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Upcoming Events
Worship
Saturdays - 4:30 pm
Sundays - 10:00 am
Food Pantry
1st, 3rd & 4th Wednesdays
4:30-6:00 pm
Choir Practice
Every Wednesday, 6:45 pm
Wednesday Evening Eucharists
Every Wednesday at 6 pm thru May 30, 2012
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Getting Involved
St. Nicholas is not a building, it's a community that belongs to all of us. All are encouraged to participate to the fullest extent. Please visit this link on our website for a list of current ministries and contact persons. There are sign-up sheets on the bulletin boards above the drinking fountain at St. Nicholas. Please take time to sign up.
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Contact Us...
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News From Our Diocese
We encourage you to sign up for our diocese's new email newsletter to keep up with news and events from the larger community. Click here to sign up.
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News from Nick is published by St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Elk Grove Village, Illinois each Thursday.
Please submit copy to Douglas by clicking here. Deadline is Wednesday at noon.
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-News from Nick Archive-
Miss an issue of News from Nick? Need to refer to an earlier issue? No problem--issues are archived and available at any time
at this link.
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Reflection from Manny
Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving...
Collect for Thanksgiving Day:
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we beseech thee, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Thanksgiving is my favorite religious holiday...yes, religious. I know, Thanksgiving is not normally considered a "church' holiday, or holy day or feast. It is a national, secular holiday, a truly American event at that.
As people of faith, we certainly have much for which to be thankful. As citizens of this country we have a freedom that allows us to worship as we wish. We are afforded the right to speak our minds. We are granted the privilege to vote and help put into office our elected officials. We have agencies that help to ensure our water is safe and free of disease while our food supplies are inspected and laws are in place to keep us safe and secure. Ours is a wonderful country...a land made up of people from every nation on earth as well as those in our society who are the living descendants of those who were here well before foreign settlers drifted to the shores of this continent. Are we a perfect society? Hardly; we have much to correct, a huge disparity between the affluent and the needy that must be lessened and sadly, a government system that seemingly is more concerned with playing politics rather than doing what is truly best for the people. Yet, weighing all this against all that we have going for us...we are a blessed nation and a people with much thanking to do!
We could measure our community of St. Nicholas as we gage our nation and there are similarities. St. Nicholas is an amazing place, made up of people from many countries and various religious backgrounds. We are not a perfect church, either, as we have things that need strengthening, building up and reinforcing. Yet, when we weigh this against all that we have going for us, clearly, this community of St. Nicholas has much for which to be thankful.
Enjoy this wonderful, American tradition. And in our celebration, be mindful of those less fortunate; continue to pray for peaceful resolutions to the conflicts that continue to wage around this world of ours. And always rejoice in Our God, who forever and always loves in all ways, right here and right now.
Happy and blessed Thanksgiving to all...and pass the pumpkin pie, please.
-Manny
manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org
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 Episcopal Church 101
We never stop learning. There's always some thing new to discover or perhaps 'rediscover' and appreicate in new lights and colors. With this in mind, we welcome Deacon Tom Smith who will be sharing his knowledge with us about this entity we call the Episcopal Church. We shall begin this program starting this week, the first Sunday of Advent, November 27th after the 10am Liturgy. We'll gather in the Noah's Ark Room. Bring your coffee, snacks and an open mind and heart as we delve deeper into a better and more enlightened understanding of our Church and our role in this community of faith. All are welcome! |
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I am St. Nick
We hope you've taken some time to read the second issue of I am St. Nick email sent earlier this week. And, we hope you're considering submitting your own story about how the community of St. Nicholas touches and changes your life. New ministries have begun and new people are participating in ongoing ministries at St. Nicholas. In addition to your time, talent, love and energy, we hope that you'll contribute your monetary resources, which, in addition to your other valued gifts, enable us to continue to change lives--our own and those of others who are part of the St. Nicholas Community. As we continue to stress, that community includes those who worship at St. Nicholas, but also those who rely on our community for the many support groups hosted by St. Nicholas which are vital to their lives. Our community includes our guests who come to our food pantry, and those who seek a welcome and warm embrace as they drop by during the week. We are most grateful for the many ways all the members of the Community of St. Nicholas support, enhance and give life to our mission and ministries. We hope you are considering your pledge to St. Nicholas for 2012. As we wrote earlier, our hope is for every household at St. Nicholas to submit a pledge form for 2012 as soon as possible so that we may plan for next year's budget. Pledge forms are at this link and on the shelf just outside the worship space. Of course, we are always seeking your gift of time and talent as well. Please take a look at the "Serving" page of our website and see if there is a ministry you feel called to share in. |
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Shout Out
 Thanks to: St. Viator High School for their most generous and loving donation of over two dozen full boxes of food to our Holy Innocents Pantry.
