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grace episcopal church
galena, illinois
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Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Pentecost
November 14, 2021
Holy Eucharist, 10:30 am
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November 14, 2021
The State of Illinois has officially issued a directive for masking at indoor gatherings for all who are two years old or older regardless of inoculation status. Out of concern for those who cannot yet be vaccinated or whose immune systems are compromised, we respectfully request that you comply and wear a mask indoors that covers your nose and mouth.
Our diocese has requested that each church regularly review the CDC map that has
four stages of COVID risk and make decisions accordingly about safety precautions.
Jo Daviess County's risk factor (and that of the entire state of Illinois) is now in the highest category.
The only other precaution reinstated at this time is to suspend contact during the Peace.
Please be cautious and also be prepared for changes at any time.
Social hour is suspended.
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Ministers of the Service
Members & Guests, Celebrants
Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider
Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon
Rev. Andrea Mysen, Director
of Ministries, Diocese of Chicago
Richard Luther, Lector
Deb Pausz, Intercessor
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Elizabeth Ludescher, Chalice Bearer
Cathie Elsbree, Chalice Bearer
Robin French, Music Director
Nancy Cook, Erben Organist
Charlotte Stryker&Crystal Mason,
Vestry Coordinators
Alice Maffit & Kim Kreiser, Altar Guild
Amy Hardwicke, Greeter
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Rector's Ramblings
Well, here we are. I look around my church study that is not yet in order for its next occupant. Well, there is still Monday. The hint of the winter to come with the bits of snow falling matches my mood. I am wistful, sorting through file folders that remind me of our work together over the past nearly ten years--the times of celebration and the times of challenge that are continuing right up to the last moment as we continue to adjust and fine tune our streaming technology, hoping for a smooth run on Sunday! If you check the recording below that came from the new system, you will see it as it is meant to be (less a few small tweaks). Sadly, our Zoom participants did not have such a nice view--we are working to discover what went wrong with that stream.
Meanwhile--on Sunday The Rev. Andrea Mysen, Director of Ministries for the Diocese of Chicago, will be with us for the Ending of a Pastoral Relationship that will take place in our worship. As part of that liturgy, we will share mutual thanksgiving for our ministry together, release one another from our pastoral relationship, and offer encouragement for our future ministries.
The hardest part of this for me--and, perhaps, for some of you--is the covenant that the Senior Warden and I will sign that outlines the very necessary realities of what this ending means. It is necessary to make a clean break in order that a relationship with a new rector may flourish.
As I will no longer be your priest and pastor, I will relinquish all of my duties and will not participate in any conversation--online or in
person--about the activities or ministries of the church. I will be closing down my FaceBook account and cleaning out the gracerector e-mail. I will not participate in any church services or visitation. Often parishioners will ask for the former priest to preside at a wedding or a funeral. I will need to decline to do so. I also will absent myself from the church for at least one year, and after that year, will attend special events only at the invitation of the new rector. This may seem harsh, but it is for the health of the church's mission and ministry to come.
This does not mean that I do not care deeply about Grace Church and about each one of you. It is because I care so much that I do this. I have so greatly cherished my time with you, and I carry you in my heart and fondly remember our time together.
See you in church,
Gloria+
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Events this Week:
Sunday 11/14
Holy Eucharist 10:30am online and in-person
Social Hour is suspended at this time, however we will remain in the nave at the end of worship to say good-bye to Gloria+!
Monday 11/15
Poetry Group 2:00pm
Tuesday 11/16
Vestry Meeting 3 pm, Conference Room
Compline online 8:30pm
Cathie Elsbree's Birthday
Wednesday 11/17
Midweek Worship online and in-person 7:30am
Morning Study Group on Zoom 10:00am
Kathy Doig's Birthday
Thursday 11/18
Formation Ministries, 9:30 am
Richard Babcock Mem.Yarn Ministry 1:30pm
Friday 11/19
Centering Prayer online 9:00 am
Saturday 11/20
Choir Practice 10 am
Diane Luther's Birthday
Important Links:
Office Hours
9:00am-Noon, Tuesday through Friday
Sr. Warden Office Hours
The Sr. Warden will have office hours on Thursdays and Fridays.Details to follow
ROTA (11-7-21 to 4-24-22)
Website: includes a password protected members' portal where most recent Vestry minutes, financials, and Grace Church Directory are found.
