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grace episcopal church
galena, illinois
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Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Holy Eucharist, 10:30 am
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Week of June 27, 2021
NO RESERVATIONS: ALL spots reopen at Grace
this Sunday! Most COVID restrictions are lifted and congregational singing resumes -- with masks.
Otherwise, masks are optional except
for those who are not vaccinated.
One area of the nave will be reserved for those who
prefer a bit of distance.
Communion--wafers only--will be offered at the altar rail, and the gifts will be presented at the Offertory.
A simple social time will be held after worship
with beverages and light refreshments.
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Ministers of the Service
Members & Guests, Celebrants
Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider
Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon
Lynn Giles, Lector
RIchard Luther, Intercessor
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Robin French, Music Director
Nancy Cook, Erben Organist
Elizabeth Ludescher,
Vestry Coordinator
Ann Berry & Amy Hardwicke,
Altar Guild
Amy Hardwicke, Greeter
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RECTOR'S RAMBLINGS
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
Yes, one of the great gifts of lifting most of the COVID restrictions we have been subjected to for these many months, is the ability to sing in church! I know that this has been one of the hardest things to many people, as making a joyful noise to the Lord is such an integral part of worshiping together! I can tell—for ever since we resumed even limited in-person worship, I have been able to hear a a hushed voice or two that simply could not refrain from singing along to the hymns and service music that Robin played on the piano and organ!
And that joy was certainly evident the afternoon that choir took its caravan on the road to sing for our choir members confined to their homes. It has been a long, dry drought!
I come from a singing family. No, we did not gather around the piano after Sunday dinner to sing hymns. It was more like what we did at parties. On Wisconsin vacations, my aunt would be at the piano, my mother often ON the piano, leading the singing and feeding the lyrics of the 1930s and 40s standards. My dad would be coaxed into singing his solo signature “September Song,” and the rest of us would join in harmony to everything from “Shine On, Harvest Moon,” to show tunes and college songs.
Later, it was singing around the campfire with church groups at summer family camp and mission trips.
Song has long been an integral part of worship and prayer. The saying, the one “who sings, prays twice” has been attributed to St. Augustine, Martin Luther, and anonymous others. It is true, whoever said it first!
We are grateful for Robin and the choir—for the virtual anthems on Christmas Eve, Easter, and Pentecost. And for the quartets that have lead our humming chorus these past weeks. But now another step! So, put your mask on, and “break forth into joyous song and sing praises!”
See you in church or on Zoom!
Gloria+
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Events this Week:
Sunday 6/27
Holy Eucharist 10:30 am online and in-person
Monday 6/28
Poetry Group 2:00pm
EfM in person in PH Conference Room 6:30pm
Richard & Diane Luther's Anniversary
Tuesday 6/29
Wednesday 6/30
Midweek Worship online and in-person 7:30am
Morning Study Group online 10:30am
Thursday 7/1
Tony Packard's Birthday
UCG Meeting 10:30am
Friday 7/2
Carol Schieren's Birthday
Centering Prayer online 9:00am
Saturday 7/3
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
ROTA (6-6-21 to 10-31-21)
Website: includes a password protected members' portal where most recent Vestry minutes, financials, and Grace Church Directory are found.
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The orange slice of the pie indicates worship both in-person and online; red = in-person only; blue = Zoom only; green = neither. No one reported only watching the recording at a later time. |
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The orange slice indicates those who might worship either in-person or online depending on weather, illness, or other reasons; red and blue are in-person and Zoom respectively. No one reported not worshiping at all or only watching the recording. |
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WORSHIP SURVEYS--WHAT COMES NEXT
Part I of our worship survey meant to assess the congregation's preferences for how Grace moves forward in a hybrid (in-person and virtual) world drew 52 responses. Here are some highlights. The first graph shows how many joined worship in person, online, both or neither, or by watching the recorded video at a later time. The second graph shows how people expect to worship going forward.
For those who will worship, at least now and then, on Zoom in the future, what is important is a) having the sense of being part of the congregation (28/52 responses); having the opportunity to chat before and/or after the service (21/52); having the camera show the other worshipers in addition to the altar party (21/52) vs. having the camera remain still (9/52). Only one individual wished to participate remotely as lector or in another role, and no one wanted break-out groups.
