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February
5, 2008
COVER
STORY
Pilgrims
Together
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
Lenten Pilgrims,
Remember:
"Being a tourist means experiencing something new; being
a pilgrim means becoming someone new. Pilgrimages go somewhere
— to a transformed life." As our week moves through
Shrove "Fat" Tuesday and into Ash Wednesday with the
beginning of Lent, many of us are still wondering what Jesus might
have in mind for us during these 40 days. We might even be thinking
that if we didn't "sign up" for anything that it's too
late. Nonsense! We can make all the plans we wish but it is God
who puts the desire within the human heart and God who elicits
action on our part in response to that desire.
Here is what
I encourage for you who are flirting with spiritual concerns this
Lent: take an action. Make a choice of worship, or the prayer
group opportunities, or a Bible study, or God in the Movies; whatever
moves your heart. Make a choice and then act on that choice and
see what God might have in mind for you. Maybe your choice will
be just the right thing; maybe not. Either way, you will be another
step on your journey and open to trying something else.
This year
some things are different. For one, we will have women join our
Friday 6:00 a.m. prayer group. If you are wondering that question,
please join us beginning Friday, February 15. Also, some of the
prayer groups meet in homes. Call the Parish Office and talk to
Nerissa Brueckbauer or check the list at church to learn more.
Even if you cannot make every week or even week one, join us when
you can.
One more invitation:
if you are new to the Episcopal Church or to St. Michael's and
want to experience your Christian faith more deeply within this
tradition, then please sign up for ACE…Adult Christian Experience.
You will be glad you did. Kay Lewis, one of our highly talented
leaders, coordinates this ministry offering and the community
that is formed is rich.
So, you see,
we can order life however we wish, but God will provide the timing
for you. I just want you to know that those of us leading all
these various groups are ready, willing and able to meet you where
you meet God. Remember: "…being a pilgrim means becoming
someone new. Pilgrimages go somewhere — to a transformed
life." We are all pilgrims together.
Love and Blessings,
Alvin, a pilgrim
anticipating a glorious Lent with all of you…
FORMATION
The
Registration Station: One Place, Many Opportunities
by Sally Smith
St. Michael's
has been blessed with an abundance of spiritual, social, and service
opportunities. Just look at the Lenten "Windows of Opportunities,"
announcements on the wall in the foyer, the Outreach table and
the area outside of the Community Room and you will see a sampling
of the many ways to step into transformation and engage our mission,
Lives formed and changed...through deeper intimacy with Jesus
Christ.
A new "Registration
Station" has been placed in the hallway between the narthex/front
entrance and the church office. The Registration Station consists
of a podium that holds a binder. Currently, inside the binder
there are tabbed registration sheets for each Lenten opportunity.
Simply select an opportunity and sign-up on the spot.
All ministry
leaders and facilitators have been encouraged to place every registration
sheet in this binder so that there is one place to direct all
of St. Michael's wonderful opportunities.
Everyone is
invited to stop by the "Registration Station" regularly
to take a look at the many opportunities for spiritual, social
and service involvement and transformation at St. Michael's...one
place, many opportunities.
St.
Michael's Welcomes New Vestry Members
Please welcome
the new members of St. Michael's Vestry: Peter Belden, June Kramer,
John Schmidt, and David Waring. Also welcome John Yerger as Senior
Warden, John Gigerich as Treasurer, and Jack Schmidt as Youth
Representative.
Thanks also
for the dedicated service offered by outgoing Senior Warden Sharon
Walcott; Vestry members Michael Donohue, James Pajakowski, Danny
Warner, and Diane Zinn; Clerk, Dayna Imhoff; and Youth Representative
Dan Quarfoot.
Fr.
McIntosh's New Book Available at And All The Angels
 And
All The Angels gift shop now has Fr. McIntosh's new book.
Divine Teaching: An Introduction to Christian Theology.
This is an imaginative and lively analysis of the Christian way
of thinking, offering vivid and informing insight into the history
and practice of Christian theology. An innovative textbook, Divine
Teaching is a complete and dedicated guide to understanding
Christian theology.
The book not
only offers a lively exploration of the fundamentals of Christian
belief, but also shows how and why these beliefs arose, providing
the reader with an understanding of theological reflection which
enables them to think theologically themselves. The book questions
how the major thinkers in the Christian world themselves shaped
theology through a wide variety of thoughts and experiences of
the world designed to make the study of theology exciting and
interactive; not necessarily requiring a faith commitment but
allowing the reader a thinking involvement in the subject.
And All
The Angels is located on St. Michael's lower level. All profits
from sales at the shop are donated to area ministries and organizations
providing shelter and services to women and children.
