MAKING A DIFFERENCE

God's Goodness In Action

Meals with Meaning is open 6 days per week thanks to the help and support of our congregation and community partners. Over the past few years, we have seen dramatic and continuous increases in the number of guests who are in need of food and essential items. Thankfully, through this support, we have been gifted with dedicated volunteers, donations and joyfully I say, grant money.

Back in January of this year, Advent Lutheran Church selected St. Gregory’s as their “Church without Walls” destination. As a congregation, they leave their church building on a Sunday morning to go into the community. One of the places they reached out to was Meals with Meaning. 

The group from Advent Lutheran spent several hours helping us here at St. Gregory’s. Thanks to this engagement, I had the privilege of meeting their senior pastor, Andy Hagen. Pastor Andy was determined to help Meals with Meaning in a profound way. He encouraged me to apply for a grant through the Hagen Family Foundation. 

After applying and receiving the $10,000 “cooking equipment” grant, Rose Vallee researched the best appliances for us. Thanks to her diligence, we were able to purchase both an oven and refrigerator. The new oven will be in frequent use as Rose and team creates a homemade meal every Sunday. With the struggles the church has had with the air conditioner, it is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended) to rest assured that an old appliance breaking down will not be added to the mix of our frustrations.

To further tell of God’s goodness, we were able to donate the old appliances. B’nai Torah repaired and made Kosher the old refrigerator. In appreciation, they installed a new one for us. The old oven went to a non-profit in the Keys. Lisa, the program founder, has been using her home oven to feed the hungry. She was elated to receive such an incredible gift! How amazing it is to know that our old appliances will continue to bless others.

We are grateful to our many partnerships that enable Meals with Meaning to be a beacon of God’s light in this community and beyond. Thanks be to God!

-Gena Vallee

YOGAMASS WITH FR. BEN

This Saturday, October 28 at 4:00 PM

In today's video, Fr. Ben warmly invites you to join him for YogaMass this Saturday at 4:00 PM in Harris Hall, and explains the concept behind this beautiful service. Click on the video above to learn more.

Everyone is welcome to experience YogaMass which offers a moving blend of yoga and service. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle, your yoga mat, and a friend or two to share in this special experience. We look forward to seeing you Saturday! (Note: there is no charge for this beautiful service).

WISDOM SCHOOL

Seeing with the Eye of the Heart

Dear Wisdom students,

If you are looking for something you're trying to find outside of yourself, join me by going within. Connect here.

With everything going on in the world, I offer Gurdjieff’s version of the Te Laudamus (We Praise You God) as a prayer. Typically, this is chanted in times of great joy, but this haunting tone seems more appropriate while we try to stay in front of the grief and praise God nonetheless.

In Christ,

Fr. Ben+

A MESSAGE FROM TIM

Music Ministry

This Sunday, we will hear the choir sing R. V. Williams’ great anthem O How Amiable in which he includes the theme of the tune St. Anne, eventually culminating with the great hymn sung to that tune, O God, Our Help in Ages Past.

I’m including in this message what I wrote last week as you listen to this mighty anthem and sing our beautiful hymns. Did you know that HYMN SINGING is the earliest recorded musical activity in the Western church mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark and by Pliny the Younger around 112 A.D.? Ancient records indicate the Christian tradition of singing “a song to Christ as a god” in the province of Bithynia in Asia Minor. This practice grew out of the Judean practices from the synagogues with the singing of psalms in a responsorial manner, or antiphonal psalmody, which has remained one of the great shared aspects of the Christian and Judean traditions. It is likely that these early hymns were sung to what we would call folk melodies and it’s quite possible that these secular melodies made it into the chant repertoire as the music evolved.

So, when we chant our psalms and sing our beautiful hymns, remember that this musical tradition enjoys a great history which helps to unite us in both faith and spirit with all those who have gone before.

I’m traveling to NYC to perform at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Friday evening for their annual Halloween Extravaganza where I’ll be providing the musical score for the silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari as well as the Procession of Ghouls. It’s a hoot!! Both performances are sold out! I’ll be returning Saturday morning. I’ll see you Sunday!

