GRACE NOTES FROM THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE ˜

GRACE
NOTES
Grace Episcopal Church ˜ 133 School Street ˜ New Bedford, M A 02740
Decem ber 2014
FROM THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus com pares the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast and introduces us to ten bridesm aids who
wait for the bridal couple. The couple would have probably been returning from the bride’s hom etown, and these wedding
attendants would have served an im portant purpose in welcom ing them , even lighting the way to the banquet with their lam ps.
These particular bridesm aids are waiting longer than usual and they get tired. If they are anything like m e, m aybe they even
becom e bored or distracted, or begin to get irritated because things aren’t going the way they think they should go. They all
fall asleep. And when they wake up, som e are about to run out of oil for their lam ps, while others have brought extra.
In ending the parable, Jesus tells us to “keep awake.” He encourages us to stay alert, ready to see, because the bridegroom
is com ing. Jesus is com ing, and not just at one point in the future. As we know from other places in Scripture, Jesus is com ing
m om ent by m om ent, right here, now, through so m any different people, in so m any ways.
There are m om ents when I am like those bridesm aids. I fall asleep. I becom e lethargic or unaware, sidetracked or annoyed,
and then at tim es I am running around needing to use som eone else’s oil. Maybe you have experienced this as well. W e can
begin to coast, and som etim es we just need a break. W e should be able to depend upon each other in this.
And then there could be a a tim e when coasting becom es not a m uch-needed break but rather a way of life. W e can forget
who we are, what we are m eant for, what we have been given by God. W e can take relationship with God for granted - this
sacred journey of walking with and learning from God and one another as beloved children. W e even becom e content to use or unaware that we are using - the oil from the lam ps of others. This m ight work for a while, but it is not sustainable in the long
term .
In the Novem ber newsletter, I wrote som ething about the finances of this parish (gracechurchnb.org/newsletters, page 5). In
this Decem ber edition, you will be able to read where we are in our Stewardship Cam paign, which is vital to our budget and
thus to our m inistry.
It is very clear that Grace Church thrives because of all of us here, working together. It also functions through a generous use
of the “lam p oil” of previous generations who have contributed to an endowm ent - over half of the parish’s budget is funded
through this. That can work in the short term , and there are tim es when we need each other’s oil. But it is not sustainable. W e
need to stay awake to the oil that we use to keep the lam ps of this parish lit, and continue to engage with those ways in which
we can contribute with our own oil.
Let us not becom e com placent, content to m erely use the oil of others without pitching in ourselves, taking ownership, engaging
with life and with the blessed com m unity of which we are a part. As we have done through our Stewardship Cam paign, let us
continue to recognize what God has given us, give thanks for this, and pray together how we can offer who we are and what
we have been given back to God for the good of each other, of our parish, our surrounding com m unity and the world.
This is not just financial, of course. Stewardship includes all those ways that we use God’s good gifts for the good of all. Let
us keep awake to God’s goodness and generosity, to our own gratitude and to how we can offer our gifts back to God. Let us
stay awake and fill those lam ps, because Jesus is com ing and we are invited to welcom e him and light the way to the banquet,
where we all are invited to partake together from God’s abundance.
Am en.
Grace Notes ˜ Page 2
Decem ber 2014
THE PULL OF THE PARISH
This moving message was shared by Veronique Sylvia at the 10 am service on November 7. The audio can be found at
gracechurchnb.org/guest-speaker/
Good m orning! My nam e is Veronique Sylvia. My husband Mark could not be here this m orning, but I am here with our children,
Mitchell and Scarlett.
I was asked to speak on why we are here. W hy we com e to Grace. W hat Grace provides for us. W hat is the pull?
W ell, I guess I should give you a quick background story about who I am and how I ended up here in the first place.
That will help you understand why I am here today.
I converted and confirm ed in the Episcopal Faith at Grace Church when I was pregnant with Mitchell. This is over ten
years ago now. I had been on the search for a place where I would feel com fortable raising m y children in faith. I had spent
som e tim e “church shopping” and had com e to Grace with a list of questions. I sat down with the rector and basically
interviewed him ... and I loved what I heard!
W e would never be told that our friends of other faiths were “wrong”. My sister and her wife, and m y brother and his
partner, would be accepted here and m y children would know that her aunt and uncle were welcom e. I would not be subject
to serm ons dictating how I should be voting in the next election. It would be OKAY if I was not here EVERY Sunday. And there
would be no issue with our children asking question, after question, after question. After all, their m other was an inquisitive
child. Mark and I decided that is was im portant to raise our children with faith but to also perm it them to find the right path. W e
are just here to guide them while we can.
So, after I had gone through m y list, I knew this was the place for us to raise our fam ily, I understood from every
answer that I received that this was not a place of judgem ents and restrictions. This was a com m unity that would welcom e
those looking to connect with God and find som ething of m eaning in their life.
And Grace has allowed us to do just that. For the next several years we enjoyed com ing on Sundays. W e baptized
Mitchell and then Scarlett when she arrived. W hen they were little it was a great way to get out of the house. Have som e quiet
tim e and be with adults. Then we had a toddler! Many of you know what that it is like. The tim e it took to get out of the house,
the effort it took to keep him entertained: Serm on? W hat serm on? I was m issing everything I had com e here for. I wasn’t
connecting with God while I was here. I was frustrated. And I realized that I was connecting with God when I was with m y little
boy in the back yard watching him m arvel at a leaf crunching in his hand or his excitem ent over a rabbit running by. That was
where I needed to be and what I needed to be doing to connect with God and all the beautiful things He had given us. So we
m issed quite a few Sundays at that tim e. But the pull to the parish was still there.
