at 7pm
Saturdays at 10am
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For current and
upcoming events, download a copy of the calendar with this link:
November OR check out the goog
le
calendar on the new website
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Copies of sermons and e-Blasts are available on the Narthex table.
Comments on this e-Blast may be sent here
Sermons are
often posted as audio files on the rector's Facebook page.
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**
If you put out trash, please put in a secure trash can.
Thanks to all for your cooperation. **
11/4 - All Saints Chili
11/11 - Beadle/Malik
11/18 - Choir-St. Andrews
11/25 - Thanksgiving Leftover Potluck
R
eminder for hosts:
Napkins and plates
are provided. Use
what you need from
our pantry to the right
of the coffee maker.
Remember: Keep it simple. We usually have about 20-25 attending.
**Coffee schedule sign up is in the Parish House kitchen.**
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You can now get information on Formation Ministries directly from the new Grace website at the following links: Children and Youth Adults
Spiritual Practices
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If you are in need of assistance while ill or recovering: meals, transportation, visits, please contact the
Ministry of Care
facilitators:
o Carol Poston
o Charlotte Kennedy who can assist you and connect you with parishioners who have trained and commited to this ministry that includes Parish Visitors, Meals, Rides, as well as the ongoing Servants through Prayer, LEMs, and the Greeting Card ministry.
Ministry of Care Leadership
Team:
Facilitators : Carol Poston, Charlotte Kennedy
Clergy Advisors: Gloria Hopewell, Linda Packard
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DEADLINES !
News and prayer requests:
Sunday
Bulletin --
Wed. end of day.
e-Blast:
Thursday noon.
Anniversaries and Birthdays
Have your celebrations been missed in our bulletins?
Send to Frani.
Thank y
ou!
News and Photos
f
or e-Blast!
People
want to know
what's going on at Grace! T
here are places
here for your
event,
program, or
interesting tidbit.
Audio files, along with recent archived sermons may be found in the "Worship" tab of the Grace Church website or at this link:
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| Grace Galena Sermon 10/21/2018 |
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| Grace Galena Sermon 10/28/2108 |
MORE PARISH HOUSE DEDICATION PHOTOS
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