Grace Episcopal Church  
In This Issue
Sunday Ministers
Birthdays

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Sunday Services
 
8:00 AM
Celebrant:
The Rev.  Dr. Maggie Arnold
Preacher:  The Rev. Noah H. Evans 
LEM: Branwen Smith-King     
Usher:
John Schlesinger  
Altar Guild: June Pietrantoni

10:00 AM
Celebrant: 
The Rev. Dr. Maggie Arnold
Preacher: The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Minister of Music:
Ruth Roper   
LEM I:
Mia Benjamin 
LEM II:
Emmy Llewellyn
Lector I*:
Deborah Jennings  
Lector II*:
Lucia Page  
Acolytes:
Louis Carson, Brianna Nwachukwu and Cassidy Maguire 
Ushers:
Kristen Spence and James Kossuth    
Altar Guild
Olivia Bracken
Healing Ministers: 
Margaret Smist, The Rev. Noah Evans, Mia Benjamin and Sara Folta 
Vestry Person of the Day:
Agnes Opara    
Coffee Hour Hosts:  
Steve Duggan, coffee and Allison Andrews and Catherine Smith, food 
Counters:
Bryan Spence and Wes Foote 
 
5:00 PM
Celebrant and Preacher: 
The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Musician:  Nicholas Hayes 
Altar Guild Carolyn Rogers and Mia Benjamin

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

Sharen Brown, Jason Finnegan and Galen Brownsmith (12/13) Charlie DePalma (12/16); Santino Borelli, II., Ryan Lamb and Emily Pardy (12/17); Emily Rivera (12/18) and Maria Fenn (12/19).
 
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 begin at 9:45 AM.  Nursery care is available   The children will join the service to celebrate the Eucharist.

By Allison Andrews
What do you know about the artist John LaFarge?  You might have heard that he created our window "Rebecca at the Well."  On December 2nd, a group of us learned quite a lot at a guided tour of the LaFarge exhibit...
Help Respond to the Syrian Refugee Crisis 
Grace Church members met on December 4 to discuss how we should respond to this crisis.  We identified a few short term projects and some longer term projects.  There is still an opportunity to help out.  In fact, before Christmas, there are three opportunities to help refugees, one of which will actually SAVE you time during this busy season!  read more 
We are grateful for the pledges Grace Church has received for 2016. Look for your thank you notes in the mail.

If you haven't pledged, 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.  
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 item for December 13 is canned soup.  The items for December 20 are pasta or sauce.  Please remember that on Christmas Eve we are collecting non-perishable food items for the Medford food pantries that Grace supports.  Help us share our gifts.

Remember that "Giving Tree" gifts are due on Sunday, December 13.   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 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 

Wednesday, January 6, 2016  at 7:00 PM 
"A Small Good Thing" Film Screening with the Medford Film Collaborative. 
For the longest time, we've been living as though the more we have-the more money, the more goods, the more territory-the happier we'll be. Surprisingly, over the last fifty years as our standard of living has improved, our happiness has not...read more 
Other Announcements
 
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.  On January 21 we read -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.

The Grace Church Christmas Pageant will be Saturday, Dec. 19th at 5pm, with a community potluck to follow (snow date Dec. 20).
 
Blue Christmas Service, December 20 at 5PM
Grace Church is offering a special "Blue Christmas" service; a service of remembrance, hope and healing. Everyone, regardless of faith and/or church background (or lack thereof) is welcome. For more information, contact the church office at (781) 396-7215 or at office@gracemedford.org 
 
Christmas Eve Services
ALL ARE WELCOME!
December 24, 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Grace Church will gather for our celebration of the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve, December 24th with services at 4:00 PM (service for Children and Families) and 7:00 PM (Candlelight with Choir).  Please bring a nonperishable food item for the Medford food pantries.  Children: please bring an ornament to decorate the Grace Church Christmas tree. 
 
Christmas Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 27th at 10:00AM
Join us as we continue to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas!  There will be no 8AM and 5PM service on December 27th.