| Weekly Newsletter for September 3, 2026 |
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| Rise & Shine Redux! Kathryn Kinjo Duncan |
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| Thank you for your flexibility, adventurous spirits, and good humor at our first Rise & Shine service last Sunday – we had so much fun, even having to move indoors due to the weather! To recap: We introduced grounding exercises to help connect you with your physical body in full awareness of the present moment. These are well-known tools for helping you refocus on the present, especially to relieve feelings of anxiety, stress, depression or PTSD. Physical grounding: Put aside your cares and worries, and focus on existing only in the present moment. Put your feet flat on the ground, and relax all your muscles (especially your arms and hands). Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Take slow, even breaths. Spatial grounding: Think about and intentionally name all of the things between your physical body and the solid earth. Name things like your layers of clothing, the cushion of the seat you’re sitting in, the legs of your chair, the layer of wood floor, the cement foundation of your home, and finally the solid earth. Realize that at any given moment, there are only a few layers between your body and the earth that God created. Sensory grounding: Silently or aloud, name the following. Be specific! Focus only on the things you are naming in the moment: 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste Memory grounding: When you know something by heart, you often rattle it off without thinking about the actual words. Choose something you know by heart - like the Lord’s Prayer or the words to a song or hymn. Intentionally speak each word very, very slowly. Think of how that word feels in your mouth as you speak it, think of its meaning, think of the shape of the word if you were to write it down. If you’d like, keep a slow rhythm somewhere on your body with each word.
We used prayer kits! You each received a bag with rocks, bubbles, prayer chains, and a finger labyrinth… and each item was used to pray in a different way during the service. If you want a reminder of what each item was used for so you can continue at home, you can download this guide (which also has the grounding exercises on pg 2!)
We listened to and sang along with Broadway music! Enjoy the set list below :) We enjoyed a delicious brunch together! Our huge thanks to Carolyn Lombardo, Cecilia Rodriguez, Barb Schaper, and Bill & Janet Foltz for hosting, to the Agyeman family for early setup help, and for all who brought delicious food to share – Sudi Johnson, Sally Holtz, Barb Schaper, Cissy Singleton, Janet Foltz, Bruce Moore, Kate & Michael Launius, Mary Keller, Tina Calub, Gregor Leckie, Cheryl Trevithick, Jim Swager, Nancy Buller, Jim Millspaugh, Nana Agyeman, and Holly & Tony Grasch. Your efforts were deeply appreciated!
Was there a specific point to all that?
Aside from the joy of worshipping together in a new way (which is a great reason all by itself!), Pastor Dan and I have talked about this Rise & Shine service as a little bit of a mad scientist laboratory… to try out new ways of praying, to experiment with worship occasionally looking differently, and to explore new possibilities together!
To be clear, our end goal is NOT to make massive, wild changes to our normal order of service - we wouldn’t do that to you! :) But we are curious to hear what, if anything, especially resonated with you, because these laboratory spaces can help us discover if there are small or gradual ways we can incorporate new ideas that were particularly enjoyed across the board.
So to that end: please send me your feedback! Was there anything in particular that you really enjoyed? Something you would like to revisit, in one form or another, in the future? Did it spark your creativity with a new idea we could try in our next laboratory, in regular Sunday services, or in Spiritual Growth spaces? Please share!
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| | Join us for Sunday morning worship online at 9:30am
Meeting ID: 842 861 148 Passcode: 414299 |
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| | Sunday bulletins are posted online every Saturday morning. |
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| | | | | | | St. Gregory’s Day & Ministry Fair: Explore, Engage, Enroll!
Final Call! Sunday, September 13th, is our Ministry Fair and St. Gregory’s Day celebration! Inspired by St. Gregory’s legacy of leadership, service, and mission, we invite you to explore our ministries, engage with representatives, and find your place to serve.
Can't make it? You can also view options and enroll online right from your computer or phone via the button below! |
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| | Sept 13: Blessed Little Adventures Returns!
Our spiritual growth class for kids K-5 will run September and October this fall. The kids will be exploring similar ideas to what adults and youth will be learning about in their Spiritual Growth class after church. All classes happen 10:45 - 11:30. Sept 13: special art project during Ministry Fair Sep 20 & 27: What Happens at Church? Oct 4: game day during Parish Meeting Oct 11, 18, 25: Loving-Your-Neighbor Bible Stories
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| | Sept 20 & 27 Spiritual Growth: How Do I Invite People to Church?
We want to grow as a congregation, because we believe we have something special to offer our neighbors. We want them to be a part of that, and we want them to help us build it stronger. But how do we do that effectively in a way that feels authentic, unpushy, and safe?
Sept 20: What makes StGs special and needed? This is an opportunity to get the whole picture of what we’re doing at StGs, and what we have to offer our neighbors who are looking for a community and spiritual home.
Sept 27: What can I actually say to invite someone to church? We’re not knocking on doors. But, when we know or meet someone who we think “I bet they would like StGs,” what do you say? When the conversation shifts to matters of religion, how do you talk about your church in an inviting way? |
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| | Interested in Representing St. Gregory’s at Diocesan Convention?
St. Gregory’s is seeking parishioners interested in serving as delegates to the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago’s Annual Convention. This year’s convention will meet online on Tuesday, November 10, from 6:30–9 p.m., and in person on Saturday, November 14, from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at Cliffbreakers Event Center in Rockford. Delegates participate in the worship, fellowship, and decision-making of our wider diocesan community. If you might be interested—or would simply like to learn more—please email Pastor Dan. |
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| | Curious Faith: A New Theology Book Group!
