The Apostles Post26238 North Highway 59

Wauconda, Illinois

FROM THE VICAR’S DESK (M. C. Gillette)First of all, a huge ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’ to everyone who helped make Holy Week and Easter Sunday the beautiful, moving, and memorable time it was. Brass polishers, linen washers, landscaping-arrangers, cooks and bakers, Neil Rothenberg and his fabulous Maundy Thursday presentation, flower money-donators, buyers, arrangers, and shuffling-around folks, Jackie Smith for proofing and printing scores of bulletins, liturgical assistants, vacuumers and dusters, set-up and break-down folks, Tom and Karen Malik for bringing ‘adult beverages’ to Easter Sunday brunch, Karole McLaughlin and her bead-making team for the blessing of our prayer-bead Lenten program, everyone I’m forgetting, and, of course, everyone who showed up for a service! Holy Apostles truly are the best!All this thoughtful and well-executed activity provoked me to think a little about our human creative impulse and process, and the desire we all have to

exhibit it (or at least indulge it). Even if it’s as simple as shoveling the driveway in a different pattern each snowfall, we like – maybe need – to touch the world in some small way, leaving a little bit of our humanity, a little bit of who we think we are and how we view the universe, behind for posterity. (Hopefully this manifests itself in constructive ways rather than, for example, figuring out in how many new and novel ways one can terrorize one’s little sister.) Each of us is a creative creature in our own way. Some of us use this gift in more obvious ways – music, dance, art, etc. – but there is a spark of creativity in all of us. How can I be so sure of this? Well, it’s my opinion and it’s very true. Because scripture makes it very, very clear that God is a creator, and as we are made in God’s image and likeness, we are creators too – or at least we have the capacity to be creators. As commentator James Prescott says, ‘creativity can be found anywhere you choose to look, and if you look inside yourself, you might find something you never knew was there.’

We are, of course, in Eastertide. Now, as do most people I know, our family has little ‘secular’ Easter traditions we very much enjoy. I know I, personally, would be devastated to find Easter Sunday had come and gone leaving me with No. Assorted. Chocolate. Rabbit. But I am saddened by the realization that many folks have no other experience of The Feast of the Resurrection than chocolate bunnies, hidden eggs, and brunch at a favorite restaurant. And so I look forward each year to seeing the variety of creative social media memes and postings offering a little ‘push-back’ against the ‘jelly bean and baby chicks’ take on Eastertide. I especially look forward to the snippets one often sees (well, on my feeds, anyway) of details from medieval illuminated manuscripts (OK, you probably don’t get a lot of those. But stay with me here.). Many of these, for some inexplicable reason, feature rabbits wreaking havoc on other creatures, with great joy and malice. They also contain a great deal of scatological humor, an unseemly abundance of (visual) fart jokes, and some just-plain-bizarre stuff. I am charmed by (most of) these not only because they say ‘Beware of the circle of life, fluffy bunny Easter people; in the middle ages

APRIL 2016 2015 We are a welcoming, compassionate community seeking to grow in Christ and

express God’s love for all, through worship, fellowship, service and prayer.

rabbits didn’t bring you chocolate, they murdered you, and who knows when your secular celebrations might take a disastrous turn,’ but also because they remind me that even in the most rigorously regulated spheres of life – which is, rightly or wrongly, how I

imagine monastic life in the middle ages – room can be made for a bit of personal flourish. (I am deeply concerned, however, about what delicately painting melancholic cats playing lyres in the corner of a painstakingly hand-lettered book says about what the responsible monk found when he ‘looked inside himself for a creative idea.’) So set yourself free this Eastertide. Go create something, even if nobody else will ever see it. Don’t try to make it perfect. Just have a good time, and what you create will be ‘Good.’

UPCOMING SERVICES FOR CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLESSunday 03 April8:00 & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday 10 April8:00 & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday 17 April8:00 & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday 24 April8:00 & 10:30 a.m.