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ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN
Watch for a letter from the Sr. Warden including a pledge card this week so that you may bring the Perfect Gift -- your pledge--to church on Sunday, November 21 to be dedicated to God for the furtherance of ministry at Grace Church. Please use these materials as you prayerfully discern your promise to the church.
This year, the first mailing included information for those who must receive Required Minimum Distributions from their IRAs and pension funds. It is possible to direct your pledge from such a distribution, in which case the amount pledged will not be included in your taxable income.
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Rector Search Committee Members
Steve Coates,
Pete Stryker,
Co-chairs
Greg Anderson
Teresa Burke
Elizabeth Ludescher
Dave Mikelson
Joy Von Wolffersdorff
Their contact information is available in the church directory on our website at this link: directory
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SEARCH COMMITTEE --
Small Groups Continue
A request from the Search Committee
If you have ever said – “Well, no one asked me”, be assured the Search Committee is asking you for your thoughts on the direction of Grace and the skills needed in our next rector.
Our second Small Groups Sunday is 11/21 at 12:30. The sign-up posters are in the parish house. The session lasts about 90 minutes max. We need your voices.
A Search Committee member will be available before and after church with the sign-up sheets in the parish hall to answer any questions. If more convenient, feel free to call or email
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NEW STREAMING EQUIPMENT
The new streaming equipment has been installed at Grace. The console with all the controls and a monitor is located at the back of the church. Please feel free to stop and look at the screen and the preset buttons before or after our church services.
Our first broadcast was on Sunday, November 7th. We learned the system requires more fine-tuning. On the positive side, with the preset positions for the cameras and a marked script of the service, operating the system is a fairly straight-forward activity.
We’re almost ready to have a team of techies. Lynn Giles will set up a training session soon for everyone who expressed an interest and anyone else who interested.
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OUTREACH MINISTRY NEWS
GLORY PARISH ALTAR CLOTH BLESSING
On November 7, the altar cloth created by Steve Dowe for the new Glory Parish church building was blessed andis on its way to the Diocese of Renk in South Sudan. Jackie Kraus, our Diocesan
representative for the Chicago/Renk diocesan partners joined us on the 7th for worship.
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RICHARD BABCOCK MEMORIAL YARN MINISTRY BLESSING |
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The bins across the front of the church last Sunday morning held the work of the members of the Richard Babcock Memorial Yarn Ministry.
The hats, mittens, scarves and blankets were blessed at Grace, then are distributed to the Galena Food Pantry, Shelter Care Ministries in Rockford, Riverview Center in Galena, Dubuque Rescue Mission and Opening Doors in Dubuque.
Well done, everyone!
Thanks for your contributions to this ministry!
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United Churches of Galena
Thanksgiving Service
A Thanksgiving service will be posted online by 1st Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 21 for the UCG Churches.
R.I.P. Medical Debt
Several of our UCG Churches will particcipate in raising funds for this not-for-profit called R.I.P.Medical Debt that buys debt to assist families overwhelmed and crippled by medical bills for serious diseases. In the seven years since its inception, more than $5 billion in debt has been forgiven. To learn how this works, please see the article that Jim McCrae has written for his congregation. R.I.P. Info
As an Advent project, moneys will be raised by our churches to donate to R.I.P. We already have one $5,000 gift from a member of 1st Presbyterian Church that will turn into $500,000 of debt forgiveness. This may seem too good to be true, but the evidence is clear and compelling.
Our Grace Outreach Ministries have committed to a donation; I (Gloria) will be giving personally as well as from the Rector's Discretionary Fund. If you wish to join me, a tax deductible contribution can be made to Grace with "R.I.P. Medical Debt" in the memo line.
HELP NEEDED!
The Board of the United Churches of Galena is made up of clergy and lay representatives of all churches that wish to participate in this ecumenical group. You may know UCG best from its Food Pantry--by far its largest project! Or from its annual Hunger Luncheon and Christmas Concert that are fund raisers for the Food Pantry--both of which have not taken place during this pandemic.
