News & Events

Church Street News (see Past Issues)
Issue No. 11, Volume 96
November 2004

A new look for the newsletter
This issue of the Church Street News unveils a new look. This latest change in design marks one of the final points of transition, first begun with updates in business cards and the parish letterhead. For those who see something in print before they actually come to see us, these items make an attractive first impression.

What sparked all of these updates on paper, of course, is the more dramatic update in our facilities. Although the older cards and letterhead were quite attractive, they featured the look of the former building rather more prominently than seemed to fit the current reality. So, too, the newsletter cover used to show the building as it was, whereas the cover unveiled in this issue shows the building as it is.

A huge thanks to Joan Link and her firm, Meta4 — and to Jennifer Trier who has worked on this project for us out of Joan’s office.

More than merely a new logo
It’s important for me to note that their help has done more than merely provide an update; it has, I think, suggested a more profound attempt to update how we present ourselves to the outside world.

Some of what’s entailed is as simple a thing as Joan’s telling me that my article should be broken down into columns (as you see it here), which is a departure from what had become my established format. She offers the solid professional expertise that informs me that it simply makes it more readable. Their layout of our newsletter on the following pages aim to make it easier to read and more engaging.

That recommendation spills over and suggests exploring the myriad ways we present ourselves as a vibrant, living community of faith.

A sign for our times
It’s in that same sprit that we will shortly introduce ourselves to those who drive and pass by with a newly-designed sign (see image at right).

It’s the familiar message such signs have been repeating for a generation or more, but it puts the message forth with a more striking look. It tells Episcopalians (who know to look for the sign in their new community) that we’re here, but the graphic design and elements appeal more readily to contemporary eyes who aren’t necessarily attracted by the same old signs we know.

The deeper calling
As with the update of our printed materials, the update in our sign isn’t really the point. It carries a deeper message about our calling to present ourselves and the message we have to share with the world around us.

We are a “both/and” church. That’s been our strength since the first Book of Common Prayer (in 1549) — both “catholic” and “reformed” in that time. Our calling is to be both traditional and relevant; to put the point somewhat more crassly, we are called to be rooted in the past, yes, but not stuck in it.

These little visual cues don’t achieve any of what I think is really at issue for us. They are merely suggestive of the challenge of our times. It’s a new day at St. Lawrence, filled with possibilities for ourselves and for our communities. Let’s share the good news every way we can!

Budget comparisons allow for a revised budget for 2004
In July, the Vestry approved a revised budget which took into consideration the adjustments in utilities and insurance, as well as improved income to date this year. Our year-to-date comparison (through the end of September) shows that we are in much better financial condition than we were one year. Last year, we were running a deficit of $26,665 at this time, compared with a surplus of $5,043 this year.

In terms of specifics, fixed expenses — which include a reduction in personnel costs, offset by increases in both utilities and insurance — is a significant area of savings. Our required expenses — including administrative costs, as well as our commitment toward our “Common Mission Share” to the Diocese of Chicago — and our discretionary expenses (in support of a variety of parish programs) have remained essentially stable.

Moving ahead with your help
We know from discussions with other parishioners that there are urgent concerns. We’d like to enhance worship opportunities and programs, increase membership, add education/formation programs and more. Many of these hopes will require additional staff to facilitate these initiatives, but at the current time we only have one full time rector who is on staff (as neither Deacon M-J nor Father Marc are paid positions).

As we look to the future, 96% of our preliminary estimate of a budget for 2005 goes toward fixed and required expenses, including further increases needed for a full year of increased utility and rising health and property insurance costs. Even without adding new programs and/or staff, the budget will require the whole parish to step up to a higher level of giving.

The 2005 Stewardship Committee will be asking everyone to “step up” a level in making there pledge for 2005. For some, this can be accomplished by giving up a simple pleasure, perhaps something as simple as one Starbuck’s coffee per week or taking your lunch in lieu of dining out. These are just examples for some of the ways you can “step up.” Can you think of others ways?

The Vestry will present the budget for 2005 to the whole congregation at our Annual Meeting in January. As your Wardens, we ask you to contact either of us with any questions or comments. We honor the Lord and God by giving of ourselves to do his good work and hope you will help St. Lawrence be good stewards to its parish family and our community.

