The Season After Pentecost
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During this time of Social Distancing, we will continue to stream videos for Morning Prayer worship on our
Facebook
page and
website
at 9am and again at 10:45am. Bulletins for each week’s service will be sent along with the Grace Notes weekend issue, and will be posted on the website alongside the video for the service. If you miss the 9am or 10:45am video streams, you can always go back and watch later. You can access the bulletin for this Sunday
here.
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Sunday Online Worship
Antiracism Resources
Daily Morning Prayer and Compline
Food Pantry
Message from Chair of Finance Team
Online Classes Continue
Farmers' Market Paid Position
Newspapers Needed
Invitation to the Theater!
Parish Prayer List
Community Care in Anxious Times
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We are working to put together some formation opportunities about racial history in the U.S., racism, and the intersection of faith and anti-racism. In the meantime, you are encouraged to check out the following resources.
The Rev. Claire Brown, associate rector at St. Paul’s, Chattanooga recently offered a webinar on dismantling racism. You can view the video
here
.
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Online Compline and Morning Prayer
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If you are missing the presence of your fellow parishioners and enjoy being reminded on a daily basis of their existence and of the ongoing presences of God, even among these rocks, as Mr. Eliot had it -- you can invite both into your day via services of Morning Prayer and Compline, available daily (except Sundays) via Zoom. Morning Prayer begins at 9:00 a.m., and Compline at 8:00 p.m.; in order to dodge trolls who are tired of lurking under bridges and hunger for folks to harass, you will need to use the passwords below along with the Zoom addresses:
amprayer
compline
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Some Wednesdays, the Food Pantry has a Mayberry vibe, with a trickle of visitors, many familiar, with plenty of time for volunteers to hobnob in the sunny courtyard. This week, it was more like Metropolis, with lots of visitors bustling in for food and our squadron of mild-mannered helpers who are all secretly superheroes taking care of them. Sixteen people came for help, taking food a total of 44 people (28 adults and 16 children) and masks for a good number too. Needless to say, this left some thin spots on our shelves!
Most needed after this onslaught are:
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canned hams
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beanie weenies
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hearty soups/stew
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canned sweet peas, green beans, mixed vegetables and carrots
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cans of fruit (16-oz.)
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spaghetti noodles and sauce
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Pop Tarts
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Pudding cups
Thanks to all in the church and in the Belvoir neighborhood whose generous contributions are helping so many people keep food on the table. Special thanks to Richard Hyatt, whose many efforts keep things supplies stocked and operations running smoothly; to April, Kathryn and Anderson Barger-Howell, for ongoing aid with collecting and transporting Belvoir donations; to Linda Wideman, Gail Dooley, Lisa Lemza and Caleb (whose last name has escaped me), who receive visitors, pack food, and create order where none has ever been before with grace, good humor, and compassion. They keep the pantry’s cup running over!
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Message from Chair of Finance Committee
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June 11, 2020
In the last few weeks, I have had several people ask me how the church is doing from a financial perspective. I am happy and thankful to report that we are in good shape. Through the extraordinary efforts of Paula Garner (our parish administrator) we were able to apply for the PPP loan on the first day that applications were accepted. The loan was approved and we received the funds. This will provide salary and benefits for our staff for a period of two months. The loan will be forgiven so long as the funds are actually spent as intended. This has taken a lot of pressure off of our budget.
Through the end of May our pledged income is over budget by approximately 37K. This is due to some parishioners paying their entire pledge at one time, but it is also a credit to our pledgers maintaining their pledge even while we are not open for public worship. Unfortunately, but predictably, all other income is way behind.
Our outreach ministry is growing and has been supported by the congregation. Over $10,000 has been donated to April’s discretionary fund for tornado relief. You are a very generous bunch of people.
Most of our expenses have been reduced since we have not been open. So that is to our benefit.
All things considered; we are in good shape. Thanks be to God! Our online services and education classes have been a source of spiritual nourishment and outreach to the community. If you have not taken advantage of these, I encourage you to check it out. Our technology is a real blessing. Our challenge will be to expand the ministry of the church using new tools and methods.
Please continue to support Grace Church with your prayers and pledges. I look forward to the time that I can once again greet you in person. Until then, may the peace of the Lord be with you.
Jim Milburn
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“Dream, Think, Be, Do” Sundays at 10am
“Dream, Think, Be, Do” --
a course produced by the Living the Questions folks --
provides an overview of progressive Christianity featuring the insights of over twenty-five theologians and teachers at the top of their game. With sessions covering a broad range of theological topics, this series invites us into a process of re-visioning Christianity that is translating what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. Videos will be made available the week prior to each week’s session, and we will gather on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. via Zoom for discussion of the topics presented.
Here is the link to the zoom call for the meeting:
Parenting in Pandemic, Wednesday, May 13
th
at 8:30pm
Rev. April and Grace’s director of children’s ministry, Maria Hurt, invite all parents who have children home during the pandemic to join us for a conversation via Zoom beginning on Wednesday, May 13
th
at 8:30pm. We’ll share challenges and wisdom, have the opportunity to pray for one another, and discern ways that we can support one another and our kids during this difficult time.
Queer Theology
The community of Grace has long maintained a commitment of embracing and affirming the gifts and the belovedness of all persons, including LGBTQ+ persons. The Rev. April Berends and Sean McEwen are currently leading a Queer Theology class so that we might explore these commitments more deeply.
Most of the readings for this class will come from
Queer Virtue
by Elizabeth Edman. The class meets via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evenings. If you are interested in taking part, please email April at aberends@saygrace.net if you would like to join this conversation. This week, the Rev. Cameron Partridge, a transgender Episcopal priest and theologian, will be our guest for this class.