So when Mitchell and Scarlett were a bit older, and had slightly longer attention spans, we could use crayons and
books to beep them busy while we tuned one ear to the serm on. W e found a routine that worked and soon they were attending
Children’s chapel and Church school.
W hat a wonderful experience that has been. The children’s m inisters have always done a wonderful job of relating to
the children; breaking down the com plicated m essages. Grace does a wonderful job in including the children in the parish. W e
have enjoyed walking right up to the altar to witness, up close, the breaking of the bread. W e cozy up to our neighbor as we
gather on the floor at the front of the church to listen to the children’s m inister. I love how the children are incorporated in the
baptism sacram ent. Mostly I love how our children are invited to take part in every aspect of the church, as soon as we feel
they are willing and ready. For those of you who have always been at Grace, you m ay not realize how refreshing this welcom ing
attitude towards children is.
About a year and a half ago, Mark and I decided our fam ily was ready for m e to m ake a transition and that I would
increase m y hours as a financial services professional. Although the hours can be flexible, this was a huge transtition for the
fam ily. Everyone was now taking on different roles and responsibilities and tim e seem ed to slip away from us. The LAST thing
I wanted to do on a Sunday m orning was rush out of the house and put on m y dressy clothes AGAIN. So, we m issed quite a
few Sundays again. Once the routine settled in and the hectic nature seem ed to die down a bit I started to feel the pull once
again. But now it wasn’t just m e. It was the children too. They would ask when would we be going back. They would ask why
we don’t go anym ore. They would tell m e about the things they enjoy about com ing to Grace. They had found a connection
here too.
So why do we com e to Grace? W hat does Grace give us? It gives us a connection to som ething m ore than ourselves.
Som ething that we have felt is m issing when we don’t m ake it here. Som ething we cannot create on our own. A com m unity.
A com m unity that has welcom ed us from day one. A com m unity that is just happy that we m ade it here today. A com m unity
that is invested in our children and invested in bettering the world. W e com e to Grace because it m akes us feel good to be
here. And that is because of all of you. Because you are Grace. You are the parish. And you are the pull that brings us back
here again and again.
Grace Notes ˜ Page 3
Decem ber 2014
TOGETHER NOW UPDATE
W e have just received our third quarter disbursem ent of Together Now funds for 2014. W e have 65 donors so far,
pledging a current total of $426,311.94. W hile 30% of this supports the Diocese of Massachusetts in vital initiatives of
m inistry and m ission, 70% supports Grace Church in the areas of Pastoral Leadership, Reserved Long-Term
Maintenance, and New Outreach Initiatives. The latest disbursem ent was $5,550.87, m aking the current total already
received by Grace $113,299.25. Thank you to all of us who contributed to this cam paign and to those who are still
considering their participation! Travis Bowie continues as Chair, and you can talk with her, to Paula Cabral or to Chris if
you have any questions. The Cam paign is a five-year effort and so the opportunity to join is still available for those of us
who haven’t done so already.
Together Now funds help us as we ...
Deepen our engagement in mission outside the church walls: 10% of funds
These funds are designated to further the hopes and dream s of our Grace Church fam ily in Mission and
Outreach, allowing us to explore possibilities over and above what we are presently doing.
Expand our ministry to Grace and the New Bedford community through pastoral leadership and
programs: 65% of funds
These funds help Grace to staff vital m inistry positions, providing funding which com plem ents our annual
giving for the next several years while we work together to m eet this need long-term through our own
increased and faithful stewardship. W orking alongside our com m itted com m unity of faith, these positions
will help us nurture an environm ent which continues to allow for growth and depth in our com m on life
together.
Seed the future by gathering funds to make necessary improvements to our church building: 25% of
funds
These funds support future parish planning for our worship and program space, and are invested in a
preventative m aintenance account through our endowm ent so that we are better prepared for the
m aintenance which our building requires.
________________________________________________________________________________
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2015
I was so m oved during the In-Gathering Celebration by the num ber of parishioners who placed their pledge cards in the
basket, representing their faithful com m itm ent to God, during each of the services. Grace Church is truly blessed by all
who give of their tim e, talent, and treasure.
W hen reflecting on Rev. Chris’ serm on, we are also in need of m ore oil to keep the lam p burning in order to
continue the various m inistries here at Grace. Currently, the oil comes from the present parishioners as well as from the
past parishioners who have left their m onies to be used to help support the church. However, if we do not stay awake and
attend to our lam ps, we m ay run out of the “lam p oil” or, in other words, the endowm ent. My hope is to have each of us
continue to pray on how we can give of ourselves and of our possessions back to God in order to support each other, our
parish, our surrounding com m unity, and our world.
For those who have pledged for 2015, thank you for your faithful com m itm ent and for being so generous. For
those who are still prayerfully considering their pledge, please m ail or place your pledge in the plate during a service as
soon as possible.
As of Novem ber 14 we have received pledge cards from 156 households totaling $215,744. W e still have a ways
to go. In order to m eet our budget, our goal was $260,000 with 100% of the households to pledge. To date, we currently
have 59% of the households pledging.
W e also have good news! W e have received 30 pledges from households that are new to Grace, have never
pledged before, or that have not been able to pledge in recent years; in addition, 37 households have been able to
increase their pledge this year, while 13 households have decreased their pledge.
If anyone has any questions, please free feel to contact the Rev. Chris Morck or m yself. Thank you, again, to all
who continue to support Grace Church through the generosity of your tim e, talent, and treasure.
