Tuesday's Child for January 26, 2021

or call 646 558 8656 US

(New York)

(Meeting ID): 177 160 858

(Password): 917937

Grace Sunday School 11:00am - 11:45 AM

This a recurring meeting

To join this Zoom meeting

(Meeting ID): 859 9461 5863

(Password): 508436

Tuesday Bible Study

7:00 to 8:30 PM

This is a recurring meeting

or call 646-558-8656

(Meeting ID):

826 0996 0553

(Password): 446609

See article in this edition of Tuesday's Child for more info.

Centering Prayer

Thursdays 5:00 PM

This is a recurring meeting

To join this Zoom meeting,

(Meeting ID): 203 314 800

(Password): 578877

646 558 8656 US (New York)

Third Sunday Supper

Every third Sunday

at 6:00 PM

This is a recurring meeting

To join this Zoom meeting

(Meeting ID): 778 608 743

(Password): 729107

646 558 8656 US (New York)

Books and Bread,

at 7:00 PM

February 10, 2021

droppable-1610414583136To join this Zoom meeting,

(Meeting ID): 370 191 823

(Password): 385337

or call 646 558 8656 US (New York)

The Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany

Mark 1:21-28

Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Thou Whose Almighty Word

The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate, has issued the following Word to the Church:

Who shall we be?

A Prayer for Our Nation

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer 1979)

There will be two separate Zoom talks, one in Spanish on 2/2/21 and one in English on 2/4/21. Please also share them on Facebook https://fb.me/e/3DUVE3pAR and https://fb.me/e/3na4NVmkf

ENGLISH session on February 4th at 6pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87314619084

SPANISH session- Aprenda sobre la vacuna de COVID con un médico experto del Berkshire Medical Center. Dr. Galvez ya recibió la vacuna y hablará sobre su experiencia, síntomas, hechos, mitos y responderá a sus preguntas. El 2 de febrero a las 6pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83158317262

A Message from Libby

Thank you to all who participated in our Annual Meeting on January 24. Because we met virtually, people were present from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, and New York! Seeing so many people on my Zoom screen and hearing the excellent reports from Treasurer Sue Gore and Profile Committee Chair Lee Cheek set a positive tone to the meeting. Senior Warden Kathy Clausen managed the agenda and the Poll Voting with good humor and an eye to including all questions and comments. We elected Dindy Anderson and Sarah Sieber as Diocesan Convention Delegates with Sue Gore and Sally Brooke as Alternate Delegates. The current Officers and Vestry-At-Large will continue their service: Kathy Clausen (Sr. Warden), Rick Gore (Jr, Warden), Sue Gore (Treasurer), Mary Anne Grammer (Clerk), John Cheek & Cathy Haywood (Class of 2022), Dindy Anderson & Holly Murray (Class of 2023), Anne Andrews & Dutch Pinkston (Class of 2024). Congratulations to all!

You are a resilient and adaptable congregation. You also are a warm and caring congregation. As I begin a month of medical leave for cancer surgery and recuperation, I am experiencing first-hand your kindness, and I’m relaxing into the ocean of prayer that holds me up. You also will be well cared for in the coming month by your own lay leadership and visiting priests. You and they will be in my prayers while we are apart.

For the month of February, the Rev. Steve White will be on call for pastoral care needs. He can be contacted by phone (413-884-4758) or e-mail ([email protected]).

Sunday Supply Priests: The Rev. Jane Tillman (February 7), The Rev. Steve White (February 14), The Rev. Betsy Fisher (January 31, February 21 & 28).

Ash Wednesday, February 17: Grace will join Christ Trinity (Sheffield) for worship.

I hope to return to leading worship on March 7.

“By night and by day you summon your people, O Holy One. So stir us with your voice and enlighten our lives with your grace that we give ourselves fully to Christ’s call to mission and ministry. Amen.” (adapted from Daily Prayers for All Seasons, p. 43)

Blessings!

Libby+

Grace Clergy Transition: Preparing Our Profile

After five months of steady work, the Profile Committee is in its final phase of editing two documents and constructing the online Grace Profile before our search for our New Rector goes "live" in early March.

We ask you for your gracious help by offering these two prayer each day.

Prayer for the Profile Committee

O God, be with our Profile Committee that they may faithfully complete their work, that your Kingdom may come into this time and place through this congregation.

Prayer for the Priest

O God, be with the priest who will recognize your call to walk with

this particular congregation in this particular year.

Pray with Us Daily:

God of abundance and wisdom, you have blessed Grace Church with love and respect for one another and with joy in our community. Help us to discern your will and to be open to your guidance as we seek a new rector for our parish. Grant us the ability to hear your voice as we listen to one another. Give us wisdom and patience, mutual respect,and clarity of vision, that we may choose and receive a priest who serves with warmth and humor, inspiration and faithfulness, and who will lead us where you are calling Grace Church to serve the mission of Jesus in this time and place. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

PRAYERS AND CARES

We supply this list so you may contact members of our congregation who are at home or in a nursing facility. Please hold in your prayers and reach out as you can.

