Living In and Into Christian Community

Several months ago I wrote an article about the idea of Church as "Piazza." I know of several Cathedral that use this model as a way to witness to and in the communities where there ministries are.

"Piazzas" are those wonderful places where people gather for food, fellowship, art, and community life. Congregations are about bringing people together as a community. In these communities our faith is sustained, our lives are strengthened and our work in the world is made stronger by what we receive and give when we come together.

"Piazzas" are open to all.

Grace Church has lived in and into this kind of life in many ways these last few weeks. We have gathered around a parishioner who is critically ill and prayed for him and supported his wife. On Sunday, we opened our doors to Grace members and the wider community for an opportunity to have tea together, to dress up, to honor the Queen, and just plain come to meet new people. Our Children and Youth Formation leaders are getting to know each other and are building energy for those ministries that I have not seen for a while. Schola and Madrigals are lifting their voices to a new year. Adults are gathering to learn and to push each other in our faith and in our views on the world we live in. Our PADS shelter site has started for Wednesday nights and Thursday mornings and volunteers and guests are gathering together.

I believe that almost all of us come to church seeking community. We get here and begin to learn how to live into that community. We learn to love each other, to disagree with each other.

For Christians, the Trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is the center of our community life. May we continue to come and grow together! May we open our doors wide open to those who are seeking a place to be. May we be a center for all! And in so doing, may we change the world, one person, one place, and one day at a time.

Grace Church will present David accompanying the movie during the Halloween Party extravaganza at Grace Church on October 31, 2012 beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Admission (pay at the door) is $20 for the movie, but is reduced to just $10 if you come in costume!  Spread the word!   Join the event on our Facebook page. 

As many of you know, some of the youth from Grace and St. Christopher's went together on a pilgrimage to parts of Scotland. Two of the highlights were Lindisfarne and Iona. Their pilgrimage highlighted our Celtic heritage.

On Sunday, August 26 the pilgrims (youth and leaders) preached at St. Christopher's. Their Iona worship experience helped to shape the liturgy of the day (within a similar pattern of a regular Sunday liturgy). In thanksgiving of our youth and leaders we will have them here with us on Oct. 7 and will bring in flavors of the Iona Community to Grace.

The Outreach Committee will meet on Saturday, September 29th at the home of Sarah Hunt. The breakfast meeting will begin promptly at 9am. Anyone interested in learning more about Outreach activities at Grace is invited to attend! Discussion will include Outreach projects this Fall including the Cathedral Shelter Christmas Basket Program, Outreach goals, policies, and finances, and requests for funding. For more information please contact Leslie Atwood (oakparkers1@gmail.com) or Sarah Hunt (sarah.j.hunt@comcast.net).

If you have not yet done so, please register your child(ren) for our formation programs at this link. 

Catechesis Dates

Sunday, September 30 - Registration and Open House in the Atria - we'll begin with an introduction in the Rite 13 room on the second floor at 9:35AM 

Oct. 7, - First session of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - 9:35AM 

Journey to Adulthood

Rite 13 (11-13/14 yr. old youth)

Join us for four Tuesday sessions -- October 2, 16, 30 and November 6 at 7PM in the Parish Hall or St. Francis Room  -- when Steve Fanning, history scholar of late antiquity and the Middle Ages will lead us in discussion of "The Byzantine Empire and its Religious History (250 -1453 A.D.)."

The Byzantine galleries at the Art Institute are scheduled to reopen in the fall. We hope to schedule a tour with an art historian/docent to coincide with our class.

The text for the class is A Concise History of Byzantium by Warren Treadgold. Hardback and paperback editions are available on Amazon.com, half.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Contact Linda Ivey Miller with questions. lindaiveymiller@gmail.com

This fall, Bishop Anderson House is presenting a bold new benefit with the goal of bringing 100 new faces to the table, introducing supporters to the ministry of compassion and care that is the hallmark of Bishop Anderson House.  

We hope you will support BAH at "A Spirited Adventure," on Thursday, October 11, 2012. The Skyline Room at Kendall College will be the setting for wine and food tastings, fun and games, and even the opportunity to create your own culinary creation.

Perhaps you can gather a group to participate in the popular "six-pack ticket;" if you purchase 5 tickets, the 6th is free! Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.