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E-Newsletter
September 4 - September 10, 2026
| | The Air Conditioner in the Sanctuary is now working! | | |
Sunday, August 30 – Outreach Pet Shelter Needs Project:
Beginning August 30 we are collecting donations for the Long Beach Animal Shelter. This year the collection is being sponsored by the St. Gregory Dodger Dogs and Cat. Look for their smiling faces on our table. The list of Shelter needs will be found in our church office, bulletins, and flyers at most services. This collection will end after the September 26 Blessing of the Animals here at St. Gregory's, on Sunday September 9/27. Monetary donations can be placed in the offering plate or sent in through the usual methods. Please join us in this much appreciated collection, and bring your beloved pets to the Blessing of the Animals in September
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Thursdays – St. Gregory's Choir Practice Has Begun! Come join us!
All singers are welcome to join St. Gregory's Choir this fall as we gather to support the congregation in hymns, liturgy and song each Sunday morning. If you enjoy singing you are invited to meet us in the Choir Room on Thursdays at 7:30 pm beginning September 3rd. For more information, please contact David York: york1635@aol.com.
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Sunday, September 13 – Welcome Back Sunday/Patronal Festival/Parish Picnic/Ministry Fair
Some of you have noticed that we did not do our annual Mass in the Grass and Parish Picnic at the beginning of summer. For a variety of reasons, we decided to try something different. On Sunday, September 13th, we will have a festive event wrapping together our patronal feast day for St. Gregory the Great (slightly transferred), a “welcome back” celebration, and (back by popular demand) a ministry fair. We will have one service that day at 10:15 AM, followed by a parish lunch and ministry fair. And whatever else our Parish Life Committee has in store for us.
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Saturday, September 19 – Deanery 8 Welcoming of Bishop Gallardo
On Saturday, September 19th at 11:00 AM, St. Gregory’s will host the Deanery 8 event welcoming our new bishop, the Rt. Rev. Antonio Gallardo. This will be an opportunity to meet and get to know Bishop Antonio and to hear a little about his vision for his episcopacy. A buffet lunch will be served.
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Saturday, September 26 – Blessing of the Animals
We will have our annual Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, September 26th 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.
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Sunday, September 27 – Sunday School begins
Sunday School will begin on September 27 at 10:15. We are excited to announce that we will have three classes based on the students we had in June and may need to be adjusted depending on enrollment. The classes are as follows: Beginners, grades K-2; Juniors, grades 3-4; and Seniors, grades 5-6. The beginners will focus on traditional Bible stories, while the juniors and seniors will study Lesson Plans that Work from the Episcopal Church based on the Gospel for that Sunday.
We need four additional volunteers to be the second adult in our “new” room.
Contact Tamera Benedict or Dana Linday with any questions and to sign up to volunteer.
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Sunday, September 27 – Music at 4
Join us in the Sanctuary on September 27th at 4:00pm-6:00pm to hear the music of Long Beach vocal jazz legend Dewey Erney who brings music from the American Song Book to St. Gregory’s in a concert also featuring Tom Ranier- piano, Luther Hughes – bass and Kendall Kay – drums. Join us for an afternoon of musical favorites, performed by world-class local musicians.
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Sunday, October 4 – Episcopal Visitation
It is the practice in the Diocese of Los Angeles that every congregation have an official visitation by a bishop every two years. This is our year. On Sunday, October 4th, we will have a visitation by the Rt. Rev. Frank Brookhart, retired Bishop of Montana and one of the Assisting Bishops in the Diocese of Los Angeles. We will have one service at 10:15 AM. The service will include the baptism of Henry Scott and the confirmation of Carrick Ahland. A parish lunch will follow the service.
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Saturday, October 10 – Funeral for Gloria Neal
The funeral and celebration of life for Gloria Neal (Drew) will be held on Saturday, October 10th at 10:00 AM. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
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Sunday, September 20 - Sewing Guild
The next meeting for the Long Beach American Sewing Guild group will be on Sunday September 20 from 1:00 – 3;30 PM in the Conference Room. Please notice that we are meeting on the 3rd Sunday of the month, rather than the 2nd Sunday of the month due to room scheduling conflicts. It appears that we will return to our regular 2nd Sunday of the month meeting in October. If you are interested in sewing, fabric arts, quilting or beading, please drop on in to see what we have to offer with our group. For further information, please contact Susan Mora (310)894-0731.
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Summer is always a little bit rough for parish finances. Monthly income tends to drop due to parishioners being away on vacation. While our parishioners get to take vacations, the parish does not get a vacation from paying the bills. If at all possible, please keep up with your monthly pledge commitments during the summer months. It will make life a lot easier and less stressful for the Treasurer and the Finance Office.
We are very grateful for your efforts to do so!
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Air Conditioner Fund:
As we recently informed the parish, we are having to replace the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Sanctuary, to the tune of $120,000. While we are able to cover the expense out of our reserves, this will greatly deplete those funds. We are asking that parishioners consider giving to help offset the cost of our new HVAC system. You can do so by writing a check to St. Gregory’s with “HVAC” in the memo line. Or you can make a donation online through our parish website at https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4WR/campaign/C-12C50 and put HVAC in the note box. Thank you for your generosity.
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Columbarium Niches:
Many people do not realize we have a columbarium at St. Gregory’s. Having your ashes placed in the columbarium is a less expensive option than burial at a cemetery and provides for your continued presence in a place that has been important to you during your life. For more information, contact the Parish Office.
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Nursery Attendant Needed:
We are seeking a Nursery Attendant to provide loving childcare on Sunday mornings from 7:45 AM to 12:15 PM, plus special holiday services. Experience in early childhood education preferred. First Aid and CPR certification required. This is a paid position, starting at $17.00/hr, supporting our youngest members and their families. For more information or to apply, please contact Tamera Benedict or Dana Lindsay.
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Stitches of Faith:
Are you looking for a space to share your creativity, enjoy fellowship, and be inspired? Stitches of Faith is a gathering for anyone who loves to craft—or wants to learn! Whether you knit, crochet, quilt, paint, or want to try your hand at another craft, this group is open to all skill levels, including beginners eager to discover something new. We meet on Sundays from 1:00–3:30 PM in the Conference Room. Each week, we will enjoy time for projects, encouragement, and conversation in a relaxed, faith-filled environment. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your supplies, your curiosity, and your kind spirit. Come create, connect, and grow in community with us!
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Lend a Hand:
Like any older building, St. Gregory’s constantly needs maintenance and touching up. Fred Cornett has made up a list of things to do in the near future: Cleaning and arranging the janitor’s closet and the storage areas, cleaning the trash cans, etc. Many hands make light work, and most of the jobs won’t take much time if two or three people join in. There is a signup sheet in the narthex, and Fred is always available for consultation or questions: (562) 308-6955. Thanks, Fred, for getting the projects going!
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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.
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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.
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Vestry Minutes and Reports:
Following Vestry meetings, the approved minutes and reports are posted on our parish website (https://stgregoryschurch.com/). Click on the “About” tab and the last option under the dropdown menu is “Vestry Minutes & Reports.” Approved minutes (without reports) are also posted on the bulletin board outside the Fireside Room. In addition, anyone is free to review minutes and reports of previous meetings, available in the Parish Office.
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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
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Homemade cookies can be dropped of any time. Please put your homemade cookies in Ziploc Bags and label them with the date and "FML" (this way we know they are for Feed My Lambs and not other purposes).
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Please do not bring hardboiled eggs. Due to issues with eggs, we now have a dedicated team responsible for providing hardboiled eggs.
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Volunteers – If you are interested in helping out Feed My Lambs, contact Tamera Benedict at (tlbenedict4@gmail.com, 562.301.6800).
- Food Bank The Food Bank relies on your financial support and appreciates all donations of
- funds or non-perishable food items. We also can use more volunteers at:
- bagging and distribution the THIRD WEDNESDAY of each month from 8:30 to 11:00 AM
- any other time you may have available and could assist with assembling our bags (e.g. on Sunday before or after service, or any time the office is open for access)
Please contact the Parish Office (info@stgregoryschurch.com, 562.420.1311) or Bill Eldon (billeldon@gmail.com, 562.234.9920) for more information about the Food Bank.
Your continued support of our feeding ministries, through product and monetary contributions, is greatly appreciated!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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/.
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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 the Parish Office: (562) 420-1311 or info@stgregoryschurch.com
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In Case of Emergency...Notify Your Priest!
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). And PLEASE, no excuses about not wanting to bother us. That’s why we are here – for YOU!
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St. Gregory's Food Bank:
Our monthly Food Bank distribution takes place the third 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 69 people!
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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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