St. Blogory's: the internet café at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church, Deerfield, IL

"The Earth is Full of your Creatures" (Psalm 104:25)

Journey through Lent: The Seventh Step

Prepare to be dazzled.

 

Parish Newsletter

Dearly Beloved,

 EPISCOPAL SPIRITUAL LIFE RENEWAL [EASEL-R] UPDATE

"St. Gregory's final tally is 107 responses to the Spiritual Life Survey for a 71% return rate― that's significantly more than the 60% return rate considered to make a survey of this sort statistically sound. So congratulations and gratitude to all of you who participated.

This past Saturday, Vestry member Mary Furbush, Leigh VanderMeer, Jim Collins and I attended a workshop on the next phase of the EASEL-R project.

During Eastertide a small group of between 9 and 24 representative parishioners will meet four times to learn about the results of the survey and how to begin responding to its findings.

If you are invited to join this workshop team, we hope you will do everything you can to be able to participate.

ST. GREGORY'S YOUTH RETREAT

This Saturday, March 3, St. Gregory's youth will be leaving for a retreat at Christ Campus and Spiritual Center in Joliet.

This will be a time for us to grow as a group in fellowship, prayer, and reflection.

We will be leaving at 9 am on Saturday and returning around 2 pm on Sunday the 4th.

Because of the retreat, there will be no youth group on Sunday night. Youth group will resume as normal the following weekend on March 11.

SHROVE SUNDAY PANCAKE BRUNCH UPDATE

Plate count: 313 total for all plates/dishes/etc. washed during the event.

Please multiply your per plate contribution to our Youth Ministry and send or hand them in to the Parish Office or Bret Chandler.

And here are a few more pictures, these courtesy of Peggi Adams:

HOLY CROSS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH'S In the Shadow of the Cross LENTEN BOOKLET

Once again this year our sisters and brothers at Holy Cross produced daily meditations by parishioners, staff members, and guests from the wider Deerfield Community. And once again invited me to be one of the contributors (for Thursday, March 29).

This year you can read my meditation here.

OR Listen to it here! (Clearly not my voice!)

AND read or listen to each daily meditation here.

MARCH MADNESS ST. GREGORY'S STYLE

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 4: 10:10 AM―ACOLYTE TRAINING for all new acolytes right after the 9 o'clock service.

If your son or daughter is interested in becoming an acolyte please have them come by for this short training!

If you have any questions, call Archacolyte Louis Lovacheff at 847-948-8083. Louis Lovacheff

TUESDAY, MARCH 6: 7:00 PM―TROOP SUPPORT MINISTRY.

Set up will begin at 4 o'clock in Founders' Hall and packaging will begin at 7. Cissy Singleton & Nuala Kurokawa

also TUESDAY, MARCH 6: 7:00 PM―CANDIDATES' ASSEMBLY FOR THE MARCH 20 PRIMARY at Christ United Methodist Church, 600 Deerfield Road (one block east of Waukegan Road).

All the Candidates for our State Legislature and County Boards have been invited, and the public will be invited to mingle with the candidates after the 90-minute agenda is complete. Meredith Potter

SUNDAY, MARCH 18: 1:30 PM― ADULT CONFIRMATION in Founders' Hall (please see me for details)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21: 7:00 PM― THE BOOK CLUB will hold our 3rd YOUR CHOICE event in the Library.

Bring a book or two that you would like to recommend to the group.

We will set dates and pick book selections for the next 6 meetings.

If you have questions, contact Cissy Singleton: cissyvs@speakeasy.net or 847/831-2649. Cissy Singleton

SUNDAY, MARCH 25: 1:30 PM― ADULT CONFIRMATION in Founders' Hall (please see me for details)

IN THE CATEGORY, "AIN'T RETIREMENT GRAND"

THANK YOU FROM P.A.D.S.: PROVIDING ADVOCACY, DIGNITY, AND SHELTER

"Dear Friends,

"Thank you for your generous contribution of $500 to PADS Lake County. It is because of your support and the support of the entire PADS family of donors and volunteers that we were able to provide 70,518 nights of emergency shelter, 37,632 hours of case management, and 484,952 meals and snacks last year.

