St. Gregory's hosted the 2009 Interfaith Thanksgiving Service for Deerfield and Highland Park last Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm. And as it happened, two of our parishioners were recognized for their Troop Support Ministry. The citation read, in part:
"In April 2005 Deerfield resident Nuala Kurokawa, whose son was serving in Iraq, and Highland Park resident Cissy Singleton, whose nephew was serving in Iraq, held their first Troop Care Package Assembly Night at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Deerfield. Beginning as a small parish outreach to men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, it now draws participants from throughout the Deerfield Community, of all faiths and none, united in a common desire to provide some tangible support for our soldiers’ sacrifices on behalf of our community and nation. Each package also includes a personal letter from the person who packed the box. Near the holidays hundreds of phone cards are sent to soldiers as well, and the Care Packages have seasonal themes, most recently Halloween candy, If a soldier’s parents or spouse would like to be included in the prayers at our Sunday services, Nuala or Cissy will give their names to the parish secretary, (At the time of this nomination, there are 11 soldiers on our continuing intercession list, only one of whom is from St. Gregory’s.) To date, well over 3,000 Care Packages have been sent overseas, and postage alone is nearly $11 a box. Occasionally the Troop Support Ministry helps in other ways. Recently $800 was given to a young Iraqi translator for English as a Second Language tuition; he had to flee Iraq because those who translate for our troops are targeted by some of their fellow countrymen as traitors."
If you click here you can see the bulletin and all the people who contributed to the wonderful service which garnered much praise from those who attended.
I want to thank Jim Collins, who coordinated the beautiful music, from the Deerfield High School Chamber Orchestra's Prelude, Offertory, and Postlude; to our own Susan Nelson who sang superbly (eliciting murmers of appreciation from a row of impressed listeners sitting behind me!); and from two quintessentially Anglican hymns played with all the stops pulled out, to Cantor Lynda Dresher's lively leading of "Oseh Shalom."
And special thanks to Altar Guild members Mary Keller and Cissy Singleton (who helped out for the service during which she was recognized!), Mike Hill who helped set up the coffee with Brian Hotopp; and Erica Jeglum who called in youth support from Ashley and Stuart Babcock and their house guest Anna from the University of Chicago, Derek and Brian Hill, Philip and Louis Lovacheff and their friend Brian, and Scott Schaper who helped me run off the extra 100 bulletins we needed because people kept pouring in beyond all expectation; and to Dorothy White, David Schaper, and Nuala, who also helped out on the occasion of her tribute!
Fortunately Cissy's husband Jeff was also on hand with a camera, and he took these two pictures:
Nuala is on the left, and Cissy is on the right.
Posing with Nuala and Cissy are Nathan Stopps and Kevin Shimer, two soldiers among the thousands who have received the books and magazines; personal care products, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and lens cleaner packets; socks and headbands; and all kinds of snacks, from beef jerkies to Swizzlers, cheese and crackers to puddings; ready-to-eat single serving foods (like tuna packets and snack bars, or pop-top cans of pasta or soup); and drinks (like Crystal Light and Gatorade) and, when the weather is colder, chocolates and warm drink mixes like coffee, tea, and chocolate, that have filled every Care Package from the beginning!
And during the collection the 214 people who attended the service contributed over $1200 for the Deerfield Emergency Fund and the Moraine Township Food Pantry.
A magnificent service in every way!
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