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We are approaching the season of Advent. The season where we look back at and towards the birth of the Christ Child, or as Anne McConney says in her little book Our December Hearts, "The Host is coming to feast with us; in Advent we prepare to dance with him."
I am looking back at a child (Jesus) who was sent to this world to give light with a capital L to the world, Jesus who grew to be very like Isaiah's "voice in the wilderness crying." Crying for an end to corrupt systems and leaders. Crying for the hungry to be fed, the naked to be clothed and justice for all, as the adult Jesus will teach and urge several times in his ministry among his contemporaries.
What about the journey towards the birth of the Christ child? "The Christ who comes to us as dawnlight, day by day and again and again, steals, up by up, over our horizons, suffuses us with glow, and waits for us to stand still long enough so that we can be drenched in pale yellow fire. He burns away our mist and lights the road to where he dwells, which is, if we walk peaceably, everywhere: around us, among us, within us. Wherever we let saving light fall. He dawns. He dwells. We can be, out of darkness, lighthouse and temple." [Pamela Smith, in Days of Light and Darkness]
May our journey this year be filled with walking the walk of the one who came before us and lives among us still. May our journey this year be one where we birth a new world into being, a world where all really are free and fed and nourished, a world he would recognize as the dream of the God who sent him.
-Shawn
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 Thank you to the Brugioni family, Gervais family and all others who created the Thanksgiving meal last Sunday. |
We hope you are praying over and discerning your pledge to Grace for both the 2015 operating budget and the Legacy of Grace building fund. A stewardship email was sent the first week in November, and you'll find it at this link. We have received 34 pledges for 2015 thus far. These 34 pledges total $76,462. In total, 109 households pledged for 2014 so we hope to surpass that number for 2015 pledging. We have received pledges for a Legacy of Grace building fund totaling $6,100 for 2014 and an additional $10,874 for 2015. Actual donations to Legacy of Grace total over $37,000 so far this year. Ready to pledge? An online form is at this link. |
Join Us For Advent Wreath Making
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Sunday, November 30 after both morning services
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 Advent Wreaths return! Join us after both services on Sunday, November 30th to celebrate the first week of Advent with a fun activity for all ages. Advent Wreaths, with their four candles, help us to commemorate the season of waiting that leads us to the birth of Christ at Christmas, and the ritual of lighting a candle for each of the season's four weeks is an invitation to prayer and contemplation as we wait for the coming of God. We'll have the usual materials - greens, bases, candles, etc. - as well as some prayerful materials you can take home to use alongside your wreaths. If you have materials (especially bases or candleholders) leftover from previous years, or have some creative ideas of your own, please bring them! |
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Advent Contemplative Services
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Join us on Thursdays during Advent: December 4, 11 & 18 at 7PM
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Order Your Tickets Today!
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2014 Boar's Head Feasts:
Friday, December 12, 7:00 p.m.
and
Saturday, December 13, 7:00 p.m.
Join us for our annual Boar's Head Feast presented by the Madrigal Choir of Grace Church. You'll enjoy 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.
Reserved Dinner Seating is $40 for adults and $30 for students. General Seating (unreserved seating which includes dessert and beverage) is available - $15 for adults and $10 for students.
All patrons will receive a $5 refund at the door for attending in renaissance-style costume.
To download and print a ticket order form, please click here. No online payments / orders are offered for this event.
For more information, click here to contact Silvano Brugioni. |
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 Cliff Hunt will be selling his handmade baskets, and others are donating hand-knit items for this sale to be held in our Parish Hall after both Sunday morning services on December 7th. |
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Christmas Stockings For Sale
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 Looking for a Christmas stocking? These 20" x 9" stockings can be yours for the low cost of $10. The proceeds will be split between the Youth Pilgrimage Fund and the Legacy of Grace Fund. Contact Shawn to purchase one (or more!). P.S. Feeling generous? Feel free to donate more for them. We have 27. |
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 We are excited to announce that the book about our 9AM service, and our theology around children, is now available to the larger world. Dennis and I put the words into the book with the help of staff and volunteers. Grace Church and her members are the real the authors. We came together as a community and discerned that God was leading us to start that service. We are modeling the concept of "parallel church" - two services, with two distinct communities in one church and one larger community. So, thank you for giving birth to what is turning out to be an evangelism tool far wider than our doors. You can find the book at this link . Of you may purchase it from me directly for $24. -Shawn P.S. 5% of the proceeds will be coming to Grace Church. |
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The THRIVE Team (group that is participating in the congregational vitality program with many other congregations) will be presenting three sessions/conversations about what we're learning and how it relates to the survey we took and our vision and hopes for Grace. Join us on Sunday mornings on December 7 (after 9AM service only), 14 and 21 (after both morning services), as well as the Sundays in Lent. P.S. You can learn more about Thrive at this link. |
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Top Five Holiday Hollywood Connections to Oak Park
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Grace Church is one of them!
