LGBT and other interested members of St. Nicholas are invited to a discussion and potluck on Saturday, October 24 at 5:30 at Steve’s house. Contact him at 630.476.6425 or 1bread1body@sbcglobal.net for directions.
If you visit St Nicholas, you may notice that just before distributing the bread and wine during the Eucharist, the priest and his or her assistants may use a little hand sanitizer instead of the more elaborate use of a lavabo (silver bowl for washing fingers) and a white linen napkin seen in other Episcopal churches. It turns out we were way ahead of the trend; we were only being cautious due to several parishioners’ health issues at the time.
However, we’re very enthusiastic huggers and hand-shakers during the “peace,” the moment during the service when we greet everyone else (including you). There’s usually a lot of wandering around making sure that we’ve “gotten” to everybody, before a gentle musical reminder recalls us to our seats for the Liturgy of the Announcements (not an official liturgy, but almost never omitted).
As the flu season gains hold we will probably do more bowing and nodding than hugging and handshaking, but the meaning will remain the same: we’re glad to see everyone at St Nick’s.
[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians can expect new rituals in the order of service this flu season in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the seasonal and H1N1 viruses (AKA “swine flu”).
At St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, Tennessee, a simple bow or nod has replaced the passing of the peace’s handshakes and hugs. At Grace Cathedral in Topeka, Kansas, vodka-moistened gauze is used to wipe the communion chalice rather than cloth. Stanford University’s Memorial Church has temporarily suspended use of the communal cup in favor of intinction, or dipping the bread in the wine.
“Though a common practice by most, during Holy Communion congregants are asked to dip the bread in the chalice and refrain from drinking from the cup,” said the Rev. Joanne Sanders, Memorial Church’s Episcopal associate dean and liturgical officer.
In early 2009, the H1N1 virus caused the first global outbreak of influenza in 40 years, infecting more than 300,000 people in 191 countries, and killing 3,917, according to the most recent data issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). Twenty-six U.S. states have reported widespread influenza activity, according to FluView, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s weekly flu report.
Influenza, or the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It spreads from person to person and can cause mild to severe illness, and in some cases, can lead to death. In the United States, flu season typically begins in the fall and continues into early spring. In addition to the regular seasonal flu, the H1N1 flu virus also is circulating, according to Flu.gov, a federal government information site operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS).
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, and may be accompanied by headache, tiredness, runny or stuffy nose, chills, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting. Like seasonal flu, novel influenza A (H1N1) infection in humans can vary from mild to severe, the site said.
There have been a lot of amazing changes at St Nicholas over the past year, and now seems as good a time as any to break the silence and get back into the swing of things.
First off, we’re back on a 2-service schedule after the summer’s excursion into several different musical genres, and the early service at 9am is back with traditional music in a somewhat more “High Church” way than we’ve done previously at St Nicholas, using some of the brass and altar clothes from the former Holy Innocents mission parish that became one with St Nicholas several years ago. The later service at 11am will continue to use the more contemporary music and is popular with families that have small children. The “Yummy Hour” takes place after both services, but the Education Hour also takes place inbetween, with a couple of adult discussion groups and committees meeting, plus activities for young people.
Second of all, we’re visibly growing, as the building project continues at a faster pace than projected (once the project got approved and actually started, that is)!
Flickr: Church Addition and Subtraction
The addition will give us much-needed program space for youth education, meeting space, and choir storage, along with a planned re-sale shop that will be coming soon. The new addition will be named Holy Innocents Hall, and we’re all looking forward to the many new ways we’ll expand into the space.
Flickr: Construction Outside, God Inside
With the construction activity and a major floor plan change inside, the main entrance will be moved and the current entrance is blocked off, so that we currently have to direct people “round the back” to the rear entrance. We’ll end up with a wheelchair accessible entry way WITH A RAMP to get down the interior stairs to the worship space. Much of the interior is taken up with the construction changes, aside from the kitchen and the actual sanctuary, but at least we now have access to the restrooms again and don’t have to traipse across the back lawn to the vicarage, where the Second Family Food Pantry is located.
With the new program year, we’ve got a lot planned and the music programming will be showcasing a lot of new pieces going into All Saints and then Advent.
There will be 2 morning services on All Saints rather than one evening service, as it falls on a Sunday, and special music is planned. During October, the Memory Tree will be displayed; members and visitors may write the names of loved ones who’ve passed away on the banner and they will be remembered in our prayers.
Special music is also planned for every Sunday in Advent, which begins just after Thanksgiving.
Bishop Lee is coming! He will be with us on December 6th, the Feast of St Nicholas, which also falls on a Sunday this year. There will be a single service that day, probably at 10am. We previously were honored to have Bishop Lee with us for the reception of Fr. Manny Borg into the Episcopal Church, which was a wonderfully festive and emotional event for all of us. He will help us celebrate our saint’s festival, and also have a look at the progress the addition is making toward completion. Sometime after New Year’s, the building will be certified for occupation and there will be some kind of celebration and dedication planned.
We haven’t forgotten about our beloved pets! Although the Feast of St Francis falls in early October, it’s been decided that with all the hubbub of the construction project, the annual Blessing of the Animals will be moved to sometime in May, when the weather will be better. We’ll be able to use the outdoor altar if it’s a nice day, too.