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May 6,
2008
COVER
STORY
Confirmation,
Pentecost, and More...
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
St. Michael's Family and Friends,
Praise God
the season of Easter lasts a glorious 50 days. As I write this,
we have just concluded day 43 and we have one more week to enjoy
the wonderful gift of new life in Christ. Our celebration of Easter
continues this coming Saturday, May 10, as our new Bishop, Jeffrey
Lee, comes to visit. He will lead our worship at 4:00 p.m. including
confirmation, reception and reaffirmation of baptismal vows for
several youth and adults from St. Michael's and from other neighboring
communities. Bishop Lee will meet with the students and adults
at 3:00 p.m. and then preside, preach and confirm at 4:00 p.m.
This is a great time to meet our new bishop, welcome him to our
community and hear him speak.
The next day,
May 11, we celebrate the beautiful feast of Pentecost; the gift
of the Holy Spirit. Wear red and come enjoy our worship. We will
also celebrate Mother's Day and invite all who wish to bring a
picture of our moms, alive or dead, to share with others in our
community. Phil Darrow and I will, in the spirit of Pentecost,
share with all of you our story of being in the Sudan last month.
As you can
see, the celebration of new life continues all the way to the
gift of God's Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Friend, and the Comforter.
As we now await the opportunities for new birth that God might
be drawing us to consider, let's continue this week to practice
the basics of our faith: prayer, support for others, fellowship,
breaking bread, and helping others in need. See you on Saturday
and Sunday.
Love and Blessings,
Alvin+, a
pilgrim eagerly awaiting the presence of the Holy Spirit…
OUTREACH
Excitement
Builds for Escape to New Orleans Night
by Ryan Donohue
 Be
sure to Escape to New Orleans, Saturday, May 24 from 6:00 p.m.
until 10:00 p.m. at St. Michael's. Dinner includes jambalaya and
red beans and rice, salad, cookies and soft drinks. Adults are
invited to bring their own favorite "adult" beverage.
The entertainment includes music, games for kids from age 4 to
104, and a special guest from Waveland, Mississippi...Ms. Pat
Baird.
Pat will share
her story and give an update on where things still stand for the
people of the area devastated by Katrina. This is an evening for
the whole community so bring your friends. Tickets are $10 for
adults, $5 for youth ages 5 to 18, and children under 5 are free.
The Katrina
Care Kids thank the St. Michael's family for supporting them in
their efforts to raise money for the much needed efforts in Mississippi
and New Orleans. For more information, call Katie Lindeen at 847-830-7255.
FORMATION
Prayer,
Fellowship, and Book Study
by Sally Smith
Consider joining
one of the following small groups for an invigorating, insightful
and transformational opportunity to explore your faith journey
in a new way: Hope — Our Longing for Home or Discernment
— The Art of Choosing Well. Participants are encouraged
to come to the meetings even if they have not yet purchased the
book.
 Hope
— Our Longing For Home by John Indermark
(available at And All the Angels gift shop on St. Michael's
lower level)
Indermark
issues a wise and gracious call to live a “Godward”
life - that is, to journey towards God as though towards home,
fueled by a radical hope in God’s justice, guidance, and
unifying love. In this latest book, Indermark identifies the familiar
longing for intimacy with God as a kind of yearning for home,
assuring readers that the journey towards God is already a journey
with God – and is a kind of homecoming all along the way.
Choose from
two small groups meeting for nine weeks.
- Fridays
9:15-10:45 a.m. (beginning May 2)
- Saturdays
8:30-10:00 a.m. (meeting the second and fourth Saturday
of each month beginning May 10)
 Discernment:
The Art of Choosing Well
by Pierre Wolff
Making good
decisions are among the most difficult challenges in life. In
Discernment: The Art of Choosing Well, readers will find
a comprehensive guide to making choices, either individually or
in groups. It is based on the time-tested spiritual exercises
of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the sixteenth-century founder of
the Jesuits who developed a systematic way of considering and
making choices. The decision-making process outlined here can
be applied to decisions in any area of life, whether personal,
professional, or spiritual. Anyone desiring to make life choices
and manage decisions that are faithful to God will find in this
book a succinct, practical, and insightful guide to the process
of making significant decisions. This small group will meet for
five weeks:
- Fridays
6:00-7:00 a.m. (beginning May 2)
Keeping
God's People Safe
The Episcopal
Diocese of Chicago is a national leader in Child Sexual Abuse
Prevention. The Office of Pastoral Care offers training sessions
to build awareness and prevention in our parishes. All those employed
by the church, who work with children (salaried /voluntary), and
who lead ministries are mandated to take the training every five
years. St. Michael is offering the training session on May 6 and
May 20 at 6:30 p.m. in our Community Room. In addition to those
mandated, this is an excellent resource for parents, grandparents,
members of the community, and friends. All are welcome.