Blessings to all,

Tim

CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES

A Place to Belong

Thursday, October 26

5:45 PM - Choristers Rehearsal (Choir Room)

Sunday, October 29

9:10 AM - Confirmation Class (Conference Room)

9:30 AM - St. Gregory's Nursery Opens for Dropoff

9:45 AM - Sunday School (Designated Rooms)

9:45 AM - Upper Room Time for Middle and High School (Youth Room)

MEALS WITH MEANING SERVICE DAY

(Scroll down for more information)

Thursday, November 2

No Choristers Rehearsal (St. Gregory's 70th Anniversary Gala). Congratulations to our church for 70 years of faithful service.

Next Sunday, November 5 - All Saints Sunday

9:10 AM - Confirmation Class (Conference Room)

No regular classes or Upper Room Time for Youth. All participate in a special All Saints Day 10:00 AM worship service!

UPPER ROOM TIME

FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEENS

Meets Sundays at 9:45 AM

St. Gregory's Upper Room Time meets each Sunday (except the first Sunday of the month or other specially designated Sundays) for snacks, downtime, conversation, reflection, and prayer.

Our theme last year focused on living our "one wild and precious life". We'll continue this theme and add some Benedictine spirituality by working on a rule of life to help us with balance, proportion, and harmony.

MEALS WITH MEANING SERVICE DAY

Sunday, October 29

During Upper Room Time we will have conversations around serving, hunger, and hope. After the 10:00 am service, we will meet in the courtyard. We'll then walk to Starbucks for lunch/snacks, then return to church for our shift (1:15pm). Or, you can head out with your family after church and return by 1:15pm. Volunteers are needed! Please join us! Community service hours for all who help!

NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED

Sunday, October 29

St. Gregory's Nursery will be closed this Sunday. Please bring your young children to church. Children 3 years old and older will meet on the South Lawn.

The Newcomers class will be held at the Rectory after the service and childcare will be available in the Rectory during the class. Grace and Peace.

YOUTH GROUP SPONSORS ADVENT WEATH SALES AND WREATH MAKING DAY

Sunday, December 3 is Advent 1

Light the season with a beautiful Advent wreath!

Our Youth Group is sponsoring sales of Advent wreath kits. Each kit will include a lovely reusable wreath with built-in candle holders and a set of Advent candles (3 purple, 1 pink). Cost is $20/kit. On Sunday, November 26 after the 10am service, we will gather on the East Terrace for an intergenerational wreath making day.

You can purchase a kit ahead of time all during November and make it yourself at home, or purchase a kit on our wreath making day. If you join us for the wreath making event, additional greens and decorations will be available!

CPR/BASIC FIRST AID PRESENTATION

Sunday, November 19 at 9:45 AM

Upper Room Time

for Middle and High School Youth(Youth Room)

Many thanks to Paula Holgerson for being our presenter for this activity!

YOUTH GROUP PET FOOD COLLECTION

CONTINUES THROUGHOUT OCTOBER

Help Local Animal Shelters

Feed Their Guests!

Please bring canned wet food or bagged dry food to the church office during the week (during office hours) and on Sundays all through October.

(NO expired or previously opened items, please!)

The Youth Group will collect items

and donate them to local shelters.

HARVEST FESTIVAL USHERED IN FALL

WITH FUN FOR ALL!

More S'Mores Anyone?!

Last Sunday, our dedicated Sunday School Coordinators at St. Gregory's put together a delightful Harvest Festival for our children and youth, featuring an array of fun activities, delicious food, and everyone's favorite—s’mores! Here are just a few of the photos capturing the joy and excitement from the festival.

ALL SAINTS DAY IS NOVEMBER 5

Please Submit the Names of Your Loved Ones

Deadline to Submit Names is Tue!

If you would like to have the names of your friends and loved ones remembered on All Saints Sunday, please call the office, 561-395-8285 or email us at office@st-gregorys.com. Let us know if you'd like the names read at the 8 AM or 10 AM service. ALL NAMES MUST BE INTO THE OFFICE BY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 to be included.

STEWARDSHIP AT ST. GREGORY'S

Your Support is Essential to Our Mission

WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?

