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.

Dear Friends,

With the start of a new program year on the horizon, we are excited to share with you information about the variety of lifelong formation programs and ministries on offer for children, young people, and adults at Grace Oak Park.

Here at Grace, we believe that formation - the process of becoming who God has called us to be - lasts our whole lives. We strive to be a community where folks at all stages of life can explore, listen, and grow into faithful and Christ-following people. From service to the community, to thoughtful conversation with peers, to making a joyful noise in the choir, there are so many ways for you and your children to get involved.

In this email you will discover more information about our many programs, and hope that you will find a program (or two) that is the right fit for your child and their spiritual growth - and perhaps a few that are the right fit for your own as well! And most importantly, if you don't see what you are interested in being a part of, please get in touch with us.

Your commitment to Grace's programs is more than a commitment to a program: it is a commitment to your and your child's development, a commitment to the ongoing strength of the Grace community, and a commitment to God and God's hopes for you. Together we can help form children and adults who will change our lives and the world. We hope you will join us!

Peace,

Nick Currie, Dennis Northway, Jon Baumgarten, & Shawn Schreiner

Worship With Us

Worship, or liturgy, is the most basic and most important kind of formation. In the Episcopal tradition, we believe that prayer shapes our believing - that we are formed as the people of God in what we say in our prayers and music and actions. All of our programs are intimately connected to our worship: they help us dig deeper and remind us of the importance of coming together.

On Sundays we have two distinct liturgies, both including the Eucharist (communion):

The first, a 30 minute service at 9AM, is specifically designed for children and all in their households and others who wish to attend. Children and adults are active participants in a relaxed setting where children are celebrated just as they are. We strive to build a worship community where all feel a sense of hope and compassion from a church that welcomes all of God's children.
The second, at 10:30AM, is a formal, sung Eucharist. Being a liturgical church, we seek to use the gifts of many, lay and ordained, in liturgical roles. We strive to create an experience full of engaging and thought-provoking preaching, excellent music, and prayer that is both ancient in its roots and relevant to the needs and concerns of the larger community.

Adults and children are welcome at all services at Grace! We encourage you to explore both services and see what best fits your family's style.

Holy Baptism

At Grace, we understand Baptism - the rite of initiation, by water and the Holy Spirit, into Christ's Body, the Church - as the sacrament that does the most to shape us as the people of God. At our own baptisms, and the baptisms of others, we are reminded of God's call to all of us to be God's hands and feet in the world, and to shape our world and ourselves to God's vision for humanity. This forms the basis of all of our programs, and of our entire communal life together.

Our next baptism date is November 2nd, All Saints' Sunday. If you'd like to be baptized or have your child baptized, please let Shawn know. Click here for more information and an online form for those desiring to be baptized.

Nursery care is available every Sunday morning for infants and toddlers from 9:30 until the end of the 10:30 service.

Parents are welcome to pick up their children during the 10:30 service so that the family can participate together in the Eucharist.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

Our wonderful children's education and formation program will serve children ages 3-9 this year, and will meet on Sunday mornings from 9:35 to 10:30 beginning October 5th (Level II) and October 12th (Level I). An Open House will take place at program time on Sunday, September 21st.

Inspired by the Montessori principles of education, the Catechesis program is based on the conviction that each child is already in relationship with God. The program is led by adult "catechists" who wonder with the child, rather than trying to "pour-in" information. Materials in the classroom, or "atrium," invite children to explore and deepen their experiences at their own pace. Explorations of the liturgy and the figures of the parables and life of Jesus help the child to wonder about the great mystery of the Kingdom of God.

More information is on our website at this link, and at the website of the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at this link.

G.A.P. Year (Group For Action and Prayer)

This year marks the pilot of a new program for Grace's 10-12 year olds, G.A.P. (Group for Action and Prayer) Year. Designed as a "service year" between Catechesis and our Journey to Adulthood (J2A) programs, G.A.P. Year gives preadolescents an opportunity to connect with the Grace community and the larger Oak Park/Chicago community by engaging in acts of service, participating in worship, and exploring ideas of community and fellowship.

This group will meet regularly once a month on Sundays from noon to 2, beginning October 5th, and will participate in at least one outside or at-home activity each month.

