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 Our children are headed back to school and off to other new adventures: pre-school, kindergarten, 1st grade, middle school/junior high, high school, college, jobs. Some are headed to places that are close and others to farther away places. Parents are letting go. Praying that they are equipping their kids for the newness that they are about to experience. Children are letting go with a sense of excitement, fear and anticipation of the new that is about to occur. Communities bless the backpacks, and children, youth and young adults. Into all our minds come the thoughts about their safety. It may not be what is in the front of our thoughts, but it is there. We have watched the news and heard of shootings, hunger, racism, suicide, weddings, baptisms, funerals, anniversaries and more. Some of us have been at a loss for words. Not just because of tragedies, but also because of the unknown. The glory of raising the human race. Raising each other is part of what it means to be the Body of Christ. We come together to share a meal in the Eucharist. We come together to share our stories of our lives and the life of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We are not alone. Take a moment to give thanks for being part of a community whose members will be there for each other in all that we face in life. As we walk this life walk together, let us pause, think, and pray about what it means to support one another and to raise one another in a world where there will be less violence, starvation of body and spirit, lack of opportunities to be educated, war and fear of persecution. Let us pause, think, pray and take action to make this world a place where all have the opportunities that so many of us have. This is not at all to make light of the difficulties of letting our children go. It is about raising our children and one another in a new kind of world. Peace, Shawn P.S. I invite you to follow this link to read about a new way to approach part of the story of Moses. |
A breathtaking sermon from last week by Mike Kinman, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis Missouri. He talks about the world and what is happening in Missouri and more at this link.
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Make Your Reservation Now For a Very Special Dinner Party
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We are planning a very special dinner party at Grace Church on Saturday, September 6th at 5:30PM to honor Dennis for his 20 years of Music Ministry, Douglas for his 15 years of Parish Administration, Jon for 10 years as our Parish Deacon, and Shawn for 10 years as our Priest. The cost of the dinner is $10 for adults, $6.50 for kids under 12. Please RSVP to Sue Wells or Sarah Hunt. Please make checks to Grace Church with "dinner party" on the memo line. Please give checks or cash to Sue Wells. Reservations are a must. No walk-ins because we need to buy food ahead of time. The last date for reservations is Tuesday, Sept 2.
We know you'll not only want to come, but are hoping you'll want to help out too.
To help with the dinner (cooking, set-up, clean-up, decorations) please get in touch with Sue Wells, Sarah Hunt, or Leslie Atwood.
To help with entertainment contact Suzanne Haraburd, or Hollis Bernstein.
To help with the special gifts contact Mark Woodworth, or Barbara Larsen.
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Please Register Your Child(ren) and/or Youth for Grace Formation Programs
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With the summer drawing to a close, I'm excited to announce that registration for Grace's children and youth programs is open! The registration form can be found on our website, at this link. Please note that although programs will not begin until later in the fall (late September and early October), your early registration will be tremendously helpful to our planning.
For those of you who are familiar with previous forms, you will notice that this is a NEW form in many ways. In addition to helping us get to know your child a little bit -- which is very useful for our program leaders! -- and giving you the opportunity to connect with areas of Grace's life and ministries that you'd like to be involved with or learn more about, the new form will allow us to build our programs more intentionally around age cohorts. Instead of registering for specific programs as in years past, this year we will collect the information you provide us about your child's age and grade level and use that to sort them into the appropriate program. Think of us as the Sorting Hat, in other words. We are hopeful that this change (in addition to the others) will have a long-range effect on the success, sustainability, and impact of our programs, and maybe solve some administrative difficulties in the short-term as well. As always, information about our Catechesis and Journey to Adulthood programs is on our website.
Thank you! Please let me know if you have questions about the registration form, programs, or want to talk more about volunteering as a program leader or assistant - we still need a few more hands.
-Nick Currie
Director of Lifelong Christian Formation
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20s/30s End-of-Summer Cookout
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 In your 20s or 30s? Know someone who is? Join the 20s/30s group on Wednesday, August 27th, at 6:30pm for food, fellowship, and prayer at an end-of-summer cookout on the rectory patio (behind the Memorial Garden)! We'll have things to grill and beverages, but please feel free to bring a side, dessert, or beverage (alcoholic or non-) to share. Bring a friend, too! Your RSVP helps us plan. Please email Nick (nick@graceoakpark.org), or join our Facebook event, attached to the 20s/30s group page. Children are welcome, and childcare can be available if needed. |
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Book Study Group Meetings to Resume
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The Book Study Group will begin the season with the new book: Exploring Reality, The Intertwining of Science and Religion, by John Polkinghorne.
The group will meet on Wednesday, September 10 at 7:30PM at the home of Bets Howland and Dennis Zavac. More information is on our website at this link.
If you need a copy of the book, please consider buying it by using the link below and Grace will receive a portion of the purchase price:
Exploring Reality: The Intertwining of Science and Religion
by John Polkinghorne by Yale University Press
Paperback
List Price: $18.00
Our Price: $8.90
Buy Now
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 Might this be the year you, or someone you know, decides to join the choir program? St. Augustine writes that we should be an "Alleluia from head to toe." Singing is a beautiful and appropriate response to the World Creator, the World Redeemer and the Spirit. Our Schola children's choir begins rehearsals on Wednesday September 3rd, with new singers beginning at 3:30 p.m. and going until 5:00. Parents are warmly welcome to come and observe the fun! Please invite your neighborhood children to "try out" the choir, and consider inviting family members to join as well! Our adult choir begins rehearsals on Thursday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. A little unsure about reading music? We can help! Join us half an hour earlier at 7:00 p.m. for "Sight Reading Club," an informal and fun time to explore reading music. It is light-hearted and informative! Our Madrigal choir begins its fourteenth season on Sunday afternoon September 7th at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Kindly contact Dennis Northway or Nicci Krebasch with questions. Come, let us sing a song together unto the Lord! |
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Parking in the Driveway at Grace
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A reminder: please do not park in the lane immediately west of the church unless you are actually on site at Grace. Doing so presents problems with weddings, funerals, and other scheduled events. In addition, with upcoming building work scheduled at Grace, contractors are going to need full access and cars parked in the lane while owners shop on Lake Street or commute to Chicago are going to present problems which will delay work.
