eGrace
Grace Episcopal Church
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
News for September 28, 2017

Blessing of the Animals

We will be having our annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 1, at 2:00 pm--in commemoration of the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, which always falls on October 4.  Bring all your beloved pets for individual prayers and blessings, on the patio behind the cloister.  We will have a few readings and prayers before the blessings.  This is always a great time to honor and celebrate those who add so much to the quality of our lives. (All must be on a leash or in a carrier, or otherwise under the supervision of a human family member.)
Candlelight Choral Evensong

Please join us Sunday, October 1, at 6:00 pm for Candlelight Choral Evensong, led by Wayne Eastham and the Grace Church Choir.  Choral Evensong is a uniquely Anglican service, popular throughout England.  It is essentially Evening Prayer set to music.  If you haven't been before, or if you have attended many times, please join us for this worship service.  
Lay Deputies needed for Diocesan Convention

The 190th Convention of the Diocese of Kentucky will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Louisville on November 10 and 11.  Grace Church needs two lay deputies and at least one alternate deputy to attend the Convention, especially the business session Saturday morning and early afternoon.  This is a great way to participate in our Diocese and get a sense of what our Diocese as a whole is like.  If you are interested in participating and are a confirmed member of Grace, please let the Rector know of your willingness to serve.  Names have to be submitted to the Diocese by October 6.  Thank you! 
Volunteer needed for important job!

One of the many administrative odds and ends that is required by the Diocese and by the Episcopal Church is one that often falls off the radar screen.  We need an Administrator for the Safeguarding God's Children program.  It is required that everyone associated with the church, both lay and ordained, who has any contact or potential contact with children, complete several on-line courses related to prevention of any type of child abuse.  The Administrator is the one who registers (on-line) those who need to take the classes, receives the ID and password for each, and communicates with each person about which courses they are required to take and how to take them.  It's a very simple process for all involved--just takes a little consistent attention.  The courses themselves are very short and easy to take.  If you might be willing to volunteer for this important task, please let the Rector know.    
The Bishop is coming!

Bishop White will be with us on October 29 for his annual (sort of!) visit. This will be an opportunity for people who want to "officially" be Episcopalians to be confirmed or received into the church.  Please let the Rector know ASAP if you are in that category or if you know of others who might be thinking about it.  This is also an opportunity to "reaffirm baptismal vows," open to anyone who would like to recommit in a public way to the vows that are made at baptism, found on pp. 304-305 in the Book of Common Prayer.  
Home Communion

If you are homebound and unable to come to the church for the Holy Eucharist, or if you know of someone in that condition who would like to have the Holy Eucharist at home or in a care facility, please notify the Rector and arrangements will be made for that need to be met.  Thank you!  
Update on Capital Improvements

The roof is finished!!  It looks great and came in under budget!

The air conditioning unit that serves the kindergarten and that we knew was in bad condition bit the dust!  The replacement was installed within a few days, so it's nice and cool for the kids.

The stairs to the attic in All Saints are close to being completed.  The enclosure is being constructed today, and the upstairs space will be viewable--maybe by Sunday!  The enclosure will cut down drastically on loss heat loss in the winter and loss of cooling in the summer.  And the stairs will give us access to massive storage space.

On the lighting in the nave, we have learned that, thanks to current lighting technology, the bulbs can be replaced with a new type of LED "bulb" that will emit light throughout the the glass globes and result in an increase of five times as much light.  One of our fixtures was delivered by Jim Coursey to the company in Pennsylvania that will produce one new bulb for us to see before going further with this project.  
Kindergarten Update

All is well!  Children, teachers, and parents are all happy.  All the children are attending Good Shepherd weekly in the atrium on the third floor of the Gaither Building--led by Robin Ferguson and assisted by Joan Truesdale.  Tom Price continues to lead the music program once a week.  The first fund-raiser is already complete, with chrysanthemums delivered yesterday!
Prayer Group

We have started a Prayer Group on Wednesdays at 11:00 am, lasting about 45 minutes.  If you would like to explore ways to enhance your prayer life and feel supported by others in your spiritual life, please come and join us,   in the Gaither Room or the nave of the church.      
Glass Recyclers

