The Rev. Elsa Worth
Rector 
The Rev. Nancy Gage
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We are the  CEREAL Church! | | For a long time, Grace
Church has been delivering canned goods and other food donations down to the St. Luke's/St. Paul's Food Pantry in Bridgeport. They urgently need donations of all kinds of groceries, but one of the items that they seem to run out of and need a lot of is cereal.
If all of us could remember to pick up a box of cereal (or two or more!) each time we shop, we'll be able to make a wonderful and much needed contribution for the food pantry each week. There is a collection basket at the main entrance of the church, and also one in lower Lewis Hall.
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Click HERE to read this week's wellness message from Living Compass |
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| Dear friend,
"Whatever is born of God conquers the world."
-1 John 5:4
Jesus once told a parable about two men. One built his house on sand. When the bad weather came, the house washed away. The other built his house on rock, and when the bad weather came, the wind blew and the rain poured down, but the house did not fall. No matter what we build ourselves, if it is not built on a strong foundation, our work is in vain. On the other hand, if it is rooted in strength, it too will be strong. John wrote in his first letter that whatever is born of God conquers the world. The creator is much larger than anything in creation. No matter how overwhelming something may seem to us, God can conquer it. Is there something you're trying to conquer these days? Are you trying to go about it alone? Or are you calling on God's much greater strength for help? John says that it is our faith that gives us the victory that conquers the world. In what ways are you building your house on faith? In what ways are you still building on sand?
Here at Grace Church we are dancing with life's big questions. Whether you're here just for this Sunday or if you're searching for a community of faith to belong to, we invite you to come to explore, come to connect and come to believe among us here at Grace Church. We'd enjoy both your company and your participation as we follow in the way of Jesus and learn and grow in discipleship together.
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Peace,
The Rev. Elsa Worth
Grace Episcopal Church |
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50th Wedding Anniversary
During Sunday's service, Kitty and Nick Karayeanes will be renewing their wedding vows in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to the two of you and may you have many more years together! |
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Special Music this Sunday
Joining Dave McWilliams and the Grace Choir during the service this Sunday will be cellist Jessica Dickinson, as well as Grace's Clandestine Quartet. Jessica is a student at the Hartt School of Music where she is studying for her master's degree in cello performance (http://jessdickinson.com/) The quartet, which made its debut at our Easter Vigil, will sing a special piece following Nick and Kitty's re-affirmation of marriage vows. Thank you Dave for coordinating this special musical Sunday!
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In Memoriam
Our Deepest Condolences go to Sandy Callahan and her family upon the death of her father in Texas this week.
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servant, Jim, and grant him an
entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of
your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
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Inviting All Runners, Walkers & Supporters
 May 19, 2012
There's still time to pledge to our team and raise some outreach funds for the at-risk kids of CT through the Bishop's Fund for Children. This year, we have SIX participants (and still looking for more): Elsa (of course!), Michele Bourque, Joe MacNeil, Dave McWilliams, Nathan Bowen and Kim Bowen. If you want to sponsor any, OR ALL, of these runners, Anne Martin, Grace's head team cheerleader, will be accepting contributions during Sunday's coffee hour. Or, if you choose, you may contribute online HERE. To date, $1,318.00 has been collected (this includes online donations)...woo-hoo!!! And if you can, come on up Saturday morning, May 19th, to either walk the course or cheer our runners on - at Webster Hill School, 125 Webster Hill Boulevard in W. Hartford. 8 am Registration and checkin in. 9 am pre-race yoga. The Kid's Fun Run is at 9:20. The 5K gun goes off at 9:40. Kids' field events begin at 9:45. The awards ceremony is at 10:30.
For more information, click HERE
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 The GLOW Festival
The GLOW Festival will take place here on Saturday June 2. It will be a day of good food, music, exhibits, talks, classes - even hot air balloon rides! This will be the day that the whole town of Trumbull will see that Grace Church is serious about God's mission of healing and wholeness. We intend to make Grace Church known as a community wide resource for healing and wholeness in body, mind and spirit in the Trumbull area.
Calling all bakers...!
