News for February 25, 2016

eGrace

Grace Episcopal Church

Hopkinsville, Kentucky

News for February 25, 2016

Missions Group (Outreach) Meeting

The Missions Group, formerly known as the Outreach Committee and chaired by Mark Richard, will meet this Sunday, February 28, after the 10:15 worship service and refreshments. This Group hasn't met in several months, but our usual efforts to serve others have continued. However, it is time to check in with each other and also talk about any changes or additions we need and want to make moving forward. This will also be a time to consider scheduling a brief study of the book Toxic Charity in the near future to help us evaluate the effectiveness of what we are doing and may cause us to shift our perspective or change our direction concerning the mission work we choose to do.

Art and Spirituality

Benjamin Hart is leading a three-session series on "Art and Spirituality" for Lent. The first session was on February 24 and will continue on Wednesdays, March 2 and March 9, at 5:30 pm, in the Gaither Room. Topics to be covered include a presentation of Benjamin's artwork and its themes of faith and community, spiritual practices that utilize art, and the use of art in the Church. All are welcome!

Progressing through Lent

Two weeks ago we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a wonderful pancake supper, provided and prepared by Eva Akpom, and ushered in the great season of Lent with three services for Ash Wednesday. And now, so quickly, we are getting ready for our third service of our annual Lenten Preaching Mission and Lenten lunches. Tony Barta and Candyce Loescher have been our two preachers thus far, and Father Richard Meredith will be with us tomorrow. This has been a wonderful time to welcome in so many from outside the church who look forward to these services every year. On Sundays during Lent, we are using Rite One (Penitential Order) of the Holy Eucharist which reminds us of the special holiness of the season and prepares us for Good Friday and Easter. On Tuesdays at 2:00 pm during Lent Alice and Benjamin are leading a Centering Prayer group. Any and all are welcome to join us for this time of practicing intentional silence and listening for God. As Benjamin reminded us in his Ash Wednesday sermon, our primary agenda in Lent is to draw closer to God, and any Lenten disciplines or practices that we take on are for that one purpose. "I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word" (BCP, 265).

Vestry 2016

At our Annual Parish Meeting on January 31, we elected a slate of new Vestry members, and, at our first meeting of the newly configured group on February 17, we elected officers for 2016. Our new members are Peggy Meszaros, Warren Nanney, Tony Prim, and Edwin White. We also elected Dennis Netz to serve as an Intern with the Vestry. Our continuing members are Charlie Ross, Keith Shepherd, Michael Munday, Polly Stokes, and Joyce Cornett. (Those who rotated off were Anne Noel, Carson Stone, Bill Nichol, and Lois White--Thank you again for your service!) Charlie is continuing in his role as Senior Warden; Keith is continuing in his role as Junior Warden; and Warren agreed to serve as Clerk of the Vestry. Bill Nichol continues to serve as Treasurer (Vestry membership is not a requirement for that position). We are looking forward to doing a lot of good work together. Please pray for Grace Church and for our leadership.

Pictorial Directory

All of the information needed by LifeTouch in order to complete our directory was submitted about two weeks ago! We expect to get a proof from them in another week or so and then give the go-ahead to print.

Kindergarten Volunteer?

Our Kindergarten and Pre-School teachers love to have volunteers to provide enrichment activities for the children. There is special interest in engaging our little ones in gardening this Spring, so, if you would like to help with that project, please let Tweetie White (Board Chair) know. Thank you!

Kroger R e-Registration

We are not receiving the amount from Kroger that we believe is a reflection of the amount of money our church members spend there. It has been brought to our attention that we must each re-register our Kroger cards in order for the kindergarten to receive the benefit from them. This is easily done online. Simply log onto

www.kroger.com/communityrewards and search for Grace Episcopal Kindergarten or enter 88636 and link your card to our school. Then check your next Kroger receipt at the bottom to make sure that it indicates a contribution to Grace Episcopal Kindergarten.

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

Dates to Remember

Sunday, February 28--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Monday, February 29--4:30 pm--Grace Works Board

Monday, February 29--6:00 pm--EFM

Tuesday, March 1--2:00 pm--Centering Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 2--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing

Wednesday, March 2--5:30 pm--Art and Spirituality, led by Benjamin Hart

Friday, March 4--12:00 noon--Lenten Preaching Mission and Lunch (Hart)

Sunday, March 6--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Monday, March 7--6:00 pm--EFM

Tuesday, March 8--2:00 pm--Centering Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 9--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing

Wednesday, March 9--5:30 pm--Art and Spirituality, led by Benjamin Hart

Friday, March 11--12:00 noon--Lenten Preaching Mission and Lunch (Fort)

Sunday, March 13--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Monday, March 14--6:00 pm--EFM

Tuesday, March 15--2:00 pm--Centering Prayer Group

Tuesday, March 15--3:00 pm--Kindergarten Board

Wednesday, March 16--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing

Thursday, March 17--10:00 am--Clergy Chrism Mass at All Saints

Friday, March 18--12:00 pm--Lenten Preaching Mission and Lunch (White)

Sunday, March 20--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Sunday, March 20--10:15 am--Palm Sunday Liturgy and Holy Eucharist

Monday, March 21--6:00 pm--EFM

Tuesday, March 22--2:00 pm--Centering Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 23--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing Thursday, Thursday, March 24--6:00 pm--Maundy Thursday Agape Meal, Foot Washing, Holy Eucharist, and Stripping of the Altar

Friday, March 25--10:00 am--Good Friday Community Cross Walk

Friday, March 25--12:00 noon--Good Friday Liturgy

Sunday, March 27--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Sunday, March 27--9:00 am--Festive Holy Eucharist for Easter

Monday, March 28--PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

The Contemporary Mystic . . .

is called to represent an invisible power in the world

through a personal spiritual practice,

through the power of prayer,

through living consciously and practicing compassion,

and through becoming a channel for grace.

As a contemporary mystic, you are measured by the quality of attitude you bring to all your tasks, by your capacity to be a model of generosity, and by challenging the fear that there is not enough to go around in this world--whether that is money, love, food, fame, power, attention, success, or social position.

Mystical service means modeling calm in chaos, kindness amid anger, forgiveness at all times, personal integrity--to live, in other words, mindful that every second offers a choice either to channel grace or to withhold it.

(Caroline Myss, Entering the Castle)