Dear people of Grace,
The statement from the CDC regarding the lifting of masking and social distancing guidelines for vaccinated people comes as good news to many of us. It is a good reminder of the benefits of vaccination and tells us clearly that vaccines are working to reduce transmission rates among fully vaccinated people. Yay for science!
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COVID Precautions During Worship
This Week's Worship
Clergy Outdoor Office Hours
A Passing to Note
COVID Testing and Vaccines
Invitation to March
Food Pantry
Parish Prayer List
Community Care in Anxious Times
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COVID Precautions During Worship (continued) |
At the same time, COVID-19 test positivity rates in many areas, including Hamilton County, remain high enough to assure us that community spread is still happening in our area. Vaccination rates in Tennessee are significantly lower than the national average. Many in our area remain unvaccinated, some by choice, and some because they are children or have other health issues that prevent them from getting the vaccine.
The Grace Vestry and I meet this week, and we will discuss this news and how it impacts our worship life together at Grace. We have appreciated the ways that the members of this community have cared for one another during these last 14 months, including wearing masks and worshipping outdoors. If you’re planning to join us in-person this Sunday, we ask that for this week, you continue the practices that we have in place—wearing masks, respecting our neighbors, and worshipping outdoors. We will have a further response next week.
With gratitude and brightest blessings,
April
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This Week's Week's Worship |
Join us for Sunday morning worship on our Facebook page 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.
In-Person Worship for May 16
Weather permitting, Grace will hold outdoor, in-person celebration of Holy Eucharist on May16th, at 10:00 a.m. in the courtyard. Please sign up via the website (https://www.saygrace.net) -- it's working again, at least most of the time! We ask this less for contact tracing purposes and more for knowing if the service will be small enough to take place in the courtyard if it will need to move to the field below the community gardens to keep folks from having to worship cheek-by-jowl (Dr. Fauci frowns on cheek-by-jowl). Should the weather threaten to misbehave, we will contact you by e-mail as soon as possible to let you know if the service has been cancelled.
Each household unit is asked to observe a reasonable margin of social distancing -- 3-6 feet is currently recommended in outdoor settings. Please wear a mask, and bring your own lawn chair or blanket. If you are unable to bring your own chair, please email David Burman at dburman@saygrace.net, and we will arrange to have one available for you.
Compline and Morning Prayer
Grace offers Compline services at 8pm each evening; you can join
& the password is: compline
Morning Prayer continues every day (except Sundays) via Zoom, beginning at 9:00 a.m.; click the link below or paste the URL into your browser.
For Morning Prayer, click here:
or paste this URL into your browser:
Meeting ID: 746 8859 6599
Passcode: amprayer
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Clergy Outdoor Office Hours
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The April Berends will be in the courtyard for outdoor office hours on Thursday, May 19th from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The Rev. David Burman will be there on Saturday, May 22nd from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. As always, our priests would be happy to connect with you, either by phone or video call or socially-distanced in person.
As always, our priests would be happy to connect with you, either by phone or video call or socially-distanced in person. Feel free to call, text, or email April (aberends@saygrace.net) and David (dburman@saygrace.net) to make arrangements.
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James Edward Dooley, father of Gail Dooley, died on Wednesday, May 12. He was surrounded by people who loved him. May he rest in peace and rise in glory, and may light perpetual shine upon him. |
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COVID Testing and Vaccines
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Still Need a Vaccine?
Several fully vaccinated Grace members have volunteered to help transport individuals to COVID-19 vaccination sites. If you've not been able to get your vaccines, or if you need help setting up an appointment, please call the parish office or email Dabney Carden at dcarden@saygrace.net, and we will put you in touch someone who can help.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Testing
In an effort to reduce asymptomatic transmission, the Hamilton County Health Department is offering free, at-home COVID-19 tests. You may either pick up these test kits or have them mailed to your house. Regular testing is a helpful measure, especially if you have unvaccinated people in your household, including children over the age of 8. Find out more information or sign up to have tests delivered here.
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Let's March with the Bishop (& other esteemed Episcopalians!)
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Communities across East Tennessee are reading March by John Lewis. In partnership with the East Tennessee Freedom Schools, our Episcopal Schools, and our parishes, the Diocese of East Tennessee is offering many ways to engage with the trilogy through interviews, discussion groups, reading camps, and even Godly Play stories.
Throughout the coming weeks and months, we will be updating our dedicated resource page for March. There you can also sign up for emails alerting you to new resources and offerings and to sign up for information regarding the pilgrimage to Selma.
You can access the Bishop's video-presentation about this HERE
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A cold and blowsy Wednesday that felt more like March than May brought 14 visitors to the door; they left with food for 53 -- 30 adults and 23 children. Richard Hyatt and Jim Harris handled the enterprise today, packing bags, snagging bread from the kitchen, and making sure the folks who came left with what they needed.
