Seventh Sunday Of Easter

May 21st, 2023

WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES

IN THIS ISSUE


  • Waymaker Friends Bagged Panera Doughnation
  • More On The Fish Fry
  • Update On Tommy Peebles
  • Farewell Jake and Bekah
  • Egg Cartons Still Needed
  • Parish Hall Flood Update
  • Be Sure To Vote In The Facts 2023 Readers Choice Awards
  • Thy Kingdom Come May 18 - 28
  • Youth Picnic In The Park - May 21
  • Pentecost Picnic - May 28
  • Vacation Bible School - July 10 - 14
  • Cursillo - August 10 - 13


Liturgy Of The Week


  • Holy Eucharist Rite I - Next Week We Will Have A Liturgy of Belonging Service
  • Godly Play
  • The Preaching Moment Podcast
  • A Holy Pause With Mother Suzanne
  • Rector's Tuesday Bible Study - Suspended for May 23
  • Wednesday Noonday Prayer Around The World
  • The Mobile Food Pantry - May 25th
  • Food Ministry Statistics Update
  • PB&J Delivery Fridays
  • On Generosity...


  • Click Here For The Prayer List
  • Click Here For The Church Calendar
  • Click Here For The Server Schedule
  • Click Here For Parish Directory


SERVE AT GRACE: Are you looking for ways to plug in at Grace, meet new people, and contribute to the beauty of our worship? Consider signing up for any of the following roles: ushers, lectors, lay eucharistic ministers, acolytes, Altar Guild, A/V, hospitality team, or coffee hour. Click here to learn more and sign up


Keep Scrolling to Learn More...


If you know of a brother or sister with no computer or internet access - would you please print off this email and drop it off to that person? We don't have many, but there are some. Let's help all of our Grace Family stay connected.

Thank You Waymaker!

Our friends from Waymaker not only help out every Thursday during the Mobile Food Pantry, they also come every Friday to bag the Panera Doughnation bread.

More Fish Fry Kudos

Stephen Lamb and Jeff Harris getting their fish on!

Last week we reported the results of our Silent Auction benefitting The Women's Center of Brazoria County. This week we would like to recognize the Don's Fish Fry Cooking Team. Stephen Lamb and Jeff Harris for cooking up the tastiest fish and sides. They have been at it 11 and 10 years respectively.


We sold 286 Don's Fish Fry tickets, generating a profit of $1388.99.


Thank you, Stephen and Jeff!

An Update On Tommy Peebles

From Becky:

We went to Tommy's appointments at endocrinologist today. All lab results came back very good. The doctor said many were the same and most are even better than 6 months ( bf both strokes)

Sooooo- the dr wants to see him in 6 months- no need for any changes in treatment!

👏👏🤗

Thank you for all the prayers ...

Prayer works!

Farewell Jake and Bekah!

On Wednesday afternoon Jake dropped by the office to say good-bye. He and Bekah are pursuing new opportunities. In addition to the video above, here is what he had to say:


Hi all,


I wanted to express so much gratitude to all of you who welcomed me so lovingly at Grace. Very sadly, our moving date unexpectedly changed due to a new job opportunity, and my wife Bekah and I will be moving to New Hampshire this Friday.


I can't put into words how much Grace has meant to me in this season of life. Believe it or not, although I was confirmed Episcopalian 5 years ago, Grace is only the second Episcopal church in the United States I've attended (I became Episcopalian in Guatemala). I have learned and grown so much from the ways that you all love God, your neighbors, and each other. 


In particular, the outsized blessing you are to your community via food distribution is spectacular and a witness I will take to all future churches I am part of. If Grace can do it, so can others! 


I have also received so much clarity about WHY I am Episcopalian and what role(s) God is calling me to in the church. I have Mother Suzanne in particular to thank for that. 


Since I won't be seeing you again before our move (which I didn't learn until last week), I wanted to make sure I at least left a note to y'all. 


And of course, this is not goodbye - we will be in Houston again to visit family, and if I'm here on a Sunday, you better believe I'll be knocking on Grace's door at 9am!


I pour love and gratitude on all of you. Thank you. 


All the best, 


Jake Mahon

Please Keep The Empty

Egg Cartons Coming!

A number of neighbors in our community are raising hens for eggs at home and have begun sharing their bounty with us to give away. Please hold on to your empty egg cartons - you can drop them off in the Narthex on Sunday in a plastic shopping bag or bring them by the office during office hours.

Parish Hall Flood Update May 19

What a difference a week makes! Yesterday the flooring installers worked into the wee hours of this morning and have replaced all the flooring in the parish hall. The toilets have all been re-seated.


There remains a tree root in our sewer line before it reaches the main city sewer. We are receiving quotes to replace the line out to the city main.

