In order to make things a little easier for parents and kids coming in for the pageant rehearsal and preparation, the patron saints from Parish Life will be preparing breakfast this Sunday – a balm which we hope will take the sting out of having to launch out of the house earlier than usual. A variety of foods will be available – some prepared fresh-cooked and others ready-to-eat, so that there will be something for everyone, however their morning pans out. Food will be available from 9 a.m. until close to 10 a.m. Cost is $5 per person, with a family maximum of $20.
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Breakfast this Sunday
Christmas Pageant and Rehearsal
Poinsettia Deadline Extended
"Seraphim Bush" Helps Group Homes
Christmas and Holiday Schedule
Epiphany Mini-Retreat
Changes in National Church Sexual
Abuse Policy
Continuing Ed for Liturgical Servers
Death of Zack Nyein's Grandfather
Math Tutor Sought
Food Pantry Thanks to Belvoir!
Meetings This Week
Serving on Sunday
Lectionary
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Christmas Pageant on Sunday
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How heartbreaking it is that nominations for the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors’ Guild awards have already been published – had they waited but a week or so, they would have found some worthy performances to honor from Grace’s annual Christmas pageant. This year’s drama will unfold as part of the 10:45 a.m. liturgy this Sunday (December 16); do not miss this year’s performance!
Children who are taking part in the annual drama are bidden to rehearse the tomorrow (Saturday, December 15
th)
at 10 a.m. The action will begin in the Undercroft and move to the Nave; it should be over at 11:45 at the latest. If you have children who for one reason or another can’t rehearse, there’s still a place for them in the pageant on Sunday!
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Poinsettia Deadline Extended
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Because of a change in our Christmas bulletin production plans, there is some extra time for you to purchase and dedicate poinsettias. Dedications need to be in before noon on Wednesday, December 19; you may pay at any time, tucking your check into an almsbag, bringing it by the church or mailing it in. Cost is $15 per plant. There are about 10 that have not yet been claimed.
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“Seraphim Bush” (Help for Group Home Residents)
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Since Grace missed the Angel Tree Express this year, we’ve caught a slightly less known but equally worthy – and mercifully less hurried! -- vehicle that will provide a few extras for those who live in the area’s group homes.
Group homes provide care for groups of people with similar disabilities -- intellectual disabilities, mental illness, medical conditions, elderly people who cannot be left alone for safety reasons. Over 1,000 people in Chattanooga live in group homes. Most of these are adults 19-70 years of age who have no other place to live and who survive on SSI or SSDI averaging $754 each month. The home takes the majority of this income and gives the individual on an average $40.00 per month for incidentals.
Many of those living in group homes do not have family to celebrate Christmas with. Grace Episcopal is supporting this population this year by purchasing needed items that many times are overlooked at the Group home.
If you’d like to choose an individual in a home, you can find the information in the Narthex. Each envelope on the tree contains information on one resident; desired items and crucial information such as sizes are included.
There are two copies of the notes in the envelopes; please take the top copy and leave the second
with your name on it
on the table.
Purchase whichever item(s) you choose and bring them back to Grace --
items can be wrapped or unwrapped; just make sure they’re marked with the identifier number and initials
. If you need more suggestions than are provided in the material, most residents could always use towels or an extra blanket.
Please return gifts to the Narthex or to the church offices no later than Friday, December 21
st
.
If you have any questions please call Jerry Evans @ 423-645-9644.
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Grace Christmas and Holiday Schedule
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Christmas at Grace begins officially with a family-centered service at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 24. For those who don't have to either put together robot-toys on Christmas Eve or be up before the sun with Santa and children on Christmas morning, the late service offers rich music and the timelessness and mystery of worship in the late hours. A choral prelude begins at 10:30 p.m., with carols and Zelenka's Magnificat (with strings and trumpets); the liturgy begins at 11 p.m. Come and bring friends and relatives to whichever best fits the demands of your life!
There are a few irregularities after Christmas:
The church offices will be closed on December 24, 25 and 26 and on December 31 and January 1.
There will be ONE SERVICE on December 30 at 10:00 a.m.
There will be NO mid-day Eucharist on December 26 and January 2.
There will be no music rehearsals on December 26. Choir rehearsals will resume on January 2, and Bells of Grace will begin rehearsing on January 9.
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“Stars, Companions, and Gifts” -- Epiphany Mini-Retreat
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Saturday, January 5, 2019
9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Grace Episcopal Church
We invite you to join us at the beginning of the Epiphany Season to reflect on the Journey of the Wise Men. Sister Elizabeth of the Community of St. Mary’s, Sewanee, TN, will be our guide as we consider how their journey might help us on our own.
Coffee, tea, bagels and fruit will be available in the morning and a simple meal of soup and bread will be served for lunch.
Please call for reservations.
Br. Tyrone Sills: 423-602-1333
Rebecca Williams: 423-843-0657
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Changes in the National Church's Sexual Abuse Policy
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A Letter from the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies
Dear People of God in the Episcopal Church:
Nearly a year ago, we
issued a call
for the church to examine its history and come to a fuller understanding of how we have handled or mishandled cases of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse through the years. In particular, we asked to hear voices from the wider church at General Convention so that deputies and bishops might consider both how to atone for the church’s past and shape a more just future. As followers of Jesus of Nazareth, as children of God with all people, we could do no less, and we must do more.
In July, General Convention considered
26 resolutions and one memorial
addressing issues the #MeToo movement has brought to light, many of them developed by the House of Deputies Special Committee on Sexual Harassment and Exploitation. One of these resolutions,
Resolution D034
, suspends for three years the canon (church law) that places a time limit on initiating proceedings in cases of clergy sexual misconduct against adults. There is no time limit on reporting clergy sexual misconduct against children and youth under age 21.
