Fifth Sunday After The Epiphany
Scout Sunday
February 5, 2023
WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES
IN THIS ISSUE

  • Click Here For The Prayer List
  • Click Here For The Church Calendar
  • Click Here For The Server Schedule
  • First Sunday Of the Month
  • Cursillo #259 Coming Up Next Month
  • Summer Camp At Camp Allen With Mother Suzanne
  • Diocesan Youth Events
  • Volunteers Needed To Meet Visitors On Friday Afternoon
  • Women of Grace Game Night - Saturday, February 4th
  • SOUPer Bowl of Caring - Sunday, February 12th
  • Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, February 21st
  • Ashes To Go - Wednesday, February 22nd
  • Diocesan Council Meeting - February 24-25 (Check Out Council Reps!)
  • Confirmation Classes Begin February 26th
  • Lenten Soup Suppers Begin March 1st
  • Taizé Evening Prayers Begin March 1st
  • Friday Stations Of The Cross Begin March 3rd
  • An Invitation To Holy Lent
  • Safeguarding God's Children - March 4th
  • First Christian Church Pancake Breakfast - March 11
  • Abundant Living Conference - March 27-29
  • Parish Spring Cleaning Now April 1st
  • Dates For Confirmation Classes
  • Camp Allen Retreats For 2023
  • Please Continue Sending Cards To Grace Collins
  • Fifth Sunday After Epiphany - Scout Sunday - Holy Eucharist Rite I

Liturgy Of The Week

  • The Preaching Moment Podcast
  • A Holy Pause With Mother Suzanne
  • Rector's Tuesday Bible Study
  • Wednesday Noonday Prayer Around The World
  • The Mobile Food Pantry - Thursday, February 9th
  • PB&J Delivery Fridays
  • On Generosity...

SERVE AT GRACE: Are you looking for ways to plug in at Grace, meet new people, and contribute to the beauty of our worship? Consider signing up for any of the following roles: ushers, lectors, lay eucharistic ministers, acolytes, Altar Guild, A/V, hospitality team, or coffee hour. Click here to learn more and sign up

Keep Scrolling to Learn More...

If you know of a brother or sister with no computer or internet access - would you please print off this email and drop it off to that person? We don't have many, but there are some. Let's help all of our Grace Family stay connected.
Cursillo #259
CURSILLO OF THE RISING STAR
SHINING IN OUR HEARTS
Camp Allen Summer Camp
With Mother Suzanne & Craig Harland
July 16 - 22
Mother Suzanne will be directing Junior High Camp at Camp Allen again this summer. She will be there Week 6 (July 16-22) at campsite 3 for junior high (7th and 8th grade boys and girls). Grace's Lay Youth Minister, Craig Harland will also help to lead camp with her. If you are desiring for your child or youth to attend Camp Allen this summer, please sign up. Space is filling up fast. It really is a blessed time for kids and youth in the summer. There are some partial camp scholarships available.
Diocesan Youth Events are back! We would like to invite you and the youth of your church to the upcoming events for spring and summer.
April 21-23, 2023 – A New Junior High Retreat! Have your junior high students join us for a weekend retreat where they can discover that they are ENOUGH and they are God's MASTERPIECE! A weekend of outdoor fun, interactive art, games, and community building at Camp Allen Campsite 2 from April 21-23, 2023. Register here.
 
April 21-23, 2023 – Happening #176 – A renewal retreat for high school students led by high school students with adult support. For more information or to register, go to epicenter.org/happening.
 
July 4-8, 2023 – Episcopal Youth Event 2023 (EYE23) – The Diocese of Texas is accepting applications for interested youth for our delegation to this triennial event. More information and the application can be found here.
 
July 9-14, 2023 – Missionpalooza 2023 in Galveston, TX – The annual diocesan-wide mission trip is back! This trip is designed especially for smaller groups from Episcopal congregations. More information and the link to reserve your congregation’s spot for this mission trip are found here.
 
Throughout the summer – Camp Allen Summer Camp – Summer camp is filling up! Register your children and youth here.

Share Your Gift Of "Grace-ous" Hospitality
Still Seeking Volunteers
Friday is an especially busy day at the parish office. We have a constant traffic of visitors trying to find food. We are still seeking volunteers to welcome and assist guests in person Friday afternoons. Please let Mother Suzanne know after church or via email rev.suzanne@gracechurchalvin.org
Tomorrow
Saturday, February 4th - 6 - 9PM
Sunday, February 12th
Help TACKLE Hunger!

