All Good Gifts from South Sudan” is our Christianity and Culture topic this week at Grace.
Our time together Sunday morning at 9:15 is designed for all ages: itty bitties to golden oldies! Whether you are shy or bold, there will be something for you in our time together! As Martha has inspired us to do, we’ll start and end with song–perhaps ones familiar to you! Then there will be show-and-tell and story-telling about precious gifts that have come from South Sudan. We’ll send you on your own journey with a 5-minute visit to the newest nation in the world—and we might even put you in the driver’s seat! This Christianity and Culture forum will not only be intergenerational, but will also be interactive–once you have learned a little about South Sudan, everyone will be invited to draw or write something to share with each other—and maybe to send along to our dear friends across the globe! Yes, Sunday morning at Grace we’ll be planting some seeds that can grow in our minds and hearts—much like we have done with young ones at Hope House who are blossoming in spectacular ways. How can WE bloom from the gifts we have been given? Come one and all to the parish hall on Sunday morn, September 3, at 9:15 a.m. to find out!
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” ~Luke 6:38
~Susan Virginia Mead & Luke Hampton Camp
AV Team: Call for Volunteers
Please consider joining the team and help with streaming on Sunday morning. Zoom help is needed at 8:00am and YouTube streaming at 10:30am. Training is available! Email Lisa for more info.
Worship Services | Proper 17 | Sunday, September 3
No 8 a.m. Service this Sunday
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m.
Parish Hall & Zoom | All Good Gifts from South Sudan
Holy Eucharist | 10:30 a.m. | Outside on the Courtyard
In-Person
First Sunday Lunch to Follow
After a great series this summer on different ways to focus on spiritual development, our upcoming sessions are listed below:
September 3rd: "All Good Gifts from South Sudan" Through a little music, art, and storytelling for ALL ages--and a quick 5-minute trip through South Sudan--we will explore the cultural richness and many gifts we receive from our spiritual neighbors across the globe.
September 10th: James Keane will be talking about Education for Ministry (EfM), one of the most meaningful spiritual growth programs at Grace. EfM teaches about history, content, and their impact on the spiritual journey of EfM participants. Please join us to find out more about this enriching and challenging program.
September 17th: Entering into and understanding the liturgical year of the Church can itself contribute to personal, spiritual growth. David Cox will explain the significance of this liturgical calendar during this session.
September 24th: This will be a double program. Speaking first will be Elise Sprunt Sheffield, from Boxerwood, who will share interesting information about COREworks, a grassroots effort that focuses on carbon emission-reducing projects. Elise will educate us on ways that we can work together to preserve the glorious world that God created for us and charged us to protect.
The second part of the program is our own David Hansen, who will speak on the Legacy Society of Grace. What better way to express our spiritual commitment than to make a special gift to our church.
Looking ahead:
This year we hope to have one Sunday a month when we have an inter-generational service. We hope our families with children will attend as well as our more venerable members. We hope this will be a meaningful way for us to get to know each other and to welcome these families to Grace.
October 1st: This is the Sunday we bless the animals. Please bring your live pets, stuffed pets, and even pictures to church services that day to be blessed.
During September we are asking our members to bring in pet supplies for our local SPCA. Please see list below.
During our October 1st class we will organize these donations and make arrangements for them to be delivered the following week.
What a special way for our members, old and young, to work together to take care of God’s creatures great and small.
We look forward to seeing you at these sessions of Christianity and Culture. Please invite a friend to come with you.
SPCA Supplies List
Lisa will be out of the office Thursday 8/31-Tues 9/5.
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
In-Person & Zoom
First Sunday Lunch
September 3. Hot dogs & Hamburgers will be served. Ice cream for dessert (if you would like to donate a pie to share, please let Samson know). Susan Lawrence would love 2 volunteers for Saturday evening and 2 volunteers for Sunday morning. Please let Samson know if you can help.
Community Labyrinth Walk
September 3, 5 pm with chants from the Taizé tradition at Grace Episcopal. Meet in the Parish Hall for a brief presentation before the walk.
Grant Writer Wanted
The Virginia Haiti Collaborative is looking for a grant writer to help with procuring computers for St. Marc’s School, Cerca-La-Source, Haiti. Please contact Virgina Cooke if you have any ideas or can help.
Wanted - Sunday School Teachers
Grace is looking for youth, college students and adults willing to help provide Sunday School for a few children each Sunday from about 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. We are willing to pay a stipend. Please contact Tuck to find out more.
Paws to Connect Update
Paws to Connect is regathering September 12 & 13, 11:30-1:30. In celebration of the First Anniversary of Paws, we would like to collect wish list items from the SPCA. On September 5, there will be a bin outside of the Parish Office (Lisa’s office) for the collection of the SPCA items listed above.
