May 28, 2020

Dear Grace Church Community,

This Sunday we look forward to celebrating, together with the entire Diocese of Western Massachusetts, the glorious Feast Day of Pentecost. On Sunday morning, May 31 at 10:00 AM you are invited to participate in a celebration that will involve preaching by Bishop Douglas Fisher, scripture that will be shared in many languages, an 85 voice virtual choir, and other surprises that will transport our hearts, minds, and spirits to that day when God sent the Holy Spirit to live among us and guide us in sharing God’s love to the ends of the earth. You are invited to wear red and have a candle that you will light as together we renew our promises made at Baptism.

Here is the link so you can be a part of this celebration.

You can join on Zoom here or call in + 1 646 876 9923 ( Webinar ID: 829 7570 8926 Password: 498680).

You can also join on YouTube here. The worship bulletin can be downloaded here.

Following worship, you are invited to come to Grace Church and share in a time of fellowship. The link to join us is our regular worship link which is here or you can call in +1 646 558 8656 ( Meeting ID: 177 160 858, Password: 917937) It will be wonderful to see you and continue the celebration with each other.

Next Friday, June 5 at 6:00 PM we will bless Gideon’s Garden for the 2020 season. We will pray for the Rev. Jen Bloesch, Fisher Riiska, and all who work in the garden this year. We will give thanks for Dan Tawczynski and the workers of Taft Farm who helped Jen and Fisher prepare the garden for planting. We will pray for all who receive the glorious produce from the garden, all who hunger, and all who with gratitude are fed. Then on Saturday morning, June 6, beginning at 9:00 am we will plant the garden. Due to safety considerations we are having a sign-up. When you sign up, please list each person individually. If you are a couple, please list each person and be counted as two. If you are a family, each member must sign up as individuals. No more than 10 people can be in the garden and all will be spaced at safe distances. We will have three time slots of one hour with a 30 minute interval so Jen and Fisher can set up for the next group. The times for planting will be: 9:00-10:00 AM, 10:30-11:30 AM and 12:00-1:00 PM. Please wear face masks and bring your own hand shovels and water. These are extraordinary times, but God is still in love and at work in them. We hope that you will join us as food is even more precious in this time of unemployment and financial hardship.

We like the women and men followers of Jesus on Pentecost are sheltering in place. We are worried, we long to know what is next, we pray that those we love and those in our community will be safe in this virulent time. Just like them, we do not know the day or the hour when we will be safe to go out into the world. We pray to listen closely for what God has in mind for us in this in-between time. We trust the Good News, that God who is love, walks with us each and every moment and is always breathing hope and good into our midst. God has made the church for this time.

May God’s peace surround you,

Janet

Spirit of Truth, you have always been trying to get our attention.

Through the cries of the prophets, the whispers of saints, and the groans of the earth, You have been calling to us for ages.

As we grieve all that has been lost to destruction’s hand,

we renew our commitment to listening for Sacred Wisdom around us.

With humility, we pray, come and lead us in the way of life.

AMEN