Grace Happenings: The Week of July 26, 2020

Grace Episcopal Church

Eighth Sunda y after Pentecost

July 26, 2020

Birthdays

Alexandra Grosshans

Dan Burke

Pat Golden

Anniversary

Jim and Ann Berry

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

PARISH HOUSE

Nancy and I have returned to the Parish House this week. The regular hours resume. Nancy will be available on Tuesday - Friday mornings. I am available Monday by appointment and Tuesday-Thursday. Since the building is still somewhat restricted, please contact us ahead of time if you need to come by. And masks are essential.

Any ministries that wish to resume meetings or events at the Parish House must contact me before scheduling. There are attendance limits to each of the meeting places as well as expectations for masking, maintaining physical distancing and sanitizing the areas following their use. The 1st floor Parish Hall is limited to 15 individuals. The 2nd floor Conference Room and the Chapel each can accommodate no more than 9 people.

The AA groups have resumed their meetings. There are four: Mondays at 10 am; Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; and Wednesday at noon.

WORSHIP REOPENING---HERE WE GO!

Plans are in place for the limited reopening this Sunday, the 26th and reservations are being received.

As of this publication time, there are only 4 spots remaining accommodating a maximum of 6 people. If you have not yet reserved, you will need to do so right now! Please see the link in the sidebar immediately to the right. When you arrive at the Parish House door, a Greeter will check your name(s) off on a list and admit you to the building where you will proceed into the nave to find an empty seat that is designated by a bulletin. Pews that are not to be used will be closed off by lengths of ribbon.There will be hand sanitizer stations at the entrance and also at the back of the nave.

For those worshiping at home on Zoom, here is the link to the bulletin that you may download and/or print: bulletin. When you log in on Sunday morning, y ou will be muted except for during the sharing of the peace, birthday and anniversary blessings, and a time of greeting at the end of the service. As usual, the Zoom will be ready for you at 10:20 am.

On Wednesday morning July 22, the Wednesday 7:30

am service was held in the church with four others participating via Zoom. Online worship by Zoom will also be available on Sundays for those who are not comfortable returning in person.

Here once again are our "Ten 'Commandments'" for re-opening. The full plan that was submitted to the Bishop's office for approval may be found here.

Ten Commandments of In-person Worship

1 To go, or not to go?: If you have a fever, are sick, infected by the virus, or have been exposed recently to someone with the virus, stay home and worship with Grace online. Also, anyone having a condition that makes them more vulnerable to the virus, should seriously consider avoiding the risk of exposure at church by staying home and worshiping from there.

2 Reservation: Make a reservation to attend. Seating in the Nave is limited to 21 designated spots for a single person or couple living in the same household. (Maximum number of people allowed in the Nave: 32.
3 Mask: You MUST wear a mask covering both your nose and mouth! Please bring your own.
4 Social Distancing: Maintain social distancing (6 feet minimum), both inside and outside the church, at all times except when receiving Communion from the Priest.

5 Entering: Enter the church through the Parish Hall door as directed by the Greeter or Vestry Coordinator.

6 Seating: Sit in a designated seat marked with a bulletin on the pew or chair.

7 Communion: As directed by the Vestry Coordinator(s), use the center aisle to go to steps in front of the altar. Receive the host from the Priest and hold it in your hand while returning to your seat by the side aisle. Remove your mask to consume the host after getting back to your seat.

8 Leaving after the service: There will not be a coffee hour; so leave as directed by the Vestry Coordinator(s) by rows through either the Parish Hall or Narthex doors. Refrain from blocking the doors and congregating outside.

9 Offerings: Use one of the collection plates placed near the doors while entering or leaving.

10 Love your neighbor as yourself: Should you become sick or aware of being infected by the virus within two weeks after attending a service, let Grace Church know immediately so we can warn others who attended the service.