Grace Church is in need of a representative--at least during this transitional time between rectors. Grace has been a member since the beginning. The meetings of the Board are on the first Thursdays of each month at from 10:30 - 11:30 am from September through June. The location is rotated amongst the churches. If you might be interested in serving in either a temporary or longer term capacity, please contact one of the Wardens
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FELLOWSHIP NEWS
SOCIAL HOUR SUSPENDED
Coffee and conversation has been suspended due to COVID.
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FORMATION NEWS
We are a group that studies spiritual subjects, including the Bible. All are welcome to join us to enhance their knowledge of spirituality and explore how to apply it to their lives. Lately we’ve been studying the Gospel of Luke. Anyone needing a Zoom invitation can contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com).
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COMPLINE on Zoom 8:30pm on Tuesdays
On Tuesday evenings, at 8:30 pm, Lynn Giles leads a service of Compline. She has been participating in the service that has previously been offered to the Diocese of Chicago by St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn. 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.
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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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WORSHIP:
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Daniel 12:1-3: In a time of great trouble, the people whose names are written in God’s scroll will be rescued, some being resurrected to life and others to disgrace. But, those who are wise and lead others to righteousness will shine like stars. 1 Psalm 16: A Psalm in praise of God’s protection and blessing, God’s instruction and guidance, God’s presence and God’s ways of life.
Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25: Jesus offered the perfect once-for-all sacrifice and then sat down at God’s right hand. He perfected God’s people, and now we can enter God’s presence with confidence because of our faith, the cleansing of God, and our high priest in God’s house. In response we are to hold on to our hope, and motivate each other to acts of love and goodness.
Mark 13:1-8: As they leave the temple, Jesus’ disciples are awed by the size and beauty of the building, but Jesus predicts that it will be destroyed. When the disciples ask for a sign, Jesus warns them about false messiahs who will come, reports of war, earthquakes, and famines. But, these, he explains, are just the beginnings of the end.
How are we to respond when we face the violent upheaval of our world? What does it mean to trust in God’s grace and protection, to live out the peace and justice of God’s Reign in a world of war and injustice? The call to peace is always a difficult one to answer, both personally and collectively,
Violence, destruction, war and ridicule are common troubles that we all face in the world – perhaps even more so as we seek to follow Christ. The temptation is to respond in kind, offering violence for violence and using force to overcome force. However, the way of Christ, revealed through the Scriptures, is the way of peace, forgiveness, and faith in God’s ultimate justice. This way is demonstrated in Daniel’s prophecy of the shining resurrected ones, in the Psalmist’s celebration of God’s protection and guidance, and ultimately in Jesus’ self-giving on the cross. It is interesting that, in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ warnings are associated with the disciples’ awe at the temple building, which represented wealth and power (both of a spiritual and political nature, although Jesus revealed in his life and death that the latter seemed to have become more prominent). It is when we get absorbed in the trappings of power and wealth that we become violent and oppressive. In a time when children were wealth, Peninnah’s mockery of Hannah was as much about power as it was about womanhood. Daniel’s prophecy, likewise, reflects on the conflicts of power against power. The way of “powerless peace” that Jesus demonstrated, which brings us into right relationship with God, and enables us to support and encourage one another presents a stark contrast to these violent power plays.
thumbnails and commentary excerpted from sacredise.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 Wednesday service of Morning Prayer 10/27/21: Eric Kallback, Officiant; Debbie Kallback, Homilist & Intercessor.
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An Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist 10/31/21: The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider; The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon; Richard Luther, Intercessor; Greg Serwich, Lector; Bill Foltz, Thurifer; Robin French, Music Director; Nancy Cook, Erben Organist; Melanie Hoffman, Trumpet. |
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An Episcopal Service of Holy Eucharist 11/7/21, The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Presider; The Rev. Diane Luther, Deacon; Donna Davis, Intercessor; Carmen Ferguson, Lector; Robin French, Music Director; Lynn Giles, Tech Coordinator |
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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.
Don't forget to wear your mask if you intend to sing!
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
Jim Berry, 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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