"This past year we have had to expand our services due to the increased number of homeless people stemming from the overall economic condition and the staggering unemployment that has gripped us as a community.

Many families who were living month-to-month have seen their landlords foreclosed upon and cannot afford the new higher market rate rents― these are some of our newest clients.

Additionally, we are beginning to see the number of homeless veterans swell as service men and women return from the current conflicts unable to maintain self-sufficiency with the myriad of troubles they must overcome such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Currently about one-quarter of the homeless are veterans.

"The entire PADS family and I are grateful that you have chosen us to be the steward of your philanthropy as we strive to fulfill our mission of "Providing Advocacy, Dignity, and Shelter."

Sincerely, David Neiman [handwritten: "Thank you!]

CHICAGO LIGHTHOUSE HOSTS "OPTIMIZING YOUR VISION" EVENT

The new Chicago Lighthouse Vision Rehabilitation Center will host a special "Optimizing Your Vision" program Thursday, April 12th and Sunday, April 15th at 222 Waukegan Road in Glenview. Free parking will be available.

The free two-day event will showcase the facility's cutting edge comprehensive low vision services, including adaptive technology, occupational therapy, psychological counseling.

Among highlights will be a radio show with a live studio audience focusing on vision challenges for seniors and new ways to live independently; presentations with Q & A from experts in vision care and adaptive technology; tours and hands-on demonstrations of the latest cutting edge low vision devices.

For further information on the April 12th and 15th event, please click here.

RSVPs will be required: Contact IIene Green at 312/997-3668 or ilene.green@chicagolighthouse.org.

+ + +

In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, especially

Peter Graves, Jeannie, Marti Ansttet, Peter Heck, Beverly Falbe, Genevieve Ten Eyck, Stanley Demski, Lauren Keller-Taylor, Sharon Moceri, and Andrew Zint;

our companion parish in Madagascar, Santa Grégoire, Tolagnaro, and their leader, Rev. Donné;

the men and women serving in the armed forces and their families, remembering especially Brian O'Lavin, Timothy Welton, Jason Greenman, Jamie Mitchell, Bob Morrissette, Ilan Kedar; and

for the faithful departed, especially remembering John Aberson.

Faithfully yours,

George Herbert

Journey through Lent: The Fifth Step

Today is the feast day of George Herbert, a Welsh-born English priest and poet who died in 1633.

I have always loved, and try always to remember, one of his most cherished adages:

"Nothing is little in God's service."

Wilderness

+ In the Love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

On the First Sunday after the Epiphany we had the story of Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan, and this morning on the First Sunday of Lent we revisit Jesus’ baptism. But now we learn that after the Spirit descends on Jesus with the gentleness of a dove, that same Spirit immediately drives Jesus out into the wilderness where he is tempted by Satan.

But why does the Spirit drive him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan?

Here’s what James R. Edwards writes in his commentary on The Gospel according to Mark:

“. . . the temptation . . . is . . . necessary . . . lest Jesus be imagined as a divine clone . . . who had no choice or desire of his own. The temptation establishes the free, sovereign agency of Jesus, who, like all human agents, must choose to make God’s will his own. The significance of that choice can be realized only in the context of an alternative and opposite choice posed by God’s adversary. Hence, Jesus must be ‘tempted by Satan’” (p. 40).

The Church begins Lent with Jesus’ baptism and his struggle in the wilderness to remind us that we too must choose to make God’s will our own.

As you may remember, Matthew and Luke also have stories about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, but Mark’s Gospel is the only one that refers to “the wild beasts.”

James Edwards sees the wild beasts as “a very specific point of contact with Mark’s Roman readers. Tacitus [a first century Roman senator and historian] spoke of [the Emperor] Nero’s savagery toward Christians in the sixties of the first century in these words: ‘[the Christians] were covered with the hides of wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs’ (Ann. 15:44).

