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NEW ZOOM INVITATIONS
FOR GRACE CHURCH
Due to an update in the Zoom setting, a password is now needed to join any meeting. With these new invitations, the password is encrypted into the invitation. So all you need to do is click on the link to join on your computer, IPad, or smart phone. You can also call in for audio only and may be required to provide the password. Thank you for your courage and patience as we continue to connect with each other in these times.
Diocese of Western Massachusetts Pentecost Worship Service at 10:00 AM on Sunday, May 31. To watch:
After Worship Coffee Hour for
Grace Church on May 31
or call by your location:
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 177 160 858
Password: 917937
Tuesday Bible Study at 7:00 PM
or call
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York),
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
(Meeting ID): 753 016 518)
Books and Bread at 7:00 PM
or call +
1 646 558 8656
(Meeting ID): 370 191 823
Centering Prayer Thursdays 5:00 PM
or call
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York),
+
1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
(Meeting ID): 203 314 800)
Third Sunday Supper 3rd Sundays
at 6:00 PM
or call
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York),
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
(Meeting ID: 778 608 743)
Be safe. Be well. Hope to see you soon.
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Grace Church
Click the following to read:
Click the following to read:
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The new
FORWARD DAY BY DAY
booklets for May to July are now available in regular or large print. If you would like a copy mailed to you please
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Questions about Zoom ?
Robert Forman's telephone number for those who would like help using Zoom:
914 478 7802.
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Step into Grace |
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Where strangers become friends |
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We are a
n Open and Affirming church. Every one of every age, race,
ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental ability, or economic status is invited to join us as together we live out the Gospel message of love, forgiveness, service, and justice. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey- you are welcome here.
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SHINE YOUR LIGHT
In this unpredictable time, your church continues to give thanks for and need your support. If you are
capable of sending in
your pledge, thank you. If you are unable to give at this time, we understand. If you are capable of giving a bit more so we can respond to the needs of our community, we are very grateful. If you are in need, please contact
Janet
at 512-981-8211. Since we are not gathering in person in community, we ask that you send your gifts via mail to Grace Church, P.O. Box 114, Great Barrington, MA 01230 or give online by phone or co
mputer to
Tithe.ly
Using your phone you may text the word "GIVE" to 774-252-9246. Please contact Janet or any member of the Stewardship Committee for questions.
We are truly all in this life together We pray, trusting that God will see us through this season and beyond.
Thank you for giving generously to support the ministry of Grace Church.
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BIBLE STUDY WITH THE WORD
Tuesdays, from
7:00 pm
to 8:30 pm
We will be reading
The End of the World or Heaven on Earth: An In-Depth Look at the Book of Revelation
How can we see the Book of Revelation, not as a road map to the end of time, but as a way of finding God in apocalyptic times? This six week journey will focus on how we should understand this vivid account of Christ's second coming as a book of hope. Sessions will include a survey of works of visual art, music and film making that draw from this, the last book in our biblical canon. Each session will be followed by a simple compline service. All are welcome to join us!
To join us on Zoom, click below:
Meeting ID: 753 016 518
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GRACE CHURCH
Please Include In Your Daily Prayers This Week
Members of the Parish Family: The Rev. Ted Cobden, Linda White, John Breasted, Vonnie Frye, Edna Leavenworth, George Raymond, Ed Hutchinson, Pam & Bill Drumm, The family of Richard Gore, Sr., Mimi and Dick Alford, Doreen Hutchinson, Barbara Turner, Pennie Curry, Frank Vogel - Polizzi, Mark Anderson, Elizabeth Holland, Janet Zimmerman, Stacey, Claire and Mark Thomas, Richard Edelstein, Connie Garber, Ruth Crawford, Marcia Doelman, Dindy Anderson, Tom Murray, Paula Doyle, John Grammer, Aidan, Andrea, the Rev. Steve White, Maureen Terry, Gino Furio, Elinor Hamill and Meredith Haider.
