Dear Good People of Grace,
All are invited to come to our Sanctuary to worship in-person this Sunday. We will have our THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Holy Eucharist service, on December 12th at 10:30 a.m.
The service with also be Live Streamed. If you are not joining us in person, please join us on your computer, smart tv, phone or tablet by clicking on the link near the top of our website at graceavl.com where you'll also find this Sunday's bulletin.
Lay Ministers Serving this Sunday:
Acolytes: Sally Withers Chalicists: Greg Townsend
Lector: Louise Wernicke; Intercessor: Jenny Thomas
Ushers: Ron & Jeanne Sims Healing Team: Louise Wernicke
Vestry Member of the Day: Vicki Vest
Celebration of Life Service for Marzy Israel
On Saturday, December 18th at 2 p.m. we will be holding a Memorial Service for Mary Israel. All are invited to attend, with a reception to follow in the parish hall. Marzy wishes all gifts to be made to Grace Episcopal Church for the refurbishment of the parish hall. You can give the gift by check or online with a memo “Mary Israel Fund.”
Annual Parish Meeting:
 December 19 after the Sunday Service. All members of Grace are encouraged to attend the meeting, with a Chili Lunch and fellowship to follow.
Business of the meeting will include:
- A vote on a proposed Bylaws Amendment
- A thank you for their valuable service to those leaving our Vestry, and an acknowledgement of continuing members.
- A vote to elect four new Vestry Members.
- A thank you to our outgoing Treasurer and a welcome to our new Treasurer.
- An opportunity to discuss reports presented in the Annual Report, which will be distributed in advance and at the meeting.
For complete information on the proposed amendment and nominated Vestry Members, go to our Annual Meeting Announcement email that was sent out on November 29.
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Light the Candles for Advent:
We would like to invite a family each Sunday to light the Advent Wreath Candles in church. Please reach out to Milly if you are interested.
The Mystical Advent Journey: Creating Fertile Ground for New Life
Adult Formation for Advent, following liturgy at 12:00pm ~ THIS SUNDAY in the parish hall, Dec. 12th! Feel free to bring your lunch with you!
 Advent is a time of preparation for new life to emerge. In the dark of winter we are invited into the mystical practice of digging deep into our inner landscape to nourish our spiritual soil and our souls, so that come Christmas we are prepared to receive the living Christ and come Epiphany that revelations that grow from his light in our lives. We will explore poetry, music, and art for creating fertile soil to ground our journeys. Join us for this Sunday. No need to register, just come to the parish hall.
 Angel Tree: Deadline Is This Sunday!
Thank you to all who are participating in our Angel Tree Outreach program, to bring gifts to 65 foster kids in the area. Your deadline for bringing your gifts back to the church is this Sunday, December 12th. Gifts can be wrapped or simply put in a gift bag, but please be sure to attach the Angel Tree tag with the child’s name on it. Our shoppers are busy being sure each child who had an angel on the tree receives gifts for Christmas.
 Hanging of the Greens: On Sunday, December 19th, after the Annual Parish Meeting and a delicious lunch (traditional and vegetarian chili), we will make the church beautiful by hanging the garlands and wreaths, setting out the creche and decorating the trees. It's a wonderful time of fellowship and we hope you will join in this long standing Grace tradition.
 Christmas Greenery and Flower Donations: for memorials and thanksgiving. The flower guild will be decorating the altar and chancel areas as well as the two front doors this year. Therefore, donations will be welcomed to cover the costs for those areas. Look for envelops in the pews or use our electronic giving methods to give to the Altar Guild for Christmas Flowers. Be sure to include a note about who you would like to remember, thank or acknowledge. Those participating will be published in the Grace TEAM after Christmas.
Advent in a Bag!
