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News from Grace Episcopal Church ~ Martinez, California
October 17, 2019
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Scripture of the Week
"
I
lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the
Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep;
The
Lord himself watches over you;
the
Lord is your shade at your right hand,
So that the sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The
Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
it is he who shall keep you safe.
The
Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in,
from this time forth for evermore.
"
Psalm 121:1-8
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Please pray for Rev. Deb's mother, Ottilie, who has taken a turn for the worse. Rev. Deb is on her way to be with her. Please pray for Rev. Deb, her sister Sidnie, and their family.
While Rev. Deb is gone, please contact Sr. Warden Lynda Dyer if there are any urgent matters. Lynda's cell is (925) 408-3792.
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Calling the church office
We want to make you aware that the church office phone is not recording messages. If someone is in the office we will pick up, but if we aren't here, we will not get any messages left on the answering machine. For now, the best way to reach the office is by email at info@gracechurchmtz.org. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working hard to resolve the problem.
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"Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs."
Jesus
At Grace, we have Godly Play (Sunday School) during the school year. During the summer we continue to offer Nursery Care. School age children are invited to join their families in the Sanctuary. We provide coloring and drawing materials, books, and soft toys, as well as a children's area for children who prefer not to sit in the pews with their families.
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at Grace Church!
THIS Saturday, October 19
5pm Social Hour ~ 6pm Dinner
$25 (general); $6 (ages 10 and under)
German food, music, entertainment, and raffle.
Bring friends!
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This week in Godly Play
This week is a real "play day" for the children. We will provide sidewalk chalk and ask each child to draw a Godly Play story on the sidewalk. You probably should check these out after church as they likely will be quite interesting!
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Faithful Forums
Grace offers monthly educational forums on broad-ranging topics like The Dead Sea Scrolls, Episcopal Polity, Recycling, and Emergency Preparedness for congregations. These take place in the Parish Hall following our 10 a.m. service (approximately 11:30).
THIS SUNDAY October 20, we will welcome The Rev. Canon Abbott Bailey, Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of California. Canon Abbott will be Presiding and Preaching at both the 8 and 10 a.m. services and then conducting a forum on the role of the Canon to the Ordinary in our church structure. She will also answer your questions about the policies and procedures of DioCal. Please come out to welcome her warmly!
Future dates and topics include:
November 17
, Sustaining Earth, Our Island Home conversation with the Environmental Ministry of the Diocese of California
December 15, SWEEPS Ministry Fair
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Grace's Annual Stewardship Drive is underway!
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put back into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." Luke 6:38
Over the next few months the Finance Committee will be setting our agenda and budget for 2020. In order to know what we can do we need to know what resources we have. This means asking our parishioners to tell us how much time, energy, and, yes, money, they are willing to provide for the life of this parish. Although we appreciate any and all contributions to Grace,
we ask members to pledge - meaning to promise to contribute regularly to this community - so that we can make reasonable plans for our work together. God's grace is free, but unfortunately keeping Grace Church operating is not; it requires time, talent, and treasure from each of us.
The biblical standard for giving is a tithe - or ten percent of our time, energy, and income. We recognize that some of us contribute in various ways to many different worthy causes, including Grace, so you may wish to look at your total charitable giving if you are thinking about how you might begin moving toward that goal. The chart below is provided to help you consider the relative importance of financial charitable giving in your lives, but you can apply the same formula to percentages of your donations of time and talent. Ideally, you will be able to commit to pledging in each of these areas, but we are grateful if you are able to increase your giving in
any
of them
.
Please take some time to reflect about the spiritual gifts you receive here and how you can, in turn, contribute to our life together and to the work of the Jesus Movement in this community. Thank you.
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Stewardship Bonus Opportunity
As a fun incentive we are offering these tongue-in-cheek t-shirts to people who are able to increase their pledge this year.
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E
arlier this year Grace moved to a new church recordkeeping solution called RealmĀ® Inform to serve the
administrative needs of our
church. The online directory feature is
an important part of the way we connect with each other.
We know that it is an adjustment to go from a paper to online directory, but it is now the primary way the church office can reach you, so please enter your information in it.
The information below will help you do that.
Remember, regardless of whether you opt-in to the directory, by keeping your information current, you are helping Rev. Deb and church staff.
*Everyone gets a unique Profile that contains information that you want people in our church to know about you. When you're logged in to your Profile you can update your contact information, change family details, display your photo, and view the online directory. You can customize your privacy settings to select as much or as little contact information to display in the directory.
