Honey for Haiti: Beautiful homegrown honey will be available for purchase in the Connector today, after the service, to benefit L’Ecole St. Matthieu. Lisa and Tilman Lukas are generously donating honey from their own beehives. A 12-ounce honey bear will be $6; two for $10. All proceeds will go to the school. Enjoy your morning tea as you remember our partners.
Palestinian olive oil also will be available for sale in the Connector following the service today. It is organic, extra virgin, first cold press and fair trade. The proceeds from the sale enable Grace to provide a scholarship for a student at the Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Center in Ramallah. Our current student is Teya Awwad. She is studying hospitality and culinary arts.
Poem and Prayer – No Zoom poetry group this upcoming Monday – check your inbox for reflection & poem Because Megan will be away, there will be no Zoom gathering for our summer Poem and Prayer sessions this upcoming Monday, August 8th. However, you will receive an email from Grace on Monday morning with a recommended poem and a video meditation with a reflection. The remaining Mondays in August, we will meet at the usual 12:15 p.m. time.
Tuesday morning prayer – This Tuesday, August 9th at 8 a.m. in the Garth. Throughout the month of August, you are invited to join in for 20-30 minutes of in-person prayer in the Garth/church courtyard (the Chapel in case of inclement weather) on Tuesday mornings at 8 a.m. You can enter through the Connector door or the Spring Street door. Prayer sessions will use morning prayer liturgies from sources like Daily Prayer for All Seasons, an Episcopal resource emphasizing inclusive and expansive language, and will incorporate simple movement meditation to help embody prayer. Music will also occasionally be offered. Additionally, it will be a chance to connect personally with a small group! We hope this month of morning prayer will be the start of a regular offering on Tuesday mornings. If you have questions or would like more information, please be in touch with Kell Julliard at kelljulliard@me.com.
11th Hour Bell Ringing for Climate Change – Thursday, August 11th at 10:45 Be part of the 11th Hour Bell Ringing for Climate Change this Thursday, August 11 at 10:45. Join friends and neighbors for prayer and meditation before the 11th hour ringing begins. This is an invitation to join religious groups across the country and beyond to express our hope and determination that together we can act boldly to address the climate crisis. Our church bell will be rung for 11 minutes on the 11th day of each month at 11 AM. Bring your cow bells, dinner bells, kazoos, and gongs, drums, cymbals, and noise makers of any kind. Signs and banners are encouraged. Who knows, maybe some folks passing by will stop and join in or at least catch the spirit of what committed people can do when joined together in faith.
Collecting diaper donations for youth service trip On Saturday August 20th, youth from Grace will be joining youth from St. James and St. Andrew’s in Greenfield for a service and activity day to Worcester. In the morning, we’ll be assisting at Marie’s Mission, a diaper distribution program located at St. Michael’s-on-the-Heights. Free diaper distribution is especially important for parents facing financial challenges, since government assistance typically does not cover diapers. We hope to bring with us donations of diapers, pull-ups, and wipes! The ministry is particularly in need of diapers in larger sizes. Leading up to the trip, you can drop your donations off in a box marked DIAPERS at the back of the church. Thank you!
August Community Conversation Board: Parables Throughout the Gospels, Jesus relies on parables (short stories that invite listeners’ reflection and often convey meaning indirectly or symbolically) as a form of teaching or a way of answering questions. Parables are among some of the most well-known and well-loved passages of Scripture, though sometimes among the most confusing! During the month of August, our community conversation board will invite your thoughts on how you relate to the parables of Jesus. Please stop by the Connector to contribute your thoughts or read the insights of other parishioners!
Haiti Ministry: Visit our table on Saturday morning, August 13! The Haiti Ministry will be hosting a fundraising and information table near the Amherst Farmers’ Market. Stop by and bring your friends. Interested in helping out? Please contact Bonnie Vigeland or Patty Appelbaum. Only four weeks left to outfit a child! School at St. Matthew’s starts in only four weeks and many students are still in need! So far, we have raised $6,215.74 of our $15,000 goal. This means that 82 of the 250 students are set to start the academic year with uniforms and school supplies. Thank you! We have 168 students to go. Donations of $50 cover the cost of a uniform, $25 provides a child’s textbooks and supplies, and $100 will fully outfit one child along with a bit more for library books and other needs. Whatever you can give – in any amount – would be a blessing. To help, please make checks payable to “Grace Church” and write “Haiti School Uniforms” on the memo line. You may also give via the church website by clicking the “Give” button and then selecting “Haiti Ministry” in the “To” drop-down box.
Over60s Gathering will be meeting only once a month through the summer. For information and dates, please contact Rev. Adrian Stair (revadrian@comcast.net).
Evensong Services will be held in the Chapel downstairs through the summer. It is much cooler there.
St. Nicholas Bazaar Are you interested in antiques and/or collectibles? We need you to help with sorting and pricing bazaar donations. Some knowledge of antiques and collectibles desired. Contact Joan (jobrien82@gmail.com) with any questions or to volunteer. Donations are being accepted for the bazaar. 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. Thank you!