On the first Sunday of each month, Grace offers a Children's Homily just before Announcement time during our 10:30 service. 

This coming Sunday, January 5th, the homily will focus on the principal event of Epiphany, the arrival of the wise men from the East, with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Infant of Bethlehem.

Sunday School students will place figures of the wise men and their camels around the manger scene on the altar platform, as Assistant Rector Sarah Motley helps them, and us, to understand the meaning of their journey and their offering. 

This "enacted homily" will finish the story our children began to tell so beautifully with their Advent pageant on December 22nd.

The Book of Common Prayer which unites congregations throughout the country and indeed, other places in the world, has been revised numerous times over the centuries to reflect and articulate the times in which it is used.

But how much have those prayers really been internalized, integrated, into daily life? What are the prayers of the Episcopal Church, how are they learned, and what do they do for spiritual sustenance and growth?

These are a few of the questions that might be asked at an evening set aside to consider more closely how 'fluent' our prayer grammar and vocabulary, structure and creativity are. And, in particular, how 'teaching' prayer to children, so that it is not seen as something that 'grown ups' or other people do, is crucial to Christian formation from a very early age. 

Iman Green, Diocesan Youth Missioner, will visit Grace Church for an evening discussion on these and other related topics.  The evening is aimed at parents but is open to all.

Please mark your calendars now as the date quickly approaches!

Tuesday Evening, January 7th, 2014, 7:00 PM

Free Child Care (Parents' Night Out)
Free 2-hour Parking at the Cinema Garage (just east of Wisconsin and K)

For more information please email The Reverend Sarah Motley

By Jeanne Jennings

If you are a teen or preteen (you will turn 12 by May 2014), please join us for this upcoming Grace | St. John's Youth Group Event! You're also welcome to bring friends.

11:30 AM to 2:30 PM

Scavenger Hunt, Pizza Party and Service for Christian Unity/Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday

Please join us as we pack a ton of fun and spirituality into a few mid-day hours. 

We'll be meeting at Grace Episcopal Church in Georgetown at 11:30 AM and promptly breaking into teams for a scavenger hunt which will take us to a variety of churches in Georgetown (we'll have an adult chaperon accompany each group -- please contact Jeanne to volunteer).  

We'll reconvene at St. John's at 12:45 PM and host a pizza party for youth from our group as well as other churches in Georgetown. Scavenger hunt winners will receive their prizes!

At 1:30 PM we'll attend the service for Christian Unity/Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday at St. Johns -- members of the youth group are invited to participate in the service as readers. The Blues Alley Youth Orchestra will be providing some jazz music, in addition to the regular hymns. 

We hope you can join us! Please RSVP online by Sunday, January 12th -- to learn more please email Jeanne. 

We're still working on our February  event -- watch your email for more details!

Now that the holiday season is past, it is time to look forward to new events in the new year.

On Sunday, January 19, Grace parishioners will have an opportunity that comes only a couple of times each year - a chance to gather for worship with others from churches around Georgetown. 

The 'Week of Prayer for Christian Unity/Martin Luther King Day' service will celebrate our common call and mission in Christ, and recall the call and mission of Martin Luther King Jr.

This year's event will focus especially on youth. The Grace/St. John's Youth Group will be holding a scavenger hunt around the churches of Georgetown prior to the service, and inviting youth from each of the dozen participating congregations to a pizza lunch to share history, anecdotes, 'favorite things' from their worshiping communities. Learn more and RSVP. 

In addition, members of the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra will be adding their music to the mix. Put the date on your calendars now! 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity/Martin Luther King Day

St. John's Episcopal Church
Potomac and O Streets, Georgetown

1:30 PM, Sunday January 19, 2014

(Youth pizza lunch at 12:45 PM)

Sponsored by the Georgetown Clergy Association

A good time was had by all when the youth group attended Jazz Vespers and then prepared dinner for Grace's shelter guests on Sunday, December 8th!

The main course was chili, made from scratch and seasoned to perfection by the youth group members, with just a little adult supervision.

After meeting the shelter guests, some youth group members marveled at how much 'like us' they seemed. Sports were a major topic over dinner, with members and shelter guests sharing stories of their favorite professional teams.  

Thanks to all the members that attended -- and to their parents for providing transportation on this cold, snowy night!  

Parishioners ages 12 to 18 and their friends are all invited to join the Youth Group; learn more about our upcoming events here.  

Grace's clergy, staff, Wardens, Vestry and Stewardship Committee are all very grateful for the generous response to our year-end "push" for payment of 2013 pledges and submission of commitments for 2014.

We're now at a payment rate over 100% for 2013, higher than that of 2011 and 2012. Pledged income is approaching $345,000 as this summary is being written. This represents our highest total ever, and an increase of more than $15,000 over 2013. 

Given the loss of several pledgers who have moved away or suffered significant financial setbacks, and the death of our beloved long-time supporter, member and friend Jean McKinney, we are delighted with these results. 

With this heartening response, it now appears Grace will be able to maintain increased commitments from 2013, including the provision of health insurance and pension benefits to lay and clergy staff working half-time or more; 10% of our operating income dedicated to support of diocesan ministries -- the recommended percentage; and small raises for staff. This good news presumes that we reach $345,000 in pledges, and even meeting this goal will leave us with less than $100 to spare, so if you haven't made your 2014 pledge yet, please do so as soon as possible.

Pledge cards are available at church, or by request from the office.  Electronic transmission is fine, too: email Stewardship Chair Scott Murphy, and send a copy to the church office via email. 

• The Vestry welcomed the newly elected  members: Ari Lynn Tonini, Lee Tyner, and Larry Molinaro. Their terms and that of our Junior Warden, Diana Dick, will  begin in January, 2014.

• The Vestry bid a fond farewell, with heartfelt thanks, to Junior Warden Paul Alligood and Vestry member Sally Avignone. Sally served the maximum of two full terms, or six years, as a Vestry member. Paul served the maximum of two full terms, or four years, as Junior Warden, in addition to completing the unexpired term of Hannah Phillips, his predecessor in this position.

• Aeon Preservation, our consultant, has submitted the application for our stonework restoration project to the Old Georgetown Board of the Commission of Fine Arts. The Board will consider the application at its January 2nd meeting; both the Rector and the Junior Warden will attend, as well as an Aeon representative.

• Peter Wallace, the Grace Church Treasurer, presented a first draft of the 2014 Budget. At this point, there's a gap of about $25,000, not including possible staff raises, between projected income and projected expenses. We spent the majority of the meeting time considering ways to bring the budget into balance.

• The Vestry scheduled the vote on the 2014 Budget for January 23rd, our next meeting.