Celebration and Thanks: The Haiti Ministry invites everyone to celebrate the successful completion of the uniform and library campaign! With our partners, we are deeply grateful for your generous support in this very difficult time. In celebration, please join us in the Garth today, after the 10:30 service for a special coffee hour. Again, our thanks.
Youth group meet up at Mike’s Maze – today, 12:45 p.m.!
Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to join us for a fun afternoon of exploring the corn maze, as well as other attractions, at Mike’s Maze in Sunderland. We will be meeting at Mike’s Maze at 12:45 p.m. Please RSVP to Megan if you haven’t already.
Blessing of the Animals: Today, October 3rd at 4:00pm on the front lawn. Bring your best friends. Children are welcome to bring their stuffed animals too!
Parish Life in the time of COVID – Suggestions Wanted Grace Church’s community and fellowship is an important and vital part of our parish, but unfortunately the current pandemic limits our options for being together. We want to maintain health and safety for all, but we also want to share joy, so we want to hear from you. Send us your ideas for community building and fellowship in this unique time – ways to engage, stay in touch, and enjoy one another’s company. All suggestions are welcome and should be sent to Terrie Korpita in the Parish Office, tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org
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.
Climate Action @Grace God has charged us to be faithful stewards of the Earth. Our name until now–“Greening Grace”–may give the impression that we are primarily concerned about our own campus. That stewardship is important; we are equally concerned with the choices that we as humans make at the state, national, and international levels. We invite suggestions for a name that better conveys our mission and its extreme urgency. Should it be “Climate Action @Grace”? “Earth Matters”? “Creation Care”? Or something else? Our next meeting is Sunday, October 10, after morning worship. All are welcome—from the enthusiastic to the just curious.
Wednesday midweek Healing Service and Eucharist resumes Wednesday, October 13, at 12:10PM. All are welcome!
Reconnecting at Grace: Small Discussion Groups Throughout the Fall Throughout the Fall months, Grace will be hosting a series of small group discussions on a variety of topics. This idea – which emerged from our Adult Education Committee – came out of a desire to prioritize time for people to come together and share with one another. Especially after so much time physically apart, we hope these groups will serve as one way to strengthen old relationships and form meaningful new ones! It would be helpful, if you sign up in advance to participate. To foster deeper discussion, we’re limiting each group to 7 participants. Please email Terrie at tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org with the date you’d like to sign up for in order to get yourself registered. We look forward to sharing this time with you!
October Discussions:
Sunday Oct. 17th, 12:00 p.m./noon
In the Garth weather permitting; otherwise in Parish Hall
Topic: Climate Change & Creation Care
Sunday Oct. 31st, 12 p.m./noon
In the Garth weather permitting; otherwise in Parish Hall; led by Tom
Topic: Who Are Your Heroes? A conversation for All Saints
St. Nicholas Bazaar Update The bazaar will be December 4 from 9 to 3. We have received many donations, for which we are grateful, however space for displaying items at the bazaar is limited. Due to the large quantity of donations over the past two years, we will stop accepting donations November 1, and stop accepting book donations immediately. We ask that they be held until after the new year, to be used for next year’s bazaar. The exception to this request is fine jewelry and antiques – we are greatly in need of both. Remember that donations to the church are tax deductible. Any questions, contact Joan (jobrien82@gmail.com). Thank you!
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!