Beth Sharp-McKay
Stewardship Chair
Grace Notes ˜ Page 4
Decem ber 2014
È December Highlights È
FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN
December 5: Sippican Concert
Galations 5:25 “… If you walk by the Spirit
then you also live by the Spirit…”
Tidings of Comfort & Joy
December 6: 9:00 am Advent Quiet Day
with John of the Trinity
December 7: Bishop’s Vistation
The Rt. Rev. Alan Gates
10:00 am Celebrates & Preaches
11:00 am Visits Church School
and Coffee Hour
12:00 noon Meeting with Vestry & Parish Leaders
1:00 pm Lunch with Youth at Rectory
December 20: 9:00am Pageant Rehearsal
December 21: 10:00am Children’s Pageant
11:00am Hanging of the Greens
4:00pm Lessons & Carols
December 24: Christmas Eve
5:00pm Children’s Crèche
7:00pm Festival Eucharist & Blessing of the Crèche
11:00pm Midnight Mass
December 25: Christmas Day
10:00am Holy Eucharist
January 4: 4:00pm Epiphany Festival of Lights
Ok, som etim es it m ight seem as though
we are running rather than walking. It has
certainly been a busy and challenging fall here at
Grace Church.
W atching the progress and scope of work in the
office area has certainly seem ed overwhelm ing at tim es,
but also has allowed us to experience unforeseen
blessings and the opportunity to “dream ” about how this
newly rebuilt area will benefit and enhance so m any of our
m inistries. The Subcom m ittee has been m eeting regularly
with the architect and contractors. Many hours of
discussion and planning have gone into this endeavor,
and will continue through to the end of the project. In
addition to this m onum ental undertaking, m y thanks go
out to Charlie Capizano for his devotion and dedication to
all that has been handed to him in his short tenure as
Junior W arden thus far: im provem ents to the Rectory, to
Grace House, the kitchen area, the South Room , and
have you noticed the beautifully restored doors on the
County and School street sides? The Tower project is on
the horizon. I am sure I am leaving som ething out, but
Charlie has been a beacon through what m ight have been
som e dark days-and I am grateful for the light!
Away from the physical m ortar and stone, there
are things I have been noting and rejoicing in as far as our
spiritual infrastructure goes: the ways we continue to build
up Grace through our conversations and gatherings, our
relationships, our com radery, our faith and our love for
each other as parishioners each week, as we gather at
services and celebrations. The inclusive extension of
hospitality at our coffee hour (not to m ention the fabulous
food!) has been a wonderful addition to the 10am Sunday
service. Folks are enthusiastic and coming–this is
exciting! The Choirs add another wonderful dim ension to
worship, and there has been m uch positive feedback with
regard to the placem ent of the anthem following
com m union, as well as where the choir is presenting this
anthem . There have been m any favorable com m ents
regarding this. People are listening and responding! This
is good news.
The W elcom e Ministry Team is vibrant and active,
creating new pew pam phlets for our visitors/newcom ers
and offering ways in which they m ay becom e engaged
and involved in the life of Grace. The Stewardship Team
has com piled a wonderful slide show focused upon the life
of Grace, its m inistries and m issions, and has been
working diligently to prom ote and offer them up to all who
enter the doors of our church. It really does em phasize
what G race is and how we want to m ake a difference in
the world around us. The Together Now cam paign
continues to bless us with a “Life Together” intern, Victoria
(Tori) Laskey. Her areas of m inistry work include working
with our youth, assisting with liturgical m inistry, and
volunteering with som e of our outreach m inistries. Please
take som e tim e to introduce yourself to Tori as she
Grace Notes ˜ Page 5
continues her work here at Grace.
I am encouraged by so m uch positive feedback this fall!
W e are off to a great start. I pray that we continue to support
each other and all our program s wherever they are being carried
forth. Grace can be in our hearts, our lives, our hom es, for each
other, for our neighbors and for the world. W here is Grace for you
and for m e? Perhaps this m ay be our Advent prayer. And that is
good news.
Peace, Paula
FROM THE JUNIOR WARDEN ...
As you have noticed, the m ain entrance doors and arches have
been com pleted in what we call “W elcom ing Red”. W ork to paint
the railings which are peeling will be begun shortly, using the
sam e m aritim e black that was used on the hardware of the doors.
W e are also investigating com m ercial grade door guards for the
bottom s of the doors to preserve and protect them from future
dam age.
W hile the basem ent is in dem o stage, the vestry has
approved replacing our 30-year-old furnaces with high efficiency
stainless steel “condensing” furnaces, which will m axim ize the
recently installed com puter system by allowing us to control the
tem perature of outgoing and incom ing water. Used with variable
pum ps, this will lower our gas bill by an estim ated $1,250 per year
using today’s gas prices. Other savings include a $4,000 rebate,
the annual $2,100 m aintenance agreem ent required for the old
furnaces, but not necessary with the new furnaces, and a
cheaper cost to rem ove the old furnaces through the dem olished
office area. It is im portant to note that the life expectancy of the
current furnaces is 25 years; they are now going on 30. W e
would also rather do the work now, rather than wait for an
em ergency situation to arise which would be disruptive and m ore
costly.
New traps have been installed as recom m ended, prior to
replacing the split downspouts. W e should see all broken and
dam aged slate on the roof addressed and new bronze colored
alum inum downspouts installed in the com ing weeks.
Converting to LED lighting throughout the building is in
the process. NSTAR and its engineer were here to advise us.
The church and chapel will not be included because our dim m ers
do not accom m odate LED, and new dim m ers would be too
expensive, given the hours of usage of the church; it would not
qualify for reim bursem ent and so is definitely not worth it.
Everywhere else will be converted.
Thanks to Jerré Croteau’s initiative, new s ig n s a r e i n
place with m ore on the way. W hat a great idea to identify our
spaces with thoughtful, attractive signage. Great job, Jerré’!
Other odds and ends are also being done around the
building, from replacing plexiglass in the South Room and
Rodm an Hall to the anticipated new spray faucet in the kitchen.
