Life With Grace | March 14
- Grace Episcopal Church
- Mar 14
- 11 min read
Dear friends,
The readings for the second Sunday of Lent assure us that God loves us so much they are willing to die for us.
We may sometimes wonder what kind of salvation that is. Would it not be better if God were willing to kill our enemies for us?
But God's wisdom is greater than our folly.
When I was a boy I can well remember the time lying in front of the fireplace in the dark with my siblings before bed, or the time sitting in my mother's lap, or at my father's side. Times with the photograph album. Times of domestic tranquility and simple familial love.
There have been other times when I thought I had to perform and achieve in order to make my parents proud, times when I fell into the trap of thinking my primary job as a parent is to prepare my children for independence, to succeed in a highly competitive and dangerous world.
But truly the best thing I could ever do for my own children, or that my parents did for me, was to ground them in the knowledge of unconditional love.
The fair beauty of the Lord which the psalmist seeks (Psalm 27 v6) is the enduring reality of the Love of God. This is the truth of creation - God, the creator loves and cares for everything in creation and longs for every creature, especially we who are given the freedom to choose, to choose and desire divine love and care. To choose God's love as our pearl of great price, the precious gift apart from which nothing in our lives is good, nothing is holy.
The mystery of the love of God is at the heart of the passion toward which Lent points us. God is willing to suffer and die for us to know the unconditional and life giving power of their love. The purpose of prayer and self examination is then to help us turn us away from Satan's temptation with power and authority which without love are clanging and finally destructive. And to turn us toward the knowledge of the grace, love and mercy of the almighty who longs to gather us like a mother hen, who is willing to die to show us the depth of her love. The purpose of Lent is to turn the people of God toward seeking and ultimately toward participating in the love of God which shall make all manner of thing well.
With Gratitude, Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | Second Sunday in Lent | Sunday, March 16
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | In-Person and Zoom
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | In-Person and Zoom
March 16: Rethinking Equal Opportunity Harlan Beckley
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Sessions
March 23: Rethinking Equal Opportunity Harlan Beckley
March 30: Saint John's Bible Joanne Robblee
April 6: Susan Eastman Personhood in Paul
Holy Eucharist Rt II | 10:30 a.m. | In-Person and on YouTube
Women's Bible Study
Women's Bible Study has changed its meeting place to the home of Susan Cross, 621 Marshall Street. The time is 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. All ladies welcome! We are discussing the lectionary readings for the following Sunday. No preparation is necessary.
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
In-Person & Zoom
Lenten Programs This Week
Morning Prayer - Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. at Grace Church
Stations of the Cross are displayed in the church and the liturgy for the stations is available for use at any time during the day.
Wednesday Evening Program, In person/Zoom: Week II, March 19, 2025: What’s in a Name? Christ as “Adonai”/Lord
Early Christians came to see Christ not only as Wisdom incarnate (last week’s topic), but also as nothing less than the Lord who gives the law to Moses. That conviction brought them to perceive why he interpreted laws and practices in the often-radical way he did – for in his disputations with scribes and Pharisees, who would know better about the law than the one who gives it? That same approach challenges us to look upon our actions, traditions, and perspectives in new light today.
Led by David Cox and Michael McLaughlin, the program combines short lectures with discussion and also some music composed for these short prayers. After an optional supper at 6 p.m. (please notify the parish office if you are coming, at office@gracelexva.org), the program will run from around 6:30-7:30.
Lent Madness: Those who are interested in learning more about the exemplars of the faith are encouraged to subscribe to Lent Madness, participate in the voting, and gather with other Lent Madness devotees at 5 pm Friday at Purveyors on Main Street to review score cards.
Calligraphy Workshop, March 22, 10 a.m. – Retired art teacher Dee Dee Lischer will lead a calligraphy workshop in the church Parish Hall, with assistance from Judy Schram, David Connolly, and artists from the Alleghany Arts and Crafts Center, to give participants a sense of the skill involved and individual help completing their own calligraphy sample. Suitable for middle school age and up.
Those seeking to learn more about the Episcopal Church are welcome to gather from noon to 1 p.m. in the Welles Room Library with Tuck Bowerfind and others. Sunday, March 23 - Church organization.
ERD Lenten Resources: Episcopal Relief & Development's Lenten Meditation resources are now available online. Click here: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/lent/
The Saint John's Bible
If you have photos you would like to share of the St. John's Bible in our community and beyond, please send them to Lisa.
As the visiting volume of The Saint John’s Bible makes its home with us for three months, we also turn to other volumes to share with the congregation and visitors.
Pictured: Joanne Robblee giving a presentation at the Rockbridge Area Library, Lexington Branch and The Saint John's Bible visiting The Glebe Retirement Community.
