Parish News For the Week of Sunday, November 20, 2022

Dear friends,

The feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and the Episcopal Church began to celebrate in with the advent of the Revised Common Lectionary and the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Pius XI established the feast in response to ultra-nationalism and secularism spreading across the world after WWI.  

The gospel presents us with a different kind of power and an altogether different kind of king. Luke shows us Jesus reigning from the cross under the sign "King of the Jews." His first act is to immediately intercede on behalf of those who crucified him, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." His second act is to assure one of the thieves being crucified with him, "Today you will be with me in paradise."

Working with every breath to make peace and to bring hope and comfort, he "bore our griefs and carried our sorrows." Isaiah 53:4

Later the Apostle Paul would write - "In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross." Colossians 1:20

May we, like our King, use the breath, strength, and time we have to work for peace among all people, harmony in creation, inspire hope and bring comfort to the poor, the sick, the prisoner, the war torn and weary, until by God's grace they recover their strength and join with us in the service of Christ.

With gratitude,

Tuck Bowerfind, Rector, Grace Episcopal Lexington

Morning Prayer

Monday - Friday 8:30 AM

In-Person at Chancel and ZOOM

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Christianity and Culture | 9:15AM Sunday Forums

November 20: Please come and meet our new candidates for election to Vestry, Dec 4: Patrick France, Ruth Smith, Susan Mead, and David Passmore.

December 4: Annual Meeting

December 11 Susan Mead will present about Hope House in Kigali, Kenya

Church Yard Clean-Up

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 19th, we will be raking leaves and pruning boxwood starting at 9AM. Volunteers should bring rakes or leaf blowers and join in the fun to spruce up Grace’s outside for Thanksgiving. As always, hot coffee and good donuts will be available. Hope to see many there!

Vocal Tapestry: a Night of Song Sharing

Tonight, November 18, 7–8:30PM

Your voice is a valuable thread to the fabric of humanity. Join us at Vocal Tapestry and share the music that lives in you: a favorite song, chant, a poem, a story. Learn fun singing games to add to your own toolbox of creative expression! Circle Singing will be part of the experience. Led by Onome, with assistance from Paul Vasile and Joy Truskowski.

For details contact Martha Burford.

Lexington Community Thanksgiving Service

Monday, November 21st at 6PM | Grace Episcopal Church Join us for the Lexington Community Thanksgiving Service. All are welcome!

Thanksgiving Dinner at Grace

We would enjoy the pleasure of your company for dinner Thanksgiving Day at noon in the Parish Hall at Grace. Turkey, stuffing, side dishes and deserts will be provided by the Bowerfinds. You are welcome, but not expected, to bring something to share. Come as you are! 

Holiday Pop-Up Market

Join the Walker Entrepreneurship Program November 26 1-4PM at Bank of The James - Lexington, 45 S Main St. A few of the program's graduates will be selling their goods and advertising their services for Small Business Saturday.

Stewardship Update

We are pleased that 94 households have pledged a total of $423,969 as of November 14. The members of the Stewardship Committee appreciate everyone’s prayerful consideration of a pledge to support the parish and its important missions through our relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

Advent Meditations

This Advent season, you're invited to Advent Meditations, a four-week online series offered every Wednesday night in Advent from 7:30–8PM and lead by our own Samson Mamour! Join us for this half-hour each week to slow down and take time for silence and contemplation as we experience this special season.

Journey to Bethlehem: No Room at the Inn

As a special holiday activity this year, we are hoping to have Grace members participate in a shared spiritual journey. Beginning on the first day of Advent, November 28, households can invite Mary and Joseph to spend the night at their home. The two will come with a special prayer to bless the home that offered hospitality. You can keep a copy of the prayer to read during Advent. We would love it if you would take a picture of yourselves with Mary and Joseph and send it to Martha Burford, who will post your pictures on Facebook. After Mary and Joseph have spent the night, you will need to make arrangements to pass them on to the next home on the list included in their box. Hopefully, by Christmas Eve, Mary and Joseph will have visited everyone on the list. The last host (Dec. 23rd) is asked to bring Mary and Joseph to the 5PM Christmas Eve service where Baby Jesus will be waiting for them.

Sign-ups will be in the Nave before and after Sunday services.

Nativity Sets

Do you have a special nativity set that you would share with the Church for a few weeks? We will display Nativity sets in the windows of the Nave during the seasons of Advent and Christmas. Please bring your set to the Nave by November 21 and place in a window. A tent card will be available in the window, please put you name and a description of your set and set it next to your nativity. Thank you!

The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust

The committee will convene on December 13 at 4PM in the Parish Hall for its fourth quarter meeting. The Committee will review fourth quarter grant requests and make awards. Fourth quarter grant requests should be sent to Gail Dickerson, Chair, and must be received by December 1.

Prayer List

Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants:

The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas; for the people of St John's, Glasgow.

