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Advent wreath making on Sunday, November 29 after both morning services
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 Advent Wreaths don't just help us count down the weeks until Christmas - they help us stay mindful and connected to each other during a hectic season.
Join us on Sunday, November 29 after both the 9AM and 10:30AM services for an inter-generational wreath-making event and get your family set for Advent! We'll have some greens, candles, ribbons, and other materials. Please bring your creativity - and if you've got it, an old wreath base to reuse (and any other supplies you'd specifically like to use).
We're looking for a few more pairs of hands to help out on the day-of, so if you're interested please email Shawn. There is no cost to participate, but donations of supplies and money will be accepted. We hope to see you there!
Need some inspiration? Some ideas about different takes on Advent wreaths are at this link. |
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Thanksgiving Potluck Lunch
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Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 11:45AM
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 Our Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner is this Sunday, November 22, immediately following the 10:30AM service. We hope you'll join in this simple (yet extravagant), casual potluck lunch.
All are invited to bring a dish to share. Main dishes, sides and desserts are all welcome. We serve buffet style.
We are most grateful to the Stewardship Team and Izabella Brugioni for volunteering to coordinate this event.
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Giving Thanks and Sharing Our Many Blessings
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You should have received this week a Stewardship email and should soon receive a stewardship brochure and pledge form in the mail. You'll find the email version at this link. We ask that you prayerfully consider your 2016 pledge to Grace. This Sunday, November 22, we'll bring our pledge forms and offerings to the altar during both services. |
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Annual Community of Congregations Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
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This Sunday, Nov. 22, 7PM at St. Giles, Oak Park
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 St. Giles Parish will host the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service of the Community of Congregations this Sunday at 7PM. Hind Makki of Interfaith Youth Core will be the keynote speaker and a freewill offering will support the work of the Interfaith Youth Core and the Holiday Food & Gift Basket Program. Hospitality will follow immediately after the service.
St. Giles is located at 1025 Columbian Ave., Oak Park, Illinois. |
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Join us as we celebrate Lil!
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 You're invited to a special 75th Birthday Party to honor Lil Hohmann and to thank her for the zillions of hours she has spent helping Grace Church. Please RSVP no later than November 18.
When: Saturday, November 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Parish Hall at Grace Church
Cost: $10 includes dinner and beverages. If writing checks, please write Lil's party on the memo line.
Sign up with Sue Wells or Leslie Atwood to both let us know you're coming and to volunteer to help cook, set-up or especially to clean-up!
Hope to see you all there to make this an especially wonderful evening.
-Sue Wells
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Presented by the Madrigal Choir of Grace
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 Please join us for our annual Christmas performance with beautiful music and amazing food.
Friday, December 11th 7PM
or
Saturday, December 12th 7PM Non-Dinner Seating also available.
Please use our reservation form at this link, call 708-357-7721, or email
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Vestry Meetings and Nominations for Vestry, Warden, and 2016 Diocesan Convention Delegates
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The vestry (board) of Grace, meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month. The meetings are open to the community. Our next meeting is Tuesday, November 24th at 7PM in the St. Hilda meeting room on the second floor of the parish house.
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 early 2016 (tentatively on January 31st). If you are interested in serving as either a Vestry member or Warden, please contact Shawn Schreiner or Barbara Larsen.
The nominating committee consists of the following members: Mary Hope Griffin, Sam Love, Chris Sculles, Shawn Schreiner, and Barbara Larsen.
If you have someone you wish to propose for nomination, we ask that you contact Shawn or Barbara 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 three vestry members and one warden. We will also be electing three delegates and three alternates to Diocesan Convention at our Annual Meeting. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please contact Shawn Schreiner. |
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Midwinter's Tales: Sweet Home December
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A benefit for Oak Park Festival Theatre and Prevail / Housing Forward
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 No matter which winter festivals we keep, December calls each us of home to celebrate. We all open our homes and hearts, sharing our bounty and our traditions that mark the fading year and welcome the one ahead. This year's Midwinter's Tales is called Sweet Home December and features the work of such authors as: Kenneth Graham, Anne Lamott, Claude McKay, John O'Donahue, John Steinbeck, James Thurber, and Derek Walcott. Please come in and share the warmth, wit, and wisdom of celebrated authors and composers as they keep their several December feasts.
