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Life With Grace | May 23

Join us this weekend for worship and in supporting our Renewing Grace Capital Campaign.
Join us this weekend for worship and in supporting our Renewing Grace Capital Campaign.

Dear friends,

On the sixth Sunday of Easter we always hear a portion of Jesus's farewell discourse, his attempt to prepare his disciples for his return to the Father and the arrival of the Spirit. In response to the question about how we will know his presence after he leaves, Jesus says that He and the Father together will come to those who love him and they will make their home with them. John 14:23

This reminds us of something true, something we know but sometimes struggle to find comfort in. God is not willing to love from a distance, but always loves and makes love known in an embodied and personal way. 

No one who loves is willing to love from a distance. And love closes all distances.

This time of year is full of the beginning of separations.  As we celebrate graduations, and especially the graduations of Willow Moles from Rockbridge High School and Avery Hess from Stuart Hall, we know that the time is coming when they will be going away.  For many years Avery has carried the cross in our worship.  For the past couple of years Willow has been helping produce our worship onto You Tube.  We have been connected to them by their presence and service among us. But this connection runs deeper.  It is not merely bodily or virtual.  It is real.

We are always connected by the real Spirit who is uncreated light. And we call the experience of that connection love. We rejoice in the reality of the life we share together with those we love whether we see them or not.  We know their presence.  We wonder, perhaps, if they know ours, especially when they are away from the body.  This is the assurance Jesus gives in the Spirit.  We are the body that testifies to the reality of the Spirit.  As we know his presence we can be confident that He and the Father know us and all who are away from the body. This is the gift of unity.  A gift that comes as well with a calling - to continue to practice the presence of God through communion.

For those who want to continue to reflect on God's gift of communion, the Anglican Communion has produced several important teachings on the gift and call to unity beginning with God's Reign and Our Unity (1984), Koinonia: God's Gift and Calling (2020), and most recently The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals (2024). 

Our unity with God, in God, with one another, in and away from the body, is a gift.  The gift is also a call to practice the reality - come together bodily (even during the summer 😊), heal painful divisions through practices of repentance and forgiveness, persevere in remembering what is real and true.  Let love  close the distance, let joy and health and the peace of God restore all things.

With Gratitude, Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)

Rector | Grace Episcopal Church


Worship Services | Sixth Sunday of Easter | Sunday, May 25


Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | In-Person and on YouTube




Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | In-Person and Zoom

Christianity and Culture will be on hiatus for the summer. See you in September!


Holy Eucharist Rt II | 10:30 a.m. | In-Person and on YouTube




Women's Bible Study

Women's Bible study will meet for the last time today before breaking for the summer. We meet at 3:30 at the home of Susan Cross to discuss the day's lectionary readings.  All ladies are welcome.

Six smiling adults pose inside a church with arched stained glass windows; one person holds a tablet displaying a group video call with additional participants.
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.

In-Person & Zoom



Renewing Grace Capital Campaign

On May 21, members of our congregation celebrated the public launch of the Renewing Grace capital campaign by taking part in a spirited kickoff event in the Parish Hall. Attendees enjoyed a festive program and received information about the campaign's priorities. In addition, the capital campaign committee was pleased to announce the funds pledged to the campaign so far: $1,517,331. Many thanks to the many people who helped make this event such a tremendous success! 

Over the summer, capital campaign festivities will continue in the form of several themed parties to celebrate our fellowship and on-going commitment to God and community. If you were unable to attend the kick-off party and register to attend one of these fun parties, you can sign up by clicking the link below. Please choose and sign up for one party only. 

As noted in last week's newsletter, several major projects will be covered by the Renewing Grace campaign. One these initiatives will involve improving the interior of the Parish Hall and the building's second floor.  

Beyond the much-needed accessibility and system improvements to the whole building, several physical and aesthetic enhancements will be made to the Parish

Hall. New lighting, flooring and wall finishes will make the space more attractive, welcoming and efficient. In addition, the Rector’s Office, the Welles Meeting Room and the reception area on the second floor will be reconfigured to accommodate the installation of new accessible bathrooms. These improvements will help Grace welcome our community into a refreshed Parish House that appropriately reflects our dedication and commitment to fellowship, service, and spiritual growth. 

The goal for the Renewing Grace capital campaign is $2.25 million, inclusive of all fees and expenses. An existing $1 million bequest received in 2019 will allow us to complete our first phase goals. Other major projects to be addressed by the Renewing Grace campaign include: Making the Parish Hall fully accessible and addressing the Parish House infrastructure. More information about the campaign will be shared in upcoming Grace newsletters. 





Rat Ministry Success

Cary and Will Edgar have hosted the same cadet for the last few years, starting as a Rat. 


