Wicker Park Lutheran . ANNOUNCEMENTS . 4 . 27 . 08

wplc LITTLE LAMBS TO FLOCK ON May 4

Little Lambs will be gathering on Sunday, May 4 after the service. All Little Lambs -- infants (or infants to be), toddlers, and preschoolers -- and their parents (or parents to be) are invited to stay after the service for fellowship, a Bible story, and a very special crafts activity.

WPLC Worm Day / Earth Day

Events and Projects Re-Scheduled for May 4

The Worm and Earth Work Day planned for April 27 has been rescheduled for a week from today.. Come to church prepared to move the worms outdoors in a new home and / or (if the weather cooperates) plant the bulbs from the Easter plants on the south side of the church. Come dressed to get dirty and prepared to have fun!

Keiskamma Altarpiece at St. James Cathedral

Until the Day of Pentecost on May 11, St. James Episcopal Cathedral, at the corner of Huron and Wabash is hosting the Keiskamma Altarpiece from Hamburg, South Africa, a monumental work of art created by 130 people, mostly women, from this Eastern Cape Province as a hopeful response to the AIDS epidemic in their community. Chicago is the first stop - and will be the last stop - on a United States tour to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.

"Exhibit hours are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (except May 3) from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm; Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays 12:20 p.m. to 4 p.m. The altar-piece is opened fully every 30 minutes on the hour and half-hour, except at the time of closing. The altarpiece can also be seen during regular services in the cathedral. Admission is free.

WELCOME GRACE MARGARET!

On April 27, we baptized Grace Margaret Fink, child of God and the newest member of Wicker Park Lutheran Church. Grace was born on January 28, 2008. She is the daughter of members Jennifer and Drwin Fink and the little sister of Lttle Lamb Avery (who is celebrating her second birthday today). Grace's sponsors are Lori Holl and Danny DeBever. A member of Batavia Lutheran Church, Lori is Darin's sister and resides in Maple Park, Illinois. Danny is the brother of Jennifer's and lives in Elmwood Park and is a member of Divine Savior Parish in Norridge.

Jen and Darwin hosted last Sunday's coffee. Be sure to stay after the service to welcome Grace‛s family and wish her big sister Avery a happy birthday!

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

WPLC will once again be partnering with Thrivent Insurance to help in building houses for Habitat for Humanity. Work is done on Saturdays. Rob Vrshek will be heading up the WPLC team. Let us know if you would like to participate. E-mail the pastor at revwplc@earthlink.net or call her at (773) 394-0423.

Simplified

      SCRIP!   is here! It is now possible to turn everyday purchases such a gas, groceries, clothing, or dining out at businesses you already patronize into donations to WPLC. How does it happen? Go to www.simplifiedscrip.com for the basics and stay tuned for specifics on May 4.!

WANTED: NON-SINGING ASSISTING MINISTERS

The assisting minister in liturgical worship is a lay person who represents the assembly in leading worship. Contrary to popular opinion, assisting ministers needed not be musicians (how representative of the laity would assistants be if musical competence were a requirement?). Singing parts can always be sung by a cantor.

WPLC is always blessed with dedicated and capable assisting ministers. At the moment, all of our assisting ministers are members of the choir and at least two of them are involved in serving communion every Sunday. Norman Rodger would very much like to have the choir sing during communion now and then, but to do this he needs the voices of the current assisting and communion ministers. Bottom line: we need one or more assisting minister who is NOT in the choir. Let us know if you are interested!

The Season and Liturgy

April 27 was the Sixth Sunday of Easter -- a season in the church year that celebrates an event so great that it cannot be limited to one day. In the words of two distinguished commentators:

Thus, Easter consists of fifty days, a "week of weeks" (a period originally known as the Pentecost, from the Greek meaning "fifty"). Since the early Church, several practices have marked these fifty days: kneeling was prohibited on Sundays of Easter (because standing is the posture of the resurrection), fasting was prohibited (fasting is for Lent and Holy Week, but Easter is for feasting), and "Alleluia" was restored to the liturgy on Easter as a profound expression of joy in the Resurrection. (Worship Workbook)

We are celebrating this most joyous season by introducing the new first setting of the liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship for the Kyrie and "Worthy is Christ, the appropriate canticle of praise for the Easter season. In addition to introducing Setting 1 from the ELW, we are singing the Holy, Holy, Holy and eucharistic acclamation and amen from A Community Mass by Richard Proulx. The pascal candle remains lit, and the lovely white banners underscore the joyousness of the season.