Be Sure To Vote In

The Facts 2023 Readers Choice Awards

Click on the button below, then scroll down the column on the left to Local Services, then click on Favorite Pastor/Church. Then scroll through all the names down to Mother Suzanne Smith Grace Episcopal Church.

Click Here To Vote 
Click Here For Vacation Bible School Information
Click Here For Intormation On Cursillo Aug. 10 - 13, 2023
Click Here For the Sunday Worship Bulletin
Please help us conserve resources by downloading to your mobile device or printing ahead of time and bringing it along with you to church

Sunday's Schedule



  • Holy Eucharist Rite I - Led by Mother Suzanne.
  • The service will also be live-streamed via Facebook Live - a musical prelude will begin at 8:50 a.m.
  • 3 ways to Give today: Text the word ¨Fund¨ to 844-943-0932 to give via text, download and use the Vanco Mobile* app from the Google or Apple App Store, or visit the link below. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the church office at 112 W. Lang, Alvin TX 77511

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. If you have not signed the book for belonging to Grace, now is your chance. We will have a short Liturgy of Belonging Service.

Click Here To View Service on Facebook Live
Click Here To Give Online
Click Here To Submit Your Pledge For 2023
Click Here To Download Vanco Mobile App From Google Play Store
Click Here To Download Vanco Mobile App From Apple App Store

If you would like to host coffee hour, please contact Anna Arendell, anamerican1@yahoo.com

Click Here For More On Godly Play
Listen On Buzzsprout

Or you can find The Preaching Moment on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

A Holy Pause
From Mother Suzanne:

This time together is between 2-5 minutes. A small touch-point throughout the week to remind Grace and others to whom you belong and that we are together walking the road of faith. 

As well, I think it's a good practice to pause during the day and "look up". 

Please join if you are able on Grace's Facebook or Instagram pages....no particular time... The Holy Pause is also uploaded to Tik Tok.

If you subscribe/like/follow our Instagram and Facebook you'll receive a notification when we go live.
Read More

No Bible Study May 23rd

There will be no bible study on 5/23 as Mother Suzanne's son, Noah will be graduating from 5th grade and moving to junior high.

Wednesday Noonday Prayer
Around the World

On Wednesday, let's pause together as we join our prayers with brothers and sisters around the world via Zoom and Facebook Live.



Beginning at 11:55 you can log in to Zoom here (passcode 032547) to join us as an active participant in the prayers. Or if you prefer, just follow along via Facebook Live beginning promptly at 12:00 PM this coming Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer beginning on page 103, which you can download ahead of time here. 

Church in the Streets

Mobile Food Pantry

Thursday, May 25th

Please consider volunteering, even if just for an hour - we could use your help. We begin setting up at 7:30 am and distribution ends at 12 Noon. Clean-up follows that. We especially need volunteers for deliveries to the homebound and to help with tear down and clean up starting at around 11:30.

A delicious lunch will be provided for all volunteers upon conclusion
Click Here For Mobile Food Pantry Schedule
Your Food Ministry Statistics
From Harriet Sturgeon

Weekly Update

The week of May 11th, 2023, we distributed 8,760 pounds of food to 256 families, including 56 homebound deliveries, totaling 719 people. We welcomed 15 new families. This was all made possible by the 61 volunteers (including drivers) who showed up to make it happen.


Thank you Harriet Sturgeon for being our statistician!

PB&J Friday's
Sunday Card Ministry
Have you noticed the cards on the table as you enter the church on Sunday? Well, one of our parishioners sets these cards out for us to sign and send a greeting to someone we may not have seen in a while, or someone who is ill.

Please take a minute as you come in, or before you leave to sign the cards and maybe write a brief note.
Generosity
1st Sunday

Did you know that the loose plate offering on the first Sunday of each month goes to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund? This fund is used, at the Rector’s discretion, to assist the poor and indigent and to further the ministries of the church, not covered in the church budget. One of the main uses of this fund, at Grace, is to fund our Blessing Box and Blessing Refrigerator.
Birthdays & Anniversaries

You are invited to make a financial offering in honor of your birthday or anniversary. These offerings go to the Herrington fund, which provides scholarships to church conferences and camps for members of our church.  Your offering may be placed in this little basket beside the piano as you approach the Chancel steps.


Kroger Community Rewards

You can help support Grace by simply linking your Kroger Rewards Customer number to Grace. You only need to sign up once and you will earn rewards for the church with every shopping trip! You can enroll at any time, so please try to get your family and friends to sign up as well! Every time you make a Kroger purchase, Kroger will make a donation to Grace. (And you still receive your reward points)
CLICK HERE - HOW TO SIGN UP
Support Grace on Amazon Smile

Do you shop at Amazon? Grace is recognized as a charitable organization under the AmazonSmile program.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Grace every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases, made each quarter of the year, to the church.
CLICK HERE - HOW TO SIGN UP
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