Parish News For the week of September 26, 2021

Christianity and Culture

September 26

The Book of Esther in the Jewish Tradition

with Maggie Shapiro Haskett

Director of Jewish Life at W&L’s Hillel House

9:15 am, Parish Hall In-person and ZOOM

This Sunday's Old Testament reading of Esther is the only time

the book is read during our 3 year cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary.

Please join as Maggie leads us in a rich conversation about whole story of Esther!

If you'd like to read Esther ahead of time try reading a Jewish translation,

most easily found here:  https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.1.1?lang=en

From the Minister of Music

SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG!!!

Fabien and Martin are making wonderful progress with Casavant 3941! Stay tuned! Also, some parishioners are generously offering lunch or flowers to them. (They love flowers and nature!) If you are interested in participating in that hospitality and gratitude, please contact Martha.

Music Notes

Our first concerts in the newly renovated space will take place at 7:30 Friday, October 1 and 7:30 Monday, October 4. We are collaborating with The Origin Initiative, an initiative that  prepares pre-professional vocal artists for contemporary careers through diverse performance, personalized mentorship, and skill development. Additionally, The Origin Initiative provides performance and mentorship opportunities for nationally-sourced professional vocal artists providing world-class concertizing and education to Rockbridge County.

The concert on Friday will feature: Music from the British Isles marking the Origin Initiative’s first concert appearance in Rockbridge County, taking the listener on a journey through the British choral tradition celebrating in part the musical heritage and renovation of Grace Episcopal Church. The concert will include music by Howells, Byrd, Holst, Parry, and others. Contact Martha for details: martha@graceepiscopallexington.org

SVU Camerata

The SVU Camerata will give a concert at Grace, Thursday, October 14, 7:30 pm. Chamber Ensemble Music *INCLUDING* Casavant 3941!

Afghan Refugee Relief Efforts

Team Rubicon and the Red Cross are organizing Afghan refugee relief efforts at Fort Pickett. Team Rubicon | Afghan Resettlement (teamrubiconusa.org)

Team Rubicon has a list on Amazon of specific items you can purchase for direct delivery to Fort Pickett. It may be easier for some people to shop this way to support the refugee relief effort. Amazon.com

The picnic enabled us to discover and explore interests in common and build the foundation for future contact. Words are important...but a smile, shrug, eye roll...bond in a way that creates a memory of caring. 

Kathy Hill

This time with our Boys Home young men gave us a unique opportunity to get to know them better and for them to have unstructured fun in a different place. They are such kind and good young men.

David and Bonnie Gates 

Having barely gotten to meet let alone get to know our boys (Bereket and Mulu) before the pandemic set in, the picnic gave us a long overdue opportunity to connect with the boys in a very relaxed setting. Gail is looking forward to a rematch game of checkers with Mulu. Tossing the football with Bereket and Mulu while discussing our favorite college teams was fun for John and Hal. Though Lexington was experiencing a shower, we remained dry at the Gates estate.

Gail and John Dickerson

Boys Home Cottage Sponsorship

The Grace Church Christian Outreach Committee supports Boys Home financially with funds for both scholarships and a Cottage Sponsorship . The Cottage Sponsorship also includes a hands-on component in which parishioners have selected one or two boys in the cottage to sponsor in a variety of personalized ways. During the Covid hiatus on in-person gatherings, sponsors communicated with their boys via email and snail mail. The recent picnic at the Gates home marked a long-awaited turning point that allowed the boys and sponsors to gather in person.  We are currently looking for a Cottage Sponsorship coordinator to assist in planning events at Boys Home and in Lexington, and  communicating with sponsors and Cottage house parent. If you are interested in serving as a sponsor or sponsor coordinator please contact Anna Crockett at crockett@vmi.edu or 460-3254 for details.  

Boys Home Back to School Supply Wish List

The Christian Outreach Committee is collecting Back to School supplies for Boys Home. The collection bin is located on the landing inside the Parish House side doors. We will be collecting items until Thursday, September 30.

School Supplies

·   Binder Clips

·   Binders (notebooks)

·   Clorox Wipes

·   Compasses/Protractors

·   Composition books

·   Expo markers, erasers, and cleaner

·   Hand sanitizer

·   Highlighters

·   Paperclips

·   Plastic Sleeves

·   Scotch tape refills

·   Tissues

Personal Care Items

·   Bodywash

·   Chapstick

·   Combs & Hair picks

·   Deodorant

·   Individual toothbrush holder tubes

·   Nail & toenail clippers

·   Pillows

·   Comforters/quilts

·   Shampoo

·   Toothpaste

·   Bath Towels

·   Shower Curtains

·   Belts

·   T-shirts (sizes Medium and Large)

Other Needed Items

·   Alarm clocks

·   Desk lamps

·   Ear plugs

·   Hand tools

·   Lumber (all sizes)

·   Nails

·   Power tools

·   Safety glasses

·   Screws

Coming in October!

First Sunday Lunch—October 3 First Sunday Lunch is Back! Lunch will be served after the 10:30 service. Please contact Susan Lawrence bighilllex@gmail.com if you’d like to help!

Blessing of the Animals Blessing of the Animals will take place at the 8 and 10:30 a.m. services. Bring your pets (or a photograph or stuffed animal) to church for a blessing. Outdoor Blessing of the Animals will take place on the patio at 12:00 pm.

Usher Training—CPR, October 3 Save the date for our CPR training class being offered by Donnie McBrayer, on October 3 at 1pm in the Parish Hall. This is not a certification class, it is an information class on how to use the AED machine and how to perform CPR. You are welcome to come learn even if you are not an usher

Happy Birthday

Darlene Keane (9/25), Heidi Schweizer (9/26), Winifred Hart (9/28), Tim Harrison (9/28), Mo Littlefield (9/30), Lynda Bassett-DeMaria (9/30), Donnie McBrayer (10/2)