READINGS                        

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REFLECTION

When we live our lives competitively, it is easy to carry that worldview across to our faith. If salvation is a competition, some must win and others must lose. If God loves the winners, then we must hide our sins deep rather than bringing them to the surface in repentance. If God loves the winners and condemns the losers, then so must we.  

But if God keeps messing up the competition by throwing the game-becoming a servant even though he could be a king, dying on a cross instead of conquering Rome, saying that the wealthy ones are those who give everything away-then our worldview looks a bit different. What if Kingdom life is about cooperation rather than competition?

If that's the case, God might not be pleased that we never missed a Sunday in church if we used our weekly attendance to smugly put down those who only came on Christmas and Easter. We might get to the pearly gates far ahead of the pack, only to find that no one is allowed in alone. When another mom in the playgroup has a child who is slow to learn, maybe proving the superiority of your child is not the answer.

Being God with skin on for our peers means putting aside our competitive instincts to be sure that everyone succeeds. Jesus makes it quite plain that being his disciple means living very differently from the world. In this case, it means giving up on entering the "rat race," the competition with others for life's toys and resources. There is no drive to keep up with the Joneses in Kingdom life. Like Paul in Philippians 4:12, we learn to be content with what we have. We don't seek to be proven better than others in competition. We take whatever gifts we have been given, tie them around our waists, and use them to serve others.

From God with Skin On: Finding God's Love in Human Relationships by Anne Robertson. Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (www.morehousepublishing.com) 

Friday, JUNE 15

8:30-1:00pm Nursery School of the Nyacks End of Year

events (Memorial/Patterson)

Saturday, JUNE 16

7:30pm Academy of Music Concert

(for info:www.academyofmusicfestival.com/845-358-7445)

Sunday JUNE 17

8/9:30/11:00am Holy Eucharist

12:00pm Coffee Hour farewell to Robert Barrows

3:00pm Wyman student rehearsal (church)

2:30pm AGC rehearsal (Memorial Hall)

7:30pm Nyack Academy of Music Festival Concert

(for info:www.academyofmusicfestival.com/845-358-7445)

Tuesday, JUNE 19
10:00am Staff Meeting (Patterson Hall)
7:00pm Boy Scouts (Memorial Hall)
7:30pm Vestry (Patterson Hall)  

Wednesday, JUNE 20
7:00am Holy Eucharist & Healing Prayers (Bradley Chapel)
7:30pm Academy of Music Festival Concert
(for info:www.academyofmusicfestival.com/845-358-7445)  

Thursday, JUNE 21
8:30am Wardens Meeting (Rector's Office)    

Friday, JUNE 22
7:30pm Gala Academy of Music Concert 

(for info:www.academyofmusicfestival.com/845-358-7445)    

Sunday, JUNE 24   SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE BEGINS  

Church Youth Service Mission Trip departure (returns July 7)  

8:00 Holy Eucharist (Rite I; outside in Memorial Garden, weather permitting)

10:00am Holy Eucharist   

7:00pm Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Outing  

THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 17

Robert Barrows,who has been with us at Grace since 1999, is retiring.  Sunday's 11:00am service will be his last as our Organist and Choirmaster.  Please join us at coffee hour following the service to pay tribute to Bob.

This is also the last Sunday this season for the full Grace Church Choir.  We gratefully acknowledge the time and skill these talented musicians share so generously, shaping and enriching our worship under Bob's leadership.   

SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE BEGINS ON JUNE 24

Holy Eucharist at 8:00am (Rite I) and 10:00am (Rite II, music)

Holy Eucharist & Healing Prayers will continue Wednesdays at 7:00am in Bradley Chapel.

2012 CHURCH YOUTH SERVICE MISSION TRIP ("CYSM")

This summer's mission trip to the Dominican Republic begins on June 24. Thank you to everyone who has participated in our fundraising events, through which we have raised approximately $4,600. The cost of flights has increased significantly this year and we still need your help! If you would like to support our efforts in the Dominican Republic, you'll find bright yellow offering envelopes in the narthex. We also welcome donations of items we will bring with us: work gloves, uninflated soccer balls, crayons, Spanish language children's books, construction paper, bubbles. You may drop items at the office during the week, or in the box you'll find in the narthex.   Moriah Olsen

Please keep all of CYSM participants in your prayers as they begin their final trip preparations and until their safe return on July 7: Sadie Burns, Sonia Cisneros, Thea Dery, Cynthia Dolinsky, Barron Devoe, Ben DiRocco, Emma Foti, Ryan Frissina, Maggie Kyle, Allison Lovejoy, Brianna Nelson, Kate O'Shea, Molly Prouty, Leo Stillwell and their adult leaders: Charlie Cross, Moriah Olsen, Emily Sieracki

FINAL CALL FOR LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST TICKET PAYMENTS:  If you have reserved tickets for the June 24th, 7:00pm performance of Love's Labour's Lost and not yet paid, please do so ASAP. As usual, you will pick up your tickets at the table for group sales in the gift shop building at Boscobel on the day of the performance. Don't forget the curtain goes up @ 7:00pm, an hour later than previous years, so picnicking can begin on the grand lawn of Boscobel @ 5:00pm. We have 29 Grace Church friends and family attending for our 14th year of fun, rain or shine. Here's to another enjoyable evening!  

Questions: contact Barbara Cross: Babcross@aol.com or 845-358-4599.  

SOUP ANGELS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS - GRACE TEAM FORMING

Soup Angels, a local soup kitchen operating out of First Reformed Church in Nyack, is looking for new volunteers. In response to the steadily increasing need right here in our own community, they have recently added an additional night of service. If you are available either Monday or Wednesday between 4-7:00pm and would like to join a team of fellow Grace Church parishioners on a regular - or not so regular - rotation (perhaps every 6-8 weeks), please be in touch with Charlie Cross ( CORjjc@aol.com) or the office (358-1297.)

KEEP IN TOUCH

PARTING THOUGHT 

The Singing of Angels

by Howard Thurman

There must be always,
remaining in every life,
someplace for
the singing of angels.
Someplace for that
which in itself
is breathless and beautiful.
Old burdens become lighter,
deep and ancient wounds
lose much of their old hurting.
Despite all the crassness of life,
all the hardness and harsh discords,
life is saved by
the singing of angels.

Learn more about Howard Thurman: CLICK HERE