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grace episcopal church
galena, illinois
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Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sunday May 2, 2021
Ministers of the Service
Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider
Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon
Terri Jackman, Lector
Bill Foltz, Intercessor
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Robin French, Music Director
Nancy Cook, Erben Organ
Charlotte Stryker, Vestry Coord.
Amy Hardwicke/Ann Berry, Altar Guild
Amy Hardwicke, Greeter
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RECTOR'S RAMBLINGS
As you have, no doubt, noticed, since Easter we have been coming close to meeting our maximum attendance for Sunday worship. I'm sure much is due to people having completed their vaccinations--and the return of our snow birds. It is such a joy to see look out from the chancel at all who are present.
Our next diocesan update on restrictions is due on Wednesday but I have no sense of whether it will impact indoor services and events.
We are presently allowed a single, masked singer, and we could have communion wine but only if provided in individual cups. At this time, the consensus has been that it would be awkward. We have, of course, returned to the high altar for the Eucharist--except for the distribution which continues at the foot of the chapel steps.
We are beginning to think about how we will continue with offering online services in the future, even after all restrictions are lifted. This will obviously mean some changes to accommodate cameras and other technology. It would be helpful to begin compiling some of your thoughts about how things have gone for you since we returned to live worship in the church at the beginning of Lent. And, what you are still missing. I shall try to put together a brief set of questions to send out. Meanwhile, be sure to reserve your spot early to avoid being disappointed--and to give us a heads-up for setting up the overflow are in the Parish Hall.
See you in church or on Zoom!
Gloria+
Bishop-elect Paula Clark moved on Friday from Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village to the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago for a period of rehabilitation. Her doctors continue to be pleased with the pace of her recovery from the surgery of April 15 that removed an arteriovenous malformation from her brain. Please continue to keep Bishop-elect Clark, and her family in your prayers, but to facilitate her rest and recovery, please do not call or visit the facility for any reason.
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Events this Week:
Monday 5/3
Poetry Group online 2:00pm
EfM online 6:30pm
Tuesday 5/4
Wednesday 5/5
Midweek Worship online and
in-person 7:30am
Morning Study Group online 10:30am
Patricia Schaller birthday
Thursday 5/6
UCG Mtg. 10:30am
RBM Yarn Ministry online 1:30pm
Friday 5/7
Centering Prayer online 9:00am
Carolyn Norton birthday
Saturday 5/8
Important Links:
Office Hours
9:00am-Noon, Tuesday through Friday
Rector Office Hours
10:30am-3:00pm Tuesday through Thursday
Mondays and other times by appointment
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BRAIDING SWEETGRASS BOOK DISCUSSION
The EfM Alumni group is preparing to discuss a book recommended during Steve Barg’s Doctrine of Discovery Program: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass. Anyone wanting to join the discussion (from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 20th) may contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com) for a Zoom invitation.
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HELP WANTED!:
An apprentice to work with Zoom at Grace Church.
This is an important part of our Worship Ministry, and more people are needed to keep our live online services coming! It may seem very complicated, but those of us who have been handling it for nearly a year now all had to start from very basic computer skills and learn "on the job." If we have a small team, the responsibilities can be rotated, making it easier for all of us--and making it possible to explore better ways to assure the best audio and visual experience for those worshiping in person and those online.
Please contact Lynn Giles if interested and for more information.
lynngiles@lynngilesphotography.com
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UNITED THANK OFFERING
It is the little blue box time again! United Thank Offering Invites Every Episcopalian to:
“Notice the Good Things That Happen Each Day.
Give Thanks to God for Your Blessings.
Make an Offering for Each Blessing.”
The United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude, and through this effort, the whole world is joined in gratitude! Remember that every penny given to the United Thank Offering is given away to support innovative mission and ministry in The Episcopal Church. Since our official founding in 1889, UTO has awarded 5,357 grants for a total of $140,625,355.77.
The theme for the 2021 grants is:
“Recovering with love and gratitude: An Episcopal response
to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
$450,000 in thank offerings has already been collected in time for the first round of COVID-19 grants. The COVID-19 grants combine some historic traditions for UTO, namely sustaining previous grant winners to ensure that vital ministries continue in addition to funding innovative responses to the pandemic. There was over $700,000 applied for in grants this year. The need has been especially great because of the pandemic. To see some of the projects receiving first round grants click UTO:
Grace has dedicated the month of May for collection of your UTO box. Bring it with you to church or if you are attending church virtually, drop it off when the parish house is open so we can all join grateful Episcopalians around the world making life better for those in need.
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Altar Guild
The Altar Guild would like to acknowledge that Maren Coates has joined the group.
Flowers in Church
There are many openings on the flower chart to donate flowers. April is full, but the remaining months have many open Sundays.
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WE'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR GLORY PARISH!
Over $11,000 donated! PLUS
the $5,000 in matching funds!
