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Save the Date
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Advent Planning: Sunday, Nov. 11, after refreshments
Vestry Meeting: Monday, Nov. 12, 7:00
Book Group, Sunday, Nov. 18, at 6:00; place TBD
Church Cleaning: Saturday, Dec. 1, 10:00
First Sunday of Advent: Dec. 2
Bishop Jack's visit: Dec. 9
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Neighborhood Events
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Holiday Card Juried Exhibition:
through November 16
at the Baum School
Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture Exhibit:
through December 2 at the Art Museum
Walker Evans Photography Exhibit:
through January 13 at the Art Museum
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Welcome to the weekly e-newsletter of Grace Episcopal Church. Read about what's happening at Grace, and use the quick links to the left to find other helps to our life with God. To share this news with a friend, click the "forward email" link at the bottom of the page.
See you Sunday!
--Beth Reed, Priest-in-charge |
| Sunday, November 11, at Grace | |  Eucharist, refreshments, Advent preparation
We celebrate the Eucharist at 10:00.
We continue our reading through the Gospel of Mark. This week, Jesus tells the story of "the widow's mite." For the full text of the day's readings, click on "Sunday Scripture texts" above.
After the Eucharist, we share refreshments in the gathering space. Anyone who would like to help plan for our Advent liturgies is welcome in the conference room downstairs after refreshments.
The image is a detail from the basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuova in Ravenna, Italy (sixth century). |
| Stewardship | | Many pledges are in, many have increased
Thank you to all who brought or mailed pledges. Every pledge is important, and every pledge will contribute to the witness and work we are able to do in downtown Allentown.
If you haven't yet made a pledge, please bring your form to church or mail it in. If you have any questions or concerns about pledging and our church's finances, please share them with a vestry member (the vestry list is in the bulletin every week). If you need a form, pick one up from the back of church or call the parish office at 610-435-0782. Treasurer Tony Voros recently has recruited teams of counters; each team will count and record the weekly Sunday collection about once a month. This is a crucial contribution to our parish's stewardship of financial resources. |
| Grace Community Foundation | | The fundraiser was fun, too! 
About 30 people enjoyed food, fellowship, and beer in support of our pantry at the Allentown Brew Works on Wednesday night. Pantry director Patty McNamara was pleased with the turnout, and the money raised certainly goes to a good cause and is very much needed.
In the photo, volunteers Mae Peacock, Ann Denuel, and Solomon Obong pose during Thursday's pantry delivery. They were joking about one product they received: frozen chicken, obtained by the state of Pennsylvania and distributed to organizations such as our pantry. "Well, it's state chicken that's about to become city chicken!" they said. |
| Building Issues | | Volunteers are Grace at work
The worship space needs another good cleaning, as the wind from superstorm Sandy blew dust all over the floor, windowsills, and furniture. Chuck Milositz will lead a crew on Saturday, December 1, at 10:00. Please let him know if you can help. The other activity that day will be hanging the Advent wreath, as the First Sunday of Advent is December 2.
Long-time member David Webster has given many hours to Grace lately. For example, he diagnosed the leaky toilet on the second floor and found that several layers of flooring underneath it were soaked and rotted. After they were taken out and the area was dry, he replaced the floor and the toilet. Jeff Reed was an able assistant. The two also replaced stained ceiling tiles in the narthex and the multipurpose room downstairs.
David gives graciously of his time and expertise, and everyone who uses the building benefits: students and teachers in our school, parishioners, visitors, GED students and teachers, the Narcotics Anonymous group, and food pantry clients and volunteers. |
| Vestry | | Next meeting is Monday night
The vestry is the leadership body of the parish, and its next meeting is Monday, November 12, at 7:00. We gather in the conference room downstairs, and all parishioners are welcome.
Parishioners can always share concerns, ask questions, and bring new ideas to vestry members, who can in turn take them to the vestry as a whole and report back to parishioners. The list of vestry members is published at the back of the bulletin each week.
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| Downtown Development | |  Gatherings next week
The Steering Committee of the Allentown Community Benefits Coalition will meet next week to finalize its internal structure. The Coalition includes some downtown churches, artists' groups, the Lehigh County Conference of Churches, the NAACP, and others. The ACBC will host a Community Input Session on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Zion's UCC, from 6:00-7:00, and all are welcome (620 West Hamilton Street).
Another way to communicate our opinions on the benefits that will result from the downtown development is to fill out a Community Benefits Input Survey. These are available in the hallway on the way to the gathering space, and there is a folder to store the completed surveys. For more information, click here. |
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