Remember to bring your bag to the church on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or on Sunday, December 26th! If you haven’t yet, you can pick up your bag from the display in the foyer. Each day during Advent, you can read the appointed scripture for the day (included with your bag), put the requested food item in the bag and color that day’s bag decoration on the tree. By the end of the Advent season, you’ll have an Advent calendar “work of art” and a bag full of much needed non-perishable food items that can be brought to the church on Christmas Eve or on Sunday, December 26, to be delivered to ABCCM.
Prior to the pandemic, we held regular quarterly food drives to benefit ABCCM. We haven’t been able to do that in almost two years, so this fun, easy project is a great way to make up for all those missed food drives!
OUR CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE
 Grace Worship Team has decided to bring back the 4pm Christmas Eve Family Service! Please share this with your friends and family and plan to join us on Christmas Eve at 4pm for the Family Service or at 8pm for the Christmas Eve Choral Mass.
Mark Your Calendars!
December 24, 4pm Christmas Eve Paper Bag Pageant & Family Service
December 24, 8pm Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist
December 25, 10a Christmas Holy Eucharist
January 2, 10:30a Lessons and Carols
Our Paper Bag Pageant is Back! CALLING ALL STARS, SHEPHERSDS, ANIMALS AND ANGELS!
Parents, grandparents, children, families old and new - you are invited to come join the celebration on Christmas Eve at 4pm. Bring little ones to the parish hall at 3:15p to participate. Simples costumes are in paper bags, and parishioners help the children with selections and getting dressed. Children sit with the family during the service and go to the back of the church when instructed. At the end of the service, the costumes are returned to the paper bags in the parish hall. No rehearsal is necessary. Join in and created a lasting memory for your children and grandchildren.
Interested in helping with the Pageant? Please call the church office and leave a message at extension 10. Jobs include narrators, costume organizers, reception helpers and cleanup!
STEWARDSHIP NEWS
Thank you, Good People of Grace
In case you missed it, click here or on the photo to see a heartfelt message of gratitude from your stewardship committee.
Electronic Giving Made Easy
   Grace Church receives electronic giving via our website at www.graceavl.com. There is a “Give to Grace” button on the top blue banner of our home page, in the upper right-hand corner. Additional ways to give to our “virtual collection plate” and various fundraising efforts are through the Simple Church app and the Venmo app @GraceEpiscopal-Church.
$1,000 GIFT OPPORTUNITY FROM SIMPLECHURCH
Grace has the opportunity to receive $1,000 from SimpleChurch if 20 people sign up for a recurring gift to Grace of at least $50 before the end of 2021. Every sign up with contribute toward this maximum gift. The frequency of the gift can be weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month, monthly or quarterly. Recurring gifts give Grace leadership a clear idea of cash flow and allow you to be faithful and consistent in your generosity. Please consider this convenient way of supporting Grace and help us earn this gift from SimpleChurch! You can sign up for recurring giving on our website here or through your SimpleChurch app.
CONSIDERING COVID SAFETY
Masks Required in Church:
 We are opened on Sundays for our 10:30 liturgy. We are all making decisions about where we feel safe traveling and gathering. So please know, if you do not feel comfortable being in church at this time, or if you are not feeling well, we will be here when you do!
First, care for yourself. Second, if you decide to attend in-person church masks are required and we will practice social distancing. All are welcome!
Transition Room for Children: The parish hall is available on Sundays as a “Transition Room" for children and families. There you can watch the service live streamed and socially distance. Each child will be given an activity backpack that can be found in the foyer as you enter the parish hall. This is an offering and of course you and your children are welcome to get their activity backpack and come on into the sanctuary as well!
 Have You Accessed Our Membership Directory?
Look for this symbol to download the app from your app store. The domain name when requested in the app is graceepiscopalasheville. For your computer you put in the domain name https://graceepiscopalasheville.simplechurchcrm.com. If you need your login information or password reset, email Valerie at grace.church.asheville@gmail.com.
 Learn more about how our Church responds to issues here and around the world related to Creation Care; Racial Reconciliation; Ending Poverty; Migration, Refugees and Immigration; and Human Rights and Peacebuilding.