St. Simon's Church and the Brotherhood of St. Andrews for their donation of food to our pantry.
Random Acres Garden Center for their generous donation of vegetables to our food pantry.
Jay O'Reilly and Douglas VanHouten for their friendly and able assistance in getting the worship space decorated for Advent.
Hal Stratton and Steve Raftery for their most generous purchase of greenery to festoon the Advent wreath.
All who have donated food to the Holy Innocents Food Pantry...the holidays will be a bit brighter for those in our community less fortunate.
Our very own Tim "tool man" Black who kept chilly winds and uninvited critters outside the church by caulking badly sealed windows.
Our dear friend, Carin Lewandowski, a supporter of St. Nicholas and former co-worker with Manny, who donated financial assistance to our food pantry to help provide holiday food for Thanksgiving.
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Votive Candles Needed
Next time you come across votive candles, please collect and bring to St. Nicholas. We will be needing and using quite a few during Advent as we intend to "light things up" outside. Candles can be stored in the sacristy. Thank you, one and all. |
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Diocese Pledge Drive 2012
 Just as St. Nicholas is currently conducting its pledge drive asking for the generosity of the parish to help meet its budget for 2012, so is the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. This week a letter was sent to all the congregations in the diocese to continue in its support of the common mission of the diocese. Word is spreading throughout the diocese of all the good things going on here at St. Nicholas with a lot of positive feedback from 'downtown.' With some input and guidance from our treasurer, Bob Kalicki, St. Nicholas Parish has increased its pledge to the diocese for 2012 from $9,000 to $10,200. While this may seem like a herculian task, it is some thing that we can do...and should do. The Diocese has been tremendously generous to us, even though we did not solicit any grants or seek financial assistance this year. Nonetheless, we have been blessed and God continues to grace us. We, in turn, must provide our blessings with our sisters and brothers. How blessed when we 'do unto others as we would have them do unto us!' |
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Bishop's Committee News
At the Bishop's Committee meeting November 13, Manny informed the Bishop's Committee that he met with the principal at Clearmont School regarding the Second Family Program. The principal has decided that there is not a good way to distinguish between needy families in order to select several for Second Family, so they will no longer participate in the Second Family Program.
Since the Second Family Program is no longer in effect, we will check with the Schaumburg and Elk Grove food pantries to see if they still have an "adopt a family" program that we might be able to participate in.
There was discussion on what we will be able to provide for the families that frequent our food pantry over the holidays this year. It was decided that it will be best to focus on food for the families. We will give each family a $20 gift card to Dominick's for Thanksgiving and we hope to be able to give each family a turkey for Christmas. Pat Kalicki |
Bottle Caps for a special cause...
 We all come across them...plastic bottle caps from pop bottles, milk jugs, juice drinks. Marv has asked if we can save and bring them to church. Why? For a good reason and special reason: a little boy in our area is undergoing chemo-therapy and the costs for such medical care, as you can imagine, is astronomical. A local company has pledged to assist his treatment with a financial statement for every plastic bottle cap collected. This costs us virtually nothing and the effects will be life-saving. In advance...thank you to all the wonderful and loving people of this Community of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church! |
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Midweek Eucharist
A reminder that we celebrate Eucharist each Wednesday at 6PM. Come enjoy this mid-week community time.
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 Upcoming Scripture Readings
November 26/27 First Sunday of Advent B Cycle Isaiah 64: 1-9; Psalm 80: 1-7, 16-18; 1 Cor. 1: 3-9; Mark 13: 24-37
The Episcopal Church uses the Revised Common Lectionary. When a choice is given for the Old Testament lesson and Psalm, at St. Nicholas we use the first option, or Track 1. More about the Revised Common Lectionary is at this link.
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Prayer Requests
For the quick and complete recovery of Kathy Gilliher.
For the repose of the soul of Mr. Raymond R. Raufeisen, father of David Raufeisen. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Eileen Maher, sister of Mary Beth Jarvis, as she recovers from a stroke.
Homer Blevins, great-uncle to Hal Stratton who passed away last week.
Michael Keating
The Martin Family: Karen, Tom and Katie
Melissa Coolidge
Our sisters and brothers at St. Bede's Church, as they go through the transition of merging with St. Nicholas.
Monica Nave
Hope Smith
Ethel (Corkey) Stratton, the mother of Hal Stratton, for a speedy and full recovery from surgery and a speedy return home.
Eunice Dohra
Audrey Cannon
Godfrey James Catanus, Paul Swanson's friend who is out of coma and in recovery.
Beth Jarvis as she begins the transition of moving away.
Carrie Loos
Richard and Mary Gans
Paul Brouillette
For those in transition: those searching for work, those who are moving and those encountering changes in life.
For success and blessings during this time of discernment and search for our next vicar.
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News from Nick:
