The Stewardship campaign: To date 170 pledges have come in totaling $464,786 – most encouraging, we have several new pledges. To those who have pledged God bless, to those who have yet to pledge please pray and pledge so our Vestry can budget for 2021. If you need a pledge card, please contact the office (413) 256-6754 or Tom Dougherty at (413) 563-7321. You can mail us your pledge or drop it off at the church. Letting us know now what you hopefully will give in 2021 helps us to better plan for the year.
2021 Haiti School Uniform and Library Book Campaign – Weekly Update: A big thank you to all who have contributed to the effort to provide school uniforms for 200 students at St. Matthew’s School in Haiti. This past week we gratefully received $1,555. Hooray! A $60 donation will cover the cost of a uniform, textbooks, and other basic school supplies for one student. An additional donation of $25 will make a valuable contribution towards filling the library shelves.
Our Goals: Our Progress:
200 Uniforms: $12,000 129 Uniforms, 71 to go
Library Books: $ 5,000
Total Campaign: $17,000 $ 7,740 Raised, $9,260 to go
If you are able 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. Donations in any amount are most welcome. Thank you. Subscribe to the Haiti Ministry blog at graceinhaiti.org/blog!
The Amherst Survival Center is in need of donations for their personal care pantry. Items needed: Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Shampoo, Menstrual products, Incontinence products.All donations can be dropped off in the back of the church. For more information, please contact Kevyn Smith at kevynsmith09@gmail.com
Volunteer at the Survival Center
The amount of need in our area has grown tremendously. Prior to COVID, the Survival Center provided between 85-100 meals a day. That number has ballooned to almost 250! The Survival Center is always in need of help. Volunteering there is easy, safe, and fun. Some jobs, such as distributing lunch or bags of produce from behind plexiglass, can be done sitting. Some light lifting may be required, but not more than 15-20 pounds. Teens and young adults are welcome, as are people of all ages. Please consider volunteering at the Amherst Survival Center. For more information, go to their website https://amherstsurvival.org or speak with one of our volunteers.
Piano available
Would anyone want an older Chickering grand piano? Due to the recent generous donation to Grace by Marion Rosenau of her Steinway grand (which is currently at a piano restoration shop, getting some new parts), we now have one more grand piano than we need. When Marion’s piano is finished by the rebuilder, in one month, it will come to stay in the Sanctuary, and the current Sanctuary grand piano will move to the Parish Hall, and the Parish Hall Chickering grand will go…. somewhere. I hope the dump isn’t its next home. It is tunable, has real ivory keytops, and can still make music. It’s 6 feet, 5 inches long, and was built in 1927 in Boston. I (Dick Damon) will help get the piano moved and will charge only a modest fee — hopefully enough to pay any necessary moving helper(s). Please contact me at 413-549-3857 if you or someone you know might be interested.
St. Nicholas Bazaar
The bazaar is back, and will be held on December 4 this year! Small donations (one or two boxes) may be dropped off in the undercroft, just inside the door from the walkway. If you have a larger donation, please contact Joan at jobrien82@gmail.com, as space is currently limited. Please remember – items should be clean and in good condition. And please, no bedding, clothing (except scarves), textbooks, VCR tapes or players. Thank you!!