Grace Episcopal Church  
In This Issue
Sunday Ministers
Birthdays
Sunday Services

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Sunday 
9:00 AM
Celebrant: 
The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Preacher:  The Rev. Dr. Maggie Arnold 
Minister of Music:  Ruth Roper
LEM I: Margaret Smist
LEM II: Esther Brownsmith  
Lector I*:
Margaret Smist
Lector II*:
Lucia Page 
Acolytes: 
Chioma Opara, Nzube Opara and Hannah Rogers 
Usher: 
James Kossuth  
Altar Guild
Olivia Bracken 
Coffee Hour Hosts: Tom Hamel,
coffee - food host needed 
Counters:
Jane Scherban and Naida Gavrelis 
Vestry Person of the Day:
Agnes Opara
Children's Homilist: 
The Rev. Noah H. Evans 
    
*click on link to prepare for this week's readings  

Birthdays

 

Brenda Comeau and Acadia Cross-Choi (8/31); Karl Haas (9/1); Shirley Kountze, Charrese Murray, Mike Nickey, Solomon Nwachukwu, Sr. Ryan Pearson, and John Zafiris, III. (9/2); Sawyer Brown, Michael Fenn and Nicholas Gavrelis (9/4); Corey Finnegan and Alicia Hunt (9/6).


 If we do not have your birthday, please contact the church office at 781-396-7215 or office@gracemedford.org  
Welcome
Please join us at Grace Church!
Sunday, August 31st is our last summer worship at 9:00 AM.  The Rev. Noah H. Evans is the Celebrant on Sunday.  The Rev. Dr. Maggie Arnold is our Preacher.  There will be a children's homily during the service offered by Noah

Sunday, September 7 we will resume our services at 8AM, 10AM and 5PM.   
A faithful message from Bishop Shaw as he discontinues cancer treatment, and begins hospice care.  Please keep him in your prayers.
 

Kid's Corner

 

There will be a children's homily on Sunday offered by The Rev. Noah H. Evans. 

 

Godly Play Training at Grace Church

Grace Church is tentatively hosting Godly Play teacher trainings for the New England region on September 19-21st. During this training participants experience all aspects of the Godly Play method and begin to become fluent in the Godly Play core stories and lessons. Core training follows an action/reflection model of learning with a mixture of trainer-led presentations and participant storytelling presentations. Core training plenary presentations cover: the Spirituality of the Child, Setting up a Godly Play Environment and Supporting the Circle of Children. This will be a wonderful opportunity to become a Godly Play teacher, with the training right here at Grace Church! Let Noah if you are interested, or might be interested in this.

 

Save the Date information for Children and Youth Programs!

NOW: Register for Fall Children and Youth programs at www.gracemedford.org

September 14: Sunday school begins

September 17: Wednesdays and Grace Begins

Outreach Corner    
The next opportunity to help with St. Luke's Community Dining is September 27. For a few months, we will be preparing bagged lunches in the Grace Church kitchen from 9-10:30 AM and distributing them at St. Luke's between 11:00 AM and noon.  Please contact Brenda Pearson at bpearson267@gmail.com
if you are interested in volunteering or have questions.  

Food is needed for the food pantries that Grace Episcopal Church supports. Food items may be placed in the baskets just outside the main entrance to the sanctuary (an usher can help you locate them.)  The item for August 31 is canned soup.

 

Semi-Annual Clothing Pantry

This Fall our pantry will be held on Saturday, September 13 from 9:00 AM to noon.

We need volunteers to help with set-up, pantry day and close down. Whatever time you have available to help, even just an hour, would be greatly appreciated. Adults only are needed on Saturday.

 

Our set-up days are as follows:

Wednesday, September 10 help is needed getting clothing from storage area above the office.

Thursday, September 11 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM for sorting in the church.

Friday, September 12 from 6:00 until set up is done.

In the past adults and their children have helped with sorting and folding.

 

Please, let Maria Fenn know if and when you can help. Thanks so much to all who have helped in the past. Thanks also to the kind people who donate their gently used clothing.

Other Announcements     

 

New Grace Church rainbarrels installed 

Garden Help Needed

Things are getting ripe in the garden! We need individuals or families (you can also combine with others) to weed, and harvest the garden and deliver produce  to the local food pantry we support at the UU Medford Church.  Instructions for how to take care of the garden are displayed next to the volunteer sign-up board on the easel in the Parish Hall.  

 

Backpack Blessing

Kids!! Bring your backpacks to the 9:00am service on Sunday, August 31st and we will have a special blessing for you as you head BACK TO SCHOOL. Adults!! Most of you have been spending time away from work this summer....you can bring your cell phones and Blackberries to Church for a blessing as you plunge back into the fall routine.

 

Come-see THE GUYS -- on September 5

On Friday, September 5 a reading of Anne Nelson's play THE GUYS will be presented in Wiles Hall. Brenda Pearson and Jeff Pietrantoni will perform the play at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the fund to bring a few parishioners from Bogota, Colombia, South America to visit and share time with us at Grace, Medford. Donations for the performance, which includes coffee and dessert, are $10.00 -- or more if you are able.   Advance tickets are not necessary and donations will be accepted at the door. If you have any questions, please contact Maria Fenn or Jeff Pietrantoni.


Program Year Worship Schedule Resumes on Sunday, September 7th

Worship Sundays at 8AM, 10AM and 5PM

 

Beginning of School Picnic

A parish picnic will be held following the 10 am service on Sunday, September 7. Burgers, hot dogs, drinks and chips will be provided. A free will offering will be collected to cover the cost. If your last name begins with A-Q bring a salad or side dish, R-Z bring a dessert!

 

Grace Women's Book Club

The Grace Church Women's Book Club meets monthly at 7 pm on the third Thursday except for in August.  Here is our upcoming book selection.

September 18 is Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 

Please see Genita Johnson during church at 10 am service. or contact her at pawleyslegacy@verizon.net for more information.  All women are welcome to come, even if you have not read this month's book and just want to check out our book club.   

 

Grace Women's Retreat

The Retreat is On! We have registered enough women to hold the dates (October 3-5) for the fall women's retreat at Rolling Ridge Conference Center in Andover, MA. Please contact Maria Fenn (MFENN@partners.org) about available spots left as they will be given on a first come first serve basis. As it gets closer I will be sending out informational emails. There will also be copies of schedules and such at church.  If any of you would like to lead an activity, let Maria Fenn know.    

 

Blessing of the Animals and Holy Eucharist 

Sunday, October 5 at 5:00PM

Come join us for a Blessing of the Animals! We will be acknowledging our relationship with creation, especially those animals who are a part of our daily lives! Bring your dogs, cats, fish, and sheep, stuffed animals, or a picture of animals, for a special blessing at Grace Church.

 

We will also be collecting donations for the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA. The Northeast Animal Shelter is one of New England's largest no-profit, no-kill animal shelters and takes in homeless animals across the US. Currently, they have a large need for canned dog and cat food, jars of all-meat baby food, clay cat litter, toys for dogs and cats, as well as blankets. For more information on donations, contact Kris Plausky at kris.plausky@gmail.com