Life With Grace | May 29
- Grace Episcopal Church
- 49 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Dear Friends,
The refined formulations of the Church's faith in the Holy Trinity, one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have not always been catholic, or universal, and have often been hotly contested and violently enforced against dissenters.
Why do theological differences so often bear fruit contrary to the charity, restraint, mercy, forgiveness which every Christian must know is at the heart of our faith?
Until the flowering of modern science which has demythologized our natural world, many people of all faiths associated natural disasters, civil strife, foreign invasion, pestilence, famine with the judgment of a chastening, if not wrathful God. Within that world view it was assumed that the fate of cities, nations, Empires depended on right theology, right worship, right ethical/moral practice.
It is impossible to test and affirm right doctrine, discipline, and worship. So too often people of all faiths have resorted to the grand human tradition of duking it out - and claiming that God will proffer judgement on the battlefield. (Ironic given the example of the crucified.)
Providential views have lost power thanks to scientific explanations of natural disaster, pestilence, and famine. Violent religious wars over many centuries, including the genocides of recent centuries, have convinced many that God isn't blessing our violence. But rather God is calling to us to stop before we unleash irreversible destruction.
Despite the dark violent process by which creedal Trinitarian formulations of our faith were made, the light of God's love has always shone through, often blessing the simplicity of neighborly love more profoundly than learned disputation.
However you teach Trinitarian doctrine, I hope your understanding grows from the example of humility and grace in the life of Jesus, his promise to companion us always, the scriptural commandments to love, to forgive, to protect children, widows, strangers, and the poor, and from the personal experience of God's generous self giving life within the rhythms of your breathing, waking, serving, sleeping.
May the grace of our savior Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | First Sunday after Pentecost | May 31
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m. | Zoom and In-Person
May 31 - The Trinitarian Heresies led by Tuck Bowerfind
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Session
June 7 Magnifica Humanitas Ch 1-3 Pope Leo
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
Paws to Connect
Paws to Connect will "pause" for the summer at the end of May and resume when classes start up again in the fall. Thank you for supporting this important ministry!
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.
Pictures from Pentecost
What a beautiful Pentecost celebration last week! Pictures are worth 1000 words!
Vote Faithfully
Register now for monthly ‘Vote Faithfully’ networking calls
Thursdays, June 4, July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5
1:30–2 p.m. ET
On the first Thursday of each month from June through November, The Episcopal Church's Public Policy and Witness team will host a series of “Vote Faithfully” calls to support voter engagement in ways consistent with Episcopal values.
During the calls, hosts will share resources and ideas to help congregations promote voting and civic participation while remaining nonpartisan (avoiding support for specific political parties, candidates, or platforms).
The first call, on June 4, will feature Kent Anker, chief legal officer of The Episcopal Church, speaking about compliance with IRS rules regarding election engagement by religious organizations.
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.
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 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, Palmer Stickley (friend of Martha Burford).
In Thanksgiving for May and June Birthdays
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, 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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