BLAKELY, Rosemarie

21 Crossway, #108

Lee MA 01238

413-243-0485

BOWENS, Marina

c/o Maryella Satinover

11908 Windward Ave.

Mar Vista, CA 90066

310-398-2484

(310) 749-9424 (cell)

BREASTED, John

Fairview Commons

151 Christian Hill Road

Great Barrington MA 01230

413-429-8123

Cell (413) 854-3977

BROOKS, Jane

165 George Street

Lee MA 01230

413-243-3367

CRAWFORD, Ruth

125 Woodland Road

Lee MA 01238

413-243-2575

FRYE, Vonnie

PineHill Assisted Living at Kimball Farms

235 Walker St. Apt #32

Lenox, Ma. 01240

413-637-7432

GORE, Barbara

50 Stockbridge Road

Lee MA 01238

413-243-4261

HAIDER, Meredith

5 Fox Hollow Road #409

Lenox, MA 01240

413-551-7319

(814)308-4865

KEENE, Sara

The Egremont Village Inn

17 Main Street

P. O. Box 275

South Egremont, MA 01258

413-528-4152

McCURDY, Deborah

Lees Landing Nursing Center

9807 Wilbraham Road

Springfield, MA 01109

413-507-2832

TURNER, Barbara

Fairview Commons

151 Christian Hill Road

Great Barrington, MA 01230

In this time of quarantine and physical separation you are still being prayed for. If you would like to receive specific healing prayers please contact:

The Rev. Ted Cobden 413-528-2247

Pennie Curry 413-429-7093

Sue Gore 413-243-2273

CHANGE IN PRAYER LIST ON MARCH 1

Praying for each other and for the needs of the world is a vital part of any faith community, and Grace Church is particularly skilled at this aspect of our communal life. During this time of transition, it’s become apparent that we need to make a few changes in our lengthy prayer list to create a more intentional system of maintaining it. On March 1, the list of “Members of the Parish Family” and “Others We Love” for whom we pray will reset to zero and we’ll begin a fresh new list. We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks and always want to be generous in our prayers for others.

You can help by sending an e-mail to ([email protected]) if you want a person whose name is currently on the list to stay on the list beyond March 1 or if you want to add someone who isn’t currently on the list. Libby will then keep a record of the date the name was added along with who added it and either she or a member of the Healing Team will periodically call you to check on how that person is doing and if their situation has improved enough to come off the list. We can then give thanks. In this way our prayers can be both generous and more focused

GRACE

CHURCH

Please include

in your daily prayers this week:

Members of the Parish Family:

The Rev. Libby Wade, The Rev. Ted Cobden, Linda White, John Breasted, Edna Leavenworth, George Raymond, Ed Hutchinson; Mimi and Dick Alford, Doreen Hutchinson, Barbara Turner, Pennie Curry,

Frank Vogel - Polizzi, Mark Anderson, Elizabeth Holland,

Janet Zimmerman, Stacey, Claire

and Mark Thomas, Richard Edelstein, Connie Garber, Ruth Crawford, Marcia Doelman, Mary Ellen Murray, Paula Doyle, Maureen Terry, Gino Furio, Meredith Haider, Debbie Holmes, Mary Booton, and Vonnie Frye.

Others we Love:

Joanne, Gretchen Fairfield's mother-in-law; Virginia Fletcher; Emily Trespas, friend of Jainee McCarroll; Tanner, friend of Sue and Rick Gore; Ed and Fran, brother-in-law and sister of Anne Andrews; Kristen Mary, cousin of Jainee McCarroll; Evie De Melker, daughter of Rev. Ted Cobden; Karen La Rocque, friend of Sue Gore; Donovan Buck, nephew of Pennie Curry; Susan and Dan Gray, Beth Grady, niece of Deborah Holmes; Alice Fitch, Rose Blakely's sister; Fred Bunce, father of Mary Booton; Khali Zabian; Matt Alford, son of Mimi and Dick Alford; Wendy Reeve, sister of Cathy Haywood; Keiron Lee, daughter of Doone Marshall; Anne Peters, Debbie Losaw, daughter of Rosemarie Blakely, Ashley Gangell, Zeke Hills, brother of The Rev. Francie Hills, Jane Williams, John Belizzi, Carole Chapple, Christy Yeo, Cooper O'Brien, Rosalind Haywood, Colonel John Tryon, nephew of Anne Andrews and all who serve our country.

