Parish News For the week of December 19, 2021

Congratulations to our Confirmands

Henry Eichelberger, Avery Hess, Richard Jones and Rissie Murphy were confirmed by The Most Rev. Mark A. Bourlakas, 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia on Sunday, December 12 at the 10:30 worship service.

Sound System and AV update!

Our audio and AV installation is complete and ready for use this Sunday! We're just learning the new system. We hope that you will notice a big difference in our audio. And our hearing loop is working!

It’s an Advent miracle!

Music Notes

• Hark! Ye Instrumentalists: For Both Christmas Eve services we will sing Silent Night in the key of G. If you want to play-contact Martha. Guitars, oboes, ukuleles, flutes, violins, all welcome. Martha can provide chords and/or notated melody. Pat Mayerchak is "Band Leader" for 5 pm. 
• We will have an Epiphany Service January 6 at 6pm. Interested in letting your musical light shine??? Contact Martha before December 28.
• Next Organ Recital! Ted Bickish, Saturday January 22, 4 pm.
• Evensong on the Feast of Phillips Brooks, Sunday, January 23. 

Name Tags

Permanent Name Tags are now available on the bridge. Our hope is that you take the name tag home with you and wear it each Sunday. If you are afraid that you’ll lose it please return it to the name tag board after the service is over.

Why wear a name tag? Here are 5 good reasons to wear a name tag each Sunday.

#5 Nametags invite people to greet one another.

#4 Even if you forget a name, you can still read it!

#3 You can make a friend in less than 30 seconds if you wear a name tag.

#2 A name tag makes visitors feel comfortable.

#1 Everyone likes to hear their name!

Lanford Mission Emergency Fund Christmas Appeal

The Lanford Mission Emergency Fund was begun in this parish in 1984 to assist residents of Rockbridge County who request help in meeting rent, utility, food, medical, or temporary emergency housing costs. To date in 2021, Grace has responded to 135 requests for assistance, amounting to $16,061.13. A primary funding source for this ministry comes from Grace’s Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving offerings.       

As we approach Christmas and recall the words of Teresa of Avila that we are “the hands, feet, eyes, and body of Christ in our world,” we ask you to consider a generous donation to the Lanford Mission Emergency Fund. A donation to the LMEF can be made through your Christmas offering in the form of a check made out to Grace Episcopal Church with “Lanford MEF” noted on the memo line or online on the Grace Episcopal Church website (www.graceepiscopallexington.org) under the “Give” tab. 

The Christian Outreach Committee sincerely thanks each of you for your Thanksgiving offerings and your continued, generous support of this long-time Grace Episcopal ministry!

The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust

2021 Fourth Quarter Grant Awards

The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust (Gail Dickerson, Chair; Woody Sadler, Vice Chair; Jane Brooke, Secretary; Roger Crockett, Treasurer; Carol Gosse; Bill McCorkle; Mary Wilson) held its fourth quarter 2021 meeting on December 14. The Committee awarded the following grants: Concerned Citizens of Glasgow-$5,000 toward a new roof on the Glasgow Community Center; Campus Kitchen-$5,000 toward the purchase of new Campus Kitchen delivery vehicle; Virginia Haiti Collaborative-$20,000 toward salaries for teachers at St. Marc’s School; Institution Mixte du Savoir Vivre in Haiti-$10,056.60 to provide daily meals for students.

First quarter 2022 grant requests should be sent to Woody Sadler, Vice Chair, and must be received by March 1, 2022. The Gadsden Trust grant request application can be found on the Grace website www.graceepiscopallexington.org under the “More” and “Parish Ministries” tabs.

Offering Envelopes

If you requested Offering Envelopes for 2022 they are available for you to pick-up on the bridge between the Parish House and the entrance to the Nave.

Gifts for Life from Episcopal Relief and Development

Give a gift for lasting impact through Episcopal Relief and Development's Gifts for Life. Double your impact! All donations through 12/31/21 will be doubled!

Gifts for Life

The Community Table

The Community Table has asked if Grace Episcopal Church would take on providing desserts with no nuts for 150 people every other 1st Monday night starting in February, 2022. If you are interested in being part of a baking team please contact Virginia Cooke at 540.348.5367 or cookevb@yahoo.com

Looking for Last Minute Christmas Gifts?

Grace Episcopal Church t-shirts and aprons are available. See Sharon White

Vestry Minutes

Vestry Minutes are available on our website under the vestry tab.

Acolytes, Chalice Ministers, Greeters, Readers, and Ushers Needed!

Please contact Lisa (lisa@graceepiscopallexington.org) or Sharon (sharon@graceepiscopallexington.org) if you are able to acolyte, chalice, greet, read or usher once or twice a month.

Community Christmas Fellowship Meal

First Baptist Church cordially invites you to attend a Community Christmas Fellowship Meal on Sunday, December 19, 2021 immediately after their 11 am Worship Service.

All are are invited. They are located at 103 North Main Street in Downtown Lexington, VA. For more information call the Church: (540) 463.4854, Rev. McKinley A. Williams, Pastor.

Happy Birthday

Jake Lawrence (12/1), Kristy Hamilton (12/2), Stets Eddy (12/3), Meg Mason (12/3), Anna Crockett (12/6), Howard Pickett (12/6), Joanne Robblee (12/6), John Knapp (12/9), Sis Warner (12/10), Lynn Dent (12/10), M.J. Mayerchak (12/12), Anne Lamont (12/13), Jay Lewis (12/15), Tomas McBrayer (12/15), James Keane (12/16), Kay Glore (12/16), Robert Hull (12/18), Tammi Hellwig (12/18), Roger Crockett (12/19), Merce Brooke (12/19), Mary Philbin (12/19), Ruth Terhune (12/20), Tara Rodi (12/23), Carol Gosse (12/23), Joy Harris (12/27), Maggie Lawrence (12/30), Grace Frascati (12/31)