Dear Friends,
In this Sunday's gospel lesson, after critiquing displays of self importance by scribes and others in the environs of the Temple Jesus draws our attention to a poor widow whom he praises for her contribution of two copper coins worth a penny into the treasury of the Temple. Jesus honors her. It is an arresting moment.
Chapters 11-13 of Mark's Gospel illustrate how those entrusted with worship have neglected and abused that trust. The worship of God is for the sake of the protection of "the alien, the orphan, the widow, and the innocent." (Jeremiah 7:6) The abuse of trust reaches its climax in the Passion of our Lord. It is clear in Mark's gospel that God is withdrawing from the Temple and restoring his people around the risen Christ who rightly welcomes and honors the orphan, the alien, and the widow, and all those who are seeking to become the beloved community.
Of course civil and religious legislatures can and do sometimes make laws that oppress the alien, the homeless, the orphan, and the widow. But no civil or religious authority can claim such laws are sanctioned by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God blesses our sanctuaries and God blesses our enjoyment the fruit of the vineyards in which we labor as long as we remember and honor and strive for the welfare of all people especially mindful of the poor, the sick, the alien, the widow, the prisoner, the vulnerable among us.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him) Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Blue Ridge Outdoor School - When entering the church driveway, please be aware that the children are in the churchyard in the morning from 8:45–9:00 a.m.and in the afternoon from approximately 2:50 p.m.–3:15 p.m. There may be a cone in the driveway to prevent cars from coming in to quickly; you may still park in the lot. Thank you!
The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Worship Services | Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost | Proper 27 | Sunday, November 10
Holy Eucharist Rt 1 | 8 a.m. | In Person and YouTube
Note: this week's 8 a.m. service will be streamed on YouTube, not Zoom.
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | In Person and Zoom
RenewalWorks is a ministry of Forward Movement; both are committed to reinvigorating the church and strengthening disciples. It is all part of an exploration of spiritual growth, offered with love and hope for The Episcopal Church.
Sunday, November 10: RenewalWorks workshop: Building an Intentional Small Groups Ministry
Holy Eucharist Rt II | 10:30 a.m. | In-Person and on YouTube
Women's Bible Study | 3:30 p.m.
Taizé Eucharist | 5 p.m. | In-Person
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
In-Person & Zoom
ACTS Call for Members
What is Grace Actively Caring Through Sharing (ACTS)?
How can I be a part of it?
Grace ACTS is an important ministry to the parishioners and the community of our church. Our four teams consist of over 20 people or family units that volunteer for the Grace ACTS ministry. Each team has about 6 members and is on duty every 4 weeks. Grace ACTS members select two or more needs from the list when their team is on duty. Team members pray for, call, visit or send a card to those on the list that are ill, have had a death in their family or are celebrating a new baby or a birthday. Please continue to pray for this vital ministry to our parish. If you have a pastoral concern or know of someone who does please contact Fr. Tuck, Melissa Cox or the Parish Office. If you would like to serve on a team, please contact Melissa.
Dinner Groups
We are excited to invite you to join our Church Dining Groups—a delightful opportunity to build connections, share meals, and grow in fellowship with one another. Whether you choose Sunday brunch, lunch or dinner, in-home, out or a combination is up to you! Please contact Drusie Milford or Ruth Smith at 910-409-9325 to join a group (and indicate your preferential meeting time). All are welcome!
Walk in Love Stewardship Campaign
This Sunday we are handing out pledge cards. Monday we will mail cards to parishioners who were not at church. Thank you to everyone who has already pledged to the Walk in Love pledge campaign to fund the 2025 operating budget of Grace Episcopal Church. Every pledge helps us with our planning for the year to come. We will list the names of those who have made a pledge every week, as well as the total pledged to date in the Parish News Life with Grace. Our goal is between 120-130 pledges totaling $540,000. To date we have received pledges from 59 households totaling $292,290.
Thanks to our contributing households thus far:
John & Cecilia Arpin, Anne Blanken, Laurent & Elizabeth Boetsch, Tucker & Delea Bowerfind, Jane Brooke, Madison & Katharine Brown, Martha Ann Burford, Betsy & Buddy Carter, David & Marjorie Connolly, Ed & Marlys Craun, Dennis & Susan Cross, Susan Denson, Lynn & Carol Dent, Barton & Gail Dick, John & Gail Dickerson, Ed & Lu Dooley, Will & Cary Edgar, Don & Claudia Ellis, Carole Elmore, Matthew Fogo & Kevin Manning, Patrick France, Keith & Pat Gibson, Rene Glidden, Tom & Carol Gosse, Julianne Grimes, Anne & David Grizzle, Julia Grover, Margaret Haberman, Elizabeth Harralson, Jack & Anne Hershbell, Harold & Kathryn Hill, Kay Horner, Benjamin & Laurie Huger, Gini Jardim, Diana Kenney, Deborah & Bill Klein, Greg & Janet Lemmer, Buster & Signe Lewis, Pat & Lisa McGuire, Jo McMurtry, Susan Mead, John & Drusie Milford, Su Minor, Joseph & Abby Moles, Helen Moore, David & Jeanne Passmore, George & Eleanor Penn, Michael Perry, Sharon Peters, Joanne & Paul Robblee, Ham & AP Smith, Jimbo & Ruth Smith, Paul Strickland, Spencer & Beverly Tucker, David Wade, Harry & Martha Wheeler, Kent & Mary Wilson, Connor Wolfe.
If you are new to pledging and would like guidance here are three basic guidelines:
Pledge something. You are a valuable member of the body of Christ. Most of your contribution to Christ's work is through the works of love you do for others every day in your work and personal life. You also share in the responsibility for maintaining and operating our facilities and ministries. Some members give $1/week, some give $400/week. Some give nothing. Whatever you commit and fulfill will be gratefully received and faithfully used for God's mission through Grace. Whether you give something or not, you are a beloved member of the parish and the body of Christ.
