Life With Grace | March 7
- Grace Episcopal Church
- Feb 28
- 11 min read
Dear friends,
"I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope for hope would be hope for the wrong thing." East Coker p III by T.S. Eliot
The first Sunday of Lent presents us with three great Satanic tests sent to Jesus: Turn stones to bread, take authority over nations, prove God is on your side.
Think of all good we could do if we could feed the people of Gaza, Ukraine, Haiti, Sudan with stones! Think of the peace and justice we could do with all the authority of government! Think of the souls we could save if we could prove God is real! Jesus turns all these down. Why?
"I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope for hope would be hope for the wrong thing." East Coker p III by T.S. Eliot
What if the problem of the world is that we are often hoping for the wrong thing? What if the one thing we need to hope for is already, always present? God. The Holy One in whom we always live and move and have our being. What might it mean to wait for God, to be still in the eternal love of God, before we start solving other problems?
Salvation isn't Satan's to give. It isn't the power to feed or to rule or to prove. God has already bestowed salvation, eternally, God is already providing, reigning, the true unexplainable, unprovable reality.
When Jesus rejects Satan he is not denying the importance of feeding the hungry, or using the power of government to do justice and make peace, or the power of God to save. He feeds the hungry, he challenges authorities to use their power for good, he prays for and works for salvation.
But all of it pales in significance before the knowledge of the truth - the eternal love and presence of God. The God who is present with us in hunger, in injustice, in danger, to assure us these temporal experiences have no authority over our real and eternal life in God. There will always be countless ways the world can be more just and peaceful, and that we can be more effective and powerful agents of God's love. But before act, we should wait for the right thing, not what Satan offers, but what God has already and is always and will always give. Then we should get about feeding the hungry, doing justice, making peace, proclaiming the good news.
God of peace, let us your people know, that at the heart of turbulence there is an inner calm that comes from faith in you. Keep us from being content with things as they are, that from this central peace there may come a creative compassion, a thirst for justice, and a willingness to give of ourselves in the spirit of Christ. (New Zealand Prayer Book)
With Gratitude, Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Please remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour when you go to bed on Saturday night!
Worship Services | First Sunday in Lent | Sunday, March 9
There will only be one morning service this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The Rt. Reverend Mark Bourlakas, Bishop of Southwestern Virginia, will be at Grace for a visit and will confirm Madelyn Stuart, Samuel Eastwood, Woody Hall, Linda Merrick, Brayden Aperauch; receive Jordan Kach, Rebecca Hall, David O’Connor, Stepan Onuyshchuk; and reaffirm Melissa Cox.
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Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | In-Person and Zoom
March 9: Bishop Mark Bourlakas
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Sessions
March 16: Rethinking Equal Opportunity Harlan Beckley
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
Taizé Eucharist | 5 p.m. | In-Person
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, Zoom option.
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.
The Saint John’s Bible will be at the Rockbridge Regional Library Lexington Branch, and Joanne Robblee will show a video presentation, March 12, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday Evening Program: March 12: Who is Jesus?—a good question for Lent as we follow his path to the Cross. In five Wednesdays in Lent, we will explore that question through the lens of the Great O Antiphons, ancient texts that identify various titles for Christ. Led by David Cox and Michael McLaughlin, the program will combine 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. This week: an introduction to the antiphons, and a consideration of Christ as Wisdom who is the creative force of God, in the words of the Nicene Creed, “through whom all things were made.”
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.
Illumination Workshop, Fr. Rich Workowski, a Roanoke area illuminator, brings his own work for a talk and demonstration, Saturday, March 15, 10:00 a.m. in the Brooke Family Center (church undercroft).
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 16 - Church History.
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.
The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is the frontispiece for the Gospel according to Mark. Mark’s account of John the Baptist’s role is the only one that specifically says that John baptized Jesus, and in Donald Jackson’s illumination, John is in the foreground.
John’s role as the Forerunner to Jesus’ arrival and ministry makes this especially pertinent. He has told his followers that he is not the one foretold by the prophets, he is only the herald. Inthe illumination, John stands on the right, looking back at the crowd that has gathered for his ministry and witnessed the event.Yet John is moving forward and his position in the illumination clearly indicates that his work on the shores of the Jordan is essentially completed:
Jesus, in contrast, stands among the crowd, a small but distinct figure, as his is entirely bathed in the gold of the divine Light he brings to Earth. Over him, a plunging light from Heaven – Mark says the “Spirit like a dove” –splits the blue of the sky. Angels hover above, and scholars have said that the faint golden arches to the right evoke the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the destination on the Camino de Santiago.
All is not completely serene, however: a dark figure and tiny red eyes lurk on the left, and a series of tiny crosses border the illumination. The Spirit will immediately lead Jesus to the wilderness, where he will face trials and temptation. John’s way, meanwhile, is forward to his own story’s ending. His hands gesture subtly; he has fulfilled his mission. His face is resolute. His feet, leading onward, already stand outside of the illumination.
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 12, 5:30 p.m. – The copy of The Saint John’s Bible will go with Joanne Robblee to the Piovano Room at the Lexington branch of the Rockbridge Regional Library. Her power point presentation includes the back story of the teams of calligraphers and other artists who made this amazing Bible possible. The public is invited; everyone is welcome!
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!
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust will convene on March 11, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room for its first meeting of 2025. The Committee will review first quarter grant requests that were submitted by the March 1, 2025, deadline and make awards. The remaining Gadsden Committee quarterly meetings for 2025 are scheduled for 4:00 pm on June 10, September 9, and December 9 in the Third Floor Conference Room.
The Gadsden Trust grant request application can be downloaded from the Grace website at https://www.gracelexva.org/grants. Completed applications can be sent to gadsden@gracelexva.org.
Second quarter 2025 grant requests can be sent to gadsden@gracelexva.org and must be received by noon on June 1, 2024.
Gadsden Committee meetings are open to the parish.
RARA Related W&L Event
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
Mardi Gras Spaghetti and Bingo Night
Thank you to everyone who participated both in volunteering and donating to the Spaghetti Dinner Night to benefit C.A.T.E. (Children Aspiring to Education). "Our mission is to increase opportunities for children aspiring to education across the world. Initial efforts will support education at the ‘Kelly Academy’ in Wau, South Sudan, ‘Ecole Saint Marc’ in Cerce-la-Source, Haiti, and ongoing established educational programs in the Rockbridge Area." 'If you still need to make a donation or know of someone who would like to donate to this cause, please make a check payable to Grace Episcopal Church with C.A.T.E in the memo line and put in the plate on Sunday, drop off in the parish office or mail to 123 W. Washington Street, Lexington. Thank you!
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 February and March Birthdays
3/7 Woody Sadler
3/8 James Brown, Emma Brooke, Carole Elmore, Charles Moore
3/9 Anne F Grizzle, Susan Mead
3/10 Mary Price
3/11 Daniel Mastin
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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