IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RECENT TEXTS
Several parishioners alerted us that they received suspicious text messages that claimed to be from Rev. Whayne asking them to text him this week. Those that did answer his text got a response asking for gift cards. This is a phishing attempt and not authorized by Rev. Whayne or the Church. Please do NOT respond to any text messages that you did not expect from any member of the Church staff. Ignore any requests via text, and call the Church Office if there is any question at 312-944-1083. Please let St. Chrysostom’s know if you receive one of these texts or any other suspect communications so that we can help others avoid being taken advantage of.
SIX PRAYER SATURDAYS FOR LENT
Please join us on Saturday mornings during Lent, February 17 through March 23, from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Crane Chapel as we gather under the portrait of St. Chrysostom to pray for peace in our world, the needs of our city, the leadership transition of our church, and for our parish family. We plan to pray communally and contemplatively following the prayers outlined in the Book of Common Prayer. Please join us for this special time of spiritual friendship as we prepare for Easter together.
A PRAYER OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with your one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
ADULT FORUM AT 9:00 AM, GUILD ROOM
St. Chrysostom’s Lenten Study kicks off on Sunday, February 11 at the Adult Forum with an introduction to the book chosen for our small group study, Holy Solitude by Heidi Haverkamp. In this book, she offers thoughtful daily reflections and practical spiritual disciplines to discover how time in solitude can open our eyes and hearts to the still, small voice of God and transform us for a life of faith and service. Facilitated by Rev. Whayne, the book will be the featured program and discussion at this hour throughout Lent.
SUNDAY MORNING CHILDREN’S FORMATION
Sunday School takes place during the 10:15 service. Children follow the Cross to their classrooms during our opening procession, and return for Holy Communion. We continue to use our wonderful Montessori-based curriculum, Godly Play, facilitated by teachers from the parish. More helpers are always needed, so please consider volunteering to make this ministry possible! Students who have aged out of our Godly Play program (ages fourth grade and up) are invited to “pre-church” every Sunday at 9:30 in the sanctuary. They’ll assist in getting things ready for the service, the Acolytes will vest, and, most importantly, we’ll have a chance to talk about what they’re going to hear in the service that day and how they can connect to it. Please write to [email protected] with any questions.
ST. CHRYSOSTOM’S BOOK CLUB’S UPCOMING SELECTIONS We have selected the books we will be reading through May, and we would love to have new members join us in discussing them! We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 1:30 PM via Zoom – – no need to go out in the cold! Please email Dee Jarrett Dow ([email protected]) with any questions and to get notifications and the Zoom link.
Upcoming books and the discussion leader for each are:
2/14 Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain’s Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII by Deborah Cadbury (Dorothy Ramm)
3/13 The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts (Dee Jarrett Dow)
4/10 The Emancipation of Evan Walls by Jeffrey Blount (Anne Brinsmade)
5/8 West with Giraffes by Linda Rutledge (Eleanor Tippens)
ST. CHRYS’ KITCHEN MINISTRY
St. Chrys’ Kitchen, our parish feeding ministry, offers weekly bagged lunches to people who need them. Parishioners and friends prepare lunch items and drop them off at the church every Wednesday from 7:30-9:00 AM. Each bag should include 1 sandwich (2 if possible), 1 snack, and 1 piece of fruit that’s easy to peel. We also serve a hot meal on the third Tuesday of each month on our campus at 1424 N. Dearborn from 4:30-5:00 PM. Have questions, or interested in participating? Email [email protected].
CHILDREN’S CHOIR MEETS EACH SUNDAY AT 11:30
Children’s Choir continues to rehearse each week, and we invite any children in the parish who enjoy music to come and sing with us! You’ll have fun, you’ll learn about God, music, and lots of other interesting things, and you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to our worship in an incredibly meaningful way several times each year. We meet each Sunday after the 10:15 service, in the Choir Room on the second floor – grab a drink and a snack after church in the Harding Room and then come upstairs to sing! Speak with Tom Colao or email [email protected] with questions.
ST. CHRYS’S CLOSET COAT DRIVE!
St. Chrys’s Closet needs your help – there continues to be a huge surge of migrants, refugees, and others in great need arriving daily in the city of Chicago, and they often have nothing with them but the clothing on their backs – totally unprepared for the harshness of the winter season to come. Please consider donating new or (gently) used winter coats and jackets to the St. Chrys’s Closet Coat Drive by bringing them to church with you over the next several Sundays!
Volunteers are needed to sort and organize clothes, Mon-Sat 9 am to 4pm or Sundays 12-4pm. Please contact Laurel Cravens [email protected] to coordinate.
THE CHIAPAS PROJECT
The Chiapas Project, a lay-led part of the Diocese of Chicago’s Companionship with the Diocese of Southwest Mexico, is an ongoing collaborative effort between four parishes: St. Chrysostom’s, Atonement, Our Savior, and Holy Comforter. Our link is with two churches in Chiapas, at San Cristobal (San Benito) and a mission church in the Mayan Highlands at Yochib (San Mateo). Our major projects now include funding a biweekly food pantry for 45 families facing food insecurity in San Cristobal, scholarships for the children, and a weekly healthcare worker who visits Yochib each Saturday.
FLOWER GUILD MINISTRY & ALTAR FLOWER DEDICATIONS
The Flower Guild’s ministry is to provide appropriate floral designs to enhance our worship experience. There is a modest line item in the church budget that guarantees a floral presence each week, but that does not cover all the expenses required to maintain this ministry. Donations may be made in memory of a loved one, or in celebration of a blessing or milestone. If you would like to donate altar flowers, there is a sign-up sheet posted in cloister where you may indicate the date you wish to have a flower dedication. A minimum donation of $100 is requested. You may also contact the Parish Office to advise of your desire to place flowers, and/or use the purple and white “Flowers” envelopes in the pew or at the back of the church. Additionally, for All Saints Sunday, Christmas, Easter, Mothers’ Day, and Fathers’ Day, donations of any amount ($10 minimum requested) are combined to provide a more expansive display. We need a minimum of one week’s notice to provide acknowledgment in the Sunday service leaflet. Thank you for supporting the Flower Guild!
– Music at St. Chrysostom’s Presents –
François Couperin – Les Trois Leçons de Tenèbre
Friday, February 16 at 7:30 P.M.
Hannah De Priest & Erica Schuller – Sopranos
Craig Trompeter – Viole de Gambe
Brandon Acker – Theorbo
Richard Hoskins – Organ
Couperin’s exquisite Leçons de Tenèbre are extended elaborations on the Lamentations of Jeremiah.
Set for solo voices (Nos. 1 & 2) and as a duet (No. 3), these works portray in their harmonic language and French Classical gestures the drama and poignancy of Jeremiah’s texts. Craig and Richard will intersperse music for Viols de Gambe and Organ by Marin Marais and Couperin.