  • Sunday, 2/12 is Super Bowl Sunday
  • Join us after the worship service that day for a Soup Cook-off 
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
February 12th
Hosted by Grace Church Youth and Friends of Youth

Everyone is welcome to join our Youth in hosting our Annual Pancake Supper in the Parish Hall.

  • Family Pack $20 (feeds 2 adults, 2 children)
  • Individual tickets $6 each
  • Tickets may be purchased at the door

Want to be part of the Shrove Tuesday fun?
Ashes-To-Go
With The Rev. Alex Montes-Vela
Wednesday, February 22nd
During Mobile Food Pantry
Lenten Soup Suppers
The youth of Grace will be hosting the Lenten Soup Suppers every Wednesday at 6pm during Lent. Soup suppers will begin March 1 and go through April 5. Soup suppers are a time where the community will gather and enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread.

A brief time of reflection and prayer will be offered each week. Please suspend your cooking on Wednesdays during Lent to support our youth and enjoy some much needed, continual weekly fellowship.  
If you are new to the community of Grace, this is an excellent way to meet people and learn more about Grace.
~Mother Suzanne+

Generous donations for our youth will be kindly appreciated.
Wednesday Evening Taizé Prayer
Each Wednesday Beginning, March 1st through April 5th, from 5:30 - 6:15 PM, join us in the Nave for Contemplative Evening Prayer in the style of the monastery in Taizé.
Friday Stations Of The Cross
Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross)--Every Friday at 6pm during Lent in the Nave

A devotion to the Passion of Christ which recalls a series of events at the end of Jesus' life from his condemnation to his burial. The Way of the Cross imitates the practice of visiting the places of Jesus' Passion in the Holy Land by early Christian pilgrims. The first stations outside Palestine were built in Bologna in the fifth century. This devotion was encouraged by the Franciscans, and it became common in the fifteenth century. The number of stations for prayer and meditation in the Way of the Cross has varied, but it typically includes fourteen stations. Each station may have a cross and an artistic representation of the scene. The Way of the Cross is a popular devotion that is often done on Fridays during Lent. 

The stations will be led by Donna Tate, Craig Harland and Anne Harland.
An Invitation To A Holy Lent
We live in a world that demands relentless perfection. Happy marriages and easy friendships. Bucket-list-level adventures and matching family photos. But what if your actual life doesn’t feel very #blessed? Might our regular lives be worthy of a blessing too? Even an average Tuesday?

This Lenten season you are invited to journey with Mother Suzanne through The Lives We Actually Have.
Our Diocesan Council reps with Bishop Andy at the January 26th pre-council meeting at St. Thomas The Apostle Nassau Bay
Safeguarding God's Children
Sunday, March 4th
With Anne Harland
Grace Episcopal Church Safeguarding God’s Children Training March 4, 2023 Time – TBD
Safeguarding God’s Children Training is required by the diocese for those who have access to the church building and/or interact with the children and youth of the church. Training class takes 2-3 hours, and the certification is valid for 5 years.

Those Required for Certification:
  • Have a key to any church property
  • Work in the church office or on the Vestry
  • Clergy or Lay Ministers
  • Volunteers who work with children/youth, including parents
  • Process for Certification

1) Email Sara Jones your full name and email address.
2) Fill out online application, link will be sent via email through the SRA system.
3) Background check and references will be checked.
4) Sign up for class through the SRA link.
5) Attend class.
Grace Episcopal SRA : Sara Jones sakcats@sbcglobal.net 713-598-9567

Contact with any questions.
Save The Date - Saturday, March 11th
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
If You Are Over 65 You May Like
To Attend Abundant Living 2023
Scholarships Available
Dates For Confirmation Classes
In preparation for Bishop Monterroso's visit on April 2 (Palm Sunday) in which he will confirm and receive new folks into the Episcopal Church, Mother Suzanne will offer 3 confirmation classes: February 26, March 5 (we will skip the two weekends of Spring Break) and March 26 after the 9 AM service. If you have a desire to attend classes, please let Mother Suzanne know. 

