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Save the Date
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Vestry Meeting:
July 22, after church
Pride in the Park:
Sunday, August 19
Parish Picnic:
Sunday, September 2
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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. --Beth Reed, Priest-in-charge |
| Sunday, July 22, at Grace | |
Eucharist, Refreshments 
We celebrate the Eucharist at 10:00 AM. From Mark's gospel, we hear this: "As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd."
When do we feel like sheep without a shepherd? When do we see other people who look like sheep without a shepherd, and what do we do in response?
Reading the full Sunday scriptures (click the link above left) and reflecting on them before the service is a way to deepen our encounter with God and each other at the Sunday liturgy, and I (Beth Reed) encourage you in this practice.
After the service, we'll gather for refreshments and conversation, then the vestry will meet in the conference room downstairs. |
| Grace Community Foundation | |  "Thanksgiving in July"
The Episcopal Church of the Mediator, just a little west of us in Allentown, has supported our pantry for many years. Parishioners donate groceries throughout the year, and a volunteer from Mediator drops them off here about every six weeks. A parishioner from Mediator serves on the pantry board.
Twice a year, the church leads a food drive. The summer one is called "Thanksgiving in July." This week the pantry received about 1,000 pounds of food from our sisters and brothers at Mediator! This is a substantial donation to the pantry and will help our neighbors who struggle to make ends meet. Grace Community Foundation is truly grateful for the support from Church of the Mediator. |
77th General Convention
| | Libby House, Deputy, shares her experience
"Having just returned from the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, I can tell you it was one of the most exciting, exhausting, invigorating, and transformative experiences of my life. I wish each and every Episcopalian could spend at least two days in the House of Deputies, observing or participating in the work of one of our triennial conventions. It is an impressive legislative body made up of smart, committed, informed, hard-working Episcopalians who, taking their responsibilities very seriously, were attempting to make the best decisions for our church, society, and the world and trying very hard to listen to and respect one another in all our diversity and differing points of view.
"There were 5000 people there, about 1000 of whom were either members of the House of Bishops (nearly 300) or members of the House of Deputies (close to 900). At more than one thousand, we make up the largest functioning deliberative body in the world. Over eight days, we considered and acted upon 400 resolutions and passed a budget for $111,500,000. No legislation may be enacted without the consent of both houses.
"The highlights of the convention are too numerous to mention here. For a start let me just say that the adoption of the Rite for Same-Sex Blessings, the creation of which was undertaken by a committee headed up by our own Patrick Malloy, was seen as a monumental milestone for a church that continues to strive to 'open our arms and open our hearts.'
"Many, many resolutions dealt with issues of discrimination, injustice, and exclusion . . . including the one generated by the Grace Summer Reading Group."--Libby House, Deputy Read more about that resolution below. Read Libby's full description in the bulletin this Sunday. |
| Grace Book Group's Resolution at General Convention | |  Our voice was heard
Last summer, some parishioners gathered to read Disrupting Homelessness: Alternative Christian Approaches by Laura Stivers. One outcome of the group's conversation was the crafting of a resolution that encouraged other parishes to learn more about homelessness and take steps toward its disruption. Addison Bross and Libby House led this effort, and Beth Reed and Libby House presented the resolution at last year's Diocesan Convention in October. The Convention passed it, and it was also submitted to the General Convention that just met in Indianapolis.
Here are Libby's comments on the matter:
"Grace's resolution, C038, Relief for the Homeless and Poor, was folded, along with five others dealing with poverty and injustice, into one resolution - A135. This resolution carried with it a budget of $400,000 each year for three years to make available resources for local initiatives and regional training for parishes and organizations that strive to address the issues of poverty and injustice in their communities through prayer, study, and action.
"It was very gratifying to see this resolution, which started as an idea in a parishioner's living room on a Sunday night, go all the way through the process of acceptance at our Diocesan Convention and on to action at our National Convention." |
| Pride in the Park | |  Grace will be there
The Pride in the Park festival takes place this year on August 19 at Cedar Beach in Allentown. Grace has been part of this event for years, and we will be again this year.
Last year, the parish had its own booth, staffed by volunteers Mike Allen and Tony Voros, Lisa Figueroa, Lynn Wentzel, Addison and Mary Louise Bross, and Beth Reed. This year, we'll join several other Episcopal parishes to let people know of our churches' welcome for all people, including, of course, LGBT people.
This will be a great opportunity for us to converse with festival-goers about the availability of blessings for same-sex relationships, and the explicit inclusion of transgendered people in all dimensions of church life and leadership. |
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