The ministry groups of Grace church are numerous and diverse in character. They include what might be called our “Worship Ministry groups” such as the Altar Guild that sets-up for services, our Choir which is reputed to be the best in Galena, the Chalicists, Lectors and Acolytes who participate in services and our Worship Committee that plans our services. The eight members of the Bishop’s Committee or church council oversees our finances and property, usher and ring the bell on Sunday and take on other tasks as the need arises. This group has sub-committees dedicated to looking into the expansion of our Resurrection Garden to the south of the church, to long range planning and to the management of our small endowment. Our Christian “Formation and Education Ministries” for children include our Nursery, Youth Groups and Worship Center. The Nursery is open at 10:15 every Sunday and has a permanent and trained caregiver in the person of Cindy Moser. Both the Youth Groups are operated on an ecumenical basis with financial or spiritual support coming from five of the protestant churches in the community. Grace is a congregation filled with adults who are attempting to grow spiritually. To assist them on their “inner journey” we have several different options. On most Sundays a group of parishioners gather for the Sunday Forum, which begins with Evening Prayer, continues with a pot luck supper that is always first rate, and a discussion on a current subject of interest. Each Wednesday morning at 11:00 a Woman’s Study Group gathers for coffee/tea, a discussion and the sharing of a brown bag lunch. An informal Wednesday Morning Group meets every Wednesday morning after the 7:30 AM Eucharist at Clarke’s Restaurant on Main St. The group is mostly men but women are more than welcome. Discussions range from things theological to parish challenges as well as to matters that are of personal concern to the “regulars.” Twice annual Quiet Days, the Sunday morning and Wednesday Cursillo sponsored groups that are open to anyone, and occasional After-Service Forums offer other learning opportunities. The availability of a variety of pamphlets at the back of the church, the FORWARD magazine, and Advent and Lenten Daily Devotional booklets are all available free of charge as is a parish house library of devotional classics. There are a variety of other ministries that defy any categorization. The Arts Council and Servants Through Prayer groups are discussed elsewhere. The Society of St. Francis helps maintain our Parish House, funds mission projects and sponsors some fellowship activities. They raise funds through a “potato booth” at the Annual Country Fair every October. We currently have AA Groups which meet in our Parish House on Monday at 10:00, Tuesday at 7:00 and on Wednesday at noon. An Al-Anon group meets at the same time as the Tuesday night AA group but in a different location in the building. We regularly give donations of Food to the Galena Food Pantry that is open from 1-4 each Thursday at the Galena State Bank. We have actively supported the Heifer Project and the Galena Combined Care Program and are active in helping to get a Habitat For Humanity Chapter going in Jo Daviess County.