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News Church
Street News (see Past Issues) AN
ENDING... It is an emotional time. It has been a privilege to serve the people of God in this time and this place. You have invited me into your lives in profound ways. Together, we have accomplished amazing things. I am immensely grateful for the trust you have given me and for the affection you have shown me. Consequently, as I said in a letter mailed to the parish, “while there is much joy for me — and my family — there is also much sadness as we anticipate leaving.” …
and a New Beginning As it is for me and my family, the same is true for the whole St. Lawrence family. There is inevitably a mixture of sadness and anxiety at such a time as this, but I trust that there are wonderful new “ventures of which we cannot see the ending” in store for the parish as well. Heidi Neumark is a Lutheran pastor from New York. Her book, Breathing Space, chronicles her reflections on ministry with a congregation in the Bronx. The epilogue to that book opens with her contemplating a move to another congregation in Manhattan. She writes of one conversation she had at the time she announced the news: When I announced my leaving, one council member, Gladys, gave voice to what some others were feeling, “Why fill up one hole by making another?” And her answer, in essence, is that she hoped the new “hole” she was opening by leaving her old church would become a new place of grace. My hopes for you echo her hopes for that congregation. My sense is that God has something new and wonderful in store for St. Lawrence. Somebody new may need to help you discover what that new thing might be. The last time this parish went through an interim process, the challenge was to find your legs and get back on your feet. The challenge now, I think, is for you to find your wings and learn to fly. But
I’ve gotten ahead of myself…
Recently, we learned that Fr. Jed has been called to be the rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Medford, Oregon. In addition to his gifts as a fine pastor, God has given Fr. Jed the gifts of building churches, “Bricks and Bucks” and lifting up the ministry of others. To some this may have come as an unsettling surprise and for others it may cause some anxiety as we say good-bye and move into the next phase of our lives as a community of faith. Rest assured that we have already begun the process to ensure a smooth transition from Fr. Jed’s Rector-ship to a new permanent Rector. In partnership with the Diocese of Chicago, we will soon be appointing an Interim Rector. It may appear that the process is moving very slowly; however with the Diocese’s guidance we are getting our bearings and making decisions that will facilitate a smooth transition as we accept a full time Interim Rector into our lives. Saying goodbye. During an all parish event, after the 10:00 service, on August 28, we will celebrate Fr. Jed’s ministry, and bid him, Barb, Becky and Adam a final goodbye and God’s speed. We ask that as we prepare for this event that you reflect on moments that have been meaningful, poignant moments both happy and sad, during Jed’s ministry. Reflect further on the incredible goals that, with his leadership we have striven to meet. August is the time to say farewell. The road map for this transition process including an expected time line is summarized in the booklet entitled, “The Interim Process in the Diocese of Chicago”. You will find copies of this in the office, in the narthex and, via a link on our own website, www.stlawrencechurch.org, in the “News“ section. As the process moves forward, we will make every effort to keep you apprised of the milestones as they occur; we will do this through announcements, the newsletter and by being present and available. A Transition Committee, of former wardens, Robert Moseley, Betsy Swank and Hans Karnstedt, has been established to help us in the process of shepherding the parish in the weeks and months ahead. The committee will ensure that we continue to function as a whole in all of our ministries. With their collective experience and wisdom, we feel sure that the work of this community will continue prayerfully through this time of transition. With the Interim Rector we will work on our “Self-Study evaluation” so that as a parish, we may discern our future direction and ministries and with God’s help, who will be our new Rector to walk with us towards these new horizons. As we move forward, there will be some things we cannot share with you - not because we don’t want to, but because the process dictates that confidentiality, regarding certain details, must be maintained. This confidentiality begins as we search for our Interim Rector, so that their present ministry may not be compromised. Further, once the search for a permanent Rector is launched, only the search committee, will know the identity of the candidates that are being considered. As your wardens, we are greeting our part of this challenging opportunity with enthusiasm and dedication. We will actively strive to keep the lines of communication wide open and keep the parish informed as much as possible during the upcoming months. HOWEVER, we ask your indulgence and patience, with so many details to keep straight, we may forget to share something. Further, we ask that you work with us as we endeavor to be sensitive to the needs of members of the parish, the staff and the clergy and we ask your prayers for us. As we reflect on the departure of our Rector, mentor and friend we also look forward to times of opportunity for each of us. During Fr. Jed’s ministry, with us at St. Lawrence, we have grown and matured, as we move forward we will prepare to consider where we are, presently, as a parish and then where we believe we are called to go and who we are called to be in the world. Once we have discerned this new path, we will move forward with efficiency to call a permanent rector and together, we will find our wings. St. Lawrence is a dynamic parish, growing in God’s love, as we move forward, during this time of transition, we ask that you remain good stewards of all that we have and all that we have become. We are the church and as such, we will continue, “to be open to all, and to grow in the knowledge and love of God, and to embody that love in the service to the world around us” These last words come from our mission statement, we ask that you continue to devote your time and talent so that we may continue to grow, and nurture all of God’s children and help to call a rector who will walk with us to fulfill our mission. We ask that
you always remember, that Jeanne and Frank encourage your questions,
concerns or suggestions as we travel this journey together.
