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Stewardship as prayer
by The Rev. Kathryn Costas
Stewardship as prayer is something I have been thinking about. As we enter this new church season we are doing something different by having our ingathering of 2019 pledges on the third week of Advent, December 15 & 16. Much prayer has gone into preparing our pledge forms for this year and they say much about who Grace Church is. We send them to you so you have the time to pray about how you will fill them out.
Your response is a prayer. Our Book of Common Prayer defines prayer click here to continue reading...
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Grace will host Safe Harbor January 5 - 12
Contact Donna Olendorf for more information and to receive the needed training for Safe Harbor volunteers.
click here
to read Donna's full article on our website.
Pick up your wreaths this weekend
 Our Youth Group requests that you please pick up your wreath after any service this weekend. If you have not yet paid for your wreath, please bring your check made out to Grace Church, with 'youth group wreath' on the memo line.
Thank you for supporting our youth!
Cookie Intake Day
Friday, Dec. 14 8:30am - 11am
Bakers, please bring your cookies to the Commons on Fri., Dec. 14 from 8:30am to 11am. If you cannot drop your cookies off at that time, please feel free to drop them in the freezer in the kitchen, on the top shelf. Please label your container (so it can be returned to you) and the cookies, including whether they contain nuts, other allergens (such as peanut butter), or whether they are gluten-free. WE THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS TOWARDS A NEW COMMERCIAL DISHWASHER!
Come to the Cookie Walk!
Sat., Dec. 15 8am until sold out
Get all your holiday cookies and treats in one place - the Grace Church Cookie Walk! We can help you prepare for your holiday  parties and gatherings. Help us in our fundraising efforts to replace our 40 year old commercial dishwasher. It is used weekly in support of community meals (Fridays and Sundays) and many Grace groups, ministries and events, as well as by outside groups like Oryana (cooking classes) and the St. Andrews Society. Be sure to shop early, as we sell out by mid morning - we don't want you to be disappointed! Doors open at 8am. See you there!!
Boot Drive for Jubilee House
After speaking with the Jubilee House, the youth group has discovered a need for new or slightly used adult sized boots. There will be a collection box in the Commons for you to place the boots. We will also collect hats and gloves. Let's fill up that box and help keep our sisters and brothers warm. If you have any questions, ask a youth group member.
DOK Prayer Request Cards
 The Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK) is an intercessory prayer order for women and girls in the Episcopal Church (and churches in communion with it). We pray daily and welcome your prayer requests. Our list is confidential and is NOT shared. Using the prayer request cards is an easy way to let us know that you or a loved one needs prayer. Find the cards in our 'prayer box' on the ramp to the Parish Hall. Drop the completed card there and we will send your prayer request down our prayer chain. You may also ask any Daughter for prayer - you will know us by the cross we wear.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS STILL POSSIBLE
Charitable donations are still deductible, so long as you itemize your deductions, which fewer taxpayers are expected to do because the standard deduction has increased from $6,350 to $12,000 for a single filer and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. There remain ways to preserve the itemize benefit if you're near the threshold for itemized deductions. One approach is to concentrate your giving into a single year by paying forward your pledge amount or donations for 2019 in the 2018 tax year. Remember, all prepaid donations need to be accounted for by December 31, 2018. You still have the standard deductions up to $24,000 in 2019, and by looking at this as an whole, it can reduce your federal tax obligation for 2018 while supporting Grace Episcopal Church for the coming year.
Christmas Flower Donations Welcome
This is an excellent way to remember loved ones or give thanks for the many blessings which you have received. We use these
 donations to cover the cost of flowers and greenery used in decorating the church for Christmas services. Please place your donation in the envelope provided (Christmas Flowers on the memo line of your check) and place it in the plate during a service, or drop at the office. All donations are due by Dec. 17. Your dedication will be listed in the service bulletins for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
PoWeR! through literacy 
PoWeR! Book Bags
(Play, Write, Read - a literacy program) thanks the generous folks who dropped off the books and crayons. Every donation is shared with the children who come to Grace Food Pantry. May you be blessed abundantly!
Penny Campo-Pierce, Site Supervisor
Worship Participants this weekend
Sat. 5pm
Nancy Brannan, Eucharistic Minister
Brenda Lau, Lector
Sun. 8am
Bill Foster, Eucharistic Minister
Chris Bazzett, Lector
Charlene Allen, Usher
Sun 10am
Roberta Deuker, Bill Rouse, Tim Sinclair,
Eucharistic Ministers
Elizabeth Black, Pat Storrer, Lectors
Penny Campo-Pierce, Intercessor
Ken & Glenda Andrews, Ushers
Sandy Seppala Gyr, Welcomer
Service attendance last weekend
Dec. 1 & 2, 2018
Sat. 5pm 39
Sun. 8am 19
Sun. 10am 110
For the month ending Oct. 31, 2018
Total Operating Income: $30,374
Total Operating Expenses: $37,308
Mortgage Balance: $298,094
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St. Theo Amity Guild dinner Dec. 10 at 6pm
The men of STAG invite all men of the parish to join them for an evening of worship, fellowship and good food. Come meet and mingle with other guys around a bountiful table.
Celebration Weekend
Dec. 15 & 16, 2018
Please bring your pledge offering with you to church services next weekend, when we'll place our pledges on the altar and offer a blessing.
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Tuesday
Morning Prayer 8:15 am
Wednesday
Men's Prayer Group 7:30 am
Centering Prayer 11:00 am
Contemplative Eucharist 6:30 pm
Saturday
Holy Eucharist 5 pm
Sunday
Holy Eucharist 8 am
Holy Eucharist 10 am
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Lectionary Readings
& Daily Prayer
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This Weekend's Readings
The Second Sunday of Advent
Baruch 5:1-9
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
Canticle 16
Next Weekend's Readings
The Third Sunday of Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
Canticle 9
The Daily Office
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Birthdays
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Jacquie Harding
Terry Rayment
Anniversaries
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Prayer Lists
Did you know Grace has 2 prayer lists?
* To be added to the prayer list found in the bulletin contact
** If you would like to be added to the Daughters of the King (DOK) prayer list and be prayed for daily,contact Penny Campo-Pierce at 231-946-1224 or
[email protected]
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Contact Us
341 Washington St.,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone 947-2330;
Fax 947-3011
Website
www.gracetc.org
For Pastoral Emergencies
The Rev. Kathryn Costas
828-273-2296
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Staff Contact Information
Clergy:
Office:
Office Coordinator:
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What's Happening at Grace?
What's Happening in our Diocese?
Diocesan website
What's Happening in the National Church?
National Church website
Turn in your Oleson's receipts to benefit the Grace Food Pantry!
Oleson's Community Share Program
Here's how it works:
- You shop at Oleson's for groceries (liquor sales do not qualify for points)
- Turn in your receipts to the church. Look for the envelope on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall, and place your receipts inside it.
- We submit receipts back to Oleson's
- We are granted cash rewards for the food pantry ($1 spent on groceries = 1 cent in Community Share points)
For every $5000 in receipts we submit, we receive $50 in cash for our food pantry. Every little bit helps!
Thank you for participating!
Click here to learn more...
Buy from Amazon?
Help Grace Church!
Did you know Grace Church is part of the Amazon Smile program? We ask you to consider supporting Grace Church through this program. It doesn't take more than a minute to register, then eligible purchases will benefit Grace Church.
Follow this link to learn more...
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