May 19, 2024
Pentecost

(Please wear red!)

Click here for this week's readings.

To access bulletins, Livestream and Zoom links, and to make an offering, click here.

image: Ephesians 43, Unity Of the Spirit by Mark Lawrence

Wednesday Gatherings

Weekly Wednesday Gatherings take place from 10 – 11:30 a.m. in the Grace sanctuary. The service is a combination of conversation and reflection on the Biblical texts for the following Sunday, healing prayer, and Eucharist. 

The Good Immigrant book group
Thursdays, May 23 and 30 at 11:00 a.m.

Women’s Art Night with Isobel Coney
Tuesday, May 28, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Women’s Conversation Circles
June 10, July 8, August 12, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Group Spring Gathering & Potluck
Monday, June 3 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m

A Celebration of the Life’s Work of Dennis Carlson & Beulah Downing
Sunday, June 16 from 10:45 a.m. – 12 noon 

This Saturday, a new Bishop for the Diocese of Olympia will be elected at a special electing convention. In addition to Revs Eric, Scott Deasey, and Kate Kinney, there are six lay Delegates from Grace who will be casting votes: Ruth Blaney, Ted Cozine, Jim Quitslund, Holly Renfrew, Ken Wesley, and Eric Matthews. 

Please keep the candidates and electors in your prayers. The Electing Convention will be livestreamed at www.saintmarks.org/livestream, beginning at 9:30am. 

Delia Spanfelner died peacefully on Mother's Day, Sunday May 12, at Fieldstone Memory Care. She and Bob shared 55 years of marriage, and Bob says, “I wasn't done loving her.” Details for a service are to be determined.

Continuing on May 23 and 30

You are welcome to join even if you haven’t attended the previous sessions.

The Good Immigrant presents 26 powerful stories with various viewpoints on the controversial topic of immigration — and addresses the questions of who is welcome, why, and who will speak for them?

Each week we’ll discuss 2 or 3 articles written by first and second-generation immigrants from all over the world. You are also encouraged to report on other stories in the book that you find meaningful. 
 
All are welcome! For questions, and to RSVP, please contact Florrie Munat or Kim Cockroft. Books and reading schedules are available in the Narthex for a suggested donation of $16.

Tuesday, May 28, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Women of all ages, and youth welcome!

All materials for felting are provided. Invite a friend!

Please bring a drink or a snack to share; there is no cost.

RSVPs encouraged (so we can have enough materials): kim@gracehere.org

Invite Friends!

June 10, July 8, August 12, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

June Theme: Blessing

Contact Kim with questions.

Thank You!

We are thankful to our volunteers, Lon, Mike, Mel, and Dave, who joined Eric Matthews to fix and add to our play area fence! We're ready for some wonderful outdoor play this summer!

Sunday programming

Ages four and under are welcome in our beautiful, interactive nursery with adjoining playground under the supervision of trained staff.

Children ages 3 or 4 through 12 begin with their families in the sanctuary for a children’s moment with our priest, after which they go to their classrooms for rich and creative programming, and then return to the sanctuary for communion with their families. 

Sunday Youth Gatherings

Middle schoolers and high schoolers, join us right after the 9:30 service (around 10:30) in our new Youth Room.

Do you want to volunteer for our youth gatherings? Let Kim know.

You are invited to attend the Men’s Group Gathering and Potluck on Monday, June 3, at Grace from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. Your modest financial donation will help offset the cost of the main dish. There will also be an opportunity to donate to The IRIS Fund. These funds will be given to Dan Rohan’s family (Melissa Meyers, Frankie, and Iris) to support their needs as they support Iris during her treatment for leukemia. Click here to learn more and sign up, or contact Eric Matthews.

To support keeping Grace safe and secure, we have a Night Owl team. Each team member volunteers for a week at a time. We walk the exterior of the building, verify all the doors are locked and latched, and that all windows and the gate are closed and latched. The team members arrive after 9:00 p.m. or a bit later, after all the folks involved in a rental or other Grace activities have left. This takes about 15-20 minutes.
 
Sign up for ministry here. Questions? Email or call Eric Matthews: (206) 718-2254.

Aloha. Last August, our Grace Community sent a donation to Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Lahaina, and we began a conversation. The church was destroyed in the fires that consumed the area, and hundreds lost their possessions and became homeless.

A Cup of Cold Water is a community organization that uses donations for the temporary lodgings of disaster survivors (ironically, this organization was begun in 2014 by members of Holy Innocents). During the month of May, we will be collecting items which were requested by this organization.

Please put your new and gently-used items in the baskets in the Narthex:

• Men’s T-shirts (preferably black, all sizes)

• Flip Flops (especially sizes 10, 11, 12)

• Men’s shorts, sizes 30 – 36 (fast drying if possible)

• Large Band-Aids

• Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)

• Towels

Mahalo (thank you!)

Rides are needed to 9:30 a.m. Sunday services for Ellen Walls, who lives in Winslow across from Ace Hardware. 

Thanks very much to all who have offered rides!

We are coming to the end of the school year, and so too our supper club calendar. Some people have inquired about what’s next. You as an individual — and you as a group — have options. Would you prefer to stay with the group you are in? Would you prefer to be added to the reshuffle process? Would you prefer to be in a group closer to where you live? Would you prefer green eggs or ham? (Just making sure you’re still reading this.)

The Supper Club Potluck Kickoff/Reshuffle date is September 17th. New supper club members will be added, and those reshuffling will be incorporated. Email Rachel. with your preference.

Warmly with grace,

Rachel Brandt and Rachel Yobs

Knitting into the Mystery is a prayer shawl ministry. The shawls are knitted by wonderful, gracious people who choose the colors and patterns. The shawls bring comfort and prayers to whomever receives them. More kind prayer shawl knitters are needed. If you are interested, contact Beulah Downing. She will provide you with the lengths and widths that work best.

Sunday, June 16 from 10:45 a.m. – 12 noon 

A Celebration of the Life’s Work of Dennis Carlson & Beulah Downing

and

A Book Launch for Dennis’ Memoir: Scalpel, Spirit and Seeds: My Life Promoting Health in Ethiopia and around the World

The book may be purchased here, and some copies will be available at the event.

Kids and Youth, sign up for Camp Huston this summer!

• Discovery, International Odyssey, Mini, or Horse Camp

• Programs for kids 6 – 15

• Counselor training for youth 16 and up

• Scholarships available

Sun, May 19th, 6:00 PM

Vespers is a short, contemplative service which marks the transition from day to evening. You are invited to join us for music and readings which celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Our guest speaker will be The Rev. Paul Rietmann, a retired Episcopal Priest from the Olympia Diocese. We will meet in our sanctuary after worship concludes. As Christians, we are invited to abide in the presence of God — to quiet ourselves and connect with Divine presence within — and it is often so hard to do! Rev. Paul is inspired by eastern practices. He will talk about the history of Christian contemplative prayer and introduce several practices to enrich our faith experience. We would love to have you join us. All are welcome, and there is no cost to attend.

St. Antony’s hosts a New Beginnings Contemplative Prayer group on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 12:00 – 1:00 pm.  Please contact our church office if you would like to join us: 360-698-0555.