Radical welcome. Faithful worship. Compassionate service. 

January 19, 2020
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany


8:00 am Holy Eucharist
9:15 am Family Service
11:00 am Holy Eucharist



All services are held in the Sanctuary.
A Service of Thanksgiving

For the Life of

Elisabeth Brewer

will be held at
Grace Church Brooklyn Heights

Saturday, January 25, 2020
at 4:00 PM

A Reception to follow in the Guild Hall.
 
May her soul and the souls of all the departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We Are Closed Monday, January 20

In observance of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, the office will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2020.
Advance Planning Workshop
Saturday, January 25, *Note New Start Time* 9:30 am - 2:00 pm

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to get all your paperwork in order? Come to our advanced planning workshop, dedicated to helping you get your estate and end of life planning paperwork organized and finalized.   Join thanatologist and end of life planner Matilda Garrido; trust and estates attorney Summerfield Baldwin; Grace Church Brooklyn Heights director of music, Paul Olson; and funeral director, Amy Cunningham for a half-day workshop (including lunch and Q & A).

Those who engage in end of life planning report a sense of accomplishment and most importantly, decreased anxiety about the future. We would like to help you get there!  All are welcome, whether you are a newbie or are well on your way to having everything finalized.

Sessions on:
  • Important documents - what you need and how to store them.
  • The "stuff" of life, our possessions, and instructions for your heirs about them, with a dive into Swedish Death Cleaning.
  • Selecting hymns for your funeral service.
  • Burial and funeral service options.

Those who engage in end of life planning report a sense of accomplishment and most importantly, decreased anxiety about the future.  

Join Grace member and thanatologist, Matilda Garrido; Director of Music, Paul Olson; and funeral director, Amy Cunningham for a half day workshop (including lunch) on end of life planning necessities.  

Please note, advanced registration is  required  for this event, since we will be ordering lunch and preparing materials packets for you to take home.  If you have any questions, please email Matilda Garrido . We hope to see you there!
Criminal Justice Reform

Grace parishioners interested in reform of the criminal justice system are welcome to join leaders from East Brooklyn Congregations who will gather Saturday, January 25 from 10:00 am-2:00 pm at St. Paul Community Baptist Church, 859 Hendrix Street, for a listening session, training and strategy session with formerly incarcerated men and women. A team of EBC leaders feel they need to know more about the challenges faced by recently released individuals before the team commits to a path of action. Anyone interested in attending this session should contact Mark McIntyre.
Men's Book Club
The Men's Book Group will meet Tuesday, January 28  at  6:00 pm  in the  North Room.  Come on out and join the Rev. Dr. Allen F. Robinson as we begin our next book Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obrecht (available for Kindle and in hard copy at the Brooklyn Public Library). 

For more information, please reach out to our very own  Jim Williamson .
2020 Lenten Devotional Booklet
Each year Grace Church publishes a booklet of reflections on Scripture passages for daily reading during Lent.  The Lenten Devotional booklet is a valued and much-awaited part of Grace’s Lenten observance, and its short, thoughtful reflections are written by parishioners just like you!  Even some of Grace’s children contribute.

No special education or ability is needed; you don’t have to be a seminarian or a professional writer.  You just need to be willing to spend some time with an assigned short Scripture reading, and then write a couple of paragraphs about what it means to you in your ordinary, daily life, or in the world around you.  

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be asking parishioners to contribute to this year’s Lenten booklet.  However, if you already know that you would like to participate, or if you just have questions, please speak to Judy Burns, or email her at  judybegonia@nyc.rr.com .   All writers must be assigned no later than January 31, and all submissions are due no later than February 20.
Annual Absalom Jones Eucharist and Celebration
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Stroller Group- Valentine’s Event

Save the date! Join us in the gym Saturday, February 9th for the next Stroller Group brunch, immediately after the 9:15 service. More details to follow next week. We look forward to seeing everyone then!

- Stroller Group 
~ Anne, Jenny, Helen & Shannon 

(If you’d like to be added to or removed from the Stroller Group email list please contact:  shannoncmcdonald@gmail.com
Christmas Poinsettias Have Staying Power Through Epiphanytide! 
Let the cheer of a Christmas poinsettia take you right through the season of Epiphany! Please take a plant for yourself or to someone who would enjoy some brightness through the gloom of January. But please consider making a free-will offering to help underwrite our annual Greening (and Poinsettia-ing) of the Church. Thanks so very much and enjoy!
CHiPS
Community Help in Park Slope

Have you ever seen someone arrive at church with groceries and wondered why in the world they were bringing food to a Sunday service? For years Grace Church has collected food for CHiPS.

CHiPS not only offers a soup kitchen (where some of our parishioners volunteer) but also houses new mothers and babies in a residence upstairs. According to the director, CHiPS also needs many items, both food and nonfood. Here are items specifically requested: FOOD:  staples for on-site use, such as large (family size) containers of mayonnaise, peanut butter, and sugar. Please note that smaller cans and jars are less useful. NONFOOD:  heavy duty contractor strength black bags, toilet paper, paper towels, Mr. Clean, bleach, dishwashing liquid, laundry soap (powder, liquid, pellets), saran wrap, aluminum foil, hair nets, plastic gloves (one time use: medium & large)

Robin Ketchum & Susan Bluhm are heading this effort. Please contact Robin with any questions or to get involved. We give in other ways too, but now we are highlighting our basket in the back of the church. It waits for your contributions. Please help fill it up!
Calling all Coffee Hour Hosts
Coffee Hour is a time for fellowship and conversation among church members. To share a cup of coffee, pastries and have small chats, what a great way to spend time after Sunday service.

To help further this fellowship we are looking for volunteers to host the Coffee Hour after the 11:00 am service. It can be very simple or as elaborate (but not expensive) as you like, fruits, carrots, celery with hummus dips or pastries, homemade cookies or brownies. Prepare your favorite goodies to share. You can also make a monetary donation and the Church can do the shopping for you.

We hope you will consider this special ministry and volunteer a small amount of time to host.If you are interested in volunteering one Sunday, please sign up by writing your name on the sign up sheet in the back of the church or you can contact Emily Horcher and/or Marilyn Grant .
Parish Prayer Concerns

For those we have been asked to remember: Martha; Theo & family; Elaine; David; Andrew; Ron & Betsy; the Nixon family; Karen; Karl; Suzanne; Ginny; Ann; Sohee; Donald, and all who care for sick or aging loved ones.
Upcoming Baptismal Dates

At Grace, we baptize up to seven candidates at a service, usually during the 11:00 am Sunday service of Holy Eucharist. For further information, or to obtain a Baptism application, please contact the Parish Office.

February 23 - 4 slots available
May 31(Pentecost Sunday) - 6 slots available
September 27 - 6 slots available
November 22 - 7 slots available
Announcement Deadline

If you would like to submit an announcement for Grace Notes and/or our Parish News, please send all information to the Parish Office no later than 5:00 pm on Wednesday of each week. Please be aware that submissions that do not meet the deadline will be published the following week. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Office Hours
The Parish Office is open  Monday through Friday  (except for holidays) from  9:00 am to 5:00 pm  but  closed  for lunch between  1:00 pm to 2:00 pm . If you would like to work in the office on any project or activity, please contact Parish Administrator, Ms. Takisha Brown to arrange a time. Takisha is available by phone at 718-624-1850 x 10 or by  email . Thank you.
Grace Church | 254 Hicks Street | Brooklyn NY 11201