Fall Cleanup at Grace Church – The annual Fall Cleanup here at Grace will take place Saturday, November 16, at 7:30AM. We ask that folks bring their own leaf rakes and tarps if possible. Thanks in advance from the Property and Garden Committees!! Many hands…………..

Writers of Grace Reading on Nov. 16^th – Join us at 2 p.m. in the Connector on Saturday, Nov. 16th for a reading event featuring parishioners here at Grace! Participants will be sharing a mix of original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.

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 soon as possible. If everyone brought 2 boxes of stuffing to church for the next 2 Sundays, we can achieve this goal. To date: 395 collected; 105 to go. Thank you for your help.

The Stewardship campaign has begun with the mailing of pledge materials. Please read these materials carefully and prayerfully reflect on your contribution. If you did not receive the mailing, copies will be on the table at the entry to the church, and please let us know. We need the participation of all members if we are to maintain our programs, meet unexpected expenditures and continue to provide support for others in our community.

The annual In-gathering will be Sunday, Nov. 24th at both services. Please bring your pledge card then as they will be received at the altar during the service. If you are away on the 24th, we will gladly receive your pledge earlier. Thank you.

College & university student small group – November meeting dates

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to join our small group that gathers twice a month for conversation on life & faith! On Monday, Nov. 18th, we’ll gather at our usual 6 p.m. meeting time – this time at Share Coffee! If you have any questions, please contact Megan at mmcdermott at gracechurchamherst.org. Megan is also available to meet with you one-on-one to chat about life and faith!

Next Over 60s meeting will be Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m. in the Connector. Nancy Rose Weeber will lead an inspiring exploration of “Poetry as Prayer.” All welcome, even if you have not come to an Over 60s meeting in the past. For more information, get in touch with Adrian Stair, revadrian at comcast.net.

This week marks the One Year Anniversary of our Congolese refugee family’s arrival in Amherst. It has truly been an amazing year. The Grace Circle of Care and the Berchmas family continue to be deeply grateful for the support and generosity of this parish. We will be gathering on Saturday, November 23, from 3 to 5 in the Parish Hall of Grace Church to celebrate. We are planning a fun gathering with music, some dancing, party food, and no doubt some sharing of stories and memories, and we invite you to join us!

Annual Feast of Grace! As part of this year’s Stewardship Campaign in-gathering of pledges on Sunday, Nov. 24, we will continue our tradition with a pot-luck luncheon that will immediately follow the 10:30 service. We will celebrate our stewardship campaign and once again demonstrate how our congregation – celebrating together! – can turn many small tasty donations into the Feast of Grace!   Please bring an appetizer, main dish or dessert to share. Beverages will be provided. You can drop off your donation to BLG in the Parish Hall prior to the 8 AM and 10:30 services. We look forward to seeing everyone there!!

November 24 is the 4th Sunday of the month and the recipient of the 4th Sunday Offering will be Syrian American Medical Society Foundation (SAMS), a nonprofit humanitarian organization. SAMS physicians deliver direct medical care in Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. In Syria, SAMS operates 106 medical facilities throughout the country that provide both general and specialized medical care for Syrians in need. SAMS also supports thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Currently, the need for medical care and humanitarian aid in northwest Syria is dire as the escalation of violence continues, and airstrikes only cause further harm to civilians already facing extreme difficulty. SAMS has launched an emergency response to provide desperately needed medical services and humanitarian aid to injured and displaced civilians. Please consider generous gift to support this important work. If you write a check, please make it payable to Grace Church and add “outreach” to the memo line. Thank you for any gift you are able to give.

Sustain Earth Our Island Home – Insulating and weatherizing your attic and provide some of the biggest energy savings in your home. You can save up to 30% off your heating and cooling bills while making your home more comfortable year-round. Sealing air leaks (weatherization) and adding insulation is the most effective way to keep heat in and your home cozy and comfortable in the winter. It also helps keep cool air in the summer, providing year round comfort. Check with your electric provider for a free inspection of your current attic conditions and often free insulation improvements.

Thanksgiving for Community; Tuesday, November 26^th at 7:00 pm, Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Ave., Amherst, MA 01002

Arts and Crafts for St Nicholas: In recent years the St Nicholas Bazaar (Dec. 7) has included a “Gifts of Grace” table where arts of all kinds by parishioners is offered for sale. If you are engaging in a hobby or trying a new pursuit, please consider setting aside a creation for this table. We need your watercolor, pottery, jewelry, photograph, handmade card, woodworking or anything you think up.

Adopt-A-Family for Christmas: For many years Grace Church members have enjoyed buying or making gifts for a family which is struggling. If you are interested in doing this, please contact Mary Hocken at melizhocken at gmail.com, 413-549-8773 or 413-537-0251. Wish lists for some families are available on Nov. 24th; all of the families will be available soon.

Time to purchase tickets. I’ll be notified soon of availability. Let me know of your interest and how many tickets you would like. Please email Jane Buckloh at d.j.buckloh at gmail.com.