Christmas Services
Christmas Eve
4:00pm Holy Eucharist with Christmas Pageant
8:00pm Holy Eucharist with choral prelude at 7:30 (live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXNtF0_3Ar36hIIWLtK5Hg)
11:00pm Holy Eucharist with choral prelude at 10:30
Christmas Day
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Sunday, December 26th
9:30am Holy Eucharist with Christmas Lessons and Carols
Welcome our guest Celebrant: The Rev. Fletcher Davis The Rev. Fletcher Davis celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood last week. After graduating from Harvard, as a fresh convert from atheism he graduated from seminary on the west coast and stayed there 55 years before returning to Massachusetts with his wife Elizabeth to be near their children and grandchildren who all live here. He served as rector of six parishes, missionary in Botswana, officer of the national Episcopal Church, and deputy to seven General Conventions.
Palestinian olive oil will be available for sale by the Episcopal Peace Fellowship in the connector following both services today, December 19. It is organic, virgin, first cold press and fair trade. The proceeds from the sale enable Grace to provide a scholarship for a student at the Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Center in Ramallah. Our current student is Teya Awwad. She is studying hospitality and culinary arts.
Christmas Offerings As is the tradition at Grace Church, offerings from all the Christmas services will go outside our walls to provide for our neighbors in need. The offerings will be divided between two recipients, one local and the other working throughout the world. The recipients of the Christmas Offering will be Catholic Charities’ Afghan Humanitarian Support and Craig’s Doors – A Home Association.
Catholic Charities: Afghan Humanitarian Support – Over the next few months Catholic Charities in Springfield expects to receive 50 – 60 Afghan evacuees and SIV’s (Special Immigrant Visa holders). These are people who, because of their affiliation with the US and/or their opposition to the Taliban, are at the greatest risk of arrest, torture, and execution. They are actively working with our partners to meet the immediate needs of the evacuees and planning for the longer term assistance that will be necessary.
Craig’s Doors – A Home Association is the organization which has helped the local homeless for over a decade. In addition to running an emergency overnight shelter November to April, they provide a weekly breakfast. Their partner agencies also send representatives to the shelter, including caseworkers, Veterans services, youth services, and caseworkers specializing in domestic violence.
Please consider a generous gift for those in need of housing and medical care at home and around the world.
Space for Your Spirit: A Weekly Advent Gathering, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 6:30-7:00 p.m. in the Chapel During Advent Grace has been hosting short, half-hour gatherings in the chapel each Wednesday evening. The service begins and ends with Taizé chant, or other short and simple a capella music, as well as a reading of Scripture, but the majority of the time is your own. You can take advantage of provided exercises and materials to guide you into creative or contemplative engagement with the week’s Bible story or the themes of the Advent season; or you can just simply be with God and yourself through silent prayer, letting the background music wash over you, journaling, etc. Please consider joining us. Reach out to Megan (mmcdermott@gracechurchamherst.org) with any questions.
Rethink Christmas and contribute to our Community Board in the Connector!
Throughout the month of December, you will find a bulletin board in the Connector around the theme of reimaging Christmas. You are invited to add to and reflect on it before or after the service. The board will have questions related to Christmas, Creation Care, and Consumerism. You are welcome to answer its questions with the provided index cards or bring in a photo or picture that speaks to these important issues. (Please only bring a print-out or a copy of a photo you have – something you’d feel comfortable not having returned.) 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 Appelbaum for the bulletin board idea!
Vestry Nomination Forms are available in the back of the church
The Grace Church Stewardship campaign for 2022 To date 121 pledges have come in totaling $398,838 – most encouraging, we have 4 new pledges. We still have a ways to go but are off to a good start. To those who have pledged God Bless, to those who have yet to pledge please pray and pledge so our Vestry can budget for 2022. If you need a pledge card, they are available as you enter the church or you can contact the office (413) 256-6754 or Bruce Stebbins at (413) 549-5933.
SAVE THE DATE
Christmas Pageant at 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service – join for rehearsal this Sunday 9:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve! All children and youth are welcome to participate in our Christmas pageant at our 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service. Please join us for rehearsal this Sunday, Dec. 9th, at 9:15 a.m. in the parish hall. Children & youth who can’t make this rehearsal are still invited to participate in the pageant – there are plenty of ways to participate! Friends, newcomers, & visitors welcome! On Christmas Eve, we’ll be gathering in the church at 2 p.m. for more rehearsal time and a dress rehearsal. Please reach out to Megan (mmcdermott@gracechurchamherst.org) or Kate Atkinson (katkinson@doctorkate.net) for more information.
Important Year-End Note: If you would like your end-of-year donations to count as a 2021 tax deduction, checks must be dated 2021 and received no later than Monday, January 3, 2022. Anything received after that date will count towards your 2022 deductions. However, pledges for 2021 may still be paid after this date; they will just be recorded as being received in 2022. Jaana Cutson, Bookkeeper
Calendar Donations Please bring extra 2022 calendars to the food basket for the Survival Center.
The Church Office will be closed on Monday, December 27th.