Our fall term gatherings will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Grace Courtyard. Please add the dates to your calendar. The dates reflect W&L’s fall undergraduate calendar. September 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27; October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 31; November 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 28, 29; December 5, 6, 12 , 13.
We will also be in the courtyard for the “Get Downtown” event on September 5, 4:45 p.m. This is a chance to introduce our church to new college students who will be in town for the next four years. Join us to greet the new students!
If anyone knows the best person we can contact at VMI to explore how we can serve VMI students. Please let Dennis know the contact or feel free to make the contact if you have the relationship.
We look forward to the year ahead. We are successful because of your and our dogs involvement and interest. Roca says hi and wishes to send his love to his human and canine friends.
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Gadsden Trust
We will convene on September 12 at 4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall for its our third quarter meeting. The Committee will review third quarter grant requests that were submitted by the September 1, 2023, deadline and make awards. Third quarter grant requests can be sent to Gail Dickerson and must be received by September 1, 2023. The Gadsden Trust grant request application can be found here.
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas. Pray for the people of Christ Church, Pulaski. Pray for Presiding Bishop Curry who is to have surgery on September 8. Pray for Brendon (friend of the Brooke family), Michael Murphy, John Thomas, Timmy, Rick Alexander, Bradley Fairchild and Karen Junkin (friends of the Gibsons), Gloria June Perry (mother of Michael Perry), Glen Jones (friend of the Riethmillers), Patricia Brown Boyer (sister of Madison Brown), Dolly Shumate (friend of the Lewis’), Carolyn Glenn (friend of Judy Schram), Jack Hershbell, Laura Stearns, Worth & Katie Burnes (friends of the Smiths), Amelia Dull, Barb Ostrander (cousin of John Milford), Stephen deMaria, Annie Campbell, Polly Lawrence, Betty Cadden, Jeff Mason, Joe Irby, Kent Wilson, Ginny Dunaway Ferguson, Rosemary Phillips (sister of Paul Robblee), Joan Wade (sister-in-law of David Wade), Maria Scott. Don Ellis, Diana Kenney, Patrick Bowes (brother-in-law of Linda deMaria), Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Lucy Moise, Penny & Ned Henneman, Steve Riethmiller, Heidi Schweizer, David Wade, Barbara Bova (friend of the Dickersons), Daniel Diener, Carrie Strickland (sister-in-law of Paul Strickland), and those we name aloud or in our hearts. Pray for those who have died, Mike Robblee (brother of Paul). Pray for the people of Hawaii, Sudan, Haiti, Ukraine, and all those suffering around the world.
In Thanksgiving for September Birthdays
9/1 Trudie Kirkland, Mark Gallagher
9/2 Harrison Branner
9/3 Buster Lewis, Ella Sayre, Estella Crocker
9/4 Gail Dick
9/5 Ned Henneman
9/7 Susan Cross
9/8 Delea Bowerfind
9/9 Marlys Craun
9/10 Frederick Kurtz
9/11 Ham Smith, MaryEtta Randolph
9/16 Tucker Bowerfind
9/18 Judy Hotchkiss, Carolyn Kuper
9/19 Julia Littlefield, Peter Dyckman Fyfe, Nanalou Sauder, Frank Settle
9/20 Keith Gibson, Spencer Tucker
9/21 Chris Howison, Barbara Luton
9/22 Ann Nay, Elizabeth Oliver
9/24 Graham Centorino
9/25 Darlene Keane
9/26 Heidi Schweizer
9/28 Winifred Hart, Tim Harrison
9/30 Mo Littlefield. Lynda Bassett-deMaria
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.
First Baptist Church Anniversary
Join us in celebrating the 156th Church Anniversary & 5th Anniversary of Pastor McKinley A. Williams
Sunday, September 10, 3:15 p.m. | Guests : The Reverend Ronald Baker, Pastor, Main Street Baptist Church
Sunday, September 17, 3:30 p.m. | Guests: The Reverend Dwight Steele, Pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church
Sunday, September 24, 11:00 a.m. | Dedication of the Sanctuary Windows | Anniversary Fellowship Luncheon served immediately following the Worship Service for Everyone
Chill on the Hill
Habitat for Humanity Fund Raiser | Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery | Sunday, October 1, 2023 12 – 3 pm | Food provided by: Lex Vegas Bistro and Old Lex Mercantile
Meal Ticket $20.00 | Music by Datz Us Ramblers
Hosting Ukrainian Families
A humanitarian outreach effort organized by citizens of Lexington, Buena Visa, and Rockbridge County, we aim to pave the way for sponsoring temporary re-settlement of families who qualify for entry according to the laws of the United States.
The mission of Hosting Ukrainian Families is based upon love, compassion, and humanitarian concerns for families seeking to live in peace. Accordingly, a call is issued to each person joining in this effort to set aside all political, culturally divisive viewpoints, and all differences which may hinder or defeat these goals. To donate, click the link below.
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