Annual Reports: 

With the New Year rapidly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about our Parish Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, February 2nd (more to come on that). In preparation for the Annual Meeting, we will need to produce the Annual Report. All persons responsible for a ministry program in the Parish (you know who you are) should submit written reports of the year’s activities to the Parish Office no later than Wednesday, January 22nd. Reports need to be in Word or Word-compatible format and emailed to Kevin at info@stgregoryschurch.com. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Christmas Flower Donations:

Christmas is just around the corner! If you would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the wreaths and poinsettias, you can do so by sending a check to the church with “Christmas Flowers” in the memo line. Or you can go through the parish website or the Vanco app and use the Other Designated Gift category (just be sure to put Christmas Flowers in the adjacent box). And if you would like to make your donation in Memory of, in Thanksgiving of, or in Honor of someone, you can call the parish office or send an email to Kevin at info@stgregoryschurch.com with the appropriate information. We need dedications no later than Wednesday, December 18th to get information into the Christmas Eve bulletin. Poinsettias will be available for pick-up after Christmas. More on that down the road.

Christmas Music Donations: 

A lot of special music is planned for the upcoming weeks leading up to Christmas. If you would like to help offset the expenses for the wonderful musicians that will be joining us for the season, please send a check to St. Gregory’s with “Christmas Music” as the memo line. You can also donate on our website using the Vanco app. Click the “Other Designated Gift” category, putting “Christmas Music” in the adjacent box. We thank you for your support of our wonderful music ministry!

A Service of Lessons & Carols for Advent:

Join us for a Service of Lessons & Carols on Sunday morning, December 15th. This traditional service of readings and music is inspired by services held at King’s College, Cambridge for over 100 years. Stories from biblical prophecies foretelling the birth of Christ are interspersed with familiar Advent hymns and carols. St. Gregory’s Choir offers music by G.F. Handel, John Gardner, and Shawn Kirchner. Note that on this day we only have one service at 10:15 AM.

International Christmas Celebration - Carols Far & Near: 

On Sunday, December 22nd at 4pm, Carols and stories from many cultures will be sung by St. Gregory’s choir, soloists and instrumentalists. Join us for a parish Christmas dinner following the concert.

A free-will offering will be received during 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, December 4 from 9:00 AM to Noon you can deliver to the office:
• Hardboiled eggs
• Homemade Cookies
• Thursday, December 5 until 11:00 AM you can deliver to the kitchen:
• Homemade Cookies
• Hardboiled Eggs
• Friday, December 6 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 95 people!