In closing, when Ned Hines, Betsy Pye and I attended
one of the Sacred Places sem inars, the speaker addressed the
need to change our attitudes when approaching the task of
preservation and restoration. Stagnant institutions envelop
them selves in a culture of scarcity whose m ain goal is to protect
m oney from com peting needs.
This breeds the lim iting m indset that there is a scarcity
of resources which then concludes that there is not enough for
our congregation and m inistries.
Decem ber 2014
But Grace Church does not fit this profile. W e are
a vibrant, active, and growing com m unity which reflects a
culture of abundance. W e share our gifts in action with
others. W e recognize that we have abundant gifts and,
yes, resources of all kinds, especially our people who
work tirelessly serving our church and com m unity. There
is no church of any denom ination in the greater New
Bedford area that shares its blessings with the larger
com m unity m ore than Grace.
These past m onths, as your junior warden, have
crystalized this vibrancy for m e by what I have seen, by
the support that has been given, and, perhaps m ore
im portantly, the responses and com m ents by all who work
with us from the com m unity. From our whaling days to
today, the oil from our lam p has and will burn brightly
because of you. Thanks for all of your support.
PRIEST-IN-CHARGE DISCERNMENT
W hen Grace Church engaged the Rev. Chris Morck as
our Priest-in-Charge for a three year term , it was agreed
that in the third year both he and the Vestry would
undertake a period of discernm ent as to whether he
should continue as our Rector. The Vestry has tasked the
discernm ent team with evaluating where we as a parish
are now.
W e are also tasked with updating the Parish
Profile created during the search process which resulted
in calling the Rev. Bill Bradbury to be our Rector; that
profile was com pleted in 2004.
The team has adapted the survey used to create
the original profile, distributing copies during all services
the first two weeks in October. Thank you so m uch for
your response! W e will now be collating the results, and
working on updating other parts of the profile, which
includes a sum m ary of our m any outreach activities, a
history of the church and a history of New Bedford.
The team will host coffee hour Decem ber 14, and
we will update you on our progress at that tim e, as well as
taking any questions you m ay have.
Dana Sargent, Mike Goulart, Ruth Jolliffe, Pauline
Roderiques, Cindy Shea, Diana Ukleja
Grace Notes ˜ Page 6
Decem ber 2014
A HUGE “THANK YOU” FROM THE
CONNECTING FOR CHANGE CONFERENCE!
Hi, Grace Com m unity,
I can’t extend m y gratitude enough to you all and your com m unity
over at Grace Episopal. You all went so far above and beyond
what we were hoping for, it was am azing.
All of the groups that cam e down had a wonderful tim e;
I received m any com plim ents from each group about their
experience. The conference gives these students the opportunity
to m eet like-m inded peers, and be inspired to em power
them selves. Thanks for helping m ake that happen.
I hope to stay connected with your com m unity, whether
through the Marion Institute, Health or Garden connections, or
personally.
Adam Davenport
Connecting for Change Youth Coordinator
Marion Institute
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
COULD YOU USE SOME QUIET TIME?
Grace Church will host an Advent quiet day on Saturday,
Decem ber 6, from nine to one.
After a short tim e to get everyone settled over m orning
refreshm ents, we will m ove into a tim e of silence. John of the
Trinity will offer two brief m editations, after each of which
participants are welcom e to find a spot to reflect or journal. W e’ll
gather for a short service, with an opportunity to discuss the
experience, and finish with a light lunch.
Please let Diana Ukleja know if you plan to attend, so that
we know how m uch food we need.
E m a il
diana.ukleja@ gm ail.com or call 508 415-8920.
The team would also like to start a book discussion
group. Suggestions invited! Spiritual Form ation Ministry Team :
Diana Ukleja, Victoria Laskey, Louise Kelly, John of the Trinity
__________________________________________________
ANGEL TREE PROGRAM
Grace Church will be providing Christm as gifts to 50 children this
year through the Angel Tree Program , a m inistry that provides
gifts for children who have an incarcerated parent.
The suggested price range for a gift for one of the
children is $15-$25. Gift tags will hang on our Angel Tree in the
Church the weekend of Novem ber 29/30. To help, all you need
to do is take one of the tags from the tree, purchase the gift, and
bring the wrapped gift to Church prior to Decem ber 14 for delivery
to the fam ilies. Each tag provides all purchase inform ation.
If you are willing or able to help with organizing gifts for
delivery or with delivering the gifts to the fam ilies, please contact
Charlene Ryder, Angel Tree Program Coördinator.
Thank you.
VESTRY HAPPENINGS
October 29, 2014 Vestry meeting
Voted to approve the Memorial Gift Fund’s
recommendation for the Eucharistic Visitors ministry to
purchase: 4 new Eucharistic Visitor kits, 6 purificators,
and 3 corporals in the amount of $1,491.95.
Voted to continue covering Rosemary Morgan’s salary
and benefits from the time of expiration of her vacation,
sick and comp time to the end of the year (2014) through
this period of recovery for health reasons.
Voted to approve roofing contract ‘A roofing contract to
repair all missing and damaged slates on the roof, and
replace all downspouts with a bronze color aluminum. A
separate project will replace the cast iron traps, along
with cleaning the drains to the sewer system. Costs:
roofing and gutters -$12,500; cast iron traps with
cleanouts -$1,290, with the funding source to come from
the Building Fund - Account #11370.
Voted to ratify the Trustees’ vote as it is worded in the
motion by the Trustees: "After extended discussion, Mr.
Smialek made a motion to approve the Vestry’s request
for $700,000 from the endowment for building-related
work and approve the Vestry’s request for $100,000 from
the endowment for basement- related work (to be
confirmed by forthcoming correspondence from the
Vestry) with payment made as needed. Ms. Perry-Lopes
seconded the motion. Upon a call for a vote, the motion
was APPROVED.”
