Adopt a Family Gift Collection
Donations due 12/10
This season of holiday giving has begun! Grace Episcopal has been matched with a family of five through the Adopt a family program with the Village of New Lenox. This will replace the giving we've done in the past through Morningstar Mission in Joliet, as they have restructured and no long do these types of collections. Anne Styx will have a paper sign up after the both services on Nov. 23rd. Items will be due back to church by Dec. 10th. Please consider choosing some wish list items to provide to this family to make their season bright. You can also email Anne directly at aestyx@yahoo.com and she will let you know what to provide.
Ingathering Potluck
Take some time to pray the prayer located on the back of the card and decide, with the help of God and the other members of your household, at what level you are able to contribute financially to Grace for next year. Then bring your filled out card on Sunday, November 23rd for our Ingathering Potluck where we will tally up the pledges, share a meal and celebrate Grace in action!
All Ages Devotional
December 1st-25th
Starting December 1st, you are invited to reflect on the mysteries of the season of Advent by reading All Creation Waits by Gayle Boss. The book comes in two versions, a longer, all ages version, and a picture book version perfectly suited for younger children. Both versions reflect on a different animal each day and how that animal survives in the depths of winter. We will not be reading this book together, but we will have a table set aside at coffee hour to discuss the book on Sundays and we also encourage you to make reading and reflecting on this book a daily practice in your own home or to gather in groups with other parishioners. We will have several copies of each version here at Grace available for a suggested donation of $20 and you can also find either addition online or at most book stores. https://gayleboss.com/all-creation-waits
Description from the publisher:
"Advent is the season of dwindling light and gathering cold – with a mystery at its core. Animals of the northern hemisphere enact that mystery. Watching them, we can find a way to face our primal fear of the dark and cold, a healthier way than falling into depression or spiraling into frenzied distraction.
For each day of Advent, All Creation Waits opens a window onto the world of an animal amazingly, ingeniously adapting when darkness and cold descend. The animals show us in twenty-five different ways the deep mystery and abiding truth at the heart of the Christ story: The dark is not an end, but the way a new beginning comes."
Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer Wk 1
Have you ever been curious about those red books sitting in the back of the pews? The Book of Common Prayer is at the heart of our Episcopal tradition. It contains a wealth of resources including personal prayers for different times in life, historical documents from the church, explanations of what we believe, and instructions for all of our services from Baptisms to funerals. Join us for a four week introduction to the Book of Common Prayer where we will learn the basics of what is inside and how to navigate it. It doesn't matter if you are a cradle Episcopalian or if you have never heard of this book before, there is always more to learn about this wonderful book.
Week 1: The Daily Office
Trivia Night
Help bring some light into the middle of your week by joining us for prayer, food, and fun this Advent. Each week we will begin in the church with a 15 minute prayer service where we will light candles and reflect on how we find Christ's light in the midst of a complicated world. Then we will move to the parish hall for some fun, food, and fellowship. Dinner will be soup and bread, with vegetarian and gluten free options available and our activity will be different each week. See below for details!
Bring a whole team or join one when you arrive. Test out your trivia knowledge by answering questions about Christmas movies, , cooking and more. There will be a prize for the winning team!
Deacon Bryan Ordination
On Saturday, December 6th Deacon Bryan is going to be ordained a priest at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Peoria, IL. The service will begin at 11 a.m. We will be organizing a Carpool for anyone interested in attending FILL OUT FORM HERE. Stay tuned for more information!
Fr. Bryan First Eucharist- Only 9:30AM service
Join us as Fr. Bryan will be celebrating his first Eucharist, here at Grace. We will have a single service at 9:30 a.m., followed by a reception.
Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer Wk 2
Have you ever been curious about those red books sitting in the back of the pews? The Book of Common Prayer is at the heart of our Episcopal tradition. It contains a wealth of resources including personal prayers for different times in life, historical documents from the church, explanations of what we believe, and instructions for all of our services from Baptisms to funerals. Join us for a four week introduction to the Book of Common Prayer where we will learn the basics of what is inside and how to navigate it. It doesn't matter if you are a cradle Episcopalian or if you have never heard of this book before, there is always more to learn about this wonderful book.
Week 2: Eucharist and Special Services
Gift Wrapping Night
Help bring some light into the middle of your week by joining us for prayer, food, and fun this Advent. Each week we will begin in the church with a 15 minute prayer service where we will light candles and reflect on how we find Christ's light in the midst of a complicated world. Then we will move to the parish hall for some fun, food, and fellowship. Dinner will be soup and bread, with vegetarian and gluten free options available and our activity will be different each week.
Join us to make Christmas magic for a family in need. We will be wrapping the gifts that we have collected for the Adopt-a-Family program. If you have already done your own shopping, you are also welcome to bring your own gifts to wrap. All supplies will be provided, but additional bows and ribbons are certainly welcome.
Youth Group Cookie Party
Teens in 6th grade thru 12th grade are invited to join us on 12/14, 6:00-8:00pm for a Christmas cookie decorating party! We will begin with a short Christmas themed Bible Study, then decorate (and sample) some delicious sugar cookies. We will also take some time to brainstorm ideas for fun activities and service projects that the Youth Group would like to do next year.
Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer Wk 3
Have you ever been curious about those red books sitting in the back of the pews? The Book of Common Prayer is at the heart of our Episcopal tradition. It contains a wealth of resources including personal prayers for different times in life, historical documents from the church, explanations of what we believe, and instructions for all of our services from Baptisms to funerals. Join us for a four week introduction to the Book of Common Prayer where we will learn the basics of what is inside and how to navigate it. It doesn't matter if you are a cradle Episcopalian or if you have never heard of this book before, there is always more to learn about this wonderful book.
Week 3: Pastoral Offices and Ordinations
Storytelling Night
Help bring some light into the middle of your week by joining us for prayer, food, and fun this Advent. Each week we will begin in the church with a 15 minute prayer service where we will light candles and reflect on how we find Christ's light in the midst of a complicated world. Then we will move to the parish hall for some fun, food, and fellowship. Dinner will be soup and bread, with vegetarian and gluten free options available and our activity will be different each week.
For centuries, people have gathered around fires in the darkness to tell stories. These days, we will gather around a crockpot of soup instead of fire, but we still have plenty of stories to share. Our gathering this evening will focus on the theme "Light in the Darkness." We invite you to tell a story, read a picture book, or share a poem, anything about 10 minutes or less. You are also welcome to just show up and listen.
Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer Wk 4
Have you ever been curious about those red books sitting in the back of the pews? The Book of Common Prayer is at the heart of our Episcopal tradition. It contains a wealth of resources including personal prayers for different times in life, historical documents from the church, explanations of what we believe, and instructions for all of our services from Baptisms to funerals. Join us for a four week introduction to the Book of Common Prayer where we will learn the basics of what is inside and how to navigate it. It doesn't matter if you are a cradle Episcopalian or if you have never heard of this book before, there is always more to learn about this wonderful book.
Week 4: Prayers and Historical Documents
Christmas Eve Family Service
Our 4:00pm service centers our younger parishioners and includes a special children's sermon and easy to sing hymns. If your child would like to be involved in the Christmas service in some way, please contact Jackie Mennella at jdmen3@yahoo.com
Christmas Eve Vigil Service
Our 10:00pm service is a more traditional Christmas service. We will gather in the church to sing Christmas carols half an hour before the service begins, then celebrate Eucharist together to welcome the birth of Christ into the world.
Christmas Day Service
Our 9:30am service is a quiet service without music. It is perfect for those who are seeking a more meditative experience that can be a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