Those who have died:

John Grammer, husband of Mary Anne; Rollie Tillman, father of the Rev. Jane Tillman; Bill Alford, brother of Dick Alford; Elinor Hamill; Neil Brandt, brother of Linda White; John Turner, husband of Barbara Turner; Leslie Albert, friend of Margaret Layton and Sarah Sieber; Andrew S. Artz, brother-in-law of the Rev. Janet Zimmerman; Kathy Happ, sister of Doug and Gary Happ; Fred Bunce, father of Mary Booton; Marion Chapin Andrews; Chuck De Melker, husband of Evie Cobden De Melker; Locke Larkin, brother-in-law of Maureen Terry; Charles Olegar; Marianne Felch, friend of Janet Zimmerman; Pat Edelstein; Anthony Aiuvalasit, friend of Janet Zimmerman.

Our world: For those who suffer from the COVID-19 virus; for those who have died from this virus and those who mourn; for those who provide care and comfort in this pandemic; for all who suffer from the loss of jobs and income in this time; for all who are anxious about their future and our world; for all who offer time and treasure to support those who need to know love; for all who are alone and all who reach out to care.

The many ministries of our local community and the Diocese of Western Massachusetts:

especially for our partners at St. Paul's, Stockbridge and the Rev. Sam Smith and the Rev. Jane Tillman; Christ Trinity, Sheffield and the Rev. Erik Karas; our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher; and the Mampong Babies' Home in Ghana; Grace Episcopal, Amherst; St. John’s, Ashfield; St. David’s Church, Agawam, The Rev. Harvey Hill

The Church's wider mission:

Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil

Anglican Women’s Empowerment (AWE)

And we offer thanks: for all those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries this week:

Mary Booton, John Ericson, 1/31;

Join us for

Centering Prayer ONLINE

every Thursday

5:00 - 6:00

Encouraging a practice of silence and stillness we focus on practices of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina using scripture, art and music. All are welcome.

To join this Zoom meeting

Meeting ID: 203 314 800

Password: 578877

Dial by your location

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

To find your local number: Click here

Diocesan Compline

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday @ 8:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

It's Official: Du Bois Day is February 23

Meeting ID: 824 5008 6637

Passcode: 501604

Dial by phone

+1 929 205 6099

WHAT ARE YOU

GRATEFUL FOR?

In this time of fear and anxiety, it can be easy to miss the daily blessings that are right in front of us. Being grateful is not just for good times. Being grateful is even more important when fear sets a place at your table and heartbreak seems to be in your every breath. Because by being grateful we become aware of all the ways God is working in us. Being grateful is a part of our healing and our deliverance. Being grateful is where our best selves reside.

I WANT TO HELP

Good News Gardens Book Group:

Invitation to a diocesan book-study group

for a virtual discussion of

This is God’s Table – Finding Church Beyond the Walls.

More details in the Learning and Discovery section of the TC

The passing of the tools of Gideon's Garden took place informally December 19th in the greenhouse of Taft Farms. The Rev. Jen Bloesch, retiring Gideon's Garden Program Director, passes her hoe to Ms. Annalise Clausen, incoming Director of Farming. Retiring Youth Supervisor Fisher Riiska, back left, passes his shovel to incoming Youth Supervisor Matt Bilotta.

Seed ordering

begins

soon!

SHINE YOUR LIGHT

In this unpredictable time, your church continues to give thanks for and need your support. If you are capable of sending in your pledge, thank you. If you are unable to give at this time, we understand. If you are capable of giving a bit more so we can respond to the needs of our community, we are very grateful. If you are in need, please contact a member of the Vestry listed at the top of the newsletter. Since we are not gathering in person in community, we ask that you send your gifts via mail to Grace Church, P.O. Box 114, Great Barrington, MA 01230. We are truly all in this life together. We pray, trusting that God will see us through this season and beyond.

Thank you for giving generously to support the ministry of Grace.

CHANGE THE BABIES

It costs about $1500 a year to support a baby. The Diocese's goal is for one congregation

to support one child for a year.

To donate to support babies at the Mampong Babies Home in Ghana please send a check to Grace Church, PO Box 114, Great Barrington, MA 01230.

LEARNING AND DISCOVERY

Becoming Beloved Community

GREAT BARRINGTON — In what was a historic vote for the town's Select Board, all five members Monday unanimously proclaimed Feb. 23 as W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Day. The proclamation to honor the civil rights giant every year on his birthday was brought to the board by the co-chairpersons of the town's W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee, Gwendolyn VanSant and Randy Weinstein. Click on the headline above to read the article.

Last fall, The Rev. Libby Wade led a group of South County Episcopalians in the Episcopal Church Film-Based Race Dialogue Series Sacred Ground. Pennie Curry, Jim Wade, and Lee Cheek completed the course. Meredith Haider and Dindy Anderson are currently participating in a group sponsored by St. John's Williamstown. All are encouraged to take advantage of the next opportunity in 2021,TBA.

