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For Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 9, 2012
For  Sunday's readings, click HERE.
Elsa 20120325
The Rev. Elsa Worth
Rector
Email Elsa:
 [email protected]

Click HERE to read Elsa's blog 

Nancy 20120325
The Rev. Nancy Gage
Deacon
Email Nancy:
[email protected]

 Dave 2
David McWilliams

Minister of Music
Email Dave: [email protected] 
 

Grace Church Office Hours:

Mon-Thur: 1-5 pm
203-268-2809
Email: 
[email protected]
Musical Interlude
If you would like to see and hear Jessica Dickinson and Dave perform "Andante Cantabile" by Katharine E. Lucke, just click on the cello!

We are the
CerealCEREAL 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

Episcopal Crest Episcopal loga
If you wish to subscribe to the Episcopal Diocese of CT weekly eNewsletters, please click HERE.


Living Compass
Click HERE to read this week's wellness message from Living Compass
"The Glow" Archives:
To view previous issues of "The Glow", click here.





Dear friend,  
Hypocrisy

   

"So faith, by itself, if it has no works, is dead."

-James 2:17

 

In a popular book about writing college application essays, the author recommends that students find a creative way to write about who they really are.   "Share what you are most passionate about," the author advises, "and share it with passion."  "But," he goes on, "be well aware - if, for example, you write passionately about the injustice of the world and the plight of the hungry and your list of life experiences and community service shows nothing about volunteering at a food pantry or helping out at a soup kitchen or somehow engaging with the issue of hunger in the real world, your so called 'passion' will be dismissed out of hand, and your application will be, too."  Hypocrisy will not get you far on a college application, and it certainly will not get you far in faith. "Loving your neighbor" is not just a nice sentiment - it's a command to live by. One of the most frequent criticisms of church people is that we preach one thing and then do another.   James even says that a faith that doesn't follow through and do what it says it's about is dead. Dead is a pretty strong word - not weak, not wrong, not even sinful - it's DEAD. When have you experienced dead faith in yourself, in others, or in the church? What do you do to keep your faith alive and kicking - and congruent with what you say you believe?


Here at Grace Church we are dancing with life's big questions. 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.
Peace,
 
Elsa Signature

The Rev. Elsa Worth
Grace Episcopal Church

Blessing of the Backpacks
Backpack

This Sunday, students in preschool through 12th grade are invited to bring their backpacks to church. They'll bring them forward during the service for a special blessing and prayer for a good school year. Students will also receive a token to keep in their backpacks to remind them of God's love and presence all year long. Any student is welcome, whether they attend Grace Church or not - so tell your friends and neighbors!


Godly Play  

Godly Play begins on the 4th Sunday of September (Sept 23) right after our service, and will continue on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month thereafter. Parents with children between the age of 4 and 12 are invited to the Godly Play parent orientation this Sunday immediately following the service in the Godly Play space. Please gather there with your children after the postlude. The children will be invited downstairs to do an art project while the parents meet. The orientation will take about 20 minutes.

   

Ancestors: A New Program for Middle School Students   

We're excited that the middle school students at Christ Church in Tashua will be joining us in the Ancestors program this year, and we're waiting to hear if two other Episcopal churches in the area will also join in! Ancestors is a fun program for both kids in grades 6-8 and their parents, and we will have an introductory session next Sunday, September 16th at 1PM. Parents and kids are encouraged to attend this session to learn more about Ancestors. The meeting will start with pizza (please bring $5 per person) and will conclude no later than 2:30. If you're coming, please call the office or email Elsa to RSVP for lunch.


Evening Services Starting This Sunday!              

Recovery Eucharist - 5:00 PM
The first Recovery Eucharist of the year will be this Sunday at 5 pm. Our own Dave McWilliams takes the wheel as musician and The Rev. Todd Shipley will be our engaging and lively preacher. Then, beginning in October, the Recovery Eucharist takes place at 5 pm on the first Sunday evening of each month, through May. Don't miss our third anniversary on Oct 7, when our friend, and the ever popular Jan Grinnell from Rhode Island returns as guest preacher! 

Night Prayer - 8:00 PM Moon
We are introducing this new candlelit half hour of quiet prayer every Sunday night at 8 PM, beginning this Sunday

Harvest Celebration and Thanksgiving Service
-sponsored by the Episcopal Churches of Trumbull

This Sunday at 2PM, Grace Church, Christ Church and Trinity Church are sponsoring a special Harvest Celebration at the Trumbull Bandstand (next to the town hall). Residents of the Trumbull area will be invited to bring produce from their gardens (or canned goods from the store) to dedicate and bless and donate to the CT Food Bank. If you have a garden bursting with squash or tomatoes or any other good thing, or would like to bring some purchased food to add to the cornucopia of bounty we hope Trumbull can contribute to the food bank, please plan to be with us for this short harvest prayer service.


