The Magnificat  Weekly

St. Mary's Episcopal Church      
Crystal Lake IL

Weekly E-Newsletter                                      November 14, 2019

In This Issue

 
Worship Times
Sundays, 8 & 10 am
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A Nursery is available 
during the 10:00 a.m. service.   Coffee Hour fellowship  follows both services;  join us for treats, and conversation.

 


Clergy & Staff
Amy Noe, Parish Administrator
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Parish Vestry  (term expires)
Tracy Higgins, Warden (1/20)
Steve Brooks, Warden (1/21)
Cate Williams, Treasurer
Members:
(1/20)   Amy Koegel, Judy Thornton, Sally Van Vranken
(1/21)   Stacy Cook
(1/22)  Heather Horeled, Lorraine Taylor

Monthly Events
 
The next CRYSTAL LAKE FOOD PANTRY volunteer opportunity is Friday, December 6.  Shift times are 8:30-11:30 a.m., or 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.  Contact Cate Williams if you can help.  

A FREE COMMUNITY MEAL  is offered at St. Mary's on the third Saturday of every month.  The meal is served from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and ALL are welcome.  There is no RSVP required.   Free will donations will be accepted.  Please watch the newsletter and website for the menu, which will be published a week or two before the event.  The next  Community Meal is Saturday, November 16.


We Pray For
Parishioners: Marion,
Cindy, John, Glenice, John, Amalia, Elmer, Harry, Shirley, Cate, Amy, Gladys, El, Carol, Lorraine, Steve, Margaret, Judy,  Bob,  John, Matthew, and Elizabeth, Galen & Betsy, and all those seeking employment
Family/Friends: Ashley, Kiyle, Neil and Des, Shannon and family, Sarah Margaret, Rick, Sylvia, Jess, Betty and Del, Elyse and Chris, Al and Karen, Peggy, Denise, Gabriel, Rev. Bill Beachy, Mark,  Joanne, Lauren,  Lynn, Rachel, Maria,  Kay, Cora,  Saul, Susan, Brian, Mark,  Tom, Tom,  Pat, Billy, Gary, Kevin,  Kelly, Carole, Kurt, Gail, Regina, Sue, Maggie, Nicci, Sarah

Those Who Have Died
Michael, friend of Jane Helmboldt
 
Those Who Mourn
Jane and the family of Michael, including Gail, John, and Rebecca
 
Those Serving in the
Armed Forces
Michael, Jeremy

Birthdays Nov. 14-20
11.15  Sue DeThorne
11.17  Atef Massouid
11.20  Claudia Siler
 

 

 

 

Quick Links

 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
News from The Episcopal Cafe



From the Rector

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary's,

As you know we have been holding "Cottage Meetings", where many of you gathered together to discuss what types of programs and projects you would like to see at St. Mary's if we had the funds. The results of those conversations will now be sent to our consultant Joe Merlino, from the Episcopal Church Foundation, and he will guide us in the next steps, which includes taking a parish wide survey to see if we can narrow down our choices and get behind funding one or two common projects.

At the cottage meetings many of you mentioned your desire for the parish to be more involved with those less fortunate than ourselves and to do more outreach. Well wait no longer, here is your chance! There is already a parish project going on where you can engage in such a ministry.   St. Mary's is helping people in need celebrate Christmas. All you have to do is sign up to purchase a gift for an individual in need and pick up a gift while you are out doing your Christmas shopping for your grandchildren, friends and family. The sign up sheet for families in need is in the Great Hall. Sign up and take the gift wish list sheet for your person.   All gifts are due back by Sunday December 1 as the staff from the Revive Christmas Basket Program will be picking up these gifts December 4.   Revive is an Episcopal Charities program and has been in existence for 98 years.  St. Mary's and almost all churches in the Diocese of Chicago are participating in this program as we have done for many years. This is a great opportunity to do one small thing that makes a huge difference. We have 8 people who still need gifts. You are invited to sign up today!

I am pleased to tell you that Beau Surratt will be here at St. Mary's leading the choir and playing for our 10:00 a.m. Lessons and Carols service on December 8, and at our 10:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. Beau, as you may recall, led the choir and played for Sandy's funeral. Beau and I are colleagues and we worked together at All Saints' in Chicago when I served as the Associate Rector. He has over 20 years experience in leading church music and is a wonderful organist and pianist. I am delighted that he will be with us. Beau is currently leading the Wednesday night rehearsals with the choir.  

Please join us this Saturday night, November 16, for our next free community meal from 5:00-7:00 p.m. We have a great meal planned  and the hospitality is always wonderful. There are many neighbors who are looking not only for a good nutritious meal but also seeking connection and friends. This is another great opportunity for you to engage in outreach that is already happening right here under our roof. If you show up I can introduce you to the many wonderful people who come through our doors. All you need to do is sit down, have some conversation with the people you don't know and help them feel welcome, while you eat great food. Thank you to all the volunteers who make this event possible each month. Many of our volunteers including the high school students are from outside St. Mary's and we could not do it without them! Thank you one and all!

Please mark your calendar now for the first ever Saint Nicholas Festival happening on Sunday December 8 from 11:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. This is an intergenerational event, and all are welcome. Enjoy crafts, homemade cookies, a special visitor and other activities.   Please invite grandchildren, neighbors and all those who are young at heart. This is a great opportunity for those who have expressed a desire for the parish to engage more children, as well as those who want more community gatherings here at St. Mary's, to jump right in to volunteer and participate.   You can find out more information about how to get involved in this newsletter. Advent and Christmas are coming and you can certainly feel it in the air and in the weather!
 