(*Church Member)
If you fit any of the scenarios below, please contact Parish Administrator Jennifer Sabroe,
info@gracechurchmtz.org
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You want access to the online directory (aka Realm) but haven't gotten around to creating a login,
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You want your contact information available to fellow parishioners in the online directory (aka Realm) but don't want to do the login thing, or don't have a computer,
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You don't want to be in the directory, but want to confirm or update your contact information for the church office.
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ALL SAINTS SUNDAY
November 3
If you would like to have someone remembered during the service, please email the name(s) to the church office at
info@gracechurchmtz.org. For those without email, please print the names on a piece of paper and leave in Parish Administrator Jennifer Sabroe's mailbox, located next to Rev. Deb's office in the Education Wing.
Please submit names no later than Tuesday, October 29.
During the Litany for All Saints, the names of beloved who have passed will be read aloud as the bell tolls.
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Last week Rev. Deb heard the most intriguing story from her friend, The Rev. Krista Fregoso, Rector of our sister church, St. Paul's Walnut Creek. Apparently, in reviewing their history, they found the following sentence in one of their documents, "The beautiful stained glass window of 'The Good Shepherd' and massive antique oak chair are both memorials to Dr. Abercrombie." This is interesting, because Dr. Abercrombie served BOTH St. Paul's and Grace Martinez in the late 1800s. The history continues, "
Given by friends in Martinez, they were intended for Martinez, but, the donors not caring for the clergyman in charge, gave them to Walnut Creek." Rev. Deb looked up this unpopular clergyman who served at Grace in that time frame and found the following notation, "
There is no information on the rectors from 1890-1911."
Who was this clergyman and when will St. Paul's give us back our stuff?
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More history:
Grace is almost 150!!
IMPORTANT UPDATE! Thanks to the faithful sleuthing of Melissa Rodrigue-Kennedy, we now know that the name of our Rector in 1890 was W.J. O'Brien. We also know that NEXT YEAR Grace will celebrate our 150th anniversary as a parish. We would like to commemorate this important milestone. If you are interested in being part of a
150th Anniversary
planning group, please let
Rev. Deb
know
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Good news! Our city construction crew has reported that they have completed the most disruptive work on Muir Station Road and
it will no longer be closed.
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Diocesan Convention
The annual Diocesan Convention will take place on October 25 and 26 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Convention is an opportunity for delegates from all over the diocese to meet and discuss concerns of the church, including the diocesan budget, resolutions and canon changes. Grace's delegates are Barbara Brooks, Mary Canale, and Pat Hambly. Jennifer Sabroe is our alternate. Rev. Deb, in addition to representing Grace, is also a member of the Standing Committee of the diocese.
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Save the date and tell your friends!
Kids' All Hallow's Eve Party
Sunday, October 27
2 - 3:30 p.m.
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Night of Light!
The Episcopal Impact fund serves organizations that address the root causes of poverty in the Bay Area, both financial and through mentorship and guidance. Inspired by the teachings of the Gospel, we share a vision of a Bay Area without poverty. The Episcopal Impact Fund's annual fundraiser,
The Night of Light will take place on
Friday, November 1. Grace Martinez has bought TWO tables for this black tie event.
There are a limited number of free seats available. If you are interested, please let Rev. Deb know as soon as possible.
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Piano Recital
Saturday, November 2, 2 p.m.
The parish family is welcome to attend a piano recital at Grace featuring beginning and intermediate students of our former organist, Joe Lim.
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Save the Date!
Organ Concert
Sunday, November 3, 2 p.m.
Featuring Grace Music Director Arthur Omura
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The Amazing Grace Youth Choir!
Young people ages 7-17 are invited to join in learning to read, appreciate and perform music in a low-stress environment. Rehearsals are on Sundays at noon (following our 10 a.m. service and coffee hour). To enroll, see or contact Music Director Arthur Omura.
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Wednesday Bible Study: Following the Way of Jesus, Church's Teachings for a Changing World
Each Wednesday at 10 a.m. we offer Holy Eucharist followed by Bible Study in our Chapel.
We are now studying, "Following the Way
of Jesus." According to Church Publishing, "
With the launch of the
Church's Teachings for a Changing World
series, visionary Episcopal thinkers and leaders have teamed up to write a new set of books, grounded and thoughtful enough for seminarians and leaders, concise and accessible enough for newcomers, with a host of discussion resources that help readers to dig deep. [Presiding Bishop]
Michael Curry leads off this volume with a clarion call for Episcopalians to join the Jesus Movement. A team of the church's brightest stars follow up with reflections on the practice of ministry in light of the movement."
