The Vicar's Corner

The choir is hard at work preparing, training and rehearsing.  Their gift of music and song uplifts our Sunday Liturgy...for we are encouraged to "sing and dance before the tabernacle."  Soon, they will be releasing another CD for our listening and sharing pleasure and just in time for the holiday season.  Our Saturday Liturgy has a three-speared effort of music with Mary, Hal and Tony all taking one Saturday each month with a "said liturgy" filling out the Saturday calendar.  These dedicated musicians, along with each member of the choir all give so much of themselves to help beautify and make more glorious our worship and celebration of our Christian faith and Episcopal identity.  Our choir members, along with Hal and Tony willingly and gratefully volunteer their time and talents to make St. Nicholas such a welcoming, joyful place to worship.   And we are all grateful and humbled by their efforts and shared talents. 

Brandon continues to prepare the worship programs we all use.  He does an amazing job considering he is a full-time high school senior, athlete, choir member and not to mention the chores for which he is responsible at home.  Yet, he finds and makes time to volunteer and prepare the program for our use.  Soon, we hope to have a couple more members of the community learn how to share in this ministry.

Hal serves as our Verger...a position for which he studied and prepared.  He gives this ministry serious time, effort and cost as he gives back to St. Nicholas as St. Nicholas gives back to him.

Members of the Bishop's Committee, the Building Committee, the Liturgy Team, Children's and Youth Formation, Food Pantry Team...all give of themselves, with a spirit of willingness while generously sharing of their gifts so others can be blessed and rewarded.

People who volunteer to make coffee, to bake bread, to clean the facility, to mow the lawns, to tend to the gardens, who pull out and cut down shrubs and bushes...each and every one of these beautiful people do so because they care.  It is with the same joyful dedication our sisters and brothers share in the reading of the lessons and the sharing of the Cup at our liturgies.  Tom Smith and Pat Kalicki bring Jesus to our home-bound members...Jesus travels well and He loves to visit and be with us!

So many of our parish family share their treasures with the church, too.  Pledging, open plate offerings and making visits to the Giving Tree...all this goes so very far in securing our present day and future endeavors.  These gifts are essential, are necessary and are what keep our doors open, lights on and music playing.  No one likes to "talk money," but we do in casual and simple style because we must do so.  Without the financial assistance, we we fade away...we cease to exist.  And this, my friends, simply is not part of our plan...this is not in the equation. No sir.  No ma'am.  We do all this and more because we care...because we love this place...because this is what we are commissioned to do as Christians and members of a faith community.   

My friends, there are so many opportunities to be part of this church.  Physical presence is a fine start and trust me, I love seeing everyone!  Our church is so much more beautiful when we are in there...singing, worshiping, greeting one another at the Sign of Peace, opening our hands and hearts as we say 'Amen...Yes I believe.'  Yet, there is more we can do. Think of a ministry in which we may wish to be more engaged...choir, baking bread, teaching our children, reading the lessons, preparing the worship programs, cleaning and caring for the facility, volunteering at the food pantry the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, preparing Coffee Hour on Sundays...you name it, the opportunity is there.  Lastly, I ask us all to consider strongly and sincerely the requests that lay before us in the annual Stewardship Drive and the Capital Campaign.  Help us keep St. Nicholas moving forward and onward...sustaining and securing a bright, beautiful and bountiful future for us all.

Amen...Yes I believe!

-Manny

Seeking Creative St. Nick's Members

We are now seeking creative people interested in selling their handmade creations -- be they homemade jelly, hand-knit mittens, candles, paintings, jewelry, dried floral arrangements, woodcraft, photographs, etc. -- at our first Harvest Fair.  St. Nicholas parishioners get a free exhibit space if they are willing to donate a portion of proceeds to the Capital Campaign Fund. Booth rent for non-members is $20.  We need your help to make this a success.  Please click here for a vendor inquiry form.

Please spread the word.  We'd LOVE it if you liked the Harvest Fair Facebook page at this link.

A flyer for you to download and forward (and even post on your own Facebook page) is available at this link.

For those members who would like to exhibit, but don't feel they have enough to fill a table, we'll have one table devoted to the handmade items of such members.  Each person whose crafts are represented at that particular table must take a shift to staff the table, sell and make change.

Lastly, we ask that every member of the Community of St. Nicholas make every effort to attend the fair.  You'll be supporting local artisans and the St. Nicholas Capital Campaign!  And think of the lovely, handmade Christmas gifts you can procure!  Not to mention something to adorn your Thanksgiving table.

Thanks!

-

The choir of St. Nicholas will record its second CD, Noel: Christmas at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, this coming Sunday.  The release is scheduled for late-November.

We would be honored if you would support this endeavor and purchase one or more copies.  The choir has decided to donate a portion of the revenue to the Capital Campaign Fund.  To help us in planning, you may pre-order your CDs at this link.  No payment is due until the CDs are in hand.

Contemporary Issues Discussion Group

The Contemporary Issues Discussion Group is discussing the topic of Marriage.  For your planning purposes we next meet on the second Sunday of November (the 9th) and will skip our December meeting.

All are welcome to join us in the Noah's Ark space following the 10AM service.

He came into St. Nicholas ever so quietly and when he completed his work, he left us all in awe.  Richard Franzen asked about how he could help us "fix-up" our gardens and do some thing with the vegetable patch that was in mighty sad shape.

Well, we marvel at the work he and his fellow scouts did to the grounds of our church.  Not a day passes that some one doesn't shout out "Wow, what beautiful gardens you have!"  And ever so right they are.

On Sunday, October 26th, at 3:30pm at the Faith Community Church of Christ in Bensenville, our young friend Richard will be presented his rightful award of Eagle Scout.

Let us raise our collective voices and send out a loud and heart-felt CONGRATULATIONS!  What Richard has given us is a living legacy...gardens that will always remind us what young minds and hands can truly do to change our world for the good and better.

God bless you, Richard and again, know how very proud we are of you.

Prayer Requests

The Community of St. Nicholas is praying

 

 

Shout-Outs

Readings for This Weekend

Saturday lector: Steve Raftery
Sunday lectors: LaWayne Williams, Penny Mandziara
Sunday intercessor: Tameica Williams
Sunday chalice bearers: Hank Handziara, Connie Nicholson

This Week at St. Nicholas

As a reminder, the full master calendar is always available online at this link.  Here is the schedule for the next week:

St. Nicholas Episcopal Church
1072 Ridge Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL  60007
847-439-2067
www.StNicholasEpiscopal.org