“Given the ravaging of Christians by ferocious animals during Nero’s reign, . . . Mark [mentions] ‘with the wild beasts’ in order to remind his Roman readers that Christ, too, was thrown to wild beasts, and as the angels ministered to him, so, too, will they minister to Roman readers facing martyrdom’” (p. 41).

Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch who lived at the same time as Tacitus, was one of many Christians condemned to fight with wild beasts in Rome. Near the end of his journey from Antioch to Rome, he wrote a letter to the Church about his impending martyrdom:

“I am God’s wheat, and I am being ground by the teeth of wild beasts to make a pure loaf for Christ.  . . .  But if I suffer, I shall be emancipated by Jesus Christ; and united to him, I shall rise to freedom.  . . .  Come fire, cross, battling with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs, crushing of my whole body, cruel tortures of the devil― only let me get to Jesus Christ!” (Romans 4-5)

If Mark can describe the wilderness for first-century Romans in terms of “wild beasts,” how might we describe the wilderness for twenty-first century Americans?

I’ve just begun reading Bob Johansen’s book on leadership titled Get There Early: Sensing the Future to Compete in the Present. He describes two aspects of the twenty-first century wilderness.

The first aspect is the contrast between problems and dilemmas:

“Most of today’s leaders . . . were trained to problem-solve. They see problems everywhere, but they have trouble recognizing dilemmas. . . . Dilemmas are problems that cannot be solved, problems that won’t go away.  . . .  Most of today’s leaders were never taught how to win when faced with dilemmas” (p. xvii).

The second aspect of today’s twenty-first century wilderness is defined by the acronym “VUCA”―

the V stands for Volatility,

the U stands for Uncertainty,

the C stands for Complexity, and

the A stands for Ambiguity.

The acronym originated in the 1990s “from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania― the U.S. Army’s graduate school for generals-to-be. . .” (pp. 1-2).

Both aspects can be seen in the recent debate about contraception coverage. The “problem-solving” approach sees this debate in terms of religious freedom versus health care, but it has all the hallmarks of a dilemma: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

The same can be said about energy policy. The “problem-solving” approach sees this in terms of “drill, drill, drill” versus solar panels and wind turbines, but again, energy policy has all the hallmarks of a dilemma: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

So then, how do we respond to the dilemmas which confront us personally? Here is Johansen’s response:

“In order to thrive . . . people must . . . turn around the uncomfortable VUCA acronym by . . . having Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility” (p. 2).

While appreciating Johansen’s analysis, it seems to me that Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity describe Jesus’ world as well as ours:

We can see Volatility in the crowds that shout “Hosanna!” to Jesus on Palm Sunday and “Crucify him!” on Good Friday.

We can see Uncertainty as Jesus wrestles with God’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We can see Complexity when Jesus is asked whether it’s lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not.

And we can see Ambiguity when the Pharisees and scribes bring to Jesus a woman taken in adultery.

But we can also see how Jesus turns it all around when he replaces Volatility with Vision and says “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

We can see how Jesus turns it all around when he replaces Uncertainty with Understanding, and prays to God “your will be done” (Matthew 26:36-46).

We can see how Jesus turns it all around when he replaces Complexity with Clarity and says, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:15-22).

And we can see how Jesus turns it all around when he replaces Ambiguity with Agility and says to the Pharisees and Scribes, “Let the one without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:2-11).

As we enter our own particular wildernesses this Lent, may Jesus grant us his Vision, his Understanding, his Clarity, and his Agility, so that we may have the grace both to choose God’s will and to do God’s will.

Amen.

PreAching (2)

Journey through Lent: The Fourth Step

Faithful PreAching requires Pre-aching:

Pre-Aching for the Word of God.

Pre-Aching for the World of God.

Pre-Aching for the People of God.

PreAching

Journey through Lent: The Third Step

I'm tempted, this being Lent, to simply leave the single word in today's title.

In fact, I've just given in to temptation.

(Apart from these few words.)

I'll comment on it tomorrow.

In the meantime, would any of you care to offer a comment?

“. . . your Father who is in secret. . . .”

Journey through Lent: The Second Step

“But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

Among my homiletic roads not traveled yesterday was “Secret Street.” The word “secret” occurs six times in the Ash Wednesday Gospel.