Watch this brief description of the course from priest Cindy Vorhees of St. James, Newport Beach, CA. Click here:

Intro to Sacred Ground

Education for Ministry (EfM) Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four year course of study and theological reflection from Sewanee (one of our Episcopal seminaries). Karen Byers mentors a group sponsored by Christ Trinity Sheffield that meets weekly on Zoom. John Cheek was a 2020 participant, and this year John and Sarah Sieber are part of the group. The theme for our work this year is "Living into the Journey with God," introduced with an essay on the concept of 'theosis.' This term comes out of the Eastern Orthodox tradition and refers to the participation of the human person in the life of God. It means 'being made God,' and is reflected in the statement by the 3rd century theologian Athanasius that "God became man so that we might become divine." Our discussion of theosis, and its corollary, 'scotosis' (the darkness that prevents us from seeing the truth) led us to liken it to a nest in our heart with eggs in it. The question as we look ahead is, how do we bring those eggs to fruition? Here's the Collect we wrote: God, you dwell within and without. Guide us as we nurture your presence. Lead us to do your work in the world, through our relationships with you and one another. Amen.

Good News Gardens Book Group:

Invitation to a diocesan book-study group

As we welcome the promises of a new year, please join friends from around Western Massachusetts for a virtual discussion of This is God’s Table – Finding Church Beyond the Walls.

In this compelling and readable new book, local writer and pastor Anna Woofenden, a prophetic voice in the faith and food movement, writes about her experience founding and nurturing the Garden Church in San Pedro, California. As Sara Miles (author, and founder/director of The Food Pantry) says in the book’s Foreword, “Woofenden shares the story of what happened when she gardened, worshiped, and ate with anyone who would join her. As churches across the Western world wither, what would it take to find a raw, honest, gritty way of doing church – one rooted in place, nurtured by grace, and grounded in God’s expansive love? What would it take to carry the liturgy outside the gates? What if we were to discover that in feeding others, we are fed? This is God’s table. Come and eat.”

Our conversations will take place on Zoom over three Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Jan. 28, Feb. 11 and 25. You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you can. The final meeting will include a Q and A session with the author. Click here to register for this event. We will send out the zoom link the day before our gatherings. For more information, please email one of the facilitators: Maggie Sweeney ([email protected]) or Harvey Hill ([email protected]).

Children and Teens Please Join Us!

GRACE SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sundays, at 11:00 AM.

The Beatitudes

Please contact Andrea White at [email protected] or 413-884-4836 for assistance.

Grace Sunday School

This is a recurring meeting

To join this Zoom meeting

(Meeting ID): 859 9461 5863 (Passcode): 508436

Tuesday Bible Study

in Collaboration with St. Paul’s

and Christ Trinity

Epiphany Bible Study Series

“Into the Light: Finding Hope through Prayers of Lament”

January 12 – February 16, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

In a sermon called “Learning to Lament,” Duke Divinity School professor Ellen Davis says “lament is a cry of human powerlessness, but it is…at the same time an appeal to God’s power and mercy. Strange though it may sound, lament is something we need to learn how to do. As with other kinds of prayer, we need to learn how to appeal to God in good faith, how to speak to God without deceiving ourselves and dishonoring God. Scripture is altogether our best guide to prayer, but you have to ask: How can it guide us in this situation?” (Preaching the Luminous Word, 2016, p. 216) The situation behind Davis’ call to lament was the Gulf Oil Spill of 2010. Now a decade later, in the midst of a pandemic that has taken an incredible toll on the world and affected so many of us personally, the call to a practice of lament is even more pressing.

To that end, the South Berkshire Episcopal/Lutheran Churches will offer a six-week Epiphany Bible Study Series on Tuesdays beginning January 12. The Revs. Sam Smith, Erik Karas, and Libby Wade will be our guides as we engage Biblical laments to help us acknowledge the depths of suffering and lead us to find hope in the midst of that suffering. Please have a Bible and pen and paper handy for each session. The Rev. Erik Karas will lead this week's session on "Lamenting Death and Life." Primary scriptures are John 11:28-37 and Job 3:1-4, 9-19, 24-26. You are welcome to join us on Zoom for one session or all the remaining sessions.

Zoom link click here

or call in: 646-558-8656

Meeting ID: 826 0996 0553

Passcode: 446609

Questions? E-mail Libby at [email protected].

I WANT SOME FRIENDS

THIRD SUNDAY SUPPER

Join us online for an evening of laughter and conversation every third Sunday. The ZOOM invite is at the top of the newsletter. For more information contact George Raymond

413.854.1222 cell

You can prepare your own supper,

but Take Out from our local restaurants is suggested.

BOOKS and BREAD

JOIN the DISCUSSION

Wednesday, on Zoom

February 10, 2021

at 7 PM

George Raymond will lead our discussion.

Meeting will end at about 8:00 PM

To join this Zoom meeting,