Respectfully submitted,
Charlene N. Ryder
____________________________________
WEBSITE IMPROVEMENTS
Many thanks to Jim McKay, Bob Vowell, and Tori Laskey
for taking the website under their wing. If you haven't
visited it in some time, please take a minute to check it
out. Jim and Bob have put a lot of time and energy into
keeping things current, adding pictures, and putting in the
audio of the sermons and now the anthems from the
choir, and Tori is supporting them in this. The website is
becoming a great source of information about the parish
and what is happening here week-by-week. It also can
be a good introduction to Grace for those who are new or
interested in attending.
If you have feedback or church-related content to be
posted on the website, please let Bob, Tori or Jim know.
Grace Notes ˜ Page 7
Decem ber 2014
LITURGY & LITURGICAL M INISTRY
Jerré Croteau, Verger
ADVENT & CHRISTM AS
Beginning on Novem ber 30 th, we enter the beginning of a brand new liturgical year. The lectionary (the assigned readings for
each Sunday) are on a three-year cycle. W e just com pleted Year A, and are now beginning Year B, during which the Gospels
of Mark and John are predom inant. Throughout the m onth of Decem ber and into the beginning of January, we go through the
two shortest liturgical seasons of the year: Advent, which never lasts m ore than four weeks, and Christm as which, as the song
says, only lasts twelve days (Decem ber 25-January 5).
At Grace, the color of Advent is Blue, which represents hope and anticipation. During Advent we will be using Prayers
of the People V and Eucharistic Prayer B at the five and ten-o’clock services. Novem ber 29-30, we celebrate the First of
Advent. You will find the Advent W reath in the church and chapel, with three blue and one rose candle. Each week an
additional candle is lit to m ark the four weeks of waiting for the Birth of our Savior. This first week you will also find the Angel
Tree in the church, upon which hang angels with the nam es of children, whose parents are incarcerated, for whom you m ay
wish to supply Christm as presents.
Decem ber 6-7 is the Second of Advent The regular services will take place at 5:00 pm on Saturday and 8:00 am
on Sunday; at which our Life Together Intern, Victoria Laskey will preach. Healing will also take place before the 5:00-o’clock
service and after the 8:00. On this Sunday our new bishop, the Right Reverend Alan Gates will celebrate and preach at the
10-o’clock service. He will be on hand to m eet with various groups, the details of which schedule appear elsewhere in this
newsletter.
Decem ber 13-14 us the Third of Advent with regular services. This Sunday is also called “Gaudete Sunday” and the
color rose can be used. Gaudete in Latin m eans rejoice (the waiting is alm ost over.) Dec. 20-21, the Fourth of Advent, there
will be regular services at 5:00 and 8:00. Beginning with the 10-o’clock service we, begin one of our m ost chaotic and funfilled
liturgical experiences of the year: The liturgy of W ord will be the Children’s Pageant and the service will be followed by the
Hanging of the Greens, at which the congregation and the children are asked to help with the festooning of the church and
the erection of the crèche. Food will be available for those who stay and partticipate. This year we will be using brand new
statues for our crèche (the story of which appears in a separate article). W e round the day off with a service of Lessons &
Carols at 4:00 pm .
Next com es Christmas Eve, this year W ednesday Dec 24; Advent ends and the twelve days of Christm as begin. The
color of the Christm as Season, like all joyous seasons, is W hite; we will be using Prayers of the People IV and Eucharistic
Prayer B. . The Advent W reath now sports white candles and becom es the Christm as candelabrum , into which will be placed
the Christ Candle in procession, where it will rem ain until it is brought out to light the world two weeks later at the Festival of
Lights. W e start the festivities off with a sim ple story-telling service for our youngest children, the 5-o’clock Crèche Service.
At 7-o’clock, it is a Festival Eucharist with full procession, two choirs and will include the Dedication and Blessing of the new
Crèche figures. Later that night, (though seem ingly illogical tim e-wise) we will have our “M idnight Mass” at 11:00 pm.
Traditionally, m any of the sam e veteran acolytes com e back from far-away places to serve on Christm as Eve. W e will be using
charcoal-less, self-burning. incense at this service, thus avoiding the acrid sm oke and unfortunate visits from the Fire Brigade,
that you m ay recall at Easter.
On Christm as Day Thursday Decem ber 25, an intim ate service of Holy Eucharist will be held in the chancel of the
m ain church at 10:00 am .
The last weekend of Decem ber, the 27- 28 th (the third and fourth days of Christm as), is the First Sunday of
Christm as. The regular services will be held, but there will be no choir at the 10-o’clock Eucharist. Christm as extends until
January 5, but the Epiphany Festival of Lights service will be held on January 4, at 4:00 p.m , officially ending Christm as at
Grace.
A rem inder that the W ednesday 7-o’clock Gathered-in Grace Service has been suspended for the winter m onths. On
the W ednesdays of Decem ber, we will be celebrating St. Andrew on Decem ber 3 which will be a Morning Prayer Service;
then Eucharist and Healing services will celebrate Karl Barth on Decem ber 10; O Sapientia on Decem ber 17; Chrism as Eve
Dec 24 there will be no 10:00 a.m . service; and the Eve of Holy Name on Decem ber 31. Please note: the W ednesday 10o’clock service will be cancelled whenever New Bedford schools are cancelled.