There are
no fees for attending, however we ask you register with the church
office/Nancy Holmes so we can provide folders and material for
each participant. Light refreshments and beverages provided.
SMUSH
Plant Sale
St. Michael's
Sr. High is having its annual plant sale! Full flats and half
flats of annuals are available to bring some wonderful spring
color to your home. Order forms are available in the foyer on
Sundays and orders are due to Kevin Callahan no later than Monday,
May 12. Pickup is on Saturday, May 17. Proceeds from this fundraiser
will help with the youth mission trip during the summer.
Children's
Clothing Drive
Little Angels
Preschool and St. Michael’s Church School are sponsoring
a children’s clothing drive (new or gently used) for St.
Clement’s Open Pantry in Harvey, IL. Please keep this in
mind as your children try on spring and summer clothes from last
year, and, if they no longer fit, consider donating to our drive.
Collection will take place in either the Preschool or the Church
School hallway between May 1 and May 18.
ECW
"Green" Evening
Attention
ALL women of St. Michael's! Bring your "green" thumbs
and your "green" salad and come to the ECW "Green"
night on Wednesday, May 21. In conjunction with its annual general
meeting, the ECW will be doing a service project at the church
and having a salad potluck supper. For those willing and able,
the evening will start about 6:00 p.m. with flower planting and
mulch turning around the church property. Following this church-beautifying
activity, we will proceed to the community room (about 7:00 p.m.)
for a potluck supper and a brief meeting. Please bring a salad
to share; drinks and dessert will be furnished. Even if you cannot
attend the work session, please feel free to join us for dinner
and fellowship. It's a great way to get to know and have a delightful
evening with other women at St. Michael's.
For those
coming to work outside, please bring a garden rake and any other
tools you have that would help with flower planting. We will be
getting our flowers from the SMUSH flower sale.
Ladies, we
hope your will join the ECW for all or any part of this "Green"
evening of fun and fellowship on May 21. If you have any questions,
please contact Marie Schriefer at 847-719-1012.
The
Little Red Wagon
During the
months of April and May, food and personal items collected in
the Little Red Wagon will be offered to St. Clement's Open Pantry.
The pantry was started in 1990 by a parishioner who was a retired
dietitian. It is managed and staffed by volunteers from the parish.
Food is distributed the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month,
and clothing and household goods on the fourth Wednesday. In the
summer, the Community Garden on the church property is tended
by clients and supplements the pantry offerings. Last year the
pantry distributed food and clothing to over 700 households, or
over 3000 individuals.
The U.S. government
used to supply such foods a peanut butter, canned meats, and dry
beans but does not now so the wish list starts with:
- Peanut
butter
- Canned
meats (stews, etc.)
- Tuna
- Pork &
beans
- Cereal
- Personal
items (toothpaste and toothbrushes, bar soap, detergent, toilet
paper, etc.)
- Gently
used clothing (it's helpful to mark the bags of clothing as
"women's", "children's", "men's",
etc.)
The Little
Red Wagon is located in St. Michael's narthex/front entrance each
Sunday or in the coat area near the foyer during the week.
UTO
News
The St. Michael's
UTO team is pleased to announce that the UTO collection on April
20 was $1719.75. UTO funds are offered to a variety of projects
and needs worldwide. Thank you for your support of UTO!
Field
Trip to Lawrence Hall to Honor Kevin Callahan
In February
we raised $10,000 to name a room at the new Lawrance Hall Residential
Treatment Center to thank Kevin Callahan for his dedication to
St. Michael's youth. Plan on seeing this room and participating
in the dedication ceremony on Saturday, June 7 with a bus trip
to Lawrance Hall. The bus will depart form St. Michael's at 10:00
a.m. and the trip will include lunch cooked by students' Try Me
Café. You can expect to return to St. Michael's around
2:00 p.m. The cost for this trip is $5 per person.