Scheduled Presider:GillettePreacher:Gillette

Scheduled Presider:GillettePreacher: Gillette

Scheduled Presider:GillettePreacher: Gillette

Scheduled Presider:GillettePreacher: Gillette

2nd Sunday of Easter 3rd Sunday of Easter 4th Sunday of Easter 5th Sunday of EasterFIRST LESSONActs 5:27-32

RESPONSE Psalm 150

SECOND LESSONRevelation 1:4-8

GOSPEL John 20:19-31

FIRST LESSONActs 9:1-20

RESPONSE Psalm 30

SECOND LESSONRevelation 5:11-14

GOSPEL John 21:1-19

FIRST LESSONActs 9:36-43

RESPONSE Psalm 23

SECOND LESSONRevelation 7:9-17

GOSPEL John 10:22-30

FIRST LESSONActs 11:1-18

RESPONSE Psalm 148

SECOND LESSONRevelation 21:1-6

GOSPEL John 13:31-35

HERE AND THERE (M. C. Gillette)In this on-going article, we pull things from our various Diocesan calendars and church websites so see what’s going on around us. For more information about what's happening at the Diocesan Headquarters and the Cathedral of Saint James, you can always visit their websites.Diocesan Culture Change Report Now OnlineLate last year, Bishop Lee and the Standing Committee asked the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings,  a consultant who worked with the diocese prior to a restructuring of the bishop's staff in 2011, to conduct a second study on the diocese's culture and effectiveness. The summary of her report is now online at: http://www.episcopalchicago.org/files/1714/5755/3159/CHI_Report_February_2016.pdf

Amy-Jill Levine To Visit April 29-30Amy-Jill Levine, Professor E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies and Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University, will visit the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago this spring and there are several opportunities to hear her speak. 

Thursday, April 28: Bexley Seabury Convocation at St. James Commons, Levine will give the keynote address "Of Pearls and Prodigals: Hearing Jesus’ Parables." The event is free and open to all, please RSVP by April 14.

Friday, April 29: "Preaching and the difficult anti-Jewish texts," 7 pm at Grace, Oak Park, 924 Lake Street, please register at https://episcopalchicago.wufoo.com/forms/m1gutioi020nssh/

Saturday, April 30: Interfaith Dinner and presentation "Agreeing to Disagree: How Jews and Christians Read Scripture Differently," 6 pm at Grace, Hinsdale, 120 East First Street. Cost is $40 and online reservation is required at https://us-mg5.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=1sgbf5g1ivv3t

About Amy-Jill Levine:Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, E. Rhodes and Leona B.

Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies, and Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences. Holding the B.A. from Smith College, the M.A. and  Ph.D. from Duke University, and honorary doctorates from Christian Theological Seminary, Drury University, the University of Richmond, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, and the University of South Carolina-Upstate, Professor Levine has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies.

She has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. Her books include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (HarperOne), the edited collection, The Historical Jesus in Context (Princeton), and the thirteen-volume edited series, Feminist Companions to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings (Continuum). With Marc Brettler of Brandeis University, she edited the Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford). She has written, with her Vanderbilt colleague Douglas Knight, The Meaning of the Bible: What The Jewish Scriptures and the Christian Old Testament Can Teach us  (HarperOne); with Warren Carter of Brite Divinity School, she published in 2013The New Testament: Methods and Meanings(Abingdon).  Her most recent book is Short Stories by Jesus: the Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi (Harper One).  

She has recorded "Introduction to the Old Testament," "Great Figures of the Old Testament," and "Great Figures of the New Testament" for the Teaching Company. In 2011, Professor Levine became Affiliated Professor at the Woolf Institute: Centre for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations at Cambridge, UK. A self-described "Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Christian divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt," Professor Levine combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating anti-

Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies.

Healthcare Decisions Workshop April 16 at St. James Commons Bishop Anderson House invites the diocese to The End is Where We Begin, a free workshop that will prepare participants to face stressful health care decisions with clarity and confidence. The End Is Where We Begin will be held at St. James Commons on Saturday, April 16, from 10 am -12 pm. Attendance is free, but space is limited. Please register by emailing Paul

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SOME CHURCHY STUFF (M. C. Gillette)In this monthly article, we look at terms and definitions of things you might see or hear around church. Nothing fancy here – these entries are out of the Armentrout/Slocum An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, sometimes supplemented by me, and sometimes simply copied directly. If something in particular piques your interest, let me know, and we’ll deal with it in more depth.