"This photo is from the change of command parade, as our cadet Heaton Lawrence is ascending into corps leadership next year. We still see him a couple of times a month, and he’s even coming to walk the Camino with me and Sarah for a few days this summer after finishing up a study abroad program/before heading home. It’s been such a gift for our family to have him with us!"




The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust

We will convene on June 10, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the third floor Conference Room of the Parish House for its second meeting of 2025.  The Gadsden Committee will review second quarter grant requests that were submitted by the noon June 1, 2025, deadline and make awards.

The online Gadsden Trust Grant Application can be found here.

Third quarter grant requests must be received by noon on September 1, 2025.

Gadsden Committee meetings are open to members of the parish.

Lanford Mission Emergency Fund (LMEF)

During this Easter season, the Christian Outreach Committee on behalf of the Lanford Mission Emergency Fund (LMEF) expresses its grateful appreciation for parishioners’ generous Easter offerings and gifts to the Lanford Mission Emergency Fund!  Your gifts enable the LMEF to assist individuals and families in Rockbridge County with rent and utility payments to keep our neighbors in their homes.

Through May 2025, the LMEF along with RARA, Lexington Presbyterian, and St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church has responded to 60 requests for assistance in the amount of $6,000.00. 

Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas offerings are a major funding source for the work of the Lanford MEF. Thank you again for your generosity and continued support of this vital Grace outreach ministry!

Gail Dickerson, Lanford MEF Administrator, on behalf of the Christian Outreach Committee

Helping Ukrainian Families

Please consider helping this humanitarian outreach. The group has engaged an immigration attorney to guide the Ukrainian families, that were helped by Hosting Ukrainian Families, through the rules and regulations that could provide a safeguard from deportation. Donate HERE.

Through Hikers Dinners

St John's Glasgow welcomes Appalachian Trail through hikers for dinner every Monday night in May and June. In recent years Grace has hosted two of these dinners. This year it would help St John's if we would prepare and serve hikers dinner on June 16 and 23. Please let Tuck know if you would like to help.

End of Life Care Seminar

In collaboration with VTCSOM, Roanoke College, Good Sam Hospice, and Voices of Fatih, we are putting on a free half day seminar titled: "The Intersection of Belief Systems and End of Life Care." We aim to explore religious and spiritual beliefs surrounding end of life and why they matter in the medical community. Rev. Dr. Bill Lee will be Keynote speak, we will have a panel discussion with Q&A, small group case study discussions, and Dr. Brian Unwin will be our closing speakers. We hope you can join us on June 3rd from 1pm-5pm at Riverside 4 in room G101 A&B. Please use the Link below to register. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=GJCmcZQHwEGAqNE-H68wpsl3Dt0_XbtNse76px6GLfFUQTQwS0JWRlFaTlY2RkxFN0FIN1cyRjBHNC4u 

Address for the Event is 4 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016

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, winter clothes only. 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 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.

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 people of St. John’s, Lynchburg, their associate rector, The Rev. Ben Cowgill and their rector, The Rev. Chris Roussell. Pray for Brendon, Timmy, John Perry, Laura Stearns, Lynda deMaria, Polly Lawrence, Betty Cadden, Jeff Mason, Joe Irby, Kent Wilson, Diana Kenney, Jerry & Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Ned Henneman, Sharon Humphreys, Nancy Mastin, Elizabeth Klein, Mary Etta Randolph, Carl & Rachel Pattison, Grace, Mercedes Aravena-Echaurren, Justin, Rodrigo, Wes O’Dell and family, Virginia Poston (sister of Betsy Carter), Dot Fogo, Roger Baroody, David Austin (friend of the Keanes), Ellen Fure, Buddy Atkins, George Collier, Rosemary Phillips (sister of Paul Robblee), Patricia Williams, Emily & Luke Child, Rebecca Robblee (daughter-in-law of Joanne & Paul),  Kathy Kricensky (Abby Moles mom), Andy Wolfe,  Mike, Margy & Aaron Haire (Susan Cross’ brother and family), Stan Driver, Chris Clayton Syrrist (cousin of David Sorrells), 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 May and June Birthdays

5/26 Raeanna Simcoe

5/30 Lyle McClung

5/31 Anne Tyler McCabe, Ellie Mastin 


6/1   Ed Dooley, Toni Brown

6/2   Philip Brooke

6/4   Sophia Brown

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

6/17  John Thomas Loughhead

6/18  Alden Mastin, Matthew Fogo

6/20  Susan Lawrence, David Grizzle

6/22  Morgan Roper

6/24  Sandy Harcus

6/29  Lu Dooley, Michael Finnell

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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.


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