Stewardship is about being grateful, responsible stewards of the gifts we receive from God.

The tradition of giving back to God and to the church comes from the Biblical practice of “tithing,” which means to give back a tenth of our earnings to God (Numbers 18:26).

The Episcopal Church sees stewardship as more than simply contributing money to the church; it’s also about contributing time and talents and volunteering for ministry and mission. It’s about reaching out to build relationships from a perspective of abundance instead of scarcity.

STEWARDSHIP SEASON

On Sunday, October 22, St. Gregory's kicked off Stewardship season with an engaging Town Hall meeting. During this time, we ask that you prayerfully consider your pledge for the coming year. 

The monies pledged will help St. Gregory's meet our operating expenses which include salaries, insurance, utilities, etc., and fuel our mission and ministries for this coming year as well as help to secure the future.

Your pledges are a loving response to a generous and loving God and demonstrate our commitment to Him and the Church.

If you have not received a pledge card, please email us at office@st-gregorys.com or visit stgregorysepiscopal.org/pledge.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Sanctuary Renovation

The renovation work in the church sanctuary is coming together beautifully. We had a lighting meeting this past Wednesday and were in awe of the Sanctuary's beauty and architectural features. The hardwood flooring installation in the choir loft is complete and will be stained after the organ has been reinstalled.

We just received a delivery date on The Botticino altar flooring, which should be October 30. Things are moving fast. The library shelving is being installed. Our organ specialist, Allen Neely, will be on-site tomorrow to reinstall our magnificent pipe organ. We are looking forward to the pews being delivered very shortly.

We have not encountered significant delays and anticipate being in the Sanctuary for Christmas. 

ADULT FORMATION

Classes and Formation at St. Gregory's

Sundays

11:30 am - The Newcomers Classes with Fr. Andrew will resume this Sunday, October 29th. The Newcomers class will be held at the Rectory after the service and childcare will be available in the Rectory during the class.



Wednesdays

8:00 AM - Men's Spirituality Hour (Zoom) 

Meeting Link

10:00 AM - The Reality of Being with Fr. Ben (Zoom)

The Reality of Being will be an ongoing group, initially composed of the fruit that has fallen out of a three-year Gospel of Thomas circle, and will meet via Zoom every Wednesday from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EST. If interested, contact Fr. Ben here.

6:00 PM - Rector's Bible Study with Fr. Andrew - Hybrid - On Zoom and In Person (In the Conference Room)

Meeting Link Meeting ID: 821 8193 8028 Passcode: 713673

6:00 PM - Radical Optimism with Fr. Ben (Zoom) Click here to learn more and to register.



Thursdays

1:00 PM - Women's Bible Study (Youth Room) - For information, contact Evelyn Anderson at ebunn@stanfordalumni.org  or Susan D’Ambrosio, sldambro@gmail.com

ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA

An Informative Discussion

Sunday, October 29

Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An Informative Discussion with Deborah Germain, Program Manager, Alzheimer’s Association Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 11:30 am in Harris Hall. Refreshments and continued conversation will be available in the courtyard following the program Worldwide, 55 million people are experiencing the heavy burden that living with Alzheimer's or dementia carries for themselves as well as their caregivers. Join us Sunday, October 29 following the 10:00 am service for an informative discussion with Deborah Germain, Palm Beach County’s Program Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association, to learn more about early signs, symptoms, stages of progression, and the resources that are available at every step. Whether you or a loved one are already suffering from this degenerative brain disease or you are worried about memory loss or another cognitive decline that is beginning to interfere with daily life, help and support is available. This program is hosted by St. Gregory’s Stephen Ministry. For further information, please email Roberta Kjelgaard, rkjelgaard@gmail.com or office@stgregorys.com.

A TIME TO CELBRATE

St. Gregory's Platinum Anniversary Gala

Mark your calendars for an evening of elegance and celebration! Join us for St. Gregory's Platinum Anniversary Gala on Thursday, November 2nd, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 pm at Lakeside Terrace located at 7880 Glades Road in Boca Raton. This gala promises to be a dazzling tribute to our rich history and vibrant future. We look forward to celebrating with you!

