Life With Grace | July 17
- Grace Episcopal Church
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
Dear Friends,
This Sunday we hear another parable from the 13th chapter of Matthew. The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a person who sows good seed but while everyone is asleep an enemy sows weeds in the same field. The farmer lets the wheat and the weeds grow up together until harvest time and then separates them.
The counsel to let evil continue, or as the psalmist puts it - Do not fret yourself because of evildoers (psalm 37:1) is not a call to passivity or apathy. It is a call to focus on nurturing and doing good.
Many of those to whom Jesus addressed this parable and for whom Matthew wrote his gospel were materially poor. They gave up everything to join the community that proclaimed God's anointed king as the crucified. They often suffered persecution from Gentile and Jewish neighbors.
Writing in Jesus and the Disinherited Howard Thurman refers to these meek and poor, both materially and in spirit, as the disinherited, those with their back against the wall, forced against the wall by the evil of the society in which they live.
To fight back would be a physical death sentence. To accept humiliation and degradation is a spiritual death sentence. What can the disinherited do? Why should they follow the way of Jesus?
Thurman says Jesus shows us three forms of resistance and action that restore the soul and don't risk the destruction of the good in the attempt to destroy evil.
The first is do not be afraid. Fear is the tool of evil. Evil uses and works through fear. God's first word to man is who taught you to be afraid of me? Do not be afraid. The giver and redeemer of life only seeks good for you. Put your trust in God and be not afraid. As people of courage we are able to speak the truth with love to power.
The second form of resistance available to the disinherited is do not despair. The parable is a parable of hope. It reminds us that the evil cannot uproot the good. God knows and protects the good and will sort evil out at the right time. As people of hope we persevere through all suffering. Even in death, we will rest in hope, because God will show us the path of life.
The third and final form of resistance and action available to the disinherited, the poor and their allies, is to resist hate, nurture love. Fear, despair, and hate kill the soul. Trust, hope and love restore dignity and strength.
In a world full of evil and evildoers the truth is there is always incalculably more good, and more good to be done.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | Eighth Sunday after Pentecost | July 19
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
July 19 | Chapter 3 | Cecile West-Settle
“When in Romans:” Christianity and Culture, Four Sessions and a Film!
All Sundays in July at 9:15 am.
We are currently working through Paul’s Letter to the Romans in the lectionary. This “magisterial” letter (as it is sometimes called) is associated with the conversions of both Saint Augustine in the 5th c and Martin Luther in the 16th. Key themes in it (e.g., justification by faith) are fundamental to the development of and controversies within the church, East and West, Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox.
Romans is written from Corinth to a congregation or congregations that Paul did not found in Rome, a city he anticipates visiting for the first time. He is introducing himself and setting out for a new audience what he takes to be the radical heart of the gospel. It is for him a matter of profound urgency for the future of the church that the good news he offers here be heard in its fullness. That message is sometimes missed in our atomized lectionary readings of the letter. And if we miss the through-lines of his argument, we may also miss the provocative and liberating news he delivers.
In her accessible and short (!) book When in Romans Beverly Roberts Gaventa (Emerita Distinguished Professsor of New Testament, Baylor University and Emerita Professor of New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary) offers to a wide, nonspecialist, Christian audience what she calls “an invitation to linger with the Gospel according to Paul.” Attentive to the throughlines of his argument and to features of Paul’s style and vocabulary, she guides us through the letter, allowing us to see the whole and with it the radical heart of Paul’s gospel. Her vivid prose, her sensitivity not only to Paul’s culture, but to ours, and her exegetical clarity bring Paul’s revolutionary rethinking of the relation of God to the world to us afresh.
For four Sundays in July, you are invited to join Christianity and Culture in reading and discussion of Gaventa’s book. We’ll set the scene as she does in the book, with a viewing of the Terrence Malick film, The Tree of Life on Sunday, June 28 at 5 pm. (Pizza provided!). And don’t be surprised to find Gaventa referring to Bob Dylan (“Gotta Serve Somebody”) or Bruce Springsteen (“Land of Hopes and Dreams”) as present day interpreters of the letter. Fr. Tuck, Anne Hanson, Cecile West-Settle and Alexandra Brown will be facilitators of discussion. You are encouraged to get the book and read along for maximum enjoyment!
Beverly Roberts Gaventa, When in Romans: An invitation to linger with the Gospel according to Paul (Baylor University Press, 2016).
Upcoming Christianity and Culture
July 26, Chapter 4 and Conclusion, Alexandra Brown
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.
Langston's Hymn Choice
In the Narthex is a poster asking for people’s beloved hymns. Hymnody is a rich way to explore our connections as Christians. Last week we sang “Morning has broken,” suggested by Helen Moore.
The first week, we sang “Praise to the Lord,” suggested by Susan Mead. This week we sing “For the beauty of the earth,” suggested by Langston Donkle. Here are Langston’s thoughts on the hymn:
The natural world is a “thin place” for me. We are blessed to live in a community where the sun rises behind the Blue Ridge and sets behind House Mountain every day. Most awe inspiring is when I wake up on a cold dark night and look up at stars without number. To think that the One who created all this has “from our birth” loved and cared for us and that love always “over and around us lies.”
