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. Wish lists for some 40 families are available. Please bring gifts to the undercroft on Sunday, December 15th. Thank you so much.
4th Sunday Outreach Offering A total of $1209.00 has been collected for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation (SAMS). Thank you all so much for your generosity!
Vestry Nomination Forms are available in the back of the church.
Learn about the role of the Vestry – Please join the Nominating Committee for informal conversation over tea after the 10:30 service on December 8th in the Parker Room.
St. Nicholas Bazaar – December 7, 9:00am – 3:00pm Helpers needed to set up tables and displays on Thursday and Friday. Helpers needed to sell at the tables on Saturday, and to clean up after the bazaar. Contact Joan O’Brien with any questions or to volunteer.
A Service of Advent Lessons & Carols – Sunday, December 8th at 4:00 pm One of the loveliest services of the church year, it is comprised of scripture readings interspersed with a variety of choral anthems and hymns, modeled after the traditional Anglican format. All are most welcome – we hope to see you there!
Seeking volunteers: Please consider joining us on the Altar Guild. These women and men help to make our worship service beautiful and run smoothly. Some set up the altar before the service and clean up after; some arrange flowers for the altar; some launder small linens and other items that we use at the altar. All these activities contribute to the beauty and splendor of the altar as we worship together. At this time, we desperately need volunteers to assist with altar cleanup, especially after the 10:30am Sunday service. We try to schedule altar cleanup in pairs, therefore, you will not be doing this by yourself. All are welcome. You may volunteer yourself or include your spouse or partner. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Sheila Mammen. Thank you so much for considering this ministry.
Sustain Earth Our Island Home – by Turning Off the Faucet and save up to 1,500 gallons of water per year. 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. For more ideas, like installing a kitchen faucet aerator, join us at sustainislandhome.org.
SAVE THE DATE
Rooted & Rising: Voice of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis: The Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Missioner for Creation Care will speak about her new book on Wednesday, December 11, 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Connector. Rooted and Rising, co-edited by Margaret Bullitt-Jonas and Leah D. Schade, features 21 essays by a wide range of individuals – scientists, scholars, faith leaders, and activists – who write about their sources of strength, wisdom, and hope as they grapple with the climate crisis. The book includes study questions and spiritual practices, making it an excellent choice not only for individual reflection but also for study groups and classes.
Grace Church Tree Trimming Party! Join Tom & Megan in trimming our tree and spreading the Christmas spirit on Sunday, December 15th, from 4-6 pm in the Connector. Bring an ornament and cookies to share! Or just come with your voice, and sing with us!
Advent & Christmas Hymns: A Historical Perspective, Wednesday December 18, at 7 p.m. in the Church, all are invited to join us in caroling some well-known Advent and Christmas hymns. The singing will be interwoven with a talk by Nick Grabbe about some surprising aspects of how these classic hymns came to us. Come and sing and have some fun at this joyful holiday event.
Christmas Pageant: We’re beginning preparation for the Christmas pageant – which takes place at the 4:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. All children and young people are welcome to participate! We’re currently gathering a list of participating children/youth. Please let Megan and Kate Atkinson know if your child will be joining in & if they have any preferred roles. Info on rehearsal times coming soon.
Red Sox Fans: It was surprisingly difficult to get Red Sox tickets this year. Currently I have 4 @$41 each for Sunday, September 13. If you’d like them to be yours please contact Jane Buckloh.