The production is created and directed by parishioner Belinda Bremner, and parishioners Lascelles Anderson, Tony Dobrowolski and Ade Onayemi are performing.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Doors open with live music at 6:30PM
Program begins at 7PM, followed by a Holiday Reception
Grace Episcopal Church
924 Lake Street
Oak Park, IL 60301
Tickets:
Purchased in advance from www.oakparkfestival.com or the Oak Park Visitors Bureau on Lake Street : $30 General Admission, $25 Seniors, $10 Students, Under 13 FREE. Add $5 when tickets purchased at the door. |
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Grace Church, Hinsdale and the Oak Park Deanery present
Advent in Narnia: A Quiet Day
with the Rev. Heidi Haverkamp
Saturday, December 12, 2015
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Grace Episcopal Church, Hinsdale
120 East First St.
Hinsdale, IL 60521
630.323.4900
C.S. Lewis's novel for children, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is also a story for adults - a story about what it might look like if Christ appeared in a different world than ours: the land of Narnia, "where it's winter, but never Christmas."
Heidi will lead a conversation about her novel, Advent in Narnia, about faith and imagination, and having fun keeping Advent with the themes of Narnia in mind.
A simple lunch will be served; a free-will donation is requested.
The book will be for sale at the event for $12.00 (hardback).
You can also purchase it online from Amazon:
Advent in Narnia: Reflections for the Season
by Heidi Haverkamp by Westminster John Knox Press
Hardcover ~ Release Date: 2015-09-15
List Price: $16.00
Our Price: $8.02
Buy Now
Heidi Haverkamp grew up in Hyde Park, on the south side of Chicago, and now serves as parish priest of a small Episcopal congregation - St. Benedict, Bolingbrook - in the southwest Chicago suburbs. She is a Benedictine oblate (or lay associate) of Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, Wisconsin. Her popular blog is called The Vicar of Bolingbrook (vicarofbolingbrook.net). She's married, with two cats and a beagle. This is her first book.
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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.
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Participants in This Sunday's 10:30 Service
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November 22nd 10:30am Service:
MC/LEMS: Sam Love; Jim Redden, Natalia Reniszewski, Phoenix Sullivan, Julia Thomason, Bob Vogler
LECTORS: Barbara Larsen, Sam Love
INTERCESSORS: David de Jong, Gloria Rayburn
ALTAR GUILD: Heather Bovell, Flora Green, Kathy Onayemi, Willie Polite, Sally Prescott, Natalie Ratz, Marie Rock, Jane Shirley, Chuck Tupta
USHERS: Laura Morgan Day, Sam Love, Tony Riley, Donna Anderson
GREETERS: Ade Onayemi, Gloria Rayburn, Jane Shirley
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| Wednesday, November 18, 2015 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Schola/Scholars Rehearsal | 3:30 PM | | Handel Week Rehearsal in Choir Room | 6:00 PM | | St. Giles Catechesis, Levels 2 & 3 | 6:00 PM | | PADS Overnight Shelter | 7:30 PM |
Thursday, November 19, 2015 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Staff Meeting | 9:30 AM | | Evensong | 6:00 PM | | Healing Prayer Group | 6:30 PM | | SAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | Adult Choir Rehearsal | 7:30 PM |
Friday, November 20, 2015 | | Rector's Day Off | | | SLAA/SAA 12-Step Workshop | 9:05 AM |
Saturday, November 21, 2015 | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 9:30 AM | | Dinner Party for Lillian | 6:30 PM |
Sunday, November 22, 2015 | | The Rite Place - A service for the child in us all | 9:00 AM | | Catechesis of the Good Shepherd / Encounter | 9:30 AM | | Coffee Hour | 9:30 AM | | Lectionary Discussion Group | 9:45 AM | | Sung Choral Eucharist | 10:30 AM | | Thanksgiving Potluck Lunch | 11:45 AM | | Madrigals Rehearsal | 1:30 PM | | SLAA Women's Group | 5:30 PM | | Community of Congregations Thanksgiving Service at St. Giles Oak Park | 7:00 PM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | AA 12-Step Group | 8:30 PM |
Monday, November 23, 2015 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Organ Tuning | 10:00 AM | | Education for Ministry (EfM) | 7:00 PM | | Catechesis Level Meeting | 7:30 PM |
Tuesday, November 24, 2015 | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | SLAA 12-Step Group | 7:00 PM | | Vestry Meeting | 7:00 PM |
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 | | Wednesday Morning Eucharist | 7:00 AM | | SLAA/SAA Meeting | 9:00 AM | | Kitchen Reserved for Grace PADS Cooks | 3:00 PM | | Schola/Scholars Rehearsal | 3:30 PM | | Grace Staffs PADS Shelter | 6:30 PM | | PADS Overnight Shelter | 7:30 PM |
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