COMMON LECTIONARY, REVISED. A lectionary is a list of readings from the Bible appointed for reading throughout the year. As you know, our readings run in 3-year cycles: ‘A’ years, “B’ years, and “C’ years. The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) is the product of a collaboration between various English-speaking denominations world-wide. A combination of several individual lectionaries (Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.), the RCL means identical biblical texts are read in all these churches, with a few denomination-specific changes. Four readings are prescribed for each Sunday: a passage typically from the Old Testament (including, for those of us who use them, books from the Apocrypha) or, during Eastertide, the Acts of the Apostles; a Psalm or Canticle; a reading from one of the Epistles (letters) or Revelation; and a Gospel passage. For a Eucharist, only the Gospel is mandatory, which is why we don’t always have the ‘full run,’ especially

if we are doing something special in the service. During the long ‘green’ season after Pentecost, there are two tracks (or strands) each week for Old Testament readings. Within each track, there is a Psalm chosen to accompany the particular lesson. The Revised Common Lectionary allows us to make use of either of these tracks, but once a track has been selected, it should be followed through to the end of the Pentecost season, rather than jumping back and forth between the two strands. The first track of Old Testament readings (‘Track 1’) follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. In Year A we begin with Genesis, in Year B we hear some of the great monarchy

narratives, and in Year C we read from the later prophets. A second track of readings (‘Track 2’) follows the Roman Catholic tradition of thematically pairing the Old Testament reading with the Gospel reading, often typologically—a sort of foretelling of Jesus Christ’s life and ministry, if you will. This second track is almost identical to our previous Book of Common Prayer lectionary. Within each track there may be additional readings, complementary to the standard reading; these may be used with the standard reading, or in place of it. COMMON WORSHIP, STANDING COMMISSION ON. If you put this heading into your search engine and click ‘images,’ you get an impressive page of pictures of Dead White Guys – and these lively ladies. I have no idea what any of them have to do with the Standing Commission, but the lively ladies were much more interesting than the dead guys, so

I chose their picture. The 1997 General Convention discontinued the Standing Liturgical Commission and the Standing Commission on Church Music and proposed instead a new Standing Commission on Common Worship to consist of four bishops, four presbyters (priests) or deacons, and eight laypeople, with the Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer included as a member ex officio with voice but without vote, and a partridge in a pear tree. (OK, not that last thing.) Renamed the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, it collects, collates, and catalogues material bearing upon possible future revisions of the Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982, and makes

recommendations to General Convention concerning the musical settings of liturgical texts and rubrics. It also presents to General Convention recommendations concerning the Lectionary, Psalter (Psalms), and Daily Offices (Morning and Evening Prayer, etc.) for special occasions as authorized or directed by the General Convention of House of Bishops.

COMMUNICANT. One who receives Holy Communion. Here is a picture of a poor lad going off to have his First Communion and be a communicant for the first time. This was before we changed things so that 1) boys no longer wear short pants and 2) baptism is the precedent sacrament, so if you are baptized, you can take communion.In the Book of Common Prayer the term ‘Communicant’ refers to those receiving communion at a particular service. Communicants are defined in the canons as all members of this church who have received Holy Communion at least three times in the past year. They further define ‘communicants in good standing’ as ‘communicants who for the previous year have been faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spreading of the Kingdom of God.

COMMUNICATE. To receive Holy Communion. The verb may also be used with an object (grammar lesson for the day), meaning to minister the Eucharistic elements to someone.

COMMUNION. The term means ‘union with.’ It is used in phrases such as ‘the Anglican Communion’ and ‘the communion of saints.’ It

is also used to mean Holy Communion, union with one another in Christ in the Sacrament of his body and blood. In this sense it is used 1) as a title for the entire service of the Holy Eucharist, 2) as a title for the Great Thanksgiving, beginning with the offertory, and 3) to mean the ministration or reception of the consecrated bread and wine. The term is used to translate the Greek koinonia.

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MUSIC SURVEY RESULTS 2015

8 March 2016

Friends,

One of the most significant areas of comment on the CAT survey we took last year was ‘music.’ Because of this, we decided to take ‘music’ on as the first action item arising from the CAT. A separate music survey was distributed; our response rate was good, and representative of both services. Attached you will find the compiled data from the surveys. A quick review of these summaries will show you the great diversity of opinions present in the congregation, and, therefore, some of the difficulties involved in attempting to devise a responsive and responsible way forward for our music program.

Here is what we have come up with. I am sure you will understand implementation of some of these initiatives will take time, and that our efforts will be progressive – nothing is graven in stone.

First, I am delighted to be able to say that Mr. Ron Bedal has agreed to be our Music Facilitator for the time being. Ron is a professional musician, specializing in jazz piano; has his own band/orchestra (you can find out more at his website, http://ronbedalorchestra.com/); and has extensive contacts in the local community, from high school musicians to full time professionals. While he will have other commitments throughout the year, it is his plan to be our primary musician at 10:30. When he is absent, he will arrange for a substitute. He will be paid on a per-service basis, $150-$200 (based on various factors).