As a result of this resolution, from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2021, those who wish to bring a case of sexual misconduct against a member of the clergy will be able to do so, regardless of how long ago the alleged misconduct occurred. Allegations of misconduct can be made to the intake officer in the diocese where the alleged misconduct occurred, or, if the allegation is against a bishop, to the
Office of Pastoral Development
. You can learn how to reach the intake officer in a diocese by checking its website or calling the bishop’s office.
We hope that this temporary suspension of the statute of limitations will be one way for the church to come to terms with cases of sexual misconduct in our collective past. Between now and General Convention in 2021, laypeople, clergy and bishops appointed to several task forces created by the 2018 General Convention will be working on other ways of addressing these issues, including a process to help the church engage in truth-telling, confession, and reconciliation regarding our history of gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence.
We are grateful to the many deputies, bishops and other volunteers across the church whose careful work before, during, and after General Convention is helping our church move closer to the day when, having repented of our sins and amended our common life, we may be restored in love, grace and trust with each other through our Savior Jesus Christ.
Faithfully,
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings
Presiding Bishop and Primate President, House of Deputies
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Continuing Ed Notes for Liturgical Servers
(and the voraciously curious)
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This is the new feature announced in last week’s Grace Notes Weekly newsletter. Future notes will follow the same format. Each will focus on a specific topic and pose a question about the task, followed by the answer to the question. Don’t be shy… propose a question you’d like to have answered and forward it to Jeff Bertrand at
grace@jeffbertrand.net
.
Intended for:
Lectors
Topic: Leading the Psalm or Canticle
Question: How is the Psalm introduced?
Answer: The Psalm is led by the lector who reads the first lesson at all 8:00 a.m. services and at any service when the choir is not present. The introduction includes:
1. The current day of the liturgical calendar
2. The Psalm number
3. How it is to be read (responsively or in unison)
The general form of the introduction is:
The portion of the Psalter appointed for [liturgical day] is Psalm number [ ]. We will read the psalm responsively by whole verse.
Note: On certain days in the church year, a canticle may be read instead of a psalm. The form for introduction remains the same:
The canticle appointed for the [liturgical day] is Canticle number
[ ]. We will read it together in unison
.
The day of the liturgical calendar is always printed on the front of the bulletin and is also at the top of the hymn boards. The lector elects to read responsively or in unison.
Intended for: Chalice bearers serving in pairs at the 10:45 a.m. and special services
Topic: the SMALL wine flagon
Question:
There is a small wine flagon on the back corner (lectern end) of the credence table. When do I pass it to the Celebrant?
Answer: You DON’T, unless the Celebrant specifically asks you for it. That flagon contains unblessed wine which may have to be blessed because the Altar Guild needs more wine for the stock which is reserved in the ambry. Breezie Finley will inform the Celebrant if the supply is low and ask that the small flagon be blessed with the elements to be used at this service. The chalice bearer returns this flagon to its place on the credence table when the altar is cleared.
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Death of Zack Nyein’s Grandfather
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We received this message from the diocese on Tuesday:
We are sorry to share the news of the death of the Rev. Zack Nyein’s grandfather Charles F. Coatney, Jr.
Zack will be officiating at his grandfather’s funeral to be held in Maryville. Please keep Zack and his family in your prayers.
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Grace has a frequent visitor who would like to get some tutoring in math after the holidays to help him raise his scores for admission into community college. This is not a paying proposition, but would be out of the goodness of your heart. If you’d be interested, please contact Dabney (
dcarden@saygrace.net
; 243-3257) or April (Aberends@saygrace.net).
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Thanks to the Neighborhood!
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Read this closely, People of Grace – you will not see it often: the food pantry is filled to capacity, thanks to the Belvoir Neighborhood Association, which collected food at its annual caroling party and chose us as its beneficiary! We will doubtless be scratching at your doors again all too soon, begging for this and that, but let us give prodigious thanks for such generous folk around us and for this moment of abundance!
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Centering Prayer (Barth Room) -- Friday, 1:00 p.m.
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At the 8:00 a.m. service
: Lectors, George Reed, III, Jim Dorris; Intercessor, Katie Walters; Chalice, Lisa Revenig; Acolyte, Andy Lane; Usher, Mike Revenig; Greeter, Jean Williams
At the 10:45 a.m. service
: Lector, Joy Jones; Intercessor, Ann Watkins; Chalice, Anne Curtis, Becki Jordan; Oblations, Jean Whisenant, Paul Thomas; Acolytes, Jeff Bertrand, Sean McEwen; Lead Usher, Wayne Smith; Greeters, Catherine Durham, Erica Kelley
Lectionary Readings
Zephaniah 3:14-20*, Canticle 9, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18
*This lesson will be the only formal reading at the 10:45 a.m. service this week; the Gospel will be preached via the annual Christmas pageant and will take the place of the rest of the Liturgy of the Word.
Hymns
Introit --
Creator of the Stars of Night
(Hymnal 60);
Canticle of the Turning
(setting of the Magnificat);
O come, O come Emmanuel
(vs. 5 & 6 – Hymnal 56);
There’s a voice in the wilderness crying
(Hymnal 75);
Humbly I adore Thee
(Hymnal 314);
Watchman, tell us of the night
(Hymnal 640);
Prepare the way, O Zion
(Hymnal 65). The pageant will include verses from
O little town of Bethlehem
(Hymnal 79);
Away in a manger
(words at Hymnal 101);
Angels we have heard on high
(Hymnal 96);
Silent Night
(Hymnal 111);
Joy to the World
(Hymnal 100).
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