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Grace Episcopal Church

123 W Washington Street, Lexington, VA

Seeking, Serving Loving Together

Parish News For the week of Sunday, September 4, 2022

Marc Nikkel Day

Parish Office closed on Monday, September 5, 

in observance of Labor Day!

Outside Worship on the Patio 10:30 am - Sundays in September

We are taking our 10:30 am service outside (on the patio) starting this Sunday and will continue through the month of September (weather permitting). There will be no recording of the service, but we will have a ZOOM option available during the 8 am service. Come join us al fresco!


Worship Services

13th Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, September 4

Holy Eucharist

8 am

In-Person & ZOOM 


Holy Eucharist 

10:30 am

In-Person


1st Sunday Lunch!

Following the 10:30 service.

With Sudanese and American food in celebration of Marc Nikkel Day and the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

Morning Prayer

Monday - Friday

8:30 am, Chancel

In-Person and ZOOM

Mark your Calendars

Sunday, September 4 - The Feast Day of Marc Nikkel 

Tuesday, September 13, 7 am - Men's Breakfast resumes

Friday, September 16, 6:30 - 8 pm

Coffeehouse of Rockbridge Parish Hall

Friday, September 23, 5:30 pm - Haiti In Crisis Lecture with Robert Fatton

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Sunday, September 4 The Feast Day of Marc Nikkel

Celebrate our parish relationship with our Sudanese and South Sudanese neighbors via Zoom and in person! The Rev. Deacon Samson Mamour will preach at both services. At 9:15 in the Parish Hall, join a discussion with Dr. Susan Mead “Connecting the Feasts of Grace: Jonathan Daniels, Marc Nikkel and You.” Check out the South Sudanese Craft Sale after both services. Your purchases will benefit our parish outreach to Sudanese and South Sudanese students.

Adopt-A-Rat starts Sunday, September 4

Thank you to our Host Families

Would you like to be a host family for a VMI Rat—providing a home-away-from-home on Sunday afternoons? 

Please contact Jimbo Smith, jasiii@gmail.com or

Tuck Bowerfind, frtuck@graceepiscopallexington.org

Table Fellowship Groups Forming Now!

Table fellowship groups are forming for the

2022-2023 season. Groups meet for a meal about once a month.

You can meet for brunch, lunch, dinner in homes, restaurants or anywhere you can imagine. The table fellowship groups are around 8 people and are always a source of good food and fellowship.

  

Our Table Fellowship groups are a great way to meet newcomers, old timers and those in between and build community at our church. 

 

If you would like to join a group, please contact Ruth Smith

by Wednesday, September 7.

Tuesday Men's Breakfast Group

7 am Tuesdays, starting September 16, members of Grace and neighbors from throughout the local community. Fantastic breakfast, great discussion of Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest."

Chrysalis: Storytelling for Growing Faith Community

As Christians we are called to mission. Stories move and motivate. Come, practice the art of storytelling at 7pm, Wednesday, Sept. 7 (parish hall) and 7pm, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 7pm (place tbd). The Rev. Anne Grizzle will lead: Chrysalis: Storytelling for Growing Faith Community. Anne is author, spiritual director, therapist, retreat leader, and Chaplain of the Boys Home of Virginia, and will lead us in two evenings of storytelling about the richness of our spiritual journeys. A regular host of spiritual retreats, Anne is associate faculty for Shalem Institute for Spirituality and serves on the Board of Bittersweet Creative. 

Hope House Fundraising Event

On Sunday, September 11 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. members of the Community Connections Dream Team and other members of Grace Episcopal Church will offer an afternoon of peace-related crafting fun and fundraising for Hope House International! This “Creating Connections for Hope” event will take place in the Grace Episcopal Church courtyard (parish hall if weather is bad) and is open to the entire Lexington/Rockbridge County community. The suggested donation for participating is $20 for adults, and $10 for youth under 18 (who all must be accompanied by an adult). This donation will provide access to all craft activities and refreshments. 

Visit our Website

Coffeehouse of Rockbridge

Grace is proud to host events for Coffeehouse of Rockbridge, a networking, social and entertainment experience for individuals with physical, mental or cognitive disabilities. Coffeehouse is a 501c3 organization that puts on these events 9 times per year on a Friday night. Coffeehouse is in need of additional board members as well as volunteers to assist with set up, clean up, serving food and socializing with our guests. Willy Nelson will make some brief remarks about what Coffeehouse means to him and other guests at the 10:30 service on September 11.  To learn more about Coffeehouse, speak with Mark or Elaine Nelson or contact them via e-mail at coffeehouserockbridge@gmail.com. The next Coffeehouse is scheduled for Friday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall if anyone would like to come and observe the event and meet our guests and volunteers. 

