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If this News & Notes is clipped, click blue underlined link "View entire message" at bottom to see LINKS to Parish Member Directory, Server Schedule, and other items.
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News & Notes: Week of August 19, 2018
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Announcements on Liturgy from Fr. Scott
Sunday, August 26 at 9 a.m., I'll be hosting a discussion on the possible return of the 8 a.m. service.
St. Ann's previously had this service weekly, but the service was ended during the interim period. Before bringing the service back, I'd like to gauge interest in the service time, but also to have a conversation about what role the service might play in the life of St. Ann's. If you would like to be a part of the conversation, please join me Sunday, August 26 at 9 a.m.
On another liturgical note: I'm calling all children, teens, and adults who may be interested in a role as an an acolyte or worship assistant.
Leadership of worship involves more than just a priest! Acolytes and worship assistants will vest, help set the table, and assist with other liturgical functions. Any child old enough to carry a liturgical object, and any adult (of any age!) can serve. We'll be having an "acolyte boot camp" on
Sunday, September 16 immediately after worship
to review acolyte roles with current acolytes, and to invite new folks into the acolyte/worship assistant corps. Come join us, and contact me (
[email protected]
) if you have any questions.
Peace,
Fr. Scott
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A Word from The Rev. Lynn White,
Priest Associate
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Irony
If there is one statement which is a truism, I think this is it.
Our lives are diffused with irony
! It starts at birth. An innocent, dependent newborn rules a household with an iron fist. An hours old infant can command attention simply by a loud wail, without words or strength. A tiny little bundle of humanity can make people jump faster than any elected official. Parents hunger for a baby to grow, sleep through the night, sit, walk, talk, and then they are saddened by the rapid changes, dismayed by the tiny child’s ability to wreak havoc, growing too quickly.
The momentum of irony continues. A tortoise wins a race against a hare. In an effort to teach independence and a new skill, parents teach a child to ride a bike, and then lament that the bike can carry their child too far. We focus on speed, and miss the little things. We say silence is golden, but where is the bank that stores silence? The very person whose job it is to uphold the law breaks it.
The dictionary defines irony as an event or result that is the direct opposite of what is expected.
Author Logan Pearsall Smith in his
Afterthoughts
put it well. “What with its crude awakenings can youth know of the rich returns of awareness to elderly people from their afternoon naps; of their ironic thoughts and long retrospections, and the sweetness they taste of not being dead?” The nap that the three year old champions against is usually surrendered to and becomes a sweet golden gift of the elderly.
Once again, I was inspired by
The Northwest Herald
columnist Jack DeRue in the July 29th Sunday edition. His 2nd bit of trivia read, “The total number of words in the Bible is more than 800,000.” Of course, this number can vary depending on the translation used and whether or not The Apocrypha is included. Nevertheless, this is an amazing number of words which come to us via oral tradition, numerous authors, and many believe, the Word of God.
Included in the abundant words of Scripture, irony runs rampant. Right from the beginning in Genesis, Eve is tempted by a snake. How ironic is that? Most women, perhaps men too, would have run from the snake, not tempted by it. Chapter after chapter we see illustrations of irony. When Sarah is told she will have a child, even though she is ninety, she laughs. And, then, Isaac is born. When a Hebrew mother hides her son in a basket in the bull rushes to escape death, he is found by Pharaoh’s daughter. When the child is grown, named Moses, he became the leader of the Exodus. The giant, Goliath, is slain by a boy, David, with a slingshot. The five thousand are fed miraculously by 5 loaves and 2 fishes. However, It was not that food which Jesus wanted the crowd to hunger for, rather the bread which becomes Jesus’ body and gives Eternal Life.
The biggest irony of all is that the anticipated King, the Savior of the world arrives to a child/mother in a stable and is willing to die to give us life. This baby, Jesus, is omnipotent and grows to not only multiply loaves and fishes, but becomes bread himself, food to save us all.
Today’s irony is that just one word in the 800,000 thousand words on which all depend is The Word. “…the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Jn1:1) “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” (Jn1:3) Jesus gives us the sweetness of not being dead, instead, hope for eternity life. Or, maybe it is not irony in Scripture at all, but God’s power and love.
To God be the glory. Amen!
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Woodstock Food Pantry Update
With the assistance of Howard McCarthy, 182 pounds of food and supplies were delivered to the food pantry. This gives us a total for June, July, and August of 339 pounds! Thank you to everyone for your generosity, as many families are assisted by these donations.
Donation requests for the Woodstock Food Pantry will be passed with the offering plates on the first Sunday of each month. Please take a slip of paper, buy the item, and place donations in the box labeled "Woodstock Food Pantry" in the parish hall. Thank you for your generosity! Our Woodstock Food Pantry board representatives are Jean Radford and Vic Chudoba.
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Direct Assistance Program
Woodstock Area Community Ministries (WACM) has a program to assist families in need, known as the DAP (Direct Assistance Program). Currently, the small staff meets only twice per month on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, from 12:00pm until 3pm at Grace Lutheran Church. There is a need for additional volunteers so that the schedule may be expanded to meet the needs of the Woodstock area. If you are interested in assisting, please contact
Jay Needleman
or
Vic Chudoba
.