“Secret” is the English translation for the Greek original kruptw = crypto. And looking that up in my handy-dandy (and hefty-hefty) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament I discovered this entry:

“In all true religion there is an awareness of a reality which [humans] cannot reach by ordinary perception.  . . .  The deity is hidden” (Volume III, p. 961).

And then today, perusing the Science Times section in The New York Times, my eye was drawn to Dennis Overbye’s article titled “There’s More to Nothing Than We Knew.” It reads in part:

“Why is there something, rather than nothing at all?

“It is, perhaps, the mystery of last resort. Scientists may be at least theoretically able to trace every last galaxy back to a bump in the Big Bang, to complete the entire quantum roll call of particles and forces. But the question of why there was a Big Bang or any quantum particles at all was presumed to lie safely out of scientific bounds, in the realms of philosophy or religion.

“Now even that assumption is no longer safe, as exemplified by a new book by the cosmologist Lawrence M. Krauss. In it he joins a chorus of physicists and cosmologists who have been pushing into sacred ground, proclaiming more and more loudly in the last few years that science can explain how something — namely our star-spangled cosmos — could be born from, if not nothing, something very close to it. God, they argue, is not part of the equation.”

Unfortunately, and predictably, the new book doesn’t really deliver, as Mr. Overbye points out in a paragraph commenting on one of Dr. Krause’s three kinds of nothingness― “a deeper nothing in which even the laws of physics are absent. Where do the laws come from? Are they born with the universe, or is the universe born in accordance with them?”

Looks like our Father who is in secret is safely hidden still!

P. S.

There’s another quotation in this article which I loved:

“The universe,” Alan H. Guth, a physicist at M.I.T., likes to say, “might be the ultimate free lunch.”

Score one more for our Father who is in secret. Just replace “free lunch” with “grace.”

P. P. S.

While we're on the subject of the Universe, and why there should be anything at all, try clicking here. And then score one more for our Father who is in secret.

“. . . yet even at the grave. . . .”

Journey through Lent: The First Step

Today is Ash Wednesday in the English-speaking Anglican world. In Wales, this is Dydd Mercher y Lludw: the Wednesday of the Ashes.

After weeks of intermittant posts, my Lenten discipline this year, as it was last year, is a return to daily posts during these forty days.

This first post is the sermon I preached today.

+ In the Love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

These are the words we hear every Ash Wednesday, and as I say them over each of you, and as they are said over me, I cannot help but reflect that between now and the next Ash Wednesday I may go down to the dust, or one of you may go down to the dust.

As I thought about what I might say this morning I remembered these words from The Commendation portion of the Church’s service of the Burial of Dead (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 499), words addressed to God:

“You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, ‘You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

And then this Commendation concludes with these stunningly defiant words: “All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

We don’t often think of Lent as a time to be defiant. Usually we think of Lent as a time of self-examination, penitence, and the knowledge of our mortality. And these are important aspects of Lent.

But the goal of Ash Wednesday and Lent is Easter, and tonight we are beginning our journey from dust to resurrection.

Here’s how St. Paul describes the journey from dust to resurrection in his extraordinary chapter on resurrection in his letter to the Church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 15:45-49):

“The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam”― by which Paul means Jesus― “became a life-giving spirit.  . . . The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man”― Jesus― “is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

So let us make a defiant Lent, defiant against all those things which try to bring us down to the dust, so that even at the grave we will be able to make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

 

Parish Newsletter

Dearly Beloved,    

SHROVE SUNDAY PANCAKE BRUNCH REPORT AND THANK YOU"

We had yet another wonderful Sunday Pancake Brunch this year thanks to all the help and support of the youth and volunteers.

Everybody worked really hard from Saturday to Sunday afternoon to make the brunch happen.

With great music from Rob Cunningham, excellent service from our youth leaders and youth, an awesome set-up crew, an amazing staff of cooks, devoted dish washers, and a hungry and energetic group of St. Gregory's parishioners, a good time was had by all!