Others we love: Evie De Melker, daughter of Rev. Ted Cobden; Karen La Rocque, friend of Sue Gore; Donovan Buck, nephew of Pennie Curry; Susan and Dan Gray, Beth Grady, niece of Deborah Holmes; Alice Fitch, Rose Blakely's sister; Fred Bunce, father of Mary Booton;
Khali Zabian; Matt Alford, son of Mimi and Dick Alford; Wendy Reeve, sister of
Cathy Haywood, Keiron Lee, daughter of Doone Marshall; Andrew Artz, brother-in-law of the Rev. Janet Zimmerman; Anne Peters, Leslie Albert,Debbie Losaw, daughter of Rosemarie Blakely, Ashley Gangell, Zeke Hills, brother of The Rev. Francie Hills, Jane Williams, John Belizzi, Carole Chapple, Christy Yeo, Cooper O'Brien, Rosalind Haywood, Colonel John Tryon, nephew of Anne Andrews and all who serve our country.
Those who have died: Marion Chapin Andrews; Chuck De Melker, husband of Evie Cobden De Melker; Rev. Stephen Chinlund, friend of Jainee McCarroll and John and Ellis Ericson; Joy Saville, mother of Andrea White; Richard Gore, Sr.; Locke Larkin, brother-in-law of Maureen Terry; Charles Olegar; Marianne Felch, friend of Janet Zimmerman; Pat Edelstein; Anthony Aiuvalasit, friend of Janet Zimmerman; Patrick Barney, nephew of Mark Anderson; Stephanie Engel, friend of Steve White; Valerie Smith, Mary Dalton, mother of Dindy Anderson; Scott Crawford, son of Ruth Crawford.
Our world: For those who suffer from the COVID-19 virus; for those who have died from this virus and those who mourn; for those who provide care and comfort in this pandemic; for all who suffer from the loss of jobs and income in this time; for all who are anxious about their future and our world; for all who offer time and treasure to support those who need to know love; for all who are alone and all who reach out to care.
The many ministries of our local community and the Diocese of Western Massachusetts: especially for our partners at St. Paul's, Stockbridge and the Rev. Sam Smith; Christ Trinity, Sheffield and the Rev. Erik Karas; and our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas J. Fisher; the Mampong Babies' Home in Ghana;
St. Mark's, Leominster; Commission on Ministry
The Church's wider mission: Faith Alive; The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS)
And we offer thanks: for all those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries this week: David Hamill (5/31), Margaret Layton, Ellie Smith (6/1)
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We supply this list so you may contact members of our congregation who are at home or in a nursing facility.
Please hold in your prayers and
reach out as
you can.
BLAKELY, Rosemarie (413) 243-0485
21 Crossway, #108
Lee MA 01238
BOWENS, Marina (310) 398-2484
c/o Maryella Satinover (310) 749-9424 (cell)
11908 Windward Ave.
Mar Vista, CA 90066
BREASTED, John (413) 429-8123
Fairview Commons Cell (413) 854-3977
151 Christian Hill Road
Great Barrington MA 01230
BROOKS, Jane (413) 243-3367
165 George Street
Lee MA 01230
CRAWFORD, Ruth (413) 243-2575
125 Woodland Road
Lee MA 01238
EDELSTEIN, Richard
LEP, Kimball Farms,
Pine Hill Assisted Living
235 Walker Street,
Lenox, MA 01240.
FRYE, Vonnie (413) 881-4055
Devonshire Estates
329 Pittsfield Road #216
Lenox, MA 01240
GORE, Barbara (413) 243-4261
50 Stockbridge Road
Lee MA 01238
GRAMMER, John (413) 258-4212
86 South Beech Plain Road
Sandisfield MA 01255
HAIDER, Meredith (413) 551-7319
5 Fox Hollow Road #409 (814) 308-4865 (cell)
Lenox, MA 01240
KEENE, Sara (413) 528-4152
The Egremont Village Inn
17 Main Street
P. O. Box 275
South Egremont, MA 01258
TURNER, Barbara & John (413) 243-8904
130 High Street
Lee MA 01238
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Join us for Centering Prayer ONLINE
every Thursday
5:00 - 6:00
Encouraging a practice of silence and stillness we focus on practices of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina using scripture, art and music. All are welcome.
