On Sunday, May 20 The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Geitz will preach at the 7:30 AM & 9:45 AM services at Grace Episcopal Church and after the 9:45 service Sr. Jane Mankaa of Cameroon will present a documentary DVD about the Good Shepherd Home and its ministry, as well as a forum with Q & A from participants.

Part book tour to publicize Geitz’ recent book “I Am That Child: Changing Hearts and Changing the World,” and part outreach & awareness, Canon Geitz and Sr. Jane Mankaa, founder & director of Good Shepherd Home in Cameroon, will share their sometimes humorous, sometimes gut-wrenching stories of life at Good Shepherd Home and how their cross-cultural relationship is changing lives not only in Cameroon, but right here at home. Through stories of struggles against AIDS, poverty and sexism, Geitz introduces us to the children of Good Shepherd and asks us to take a good hard look at our own hearts and how we can reach out to the hurting and suffering here and abroad.

Please join us in welcoming these strong, courageous women and in hearing their stories of faith, relationships, and community building across continents.

It’s that time of year again and we need all hands on deck, so to speak. Sign-up sheets for the Quilt Luncheon are in Fletcher Hall and we need everyone to pitch in and help make this another successful event/fundraiser. Following is an idea of what is needed:

• Food Prep (recipes for chicken salad & pasta salad available; cupcakes also needed)

• Supplies (pedestal cake plates, card tables, ice chests, quilts for display, etc…)

• Reservation check-in/Money Table helpers

• Sellers of cookbooks & recipes

• Drivers for carry-out deliveries

• Church Tour Guides

• Host/Hostesses & Waiters/Waitresses

• Kitchen workers & dish scrapers

• Set-up (hang quilts, set-up tables, press table clothes, set tables, mix drinks, etc…)

There will be two seatings: 11:15 & 12:15 and the cost is $8.95 per person. Take-out and delivery are available; however, you must reserve by April 24. Reservations are highly encouraged and may be made by calling Laura Taylor at 502-220-2669 or emailing
ltaylor755@gmail.com. Walk ups will be worked in around reservations.

 
Menu: Curtis Grace California Chicken Salad w/roll
Vegetarian alternative: hummus with roll
“To Die For” Pasta Salad
Assortment of delicious cupcakes
“House of Grace” Tea – coffee

 
We are attempting something new this year. Weather permitting, there will be limited luncheon seating in the courtyard. Thanks so much for helping us to make this event a great success!

 
-Peggy Henney & Laura Taylor

April 2nd, 2012 – Monday of Holy Week – Noonbreak service at Grace at 12:15pm with lunch served at 11:45a and 12:45p,  and Evening Prayer with the Stations of the Cross at 6pm

April 3rd, 2012 – Tuesday of Holy Week – Noonbreak service at Grace (sponsored by Washington St. Baptist) at 12:15pm with lunch served at 11:45a and 12:45p, and Evening Prayer at 6pm

April 4th, 2012 – Wednesday of Holy Week – Noonbreak service at Grace (sponsored by Broadway Methodist) at 12:15pm with lunch served at 11:45a and 12:45p, and The Stations of the Cross for Children at 6pm

April 5th, 2012 – Maundy Thursday – Noonbreak service at Grace (sponsored by First Presbyterian) at 12:15pm with lunch served at 11:45a and 12:45p, and Maundy Thursday service at 7pm

April 6th, 2012 – Good Friday – Noonbreak service at Grace (sponsored by St. Francis) at 12:15pm with lunch served at 11:45a and 12:45p, and Good Friday service at 7pm

April 7th, 2012- Easter Vigil – Vigil service with Baptisms at 6pm

April 8th, 2012 – Easter Sunday – Services at 8am and 10:30am – Please bring flowers and bells to the 10:30a service! The Annual Egg Hunt will take place after the 10:30a service.

Please join us!

Ash Wednesday (February 22): Services of Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes are at Noon and 6:00 p.m. The choir will sing at the 6 p.m. service.

Thursday, February 23, 11:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall: Vintage Grace Luncheon and Program.

New Classes during Lent, starting on February 26:

• “Harry Potter” for 5th-8th Grade after the 9:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, led by the Rev. Meghan Holland in the Youth/Asst. Rector’s Office.
• After the 7:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Meghan will offer “The Next Place” a series discussing liturgical, ethical & theological implications around Christian death and dying. Located in the Adult Library.
• Also on February 26, the Red Cross will be in the Parish Hall for a Blood Drive.

Wednesday Night Lenten Suppers and Classes Begin on February 29 at 5:15 pm. Nursery for babies/toddlers, Godly Play for preschool children, Lenten Arts & Crafts for elementary children, and two groups for adults:

1) Discussion of Rob Bell’s book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived
2) “Caught Between Lamentation and Praise”–Engaging Poetry, Scripture, and Ourselves

As you can see there is much happening, so please join us for one of these exciting programs!

Lay and clergy representatives from each of the churches in our Deanery (the geographical region stretching from Owensboro to Hickman) will discuss how congregations fund the work of the diocese with the goal of presenting a new proposal at the next Diocesan Convention. While this may not be the most exciting topic, it is vital that our congregation be represented at the table as options are explored that will effect our budgeting process in the future, as well as the ability of the diocese to carry out its mission. Please contact the Rev. Libby Wade if you are able to go.

