OneBreadOneBody
News from Holy Innocents & St. Nicholas
10.1.06
Blessing of the animals at St. Nicholas today
Join us at the 10:30 liturgy – and bring a pet. Remember, too, that if you don’t have a live pet, you can bring a stuffed animal.
Blessing of the Animals at Holy Innocents next Sunday.
Join us at the 9 liturgy – and bring a pet. Remember, too, that if you don’t have a live pet, you can bring a stuffed animal.
Ice Cream Sundae at St. Nicholas next Sunday after church. Bring your favorite topping to share.
November is Women in Ministry Month at both St. Nicholas and Holy Innocents. All liturgical roles will be taken by women that month. This is timed to coincide with the installation of the Episcopal Church’s first woman presiding bishop.
Wednesday spirituality series begins October 4. The eight-week program will explore Contemporary Spirituality and will help the people of St. Nicholas and Holy Innocents get to know each other a bit better. We will begin with a meal at 6 p.m.. Members of the host parish are asked to bring bread or a salad to complement the pasta dinner. At 6:45, we begin the program, at 7:45 we end with Compline (Night Prayer) and everyone is out the door by 8. The program will be intergenerational, and children
are welcome. On October 4 we will be at Holy Innocents, October 11 at St. Nicholas, etc. The series runs through November. On November 22, it will not meet and we will have a combined Thanksgiving liturgy. Holy Innocents is at 425 Illinois Blvd. in Hoffman Estates – take Higgins west to Roselle, turn left (south) and the fourth right will be Illinois.
Diocesan Convention is coming. The Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, to be held Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, provides an opportunity for fellowship and learning. In addition to clergy, delegates and alternates, we’ve paid for several additional guest registrations to be used by parishioners. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to contact Pat D’Aprix at 224-625-5101 (daytime) or 312-215-3618 (evening) or send an e-mail to patricia.daprix@ngc.com. You can
find complete information on the diocesan website at www.epischicago.org. Past St. Nicholas attendees have most enjoyed the workshops — there are three sessions: Friday 9:00-10:15, 10:30-11:45 and Saturday 8:30-10:15 – and the main liturgy on Saturday morning. The 42 workshop topics include:
* “Overwhelmed by Choices? A Theological Promise for the Contemporary Condition”
* “Episcopal Congregations Today – Your Congregation Today
* “Small Groups for Spiritual Formation and Guidance
St. Nicholas Giving Opportunity.
Our adopted family from Clearmont School needs peanut butter and jelly for fall lunches. Our second adopted family from Grove Junior High needs breakfast foods
Joint Bishop’s Committee meeting. The bishops’ committees of both parishes will meet jointly on Sunday, October 29, from noon to 4 p.m. This will be the first in an ongoing series of meetings in which we will explore how we might develop from our two different communities a single community that is a vital center of the gospel. By this, I mean a community committed to its own communal and personal transformation as well as to transforming lives of those outside its walls through mission.
One Bread, One Body – week 7 reflections.
October is going to be an important, and busy, month. I am looking forward to the Wednesday spirituality series which begins this Wednesday, October 4. I know evenings are difficult for parents of young children, and I sought to accommodate this as much as possible with the schedule. Even so, I know some will not be able to make it, and we will look for other ways to help you grow – and get to know one another. Wednesday night is particularly important for me with Holy Innocents, as it will give parishioners
and me a chance to be with one another for a longer time than is possible on Sundays. I really look forward to this, and hope many of you can participate.
Late in the month, there is a meeting of “aided congregations” that will be the first step in allocating limited diocesan resources for 2007 to parishes in need. I am hopeful we can make a strong case that whatever monies we receive will be well spent in mission. I am delighted at the efforts in both congregations to help the hungry. Both parishes are doing important, life-changing ministry, and working together, I think we will be able to do much more.
Working together is exactly what we will be doing on Sunday, October 29, from 12-4, as both bishop’s committees meet in our first full joint session. All parishioners are not only welcome, but encouraged to participate in this meeting. The main focus of the day will be on working together in as many ways as we possibly can, anticipating that sometime in the still-to-be-determined future both congregations will share a common life and building.
There is a lot of getting to know one another that must occur before this can happen successfully. Each congregation has its distinct ways of being which must be honored, and this can happen only through knowledge and love of one another. Bringing two congregations together is a challenging enterprise, for both are bound to experience loss and grief. The more we know and respect the commitments and concerns of one another, the more we will be able to work through hard times and emotions, and grow into the brighter
future our coming together offers.
Future meetings will focus on developing a ministry plan for the communities we serve, but for now, we need to take one step at a time.
Finally, on a personal note, I am incredibly grateful to everyone in both congregations for the spirit with which you are receiving the new guy (Holy Innocents) and sharing the old guy (St. Nicholas). I know there is hardship in any change, but I am truly impressed at the positive energy and willingness to consider something new (and a little scary) in both parishes. I feel more stretched by my parochial ministry than I have in years, but I’m also more excited – and that is mostly due to all of you. Thanks!
— Steve
