E-Newsletter

October 4 - October 10, 2024



Prayer

List

 

Please remember those on the Prayer List when you pray.

 

Click link for the list of prayer requests.



20th

Sunday

after

Pentecost


Click link to join the Service on Facebook





Click here for an Archive of Sermons






Click here for Parish Calendar





This Week at St. Gregory's



Sunday, October 6

Holy Eucharist (spoken) in-person:

8:00 AM.


Holy Eucharist (sung) in-person and ONLINE: 10:15 AM.

Bulletin is available HERE.



Tuesday, October 8

Centering Prayer on Zoom: 6:30 PM.

Ordo is available HERE.


Taizé Service: St. Luke's will be hosting its monthly Taizé service at 7:00 PM, with a theme of “Moving in the Spirit of Pentecost” You can access the service on St. Luke's Facebook page or on Zoom (Meeting ID = 864 4405 5548, Passcode = 525



Thursday, October 10

Mid-Week Eucharist and Healing Service

in the Chapel: 10:00 AM.


Bible Study in Fireside Room: 11:00 AM.


Choir Rehearsal in the Choir Room:

7:30 PM.



Daily Offices

Morning Prayer: Tuesday through Thursday at 9:00 AM with Mother Sharon Sheffield of St. Thomas of Canterbury ONLINE. Documents for Morning Prayer are:

Morning Prayer Text (BCP)

Psalms for Morning Prayer



Evening Prayer: Tuesday through Thursday at 5:00 PM with Fr. Michael Fincher ONLINE. Documents for Evening Prayer are:

Evening Prayer Text (BCP)

Psalms for Evening Prayer

Blessing of the Animals: 

We will have our annual Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 5th at 10:00 AM. The brief service will include several prayers attributed to St. Francis followed by individual blessings of all animals present. For the comfort and safety of all concerned, human and non-human guests alike, we do ask that a few ground rules be honored. Please restrain all animals. They should be on leashes (if appropriate) or in carriers. And please clean-up any messes your pet makes. If you are not able to, or are uncomfortable bringing your pet, or if your pet is uncomfortable coming out, you can bring a picture of your pet or one of your pet’s favorite toys, which we will bless instead.

Animal Outreach Drive Conclusion: 

This week will conclude our Outreach project to collect food and sundries for the animals that don’t have a home, and the pets of our local homeless who want to include them in their food search. In the week leading up to the Feast of St. Francis, we are collecting donations for the Long Beach Animal Shelter. The list of their needs can be found on our website, flyers, and in the bulletin at most services. We will also include the Project Street Vet pet food pantry managed by the Long Beach Multi-Service Center. This collection will end with the Blessing of the Animals here at St. Gregory’s on 10/5. Monetary donations can be placed in the offering plate or sent in through the usual methods. Our thanks to all of you who have already donated. If you would still like to make donations, please plan to have them in this week and bring your beloved pets to the Blessing of the Animals on Saturday. Thank you from the Outreach Committee! Thank you from the Outreach Committee! For more information, please view the flyer HERE.

On Sunday, October 20th at 4:00 PM, St. Gregory's Music at Four concert series presents a "Virtuosic Piano with Yuki Yokota."

Ms. Yokota's compelling program includes a dreamy keyboard work by African-American composer Florence Price; beloved pieces by Chopin, and a walk through an art gallery to experience Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.




A free-will offering will be received

and a reception will follow the concert.



View the 2024-2025 Music at Four Season Brochure HERE.


St. Gregory’s Food Bank has New Business Cards! 

Help get the word out about the Food Bank by giving a card to someone in need. You'll find a stack on the table in the Narthex. Please take a few to distribute and help advertise this valuable ministry.

Altar Flower Donations:

Need a wonderful way to honor or remember a loved one or friend? Make a flower donation. There is a flower donation chart located on the Narthex wall that you can use to sign up for special dates to donate altar flowers. Simply fill out a donation form attached to the bottom of the chart and return the form to the Parish Office. Payment for flowers can be made by check or online at this link. Make sure you specify your donation is for Altar Flowers. The Altar Guild thanks you.

