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Worship Times
Sundays, 8 & 10 am
Nursery available at 9:45
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Coffee Hour fellowship follows both services;
join us for treats, and conversation
 Children's Worship meets every Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
PLEASE NOTE:
Children's Worship will NOT meet this Sunday, December 3. |
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Clergy & Staff
Rev. Barbara Bishop, Deacon
Amy Noe, Parish Administrator
Sandra Molyneux, Organist and Choir Director
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Parish Vestry
(term expires)
Marge Smith, Warden
(1/19)
Cate Williams, Warden
(1/18)
Peter Becker, Treasurer
Judy Tracy, Clerk of the Vestry
Members:
(1/18) Michael Choquette, Mark Cornelissen, Dan McLauglin
(1/19) John Amrein, Peter Carroll, Jerry Kolarczyk
(1/20) Tracy Higgins, Judy Thornton, Sally Van Vranken
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Monthly Events
The next CRYSTAL LAKE FOOD PANTRY volunteer opportunity is in January. Date will be announced soon. Contact Chris Bednaroski if you can help. Shift times are 9:30-Noon, and Noon-2:30.
A LABYRINTH WALK is normally held on the second Saturday of every month, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, in the Great Hall. All are welcome.
The next scheduled walk is
Saturday, December 9.
CENTERING PRAYER meets the first and third Tuesday of every month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. Contact Rev. Fran with any questions, or for more information.
TAIZE is an ecumenical, meditative common prayer, incorporating song, chant, scripture readings, and silence. People of ALL faith traditions are welcome this monthly candlelight service. The services are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, 461 Pierson St. The next service will be held Tuesday, December 26.
A FREE COMMUNITY MEAL
is offered at St. Mary's on the third Saturday of every month. The meal is served from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and ALL are welcome. There is no RSVP required. Free will donations will be accepted. Please watch the newsletter and website for the menu, which will be published a week or two before the event. The next Community Meal is Saturday, December 16.
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We Pray For
Parishioners
: Jim, Pat, John, Bob, Heather, Charity, Sharon, Cameron & Linda, the Wayne family, Matthew, John, Dn. Barb, Karen, Ann, Galen & Betsy, Bob, Harry & Marion
Family/Friends
: Cheri,
Kevin, Billy, Kelly, David, Johnny, Bob, Pete, Susie, Nanci, Carole, Donna, Sue, Mary, Diana, Kelly Marie, Alyssa, Lori, Kurt, Gail, Regina, Katie, Darcy, Irene, Julie, Betty, Barb, Raven, Sue, Susan, Nancy, Maggie, Nicci,
Brian,
Sarah,
Judie
Those Who Have Died and Those Who Mourn Them
Robert
,
father of Jackie Wayne; Betty, cousin of Peter & Catherine Carroll; Phyllis, friend of Galen & Betsy Vargason
Those Serving in the
Armed Forces
Jeremy, Ryan, Terry,
Dan, Corey
12.4 Jane McLean
Anniversary
Nov 30-Dec 4
12.2 Mark & Kathy
Vernsten
If you would like your name added to the birthday / anniversary list, please contact Amy in the Parish Office.
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From the Rector
Dear Friends and Parishioners of St. Mary's,
This Sunday we are entering into the holy season of Advent. Advent is a season of hopeful waiting and anticipation. It is the season in which we prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Christ. This Sunday we will begin the season with an 8:00 a.m. Eucharist followed by a 10:00 a.m. service of "Advent Lessons and Carols." (Please note there is no Eucharist at the 10:00 .m. service this Sunday).
Advent is my favorite season of the liturgical year. As the days grow shorter and we spend more time in darkness I am drawn to the glow of candles on Advent wreaths, and Christmas lights on houses and store windows, all of which remind me that the light of Christ burns brightest in the darkness of our world. As we live into this Advent season we are called to be expectant people of hope pointing to the presence of God in our world and in our day-to- day lives. In this world that seems so full of darkness let us be bearers of the light of Christ for all to see and experience. May you experience the hope and light of Christ this holy season.
On Saturday we will celebrate with our annual senior holiday lunch, which begins at 11:30 a.m. All seniors in the parish are welcome to join us for this festive lunch. Sandy will be with us to lead us in singing Christmas carols. Please RSVP to Amy in the office. I am looking forward to being with you all.
See you all on Sunday
Fran+
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Rev. Fran Out of the Office December 5-8
Fran will be out of the office next week, Tuesday through Friday. If you have a pastoral emergency during this time please contact Amy Noe during office hours at 815-459-1009; Co-Warden, Cate Williams, or Co-Warden, Marge Smith. They can contact the on call priest if needed.
