GRACE NOTES
Grace Episcopal Church                            September 2019
FALL EDITION
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A NOTE FROM THE RECTOR...

Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the cooler days and spending more time outdoors. I get particularly excited when I don’t have to deal with mosquitos and ticks. The air is fresh and the breeze is a welcome shift from the hot, humid days of summer. However, as much as I love being outside this time of year, I also find that I spend more time at my desk.

Maybe it’s the back-to-school energy, but I can’t help but pile books high around me, reading and writing and planning for the coming months. The fall tends to connect me to the things that matter. It grounds me and brings me so much joy. In many ways, this is the cycle we are naturally provided each year as the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to change.

With fall comes harvest – a time to enjoy the work of our labor, to take in the abundance that the earth has provided and that our hands have cultivated. However, the idea of harvest can extend far beyond our usual image of growing plants in our gardens. To me, harvest can mean the fulfillment of a goal you’ve worked hard to complete; the achievement of a job you committed your time and energy toward; the rest after a season of difficult commitments or responsibilities in your life. Harvest may be the reward of reading a good book or a sitting down to a meal with your family. It may mean taking time to be in nature and enjoy the sounds of the world around you. 

What might your harvest be this fall? What ways have you been cultivating abundance in your life? Take this season to find opportunities to appreciate God’s creation. Take time to be thankful for the gifts you have been given. Life is a rich blessing and it is meant to be lived in gratitude and joy. May your fall be blessed with a bountiful harvest.

Emily
 WORSHIP
Please note that starting September 15, 2019
our regular Sunday schedule will resume. 

Sunday Service Schedule
9:00 am Holy Eucharist 
11:00 am Holy Eucharist
Followed by Coffee Hour
(Nursery Care available for the 11:00 am service)

Community Prayer Service
Second Saturday of Every Month at 5:00 pm

We invite you to get involved with leading our worship services this fall!
Consider serving as an Acolyte, Usher, Lector, Intercessor, Nursery Assistant or
9 am Worship Assistant. Everyone is welcome.
Please contact Cindy this week if you would like to participate.
BISHOP'S VISIT
Our bi-annual Bishop's visit is coming up on Sunday, September 8th at 10:00 am . We encourage everyone to attend this special service with the Right Reverend Susan Goff.

This year, we will receive new members into the Episcopal Church, conduct a baptism and a confirmation. After the service, everyone is invited to a potluck lunch... please bring your favorite dish to share.

The Bishop's visit is always an important milestone in our church year. It celebrates the beautiful work of Grace Church with the Diocese and provides all of our members the opportunity to talk with the Bishop and learn more about our region and ways we can connect with the greater Episcopal community. We can't wait for you to join us on the 8th!
NEWCOMERS RECEPTION
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Are you new to Grace? Or, maybe you have been at Grace a while but would like to meet more folks from church. Our Rector, Emily, will be hosting a wine and cheese reception for new Grace Church parishioners on September 28th from 4:30 - 6:00 pm. (Nonalcoholic beverages will also be provided.)

Children are welcome and child care will be provided.

This is a great chance to get connected and enjoy fellowship with our Grace community. RSVP to Emily by September 20th at emilydunevant@gmail.com
STUDY AND LEARN
Our Bible Study begins Thursday, September 19th at 10:00 am! This fall we will read and discuss the book of Romans.

The Apostle Paul is one of the most important people in early Christianity. In his letter to the church in Rome, he argues the importance of his mission and the imperative to bring Jesus' message of redemption to a wider audience. More importantly, Paul wanted to emphasize that salvation through Christ was meant for everyone. Romans is a powerful explanation of what it means to be a follower of Jesus and highlights for us some of our most important lessons within our faith.

We will meet for six weeks on the following dates:
Sept. 19 & 26; October 3, 10, 17, 24

Copies of N.T. Wright's study guide on Romans will be provided. Please RSVP to Cindy no later than September 15 if you would like to participate.
RECTOR'S FORUM
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The Rector’s Forum is back! This fall, we have updated the focus of the Rector’s Forum to highlight books and podcasts which have inspired our congregation. Our Rector, Emily, and Laura Rodgers will facilitate a discussion on the monthly selection. The Forum is designed to engage dialogue on current topics and encourage people to apply their faith in new and meaningful ways to the world we live in.

The Rector’s Forum will take place 3 times this fall, on the third Sunday of each month between services. Our first Forum for the season will be Sunday, September 15 th . We will read and discuss  The Second Mountain by David Brooks. Please purchase your own copy.

On October 20th, we will discuss the NPR podcast, The Hidden Brain; You 2.0: Tunnel Vision . This episode looks closely at scarcity and how it impacts our ability to live healthy, contributing lives within our families and communities.  You can listen here:  Tunnel Vision

As we move forward, we will encourage the congregation to share what they are reading and listening to so we may include those in future Forums.
SERVE
Grace doesn't stop in the summer doing God's work in Goochland. Here are just a few highlights of the work we have done together:

  • Volunteering at the Food Pantry every Tuesday.
  • Providing 20 kids with new back packs and supplies for the YMCA's Bright Beginnings Backpack program.
  • Preparing and delivering muffins the first Friday of each month for members who are sick, housebound or just need something to brighten their day.
  • Collecting items for the women at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women.

Thanks to everyone who helped make these Outreach events such a success!
MUSIC
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CHOIR

Do you enjoy singing? If so, please consider joining the choir. You do not have to be able to read music and there is no auditioning. We especially need sopranos and tenors right now, but all parts are welcome. We will start practicing for our Christmas Lessons and Carols Service soon. This is always a fun mix of well known Christmas Carols and other beautiful pieces that are not as familiar. Come join in our fun group. We rehearse at 10:00 am, before the 11:00 am service on Sunday. We practice again after the 11:00 am service.
OPEN MIC NIGHT

The Music Ministry has a fun opportunity for all lovers of music, poetry, storytelling, and other performing arts. On Saturday, October 19th at 6:30 pm we will have another Open Mic Night. The last time we had about 40 people there, many of whom were just there to enjoy the acts and savor the delicious cheese, crackers, fruit, and wine in our Bistro atmosphere. Please join us and bring a friend, or two. 
2019 FALL CALENDAR
Second Saturdays - September 14, October 12, November 9, December 14
5:00 pm
Community Prayer Service

Sunday, September 8
10:00 am
Bishop Visit/Reception

Sunday, September 16
9:00 am and 11:00 am (with nursery care)
Two Worship Services Resume
                              

SUNDAY PROGRAMS
September 15, October 20, November 17
Rector's Forum
                                                                              
THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY
September 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24
10:00 am
Book Discussion- Romans by N.T. Wright

OTHER DATES
First and Third Thursdays
7:00 pm
Men's Group

Sunday, October 6
11:00 am
Blessings of the Animals   

October 19
6:30 pm
Open Mic Night
                               
Sunday, November 3
Wonder in All Pledge Commitment Sunday

Saturday, November 16
8:00 am
Holiday Bazaar
                 
Sunday, December 1
Advent Begins/Advent Breakfast

For a copy of the full calendar including times,
click here: Fall 2019 Calendar
Grace Episcopal Church
2955 River Road West
Goochland VA 23063
804-556-3051