Getting Caught Up in What We Read   

For the past several weeks, we've had the pleasure of hearing the amazing stories and epic tales of the Book of Genesis.  After one recent Sunday morning Liturgy, a member of the community made comment to me regarding the length of the reading from Genesis.  Certainly these Genesis readings are lengthy, as it would be near criminal to break up a wonderful story right in the middle.  We have to hear the story in its full and exciting form.

Now, I'm going to make a comparison and with absolutely no intention of being disrespectful or belittling of this wonderful book of the Old Testament and personally, one of my favorite books in all of Sacred Scripture:  Millions and millions of people the world over have been captivated and "in the grasp" of the Harry Potter series.  Admittedly, I have loved reading these books, too.  In fact, I find it nearly impossible to put the books down once I start reading.  Once I start, I just have to finish that chapter, if not the whole bloody book.  From downtown Chicago to Cary aboard the Metra train, I had missed my stop several times, ending up in Crystal Lake or Woodstock.  Why?  Because I had my head buried in a book and simply didn't hear the conductor announce the next stop.  My fault, plain and simple, but I'd like to put some of that blame on the book, too!  So, now that I had missed my stop, I had to wait for the next in-bound train back to Cary.  That meant another hour or so of waiting, with nothing but my book and a cold, half cup of coffee to bide my time.  Oh, but the wait afforded me the golden opportunity to read more of my book and find out what other adventure Harry Potter would get into. 

The Book of Genesis gives us so much to savor and relish...the Creation Story, Noah's Ark and the birth of a nation as God calls His chosen people forth.  We have the unfolding saga of Abraham and Sarah, their children and their children's children.  We have wars and violence, love and romance, death and life and God's love and intervention throughout.  Reading Harry Potter, we have death and life, adventures, love and romance, the development of Harry and his friends and the ceaseless plotting and scheming of his adversaries.  And yes, even in the Harry Potter series, there is a "Higher Power" very present and very active.  In Genesis and the Harry Potter books, we have the ultimate power struggle between good versus evil.  Some times the power of evil is triumphant.  Other times, and ultimately, good overcomes evil. 

Whether it's Harry Potter, the Book of Genesis, Exodus, or the Gospel of St. John, Shakespeare, Keats, Anne Rice or Michael Crichton, when we read we ought to open ourselves to the power of the written word.  Embrace the energy of the action, get swept up in the romance and weep at the tragedies.  Basically, get caught up in the book...be part of it.

In each edition of News from Nick, access is provided, with just the click of a button, to the readings for the upcoming weekend liturgies.  Take time to read these passages from Scripture.  Familiarize and get better acquainted with these Spirit-filled manuscripts.  Let these sacred passages move us, intrigue and draw us more and more into the story of God and God's intervention and communication with human kind and Jesus' heroic role in our world.  Once we get started reading...it really is hard to stop!

-Manny

Our annual rummage sale will be here soon, so please start gathering items for the sale (please don't bring items in until after August 1).  This is always a fun and worthwhile event.  This year many of us will be baking cookies to sell and Paul Swanson will be making coffee lattes.  Yum!

Not only do we need your items, but we need you!  There will be sign-up sheets for you to help set up the week of August 14 through August 18 and to help at the actual rummage sale August 19 and 20.  Come and enjoy the fun and camaraderie, plus make money for St. Nicholas!

As a way of extending ourselves to our sisters and brothers who may have difficulty getting to church on Saturday and/or Sunday, we ask our community members, who are able and willing, to perhaps stop by and pick up one of our community members who can not drive to church on their own.  If you are in need of a ride to either our Saturday or Sunday Liturgy or you are willing to pick up a fellow parishioner, please let the us know.  You can contact Manny, Pat Kalicki or Steve Raftrey with your information.  In advance, thank you to all. 

Please stop by the Giving Tree and remove a blossom.  The items we need most are:  hand soap for the bathrooms, paper towels, toilet tissue, 30-gallon garbage bags, and HP printer ink cartridges (564 black and photo). 

For all you 1960's music fans, Micky Dolenz, lead singer of The Monkee's will be performing at the Village Green in Elk Grove Village.  The concert is FREE to the public.  Any one interested in going?  Let's meet up at the Village Green, located at 901 Wellington Avenue and Biesterfield Road at 7:30pm on July 26th, Tuesday night.  Bring some thing soft to sit on and maybe some thing to munch on and sip, too.  Don't miss the Last Train to Clarksville...it makes its stop in Elk Grove Village!  

In thanksgiving for all the little things that get done around the church.