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Thanks for your help and your support of our ministry to the children and their families.       

Outreach at Western State

Please help us gather items for the women at Western State Psychiatric Hospital.  Items of need are make-up, lotions, hand creams, necklaces that will easily fit over the head, and used copies of People  magazine.  They also like large-print word searches.  Donations can be left on the side table in the Gaither Room.  Thank you!    

Goody-Box for Christie

Christie Johnson, a member at Grace, is currently deployed with the Army in Afghanistan.  Christie is a helicopter pilot and has recently had some tragic losses in her unit.  In a recent email, Christie wrote, "Thank you so much for your note! Things have been difficult these past few weeks but I'm doing alright. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Matt and Forrest were great men and I know they are still watching us and keeping us safe here from Heaven.  I hope things are going well in Hopkinsville! I'm really going to miss the fall season in Kentucky but hopefully I'll be back sometime mid-January to catch some of the winter weather!  I miss my family at Grace, please give everyone my best!" We would like to send Christie a goody-box and card, so please bring items for the box the next two Sundays.  Don't worry--Christie's not getting this message!  Unless she happens to see it on Facebook or our website!      

Students from Murray Take Mission Trip to Grace

Students from the Campus Ministry at Murray State spent three days last week working in the GraceWorks program.  They slept and ate in All Saints Hall, and worked with shifts of volunteers on screen-printed Christmas cards and on production of our variety of beaded jewelry designs and handmade candles.  Church members provided food.  The students engaged in daily worship in the chancel of the church and on the labyrinth, as well as joining us on Sunday morning for worship.  They had a great time and were very appreciative of the church's hospitality.  Special thanks to all who helped!  

Increasing Church Security

At our most recent Vestry meeting, we discussed the necessity of being more diligent about the security of the church and the safety of all those who come through our doors on Sundays and throughout the week--especially our children.  We need to keep doors and gates locked, except when there is a particular reason not to do so for short periods of time. We're sorry for any inconvenience and we hope that those of you who are in and out frequently will join with us in making sure that doors are securely closed and locked.  We can supply keys as needed.  Thank you!   UPDATE!  We have recently re-keyed the outside doors.  If you regularly need to have access to the church, please contact Ruth Rock in the office about acquiring a new key. 

Stewardship 

The Vestry has engaged the services of Ms. Keith Stroud to spend a weekend with us in October to educate us in more effectively approaching stewardship in the church--whether that involves an annual pledge drive or a capitol campaign or a legacy society/endowment-building effort.  Keith was formerly with Kirby-Smith Associates and, while there, developed a program that is called "Life as a Steward."  At this point, we are looking for members of Grace who might be interested in and willing to participate in the weekend with Keith, which will be October 9-11.  This group would then provide some leadership in decision-making and following through with steps toward putting Grace Church on a more stable financial footing moving forward.  This is important work for God, for our church, and for the community beyond our church.  Please prayerfully discern what your involvement will be, and let our Treasurer (Bill Nichol) or our Senior Warden (Charlie Ross) know if you are willing to serve in this effort.  

Pilgrimage to Bolivia 

Mark Richard is leading a pilgrimage to the Amistad Mission in Bolivia in early 2016.  Please consider making this trip-of-a-lifetime.  Amistad, which is supported by a number of churches in the United States, provides a loving home to abandoned, abused, and orphaned children. There will be an informational meeting soon with more details, but, don't hesitate to contact Mark with your questions.  

Dates to Remember

Prayer from Ignatius of Loyola (16th century)

"Receive, Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will.  You have given me all that I have, all that I am, and I surrender all to your divine will, that you dispose of me.  Give me only your love and your grace.  With this I am rich enough, and have no more to ask."