Sunday, January 26, is the 4th Sunday of the month and the recipient of the Outreach Offering will be The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In our region, approximately one in every eight people suffers from chronic food shortages or needs emergency food assistance. The Food Bank responds to immediate and emergency needs through food distribution programs by partnering with local food pantries, meal sites, shelters, residential programs, and youth and elder care centers throughout the area. Thank you for any gift you are able to give for those facing hunger in our region. If you write a check please put “Outreach” in the memo line.
Contemplative Prayer Group is meeting on Mondays at 5:00 to 6:00 pm in the Parker Room. Please contact Michael Erard at 413- 563-3676 (cell)
20s & 30s Next Gathering – Potluck on Jan. 27th, 6:30 p.m. in the Connector. In addition to enjoying food together, we’ll share stories of faith, using a program called Sharing Faith that has been embraced by Episcopal churches across the country. Contact Megan for more information. If you are in this age group and not already on our 20s & 30s email list, please let her know!
Adult Education, Wednesday, January 29 7:00 pm in the Connector. “A Something so Transporting Bright” – Sandy Lillydahl will lead us in a visual exploration of the mystical theology of light in Christian art, including the created world’s light that is seen, the uncreated light that sees, the realms of glory, the cloud of unknowing, and the sun at midnight – light upon light.
Help make Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, 2019 a “Souper Sunday” –a day of soup drives for the Amherst Survival Center’s Food Pantry! Donations of all kinds of soup are welcome: canned, boxed, vegetable, meat, fish, and low- or no-salt, please. Please bring your donations to church on the upcoming Sundays and we’ll deliver them to the Center after the Super Bowl!
Grace Church Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 2nd following a single service at 9:30am.
The Grace Church Stewardship campaign for 2020 To date 162 pledges have come in totaling $453,952.00. To those who have pledged God Bless, to those who have yet to pledge please pray and pledge so our Vestry can budget for 2020. If you need a pledge card, they are available as you enter the church or you can contact the office (413) 256-6754 or Tom Dougherty at (413) 563-7321.
Sustain Earth By Turning Off the Faucet –Did you know that turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth can save up to 1,500 gallons of water per year! There are many water uses, like brushing our teeth and shaving, where we can forget to turn the faucet off. This simple action can result in big water savings. Learn more at sustainislandhome.org.
SAVE THE DATE
Grace Church’s next turn to provide meals for Lucio Perez, who is living in sanctuary at First Congregational Church, will be the week of February 2nd. Meals are needed for:
- – Monday (for Lucio and his children)
- – Tuesday (for just Lucio)
- – Thursday (for Lucio and his children)
- – no meals on Wed, Fri, Sat, or Sunday.
Please see the Rector or contact the Parish Office 413-256-6754 to sign up for one of these nights. The food should be delivered at 6pm (the day of) to the Not Bread Alone entrance hot/ready to eat. If possible, the family has asked to have fewer cheese dishes (less lasagna), and more chicken, rice, and bean dishes. Thank you, these meals mean more than just food for Lucio and his family!
Adult Education, Wednesdays, February 5 and 12, 7:00 p.m. in the Connector. Rev. Dr.Susan Schaeffer , a priest who has been a “Gracie” for over 15 years, will present a two-part series, “From Sources to Scripture.” The Bible is a collection of books with many voices and a long history. Who or what are the sources called J, E, D, P, Q? D1 and D2? This class will look at how the biblical writings are rooted in the histories of Israel and early Christianity, and are shaped over time by the religious perspectives of later generations. The later portion of the class will look at the use of the Bible as holy scripture by the Church and consider how it speaks to us today.
Mark Your Calendar! Raising funds for Haiti. Come to the Games Night and Soup Supper on Friday, February 7, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Enjoy your favorite games, savor a delicious meal with great company. Volunteers needed to help with setup and clean-up. Tickets available in the connector after services: $20 per adult, $10 for children under 12, $50 for a family. Please contact Sarah Chadwick at 413-539-8649 with questions or to help. See you there!
High schoolers can now register for this summer’s Episcopal Youth Event! Anyone currently in grades 9-12 is invited to join the Western Mass. group attending this summer’s Episcopal Youth Event. We’ll travel to University of Maryland, College Park and stay there for three days of worship, speakers, and workshops alongside Episcopal teenagers from around the country. Departure date July 7th and return July 11th. For more information on EYE: https://events.episcopalchurch.org/eye/ or contact Megan who will be one of the chaperones.
Will you join us? Help plan the next steps in the ongoing work of Grace Church with St. Matthew’s School in Bayonnais, Haiti. Whether you see yourself as a part of the committee that meets monthly or as someone who would work on specific short-term projects, we promise conversations and working sessions that are efficient, interesting, and fun! Suzannah Fabing, John Stifler, Bonnie Vigeland, or any other member of the committee will be delighted to talk with you about how you can make a difference in this ministry.