Friday, May 27, 2016

Announcements for May 29

Seeking Information on Graduates: Last Call
Are you, or someone in your family, graduating this spring? As we do each year, we would like to celebrate graduates (at all levels). Please call (708.798.4150) or email (office@stjohnsflossmoor.org) the parish office with the information. You may also drop a note in the offering plate on Sunday. Please keep the announcements as brief as possible, but feel free to include information on majors, special honors and future plans, if known. The deadline for submitting information is June 1.

Parish Office Closed Monday
The parish office will be closed Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day.

Vestry News
At the May 16th meeting of the vestry, we discussed our “Godparent” project. Each vestry member is the godparent for a ministry in the parish. Godparents don’t necessarily become members, but keep up on what is happening, pray and show concern for that ministry, and tell other people in the parish about it. We also discussed ongoing plans for expanding the columbarium and improving the sidewalk and landscaping by the outdoor altar. Since there are currently funds to cover this project, it should start in late summer.

Help Out with Best Buddies Pet Pantry
Can you spare an hour on Saturday, June 4th, to weigh and package dry cat food for the Best Buddies Pet Pantry? We’ll meet at 10:00 AM in the adult education classroom, and if we get lots of helping hands, we should be done in no time. Please let Susan Marquis know if you can be there, and bring along friends if you can. Last minute helpers are appreciated, too!

Sunday School on Vacation
Sunday school classes for children and adults are on vacation for the summer. Thanks to all who participated, especially the teachers of the children’s and youth classes: Diane Walsh-Madden, Patti Pohrte and Cyndie Knoll.

Reflection for May 29

Washington’s Prayer for the Nation

Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.

And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplications, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Written at Newburg, June 8, 1783, and sent to the Governors of all the States. From Song and Service Book for Ship and Field, 1942.)

Friday, May 20, 2016

Announcements for May 22

Parish Picnic This Sunday
The annual spring parish picnic is this Sunday, May 22. Gather on the south lawn following the 10:00 AM service. Hotdogs and hamburgers will be provided. Everyone is invited to come celebrate spring and our parish community! Bring a side or dessert if you wish. We will also plant the parish food garden.

Seeking Information on Graduates
Are you, or someone in your family, graduating this spring? As we do each year, we would like to celebrate graduates (at all levels). Please call or email the parish office with the information. You may also drop a note in the offering plate on Sunday. Please keep the announcements as brief as possible, but feel free to include information on majors, special honors and future plans, if known. The deadline for submitting information is June 1.

Photo Op – Get Your Photo Taken for St. John’s Photo Board
Vestry member Nichole Dailor is spearheading an effort to create a bulletin board for the undercroft with current photos of St. John’s parishioners. She’ll be available to take family or individual photos at the parish picnic. You may also supply your own photos if you wish, or there will be additional photo opportunities throughout the year.

Last Day of Sunday School
This Sunday, May 22, is the final day of Sunday School for this year. During the 10:00 AM service, we will celebrate the children and teachers who are a part of our Sunday School program.

Sign Up for Episcopal Summer Camp
The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago runs a summer camp, Camp Chicago, for campers age 7 – 17. Week-long sessions run between June 26 – July 15. Scholarship assistance is available. Find more information HERE

Reflection for May 22

Interviewer: What is “the main thing” for the Diocese of Chicago?

Bishop Lee: I believe at my core that a relationship with Jesus in a community of faith can be life-changing and that it can reveal texture and depth and purpose in your day-to-day life that can be an experience of new life. It can be a kind of re-enchantment of the world, yes even of the workplace, school, home. When we realize the sacramental depth of this world, we see it with new eyes shot through with the presence of God, and that can change everything. That can change the way you lead and the way you follow. It can change your life (Thrive magazine, Spring 2016).

