News from Nick:

The Newsletter for the Community of St. Nicholas

 

1072 Ridge Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL  60007

( 847 ) 439 - 2067
www.StNicholasEpiscopal.org

 

April 5 - 11, 2012 


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Upcoming Events
 
Maundy Thursday

April 5th, 7 pm


Good Friday
April 6th, 7 pm


Holy Saturday
9AM - Decorating the Church for Easter
contact Steve Raftery to let him know you would like to help out!

Blessing of Easter Foods
any time between 12 Noon and 3 pm in the church


Great Easter Vigil, 8 pm

Easter Sunday
10 am (Easter egg hunt with the Easter Bunny following the 10am worship service)
 

Ongoing Events:

 

Worship

 
Wednesdays - 6:00 p.m.

Saturdays - 4:30 p.m.

Sundays - 10:00 a.m. 

 

Food Pantry

1st, 3rd & 4th Wednesdays

4:30-6:30 p.m. 

    

Choir Practice 

Wednesdays, 6:45 p.m.  

 

 

Contact Us...

Manny Easter 2011

Steve Raftery, Jr. Warden

Paul
Paul Brouillette, Assisting Priest

Mary at organ
Mary Fletcher-Gomez, Organist/Choirmaster
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.

 

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.

In This Issue
+Upcoming Events
+Holy Week Video Welcome - Please Share With Family & Friends
+This is the Feast!
+Tridu-What??? Some Words About the Services of Holy Week & Easter
+Easter Egg Hunt - Leader/Volunteers Needed!
+Presiding Bishop's Easter Message
+Health Screenings by Life Line Screening
+Readings for the Triduum
+Shout Outs
+Prayer Requests

-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.

Video Welcome to Holy Week at St. Nicholas
Please share this video with family and friends.  We look forward to welcoming them to St. Nicholas!
 
Welcome to Holy Week & Easter at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church
Welcome to Holy Week & Easter at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church

This is the Feast!
Manny

 

We've come to this, the great feast, the greatest of all church celebrations. We have arrived, joyfully, to Easter; the holiest of all the holy days of the Church. God has touched earth in a most magnificent and miraculous manner. God has breathed wind into the body of His dead Son and brought Jesus back to life!   The Creator showed His great love for us His children, and fulfilled the promise foretold by the prophets of old. Jesus lay in the tomb, 3 days of human death and at last, on that sun-filled, Sunday morning, Jesus awoke from his deathly slumber and the world was to never to be the same!   Glory Halleluiah, Jesus Christ is risen today!

 

Faith does not necessarily mean we always understand, try though we may. Faith invites us to believe; to put our trust in the God of Abraham and Sarah, the God of Mary and Joseph, the God of you and me, the God of all human kind. As God's people, we believe that our God continues to love and care for us all, His beloved children, sisters and brothers to Christ Jesus the Redeemer.

 

Personally, I understand and appreciate the nature of mystery...to have that veil of 'the unknown' exist and remain in place between God and me. Why would I want to know every thing about God anyway? I never wish to take God for granted...I want to get to know the Creator a little bit more each and every day, yet still realize that I'll never fully know God nor understand God's ways. I want to get closer to the Almighty One as I continue to understand, to worship and fall deeper in love with Jesus, our Most Holy Redeemer.

 

God's mystery is in full effect at Easter: from human death, a murder upon a cross, the 3 days of lying in the tomb to the fullest of mysteries made real and manifest as Jesus is alive, risen from the dead, just as He foretold and promised. Jesus rebuilt the temple of His very body in the 3 days of which he spoke and the world, more than 2000 years later, continues to rejoice and celebrate. Mystery upon mystery, veil after veil...we pull away one veil and yet another exists. And still, God can be felt. Jesus can be experienced, shared at the Holy Eucharist and celebrated in prayer, song and in silence. Jesus is ours, always was and always will be.

 

The older I get, I sometimes feel the less I know of God, though I feel closer and closer to the Almighty, ever so close to the Divine One. The veil of mystery is in place and keeps me at a distance, just close enough to feel His presence, though never close enough... Easter is the great feast that brings us that much closer to our God and to the full reality of Jesus' immense love for us. It is my hope that each and every one celebrates with fullness in heart and soul the great glory of Easter. Rejoice, my dear friends, Jesus Christ is alive and well and He lives, moves and is right here in our very midst. Halleluiah!


-Manny 

manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org

Tridu-What???