Interested in exploring big questions of faith through thoughtful, accessible books? Join St. Gregory’s new theology book group, meeting by Zoom on Thursdays from 7–8 p.m., beginning October 1. Our first book will be Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times by former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. No previous background in theology is needed—only curiosity and a willingness to join the conversation. Sign up in the Sign-up Center or online here. For more information, contact Sudi Johnson at 920-242-2059. |
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| | Starbucks Drop-In Hours Cancelled on Labor Day!
Heads up that Pastor Dan will NOT be doing his normal Starbucks drop-in hours on Monday, Sept 7 due to the holiday. However, if you need to chat, he’s available by appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sunday afternoons. Send him an email to schedule! |
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| | Pumpkin Patch Shift - Sign Up Onsite or Online!
You can now sign up both onsite (whiteboards are in the Sign-Up Center) AND online for pumpkin patch shifts via the button below!
If it’s your first time: you’ll be thoroughly trained by your week’s pumpkin patch captain – it’s very straightforward, no cash handling, very easy online payment interface, and lots of fun! |
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Experienced Pumpkin Patch Volunteers: Become a Patch Captain!
Help keep the Pumpkin Patch running smoothly by serving as Captain for one week. Captains make sure shifts are staffed, help new volunteers receive training, and remain available by phone when questions arise. You do not need to be onsite for every shift—just ready to recruit, coordinate, and offer support when needed. We’ll provide a complete orientation so you feel well equipped for the role.
Every captain receives a free Pumpkin Patch Captain’s Hat (shown).
Captains are needed for Week 2 (October 8, 10, and 11), Week 3 (October 15, 17, and 18), and Week 4 (October 21, 24, and 25). Experienced Patch volunteers are encouraged to sign up on the Patch Captains sheet in the Sign-Up Center or email Pastor Dan. |
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| | Next Community Meals: Sept 27
We have many opportunities for volunteers at our Sunday, September 27th Community Meals, and we also need 1 more cookie baker. Please sign up in the Sign Up Center or… |
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| | New Voices in the Choir!
Have you noticed some new faces on the choir risers lately? Please meet our new bass section leader, Ivo Suarez! While we’ll still see our friend Ryan Wolfe when possible, his opera engagements are pulling him all over the country year-round now... and we prefer having a full quartet as often as possible. So please give Ivo (pronounced EE-voh) a warm StGs welcome! :) He’s probably a familiar face at StGs by now, having sung many a service with us in the past, and he and Kathryn have been singing together in various gigs throughout Chicago for many years... but most recently in the exciting new group Chroma! And speaking of Chroma...
We’re sure you’ve been enjoying the lovely voice of LaRob K. Rafael, our primary bass sub this summer! You might know him better as the founder of Hearing in Color (a Chicago non-profit that amplifies historically excluded voices in classical music), or from Sounds Classical on WFMT. LaRob is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chroma, Hearing in Color’s new resident chamber vocal ensemble. LaRob, Ivo, and Kathryn all sing in that choir together, and we have several performances of our latest concert, We the People (a dynamic concert about belonging and justice) coming up this fall! If you’d like to attend, join us at any of the
following FREE performances: Sat, Sept 19 from 3-4:30pm at Dunbar Park (Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets!) Fri, Oct 16 from 6-7:30pm at Douglass Park’s Cultural & Community Center (An indoor concert with a special opening performance from Ravinia’s Lawndale Family Music School Adult Choir!)
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| | | | | Coffee with Dan on Mondays - CANCELLED Sept 7 Labor Day!
Have something weighing on your heart, mind, or spirit? Want to connect more deeply with Dan? Not sure exactly what you want to talk about? It’s all good. No RSVP, no appointment needed. Drop-in to the Starbucks at Deerfield & Waukegan every Monday from 3-6pm. As always, he’s also available by appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sunday afternoons. Send him an email to schedule!
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| | Midweek Prayer Every Wednesday | 8:00am
Need a midweek spiritual boost? Join a lovely small group of folks who gather online every week for spiritual renewal and to pray intentionally for everyone in our community who is in need. |
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| | Meeting ID: 750 552 357
Password: 587299 |
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| | Common Threads Second Tuesday of the month | 7:00pm
Bring a new or ongoing craft project to work on while you enjoy fun and fellowship with other parishioners in the newly revamped Parker Room at StGs. Whatever your craft - whether your medium is knitting, embroidery, painting, calligraphy, etc - and whatever your skill level, all are welcome! Please reach out to Kathryn at kathryn@stgregoryschurch.org to get on the mailing list! |
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| | Book ClubWed, September 16 | 7:30pm *we’re moving it a half hour later due to some of our members doing EfM on Wednesdays as well!
September 16: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet is a 2020 historical fiction novel by Maggie O'Farrell that reimagines the life and death of William Shakespeare's son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 from the plague, and the profound grief it caused his family, particularly his mother, Agnes (Anne Hathaway). The book explores the marriage of William and Agnes, the bond between the twins Hamnet and Judith, and how the family's tragedy may have inspired Shakespeare's play Hamlet, focusing on the mother's perspective and the devastating impact of the plague.
Upcoming reads… October 21: Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict November 18: Brighter Than Her Fears by Lisa Ard |
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| | Meeting ID: 817 1184 3180
Passcode: 893734 |
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| | | | | For healing in mind, body, or spirit: Jill Betty Duffy
In thanksgiving for…
For the departed…
Diane Jones Dolly Parton Tim Curry
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| | | | | | | | | | Announcements are for church-related matters only. Deadline for announcements is Monday at noon. Please send announcements to Kathryn Kinjo Duncan. |
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