Consider pledging proportionally. As your income or net worth change, continue to give proportionally. For example - you can base your giving on a proportion of your gross annual income. Or if you have a positive net worth, you might consider basing your giving on a proportion of your net worth.
Consider tithing your income or net worth. Traditionally, tithing is ten percent of gross household income. Muslims have a different standard that you might consider. They give 2.4% of their gross positive net worth. If they have zero or negative net worth, they are not expected to give anything except time and talent.
Advent Meditations
This Advent season, you are invited to join our Diocesan Advent Meditations, a three week online series offered live on Zoom Monday nights in Advent at 7:00p.m. Join us for this series to slow down, take time for silence and contemplation as we experience this special season.
Diocesan Update on Hurricane Helene
Many of you have been praying for all those affected by the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, in much of the southeast, especially in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. Please continue your thoughts and prayers. I wanted to let you know that most of the high water in this diocese occurred in the Abingdon Convocation and some areas of the New River Convocation.
We are checking in with our parishes in those areas and none are reporting any damage to their facilities. Some lost power, but reports at this hour are that all power has been restored. There are still some cell service outages in the far southwest.
There are many trees down throughout the Grace House property. Luckily, none came into contact with any of the buildings on the campus. We are working with the staff to begin assessment and tree removal in the critical areas that might impede functioning. We will keep you updated on assessment and need. If you or your parish would like to contribute financially to relief work thatEpiscopal Relief & Development is doing in the most affected regions please click the button below.
Please let us know what assistance or resources we can assist you with as your parish addresses possible needs in your community.
I ask that you pray through this week and this coming Sunday for those who have died and their families; for those who are suffering and scared; and for all relief workers who are helping people around the clock. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Peace,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Allen Bourlakas
For updated information on Hurricane Relief, read this newsletter from Episcopal Relief and Development.
Greeter Team and Usher Team at Grace
Greeters take turns welcoming worshipers as they enter the churchyard to attend the service. They identify visiting guests, visitors, new members and extend a warm greeting. Greeter schedules are flexible to work with your availability. A great way to meet others at Grace. Contact Cecile West-Settle at West-SettleC@wlu.edu, 540-570-3256
Ushers help the service run smoothly by welcoming worshipers to the service and assisting them as needed. They distribute the service bulletin and help with the offering collection, communion and more. Schedules are flexible to work with your availability. Email or call Lisa McGuire at 540-463-4981.
Training provided, many benefits! Join TODAY
Paws to Connect
Join us every Tuesday and Wednesday this semester from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the steps of Grace. Our pups can't wait to see you!
The Clothes Closet
The Clothes Closet, run by our colleagues at Christ Episcopal Church, Buena Vista, could use some assistance, both with donations for their stock as well as volunteers to help run the operation from 9am till noon each first and third Saturday of the month. Christ Church initially established the closet, and volunteers from our church, as well as some funding provided by our Gadsden Trust, helped expand it into a more robust operation. It is open to all persons and is currently well stocked except for needing these items: children's coats, men's size small shirts and jeans, men's T-shirts of all sizes, bath towels, pots and pans, baking dishes, blankets, queen and full sheets, and women's purses. Please drop any donated items or financial contributions for the Clothes Closet at Christ Church when it’s open.
New Coffee Hour Schedule
The following team leaders will host Sunday morning coffee hours. Please thank our Coffee Hour team leaders!
11/10 - Riethmiller and Simcoe
11/17 - Mead and Mayerchak
11/24 - Dickerson and Keane
Team leaders would welcome assistance. Please contact team leaders directly if you are available to help!
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: Pray for Presiding Bishop Curry, for The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, Presiding Bishop-Elect. Pray for Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas. Pray for the people of St. Peter’s, Callaway and their rector, The Rev. John Heck.
Pray for Brendon, Timmy, John Perry, Glen Jones, Jack Hershbell, 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, Shelby, Sharon Humphreys, Nancy Mastin, Elizabeth Klein, Cullen Bahr (friend of Drusie Milford), Mary Etta Randolph, Carl & Rachel Pattison, Barb Ostrander (cousin of John Milford), Grace, Sue Hill, Frances Harcus, Glenn & Christine Szarzynski, Palmer Stickley and his family, Mercedes Aravena-Echaurren, Patricia Williams, Christy Panko, Kitty Farrar, Justin, Rodrigo, Wes O’Dell and family, Peggy DePasquale, Nick Penn, Danny Anson (friend of Pat & Keith Gibson), Bill Cannon, Sandy Harcus, Peter Fyfe, Rebecca Robblee (daughter-in-law of Joanne & Paul Robblee)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 the communities that are suffering the effects of Hurricane Helene & Milton. Pray for those who have died.
In Thanksgiving for November Birthdays
11/8 Evan Atkins, Grace Simcoe, Donna Noyes
11/10 Richard Jones
11/11 Brooks McCabe
11/13 Doug Ayer, Julie Grover
11/14 Jim Farrar
11/15 Tim Price, Rene' Glidden, Samson Mamour
11/18 Sis Harcus, Alex Eastwood, Diana Harris
11/19 Steven Lawrence, Hank Humphreys, Langston Donkle
11/21 Tim Gaylard, Liam Murphy
11/22 Will McClung
11/23 Bill Kozak, Kristi Finnell
11/26 Michael McCabe
11/27 Jack Hershbell, Anne Blanken, Avery Hess
11/29 Maurya Schweizer
11/30 Harry Warner
We're so glad you're here! If you or someone you know is new to Grace and would like more information about Parish life, follow the link below.
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