Growing in Faith. Creating an Inclusive Community.
Serving with Compassion. Working for Social Justice.
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January 23
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany:
Family Service
9:15 am
Worship Service
online via Vimeo at 11 am
There will be no in-person services this week.
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Move to Online Services
Because of the recent surge in COVID cases in the New York City area, we have suspended our in-person worship services. As of Sunday, January 16th, we will hold our 9:15 am family service online via Zoom and the 11 am service will be live-streamed on our Vimeo page each week. A copy of the 11 am bulletin will linked in each week’s Grace Notes for those wishing to follow along. Regrettably, we will not be able to conduct our 8 am service online, but we invite all who normally attend at 8 am to join us at 9:15 or 11 am.
Sunday services will be held online through Sunday, February 27th. We plan to resume in-person services on Ash Wednesday (March 2nd).
Please watch for further updates as our plans for responding to COVID-19 evolve.
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Meet our Incoming Vestry Members
Three members of the congregation have volunteered to run for Vestry positions this year. Thank you to Geoff Brewer, Mark McIntyre, and Theresa Seabaugh for stepping up to take on this important role! Please take a moment to get to know a bit about our new Vestry members.
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Geoff Brewer
Which service do you attend?
11 AM
Why do you want to serve on the Vestry?
I love Grace as a community of deep Christian faith, steeped in tradition and reason, and as a prophetic, active and loving force for good and for justice in our community.
What do you do for fun?
Movies, following politics (not always fun), going out to great restaurants with friends and family, and attending hundreds of my son's travel team baseball games -- and some Yankee games, too.
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Theresa Seabaugh
Which service do you attend?
11 am
Why do you want to serve on the Vestry?
Over the last 4 years, I have had the opportunity to participate in Sacred Ground, the Red Hook Farm and to usher at the 11am Service. Each of these activities has not only offered me the ability to meet wonderful Grace parishioners, but to reconsider what my faith journey is missing. I hope to bring this sense of openness and discovery to my work with the Vestry and to help Grace Church further our Core Values.
What do you do for fun?
My pandemic fun has been defined by walking our puppy, Daisy, baking and shipping cookies to my extended family and reading lots of books. For my post-pandemic fun, I hope to be able to travel extensively- anywhere but here is my goal!
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Mark McIntyre
Which service do you attend?
I attend 8 o'clock.
Why do you want to serve on the Vestry?
I want to serve on the vestry to help Allen and help Grace develop a deeper relationship with the community.
What do you do for fun?
I row a single scull.
(Photo of Mark not available; it will be published in next week's Grace Notes.)
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Giving to Grace
2022 Annual Giving Campaign Update
As of this week, 141 households have pledged almost $616,000, increasing their pledges by a generous 8% over last year. This was in direct response to our request that members who are able increase their pledge support by 5% as we seek to maintain our current ministries, address rising expenses, and allow for new opportunities for growth. We are incredibly grateful for their stewardship and commitment to Grace. As your Stewardship Chairs, we are both grateful and humbled by your generosity. We acknowledge and thank you here.
We are targeting the wrap up of the 2022 Annual Giving Campaign for the end of this month, BUT we need your HELP to make this possible. We remain confident that we can match last year’s pledge campaign BUT we are currently approximately 60 households and $110,000 short. Pledges represent over 60% of Grace’s annual income and are key for planning and budgeting purposes.
With all the COVID related disruptions to our community, our ministries in Brooklyn and the wider world are ever more important. Grace Church is a vibrant, growing beacon of faith, commitment and community in Brooklyn. In order for us to know the budget we'll be working with, please help provide Grace the resources to support our church and ministries.
If you have been an active pledger in the past but not yet pledged for 2022 campaign, please pledge now! If you are new to Grace or never pledged before, please pledge now!
You can make a pledge online through your Realm account, or by returning the pledge card you received in the mail. And if you need help signing into that account, please let us know. We’re happy to help! Please contact either of us (Seth and Andrew) for help or with any questions.
Every pledge matters – and we hope you will join us and our families in supporting the mission of our Church.
Seth Lloyd & Andrew Blair
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Grace Church is pleased to offer once again our children’s formation program starting in March, 2022. Classes will meet for about 45 minutes, immediately following the Sunday 9:15 a.m. family service. Trained lay volunteers will lead students through the new and increasingly popular Storymakers curriculum.
Parents are welcome to register their school-age (K-5) children using this link. Feel free to email Fr Chris with any questions. And thank you for committing to one of Grace’s Core Values—growing your family’s faith!
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Youth Confirmation 2022
Do you know a teenager who might be interested in being confirmed in the Episcopal Church? Fr Chris and Seminarian Jess Smith will lead candidates through five intensive sessions covering the fundamentals of Episcopal faith, exploring Scripture, the Sacraments, the Creeds, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Church’s work in the world.
Sessions will be held from 5:30-7pm on the following dates: January 24 (via Zoom), February 17 (Zoom), March 17, April 21, and May 19 (in-person at Grace Church). Confirmations will take place at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, NY on June 4th, 2022. Interested families should email Fr Chris.
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Rector’s Bible Study
The Rector’s Bible Study group meets every Tuesday from 10:30 am-12:00 pm. The Bible Study’s spring read is Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship, followed by a study of the Book of Proverbs.
