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:

On Sunday, December 26, Grace will have ONE service only at 10:00 a.m.

The 5:00 pm service on Christmas Eve is designed for families, and we look forward to hearing April’s children’s sermon. Families with young children are invited to sit in the front three pews. The nursery will be available.

GreenGrace Creation Coalition:  We'll be making environmentally friendly luminaries for the grounds at 2 pm this afternoon. Look for us around the Arboretum kiosk, or possibly assembling materials in the Courtyard.  

TO ALL ATTENDING THE 11 pm SERVICE: on your way out, please take home 4 or 5 luminary bags, which are weighted with bird food, for you to bestow a Christmas feast for your home birds. Enjoy!

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.

Sunday, January 9^th will be the Rev. David Burman’s last Sunday at Grace, as he has accepted a call as associate rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Worthington, Ohio.  We will send David off with a blessing at both the 8am and 10:45am services on that day, and all are welcome to join us for a reception following the 10:45am service.  If you’d like to help with the reception, please contact Terry Burnett or Phaen Stone.  It’s the custom at Grace to take up an offering for departing clergy as a gesture of love and thanksgiving as we bid farewell.  If you would like to make a contribution to David’s gift, visit our website. You may also make a check out to “Grace Episcopal Church” with “David’s gift” in the memo line.  The deadline for contributing to the purse is Tuesday, January 4^th. 

Sean McEwen will be our preacher for the Sunday service (10:00 a.m.).

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).

Grace's offices will be closed on Monday, December 27 and Monday, January 3 in observance of the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

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.

Another donation option: you should find in your future Sunday bulletins a QR code and a text number for donations via your smart phone. Please let us know if these things take you to any odd places or behave in any untoward manner!

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

& the password is: compline 

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America. 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 peace (BCP p. 815).