Our summer service schedule begins Pentecost Sunday, June 5th, with one service at 9:30am. The regular service schedule will resume on Sunday, September 11th.
If you are interested in being baptized this Easter season, or know someone who is, please contact the church office or the Rector. We would be happy to speak with you about this holy sacrament.
May Community Conversation Board – This month, our discussion topic is Mysticism May. During the month of May, the Episcopal Church’s feast day calendar celebrates a number of mystics, including Julian of Norwich, Mechthild of Madgeburg, Johann Arndt, and Jacob Boehme. Stop by the board for some quotes from mystics to reflect on and respond to, and to share your thoughts on how, if at all, the idea of mysticism speaks to your spiritual life.
Bellringers for the 10:30 service We are reconstituting the bellringers – a band of parishioners who ring the tower bell at certain times during the consecration at the 10:30 service. If you are interested in learning how to do this, email Nancy Lowry (saunteringdog@gmail.com), talk with Tom or Megan, or drop a message to the Grace Church office.
Summer Coffee Hour: We are currently recruiting volunteers to host summer coffee hour for the 9:30 a.m. service. This will last from June 5 – September 4. Right now, only a few people have signed up. It would be so wonderful if more folks could join us in hosting this enjoyable weekly event on one or two Sundays this summer. Won’t you please consider helping? If so, please email Sarah Chadwick at snchadwick@verizon.net. And, speaking of coffee hour, treats from parishioners are always welcome to supplement the coffee.
Conversations with Love: Pipe Organ Contemplations with Kell Julliard, 4:00 pm, Saturday, June 4, 2022, Grace Church This concert will include 12 short pieces for pipe organ plus brief contemplations on spiritual elements of the conversations they imply. Composers include Bach, Mendelssohn, Bohm, Pachelbel, Rheinberger, Vierne, and Vincent.
Save the Date
Enriching Our Worship Beginning June 19th for Summer Services
Starting June 19th, we will be using the Episcopal Church’s Enriching our Worship liturgical resource for the summer season. You will notice slight changes to some prayers, as well as a new Eucharistic prayer. Enriching Our Worship is an authorized supplement to our usual liturgical texts from the Book of Common Prayer. Some of you may be familiar with this resource from past uses at Grace Church. Following the class offered this Lent on Language & Liturgy, we are excited to have an opportunity to explore alternative liturgical language as a whole worshipping community.
New members welcome: The Haiti Ministry welcomes new participants any time. Our next meeting is June 7 at 5:00 p.m., at the church and on Zoom. For more information, contact co-chairs Sandy Muspratt or Bonnie Vigeland, or any member of the ministry.
Rooted and rising in love: A summer solstice retreat, In-Person with the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Tuesday, June 21 • $80 (includes lunch) – financial assistance available, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (registration and coffee begin at 9:00a.m.) This one-day retreat, held in the beautiful landscape of the Rolling Ridge Retreat & Conference Center in North Andover, will include a mix of presentations, small group conversations, individual reflection, and free time for contemplative wandering and prayer. Together we will explore a framework for the heart to help us become compassionate, prophetic leaders who can take up the mantle of moral leadership that this decisive moment in history requires. Register by June 10th at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ej655d4k1f6bc931&llr=s4blzzbab
Graduations and Commencements! Are you or someone you know graduating this season? On June 19th we will recognize all who have graduated in the last academic year, from Pre-school to Post-Doctorate at a special service. Send us the names of graduates, so we can include them in the service. If you or someone you know is going off to pursue further studies, please let us know that too. Please contact Terrie Korpita in the Parish office at 413-256-6754 or tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org to request recognition.