Concert organist, recording artist, and Allen Organ Voicing Specialist Walter Strony will be with us the last week of January to voice our new organ so that it produces the very best sound in relation to the acoustical properties of our worship space. On Sunday, January 29, at 4:00 PM, we will dedicate the organ to the glory of God and then enjoy a gala concert by Mr. Strony, followed by a reception.

Walter Strony has performed hundreds of concerts from coast to coast in the United States, as well as in Japan, Australia, England, and Canada. In July 2007 he performed the first solo organ recital in many years at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. He is the only living organist to have been twice voted “Organist of the Year” by the American Theatre Organ Society—in 1991 and 1993. In 2011 he was the youngest inductee in the ATOS “Hall of Fame.” In addition to being a master Allen Organ voicer, author, and recording artist, Mr. Strony is equally at home playing both theatre and classical organ. Born in Chicago in 1955, he began music lessons at the age of seven. His theatre organ teacher was the famous Chicago organist Al Melgard, who for many years was Staff Organist at the Chicago Stadium. His classical studies were with Herbert L. White and Karel Paukert. In his spare time, Mr. Strony works on the restoration of his mid-century Las Vegas home and enjoys traveling, fine dining, and collecting Art Deco items.

We are in for a treat from this versatile concert artist, who has developed a style uniquely his own. Plan to be here yourself and invite guests!

Join us for Paducah’s Holiday Parade at 5pm on Saturday, December 3rd. We’ll watch the parade together from the sidewalk on Broadway, then we’ll get together for a good ol’ fashioned Holiday Potluck.

Our first Christmas Pageant rehearsal takes place December 4th, after the 9:45am service. There are still open roles, so all children are invited to participate! (Non-speaking roles are even available for children that will only be in town Christmas Eve.) The performance will take place at our 4pm Christmas Eve Service on December 24th. Contact The Rev. Meghan Holland for more information.

St. Nicholas is coming! We will celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 4th with a visit from St. Nicholas himself! Kids should be sure to leave their shoes outside the sanctuary during the 9:45a service. There might be a special treat in them after the service!

Children ages 3-7(ish) are invited to participate in our Godly Play Advent Retreat on Saturday, December 10th at 10am. Lunch for the whole family will follow.

The Hanging of the Greens will be done after the 9:45a Lessons and Carols Service on December 18th. A beautiful service followed by a festive decorating party!

Christmas Offerings

This year, the offerings from our Christmas services will be divided between Grace’s Stained Glass Window Fund, PCM’s Fresh Start Project, and Community Kitchen.

The Nativity Pageant with Holy Eucharist will be December 24th at 4pm. The Festival Eucharist will begin on December 24th at 10:45pm. Christmas Day Eucharist will begin at 11am on December 25th.

Sunday, November 13th at 9:45am Eucharist – Bible Sunday! We’ll be handing out Bibles to our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders.

Sunday, November 13th at 5:00pm – Taize service with Eucharist (No other 5pm services in November)

Thursday, November 24th at 10:00am – Thanksgiving Eucharist

Sunday, November 27th at 4:00pm – Advent Walk with other Downtown Churches

Sunday, December 4th at 9:45am – St. Nicholas Sunday – Come meet St. Nicholas!

We are conducting an open call for those interested in serving on Grace
Church’s Vestry. The Vestry is the decision-making body of a parish. Our
Vestry members are elected to three-year terms and meet once a month (usually
on the fourth Monday evening). Any confirmed member of the congregation
(in good standing), who is not closely related to a staff member or ongoing
vestry member, is eligible for nomination. The Vestry Nominating Committee
will present a slate of five nominees for election at our Parish Annual Meeting
on February 12, 2012. If you have further questions or would like to be
considered for nomination, please contact the Rev. Libby Wade or one of the
our outgoing Vestry members, who form the Nominating Committee: Michael
Cochran, Johnette Mends-Cole, Phil Counts, Genie Drossos, and Todd Jones.
A Vestry Job Description can be found on our website:
www.gracepaducah.net/resources-2/vestry/
The deadline for submitting names to the committee is December 1, 2011.

"We can almost taste the love!"

Goal: 515 Containers of Soup by January 1, 2012
Who will we help? The poor.
Why do people need food? To survive and keep from dying.
What are our favorite soups? Chicken Noodle, Chicken & Dumplings,
Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Chili, Beef Stew, Beef Vegetable, Potato,
Broccoli & Cheese, Tomato (does that give you any ideas of what to bring?).
How will we reach our goal? By our whole church working together!
Where do people put the soup they bring? During the week, soup may be
placed in the Food Pantry near the Men’s Restroom in the office hallway. On
Sunday, place soup in one of the bright green storage tubs near the front door
or the Fletcher Hall door of the church.
When? Every family, every Sunday! The Project ends on January 1, 2012.
How will this class help? Make a sign to identify the Food Pantry, write
newsletter articles, make a poster, count the soup each week, present some
of the soup at the offertory in the 9:45 worship service as a symbol of our
food offering.

Remember: “Every Family, Every Sunday!”
–Submitted by: Sarah, Kendall, Kiersten, Sophie, Frannie,
Libby, Jake, Ava, and Alexis.