When you put your glass to be recycled in the bin across 5th St., near the Red House, please make sure it is in a bag or container that makes it possible for the recyclers to remove it to carry it away!  It is impossible to reach glass that is loose.  Thank you for your recycling efforts and for honoring this request.    
What's up with the straw bales? (with two updated updates)

You may have noticed that there are some straw bales placed across 5th St., in the open space behind the Red House.  They are in the process of being composted, the first of many steps toward eventually creating a community garden in that area.  You will be hearing more soon, including how you can help.  This recent activity has begun as a result of conversation in the Adult Forum about the necessity of churches becoming more concerned about care of creation.   (Update:  We now have a cross-design created with the additional straw bales that were contributed. Squash and tomatoes are producing, and Fall flowers have been planted.  Look and see!)  (Second Update: According to Jim Garnett, later in the Fall, the area will be converted to raised beds with the current straw being used as compost.  Thanks to Jim, and to Dennis Netz!)    
Looking forward to Fall (UPDATE)

Wayne and Alice are planning to start Wednesday Nights at Grace this Fall, most importantly because we want to have a children's choir and Wayne needs a time to work with them.  Also this would be an opportunity to offer Spiritual Formation for those of us, who are a bit older,  in a time frame other than Sundays at 9:00 am.  More info will be  forthcoming.   (We have had three Wednesday gatherings so far.  Small numbers are an obstacle for choir development, and we may need to consider another format which would allow more children to participate.)    

Dates to Remember  

Sunday, October 1--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Good Shepherd
Sunday, October 1--10:15 am--Holy Eucharist Rite II
Sunday, October 1--2:00 pm--Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 1--6:00 pm--Candlelight Choral Evensong
Monday, October 2--4:00 pm--GraceWorks Group
Monday, October 2--5:30 pm--EFM
Wednesday, October 4--11:00 am--Prayer Group
Wednesday, October 4--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist and Healing Prayers
Wednesday, October 4--4:00 pm--Space Utilization and Construction
Wednesday, October 4--5:30 pm--Wednesdays at Grace--Children's Choir and
         Spiritual Formation ("Dream, Think, Be, Do")
October 8-15--Rector on Fall Break with family
Sunday, October 8--Usual Sunday morning schedule
October 9-14--Fall Break for Kindergarten
Monday, October 9--NO EFM
Wednesday, October 11--NO Prayer Group or Holy Eucharist
Sunday, October 15--Usual Sunday morning schedule
Monday, October 16--5:30 pm--EFM
Wednesday, October 18--11:00 am--Prayer Group
Wednesday, October 18--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist and Healing Prayers
Wednesday, October 18--5:30 pm--Wednesdays at Grace
Sunday, October 22--Usual Sunday morning schedule
Monday, October 23--5:30 pm--EFM
Tuesday, October 24--10:00 am--Kindergarten Board
Wednesday, October 25--11:00 am--Prayer Group
Wednesday, October 25--12:10 pm--Holy Eucharist and Healing Prayers
Wednesday, October 25--5:30 pm--Wednesdays at Grace
Thursday, October 26--Clergy Day with Bishop at All Saints in Leitchfield
Sunday, October 29--9:00 am--Adult Forum and Good Shepherd
Sunday, October 29--10:15 am--Bishop's Visitation! HE, Confirmation, etc.
All Sorts and Conditions

Those in our parish family in need of God's healing: Jim Coursey, Susan Valentini, Helen Marshall, Lou Stea, Bill Nichol, Bryson Alexander, Virginia Nelson, Lannie Ross, Lauren Hoffman

Rest in Peace:  John Clarkson, brother of Tweetie White

Those who are deployed: Devin Tyrrell, Dillan Tyrrell, Sam Richardson

Mission Statement for Grace Church
  
       Our mission is to embody the compassion and mercy of Christ; to be fully welcoming and inclusive; to be a community characterized by acceptance, generosity, peace, and reconciliation; and to be witnesses in word and action to God's abundant and indiscriminate love and to Christ's transformative power.  We recognize that we need to be part of a community of faith in order to fully live out our baptismal vows, that we cannot fulfill them completely on our own.  Together, we strive to continually be transformed into disciples--following in the path of Jesus and doing God's work in the world.