The Vicar's Corner

We made it through the holidays without too much damage, right?  We're ready for the rigors of winter and this new year to truly set in; complete with snow, sleet, ice, preparing our taxes and trying to live up to the new resolutions we made. Oh, what joy. 

Yet, you know, we endure  We make the best of what comes our way and we endure.  It's just like that.  We have little choice in the matter, aside from uprooting ourselves to a place like San Diego which is often mentioned as having the "perfect weather."  Please...who needs "alleged perfection?"  People there have many of the same issues we deal with up here, aside from owning snow shovels and winter wear.  Still, I'd rather work hard with what we have and make of it the best it can be.

With regards to St. Nicholas Church, we have a pretty good thing here.  Truly, we do.  We are blessed with a most generous and loving community of faith.  We are graced with talented and skilled people who bring a multitude of gifts to both share and teach.  We have an extended family and friends network who share our facility; who call this place "their home," too.  Certainly, our family is wide, varied, diverse and loving.

But, we have matters that need to be addressed and we are the ones who must do the addressing.  So I ask us all to ask ourselves a question:  Is there a way I can better serve my church?  As I ask this question of you and myself, I understand and appreciate just how stretched we may already be. Trust me when I say not a day goes by that I don't consider the countless blessings St. Nicholas receives; blessings from the Good Lord and the blessings made gift by the parishioners, my sisters and brothers.  And I am immensely grateful and thankful.  Nonetheless, the question needs to be asked because without answers and solutions St. Nicholas would have a hard time surviving.

My friends, your continued support and your prayers are what makes our church exist and grow.  It is my desire and hope that each member of this community finds a way to help in the collective effort of paving the path toward a bright and wondrous future for St. Nicholas. 

So, just how can I help?  Pledging is a good start.  I understand and appreciate not everyone is able to do so and this, my dear ones, is perfectly fine.  The sharing of our treasure is one way of aiding our church, albeit a very important and essential way of helping.  We can not avoid the reality that we need revenue to run the church.  It is an honor to report that you, the good people of St. Nicholas continue to be most generous and giving.  Thank you, from the core of my heart.  There is also the sharing of our time:  our physical presence at worship, at our social gatherings and fund raisers, at Bible study and our Adult Conversations and at our community get-togethers because presence is vital and necessary.  When we are together there is unity and in unity there is strength.  I'll say it again: we are only as strong as we are united. Besides all that, we always have such a good time together.  Why not join in and be part of that fun?  Then there is the sharing of our talent: Perhaps I can pen my name to bake communion bread...maybe I can help with the children's formation and teach a class or two...I've considered preaching in the past and maybe that is what I can do as part of our Varied Voices...the choir is wonderful but there is always room for more...I like to read so maybe I could be a lector and read the Lessons on a Saturday or Sunday...I have some time on the weekend and the church could always use some cleaning, like vacuuming the carpets or taking care of the restrooms or washing away all those finger smudges on the windows and doors...how about signing up to make coffee on Sunday morning or signing up to be a Eucharistic Minister (the one who shares the cup of blessed wine and blessed juice at our Services)...there are  lawns to be cut, gardens to be tended and yes, there are sidewalks that will need shoveling and cleaning a few times before the winter season ends.  There you have it my friends, just a few suggestion for all of us to consider.  There are more.  Heck, we could even create a few more options if need be!

2015 will be an important year for us.  We are on schedule to complete the window project on both the south and west sides of the church which includes the installation of the beautiful, stained glass panels we inherited from St. Bede's Church.   We hope to tackle the lighting issue throughout the entire complex, too.  There is a loan we want to pay back to the Diocese sooner than later, though we have plenty of time afforded us. 

Please, consider just how each of us can make a difference; how each one of us can make our mark on our church; how each and every one of us rightfully takes our place in this, our community of faith. There is room for everyone.  There are opportunities aplenty to be shared.  What we need is for each of us to consider, to pray and ponder and to then make our choices.  No one will be refused or denied, that's for sure.  All are welcome and all are important. 

Happy New Year and let's make this a time of continued growth, continued rebuilding and continued spiritual enrichment for all.  Abundant blessings to the community of St. Nicholas. Fortunately, God's grace never runs out nor will the desire and opportunities to make our church the best it can be.

 

 Amen.

 

-Manny

                                     2014 PLEDGE STATEMENTS

First and foremost, thank you to all who have contributed and shared of their means to help sustain our church.  Whether by pledging or open plate offerings, all gifts are appreciated.
Pledge statements have been emailed to those for whom we have email contact information.  If you do not receive email, paper statements are scheduled to be mailed this week.  Review the statements and let us know if any corrections are necessary.  If you need to make an additional payment to fulfill your pledge, please make a notation on your check that it is for your 2014 pledge.   
May God continue to bless us and shed His grace upon this most generous and loving community of faith.

Eventually, what goes up must come down.  Alas, so it goes with our lovely St. Nicholas Christmas Angel Tree.

We need help with this.  Plenty of folks pitched in and helped erect the tree and creche.  We need the same sort of effort to take the tree down, put away all the ornaments and decorations.

