The Rev. Elsa Worth
Rector 
The Rev. Nancy Gage
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Musical Interlude
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If you would like to have music when reading The Glow (or for whatever else you might be doing!), just click on the keyboard image to listen (or download) music performed by Dave during our services.
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Happenings-
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To see what's been going on in, and around, Grace, click on each of these links:
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We are the CEREAL church!
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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. |
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"The Glow" Archives:
To view previous issues of "The Glow", click here. |
  | | If you wish to subscribe to the Episcopal Diocese of CT weekly eNewsletters, please click HERE. |
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Click HERE to read this week's wellness message from Living Compass |
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| Dear friend,
"Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty
has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
-Mark 12:43-44
The poor widow in this story is often held up as an example of what it means to be truly generous. Imagine - she had almost nothing, but still put coins into the treasury! What the story does not tell us is whether this woman was donating voluntarily or if she was required to pay this temple tax. Is Jesus really commending her for her generosity? Or is he pointing out the injustice of a system that asks the wealthy only to give out of their abundance, but requires almost everything from someone as poor as this widow? "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers," he warns. With the election season behind us, maybe now is the time to go beyond campaign rhetoric and even go beyond charity and to look at the systemic problems around us that stack the odds agains those in poverty. How has your faith shaped the way you interact with injustice? Has it entered your prayer life? Have you ever written to the president or to your congresspeople or to your local officials or newspaper? How have you, like Jesus, spoken out for justice?
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. |
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Peace,
The Rev. Elsa Worth
Grace Episcopal Church |
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Broadway on Main Street
- this Saturday night, November 10th!
 October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and in honor of this important cause, Grace Church will be hosting a fundraiser for the Center for Women and Families (CWF) this Saturday, November 10th. Performers from all over town will gather to share their talents in a Broadway cabaret from 7-9 PM. Proceeds will benefit the good work of CWF. Come out for an evening of good music and good fun for a good cause! We need your help to make this event a success. Please contact Elsa if you are able to pitch in with: planning the set up, making the room ready, planning, providing or setting up refreshments or helping with clean up. People from outside Grace Church who care about the mission of CWF are warmly invited to get involved! The suggested donation at the door will be $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. We hope to generate a good donation above our expenses for this event, so spread the word and invite your friends! Flyers are available in the office for you to post around town. Pick them up from Maryann or ask to have it emailed to you to print.
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Godly Play
-at Grace this Sunday, November 11th
We'll be learning about the Holy Family in Godly Play this Sunday. Please come to the Godly Play space right after the service instead of going downstairs. We'll have a snack ready for you so we can get started right away
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Elsa goes to Rochester this week...
Elsa's leaving on her yearly trek to visit with her sister in Rochester, NY Monday. She'll be back Monday the 19th. The Rev. David Pople will be here next Sunday as our guest priest. Please give him a warm welcome. If there is a pastoral emergency while Elsa is away, please contact the Rev. Louise Kalemkerian at 203-536-9259.
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Blanket Drive for Immigrants and Refugees
Just as we did last year, we're collecting blankets, as well as pots and pans, for recent immigrant and refugee families in New Haven through IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services in New Haven, a program of the Episcopal Diocese of CT. Jody Irwin of Christ Church is coordinating the Trumbull effort this year. New or lightly used blankets or cookware are welcome. Chris George of IRIS says they are in need of at least 150 blankets this year, in addition to cookware. If you have a donation to contribute, you can leave it in our church office, which Jody will collect on Friday, November 16th, or you can contact Jody directly at 203-452-9366 to drop them off with her. Please try to make your donation to our office by the end of next week so the items will be ready for Jody's pickup, and ready to deliver to New Haven before Thanksgiving. For more information on IRIS, you can visit www.irisct.org
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Choral Evensong
-this Sunday in Norwalk
The choristers of St. Paul's will be leading a choral evensong at St. Paul's on the Green in Norwalk this Sunday at 5 PM. Our own Carl and Bo Worth will be singing. All are welcome
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Thanksgiving Services at Grace
This year we host the Trumbull Interfaith Service on Weds, Nov 21st at 8 pm. Dave will be leading the large combined choir and Elsa will be the preacher. Come and give thanks with your Trumbull friends and neighbors and their congregations.
We will also have our Thanksgiving Day service on Thanksgiving morning at 10 am. It will be a simple, quiet service with communion suitable for all ages. Come start your holiday on the right foot!
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More of David's music...
 Did you know that we have been recording some of David's musical pieces? If you would like to hear them again, just click on the piano keyboard in the upper left-hand margin of this newsletter. You can even download them for free and, maybe, create your own iTunes album!
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Coffee Hour Hosting
At Grace Church, we all share the ministry of hospitality at our weekly coffee hour rather than have it rest on the shoulders of just a few. Our system is to cycle through the whole church directory alphabetically, asking two individuals or families each week to contribute a tray of goodies. If possible, these people also stay and help clean up after coffee hour is over. If your name is in the newly published contact list, you will most probably be called to be a coffee hour host on a periodic basis. We welcome your unique and delicious contribution! Maryann will be calling people on Tuesdays for the upcoming Sunday. Please get back to her either way so that we know we're covered each week. If you are going to be away, or are unavailable on a week she calls, no problem. She'll move on to the next person and will circle around and invite you again later. If for some reason you are unable to take part in the coffee hour rotation, please let Maryann or Elsa know if you haven't already done so - so we won't keep bugging you!
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This Week's Announcements
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Sunday, November 11th:
Eucharist service - 9:30 AM
Godly Play - immediately following service
Night Prayers - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, November 14th:
Guided meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM
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Sunday, November 18th:
Eucharist service - 9:30 AM
Night Prayers - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, November 21st:
Guided Meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM
Thanksgiving Service - 8:00 PM
Thursday, November 22nd:
Thanksgiving Eucharist - 10:00 AM
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