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting - April 18, 2016

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the church at 7:00 PM for Evening Prayer and then reconvened in the undercroft meeting room where everyone offered prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

Attendance
Present: the rector Kristin Orr; the senior warden Anne Edwards, the junior warden Steve Hofer; vestry members Bob Burgwald, Rob Carrier, Alice Creason, Nichole Dailor, Ted Stone, and Zoltan Sziky,; the treasurer Debbi Huggett; and the clerk Susan Marquis Absent: Randy Oyster, Cynthia Turnquest and Hans Zigmund

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
There was a correction in last month’s minutes regarding the names of accounts. The minutes should state that what used to be the Flower Fund has now been renamed the Altar Guild Fund. Rob Carrier moved to accept the minutes as amended, and Alice Creason seconded. The motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that three months or 25% into 2016, the collections total 23% of the annual budget. She believes that this amount can be made up in the remaining nine months of the year. Expenses are at 26%, or 1% over budget.
The plate collection on Good Friday of $217 will be sent, as is customary, to the Church in Jerusalem.
Some money has shown up in the Columbarium Fund as a result of memorial contributions for Jack Strombeck.

Rector’s Discretionary Account Report
Pastor Orr distributed a report of funds for the first quarter of the 2016 Rector’s Discretionary Account. There had been no activity in the first quarter. Alice Creason moved to accept the report, and Rob Carrier seconded. The motion passed.

Information

Rector’s Report
Pastor Orr noted that the paperwork for the updated signers’ list on the bank accounts has been completed, and she will get the paperwork back to the bank within the next few days.
Another $100 has been donated to the Fish Fry.
The yard service has started mowing for the season.

Wardens’ Reports and Reports from Parish Organizations
 Junior Warden Steve Hofer reported on the progress of his parish history project. It is going well, and he is up to the year 1976. He found a list of memorials from 2002 as well as 13 years’ worth of pictures from confirmation classes and some framed pictures of bishops. Steve moved to have Diane Pugh, the office manager, re-type the 2002 inventory of memorials, divided into the areas of sanctuary, nave, and outside. The list will be stored on a disk. Rob Carrier seconded the motion, which then was approved.

Upcoming Parish Events
April 23rd - St. John’s hosts the annual diocesan ECW meeting
May 1st - Blue Jeans Sunday after the 10:00 AM service. Parish volunteers are needed to assist in yard work on the church grounds.
May 5th - Ascension Day with a Eucharist at 7:00 PM
May 21st - Five of our young people will be confirmed at St. James’ Cathedral Discussion and

Decisions

Columbarium Project Update
—Pastor Orr reported that she had a productive meeting with parishioner Mark Moxley and that he has a lot of help to offer in terms of acquiring many supplies at cost, in finding a contractor, and in providing a project management spreadsheet.
—Clarification will be needed in the near future about which permits are needed and when they are needed.
—Barry Berg and his sister Patty are in the process of replacing the broken tiles on the outdoor altar plaza. They originally built this in memory of their sister Betty Berg. In an email correspondence with Pastor Orr, Barry described some of the history of the plaza. He wrote:
The stones in the center were sent to us by friends from all over the world, including stones from Japan, China, Mecca, Norway, the bank of the Seine in Normandy, Arizona river stones, and a volcanic cobblestone pulled from a Roman street. The stones connected by lines forming a circle were all taken from the beach in East Hampton, where our family had a wonderful summer vacation a few months before Betty died.
The three bands of brick radiating from the center stones, as well as the three bands of narrow brick both reference the Trinity. And for a bit of trivia, the short bricks were cut from standard bricks. There were approximately 800 standard bricks that had to be cut in thirds for the required 2400 short bricks. I still have the diamond blade that I bought for this task.
The font used for the lettering was developed in Venice in 1537. I chose Psalm 42 because Fr. Vanderslice read it at Betty’s memorial. When I heard it I was stunned as it is the only other Psalm I know. It is the text of a choral piece I sang when I was in the Episcopal choir in college. 
—Pastor Orr and Mark Moxley will work on a columbarium design decision sub- committee. Rob Carrier, Ted Stone, and Anne Edwards volunteered to serve on the committee as well. Pastor Orr will ask Cynthia Turnquest to join the committee.
—The vestry will need to work on costs and options for burial.

Review Vestry Retreat
Steve Hofer made a motion that the youth confirmation photos from past years be put in plastic sleeves and placed in a confirmation notebook. Rob Carrier seconded the motion, which then passed. Nichole Dailor suggested that parish member photos be taken and placed on the undercroft bulletin board. Anne Edwards will help with this. Alice Creason volunteered her design skills if the vestry decides to publish the photos as a directory. Pastor Orr asked the vestry to consider over the next month how vestry members as individuals can do something extra to nurture this parish community and to broaden relationships within the parish. 

