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News from Grace Episcopal Church ~ Martinez, California
May 2, 2019
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Scripture of the Week
"
Sing to the
Lord
, you servants of his;
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye,
his favor for a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night,
but joy comes in the morning.
"
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"Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs."
Jesus
At Grace, we have Godly Play (Sunday School) during the school year, but children and youth share in the ministry of the church year-round, serving as acolytes, readers, and oblation bearers.
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This Sunday in Godly Play
Grace's children's education model is Godly Play, which is a Montessori-based Christian Education curriculum for elementary-aged children. The goal of the program is to teach children the art of using religious language -- parable, sacred story, silence, and liturgical action -- to help children interpret the spiritual aspects of their daily lives. Children experience the word of God through the elements of prayer, song, The Word, and response.
This week:
The Good Shepherd and World Commmunion-
During Easter season, we hear stories of the disciples struggling to understand Jesus' death and to see him as the eternal, divine Son of God. This week, the children will hear about Jesus the Good Shepherd, who asks us to love and take care of all of his children.
Godly Play takes place in the Education Building. It is the practice at Grace to have the children join their families for the Eucharist in the sanctuary. There is a children's area at the rear of the sanctuary with toys, books, and coloring materials for children who do not enjoy sitting in the pews. There is Nursery Care for babies and young toddlers in the education building.
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Spring Luncheon this Saturday
St. Christopher's Guild invites you to a Benefit Luncheon on Saturday, May 4, 11:30am-2pm. Adults $15, 12 and under $5. Proceeds and donations will be used to support charities in the Martinez area. There will be a short presentation about Asian history in Contra Costa County by Vivienne Wong. Tickets/Information: (925) 266-0567
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Sunday at 9 a.m.
Traditionally called "Outreach," or "Service" ministries, the people of Grace seek simply to help others by attending to their needs and sharing our time, treasure and talent. The Outreach Committee meets on the first Sunday of the month between services.
There will be a meeting this Sunday, May 5, at 9 a.m. at the conference table in the Education Wing. Meetings are open to all interested parishioners. Topics on the agenda include current and proposed ministries to assist with homelessness, and food shortages in our area. Feel free to join in the conversation, ask questions, or simply observe.
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Youth Babysitting Fundraising
Happy Mother's Day to all parents and caregivers at Grace. On Sunday, May 12, from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. our wonderful Youth Group will be providing baby-sitting at the low cost of $10 per child so parents can enjoy some time off. Pizza, snacks, and a "G" rated movie will be provided for the children. For more information, call Jes Senn at (925) 765-9279.
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Flower and Candle Dedications
We are blessed by having fresh flowers on our altar each week. These are paid for by parishiners who wish to dedicate flowers (or candles) in thanksgiving or memory of loved ones. There are many open dates available on the flower and candle dedication calendar, located in the Narthex. When signing up for a date on the chart, please be sure to also write your name on the corresponding date in the flower dedication notebook (located on the little table below the chart). Suggested donation $35. The candle dedication notebook on the table under the bulletin board. Suggested donation $5.
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Your Community of Christ Needs You!
Just like the early Christians, we are a community of many different people with many talents and we need everyone to provide for the community. We have several ministries that are in need of additional volunteers, including Eucharistic Ministers who assist the priest during the Holy Eucharist; Members of the Altar Guild, who help prepare the church for worship; Sunday School and Youth Group volunteers for the crucial task of forming our youth; and Acolytes, young people between the ages of 10 and 18 who assist with the liturgy. Please consider thoughtfully and prayerfully what you can do for the good of the church. Contact Rev. Deb (revdeb@gracechurchmtz.org) and she will direct you to the right person!
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Bible Study for Everyone!
Each Wednesday at 10 a.m. we offer Holy Eucharist followed by Bible Study in our Chapel. Currently, we are delving into Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's "Way of Love" initiative.
As the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, we follow the Way of Jesus. His way is the Way of Love, and that love has the power to change lives and change the world. Bishop Curry has described seven paths along the Way of Love:
TURN: Pause, listen, and choose to follow Jesus
LEARN: Reflect on scripture each day, especially on Jesus' life and teachings
PRAY: Dwell intentionally with God each day
WORSHIP: Gather in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God
BLESS: Share faith and unselfishly give and serve
GO: Cross boundaries, listen deeply and live like Jesus
REST: Receive the gift of God's grace, peace, and restoration.
