E-Newsletter
April 11 - April 17, 2025
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April Outreach Focus - Feminine Hygiene Products:
We are asking for donations of pads, tampons, feminine wipes, menstrual cups, & panty liners. 1 in 4 women have struggled to purchase feminine products within the past year due to lack of income. 1 in 5 low-income women report missing work, school, or similar events due to lack of access to feminine supplies, and our unhoused sisters suffer terribly when they can't get these supplies. Please place supplies in the bin outside the church, or donate via check or online with “Outreach” in the memo. View the April Outreach Flyer HERE.
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St. Luke's Holy Week Taizé - Tuesday, April 15 at 7pm:
St. Luke’s invites all to this quiet hour of prayer, chant and renewal. This month will be a Lenten Reflection. Taizé services at St. Luke's are held online throughout the year on the second Tuesday of every month. Online services available HERE or by joining on this Zoom LINK - Meeting ID: 864 4405 5548, Password 525
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Wildfire Relief:
Those wishing to help provide relief from the Los Angeles fires can make donations to one of the following:
Episcopal Relief and Development, the relief agency of the Episcopal Church, provides funds to help in disaster relief and recovery. They have established a “Wildfire Response Fund” to provide help with the Los Angeles fires. You can make a donation at https://www.episcopalrelief.org/what-you-can-do/give/donate-now/individual-donation/
One Heart & One Spirit Annual Appeal is a relief fund established by the Diocese of Los Angeles. Currently, all money donated to the One Heart & One Spirit Annual Appeal will go to help parishes and families affected by the fires. You can make a donation at https://diocesela.org/annual-appeal/
Thank you for your generosity.
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Easter Flower Donations:
Easter is just weeks away! If you would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the Easter lilies, you can do so by sending a check to the church with “Easter 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 Easter 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 email Kevin at info@stgregoryschurch.com with the appropriate information. Please get your dedications into the Parish Office by Tuesday, April 15 so we can get them into the Easter bulletin. Lilies will be available for pick-up after Easter.
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Easter Candy Donations Needed:
Easter is upon us and that means the Easter egg hunt! We need donations of individually wrapped Easter candy. Please don’t provide any other donations as we have plenty of other Easter basket supplies. Please bring donations to the church by Sunday, April 13th (Palm Sunday).
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Annual Easter Egg Hunt:
Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place after the 10:15 AM service in the courtyard outside the Parish Hall. Bring your basket, or one can be provided. All children 8 and under are welcome to hunt eggs. We will let the youngest go first, depending on how many participants we have. We look forward to all the fun!
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Study of the Rule of St. Benedict:
Have you ever wondered what monastic life is like? Ever been curious why The Rule of Benedict is still important 1500 years after St. Benedict’s life? Would you like to know how Benedictine spirituality can help everyone better live as Christians in today’s world? Then please consider signing up for this year’s book study on The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century. Using Sr. Joan Chittister’s commentary on the Rule and its applications for life today, we’ll
learn about how a rule of life written in the sixth century can still inform and nurture us today. The class will start on Thursday, April 24 and run through mid-September (exact date to be determined, as we will miss a few Thursdays here and there over the course of the summer). There will be TWO class sessions: Thursdays at 11am in the Fireside Room for those who want a daytime class, and Thursdays at 6pm in the Parish Hall Conference Room for those who prefer an evening class. Each session will last about an hour. If you’re interested in joining the class, please sign up in the narthex so that we can buy the correct number of books.
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Our Next Music at Four:
Angels in the Life of Christ; A Hymn Festival
Please join us for our next Music at four on Sunday, June 1st at 4:00pm. From the birth of Jesus, foretold by the Archangel Gabriel, to the appearance of angels at his second coming in Revelations, angels played a significant role in the life of Christ. Local Episcopal congregations join to present a service of readings, hymns and anthems illuminating angels in the life of Christ.
A free-will offering will be received during the concert.
Join us for a reception following the concert in the Parish Hall.
View the 2025 Music at Four Calendar HERE.
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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 PLEASE NOTE WE HAVE CHANGED THE EGG & COOKIE DROP OFF DAYS.
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Feed My Lambs relies on your financial support and appreciates all donations. WE ARE IN NEED OF YOUR USED PLASTIC GROCERY SACKS. We use them to pack the lunches, so they need to be clean and in good repair, please.
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Every month we need: 120 HARDBOILED EGGS; 500 HOMEMADE COOKIES
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Homemade cookies can be brought to church on any Sunday, in ziplock freezer bags, labeled “Feed My Lambs” to the kitchen.
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Hard Boiled Eggs: please contact Tamera (562) 301-6800 regarding egg drop off.
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Wednesday, April 30 from 9:00 AM to Noon you can deliver to the office:
- Hardboiled eggs
- Homemade Cookies
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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.
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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 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.
Food Bank 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.
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 Kevin: (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) any day except Monday, his Sabbath day. Mother Sharon (562-833-3393) covers emergencies on Monday. And PLEASE, no excuses about not wanting to bother me. 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 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 74 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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Parish Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 9am - 1pm
(562) 420-1311
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