Join Zoom Meeting
(
Meeting ID: 203 314 800) or call
+
1 646 558 865
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Click here for the 
Grace Church calendar
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Please Participate in
the 2020 Census
 You should have received information on the 2020 Census in the mail. It is even more critical this year that you mail this information in promptly. With COVID-19, collection of census information will be difficult. But it is important for accurate numbers to be determined for the Berkshires. Census numbers impact education, infrastructure, health care, employment training, and housing decisions at the federal level. These results will affect our community every
day for the next ten years.
Please do not be absent from this census.
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Support Ascentria Care Alliance
Donate or call to learn about volunteering
A
scentria Care Alliance provides resettlement resources for refugees who have received extreme vetting by the U.S., are sponsored by the United Nations, and have been invited to live in our country.
Ascentria partners with the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and a host of other volunteer organizations to do God's work in caring for the most vulnerable in our world.
Donate on-line at
http://www.ascentria.org/donate-today
or call them at (413)-787-0725 to learn about volunteering.
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The Welcome Project Mat by
Thistle Farms
Thistle Farms in Nashville, TN. has come together with women refugees in Ritsonia, Greece to provide an economic platform for women and their families to escape the refugee camps. Lee and John Cheek have brought us a mat woven from materials the women took on their journey to Greece.
The mat that was on our altar is a symbol that love is the greatest force for change in the world.
Every Purchase Helps a Woman Survivor Heal. Shop Now!
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What are you grateful for?
In this time of fear and anxiety, it can be easy to miss the daily blessings that are right in front of us. Being grateful is not just for good times. Being grateful is even more important when fear sets a place at your table and heartbreak seems to be in your every breath. Because by being grateful we become aware of all the ways God is working in us. Being grateful is a part of our healing and our deliverance. Being grateful is where our best selves reside.
I invite you to take time each day to breathe and be aware of all the ways God is present with us. Write them down or simply include them in your daily prayers. A heart that turns toward being grateful comes to see the goodness and grace of God everywhere, even in a time of hardship.
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It costs about $1500 a year to support a baby. The Diocese's goal is for one congregation
to support one child for a year.
To donate to support babies at the Mampong Babies Home in Ghana please send a check to Grace Church, PO Box 114, Great Barrington, MA 01230
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The Day of Pentecost
John 20:19-23
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
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Announcement from the Communications Office
Come, Holy Spirit!
Diocesan Pentecost Liturgy
Sunday, May 31st |10:00 AM
- Bishop Fisher is presiding and preaching at 10:00 AM
- Have a candle ready to light as we renew our Baptismal Promises
- Over 40 participants from around our diocese
- Virtual Choir
- Each congregation might consider hosting a virtual Coffee Hour after
- Wear red!
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Service to be Broadcast on Two Platforms
- Watch on our diocesan Facebook Page or on our Youtube Channel
- Specific links will be provided when post-production is complete
- "Like" and "Subscribe" for now
- The liturgy will be available for download in the next communication
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GRACE CHURCH COFFEE HOUR
Following the Diocese of Western Massachusetts Pentecost Worship Service at 10:00 AM on Sunday, May 31
please join Grace Church on Zoom for coffee hour. We will gather immediately following the service
Wear red and come share this time of promise with joyous people. We hope to see you.
Click below to join our coffee hour on Zoom:
or call by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 177 160 858
Password: 917937
Find your local number:
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HYMN
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| DOWN AMPNEY-COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE |
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Some of the many attendees at
the Installation of The Rev. Jen Bloesch
on May 16.
To watch a video recording of Jen's service click:
Screenshots by Lee Cheek
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Finally the warm weather has arrived!
Jen and Fisher are eager to catch up on all aspects of the garden beyond the seeding itself.
In the past weeks Fisher has been working hard to repair the van. It's gotten some good use in the past five years, and this year Fisher is patching up some rust.
Our native plant garden is also growing again.
Pictured here is Lupin, a very important native species. It's growing strong! Last year it didn't produce flowers, but hopefully this year it will bloom with incredibly beauty.
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What Are Your Five Favorite Hymns?
Have your say!
S
end Chris Clark the first line, title or hymn number of your five favorites!