Thank you so much for participating in the brunch this year--it was truly a memorable event! Bret Chandler

People who made the Pancake Brunch happen:

YOUTH: Cassie Lemrise, Derek Hill, Mark Bozzano, Chloe Seghers, Jake Hamilton, Josh Hamilton, Allison Appelbaum, Kristen Appelbaum, Nathan Appelbaum, Hannah Benson, Ashley Benson, Philip Lovacheff, Louis Lovacheff, Ashley Babcock, Aurora Raimondi, Andrew Boutros, Maddy Boutros.

ADULTS: Bill Foltz: Chief Organizer; Kitchen: Earl and Maryellen Davis, Janet Foltz (Organizer and Cook), John Craig (Cook), Art Bielski (Cook); Serving: Cathie Lovacheff, Woodie Lovacheff, Barb Schaper; Sunday Set-up and serving: Cherie Thompson; Saturday and Sunday Set-up, clean-up, and serving: Judy McCann; Dish Sanitizing and Rent-A-Priest Counter: David Schaper; Pictures: Damaris and Maddy Boutros; Music: Rob Cunningham; Saturday and Sunday Set-up, clean-up, organizer: Tracy-Webster Babcock; Tickets, sign, and groceries: Lauren Hill; Saturday Set-up: Dan Appelbaum; Saturday and Sunday Set-up, Sunday Clean-up: Paula Hamilton; Sunday Clean-up: David and Matthew Schaper; Dishes: Bill Roberts and Leigh VanderMeer.

And here are some pictures, courtesy of Madeline and Damaris Boutros:

THIS COMING FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT

From 1:30 to 3:00 pm, please join me for the first in a series of Lenten Refresher, Inquirer's, or Confirmation Classes― depending on your desire!

We will also meet on the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays in Lent, March 4, 11, 18, and 25.

For those who will decide to be confirmed, received, or to reaffirm their Baptismal vows, the Waukegan Confirmation Service will be here at St. Gregory's on Saturday, April 14, at 11:00 am.

MARCH MADNESS ST. GREGORY'S STYLE

SUNDAY, MARCH 4: 10:10 AM―ACOLYTE TRAINING for all new acolytes right after the 9 o'clock service. If your son or daughter is interested in becoming an acolyte please have them come by for this short training! If you have any questions, call Archacolyte Louis Lovacheff at 847-948-8083. Louis Lovacheff

TUESDAY, MARCH 6: 7:00 PM―TROOP SUPPORT MINISTRY. Set up will begin at 4 o'clock in Founders' Hall and packaging will begin at 7. Cissy Singleton & Nuala Kurokawa

also TUESDAY, MARCH 6: 7:00 PM―CANDIDATES' ASSEMBLY FOR THE MARCH 20 PRIMARY at Christ United Methodist Church, 600 Deerfield Road (one block east of Waukegan Road). All the Candidates for our State Legislature and County Boards have been invited, and the public will be invited to mingle with the candidates after the 90-minute agenda is complete. Meredith Potter

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21: 7:00 PM― THE BOOK CLUB will hold our 3rd YOUR CHOICE event in the Library. Bring a book or two that you would like to recommend to the group. We will set dates and pick book selections for the next 6 meetings. If you have questions, contact Cissy Singleton: cissyvs@speakeasy.net or 847/831-2649. Cissy Singleton

LENTEN MEDITATIONS

This year's Lenten Meditations courtesy of Episcopal Relief and Development are available in the Church and on the Tract Rack opposite the Parish Office.

At the end of the booklet, there is an envelope in case you'd like to make a contribution to the work of Episcopal Relief and Development as part of your Lenten Discipline.

EPISCOPAL SPIRITUAL LIFE RENEWAL [EASEL-R] UPDATE

"The Spiritual Life Survey period for St. Gregory's Episcopal Church has closed. We received 96 completed surveys. We will begin analyzing the data and preparing your report. The report will be sent via email to the senior pastor within 30 days. Thank you for your participation! The REVEAL Team."