ECW
Half-Day Lenten Retreat
Join the ladies
of Holy Apostles, Redeemer, St. Mark's and Trinity as Martha Gillette
leads us in The Place of Penitence on Saturday, February 16 from
9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
What it's
all about... We don't much like to admit we're wrong in our culture,
but we all are sometimes, and a constructive approach to righting
those wrongs, or at least engaging in behaviors of reconciliation,
is useful to everyone.
The ECW Retreat
will begin with a a light breakfast and then a Gathering Ritual,
followed by a Presentation that will include a historical perspective,
perhaps sketching a comparison between the Elizabethan world of
our Anglican roots (which was inherently penitential), and our
world (which is not). A light lunch will be served, followed by
a discussion that will include looking at the constructive purpose
penitence can serve in our own lives and suggestions on how to
"be" penitent in a practical way. After a break for
personal time, there will be activities that may include such
things as having materials available to write letters, meditate
on poems (such as in Jennifer Phillips' Prayers for Penitents),
draw, etc. There will be a short wrap-up and a Closing Ritual
(probably, given the topic, a cleansing ritual). For further information,
contact Marie Schriefer at 847-719-1012 or Sally Smith at 847-274-4622.
The
Little Red Wagon - Lent 2008
St. Cyprian
Episcopal Church in northwest Chicago organized a food pantry
in 1983 to answer the needs of some of its neighbors. By December,
2007, it grew from assisting a few families a month to serving
554 families or 2,322 individuals. The pantry grew continually
while the mission church struggled to survive in a changing neighborhood.
When the church closed its doors, the pantry had to find a new
home. In 1998, United in Faith Lutheran Church, which was formed
by the union of eight small parishes, offered a wonderful space
in which the pantry could function. It was a great fit —
more space, more accessibility, more clients and more support.
St. Michael's
has been supporting this food pantry for many years. Its needs
are even greater now — not just because of the growing number
of clients, but because of the great drop in food available from
its main support agencies — The Greater Chicago Food Depository
and the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation.
As we begin
Lent, let us remember those struggling to survive each day. Their
needs are many and money is limited. Providing food is essential
and something we can all do. Please consider the following suggested
items when you're shopping during the months of February and March:
- February
10 - Breakfast items: Cereal, canned fruit
- February
17 - Lunch items: Peanut butter, jelly, Jell-O
- February
24 - Dinner items: Canned meat, vegetables, instant potatoes,
yams
- March 2
- Basics: Dried beans, rice, pasta, macaroni & cheese
- March 9
- Extras: Salad dressings, salsa, pasta sauce
- March 16
- Desserts: Snacks, crackers
World
Day of Prayer
Church Women
United (CWU) will be celebrating World Day of Prayer on Friday,
March 7 at 1:00 p.m., at Wauconda Federated Church. The church
is located at 200 S. Barrington Road at Route 176, Main Street,
in Wauconda. World Day of Prayer is an annual event that unites
all Christians in a common worship experience. This year the women
of Guyana have written a worship service that celebrates the theme,
"God's Wisdom Provides New Understanding." The speaker
will be Rev. Digna Campanano, Staff Chaplain for Cardiac Care
at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. Rev. Campanano, a native of
the Philippines, has worked at the Disaster and Rehabilitation
Coordinating Council which provided moral, spiritual and psychological
support and assistance to the victims of war conflicts in the
Philippines. This work experience enhanced her passion for the
Word and her compassion for the world.
After the
service, there will be a time for fellowship and refreshments.
Child care will be provided at no charge. If you have questions,
please call St. Michael's CWU representative Marie Schriefer at
847-719-1012. This is a wonderful opportunity to pray and worship
with other Christian ladies in the Barrington area.
February
is Greeting Card Month at And All The Angels
Stock up on
all of your greeting card needs during the month of February at
And All The Angels gift shop. Buy three cards at the regular
price and receive the fourth free! Small Tickelopes and Gel Gem
cards are included! And All The Angels is located on St. Michael's
lower level.
Around
the Neighborhood
Prospective
Student Days at Seabury
The faculty,
staff, and students of Seabury invite prospective students to
join them for Prospective Student Days on March 2-3.
Prospective
students learn how Seabury can empower them for ministry, address
questions and concerns about choosing a seminary, and speak with
spouses and children to find out about family life "on the
block." It will allow all visitors to discover the wealth
of resources available in Evanston and the greater Chicago area,
and, most importantly, become a part of the community for a few
days, and see how the people and experiences here can enable students
to deepen the intellectual, spiritual, and practical dimensions
of their participation in the mission of Jesus Christ.
