A Culture of Thanksgiving and Hospitality

Most of us believe and understand that a church is more than a building, a worship service, an outreach program, a youth program, a choir, and countless other ministries and people.

For me, a large part of who we are is providing a space for community, for getting to know the resurrected Christ through the people we encounter here at Grace and outside our doors.   These folks help us to know God better, support us in our joys and sorrows.  They are also the people power of the community.

Unless you sit down and think about it, most of us do not know the number of people in this community who enable us to experience God and all that we do here.

To that end, I would like to start a section in our e-Items where we get to know and also thank the people and ministries that are lived out in this space and beyond.

DowntoWn Abbey Fundraiser:  A special thanks to Karen Mensch and Cathy Tokarski for co-leading this event. A huge thanks to all of the volunteers and participants who welcomed in people that they knew as well as the many guests who showed up.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Journey to Adulthood: These two ministries provide faith formation for our children and youth. Their leaders put in countless hours to ensure that all are experiencing God in new and profound ways.  Thanks to:  Sara Muriello, Anne Diffenderffer, Jo Wojack, Susan Montgomery, Kelly Sculles, Kathleen Garness, Martha Baumgarten and Walter Thorne.

Ushers and Greeters: You know that article I wrote about people going out of their way to greet us, give us bulletins, show us where things are and more and more . . . ? Fred Barber, Flora Green and their teams of volunteers help us to create a culture of hospitality. Perhaps you would like to join them!

This is just the beginning of the thanks! May God continue to bless us with people who care and with an abundance of community-building opportunities! May we be witnesses to each other and to the world of the overwhelming love of God!

The vestry, rector and staff having been giving serious consideration to joining the new group of 20 congregations that will begin this program in January 2014. We would like to invite you to an informational meeting on October 6.  After each service, Shawn and others will tell you more about what this program is all about, the expectations that come with it and why we are leaning towards being a Thrive congregation.

Learn more about Thrive at this link.  

Our search for a Director of Lifelong Formation is going quite well. Nadia Stefko, Mark Woodworth, Catherine Tokarski, Natalie Ratz, Cherryl Holt, Jo Wojack, Jill Gimesky, Donna Anderson, Jon Baumgarten Anne Diffenderffer and I all reviewed the applications on our own and the team gave feedback to me.  Jo Wojack and I are interviewing the folks and Donna Anderson will be calling references this week.

We hope to be able to offer the position to someone within the next week.

Pray for the team who are reviewing and for those who are interviewing.

-Shawn 

We'll meet at the home of Bets Howland and Dennis Zavac. 

We will discuss chapters 3 & 4 (pp. 43-70) of John Shelby Spong's book, Why Christianity Must Change or Die.

Tony Dobrowolski and I are planning an Arts and Crafts Mini-Bazaar at Grace on Sunday, November 10. We will set up and open at 9:30am to sell our wares, and will go through the coffee hour following the 10:30AM service.

If you would like to show and sell your creations, please contact me or Tony Dobrowolski. Looking forward to folks joining in on the fun. Thanks! 

-Cherryl Holt

Come to Grace Church on Halloween to see the incredible silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, accompanied by our grand 1922 Casavant Pipe Organ played by David Rhodes.  The show begins at 7:30 and is a fundraiser for Grace Church.  Admission is $20 at the door or $10 if you come in costume!  Drinks and popcorn will be available. 

We all grieve and suffer loss in different ways, however, the Christian perspective is that death is a portal not a conclusion.  Join us on November 3 beginning at 4:00PM for an Evensong for the Feast of All Souls.  This is a service to mourn, pray and reflect.  Names of the faithful departed will be read during the prayers in the service.  

As the conclusion of the service, the choir will sing the Mozart Requiem accompanied by members of the Handel Week Festival orchestra.  The soloists for the Requiem will be Nicci Krebasch, Susan Gosdick, Gerald Frantzen and David de Jong.

Kindly invite your friends to this moving service.