Ron will play our hymns and service music on our electric piano. When a hymn is in an ‘unsingable’ register – when the notes are too high for most of us – he will try to transcribe it to a lower register when possible. He will select his own pre- and post-service music, and will offer instrumental music of his choosing during communion. Our communion hymn will then be sung when all have been served and have returned to our seats. We will generally sing only selected verses of longer hymns. Periodically, he will bring in vocalists or additional instrumentalists to complement the service. The aim will always be to use music to enrich our worship experience, not become its focal point.

Occasionally, most likely when we have a single service, we hope to offer a more ‘interactive’ music experience – a hymn sing perhaps, or a gospel singer to help us learn how to sing hymns in that genre a little more comfortably.

At 8:00, we also plan to bring in special musicians occasionally, to play pre- and post- service and during communion. (Not hymns and service music.) At other times (as in ‘also occasionally’), I will provide recorded music for the pre-, post-, and communion portions of the service.

We are also planning to try to host a recital or two at Holy Apostles during the year; what exactly that might look like will be worked out as we go along.

We are not eliminating organ music altogether – in fact, we have just had necessary minor repairs made to the instrument. We will try to arrange for an organist one week a month, and will try to have him/her here the same week each month (first, last, etc.)

Finally, there will be a little basket back with the bulletins, holding hymn request slips. If you long for a particular hymn, please fill one out and put it in the offering plate as you would a prayer request. As we will continue to sing the same set of hymns for 4-5 weeks in a row, and as there are seasonal and theological considerations for hymnody (no matter how nicely you ask, for example, I will not put ‘Joy to the World’ in the Good Friday service), we might not get to your request immediately, but we will use it as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, I will be happy to address them; or you may speak with one of the Wardens or any BC member.

Godspeed,(Mother) Martha

2015 MUSIC SURVEY – SUMMARY OF RESPONSESSurveys Returned8:00 Respondents = 12 (Roughly 50% of Average Sunday Attendance)10:30 Respondents = 10 (Roughly 75% of Average Sunday Attendance)

Is Music an important/preferred/desirable part of your regular Sunday worship experience? 8:00 Respondents :

o 5 said Noo 3 gave no responseo 2 said Yeso 1 said Yes, but no organo 1 said No, except maybe 3-4 times a year

10:30 Respondents :o 8 said Yes or ‘Yes +’o 2 gave no response

What is your idea of ‘good music for regular Sunday worship services? 8:00 Respondents : Older hymns; Gospel; Instrumental; Guitar or Keyboard; Sung Lord’s Prayer; Priest sings; Lyrics

that someone can sing; Gather; Upbeat (listed several times); Songs that make me feel good; Music that lends itself to a feeling of worship and praise; Not singing all the verses when hymns are sung; Vocal soloists; Instrumental soloists; Variety (hymns, folk songs, classical music, inspirational music that involves and engages the congregation); Live, not recorded; Familiar Episcopal or Protestant hymns (Ode to Joy, Rock of Ages, Lift High The Cross).

10:30 Respondents : Hymns that are worshipful, have years of precedent, and reflect the shared experience of corporate worship; Organ music; Hymns primarily from hymnal; Bach; Worshipful, inspiring, energizing, compelling; Expanded selection including more contemporary music; Hymns from the recognized hymnals; Traditional hymns (from hymnal); Hymns in the lower registers; Traditional hymns ‘mixed up’ with more contemporary songs of praise and thanksgiving; Patriotic hymns when appropriate; Organ is OK in general, but it would be nice to have other combinations of instruments at special services; ‘I’ve heard 3 requests for Gospel;’ St. Michael’s Burgundy Book; Upbeat lyrics.

What are the 3 things you would most like to see changed/added/eliminated/with worship music? 8:00 Respondents : Most people are not familiar with the hymns and would not sing; Sing Lord’s Prayer (a cappella);

Recorded instrumental music before and after service and during communion; Upbeat and familiar hymns (Lord Of The Dance, Here I Am Lord, Amazing Grace); Do something we can afford; Do something new; Do something meaningful; Hire a music facilitator/minister with strong contacts in the music community, someone to bring in soloists, bring our community together to make music (bell choir, vocal choir, hymn sings) and help the community grow in their appreciation of music through organized musical events performed at our church or talks/written material on our Sunday music; Have donated or buy a piano – much easier to get pianists than organists, it is better accompaniment for soloists, and there are numerous ‘clever’ ways to fund this (e.g. sell ‘keys’ for a certain price until the cost of the entire piano is raised); Have regular soloists at services (volunteers or paid, from congregation, college, high-school or other churches that have ‘extra’ they would be willing to lend us); Get rid of the organ; Ensure musician plays what is written to facilitate singing in parts; Remember music should complement service, not overpower it.