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JOIN OUR DISCUSSION ONLINE
Wednesday, June 10, at 7PM
Sally Brooke will lead our discussion
Meeting will end at about 9:00 PM
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Here is your Zoom invitation to join us on Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00 PM
Topic:
Books and Bread on Zoom
Time:
June 10, 2020, 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 370 191 823 or call 1 646 558 8656
F
or more information email Peter at PetetheK@yahoo.com
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Third Sunday Supper is going online
Our next gathering is on Sunday,
June 21, at 6:00 PM
Stay tuned!
Join us for an evening of laughter and conversation.
For more information contact George Raymond
413.854.1222 cell
graymond747@gmail.com
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Why We Join, Why We Give
Meet four members of our community. Each tells the story of what being a member of Grace means.
Why We Join
is a new feature on our website. Would you like to add your story? Contact
Kathy
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So many thanks for all you do!
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HIO Sponsorship Transforms Lives
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The HIO family is a tightly knit group and totally committed to caring for one another. Loyal sponsors are our backbone. Your yearly support covers school tuition, books, uniforms, healthcare and emergency family relief for our girls.
The new school year in Nepal would normally have begun the third week of April. Our partner schools' openings will be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but we'll begin paying 2020 tuition bills for sponsored girls soon. Such a blessing to have received so many of your sponsorship donations and contributions to HIO's family relief efforts during these unsettling times. Your kind generosity is truly appreciated.
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A LETTER FROM BERKSHIRE SOUTH COMMUNITY CENTER
Dear Community Friends,
The Community Center has been working on a project with the United Way/Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Fund to execute a meal pick-up program.
If you've got questions, my new "office" phone is 413-717-2674 and my hours are usually Monday-Friday from 9am-1pm Please feel free to call, text or email!
Here are the details:
WHAT:
Nourishing Neighbors south county meal program,
providing 500 meals from local restaurants weekly!
WHO:
Meals are available for all community members in the southern Berkshires needing extra support at this time, especially our senior population, those who have lost their jobs, and those otherwise financially struggling.
WHEN: Wednesdays, 1pm-3pm (For any updates or changes, follow Berkshire South's facebook page) - Please, no early birds!
WHERE: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, drive thru*. 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington.
**If you're not able to drive, please contact meals@berkshiresouth.org and we'll deliver to you! The deadline to request delivery every week is Tuesday at 10am so that we are able to plan ahead.
DETAILS: This is a contactless system, please stay in your car. We'll be happy to take your order curbside. Questions: please email
meals@berkshiresouth.org.
HOW: We are so grateful for Berkshire United Way and Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the COVID 19 Emergency Response Fund. We're also thankful for Price Chopper, Taft Farms, SoCo Creamery, Domaney's Liquors and Fine Wines, Big Y, and M Designs for their donations.
You can donate online here.
Kate Tucci
Director of Educational and Community Programs
BERKSHIRE SOUTH REGIONAL COMMUNITY CENTER
15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230
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Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures
For a summary on the Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures that went into effect Monday, April 20 please click here. Remember:
No tenant should be moving out of his/her home at the insistence of a landlord.
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The Way of Love:
Practices for
Jesus-Centered Life
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has completed a series of podcasts in which he discusses the Way of Love. They are available to listen to on The Episcopal church website.
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Worship Schedule
Morning Prayer and Sunday Service
at 10:00 am
In this time of COVID-19 our public gatherings
have been suspended for the good of all.
Please join us online
for worship, study, and fellowship.
We pray for all who are affected by this virus
and we give thanks for the many people who are giving themselves in service to others.
May God hold you close in these anxious times.
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You can now donate to Grace Church through PayPal.
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For Janet's sermons click
here
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On occasional weeks there will be a reflection by Janet. Click
here.
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OFFICERS
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Class of 2021
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Anne Andrews
Dutch Pinkston
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Junior
Warden
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Class of 2022
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Cathy Haywood
John Cheek
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Treasurer
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Sue Gore
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Class of 2023
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Dindy Anderson
Holly Murray
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Clerk
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GRACE CHURCH
An Episcopal Community in the Southern B
erkshires
The Rev. Dr. Janet Zimmerman,
Rector
The Rev. Jen Bloesch
Gideon's Garden Program Director
Mailing:
P.O. Box 114
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Gretchen Fairfield
Office Assistant
or by phone at 413-644-6572.
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