We are now on our summer service schedule, with one service at 9:30am. The regular service schedule will resume on Sunday, September 8th
No childcare provided during worship the rest of August Because of the difficulty of scheduling staff in this portion of the summer, we will not be providing childcare in the nursery during the remaining Sundays in August. We look forward to being able to offer this option again beginning in September. In the meantime, the nursery space is still available for children to visit accompanied by an adult. Apologies for the inconvenience! Be in touch with Megan at mmcdermott@gracechurchamhrest.org for more information.
Fourth Sunday Collection, August 25 The Outreach Commission has designated the Diocese of Navajoland as our fourth Sunday recipient, to support their work addressing the economic needs of Navajo and other Native Peoples. Navajoland is coextensive with the Navajo Reservation, some 27,000 square miles in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. One third of the people in this beautiful but impoverished area lack water in their homes; and one of the most important of Navajoland ministries is the delivery of food and water. Your offering will help them in their efforts. If you write a check, please make it payable to Grace Church and add “outreach” on the memo line. Thank you for any gift you are able to give.
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: August 26, 2024
Education for Ministry Presentation, Sunday, September 1 This Sunday after church there will be a brief presentation in the Parish Hall about Education for Ministry (EfM) at Grace Church. This would be a good time for you to ask questions and possibly to discover if EfM is right for you. If there are six to eight people interested, we would like to begin the seminars in September.
Haiti Ministry: Thank you! Through your generosity, we have exceeded our fundraising goal for uniforms and school supplies! Thank you for supporting a better future for Haitian children. If you’ve meant to give but haven’t yet, donations to the general fund are gratefully received. New participants in this ministry are also very welcome. Contact Bonnie Vigeland or Sandy Muspratt, and see the next Grace Notes for more details.
Save the Date
Sunday School/Jr. Choir, Sundays 9:15-10:15 a.m., beginning Sept. 8th, Kindergarten & up This year, our Sunday School program is open to children and youth in kindergarten all the way up through high school. Our mixed-age group will meet together from 9:15-10:15 a.m. beginning September 8th in the upstairs classroom of the Parke House. An online Sunday School registration form can be completed at https://forms.gle/ytxMtVXfMw1Q2LeQA; or email me, Megan, for the link. Even if your child has participated in the past, we appreciate an updated registration sheet! If you would prefer to fill out a physical form, please let me know. This can be provided at the beginning of the school year.
The good news from Haiti Amid all the sobering news from Haiti, there is much good news from L’École St. Matthieu. This is a great time to hear it! Please plan to join the Haiti Ministry for updates, food, and celebration, Sunday, September 8 at noon in the Parish Hall.
Seeking Self and Spirit through Self-Portraits: A Zoom Art Meditation Series Many important spiritual and theological questions relate to the relationship we have with ourselves. How do we view ourselves in light of being made in God’s image; in light of the human capacity for sin; in light of the vast and mysterious creation of which we’re one, small part; or in light of God’s abiding love? Over time, many artists have tackled the subject of the self through self-portraiture. Rather than merely capturing their physical likeness, artists often also convey something deeper about how they see themselves. Throughout the rest of Ordinary Time, our Monday art meditation series will reflect on different examples of self-portraiture each week, from diverse artists across different centuries and styles, as a way of exploring our own relationships to the self and God’s Spirit. This series begins Monday, September 9th and will continue through November 25th, meeting on Zoom at 12:15 p.m. Grace Church will send out the link by email early Monday mornings.
Solemn Evensong for the Feast of the Holy Cross with reception following, Saturday September 14th at 4pm All are welcome to celebrate Solemn Evensong for the Feast of the Holy Cross on Saturday September 14 at 4pm in the sanctuary. Our festal Evensong will also commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s stigmatization. As mentioned in our Lesser Feasts and Fasts: “Not long before his death, during a retreat on Mt. La Verna, Francis received on September 14, Holy Cross Day, the marks of the Lord’s wounds, the stigmata, in his own hands and feet and side.” We wish as well to honor Francis’s love of nature by calling attention to the fact that, now more than ever, our physical world is experiencing all manner of injury and suffering. The Rev. Rachel Field will be guest preacher at the service. She is the Program Manager for An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice as well as the Priest Associate at St Mary’s in Northfield Vermont. She lives on a regenerative farm and forest in Randolph VT with her beloved cat Eowyn. Evensong will be followed by a reception in the Grace Church Parish Hall, featuring light refreshments, along with three brief talks on various aspects of St. Francis’s legacy. Please join us.
First Youth Group event (grades 6-12) – mini golf Sunday Sept. 15th, 12:30 p.m. – All youth are invited to a game of mini golf at the Western Mass. Family Golf Center in Hadley! Feel free to bring friends. RSVPs aren’t required, but if your child(ren) will tentatively be able to make it, please let me know for planning purposes! Youth group registration can be done online here – https://forms.gle/4dXpRzZ9eBQxRMLt7, or email me for a link. Even if your child cannot attend mini golf on the 15th, I’d love to have updated info on file for anyone who might participate this year! Please return at your earliest convenience. If you would prefer a physical form, please let me know.
St. Nicholas Bazaar Donations are being accepted for the bazaar, December 7, 2024. Please remember that items should be in good condition and clean. We accept many kinds of items, but please no textbooks, binders, VCR tapes, cassettes, clothing, or mildewed items. Place donations on the table near the large shelves in the undercroft. Contact Joan with any questions . Thank you!