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Around Oak Park has published an article which includes Grace Church as one of the top five holiday Hollywood connections to Oak Park. You'll find the article at this link.
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Nominations for Vestry and Diocesan Convention Delegates
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The nomination process for Vestry elections is now underway. Please take some time to consider whether your talents could be offered to Grace Church in this important ministry of leadership. Serving on the Vestry as either a Vestry member or Warden provides a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the future direction of the life of our congregation.
The election will take place at our Annual Parish Meeting in January. If you are interested in serving as either a Vestry member or Warden, please contact Shawn Schreiner or Mark Woodworth.
The nominating committee consists of the following members: Mark Woodworth, Barbara Larsen, Cherryl Holt, Natalie Ratz, Chuck Tupta, and Shawn Schreiner.
If you have someone you wish to propose for nomination, we ask that you contact Shawn or Mark first to verify that the person is eligible and then that person to ensure they wish to be nominated and are willing to serve.
The Vestry is the body within a congregation that, with the clergy, leads the parish. The Vestry:
- 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.
God creates the Church, and invites us to participate in the process. A congregation's leaders are the stewards of that creation and hold it in trust. The congregation has been given the resources needed to do the job God has called it to do. Leaders identify and allocate those resources, enabling the Church to carry out its mission. They also lead the congregation in celebrating and giving thanks for these resources.
To assist you in deciding whether or not to stand for election, the following are some of the requirements for, and expectations of Vestry service:
- 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).
We will elect 4 vestry members and one warden. We will also be electing three delegates to Diocesan Convention at our Annual Meeting. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please contact Shawn Schreiner.
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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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November 30th 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: Sam Love; Natalia Reniszewski, Lascelles Anderson, Tony Dobrowolski, Cherryl Holt, Julia Thomason
LECTORS: Lascelles Anderson, Lil Hohmann
INTERCESSORS: Cyndy Reynolds, Sam Love
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: Sarah Hunt
USHERS: Benjamin Daramola, Leslie Atwood, William Richards
GREETERS: Alice Leighton-Armah, Angela Billings, Norbert Teclaw
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 9:00 SERVICE: Marilyn Wardle, beverages
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AFTER 10:30 SERVICE: Marilyn Wardle, beverages
December 7th 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: Cherryl Holt; Barbara Larsen, Sam Love, Charlie MacDougall, Karen Mensch, Phoenix Sullivan
LECTORS: Barbara Larsen, Grace Coberly
INTERCESSORS: David de Jong, Bonnie Shadid
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: Lillian Hohmann
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; The de Jong family, treats
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| Tuesday, November 25, 2014 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | Healing Song Circle | 7:30 PM |
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Kitchen reserved for Grace PADS cooks | 3:00 PM | | Schola Rehearsal | 3:30 PM | | Handel Week Chorus Rehearsal | 6:00 PM | | Grace staffs PADS shelter | 6:30 PM | | PADS overnight shelter | 7:30 PM |
Thursday, November 27, 2014 | | Parish Offices Closed | | | Thanksgiving Day | | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Staff Meeting | 11:00 AM | | Evensong | 6:00 PM | | SAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | Sight Reading Club | 7:00 PM | | Adult Choir Rehearsal | 7:30 PM |
Friday, November 28, 2014 | | Parish Offices Closed | | | Rector's Day Off | | | SLAA/SAA 12-Step Workshop | 9:05 AM | | POSA Support Group | 7:00 PM |
Saturday, November 29, 2014 | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 9:30 AM |
Sunday, November 30, 2014 |
| | | The Rite Place - A service for the child in us all | 9:00 AM | | Coffee Hour | 9:30 AM | | Intergenerational Event (Advent Wreath Making) | 9:35 AM | | Lectionary Discussion Group | 9:45 AM | | Sung Choral Eucharist | 10:30 AM | | Coffee Hour | 11:45 AM | | Intergenerational Event (Advent Wreath Making) | 11:45 AM | | Madrigal Rehearsal | 1:30 PM | | Sunday Afternoon Service | 4:30 PM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | AA 12-Step Group | 8:30 PM |
Monday, December 01, 2014 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | EfM (Education for Ministry) | 7:00 PM |
Tuesday, December 02, 2014 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | St. Giles Catechesis | 4:00 PM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | Thrive Meeting | 7:00 PM | | Healing Song Circle | 7:30 PM |
Wednesday, December 03, 2014 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Schola Rehearsal | 3:30 PM | | St. Giles Catechesis | 6:00 PM | | Finance Committee | 7:30 PM | | PADS overnight shelter | 7:30 PM |
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Grace Episcopal Church 924 Lake Street Oak Park, Illinois 60301 708-386-8036 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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