A TIME
TO SAY FAREWELL. KICK–OFF
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH The ministries
of St. Lawrence, including; pastoral care, formation, choir, worship
and so much more all will be on display in the Narthex. Maybe, you
excel with a hammer, pen or shovel, you may feel called to work
with the elderly or share your gifts in areas that we are not even
aware of, as yet. There is a place for YOU! We look forward to seeing
you on Sunday , Sept. 11th.! AHH!
REFRESHING If you can’t make it to Farmers Market, we are also selling it by the case for $24.00. For orders, contact Mari MacDonald at, marimacdonald315@hotmail.com. COFFEE-IN-THE-PARK “HE
(SHE) WHO SINGS, PRAYS TWICE” – ST. AUGUSTINE If you really love to sing, the choir is the place for you. Have you ever wanted to sing harmony but find it less than satisfying to do so alone in the congregation? Choir gives you a chance to learn the alto, tenor or bass parts of our beautiful music and to sing out. If you just like to sing melody, but are reluctant to be heard, the choir is a completely welcoming, accepting group where all skill levels come together for the simple enjoyment of the music and for the opportunity to praise God with our voices. Choir is not just for adults. High school students are welcome too. If you sing in your school choir and want to share your talent with the parish, we’d love it! And bring your parents if they like to sing too. Music is a wonderful activity to share with family. Best of all, singing in the choir is fun. It is open to all, and no musical training is required, although the ability to carry a tune is helpful. You don’t even need to know what voice-part you’ll sing. Wendy Unrath-Young, our Choir Director, will help you figure that out. The first choir
practice of the 2005-2006 program year will be Thursday, August
25, at 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the sanctuary. The choir practices every
Thursday evening at the same time and for thirty minutes before
the Sunday service. There is a choir robe just waiting for you!
WOMEN'S
FRIDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY Join us in the
Fireside Room from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Childcare will
be provided in the church nursery. SUNDAY
SCHOOL NEWS Coordinator
- Wendy Guarnaccio We will be having a meeting for all teachers and Sunday school board members at the end of August. Look for further information.
HOLD THIS DATE:
SAT., SEPT. 24th. This training is mandated by the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Chicago for persons involved in the following ministries:
For more information please contact, Tony Wolff at 847 223-5061 or look on the Diocesan website, wwwepischicago.org. WHOSE
CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY? Episcopalians from across the upper Midwest are sponsoring a two-day conference for those who work in formation ministry with children, youth, and adults. The conference will be held on August 26-27, 2005, and is conveniently located at the Conference Center at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein. The registration deadline is August 1. Registration forms are in the office or contact Tony Wolff at 847 223-5061. ST.
LAWRENCE BOOK GROUP NEWS We are kicking
off the year with The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. One
review of The Kite Runner states “in his debut novel,
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very
few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide
an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political
turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters
whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate with
readers long after the last page has been turned over.” Also included is the entire list of books chosen to read for this year. Please keep this list handy, and consider joining the St. Lawrence Book Group this year!
Market Day offers a variety of meats, family meals, breakfast foods, snacks, and beverages all conveniently packaged. Most meats are individually packaged which makes it great for families of any size. Proceeds from Market Day go into the outreach funds distributed annually by the Episcopal Church Women (ECW). You may pick
up your Market Day items on Wednesday, August 10th. PLEASE
NOTE THE PICK-UP TIME IS 4:30 TO 5:30. We will also need
volunteers to assist with distributing the food on the dates of
the sales. Contact Liz Halbert at 847-918-1363 or Julia Karnstedt
at 847-549-7024 with any questions. HAVE
YOU MET…? Bob
and Jean Ostroga Bob and Jean were married on Dec. 12, 2003 in their home in Red Top in Libertyville. Bob has two daughters – Julie who is an accountant in Gurnee and Jennifer who is studying psychology at Kansas University. Jean has a daughter, Kathy, who is a biologist at Abbott and a son, Todd, who is a linguist in the Navy. Bob is the president of a small company in Libertyville and Jean works as the Assistant to the President of the Bridgeview Bank in Lincolnshire. Both of them enjoy golfing, going downtown, and attending concerts. Bob and Jean attend the 7:30 service on Sundays and also enjoy the Centering Prayer service on the second Sunday of the month.
Dave is an engineer at Abbott Labs and Julie is an Information Security Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. They enjoy biking and spending as much time as they can in the summer at Julie’s parents’ beach home in Sawyer, Michigan. They are also very busy with the children’s activities. Julie was one of the Storytellers at the Easter Vigil service last year and has played flute during services. They are considering teaching Sunday School in the coming year. Now that they attend a church closer to home, they plan to get more involved. The Quandts usually attend the 9:00 service. They are sorry to see Jed go and are curious to see where the parish will go with his leaving. |
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| St. Lawrence Episcopal Church 125 West Church Street Libertyville, Illinois 60048 Phone: (847) 362-2110 Fax: (847) 362-2145 Email: info@stlawrencechurch.org |
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