Life With Grace | April 10
- Grace Episcopal Church
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Dear Friends,
At Easter the church celebrates its liberation and the gift of eternal life that comes to everyone who believes that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God.
On the second Sunday of Easter the church always reads from the fourth gospel about the appearance of the risen Jesus to the disciples on Easter evening and the following Sunday.
At the heart of both appearances is Jesus' offer of himself.
The risen Lord never judges or reprimands, and always gives the disciples what they need to be able to believe.
The exchange with Thomas is a gift to all of us who have not seen the risen Lord and who hear Jesus say, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.
The gospel tells us that as disciples we set the conditions for believing. Through my life my own conditions for believing have never been to actually see the risen Lord. There are countless things I believe on the strength of the testimony of others. So I don't hold God to a higher standard.
Rather, I have wanted to understand the purpose of the resurrection, what it tells me about God and about the meaning and purpose of my life. For me, believing that my life has meaning and purpose has generally been the greatest obstacle, not the possibility of the resurrection.
We are the music, as Eliot writes. And the music never stopped. As Robert Hunter writes.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | Second Sunday of Easter | Sunday, April 12th
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
SUNDAY, APRIL 12th - Freedom of Religion Clause in the Constitution - Ann Massie
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Session
SUNDAY, APRIL 19th - April 22nd Earth Day - Earth Day “Our Power, Our Planet” - Sustainable Agriculture - Glenn Szarzynski
Holy Eucharist Rt II | 10:30 a.m. | YouTube and In-Person
The nursery is available during our services.
Adults and older Youth trained in Safe Church are needed to assist in the nursery from 9 a.m.–noon. We can pay $15/hour. Volunteers also welcome. Please contact James Keane for more information and to offer assistance.
Celtic Contemplative Service | 5 p.m. | In-Person
Our monthly Celtic Contemplative Service takes place this Sunday, April 12 at 5 p.m. The Rev. David Cox will celebrate; Martha has asked Bill McCorkle, Julia Goudimova, and Music Scholars, Kate Howe, May Nash, and Tatum Wiley to lead the music in her absence.
The next Celtic service will be May 10; the Rev. Deb Klein will offer the reflection, and the Rev. Anne Grizzle will celebrate.
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
In-Person & Zoom
Paws to Connect
Paws to Connect is back! Join us on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. on the steps of Grace. We'll see you soon!
Women’s Bible Study
Our Women's Bible Study on the Book of James meets on Tuesdays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. in the College Room. Contact Michelle Mackie for more info.
Renewing Grace Phase 1
Renewing Grace - Phase 1
As leaded glass windows are replaced over the next several weeks they will be stored behind the parish hall. They are available for you to take for a donation of any amount. If you would like one, please let us know. You will be responsible for collecting your window and making your donation. If you made a donation to Renewing Grace we accept that as your donation for one window.
Any windows remaining after Memorial Day will be discarded by the contractor. There will be no interruption of regular programming but parking will be strictly limited to church staff and construction vehicles from now until June 16. We have four permit parking spaces in front of the main Church on Washington Street westbound Monday through Saturday and as already permitted on Sundays. For access to the Parish House please use only the side door under the bridge and the elevator until construction is complete. The rear doors may be used by staff and construction workers.
Grace's Children's Choir
Back By Popular Demand! Grace's Children's Choir will sing on Pentecost, May 24th! Stay tuned for details next week! If you have questions, contact Melanie Griffis or Martha Burford via martha@gracelexva.org
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: Pray for Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Sean Rowe. Pray for the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia and our Bishop-Elect The Rev. Karin MacPhail. Pray today for the people of Trinity, Staunton, their associate rector, the Rev. Cara Modisett and their rector the Rev. AJ Heine. Pray for God’s blessing on the peacemaking labor of Anthony Poggo, former bishop of the South Sudanese diocese of Kajo-Kejil and now serving as Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, and Ezekiel Kondo, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, and Justin Badi Arama, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.
Pray for Brendon, Timmy, Laura Stearns, Lynda deMaria, Betty Cadden, Jeff Mason, Joe Irby, Kent Wilson, Jerry & Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Ned Henneman, Sharon Humphreys, Elizabeth Klein, Dot Fogo, Buddy Atkins, Dennis Coughlin, Rob Fleming, Patty Irving Sensabaugh, Richard Partlett, Gerry Locher, Doug Ayer, Mo Littlefield, Becky Merchant, Betsy Carter, Tena Clark, Tom Capito (brother of Kitty Farrar), Shay Peters, Meg Moss, Jessica Clawson, Steve Lawrence, Patricia Williams, and those we name aloud or in our hearts. Pray for those who have died.
In Thanksgiving for April Birthdays
4/10 William McCorkle, Suzanne Keen, John Arpin
4/13 David Passmore
4/14 Gini Jardim
4/16 Don Ellis
4/18 Dennis Cross, Kevin Manning
4/19 Lisa McGuire, Beverly Wirtz
4/20 Erika Brooke
4/22 Buddy Atkins
4/25 Genelle Gertz
4/26 Chuck Smith
4/27 Clara Pickett
4/28 Sharon Humphreys, Clark Simcoe, Abby Moles, Madison Brown, Jeanne Glenn
4/29 David Hansen
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