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St. Christopher's Guild Survey
St. Christopher's Guild is currently examining their mission. Please take a moment to answer this
very brief survey about this ministry. This survey is open to EVERYONE, regardless of gender or association with the group. Currently we only have responses from those already familiar with their work.
We would like to hear from everyone. Hard copies are available on the table in the Narthex.
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Make a joyful noise!
Be part of the joyful liturgy at Grace by lending your voice to the choir. Choir rehearsals at Grace are Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. You don't need experience or even the ability to read music. Please join this amazing ministry!
For more information contact Music Director Arthur Omura at music@gracechurchmtz.org.
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There is nothing to fear but fear itself: violence and mental illness
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The Second Annual Grace Martinez Thanksgiving Dinner
Last year Rev. Deb and her family decided they would like to have Thanksgiving Dinner at Grace. By the grace of God and lots of volunteers, we were able to share dinner with about 40 people! This year we will be doing a potluck! Deb and Gary will provide turkey and ham - you bring your favorite Thanksgiving fixings. There is a sign up in the Parish Hall!
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Season 2 of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's "Way of Love" podcast online now
Join Bishop Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church as he guides us through the practices of the Way of Love: turn, learn, pray, worship, bless, go, and rest. In season 2 of this podcast, Bishop Curry talks with our hosts, Sandy Milien and Kyle Oliver, and others about following the Way of Love - beyond the church walls. Subscribe now and listen each week wherever you get your podcasts.
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A note of thanks
We received the following note from Wendy Heyse's sisters following her memorial service.
"
Dear Reverend Deborah and the Church Ladies - My sister Jennifer and I would like to sincerely thank all of you for the uplifting memorial service and reception for our departed sister Wendy Anne Heller Heyse. Your church was definitely our sister's other family, giving her support and love. We both were so glad to have met and talked to those of you who knew our sister: we loved your shared stories.We deeply appreciated Rev. Deb's fine service and the tasty tea and reception afterward. We were very touched and will always remember this day. Again, our heart-felt Thank you!"
- Susan and Jennifer Heller
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C.O.R.E. Homeless Outreach donations
C.O.R.E stands for Coordinated Outreach Referral and Engagement. It is a program of the Housing and Homeless Services Division of Contra Costa County Health Services. Grace provides the C.O.R.E. team with needed items to distribute to individuals suffering from homelessness. This is an ongoing project, so we are requesting:
- Sleeping bags
- Blankets (moving blankets are inexpensive and durable)
- Backpacks - ideally large capacity, durability is less important as they are frequently lost or stolen after a few weeks/months
- Hygiene items including (but not limited to) soap, shampoo, oral care, shower wipes, shaving supplies, feminine hygiene items
- Incontinence products (e.g. "Depend") (men's and women's) all sizes
- Healthy food - preferable non-perishable items that don't require cooking, a can opener, or good teeth. Pull-top cans are good.
- Bottles of water
- Socks
- Sunscreen
- Pet food (in particular, wet food in pull-top cans). Other pet goodies would be appreciated too!
We also encourage parishioners to consider developing the habit of thinking of our homeless neighbors when shopping (i.e. picking up an extra item or two) and traveling (bringing home the hotel soaps/shampoo). Please leave donations in the Narthex.
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Coffee Hour
The Coffee Hour schedule through December is posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Please be sure to take a look at it for your assigned Sunday. There are still two open dates (December 8 and December 29) to be filled. This is a great opportunity to team up with someone and host during this fellowship time following the 10:00 service! Questions: Email Coffee Hour Coordinator Tina Reich or leave a note in her box if you have any questions. Please remember that if you can't do your assigned date, you are asked to make arrangements for a substitute.
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Flower and Candle Dedications
We are blessed by having fresh flowers on our altar each week. These are paid for by parishioners who wish to dedicate flowers (or candles) in thanksgiving or memory of loved ones. There are many open dates available on the flower and candle dedication calendar, located in the Narthex. When signing up for a date on the chart, please be sure to also write your name on the corresponding date in the flower dedication notebook (located on the little table below the chart). Suggested donation $35. The candle dedication notebook on the table under the bulletin board. Suggested donation $5.
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Grace Episcopal Church Martinez is on Amazon Smile. If you are shopping at Amazon, simply go to the Grace Martinez Amazon Smile link and we will receive a portion of their sale to you. Spread the word! |
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Do you have an announcement?
If you have a parish-related announcement for the bulletin or Grace Notes - meeting reminders, upcoming events, special requests, etc. - please email the text of your announcement to the Parish Office by end of day on Tuesday. Thank you!
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