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St. Mary's Senior Holiday Luncheon
Saturday, December 2, 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall
Join us as we kick off the holiday season with a festive holiday lunch, followed by the singing of Christmas Carols.
The delicious menu includes: Tossed Green Salad with Vinaigrette; Rolls and Butter; Honey Baked Ham; Cranberry Orange Relish; Baked Sweet Potato Casserole with a Pecan Streusel Topping; Green Bean Medley; and Holiday Cake for Dessert with coffee and tea.
Please
RSVP
to Amy Noe in the office via email, or the office at 815-459-1009.
Invite your friends ~ All are welcome.
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Advent Begins December 3
Light Bearers Needed
During the season of Advent, families or individuals are invited to light the candles on the Advent Wreath. It is a very special moment to bring the light into church at the beginning of the service, and then light the Advent candle(s). If you are interested in a particular Sunday, either at 8:00 or 10:00 a.m., there is a sign-up sheet available in the Narthex.
Advent Lessons and Carols
One of the very special traditions of our Anglican heritage, during the season of Advent, is the observance of
a Service of Lessons and Carols, a service many Episcopal congregations have adopted, and one that has come to be a joy for those who have participated in it over the years at St. Mary's.
This
liturgy
begins with a
lovely
Bidding
Prayer,
and
continues with a
series
of
Scripture
readings,
each followed
by a
carol
or hymn. The Lessons & Carols service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. this
Sunday, December 3
. The 8:00 a.m. liturgy will be celebrated as usual on this day.
Please note the Eucharist will only be celebrated at the 8:00 a.m. service
.
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Christmas Flowers and Greens
If you are interested in donating poinsettias or greens for Christmas, in honor or in memory of someone, please sign up on the flower chart in the Narthex. ($15).
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If you have not yet turned in your pledge card for next year, please drop it off, or mail it in at your earliest convenience. If you did not receive a pledge card, there are extras on the table in the Narthex. Cards may be mailed to or dropped off at the office, or put into the collection plate on Sunday mornings. Thank you to those who have made a pledge for 2018.
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Spiritwear Reminder
If you ordered items from the recent St. Mary's Spiritwear Sale, please remember the items will be available for pickup on Sunday, December 17, in the Great Hall. Payment may be made in cash, or checks made out to St. Mary's. If you have any questions, please contact
Tracy Higgins.
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Whenever you did one of these things
for someone overlooked or ignored,
you did it for me.
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PADS Dinners
St. Mary's is once again supporting the PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) program by providing meals at the PADS Shelters during the winter months. Our next Sunday to provide meals is
December 17.
We are looking for volunteers, including older youth, who would like to cook, shop, and/or serve the evening meal at Bethany Lutheran Church. Thank you to Mary Frake who is coordinating the PADS Ministry for St. Mary's. Please contact Mary and let her know how you can help. Thanks for your support!
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Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Schedules
1st Sunday of Advent - Dec. 3
8:00 a.m.
Eucharist
10:00 a.m.
Service of Advent Lessons and Carols led by Choir
(Please note that there is no Eucharist at this Service)
2nd Sunday of Advent - Dec. 10
8:00 a.m.
Eucharist
10:00 a.m.
Eucharist with Choir
3rd Sunday of Advent - Dec. 17
8:00 a.m. service
-
hymns with organ
10:00 a.m.
service - guitar and key board
4th Sunday of Advent - Dec. 24
8:00 a.m.
Eucharist - no music
(Please note this is the only service for Advent 4; there is no 10:00 a.m. service)
Christmas Eve - Dec. 24
5:00 p.m.
Children's Candlelight Communion Service with a special visitor, building the crèche, and carols. For the young and the young at heart.
10:00 p.m.
Christmas Carols led by the Choir followed by a Choral Eucharist.
Christmas Day - Dec. 25
9:00 a.m.
Christmas Day Eucharist with Carols
Sunday after Christmas - Dec. 31
8:00 a.m.
Eucharist
10:00 a.m.
Eucharist with carols
Feast of the Epiphany - Sun. Jan. 7
8:00 a.m.
Eucharist
10:00 a.m.
Eucharist with Choir, with Children's Epiphany Procession
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Diocesan Convention
The 180th Annual Diocesan Convention was recently held at the Westin Hotel in Lombard. The St. Mary's attendees were Rev. Fran Holliday and Eileen Flynn, Marge Smith, Amy Noe, and our delegates - Mike Choquette, and Mike & Tracy Higgins. Bishop Jeff Lee was the keynote speaker this year, and as usual, he did not disappoint. He is a dynamic speaker, and both his keynote address and his sermon from the Convention Eucharist are now available on his YouTube page -
click here
. The text of the sermons are also available on the
Diocesan website
.
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