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The Outreach Ministries thank you for your generosity in providing from your excess to those who have none! |
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FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER WORSHIP
On a local and personal level, Philip’s example is a good one for us to follow as we seek to love God and others, and bear fruit for Christ. A number of factors stand out in this “fruit-bearing” moment of Philip’s. He was willing to be driven out of his way by his love for and obedience to God. He was willing to engage someone who was very different from him, and who would usually have been marginalised by his people. The eunuch was a foreigner, a Gentile and a man who had been castrated and was therefore, in one sense, unclean. He was also willing to meet the man where he was, beginning the conversation from the questions and reading of the eunuch. He did not impose his own agenda on the man, but listened and responded graciously and gently. Finally, he welcomed the eunuch into the community of faith by baptising him without question. All of these loving acts are the ones Jesus calls all his followers to perform in order to bear fruit.
READINGS:
Acts 8:26-40: Philip is instructed to go to a certain road where he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch on his way home after worshipping in Jerusalem. Philip finds him reading Isaiah’s scroll, and explains what the Scriptures say about Jesus. Then he baptises the eunuch.
Psalm 22:25-31: A psalm of praise and commitment in which God is celebrated for God’s provision and authority, and all people are challenged to worship God, to fulfil promises to God, and to proclaim God’s righteousness to unborn generations.
1 John 4:7-21: An exhortation to love one another, because God is love. If we cannot love our brothers and sisters whom we have seen, we cannot love God whom we do not see, but, as God has loved us, inspiring love for God in our hearts, so too, we should love one another. Such love drives out fear.
John 15:1-8: Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. God desires us to bear fruit, and to do so we must remain in Christ.
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At 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, the Study Group meets online to resume the study of the Gospel of Mark. All are welcome to join.
This group meets on Zoom at 10:30 am each Wednesday.
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MEDITATIVE PRAYER 9:00am Fridays
Looking for a way to improve your prayer life, to open your heart, mind and soul to the Holy Spirit? Consider joining the Centering Prayer Group Friday mornings for about forty minutes of meditative prayer: twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by Lectio Divina.
Contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com) for a Zoom invitation which includes a description of these types of prayer.
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ZOOM POETRY GROUP
A Zoom Poetry meeting from Grace Church has been organized and meets online on Mondays at 2:00pm. This is not specifically a Grace ministry, but a number of Grace members and friends are part of it If you are interested, write Carol Poston at poston@sxu.edu
or call her at 815-777-0220.
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An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist: The Rev. Linda Packard, Presider; The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon; Terri Jackman, Lector/Intercessor; Mary Lou Smith, Homilist.
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Easter 4 4/25/2021: The Rev Dr Gloria Hopewell, Presider; The Rev Diane Luther, Deacon; Richard Luther, Intercessor; Nancy Cook, Lector and Erben Organist; Robin French, Music Director; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host. PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the first part of the Service of the Word has been deleted since there was no sound.
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Easter 3 4/18/2021: The Rev Dr Gloria Hopewell, Presider; The Rev Linda Packard, Assisting Priest; Greg Serwich, Lector and Zoom Host; Donna Davis, Intercessor; Robin French, Music Director; Nancy Cook, Erben Organist.
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Reopening Church (Limited)
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Hybrid worship has resumed for both in-person and Zoom congregations. Since our region is in Phase 4 of the State of Illinois COVID recovery, we are able to offer 21 spaces in the nave with a maximum of 32 people. Each space can accommodate one single or a couple who live in the same household. MASKS ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTRY.
For those wishing to attend in-person, reservations are required. You may reserve by going to reserve.
If you are assigned to an Altar Party role where you will be sitting in the Chancel, you need not reserve. All others, such as lectors, musicians, vestry coordinators, greeters, and altar guild do need to reserve.
On Sunday morning, you will come to the Parish House door where a Greeter will check your name(s) off on a list and admit you to the building where you will proceed into the nave to find an empty seat that is designated by a bulletin.
Please review this summary of COVID precautions in worship: 10 COMMANDMENTS
Pews that are not to be used are closed off by lengths of ribbon. There are hand sanitizer stations at the entrance and also at the back of the nave.
Those who will join us on Zoom will receive the usual e-mail invitation with a link to the day's bulletin.
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Vestry:
Lynn Giles, Senior Warden
Richard Luther, Jr. Warden
Richard Luther, Treasurer
Crystal Mason, Clerk
The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector
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Staff:
The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector
The Rev. Linda Packard, Priest Associate
The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon
Nancy Kenney, Parish Administrator
Robin French, Music Director
Nancy Cook, Erben Organist
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Charlotte Stryker: Worship
Elizabeth Ludescher: Communications
Nancy Cook: Outreach
Eric Kallback: Building & Grounds
Crystal Mason: Pastoral Care
Phil Jackman: Fellowship/Parish Life
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The Rev Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector
Cell Phone: 773-988-3497
Grace Episcopal Church Office:
107 S. Prospect Street
Galena, IL 61036
815-777-2590
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