Pray for Lynda DeMaria, Peter Fyfe, Lucy Moise, Mary Jane Hubbard, Glen Jones, Don Ellis, Alice Furgerson, Julie Jennings, Sally Capets, Mary & Scott Hudgins, Helen Head, Kaleb (grandson of Pat & Keith Gibson), Sue Ellen Booth and Lynn Morris Butler (cousins of Melanie Griffis), Elisabeth Dhillon, (daughter of Hugh and Ann Henderson), Elizabeth Shields, Samuel Pech, Sarah Cumming, Dot Fogo, Dee Lobe (friend of Judy Schram), Bev Wirtz, Walter Joly, Jeff Mason, Polly Lawrence, Sharon Meister (friend of Virginia Cooke), Bob Glidden, Gloria June Perry, Ken Hershbell, Kathy Warn (sister-in-law of Margaret Haberman), Bill Kozak, Loren Smith, Mary Gay Brignall (cousin of Mary Price), Kim Camp, Laura Wieman (friend of the Hotchkiss family), Rob, Tom Strickland, Susan Cross, Robbie and Brendon (friends of the Brooke family), Michael Murphy, John Thomas, Timmy, Patrick Mayerchak, Katie (daughter-in-law of Connie Bryant), Jimbo Smith, Rick Alexander.

Prayers of Thanksgiving for Rymma and Volodymyr, Davyd, Liliia and Oleksandr Odemchuk and for Olha, Andrii, Ivan, and Anastasiia Stryzhyboroda. 

Pray for those who have died.

Pray for an end to violence and for those fleeing Ukraine, and we also pray for Episcopal Relief & Development and other ecumenical agencies working to respond to the current crisis.

Upcoming | O Holy Night

Wednesday, 12/14, 7PM

A service of remembrance, reflection, & renewal. Recognizing that Advent and Christmastime can be a particular challenge to those suffering from grief, loss, anxiety, and loneliness, we are offering a service of choral music, candlelight, and prayer to make space for those seeking God's healing as we look forward to his coming to restore all things.

Holiday Season Gift Programs

Black Law Student Association Holiday Donation Drive

In conjunction with Project Horizon and RARA, help BLSA gather much needed donations for the holiday season. The donation bin is located outside the Parish Office during the week and in the Narthex on Sundays.

Click below for more Christmas Outreach Opportunities.

Winter Clothing

Cold weather is coming. If you have gently used clothes that might fit a member of the Odemchuk or Stryzhyboroda family please drop it off at the church collection in the stairwell. Clothing sizes are linked below.

Boys Home of Virginia

For the third year in a row, Boys Home of Virginia has qualified to receive up to $25,000 in online match funding during the month of November from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The first $500 of each online donation made anytime during the month of November will be matched 1:1. Triple your donation with a 2:1 match for every online donation received up to $500 on Giving Tuesday - November 29.

Thank you for your continued dedication, support and prayers for the mission of Boys Home, our staff and our students. 

Lanford Mission Emergency Fund | Thanksgiving 2022

As we approach the holidays and reflect on all of the blessings in our lives, please consider donating to the Lanford Mission Emergency Fund (LMEF) to assist those who continue to be affected disproportionately by COVID-19. Circumstances may vary, however, the results are consistent—an inability to pay off or keep up with bills. The LMEF has assisted 152 families/individuals in Rockbridge with rent, utility, food, medical, or temporary housing expenses.   

The requests for emergency assistance continue to come to Grace through RARA (Rockbridge Area Relief Association) which does the vetting to verify need. Partial funding for the LMEF comes from Grace’s Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas loose plate offerings as well as individual gifts. A donation to the LMEF can be made through your Thanksgiving offering in the form of a check made out to Grace Episcopal Church with “Lanford MEF” noted on the memo line as well as on our website.

As we enter into Advent, one of the holiest seasons of the Christian year, our diocese’s annual St. Nicholas Day Appeal is one significant way that we can focus on the mission of love that the Son of God ushers into our world.

This year, your donations will aid Grace House on the Mountain in its mission to serve and support neighbors in Appalachia. Donations will go towards the Grace House Outreach Fund, which provides for a variety of medical, utility, food, and clothing expenses, as well as to support work projects in the community. In the wake of this summer’s devastating floods in Southwestern Virginia, the Outreach Fund was used heavily to provide flood relief and the number of work project needs in the area has increased.

Please consider faithfully how you might support this effort, either by donating online at www.dioswva.org or by mailing a check payable to the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia with “St. Nicholas Day Appeal” marked in the memo to PO Box 2279, Roanoke, VA 24009.

Hosting Ukrainian Families is a humanitarian outreach effort organized by citizens of Lexington, Buena Visa, and Rockbridge County to pave the way for sponsoring temporary re-settlement of families who qualify for entry according to the laws of the United States.

The mission of Hosting Ukrainian Families is based upon love, compassion, and humanitarian concerns for families seeking to live in peace. Accordingly, a call is issued to each person joining in this effort to set aside all political, culturally divisive viewpoints, and all differences which may hinder or defeat these goals. To donate, click the link below.

In Thanksgiving for Upcoming November Birthdays

11/18: Sis Harcus

11/19: Steven Lawrence, Hank Humphreys

11/21: Tim Gaylard, Liam Murphy

11/22: Will McClung

11/23: Bill Kozak, Kristi Finnell

11/27: Jack Hershbell, Anne Blanken, Avery Hess

11/29: Robert Glidden

11/30: Harry Warner

We're so glad you're here! If you or someone you know is new to Grace and would like more information about Parish life, follow the link below.