"As Christians, we believe that we bear the image and likeness of God inside of us and that this is our deepest reality. We are made in God's image. However we tend to picture this is a naïve, romantic, and pious way. We imagine that somewhere inside us there is a beautiful icon of God stamped into our souls.  That may well be, but God, as scripture assures us, is more than an icon. God is fire-wild, infinite, ineffable, non-containable."  

-Ron Rolheiser, June 25, 2006

As people come and stand in line for anointing prayers, I pause and privately say something like, "You are made in God's image and called good."  I do this because so many people that I know do not at all feel they can be called good and that they are an image of God.

I am not sure that I had ever thought of an icon being inside of us.  There is something wonderful about thinking of humans as having God as an icon stamped into our souls. And could you imagine a world where we took that to the next step that Rolheiser describes - a world where people are known as being God's fire-wild, infinite, ineffable, non-containable creations?

As we sit with Christmas approaching, with the birth of the child that caused all kinds of fires to the establishment, may we remind ourselves that God asks the same of us.

Peace,

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

Join us this Sunday, December 22nd, for the first meeting of Grace's 20s/30s group! We will gather in the parish hall after the 10:30 service and walk over to the Cozy Corner to share brunch, do some planning, and get to know each other. All are welcome.  

Questions? Email Nick.

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.

As you know, we recently agreed to participate in the Diocesan program Thrive.  Besides the many congregational development sessions, the vestry and Thrive Team are very excited about this opportunity.  All members of Grace will be invited to participate in the first step which is to conduct a congregational assessment.  This assessment will provide a clear picture of who we are as a church and what directions are most important for our future. The tool we'll use is the Church Assessment Tool (CAT), which will provide key indicators of our congregational health along with areas of challenge and potential growth. It will help us to collect and understand the range of views that exist at Grace and the possibilities, willingness, capacity and energy for moving our ministry into the future.

Please make sure that we have all current email addresses for your household.  Please be sure your spouse and all young adults and youth living in your home have an opportunity to complete the survey.  INDIVIDUAL INPUT is key to our gaining insight into overall perceptions and experiences.

During the first week of January, we will send you more information about the starting date for this survey and how we will use the information.

Thank you for your willingness to be a part of this congregational assessment and for helping to build Grace's future.

Tim Edwards (lifelong Grace Church parishioner and acolyte) is a sophomore at Downers Grove North High School and he has played the cello in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras for the past five years. This summer the Symphony is planning a very exciting trip to China where they will have the opportunity to perform in five major cities.  Tim is working very hard to raise money to help with the cost of this trip and he would like to invite the members of Grace Church to support him by attending a benefit recital that he will be giving on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 4pm here at Grace.  His sister Rachel, who is a graduate student majoring in violin performance and his mother Debbie, who is a violin and viola teacher will be guest artists joining him on this recital and they will be performing works by Bach, Mozart, Albretchsburger, and Mark O'Connor.  They hope that you will attend and are very grateful for your support.

• 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).