Community

St. Mary's runs on generosity. Our yearly operating budget comes from the pledges made by our members. The awesome ministry that touches our lives and the lives of our neighbors around the world would not exist without the past, present and future generosity of our membership. By choosing generosity as our way of life we experience new grace and freedom in relationship to our money. We replace fear and anxiety and grasping with a larger sense of purpose and the joy of making a positive difference in the world.

Each summer the women of St. Mary’s gather at a parishioner’s house for a night of merriment and simple connection. This intergenerational gathering centers around food, drink, and fellowship to strengthen and deepen the connections within St. Mary’s women’s community.

A group of lay people who extend the fellowship of our communion table to members who cannot make it to church. LEMs are often sent out from the communion table to share prayer, Holy Communion and fellowship with members who they visit on a regular basis.

Understanding meditative movement as a pathway to spiritual and physical health is central to the practice of yoga. St. Mary's is blessed with two complimentary yoga classes.

St. Mary’s Treasure Chest is a re-sale shop run by the women of St. Mary’s. The shop raises money to support both church charities and the work of our congregation. Generous gifts from the shop helped the church to pay off its mortgage and continue to help us improve our facility and give generously to charitable organizations.

Each January for over ten years, the women of St. Mary’s have broken through the bleakness of winter by gathering for a 24 hour retreat of fellowship and spiritual renewal. Our time together is spen

The prayer shawl knitting ministry is a worldwide ecumenical movement of women’s groups gathering to pray and knit for those in need and those celebrating life’s joys. As the St. Mary’s prayer shawl knitting group gathers to create shawls for others, their handiwork becomes an expression of their love—and of the loving care of the God who works through them.

- Single Mothers by Choice
- Adoptive Parents of Park Ridge
- Jazzercise
- Parigass (Park Ridge Gilbert & Sullivan)
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotic’s Anonymous

St. Helena's Guild is a ministry to the older women of St. Mary's. The group welcomes and involves women in friendship, prayer, and activities that are comfortable and useful to the life of the parish. Both social and spiritual concerns are discussed at the meetings. We try to understand the life of the parish, the Diocese, and the world church and to assist each other in finding and growing in faith, worship, and service.

The ministry of Stewardship is to inspire gratefulness to God and generosity of Spirit. Stewardship means that all we have and all we are is a gift of God. Our commission teaches the spirituality of giving and runs the annual campaign that raises our operating budget.

A group of lay people trained in pastoral care by Bishop Anderson House at Rush Medical Center. Working in cooperation with supervising clergy, Lay Visitors represent the caring attention of our congregation to members who are sick, or shut-in. Through conversation, listening and prayer visitors attend to the spiritual needs of members in the hospital, nursing homes or in home care.

The last Saturday night before Ash Wednesday is Mardi Gras Night at St. Mary's. Dancing, dining, live & silent auctions, libations, spot-light dances and hilarity fill the evening with a lively and generous spirit.

When the Rev. Amity Carrubba came to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church two years ago, her expectations were to serve as the curate to the Rector, the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel.