"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights." Isaiah 42:1
Dear friends,
At the baptism of Jesus God ordained Jesus by the hands of John the Baptist, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and confirmed it by a voice from heaven, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Mt 3:17 Thank goodness Jesus consented and ratified this ordination by his presence and his willingness to make his life a sign of God's love for the world.
This weekend through prayer and the laying on of hands of Bishop Bourlakas and fellow presbyters God will give Samson Mamour authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit to represent the Beloved Son of God as pastor to the people, to share with the bishop in overseeing the Church, to proclaim the Gospel, to administer the sacraments, and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God. All these are ways God demonstrates love and care for all people, and for all creation. It is awesome to play a role in these manifestations of divine grace and favor whether as Lay person, Bishop, Priest, or Deacon.
The service of Ordination starts at 11 am and may be joined in person at Trinity, Staunton as well as online. On Sunday Samson will celebrate Holy Eucharist with us at Grace, Lexington at 8 and 10:30. Between the Sunday services Samson will share some personal reflections about his lifelong faith journey and his call to the priesthood.
Please increase the grace, love, and glory of these celebrations by the gift of your personal ratification and consent in person or online.
With gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind, Rector, Grace Episcopal Lexington
Worship Services | The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord | Sunday, January 8
Holy Eucharist | 8AM
In-Person & Zoom
Christianity and Culture| 9:15AM
Parish Hall & Zoom
Holy Eucharist | 10:30AM
In-Person & YouTube
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 AM
In-Person at Chancel and on Zoom
We're on Twitter!
To stay in the loop with all things Grace Episcopal, give us a follow on our new Twitter! While you're at it, check out our other socials too.
Samson Mamour's Ordiantion to the Priesthood
January 7: Trinity Staunton or online | 11AM
Christianity and Culture | 9:15AM Sunday Forums
January 8 - "A Call to Holiness" with Samson Mamour
January 15 meet our recently Baptized members: Emily Brookfield and Rose Hein; learn about their spiritual journey and reflect on your own
Stewardship Update
We are pleased that 118 households have pledged a total of $478,333 as of January 6th. The members of the Stewardship Committee appreciate everyone’s prayerful consideration of a pledge to support the parish and its important missions through our relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
MLK Community Worship Service
Join First Baptist Church in celebrating the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a community worship service on Sunday, January 15th at 4PM with guest preacher Reverend Dr. Kevin E. Donalson, Senior Pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Herndon, VA.. Guest choirs will provide the music.
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas; Pray today for the retired Bishops of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, The Rt. Rev. Heath Light and The Rt. Rev. Neff Powell.
Pray for Robbie and Brendon (friends of the Brooke family), Michael Murphy, John Thomas, Timmy, Katie (daughter-in-law of Connie Bryant), Rick Alexander, Bradley Fairchild and Karen Junkin (friends of the Gibsons), Caroline Parcell, Alice Parcell, Stanard, Rebecca, and Caroline (family of Mary Price), Gloria June Perry (mother of Michael Perry), Glen Jones (friend of the Riethmillers), Darlene Travis (sister of Don Ellis), Elizabeth Boetsch, Scott Littlefield, Patricia Brown Boyer (sister of Madison Brown), Alice Furgerson, Dolly Shumate (friend of the Lewis family), Laura Wieman (friend of the Hotchkiss family).
Pray for those who have died, especially Debbie Arnn and Patrick Mayerchak.
Pray for an end to violence and for those fleeing Ukraine, and we also pray for Episcopal Relief & Development and other ecumenical agencies working to respond to the current crisis.
Susan Cross would like to thank the Grace Episcopal family for the many kindnesses extended during her post operative recovery.
Christmas Poinsettias
Poinsettias are on the bridge between the Parish House and the church ready to be picked up. Come on by and get one or pick up after the service on Sunday. Thank you for your donation!
Paws to Connect
We look forward to connecting with you in the New Year. We will be on the courtyard with our pups on February 14, 2023. Come by and tell us about your holidays and pet the dogs!
Hosting Ukrainian Families
A humanitarian outreach effort organized by citizens of Lexington, Buena Visa, and Rockbridge County, we aim to pave the way for sponsoring temporary re-settlement of families who qualify for entry according to the laws of the United States.
The mission of Hosting Ukrainian Families is based upon love, compassion, and humanitarian concerns for families seeking to live in peace. Accordingly, a call is issued to each person joining in this effort to set aside all political, culturally divisive viewpoints, and all differences which may hinder or defeat these goals. To donate, click the link below.
In Thanksgiving for January Birthdays
1/4 Colin Murphy
1/5 Elizabeth Branner, Martha Ann Burford
1/8 Laurent Boetsch, Kitty Farrar, Helen Moore
1/9 Emily Brookfield
1/10 Janet Lemmer, Peter Grover
1/11 Signe Lewis
1/12 Carol Muir
1/14 Liz Moss
1/15 Farris Hotchkiss
1/16 Gabrielle Frascati
1/18 Laurie Huger
1/19 Elizabeth Boetsch
1/20 Paul Strickland
1/21 Sarah Edgar
1/23 Virginia Cooke
1/26 Maille Carrington
1/27 Sean Carrington, Joseph Moles
1/29 Jane Brooke
1/30 Melissa Gladwell-Sayre, Cary Edgar
1/31 Tom Gosse
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.
Exciting Things Coming
We are excited to announce that we are in the process of updating and revamping our church website! As we work to improve the site, you may notice that some pages are under construction or temporarily unavailable.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we assure you that the updates we are making will be worth the wait. Our new website will be more user-friendly and easier to navigate, with a fresh, modern design and new features to enhance your experience.
We appreciate your patience as we work to bring you a better online presence for our church. In the meantime, please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or need any information.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to sharing our new website with you soon!
Comments