~Langston Donkle
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
Zoom and In-Person
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust
Third quarter grant requests must be received by noon on September 1, 2026. The online Gadsden Trust Grant Application can be completed by going to the Grace Episcopal Church website at www.gracelexva.org. Once on the Grace website, click on the “Grants” tab and then the Gadsden Grants tab. The completed application will automatically be sent to the Gadsden Committee.
Gadsden Committee meetings are open to members of the parish.
Library Update
The books from the Welles Room (Library) have been culled in anticipation of the construction work to be done in the Parish House. The books to be given away are on a metal rack in room 210 on the top floor of the Parish House. You may take as many as you wish. What is not taken will be donated to the public library.
Music in the Garden at Boxerwood
Join us in the Boxerwood field on select Fridays May - September for this family-friendly concert series. For more than ten years, neighbors have gathered at Boxerwood on warm summer evenings to enjoy great local music in a relaxing atmosphere. The concerts are kid and pet-friendly, affordable, easily accessible, and welcoming to all.
The gate opens at 5:30 p.m. so that early arrivers can meet up with friends to picnic, socialize, or get a bite to eat. Musicians take the stage at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 8:00 p.m. as the sun goes down. A food truck is on site at each show. Admission to Music in the Garden is free for kids and current Boxerwood members and $5 per adult for non-members. There's no charge for parking. We have handicapped parking and the terrain is suitable for wheelchairs.
To view the bands and plan your visit, check out our Calendar.
Upcoming Art Exhibit
David Connoly, a member of Grace Church, will be featured in a new exhibit at the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Craft Center in Clifton Forge. The exhibit opens on Tuesday, July 14 and runs into August. You are invited to a gallery reception on Friday, July 17, from 4-6. We hope you can visit this watercolor exhibition, a mixture of realistic scenes and abstract paintings.
The Art Center is located at 539 Ridgeway Street, Clifton Forge. The phone is 540.862.4447.
RARA Food Pantry Service Projects
Every August, the Rockbridge Jewish Community partners with Blueberry Hill Farm to organize a series of service projects where participants pick blueberries to be donated to the RARA Food Pantry. This year, we are including more groups from our community, and would like to have an interfaith gleaning on August 10. Doing good together is a great way to build bridges among various faith groups!
Monday, August 10, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Blueberry Hill Farm
569 Still House Rd. (off 60 West)
Bring your own picking bucket.
Not a time for picking for personal use (farm is closed to the public).
Subject to rain cancellation.
Join us for a fun and meaningful way to spend a summer evening in a beautiful location!
Music at Noon
Wednesday, July 22 at 12 noon at Lexington Presbyterian
Charles Blueweiss, baritone, William McCorkle, piano. "A Garland of Roses," a song cycle by English composer, Gerard Finzi, on texts by William Shakespeare. You are cordially invited.
Wednesday, July 29at 12 noon at Lexington Presbyterian
Adam Williams, tenor/guitar. Classic songs from the 60s and early-to-mid 70s, featuring songs by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and more. You are cordially invited.
Food for Pets of RARA Clients
We are collecting 8- or 10-pound bags of dry or wet dog, puppy, cat, and kitten food for pets of RARA clients.
Any brand is welcome, but please choose regular diets.
Donations may be delivered inside the RARA Neighborhood Market at 350 Spotswood Drive, Lexington, during the following drop-off times:
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
If these times are not convenient, donations may also be dropped off at the parish office.
For questions, please email Susan Cross.
Clothes Closet at Christ Episcopal
The Clothes Closet at Christ Church, Buena Vista, needs new men's briefs and boxer shorts and women's underwear - all sizes, men's collarless tee shirts in all sizes, men's shorts, jeans, pants sizes 30 to 36, and new or gently used men's socks. They are not accepting any other items at this time as they are chock full! The Clothes Closet is open every first and third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. until noon. You may drop your items off then. Alternately, you can bring your items to the Grace Episcopal 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.
Upcoming Funerals
Doug Ayer Funeral, Saturday, July 18 at 11 a.m. followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.
Jimbo Smith Funeral, Saturday, July 25 at 11 a.m. followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: Pray for Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Sean Rowe. Pray today for the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia and our Bishop The Rt. Rev. Bishop Karin’s McPhail. Pray for the people of Grace Memorial, Lynchburg. 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, Kent Wilson, Jerry & Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Sharon Humphreys, Elizabeth Klein, Dot Fogo, Buddy Atkins, Dennis Coughlin, Rob Fleming, Patty Irving Sensabaugh, Gerry Locher, Mo Littlefield, Tena Clark, Shay Peters, Meg Moss, Steve Lawrence, Patricia Williams, Peggy Matheson, Al Hipp (nephew of Virginia Cooke), Sid, Allison Williams, Neil Treger & Michelle Ludwig, Biddy & Chuck Watson, Sue Denson, Anne Hershbell, Michelle Mackie, Gary Steinmiller (cousin of Darlene Keane), and those we name aloud or in our hearts. Pray for the people living in war, pray for cessation of violence, and for reconciliation, and peace. Pray for those who have died.
In Thanksgiving for July Birthdays
7/17 Kris Hoolahan
7/18 Carla Henson
7/19 Jeff Mason
7/20 Lisa Tracy
7/21 Catharine Gaylard
7/23 Miss D Penick
7/28 Paul Robblee, Su Minor
7/29 John Brooke, Holly Pickett, Jonathan Eastwood, Woody Hall
7/31 Margaret Haberman
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