Time to help Grace into its annual festive green and red vestments for this year's Christmas eve services! The action begins at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 22, and all are welcome to come help. If the art of adornment isn't in your genes, you can contribute by bringing some greenery from your yard for the decorators to use. Holly, fir, magnolia, nandina -- whatever you've got to share, we can use. Leave it in the courtyard sometime before the 22nd or bring it with you when you come to help.

Now it IS time to fish or cut bait -- December 19 is your LAST CHANCE to donate Walmart cards to the Seraphim Bush! Cards in the amount of $25 will go to the residents of a local group home; these gifts will enable them to fulfill a need or two and let them make their own choices -- and will spare you the worry of picking things up for them and wondering if they'll fit or fill the need in a satisfactory way.

Sunday's services will include the lighting of the Advent wreath and a musical introit from the choir at the beginning of the service.

For the safety of the community, we encourage all to take advantage of vaccinations and boosters, and we ask that all who attend either service or any indoor activity wear masks. The 10:45 a.m. service will be streamed online for those who are unable to attend. You can access the service at Grace's Facebook page , and you can find the bulletin for that service HERE.

If you have questions or concerns about worship practices, please feel free to contact April (aberends@saygrace.net) or Senior Warden, Andy Belcher (belcherandrewr@gmail.com).

Contact David Stanislawski at David.Stanislawski@chattanoogastate.edu with any questions.

1. Work Day. Thanks for all the help with the work day, and especially for Terry Burnett's chili and soup! We got all goals accomplished and more besides, and some of us have the poison ivy to prove it.

2. Trees & Arboretum Status. We underwent our final inspection this week for our arboretum application with the representative of the Tennessee Urban Forestry (TUFC).  We have been approved. We are waiting them to confirm with their sign, after which we will bless it and party it! Stay tuned on that!

Special thanks to partner-in-crime Kristina Shaneyfelt. I hesitate to name the Most Righteous and Just, but among them are:  Mickey and Beth Myers. Jason Shaneyfelt. Mike Shillinger. Richard Hyatt. Jim and Barbara Harris. Jerry Evans. Terry Burnett. Phaen Stone.  

3.  Help wanted. We expect to renovate both our major pollinator gardens along Sunbeam Avenue this winter/spring. If you would like to learn how to garden with native plants, we will be taking on this project. WE NEED HELP installing and especially with LONG TERM MAINTENANCE of these areas. Please let us know if you're interested or would like hands-on learning! This is the type of project you can work in on your own, once you learn how to do it.

4. Sign up now for Master Gardener Classes at the UT Extension services. This excellent program has a morning and an evening class, all zoom, beginning 24 January 2022. See details at https://mghc.org/ 

GREENGRACE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM:  

 At this point we are looking for ideas and input as we organize into four basic areas, both internal to our grounds and buildings, and external to our neighbors and City. Our goal is to provide individuals and faith communities a menu of ideas and practices both large and small, from which any may can choose, based on their strengths and interests. Our goal is to engage both our congregation and others with the beauty, knowledge, and wonder of this blessed natural world. If this interests or moves you, contact Brittany Williamson, Lisa Lemza, or Kristina Shaneyfelt. This is designed to be an action plan, not a discussion group; we won't get much action without volunteers!

Christmas is on the way, and Grace is looking forward in a big way to celebrating it together -- in person! -- with our traditional two services on Christmas Eve. You're invited to either -- or both -- services -- whatever fits your schedule. If you are new to Grace of if Christmas 2019 and previous nativity liturgies have melted into what feels like a far-distant past, here's what you'll find at these services:

The 5 p.m. service is geared towards families who have children that need not to be up too late, parents who have to wrestle together unfathomable toys that Santa neglected to assemble, and anyone who wants to welcome the birth of Jesus but needs to do it before the clock strikes midnight and their brains turn into pumpkins.

The 11 p.m. service features more music and in fact is prefaced by a half-hour of Christmas music that begins at 10:30. This one is best for those who can't feel Christmas has been properly greeted without voices and violins, those who have family events in the early evening and don't want to run out on their kin, those who have family events in the early evening and need an excuse to run out on their kin, night owls, and those who simply find that the light of Christ shines more brightly in the dark of night.

Grace will NOT offer a service on Christmas day itself; those who want or need to be in church on the 25th can take advantage of services at other area churches. See below for those we know about so far:

Calling all former choristers! Traditionally, the Grace Choir assembles a "Sweet & Savory" champagne reception after the Christmas Eve service, to celebrate all participating musicians and their guests. This year, we will also include the hard working Altar Guild and wish to especially invite all choir alumni who have sung in the past, no matter how briefly. Y'all come! Bring a small sweet or savory dish to share and drop it off in the Undercroft before Service; the kitchen/fridge should be open.

Though the deadline for the purchase of a poinsettia or contribution to the Christmas flower fund is technically today (Friday), we can stretch it out until noon on Tuesday if you want to do this but have gotten swept away by other concerns

(a situation not unheard of a week before Christmas!).

You can pick up a form in the Narthex, use the form printed beneath the announcements in this bulletin or in your Sunday bulletin, or call/e-mail the office to make arrangements and provide dedications (243-3257/office@saygrace.net). Cost is $20 per plant, and we must have your dedications no later than noon on Tuesday, December 21. If you don’t want a plant but would like to make a donation towards Christmas flowers, you are welcome to do that in any amount you want, and you may submit dedications as well! There are forms in both the Sunday bulletin and on the table in the Narthex.

https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002329954-Breeze-App .

We are trying to track down a QR code that will help speed along those who want to give on the spot, but it is proving elusive. We hope to corner it soon!

Those who have reached the celebrated age of 70-and-a-half -- a nice, round number! -- can avoid some taxes by donating money from their Required Minimum Distribution. In order to make the donation tax-free, the check MUST come directly from the IRA; it doesn't work if you take the distribution and then write the check yourself. These donations do not provide you with a deduction, but they do take the donated amount out of your taxable income, which can sometimes keep you from landing in a higher tax bracket, causing taxation on Social Security or raising the level of that taxation. The amount is limited to $100,000 (please endeavor to hide your disappointment!), and there may be a window of time during which this is possible. If this sounds like a good option for you, we encourage you to check with your CPA and/or financial advisor to make sure this is a sensible donation method for you.

HERE : https://us04web.zoom.us/j/780772724

& the password is: compline 

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Church of the Province of Central Africa. The Anglican Communion has adopted a cycle of prayer called "From Aba to Zululand," praying its way alphabetically through its members on a daily basis between January 1, 2021 and September 2023. The newsletter and, in the future, the printed bulletin, will include the prayers for Sunday; if you would like to see the daily prayer requests, you can find them at ACoP.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Pray for St. Andrew's, Harriman, TN; for Grace Point Camp and Conference Center, and for The Church of the Mediator, Kyle, SD.