grace episcopal church

The State of Illinois has officially issued a directive for masking at indoor gatherings for all who are two years old or older regardless of inoculation status. Out of concern for those who cannot yet be vaccinated or whose immune systems are compromised, we respectfully request that you comply and wear a mask indoors that covers your nose and mouth.

Members & Guests, Celebrants

Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider

Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon

Terri Jackman, Lector

Deb Pausz, Intercessor

Robin French, Music Director

Nancy Cook, Erben Organist

Phil Jackman, Vestry Coord.

Ann Berry & Amy Hardwicke,

Karen Serwich, Greeter

SEARCH COMMITTEE - The CAT Survey is due!

October 6th is the date we need to have the completed forms from everyone. The results will be compiled and reported back to the Search Committee and the Vestry approximately a week later.

The Search committee wants everyone to complete The CAT Survey.

This CAT is the Congregation Assessment Tool - the first of two important ways for our congregation to participate in the process of searching for a new Rector. On September 20th the CAT was made available - online to those who can access it that way, and by mail for those who cannot. Completing this takes a relatively small amount of time; the search committee members will be available if you have questions about it.

The congregation’s second opportunity for involvement in the search process will be by discussion in small groups. Almost without exception those who’ve been through the small group phase report it very interesting and rewarding. We’ll have more information for you on this as we approach the time of the meeting.

Should you have questions about information provided here, or about the search process please call Steve Coates (563.581.6515) or Pete Stryker (312.504.8268) or any member of the Search Committee.

STEVEN CHARLESTON'S LADDER TO THE LIGHT

Ladder to the Light Conversations with the Rector continues on Sundays in the Chapel shortly after the end of worship .

A communications team has been appointed to oversee the news and promotion of church events in our social media. Teresa Burke and Joy Von Wolffersdorff will work with the Rector and Parish Administrator to coordinate communications. Elizabeth Ludescher is presently the Vestry Liaison to the team. When her term on Vestry is completed in January, she will continue as a member of the team.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous support of the women who come to the Galena Food Pantry. Seeing all the filled

red bags in our church narthex was heart warming.

Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.

Your Outreach Ministry

[Episcopal News Service] A group of Episcopal clergy and lay leaders who self-organize as the Deputies of Color kick-off their preparations for the 80th General Convention on Sept. 25 with an online conference focused on “Truth Telling,” during which Episcopalians share their various experiences with racism in the church and in society.

The Deputies of Color is a standing umbrella group that combines the church’s four primary ethnic caucuses: Black, Indigenous, Asian and Latinx. Together, those caucuses total over 170 members – a large majority of the church’s estimated 230 total deputies of color....“Ensuring that House of Deputies legislative committees represent the full diversity of the church will not automatically correct the manifestations of structural racism that exist at General Convention,” Jennings said in a news release. “But I hope that more diverse legislative committee leadership and membership will help us make inroads in eradicating some of the injustice identified by the racial audit and help General Convention lead our church ever closer to Beloved Community.”

Becoming Beloved Community, the church’s cornerstone racial reconciliation initiative, inspired the theme and structure of the Deputies of Color’s Sept. 25 meeting, which focused on “Telling the Truth,” one of four components of Becoming Beloved Community. Rushing and the other three main presenters will discuss the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Asian American and Latino/Hispanic Episcopalians. The full article may be found here: deputies

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service] Dioceses and Episcopal leaders are joining a growing movement to add Bishop Barbara Harris to The Episcopal Church’s calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts. They are lining up diocesan resolutions that will ask the 80th General Convention to advance her elevation to the status of a church saint at its meeting in July 2022, just two years after her death.

Harris was consecrated in 1989 as bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Massachusetts, becoming the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion. She retired in 2002 but remained an active and prominent figure in The Episcopal Church and a role model for younger generations of Episcopal leaders until her death March 13, 2020, at age 89. Harris also is remembered for her support of social justice causes and her part in the first wave of women to be ordained as Episcopal priests. Read more here: Harris

WEDNESDAY MORNING STUDY GROUP

(Those in the Parish Hall need to wear a mask.)

Anyone needing a Zoom invitation can contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com).

On Tuesday evenings, at 8:30 pm, Lynn Giles will lead a service of Compline. She has been participating in the service that has previously been offered to the Diocese of Chicago by St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn. This service of the Daily Office in our Book of Common Prayer is a brief, contemplative service that is ideal for prayerful letting go of the cares of the day and preparing for a restful night. Find the link button above.

MEDITATIVE PRAYER 9:00am on Fridays

Contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com) for a Zoom invitation which includes a description of these types of prayer.

WORSHIP:

Genesis 2:18-24: God seeks to provide a companion for the man, so he brings all the animals for the man to name, but no companion is found. Then God creates woman, and the man celebrates her, as one like himself.

 Psalm 8: God is majestic, yet notices human beings, making them just a little lower than the angels and putting them over all of creation as God’s stewards.

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12: God has spoken, as never before, through Jesus Christ, who was made a little lower than angels for a time in order to lead human beings – whom he calls sisters and brothers – to salvation.

Mark 10:2-16: The religious leaders challenge Jesus on whether it is acceptable to divorce one’s wife. Jesus says that the law allowed it only because of our hard hearts, but that if someone divorces and remarries, they commit adultery. Then, when the disciples scold those who bring children to Jesus to be blessed, Jesus stops them and tells them that God’s kingdom belongs to those who are like children, and that if we don’t welcome children, we cannot be part of God’s Reign.

The message of the Lectionary, this week, then, is focussed on relationships as a reflection of our place in God’s Reign, and of our faithfulness to the ways of God. When we remain faithful to Jesus, our relationships will enjoy the benefits and blessings of our faithfulness, and, in the healing and unity that our relationships bring, we will grow more faithful in touching the world with the grace and salvation of God.

In every community there are families in need of care and support. Many of these families are ignored because the way they do family life is different from the narrow definitions we generally consider “normal.” And so families break down, and society is harmed, and one of the best pictures we have of God’s love and commitment to human beings is distorted. When we can begin to offer guidance, care, support, and love for all families, and allow them to reach their full potential in Christ, not only do they benefit, but our community grows stronger, more loving and more aware of God’s grace, as these families again become the parables God intended them to be. In addition, when we work to sustain the integrity and faithfulness of our own families and communities, even when it is hard and we are threatened or suffering, we reflect the grace and glory of God to the world. When we recognise that our love and faithfulness to God must overflow into love and faithfulness to each other, we are able to open ourselves to the presence and strength of God that sustains us, and we are able to enter all of our relationships with the self-giving of Christ, and with the intentionality to commit, to connect, and to grow into deeper intimacy and faithfulness together.

ZOOM POETRY GROUP 2:00pm on Mondays

A Zoom Poetry meeting from Grace Church has been organized and meets 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.

An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist for St. Michael's and All Angels: The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider; Maren Coates, Lector; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host.

An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist 9/26/21: The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider; Debbie Kallback, Intercessor; Nancy Cook, Lector and Erben Organist; Robin French, Music Director; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host.

An Episcopal Service of Holy Eucharist 9/19/21, "The Last Shall Be First" Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist: The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider; Elizabeth Ludescher, Intercessor; Greg Serwich, Lector; Robin French, Music Director; Nancy Cook, Erben Organist; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host.

Lynn Giles, Senior Warden

Richard Luther, Jr. Warden

Jim Berry, Treasurer

Crystal Mason, Clerk

The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector

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