Part II of our survey received only 26 responses. These questions were a bit more detailed and concerned comfort levels for lifting specific restrictions and sought preferences on how communion would be received given the continued diocesan requirements for wafers and no common cup. Additional responses are welcomed, so if you have not yet responded, please do so using the link: Couples should each answer, even if you are in agreement with one another's answers. Worship Part 2
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OUTREACH THANKS
Dear friends from Grace,
The members of your Outreach Committee are blessed to receive heartfelt thank yous for the donations that Grace Church makes to a wide variety charitable organizations. We thought it is only fair that you, the generous folk who make it all possible, should get to share in the treasured notes we receive. Below, enjoy some snippets.
To the Richard Babcock Memorial Yarn Ministry from Shelter Care Ministry in Rockford:
Thank you! You are helping build a more compassionate community and transforming the lives of Rockford families. Your gift of hand knitted blankets……and cowls gives hope to Shelter Care families with struggle with homelessness. You may never know the names of those you help, but you put a smile on their faces and hope in their hearts.
Your Outreach Committee donates $300 so that the generous, talented knitters can have the yarn they need for their good works…a team effort!
Episcopal Relief and Development:
Thank Grace Episcopal Church for the $2,500 gift. Please know your gift is already making a difference. We are committed to demonstrating an impact in three program areas: Women, Children and Climate. ……women, the focus is on helping communities promote the rights of women and children to move toward the vision that everyone deserves a life free from violence…..support and protect children under six so they can reach health and developmental milestone….preparing for and recovering from climate-influenced events such as floods……
Heifer International:
I wish you could see the real and lasting impact you have had on so many! Your $960.00 has given pride to mothers who can now support their families…farmers who have learned how to grow thriving crops….you would see the dignity you provide to so many.
Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society:
On behalf of the 2021 Heroes for History Stair Challenge Committee and the Galena-Jo Daviess Country Historical Society, I would like to thank you for becoming a sponsor with your $200 contribution….they help us to remember and celebrate the historic past of Galena.
Yes, each of you does make a difference!
Your grateful Outreach Committee
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FORMATION AND SPIRITUALITY MINISTRY NEWS |
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EfM UPDATES
Most of this year, the five students enrolled in the EfM seminar at Grace Church met via Zoom. We
now meet in the upstairs conference room of the Parish House. Teresa Burke will graduate at the end
of this year. The seminar started in January and will finish in August. Three are first year students
(Greg Anderson, Melanie Hoffman and Joy Von Wolffersdorff ). One is a second year student (Sue Anderson). Lynn Giles is the mentor.
EfM stands for Education for Ministry. It is a four-year curriculum developed by the University of the South, Sewanee TN for the education of lay people in the church. The first year focuses on the Hebrew Bible; the second year the New Testament while the third years reviews church history and the fourth year reads contemporary theology and ethics. In addition, as a group, we reflect on theological issues as they relate to our world.
Teresa Burke will present a Ministry Moment on Sunday, June 27 to explain what EfM has meant to her. New students may enroll beginning in July to start in October 2020. Tuition is $375/yr., which includes all textbooks. Scholarships are available. There is lots of information about EfM on the website, efm.sewanee.edu. If anyone has questions, Lynn Giles is available at lynngiles@lynngilesphotography.com.
INTERESTED?
Are you interested in EfM? Or, if you went through EfM in “the old days" with the big binders, are you curious about EfM in the present format?
The current EfM Seminar invites you to join us in a discussion of our interlude book, Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action and Climate Change , written by Stephen A. Jurovics (New York, Morehouse Publishing, 2016). The book is widely available in soft cover or Kindle editions.
Please let us know if you will join our discussion by July 1 so we can finalize the location in the Parish House and send you some preparation material. The session will be held on Monday, July 19 between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. For more information or to register, please email Lynn Giles at elynngiles@gmail.com.
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ADULT INQUIRER'S CLASS
Our Bishop-elect, Paula Clark will be consecrated on August 28! Prior to her medical emergency she was able to attend our Deanery meeting and talked about her intent to hold deanery-wide services to provide Confirmations, and receive new members to the church. By doing this, those wishing to be received or confirmed would not have to wait for her to visit their parish, which might take two or more years.
