As we journey through the holiest time of year for the church you are invited to join us for prayer and worship. We have provided a schedule in this newsletter, which includes a variety of options for worship as we try to meet the needs of people, some who wish to attend services in person and others who are unable to be with us.
Tonight you are invited to watch a pre-recorded candlelight service for MaundyThursday. This service includes music and readings for Maundy Thursday. On Good Friday we will hold a service in-person at 12:00 Noon. This is a service which includes the solemn collects and prayers for Good Friday and also incorporates the Stations of the Cross from the point of view of Mary, the mother of our Lord. At 3:00 p.m. we will hold a traditional service of the Stations of the Cross onZoom. I invite you to join us in person at 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. for EasterSunday. Please know that we are following all safety precautions and that there is room at both services for more people. Our limit is 40 at each service. We will be live-streaming the 10:30 a.m. service and you may download the bulletin. We will also hold Morning Prayer for Easter Sunday with music at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom.
I am elated that we will have in-person worship this Easter Sunday, complete with glorious flowers on the altar. Gail Head will be playing Easter Hymns for us and I am very grateful to her. It has been wonderful that Gail and Del Smith have been playing the organ and piano, especially during this time when we cannot yet sing in church. We are still in the midst of the pandemic as we are all aware. Let us also be aware and embrace the reality that the Love of God is with us and know deeply that the reality of the Resurrection is not diminished by our current state of affairs. May the power of the resurrection, may the love the risen Christ and hope of the church support you, sustain you and be with you this Holy Week and forever more.
I wish all of you, your family and loved ones a blessed Easter!
Rev. Fran +
HOLY WEEK and EASTER SERVICE SCHEDULE
Maundy Thursday April 1
YouTube: Candlelight service of Taize prayers and music, recorded by Peter and Catherine Carroll.
Good Friday April 2
12:00 Noon in-person service, including Stations of the Cross
3:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross on Zoom; Click here to view the Way of the Cross document. To participate by phone only: 312-626-6799; phone meeting ID: 841 6203 5600
Easter Sunday April 4
8:00 a.m. in-person Eucharist
9:00 a.m. Zoom Morning Prayer. To participate by phone only: 312-626-6799; phone meeting ID: 826 0737 1151. Click hereto view the service on your computer.
10:30 a.m. in-person Eucharist
10:30 a.m. live-streamed service on ourYouTube channel
170 Easter Blessings Delivered
On Holy Tuesday I had the privilege of delivering 170 Easter cards to our sisters and brothers at Crystal Pines. The residents were very happy to receive these cards. Thank you to everyone who sent Easter blessings, you made the Crystal Pines’ residents and my Easter even more joyous.
God’s Peace,
Deacon Mike
Please Note:
The parish offices will be closed
on Monday, April 5.
St. Mary’s Represented in Depot Park Butterfly Display
The Downtown Crystal Lake Business Association has invited businesses, organizations, and not-for-profit groups to decorate a wooden butterfly representing their organization. The butterflies will be coated with a waterproof sealant and hung in Depot Park. Thanks to Dorothy and Sapphire Nyberg, a butterfly was decorated to represent our parish. Stop over at Depot Park by the train station this spring and view all the creative butterflies
Crystal Lake Food Pantry Opportunity
Volunteers are needed for the next St. Mary’s date at the Food Pantry on Wednesday, April 14. Shifts times are 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or 12:30 –2:30 p.m. If you’d love to help, please contact Cate Williams.
Paper Please. . . Donations of paper goods are greatly needed at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry. The pantry is not able to buy paper goods through the food bank, and clients are not able to use their SNAP benefits to purchase any paper goods such as toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, and napkins. Bring them to the church any time, and your Board members will get them over to the pantry. Paper goods are items that are lightweight, easy to carry and low cost that can be donated and will be appreciated by the clients. Thanks!!
Bishop-elect Clark to Be Consecrated,
Seated on April 24
On April 24, Bishop-elect Paula Clark will become Bishop Paula Clark when she is ordained and consecrated the Thirteenth Bishop of Chicago in a service at St. James Cathedral. Bishop Mark Hollingsworth of Ohio, the president of Province V of the Episcopal Church, will be the chief consecrator. Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington will preach. The service will also include the seating of the bishop at the cathedral.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person attendance at the service will be limited to participants and members of the bishop-elect’s family. The entire service will be streamed online at the diocese’s website, and the Diocesan YouTube channel. The prelude will begin at 10:40 am Central Time, and the service will begin at 11:00 a.m.
The Diocese has put out an invitation to participate in aVirtual Consecration Choir. Choirs, or individual singers may participate in two virtual choir projects for the Consecration.Detailed instructionsare posted on the Cathedral’s website. Submissions are due by April 12 at Noon.
Diocesan and National Church Virtual Holy Week / Easter Links
St. Anne’s, Woodstock will be streaming the Great Vigil of Easteron Saturday, April 3, at 7:00 p.m. on their YouTube Channel.
St. James Cathedral, Chicago, has several events scheduled daily throughout Holy Week/Easter, including a video of Stations of the Cross from the Holy Land.
Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, has released his annual Easter Message.
