Welcome to Grace!

As part of our being Grace in the city, we want to extend our welcome to anyone seeking God or a deeper life with God. If someone you know fits that situation, consider forwarding this newsletter to her or him. Or, if you prefer, let the church office know and we'll do the forwarding. 

The Grace Church website is moving to a different hosting platform sometime during Friday and Saturday. During the transition, the "graceallentown.org" email addresses for Bob House and Beth Reed may not work well. 

If you need to reach either of these people by email Friday or Saturday, use these addresses instead, to be sure: for Bob, rshouse@ptd.net; and for Beth, elizabeth.hoffmanreed@gmail.com. 

 

The gospel gives us two healing stories, one nested inside the other. A woman who had been ill for 12 years touched the hem of Jesus' garment, and she was healed. And Jesus responds to a father's plea to heal his little girl.

Grace parishioners more than doubled last year's donation to the United Thank Offering. We will be able to send a contribution of $500 this year. To all who supported this work, thank you. 

The UTO is a ministry of our national church. Grace received a substantial grant from UTO several years ago, which allowed us to renovate the bathrooms on the lower level. 

The UTO also makes grants for international programs. Bishop Paul Marshall announced this week that the Diocese of Bethlehem received a grant of $75,000. The money will be used to help construction of diocesan headquarters in Kajo-Keji.

Our diocese is a partner in mission with the people of Kajo-Keji (South Sudan). Here is a link that describes some of the work.  

At right, Ann, Bob, Cecil, and Michael posed for a photo yesterday. They are four of about six or seven volunteers who work on Thursdays, when the pantry usually receives a delivery from the Second Harvest Food Bank. Mae Peacock is faithful every Thursday and Friday, too, and Jim, Michael's father, is usually there on Thursdays as well. (They are members of St. John's Lutheran Church at South Fifth St.) Kelly Cannon stops by before work every Thursday to set up "the rollers," a kind of ramp with spinning cylinders that allows items to be unloaded at the curb and travel down the steps and onto tables in the pantry. Director Patty McNamara keeps all this activity organized. 

The hardworking volunteers receive the food, store some on shelves, and set out what is needed for Friday morning, when the pantry is open for clients from 9:00-11:00.

Besides a delivery from Second Harvest, the pantry receives bread and other baked goods every Thursday and Friday. On Thursdays, Jeff Reed stops by the loading dock behind Weis Market (at Cedar Crest and Hamilton) to pick up these donations, and on Fridays, Jean and Jack Moody do this task.

More than a dozen Grace people have been having lively conversations on Sunday nights, meeting to enjoy each other's company and read The Rich and the Rest of Us by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West. 

 

On July 8, the group will transition to another book, Daniel Berrigan: Essential Writings, edited by fellow Jesuit peacemaker John Dear. Addison Bross, teacher of peace studies among other things, will lead the conversations. 

The group gathers in homes on Sunday nights. For more information on the book group, contact Mary Louise Bross or Bob House. 

Representatives of the Episcopal Church will gather soon in Indianapolis for the triennial General Convention. Each diocese sends a deputation, a group of elected clergy and lay leaders. They familiarize themselves with the issues on the agenda, participate in hearings and discussions at the Convention, and vote on important matters. 

Grace's senior warden, Libby House, is a deputy from our diocese. To hear from other deputies and for a local take on the Convention, consult this blog.

To learn more about how the Convention works and its agenda this year, from the national church's point of view, click here.

Our state's council of churches keeps a list of issues that people of faith may be especially concerned about. It publishes a weekly "news and action summary" so people can communicate with their legislators about current issues.

Visit this site to see what issues are before the legislature and how to sign for the weekly alerts.