Grace Episcopal Church E-News May 21, 2020

Please join us on the Grace Facebook page or via Zoom by phone at 10AM on Sunday.

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Zoom phone call-in instructions:
When: 10AM Every Sunday
Dial (929) 205-6099
And then when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 932-2420-5903.
You will then be asked for a Password: 133

This information can be used every Sunday. It will not change, at least through May.

Please be advised that the Grace office will be closed until further notice. This includes food drop-offs for Martha's Pantry. If you need to contact the office, please call 508-993-0547 or email office@gracechurchnb.org

Martha's Pantry is Open

During this challenging time, our food pantry continues to operate in order to assist those in need of food. It is a very modified pantry with all orders prepackaged and guests not entering the church building. We have gloves available and strive to continuously maintain appropriate social distancing practices.

We are open Wednesday & Friday 9:30-10:30AM. We currently have a core group of volunteers who have stepped up to keep the pantry functioning. We are seeking a few individuals who will act as backup when someone is unable to make it.. If you are willing to sign on as a fill in, please let me know.

Thank you & stay well,

Sharlene Begley, Coordinator
begleysktj@comcast.net

Parish Meeting

We will have a parish meeting/town hall on Sunday, May 31st at 11:30AM. This will be an opportunity to “meet” together, receive your feedback, hear your concerns, and answer any questions that you have.

The link to join this is here. Or, by dialing 929-205-6099, and then putting in the Meeting ID at the prompt: 851 0901 6842. The password is 133.

Save the Date

We are invited to a two-part virtual ordination service for our curate, Melissa Howell. “By the grace of God and the people consenting”, Melissa will be ordained in the Diocese of Massachusetts as a transitional deacon. Friday, June 5th will be a virtual Liturgy of the Word at 7PM. Then, Melissa will be ordained on Saturday, June 6th, at 1:30PM. The schedule is posted at www.diomass.org/event/ordination-deacons-2020, where links for joining the gatherings online also will be posted.

Church School Teachers Parade

The Church School Teachers will be having a parade on Sunday, June 7th. We will be leaving Church following our Facebook Live 10AM service. This will be our end of the year celebration of church school. If your child(ren) and family would like to be on our parade route, please contact Charlene Ryder by phone, text or email at 508-728-4374 or cryder@umassd.edu.

Who knows who will be waving out car windows or popping out of sun roofs, could it be our Rector or new Curate? I have heard they will be in our parade. Details will follow once we have received responses and finalized the parade route.

Church Directory

During this pandemic, some of us have felt the need to reach out to other parish members. However, this can be difficult unless we have the family’s or the individual’s contact information.

Thus, the idea of an informal parish directory was born.

Those of you who are interested in being listed in the directory may contact Travis Bowie or myself. The information you give can be as simple or as detailed as you like: Name, telephone number and/or e-mail address. If you wish, you may include your home address. Any combination of these items will suffice, as long as your name and one of the other items is included.

If you wish to be on the proposed list or if you have any questions, please call Travis Bowie at 508-644-7066 or Gerry Lopes at 508-990-8945. If you are unable to reach one of us, please leave your name and phone number and we’ll get back to you within a day or two. We can also be reached via e-mail:
Travis—rbowie2@comcast.net or Gerry—glopes1945@comcast.net.

We will be gathering and organizing the information that you wish to
have published during the summer. We hope to have the directory available for distribution at the Church office in late September.

The deadline for your information to be included is Friday, July 31st.

Participation is entirely voluntary.

The rector’s (virtual) door is still open!

Chris is still available for appointments through a phone call or a Zoom meeting. Please email or call him to schedule a meeting at revchrismorck@gracechurchnb.org or 508-985-3823.

Scholarship

Scholarship applications are available on the Grace website or by request to the office via email office@gracechurchnb.org.

Scholarship applications must be submitted to the office by June 15th for consideration.

Financial Support for Grace During the Pandemic

Although we are not able to gather in person for worship or many other "normal" Grace activities, our community worship continues on Facebook. Pastoral support continues as well as some of our outreach activities as the Community Breakfast and Martha's Pantry continue to support those in need in the Greater New Bedford community. A group of volunteers has formed to provide ongoing communication with our older or more vulnerable parishioners, forging new friendships and providing support at the same time. Grace is still very much alive during this time!