Grace Notes ˜ Page 8
Decem ber 2014
OUR CRÈCHE AND TRIM M INGS
Jerré Croteau, Parish Historiographer
W hen Grace Church em erged on the religious scene in 1833, the ritual of decorating for Christm as was frowned upon
by m any of the m ore conservative Christian Societies in New Bedford, particularly the Friends. The Anglican tradition of
hanging the church with greens was therefore a novelty. From the first Christm as in the newly built church, m oney was
appropriated to purchase greens to trim Grace Church. It is m entioned annually in the vestry m inutes of those tim es and an
entry for these trim m ings is incorporated in m ost of the early annual treasurer’s reports. Sam uel Rodm an, a staunch Quaker,
becom es involved with Grace Church very early in its history because of his two Swedish foster children, who are Lutheran.
He enrolls them in Grace Church because the Episcopal Church is the closest to the religion in which they were baptized.
Notwithstanding the objections of the Friends, his diary reveals that he attends the services at Grace Church alm ost every
Christm as, in order to see the festive decorations and to accom pany several m em bers of his fam ily who one by one convert
to the Episcopal faith.
Though for fire reasons, the greens are now artificial, the annual festooning of the church has been a tradition here
at Grace since it opened its doors on Union Street. Our crèche, however, is a relatively new addition. The Crèche itself and
all of the figures we have been displaying until now, were donated in m em ory of Jacob Handy, and were given by his wife,
Lulm ira, with the exception of the Magi, which were purchased from the Grace Mem orial Fund.
The Holy Fam ily was given in 1963, but the Christ Child is not the original. It was stolen and replaced in 1977,
subsequently broken and replaced with one m ore to scale with the other figures. The shepherd and the donkey were added
in 1979. The figures of Mary, Joseph, and the shepherd are all in scale and are approxim ately 32" high. The donkey is also
a part of this ensem ble; unfortunately one of his ears is broken. The sheep are not m entioned in the Book of Rem em brance,
but appear to be of the sam e m anufacture as the other figures (with the exception of the Magi and the ox), all of which are
m olded in plaster, so the sheep probably cam e with the shepherd. The Book of Rem em brance tells us that the Magi were given
in 1979. They are only about two-thirds scale with the other figures, the tallest standing about the sam e height as the other
figures which are kneeling. They appear to be m ade of resin and m olded to look like carved wood. The two standing figures
were m anufactured by Form co of New York. The kneeling Magus, curiously is m arked Alfco, New York, and is signed on the
bottom by the then sexton, Charles MacMurray, who appears to have im m ortalized him self in this way. There is no m ention
of the ox, though he too appears to be m ade of resin and is the only free-standing anim al, as the others, m ade of plaster, are
m olded into a flat base.
This year a com pletely new set of statues for the Handy Mem orial has been purchased through funds donated by
several individuals, and will m ake their appearance for the first tim e this Christm as. They are 32"-36" high, all to scale with
one another, and a few m ore characters have been added to com plete the ensem ble, They are of m uch-lighter m aterial (a
stone-resin m ix) and will be m uch easier to handle. These new figures will be dedicated and blessed on Christm as Eve at the
Festival Eucharist at 7:00 p.m . W e hope to find a hom e for our old statues, which though som ewhat deteriorated are still in
reasonable condition.
Another part of our Christm as, are the candelabra which light the nave and chancel. These were given by m any
parishioners in 1947, and occupy page after page of the book of rem em brance and each is a m em orial to som eone.
È ADVENT & CHRISTMAS MEMORIALS È
Gift of Lulm ira Handy in m emory of Jacob Handy:
CRÈCHE
Virgin M ary & St. Joseph, 1963
Christ Child, 1977
[replacem ent for original Christ Child 1963]
Shepherd and Donkey, 1977;
Gift of the Rev. Sarah K. Hague:
Christ Child, 1999
Grace Memorial Fund:
The M agi, 1979
Gift of Mr & Mrs. Alfred Sm ialek, Peter & David Sm ialek
in Thanksgiving:
ADVENT W REATH & CANDLESTAND, 1994
Handwoven Gift of Patricia Nieman:
BLUE ADVENT BURSE, VEIL & HANGINGS, 2000
Gift of Jerré Croteau & Robert Boardm an in memory of
Kennedy Shaw, Richard Hagan & the Rev. Clifford Kolb:
CHURCH W REATHS, GREENS & TRIM M INGS, 2000
Gift of Various Parishioners & Friends of Grace
in Memory of
Robert O. Boardman, Richard Bowie, Ronald Guillemette,
Norm an Lopes, Adele Smialek,, Una Vincent
Dorothy & Penry W arr
SET OF CRÈCHE STATUARY, 2014
Grace Notes ˜ Page 9
Decem ber 2014
È ADVENT & CHRISTMAS MEMORIALS È
(Continued)
+In Thanksgiving and Memory of
William Gordon, Rehnberg Wingate & his son, Catherine Beattie, David T. Wilbur, James J. Miller, Departed m embers of the Evening
Auxiliary, Margaret A. Tupper, Walter G. Thom pson, William Orr, Irene Barrett, Kenneth R. Sm ith, John E. Wood, John A. MacLeod,
Alice Blacklidge, Robert Hazeltine, Jr., James L. Lemos; Edward, Henrietta Charles, Beatrice, Harry & William Bly; Frank &
Elizabeth Congdon, Delphine E. Sturtevant, William H. Broadbent, Dorothy M. Upton, Kate A. Arden, Julia Lattim er, Lucy J. Stowell,
Florence P. Eldridge, H enry D. Cornell, William H. Brown, Alice W. Goodwin, Alfred S. Dunham, Michael Bendikson, Marion
Wordell, William & Hannah Huston, Departed Grace Church Mothers, Sheldon Gardner, Robert C. Kirby, Alfred Bradley; Louis,
Lillian & Anthony Sears; Winona & Frank Hanna, John Chartier, David Kinghorn, Lydia Whitehead, Departed m embers of the
Wom an’s Guild, Mildred Sturtevant, Frank & Laura Moody, Philip & John Threshie, John Harwood, Sanford Read, Daniel Smith,
Joseph & Mary Ellen M arsh, Elizabeth Nelson, Em m a Harwood, Henry Dixon, Harriet Gunning, Richm ond Wood, Ralph Bardsley,
Minnie Abram s, Irving Cartwright, John G. Kennedy, Grace & Henry Wood, Departed m embers of the Wom an’s Auxiliary, Manuel
& Lucy Avelar, Charles Goulding, Martha Rowand, Harry Allen, Julia A. Rodm an, Edith Morgan Wright, Ruth Ellen Jennings and
by m any people in thanksgiving :
PEW CANDELABRA, 1947
Metal donated by the Klarén Fam ily
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRATEFUL THANKS
Dear Friends,
I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all that the Grace Church community has done to help me get through these
last three months. It was a journey I wasn't expecting and one I wasn't at all prepared for. Your prayers and positive thoughts
have helped me greatly. I do believe I am finally on the road to a full recovery.
