The Fourth Sunday

in Advent

Advent Lessons and Carols

December 18, 2022

10:30 am CST

Due to fluctuations in the level of COVID infections in Jo Daviess County,

masks are suggested, but still optional,

Social hour follows the service.

Ministers of the Service

Celebrants - Members and Guests

Presider - Thom Dennis

Readers

Lily Jackman

Veronica Baté

Jeff Hadlock

Maren Coates

Carol Baté Ambrus

Susan Bookless

Altar Guild - Maren Coates & Kim Kreiser

Vestry Coordinator - Amy Hardwicke

Greeter - Teresa Burke

HOW TO WATCH GRACE CHURCH ON YouTube:

If you plan to attend a Grace Sunday service online, it’s now available as a live-stream on YouTube.

Click on either the red or the green link (buttons) at the top of this eBlast.

(You may have to wait a minute or two for your computer to open its browser and make the connection.)

The RED link gives you a choice of services. You will also see when the next scheduled live-stream

will start. The GREEN link only connects after the streaming has started at the church.

All you need to remember is Red link: go to anytime

Green link: go to when the service starts.

For “early birds” we’ll start the live-streaming at 10:25 am CST.

HOW TO WATCH GRACE CHURCH ON ZOOM:

If you plan to attend a Compline Service or the Longest Night Service online, you may click on the YELLOW link above. You may also log onto Zoom and use the Meeting ID 891-7775-4795. You will be in a waiting room until the Zoom operator admits you.

UPCOMING GRACE WORSHIP SCHEDULE

12/18/22 Lessons and Carols

12/21/22 Longest Night Service (5:30 pm) - Rev. Diane Luther

12/24/22 Christmas Eve - Rev. Linda Packard

12/25/22 Carol Sing followed by Wassail Social Hour

01/01/23 Morning Prayer - Thom Dennis & Debbie Pausz

PLEDGE REMINDER

December 4 was Commitment Sunday. A heartfelt thank you for all the received pledges of support for the ministries of Grace. On the other hand, if you have not yet turned in your pledge card, please do so by today. If you need another card, cards and envelopes are available at both entrances to the church.

OUTREACH MINISTRY

HEIFER PROJECT It's Advent! For over 20 years, Grace Church has supported Heifer International, a charity that provides animals and training to people everywhere to end poverty and hunger, create sustainable futures, empower women, improve the environment and strengthen communities. Please ask Carmen Ferguson or Karlyn Van Gelder for a gift card if you would like to give someone on your Christmas list the gift of helping to end hunger. Please make checks payable to Grace Church and note "Heifer" in the memo line.

GLORY PARISH. Glory Parish is now not just offering spiritual activities and worship, but is supporting development in the area. The Church is a landmark and a place for the community to solve the problems of peace and reconciliation among the people of God. The people say, “God loves them and that is why the Church is built in their area.” The area now has electricity because of the church which benefits the secondary (high school) students so they can study at night. The remaining parts of the church project which are unfinished are: 1. Painting inside and outside the church, 2. Furniture (additional chairs), 3. Ceiling board. Contributions may be made to Grace Church with GLORY PARISH on the check’s memo line.

MEMBER MOMENT

I have fond memories of Christmas Eve “Midnight Mass” at Grace Church. Raised Southern Baptist, I married a Roman Catholic. Having no church home began to bother us when two young daughters came along. Attending Grace Episcopal became the Anglican compromise we needed. As members, the late-night Christmas Eve Eucharist with Communion served at Midnight became an important part of our family’s annual tradition. One we looked forward to attending with joy

We’d always invite holiday houseguests to accompany us, and also to attend Wassail, the festive celebration which followed in the parish house across the street until about 2 a.m. One year the first night of Hanukkah occurred on Christmas Eve, and a Jewish guest in our home had brought us a Menorah. Before heading to church that evening, we all participated in lighting it and reciting Hanukkah prayers. Other attendees in the parish house that early Christmas morning couldn’t have realized just how ecumenical that celebration was.

JIM WEBSTER

MINISTRY OF CARE

Grace Church continues to offer pastoral care to its community. Many volunteers are available for rides to doctor appointments (or elsewhere), providing meals, picking up prescriptions, or providing other small services when someone is unwell or unable to do so for themselves.

Call Bonnielynn Kreiser at 815-291-9005 to coordinate the helping hands when needed. Our clergy are also available for spiritual aid.

SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE

The opening for the position of Rector at Grace Church is posted on the Diocesan website. We will be notified by the Diocese of candidates whose interest and background they think will be a good match for Grace.

By clicking on this  link , you will see the text of an ad currently running in the Episcopal News Service.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION NEWS

COMPLINE ON ZOOM 8:30pm on Tuesdays

On Tuesday evenings, at 8:30 pm, Lynn Giles leads an interactive service of Compline. 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.

WEDNESDAY MORNING STUDY GROUP 10:00am on Wednesdays

We are a group that studies spiritual subjects, including the Bible. Everyone is welcome to join us to enhance your knowledge of spirituality and explore how to apply it to their life. We’re currently studying the Gospel of Luke. Meetings (in the Parish Hall conference room and on Zoom) begin at 10:00 a.m.

The Zoom link is active when the group is in session.

MEDITATIVE PRAYER 9:00am on 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 the Zoom password and a description of these types of prayer. The Zoom link button is near the top of this eblast.

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.

To the Members of Grace Church

In accordance with the accepted practice of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Chicago, the Vestry is recommending that the Senior and Junior Wardens continue to serve until such time as a new Rector has been called, installed, and has a few months in to get acclimated to our congregation. They have both agreed to do so. This will be formally recommended at the next annual meeting, unless there are objections from the congregation. Vestry members will continue to rotate out as their terms of service expire. We urge anyone having thoughts, questions or concerns about this recommendation should speak to any Vestry member. Grace Vestry

Christmas Eve

    December 24, 2022

Vestry:

Lynn Giles, Senior Warden

Richard Luther, Jr. Warden

Jim Berry, Treasurer

Crystal Mason, Clerk

Nancy Cook: Outreach

Phil Jackman: Fellowship/Parish Life

Eric Kallbac: Building & Grounds

Crystal Mason: Pastoral Care

Carl Davis: Finance

Amy Hardwicke: Worship

Staff:

The Rev. Linda Packard, Priest Associate

The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon

Kris Egan, Parish Administrator

Robin French, Music Director

Nancy Cook, Erben Organist