Closing
The meeting ended at 8:40 PM following prayer. The next vestry meeting is scheduled for May 16th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Approved:  May 16, 2016

Friday, May 13, 2016

Announcements for May 15

Vestry Meeting
The vestry meets Monday, May 16, beginning with Evening Prayer at 7:00 PM in the church.

Hail Thee, Festival Day: Pentecost is This Sunday – Wear Red
This Sunday (May 15th) is the Day of Pentecost, the day when we traditionally wear red to church to symbolize joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit. After the Eucharist, we’ll carry the celebration to the undercroft for coffee hour. This year, if you can, please bring some red finger food to share. Think of flames, wind, and doves. Be creative and have fun sharing on this festival day!

Diocesan Confirmation Service at St. James Cathedral: May 21
Young people from St. John’s will be among those confirmed by Bishop Lee at the Spring Diocesan Confirmation Service, Saturday, May 21, 11:00 AM at St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron St. in Chicago. It is a glorious service; everyone is invited to attend.

Seeking Information on Graduates
Are you, or someone in your family, graduating this spring? As we do each year, we would like to celebrate graduates (at all levels). Please call or email the parish office with the information. Please keep the announcements as brief as possible, but feel free to include information on majors, special honors and future plans, if known.

The Parish Picnic is Next Sunday, May 22
Weather permitting, we will gather on the south lawn for the annual parish spring picnic. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. Please bring a salad or side if you can. We will also plant the parish food garden!

Sign Up for Episcopal Summer Camp
The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago runs a summer camp, Camp Chicago, for campers age 7 – 17. Week-long sessions run between June 26 – July 15. Scholarship assistance is available. Find more information HERE.

Grande Prairie Singers Times Three
Enjoy and support the Grande Prairie Singers any of three ways! On Sunday, May 15, they present a cabaret-style concert at 4:00 pm at Freedom Hall in Park Forest. A fundraiser is on for Sunday, May 22, at Grape & Grain in Homewood. And they're selling raffle tickets. See Bob or Betsy Burgwald for details or tickets.

Reflection for May 15

When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability (Acts 2:1-4).

Friday, May 6, 2016

Announcements for May 8

Thank You to Landscape Workers
A huge thank you to everyone who gamely ignored wet grass, mud and a cool and gloomy day last Sunday to work on the church grounds. And thanks to Lynn Ruschhaupt for coordinating the landscape efforts. It looks good!

Hail Thee, Festival Day
Next Sunday (May 15th) is the Day of Pentecost, the day when we traditionally wear red to church to symbolize joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit. After the Eucharist, we’ll carry the celebration to the undercroft for coffee hour. This year, if you can, please bring some red finger food to share. Think of flames, wind, and doves. Be creative and have fun sharing on this festival day!

ECW Luncheon
The women of the church are having a potluck luncheon this Wednesday, May 11, beginning at 11:30 AM in the undercroft. All are welcome.

Recyclepalooza, Saturday, May 14
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Parker Jr. High School Parking Lot, 2810 School Street, Flossmoor. Items to recycle include: Bikes, ink jets, American flags, pop tabs, magazines, hotel shampoos, plastic bags, plastic wrap, clothes, reusable bags, coats, sporting goods, cell phones, eyeglasses, electronics and more. Special Recycling Fee for TV’s @ $20/set.

Diocesan Confirmation Service at St. James Cathedral 
Young people from St. John’s will be among those confirmed by Bishop Lee at the Spring Diocesan Confirmation Service, Saturday, May 21, 11:00 AM at St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron St. in Chicago. It is a glorious service; everyone is invited to attend.

Grande Prairie Singers Times Three
Enjoy and support the Grande Prairie Singers any of three ways! On Sunday, May 15, they present a cabaret-style concert at 4:00 pm at Freedom Hall in Park Forest. A fundraiser is on for Sunday, May 22, at Grape & Grain in Homewood. And they're selling raffle tickets. See Bob or Betsy Burgwald for details or tickets.

Reflection for May 8

As they were watching, Jesus was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, who do you stand looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:9-11a).