10:30 Respondents : There must be music, although not necessarily organ music; I would need to go elsewhere if we stopped having music or using the organ; A choir would be nice; Avoid the most complicated hymns; Make sure the organ isn’t overpowering; Add other instruments, at least occasionally (flute, violin, clarinet, guitar), and possibly a choral ensemble; Keep hymns with organ, no ‘happy-clappy’ songs with guitars or drums; Sing ‘Were You There When They Crucified My Lord’ during Lent; Have a choir – we do have people who can sing; Softer volume on the organ; Occasional offertory with a different instrument (piano, flute, violin); Martin Luther’s hymns; Bob Dylan;

Contemporary songs (Gather); Other instruments (guitars, horns, violins); Singers (choir or soloists); Music Committee; More traditional hymns.

How would you propose to implement the changes you listed above? 8:00 Respondents : It will be difficult to do much and stay within the budget; Recorded music could be provided at no

cost, managed by a volunteer; have an organist at one service only once or twice a month and special days; encourage music as a way to make a time/talent offering, as we do for flowers or preparing the altar linens, etc. – utilize the people in the congregation who play instruments and sing to provide meditative/contemplative music before/after the service and at communion; if paid music facilitator would cost more than current organist, perhaps diocese would help, or perhaps we could institute regular musical programs for the community that would bring in some funds via tickets; volunteers to perform wouldn’t cost much, the cost would come from the need to have a dynamic music minister to get the volunteers trained, organized, and energized; Start with music at special services, work up to music at all services; have a lead singer/group or cantor to encourage congregational singing; introduce new tunes and practice them prior to the service; anything we could do would depend on the budget available.

10:30 Respondents : Church members who play instruments could volunteer their time/talent for services – likewise, church members who sing could volunteer to do solos or ensemble works; Replace Betty with an organist as least as good as she, someone who can lead the congregation in musical worship; Convince parishioners with good, strong voices to intentionally lead congregational singing; Find music students (high school, CLC, who are looking for some low pressure exposure and might be willing to volunteer or perform for a very small fee); Hire a professional music director – one who could organize a choir or musical group or even recorded music of choice – someone who would be invested in improving our music program and expanding it into before or after church services or during other times of the week; Single service with 2 hymns and some instrumental music before and after service, and during communion; Have (Mother) Martha lead the singing.

Additional Comments. 8:00 Respondents : I love to hear Martha sing; I know everyone feels differently about what is ‘good’ – I don’t think

there is any right or wrong way of going about this, but thank you for the chance to voice an opinion; I appreciate any effort or gift of time and talent demonstrated; For some people, music is an essential aspect of worship, but in any case it can draw people to the church and has the potential to bring us together in a new way, and to provide an opportunity to give back to our worshipping community; Music could help us get new people to come and stay; Whatever the majority wants is OK with me, but no music is better than that organ music; I like having options (music or not)

10:30 Respondents : I think music is a very important part of our worship and will be disappointed if things change too much; Worship without music for me would be unthinkable; we are extremely lucky to have an organ of the quality we do in such a small church, and to have had such a good organist as Betty; I would have to seriously consider worshipping elsewhere if our music is drastically changed; I’m hopeful we can find a new organist who is as good as Betty; I volunteer to help if you need to form a committee.

SURVEY RESPONDENTS’ PROPOSALS.8:00 Respondents:Solicit volunteers with instrumental/vocal talent to provide suitable music before/after service and during communion, such as seasonal hymns or simple sacred works. On Sundays when no volunteers are available to provide live music, use appropriate recorded music before/after service and during communion. (Mother) Martha will arrange this at the beginning, to see how well it is received. If this is helpful to the worship experience of the 8:00 congregation, a Volunteer will be solicited to take over selection, preparation, and playing of the recorded music. Solicit volunteer to ‘manage’ the rota of live and recorded music.10:30 Respondents:Determine if an acoustic piano is really needed or if our electronic piano is sufficient for our worship needs.Hire organist for 6 ‘festal’ days a year: Christmas; Palm Sunday; Easter; Pentecost; All Saints’ (Sunday); Proper 15 (a random post-Pentecost Sunday to ‘break up’ the long period of Ordinary Time).Work with Ron Bedal to source and contract musicians to lead congregational singing and provide music before/after services and during communion.Predominantly piano and ‘standard’ or ‘traditional’ church music in the Anglican traditionOccasionally (perhaps once monthly) musicians representing various ‘other’ traditions (jazz, folk, ethnic, etc.) with appropriate instruments (flute, bassoon, harp, accordion, etc.) Hymns must still be accompanied, but greater flexibility in before/after service and communion music exists.

