On Sunday, August 2, at coffee hour following the 10:30 service, we will have a follow-up presentation and discussion of the submissions to the Black History Month box. A distillation of the several themes addressed in the submissions will be presented, and the submissions themselves will be available for review by all.

Join us as Mr. Charlie Carpenter presents a wonderful concert of music by French composers Marcel Dupré, César Franck and Charles-Marie Widor. This free concert is presented in connection with Downtown Oak Park's Art dans la Rue.

The concert will be performed in Grace Episcopal Church at 6:30PM on Tuesday, August 4, 2015. All are welcome; no advance reservations necessary - just show up and soak in the music.

During my first few weeks as Director of Formation at Grace I had the opportunity to attend a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training. I found myself, along with eight others with a passion for the spiritual development of children, sitting in a child-sized chair in a circle, enraptured by the presentation of the parable of the Mustard Seed. The catechist began: "One time Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed." A candle was lit and I listened to the scripture reading. Then I eagerly followed instructions: I placed one hand over my mouth to cover my breath as I peered into the small wooden box containing seeds that seemed no bigger than a pinhead. "I wonder how something so small could grow into something so large as a bush that birds can make a home in?"

This presentation has been on my mind often since then, both as a rich image for contemplation in my own spiritual life and also as one I am excited to offer our children at Grace. I appreciate how the mustard seeds were used as symbols to convey a deep truth about God's Kingdom in a tangible way. I am also struck by the intentionality in communicating the truths of the parable in a way accessible to children as young as three. During the presentation we reflected on how small things hold greatness within them and that all growth is from God. Children's own growing bodies illustrate this just as the growing seed does. Finally, like all Catechesis presentations, this one ended with an invitation to wonder. The catechist's goal is not for the children to memorize the "correct answers" to theological questions, but rather to honor the spiritual life of the child by inviting them to internalize biblical truths in their own way. This evidences a profound trust that God is already and always with the child. According to Sophia Cavalleti, the developer of the Catechesis approach, the catechists are "matchmakers" between God and the child.

I am currently working with Shawn and catechists at Grace to put together this children's program for the fall. We are in need of volunteers to be "matchmakers" between God and children. Please connect with Shawn or me (kendall@graceoakpark.org) for more information. Parents, look for an open house in the fall with more information on Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

Faithfully,

Dennis Northway, Parish Musician 

Grace Episcopal Church is sponsoring the Eighth Season of Concerts@6:26 throughout the summer.  Each Thursday through August 20, we will sing Evensong beginning at 6:00 p.m., followed at precisely 6:26 p.m. with a thirty-minute recital to be offered in the Gothic-Revival splendor of Grace Episcopal Church.  There will be a freewill offering, half of which goes to our outreach programs. Click here for more information, including the full program.