Grace Church Annual Meeting will be held today, Sunday, February 4th following a single service at 9:30am
Colin Britt, Director of Choral Activities at Mount Holyoke College, will conduct the Grace Church Choir on Sunday, February 4. Noah will be away in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska on a tour with Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble, and will be back the following Sunday. Colin started this past fall at Mount Holyoke, and has an extensive history of working with churches and sacred music, most recently as Music Director at Grace Church Van Vorst (Episcopal) in Jersey City, New Jersey. Please welcome him, and enjoy his expertise and company during his visit.
No Epiphany poetry meditation on Monday Megan is on vacation next week so there will be no Epiphany poetry meditation over Zoom. Please plan on joining in for the last Epiphany poetry meditation of the series on Monday Feb 12th. Zoom link will go out by email.
Botany for Gardeners and Cooks Have you ever wondered why some plants turn red in the sun? How fall mums get so bushy? Why cooked beans get mushy? Then you’ll want to come to Botany for Gardeners and Cooks. The remaining sessions in the Grace Church Connector are: February 10 & 17 from 9:30-11:00 am. The course covers plant structure and function as they relate to gardening and cooking, led by John Horn, a retired botany professor and Episcopal priest.
Dine In, Help Haiti Out on Saturday, February 10 The website to order soups for the annual soup extravaganza is now open! Use the QR code to the right to access the website or go to https://airtable.com/appYFGXZZtOVp04Iz/pagdXh9rHbZi2ZTzs/form. Soup may also be ordered from Haiti ministry members in the Connector after church. Don’t delay! Last year many soups sold out. Orders will be taken until Wednesday, February 7. We still need volunteers to donate baked breads or rolls and cookies. Please contact Gail Gnatek to help. Please contact Sarah Chadwick if you are able to volunteer on the day or help out in other ways. All proceeds from this event support the St. Matthew’s School in Haiti.
The Grace Church Stewardship campaign for 2024 To date 136 pledges have come in totaling $465,417 – most encouraging, we have 4 new pledges. We are off to a good start. To those who have pledged God Bless, to those who have yet to pledge please pray and pledge so our Vestry can budget for 2024. If you need a pledge card, they are available as you enter the church or you can contact the office (413) 256-6754 or Bruce Stebbins at (413) 530-3805.
Latest Needs from the Amherst Survival Center Please bring soup. They can’t keep it on the shelves! Hygienic items in demand: Toilet paper, Toothpaste (all sizes), Shampoo, Hand soap
Nursery care now provided! Childcare during the Sunday School hour and the 10:30 a.m. service went on hold at the beginning of the pandemic when we pivoted to online worship. We are excited to now offer weekly childcare again for ages 3 months and up! The nursery is located in the Parker Room, the sitting room in the parish office. Each Sunday two background checked nursery staff workers will be present from 9:15 through the end of the 10:30 service. There is no childcare for our 8 a.m. service. Please ask Megan if you have any questions, and please share this news with families in your life who might be looking for a worship option with provided childcare.
Save the Date
Joy of Living Group, 7:00-8:30 p.m., 2nd and 4th Mondays This group combines meditation, practices integrated in the flow of life, and discussion. Led by certified mindfulness instructor Kell Julliard and practice leader and licensed acupuncturist Claudia Citkovitz, it meets in the Connector. Next meeting: 12, 2024
Ash Wednesday Services
Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes
February 14, 2024
8:00am, 12:10pm, 5:00pm (Chapel Taize service), & 7:00pm
(The 7pm service will be live streamed)
A Series on Death and Dying, 12:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, On Sunday February 25th, Karen Miller, Clinical Nurse Manager, at Cooley Dickinson Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Hospice will be hosting a presentation on the importance of home caregiving at the end of life. She will discuss options for emotional, physical, and spiritual support that can help families manage challenges and provide comfort.
Covenant and the Promises of God: A Lenten Reflection. During Lent this year in church we will hear many of the covenants and promises God has made. What did they mean to the people who first heard them? How do they connect with our lives today? Beginning Sunday, February 25, John Horn, a retired Episcopal priest, will lead four sessions of reflections on covenant in the Sunday readings from 9:15-10:15 in the Fireplace Room. All are welcome to attend.