The sacramental rite in which the candidates "express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop" (BCP, p. 860). Those who were baptized at an early age and those baptized as adults without laying on of hands by a bishop are expected to make a mature public affirmation of their faith, recommit themselves to the responsibilities of their baptism, and receive laying on of hands by a bishop (BCP, p. 412). Adults baptized with the laying on of hands by a bishop are considered to be confirmed.
Please Keep Them Coming!
Get Well Cards For Grace Collins
From Georjanna (Right, Grace's daughter):
"Thank you! She received several cards today and is so so so happy! She wants to write back. That will be in due time but please continue to have folks write to her. It's a big improvement in her state of mind"

Won't you take a few minutes to send her a get-well card?
Ms. Grace Collins, Room 403
c/o Baywood Crossing
5020 Space Center Blvd.
Pasadena, TX 77505
Please help us conserve resources by downloading to your mobile device or printing ahead of time and bringing it along with you to church
Sunday's Schedule

  • Holy Eucharist Rite I - Led by Mother Suzanne
  • The service will also be live-streamed via Facebook Live - a musical prelude will begin at 8:50 a.m.
  • 3 ways to Give today: Text the word ¨Fund¨ to 844-943-0932 to give via text, download and use the Vanco Mobile* app from the Google or Apple App Store, or visit the link below. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the church office at 112 W. Lang, Alvin TX 77511
Have You Checked Out The Podcast Yet?
Or you can find The Preaching Moment on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
A Holy Pause
From Mother Suzanne:

This time together is between 2-5 minutes. A small touch-point throughout the week to remind Grace and others to whom you belong and that we are together walking the road of faith. 

As well, I think it's a good practice to pause during the day and "look up". 

Please join if you are able on Grace's Facebook or Instagram pages....no particular time... The Holy Pause is also uploaded to Tik Tok.

If you subscribe/like/follow our Instagram and Facebook you'll receive a notification when we go live.
"Tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

"Devotions" by Mary Oliver
Rector's Tuesday Bible Study
Wednesday Noonday Prayer
Around the World
This Wednesday, let's pause together as we join our prayers with brothers and sisters around the world via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Beginning at 11:55 you can log in to Zoom here (passcode 032547) to join us as an active participant in the prayers. Or if you prefer, just follow along via Facebook Live beginning promptly at 12:00 PM this coming Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer beginning on page 103, which you can download ahead of time here. 
Church in the Streets
Mobile Food Pantry
Thursday, February 9th
Please consider volunteering, even if just for an hour - we could use your help. We begin setting up at 7:30 am and distribution ends at 1 pm. Clean-up follows that. We especially need volunteers for deliveries to the homebound and to help with tear down and clean up starting at around 11:30.

Upon conclusion, a delicious lunch is provided for all volunteers.
PB&J Friday's
We are so glad to have our Waymaker friends here on Friday mornings, in addition to their participation in our Thursday Mobile Food Pantry.

This week they helped bag cat food and Panera bread. So grateful to them!

Waymaker provides day activity sites for people who have intellectual developmental disabilities and other special needs.
Sunday Card Ministry
Have you noticed the cards on the table as you enter the church on Sunday? Well, one of our parishioners sets these cards out for us to sign and send a greeting to someone we may not have seen in a while, or someone who is ill.

Please take a minute as you come in, or before you leave to sign the cards and maybe write a brief note.
Generosity
1st Sunday

Did you know that the loose plate offering on the first Sunday of each month goes to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund? This fund is used, at the Rector’s discretion, to assist the poor and indigent and to further the ministries of the church, not covered in the church budget. One of the main uses of this fund, at Grace, is to fund our Blessing Box and Blessing Refrigerator.
Birthdays & Anniversaries

You are invited to make a financial offering in honor of your birthday or anniversary. These offerings go to the Herrington fund, which provides scholarships to church conferences and camps for members of our church.  Your offering may be placed in this little basket beside the piano as you approach the Chancel steps.
Kroger Community Rewards

You can help support Grace by simply linking your Kroger Rewards Customer number to Grace. You only need to sign up once and you will earn rewards for the church with every shopping trip! You can enroll at any time, so please try to get your family and friends to sign up as well! Every time you make a Kroger purchase, Kroger will make a donation to Grace. (And you still receive your reward points)
Support Grace on Amazon Smile

Do you shop at Amazon? Grace is recognized as a charitable organization under the AmazonSmile program.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Grace every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases, made each quarter of the year, to the church.
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