K-5th Grade Sunday School begins this week – 9:15-10:15 a.m.!
Children in grades K-5 are invited to join our Sunday School class that is meeting outdoors in the Garth between our 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, from 9:15-10:15 a.m. We will be exploring the lessons of the Bible together through hands-on activities like drama, art, games, science experiments, and more. In the event of inclement weather, class will be held in the Parish Hall, masks required. For more information, contact Megan at mmcdermott@gracechurchamherst.org.
Reconnecting at Grace: Small Discussion Groups Throughout the Fall
Grace is hosting a series of small group discussions on a variety of topics so people can come together, share with one another, and strengthen relationships after the isolation of this past year. For September, Tom and Megan will be leading three sessions (more to come in the months following, led by parishioners!). You must sign up in order to participate. Each group is kept small to foster deeper discussion. Please email Terrie at tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org to register.
September Discussions: Topic: Your Life During Covid
Tuesday, Sept. 14th, 6:30 p.m. over Zoom OR Sunday, Sept. 19th, 12 p.m., in the Garth weather permitting/Parish Hall if not
Topic: Prayer & Poem Sharing Session
Wednesday, Sept. 29th, 4 p.m., in the Garth weather permitting/Parish Hall if not
Youth Group (Grades 6-12) meeting at noon next Sunday Sept. 19th
The youth group will be gathering in the Connector at noon following Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. service. We will head over to the Black Sheep Deli to grab lunch and then eat outdoors together, beginning conversation on our theme for this year: Jesus’s question, “Do you want to be made well?” We will finish by 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Megan at mmcdermott@gracechurchamherst.org.
2021 Haiti School Uniform and Library Book Campaign – SUCCESS!
It is a wrap! This week another $1,185 was generously donated to the uniform and library book campaign for St. Matthew’s School in Haiti. With a matching grant of up to $3,500, this puts us over the top. Thanks to you, 200 students are ready for school and there will now be many, many brand-new books in the school’s new library.
Our Goals: Our Progress:
200 Uniforms: $12,000 200
200 Library Books: $ 5,000 200+
Total Campaign: $17,000 $ 17,000+
A sincere thank you to all who participated in this campaign. Your gift helps to promote education in Haiti which is a requirement for sustained social and economic development. Our work in Haiti is ongoing throughout the year and donations are always welcome. To donate, please make checks payable to “Grace Church” and write “Haiti Library” 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. Subscribe to the Haiti Ministry blog at graceinhaiti.org/blog!
St. Nicholas Bazaar returns! The bazaar will be on Dec. 4 this year. We are accepting donations. We are currently in need of fine jewelry, which may be dropped off at the church office. Please note: 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. Remember that donations to the church are eligible for tax deductions. Thank you!!
Climate Action @Grace God has charged us to be faithful stewards of the Earth. Knowing that this, our island home, faces a climate emergency, one increasingly obvious with each year, we ask how we, as people of faith, can have the greatest impact on energy use, care for the planet, and environmental awareness. Our name until now–“Greening Grace”–may give the impression that we are primarily concerned about our own campus. That stewardship is important because we have significant control over our facilities, and what we do here is a form of witness to others. But we are equally concerned with the choices that we as humans make at the state, national, and international levels. We invite all to work with us in trying to save and defend what God has entrusted to us. And we invite suggestions for a name that better conveys our mission and its extreme urgency. Should it be “Climate Action @Grace”? “Earth Matters”? “Creation Care”? Or something else? Our next meeting, in this Creation Season, is Sunday, October 10, after morning worship. All are welcome—from the enthusiastic to the just curious.
Haiti Relief On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest portion of Haiti. Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners are responding immediately with direct assistance to vulnerable households in the region, as partners plan long-term recovery. Your generous gift can provide assistance to help people in the wake of these disasters. To assist in these efforts, visit episcopalrelief.org/haiti-relief.