Here's what we need to fill the thin places left after today's session:
* Saltine crackers
* canned hams
* hearty soups (beef and chicken especially)
* peanut butter (16 oz. jars most needed)
* beanie weenies
* canned pinto beans, peas
* packets of instant mashed potatoes
Thanks to all in the parish and the Belvoir neighborhood whose steady donations keep us able to provide for those who need help. We'd have vanished beneath the waves without you!
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Please remember: Joseph, 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 Sarah, 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, and for those in special need of prayer, especially
Gerry Jones, Jennifer Thompson, June McEwen, Al Manning, Amy, Deborah,
Jim Hinkle, Andrea, Ann Ludwig, the Hale family (Austin, Amanda, and Autumn); Patty Maroney, the Brown family, Reba, Niysah, Daniel Parker,
Valorie Lephart, Terrie, Alex, Steve Slack, Angela, Barbara Dooley,
Dwight McMillan, Doris, Rebecca Williams, J.R. Hicks, Charlotte Dorris,
Libby Workman,Jean Williams, Barbara Reed, Elizabeth Harrison, Joyce Smith,
Jim May, 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 Alice Revenig Clark and Ali, who are with child.
We pray for this community: For our local leaders; for our schools and marketplaces; for our neighborhoods and workplaces, for protesters and for police. Help us to honor your image in one another. Give us courage to strive for justice and peace among all people, beginning here at home.
We pray for all whose homes are in peril or uprooted because of climate change, for all displaced because of hurricanes, fires or other disasters.
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 have died, especially James Dooley, that your will for them may be fulfilled, and that they may share with all your saints in the full revelation of your eternal glory.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Pray for The Anglican Church of Korea. (The Anglican Communion is beginning 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 HERE.)
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Pray for Church of the Resurrection, Loudon, TN; for St. Paul’s, Norris, SD; Trinity Church, Mission, SD; and St. Thomas, Corn Creek, SD.
Those in need of continued prayer:
Jeanette Cureton, Wanda Kirkpatrick, Emma Andrews, Bethann Grace,
Jim Strickland, Trevor Laymance, Michael Conner, Bo and Mary Minor Brown,
Helen Williams, Peggy Fugate, William Simpson, Timothy Penny,
Donald Jones, Cooper Jones, Sally Cauthen, Charles Smith, Steven Mosman,
John Woodham, Elaine Harrison, Marcia Magers, Major McCollough,
John Cox, Gayanne Silver, Heather Nelson, Robert Clark,
Dexter and Helen Williams, Cheryl McCurry, Ethel Rutledge, Lanie Lundgrin,
Terri Harvey, Sue Sears, Anne Getz, Michael Roberts,
Jeannie and Andy Williams, Jaime Cooper, Teresa Noel, Tina Knowles,
Joyce and Greg Snyder, Martha Killeffer, Robert Durham, Michelle Maroney,
Jessica Ricketts
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Community Care in Anxious Times
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Our Grace check-in team leaders are continuing to contact parishioners 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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Thank You for Supporting Outreach This Christmas!
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Thanks so much for supporting the children's ministry's fundraiser for Outreach. The efforts raised $952.00. The Grace ornament was a nice incentive, but it is clear that Christmas spirit spurred the congregation's generosity, which far exceeded expectations. If you didn't pick up your ornament in the Narthex, check for the box of red envelopes or flag me down! There are still some ornaments left, if you want one for next year.
Thanks again!
Maria Hurt
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Thank you for having me guest sing/share this past December. With your help, I’ve reached 171 parks in 2017 and been able to share a message of Christ’s love with millions through the resulting media coverage.
Blessings on your 2018!
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Finance Committee (Merritt Room) -- Tuesday, January 9, 5:30 p.m.
Vestry (Barth Room) -- Thursday, January 11, 6:00 p.m.
Centering Prayer (Barth Room) -- Friday, 1:00 p.m.
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At the 8:00 a.m. service: Lectors, George Reed, III;
Susan Brown; Intercessor, Katie Walters; Chalice,
Alan McMurray, Diana McMurray; Acolyte, Kathryn Lazenby;
Ushers, the Revenigs; Greeter, Mairi Wright
At the 10:45 a.m. service: Lectors, Connie Parker, Jim Harris; Intercessor, Merilee Milburn; Chalice, Terry Burnett,
Andy Belcher; Oblations, Kevin Boles, Will Pinson;
Acolytes, Laura Bertrand, Jerry Draper, Jeff Bertrand;
Lead Usher, Wayne Smith; Greeter, Anne Curtis;
Webcast (camera, sound), Adam Bryan, Bill Boren
Lectionary Readings
Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 4:11
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