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Evening Prayer
Grace Church offers Evening Worship every Tuesday - Friday at 5pm online.
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Parish Prayer Concerns
That we at Grace Church, who are joined together in the love of Christ, may honor one another’s differences, and grow ever-stronger in that diversity. That we, who hear God’s word and are fed at God’s table, may find joy and strength for life's journey. In thanksgiving for God’s magnificent handiwork: may we care for it with the gratitude and reverence it deserves. That God will open new paths for peace and justice for all nations and people who are grieved by conflict, and live in fear of violence, oppression, and domination. That ethnic, racial, and other bias attacks will cease, and guns will be laid down. For those who are losing homes, businesses and jobs as a result of the pandemic; those who are increasingly finding it difficult to afford basic necessities; and those who have worked too hard for too long. For all who are suffering because of volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, storms, and cold. For those who are imprisoned. For those who have been commended to our prayers this week, especially Chris N.; Courtenay & Maggie & family; James; Vivian; Sonia; Davey; Jenny; Marilyn; Iris; Lauren; Gwen & Marybeth; Kathy; Shaily; Chris D.; Jesse; Max; Jenny O.; Sean & Fiona & family; Janice; Mike; Marcelle; Joe D. & family; Bill; Heleen; and all who suffer from COVID-19. For those who endure chronic or incurable illnesses; and those who care for sick or aging loved ones. For all who have died, and all who mourn.
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Grace Church Journey to the Holy Land
12 Day Pilgrimage August 5-16, 2022
You are invited to join other pilgrims from Grace Church as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Together we will visit places of his birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Our experienced guide Iyad Qumri will lead us in exploring ancient places, vibrant markets, and modern museums in a land that is suspended between East and West, past and present. For more information, please contact our coordinator, Allison Robinson, or click here to download a copy of the flyer. (Please note the flyer has been updated with corrected contact information!)
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2022 Online Lunch & Learn
“Collecting” our Prayers
with Assistant Bishop Geralyn Wolf
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open. With the words of this short prayer, the Collect for Purity, we begin The Holy Eucharist. In three one-hour sessions in February, Bishop Wolf will explore the background, structure, and usage of these short prayers found in our Book of Common Prayer. Emphasis will be placed on how to use the collects as a source for prayer, contemplation, insight, and spiritual growth.
Join us on Wednesdays via Zoom - 12 Noon to 1:00 pm
February 2: Collect for Purity
February 9: Collect for Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 16: Collect for Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Please bring your Book of Common Prayer to class.
After each presentation by Bishop Wolf there will be time for conversation.
Your zoom link will be sent in your confirmation email and will remain the same for each class. If you do not receive it once registered, please check your spam folder or email ahillebrand@dioceseli.org.
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Invitation to "Race and Faith" series with
Dr. Craig D. Townsend
The Social Justice Ministry of the Cathedral of the Incarnation is inviting all members of the Diocese of Long Island to a five-week program: Race and Faith.
The Rev. Dr. Craig D. Townsend, Historian-in-Residence for Racial Justice, will lead the program via Zoom on five Wednesday evenings beginning Wednesday, January 12.
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Sunday Services
We have moved to online-only services as of Sunday, January 9th. Starting Sunday, January 16th, we will hold our 9:15 am family service online via Zoom and the 11 am service will be live-streamed on our Vimeo page each week. A copy of the 11 am bulletin will linked in each week’s Grace Notes for those wishing to follow along. Regrettably, we will not be able to conduct our 8 am service online, but we invite all who normally attend at 8 am to join us at 9:15 or 11 am.
Sunday services will be held online through Sunday, February 27th. We plan to resume in-person services on Ash Wednesday (March 3rd).
Please watch for further updates as our plans for responding to COVID-19 evolve.
If you have any questions about our worship schedule, please contact Melissa Kelly, Parish Administrator, at parishoffice@gracebrooklyn.org or (718) 624-1850 x 10.
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Giving to Grace
Thank you for your on-going support as we continue to worship remotely as well as in person. We are happy to let you know that you may make a pledge or general offering donations by text!
Please send a text to 73256 with the message "GraceBrooklyn". The first time, you will be prompted to provide your name and address, including your card number. If you save that information for future use, the second offering by text will be immediate. You may also make one-time pledge payments and general offering donations online here.
If you would like to set up a recurring pledge payment on Realm, please contact Melissa Kelly, parish administrator, for an invitation to join.
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In Remembrance or Gratitude...
Altar flowers are a wonderful way to express gratitude for life's blessings or memorialize a loved one.
If you would like to contribute Altar flowers, please contact Marilyn Grant. An acknowledgment will be included in the service bulletin.
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Weekday Visits to Grace
To ensure your safety and maintain the workplace standards established by the Department of Health, we ask you to let us know ahead of time when you will be stopping in. When you visit please use the Clergy Door, which is the first door on your right in the Hicks Street courtyard. Sign the Visitors Log at the door (should we need to do any contact tracing), sanitize your hands and, as always, wear a mask.
To minimize traffic, particularly while children are at school, please refrain from moving through the Parish Hall. The restroom at the back of the sanctuary is available for your use. We thank you!
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Grace Church | 254 Hicks Street | Brooklyn NY 11201 |
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