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E-Newsletter
October 2 - October 8, 2026
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Sunday School has begun
Sunday School began on September 27. We are excited to announce that we will have three classes based on the students we had in June and may need to be adjusted depending on enrollment. The classes are as follows: Beginners, grades K-2; Juniors, grades 3-4; and Seniors, grades 5-6. The beginners will focus on traditional Bible stories, while the juniors and seniors will study Lesson Plans that Work from the Episcopal Church based on the Gospel for that Sunday.
We need four additional volunteers to be the second adult in our “new” room.
Contact Tamera Benedict or Dana Lindsay with any questions and to sign up to volunteer. Click HERE for more information.
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Saturday, October 10 – Funeral for Gloria Neal
The funeral and celebration of life for Gloria Neal (Drew) will be held on Saturday, October 10th at 10:00 AM. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
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Sunday, October 18 – Music at 4
Please join us on Sunday, October 18 from 4:00pm-6:00pm in the Sanctuary for the wonderful music of Ty Woodward. Equally at home as a classical or theatre organist, Ty Woodward presents a program of music by J.S. Bach, Jehan Alain, Léon Böellmann and Dan Locklair. Ty serves as organist at First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica and at the El Capitán Theatre in Hollywood.
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TONIGHT Friday, October 2 - Return of the Roamin’ Gregorians:
The Roman Gregorians are returning for a movie night TONIGHT October 2, 2026, starting at 6:30 PM. The movie will be shown at Cine Benedicto (home of the Benedicts) in Long Beach. All are welcome to attend for a fun night of socializing, munching, camaraderie while watching a great family film, “Akeela and the Bee.” Please bring a favorite movie snack to share. In the unlikely event of rain, the movie will be rescheduled to a later date. Contact Susan Mora (310} 894-0731 or sign up in the Narthex after church. Upcoming Roamin’ Gregorians activities include a trip to the Nixon Library in late October and the Prince of Peace Walk on December 6.
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Sunday, October 11
Long Beach American Sewing Guild:
The next meeting of our Long Beach American Sewing Guild will be Sunday, October 11 in St. Gregory’s Room 1 from 1:00pm – 3:30 P.M. If you have any interest in sewing or fabric, please come to our meeting. For more information, contact Susan Mora.
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Sunday, October 17
Supper Club: We will be having Supper Club on Saturday, October 17 at 5:00 pm in the Parish Hall. It will be an Italian theme with Lasagna as a main course. There will be flyers in the Narthex. Please call either Julie Robinson 562 619-9011 or Cheryl Rodi 562 477-7709 for information on what to contribute.
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Air Conditioner Fund:
We recently replaced the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Sanctuary, to the tune of $120,000. While we are able to cover the expense out of our reserves, this will greatly deplete those funds. We are asking that parishioners consider giving to help offset the cost of our new HVAC system. You can do so by writing a check to St. Gregory’s with “HVAC” in the memo line. Or you can make a donation online through our parish website at https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4WR/campaign/C-12C50 and put HVAC in the note box. Thank you for your generosity.
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Columbarium Niches:
Many people do not realize we have a columbarium at St. Gregory’s. Having your ashes placed in the columbarium is a less expensive option than burial at a cemetery and provides for your continued presence in a place that has been important to you during your life. For more information, contact the Parish Office.
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Stitches of Faith:
Are you looking for a space to share your creativity, enjoy fellowship, and be inspired? Stitches of Faith is a 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 meet on Sundays from 1:00–3:30 PM in the Conference Room. 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!
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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!
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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://tinyurl.com/ydxd2jn6 and enter your email address in the box provided.
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Vestry Minutes and Reports:
Following Vestry meetings, the approved minutes and reports are posted on our parish website (https://stgregoryschurch.com/). Click on the “About” tab and the last option under the dropdown menu is “Vestry Minutes & Reports.” Approved minutes (without reports) are also posted on the bulletin board outside the Fireside Room. In addition, anyone is free to review minutes and reports of previous meetings, available in the Parish Office.
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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
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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).
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Please do not bring hardboiled eggs. Due to issues with eggs, we now have a dedicated team responsible for providing hardboiled eggs.
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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).
- 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 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!
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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 the Parish Office: (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). And PLEASE, no excuses about not wanting to bother us. 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 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 66 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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