Women's
Softball
Come out for
a little exercise — and a lot of fun! Women age 25+++ are
encouraged to join the "Angels" softball team for 12"
underhand pitch softball. The Barrington Area Christian Women's
Softball League is comprised of a non-competitive group of Barrington
area church teams that have been building friendships while enjoying
friendly softball games for over 20 years. Games are played on
Tuesday evenings in June & July at Langendorf Park. Practices
begin on Tuesday, May 6 at Eton Park, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Come when
you can and bring your family and friends. No experience required!
For further details call Captain Sally Smith at 847-274-4622.
Umpires
Needed
If you enjoy
softball, and are available on Tuesday evenings, St. Michael's
"Angels" need you! The team is seeking volunteer umpires
for our games. This is a 12" underhand pitch league of women
age 25+++. Umpires must be at least 16 years old. Please contact
Captain Sally Smith at 847-274-4622.
Don't
Forget Mom!
 It
will be Mother's Day before you know it! In celebration, And
All the Angels will be offering sumptuous chocolate covered
strawberries for Mom. This year, two box sizes are available in
milk, dark, and white chocolate:
- Small (6-8
berries) $7
- Large (10-12
berries) $10
In addition,
any pendant with a value of $50 or more will be 30% off now through
Mother's Day.
And All
the Angels will also have extended hours on May 10 for last
minute shoppers for Mother's Day and Confirmation. In addition
to the normal hours, the shop will open from 2:30 p.m. until 5:30
p.m.
Around
the Neighborhood
Holy Apostles
Spring Fling
It's not a
fund-raiser, but a FUN-raiser. Join your Holy Apostles brothers
and sisters for a night of dining and dancing, fun and fellowship
on Friday, May 16. The event will be at Mill Creek Banquet Facility,
330 West Mill Street, Wauconda 60084. Festivities begin at 6:30
p.m. with a cash bar and appetizers; dinner begins at 7:30 p.m.;
dancing at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and tables of eight may be
reserved. To reserve your place, call 847-540-9280 and leave a
message for Martha Gillette or mail checks to Holy Apostles, 26238
N Highway 59, Wauconda, IL 60084. Music will be provided by Maximus
Music Unlimited. Dress as you like. The evening is open to all
so grab a neighbor, colleague, or that long-lost cousin, and come
help celebrate all the good things we have.
In
the Parish Family
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
Dolores, Andy,
May Louise, Carol, Frank, Nicholas, Andrew, Frankie, Emily, Peggy
& Rob, Dick & Patricia, Alice, Jasmine, Jullian, Scott,
Amy, Melissa, Irma, Judie, Laurie, Mary, Jim, Kate, Georgianna,
Kevin & Marti, Shirley & Bob, Mary, Brad, Patrick, Margo,
military troops in danger, Mary Beth, John
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 5.10 Lorie
Nolan, Tim Hull, Colin Pepper, Phyllis Stevens, Rebecca Calloway
- 5.11 Larry
Knobe, Omar Anderson, Amanda McLaughlin, Robert Ernst, Emmie
Phillips, Erin Reeff, Charles Lafon, Rick Walter, Jackson Paris
- 5.12 Susan
Beverly, Peter Couch, Grant Kimes, Justin Arms, Kenneth Yager,
Dick Garrity, Campbell Paris
- 5.13 Austin
Lewis, Victoria Tilly, Cooper Raynor
- 5.14 Richard
Curran, Ann Ryba, Hugh Harris, III, Lily Padula
- 5.15 Lee
Buckley, Rob Osmond, Ryan Stevens, Chris Dickerson, Dean Maire
- 5.16 Ann
Ross, Connor Hollensteiner, Emily LaBarge, John Howe
Anniversaries
- 5.14 Mary
Lou & Karl Richardson
- 5.16 Heidi
& Marty Guthrie
Deaths
- 5.11 Jason
Richardson, George Foy
- 5.12 Peter
Bollenbach, Jesse Durand
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