eGrace

Grace Episcopal Church

Hopkinsville, Kentucky

News for October 25, 2013

Celtic Eucharist October 27

Our monthly Celtic Eucharist will be held on October 27 at 6:00 pm--inside the church. This is a great opportunity to have a different sort of worship experience--different words, slightly different message, different ambiance, different music and musicians. This month's service will include musicians on the harp, violin, flute, guitar and mandolin. Come and bring your friends and neighbors. Worship together and then stay for refreshments in the Gaither Room. Come as you are.

Stewardship

We are in the midst of our financial stewardship season. Of course, there are many forms of stewardship, but so far we haven't found a way to avoid talking more directly about our financial giving at this time of year. Members of our parish have been talking with us every Sunday morning about their experiences with giving and about the blessing that giving money has been to them. Several weeks ago, I talked in a sermon about my own experience of becoming a tither and about how much joy it has brought me to be able to give generously to Grace Church. I encourage each of you to think about what your giving to God says about your realization that all that we are and all that we have is a gift from God, and to think about making a pledge for 2014 that is proportionate to your resources.

We would appreciate receiving pledge cards as soon as possible. They are available at church and will also be mailed out in the next few days to those whose pledges we have not yet received. Thank you so much! Alice+

All Saints Remembrances

Every year on All Saints Day--celebrated the first Sunday in November--we remember all those who have been saints in our lives and especially those who have died within the past year--since last All Saints Day. If you have lost loved ones in that time period and would like for their names to be printed in our service leaflet and read during the celebration of Holy Eucharist, please send their full names to the Rector at [email protected] or leave a message at the church.

Fourth Annual All Saints Offering

On All Saints Sunday, November 3, all parishes have been asked to give our undesignated offering for that day to the support of All Saints Camp and Conference Center. If you put your regular pledge (cash in a marked envelope or check with "pledge" in the memo line)in the collection plate on November 3, the money will stay with Grace Church, but if you give cash or a check with "All Saints" in the memo line, that money will help maintain All Saints Camp and Conference Center.

Every year All Saints serves hundreds of youth and adults as they attend summer camp, youth gatherings, and adult meetings and retreats. Many people also enjoy family time at All Saints for family get-aways, reunions, or weddings. The facility needs to be maintained and improved constantly, and this annual appeal is just one way for us to help raise the funds needed to keep this beautiful Center functioning as the healthy heart of our Diocese.

Animal Blessing

Since our annual Blessing of the Animals scheduled earlier this month had to be cancelled due to the weather, a number of people have asked about having another opportunity to bring their pets in for a special blessing. While we are not planning to reschedule the entire worship service, we have scheduled a time from 2:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 3, for those of you who would like to bring your beloved animal companions by for an individual blessing. Bring them through the cloister into the garden area around the fountain any time during that hour. If weather is again problematic, we can stay inside the cloister. Animal treats will also be provided. Since November 3 is All Saints Day, it may feel like an especially fitting time to have this event. Hope to see lots of critters that day!

Music at Midday

We had our first Music at Midday concert of the Fall season on Thursday, October 24 at noon. Steve's three pieces by J.S. Bach were fabulous! The series continues next Thursday, October 31, with Brendan Jones at the organ. Steve Wiggin will play again on November 7 and 21. On November 14 Dan Wilkinson will play.

The pipe organ at Grace Church was installed in 1906. It was a gift of John C. Latham, Jr., in memory of his mother, Virginia, a long-time member of the Grace Church choir. The organ was totally rebuilt in 2009 by the Milnar Organ Company of Eagleville, Tennessee. It consists of over 850 pipes, divided into 15 sets, playable from three keyboards, two played by hands and one by feet. Pipes vary in size from the smallest, about the size of a pencil, to the largest, pipes made of wood that are about a foot square and close to ten feet tall.

Diocesan Convention

The yearly convention of the Diocese of Kentucky will be held at Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville on November 8 and 9. The title of the meeting is "We Will with God's Help: Re-Imagining Mission for the 21st Century. A rapidly changing world necessitates significant changes of focus for all churches in order to survive and thrive into the future. Even in Hopkinsville we are not exempt from having to deal with some harsh realities, so the topic is timely for us, as well. The Vestry has elected Bill Nichol and Tom Schmidt to be deputies from Grace Church. Please keep our church and our diocese in your prayers.

Please Use Your Kroger Cards!

Using your Kroger Gift Cards is an incredibly easy way for us to raise significant amounts of money for support of our Kindergarten. We know that we have sold many cards to people who are not using them! All you have to do is load your card with money, either at the Kroger service counter or at one of the checkouts, and you can even do that with a credit card. Some people have found out that taking it to the Self-Service cashier when they first enter the store is a convenient way to load, since you have to wait five minutes between loading and spending what you have loaded. Then you're all set to make your purchases, including gas and pharmaceuticals. Since I (Alice) am occasionally in Kroger in Nashville, I've even loaded my card there. I love using it! Ask me or Tom Schmidt if you have questions.

Mark Your Calendars

Saturday, October 26--4:00 pm--Wedding

Sunday, October 27--6:00 pm--Celtic Eucharist

Wednesday, November 30--4:00 pm--Kindergarten Board

Sunday, November 3--Daylight Savings Time Ends

Sunday, November 3--10:15 am CST--All Saints Day Holy Eucharist Rite II

Sunday, November 3--2:00-3:00 pm--Animal Blessing

November 8 & 9--Diocesan Convention at Christ Church Cathedral