The Reintroduction of Wine in Holy Communion We have resumed the offering of wine in Holy Communion. It is not mandatory to have wine. Bread alone is full and sufficient. Following the Diocesan Guidelines, if you would like to partake of the wine, you may drink from one of the chalices. Intinction – dipping the bread into the wine – is NOT permitted.
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 would like as many boxes as possible by November 14th. If everyone brought 2 boxes of stuffing to church for the next 2 Sundays, we can achieve this goal. Thank you for your help.
All Souls’ Day: We will celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed Monday, November 7th, 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.
Bellringers for the 10:30 Service
We are reconstituting the bellringers – a group 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 Micah Walter to learn more.
Holy Physicality: A Visual Art & Poetry Meditation Series over Zoom, Mondays, 12:15 p.m. Continuing through the rest of Ordinary Time (last session being Nov. 21st), our Zoom meditation series will be re-gathering on Mondays at 12:15 p.m. Each week will feature either poetry or visual art that, in some way, might be connected to the idea of holiness or sacredness being present in the physical – especially our own bodies and bodily experiences. Zoom links will be sent out by email. If you are interested in receiving recordings of the meditation because you can’t join us live, email Megan at for more info.
Tuesday morning prayer group shifting to 8:30 a.m. Our Tuesday morning prayer group, which began meeting in August, has shifted its time from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. We will meet in the Chapel, or the Garth if temperatures permit.
Shelter Sunday Amherst Grace Church’s Outreach Commission has designated Shelter Sunday Amherst 2022 as the recipient of Grace’s fourth Sunday offering (October 23). Shelter Sunday Amherst is a community effort to help our neighbors who are in need. This year marks Shelter Sunday’s thirty-third year of fundraising. Our community continues to feel the economic effects of the pandemic — some to a greater degree than others — and the need will probably be greater than ever this year. The beneficiaries of Shelter Sunday Amherst 2022 will provide shelter and housing-focused case management for those who are homeless, and warm, nourishing meals for those who are hungry. Please consider a generous gift to support these important programs. If you write a check, please make it payable to Grace Church and add “outreach” on the memo line. Thank you for any gift you are able to give.
Fall Book Series: Rachel Held Evans’ Wholehearted Faith Sundays at 9:15am (in person) and Thursdays at 9:30am (via Zoom) beginning Sunday, October 23rd At the time of her tragic death in 2019, Rachel Evans was working on a new book about wholeheartedness. With the help of her close friend and author Jeff Chu, that work-in-progress, woven together with other unpublished writings, is now the foundation for this rich collection of essays that ask candid questions about the stories we’ve been told – and the stories we tell – about our faith, our selves, and our world. Through theological reflection and personal recollection, Rachel wrestles with God’s grace and love in an imperfect world, looks unsparingly at what the Church is and does, and explores universal human questions about becoming and belonging. The first week, Sunday, October 23rd and Thursday, October 27th we will look at the Prologue – Chapter 3.
After Church October 23 at 11:30—Sunday Sundaes Please come meet our visitors from St. James, and join in a special Coffee Hour/Thank you Ice Cream Social, hosted by members of the Haiti ministry with the help of the Coffee Hour ministry and a generous donation of ice cream from local producer Maple Valley Creamery! Our summer uniform and supplies campaign was a big success; and, as a result, every student at St. Matthew’s School (our partner in Bayonnais, Haiti) will have new things when school restarts in Haiti, possibly as soon as next week. There will be information available for those with questions on the situation in Haiti: and we are especially delighted that some of our steadfast partners from St James’ Episcopal Church in Indian Head, Maryland will be with us for worship and fellowship. We hope you’ll join us in our thanks for the continuing support– of Grace and St. James–for this important ministry.
A Fanny von Arnstein Viennese Salon 1790 4:00 pm, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, Jewish Community of Amherst, $25, Seniors $20, Students $10 This concert will recreate the music of the salons of Franziska “Fanny” von Arnstein and will include music by composers with whom she had a personal connection. Hosted by the Jewish Community of Amherst and cosponsored by Grace Episcopal Church. Please wear a mask during the concert.
Multifaith Prayer Vigil for Climate Justice, Friday, October 28 2022 at 3:00 PM Bank of America Financial Center, 144 Main Street, Northampton In a prayer vigil organized and led by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women religious leaders in the Connecticut River Valley, people of many faiths will gather in front of a Bank of America in Northampton, MA to pray, sing, and speak for climate justice and to demand an end to fossil fuel financing. Register here: https://greenfaith.controlshift.app/events/multifaith-prayer-vigil-for-climate-justice-1
Coming soon: The St. Nicholas Bazaar! The bazaar is rapidly approaching! We are especially in need of antiques and fine jewelry. Other items may also be brought in. Please make sure they are clean and in good condition. Soon volunteer sign-ups will be available – consider how you could help. Many hands make light work! Contact Joan for more information. Thank you!