The EPISCOPAL PUBLIC POLICY NETWORK (EPPN) is a grassroots effort of The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations to educate, equip and engage individual Episcopalians in federal public policy advocacy from a faith-based perspective using trustworthy information.
CONTINUING PROGRAMS
 Praying Together: Rev. Milly holds open spiritual direction sessions for individuals or couples weekly by appointment Wednesdays 1-3 pm in the sanctuary. Please email Rev. Milly to schedule your time with her. Rev.Milly4Grace@gmail.com
 Monday Morning Bible Study on Zoom: Mondays at 10:30 AM, we will study the scriptures for the upcoming Sunday service. Please join us on zoom by clicking on the button at graceavl.com/. As Rev Milly said, "We gather, we pray, we study, we laugh...its all good!"
 Women Walking the Way: Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. meet at the Bird Sanctuary parking lot. Join Rev. Milly for a weekly walk at Beaver Lake, for deep listening to how we as women walk the way of Jesus, in the world and in our community of Grace.
 The Pastoral Care Team at Grace: Our pastoral care team invites you to reach out to us with any pastoral care needs you, or your family, may have, by emailing the team at Pastoralcare4grace@gmail.com. You can also email, text or call Rev. Milly at 828-772-1429 or Fr. Mike at 860-771-1656 Sunday through Thursday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., unless it's a pastoral emergency.
SUMMARY OF SERVICES AND MEETING TIMES THIS COMING WEEK:
| Date and Time |
Service or Meeting |
Location |
| Sundays, 9:45a |
Choir Rehearsal |
Sanctuary |
| Sundays, 10:30a |
Holy Eucharist Service* |
Sanctuary/YouTube** |
| Sundays, 10:3a |
Transition Room for Children and Families |
Parish Hall |
| Sunday, Dec 12, 12 Noon |
The Mystical Advent Journey - Adult Formation |
Parish Hall |
| Mondays, 10:30a |
Monday Morning Bible Study |
Zoom ** |
| Mondays, 3p |
Pastoral Care Team Meeting |
Member Zoom |
| Monday, Dec 13, 6p |
Worship Committee Meeting |
|
| Tuesdays, 10a |
Stewardship Meeting |
Zoom |
| Wednesdays, 1-3p |
Praying Together with Rev. Milly - by appointment |
Sanctuary |
| Wednesdays, 1p |
Tabernacle Meeting Group 1 |
Zoom |
| Wednesdays, 5:30p |
Centering Prayer |
Zoom** |
| Wednesdays, 7p |
Choir Rehearsal |
Sanctuary |
| Thursdays, 8a |
Women Walking the Way |
Beaver Lake |
| Thursday, Dec 16, 1p |
Leadership Meeting |
Zoom |
| Saturday, Dec 18, 2p |
Marzy Israel Memorial Service; Reception to follow |
Sanctuary/Parish Hall |
| |
* BULLETIN AVAILABLE **LINK AT TOP OF HOME PAGE |
graceavl.com |
 Check Out the December Issue of the Grace Team.
And since we don't say it often enough, please be sure to give Kim Hayes a big thank you the next time you see her, for writing and editing submissions to this wonderful monthly magazine. Kim provides us all with a great way to stay a step ahead of the game as all the ministries are asked to submit news to TEAM by the 15th of the prior month. Send your ideas of what you'd like to see covered in TEAM, and your submissions to this email address, grace.church.asheville@gmail.com by the 15th to get it into the upcoming month's newsletter.
In this issue, look for:
- Reflections from Fr. Mike
- Message from Our Sr. Warden
- Events at a Glance
- Return of the Christmas Eve Family Service!
- Annual Meeting / Vestry Nominees
- Advent Projects
- Budget Update, Ministry Schedule and more!
Stay safe, and enjoy this wonderful season with family, friends and community.
Many Blessings,
Valerie
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