So, please consider sticking around a bit after the 10am Service on Sunday, January 11th.  Bring in your coffee and pastry, roll up those sleeves and let's put our worship space back in order.

In advance...thank you.

Meetings are an essential part of operating a successful and healthy church.  We are no different at St. Nicholas in that, we, too, must meet and openly discuss the direction we wish to take and how we shall operate and move forward this new year.

January 25th, following our 10am Service, we shall gather as a community in Holy Innocents Hall to talk, share and discuss the year ahead.  We strongly encourage and warmly invite all members to attend this important meeting.  Come for part of it if you're not able to stay for the whole meeting...your presence is vital.

Of course, no meeting at St. Nicholas is complete without food.  So, consider bringing a dish to share.  A sign-up sheet will be posted soon as to who will bring what to the table. 

We are a strong, loving and growing community.  Let's continue the momentum we have built so as to grow even stronger, more loving and if God deems it so, larger still.

Contemporary Issues Group to Meet This Sunday

The Contemporary Issues Group will continue their discussion of Marriage this Sunday, January 11, following the 10AM service.  All are welcome.

In the words of our fearless leader, Steve Gruenwald: "It's time to pick up our discussion of marriage again, and perhaps we're ready to focus more directly on the relative roles of the church and the state.  (Of course focus isn't our strong point, and we'll take whatever happens.)  Things to think about:  what does the church consider most important about marriage?  Does the state have an interest in the same things, for civic and secular reasons?  If the interests are different, why is the religious and the civil union largely one and the same?  (Or is it?)"

December 14, 2014

 

Those Present: Steve Raftery, Sr. Warden; Jessica Tamaski, Jr. Warden; Thelma Malecek, Clerk; and

 

 

Steve Raftery opened the meeting at 8:15 AM with a prayer.

 

Building Committee updates by Bob Kalicki:

Cost of the shades on the south side of the building will be $8,000.00 less the cost of installation. The installation will reduce drastically the glare of the sun, and will simultaneously increase the insulation of the facility. A two-week time period is required for installation. The shade(s) will be powered by a motor. These units will be on the outside of the south side windows (the parking lot side of the church, behind the altar). As for the shades on the west side of the church (behind the choir): those shades will be inside so as to better protect the stained glass panels that will be installed. The shades will be custom fit to each window opening.

 

The painting of the building has been completed. We would all agree Perry did an amazing job. The entire complex is uniform in color and it all looks wonderful.

 

The Diocese and St. Nicholas are in dialogue regarding "rebates" to be received from the work done in the church. Stay tuned for future updates regarding these dialogues.

 

We are in the process of taking bids to complete the replacing the long, narrow windows on the south side windows.

    

St. Nicholas' Annual Meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, January 25, 2015 immediately following the 10am service. We will also hold elections for the Bishop's Committee.  Bishop's Committee - Candidates are as follows: Jessica Tamaski - Senior Warden and Penny Mandziara - Junior Warden. Hal Stratton, Katie Black and Laura Lampe to serve 3-year terms and Colleen Davy to serve a 1-year term.  We will also appoint/elect our 2015 Delegates to Diocesan Convention which is held in November in Lombard.

 

1. 2015 Common Mission Share Pledge: Following discussion, Neal Setchell moved we keep our pledge at the same level as 2014 for 2015, that being $1,200.00. Bob Kalicki seconded the motion and the entire committee unanimously approved.
2. Heifer Project: Lively discussion regarding this Outreach project. It was decided that we would send one goat ($120), geese ($20), ducks ($40) and chickens ($20) for a total of $200 moved by Kristin with Bob seconding the motion and unanimous approval.
3. The Rev. Scott Barron will celebrate and preach on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13/14 while Manny is away.
4. Father Manny will be away on Dec. 27/28 and all appropriate personnel have been notified.

 

Finance - Bob Kalicki

2. Mary Fletcher-Gomez (organist/choirmaster) increase salary by $25/month

3. 2015 pledges (end of November) - 96% of pledge amount - $ 62,000.00

4. New heating system - better price for gas

5. Total assets - $ 69,000

7. Credit card updates: Hank Mandziara has opened an account (Business)  at Miller's Electrical. Additional credit card has been provided to Jessica Tamaski, Sr. Warden

8. Currently, 5 people at St. Nick's will have access to church credit cards.

9. Account 2411 has spent an additional $ 990.00

 

Treasurer - Ray Malecek: Pledges behind for the year by $ 2000.00. AA has fallen behind for the year but the groups will be contacted and conversations toward making good on back rent will take place.

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 AM with a prayer.

 

-Thelma Malecek, Clerk  

Prayer Requests

The Community of St. Nicholas is praying

 

To our dynamic father-son duo of Ray and Ron Malecek who put up the large outdoor wreath and took care of some lighting issues in the church...way to go, guys...many thanks.

To Tom Smith who throughout the month of December picked up donated food for our pantry from the local Jewel store. Great work, Tom!

To those who continually support our food pantry: your kindness does not go unnoticed.

To those who do the "little things" around the church that make big differences:  blessings in abundance be yours.

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