IN OUR PARISH LIFE SHAWL MINISTRY: Thanks to our lovely ladies who diligently continue to knit, crochet, and tie blankets so that we have a selection to choose from for our gifting. We appreciate all of you who have given donations to the shawl ministry so that we can continue to purchase supplies as needed.  The Shawl Ministry will meet on Monday, April 11 at 7:00pm, and Tuesday, April 26 at 1:00pm in Lincoln Hall. All are welcome to join us- no experience is required!

MOTHER’S DAY DIAPER DRIVE: Holy Apostles has partnered with the Diaper Bank of Lake County collection on Mother’s Day, May 8th. They are especially in need of size 6 diapers, and Adult extra-large pull-ups. Food assistance programs don’t cover diapers. Babies kept in dirty diapers for extended periods of time may lead to babies suffering not just physically, but emotionally. Please help moms and dads, as well as seniors in the community, to provide for this basic need.

WAUCONDA/ISLAND LAKE FOOD PANTRY: The milk jug count for February was $102.21. In February the food pantry served 214 families which totaled 579 individuals.  Ten families were new to the pantry. Please keep them in your prayers. There is a sign-up sheet in Lincoln Hall if you are interested in volunteering on Saturdays between 10 AM and 12 noon.

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: The book discussion group generally meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm (exceptions will be noted). New members or one-time visitors are always welcome! Please contact Lisa Earley for more information or questions. This month the Book Group will meet on April 26 to discuss The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, and hosted by Diane and Geoff Cooper at their home. Future book selections are as follows:April 26 The Eyre Affair  at the Cooper homeMay 24 Preparation for the Next Life by Atticus Lish at Lisa Earley’s homeJune 28 Half the Sky by Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn at Julie Zuidema’s homeJuly 26 The Dive from Clausen’s Pier by Ann Packer at the Dura homeAug 23 A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler, location TBD

TAIZE SERVICE of Silence and Light: All are welcomed to the Taize Service on Friday, 29 April at 7:00 pm.

APRIL 2016 (See PAGE 5 above for Service Schedule.)SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 Food Pantry10am-noon

3 8:00 AM service10:30 AM service

4 5 6 7 8 9Food Pantry10am-noon

10 8:00 AM service10:30 AM service

11Shawl Ministry7:00 PM

12 13 14 15 16Food Pantry10am-noon

17 8:00 AM service 10:30 AM service

18 19Bishop’s Comm.Meeting7:00 PM

20 21 22 23Food Pantry10am-noon

248:00 AM service 10:30 AM service

25 26Shawl Ministry1:00 PM Book Group7:30pm

27 28 29Taize Service7:00 PM

30Food Pantry10am-noon

April Birthdays

Apr 03 Melissa Petersen Apr 25 Jean MillerApr 17 Jim Pinder

April AnniversariesApr 04 Lynn and Wayne Chmiel Apr 28 Virginia and Ken BalmesApr 25 Kristi and Doug Connell Apr 29 Aline and Dean Denges

YOUR BISHOP’S COMMITTEE MEMBERS My name is Johnna Bradfield.  I moved to Grayslake from Ohio 3.5 years ago with my Black Russian Terrier dog, Nika and cat Mia. I moved here for a change in my life and to be closer to friends and the Black Russian Terrier community. I have owned, raised, and bred BRT’s for over 19 years. I am very active in the BRT club volunteering at events, fundraising, and I actively serve as the Vice President. Shortly after moving here I started attending Holy Apostle because of my friend with BRTs. I have never felt so at home at a church.  I became a Bishops Committee member in 2015 to become more active in the church.   I look forward to getting to know more about Holy Apostles and all of you. 

I am Nerissa Brueckbauer, and I think the best I can do to describe myself is say that I am a "Navy brat." I was raised in a military family, and my father retired from the Navy just after I was commissioned as a Navy Ensign. Therefore, I have lived in many different places and have done many different things. I graduated from the University of California San Diego, and I have a graduate degree from the Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. I came to Holy Apostles in 1998 and stayed with my family - Roger, husband, and children, Cassie (24) and John (21) - through 2001 when I found it important that my children be in a church environment with more children. I was at St. Michael's in Barrington until 2013 where I was a Catechist in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd approach to religious formation. In 2013 I came to Church of the Holy Apostles. I live in Mundelein with Roger whom I still happen to like (love, is assumed) after almost 28 years of marriage. We have

two totally misbehaving dogs, Maggie and Cana. Thank goodness they both are so sweet, or they would be shipped off to try to make their way with Cassie or John!

