Life With Grace | June 5
- Grace Episcopal Church
- 20 hours ago
- 6 min read
Dear Friends,
This Sunday our Gospel and Old Testament readings invite us to remember the call of Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans and the call of Matthew out of his work as a tax collector for Rome. Both Abram and Matthew are called into a new way of life in relationship with God. We are all called into life in relationship with God, a relationship which in some ways radically reorganizes our lives and the life of the entire human community. We begin to understand our individual life as part of a larger life ordered and authored by God. Abram will be the beginning of a work that will bless and transform the world. Matthew will be part of a new chapter in that transformation.
God's initiative in shaping human development through relationship with Abram and Sarai created over time the conditions for the recognition of God's initiative in Christ which reveals to us the true dignity of every human being. The dignity conferred on humanity by God's becoming human does not eliminate human diversity or idealize a particular sort of human being. In and through Christ all sorts and conditions and ways of being human are blessed. The good news is accessible in every language. And the meek, the poor, the lowly are as filled with dignity and worth through divine love as the great and powerful. This universal dignity creates the hope of a human community characterized by the common good of true compassion and justice.
We may be at another epochal moment, the beginning of a new chapter of creation which some expect to be post-human, perhaps post faith, shaped by AGI's ability to organize huge amounts of digital data in ways that will eventually outstrip human control and understanding, ways that have no interest or reference to God or human dignity. We seem to be hurtling toward that future based on hopes of overcoming disease and even death, but perhaps at the cost of what is most precious about being human - our frailty, our compassion, our hope in God who is at the same time beyond us and with us and for us.
AGI has no interest in narrative and history which form the basis for human identity and the ground of human purpose. It is interested in timeless calculations and aggregations directed toward a rationalized ideal future. For whom? For what end?
Abram and Matthew share a hope for a future shaped by and grounded in the knowledge and love of God. It is never too late for us to reaffirm that hope and to reaffirm the infinite value of this one humble mortal life together over an idealized future free of disease and death and humanity.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | Second Sunday after Pentecost | June 7
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
June 7 Magnifica Humanitas Ch 1-3 Pope Leo
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Session
June 14 Magnifica Humanitas Ch 4-5 Pope Leo
June 21 The Little Flower Therese Lisieux
June 28 The Story of a Soul Therese Lisieux
June 28 5pm Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malik with Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, In the college room
July 5 Introduction to Romans and When in Romans by Beverly Gaventa Alex 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.
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
Zoom and In-Person
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.
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust will convene on June 9, 2026, at 4:00 pm in the third floor Conference Room (Room 222) of the Parish House for its second meeting of 2026. The Gadsden Committee will review second quarter grant requests that were submitted by the noon June 1, 2026, deadline and make awards.
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.
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 5:30pm so that early arrivers can meet up with friends to picnic, socialize, or get a bite to eat. Musicians take the stage at 6:30pm and conclude at 8:00pm 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.
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 - all sizes 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.
Hiker Dinners
On Monday, June 8 and Monday, June 15, teams from Grace will serve dinner at St. John's Episcopal Church in Glasgow for hikers passing through on the AT. If you would like to help prepare and/or serve dinner on one of these nights, please contact Tuck at tuck@gracelexva.org. Cary Edgar is coordinating dinner for June 8, and Emily King is coordinating the June 15 dinner service.
deCycles
On Tuesday, June 30, twenty teenage and young adult cyclists will be spending the night at Grace. If you would like to help provide supper Tuesday night, breakfast Wednesday morning, or transportation to Rockbridge Aquatics pool for showers Tuesday afternoon, please contact Tuck at tuck@gracelexva.org.
deCycles is a high-adventure Christian youth program offering challenging bicycle trips for teens and young adults since 1970. This current group is pedaling 1,500 miles over three weeks as a way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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 deacons of our diocese and our Archdeacon, The Ven. Linda Ricker. 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, Richard Partlett, Gerry Locher, Doug Ayer, Mo Littlefield, Tena Clark, Shay Peters, Meg Moss, Steve Lawrence, Patricia Williams, Peggy Matheson, Al Hipp (nephew of Virginia Cooke), Scott Ford, Margaret “Peggy” Carter (sister of Buddy Carter), 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, Emily Griffis Stephens.
In Thanksgiving for June Birthdays
6/5 Grigg Mullen, Helen Kostel
6/7 Bill Luton
6/8 Eleanor Penn
6/13 Michael Wirtz
6/15 Michelle Mackie
6/16 Judy Schram, Emily King
6/17 John Thomas Loughhead
6/18 Alden Mastin, Matthew Fogo, Douglas Huber
6/20 Susan Lawrence, David Grizzle
6/21 Catharine Burns
6/22 Morgan Roper, Sandy Harcus
6/29 Lu Dooley, Michael Finnell
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