Parish News For the week of March 27, 2022 

Christianity and Culture

Being Fully Known and Loved by God

Sunday, March 27, 9:15 - 10:15 am

Parish Hall

Please join us this Sunday morning as Tuck introduces the Welcoming Statement recently drafted by the LGTBQ Task Force. We will discuss the draft in a spirit of Graceful Engagement and what it is it is to be fully known and loved by God.

Welcome Insert

Our Parish Administrator, Lisa McGuire will be on vacation March 30 - April 7. Volunteers will be in the office weekday from 9 am to 1 pm.

Lenten Resources

Check out our Lenten Resource page at https://www.graceepiscopallexington.org/lent-resources/

Community Clean-Up this Weekend!

Join the Grace Episcopal Church Team in the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council Annual Cleanup: Saturday, March 26, 8:30 am, Mount Atlas Road.

Call the church office or email martha@graceepiscopallexington.org or lisa@graceepiscopallexington.org 

Pilgrimage: Spiritual Journeys that Touch the Soul

Lenten Program - March 30 - April 6 - 7 pm - ZOOM only

Join us for Grace's five-week Lenten series that feature stories of personal pilgrimage and spiritual journeys.

This Wednesday, March 30

The Holy Land

The Rev. Tuck Bowerfind

Tuck will present on Pilgrimage with a focus on Study Pilgrimage, the Palestine of Jesus and St. George's College in Jerusalem

This series is recorded and placed on our YouTube Channel and Website.

Mission and Outreach of the Gadsden Trust

The mission of the Gadsden Committee “is to disburse funds (from the Gadsden Trust) to enable the spread of the Christian Gospel and to alleviate human suffering”—Gadsden guidelines. At its March 8, 2022, meeting, the Gadsden Committee voted to send $10,000 to Episcopal Relief and Development for Ukrainian Aid and $4,000 to the Sudanese Mission Group for Gabriel Dak to attend the International Rotary Conference in Houston, TX, in June. Gabriel hopes to establish new connections among Rotary members to further support Hope House, a home in Kenya for 35 South Sudanese youth.

In 2021 the Gadsden Committee was able to award $124,105 in grants to 17 organizations/seminarians. One of the grant awards in 2021 was in the amount of $7,500 for local Rotary District 7570 which partners with The Wheelchair Foundation to purchase wheelchairs for the needy in underdeveloped countries. The Wheelchair Foundation worked with a local Rotary club and health and human services organizations in Peru to ensure that the wheelchairs are given to individuals with the greatest need.  Woody Sadler recently traveled to Peru to assist with the assembling and distribution of those wheelchairs.

The Gadsden Committee meets four times a year (March, June, September, and December) to review grant requests and distribute available funds in the following areas: local needs and concerns; seminarians and continuing education of Diocesan clergy and ministers of our parish; third world needs; and Diocesan projects or programs. The second quarter 2022 meeting is scheduled for June 14. The seven members of the Gadsden Committee are appointed by the Vestry and Trustees. Current members are: Gail Dickerson, Trustee appointed; Woody Sadler, Trustee appointed by Trustees; Roger Crockett, Trustee appointed; Jane Brooke, Vestry appointed; Carol Gosse, Vestry appointed; Bill McCorkle, Vestry member appointed by Vestry; and Mary Wilson, Vestry appointed.

Ky’s Kitchen Pop-Up at Grace Episcopal Church Tuesday, March 29

Food will be ready for pick up between 4:30 pm-5 pm.

Are you looking for a good, home-cooked meal that you DO NOT have to make yourself? Well then c’mon on down to Ky’s Kitchen and get you a delicious plate at a fair price!

Check out Ky's menu on https://www.facebook.com/kylerskitchen

Easter Flowers

Lilies, Daffodils and Rieger Begonias will be used to decorate the Nave & Chancel. If you would like to purchase a Memorial plant for $10, please make your check payable to Grace Episcopal with Flower Guild on the memo line, or donate online at our website– graceepiscopallexington.org, pick Flower Guild in the dropdown box on the Give page. To list a memorial in the bulletin, email Lisa (lisa@graceepiscopallexington.org) by Monday, April 11.

Weekly altar flower dedications will resume after Easter. More information coming.

The Great Vigil of Easter and Festival Lamb Dinner

Saturday, April 16, 6:30 pm

Come feast on leg of Lamb!

We'll provide lamb, couscous, asparagus, bread, coffee & tea.

Please help round out the menu by bringing a salad, side dish, or dessert and wine to share.

Reserve your place at the table here.

Donate to The Bishop’s Dollar Fund

This year during the season of Lent, Bishop Bourlakas extends his annual invitation to reflect on our discipleship in Jesus' name. As you journey through the forty days of Lent, we encourage generous support of The Bishop’s Dollar Fund to continue to address a variety of initiatives and needs throughout the diocese not otherwise covered through our annual program budget. You may send donations to the Diocesan Office made payable to The Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia with "Bishop's Dollar" in the memo line. Mail to: Attn: Bishop's Dollar Fund, PO Box 2279, Roanoke, VA 24009. Or, donate online at www.dioswva.org.

Ukraine Aid

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with Anglican agencies and other ecumenical partners to provide humanitarian aid in response to the refugee crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. Partner with Episcopal Relief & Development by donating to the International Disaster Response Fund. Your support will help meet critical needs for people fleeing the violence including food, cash, blankets and hygiene supplies. Help today | Read more about the response

DIOSWVA Spring Youth Event

Middle and high schoolers are invited to participate in a memorable weekend where we will trace the roots of black history in the Appalachian Mountains.

Many of you may recall that the diocese hosted two pilgrimages in 2019: one in Gainsboro in January and one across all convocations that summer. We would like our youth to have their own pilgrimage experience!

Click on the button below for more details, including a tentative itinerary, and to sign up for SYE! Deadline to sign up is March 27. 

American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese Diocese of Jerusalem

Dear friends,

We invite you to follow with our Lord on his journey to Jerusalem this Lent and Holy Week (March 2-April 16). Each week we will highlight another aspect of the the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East (J-Diocese) and its life changing ministries. At any time we encourage you to make a generous gift of support to the J-Diocese through the Good Friday Offering which we collect here at Grace, or through the American Friends of the Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ) Opportunities to Transform Lives Online Giving page  https://afedj.org/give/opportunities/



Lent Four March 27-April 2 Luke 15 “the Two Sons” 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ The parishes of J-Diocese, like Redeemer Church in Amman Jordan, often serve the reconciling love of God in Christ both to an Arabic and an English speaking congregation. Arab Christians are actual descendants of those first baptized in Jerusalem on Pentecost (Acts 2:11). As the remnant of the ancient Christian presence, they are the “Living Stones” of the Holy Land (1 Peter 2:5). This is their ancient homeland. English speaking congregations are comprised of expatriate Anglicans and others who are also seeking to uphold the work and teachings of Christ in the very places where he ministered in his earthly life. Parishes – The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (j-diocese.org)  

Vestry Minutes

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

Happy Birthday

Polly Lawrence (3/23), Laura Stearns (3/23), Rose Gordon (3/24), Sharon White (3/25), AP Smith (3/26), Kathy Hill (3/27), Sarah Dagan (3/29), David Connolly (4/2), Dot Fogo (4/3), Alice Moore (4/3), Punky Dod (4/3)