This Sunday August 16, you are invited to join us as we observe the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin. The church marks this day on August 15 and we will once again transfer this feast to Sunday so that we can celebrate it together. This Sunday we will be live-streaming our 10:30 Eucharist on YouTube and you may find the link below. As some of you know, we did have some issues with live-streaming and we now hope that we have solved those issues. Please be patient as we deal with these issues as they arise.
Please join us for services in person or on Zoom:
8:00 a.m. In Person Eucharist
9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer on Zoom, with virtual coffee hour
10:30 a.m. In Person Eucharist, which is also live-streamed on YouTube
If the weather holds up we will once again have an outdoor coffee hour in our courtyard following the 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. services. Last week both coffee hours were well attended and it was so nice to visit with everyone.
Office Note: The parish offices will be closed tomorrow, Friday, August 14. If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Co-Wardens, Steve Brooks, or Mike Higgins.
CROP Walk Fundraiser
The annual CROP Walk will be held on September 27 (safely, in small groups), and there is a fundraiser coming up in a few weeks. Even if you can’t join the walk, you can be part of this important ministry. On Wednesday, August 26, Lou Malnati’s is donating 20% of their sales to the McHenry County CROP Hunger Walk. This includes dine-in, carry-out, or delivery options, from both the Cary and Lakewood locations. On August 26, let Lou do the cooking, and enjoy a great meal while helping a good cause – it’s a win-win for everyone! Please click here to download a flyer with all the details. The flyers may also be picked up in the back of church.
St. Mary’s Conversations That Matter – Wednesday August 19 at 6:30 pm
On Wednesday August 19, we will welcome Claudia Marchan, the Executive Director of Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (a United Methodist Immigration Ministry). Claudia will discuss the immigration process and the legal rights of immigrants. Please join us for this very special Zoom meeting. The discussion will begin at 6:30 pm and we will aim to wrap up at 7:45 pm.
Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON) provides free high-quality legal services to low-income immigrants, engages in education and advocacy efforts and builds cross-cultural communities. Rooted in the United Methodist Church and moved by our Christian faith to welcome immigrants, NIJFON is a non-profit organization that welcomes people of all backgrounds and faiths.
Claudia Marchan is Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors’ first Executive Director. Claudia was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon in Mexico and immigrated to the US at the age of 5 and currently has Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. She grew up in Chicago and brings her own immigrant experience to her work. Claudia started her passion for community organizing during her time at a non for profit in Pilsen where she worked on social justice issues around access to education, early childhood initiatives, affordable healthcare and comprehensive immigration reform amongst others. Claudia holds a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and an MBA from National Louis University (NLU) and is currently a part of the Community Psychology doctoral program at NLU where she is focusing her research on the issues of immigration and access to education with a focus on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
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.)
You may also access the bulletin for the service. This will be the same bulletin used all summer, so you only need to print once.
The Sunday Readings for August 16 may also be downloaded so you can follow along.
Please note, the live-streamed services are recorded and available to watch at any time.
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.
No Coffee hour at this time; you may visit outside wearing masks, and keeping properly distanced.
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 lectors, ushers, acolytes, or the altar guild at this time.
Disinfectant is being used to clean the church and bathrooms.
Prayer Shawls Needed – Large or (very) Small
The chaplain at Stroger Hospital, Deacon Rose Cicero, is requesting prayer shawls for the patients and staff at the hospital where she serves. Prayer shawls need to be a minimum of 20"x 60", but she also has use for tiny squares, or circles, 3" to 5" square, suitable for a pocket or on a desk. If any of you have the knitting, crocheting, or even quilting skills and want to be part of the project, please contact Margaret Wood. Thank you!!
Chair Yoga Resumes (Outside)
The weekly Chair Yoga group has resumed meeting in-person, weather permitting. Participants will meet every Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the grass by the circle driveway (south side of the property). If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Carroll.
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.
Parishioners: Elmer; Gail, Galen & Betsy, Heather, El, Dorothy, Matthew, Emmett, Kristi, Elizabeth, Cindy, Glenice, Shirley, and Margaret
Family/Friends: Douglas, brother-in-law of Heather Horeled; Cheryl, daughter of Sharon Duffy, and her family; Rob, brother of Amy Noe, his wife Missy, and daughter Cassie; Brenda, friend of Daphne Starr; Tom, brother-in-law of Missy Spengel; Mark, friend of Peter Carroll; Andi, Chris, Sue, Angela, Bill; Ryan, Maria, Greg, Wayne, Scott, Rev. Bill, Sue, Sarah, Dave, Brynn, Neil and Des, Sarah Margaret, Rick, Sylvia, Jess, Betty and Del, Peggy, Denise and Gabriel, Lauren, Lynn, Rachel, Kay, Cora, Saul, Brian, Billy, Gary, Kelly, Sue, Nicci, Sarah