I so appreciate all that Grace has done......Chris' many calls and visits, Charlene Ryder's visits with me in the hospital (she
even found me in the emergency room one day), Charlene Nelson's delivery of flowers from the altar, the many cards, phone
calls and visits I received from parishioners, my co-workers' calls and visits, and the volunteers who have so generously
given of their time to help in the office.
And now, I have learned that the Vestry has approved continuing my salary through the end of the year. I am so very grateful
to you and Grace Church for this very generous gift which will be a huge help to us.
As I continue my recovery, I look forward to returning to Grace and hope to be back by year's end. Thank you again for
everything. I am truly blessed to be a part of Grace Church.
Peace and love,
Rosemary
---------------------------------------------------
On behalf of the whole Grace community, I want to express how deeply grateful I am to all those who made this year’s
Bittersweet Bazaar possible. So many people worked to make the Bazaar happen that if I begin naming names the list would
be long indeed. This was such an incredible success thanks to our Bazaar co-chairs, Linda Pope and Andy Sylvia, the chairs
of the different tables, and all those who with their time and energy gave so generously of themselves. Together we worked
hard and had fun, opened our doors to hundreds of people, built relationships within our walls and without, all while raising
funds that help us to continue to minister to our surrounding community. Thank you!
Gratefully,
Chris
Grace Notes ˜ Page 10
Decem ber 2014
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
W HAT’S COM ING UP!
December 20- Pageant rehearsal 9am -11am in the m ain church
December 21- Advent pageant during the 10 o’clock service. Please m eet in the church school area at 9:30am . No Church
school, but please stay after the service for annual greening of the church and lunch.
December 24- Children’s crèche service, 5pm . This is a unique service for children where we sing carols, pray, and hear the
story of the journey to Bethlehem . Please stay for a soup and bread supper and then join us for the 7 o’clock Christm as Eve
fam ily Eucharist.
December 28- No church school
FYI:
W orship bags are available for children at the back of the church for use during the service. They contain a weekly child
oriented bulletin and various activities and quiet gam es. Please return the bags with gam es and crayons after the service.
If you have not registered your child for church school yet please let you child’s church school teacher know or see Melissa
Botelho for registration inform ation. Any child age 3 through grade 5 is welcom e in church school.
Thank you to all the Church School children and fam ilies who are participating with the weekly Offering Envelopes. The Church
School Children have been given individual offering envelopes during Church School and are invited to bring these donation
envelopes weekly to help the m ission and m inistry of Grace Church. The envelopes are collected in Children’s Chapel and
presented at the Offertory by representatives of Church School classes, or m ay be placed in the offering plate during Children’s
Liturgy Sundays. If your child has not received their Offering Envelopes, please speak to your classroom teachers.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE!
Let’s talk Safe Church! Keep your eyes peeled. There are lots of places at Grace that little kids can wonder off to. An adult
should pick up the children at 11:55am in the church school area. T he children are not dism issed from their classroom s
unattended or with another church school aged sibling.
GRACE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
Our After School Program is learning about different countries while exploring each continent. At the end of each country, we
celebrate with food and fun! This gives students an opportunity to try som ething new.
Our students enjoyed a Christm as Celebration Lunch at the Old Country Buffet!
We have added another facet to our program; we are now accepting volunteers ages 15-17. If your child or someone
you know needs to volunteer as part of his/her high school requirements, please feel free to give us a call. We are
glad to help out!
If you are interested in our After School Program , please contact Donna L. Pires at 508-961-1622.
We also have an advisory board always looking for new m em bers, com e join our team !
