I am excited to let you know that Grace Church has been accepted as one of the Thrive congregations.  We will be joining several other congregations in monthly gatherings of learning, exploring, enrichment, and the list goes on. Together we will work towards furthering God's vision for Grace.

Jim Redden, David Sgarlata and I are part of the team that will go on a retreat and meet monthly with the staff of Thrive and the other participants. Jon Baumgarten, Audrey Riley and Tony Riley will be serving as part of the accountability team.  This group will meet with those of us who go to the monthly meetings and hear about what we learned and assist in any goals that are developed out of these gatherings.

We could use one more person to attend the monthly, Saturday meetings and a couple for the accountability group.  To assist you, please visit this link to learn more about what Thrive is all about.

CAT (Church Assessment Tool) 

To get us ready for Thrive, set goals and visions for Grace, assess our ministries together, and ask invaluable questions, we will be participating in what is called CAT (Church Assessment Tool).

The Church Assessment Tool (the CAT) provides an in-depth look at the experiences, perceptions and aspirations of a church's congregation.

The CAT is a customizable assessment instrument that can help us:

• Measure the level of satisfaction and energy in the church.
• Identify the critical success factors for improving organizational climate.
• Discover where members would like to go in the future.
• Gauge readiness for change.
• Uncover potential resources we may be missing.

Look for more information about this in the next few issues of e-Items.

Peace,

Are you a closet Gregorian Chant aficionado?  Feel free to join us in the choir room on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:00PM to prepare for that evening's 8:30PM Advent Contemplative Service (see above).

We invite you to come a little early for the 10:30AM service this Sunday morning, December 15. The adult choir will be praying Vivaldi's Magnificat (the Song of Mary).   

Three movements will be sung as part of the prelude; the rest of this wonderful piece will be performed as Offertory and Communion anthems.

The Book Study Group will meet this evening, December 11, at 7:30 PM.

We will have a bit of a holiday celebration after a brief discussion. Please bring one of the following: a dish of food or snacks to share or something to drink. Lascelles will lead us on the piano with some Christmas carols.

We will discuss chapter 8 of Why Christianity Must Change or Die.

The group meets at the home of Bets Howland and Dennis Zavac.  

New members are always welcome; more information about the group is found at this link.  

This coming Sunday, December 15, Mark Woodworth, one of our wardens, will give a presentation about pledging and the budget during and after each service.

Come join us for a wonderful evening of an originally-scripted performance in period costume, with music and dance set in the splendor of our nave, magically transformed into your Lord's and Lady's great hall.

The dates are Friday Dec. 13, 2013 at 7PM and Saturday Dec. 14, 2013 at 7PM.

General Seating ($15 for adults and $10 for students) is unreserved and still available; simply pay at the door. General seating includes dessert and beverage. 

All patrons will receive a $5 discount for attending in renaissance style costume.

For more information click here to contact Silvano Brugioni, or call him at 708-655-1702. 

R.I.P. to Nelson Mandela - one of the world's greatest instruments of reconciliation, justice, and peace.  May his soul and the souls of all the departed rest in peace.

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, December 22, 2013, when A Service of Lessons & Carols will be prayed at Grace Church.  The service will begin at 4:00 p.m., and all are welcome.  An open house at the rectory will follow the service.   

The service will feature six movements of a work by Dennis Northway entitled "Songes to an Holpen Bairn" written in the summer of 2010.   The work is scored for treble voices and harp, and will be presented in the context for which it was originally scored.  We look forward to welcoming Erin Freund as the harpist. There is no admission fee and no advance reservations.

• helps to discern the vision toward which God is drawing that particular community;
• articulates and communicates the vision;
• holds the community accountable for its realization of that vision;
• stewards of the property and finances of the congregation and
• keeps the mission of the Church and that of the individual congregation clearly before the parish community.

• All baptized persons of the age of eighteen years and upwards, who regularly attend the public services of the Church in the Parish, and are recognized as members of the Parish by the Rector and at least one of the Wardens, or, if the Rector be not present, by the two Wardens, and whose names appear on the books of the Parish Treasurer as having contributed by pew rent, by pledge, by subscription or otherwise to the funds to meet the expenses or other obligations of the Parish during the six months immediately previous to the Meeting, it being understood that the pledge or obligation for such contributions shall have been incurred prior to the said six months; and in addition declare their willingness to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the Church. (Diocesan Canon) 
• Is expected to attend all monthly Vestry meetings and the annual Vestry retreat.  If a Vestry member misses three or more meetings within a calendar year, it may be cause for consideration of removal (Parish Guidelines).