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Third Sunday Sack Lunches
Next Date: Sunday, September 16, 2018
Thank you to all who helped and donated for our Third Sunday Sack Lunch (TSSL) fellowship on August 19th
. We delivered lunches to the shelter at Turning Point and to the McHenry County permanent PADS site on Kishwaukee Valley Road.
Our next Third Sunday Sack Lunch ministry will be on September 16th
. Look for the donation signup sheet in the parish hall. If you have questions or comments, please just ask. Thank you for your continued generosity and participation,
Jay Needleman
, (312) 608-1009.
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Lobster Fest 2018 is October 20
As many of you are aware, this year's Lobster Fest is set for
Saturday, October 20, 2018
. This year, 100% of our proceeds will be given to TLS Veterans! TLS Veterans provides valuable assistance to our local veterans by providing housing assistance, employment assistance, veteran peer support, and transitional living. To find out more about TLS Veterans, please go to
tlsveterans.org
. For more information about Lobster Fest, stay tuned, or contact Vince Castillo or Karen Kerbyson.
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If you are someone who needs a ride to church on Sundays, or if you are someone who can offer a ride to church for someone on occasion, please let Fr. Scott know at
[email protected]
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Parents with children are invited to sit in the front pews, where there is a small table and chairs for children. Episcopal worship is a visual as much as a spoken experience, and it helps children to see the action of the priest and altar attendants. Coloring sheets are available on the table, and don't fret about a little squirming!
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Matthew writes (18:20) that Jesus says, "... where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
Do consider joining fellow parishioners on Sunday mornings, after having coffee, for Bible Study
. Most Sundays, 11:30am, the Gospel for the following Sunday is pondered. Believing that Jesus is present in each of us, we listen to each person's questions, hear everyone's responses to the reading, and then discuss the impact on our faith and lives. A noted Episcopal Biblical scholar's lectionary is also part of the study to help deepen our understanding and faith. You, your thoughts, and ideas would add so very much. Please join us. For more information, ask
Vic Chudoba
or
The Rev. Lynn White
.
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WACM Multimedia Presentations with Live Performances
Musical Theater Charities of Woodstock and the Woodstock Opera House have announced additional stories behind the making of famous musicals. The shows combine scans of rare photos, original graphics, edited audio tracks and video clips, live performers, and a scripted narrative.
Ten
organizations, including Woodstock Area Community Ministries, share in the profits.
Buy tickets directly from the
Woodstock Opera House
, $10 for the matinee and $15 for the evening performance.
See Jay Needleman for more information. Upcoming shows are at 1:30pm and 7:00pm on Tuesdays as follows:
- The Creation of Oklahoma! - September 25
- The Creation of My Fair Lady - October 23
- Making a List: The Secular Songs of Christmas - December 11
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Sign Up for Altar Flowers
If you would like to contribute Sunday altar flowers in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a special event, please sign up on the roster in the Communications Corridor, and send/make a contribution. The Altar Guild will take care of the rest. Contact
Nancy Phillips
(815-337-2004) or
Ruth Cotton
(815-479-9088).
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- Thursday, August 23, 9:00am - Noon, Fr. Scott's Office Hours
- Thursday, August 23, 9:30am, Needlepoint
- Friday, August 24, 9:30am, Bridge Group
- Friday, August 24, 7:00pm - 10:00pm, Congregation Tikkun Olam Shabbat Service
- Saturday, August 25, 9:00am - 2:00pm, Vestry Retreat
- Saturday, August 25, 9:15am, Centering Prayer
- Sunday, August 26, 9:00am, Discussion: Return of 8:00am Service
- Sunday, August 26, 10:00am, Holy Eucharist
- Sunday, August 26, 11:30am, Bible Study
- Tuesday, August 28, 7:00am - 9:00am, Coffee w/Fr. Scott @ Ethereal Confections
- Tuesday, August 28, 9:00am - Noon, Fr. Scott's Office Hours
- Wednesday, August 29, 7:00pm, Choir Practice
- Thursday, August 30, 9:00am - Noon, Fr. Scott's Office Hours
- Thursday, August 30, 9:30am, Needlepoint
- Friday, August 31, 9:30am, Bridge Group
- Saturday, September 1, 9:15am, Centering Prayer
- Sunday, September 2, 10:00am, Holy Eucharist
- Sunday, September 2, 11:30am, Bible Study
- Monday, September 3, Labor Day
- Tuesday, September 4, 7:00am - 9:00am, Coffee w/Fr. Scott @ Ethereal Confections
- Tuesday, September 4, 9:00am - Noon, Fr. Scott's Office Hours
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News and Notes & Sunday Bulletin Announcements
News & Notes is published approximately every two weeks. To include an article in News & Notes, please email
[email protected].
To submit an article for the weekly announcements in the Sunday bulletin, please contact
Fr. Scott Zaucha
.
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