Happy Saint Paddy's Day!

Bishop White at Grace Tomorrow!

Please make every effort to be at church tomorrow for our last Lenten service and luncheon for 2016.  This has been a wonderfully attended series this year, and the weather has been much more cooperative than last year. Many thanks to all our guest preachers for their inspiring messages and to all our hosts and helpers who have prepared and served delicious meals.  Our own Bishop Terry White will be with us tomorrow and be our last preacher, and Margaret and Tony Prim will be hosting our last lunch.  Please join us in welcoming Bishop White to our pulpit and in enjoying Margaret and Tony's always fabulous food!

Update on Our Assistant Rector

Many of you may have heard by now that Benjamin Hart has been offered and has accepted a position as Assistant Rector at St. Matthew's Church in Louisville.  When he came to be with us, we knew that it would be for two years or less, and that two-mark would have been over at the end of June. Since he has accepted this new position, his last Sunday at Grace will be May 8.  This is a wonderful opportunity for Benjamin to be in a great church in a great city for a longer tenure, and we are very happy for him.  We are also happy that we have had the opportunity to benefit from his energy and creativity, and we are hopeful of building on what he has helped to initiate here. We are also glad to have time for saying our good-byes and good wishes over the coming weeks.

Holy Week Services at Grace

Sunday, March 20 at 10:15 am--The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday--beginning at the labyrinth 

Thursday, March 24 at 6:00 pm--Maundy Thursday (with Footwashing, Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Agape Meal, and Stripping of the Altar)--beginning in All Saints Parish Hall

Friday, March 25 at 10:00 am--Community Cross Walk--beginning at the Old Courthouse

Friday, March 25 at 12:00 noon--Good Friday Liturgy--in the Church

Sunday, March 27 at 10:15 am--Easter Day: Day of the Resurrection--with Festive Holy Eucharist

Sunday, March 27 at 11:30 am--Reception and Easter Egg Hunt

Spring Fundraiser for Grace School

Missions Group (Outreach) Meeting

The Missions Group's next meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, April 3, at 11:30 am, in the Gaither Room.  We will continue to talk about ways we can engage with those in need in our community.  Also, it would be good if we could spend some time discussing Robert Lupton's book Toxic Charity.  This book discusses the importance of engaging the community and working directly with those in need.  Think of the old saying, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."  If you'd like to read the book prior to our meeting, please let Mark or Alice know and we can get a copy for you.        

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.  (Update:  The Vestry will be having a mini-retreat on Sunday for a longer conversation on what is working well and setting goals for the near future.)

Pictorial Directory Update

We received a proof of our directory and discovered that all the photos were not included!  Thank God for proofs!  Not wanting to risk corrections not being made, we submitted changes and requested a second proof.  We will eventually get our directories, and hopefully they will be as perfect as we can make them.  After all, we're going to be looking at them for a long time! 

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

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

Another way to financially support our school is to save BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION from the labels of many items that we use frequently.  We recently sent in a batch which will bring in $150.  It's a lot of work for a little bit of money, but every dollar counts! Start saving BOXTOPS now for our next submission in about six months.

Dates to Remember

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, 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

Wednesday, March 30--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing

Sunday, April 3--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis

Sunday, April 3--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II--Easter 2

Sunday, April 3--11:30 am--Missions Group

Wednesday, April 6--Rector beginning vacation for three weeks

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)