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Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
June 23rd, 2013

   

 

                  Sunday's readings here.

Elsa 20120325
The Rev. Elsa Worth
Rector
Email Elsa:
 [email protected]

Click HERE to read Elsa's blog 

Nancy 20120325
The Rev. Nancy Gage
Deacon
Email Nancy:
[email protected]

 Dave 2
David McWilliams

Minister of Music
Email Dave: [email protected] 
 

Grace Church Office Hours:

Mon-Fri: 1-5 pm
203-268-2809
Email: 
[email protected]
Musical Interlude
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.
Light a Candle

Happenings-
We are the CEREAL church!
Cereal
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.
"The Glow" Archives:
To view previous issues of "The Glow", click here.
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Living Compass
Click HERE to read this week's wellness message from Living Compass





Dear friend,  
Girl Skipping

   

"So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him."

-Luke 8:39

 

Most people can look back and see a point in their life when goodness intervened. Something was healed, or finally settled, or ended up turning out well after a difficult period - or even better - some kind of terrible burden was lifted. Think back to when such a thing might have happened to you. Are you in touch with a sense of gratitude for it?   The man released from the torment of demons in today's gospel was quite sure that it was Jesus that had healed him. He not only gave him the credit, he also told others what had happened and how much Jesus had done for him. His enthusiastic sharing was a measure of the man's great gratitude. What is the measure of your gratitude to Jesus for the things that have been healed in your life? Do you share your stories of healing and transformation with others?

 

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.
Peace,
 
Elsa Signature

The Rev. Elsa Worth
Grace Episcopal Church

Moving Forward in Mission

Grace Church is in a time of transition. We know there are changes ahead due to budgetary constraints, but we're not sure how they're going to look. One of the options we are currently exploring is bringing our collaboration efforts with our neighboring Episcopal parish, Christ Church in Tashua, to a new level by sharing one priest. Christ Church has been in search for their own half-time priest for over a year, and last winter, Elsa applied for the position, hoping to open up a conversation between the two churches about the possibility of sharing clergy. The latest on this is that last week the Christ Church vestry decided to enter into conversation with our vestry to explore what such a collaboration might look like and whether it truly is a viable option for both of our parishes. To that end, our vestry will be meeting over in Tashua with the Christ Church vestry next week. The meeting will be chaired by Ron, our senior warden, and Elliott, their senior warden. If after a meeting or two the vestries both think this option is something we really want to consider more fully, we will enter into a formal process of discernment together, along with diocesan support, to figure out the nuts and bolts of how such an arrangement might actually come together. Please keep these vestries in your prayers for an open, honest and clarifying meeting together next week

Grace-full Conversations

Changes are taking place at Grace Church and there are more changes to come.  Budgetary limitations are causing us to seriously re-evaluate how we do church together.  Though we're not sure how things are ultimately going to turn out, we know that the Spirit is in this with us and that it is a priority for us to remain together as a caring community through anxious times.  With so many questions and unknowns about our future floating around, it is crucial for each of us who care about this faith community to make time for prayer and spiritual discussion together, as we air questions, concerns, worries, suggestions or anything else that's on our minds and hearts.  To that end, Elsa is initiating bi-weekly Grace-full Conversations.  During these times together we'll listen to God and to each other, considering things like: What is our deepest purpose for gathering as a Eucharistic community?  How does church fit into our lives and how important is it to us?  Who is God calling us to be?  What is the role of the priest in a church community?  What is the role of the laity?   How are we, as a church, reaching out to our neighbors?  Could we grow more deeply and intentionally into God's mission and how might that look?  What are the societal changes we are being faced with?  How do we perceive these changes affecting our church and our own lives?  How do these changes affect what we both can and want to do together as a church?

 

The key word in all of this is together.   If the people of Grace Church are to move forward together, we need to make the time to meet together to discern our next steps.  Therefore, opportunities will be available twice a week - every Wednesday and Sunday beginning June 12.  Gatherings will take place in the chapel after coffee hour on Sundays and each Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm.  Each meeting will last 1� hour and will include Scripture exploration, prayer and discussion.  All are encouraged to attend at least once a week if possible.  This is our opportunity to stay in touch, to discover the new things God is doing here at Grace, and to deepen in faith together through the process.       

Noisy Collection for Tornado Victims Relief
-this Sunday, June 23rd
Coins Grab all your loose change and bring it to church this Sunday for our next Noisy Collection.  Carl is organizing this one to donate money to the American Red Cross Relief Fund to benefit the victims of the tornadoes in Oklahoma.
Thank you Carl for your ministry, leading us to reach out toward those in need! 
AND, "thank you" to everyone for your support! 

Annual Church Picnic
-this Sunday, June 23rd! Picnic

The annual church picnic follows the service this Sunday.  Burgers and dogs will be provided - you bring your favorite picnic sides.  If it's a nice day, we will be out on the front lawn, so bring your lawn chair, and extras if you have them.  We have the folding wooden chairs, but we'll bet your lawn chairs are more comfortable.  Other items to bring:  lawn sports like Frisbee, bocce, etc.  If someone has a whiffle ball set, how about our first annual picnic whiffle ball game?  Perhaps the sporty among us have some good ideas for something like that.  


Welcome to Christ Church this Sunday...
Mother Louise is visiting family in Michigan this weekend, and so we welcome members of Christ Church who are worshiping with us this Sunday. In July, when Elsa is on vacation, (July 7, 14 and 21) we'll be heading over to Tashua to worship there. Then, when Louise is gone in August, Christ Church will come here again. It's nice to be having our second summer of this fun Trumbull swap.

Trumbull Day - Come and Play!
-next Saturday, June 29th
Grace Church has rented a booth at Trumbull Day 2013.  We're taking our church on the road to greet the people of our town with warm hospitality and Grace-full activities.  We hope to have at least 6 Grace Church people present at all times throughout the afternoon not only to enjoy being together, but to show Trumbull how much we enjoy being together.  Come, bring your lawn chair, relax and hang out with friends while being open and friendly to passers-by.  We'll make sure we have plenty of empty chairs with us so new people can some and join us.  Bring your knitting!  Bring your ball and gloves!  Bring some snacks to share.  Wear your Grace T-Shirt!  It's an all day Grace Church party down at Hillcrest Middle School and every member of Grace of every age are encouraged to come and spend part of their Saturday with the church.  Please sign up for an hour or two or three - or more!  A vestry member will be bringing a sign-up sheet around during coffee hour Sunday.  Donna will be there with her blood pressure table, Elsa will offer healing prayers.  We thinking of organizing times for meditation or Bible study.  Do you have ideas for Trumbull Day?  Talk to anyone on the vestry.  News is coming soon about how you might also be able to contribute to a cupcake sale/decorating station.  Stay tuned!

Medical Mission Trip to Panama

Ted, a faithful member of the Discovery Group is taking a two week trip to Panama with a group from Black Rock Church to bring medical and other assistance to people in Panama.   They are bringing much needed personal care items along to give away.  Ted's in charge of getting donations of toothbrushes and toothpaste.  We can help him!   Please bring your donations of these dental care items (or other personal hygiene items such as shampoo, soap, aspirin, band aids, diapers, etc.) to church no later than tomorrow, Friday, June 21 and we'll make sure they get to Ted and the mission trip group. If you come by outside of office hours, you can leave your donation in the box in the library.


Wednesday Morning Meditation

Our morning meditation group is growing! If you're an early riser, this is a wonderful way to start and center your day. Wednesday morning from 7-7:25 in the chapel. Wednesday meditation continues through the summer.  


Saturday Morning Discovery Group
-every Saturday morning
Each Saturday from 9-10, the Discovery Group gathers at Panera bread in the Trumbull Mall. We are currently using the Sermon on the Mount to seek the overlap between the way of Jesus and 12 step spirituality. You need not be in a 12 step group to attend. It's a great bible study! The Discovery Group will continue through the summer.

Holding Down the Fort 
For many of us, summer is a time of going away and having all kinds of fun outings.  Sometimes that mean missing more Sunday mornings at church than usual.  But while we're away on vacation - or at church on a church swap day over with Christ Church, our bills don't take a vacation and keep coming in to the Grace Church office all summer long.  If you have made a pledge to Grace, we hope you will keep it current despite vacation, and to this end, the vestry asks you to consider setting up an automatic payment from your bank account to Grace for the remainder of the year so that you don't even have to think about it!  If you don't want to pay on line, consider offering your pledge in advance when you know you're going to be away so that we don't have cash flow problems over the summer.  Our church depends on the weekly pledges you have made to support our budget even when you're not here, so please keep your pledging current this summer and fall.

Used Clothing Shed
Maryann clothes bin

Certainly you've noticed the used clothing shed in our back parking lot.  Please spread the word about this new outreach project -laminated posters and small flyers are available to post and share.  Clothes donated into the shed are picked up by St. Pauly's, who distributes them all to people in need across the globe through their connection with larger agencies.  All of the usable clothing that gets donated makes its way to people in need, saving landfill space.  Items accepted include clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, linens, pillow cases, blankets, curtains and stuffed animals.  (Please do not put rags, fabric scraps, pillows, toys, household goods or electronics in the shed.)  Grace church receives 4 cents per pound on all items collected in exchange for hosting the shed. For further info on this project, there is information about St. Pauly's available in coffee hour, or click on this link: St. Pauly's.  


This Week's Announcements
Sunday, June 23rd:

Eucharist service - 9:30 AM

Church picnic following service

 

Wednesday, June 26th:                        

Guided Meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM

Grace-full Conversations in the chapel - 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, June 29th: 

Trumbull Day - Hillcrest Middle School   

Following Week
Sunday, June 30th:

Eucharist service - 9:30 AM 

Grace-full Conversations in the chapel following coffee hour

 

Wednesday, July 3rd:                       

Guided Meditation - 7:00-7:25 AM

Grace-full Conversations in the chapel - 7:30 PM 

 
Church Hall


Church Hall available for community functions



For additional information and Church Hall availability, click
.