Everyone is invited to find a recipe for a healthy treat - low fat, whole grain, special diet cookies, bars or cupcakes - and make a batch for the GLOW Festival Bake Sale. Please have items individually wrapped with copies of your recipe available for those who'd like to see what is in them - or to take the recipe home to make the treat themselves. There will be a bake sale at both the GLOW Festival on June 2 and also on Monday, May 28th before and during the Memorial Day Parade. We can make room in the church's chest freezer if you'd like to start making baked goods in advance!
Get Your GLOW On
The GLOW at Grace T-Shirts will be available following the service today. Only $5 each! Make sure you have one to wear at the GLOW Festival, or whenever you want to get the GLOW going around town.
What can I do...?
Possible jobs for you in anticipation of Festival Day: Posting flyers? Participating in hospitality at church on Memorial Day before the parade? Making confirmation calls with exhibitors?
Possible jobs for you on Festival Day: Turkey burger griller? Carrot stick cutter? Parking attendant? Person to shuttle people back and forth across the street from the Lutheran Church parking lot in your van? Handing out flyers? Schedule keepers for speakers and presenters?
Speak with anyone on the vestry if you'd like to get involved.
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Vestry News
Annual Deanery Pentecost Service
Once again this year Grace Church is hitting the road and headed down to St. John's in Bridgeport for the Annual Deanery Pentecost Service, May 27th at 10 am. (There will be no services at Grace that morning) Carpools will leave Grace Church at 9:15 or you can drive there directly. At least 9 different parishes will be participating, and the service will be conducted in six different languages. Our own Elsa Worth will be the preacher this year. Don't miss this wonderful yearly event!
ChurchTrac
We have a new computer database (ChurchTrac) in the office computer and we'd like to make sure we have you and all your contact information included. Please see Chris Lockwood, during coffee hour, and check the ChurchTrac sheet to make sure you're there and your info is correct.
It's an Ordination!
Save the date: Kelly will be ordained to the diaconate on Saturday, June 9th at at 10:30 AM at the Cathedral in Hartford, and we are all cordially invited to attend and celebrate this joyous event.
Godly Play
We hope you've seen the lovely new setting for our Godly Play room in the south transept of the church. Godly Play sessions will begin this fall for children between age 5 and 5th grade. Godly Play is tentatively scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, immediately following the service. Parent support is an integral part of the Godly Play program, so parents wishing to have their children participate are invited to a parent orientation session to learn about the program before enrolling their children. Parents are asked to speak with Elsa and an orientation session will be planned at a mutually agreeable time at the end of the summer.
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| This Week's Announcements |
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Saturday Evening Services
Our Saturday evening services will be taking a summer break soon. The final Recovery Eucharist of this church year will be May 12th. This and the other healing services will return again in September - probably on Sunday evening instead of Saturdays.
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Saturday, May 12, 5:30 PM Recovery Eucharist - Theodicy Jazz Collective and the Rev. Elsa Worth preaching
Saturday, May 19
Bishops' 5K for Kids
Tuesday, May 22, 7:00 PM
Rescheduled Vestry meeting
Sunday, May 27, 10:00 AM
Annual Deanery Pentecost Service at St. John's, Bridgeport
Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day)
Hospitality event for Memorial Day Parade viewers
Saturday, June 2
GLOW Festival
Saturday, June 9
Seminarian Kelly Moughty's ordination to the diaconate at 10:30 AM at the Cathedral in Hartford Saturday, June 14 Bishops' Open for Camp Washington |
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Camp Washington
Like Golfing?
Have a great day golfing and support Camp Washington, our diocesan summer camp, at the same time. Info about the Bishop's Open for Camp Washington on June 14 can be found on brochures in the narthex or on line HERE . Want to get a Grace Church foursome together?
Camp Washington - time to register your campers!
Camp Washington has wonderful camping programs for children and youth of all ages. Go to www.campwashington.org or ask Elsa, who volunteers as a camp chaplain there each summer, to find out more.
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Parish Hall available for community functions
Click HERE for additional information and Parish Hall availability. |
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