Grace Happenings: The Week of September 27, 2020

Grace Episcopal Church

Seventeenth

Sunday after Pentecost

September 27, 2020

Birthdays

Anita Sands

Terri Jackman

Tom Golden

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

PARISH HOUSE

Regular hours have resumed. Nancy is available on Tuesday - Friday mornings. I am available Monday by appointment and Tuesday-Thursday. Since the building is still somewhat restricted, please contact us ahead of time if you need to come by.

And masks are essential.

Any ministries that wish to resume meetings or events at the Parish House must contact the rector before scheduling. There are attendance limits to each of the meeting places as well as expectations for masking, maintaining physical distancing and sanitizing the areas following their use. The 1st floor Parish Hall is limited to 15 individuals. The 2nd floor Conference Room and the Chapel each can accommodate no more than 9 people.

The AA groups have resumed their meetings. There are four: Mondays at 10 am; Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; and Wednesday at noon.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Worship continues each Sunday both in-person and online on Zoom. reservations are being received. In-person worship requires advance reservations as we are limited to 25% of our capacity in order to maintain the 6 foot physical distancing. That distancing also applies to the time before and after worship. If you need to have conversations, please do so outside in the fresh air to minimize the amount of time we are together in an enclosed space.

If you have not yet reserved your spot for Sunday, you will find the link in the sidebar to the right of this article. When you arrive on Sunday at the Parish House door, 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. Pews that are not to be used will be closed off by lengths of ribbon. There will be hand sanitizer stations at the entrance and also at the back of the nave.

For those worshiping at home on Zoom, here is the link to the bulletin that you may download and/or print: BULLETIN. When you log in on Sunday morning, you will be muted except for during the sharing of the peace, birthday and anniversary blessings, and a time of greeting at the end of the service. As usual, the Zoom will be ready for you at 10:20 am.

Here once again are our "Ten 'Commandments'" for re-opening TEN. The full plan that was submitted to the Bishop's office for approval may be found here.

ZOOM POETRY GROUP

A Zoom Poetry meeting from Grace Church is being organized and will begin Monday, Sept. 28, at 2:00. The first meeting will offer some guidelines as well as an opportunity to read the "poem in your pocket" that helps you along in these times. If you are interested, write Carol Poston at poston@sxu.edu or call her at 815-777-0220.

Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Conversations Series

DISMANTLING THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY,

REDISCOVERING OUR NEIGHBORS

A series of conversations offered by Steve Barg.,

Director of the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation,

beginning Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.,

sponsored by the Christian Formation Ministry.

The limited in-person gathering of 15 persons is FULL,

but there are plenty of slots available on Zoom.

Advance registration is required so that you may receive the link to the Zoom sessions.

https://reopen.church/r/T5dy083Z

You will also receive a link to a film to view on your own prior to October 3rd. [Those who are participating in person will watch the film together.]

For further information, contact Larry Poston, 815-777-0220, or lsposton@jcwifi.com.

Rector's Ramblings

On Wednesday, the clergy in our diocese had the distinct privilege of having our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, join our bi-weekly Zoom meeting to speak with us about these challenging times we are living in where the triple viruses of COVID-19, racial unrest and violence, and political division are impacting all of us. And how we can encourage people to vote in the coming election while maintaining partisan neutrality in doing so.
Bp. Curry reinforced the fact that churches cannot be partisan or endorse one party or another. Yet, partisan neutrality is not moral neutrality: we must speak out. He used Martin Luther King, Jr.'s statement that the church "must not be the chaplain of the country, but the conscience of the country." So, how do we exercise our moral voice without violating a person's rights and responsibility to do their own moral discernment.
I am including the recording of our conversation here, so that you may hear for yourself how he describes that moral voice and answers some of the questions that our clergy submitted to him.

Presiding Bishop Curry Visits With Diocese of Chicago Clergy and Congregational Leaders

You may also be interested in his recent sermon, "Word to the Church: What Would Jesus Do?"

Here at Grace, we are wondering how we might assist people with voting resources or rides to the polls if they prefer to vote early or on November 3 in person. Carmen Ferguson has generously offered to take calls. So, if you know a neighbor, friend, or family member who could use such assistance, please have them contact Carmen at 815 777 2309 and email carmen@humus.com. Or if you would be comfortable transporting someone to the polls (masked, of course), please let us know at the church office.

