Annual Meeting and More: It Takes a Village

Grace Church is blessed with many people who help to lead the ministries that touch so many of our lives.  We are also blessed by those who participate in the life of the church and by the many ways that you do so. It really does take all of us to build the Body of Christ in this place. We are, in fact, all the Body of Christ.

With that in mind, it is very important that everyone who shares in the life of Grace takes part in electing new leadership and seeing the annual budget. This meeting gives us time to see people from all services, share in thanking so many people for what they do and give thanks for all that God has done in this place we call Grace.

It is my hope that we will schedule some meetings this winter and spring where we can celebrate what we do well and dream about where God is calling us in this time and in this place.

YOUR VOICE and VOTE really matters.

As we head into our meeting and into a New Year, I give thanks to all of you for living out your baptismal promises by sharing in the ministries that happen within these walls and all that happens in your vocations outside of Grace.

Interested in offering your God given gifts in new ways this year?  Take a moment to fill out the Time and Talent Form.    

Peace!

-Shawn

shawnschreiner@sbcglobal.net 

The Grace Church Annual Meeting--at which we'll elect vestry members, warden and delegates to Diocesan Convention--will take place on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 9:40AM.

On that day the second service will begin 15 minutes later than usual. So, we'll have a 9:00 a.m. service followed by the Annual Meeting, and a second service at 10:45 a.m. All are welcome!

You Are Invited to a
Robert Burns Supper
Saturday, January 26, 2013
at 6:30pm
at Grace Episcopal Church
924 Lake Street
Oak Park, Illinois 60301

Reservations required by Thursday, January 24.

It is 254 years after his birth and those who love a good party with plenty of wit in poetry-reading, a wee bit of the dram and all the traditions of pipes and Scottish dancers will enjoy this toast to the Immortal Memory. Traditional haggis warm reekin' rich with champit tatties and bashed neeps, cullen skink and savory Highland Beef that's on the menu for an elegant, adults-only party.

A Burns Supper is nothing less than an almost ancient ritual. Dress is traditionally black tie or kilts (they are rentable) but at least evening clothes with as much plaid as you wish. All are welcome to participate with their favorite solemn or silly Burns poem or musical homage; please let emcee Mark Woodworth know what piece you'll present no later than January 25th so he can prepare the program.  

Cost is $40 and includes meal, entertainment and some first-rate single-malt Scotch and other beverages. You are welcome to bring your favorite brand to share.

Purchase tickets at this link. 

You are most cordially invited to a festive Evensong and reception honoring the 90th "birthday" of our magnificent pipe organ! Our instrument, one of the ten largest in the metropolitan area, was built and installed in 1922. We will celebrate its anniversary on Sunday, January 27 at 4:00 p.m. Featured will be the Schola, Madrigal and Adult choirs of Grace Church and, Parish Musician Dennis Northway will play the prelude and a 'mini" recital as a postlude of the Evensong. A festive reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

Two separate contracts, one date January 31st, 1922 and the second, dated March 21st, 1922, the first for the front organ and the latter for the rear organ began the history of our beautiful 1922 Casavant Pipe Organ Opus 940 of the company. The Englishman, George H. Clark, the Organist and Choirmaster of Grace Church, was also the sales representative for the Casavant Pipe Organ Company of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. This instrument was to be one of the largest in the metropolitan area; and was put in in the same year as the organ at St. Luke parish in Evanston; both buildings designed by John Sutcliffe, a member of Grace Church.

The head of the music committee Albert Cotsworth was also a great lover of the pipe organ. He and the Organist/Choirmaster envisioned a grand organ for the great space. They also wanted to make a splash at its inauguration! And a splash they procured. The most celebrated organist in the world at the time, Messr. Marcel Dupré of Paris was invited to play the dedicatory recital in December of 1922. It was a grand event. Messr. Dupré was also invited back in 1947 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the installation of the organ. A similar parish-wide celebration occurred for the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the instrument.

We are using this anniversary to celebrate the music ministry of Grace Church. Dennis Northway will play music that might have been heard in the 1920's and will also play Marcel Dupré's Cortège et Litanie to pay homage to the recitals from the 1920's and 1940's that were performed by him on Grace's instrument. To celebrate the current Parish Musician's tenure, the choral music for the service will be all composed by Dennis Northway.

We hope you will attend this festive event!

Coffee Hour is such a large part of our Sunday ritual and serving each other continues to be part of our Grace community.    

Personally, it gives me great satisfaction to break bread and continue the fellowship with the congregants after Services. In addition, there are so many new and some existing members of the Grace I have yet to meet . . . that making a personal goal each week to shake a new hand has been very rewarding. On 2 separate Sundays, my husband and I partnered with others we did not know and this time together was such a wonderful way to get to know new faces to us. (Cyndy's testimonial)

As this new year begins, you will be receiving a phone call regarding Coffee Hour and which dates you will be available during 2013 to serve as hosts. If you have reservations on what to do or what to serve, we will work diligently to set you up with Grace members who are familiar with the process. We realize that many of you serve in other capacities and want to make this as easy and flexible as possible.

We will also be surveying you all to inquire if an automatic yearly sign-up, with options to switch dates, would be preferable. As you may have noticed, we have Sundays with no one signed up to host Coffee Hour and it is time to rework the process in order for it to be successful.

Many thanks to you, for your service to Grace and to each other in this effort.

-Cyndy Reynolds and Sarah Hunt

The Uncorking Theology Discussion Group will meet on Wednesday, January 16 - 7p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Location TBD; please email Dennis Zavac for further details.