Dear Good People of Grace,
All are invited to come to our Sanctuary to worship in-person during our five upcoming Christmas Services. All are required to wear masks in our church. Please join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!
The services 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.
O Come Let Us Adore Him!
 OUR CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE
December 24, 4pm Christmas Eve Paper Bag Pageant & Family Service
December 24, 8pm Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist
December 25, 10am Christmas Holy Eucharist
December 26, 10:30am The First Sunday after Christmas Holy Eucharist
January 2, 10:30am Lessons and Carols Holy Eucharist
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? Jobs include narrators, costume organizers, reception helpers and cleanup!
 Advent in a Bag!
Remember to bring your bag to the church on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or on Sunday, December 26th! Your bag full of much needed non-perishable food items can be brought to the church on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or on Sunday, December 26, if you have not already dropped it off. It will to be delivered to ABCCM to help feed many of the hungry people in our area. 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 project is a great way to make up for all those missed food drives! Thank you to all who participated in this important Outreach ministry.
FOR EPIPHANY
Monday Morning Bible Study Will Be Taking a Break between Dec 20th and January 10th.
 Beginning January 10th until February 14th we look forward to welcoming the Rev. Guy Sayles as our host and teacher for our Monday Morning Bible Study. Please mark your calendars Mondays at 10:30 on Zoom- you don’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity to learn from Rev. Sayles. Details will follow next week.
"Guy Sayles is a writer, speaker, and guide who explores the intersections of faith and life and of meaning and culture. For 13½ years he was pastor at First Baptist Church of Asheville and for four years was on the religion faculty at Mars Hill University. He and his wife, Anita Plunkett Sayles, also an ordained Baptist minister. recently became part of the Grace community. He blogs at FromTheIntersection.org."
Create + Connect Circles Experience during Epiphany
Thursdays from 8-9am at Grace Church, January 13, 20, 27, and February 3
Join Ginger Huebner for a four week Create + Connect Circles experience during Epiphany, as we enter 2022. We will gather in person to share, reflect and connect in response to the weekly sermon and readings through Ginger’s Create + Connect process. This process guides participants by using simple tools of collage and color to interpret ideas and emotions that are often beyond words.
There is no artistic experience necessary. ALL are welcome! All materials provided.
You can find out more about Ginger and this process here: https://www.createandconnectcircles.com
Call Ginger Huebner with any questions: 828-545-4827
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.
CONSIDERING COVID SAFETY
Masks Required in Church:
 Our Sanctuary is open for our Christmas Services. 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. All are welcome!
Transition Room for Children: The parish hall is available during services as a “Transition Room" for children and families. There you can watch the service live streamed and socially distance. This is an offering and of course you and your children are welcome to come on into the sanctuary as well!
 Check Out the December Issue of the Grace Team.
And 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.
Have a joyous and safe Christmas season with family, friends and community.
Merry Christmas!
Many Blessings,
Valerie
Valerie Heavens | Office Manager
Grace Episcopal Church | 871 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, NC 28804
graceavl.com | 828-254-1086 | facebook.com/grace.church.718689/
Youtube Channel
Holiday Office Hours: Office Closed from December 24 - 28, and on January 3rd.
Regular Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(In the Church Office on Tuesdays and Thursdays) |
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