We understand that this is a difficult time for many of us due to the economic impact of the pandemic. If you are able, we hope you will continue your financial support of Grace during this time. There are several ways you can do this:

1) Mail a check to the church office and denote "Pledge" on the memo line. If you are making a donation to one of Grace's ministries (Community Breakfast, Laundry Love, Martha's Pantry, Rector's Discretionary Fund, etc), please denote that on the memo line. If you are just making a general donation to Grace for support during this time, please note either "General" or "Miscellaneous" Donation on the memo line. Those checks will be processed.

2) Initiate payments via your bank's online capability, allowing you to avoid having to go out to mail a check. These can be set up as either recurring or on a one time basis. It is as easy as logging onto your bank's website and entering their online banking capability. Many of our parishioners already use this process and find it very simple. You have the ability to edit or delete this capability on your website at any time. NOTE: Unless your bank provides a capability for you to add a memo to your payment, please do not send funds for Community Breakfast, Laundry Love, Martha's Pantry or Rector's Discretionary Fund via this method, please just mail a check to avoid misdirection of the funds.

3) Make a secure donation via the new online giving option that has been established on our website, gracechurchnb.org. You should denote the purpose of your donation, such as pledge, Rector's Discretionary Fund, etc, in the memo area in order to ensure that the funds are properly accounted for. Please consider including the 3% transaction fee in your donation.

Your ongoing financial support of Grace during this time is greatly appreciated.

Prayer Requests for First Responders

If you are a first responder or know someone who is on the front lines caring for Covid-19 patients and would like to be added to our weekly prayer list, please contact Charlene Ryder by phone/text at 508-728-4374 or email cryder@umassd.edu

Morning Prayer!

We are invited to join The Rev. Lise Hildrebrandt, priest at Church of the Holy Spirit in Fall River, for Morning Prayer, Rite II at 8AM Monday-Friday. All are welcome!

Find it at
https://zoom.us/j/474119231 or call in at 929-205-6099 with the meeting ID: 474 119 231.

Have you missed a service or just want to hear it again?

Our sermons, gracechurchnb.org/sermons/, and choir anthems, gracechurchnb.org/choir-anthems, are on the website!

This Diocese of Massachusetts video premiered at our annual Diocesan Convention on Nov. 2, 2019, to help us continue to reflect and act on the seven spiritual practices Presiding Bishop Curry invites us to take on to support us on our journey:

https://www.diomass.org/news/diocesan-news/video-way-love

Weekly Remembrances for the Deceased

Is there an anniversary, birthday or day you want your deceased loved ones prayed for during the Prayers of the People at all services that week? You can contact Charlene Ryder by text, phone or email at 508-728-4374 or cryder@umassd.edu.

Planned Giving

Someone once said that all good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine. Leaving a legacy is easier than you think and isn't complicated. Here are some ways you can make a planned giving gift:

Name the church as the beneficiary of a retirement plan

Turn unneeded life insurance into a charitable gift

Make a gift through your will or trust

Make a minimum distributions directly from your IRA

We can help you fashion a gift to meet your personal interests and ensure the legacy you envision becomes a reality. To learn more please contact the Grace Church office at office@gracechurchnb.org or 508-993-0547.

Do You Have an Announcement for the Parish?

Send submissions for this e-newsletter to office@gracechurchnb.org by Tuesday afternoon for inclusion in that weeks' newsletter.