Robert Moseley - Senior Warden
Jeanne Murphy - Junior Warden

The public Open House runs from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, followed by the formal dedication at 2:00 pm. Bishop Persell will be here for the blessing of our spaces and the Rev. Clarence Langdon will be our special guest preacher.

After the service, we’ll have a reception in the Parish Hall. During the reception, we’ll close the time capsule and seal it into the hole in the wall of our church out front.

Thanks to everyone
We’ll be settling in for the final set-up earlier in the day, starting around 9:00 am, but the work of getting ready has been going on for a long time.

A heartfelt "thank you" to everyone involved with the Open House and Dedication!   And a very special thank you to the committee chairs - Doug Montgomery, Julia Karnstedt, Ann Leffler, Mari McDonald, Liz Halbert, Betsy Barnett, Carolyn Finch, Jim Brown and Alesia Gustafson.  The work of everyone — from the acolytes to the reception hosts to the greeters and poster hangers — to all who helped with the sprucing up of the church will make it a truly memorable event.  Thank you.

Barb Lewis

You will also notice that some rooms and other areas of the church have plaques designating that the rooms were given in “Thanksgiving” or “Dedicated in Memory.” These rooms and areas were named through the Named Giving Program, in conjunction with our Capital Campaign.

Acquired during the time when Father Rogers was rector of St. Lawrence, these stations are the work of noted artist, Allan R. Crite. They are intrinsically valuable and aesthetically dramatic. If you’ve not noticed them before (or recently), take some time to admire them as the very fine pieces they truly are.

Although not billed as fund-raiser, contributions for the food and golf historically exceed expenses, so the event netted approximately $600 extra for the parish. Special thanks, again, to Ken Carrano, for arranging golf details and the raffle prizes awarded during dinner.

Thank you to everyone who donated last month (and in the weeks that followed), we collected $758.00. We are so fortunate for all of our blessings and that gratitude spills out to the world, sharing God’s love.

Joined by representatives from 35 member organizations — including Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith-communities, as well as other social service agencies in the county — St. Lawrence was proud to be able to host this fall’s action assembly. Because of our increased seating capacity and our ability to welcome the number of persons involved who require wheelchairs, St. Lawrence has become an ideal site for future meetings.

Affordable housing
The focus of recent efforts has been to address issues of affordable housing. In the course of the presentations offered that night, individuals told their own stories of the challenges of living in a county where the median salary required for a home exceeds their ability to stay in the communities where they work. In addition to their compelling stories, research presented by experts in the field demonstrated that even the combined salaries of a two teacher (or two fire-fighter) salary would be inadequate to purchase housing in many of the communities they serve.

Organizers also announced the good news that Libertyville representatives have offered encouraging responses related to upcoming construction projects.

Over the summer, we’ve also enjoyed great response to the completed expansion and were pleased to welcome visitors in for a tour of the facility.

From set-up to tear-down we couldn't have done it without you.  And thank you to those who donated lemonade and napkins.  You've all helped to make this a successful year.

For many years, we have made a pilgrimage to their house of worship for this service. How wonderful it is that we have the opportunity and ability to host the Thanksgiving Eve service here at our house this year.

Following the service, we will enjoy the annual “Pie Social” in our Parish Hall. Donations of pies will be greatly appreciated. Look for the sign-up sheet in coming weeks.

Please join us for fellowship and dessert as we give thanks for all of God’s blessings and as we celebrate the beginning of a new tradition of ecumenism.

Here’s how it works. The ages and sizes, along with some suggestions have been provided for you. Please label each gift with the name and code number of the recipient. A list of food items for each family has also been posted.

There will be boxes in the Narthex to drop off your gifts. Please return them by Wednesday, December 8; pick-up is Friday, December 10.

It’s always a special day for us, perhaps especially in the Episcopal Church. We count ourselves among the vast Communion of Saints, a communion that spans the whole globe and crosses all time. We find ourselves joined to this vast communion by virtue of our baptism.

As a major part of our celebration of All Saints' Sunday, the Sunday school classes will be presenting four individuals that have been approved by the Episcopal Church as "trial commemorations" for acceptance as official feast days on our calendar.  It will be interesting to learn about these individuals on a day that remembers not only the famous Saints, but all the saints of God who reflect God's holiness through the examples of their lives.  The presentations will be performed during the sermon at the 9:00 am service. 

