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E-Newsletter
January 30 - February 5, 2026
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Soles 4 Souls Returns to St. Gregory’s:
We are again offering an outreach option for a Soles 4 Souls Shoe Drive during the month of February. You may bring gently used or new shoes to church any Sunday, February 1st through March 1st, and leave them in the boxes labeled Soles 4 Souls. If they have laces, please tie them together. Your old shoes provide new opportunities in our area, as well as in poverty-stricken areas of the United States, Africa, Haiti and other nations. Your gently used or new shoes will help those in need walk towards a brighter future. Give Hope.
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Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper:
Join us in the Parish Hall on February 17 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM as we prepare for the Lenten season. There will be pancakes with all the trimmings and sausages, all cooked by the Men’s Fellowship Ministry. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. If you have any questions, please see Diane Kela or Lizz Spencer. We look forward to seeing you there.
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Lenten Soup Suppers:
We will begin our annual Lenten soup and salad suppers on February 26 at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall. We will have suppers on the following Thursdays: February 26, March 5, March 12, March 19, and March 26.
This year we are asking for members of the parish to sign up and bring their favorite soups, enough to feed 20 people. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. If you have any questions, please see Diane Kela or Lizz Spencer.
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Lenten Program: Rule of Life:
Following on our study of the Rule of Benedict last summer, our Lenten program this year will be on the development of a personal Rule of Life. Since the early Church, we have lived by a Rule of Life. God lovingly invites us to pursue our shared calling as a Christian community and our unique vocation as individual disciples. In living a Rule, we are being intentional about the personal rhythms that shape our days. It is our way of partnering with God for the transformation only God can bring about. The Rule is a guide that supports our heart’s desire to grow in loving God and others. Before creating a rule, we spend serious time reflecting on the whole of our lives, listening to God with attentive, responsive, discerning hearts. Join us as we learn, reflect, discern, and create our individual rules. Bring a journal or notebook. Sessions will be held on the following Thursday evenings: February 26, March 5, March 12, March 19, and March 26, starting about 6:45 PM.
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Pledge Numbers and Envelopes:
Please be advised that the Envelope Number and Pledge Number that you currently have will be remain the same for 2026 (unless you are a new pledge). A list is provided in the Narthex with your pledge number. Envelopes are also available for those who requested them. We ask that when you find your assigned envelopes, please initial on the Envelope Number summary so we know that they went to the right home. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office or email info@stgregoryschurch.com.
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American Sewing Guild:
Starting Sunday, January 11, the American Sewing Guild (ASG) Long Beach neighborhood group will be meeting monthly at St. Gregory's in the Parish Hall Conference Room at the same time (1:00 - 3:30) as the Stitches of Faith group. The ASG is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sewing arts through education and community engagement. ASG aims to preserve and advance sewing as an art and life skill. Members of St. Gregory's, as well as interested people from the community, are welcomed to join us at a meeting. The group is very excited to have a regular meeting home at St. Gregory's and cannot wait to demonstrate their ability to help and promote sewing skills to all levels of sewists who attend. For questions or more information, contact Susan Mora.
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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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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).
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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 78 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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