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Save the Dates
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Book Group:
Sundays, August 25, September 8 and 15; 6:00
Vestry Meeting:
Sunday, August 11,
after refreshments
Parish Picnic:
Sunday, August 11,
5:30
Pride in the Park:
Sunday, August 18,
12:00--5:00
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Sunday, August 11, at Grace
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Eucharist, refreshments, vestry, picnic 
We celebrate the Eucharist at 10:00. In the gospel, we hear these words from Jesus: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." What are you afraid of? What are we afraid of? What if we could give up one fear, or all our fears? After the Eucharist, we gather for refreshments.
After refreshments, the vestry will meet downstairs, and parishioners are welcome to sit in. Each month the vestry looks at issues facing the parish and we review our finances. We receive reports from committees and work groups, from the priest, and from Grace Montessori School. In all our work, we consider how best to support and nurture the faith and participation of all our members and neighbors. We begin and end with prayer, hoping that our time together is fruitful for God's kingdom.
At 5:30, we picnic in Coopersburg!
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Parish Picnic on Sunday
| |  Plan on having fun!
The Denton-Borhaugs have offered their house and yard (and pool and croquet court!) for a parish picnic--this Sunday, August 11. This is a social event with no other agenda than enjoying each other's company and the summer.
Directions will be available at church on Sunday.
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Grace Community Foundation
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Many thanks to our friends at Mediator
The people at Church of the Mediator have been supporters of our pantry for a long time. Last week they again showed their faithfulness: they brought about 1,000 pounds of food. Each summer they do a food drive called "Thanksgiving in July"--and the pantry is the beneficiary. Our neighbors who come to the pantry appreciate the time and energy and food.
Our friends at Mediator put the "community" in Grace Community Foundation!
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Sixth Street Shelter
| |  We are learning more about our neighbors
On Tuesday Beth R, HIllie C, and Charles C visited the Sixth Street Shelter (just a block from Grace). We spent an hour with the director, who gave us a tour and told us about their mission, clients, and programs. There are more than 20 apartments for families there, and families can stay for 60 days while they seek skills and meet with caseworkers who help them move on to permanent housing.
See the Sunday bulletin for a fuller description of the shelter and how the people of Grace may be able to be good neighbors to the residents and staff.
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Book Group
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On the road 
Some parishioners have been gathering in the summer for at least eight years to enjoy reading a book together and talking about it, and eating and drinking while we do those things. Last Sunday night about a dozen folks met, and we saw photos and heard about Kelly Denton-Borhaug's month-long pilgrimage to Santiago (in northwest Spain). She talked about the experience of traveling lightly (three changes of clothes), the hospitality afforded pilgrims, and the space and time for deep solitude as well as deep conversations with other pilgrims. The book we are reading as background is Pilgrim Stories: On and Off the Road to Santiago, by Nancy Louise Frey. We will meet again on August 25 and September 8 and 15, and all are welcome! For more information, contact Mary Louise B.
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Pride in the Park
| |  It's August 18
Grace has participated in the Pride in the Park festival for many years, and this year we will again join with other Episcopal parishes to sponsor and staff a booth there. The festival is Sunday, August 18, at Cedar Beach.
Showing up every year is a consistent witness to our Christian commitment to treat each person as our neighbor, especially people who have been discriminated against and demeaned or worse.
If you would like to volunteer for a shift in the booth, please be in touch with Beth Reed. Volunteers greet festival goers, engage them in conversation as they are willing, and distribute literature. We try to embody what the banner over the booth proclaims: The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!
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| Finances at Grace | | |
Pledge statements are available
Pledge statements were distributed to folks who were at church last Sunday, and they will be available again this Sunday. Those that are leftover will be mailed. Please look carefully at the statement. Note if you are ahead or behind on your pledge. If you are ahead, wonderful! If you are behind, please do all you can to become current on your pledge. Please plan to pay all of your pledge before the end of 2013. If you want to discuss your pledge in private, The Rev. Beth Reed or Treasurer Tony Voros would be happy to have such a conversation with you. If you have not pledged, please consider doing so. A pledge is a commitment: it commits us to a practice of generosity with our financial resources.  |
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