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! 

We celebrate the Eucharist at 10:00; it's the First Sunday of Advent. The scriptures encourage us to "be on guard" so we are alert to Reign of God when it is near. What do you think this means--for you, for your household, for our parish, for the church? 

After the service we'll gather for refreshments and wreath-making. Mary Louise Bross has gathered supplies and some parishioners will bring greens. If you have wire cutters, gloves, and scissors, please bring them along. (The supplies cost $12 per wreath.) Beth Reed has prepared prayer cards for households to use at home when we light the candles on our wreaths.

The worship space, especially the floor, needs a thorough cleaning. Please come to the church on Saturday at 10:00 and help out for an hour or so if you can.

Dust blew in during Hurricane Sandy, and it's been a while since the whole floor was washed. We need to move out all the chairs and kneeling pads, clean the room, and reset the chairs for Sunday. 

When we do this together, somehow it seems a lot less onerous, and we get to chat and work together. Kids are good at this work, too, and they, especially, will enjoy the doughnuts!

Wednesday evenings in Advent we'll gather in church at 5:30 for a service of evening prayer. It will be simple, quiet, contemplative, and our doors will be open to the neighborhood, 

In the midst of dark December, we anticipate the rising of the Morning Star that never sets. 

 

For our celebration of the Second Sunday of Advent (Dec. 9), Bishop Jack Croneberger will preside and preach at the Eucharist. Parishioners know his warmth and wit, and we will have the chance to visit with him at the reception after the service. 

Following refreshments, the bishop will converse with the vestry about the parish's life and ministry. The vestry met last Tuesday with Archdeacon Howard Stringfellow to prepare for this conversation. We discussed Grace's mission in the city, our work regarding our own formation as Christians, our finances, and the ways we are moving forward with ideas generated at the September 30 parish meeting.