My name is Diane Cooper. I have been a member of the Holy Apostles’ congregation for approximately fourteen years. As most of you know, my husband Geoff and I moved to the US from England in 1994 when we were in our 40s. We have two children, Claire and Robert, who are both married, and we are blessed with three grandchildren. We also have Jeremy, who we regard as a son. Jeremy was a friend of Robert and lived with us for some time in his late teens and twenties. In England, my Church attendance was not regular, but my faith carried me through a difficult childhood and beyond. I qualified as a Solicitor (an attorney) in 1975 and had my own practice for 5 years and then practiced in a small firm until we moved to the US. I always felt my work in England was aligned with my faith as ordinary people would come into my office with problems and I really

tried to take on those problems and help them.In the U.S. I ended up working in a corporate law department as a paralegal and it was some years before the Illinois Bar Association changed their rules so I could actually sit for the Bar Exams. This was a very frustrating time but while working I went back to Law School and obtained an LLM in International Business and Trade Law. I was finally allowed to sit for the Bar Exams and became duly licensed as an attorney in Illinois in 2006. Eventually, I was offered a job to manage Honeywell’s toxic tort litigation. While this was a long way from my idealistic motives of practicing law to help

people, I did try to use my position to ensure Honeywell did not feed into the corruption that pervades the US state judicial system and I was proud of my work.I retired a little early as my elderly mother came to live with us. This has proven to be substantially more challenging that I anticipated! I have sat on the Bishop’s Committee before – some time ago. I have never held the position of Warden before and am going to have to learn what this entails.

My name is Geoffrey Cooper but I prefer to be known as Geoff. My wife of 40 years, Diane has already covered the family stuff in her Bio, so I will not bore you with that. I graduated from Leeds University in the UK with a BSc in Chemical Engineering and worked in the Chemical Industry for 43 years before retiring last May, 2015. I was fortunate to travel a fair bit in that time and have thus been to some very interesting places. This has come to a bit of an abrupt halt while we care for my 93 year old Mother-in-Law but hopefully, one day, we be able to “get back on that horse” once again. I like being active, whenever possible, and hope to do more yard work at HA this year, when I am not golfing. When not out and about, I am an avid puzzler and especially like large jigsaw puzzles. I have been treasurer at HA since October 2004.

My name is Aline Denges. My family and I have been members of Holy Apostles for about 15 years. I came to Holy Apostles through Cub Scouts. My co-leader was a member and it was a place where we could teach the religious program. I married my best friend and together we own a small business. We have three children, five grandchildren, and we’re expecting another grandchild in July.  I served on the Bishop’s committee my first year as a member of the Church because I wanted to be an active and giving member. I have also served for the church as Jr. Warden, Sr. Warden, and as a fill-in Jr. Warden again this past year. I look forward to serving as Jr. Warden over the next three years and doing my best for our church and community.

I’m (Mother) Martha Gillette, the Priest-in-Charge here at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles. After spending 25 years in the Navy, I retired with the rank of Captain (06) and went to seminary in Cambridge, MA. I came to Illinois to help develop a ‘mutual ministry’ model, initially working with both St. Michael’s in Barrington and Holy Apostles. This initiative didn’t work quite as well as any of us had hoped; the good news for me in that was that I was able to ‘move north’ and minister exclusively with the Holy Apostles. Although I do involve myself in regular priest-y stuff, probably my greatest contribution to the life of the parish is toting Rupert around so he can spread beagle love as widely as possible. I have 3 children (Jason, Colin, and Rachel), 3 cats (Kamra, Hoshi, and Nima), and countless idiosyncrasies that you generally kindly tolerate. I love being here!

My name is Rupert Gillette.  I am a permanent (non-voting) member the Bishop’s Committee.  Although I was a Pantheist for the first year (7 human years) of my life, I have worshiped at Church of the Holy Apostles for the human equivalent of 49 years.  I have found my true home and calling here, as I serve our community of faith as a pastoral assistant.  I have absolutely no formal education, no degrees, no career which I currently or formerly pursued, and no special interests, other than baking in sun spots

around the house; but I do have a huge heart, soft fur, softer ears, and an exceptionally gentle disposition.   Prior to relocating to Wauconda, I was a feral beastie with a troubled past, living off the land in Southern Illinois as best I could.  I currently live in Lake Barrington Shores with my human Mom and an occasionally annoying assortment of other creatures, mainly humans and (sigh) cats.    

