Join Us for Worship Onsite & Online · Details

  815 Wilmot Road, Deerfield, IL 60015  ·   847.945.1678  ·   Giving

St. Gregory's Episcopal Church
  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Lent 2023
    • Annual Giving 2023
    • Events at StGs
    • Building Beloved Community
    • Leadership
    • Photo Gallery
  • Worship & Music
    • Worship at StGs
    • Live Stream Worship
    • Music/Choir
    • Prayer Request
    • Sermons
    • The Labyrinth
  • Families
    • Family Ministries
    • The Prayground at St. Gregory's
    • Youth Group/Young Adults
    • Children's Ministries
  • Donate
    • Annual Giving 2023
    • Give Now
  • Connect
    • Volunteer Ministries
    • Contact
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Calendar
    • Clergy & Staff
    • Newsletters
    • Donate
  • Community
    • Forming Faith
    • Fellowship
    • Living Our Faith in the World
    • Caring

Family Ministries

Children teach us what absolute joy looks like and who God is – and what better place to experience this than in church?

No matter if we are worshipping on site or online, our children are participating members of all our services: as lectors, ushers, acolytes, the Gospel procession and holding hands in the prayground during The Lord's Prayer. In addition, on Joyful Noise Sundays, the children often dance, sing or sign as part of our worship!


Children's Ministries

Children's Church (for kids aged 3 - 4th grade) is being reworked after a year of being online during the pandemic. If you have ideas or requests for how it should work in the new world of hybrid worship please contact [email protected].

At St. Gregory's our children are participating members of all our services: as lectors, acolytes, the Gospel procession and holding h…

Read More »

The Prayground at St. Gregory's

And Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14

As Jesus did, we welcome children of all ages as integral members of the Body of Christ, and we welcome the sounds and activity that accompany their worship! We believe that being in church helps kids learn how to pray, listen, an…

Read More »

Youth Group/Young Adults

Our Youth will be participating in our intergenerational formation program this fall (2021-2022) as part of the Creating Beloved Community program. The program is called, Tell Me the Truth About Racism. We are meeting monthly (on site or online tbd) starting in September to learn about the Big Lie of racism and how it affects every one of God's beloved children. We will meet with…

Read More »
Share this page: Family Ministries
Shelley Byrnes
Family Minister

    Shelley Byrnes

    Family Minister

    In 2018, when I interviewed for the position of Family Minister, the first question I was asked was, “Do you know what you’re getting into if you move to Deerfield, IL from Arizona?" I reassured everyone that I went to high school and college in Wisconsin and could deal with the winters once I bought some new clothes. Then, when I saw the Prayground (soft space for children to be children during services) in the church, and the beautiful Upper Room for the youth, I was sold! I could see that St. Gregory’s truly valued families!

    I see God in the faces of children and am so blessed to be involved with them as they grow in their faith and mature. Teenagers are some of the most interesting “Children of God” because they grow more at that age than any other in life: physically, emotionally, cognitively and spiritually. It is such a gift to be able to witness that growth and support them as they ask questions such as, “who am I to God?” or “why am I here?”

    I have been involved in Christian Formation in various roles from Sunday School Teacher, Camp Counselor, Nursery Coordinator, Youth Group Leader, Social Service Director, Sunday School Administrator, Chalice Players Administrator to Family Minister over the course of 20 years. I have served churches and schools in Washington DC, Denver and Golden CO, and Scottsdale AZ.

    I have a certificate in Children and Family Ministries from the Diocese of Arizona and a Certificate in Leadership in Lifelong Christian Formation from Forma and Virginia Theological Seminary. I also have a BA in English from Ripon College (3 credits short of a religion minor) and an AAS in Massage Therapy.

    I have two adult daughters who bring me joy and help me laugh at myself! I have a granddog, Athena, who works with me in my office and three kitties: Max, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. As you can tell, I’m a bit of a Harry Potter fanatic. I can’t wait for it to be safe to swim again. I enjoy walking, yoga and movies.

    Children and/or Youth Newsletter

    Family Ministries Children's Ministries The Prayground at St. Gregory's Youth Group/Young Adults

    © 2023 St. Gregory's Episcopal Church
    815 Wilmot Road · Deerfield, IL 60015
    847.945.1678
    Privacy Policy · Powered by Membership Vision

      View Entire Post

    Service Times

    Onsite AND Online worship - at the same time, at 9:30am starting in Advent!

    God willing and supply chains cooperating, technology accessibility will be installed in our worship space in time for us to incorporate all of our worship into one service on Sunday mornings. The new cameras, sound system, and screen will allow our zoom worshippers to continue to participate and lead worship, and our onsite worshippers to see them and share in the sacred space together.

    The new time (9:30am Central time) takes into account the desires and needs of the diverse part of the body of Christ that comes together as StGs Sunday worship community. We will try this time out for a season or two and see how it settles into our rhythm of life.


    Click here to link to Sunday Worship page to join our services online and see past videos,




    Location

    St. Gregory's Episcopal Church
    815 Wilmot Road
    Deerfield, IL 60015

    Contact Us
    847.945.1678

    Newsletter Signup

    Welcome to St. Gregory's – virtually! We know that the church is not the building in which we worship – but the people who worship and share God’s love with the world. In this time of social distancing, we will practice connectivity in new and powerful ways, for we know we all are connected as one in the Lord. Life is very different than we knew it to be, and yet our anchor in God’s love remains the same. All shall be well!

    We are people from all walks of life and all parts of Chicagoland. Most people who worship here didn’t grow up Episcopalian, but seek to radiate God’s grace by gathering community and sharing joy and hope in the world. Join us however works for you: participate in Zoom worship, follow our livestream, help us give to the community, read with our kids, or even be a pen pal to get to know someone new.

    Online Worship

    Everyone is experiencing the Pandemic in different ways. Many people are experiencing deeper loss than they ever have before, and we are here to support them during this time. If you are experiencing loss and grief, we are here to pray with you, talk with you, and help financially.

    The Body of Christ exists to care for each other. Sometimes we can be generous, and sometimes we receive generosity. Both are equal acts of faith and grace, and one cannot exist without the other.

    Donate Annual Giving Campaign 2023