Pet Food and Sundries Outreach Project Completed: 

The Outreach Committee wants to thank you for all your donations to the Long Beach Animal Shelter. We provided over 190 containers of food and treats for the dogs and cats, as well as ample toys, poop packs, litter, and dishes. The Shelter is very grateful for these donations and thanks St. Gregory’s for caring for these beloved creatures of God.

St. Luke's Taizé Returns:

Welcome to the 21st year of Taizé at St. Luke's and to the first evening of prayer and song in the new 2025-26 season. Mark your calendar and join St. Luke's for this evening of candlelight, chants and prayer. Tuesday, October 14th. Follow the Zoom Link HERE.

(Password 525, Meeting ID: 864 4405 5548)

October Supper Club: 

The Supper Club will be meeting on Saturday, October 18th at 5:00 PM in the Parish Hall. All are welcome for an evening of food and fellowship. Please RSVP to Julie (562) 619-9011

A Cellist's Musical Journey

Our next Music at Four concert will

take place Sunday, October 19 at 4pm. Local homegrown cellist Daniel Smith shares works of personal significance from his life. Starting at the first chapter of his cello journey at age 11, to his life's current chapter as a thirty-something professional cellist, come experience an intimate representation of a musical life well lived.

A free-will offering will be received during the concert.

Join us for a reception following the concert in the Parish Hall.

Gospel Mass

Earlier on the 19th, at our 10:15am Eucharist service, drums, bass guitar, soloists and choir will be offering African American composer Robert Ray's Gospel Mass. Although this setting of the mass was premiered in 1979, it remains fresh in 2025 with rock, jazz, funk, blues and pop influences.

View the 2025 Music at Four schedule HERE.

Candidates for Bishop: 

At our Diocesan Convention in November, we will elect a new bishop who will succeed Bishop Taylor when he retires in 2026. The Diocese has scheduled four meet-and-greet gatherings the week of October 20, when the candidates for bishop will tour the diocese and engage in question-and-answer sessions (there are additional clergy-only sessions). You are welcome to attend any of the following sessions, even if you are not a voting delegate at Diocesan Convention.

• Tuesday, October 21, 7 PM St. Columba’s Parish, 1251 Las Posas Rd., Camarillo 93010 (Zoom link will be provided.)
• Wednesday, October 22, 7 PM (Spanish-language translation available) Christ the Good Shepherd Parish 3303 W. Vernon Ave., Los Angeles 90008 (Zoom link will be provided.)
• Thursday, October 23, 7 PM All Saints’ Parish, 3847 Terracina Drive, Riverside 92506 (Zoom link will be provided.)
• Friday, October 24, 7 PM (Spanish-language translation available) St. Thomas Mission, 15694 Tetley St., Hacienda Heights 91745 (Zoom link will be provided.)

Stitches of Faith: 

Are you looking for a space to share your creativity, enjoy fellowship, and be inspired? Stitches of Faith is a new 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’ll meet on Sundays from 1:00–3:30 PM in the Conference Room, beginning October 12th. 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!

Holiday Gift Card Drive:

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! We are blessed with the honor of assisting families from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to provide food, clothing, and gifts during the holiday season. By donating gift cards, the families are empowered to shop for themselves. Our shopping locations meet the needs of the people we serve, so make sure you purchase from Target, Walmart, Food for Less, Albertsons, and Smart & Final in denominations of $25, $50, and $100. The cards may be sent to the church or placed in the collection plate. You may also make donations through the church website. As a frame of reference, a turkey or spiral-sliced ham dinner, serving up to 6 people, costs $69.99 at Stater Brothers. Our gift cards will be distributed based on the needs of the people. View the flyer HERE.

All Saints’ Commemorations: 

On All Saints’ Sunday (November 2nd this year), we remember our departed loved ones. This year we will be doing something a little different. We will collect names ahead of time so they can be printed in the All Saints’ Sunday bulletin. Cards to provide names will be available in the pew backs and in the Parish Hall. Completed cards can be placed in the offering plate or returned to the Parish Office. You can also email names to the Office at info@stregoryschurch.com. Please turn in names by Sunday, October 26th. 

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! 

Episcopal Relief & Development Responding to Deadly Texas Hill Country Flooding:

Episcopal Relief & Development is helping local diocesan partners in Texas provide support to those impacted by the catastrophic July 4-5 Texas Hill Country flooding, which killed over 100 people, with many more still missing.

“This disaster is still unfolding. We will learn much more in the days and weeks ahead,” said the Very Rev. David Read, Bishop of West Texas and the Very Rev. Angela Cortiñas, Bishop Suffragan of West Texas, in a joint statement released on July 5. “The recovery of the Hunt, Ingram, Comfort and Kerrville communities will not happen overnight. It will take time to catalog the loss of homes, businesses, livelihoods, and lives, and the best ways we can tangibly be part of healing, hope and recovery.” 

Episcopal Relief & Development is working with longstanding local partners in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas to help people most in need. Working through trusted relationships, Episcopal Relief & Development is helping partners to offer their financial resources, physical property and spiritual support in places where it is most useful after a disaster of this scale. If you’d like to help, please follow this link: https://www.dwtx.org

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
• 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).
• Please do not bring hardboiled eggs. Due to issues with eggs, we now have a dedicated team responsible for providing hardboiled eggs.
• 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 Kevin in 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!

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! 

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!

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 61 people!