ECW FALL MARKET AND BAKE SALE

Sunday, November 5

Join the ECW in celebrating Fall on Sunday, November 5th in the Courtyard from 9am-12:30 pm.  Baked items will be for sale as well as holiday decor.  

Donations are needed!

Your donations of savory, sweet and gluten free treats are also appreciated, and can be brought to the office on Thurs or Fri 11/1-2 from 9-12:00pm. Please email Karen Guzik for more information at KarenGuzik@aol.com.

FALL BACK

Please Turn Your Clocks Back One Hour

Sunday, November 5

It is that time again! Daylight Savings Time is ending soon. Please remember to "Fall Back" by turning your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 5th.

SUNDAY "COFFEE HOUR"

Join us in the Courtyard on Sunday!

Join us in the courtyard on Sunday morning following the 10 AM service to enjoy cool drinks and time with good friends. Unfortunately, we don’t always have a varied assortment of goodies to serve. If you would like to bring some treats please drop them by the kitchen before the 10 AM service (the earlier, the better). Once construction is over and we have moved out of Harris Hall, we will go back to our snack contribution rotation, but until then, please bring something to go with our cold drinks! Thank you.

ALTAR FLOWERS

Honoring Loved Ones

Donations to our flower dedication fund help to offset the cost of altar flowers and are a wonderful way to honor a loved one or an important milestone. Click to learn more.

ST. GREGORY'S IS NOW LIVESTREAMING

TO THE HOMEPAGE OF OUR WEBSITE

stgregorysepiscopal.org

If you are unable to join us in person for services on Sunday, please join us online! In addition to livestreaming each Sunday's 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist to our Facebook page, St. Gregory's is now livestreaming the service to our homepage for your convenience. Click here to view the service on our hompage (it is located in the middle of the page) or click here to view it on Facebook.

PASTORAL CARE

St. Gregory's Is Here For You.

St. Gregory's provides a variety of support ministries that are here to support you. Our clergy, staff, and Stephen Ministers are here to answer your questions, pray with you, and for your pastoral needs. Contact the church office at 561-395-8285 or by email at office@st-gregorys.com. Learn more.

PRAYER

Daily Prayer and Prayer Requests

Join us in prayer. Click here to submit your prayer request. To pray for others, click here to view this week's prayer requests. If you'd prefer to receive a daily written prayer, click here to receive each day's word from Daily Prayer (a resource of Forward Movement).

SFHP OCTOBER PRAYER CALENDAR

Prayers for Haiti

Please join us in prayer for the people of Haiti. Click here for the October Prayer Calendar.

UPCOMING AT ST. GREGORY'S

Important Dates

Thursday, October 26th - Chorister and Choir Rehearsals

Saturday, October 28th - Yoga Mass

Sunday, October 29th - Alzheimer's Care Presentation

Thursday, November 2nd - St. Gregory's Platinum Anniversary Gala

Sunday, November 5th - All Saints Sunday - please submit names to office@st-gregorys.com

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers are needed for various ministries.

Our Lay Eucharistic Visitor volunteer group is looking for members of our St. Gregory’s family to join them as they:

1. Deliver communion and enrich the religious experience of those unable to attend church due to illness or incapacity

2. Visit and spiritually support those in need of the comfort and companionship of St. Gregory’s

3. Maintain contact with those parishioners with whom they are assigned to assure them that they are still a part of our St. Gregory’s community.



If this type of ministry appeals to you, please contact David Cominole 561-376-9056 or email him at david.cominole@att.net for more information.

GIVING ST. GREGORY'S

Your Support Makes An Impact

Your support of St. Gregory's and our ministries makes our mission of Transforming Hearts and Community Through Jesus' Love a reality. Please click here to give online now. For more information, please email the Church Office or click on these links: Altar Flower Dedications, Capital Campaign, Meals with Meaning, Stewardship, and South Florida Haiti Project.

CONNECT WITH US

Engaging With St. Gregory's

We're grateful that you're part of St. Gregory's growing community! Visit our website at www.stgregorysepiscopal.org for more information or click the links and social media buttons below:

Contact Information

Volunteer Information

Download the St. Gregory's App - iOS, Google Play