For All Saints’, contribute to our Community Board in the Connector!
On All Saints’ Sunday, Nov. 7th, you will find a bulletin board in the Connector to add to and reflect on before or after the service. The board will have questions related to the saints that inspire us and the saints in our lives that you can answer by posting a note. You are also welcome to bring in a photo or picture related to saints in your life or saints who inspire you, which you can add to the board. (Please only bring a print-out or a copy of a photo you have – something you’d feel comfortable not having returned.) The board will remain up for at least 2 Sundays, so you can check back and see what some of your fellow parishioners contributed! We plan to have other themed, interactive bulletin boards in the future to provide a unique way of coming together as a community; we thank Patty Applebaum for the bulletin board idea!
Palestinian olive oil will be available for sale by the Episcopal Peace Fellowship in the Connector following both services today. It is organic, virgin, first cold press and fair trade. Olive oil is sold on the first Sunday of each month. The proceeds from the sale enable Grace to provide a scholarship for a student at the Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Center in Ramallah. Bisan Freij, the student we have supported for the past two years, graduated in May in hospitality. Our new student is Teya Awwad. She is also studying hospitality and culinary arts.
Thanksgiving Collection for the Amherst Survival Center Help “Stuff” the Church with Bread Stuffing For Thanksgiving, the Amherst Survival Center has asked us to collect 500 boxes of bread stuffing, which the Survival Center will distribute throughout November. They began distributing Thanksgiving foods on November 1st. If everyone brought 2 boxes of stuffing to church for the next 2 Sundays, we can achieve this goal. Thank you for your help. To date: 120 collected; 380 to go. Thank you for your help.
All Souls’ Day: We will celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed Monday, November 8th, at 7:00 p.m., with a service of Holy Communion and a reading of names from the Book of Remembrance. There is a sign-up sheet in the back of the church, if you would like to add names of deceased loved ones.
Adult Confirmation Class: Wednesdays, November 10, 17 and December 1, 7:00 – 8:30pm via Zoom Bishop Doug Fisher will visit Grace Church on Sunday, December 5. In preparation for this occasion, there will be a 4 week course offered for anyone who is interested in being confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. Confirmation is for anyone who desires to make a mature affirmation of one’s beliefs in the presence of a bishop. Reception is for anyone who has been confirmed in another tradition but who now desires to be received into the Episcopal Church. What does it mean to be an Episcopalian in the 21st century? Come explore the mystery of God and discuss Episcopal Beliefs and Practices. This course is open to all, regardless of whether you are seeking Confirmation or Reception. Come share your beliefs, thoughts, concerns, and even doubts. There are no questions that cannot be asked. This course will be led by Tom and Megan. For further information, please call the church office at 256-6754 or email tsynan@gracechurchamherst.org. The Zoom invitation is available from the office.
Friday Evensong has returned to the church! We hope that you will be able to join us live and in person on Fridays at 5:30. It is a blessing at long last to be able to come together and join our voices in thanksgiving and prayer! A service booklet will be available at church. However, we will continue to provide a live link to Zoom for anyone who is unable to attend in person.
Adopt-A-Family For Christmas: For many years Grace Church members have enjoyed buying or making gifts for a family that is struggling. Wish lists for some 40 families will be available on Sundays starting Nov 14th after both services. The deadline is Dec 19th. AFTER the St Nicholas Bazaar the gifts may be brought to the undercroft on Sunday mornings. If you are interested in adopting a family, please contact Mary Hocken. 413-537-0251, melizhocken@gmail.com
Mindful Discipleship: How to Thrive during the Holidays Saturday, November 20th, 10:30 – noon, in the Chapel A mindfulness revolution is rippling through science and the media. Thousands of studies have researched the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. These benefits extend beyond the functioning of the brain and nervous system to affect many aspects of physical and emotional health. But just what is mindfulness? And more important, what benefit does it have for the Christian path of discipleship? This workshop will answer this question in practical and experiential ways. You will learn some of the scientific theory about mindfulness, but first and foremost you will learn simple mindfulness practices that can enhance your ability to walk in peace and faithfulness as a follower of Christ. The holidays bring challenges for many of us – the techniques taught in this workshop will help us surf those more gracefully. For more information, please contact Kell Julliard. kelljulliard@me.com
Garden Cleanup The Garden Ministry will conduct a Garden Cleanup on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 9 to 11 a.m. All are welcome to help. Please bring pruning shears, weeders and containers for lugging detritus to the compost. Pray for good weather. Questions? Call Sherry Wilson, 256-6955.
The Gifts from Grace Table at the St Nicholas Bazaar welcomes and needs your creations. Donations of your art and handmade crafts of all kinds are needed for the December 4th event. Any questions, please contact Gillian Duda at ghduda@comcast.net 413-253-7626.
Fall is Yard-Sale Season. The Haiti Committee is eager to acquire a few specific kinds of toys to outfit the preschool classrooms at St. Matthieu, which have almost no toys. We are attempting to collect Duplos (the large Legos), MagnaTiles, and Brio trains/cars, tracks and other accessories. We’d also like a few dolls with Black or brown complexions. If you have any of these, please consider donating them to us rather than putting them in your yard sale. And if you are scouting yard sales and come upon any of these, please consider buying them for our Haiti school. The children of St. Matthieu will be most grateful. Please spread the word to friends with kids. Thank you!
Sunday Coffee Hour – Volunteers needed We are looking for volunteers to help set up coffee hour, following both Sunday services. Responsibilities include preparing coffee and cold beverages. Food is not being offered at this time. For more information please contact Betsy Mathews at magistramathews@gmail.com for the 8am service or Mark Leonas at mleonas123@gmail.com for the 10:30am service.