In September, we are hosting a series called the Singer Science Series. Wednesdays, 7pm, Sept. 14, 21, and 28. This series is especially for singers, but really, anyone would benefit. The presenters are new Grace member, Mark Gallagher, Certified Alexander Technique Practitioner. His workshop will focus on body alignment and relaxation. The next two, led by vocal pedagogues Christopher Vasquez and Emma Vasquez, will focus on energy and stamina for singers. The workshops, which will take place in the Undercroft of Grace are open to all and free to the public. Please invite friends! For information, contact Martha Burford at martha@graceepiscopallexington.org or 540-463-4981. 

ATTENTION ALL DOG OWNERS! A new initiative, Paws to Connect, is beginning to connect our parish with the students, faculty, and staff of our surrounding campuses and to celebrate the love of God through all of creation.

Paws to Connect also acknowledges that students often miss their pets while at school and love to interact with local dogs. We seek and welcome all parishioners with dogs to participate as they can. The more parishioners and dogs we have involved the better.

We will gather with our dogs with treats to offer in the St. Francis Courtyard 11:30 am-1:30 pm on the following Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the fall semester – Sept.20,21,27,28; Oct. 4,5,11,12,18,19,25,26; Nov.1,2,8,9,15,16,29,30; Dec.6,7,13,14. Please let Dennis Cross dcross@wlu.edu Lisa McGuire lisa@graceepiscopallexington.org, or Nellie the parish dog frtuck@graceepiscopallexington.org know if you want to participate occasionally or most of the time based on your availability. We are building our roster. The more the merrier.

Education for Ministry Starts September 20

Every baptized person is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry (EfM) program of the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee) provides people with the education to carry out that ministry. Through study, prayer and reflection, EfM groups discover how to respond to the call to Christian service.

If you are interested in participating in EfM this fall please contact James Keane (jrklexva@msn.com) EfM will begin on Tuesday, September 20. EfM meets weekly from 1 to 3 pm, taking breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Please join us September 23 at 5:30 pm at Grace Episcopal, Lexington 123 W. Washington Street for this special lecture Haiti in Crisis by Professor Robert Fatton in support of the Virginia Haiti Collaborative and St. Marc's Cerca La Source https://virginiahaiticollaborative.weebly.com/. St. Marc's school serves nearly 300 students k-12. The Virginia Haiti Collaborative pays the salaries for teachers each year. About $200 pays for tuition, lunch, and school supplies for a single student for the year. Please consider supporting a student for the year. Make your checks payable to Grace Episcopal Church, Memo: Virginia Haiti Collaborative.

SAVE THE DATE


Best-selling author and fellow Episcopalian, Sally Hurme, will be the special guest at the October 16 Rector’s Forum. Sally is the author of Checklist for My Family: A Guide to My History, Financial Plans, and Final Wishes, published in association with AARP, from which Sally retired, and the American Bar Association. Sally will offer helpful and step-by-step guidance on issues to consider in getting your life in order and ensuring your family or representative knows your plans and wishes as you desire to take care of family, loved ones, favored institutions, and a personal legacy meaningful to you. It is never too early to plan. The latest edition is available for purchase through Amazon ahead of Sally’s visit - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sally+hurme&i=stripbooks&crid=15SYLFILWUHMQ&sprefix=sally+hurme%2Cstripbooks%2C63&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Vestry Minutes

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

Happy Birthday

9/2- Harrison Branner 9/3 - Buster Lewis, Ella Sayre, Estella Crocker 9/4 - Gail Dick, 9/5 - Ned Henneman 9/7 - Susan Cross 9/8 - Delea Bowerfind 9/9 - Marlys Craun 9/10 - Rick Kurtz 9/11 - MaryEtta Randolph 9/16 - Tucker Bowerfind 9/18 - Judy Hotchkiss, Carolyn Kuper 9/19 - Julia Littlefield, Peter Fyfe, Nanalou Sauder, Frank Settle 9/20 - Keith Gibson, Spencer Tucker 9/21 - Chris Howison, Barbara Luton 9/22 - Ann Nay, Elizabeth Oliver 9/25 - Darlene Keane 9/26 -Heidi Schweizer 9/28 - Winifred Hart, Tim Harrison 9/30 - Mo Littlefield, Lynda Bassett-Demaria. 

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