We encourage you to experience the entire Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Great Vigil of Easter) this week. Here are some words about what we'll experience together this week:

 

Three Days *

The Three Days (or Triduum) slow down time as we move through the climax of the story of faith, Jesus' betrayal, death, and resurrection. Worship throughout the rest of the year skims the surface in some ways, whisking us through the story of Jesus' life. But in these three days we linger. There is so much centered here. We have to take our time to be able to receive it.

 

Worship on these days will cover it all: creation and redemption, death and life, fire and water, desolation and celebration. These days enact the great Christian drama, and the liturgies are, in many ways, dramas that embody the story, the tensions, and the teachings at the core of our faith.

 

The Triduum liturgies are, in effect, one continuous rite spread over three consecutive days. Thus, there is no blessing or dismissal until the conclusion of the First Mass of the Resurrection on Easter Eve.

 

The Holy Eucharist

Maundy Thursday - April 5, 7PM

 

This evening marks the beginning of the Triduum. We reach back to the beginning of Lent to recall the confession we made on Ash Wednesday. This service is clearly different from the regular flow of the Eucharist as we celebrate it weekly, because what we commemorate this evening is different. Tonight we begin a celebration that will not end until the exultant conclusion of the Great Paschal Vigil. Tonight, we hear the words of forgiveness in a new way. It is only with the knowledge of being forgiven that we can engage the rest of the story. We watch and we eat a last supper with Jesus. We hear him offer all of himself to us, even his body and blood. We end the service with the stripping of the chancel. Adornment after adornment leaves the sanctuary as the words of the psalm drift through the air, and we are reminded of what this love will cost Jesus. We leave the service lingering. It is holy time.

 

Crown & Nails

Good Friday - April 6, 7PM

 

When we return to the sanctuary on Good Friday, hours have passed. We hear about Jesus' betrayal, capture and trial. We hear of his humiliation, his interrogation. We know the night was long for him, and lonely. Our visual center is the cross. There is nothing else to distract us. The pace is slow, as those final hours must have been for him. We move relentlessly toward the end. We pray, interceding for the world around us, for our church, and ourselves. We are reminded that Jesus' death was paradoxically, the moment of his triumph. Through his death, he defeated death.  

 

We look forward to welcoming our brothers and sisters from St. Bede's, who will join us for the Good Friday service. 

 

Easter Altar 2011

The Great Vigil of Easter - April 7, 8PM

 

Now we are almost there, almost at the hour when Jesus' death itself was overcome, the death become life -- the victory we so need. Now time stands still for us to remember all that has gone before. No other service is so full of the heritage of faith; no other time in the year do we gather together all of the richest metaphors and symbols of faith. We gather around new fire, itself a sign of creation renewed. From it we light the paschal candle to illumine our way. As the pillar of fire led the people of Israel in the wilderness, so the paschal candle will lead us to Easter -- the light of Christ our beacon. In the silence from Good Friday, the light is rekindled. Gathered around the light, we wrap the great stories of faith like a blanket around ourselves. We recall our ancestors and God's saving work among us throughout the ages -- creation from a word, the earth washed clean in the flood, the deliverance at the Red Sea, dry bones given life again. The baptismal font beckons to affirm our baptisms, to remember our welcome into the community of faith, and to welcome others newborn into the faith. The Gospel reading draws us out of our holy recollections and into the events of the story again. Now we are prepared. We know where we have come from before we peek into the tomb with the women and Peter. When we hear the angel say, He is not here, but has risen, we know again that life is always God's way with us. Death is defeated. We dance through the holy meal, now each one confessing the truth of the story. Light the church! Shout Alleluia! Celebrate with high praise! He is risen!

__________________

 

Easter Sunday - April 8, 10AM

 

Please join us for Easter Sunday Service, when we'll celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus in glorious fashion, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for our young people.  You won't want to miss a visit from the Easter Bunny!

 

 

 

*Adapted from Sundays and Seasons 2004 (Augsburg/Fortress, 2003), pp. 158-159.

  

Easter Egg Hunt
There will be an Easter Egg Hunt following the 10AM service on Easter Sunday, which means that there will be a need for folks to hide eggs either after the Easter Vigil or early Easter Sunday morning.  If you are willing to lead this effort or volunteer, please contact Manny to let him know.

Thank you, and our children thank you!
 
Presiding Bishop's Easter Message

The following is a transcript of the Presiding Bishop's Easter 2012 message

 

Easter 2012

 

One of my favorite Easter hymns is about greenness. "Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain."