Thank you for your cooperation!
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Attention Amazon Shoppers
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Support Grace while you shop!
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If you shop at Amazon, please use the link below to access Amazon.com. Grace will then get a percentage of any purchases made. It's a painless way to help Grace and costs you nothing. FYI, we never see who buys what. We've already raised over $130 thanks to all those who have participated thus far.
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Participants in Upcoming Sunday Services
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August 24th 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: Cyndy Reynolds; Charlie MacDougall, Karen Mensch, Natalie Ratz, Phoenix Sullivan, James Redden
LECTORS: Willie Polite, John Seaton
INTERCESSORS: Gloria Rayburn, Linda Coberly
ALTAR GUILD: Joan Anderson, Heather Bovell, Flora Green, Kathy Onayemi, Al Papillon, Willie Polite, Sally Prescott, Natalie Ratz, Marie Rock, Jane Shirley, Chuck Tupta; Mary Ann Urbashich
BREAD BAKER: The Lucé Family
USHERS: Laura Morgan Day, Sam Love, Alan Harvey, Donna Anderson
GREETERS: Ade Onayemi, Gloria Rayburn, Jane Shirley
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 9:00 SERVICE: Sue Wells, beverages
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 10:30 SERVICE: Sue Wells, beverages; Sarah & Cliff Hunt, treats
August 31st 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: Susan Hickey; Bob Vogler, Sue Wells, Lascelles Anderson, Tony Dobrowolski, Cherryl Holt
LECTORS: TBA
INTERCESSORS: TBA
ALTAR GUILD: Joan Anderson, Heather Bovell, Flora Green, Kathy Onayemi, Al Papillon, Willie Polite, Sally Prescott, Natalie Ratz, Marie Rock, Jane Shirley, Chuck Tupta; Mary Ann Urbashich
BREAD BAKER: The Lucé Family
USHERS: Benjamin Daramola, Leslie Atwood, Kweku Leighton-Armah
GREETERS: Alice Leighton-Armah, Angela Billings, Norbert Teclaw
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 9:00 SERVICE: Sue Wells, beverages
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 10:30 SERVICE: Sue Wells, beverages; Leslie Atwood & Emily Costello, treats
September 7th 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: TBA
LECTORS: TBA
INTERCESSORS: TBA
ALTAR GUILD: Joan Anderson, Heather Bovell, Flora Green, Kathy Onayemi, Al Papillon, Willie Polite, Sally Prescott, Natalie Ratz, Marie Rock, Jane Shirley, Chuck Tupta; Mary Ann Urbashich
BREAD BAKER: Barbara Larsen
USHERS: James Redden, Flemming Bovell, Linda Reynes, Jim Groll
GREETERS: Stephanie Bailey, Heather Bovell, Paul & Cathy O'Kelly
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 9:00 SERVICE: Cyndy Reynolds, beverages
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 10:30 SERVICE: Cyndy Reynolds, beverages; Cathy Tokarski & Bill Ford, treats
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| Wednesday, August 20, 2014 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | Chess Camp | 8:30 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM |
Thursday, August 21, 2014 | | Chess Camp | 8:30 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Staff Meeting | 11:30 AM | | Evensong | 6:00 PM | | Concerts @ 6:26 | 6:26 PM | | Healing Prayer Group | 6:30 PM | | SAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM |
Friday, August 22, 2014 | | Rector's Day Off | | | Chess Camp | 8:30 AM | | SLAA/SAA 12-Step Workshop | 9:05 AM | | POSA Support Group | 7:00 PM |
Saturday, August 23, 2014 | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 9:30 AM | | Yeager/Moores going away party (set up at 3pm) | 6:00 PM |
Sunday, August 24, 2014 | | The Rite Place - A service for the child in us all | 9:00 AM | | Coffee Hour | 9:30 AM | | Lectionary Discussion Group | 9:45 AM | | Sung Choral Eucharist | 10:30 AM | | Coffee Hour | 11:45 AM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | AA 12-Step Group | 8:30 PM |
Monday, August 25, 2014 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM |
Tuesday, August 26, 2014 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM |
Wednesday, August 27, 2014 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM |
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Something to share with our readers? Email copy to Douglas by Tuesday, 5PM
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Grace Episcopal Church 924 Lake Street Oak Park, Illinois 60301 www.GraceOakPark.org 
Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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Our Mission:
Grace Church seeks to bring God's love and Christ's teaching to all people, to become a passionately involved, intentional Christian community, to support the spiritual journey of each person, and to work toward reconciliation, peace, and justice in our world.
Our Core Values:
-Reach out to support our neighbors locally and worldwide as we seek to obey God's command to love our neighbors as ourselves.
-Encourage and support spiritual growth in all people while respecting that each person is at a different point in his or her spiritual journey.
-Work to be ever more present to and caring for each member of the Grace community and to be fully welcoming to all who enter Grace's doors.
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