To learn more
visit http://www.seabury.edu/admissions/prospect_days_spring.php
or call Liz Donohue, Admissions Coordinator, at 847-328-9300,
ext. 28.
Gulf Coast
Mission Trip Planned for August 2008
The Office
of Youth and Young Adult Ministry has organized a second Gulf
Coast mission trip this coming August for high school and college
age youth and the adults who work with them. The week-long mission,
August 2 through 9, will be based at two of the Katrina work camps:
Mission on the Bay in Bay St. Louis, MS, and Camp Coast Care at
Long Beach, MS. High school and college youth teams will be based
at Mission on the Bay while adults not working with the youth
will be based at Camp Coast Care. Both teams have a limit of 50
persons. Cost has not been set. The organizers hope to keep the
youth costs to $200 or less per student through fundraising efforts
and diocesan subsidies. Travel will be by Amtrak from Chicago
to New Orleans and then in rented vans to the Mississippi Gulf
Coast.
The Diocese
of Chicago's 2008 Mission Trip is a ministry to the people whose
lives were affected by Hurricane Katrina in Bay St. Louis, Long
Beach, Pearlington, and other areas in Mississippi. Volunteers
participating in the activities of the mission trip will be expected
to be involved in specific repair and building activities including,
but not limited to: gutting houses, cleaning debris, gardening,
yard work, roofing, carpentry, dry walling, digging and building
steps, plumbing, glasswork, insulating, painting, flooring, masonry,
electrical wiring and other facets of repair, remodeling and renovation.
These activities include, but are not limited to: the use of power
tools such as saws and drills, as well as the use of hand tools.
The foregoing activities will also require climbing with and without
supplies, tools and materials as well as working in high places
such as on roofs and other facets of construction work.
Volunteers
may, in their free time, engage in non-sponsored activities including,
swimming, or other sports activities of their choosing. Planned
evening activities may include, but are not limited to: visiting
the local community, traveling to visit places or people of regional
interest.
An informational
meeting will be held Saturday, February 23 from 2–4 p.m.
at Grace Church in Oak Park. For more information contact Canon
Sue Cromer at (312) 751-6722 or scromer@episcopalchicago.org.
Lawrence
Hall Youth Services Celebrates Grand Opening of Treatment Center
Lawrence Hall
Youth Services invites everyone to the Grand Opening of its new,
state-of-the-art Residential Treatment Center on Saturday, February
23, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with a program at 10:30 a.m.
The treatment center is located on the campus of Lawrence Hall
Youth Services, 4833 N. Francisco Ave. in Chicago. Please RSVP
to 312-456-6527.
The new Residential
Treatment Center will provide a home for 48 Lawrence Hall youth.
The Center utilizes unique architecture and design to create a
community that treats adolescents who are traumatized due to abuse
and neglect. The apartment-style residences include private bedrooms;
computer workstations; communal kitchens; and dedicated space
for individual, family and group therapy. The new residential
facility will provide over 150 youth and families from Lawrence
Hall's Residential Treatment Center and the Therapeutic Day School
with specialized medical and therapeutic care. The four-story
facility also includes a vocational culinary training kitchen,
a cafeteria and communal dining hall.
In
the Parish Family
Death
Please keep
the Callahan family in your prayers following the death of Kevin
Callahan's sister, Susan.
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
This week
prayers are asked for: Military troops in danger, John, Mary,
Margo, Kevin & Marti, Bob, Norman, Ray, Maribeth, the Moon
family, Patti, Carol, Kathy, Teri, Sue, Shirley & Bob, Mary
Beth, the Galasso family, Katy, Constance, Suzanne, Jimmy, Marshall,
Mary, Mackenzie
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 2.9 Beth
Blass, Larry Quinlan, Carrie Stegvik, Rosemary Wyatt
- 2.10 Pat
Steed, Maria Kuechmann, Sally Smith, Michele Campbell
- 2.11 Whitney
Knobe, Frank Pollard, John Brueckbauer
- 2.12 Brittany
Johns, Heyes Mangan
- 2.13 Jean
Gale, Daniel Pepper, Alexis Zgoda, Janice Rhodes, Eric Christie,
Daniel O'Riordan, Molly O'Riordan
- 2.14 Charley
Wickman
- 2.15 Marji
Pullinger, Kara Nance
Anniversaries
- 2.13 Dayna
& Scott Imnoff
- 2.14 Colin
Noble & Bonnie Factor, Natalie & Sergio Scotti
Deaths
- 2.9 Patricia
Jones
- 2.11 Patricia
Johnson
- 2.13 Dorothy
Rose
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