Our Presiding Bishop has declared this coming Sunday, May 18th a day of prayer for South Sudan.  There have been peace talks between the two sides of the internal strife but there have been violations of the truce shortly after the agreement.  Bishop Joseph Atem left Chicago on May 8th and returned to be with his family in Nasirobi.  It is still not safe for him to travel back to Renk.  The priests from Renk Town, including Mother Alice, have not returned yet but a report from the area said there have been no clashes for a number of days.  The people are slowly returning back to their homes and to pick up where they left off.  It is time to start planting and it is hoped they can return to some normalcy soon.

As soon as possible, Bishop Joseph will let us know what is needed and give us a more detailed report of what is going on in Renk.  For the time being, please pray for peace for our partner parish, Saint Luke's, and all of South Sudan to have peace.

Here are some resources, including two videos:

Episcopal Church website - Pray/Study/Act for Sudan

The CSO will offer an all-Beethoven Family Concert this Sunday, May 18 at 1:30 and 3:15 p.m. at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville.  The concert will feature members of the CSO led by guest conductor Edwin Outwater.  It will also include a performance of one of the movements from Beethoven's Violin Concerto by CSO associate concertmaster, Stephanie Jeong.  

To purchase tickets for the 1:30 p.m. concert, please click here.

To purchase tickets for the 3:15 p.m. concert, please click here.

Click "Select my own seats" to begin purchase. 

Garden season is finally here.  The Garden ministry is in need of a few helping hands to plant or water.  The big spring planting will take place this Saturday May 17th from 10am to Noon.

Please see me at coffee hour after either service for more information or to volunteer to help tend our gardens this season.

-Louann T.

A Spring Cleaning & Special Project Day is planned for May 31st from 9-4.  Volunteers are needed to help clean out several areas of the Parish Hall.  We would like to beautify the Parish Hall by painting some areas, removing carpet & furniture from the teen room and perhaps do some outdoor work if weather permits.  

There will be jobs for all skill levels, come for a couple of hours or all day.   

Lunch will be provided.

-Your Property Committee
Leslie Atwood, Sharon Harmsworth, Lillian Hohmann, Cliff Hunt, & Mark Woodworth

Take Grace with you and your family this summer!

How about taking "Flat Grace" with you this summer? Grace may like to go to camp, or go to work, or lay on the beach and soak up some rays, or travel to another state or country. Will Grace enjoy spaghetti in Italy or hiking around Illinois? Perhaps Grace likes to visit grandparents. During the summer many of us travel and we are unable to attend worship with our church family, but now you can always carry Grace with you and share Grace with the world. Let's see how many places these cut-outs of Grace can be photographed! Click here for a picture of Grace that you can print out and decorate however you like. Be creative! Scan, email, mail, etc. to friends and family vacationing or living in other parts of the world.

Once you start collecting pictures of Flat Grace, feel free to post them on our Facebook page (Facebook.com/GraceOakPark).  We'll also include them on a bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Do not forget to include your and/or your family's names and the location that Grace is visiting.

This project was inspired by the children's book called Flat Stanley by John Brown. The character named Stanley is given a bulletin board by his father that he hangs over his bed. One night while he is sleeping the bulletin board falls on top of him and he is flattened. One positive that Stanley finds from his new altered state is that he can visit his friends by being mailed back and forth.

This is a project that we would like the entire parish to take part in. Let's share with the world how much we love Grace!