Abraham and Sarah
The illumination accompanying the story of Abraham, Sarah, and the Lord’s covenant with Abraham has as its central image a menorah, conveying the structure for a family tree – the descendants promised to Abraham, despite his and Sarah’s childlessness.
The image of the menorah here carries the names in Hebrew of descendants up through the time of Jacob; the menorah as family tree will be seen again in Volume VI of The Saint John’s Bible as the frontispiece for the Book of Matthew. In that rendering, the names show the lineage that Matthew was anxious to convey to the Jewish people, that of Jesus as descended on his mother Mary’s side from Abraham.
In today’s passage, the Lord promises Abraham that his descendants will possess a land stretching from the great river of Egypt to the Euphrates, and that they will rival the stars of heaven in number.
The illumination shows those stars as divine sparks of gold throughout the dark background of the sky. Green leaves that sprout from the menorah remind us that it also represents the Tree of Life and a family tree for the humanity of the Jewish and Christian traditions, going all the way back to the Garden of Eden. The figure of a lamb, in grey and black, is found in the lower righthand corner of the illumination, reminding us of the sacrificial lamb that God provided Abraham in place of his son Isaac – and also looking forward to the lamb as symbol of Christ’s sacrifice for the salvation of humankind.
Talks and workshops illuminate a Bible’s substance and history
Events in March and April
Workshops, talks and readings during March and April are highlighting the history and use of illumination and other techniques in the creation of The Saint John’s Bible. A series of talks offers background on our visiting volume and on the history and process of illumination itself; hands-on workshops in calligraphy and illumination are suitable for all ages middle school and up. The Saint John’s Bible volume will be at all events for folks to delve into. Bring family and friends!
March 15, 10 a.m. – Fr. Rich Workowski, a Roanoke area illuminator, brings his own work for a talk and demonstration in Brooke Family Center in the undercroft. Fr. Workowski uses are pen, colored pencils, ink, crayon, and pastel chalk, and notes that while illuminations are generally seen as a spiritual form of art, they can be personal and at times even humorous. He’ll explain how he got started on works that now hang in Covenant Reformed Episcopal Church in Roanoke, and offer tips on how to start practicing this unique art.
March 22, 10 a.m. – Retired art teacher Dee Dee Lischer will lead a calligraphy workshop the church Parish Hall, with assistance from Judy Schram, David Connolly, and artists from the Alleghany Arts and Crafts Center, to give participants a sense of the skill involved and individual help completing their own calligraphy sample. Suitable for middle school age and up.
March 29, 1 p.m. – Professor George Bent of the W&L Art Department will speak on how miniature painting of the kind found in manuscript illumination was used in the Middle Ages to enhance, supplement and reinforce religious texts. Examples from illuminated Biblical and other manuscripts will show how artists both understood and interpreted the Scriptures they illustrated. With an introduction by Alexandra Brown, tying in traditional illumination and The Saint John’s Bible.
April 5, 10 a.m. - noon – Lexington artist David Connolly will lead a workshop in the art of illumination. Connelly is a member of the Nelson Gallery, and has been studying illumination techniques using watercolors and gilt foil. Participants will create their own illuminations, and are encouraged to bring a Scripture verse or a short personal reflection, poem or other writing as the basis for the illumination. Art materials will be supplied, with a small donation requested to defray the cost. The workshop, in the Parish Hall, is suitable for middle school age and up. Please contact David at dconnnolly804@gmail.com to indicate interest or for any questions.
The Saint John’s Bible is available in the church each Thursday from 1 p.m to 6 p.m. throughout the Lenten season, with the exception of March 20, when the bible will travel to Clifton Forge for a day at the Allegheny Arts and Crafts Center. A visio divina led by Joanne Robblee is offered at 1 p.m. each Thursday, focusing each week on a different illumination and reading. Bring family and friends, take a turn reading, reflecting, and turning these magnificent pages yourself!
Creation Care Committee Updates
Rockbridge Co. Cleanup – Saturday, March 22 | The Creation Care Committee has enrolled Grace Episcopal in the Rockbridge Co. Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, March 22nd, weather permitting. Our plan is to clean up a 1-mile stretch of Rt. 251 south of Lexington from Cedar Grove to Windy Slope Lane. We will meet at the Milford’s house, 1 Grouse Run Rd., Lexington at 9 AM on Saturday, March 22nd and go from there. Trash bags and safety vests will be provided. Please join us for the cleanup to improve the beauty of our wonderful community.
The Creation Care Committee is pleased to report that Grace Episcopal has collected 905 pounds of plastic film toward our goal of 1,000 pounds. We are very close to receiving another Trex bench for our efforts. Thanks to all for your tremendous help in the collection of plastic film for recycling into Trex products.