June Kramer is a soon-to-be retired English teacher at Barrington High School where she has had the pleasure of working with parishioners Chris Diegnan, Doug Connell and Carl Reed, as well as the privilege of teaching Rachel Reagan, mother Martha's daughter. Teaching is (was) a blast, and she is now in the angst-driven process of reinventing herself. She lives in the great Holy Apostles' tradition of animal lover with her old lab Buoy and her old husband Timothy Hull. June, however, is really not all that old. Ha!

I'm Lynn McAlister. I am a dual US-Canadian citizen, grew up in several different countries, and travelled widely for the first 25 years of my life. There were fascinating conversations with interesting people and a lot of laughter. It was a fantastic way to grow up. Now I've got a mortgage and my own family and I don't go anywhere. We still laugh a lot, though. I have a degree in Scottish history from the University of Aberdeen and have served for the past 20 years or so as historian for the Macalister clan worldwide. That is my primary interest and 'hobby'. To help pay the bills, I work part-time in reference at the Wauconda Area Library, where I also run a genealogy group. My husband Robin works at Kraft Foods and our son is a

senior at the high school. I came to Holy Apostles in 2006 and have been on the Bishop's Committee off and on for quite a few years. Within the past few months I have also become involved with the prayer bead ministry that Karole McLaughlin was led to start last year. The thing I like most about Holy Apostles is the commitment its members have to one another and the way they support each other in times of need or crisis. It is truly the Body of Christ!

My name is Todd Seiler. I am an incoming member to the Bishop’s Committee.  I am a cradle Episcopalian. This is my second go around at Holy Apostles. I was at here from 1985ish to 1996. This is where I met and married Michele. During my tenure here I was on the Bishop’s Committee and also the treasurer. (Geoff, don’t get any ideas!) Other than for 6 years when I strayed to Arizona, I have always lived in Lake County. Michele and I live in Gurnee with our younger son, Scott. Our older son, Eric currently lives in Florida. I am the finance administrator for Century 21 Kreuser & Seiler in Libertyville. My interests are disc golf and model railroading. All I can say about Holy Apostles is that when we visited Holy Apostles, we felt as if we were coming home to family!

Jackie Kerr Smith was born and raised in central Massachusetts. She graduated with a BS in Medical Technology and worked for several years at University of Massachusetts Medical Center, before moving to Illinois, by way of Marietta, Ga. After her three children were all in school, she began oil painting and continues to enjoy the creative process. She is extremely grateful for her two adorable grandchildren, Julianna, age 3,and Jake, age 1. She is also self-appointed Godmother to a small brown beagle, mentioned above. She loves being a part of this Holy Apostles community!

Alicja Lukaszewicz-SouthallWe have been living in the far northwest suburbs for nearly twenty years now, and Holy Apostles has been our church home since then too.  I was confirmed here in 1999.  I was affiliated with the United Church of Canada before that for several years.   Since graduating from McGill in Montreal having studied political science and management, I worked in international insurance for many moons, first as a translator and then as an international commercial liability underwriter.  I started to feel called in other directions, however, and am currently completing an M.A. at Loyola University's Institute for Pastoral Studies in Chicago. We love travelling, most especially to visit family in Canada and England; I also enjoy

cooking, knitting, reading and music.  If I were to register for a vanity plate, it would read "Cats Rule" (although somebody in the Land of Lincoln beat me to it) - they certainly do chez Southall!

My name is Penny (Penelope) Treptow. This is my third term (not consecutive) on our Bishop’s Committee.  I am in the final year of this term. I live in Holiday Hills, in the house that Tom & I built.  We moved here from Lake Zurich, "because it was too crowded"

over 35 years ago. I had a history of changing churches, but in my current (2nd) membership at Holy Apostles I have found great fellowship and consider Holy Apostles my family. I enjoy our many gatherings at Holy Apostles because the people are great and I have received many opportunities to grow spiritually. In addition to my walk with Christ, I enjoy travel, walking, swimming, dancing, dogs, reading..... My Holy Apostles family has supported me, blessed me and served me in many ways and I look forward to helping other members in the future.

FROM: Church of the Holy Apostles 26238 North Highway 59 Wauconda, Illinois 60084