We are using the text, "Living the Way of Love," which is available
here. It's also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. However, as always,
you do not need to purchase the book to take part.
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There will be a Memorial Service for Michele Lynch Cobb on Saturday, May 25 at 11 a.m. If you are willing to contribute food or labor to put together a potluck reception following the liturgy, please let
Susan Bremmer know.
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Faithful Forums are back!
Grace offers monthly educational forums on broad-ranging topics like The Dead Sea Scrolls, Episcopal Polity, Recycling, and Emergency Preparedness for congregations. These take place in the Parish Hall following our 10 a.m. service (approximately 11:30).
As a result of the activities surrounding Easter, we did not have a Faithful Forum in April. On May 26, we will have the opportunity to talk about our new Grace Church Online Directory. Find out about our upcoming launch and bring your questions for Parish Administrator Jennifer Sabroe and Rev. Deb. On June 16, we will wrap up our forum season as Rev. Deb, Rev. Molly and Rev. Walter host an Open Forum called "Ask the clergy a question." No topics are off-limits! Come with your questions about liturgy, theology, and church polity.
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Godly Play and Youth Group recognition
We will hold our annual Recognition Sunday on June 2, 2019. Children and adults who have participated in Godly Play or Youth Group will be honored at the 10 a.m. service. We will also say "thank you" and "good luck" to our three high school graduates. There will be a barbecue following the 10 a.m. service. Please join us!
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Bring a friend to church day!
Why is it that we are all so willing to share the latest and best restaurant, diet, or internet bargain with our acquaintances, but feel strange talking about the most important thing in our lives - our faith in God? In order to encourage one another to demonstrate our commitment to the importance of Christian community and the necessity for all of us to help for it to grow, Grace is hosting "Bring a friend to church day." If there is someone that you have been thinking about inviting to church but haven't had the nerve, now is the time. The service will be followed by our Faithful Forum "Ask the clergy a question," so the timing is perfect!
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Coffee Hour News!
Coffee Hour Hosts needed for May-August!
The sign-up sheet is in the Parish Hall. If you'd like to help but have never done Coffee Hour before, we can partner you with a "veteran."
Thank you to those who have already signed up. Please remember that if you can't do your assigned date, you are asked to make arrangements for a substitute.
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Yoga at Grace!
We welcome certified Yoga Instructor Noah Yuzna every
Tuesday evening at 6:15 p.m. to conduct a 60-minute yoga class. All levels are welcome and modifications are available for folks with limited mobility.
Classes are open to the community and there is no set cost. Participants are invited to contribute what they can for each class.
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Join the choir!
Be part of the joyful liturgy at Grace by lending your voice to the choir. Choir rehearsals at Grace are Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. You don't need experience or even the ability to read music. Please join this amazing ministry!
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C.O.R.E. Homeless Outreach donations
C.O.R.E stands for Coordinated Outreach Referral and Engagement. It is a program of the Housing and Homeless Services Division of Contra Costa County Health Services. Grace will be providing the C.O.R.E. team with needed items to distribute to individuals suffering from homelessness. This is an ongoing project, so we are requesting:
- Hygiene items including (but not limited to) soap, shampoo, oral care, shower wipes, shaving supplies, feminine hygiene items
- Incontinence products (e.g. "Depend") (men's and women's) all sizes
- Sleeping bags
- Blankets (moving blankets are inexpensive and durable)
- Backpacks - ideally large capacity, durability is less important as they are frequently lost or stolen after a few weeks/months
- Healthy food - preferable non-perishable items that don't require cooking, a can opener, or good teeth. Pull-top cans are good.
- Bottles of water
- Socks
- Sunscreen
- Pet food (in particular, wet food in pull-top cans). Other pet goodies would be appreciated too!
We also encourage parishioners to consider developing the habit of thinking of our homeless neighbors when shopping (i.e. picking up an extra item or two) and traveling (bringing home the hotel soaps/shampoo). Please leave donations in the Narthex.
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Grace Episcopal Church Martinez is on Amazon Smile. If you are shopping at Amazon, simply go to the Grace Martinez Amazon Smile link and we will receive a portion of their sale to you. Spread the word! |
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Do you have an announcement?
If you have a parish-related announcement for the bulletin or Grace Notes - meeting reminders, upcoming events, special requests, etc. - please email the text of your announcement to the Parish Office by end of day on Tuesday. Thank you!
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