The Third Sunday

in Advent

Eucharist

December 11, 2022

10:30 am CST

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

masks are suggested, but still optional,

Masks and hand sanitizer are at each entrance for your use.

Should you become ill after attending worship, please notify the church so that others present may be contacted.

Social hour follows the service.

Ministers of the Service

Celebrants - Members and Guests

Presider and Preacher - Rev. Peggy Lee

Deacon - Rev. Diane Luther

Lector - Richard Luther

Intercessor - Debbie Pausz

Lay Eucharist Ministers - Greg & Karen Serwich

Vestry Coordinator - Phil Jackman

Music Director - Robin French

Erben Organist - Nancy Cook

Altar Guild - Alice Maffit & Debbie Kallback

Greeter - Charlotte Stryker

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

It's time to think about poinsettias

for Christmas at Grace.

Look for a sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall entrance.

The plants cost $15/apiece.

Let's make our church beautiful for Christmas!

UPCOMING GRACE WORSHIP SCHEDULE

12/11/22 Holy Eucharist - Rev. Peggy Lee

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

Last Sunday 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 December 18. If you need another card, cards and envelopes are available at both entrances to the church.

OUTREACH MINISTRY

OPENING DOORS In November your Outreach Ministry sent a $1,000 donation to support this organization that supports homeless women, alone or with children. They provide emergency and transitional housing. It is part of their mission to help women rebuild their lives by providing a variety of support services, including goal-setting and life skills training. Opening Doors provides "a hand up not a hand out."

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.

LIVING WELL THROUGH ADVENT 2022 is available for anyone who wants a copy. This Living Compass 52-page devotional provides a foundation for seeking a deeper experience of Advent, an experience that will prepare us for the true meaning of Christmas.

FREE COPIES ARE AVAILABLE AT BOTH ENTRANCES TO THE CHURCH.

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

MEMBER MOMENT

Contributed by TERESA BURKE

Every Monday at work we have a team meeting. The video I have included below is shared at almost every meeting. It features Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson. The video from July has since gone viral from a speech she recently gave a group of players.

Working in real estate we have some great closings and then, like the past six weeks, we have two closings that ended terribly. But they did get closed!

Each day I cringed at reading an email update and I thought, What is the universe doing to me?? This closing has no contingencies, it is supposed to be super easy. 

Last Wednesday, we were at our wits end with the lender and we stressed to the buyer and others, this is why we LOVE our local lenders. I had reached out to my boss, who was at a training at our Rockford office. I just felt defeated. She sent me a text back "How about we flip that thinking and remember we do hard better." Yes! Yes, we do. So, I went to YouTube again and listened to Kara Lawson two more times. The second time I closed my eyes and listened. Each time I have listened I have taken something new out of it. 

Kara Lawson: Handle Hard Better - YouTube

The FourthSunday in Advent

    December 18, 2022

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

Psalm 80:1-7,16-18 122

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