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Farmers' Market Position Open
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The Brainerd Farmers’ Market is needs someone who is willing and able to work the token table and help open the market each week. This is a paid position and will require use of a mask at this time. Please contact Catherine Durham,
catheriner.durham@gmail.com
, if you are interested.
The Market runs on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Brainerd Road parking lot.
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George Choyce, our assisting priest, and his family are spending the pandemic fostering various sets of puppies who are looking for permanent homes. Three lab puppies are currently enjoying the Choyce's hospitality, and they are sweet but moist! If you've got some newspapers to spare, please bring them to Grace on Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. or contact
Maria Hurt about picking them up. Thanks to all who have already donated -- the Choyces and their charges are grateful!
If anyone is would like to spice up their pandemic by fostering puppies, The East Tennessee Alliance Rescue for Animals is looking for foster families – they have only 8 at this writing. Donations are also helpful, should fostering not be a practical undertaking for you. More information can be had at
https://www.etaarescue.org
.
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Invitation to the Theater --
Freud’s Last Session
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Though we can't yet go to the theater for fear of infecting or becoming infected, we are lucky to have a theater that's getting ready to come to us! Justin Bolinger and Zack Jordan had begun preparing a play called
Freud's Last Session
to present in Dalton, GA, and rather than toss their efforts upon the trash heap, they've decided to Live-Stream their performance.
Justin describes the play as an exercise in how we should talk to each other, which, heaven knows, is a much-needed lesson these days -- with Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis as our instructors.
For information about admission to the live stream, call the theater office at (706)278-4796 or visit the theater's web page at
ACTDalton.org.
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Please remember: Donald, our President; the Senate, the House of Representatives, and our Courts of Justice; together with all elected officials, and the other leaders of our country and the nations of the world.
We pray for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Brian, our Bishop; for April, our priest; for David, our Curate; for George, our assisting priest; for Keith, our Seminarian; for our missionaries, and all other bishops and ministers.
We pray for the unemployed and underemployed, especially those in our congregation and community. We pray for the homeless and the hungry.
We pray for parishioners and loved ones, especially Gerry Jones,
Chuck and Jason, Tom Wolfe, Don and Ann Ludwig,
the Tangel family, Jane Williams, Kathleen and Caroline Belcher,
Bo and Mary Minor Brown, Helen Williams, Nancy Mapel,
David Stanislawski, Charlotte Dorris, Tyler Horton, Jeff Fugate, Rebecca Williams, Tessa Spaulding, J.R. Hicks, Marcia Magers, Major McCollough, Peggy Fugate, Jean Lorren, William Simpson, Timothy Penny, Donald Jones, Cooper Jones, Sally Cauthen, Charles Smith, Jonathan Purple, Steven Mosman, John Woodham, Libby Workman, Elaine Harrison, Jean Williams, Barbara Reed,
Elizabeth Harrison, Joyce Smith, Jim May, Mary Ruth Clinton,
and Ann Swint;
We pray for Wil Mabry, Jake Dorris, Kevin Kelley, Tripp Mouron, Mike Mabry, Alexander Ross, Russel Webb, Logan Roberts, Jim Makepeace, Sean Benson, Evan Watkins and all of our Armed Forces, here and abroad;
We pray for Emily Stone Brelsford, Kerry Baker, and Janine Revenig, who are with child.
We pray for those who have died, especially Reed Swaggerty-Morgan, child of Chuck and Jason, who drowned last week.
We pray for all who are developing programs and policies to deal with the current public health threat; for those who are treating the sick, stocking shelves, transporting supplies, suffering from illness, coping with new life-patterns and finding ways to keep anxiety at bay for themselves and others.
We pray for those who lost homes, property, and loved ones in the storms last weekend, and ask for strength and perseverance for those coping with damage to their homes and neighborhoods.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer:
Pray for the Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma) and The Most Rev. Stephen Than Myint Oo, Archbishop of Myanmar and Bishop of Yangon.
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer:
Pray for Church of the Ascension, Knoxville, TN; and for Emmanuel and St. Matthew’s, Rapid City, SD.
Those in need of continued prayer:
John Cox, John and Cherry Stewart, Gayanne Silver, Garvin Colburn,
Heather Nelson, Robert Clark, Marty Landis, Dexter and Helen Williams,
Cheryl McCurry, Ethel Rutledge, Carolyn Minnich, Lanie Lundgrin, Terri Harvey,
Sue Sears, Anne Getz, Michael Roberts, Jeannie and Andy Williams, Jaime Cooper, Teresa Noel, Tina Knowles, Brad and Kimberly Calhoun, Joyce and Greg Snyder,
Martha Killeffer, Robert Durham, Jim Curtis, Hal and Sue, Michelle Maroney,
Jessica Ricketts
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Community Care in Anxious Times
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Our Grace check-in teams are continuing to check on households. Team leaders for each check-in group are contacting you via phone, text and/ or email. Please take a moment to pick up or write back to let them know if you’re okay and/or if you need help, pastorally or physically. The leaders of these groups will be in close communication with our priests and our network of volunteers. If you are a new member of Grace and we do not have your information in the directory, please fill out the New Member form
here
and let us know if you would like to be added to a check-in group. If you have an urgent pastoral need, please call the parish office at (423)243-3250 and leave a message on the
main line
. We will be checking these messages regularly even if we aren’t in the office.
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Grace Notes is a subscription list. You may have called the church office to subscribe or completed the subscription email form on our website. We only email people who opted in to receive emails and we gladly remove you from our database if you do not wish to receive any more emails.
You may contact the church office at 423-243-3250
or use the unsubscribe link below.
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