Blessings,
Fran+
 
November Community Meal

As noted above,  you are invited to join us this  Saturday, November 16 , 5:00-7:00 p.m.,  for our next free , monthly Community Meal .  Remember, this meal is open to anyone, and no RSVP is required. There is no charge for the meal, but free-will donations are appreciated.   Our delicious menu for this Saturday:

Salad,  Southwest Chicken Chili,  Cornbread, Dessert

Intergenerational 
St. Nicholas Festival 

Sunday December 8
11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Advent is coming  and so is
 St. Nicholas!  Don't miss this event!

Come meet a special visitor, make Christmas crafts, share homemade cookies and have a great lunch. This free event is for all ages! Invite friends and neighbors, bring your children and grandchildren, and young-at-heart adults.  You may RSVP here, and also indicate if you'd like to bring cookies to share.  

Volunteers are needed to run/assist with the craft tables , and also oversee the lunch/cookie table .   Please contact Amy Koegel if you have any questions or are interested in helping!  Thank you!
   
thanksgiving-illustration.jpg
Thanksgiving / Pledge Sunday Celebration
Sunday November 24   ~   9:00 a.m.

Plan on joining us on next Sunday November 24 th, as we celebrate our Thanksgiving service at 9:00 a.m. followed by a potluck brunch in the Great Hall. You may sign up to bring a dish if you wish. The sign-up sheets are on the bulletin board in the Great Hall. Please note that the 9:00 a.m. service is our only service this day and there is no service on Thanksgiving Day.

In addition, we are asking that all pledge cards be returned on or before this day.  Thank you!

ReVive Center for Housing and Healing Christmas Basket Program

St. Mary's is once again participating in the ReVive Center's Christmas Basket Program. This is a wonderful opportunity for members of our Parish to purchase Jewel gift cards or shop for individual Christmas gifts for some of the most impoverished families of our metropolitan area. This year we have been asked to sponsor 8 families; a total of 28 individuals.   We still have several individuals who have not been sponsored!!

Sign up in the Great Hall.   See the display for more detailed information.  Please wrap and label gifts (new) and put them in a cardboard box for transport to the ReVive Center.  Label the box with the family code number. Please leave the box unsealed , so that we can add gift cards to it.

Please bring gift cards to the office and gift items to the Nursery by 11:00 a.m. Sunday, December 1.
 
Please contact me if you have any questions.   Thank you to everyone for continuing to make this fun outreach ministry so meaningful and successful!

Cate Becker,
2019 Christmas Basket Ministry Coordinator

Diaper and Wipe Drive

My name is Michael Mauger and I am doing my Eagle Project for Boy Scouts.  For my project I have chosen to run a diaper and wipe drive to benefit the Northern Illinois Diaper Bank.  Please consider bringing diapers and wipes to St. Mary's during the month of November to help me meet my goal of 500 packages.   I chose this organization because they have helped my family with diapers, since my brother uses so many for his gastroparesis. There will be a collection bin at church.  Thank you!                               
 
SAVE THE DATE
Advent Labyrinth Walk

Saturday, December 14
9:30 a.m. to Noon
St. Mary's Great Hall
        More details to follow.        
 
Fundraiser for St. Mary's
Get a Jump-Start on Your Christmas Shopping!
 
We have a great opportunity for you to do a little Christmas shopping, and help St. Mary's at the same time, thanks to parishioner, Claudia Majzner.   Claudia is a Thirty-One consultant, and if you purchase anything online during the month of November,  20% of the sales will be donated to St. Mary's !    Thirty-One offers a variety of products from lunch totes to travel bags, bags for storage, crafting, and everything in between.
   
Click here to go to Claudia's page on the Thirty-One website and start shopping - for yourself, or for everyone on your Christmas list. 

29th Annual Community Harvest

The Crystal Lake Community Harvest combines the efforts of the Crystal Lake Chamber and the Crystal Lake Food Pantry to collect food and funds throughout the Fall to be distributed to local families during the winter months.

Grocery bags can be found in the Narthex, with a list attached of needed items.   Please take a bag, fill it with your donations, and return it to church on Sunday, November 24th.   For monetary donations, checks may be made payable to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry , with notation " Community Harvest". All donations will be blessed and then taken to the Food Pantry.

On Thanksgiving morning, November 28, 8:00-10:00 a.m., volunteers will help organize the donations . If you would like to volunteer, sign-up here.    Please help the pantry reach it's 2019 goal of 75,000 pounds of food, and $75.000.   No donation is too small. Thank you!!
 
15th Annual Free
Thanksgiving Dinner
 
Thursday, November 28
12:00 Noon (one seating)
 
Our friends at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Barrington, are once again hosting a Free Thanksgiving Dinner, open to anyone. There will be plenty of food, music, entertainment and fellowship for the entire family.   If you are interested, please call the office so they can be prepared with enough treats for everyone!
 
St. Michael's Episcopal Church
647 Dundee Ave.     Barrington, Il
847-381-2323
 
Annual McHenry County Santa Run for Kids

Benefiting: Main Stay Therapeutic Farm, CASA of McHenry County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girls on the Run NWIL, and Turning Point

When:    December 1, 2019    ~  9:00 am start 
Where:    Raue Center for the Arts
               26 N Williams Street
               Crystal Lake, IL. 60014

To register, volunteer, or donate online, click here.
   
St. Mary's Episcopal Church |   210 McHenry Ave.   |   Crystal Lake IL  60014-6009
815-459-1009    |    parishofc@stmarysepiscopalcl.org