Dear Friends,

As I mentioned Sunday, we are moving the feast day of the Ascension from today – the 40^th day after Easter, to Sunday. Ascension Day completes the story of salvation. Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, suffering, death, resurrection all happened, and all happened in a fully human, full God body. But we must not stop there. Ascension teaches important aspects about who we are while fostering expectations for eternity.

We might think in a glimpse of consideration that Jesus transformed to go into heaven, shed his human body, was “beamed up” in the language of Star Trek. We must remember Jesus, in his identifiable human body, ascends into heaven. The incarnation is not a pitstop for Jesus. Jesus taking human form, fully human, fully God, is not temporary. Jesus is Jesus in a human glorified body, forever. We declare this reality at the opening of every funeral - a proclamation from the book of Job: “I know that my Redeemer lives…After my awaking, he will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger.”

Relate to Jesus face to face. It is amazing to consider our heavenly existence. God dwells in light of such intensity that God will be the light of heaven we hear in the book of Revelation. And the Holy Spirit remains in us, connecting us to one another. We will live in a glorified body on a new earth – life with God and one another with the new earth below our feet.

In heaven, where Jesus is, we hear of really three categorical things Jesus is up to now.

·       Jesus has all authority and power and sits at God’s right hand. Jesus is ruling and reigning now.

·       Jesus is interceding for us, in Hebrews it is written that Jesus “always lives to make intercession” – to pray for us, to pray for us out of God’s intimate and accurate knowledge of who we are.

·       Jesus is preparing for our arrival. We hear in John’s gospel, Jesus saying: “I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”

Ascension Day. Ultimately as we consider it, we see God’s love and see our forever reality a little more clearly. What a gift.

Thanks be to God,

Lisa+

Join Us Sunday!

Sunday School | 9:45 a.m. | Lower Level

Our Pre-K– 6^th Grade.

Adult Formation | 9:00 a.m. | Albright Hall
This Sunday 5/17: Manna bag packing

Due to Manna bag packing this month there is not a post vestry formation discussion. Please see the bulletin board in the parish hall next week for vestry minutes and financials.

Summer Sunday Conversations - starting in June! 

6/14 Children, Family, and Youth Ministries  

6/28 Worship approach and liturgy  

7/12 Music  

7/19 Hospitality  

7/26 Adult Formation  

8/9 Using REALM – why it matters  

8/16 Grounds – ministry to the community  

8/23 Lychgate  

8/30 Emergency Response 

Mark Your Calendars

Manna Bags

Join us at another Manna bag packing event for unhoused St. Louisans between services This Sunday, May 17, in Albright Hall. Please email Stephanie Prewitt at stephanienolte@yahoo.com for more information. Items that we are looking for, water bottles, protein bars, hats, snacks that can withstand heat that are prepacked and small, travel size wipes, travel size tissues, travel size toothpaste and toothbrushes. Please drop off supplies in the parish office.

Children, Youth and Families

Rev. Erin Pickersgill is the co-director of the Diocesan Summer Camp, Camp Firebird. July 26 - 31 at Camp MoVal in Union, MO. Spots are filling fast and registration deadline is June 30th. Costs for camp are tiered $450/475/500 per camper. Please sign up soon to ensure your young person has a place at camp. Contact Erin or Lisa if finances are an issue. Register and see the promo video here: https://diocesemo.org/camp-firebird

• This Sunday, May 17 - Manna Bag Making, 9:00 - 9:45 a.m., in the Albright Hall; last separate Sunday morning formation for young people before the summer.

• Older children and young people encouraged to join the new intergenerational choir, led by our new Music Director, Cameron Graham! Email him with any questions. 

• We are now recruiting for and training youth acolytes, readers, crucifers, and torchbearers! Please contact Erin or Mary Merriweather (marymerri2002@yahoo.com) to register your interest! 

• Youth Nights this Summer to help clean and decorate the youth room are: June 10, July 8, August 5. 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. 

• Family Summer Nights at Grace, a way to connect with each other. Food, games, prayer. Bring a friend! June 21, July 12, August 9. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 

Handbell Concert

The Handbell Concert last week was a wonderful success, filling the church with beautiful music and joy. We are grateful to our talented handbell choir for sharing their time and talents with our congregation and community! A special thank you to our handbell director, Ella, for her dedication. Her passion and patience during her recovery made this concert possible. We are blessed by her talent and commitment to our church’s music program.

Grounds Clean Up Day

Thank you to all of the parishioners who volunteered to clean our grounds this past Saturday! The church grounds look amazing, your time, energy and fellowship is not just contributing to the church but to the community as well!

A message from Lizz Shands

While I was ripping weeds out with reckless abandon and chopping wildly and raking with glee in my eye at the spring outside at Grace cleanup, I found a statue of a Saint. I will give a little gift to anyone who can tell me who the saint is and how many statues of the Saint there are on Grace’s grounds! I will leave the correct answer in the office with a bag of goodies to choose from for anyone who answers correctly. No age limit! All are welcome to guess.  

EYC Alumni Reunion

Calling all college kids! The EYC class would love to see you and catch up for our last day of Sunday school. Please join us this Sunday, May 17, at 9:45 am, in the youth room. Alumni and current EYC students are all welcome and encouraged to attend. We'll have snacks! Hope to see you there!

Altar Flowers

Help us adorn our worship space by sponsoring altar flowers. Please sign up for a Sunday on the bulletin board in Albright Hall. Your donation can be made in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a special occasion. Please contact Kirkwood Florist for payment. (314) 965-8440

Alert Knitters!! 

Hi, Great Knitters!! You have donated quite a collection of beautiful items for donation. Keep it coming. We can produce some wonderful hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, etc. for those who are out in the cold. If anyone would like to get together for a knitting group, sign up on the sheet on the bulletin board just above the basket. Remember there is plenty of yarn to use in the closet in the LaVielle Room.

Ascension Day

May 17, 2026

8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.



You may also join us at 10 a.m. through Facebook @GraceChurchKirkwood

or on our webpage at www.GraceKirkwood.org

Nursery Sunday hours are 8:45 a.m until 11:15 a.m. each Sunday.

Thursday, May 14
Morning Prayer 9:30 a.m. / Chapel

Choir Practice 7:00 p.m. / Choir Room

Sunday, May 17

Holy Eucharist 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. / Nave
Coffee hour following each Service

Adult Formation 9:00 a.m. / Albright Hall - Manna bag packing

Children and Youth Formation 9:45 a.m. / Lower Level

Tuesday, May 19

Holy Eucharist 9:30 a.m. / Chapel

Wednesday, May 20

Men's Breakfast 8:00 a.m. / Spencer's Grill

Thursday, May 21

Morning Prayer 9:30 a.m. / Chapel

Choir Practice 7:00 p.m. / Choir room

Mission Statement

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey,

Grace Church welcomes you as we follow Jesus together through a life of worship, love, and action.

Our Core Values

Worship: We believe worship is the heart of the church, shaping and connecting us with one another and God. In our Christ-centered worship and sacrament, we learn and grow spiritually.

Love: We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, where each person is seen, heard, valued, and accepted.

Action: Service within and beyond our parish enriches our faith, strengthens our community, and keeps us relevant as we spread the word of God.

Quick Links:

Grace Church Website

Grace Church Photo Gallery

Grace Church Prayer List

The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

The Episcopal Church

The Anglican Communion

Episcopal News Service

The iMessenger is a weekly publication of Grace Church. If you have information you would like included, please contact the church office by Wednesday before noon.

 Office@GraceKirkwood.org 

Grace Episcopal Church

514 East Argonne Drive

314-821-1806  

http://www.gracekirkwood.org