A celebration will follow during coffee hour, so there will be no Sunday school classes that day.

At St. Lawrence, we gather for Centering Prayer on the second Sunday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm. The sanctuary will be dimly lit, with only a single candle. Participants should enter in silence and sit quietly. The leader will read a short passage from Scripture and invite a time of silence for participants to sit. After about 20 minutes, everyone leaves in silence.

Sing-along Messiah at St. Lawrence
North Suburban Symphony will be bringing the Sing-along Messiah to St. Lawrence on Saturday, December 11, at 3:00 pm.  Under the direction of Michael Poulos, this program will be with soloists and choir. 

Singers will be asked to contribute $10 each, with all proceeds to be donated to PADS of Lake County.  (The program will also be presented on Sunday, December 12, at Gorton Center in Lake Forest.) 

Your attendance, participation and help with this endeavor would be greatly appreciated.  It has been a dream for many St. Lawrence members to bring an orchestra performance, especially the Messiah to our home.  Help us share this experience with the Libertyville area by spreading the word and creating a beautiful afternoon for the advent season here at St. Lawrence.  Erik Larson and Cecelia Secor are assisting Jan Billings in organizing the event.

Eligibility
The canons of the Episcopal Church clarify that persons elected to vestries must be:

• A “communicant in good standing” — i.e., a baptized member who receives communion is a “giver or record” for the previous six months; and
• an “adult,” i.e., 16 years or older.

Canonical duties of the vestry
The “canons” (church laws) also spell out the responsibilities of the vestry itself as it relates to the congregation and the world:

• Transact all temporal business and collect and disburse all moneys.
• Ensure that sufficient funds are collected to meet all expenses of the Parish.
• Meet all standard business and financial methods and specifically must comply with Diocesan Canon 39 “Business Methods in Church Affairs.”
• Represent the Parish in all matters related to its corporate property

Vestry expectations of those serving
In addition to legal stuff, the following list of f expectations for those who would undertake a share in our work for the benefit of St. Lawrence Church:

• Support the life of the congregation in word and deed.
• Attend all regularly (monthly) and specially scheduled vestry meetings.
• Keep the Parish informed of all of its actions both formally and informally through personal communications.

Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting in January of 2005. At that time, the Nominating Committee will present names for voting; candidates also can be nominated from the floor.

Returning and new members of the Vestry will also gather for an off-site overnight retreat on February 4-5, 2005. It is imperative that anyone joining the Vestry join in this time of discernment together.

Nominations now being accepted
Vestry members currently involved in leading the Pastoral Care and Outreach ministry teams are resigning at this year’s Annual Meeting. The term of office for our Senior Warden, Robert Moseley, also ends in January. If you think you might be interested in learning more, please speak with one of these retiring members, Father Jed or any other member of the Vestry.

We are asking everyone to increase their pledge/contribution towards the support of the daily operating expenses of the parish in 2005. We present the follow chart of giving levels to encourage you to reflect on what an annual pledge translates into on a weekly and monthly basis.

For some, giving up a $5.00 per week “luxury” (such as cup of coffee at Starbucks or eating lunch out) could yield an increase in our available pledge funds by as much as $35,000 for the year for the parish’s life and ministry. It is possible for us to meet our 2005 operating obligations and increase our formation/outreach programs if everyone is willing to make a small change: God - first; lifestyle – second.

By now you should have received your pledge card in the mail, asking that it be returned by November 30th. The dollars pledged for 2005 will drive the funding options the Finance Committee can consider in their review and recommendations to the Vestry. Again, we ask that you consider the above questions in offering thanks to God for all his good works.

Thanks to those new (or in many cases re-newing) youth group leaders who have responded to the call and the challenge of this vital ministry:

YAC: Kelley Pillizzi, Frank Top, and Debbie Wolff
J2A: Jennifer Kanches, Jack Lasheff, Robert Moseley, and Paige Sampson
Rite-13: Brian Bowers, Linda Bowers, Don Craig, and Betsy Rinella

Summer Schedule
Sunday Services:
7:30am - Holy Eucharist Rite I Liturgy
10 :00am - Holy Eucharist Rite II Liturgy
Thursday Service:
8:30am - Holy Eucharist