This Saturday, Mary Furbush, Leigh VanderMeer, Jim Collins, and I will attend a workshop on the upcoming four upcoming workshops at St. Gregory's when we will have the chance to share our own congregation's Spiritual Life Survey results.

CONGRATULATIONS CORNER

Parish Librarian Sue Koy's daughter, Dr. Karen Koy, is an assistant professor in the department of biology at Missouri Western State University. Karen has just been named as the recipient of the 2012 Governor's Award for Excellence in Education.

A nominating committee of the academic deans, associate provost for academic affairs and president of the Faculty Senate selected her from among faculty members who have received university recognition for teaching, scholarship, and service.

Governor Jay Nixon will present Karen with her award at a time to be determined. She teaches physical geology, meteorology, paleontology and an honors colloquium on science and pseudoscience, and consistently receives high praise on her teaching from students.

THE NIGHT MINISTRY. . .

. . . received excellent coverage in an article in The Chicago Sun-Times. To see the article, please click here.

Also, please bring your new or gently used socks to the box in Founder's Hall to give to the homeless via The Night Ministry. Practical socks, fun socks, kids socks, holiday socks, any kind of socks. This is what they need. Also deodorant, if you have any to donate. Let's do it! Gail Bozzano, Melly Peterson, and Peggi Adams

BOY SCOUT TROOP AND PACK 50 CHARTERS FOR 2012

Last Wednesday evening, February 15, at a Troop 50 Court of Honor, I was honored to receive on St. Gregory's behalf our Charter to "carry on the Scouting Program for Character Development, Citizenship Training, and Mental and Physical Fitness."

This is our 53rd year in serving the youth in our area, and it is truly an outreach for our community this year because apparently none of our parishioners is currently on the Troop roster.

For parishioners who may not be aware of Troop 50's achievements, our Troop produces Eagle Scouts the way most Troops produce Tenderfoot Scouts!

I took the opportunity to thank the Troop for their help during our Fall and Spring Clean-ups, and most recently for electrical and sump-pump upgrades in our basement where the Troop houses its equipment and supplies.

+ + +

In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, especially, Donald Ten Eyck, Genevieve Ten Eyck, Stanley Demski, Elena Wilson, Jack Therrian, Gordo Long, Mark Kirk, Lauren Keller-Taylor, Sharon Moceri, and Andrew Zint;

our companion parish in Madagascar, Santa Grégoire, Tolagnaro, and their leader, Rev. Donné;

the men and women serving in the armed forces and their families, remembering especially Brian O'Lavin, Timothy Welton, Jason Greenman, Jamie Mitchell, Bob Morrissette, Ilan Kedar; and

for the faithful departed, especially remembering Rick Olesky.

Faithfully yours,

Parish Newsletter

Dearly Beloved,    

 

 

 

 

THIS SUNDAY IS OUR SHROVE SUNDAY PANCAKE BRUNCH AND RENT-A-PRIEST WITH BILL ROBERTS AND LEIGH VANDERMEER!

From 10:00 to 11:30 am our youth and youth volunteers will be serving breakfast to the congregation, so please support our youth program and come and buy your tickets and sign up for Rent-A-Priest!

YOUTH GROUP NEWS

Lock In

Last Friday the St. Gregory's youth celebrated a 2012 Lock In. We began at EsKape for bowling, laser tag, and dinner before returning to the church for group activities, worship, and late night movies. We also learned a new prayer, the Tebow Prayer which is documented in the picture:

Sr. High Bowling

Last Sunday night was Sr. High bowling night. We had a great group and we all enjoyed the time together. We began a bit rusty, but I think returned to our true bowling form after some pizza.

THANK YOU FROM SUSAN NELSON

Thank you so much to everyone who came to our recital this past Sunday! It was wonderful to have such a nice crowd (and supportive one) come out and hear us sing! A special thanks to those who made baked goods and coffee for the reception following! Thanks again! - Susan Nelson, Mark Craig and Jim Collins

THE NIGHT MINISTRY

Bring your new or gently used socks to the box in Founder's Hall to give to the homeless via The Night Ministry. Practical socks, fun socks, kids socks, holiday socks, any kind of socks. This is what they need. Also deodorant, if you have any to donate. Let's do it! Gail Bozzano, Melly Peterson, and Peggi Adams

Adults and Youth between ages of 13-20 are invited to take a Night Ministry Van Tour on Tuesday, March 20, or Wednesday, April 25. All tours start at either Ravenswood Headquarters or Open Door West Town shelter. For more information, see the Bulletin Board opposite the Parish Office.

