Palestinian olive oil will be available for sale in the connector following the service today, Sunday, April 7. It is organic, extra virgin, first cold press and fair trade. The proceeds from the sale enable Grace Church to provide a scholarship for a student at the Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Center in Ramallah
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. Next meeting, in the Connector: April 8, 2024
Raising the Questions, Tuesday, April 9 at 9:30am Raising the Questions discussion group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am in the Connector.
Climate Action@Grace, Sunday, April 14 at 9:15am Climate Action@Grace meets on the second Sunday of each month at 9:15 am in the Fireplace Room.
The ClimateAction@Grace Committee has set up a poster of a tree in the back of the Sanctuary. Please add leaves to the tree to show things you are doing now to help care for creation. We hope to have the tree full of leaves by Earth Day (April 22)!
Ushers needed for 8 a.m. More ushers are needed for the 8 a.m. schedule. Thank you for considering this important ministry of welcome! Please be in touch with Katie Schendel (schendelkatie@gmail.com) for more info.
The Grace Church Stewardship campaign for 2024 To date 150 pledges have come in totaling $495,526. We are off to a good start. 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.
Save the Date
A Series on Death and Dying – Spring 2024 The Pastoral Care Committee has been hosting a series of talks, workshops, and discussions on the topics of death and dying as considered through a variety of lenses: spiritual and theological; artistic and literary; medical, scientific, and legal; as well as perspectives from non-Christian cultures and religions. It is our hope that by exploring death and dying as part of our spiritual path, we can become more at peace with death—our own and that of others—and also live more fully to the end. On April 14th, Kent Faerber and Doug Adler will lead a discussion on wills and estate planning to be held after the 10:30 service in the Parish Hall. A final program in this year-long series will be held later this spring on funeral planning to be led by the Rector.
Sunday, April 14 at 3:00, Grace Church, Amherst, Concert Featuring Stephen Porter, Internationally recognized pianist; Krista River, Grammy Award winning Mezzo-soprano. The program will include works by Handel, Grieg, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn and Benjamin Britten. Free-will donation: $20 per person suggested to support The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
Saturday, April 20 – Earth Day Event for Dioceses of Western Mass. and Massachusetts, St. Mark’s, Southborough Join both dioceses from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for keynote speakers on the church’s role in creation care and a celebratory Eucharist. Register online at diocesewma.org/creation-care-earth-day-2024
Gospel Choir Concert to benefit Amherst A Better Chance (ABC), Grace Episcopal Church, Tuesday, April 23 at 7:30 pm. Amherst ABC is a residential program where talented and motivated students from poor communities attend Amherst High School to improve their preparation for college and future leadership roles. Four choirs will sing: the Amherst Area Gospel Choir, the ARHS Hurricane Singers, the Hampshire Young People’s Chorus and the UMass Gospel Choir. A $20 donation (or more) from each concert-goer is suggested, but all who wish to celebrate the ABC Program through gospel music are most welcome!
Cantabile Vocal Ensemble Concert, Saturday April 27 On Saturday, April 27 at 4 pm Cantabile Vocal Ensemble will present “The Prince of Love and Death” featuring sacred and secular music by the Italian renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa. The program will also include thoughts on Gesualdo from Dennis Costa and an essay by Anna Smith. The concert is free but donations will be gratefully accepted for the Amherst Survival Center.
The Grace Church Services Auction is back! Saturday, 5/4/2024, 6:00 – 8:30 PM. A wonderful event where members of the Grace Church community bid on services offered by other parishioners. See sign up information in the connector. Contact Kitty or Tom Dougherty if you have questions or would like to help with the event.
Garden Ministry The Grace Church Garden Ministry needs donations of pots and garden decorations for our annual plant sale on May 11th. We will set aside an area in the Undercroft for these items. We are also accepting plants and shrubs. The plants can go under the roof overhand next to the large red doors. This is our only fundraiser! We will paint and clean up all donations. Blessings, Sara Liberty-Laylin: Chair.