New Organist

I am happy to announce that Wayne Eastham has accepted our offer to become the next Organist and Choirmaster at Grace Church.  Many of us already know Wayne since he served as supply organist last summer and has also played for Music at Midday.  He has had many years of experience as Minister of Music in Baptist churches and is looking forward to developing his knowledge and skills in Anglican hymnody and style.  He will officially begin his tenure with us in mid-July when he attends the annual Church Music Conference at Sewanee, but he will be at Grace for a few weeks prior to that in a supply capacity.  I know we will all want to give him a warm welcome and to support him as he begins his ministry here.  Blessings, Alice+

Organ Concert

Andrew Risinger, a well-known organist in Nashville--performer, teacher, and church musician--has agreed to perform a concert at Grace on Sunday, May 17, at 6:00 pm.  Our plan is to heavily publicize this event as an outreach to the community and the region, with the idea in mind that we might want to develop an ongoing concert series at Grace.  We have a beautiful instrument and valuable asset in our historic Estey pipe organ, and we hope to take greater advantage of it in the coming years so that it can enrich the lives of those beyond our walls.  Steve Wiggin is working diligently on the publicity for this event, but word-of-mouth is always the most effective tool.  So, please spread the word!  We are also seeking sponsors for the concert, so let Steve know if you would like to help support this effort.  

Mark Your Calendars for June 14

June 14 will be a busy day at Grace.  Bishop White will be here for his annual visitation and will be confirming and receiving new members into the Episcopal Church.  If you would like to be confirmed, please let the Rector or Assistant Rector know as soon as possible so that there will be an opportunity for the required preparation to be done.  The Bishop does not require extensive preparation of those who have been confirmed (or had the equivalent of confirmation) in another denomination. 

Also on June 14, we will be having our going-away festivities for Steve and Connie Wiggin.  They have been a vital part of Grace Church for 33 years, and it's difficult to imagine the church without them.  Please come and give them a good send-off!  Steve's final Feed Your Spirit service is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, at 6:00 pm, and final Choral Evensong for Sunday, June 7, at 6:00 pm.  Mark your calendars for all these events!

Thank You, Grace Gardeners and Yard Workers

Every year as Spring bursts forth there arises the need for what seems like a massive amount of yard work--clearing out what has died and encouraging new life.  Many thanks to all those who participated in the work crew last Saturday morning and all those continuing to put in hard labor to make our beautiful grounds look their best.  If any would like to make contributions toward new plantings, they would be welcomed.  

Cool Spots for Hot Tots

Last summer we scheduled three days close to the starting of school for preschoolers to come in for two hours and get a taste of what going to school at Grace would be like.  This year, we decided to schedule earlier in the summer and hopefully draw in some newcomers who are undecided about making the commitment to preschool.  The dates will be June 17, June 24, and July 1 (Wednesdays).  Please let Joyce Cornett know of your interest in helping. 

GraceWorks Update

This is an exciting time for GraceWorks! We have a number of projects that we are working on-all of which forward our goal of reaching out to those in our community that need our help the most. Maia Lea Ray has done a number of drawings of local historic churches that we will be soon printing as a series of new cards. Under the guidance of Charlie Ross, we are now producing candles, made from re-purposed wine bottles and scented with lavender. We are also working on a detailed business plan that we will present at the Chamber of Commerce competition for entrepreneurs the end of this month. As always, we welcome new volunteers!

Message to Grace from Good Shepherd Church in Lexington

Directory Update

We will soon be doing an update to the parish directory.  If any of your information has changed or if you are aware of other information that needs to be updated, please pass it on to our Parish Administrator, Ruth Rock. Her email address is [email protected]. Thank you!

School of Ministry

The Diocesan School of Ministry is now accepting applications for a new cohort of participants who would like to begin this two-year program in September. This program is designed for the education and formation of those called to the diaconate or to intentional lay ministry in the Church. Much more information is available from the Rector.