News for September 15, 2016

eGrace

Grace Episcopal Church

Hopkinsville, Kentucky

News for September 15, 2016

Feed Your Spirit Eucharist Saturday at 6:00 pm!

This Saturday, September 17, at 6:00 pm, we will have a "Feed Your Spirit" Eucharist at the labyrinth, or, in case of bad weather, in All Saints Parish Hall, followed by a reception. Grace Notes will be providing the music. Please come and join us and bring your friends!

Picnic at the Labyrinth September 25

On Sunday, September 25, at 6:00 pm, we will host our third annual Picnic at the Labyrinth to support the GraceWorks program, Grace Church's social enterprise and primary social outreach. Even though we have pre-sold tables, there is room for everyone. Several tables are designated as Grace Church tables that are open to all with suggested donations of $10 and a potluck dish. Please don't let difficulty with either donation get in the way of your coming and enjoying the evening. Please let either Polly Stokes or Lannie Ross or Alice Nichols know of your interest in a seat at a Grace Church table. We will have displays of GraceWorks items for sale, as well as demonstrations of our work. The musical entertainment will be fabulous, including performers Griffin McCoy, Jennifer Stokes and her group, and Grace Notes. There will be an opportunity for making a donation to GraceWorks. This is the place to be on September 25!

Concert by The Pilgrim Project

On Saturday, October 1 at 7:00 pm, The Pilgrim Project will be performing their CD Release Concert in the nave at Grace Church. As reported by KNE, "The Pilgrim Project is an acoustic duo featuring violinist Rachel Brown-Crick and guitarist Jeff Calhoun. Their music is an eclectic blend of folk, American Roots, blues, jazz, and country woven together in an inspiring spiritual experience." The CD was recorded in our nave, and Rachel and Jeff thought it would be very appropriate to have their release concert at Grace. This is an event not to be missed!

Disaster Preparedness Project

With the leadership of Jim Gavitt, great progress has been made in creating and articulating a plan for Grace Church, both separately and as part of our larger community. You can still jump on board with the planning process by attending the next meeting on Sunday, September 18, at 11:45 am, after the 10:15 Eucharist.

Missions Group

Our next meeting to talk about and plan future projects and activities will be Sunday, September 25, at 11:45 am, after the Holy Eucharist. Upcoming possibilities include becoming "angels" at Christmas by providing gifts for a child or a few children whose parents are incarcerated, with gifts being given in the name of the absent parents. Another is a request from Grace and Mercy--a residential program for women coming out of jail who are working on substance abuse recovery programs--to have a Grace and Mercy Sunday at Grace. The program participants would come and worship with us, along with their families, and share some of their stories. We would, in turn, give a special offering for their program. This program is completely dependent on donations (and income from participants as they find employment) to be able to operate at this time. Come and work with us as we seek to do good things for our neighbors in need.

Good Shepherd program for children

The Fall season of the Good Shepherd program for children started last Sunday at 9:00 am. With the assistance our Music Director Wayne Eastham, we are developing a Good Shepherd Choir which will participate periodically in the Sunday morning Eucharist! Robin Ferguson has worked tirelessly to fully equip Level II, for children seven and older, which is now occupying the office formerly used by Benjamin Hart. Tom Price, Amanda McClure and Polly Stokes are working with Level I--children through age 6--and Robin Ferguson and Joyce Cornett are working with Level II. Robin and Joyce have begun Level I training and are working with the Rector in planning lessons for the Level II children. Please bring your children or grandchildren to join with us. We are also recruiting more volunteers.

Grace School Update

Grace School is in session! The kids are back! And we're having a quick turnaround fund-raiser, taking orders for beautiful, healthy chrysanthemums, in various colors, from the Bloomery. The cost is $12 per pot. Sunday, September 18, will be the last Sunday for placing your orders. Flowers will be available for pick-up on September 27.

Birthday Offerings

The Board of Grace School has taken over the blessed responsibility of sending out birthday cards to everyone on the church mailing list, and, along with that card, to suggest that we all consider giving a gift to the kindergarten scholarship fund equal to the number of years of life being celebrated. We always have more requests for scholarship aid than we are able to provide, and it's hard to have to say no. Please help us say yes!

Kroger R e-Registration

Have you received a card from Kroger telling you that, if you are participating in the Community Rewards program, you will need to re-register August 1? Yes, it's apparently true. So, mark your calendars and make the update. Money that we have received for Grace School from Kroger has not been insignificant, and, any that we continue to receive will be placed in the Tom Schmidt Memorial Fund. Re-registration 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.

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

Saturday, September 17--6:00 pm--Feed Your Spirit Holy Eucharist at the labyrinth or, if necessary, in All Saints, with reception following

Sunday, September 18--9:00 am--Good Shepherd and Adult Forum

Sunday, September 18--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II

Sunday, September 18--11:45 am--Disaster Preparedness Group

Monday, September 19--12:00 pm--Weird Church

Monday, September 19--5:30 pm--Education for Ministry

Tuesday, September 20--3:00 pm--Kindergarten Board

Wednesday, September 21--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers

Wednesday, September 21--5:30 pm--Evening Prayer and Vestry

Sunday, September 25--9:00 am--Good Shepherd and Adult Forum

Sunday, September 25--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite I

Sunday, September 25--11:45 am--Missions Group

Sunday, September 25--6:00 pm--Picnic at the Labyrinth for GraceWorks

Monday, September 26--12:00 noon-- Weird Church

Monday, September 26--5:30 pm--Education for Ministry

Wednesday, September 28--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers

Saturday, October 1--7:00 pm--The Pilgrim Project CD Release Concert

Sunday, October 2--9:00 am--Good Shepherd and Adult Forum

Sunday, October 2--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II

Monday, October 3--12:00 noon-- Weird Church

Monday, October 3--5:30 pm--Education for Ministry

Wednesday, October 5--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers

Sunday, October 9--9:00 am--Good Shepherd and Adult Forum

Sunday, October 9--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II

The Casa del Sol Prayer of Jesus

Ground of all being, Mother of life, Father of the universe, Your name is sacred, beyond speaking.

May we know your presence, may your longings be our longings in heart and in action.

May there be food for the human family today and for the whole earth community.

Forgive us the falseness of what we have done as we forgive those who are untrue to us.

Do not forsake us in our time of conflict but lead us into new beginnings.

For the light of life, the vitality of life, and the glory of life are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(John Philip Newell)