 

It goes on to talk about love coming again. It's a reminder to me of how centered our Easter images are in the Northern hemisphere. We talk about greenness and new life and life springing forth from the earth when we talk about resurrection.

 

I often wonder what Easter images come in the Southern hemisphere, and I think that church in the south has something to teach us about that.

 

I was in Japan a month or so ago, and visiting the area of Japan that was so affected by the tsunami and the aftermath of the earthquake. The earth there is - was at that point - largely colorless, brown, in the middle of winter. No greenness. But at the same time the work of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, the Japanese church in that part of Japan, has brought a great deal of new life, life abundant for people who have been devastated and displaced, who are still mourning their loss of loved ones, the loss of their homes and employment.

 

New life comes in many forms, even in seasons that seem fairly wintry.

 

As we began Lent, I asked you to think about the Millennium Development Goals and our work in Lent as a re-focusing of our lives. I'm delighted to be able to tell you that the UN report this last year has shown some significant accomplishment in a couple of those goals, particularly in terms of lowering the rates of the worst poverty, and in achieving better access to drinking water and better access to primary education. We actually might reach those goals by 2015. That leaves a number of other goals as well as what moves beyond the goals to full access for all people to abundant life.

 

In this Easter season I would encourage you to look at where you are finding new life and resurrection, where life abundant and love incarnate are springing up in your lives and the lives of your communities. There is indeed greenness, whatever the season.

 

Give thanks for Easter. Give thanks for Resurrection. Give thanks for the presence of God incarnate in our midst.

 

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop and Primate

The Episcopal Church

Health Screenings to be Held at St. Nicholas
Health Screenings by Life Line Screening
Health Screenings by Life Line Screening
St. Nicholas will be the site for Life Line Screening to conduct painless ultrasound screenings that can help you avoid a stroke.  The screenings will be offered Saturday, June 30, in conjunction with the Helping Hands program, which will donate $10 to St. Nicholas for every person who signs up at St. Nicholas and attends this screening.  It will be open to the broader community so be sure to tell your friends and neighbors.  We will also be distributing flyers in local churches and businesses.  In addition, each person who signs up at St. Nicholas will receive a $10 discount.  A sign-up sheet is posted in the Gathering Space, along with informational flyers.
Readings for the Triduum
Shout Outs
Thanks to:

David Gibbs for his picture-taking and keen eye!  If you haven't yet seen David's pictures, please see our Facebook page!

Mitch Saxon, a friend of Douglas and Manny, who restored the cross that originally came from Holy Innocents.  What a beautiful and loving effort and all for the greater glory of God.

Pat Kalicki and Hal Stratton, who lovingly, artistically and patiently designed, copied and assembled the Holy Week & Easter bulletins.

Mary Fletcher-Gomez, the choir, and guest musicians for their gift of music at Palm Sunday.  Wait til you hear them at the Triduum and Easter Sunday!

All who helped the Easter Bunny with treats and sweets!

The Tamaski family, for the cake they provided for coffee hour last Sunday.

Hal Stratton & Steve Raftery, for removing our Lenten decor and preparing the sanctuary for Holy Week.

Ed Gatwood for installing the rubber door sweep on the back door.
Prayer Requests

Daniel (Bud) Stratton, the father of Hal Stratton, who underwent surgery recently.
 
Katie Black

Pamela Joy DeHaven, who is undergoing serious health issues.  For her improved health, healing and full recovery.

Pernell, a friend from Lord of Life Evangelical Lutheran Church in Schaumburg, who is undergoing stem cell treatment...for his continued recovery and well being. 
 
Mr. Thomas Black, father to our Tim Black, who is undergoing medical testing; for his well being and positive tests results.

Donna Tamaski, as she begins her physical therapy...patience, healing and relief from her pain.
 
Leah, mother-in-law of Ginny.

Guadalupe Ramirez, grandmother of Benny Delgado, who is in the hospital due to a serious brain illness.   
 

 

Eileen Maher, sister of Mary Beth Jarvis, as she recovers from a stroke.  

 

The Martin Family: Karen, Tom and Katie 

 

Our sisters and brothers at St. Bede's Church, as they go through the transition of merging with St. Nicholas.  

 

Hope Smith

Ethel (Corkey) Stratton, the mother of Hal Stratton, as she continues to recover from surgery and a nasty fall. 

 

Eunice Dohra

Richard and Mary Gans

Beth Jarvis as she begins the transition of moving away. 

   

Carrie Loos

 

Paul Brouillette

  

For those in transition: those searching for work, those who are moving and those encountering changes in life.