This Sunday

READINGS:

Genesis 29: 15-28 The intrigue and duplicity among the patriarchal and matriarchal families continue, but God finds a way for Covenant to be preserved and renewed. Jacob has fallen for Rachel, the younger daughter of his uncle Laban. To win her, Laban asks for seven years service from Jacob. When the seven years are completed, Laban puts on an elaborate party, promising Rachel to Jacob that night. However, under the cover of darkness, Laban took his older daughter, Leah, to Jacob instead of Rachel. Psalm 105: 1-11 The psalmist recalls God's mighty acts, beginning with God's initiating a covenant with Abraham and Sarah, which the Lord renewed with Isaac and then Jacob. Romans 8: 26-39 Paul acknowledges his "sighs too deep for words." But then he discovers that God "stretches the heart." After he repeats the creed-Paul finds his voice and becomes bold, confident and articulate. "Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52 Matthew's narrative examines in considerable detail the extent and the ways in which Jesus was misunderstood and rejected. In this series of comparisons, God's word and work in Jesus is depicted as small, humble, and buried but not impossible to seek and to find. The individual must take the initiative to seek and find. But once Jesus' message is found, it is prized. Who has found it authentically? Leave that judgment to God.

The "scribe trained for the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew's text has acquired the skill to sort through her "possessions" and keep some old, familiar things and to acquire some entirely new things. The more one 'does' kingdom things, the more one understands its peculiar perspective; the more one sees from God's perspective, the more one performs 'kingdom' deeds. The stronger the insight, the more deeds proliferate. One's life becomes a self-fulfilling activity. This 'kingdom' perspective can begin small- as "small as a mustard seed"- but grow into a life-transforming event that causes one to jettison some [old] "treasures" to acquire and hold other [new] "treasures."

We tend to encrust biblical insights with extraneous questions and issues, (perhaps as an avoidance of their "simplicity and familiarity"). The actual barrier, however, is not understanding, but the compulsive priorities of our deeply complicated human nature. But as both readings and psaltery responses from the Hebrew scriptures for today vividly illustrate, God's ways can prosper despite and even through human frailty. So, the bad news is human beings are very clever at avoiding wisdom of any kind- common sense wisdom or "God's wisdom." But the good news, as today's gospel makes clear, is that when and where God's "wisdom" is sought and, as importantly, practiced, it can flourish, even if it starts out so small it is hardly noticed at first; as tiny as a "mustard seed."

Thumbprints and commentaries from:

sacraconversazione.org.

Formation Ministry News

Wednesday Morning Study Group

Communal Bible Study affords an enjoyable and fulfilling way to grow spiritually and exchange insights with fellow parishioners, especially during the pandemic. We currently are studying the Gospel of Matthew. All are welcome Wednesday mornings, 10:30 - 11:30. Contact Greg Serwich for a Zoom invitation.

Meditative Prayer 9:00am Fridays

Looking for a way to improve your prayer life, to open your heart, mind and soul to the Holy Spirit? Consider joining the Centering Prayer Group Friday mornings for about forty minutes of meditative prayer: twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by Lectio Divina. Contact Greg Serwich (gserwich@gmail.com) for a Zoom invitation which includes a description of these types of prayer.

Education for Ministry (EfM) Update

Technology is wonderful when it actually works. How often do we hear or think this? The other side of that thought is technology can really throw us for a loop when it doesn't work. Here's the situation regarding EfM for the coming year: "We regret that the online registration system is down. We do not yet have an estimate for when it will be available. Please bear with us. When it is ready for use you will be informed."

Here's a description using a metaphor: "Being a staff person and administrator serving EfM is like working within a set of Russian Dolls. Imagine working within one of the dolls only to learn that you work within another doll called the Beecken Center. From there you find above you is another doll called the School of Theology which is turn works within the larger University of the South doll. If that weren't enough, the University Doll works within the Owning Episcopal Dioceses Doll. Each doll in this Russian Doll set has its own budget, policies, and personalities. When one changes something within the EfM doll it has to do so with the understanding that the change interfaces with many, if not all, of the dolls containing the EfM doll. Now consider the fact that every doll within the Sewanee Russian Doll setup is quivering from the forces of Covid 19 and the economic impact the brought about by this pandemic."

Why am I sharing all this? To let everyone know we have more time to put together an EfM group for the coming 2020-2021 year. We will start later than usual and with more flexibility than in the past.

Here is a video link:

https://youtu.be/Ndp0rfvWsz4

EfM 2020 Recruitment

Lynn Giles, Grace EfM Mentor

For a registration form or more information, please contact Lynn Giles at 815-757-2011 or lynngiles@lynngilesphotography.com.

