Today is the Fourth Sunday of the month and the recipient of the Outreach Collection will be the Fisher Home in Amherst The mission of the Fisher Home is to provide compassionate, comprehensive, and supportive end-of-life care to patients and their loved ones in their homes or in their residence. If you write a check please make it payable to Grace Church and add “outreach” on the memo line.
Tuesday Morning Prayer Continues Tuesdays at 8:30am in the Garth
Good news from Haiti Despite food shortages, danger, and disorder, dedicated teachers and leaders and children eager to learn show up every day at L’Ecole St. Matthieu. Amid such hardship, they completed a full school year and are ready to begin again. Please support them! $75 provides a uniform and school supplies; any amount is welcome. Thank you!
Newcomers The Newcomers Committee has begun meeting to think about strengthening our efforts to welcome new people. If you would like to join in the work or have any ideas to share, please reach out to Rachel Blain.
Request publicity for your event! To help make Grace events as successful as possible, the Communications Committee has developed an online form for requesting event publicity. It can be found on the church website at https://www.gracechurchamherst.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Request-for-Event-Publicity-Form-2023.pdf. Please submit six to eight weeks prior to the event.
Coffee Hour 10:30 Service Sign up Coffee hour hosts are needed for Sept. – June. Slots are available, and a sign-up sheet is in the Connector. Please email Sarah Chadwick with questions.
Mind the Gap Fundraising Update The Fundraising and Communications committees have been hard at work planning and promoting events for the Mind the Gap campaign, whose proceeds go to reducing the church’s budget gap. So far, three events have brought together parishioners in fun and supportive ways and have raised $5,500 toward an overall fundraising goal of $21,000. Efforts toward this goal include proceeds of the St. Nicholas Bazaar.
Save the Date
Growing in God’s Love – K-5th Sunday School Class Beginning Sept. 10th, Upstairs of Parke House, 9:15-10:15 a.m. On Sunday Sept. 10th, we’ll have our first elementary Sunday School class of the year, beginning our exploration of Who Is Jesus? using Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible curriculum, a program designed to help children hear the story of God’s people, engage it with imagination, and find their place in it. Classes will feature opportunities for creativity, wonder, music, and art and will be co-taught by Megan and parishioner and educator Lucy Bergin. Email Megan for info.
Youth Group, Grades 6-12, Welcome Back Gathering, Sept. 10th after 10:30 service, in the Garth The Grace Church youth group welcomes students in grades 6-12 to come together for growth in friendship, faith, & service to the community & world. Join our welcome back celebration with food and games following the 10:30 a.m. service on Sept. 10th, outside weather permitting. Email Megan for more info.
Joy of Living Group, 7:00-8:30 p.m., 2nd and 4th Mondays starting Sept. 11th This free group will combine meditation, practices that can be integrated into the flow of life, and discussion of key points so that participants can gain maximum benefit in their lives. While the awareness, loving kindness/compassion, and wisdom practices and perspectives taught in the Joy of Living are not religious in nature, they can profoundly support our journeys as disciples of Christ. It will be led by certified mindfulness instructor Kell Julliard and practice leader and licensed acupuncturist Claudia Citkovitz and meet in the Connector.
Mind the Gap with Mushroom Foraging On Saturday, September 23, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., parishioner Michael Gralenski, an experienced mushroom forager, will lead participants on a walk through the woods in Leverett. He will provide detailed instructions as to where to look, which mushrooms to collect, and mushrooms to avoid, as well as prepare a delicious mushroom dish for the group to sample. The cost is $35/person. Register at https://tinyurl.com/mushroom-event or sign up in the Connector and pay by check with “Mushrooms” noted in the memo line. Deadline is Friday, September 15.
2023 Harvest Festival – Sign up Now! Planning is underway for the Harvest Festival which will be taking place on the weekend of October 21 – 22. There will be concerts, dinner and dancing, a flower festival, fall decorations, and more. Sign up sheets are now available in the Connector. We need your help to make this successful. For questions or more information, please contact Mary Hocken.
Celebrating Beth Hart Damon’s 23 Years of Music Ministry at Grace on Nov. 5th
On Sunday Nov. 5th, Grace Church will come together for one service at 9:30 a.m. with a reception to follow, to celebrate Beth Hart Damon’s 23 years of service as Grace Church music director. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for this celebration of Beth’s ministry. Please be in touch with Kitty Dougherty or Harold Norris with any questions.
St. Nicholas Bazaar
Do you have an interest in antiques and/or collectibles? We need your help with sorting and pricing donations. Join this fun way to help Grace Church! Some knowledge of antiques & collectibles is helpful, but not required. Donations are needed for all areas of the bazaar, especially antiques and fine jewelry. Please remember that items should be in good working condition and clean. We accept many kinds of items, but NO textbooks, binders, VCR tapes, cassettes, clothing, or mildewed items. Donations may be dropped off in the undercroft after the Sunday service, or during office hours (M-F 9-4). Contact Joan for more info.