RARA Events
Due to the interest of Grace parishioners in food, housing, and heath security in our community, attached is a flyer for a program at W&L March 14-15 including a keynote address on Friday and a local panel discussing the issues Saturday morning. All events are free if you do not wish to attend the Friday reception and dinner, but you will need to register to attend the Friday afternoon and Saturday programs using the QR code on the program description. I am hopeful parishioners will attend to become even better informed about pressing needs and the opportunities to address them
Join RARA at the Lexington Golf & Country Club on Thursday, March 20th at 5:30pm for the rescheduled celebrity bartender event! Enjoy an Aperol Spritz from guest bartenders and board members, Valerie Moliterno and Amanda Green. Food and appetizers will be available for purchase, and every cash tip will be donated directly to RARA. What better way to welcome spring, come together as a community, and support our neighbors in need?
Connections Plus
Do you have your Ducks in a Row?
Connections Plus is now offering a 6-session educational group in which the participants support each other through the process of gathering important information, such as health, property, finances, and final wishes to make things easier for those who must resolve our affairs.
Locations offering sessions:
Manly Memorial Baptist Church - Parish Hall (food/beverage allowed), 202 S. Main Street, Lexington. Beginning April 14, 2025, 5:30-7 p.m. Meetings held every other Tuesday ending June 24
Sunnyside House at Kendal at Lexington, 160 Kendal Dr., Lexington. Class Schedule: 9:30-11 a.m. on Thursday April 3, Tuesday April 15, Thursday May 1, Tuesday May 13, Thursday May 29 and Thursday June 12.
Bakers Wanted for the Community Table
Please contact Virginia Cooke at 348-5367 if interested!
Clothes Closet at Christ Episcopal
The Clothes Closet at Christ Church, Buena Vista, continues to need girls' clothing sizes 10-18, queen-size sheets, silverware, and brand new socks and underwear for everybody, young and old. The Clothes Closet is open every first and third Saturday of the month from 9 am until noon. You may drop your items off then. Alternately, you can bring your items to the Grace Church office and Lisa will ensure your items are conveyed to the Clothes Closet. Thank you for your support of this valuable asset to our community.
Province 3 Youth Event
Dates: Apr. 25-27, 2025
Where: Claggett Center 3035 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown, MD 21710
Who: 6th-12th graders
Cost: $175 (includes dinner on Friday, 3 meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday).
Transportation: Will be provided from Evans House for those in and around the New River Valley.
• Arrangements will be made for the pick up of youth from the northern portion of our diocese on our way to Maryland.
• A late afternoon departure from Roanoke is expected with additional details to follow.
If you have multiple children attending or have questions, email us at youth@dioswva.org.
Paws to Connect
Paws to Connect will be back soon!
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: Pray for Presiding Bishop The Most Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe. Pray for the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas. Pray for the healing of Pope Francis. Pray for those being Confirmed: Madelyn Stuart, Samuel Eastwood, Woody Hall, Linda Merrick, Brayden Aperauch, Received: Jordan Kach, Rebecca Hall, David O’Connor, Stepan Onuyshchuk, Reaffirmed: Melissa Cox. Pray for Brendon, Timmy, John Perry, Glen Jones, Laura Stearns, Lynda deMaria, Polly Lawrence, Betty Cadden, Jeff Mason, Joe Irby, Kent Wilson, Diana Kenney, Jerry & Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Ned Henneman, Barbara Bova, Sharon Humphreys, Nancy Mastin, Elizabeth Klein, Cullen Bahr (friend of Drusie Milford), Mary Etta Randolph, Carl & Rachel Pattison, Grace, Palmer Stickley and his family, Mercedes Aravena-Echaurren, Patricia Williams, Justin, Rodrigo, Wes O’Dell and family, Peggy DePasquale, Danny Anson friend of Pat & Keith Gibson), Bill Cannon, Virginia Poston (sister of Betsy Carter), Dot Fogo, Roger Baroody, Michelle & John Evola (cousins of Darlene Keane), David Austin (friend of the Keanes), Ellen Fure, Buddy Atkins, and those we name aloud or in our hearts. Pray for the people of Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, Ukraine, and pray for cessation of violence, and for reconciliation, and peace. Pray for those who have died.
In Thanksgiving for March Birthdays
3/14 Cindy Mullen
3/15 John Milford
3/16 Shay Peters, Catherine Harcus
3/17 Ed Craun, Bill Sayre, Pat McGuire
3/18 Elizabeth Knapp
3/19 Wade Branner, Cecile West-Settle
3/23 Polly Lawrence, Laura Stearns
3/24 Rose Gordon
3/26 AP Smith
3/27 Kathryn Hill
3/31 Will Edgar
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