Dearly Beloved,
MIARAKA CLUB
I am delighted that so many children (and adults) joined the Miaraka Club. Pronounced Mee-ah-rah-kah, this Malagasy word means "Together." The Miaraka Club is an email-pal (or e-pal) club so we can join Together with children from our Companion Parish in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar. Here are the NAMES of the Malagasy children Together with the names of our kids, from 2 years old to 14 years old:
THINAH: Laila Hernandez; JULIANAH: Jaden Hernandez; SEDRANIAINA JEAN TRIDO: Peter Thompson; ERICK: Grant Keller; CLARISSE: Emily Craig; CLAUDE: Lukas Anibal Hernandez; ROSILIA: Caroline Bielski; THEODORA: Traettino (Jordan Haley Peterson); MARA RANDRIAMAHAZO: Sara Craig; DADAKELY: Mark Bozzano; MASY FLOMENE: Myra Peterson; ANDRIANIAINA JOCELIN DIEU: Kate Baddeley; OLIVIER: Nathan Appelbaum; ANJELINAH RASOA: Kristen Appelbaum; VAHA MARTINE: Hannah Benson; MARA ANTHONY: Ashley Benson; SAMBIANAKA: Traettino (Hudson Sheppard; MARA OLIVINE: Maddy Boutros.
We still have a number of children from age 2 to 13 who need an e-pal, so if you'd like to participate, please let me know. If you are getting this online, you can click here and get Writing Tips for emailing your e-pal. I am hoping to collect all the emails by March 15, and then I will send them all in one email to Fort Dauphin.
SUNDAY MORNING CHOIR REHEARSALS
Our magnificent choir works hard every Sunday to support our congregational singing and to offer exceptional anthems. The only place they have for rehearsing on Sundays is Founders Hall, from 8 o'clock until the beginning of the Nine O'Clock Service. As you can imagine, sometimes there is a lot of distracting noise as parishioners enter through the kitchen door and make their way across Founders Hall and then on to the church.
Beginning this Sunday, would you please enter through the Parish Office rather than through the kitchen? It will mean a great deal to our choir, and to me!
COMMUNITY MEAL
On March 7 it will once again be our turn at the Christ Episcopal Church Community Meal (Soup Kitchen) program in Waukegan. We help prepare the food, set the tables, serve the food, and clean up afterward. It is an important ministry, and if you haven't participated yet, please consider it as a Lenten discipline and joy to give it a try and your helping hand. Please sign up on the table across from the parish office.
BGMT― THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS MANAGEMENT TEAM
In the course of our work to develop the Master Plan for the Church building, a number of parishioners asked whether we had Master Plans for the residences. As a step in that direction, a professional home inspector visited both Marian House and the Rectory yesterday (Tuesday). His report will be presented to the BGMT as we continue to identify and prioritize our Buildings and Grounds needs and match them to our budget.
Faithfully yours,
SKIT REHEARSAL
Our 2nd Rehearsal for the Spring Skit is this Sunday, February 28th at 10:00 a.m. sharp (upstairs, during the Church School hour). All students please read through your script the day before, and be on time. Attendance required.
NAME TAG REQUESTS
If you would like a name tag to wear during services and special events, please contact the Parish Office.
YOUTH GROUP ADVENTURE TRIP
Sign up for the 2010 Adventure Trip! We will be traveling to Northern Wisconsin, to the Apostle Islands, biking and kayaking. The trip dates are August 1st-8th. Current 8th grade students and all high school students are eligible to join us. For more information, please see Erica or the trip flyer. We are limited to 15 spaces, so sign up with Erica ASAP!
3RD ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LENTEN FOOD DRIVE
Help St. Gregory's high school students with their 3rd annual Lenten Food Drive by donating non-perishable items through March 28th. Donation bags are located in the hallway outside of Erica's office. Items collected will be donated to the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry.
Food items most in need are: Peanut Butter, Jelly, Canned fruit (any kind), Canned meats and stews, Cereal; Coffee (one-pound cans); Cleaning supplies needed: Dish soap; Comet cleanser; Windex; Laundry detergent (small size); Fabric softener; Misc. items: Toilet paper; Kleenex; Napkins; Paper towels.
Our goal is to beat last year's collection of 210 pounds! Donations will be accepted until March 28th.
Also…more information will be provided soon for another high school project: Soles4Souls. New or 'gently used' footwear will be collected and donated to Soles4Souls for the people of Haiti.
LAST CALL! ST. GREGORY EPISCOPAL SCHOOL DINNER, SILENT AUCTION, DANCING
Saturday, March 6, Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, 6:00 p.m. Call 773-277-4447 ext. 13.
OUR 29TH TROOP CARE PACKAGE EVENT
Mark your calendar and join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16th for the 29th Troop Care Package Event. If you would like to help set up, we will begin at 5:00 p.m.
We can always use: socks; body wipes; hygiene items; baby powder; lens cleaner packets; ready-to-eat single serving food items (tuna packets or pop-top cans of spaghetti, chili, or soup); snacks (beef jerky, slim jims); single serving drink pouches (Crystal Light, Kool-Aid, Propel, Gatorade); bars (protein, granola, or power bars)
Donations can be placed in the hallway entry outside of Founders Hall. Please notify either Cissy or Nuala if you have an address to add to our mailing list. Our postage fee is now $10.70 per box.
St. Gregory's Church was recently awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the 378th Military Intelligence Battalion deployed from Fort Sheridan. We will share this with you on March 16th. Thank you for your continued support of this important ministry!
ST. GREGORY'S BOOK CLUB
Join us on April 8th at 7:30 p.m. for a discussion of Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross. For a thousand years, her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die–Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. In this riveting novel, the author paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.
In this international bestseller, Cross brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendor and shares the dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day.
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In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, particularly Pat Beuttas, Dorothy Collins, Larry Pilon, Joshua Potter, and Andrew Zint; our companion parish in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, and its leaders, Deacon Donné and Evangelist Tomboasy; the men and women serving in our armed forces and their families, especially remembering Pamela Aitchison, Tony Joseph Fennell, Jared Doty, Mark Kraus, Ilan Keldar, Justin Cloe, Richard Hayward, Robb Dunlap, Greg Hirsch, Jamie Mitchell, Chad Field, Brian Adamson, Hunter Levine, and Owen Leewis. Please contact the church office to add an individual or family to the Prayer List.
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