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Save the Dates
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Grace at Noon:
Monday through Friday,
12:00 pm
Feast of All Saints:
Sunday, November 3
Book/Film Group:
Sundays, November 3 and 24,
at the Moodys' at 6:00
Grace Talent Auction:
Saturday, November 9
Stewardship Ingathering:
Sunday, November 17
Vestry Meeting,
Sunday, November 24,
after church
Advent Evening Prayer:
Wednesdays,
Dec. 4, 11, 18,
at 6:00 pm
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Four weeks so far of Grace at Noon . . .
Our new offering of daily prayer and time for lunch is in its fourth week. Each day at noon, there is a brief service (reading, silent meditation, prayers) in the church. All are welcome to bring a lunch and eat together afterward in the gathering space.
Parishioners and visitors are coming for the calm and respite, and the office and volunteers are coordinating further publicity.
If you are out and about at midday, consider incorporating this time of prayer into your day. Come and see . . . and rest in God.
Photo credit: Joe C.
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Sunday, November 3, at Grace
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We celebrate with all the saints 
Our Eucharist is at 10:00. (Set all clocks back one hour on Saturday night!)
We remember that we have joined a holy throng, a great movement of God's people stretching backward and forward in history: all those who have decided to follow Jesus. As part of our All Saints Day observance, we will gather around the baptismal font and paschal candle as we remember those dear to us in the communion of saints.
After the Eucharist, there will be refreshments and conversation in the gathering space.
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| Grace Community Foundation | | |
On WFMZ, Patty McNamara talks about SNAP cuts and our pantry
A reporter from WFMZ visited our pantry on Thursday and spoke to Patty. The clip was on the news yesterday: watch it here. |
Adult Faith Formation
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Next dates are this Sunday and November 24
In the next two sessions we'll learn more about immigration and consider Grace's possible roles and responses, given our location in a neighborhood with about 50% people of color, many of whom are recent immigrants. Both meetings will be at Jack and Jean M's home in Macungie, starting at 6:00.
There's a new initiative in the city from Resurrected Life Community Church (9th and Turner), including events next Saturday and Sunday at Muhlenberg College related to the issues Grace parishioners have been studying. Read about it in today's Morning Call. Pastor Gregory Edwards says: "Our goal is to teach the community about issues of racial and ethnic disparities." The initiative will also aim to teach residents what they can do to address the inequities in the community, and leaders are still formulating a specific strategy for that.
How many of us can go and keep learning so we can be effective agents of justice in our city?
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Fall Stewardship Reflections
| |  Nurturing Grace in the City
Last Sunday about two-thirds of the assembly stayed after church to reflect on their experiences of generosity--we heard interesting and poignant stories from each other.
Such reflections help us establish a spiritual foundation for our monetary giving; they can help put our giving in a bigger context. Our stewardship is more than making sure the church budget balances; where did what we have come from, and what are we doing with it, and why?
Next week at church we will hear some of these stories, and pledge forms will be distributed (and mailed to people who aren't at church). The "ingathering," when we bring our annual pledges for the work of Grace, will be Sunday, November 17.
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Grace's Talent Auction
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Plan on November 9, and bring a friend! 
Items are coming in, and they look interesting and fun! French dinner for four, anyone? A vacation in the Caribbean? Smaller items abound as well--yard and car and household items, for example, including handmade pottery and baby blankets. When perusing the auction, keep gift-giving in mind.
As you consider what you can donate, please also consider who you can bring to the event. Friends, family, coworkers? Bringing folks to a church-related event that is not a Sunday service is a great way to welcome people to explore the life of Grace. It's also a way to invite others to support financially the important work that happens from this place. There are flyers in the church hallway that can be used as invitations--please take as many as you think you can use.
Grace is a small congregation (at the moment!) with a large mission in the city, and raising funds will help keep our missions thriving.
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