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weekly news & updates
Friday, June 7, 2024
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From the Interim Rector's Desk
Administration
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Dear Friends,
I wonder sometimes if we would not be well served to consider the Church as Sinners Anonymous. To the degree that we are willing to face our own brokenness, we gather together in worship seeking healing and restoration from our unhealthy coping mechanisms and the hurtful ways we have acted/failed to act. Our relationships with God, others, and even our true selves as God has created us to be, are diminished by the ways we fail to be rooted in and act out of love. And whether it be in particular acts, done or undone, or patterns of repeated behavior, we ask for forgiveness for what has transpired in the past. We seek God’s wisdom, strength, and grace to heal and move to a healthier way of being. We pray for God’s Spirit to propel us to wholeness in the ways that we have not been able to do for ourselves.
Therefore, as we gather this Sunday to worship God and seek divine healing and comfort, we give thanks for the work of AA and the other recovery communities. We give thanks for those who have created the space and relationships for healing and new life, and we pray for God’s ongoing blessing for those who are seeking recovery. We also give thanks for the modelling they provide us. May we have the curiosity, honesty, and courage to address the brokenness and unhealthy patterns in our own lives.
Faithfully yours,
Alan
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THIS SUNDAY: Recovery Eucharist
Worship
| To mark the 89th anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous and in support of all those in recovery, each of our services on June 9 will be a Recovery Eucharist. The liturgy will be interwoven with our reciting of the 12 Steps as a means to reflect on the spirituality inherent in the recovery journey. At this service, Communion will include grape juice only, in solidarity with those in recovery. For simplicity and for sanitary reasons, only intinction will be offered. Please share the word of these special services to any who you think might appreciate this opportunity to gather and celebrate the healing work of AA and the other recovery communities. Please note that only the 10:45 service will be live streamed this week. | |
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THIS SUNDAY: Live Stream of 10:45 Service Only & AV Volunteers Needed
Worship
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This week we will be live streaming only the 10:45 service due to scheduling availability.
We are looking to train a couple of COSers to run the live stream on Sundays in the event our regularly scheduled AV technician is unavailable. Anyone is eligible to volunteer and will receive training. Please help us with this important ministry which allows individuals to worship with us from their location when they are not able to be with us in person. Please contact Br Will if you are interested in learning more.
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TUESDAY: Healing Eucharist & COS Book Club
Worship
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Please join us for this month's Healing Eucharist at 6:15pm on Tuesday, June 11 in the chapel space on the ground floor of the Rectory.
Following the Healing Eucharist at 7pm, COS' Book Club will meet upstairs in the Rectory Dining Room to discuss And There Was Light by Jacques Lusseyran. Click here for discussion questions. All are welcome, whether or not you've read the book. Attendees are encouraged to bring suggestions for upcoming books for the coming year.Those unable to join Book Club in person are welcome to join by zoom by clicking here.
Over the summer COS Book Club will be reading Humankind, A Hopeful History, by Rutger Bregman, which will be discussed that at the next meeting on September 10th.
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Campus Updates at COS
Administration
| There was plenty afoot at COS this week as the demo began on the parish hall. The interior has been mostly gutted, and the crews began tearing down the exterior yesterday. At the same time, we've replaced the front doors of the rectory with beautiful, solid new doors which will last for years to come! Thanks to the hard work of the crews and our own COS building team and stay tuned for more updates to come. | |
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Capital Campaign Update
Administration
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Thanks to the generosity of COS parishioners and our building partner Care For Friend’s grant from the State of Illinois, we are very close to fully funding this project. However, there is a gap of $600,000. This gap partly exists because we are seeking a smaller loan than previously planned/authorized and materials and labor costs have increased slightly. Currently we anticipate a $1.5 million loan. Any additional funds raised now will minimize the amount of loan needed to finance the project.
As such, it is time to embark on phase 2 of the 2021-2024 Capital Campaign. Phase 1 of this Campaign raised $2.5 million. We ask that all parishioners prayerfully consider their capacity to support closing the gap and minimizing the loan.
Capital Campaign | Pledge Form | Donations/pledge payments or mail a check to 530 W Fullerton Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
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Milestones this Coming Week | |
Birthdays:
Andrew Page, Martha Butler, Mary Beth Kamraczewski, & Scott Williamson
Anniversaries:
Bob & Sharon Barton; and Dana & Sharon White
| Need to update your information? Email us to let us know! | |
National Gun Violence Awareness Day | In 2024, the 10th National Gun Violence Awareness Day is today, June 7. Please take a moment to hold in prayer all of those affected by gun violence and pray for an end to this deadly reality. You can check out the Bishops United Against Gun Violence website for more information about how we can respond in prayer and in action to the devastating impact of gun violence in our society. Bishop Clark is one of more than 100 Episcopal bishops who participate in the network. The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations also provides resources for responding to gun violence with advocacy and action. Read more. | |
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On June 30, members of the Diocese of Chicago will march in the 2024 Pride Parade with the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches. The parade officially kicks off at 11 am from Sheridan and Broadway in Uptown and treks through the north side of the city, ending near the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park.
Watch for more information, including volunteer opportunities and the meet-up location and time in upcoming newsletters and on the Facebook Event page. Spread the word: all are welcome!
For parade-goers in Chicago, St. Peter's Episcopal Church is located right on the route (617 W. Belmont) and will have their doors open from 9 am through the end of the parade. St. Peter's will hand out free bottles of cold water and provide accessible, all-gender bathrooms that are open to parade-goers. All are invited to stop by St. Peter's for music, hospitality, and a place to cool off.
Participants in Pride celebrations around the diocese are invited to bring Bishop Clark's message of "Leading with Love" to their communities by by wearing our new Diocese of Chicago Pride t-shirts for adults and kids.
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Click here to the read the bi-monthly newsletter from the Diocese in Chiapas. | |
Washington, DC-area church hosts multifaith vigil for peace and humanity | |
St. John’s Episcopal Church Norwood, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, hosted representatives of faith communities for a “Multifaith Vigil for Peace and Humanity” on June 2. The Rev. Anne Derse, deacon and minister for community engagement at the church, welcomed about 75 people attending in person and others watching the event’s livestream.
The event was organized by the parish’s Holy Land Committee, which works to build knowledge of the Holy Land and engagement with its issues and people. Derse said this service was needed now because people of faith need to hold up a vision “of peace, hope, dignity, respect and justice for all of our siblings … especially when we’re witnessing the tragic and violent circumstances prevailing in the Holy Land and sadly in so many other parts of the world today.”
Those attending also were invited to contribute to the Holy Land Committee’s work, which includes financial support for three organizations working in Gaza and Israel – Doctors Without Borders, World Central Kitchen and the Binational School for Psychotherapy.
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