Grace Episcopal Church  
In This Issue
Sunday Ministers
Birthdays

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Sunday Services
 
8:00 AM
Celebrant:
The Rev.  Noah H. Evans
Preacher:  Mia Benjamin, Life Together intern 
LEM: Mia Benjamin   
Usher:
John Schlesinger 
Altar Guild: June Pietrantoni

10:00 AM
Celebrant: 
The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Preacher: Mia Benjamin, Life Together intern  
Minister of Music:
Ruth Roper   
LEM I:
Louis Carson 
LEM II:
Mia Benjamin 
Lector I*:
Dennis Hale   
Lector II*:
James Klasen 
Acolytes:
Jaeda Hamel, Lincoln Bell and Sam Cluggish  
Ushers:
Dennis Hale and James Klasen   
Altar Guild
Marie Glynn and Adele Travisano 
Healing Ministers:  Sara Folta, The Rev. Maggie Arnold, John Rogers and Cindy Scott
Vestry Person of the Day:
Sean Kerans   
Coffee Hour Hosts:  
Vin Maganzini, coffee and The Kerans family, food   
Counters:
Naida Gavrelis and Vin Maganzini 
 
5:00 PM
Celebrant:  The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Preacher:  Mia Benjamin
Musician:  Nicholas Hayes
Altar Guild Carolyn Rogers and Mia Benjamin

*click on link to prepare for this week's readings
 
Birthdays

Noah Martinez (11/30); Jim Pearson (12/2); Helen Sweeney (12/5); Laura Duggan (12/5)
 
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!
The Services this week are Sunday at 8 AM, 10 AM and 5 PM.  Our Sunday School classes will come together for a children's homily on 11/29 to learn about the season of advent.    The children will join the service to celebrate the Eucharist.
Gathering at Medford's
Temple Shalom, on Sunday, November 29th, the Medford Interfaith Clergy presented the 2015 'Medford Gives Thanks' interfaith prayer service.  This year's service was dedicated in honor of Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn as he completes 28 years as Medford's Mayor.  The service also brought in several hundred pounds of food donations for Medford's food pantries.   
Chioma Opara Stewardship Testimonial
Chioma Opara Stewardship Testimonial

You still have time to make a pledge to Grace Church for 2016.  You can fill out the online pledge form here.  Paper pledge cards are available on the bulletin board in Wiles Hall.

Did you know that you could make a gift to Grace Church by credit card right from the website?  click here for online giving. Fill in a fund and the amount you would like to give to begin. 
Grace Church parishoner, Oscar Greene, has been writing for many years.  At age 96, he is still writing.  His work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and anthologies. He is the author of several books:  House of Strangers, Hampton and the War Years, and From Homecoming to Twilight and Ruby: A Love Story.

Thanksgiving by Oscar H. Greene read more. 
David Wallace, our organ restorer, stopped by on November 20th to give an update on the work and to take a look at the progress on our space. 
We have  confirmed a  date of Tuesday, January 12, 2016 for the re-installation of the organ to begin.  The work will take 3-4 weeks to complete.  We are excited that this project is nearing completion, and that soon enough we will have organ again for our worship.  You can follow the organ restoration progress on the Grace Church restoration blog. 
Outreach Corner 
The next opportunity to help at St. Luke's Community Dining in Chelsea is December 26.  Please contact Lisa Carson with any questions or to volunteer to help. 
 
Food is needed for the food pantries that Grace Episcopal Church supports. The items for November 29 are cereal or tuna.  The items for December 6 are coffee or tea.

Look for the Grace Church "Giving Tree" in the Wiles Hall beginning November 22nd.  Celebrate our gifts by giving.

Wednesdays @ Grace
Toddler Godly Play class - 5:30-6:30
Godly Play 1-Preschool-Kindergarten,   5:30-6:15
Godly Play 2-Grades 1-2,   5:30-6:15
Dinner,   6-6:45
Child-care for children through 2nd grade, 6:45-8
Bible Class (grades 3-4), 6:45-8
Rite 13 youth group (grades 5-7), 6:45-8
J2A youth group (grades 8-9), 6:45-8
Adult Education classes, 6:45-8

December 2 at 6:45 PM
"The Genealogy of Jesus" led by The Rev. Noah H. Evans.  There is great interest in the study of genealogy right now - an interest in discovering our family roots and history. 
read more

December 9 at 6:45 PM 
Led by Mia Benjamin, Life Together intern
The Annunciation to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25) 
Who is Jesus's dad? What's up with the church teaching that Jesus is a direct descendant of David through Joseph and also claiming Joseph wasn't involved in his conception? Is Joseph Jesus's father? Or is God?

December 16 at 6:45 PM 
The Annunciation of Mary in Art 
led by The Rev. Dr. Maggie Arnold 
Join us to survey some of the most beautiful images of the visual arts, as a young girl encounters the divine and learns of the role she will play in God's salvation for her people and all of Creation. read more
Other Announcements
 
Free Zumba on Thanksgiving morning
Join us for free turkey madness on Thanksgiving morning! Come to a free Zumba class, open to teens and adults with all fitness levels welcome. Please bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the food pantries that Grace Church supports. Class will be held on Thursday, November 26 from 9-10:30 AM at Grace. Contact Zumba instructor and parishioner, Nanci Branson Palladino with any questions at  
nanci.palladino57@comcast.net.

Remember, "it's a Wonderful Life"
on Black Friday.
Come join us at 6:30 PM on Black Friday, November 27, for a showing of Frank Capra's Holiday Classic "it's a Wonderful Life" on the big screen in the Wiles Hall.

LaFarge Exhibit at Boston College
Grace is sponsoring a trip to this exhibit leaving Grace at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 2. The exhibit, "John LaFarge and the Recovery of the Sacred" features 85 paintings, stain glass windows, and works on paper...  read more. 

Craft Fair at Grace Church 
Saturday, December 5 from 9 AM to 1:00 PM  
read more

KOKA Christmas Wreaths
Once again the Knights will be decorating Christmas wreaths for sale. Wreaths will be ready for pickup on December 3rd and 4th and will be $14 each. Look for the order blank in the newsletter or in Wiles Hall. Orders are due November 29, 2015.

Help Respond to the Refugee Crisis
The war in Syria is internally displacing millions of people and causing a wave of refugees to leave the country in desperate search for safety.  We need to help, but what should our response be?  If you are interested in shaping our response to the refugee crisis, please come to a meeting at Grace Church on Sunday, December 6 at 4:00.  You may also contact Catherine Smith at smith.viggiani@comcast.net.

We are Christmas Caroling at Medford Rehab on
December 13 at 2:30 PM.  Bring your family to spread some cheer!

Book Club
The Women's Book Club meets every third Thursday at 7PM.  December 17- the movie Desk Set, a 1957 romantic comedy with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy; January 21 -The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown; For more information, see Genita Johnson at the 10 am church service or email her at  
pawleyslegacy@verizon.net.