Grace Notes ˜ Page 11
Decem ber 2014
MEMORIAL GIFTS
New Statuary for the Handy Mem orial Crèche
in memory of Robert O. Boardman, Richard Bowie, Ronald Guillemette, Norman Lopes,
Adele Smialek, Una Vincent, Dorothy & Penry W arr
Food Pantry and Holiday Turkeys
Bonnie Silverstein, Thomas & Susan Knight, Randall & Bernardine Correia (in Memory of Hilda & W alter Mendoza, W alter
P. Mendoza, Mary Frias Correia & Edward Correia), Michael & Ruth Jolliffe, Sean & Patricia Corwin, Edith Lauderdale,
Sennis & Shirley Beck, Alvin & Eileen Mandly, Fred Smialek, Tom & Paula Cabral, Louise Kelly
Harvest Altar
Martha and Bill Reed in Memory of their parents, Louise and Percy Shaw and Claire and Ralph Reed
Com m unity Breakfast
James Bisagni
General
John and Arlene Amaral
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
For the Grace of God’s healing: Native Am erican Com m unities in the United States and especially for the Lakota Rosebud
Reservation, Carolyn Sharp (Mother of Beth Sharp-McKay), Kerry Lonergan (Mother of Jim McKay), Judy Critzer (Friend of
Beth Sharp-McKay), Jen (Friend of Rachel Vincent), Cynthia Barnum (Mem ber), Sheila Lopes (Sister-in-Law of Joan Swain),
Rosem ary Morgan, Morgan Oliveira (Niece of Filom ena Melo), Pauline W hitaker (Sister of George Rogers), Charles & Beverly
Days (Mem ber), Nancy Mularczyk (Mem ber), Claire Morel (Mem ber), Joyce Mickelsen (Friend of Mel Ventura), Sam Murray
(Mem ber), Kathy Vieira, John Gibson, Kyle (Friends of Rosem ary Morgan), John Oxley (Cousin of Chris Morck), Rillis W atkins
(Mem ber), Stephanie Taylor Moynier (Daughter of Priscilla Taylor), Norm a Longo (Mother of Liz Carbonne), M idi Bernadin
(Step-sister of Jim McKay), Debbie St. Pierre (Cousin of Judy Areano), Ashley Richardson (Cousin of Richard Greenhalgh),
Tom Kearns (Mem ber), MLV, Lisa Birknes Tavares & Muriel Foster (Friends & Sister of Teri Nowell), Collin Payant (Grandson
of George & Betsy Fuller), Linda Massa (Mem ber), Russell Costa (Mem ber), Dorothy Scieszka (Mother of Em m a Alm eida),
Bryan Lopes, Ron W isti & Mary (Stepson & Friends of Gerry Lopes), Randy Pollard (Mem ber), Saphirra (Friend of Nina
Vincent), Tom Clarke (M em ber), Len Ellis (Friend of the Beck Fam ily), Theresa Guillem ette (Mother-in-law of Priscilla
Guillem ette), Kim Traynor (Daughter of Judy St. John), Stacey & Brian Paradise & Fam ily (Fam ily of John Evans), Jack Haney
(Mem ber), Ram on Silvelho & Shayne Parker (Son and Fiancé of Sonja Silvelho), Linda Pope (Mem ber), Beverly Haig (Sister
of Eileen M andly), Maureen Steward (Daughter of Mary Salm on, a friend of Richard Fabio), Cecelia Sykes (Mem ber), Don
Booth (Form er Mem ber), Kenneth Brook & Janine Zosiak (Friends of Dorothy Nelson), Caroline Soares (Mother-in-law of
Margaret Acevedo), Jack W alker (Son of Beverly Days), Dennis Uchm an (Brother of Sandi Jaikes), Julie Schm idt (Mem ber),
Noreen Lilja & Curt (Friends of Em ily Collins), Martha R osewell (Sister of Mary Lou Garrett), Danielle Austin (Daughter of
Charles & Linda Austin), Am y Brenner (Friend of Linda Pope), Rick Brown & Arthur Cuddy (Husband & Friend of Jean Brown),
Donald Reynolds & Rene Breault (Nephew & Friend of John Medeiros), Bill and Pauline Hart (Friend of Richard Fabio),
Stephanie Bernier, Nicholas Claudio, Am y Dean, John Moore & Maria dos Santos (Friends of Tom Davis), Aza Johnson (Niece
of Carol Johnson), Sebastian DaSilva & Swede Chaves (Friends of Nancy Mularczyk), Irene Tunstall (Mem ber), Dolores
Desroches (Friend of Paula Cabral), Kara Haney (Daughter of Jack Haney).
Deceased: Cynthia Hazell
Armed Forces: Cam eron Sweet (Mem ber), David Pena (Friend of Donna Vento), Sam uel Ellis (Son of Maria Ellis), Jam es
Kinney (Grandson of Al & Pat Buckles), C apt. Brian Paradise (Nephew of John & Pam Evans), Sgt. Aaron Patenaude
(Grandson of Hubert & June St. Pierre), Kenneth Monteiro (Mem ber), Michael Luongo (Grandson of John Howcroft), David
Monteiro (Mem ber), Thom as Storer (Grandson of Ronald & Judy St. John), Jorge Lee Vega, Dana Gilm our (Grandson of
Peggy Fellouris), Sasha Knezevic (Nephew of Diana Ukleja), Em ily Decelled (Friend of Joan Ann Niles), Alison Bruenjes
(Grandniece of Joan Swain)
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
133 SCHOOL STREET, NEW BEDFORD, MA 02740
Parish Office508-993-0547
After School Program508-961-1622
Rectory 508-993-8710
Fax 508-996-9772
Web Addresswww.gracechurchnb.org
E-Mail office@gracechurchnb.org
Grace Church Staff
Priest-in-Charge . . . . . . . The Rev. Christopher R. Morck
Director of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Roderick
Children’s Minister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Botelho
Administrative Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . Rosemary Morgan
Financial Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judith Areano
Office Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Morel
Sexton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Victor
Part-time Sexton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pearl Adams
Life Together Intern.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Laskey
Verger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gérald Croteau
Grace After School Program Staff
Program Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. o.n.na Pires
Group Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Almeida
Group Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn Vieira
Grace Episcopal Church
133 School Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
----------Return Service Requested
Grace Church Wardens and Officers
Paula Cabral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Warden
Charles Capizano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Junior Warden
Anne Gundersen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer
Marcia Anselmo . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Treasurer
Charlene Ryder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clerk
Grace Church Vestry Members
Sharlene Begley
James McKay
Nina Catelli Vincent
James Montague
Allen Decker
Linda Pope
Michael Doe
Marilyn Saint-Aubin
Michael Goulart
Dana Sargent
Albert Hines
Andrew Sylvia
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
NEW BEDFORD, MA
PERMIT NO. 25