Parking During the Week

Parking adjacent to the Samuel Rodman House and along the east side of that building facing Little People’s College is solely for the use of their tenants and clients. Please help us in maintaining the spaces for Rodman House tenants during the week.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
ESOL ~ classes are suspended until further notice
VESTRY MEETING ~ May 27th at 6:30PM (Virtual)
PARISH MEETING ~ Sunday, May 31st at 11:30AM (Virtual)
LITURGY OF THE WORD ~ Friday, June 5th at 7PM
ORDINATION OF MELISSA HOWELL ~ Saturday, June 6th at 1:30PM

JUNE VESTRY MEETING ~ June 24th at 6:30PM

PLEASE - LET GRACE CHURCH KNOW! If you or a member of your family is hospitalized and would like a visit, please call the church office 508-993-0547, Chris 508-985-3823, or Charlene Ryder 508-728-4374.
Also, when someone is ill and in need of our prayers, we encourage you to tell us so that we may put them on the prayer list. The name will be read on or about the weekend nearest when we are informed and placed on the published prayer list, if desired. In an effort to manage the prayer list and keep it up to date, a name will be left on the published sick list initially for one month. If you would like to extend the period of time, contact Charlene Ryder at 508-728-4374 or cryder@umassd.edu to renew your prayer request.

For the grace of God’s healing for those who need our prayers:
Dennis Beck, Janet Doe, Nadine Gomes, Linda Massa (members of Grace Church); Sarah Acocella (niece of Roberta Igler); Shirley Alves (sister of Harriet Shaw); Laura Chase (sister of Ran Chase); David; Families who have lost loved ones; Hathaway Manor staff and residents; Elisha Lillenfeld (friend of the McNamaras); Loved ones at Brandon Woods and Oaks Nursing Homes; Dolores Milho (friend of Mimi Monteiro); Michael Murray (brother of Pat Oliver); Judith Seavey (mother of Diane Doe); Scott Seavey (brother of Diane Doe); St. Luke’s Hospital staff and patients; Stan; Mary Sullivan (friend of Joan Swain); Ed Tynan (uncle of Nathan Tynan); Christopher Ulinski (nephew of Jerré Croteau); Uncle John (friend of the McNamaras); Workers at Chase Farm Veterinary Hospital

Armed Forces: Tobin Blatchford (friend of the McNamaras); Alison Bruenjes (grandniece of Joan Swain); Emilie Duclos Fitzpatrick (niece of Carol & Steven Hegarty); Dana Gilmour (grandson of Peggy Fellouris); James Kinney (grandson of Pat Buckles); Kyle Mendonca (nephew of Pauline Roderiques); Brennan Morck (nephew of the Morck family); Brian Paradise (nephew of John & Pam Evans); Cameron Sweet (member)

For those on the front lines caring for COVID-19 patients: Melissa Botelho, Natalie Cabral, Muriel Carle, Emma Cavanaugh, Helen Chirigotis, Scott Cook, Cheryl Correia, Erin DaSilva, Maureen Decker, David Figueiredo, Nancy Hardy, Jennifer Howland, Danielle Hughes, Ellie Jenkins, Ana Makin, Ali & John Martin, Larissa McLaughlin, Joe, Megan, Mimi Monteiro, Joscie Moore, Darci Moran, Jerry Normandin, Courtney Robshaw, Beth Sharp-McKay, Pete Sharp, Susannah Sharp, Bryan Swallow, Kayla Sylvia, Nathan Sylvia, Lizzie Tassoni, Maria Tassoni, Jose Ventura, Maggie Wardlaw, Alden Court employees, Brandon Woods employees, Hawthorn Medical employees, Hathaway Manor employees, Police Officers, firefighters and paramedics, Southcoast Health employees, and For hospital personnel that are there by the bedside to help with end of life in place of families

Deceased: Laura Chase (sister of Ran Chase), Tom Buffinton (friend of Louise Kelly), Paul Donaldson (cousin of Jerré Croteau), Eddie Simas (friend of Joan Swain), Gary Ruppert (friend of Roberta Igler)

For children, infants, and family who have been separated at the US border and throughout the country

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
Parishes of the Merrimack Valley Deanery; Grace Church, Lawrence; Esperanza Academy, Lawrence; St. Anne’s Church, Lowell; St. John’s Church, Lowell; Congregations: Lectors, Worship Leaders, Eucharistic Ministers & Visitors

*New prayers this week are listed in blue

Live streaming Sundays at 10AM on Facebook. Current restrictions on in-person public worship and gatherings in our churches are extended until July 1, 2020.