Weekly Newsletter for January 8, 2026 |
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Jesus Makes a Decision Rev. Kyle Oliver
In Matthew’s gospel, the scene of Jesus coming for baptism is the very first time we encounter the Savior making his own decisions. After the nativity story, the only thing we really hear about Jesus is that he is smuggled off to Egypt for his own safety, and eventually brought back.
And yet in this exchange with John the Baptist, Jesus seems to be very self-possessed indeed. “I understand the awkwardness of this request,” he seems to say, “but this is an important moment in my ministry. My baptism, every baptism, is a grand beginning. Let’s be sure to get this right, for many are watching.”
And the Holy Spirit adds drama to match. But what if we see this moment not just as a monumental beginning, but also a culmination of an entire stage of Jesus’s journey? Although we don’t have a lot of details on which to base our reflection, the imaginative exercise is worth the effort.
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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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Thank you to all who helped make our Second Annual Epiphany Breakfast Pageant SO wonderful! God delights in our delight, and we certainly had plenty of it last Sunday. :) From joyful laughter to delicious eats, it was a great way to worship together. Special thanks to our friends from the Ensemble Society helping us get our voices and bodies warmed up, to Sharon Gramer and Barb Schaper for hosting the excellent meal, and to all of you for bringing a variety of tasty dishes/treats (and helping clean up afterward)! You can view the pageant video here, and/or read the full script here. |
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| Monday coffee with Dan: starts Jan 19
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 (starting January 19) from 3-6pm.
When Dan offered drop-in coffee over the holidays, there were many people who took him up on it… so he’s extending that regularly! 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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| January 25: Scout Sunday!
On Sunday, January 25 we will celebrate the kids and families of Scout Troops 50 and 52! Scouts will be featured in the service by helping with readings and music (!!!), and then all are invited to stay after to learn about all the great things the troops have accomplished this year. Parents and kids interested in scouting can also learn about how to get involved! |
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| Next Community Meals: January 25
Looking for a New Year's resolution that you can keep? Sign up to bake cookies and/or volunteer to help at Community Meals, Sunday, January 25th. We are always looking for volunteers. If you are able to join us, please contact Barb via the button below. |
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| Save the Date: Annual Meeting is February 8
Immediately after the 9:30am service, we’ll look back at our accomplishments in 2025 and look ahead to our goals for 2026…. all while enjoying our annual crockpot chili/stew brunch. :) |
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| Save This Date Too: Fat Sunday is February 15
On Sunday, February 15 we will enjoy our traditional Fat Sunday service - with gorgeous uplifting gospel music led by a band, and a festive brunch (with king cake!) to follow! This is a great Sunday to invite your friends and neighbors to, to showcase the fun and joyful heart of StGs on this last Sunday before Lent begins. :) You won’t want to miss it! |
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| Scout Troop 50 is collecting old phones
Are you like many of us, with a drawer full of old electronics just gathering dust and taking up space? Troop 50 is collecting old or broken mobile phones, tablets, and MP3 players in December and January for a donation to Cell Phones for Soldiers!
Donated phones are wiped of personal information and refurbished for sale through their partner, Vendidit, or responsibly recycled for parts. Proceeds will fund programs that provide free communication solutions to Active/Guard/Reserve Service members and Veterans in need.
Any device can be donated regardless of age or condition! Please leave them in the box in the Sign Up Center, and the Scouts will take care of the rest. Thank you! |
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| Great News!
Better Neighbors Project Update
Bishop Paula Clark, with the recommendation of the diocesan Standing Committee, has given us her consent to sell the Rectory house and adjacent property, according to the resolution we approved this past fall. We can now negotiate in earnest with the Park District for a sale.
On the Parking Lot front, we also have forward movement: the Park District will soon be conducting comprehensive engineering assessments of our parking lot in preparation for bidding out the work. Once we have solid dollar figures, we will negotiate an equitable cost-sharing of this project and future maintenance. |
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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. Whatever your craft - whether your medium is knitting, embroidery, painting, calligraphy, etc - and whatever your skill level, all are welcome! We meet in the Parker Room. |
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| Book Club3rd Wednesday of the month | 7:00pm
Note: A reminder that we take December off, but will resume in January!
January 21:
James by Percival Everett
A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.
When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature. |
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| | Meeting ID: 817 1184 3180
Passcode: 893734 |
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For healing in mind, body, or spirit: The Stover/Wyatt/Martin family, Barb Schaper, Ian McCarthy, Esther Rose, Mary Q, Arlene, Jacob Gramer, Nita Abbott
In thanksgiving for…
For the departed…
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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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