Worship and Ministry in the Midst of COVID-19!

Pentecost Season Worship

Sunday services will begin at our usual 10:30 time at church and on Zoom. They will also be recorded and uploaded as quickly as possible for those unable to participate on Zoom. The uploads will appear on the church's Facebook page, @FullyGrace and on the Grace website.

Wednesday morning services are also now in-person in the church and on Zoom. Bible Study and Centering Prayer are also on Zoom each week. If you would like to add your name to any of these participant lists, please e-mail the church office.

Ministry of Care

Here at Grace, The Ministry of Care has organized regular phone and e-mail contact with our most vulnerable members. If you are in need of assistance,or pick-up and delivery of prescriptions or emergency supplies, please contact Bonnielynn Kreiser. Also contact her if you are able to help out. And, of course, your clergy are available by phone, text, and e-mail to provide pastoral care,

Outreach Ministries

GLORY PARISH UPDATE

Donna Davis has forwarded this message from Bp. Joseph this week along with photos of the new Glory Parish church building.

Dear Donna, outreach committee and all friends of Grace Church,

May mercy, peace, grace and love be multiplied to you.

Thank you for your email concerning Glory parish pictures, I am sorry the church did not finish according to the time that we agreed with Engineer and that is because the Engineer ordered Iron zinc from the Company in Sudan and because of raining season it delayed too much. He is hoping that it may arrive this week God willing. I will keep you inform. All of us we are enthusiastic to finish construction of this Church for God's glory especially at this difficult time of pandemic.

South Sudan is not free from COVID-19 but Renk is free from COVID-19.

I am attaching the photos of Glory Church so that you shall see where are we up to now. Hopping to send you more photos of progress of building. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Every blessing.

Thank you

+Joseph

Current list of needs for needy in Galena:

(although money can always be used)

cleaning supplies

baby wipes

feminine products

size 6 diapers

laundry detergent

outdoor toys for kids (all ages)

toilet paper

paper towels

cleaning sponges

fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, grapes are popular)

Anything can be dropped off on the porch of

704 Park Avenue, Galena . Thank you!

Women and Friends Make a Difference

Leadership

Vestry Liaisons

V estry Liaisons' primary purpose is to assure two-way communications between the various ministries and the Vestry, to represent the ministries for resources or policy issues, and to support their events an d activities.

Worship:                          Rector
Building and Grounds: Greg Serwich (Sr. Warden 2019-2021)
Worship Committee:    Charlotte Stryker (class of 2022)
Formation and Spirituality:   Elizabeth Ludescher (class of 2022)

Fellowship & Hospitality: Anita Sands (class of 2021)

Ministry of Care/LEMs: Nancy Cook (class of 2023)

Outreach: Tony Packard (class of 2021)

Communications: Eric Kallback(class of 2023)

Governance: Wardens & Rector

Officers: Greg Serwich, Senior Warden

Lynn Giles, Junior Warden,

Richard Luther, Treasurer

Diann Marsh, Clerk
The Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell, Rector

Staff: Robin French, Director of Music

Nancy Cook, Erben Organist

Nancy Kenney, Parish Administrator

Chris Ludescher, Nursery Attendant

This Sunday

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 26, 2020

Zoom Worship-10:30 am

Meeting ID: 851 4512 0312

Reservation for in-person worship:

reserve

For quick reference, find Sunday's readings by clicking here:

The Lectionary

Genesis 29:15-28

Psalm 105:1-11, 45b

Romans 8:26-39

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Ministers of the Service:

Presider: Rev. Dr. Gloria Hopewell

Lector:

Intercessor: Elizabeth Ludescher

Pianist: Robin French

Next Sunday's Readings:

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

August 2, 2020

Genesis 32:22-31

Psalm 17:1-7,16

Romans 9:1-5

Matthew 14:13-21

Grace's Prayer List

For a current prayer list, click on the following link:
Grace Prayer List

The Request For Prayers notebook is in the Narthex/ Entrance area of the Church. Please feel free to request prayers for yourself or others at any time by filling out a form or contacting the office by either phone or email. May we first and always be "a people of prayer."