I am delighted to share the news that St. Mary’s will have a deacon very soon. Mike Choquette will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday October 31, at Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest. The service will have limited guests and be live-streamed as we are still following pandemic precautions. We will share the live stream link and the time of the service as soon as we get that information. On The Feast of All Saints’, Sunday November 1, we will be installing Mike as the Deacon at St. Mary’s. This will occur at both our 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. services. Stay tuned for more updates as we get them.
This Sunday October 4, we will be celebrating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at our in-person worship services at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m., and on Zoom at our Morning Prayer service at 9:00 a.m. You may also drop by the courtyard and have your pet blessed between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. (I will be in the narthex in the event of rain). You may also send a picture of your pet to be shown on Zoom Morning Prayer to Mike Choquette.
This month we will be live-streaming our 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday October 11 and 25
To participate by phone only: 312-626-6799; phone meeting ID: 826 0737 1151
If you are participating by phone, you can access the same service document that Zoom participants can see. Click here to view the service on your computer. (The Zoom link, phone number, and ID will remain the same every Sunday.)
10:30 a.m. In-Person Eucharist
10:30 a.m. Upcoming Live-streamed services: October 11 and 25
Share Photos of Your Pets:
Sunday, October 4
St. Mary's will be celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi this Sunday and would like to add pictures of your pets to our Morning Prayer Zoom service. Please email pictures of your dog, cat, tarantula, parakeet, goldfish, or other beloved pet toMike Choquette.
Pet Blessing This Sunday
A wonderful tradition on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is to have our beloved pets blessed. Rev. Fran will be available in the courtyard from 2:00-3:00 p.m., this Sunday, for anyone interested in bringing their pet to St. Mary’s for a blessing. In the event of rain, the blessings will be given in the Narthex, with everyone properly distance, of course.
All Saints’ Day – Sunday, November 1
This year our All Saints’ Day Celebration is on Sunday, November 1, and there are several ways you can participate.
Prayer Flags: Colored paper prayer flags and markers will be available at the back of the church throughout the month of October. Please make a flag for anyone and everyone whom you would like us to remember on All Saints’ Day. You may make as many flags as you wish. The flags will be hanging in the church throughout the month of November. You may write the person’s name, dates, and/or a note about them.
Photos: In addition to the prayer flags, you are also invited to submit photos of those family members and friends to be remembered. You can email them to the office, or drop them off and we can scan them. If you submitted photos in prior years, there is no need to resubmit them – we will use them again, unless you tell us otherwise.
Deaths Since November 2019: During the Prayers of the People at our Sunday services on November 1, we will prayer for all those friends and loved ones who have died during the past year. There are forms in the back of church, or you may submit their names to the office via email or a phone call.
** Please note: If you are not attending in-person services right now,
we can make the flags for you! Pleaseemail, or call the office
with the names of those loved ones you would like remembered. **
Resources for Voting Faithfully
(Information from the Diocesan newsletter)
“It is a Christian obligation to vote, and more than that, it is the church’s responsibility to help get souls to the polls.” Cast your vote, not on a partisan basis, not based on your biases, but vote your values. Vote the values of human dignity and equality. Vote the values of the rock on which this country was built. Vote.” - Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Early voting is now open in Illinois. The resources below are provided by the Illinois League of Women Voters, which provides 100% non-partisan voting information:
Women's Bible Study meets in the Great Hall every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. All precautions are in place: hand sanitizer is available, chairs are distanced, and masks are required. All women of the parish and their friends are welcome.
Men’s Bible Study meets virtually every Saturday morning, at 8:00 am, on ZOOM. All men of the parish and their friends are welcome. If you are new to the group, please contact Peter Carroll for the ZOOM link and further information.
In-Person Worship Guidelines
Maximum of 40 person in the pews.
Stay home if you feel sick.
Masks are required.
Sanitize and wash hands (sanitizer is available throughout the building).
Keep a distance of 6 ft from people you are not quarantined with at this time.
No singing is allowed in the church.
Coffee Hour will be held outside following both services, weather permitting.
Communion will be available in a pre-sealed cup with bread / wine, or gluten free bread / juice.
One person in the bathrooms at a time in order to be distanced.
Rev. Fran will be on the altar with one LEM. We will not be using ushers, acolytes, or the altar guild at this time.
Disinfectant is being used to clean the church and bathrooms.
Online Resources Available for Worship / Devotions
Washington National Cathedral: Live-streaming of daily morning and evening prayer, Sunday worship, and many other resources.
Diocese of Chicago: Links to online prayer and worship from churches throughout the Diocese; Homilies and Sermons from Bishop Jeff Lee; pandemic updates and other helpful resources.
National Episcopal Church: Meditations and sermons from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry; and a wealth of information/resources regarding the national Episcopal Church.
Parishioners: Tracy, Betsy & Galen, Sue, Cindy, Gail, Heather, El & Dorothy, Matthew, Emmett, Kristi, Elizabeth, Glenice, Shirley, and Margaret
Family/Friends: Chris, Douglas, Tom, Mark, Andi, Bill, Maria, Greg, Wayne, Scott, Rev. Bill, Sue, Sarah, Dave, Brynn, Neil and Des, Sarah Margaret, Rick, Sylvia, Jess, Joanne, Lauren, Lynn, Rachel, Kay, Saul, Brian, Billy, Sue, Nicci, Sarah
Those Serving in the Armed Forces
Jeremy, son of John & Carolyn Kuykendall
Birthdays October 1-7
10.1 Glenice Higgens; Lisa Baker
10.5 Andrew Wild
10.7 Cameron Robert
CROP WALK PHOTOS
Thank you to everyone who donated to the McHenry County CROP Hunger Walk, which was held last Sunday. St. Mary's team had 11 walkers, and we raised $1615.00, which includes online donations as well as checks that were given to Rev. Fran.
10 team members walked locally: Penny Friedberg and family, Rick & Amy Noe, Chuck Meter, Saphire Nyberg-King, Dorothy Nyberg, Mike Choquette, and Eileen Flynn. Rev. Fran, our cheerleader, greeted us with treats upon our return to St. Mary's.
Our 11th team member, Catherine Carroll, walked in Kansas, where she was visiting with family.