Grace Choir
               -our choir is looking to grow!   
 
Choir We're currently looking for new choir members of all ages and abilities for the fall when rehearsals will begin. Please consider supporting our thriving music program by becoming a member. Can't read music? Not a problem!  Have no experience? None is necessary!  You just need a willingness to learn and be part of a truly unique and fulfilling experience! Talk to Dave or any other choir member if you're considering.  Choir rehearsals are brief and take place immediately after coffee hour on Sundays.

The Grace Church Art Studio
-a new venue for healing and creativity
Pallette

Love to paint, draw or create any other visual media?  Find it hard to fine the time or physical space to do it?  The Grace Church Art Studio is for those who already love art or for those who want to find a new way to tap into their creative being.  In addition to being an enjoyable pastime, art is an important way to deepen in faith.  The Grace Art Studio is intended as a peaceful place of healing and creativity for all. We hope it gives those who want to paint, draw or even just doodle a special place to come and express what's in their hearts.  And especially for those working on finding new and healthier ways of dealing with the pain, stress and demands of life, we hope that the studio will be a place to meet one's higher power through art.

 

Location: Upper Lewis Hall, across from the main church offices.

Available: Monday-Sunday 7:00 AM- 10:00 PM

 

Currently, we ask that you bring your own supplies and take them with you when you are done. We do have a few paints, brushes, small canvases and some paper for those who need assistance in getting started. We encourage anyone who wants to come to use this space as often as they wish. We also plan to offer art lessons in the near future. Art Studio rules are posted on the door of the studio, and we ask that all who use the studio abide by them for the good of all.

 

Donations of materials, talents or time to grow our Art Studio mission are greatly appreciated. And because this is a new venture, we welcome your ideas and suggestions. For questions or suggestions, please contact Dave Varker or Chris Lockwood. More info about the studio and Grace Church can be found on our website:  www.gracetrumbull.org

 

The public is warmly invited to attend the Gala Opening Reception on Sunday, September 16th, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. in the studio.


You are Invited to a Progressive Dinner
Dinner On Saturday, September 22, 2012, the Episcopal Churches of Trumbull will host a progressive dinner.
Appetizers will be served at Christ Church, Tashua, at 5:30 p.m. followed by the main course at Grace Church and dessert at Trinity Church, Nichols. Look for a
sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall within the next week.
The Fellowship team will also have a sign-up sheet available in the Narthex and the Parish Hall for our Grace Church cooks to sign up to make an entree or side dish for the dinner. The team will choose a menu shortly and the sign-up sheet will be posted in September. This will be a nice opportunity for fellowship with our Trumbull Episcopal friends and neighbors and we hope that you will plan on attending and enjoying a fun evening of community and great food.
Tashua Apple Festival

We are planning on helping out Christ Church with their annual Apple Festival on the first weekend of October this year. If you can donate some of your time or energy, please speak with Chris Stapleton, who is gathering willing helpers together to pitch in on a day of Episcopal Church fun!

Commitment Sunday - October 14th
                                                  -please save this date.

The Vestry is working with a church stewardship consultant to conduct an Every Member Visitation Stewardship Drive on this date. Our Steering Committee will be recruiting and training volunteer visitors, developing communication pieces, and asking members of the congregation for assistance with the drive in various ways. Please prayerfully consider how you can help this important effort and say "YES!" when a member of our parish asks for your help. Much more information will follow! Please see our website, and look for updates in the Glow, in the Sunday Bulletin, in church and in special mailings

 
                    This Week's Announcements

Sunday, September 9th:

Eucharist service - 9:30 AM

Godly Play Parent Orientation - immediately after the service

Harvest Celebration - Trumbull Town Hall, 2:00 PM  

Recovery Eucharist - 5:00 PM

Night Prayer - 8:00 PM

 

Wednesday, September 12:
Guided Meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM
 
Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 16th:

Eucharist service - 9:30 AM

Ancestors Orientation - 1:00 PM

Grace Art Studio Open House in upper Lewis Hall - 6:30-8:00 PM  

  
Wednesday, September 19th:                      

Guided Meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM  

Church Hall available for community functions
Party Card
Click HERE for additional information and Church Hall availability.
Coffee House
                               -beginning September 29th at 7:00 PM!!

 

Our new monthly coffeehouse for teens begins on Saturday, September 29th and will happen from 7-9pm on the last Saturday of each month thereafter. The coffeehouse will be a chaperoned, sober event sponsored by Grace Church and offered to the teens of Trumbull and surrounding communities for the purpose of providing a welcoming and accepting space for teens to be themselves, to enjoy music and the arts, and to grow in community.  

 

Church members can support this event in two ways: 1. Volunteering as a chaperone or 2. Baking treats or donating individually wrapped snacks or drinks to sell at the coffeehouse each month. If you'd like to volunteer or if you have questions, talk to Dave M, Avery or Jon.