Episcopal News Updates: 

The Diocese provides weekly email updates to help you keep informed about what’s happening all over our six-county diocese. If you want to receive the Episcopal News, visit https://diocesela.org/episcopal-news/contact/ and enter your email address in the box provided.

Feed My Lambs & Food Bank Needs:

THANK YOU for your generosity and your donations.

Here’s the latest news on our parish feeding programs.

  • Feed My Lambs has the following needs: 100 HARDBOILED EGGS; HOMEMADE COOKIES
  • Homemade cookies can be brought to church on any Sunday, in ziplock freezer bags, labeled “Feed My Lambs” to the kitchen.
  • Wednesday, October 30 from 9:00 AM to Noon you can deliver to the office:
  • Hardboiled eggs
  • Homemade Cookies
  • Thursday, October 31 until 11:00 AM you can deliver to the kitchen:
  • Homemade Cookies
  • Hardboiled Eggs
  • Friday, November 1 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM you can deliver to the kitchen:
  • Hardboiled Eggs
  • Our Guests always need white athletic socks and belts! Which you can put in the Feed My Lambs bin outside the church on any Sunday.
  • Volunteers – We need some additional volunteers to help with serving our guests at St. Luke’s on the first Saturday of every month. If you have questions about helping out with Feed My Lambs or dropping off items, contact Tamera Benedict at (tlbenedict4@gmail.com, 562.301.6800).
  • Food Bank – The Food Bank relies on your financial support and appreciates any donations of funds or non-perishable food items.
  • We also welcome any volunteers at our bagging and distribution the THIRD WEDNESDAY of each month from 8:30 to 11:00 AM. Please contact Kevin at the Parish Office (info@stgregoryschurch.com, 562.420.1311) for more information about the Food Bank.

Your continued support of our feeding ministries, through product and monetary contributions, is greatly appreciated!

Gratitude for Your Support of the Parish:

We continue to be humbled and so incredibly grateful for your generosity in supporting our parish and its ministries! While you may not be able to drop your donation in a real offering plate, there are still ways you can make sure your donation gets to the parish:


  • You can mail your check to the parish office.
  • Make donations through our online payment account, accessible through the parish website at http://stgregoryschurch.com/4721-2/.
  • Scan the QR code found in the Sunday bulletin.


And again, THANK YOU for your continued support!

Online Parish Directory:

Our online parish directory is at https://www.instantchurchdirectory.com/. This is a secure site and can be accessed using the email address you had published in the parish directory. You can also download the "Instant Church Directory" on your smart phone. Versions are available for Android, iPhone, iPad, and Kindle.


One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal:

The Diocese has established an ongoing campaign focused on raising funds to assist congregations, schools, affiliated institutions, and their communities who are faced with unprecedented challenges. We are invited to prayerfully consider making a donation to help others in our Diocese who may have unmet needs. More information is available at https://diocesela.org/annual-appeal/

Forward Day By Day:

For those who use the "Forward Day by Day" booklet for personal devotions and need the newest edition mailed, please contact Kevin: (562) 420-1311 or info@stgregoryschurch.com   

In Case of Emergency...Notify Your Priest! 

With our combined ministry program with St. Thomas of Canterbury comes additional coverage for pastoral emergencies. In the event of a hospital stay, illness, death in the family, or other pastoral emergency, please call Father Michael on his cell phone (909-373-6478) any day except Monday, his Sabbath day. Mother Sharon (562-833-3393) covers emergencies in both communities on Monday, just as Father Michael covers emergencies in both parishes on Friday, Mother Sharon’s Sabbath. And PLEASE, no excuses about not wanting to bother me. That’s why we are here – for YOU!

St. Gregory's Food Bank:

Our monthly Food Bank distribution takes place the first Wednesday of every month. This ministry helps us help our neighbors by providing a supplemental source of groceries. We CANNOT do this without your generosity. CLICK HERE for more information.


This month we served 79 people!   

The Episcopal News
Pastoral Care Note
 
When you are ill and not able to attend services at church, Clergy would like to know. They will visit you at your home or in the hospital. They will bring Holy Communion and the love of the congregation as well as prayers to your bedside. Please contact the parish office, 562 420 1311.


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Parish Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 9am - 1pm
(562) 420-1311