TROOP SUPPORT MINISTRY NEWS

The 38th Troop Package Event will be held on March 6th from 7-9 p.m. in Founder's Hall. Set up will begin at 4 o'clock and packaging will begin at 7. And we give thanks for the safe return of Cary Clark from Afghanistan. Cissy & Nuala

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN LENT:

LENTEN MEDITATIONS: This year's Lenten Meditations courtesy of Episcopal Relief and Development are available in the Church and on the Tract Rack opposite the Parish Office.

At the end of the booklet, there is an envelope in case you'd like to make a contribution to the work of Episcopal Relief and Development as part of your Lenten Discipline.

You also have the option of signing up for the 2012 Lenten email version from Episcopal Relief & Development. Each day during Lent you will receive a daily reflection, in both English and Spanish, co-authored by a group of respected leaders from across the Episcopal Church. During this season of reflection on our Christian faith, their writings will enhance your spiritual journey as they both inspire and challenge you. If you are reading this online, just click on this link; if you are reading the print edition, please send me an email and I can send you the link.

Sign up to Receive our Daily Lenten Meditations by Email  

ADULT CONFIRMATION, LENTEN REFRESHER, AND INQUIRERS' CLASS

This coming First Sunday in Lent, February 26, from 1:30 to 3:00 pm, I will teach a series of classes for those who:

+ are interested in learning about the Christian Faith as the Episcopal Church has received it, or

+ would like to become members not only of our parish but of the world-wide Anglican Communion, or

+ would like a Lenten Refresher Course, or

+ would like to re-affirm their Baptismal Vows, or

+ would like to be confirmed or received into "this Branch of Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. "

The Classes will include Crash Courses on the History of the Christian Church and on the Bible, and at our first meeting I'll ask if there's anything you want to make sure we cover.

We will also meet on the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays in Lent, March 4, 11, 18, and 25.

For those who will decide to be confirmed, received, or to reaffirm their Baptismal vows, the Waukegan Confirmation Service will be here at St. Gregory's on Saturday, April 14, at 11:00 am.     

CANDIDATES' ASSEMBLY FOR THE MARCH 20 PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT

On Tuesday, March 6th from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Christ United Methodist Church, 600 Deerfield Road (one block east of Waukegan Rd.) will host this Lake County United gathering to ask candidates about their commitments to

• create a Lake County Housing Trust Fund—a locally controlled, flexible fund to mitigate the foreclosure crisis in the near-term, and allow for the creation of more attainable housing in the long-term.

• build a new state-of-the-art facility for Winchester House, the county's safety-net nursing home in Libertyville. (The $36 million new facility would be paid for out of the Winchester House budget and not require any new taxes or general revenue funds from the County.)

• maintain a respectful working relationship with Lake County United should they win the election in March & November.

All the Candidates for our State Legislature and County Boards have been invited, and the public will be invited to mingle with the candidates after the 90-minute agenda is complete.

+ + +

In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, especially, Genevieve Ten Eyck, Stanley Demski, Elena Wilson, Jack Therrian, Gordo Long, Mark Kirk, Francis, Raquel Titrud, Ed Kussler, Dawn Hainsworth, Lauren Keller-Taylor, Sharon Moceri, and Andrew Zint;

our companion parish in Madagascar, Santa Grégoire, Tolagnaro, and their leader, Rev. Donné;

the men and women serving in the armed forces and their families, remembering especially Brian O'Lavin, Timothy Welton, Jason Greenman, Jamie Mitchell, Bob Morrissette, Ilan Kedar; and

for the faithful departed, especially remembering Kaye Cornish Churchill and Ian Painter.

Faithfully yours,