Because of this, I will be offering an Adult Inquirers Class sometime this summer (dates will be determined by the schedules of those interested in attending). We will be talking about our identity as Episcopalians, the Book of Common Prayer, a brief history of the Anglican/Episcopal church, our creeds, prayer, Baptism, Eucharist, the Trinity (don’t come looking for an explanation!), and the Jesus Movement as described by Presiding Bishop Curry. Attending does not commit you to being received. You may make that decision after you have completed the class.
This is open to anyone in the church or community, although if there is a large response, those considering reception into the Church will be given priority due to limited space (this is an in-person class). The time commitment is about eight hours. Last time, those taking the class decided to do the whole thing on one Saturday. Other options include but are not limited to two sessions of four hours, or four sessions of two hours. This will be determined by those interested in participating, again with priority to those considering reception.
If you are interested in this or would like more information, please contact Rev. Diane Luther at dm20luther@gmail.com, or call (815) 281-2301 |
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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 a Zoom invitation which includes a description of these types of prayer.
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Join us to study, discuss and ponder St. Mark’s Gospel. We gather on Zoom, 10:30 –11:30 Wednesday mornings. Contact Greg Serwich for a Zoom invitation ( gserwich@gmail.com).
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WORSHIP:
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The grace and care of God for humanity, and the call for us to care for one another shines through all of the Lectionary readings this week. In the Gospel reading, Jesus heals two people – the daughter of a wealthy religious leader and a poor, excluded, “unclean” woman. Here, the indiscriminate love and grace of Jesus is reflected, as he meets both rich and poor, powerful and weak, at their point of need. The sections from Wisdom and Lamentations all reflect on God’s faithfulness and grace and the hope and trust we can place in the God who seeks to rescue us and bring us life. Finally, in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian Church he encourages them to care for other believers and share their abundance in order that all may have enough. All of these readings reveal God’s compassion and love for all people, and the challenge for us to love as we have been loved, while sharing our resources and preserving the dignity of others. It’s a call to allow our faith in God’s nature and mission to lead us into gracious and generous relationships in which we care for and bring wholeness and life to one another.
READINGS:
Lamentations 3:21-33: God’s faithful mercies do not fail, but are renewed every morning, and it is good for God’s people to wait for God’s deliverance in hope, patient endurance of suffering and trust that God does not enjoy the suffering of human beings.
2 Corinthians 8:7-15: Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians to share their abundance with others who are less fortunate. He explains that he doesn’t want them to go without for the sake of others, but rather that their surplus can help others who have lack. In time the situation may be reversed and this ensures that all have enough and are equal.
Mark 5:21-43: Jesus is asked by a synagogue leader, Jairus, to go with him to heal his daughter. On his way, a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years touches him and is healed. After insisting that she make herself known, and speaking words of grace to her, he goes on to Jairus’ house, where his daughter has now died. Then Jesus raises her from the dead to the amazement of all.
thumbnails and commentary from sacredise.com
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RICHARD PEPPER MEMORIAL GARDEN
Stop by to see the plantings of annuals located to the right of the church, along the sidewalk leading to our Meditation Garden. This is a pollinating garden, featuring a burst of colors to attract our native birds, butterflies and bees. Our new garden will be in memory of Richard Pepper, a generous donor to Grace Church and will be dedicated on July 18 at the end of worship.
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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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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.
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An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist: The Rev. Linda Packard, Presider; Joe Maffit, Lector and Homilist; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host.
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An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist 6/13/21: The Rev. Linda Packard, Presider; The Rev. Deacon Diane Luther, Preacher; Richard Luther, Lector; Deb Pausz, Intercessor; Robin French, Music Director; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host. |
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An Episcopal Service of Holy Eucharist: The Rev Dr Gloria Hopewell, Presider; The Rev Diane Luther, Deacon; Elizabeth Ludescher, Intercessor; Nancy Cook, Lector and Erben Organist; Robin French, Music Director; Lynn Giles, Zoom Host. |
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Hybrid worship has resumed for both in-person and Zoom congregations in line with Diocesan guidelines and Phase 5 of the State of Illinois COVID recovery.
For those present in the Church:
Please put your smartphone or other device in airplane mode so that our
internet capacity is reserved for our online streaming.
For those on Zoom:
Please mute yourselves before the Prelude begins and immediately after the Peace. This prevents other participants on Zoom from being distracted by conversation
and background noise.
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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