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St. John's Episcopal Church is located on the northwest side of Chicago, in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. You can learn more about us at our official web site. We hope you'll join us!

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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Harvest Festival


I've searched the month of October on my liturgical calendar, and searched it again. But I just can't seem to find Harvest Festival anywhere. I know it's somewhere between the 17th and 21st Sundays after Pentecost (or Whitsunday, according to our antique hymn board).


Happily, the Harvest Festival has become a St. John's institution, even if it hasn't knocked one of the venerable saints off the calendar. It's a fund-raiser, but this year it was a barn-raiser, too. Country was the name, square dancing was the game, with a lively musical group and a dance caller who knew how to teach a room full of greenhorns to dosy-doe with panache.

When the dancing began, 16 brave souls (8 couples) rose to the challenge, while the remainder (including yours truly) sat on the sidelines, ready to smirk if a smirking opportunity arose. It quickly became obvious that the 16 brave souls were having fun, while everyone else was – well, ... just watching.

By the second dance, additional tables had to be moved to the side to make room for the new dancers. The first round dancers refused to leave the floor.

Yee haw!

I have three versions of the next picture, and Emma is laughing her head off in every one!

Ken and Melissa watched from the liquid refreshments table. Melissa was Harvest Festival Queen this year (i.e., she headed up the wonderful, talented group that put the shindig all together). Thanks, Melissa! Thanks, wonderful, talented group!

There was more, besides. The dinner was catered by Smoque, a local barbeque joint whose reputation has spread near and far in the few short years it has been open.

And did I mention this was a fund-raiser? While all the eating and dancing was going on, partiers were making bids on everything from an ecclesiastical bird house to this diamond pendant, modeled by Madeleine:

Along one side of the room, tables were covered with bidding sheets for the items being offered.

It's amazing how quickly you forget how many bidding sheets you signed!

Ken knows.


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