Meanwhile, Jo Daviess County is not presently on the warning list for COVID cases, so I hope to see you in church! I shall work very hard not to mess up the sound for the Zoomers again!

Gloria+

Outreach Ministries

Final UTO Ingathering

Sunday, Oct 3 will be the final collection day for all of your United Thank Offering donations (also known as the Tip Jar for Jesus). During the service your donations and /or UTO boxes will be blessed and sent on their way. You still have time to donate, if you have forgotten. Don't forget that Terri Jackman will come to your house and collect your donation if you do not physically attend church!

Bishop's Appeal 2020

Your Outreach Ministry donates $1,000 a year to support this great cause. However, individual donations are always welcome. Please see the Bishop's letter below:

Dear People of God in the Diocese of Chicago:

In recent months, we have learned to worship on Zoom a

nd Facebook, care for one another by telephone and find creative ways to feed the hungry and support the burgeoning movement for racial justice-all while striving to keep our communities healthy. Thanks to your steadfast ministry, the light of the Risen Christ is a beacon shining in communities across our region during this extraordinarily difficult time.

I hope I can also count on your commitment to sustaining the financial health of our diocese during this period of economic uncertainty. If your income has not been interrupted during this time of economic upheaval, please consider making a generous contribution to the Bishop's Appeal. In December, you will elect the thirteenth bishop of this diocese, and I will retire. During more than twelve years of our shared ministry, your generosity has supported energetic congregational development, vibrant Latino ministry, vital anti-racism work, and support for the faithful congregations of the Peoria deanery, among many other initiatives. Come December, I am eager to tell the next bishop of Chicago that the people of this diocese are already preparing a welcoming gift in the form of a successful Bishop's Appeal, and that your generosity will enable and enhance their ministry as it has enabled and enhanced mine.

Thank you for your generosity in these final months of our time together as we continue to stand fast on the love and mercy of God in Christ.

Faithfully,

The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee

Bishop of Chicago

GLORY PARISH UPDATE ON NEW CHU

RCH

Dear Donna M Davis,
May mercy, peace, grace and love be multiplied to you and all Members of Grace Church. Thank you for your email I am sorry I am in Juba on my way to Renk and the internet it is very poor in Juba I can receive email but to send it's very low. I am not sure if you will receive this email but I.

am attaching some photos for the

Glory Church building.

Every blessing
Thank you
+ Joseph

This Sunday

READINGS:
Exodus 17:1-7: The Israelites complain that they have no water, and Moses takes their complaint to God. God instructs Moses to strike the rock at Horeb with his staff and water flows out for the people to drink.
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16: A teaching psalm reminding God's people of all that God has done, bringing God's people out of Egypt, leading with a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, and splitting open the rock to give them water to drink.

Philippians 2:1-13: The apostle encourages the Philippian Christians to be united and to be like Christ in their humility, service and self-sacrifice, quoting the ancient hymn of the Church. He reminds them that they are to live out their salvation, trusting God who gives them the will and the power to do it.

Matthew 21:23-32: The religious leaders question Jesus' authority, but Jesus refuses to answer them because they can't answer his question about John's authority. Then he tells them a parable about two sons whose father asks them to work in the vineyard. One says no, but then does, and the other says yes, but doesn't. Jesus explains that like this, religious people are missing out on the kingdom, while outcasts are finding their way in.

The radical inclusivity of Christ, and the constant, consistent merciful care of God for the fickle Israelite people, can be tough for us to swallow. We wrestle with the uniqueness of Christ, and the challenging message he preached, on one side, and the seemingly indiscriminate welcome he offered on the other. We like to feel like we are 'chosen', that we are 'in', and that we have the 'right way', but we need to be careful of becoming like the religious leaders who tried to be gatekeepers for God's reign and ended up excluding only themselves. We need to be careful of judging others by their doubts or complaints, and trying to keep God's blessing for ourselves, only to find the living water flowing out to them in the most unexpected ways. We may think we find life by "protecting" ourselves and our faith, by keeping out those whom we consider "unsavoury", but in fact these are our ways, not God's (as Ezekiel describes) and they do not lead us to life. Rather, it is in radical grace (like God in the wilderness and like Christ) and radical hospitality that life is found. These are God's ways, and they always lead us into the abundant life God's promised. So, the questions the Scriptures raise for us this week are these: Who would we prefer to keep out? Who do we allow to have authority and from whom do we withhold grace and authority? Who might be finding their way into God's reign in spite of us, and how can we change to become helpers rather than hinderers? And, finally, how can a greater openness to the unpredictable flow of God's living water, of God's grace, lead us deeper into God's life (in spite of our fears that it might somehow 'compromise' God's life)? God's authority, it is clear, does not need the recognition of the powers that be - thank God. But, this means, we had better be careful of becoming too friendly with any system or community that centralises power, authority or resources too much.

Thumbprints and commentaries from:

sacredise.com

Formation Ministry News

Wednesday Morning Study Group

Communal Bible Study affords an enjoyable and fulfilling way to grow spiritually and exchange insights with fellow parishioners, especially during the pandemic. We currently are studying the Gospel of Matthew. All are welcome Wednesday mornings, 10:30 - 11:30. Contact Greg Serwich for a Zoom invitation.

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.

Worship and Ministry in the Midst of COVID-19!

Pentecost Season Worship

Sunday services will begin at our usual 10:30 time at church and on Zoom. They will also be recorded and uploaded as quickly as possible for those unable to participate on Zoom. The uploads will appear on the church's Facebook page, @FullyGrace and on the Grace website.

Wednesday morning services are also now in-person in the church and on Zoom. Bible Study and Centering Prayer are also on Zoom each week. If you would like to add your name to any of these participant lists, please e-mail the church office.

Ministry of Care

Here at Grace, The Ministry of Care has organized regular phone and e-mail contact with our most vulnerable members. If you are in need of assistance,or pick-up and delivery of prescriptions or emergency supplies, please contact Bonnielynn Kreiser. Also contact her if you are able to help out. And, of course, your clergy are available by phone, text, and e-mail to provide pastoral care,

Leadership

Vestry Liaisons

Vestry Liaisons' primary purpose is to assure two-way communications between the various ministries and the Vestry, to represent the ministries for resources or policy issues, and to support their events and activities.

Worship: The Very Rev.Gloria Hopewell, Rector

Building and Grounds: Greg Serwich (Sr. Warden 2019-2021)
Worship Committee:    Charlotte Stryker (class of 2022)
Formation and Spirituality:   Elizabeth Ludescher (class of 2022)

Fellowship & Hospitality: Anita Sands (class of 2021)

Ministry of Care/LEMs: Nancy Cook (class of 2023)

Outreach: Tony Packard (class of 2021)

Communications: Eric Kallback(class of 2023)

Governance: Wardens & Rector

Officers: Greg Serwich, Senior Warden

Lynn Giles, Junior Warden,

Richard Luther, Treasurer

Diann Marsh, Clerk
The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector

Staff: Robin French, Director of Music

Nancy Cook, Erben Organist

Nancy Kenney, Parish Administrator

Chris Ludescher, Nursery Attendant

The Rev. Linda Packard, Priest Associate

The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon

This Sunday

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 27, 2020

Zoom Worship-10:30 am

Meeting ID: 824 2178 3266

Sunday's Bulletin

Reservation for in-person worship:

reserve

For quick reference, find Sunday's readings by clicking here:

Ministers of the Service:

Presider: Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell

Deacon: Rev. Diane Luther

Lector: Terri Jackman

Intercessor: Debbie Kallback

Vestry Coordinator: Eric Kallback

Pianist: Robin French

Greeter: Amy Hardwicke

Next Sunday's Readings:

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 4, 2020

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Psalm 19

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46

Grace's Prayer List

For a current prayer list, click on the following link:
Grace Prayer List

The Request For Prayers notebook is in the Narthex/ Entrance area of the Church. Please feel free to request prayers for yourself or others at any time by filling out a form or contacting the office by either phone or email. May we first and always be "a people of prayer."