eGrace
Grace Episcopal Church
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
News for September 6, 2014

Rector is back!

 

I had a great time away, but, of course, missed being here.  (Don't laugh! I'm not exaggerating!)  Everything went well--perfect weather, good company and good alone time, beautiful sunsets, great seafood, etc.  One of the big interests at Holden Beach is in preserving the sea turtles and protecting the nests while the babies are incubating and preparing to hatch.  All the viable babies hatch between July 15 and September 15, and I had the good fortune of seeing one little turtle climb out of its nest and toddle down to the ocean. Very exciting!  Blessings, Alice+ 

Grace School Update

 

School started on Wednesday, September 3, and it is so good to have everyone here--kids and teachers--those who have been here before and those who are completely new.  We have 33 students at this point and four classrooms.  Our Assistant Rector is working hard to establish relationships with as many families as possible--to increase their involvement and sense of connection with the school and the church.   

Picnic with Grace

 

We hope everyone is planning to come to the Picnic with Grace on Sunday evening, September 21--hopefully at the labyrinth--unless we have to move inside due to the weather.  Tables for ten are available for $100 each, with the plan being for the table sponsor to invite friends and neighbors and provide food (and decorations, if you like) for the group.  We will have great entertainment provided by the Geezers and Jennifer Stokes (and others?).  This event is being planned by the Parish Life Group, and proceeds will go to our new missions project that we are calling GraceWorks.  For more information, contact Polly Stokes at 270-886-2319.  Thanks in advance for your support and participation.     

Greetings from Jeanne Tessier

 

Jeanne and Alice had the opportunity to visit this week in Louisville, and Jeanne sends her love and good wishes to Grace Church members.  Jeanne is feeling well and healthy and will soon be moving into her own space, after living with her son and his family for many months during her breast cancer treatment. She is teaching two public speaking classes at Indiana University Southeast, and is offering a retreat entitled Moving Forward from Cancer in a few weeks--September 26-28.  There is a brochure on the bulletin board across from the sacristy.  

New Member introduces a new way of being Christian

 

Many of you may have noticed a new member at Grace, Mark Richard.  Mark is a vowed Companion with The Society of Jesus Compassionate.

 

The Society of Jesus Compassionate is a fully inclusive vowed community of Episcopalians given to a life of compassionate prayer and service "on the road to Emmaus."

 

The mission of The Society of Jesus Compassionate is to promote intentional compassionate prayer, life and work, centered in the example of the Compassionate ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and in celebration of our communion and companionship with the creation of the loving Father.

 

Members of the Society are evangelists for Jesus' compassion in prayer, learning, teaching and work. "The Lord is loving to everyone, his compassion covers all his works." Psalm 145

 

The Society of Jesus Compassionate was founded in Washington, DC, on June 9, 2012, following Morning Prayer, the exchanging of Vows of Companionship and a celebration of Holy Eucharist. Afterwards we greeted each other as Companions of the Society, called our first meeting and set to work on what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do.

 

We begin as a dispersed community of Vowed Companions which presents unique challenges. Yet with shared intentions through a commitment to a common rule and vows, we pray to remain close in contact, strong through prayer, and united through the shared purpose of intention. As the Book of Common Prayer puts it, we hope that through "the shared Spirit" of God's compassionate love we may find, "companionship with one another" (see the collect in its entirety, The Daily Office, on top of page p.121).

 

We are a fully inclusive community, open to men and women, who are called by The Holy Spirit, into intentional companionship, whether single, married or partnered.

 

There are three vowed brothers: Br. John Magdalene Agel, Atlanta, Georgia; Br. Mark Julian Richard, Nashville, TN; and Br. Postulant Mychal-Gregory LaCombe, Weaverville, NC.

 

Little Library

 

Ginny Lawson has agreed to be the Steward of our Little Library which was recently installed beside the walkway leading into the cloister.  Being the Steward means that she will take care of making sure that our books are appropriate, insuring that we have a good supply--especially of children's books--and arranging the books in such a way that they are easy to access.  If you would like to make contributions to the library, feel free to bring them to the church, and Ginny will sort them out and determine what to use. Thanks, Ginny! 

Diana Butler Bass to visit Hopkinsville

 

First Christian Church is hosting the 2014 Regional Assembly of the Disciples of Christ, and their guest speaker is Diana Butler Bass, known by some of you because of her writing--including several books about the future of the church.  We have used at least one of them in our Adult Forum.  The Assembly runs from September 25-27, and the guest speaker will be presenting on Friday, September 26, both during the day and in the evening. Anyone who wants to go must register and pay $45.  If you would like to have more information, please contact me (Alice).  Registration will include a concert Friday evening with several popular Nashville artists!

Keys, Anyone?

 

If you have a key to Grace Church and have no reason to be carrying it around, please return it to Debbie Motes at the church.  She is having difficulty getting more copies made, and it's expensive and inconvenient to install new locks just so we can provide keys to new teachers, new Altar Guild members, etc. as they join us.  Thanks! 

Living the Questions Update

 

Our Adult Forum group continues to be enthusiastic about the material we are exploring and about the opportunity to talk with each other about what we believe--and what we don't believe.  A Monday evening series using the same material will begin on September 15.  Mark your calendars!  More details soon.    

Dates to Remember

Sunday, September 7--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis
Sunday, September 7--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II
Sunday, September 7--11:30 am--Missions Group
Sunday, September 7--4:00 pm--Hopkinsville Citizens Confronting Racism (All Saints)
Tuesday, September 9--4:00 pm--GraceWorks planning group
Wednesday, September 10--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with healing prayers
Wednesday, September 10--4:00 pm--Kindergarten Board
Thursday, September 11--4:00 pm--Membership Group
Sunday, September 14--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Catechesis
Sunday, September 14--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II
Monday, September 15--6:30 pm--Living the Questions
Wednesday, September 17--4:00 pm--Spiritual Formation Group
Wednesday, September 17--5:30 pm--Vestry meeting
Thursday, September 18--3:30 pm--Tutoring begins
Sunday, September 21--Picnic with Grace
Sunday, September 28--Celtic Eucharist

Copyright © 20XX. All Rights Reserved.