Journey to Adulthood Program

Grace uses the three-cohort Journey To Adulthood curriculum for our older youth. This year, we will offer the J2A cohort program for ages 13-15. J2A blends action and contemplation to help early high school-aged teens explore faithful living, with an emphasis on the convergence of personal spirituality and Christian community. This two-year program culminates with a pilgrimage to a sacred site chosen collectively by the group. The program also serves as preparation for Confirmation, and at the end members of the group can discern whether to take the opportunity to participate in this sacrament.

The J2A group will meet on Sunday afternoons from noon to 1:30 on a bi-weekly basis, beginning on September 28th.

More information is at this link, and this link.

Preparation for Confirmation or Reception

Preparation for Confirmation, the ritual where an adult person affirms and claims the baptismal covenant for themselves, and Reception, where a baptized and confirmed Christian of another tradition officially claims the Episcopal Church as their spiritual home, is available to all adults and any young person over the age of seventeen or who has completed the J2A program. Preparation can take several forms, including formal "classes," small groups, or informal mentorship models.

If you or someone in your family is interested in discerning Confirmation or Reception, please email Nick Currie.

Schola Choir & Scholar Program

Schola

Schola Choir (grades 2-8) is a children's choir whose members are taught sight-reading, sight-singing, and solfege. The repertoire includes sacred and secular music, as well as indigenous folk songs from the world repertoire. Rehearsals are Wednesday afternoons during the school year. New singers, less experienced singers and younger singers rehearse from 3:30 to 5, learning choral basics, warm-ups, interval drills, beginning sight reading, and musicianship skills. Experienced Scholars who can read music and hold their own part in multi-part music rehearse from 4-5:30. Between 4:00 and 5:00, all the choristers are rehearsing together.

Contact Music Director Dennis Northway for more information, or click here to visit the Schola & Madrigals website.

Madrigal Choir

Madrigal Choir is for teens (grades 9-12). The choir rehearses unaccompanied, standing in a circle in the Grace Church sanctuary. Using a tuning fork as the only musical aid reinforces the excellent sight-reading skills necessary to function at this level of musicianship. The Choir's core repertoire consists of unaccompanied motets and madrigals from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The full scope of the repertoire engages the singers with lyrics in Latin, Italian, Hebrew, English, French, German, and Spanish. Rehearsals are Sunday afternoons, from 1:30-3 year round.

Contact Music Director Dennis Northway for more information, or click here to visit the Schola & Madrigals website.

Adult & Intergenerational Choir

Rehearsal is on Thursday evenings at 7:30, preceded by a light-hearted half hour of sight-reading and other musical activities open to all (not just choir members)! The choir sings most Sunday mornings.

If you and your family members would be interested in participating in an intergenerational choir for a half-hour on weekends, please contact Dennis to express your interest!

Worship & Community Leadership

Acolytes: Acolyting is an incredible way for young people to participate in worship on a weekly basis. Acolytes carry the cross and torches during 10:30 worship, and assist with various other aspects of the service. Contact Mary Hope Griffin, MaryPat Mauro, and Mark Woodworth, Coordinators.

Altar Guild prepares our space for worship. They make sure we have bread and wine, linens, candles and much more for all services. Contact Al Papillon.

Lectors & Intercessors read the lessons and give voice to the prayers of the assembly. Contact Tony Dobrowolski, coordinator.

Ushers provide hospitality, hand out service bulletins, and count assembly members at worship. Contact Fred Barber for 10:30.

Greeters assist you and welcome you to the Grace community. Contact Flora Green, coordinator.

Communion Ministers distribute bread and wine during worship. Contact Barbara Larsen, coordinator.

Coffee Hour Hosts provide snacks after worship for the community. Contact Cyndy Reynolds, coordinator.

Adult Formation and Lifelong Learning

In addition to programs for children and young people, we offer several opportunities for adults to explore, grow, and experience in our relationship with God, self, others, and all creation. All of our adult programs are designed to provide the opportunity to engage and express our faith as we learn ways to live a countercultural life as people of faith in a secular world.

Here at Grace we have a variety of offerings for adults:

Book Study (more information at this link)
EfM (Education for Ministry) (more information at this link)
Sunday Lectionary Study Group (more at this link)
20s/30s Group (more information at this link)
Benedictine Experience (more information at this link)
Seasonal Offerings that include newcomers groups, guest speakers, inter-generational gatherings, special topics and more.

Contact Nick Currie or Shawn Schreiner for more information, or to volunteer to lead a group.