We are now on our summer service schedule, with one service at 9:30am. The regular service schedule will resume on Sunday, September 7th
Fourth Sunday June 22, 2025 Grace Church’s 4th Sunday offering will go to Ascentria Care Alliance, earmarked for Refugee and Immigrant Services. Ascentria is organization that envisions a New England where love, belonging, well-being, hope, and communities thrive. It assists refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants in Central and Western Massachusetts. Among its many services it provides free and low-cost legal care for those seeking employment, asylum, and citizenship; housing support; cultural and community orientation; employment and transportation assistance; healthcare and school enrollment; and education services. It is also the only program in Massachusetts offering foster care to unaccompanied refugee and immigrant children. . If you write a check, please make it payable to Grace Church and add “outreach” on the memo line. Thank you for any gift you are able to give.
Join Grace at Amherst Pride on Sunday June 22nd
Amherst will be hosting a Pride event this year on Sunday June 22nd, and Grace is registered to march! Please consider joining us. We will walk over to Amherst Regional High School together following our 9:30 a.m. service. (People are also welcome to drive/carpool and meet us there.) Lining up for the parade will take place at the high school beginning at 11 a.m., and the parade will be from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. You are encouraged to bring a sign for the parade with you to church! Please contact Harold Norris or Megan for more information.
Joy of Living Group, 7:00-8:30 p.m., 2nd and 4th Mondays This group combines meditation, practices integrated in the flow of life, and discussion. Next meeting, in the Connector: June 23, 2025.
Rescheduled youth group mini golf outing, Sunday June 29th after church Our final youth group of the year, which was postponed several weeks ago, is now rescheduled for Sunday June 29th after church. Youth in grades 6-12 and their friends are invited! Grace Church can cover costs of participating. Plan on arriving at Western Mass. Family Golf Center in Hadley between 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m., with pick-up around 1 p.m. Please RSVP to Megan.
Haiti Ministry Uniform Fund The Uniform Fund is off to a good start! These uniforms, and the accompanying supplies, give the students at St. Matthieu what they need for a successful school year. In addition, they help the community – especially the locally sourced and made uniforms. Donations may be made after the service on Sunday, or as described below. All contributions are appreciated. For each student, a uniform is $50 and supplies are $25. Other donations contribute toward these amounts, and help with potential cost increases. To donate: write a check to Grace Episcopal Church with “Haiti Ministry – uniforms” in the subject line; or go to the church website, click “give,” go to “Haiti Ministry” in the dropdown, and mention uniforms in the “note” space; or go to coffee hour on Sundays starting today, where we’ll be ready to meet you. Mèsi anpil!
Vestry Meeting Minutes Minutes of the most recent Vestry meeting are posted on the bulletin board in the Connector just to the left of the door into the Church. If you wish to see past meeting minutes, please go to our website at https://www.gracechurchamherst.org/our-church/parish-staff/
Parish Directory It’s time for a new Grace Directory! The last one was done in 2022. If you were not in the last directory, please send a photo and current contact information to the office. If you have moved or changed your information since the last directory, please send your updated address and phone number(s) to Terrie Korpita at tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org. We plan to use the same photos as the last directory; unless you wish to submit a new one.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers Needed LEMs play an integral role in our services, and we are looking for more people to participate in this aspect of worship at Grace. Every three months, the schedule is built around the availability of those who volunteer. At various points during the year, volunteers are also needed for Christmas, Holy Week, and other special services. Training as a LEM is provided. Please email Cara Crandall with any questions, or if you would like to become a LEM.
Clothing Drive Ascentria Refugee Services for New Americans has asked Grace Church to help with a clothing drive. They are looking for seasonal clothes for refugees moving into Western Massachusetts. Ascentria especially wants clothing for children, from birth to primary school age. A shopping cart will be placed in the back of the church for those who can donate. You can bring items with you to church on Sunday or drop them off during the week during regular business hours. Ascentria Refugee Services For New Americans provides legal, housing, and language support to new Americans across New England. Thank you for your generosity, and if there are items you wish to donate other than what is listed or would like to become more involved, please reach out to rporter@ascentria.org. If you wish to learn more about Ascentria and the work they do, please check their website at https://www.ascentria.org/service/services-for-new-americans/.
Publicity for your Event? Please let the Communications Committee know if you need help with your event. Please fill out this form: https://www.gracechurchamherst.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Request-for-Event-Publicity-Form-2023.pdf, also located on the “Outreach” page of the church website. The committee requests at least 6 weeks notice. Please forward questions to Patrick Kelly or Sarah Chadwick.
Save the Date
An evening of poetry and spirituality with Megan at Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield, Tuesday July 1st, 6:30 p.m. Before Megan’s departure for an MFA program in poetry, join her for her last local poetry reading at our diocesan cathedral, featuring new work as well as poems from her collections Jesus Merch: A Catalog in Poems (Fernwood Press, 2023) and Woman as Communion (Game Over Books, 2022).Interspersed with the reading, Lucy Bergin, a Grace parishioner, will moderate a conversation with Megan on poetry, arts, and spirituality. Lucy Bergin is a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, musician, teacher, and Episcopalian based in Montague and Florence, Mass. Light reception to follow.
Mark your calendars for Megan’s last day, Sunday July 20th Megan’s last day as our Priest Associate will be Sunday July 20th. Please plan on joining us for service at 9:30 a.m. with a celebratory reception following! We look forward to these next few weeks with Megan, giving thanks for our seven years of ministry together. For more information or to help with the reception, please contact Kitty Dougherty or Sheila Mammen.