Parish News

Here’s the Latest from Grace Church!

August 2020

Dear Grace Church friends,

I would like to share with you a few items of what’s going on at Grace Church. Some of this I have mentioned in a previous email.

The Eucharist

 A few weeks ago, we began celebrating the Eucharist once again on Sundays. For the next few months the Eucharist will be celebrated on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. The last two times we had it, I served it by intinction - the method of dipping the wafer into the wine.

This week I ordered some individual mini- ”chalices” with bread and wine contained. These will come to us from Concordia Supply Company. These chalices will be set on a tray in Riebe Hall for you to pick one up as you enter the nave.

After the prayer of consecration, we will all partake at the same time. At the conclusion of the service the chalices will be collected, rinsed in the piscina and disposed of.

Home Visits

 I am aware that for whatever reason, some are not comfortable coming to an in-person service at the present time. The past months have been stressful to many in various ways. We’ve looked for creative ways to connect. For a time we did a weekly check-in via zoom. It served a purpose for a short while and then the numbers dropped off so it was discontinued. Our Facebook live continues to reach a lot of people both locally and in various parts of the country. (We recently received a donation of $100.00 from a couple in Florida.) We’ve noticed that once the sermon ends, the viewers, for the most part, stop watching. I’m sure that for many it is one thing to watch someone take communion, it is another thing to be able to receive for yourself.

 As the reception of the Eucharist is central to our Christian faith as well as our Episcopal tradition, let me make this offer. I am willing to pay a visit to your home. We can sit outside at a safe distance, share some conversation and fellowship, and then we can share prayer and the Eucharist together. Either daytime or evening visits would be fine. Please email or text me and we can set up a time.

 I am making this offer in the hopes that by the time the temperature begins to drop things will have moved closer to normal.

  Rector’s Bible Study

This will resume on Sunday, September 13, at 9:15 a.m. in Elsworth Hall.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

This will resume on September 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Nave.

Confirmation

Confirmation class will be offered. I need to hear from any parent who would like their child to participate in this. Once I know of interest in this we will have a meeting to set us a schedule of classes.

  News

We recently applied for a grant from the Diocesan-Wide Communication Initiative. This is a $15,562.00 gift from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas to the Diocese of North Dakota. The intent of the grant is to increase remote capabilities for communication throughout the diocese. As Grace Church is often used a central location for meetings, I sent in an application and have been informed that we will be contacted by an IT person from the diocese to determine what we need. I am working with Bruce Horton on this.

Thank you for your continued support of Grace Church.

May God grant us his strength and courage to face the challenges of our day.

By His mercy,

Fr. Bob+