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Dear Grace,
It is the custom at Grace/Alvin, to decorate the church with Easter Lilies on Easter Sunday. The flowers will be put in place prior to the Easter Services and will remain in place until .
Your generous help in making floral dedications will enable the altar guild to create this special Easter tribute. Dedications should be submitted no later than 5 PM on Monday, April 1tth.
Dedications are available for $20 per line and can be made in “Memory of”, “in Honor of “, in “Thanksgiving for”, or simply “To the Glory of God”.
Your dedications will be included as part of the worship bulletins for April 20 (Easter) and April 27th.
Thank you,
YOUR ALTAR GUILD
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT EASTER LILY DEDICATION FORM & DONATE VIA PAYPAL
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Our Easter Miracle
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Just in time for our Fish Fry and Holy Week, Allied Fire Protection chose Grace as one of its day of service sites. They shut down their offices and over 30 of their employees descended on Grace to beautify our campus. You will tell the difference when you come to the Fish Fry or church on Sunday. They weeded and mulched our Bishop's garden and front flower beds, blew out all the leaves from our rain gutters, weeded our playground, cleaned the blessing box and replaced the shelving paper AND restocked it, cleaned the blessing fridge inside and out AND restocked it, and trimmed our hedges.
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Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week. This year Palm Sunday is April 13.
Our Holy Week services walk with Jesus, day by day, through the events of the last week of his earthly life.
On Palm Sunday, we recall what happened when Jesus entered Jerusalem a week before his death: “…the great crowd…took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting ‘Hosanna!’ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (John 12:12-13).
The Celebration of Palm Sunday goes at least as far back as the fourth century in Jerusalem, where people processed from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem, waving palm branches as they walked. We continue this tradition with our service beginning outdoors, and waving palms and singing as we enter into the church. This Sunday, the passion narrative will read in place of a traditional sermon.
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Holy Week is a special time of devotion as we pass through what is known as the Triduum (three days) or holy days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. In this week, we journey with Jesus from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem celebrated on Palm Sunday through Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, death, and burial.
Maundy Thursday begins the Triduum, marking three days before Easter, and recalls Jesus’ last night on earth. Its name comes from the Latin mandatum novum, “new commandment,” from John 13:34: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” This solemn day also marks the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, where, before he was betrayed, Jesus instituted the practice of Holy Communion (also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Holy Eucharist) for all Christians.
At this service, after Holy Communion the altar is stripped and all decorative items are removed. Here, we enter into the events leading to the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. We will not celebrate Holy Communion again until Easter Vigil.
Good Friday might be a strange name for the day we recall Jesus’ death on the cross. This day is good because in it we celebrate that “Our heavenly Father sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved; that all who believe in him might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and become heirs with him of everlasting life” (BCP, 277).
This service features music and scripture that helps us contemplate the death of Christ. We pray the Solemn Collects, prayers traditionally used on Good Friday. There is no Holy Communion.
Holy Saturday marks the day the Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb and, according to the Apostle’s Creed, descended to the dead in order to liberate humanity from the shackles of death. We mark this day with a short liturgy.
| | The history of the Good Friday Offering reaches back to 1922 when, in the aftermath of World War I, The Episcopal Church sought to create new relationships with and among the Christians of the Middle East. From these initial efforts which focused on a combination of relief work and the improvement of ecumenical and Anglican relations, the Good Friday Offering was created. | |
YES! We are Still Collecting
Easter Egg Candy Donations
Be a part of our annual Egg Hunt by donating candy! We will soon be stuffing hundreds of eggs with candy in preparation for the Egg Hunt. We’ll need individual pieces of candy for each egg to be stuffed.
To participate donate your candy after any Sunday service. Make sure your candy is individually wrapped and small enough to fit in a plastic Easter egg.
Here are some options of acceptable donations:
– Starbursts (snack sized)
– Skittles (snack sized)
– Laffy Taffy (snack sized)
– Krabby Patty Gummies
– Tootsie Roll Eggs
Please NO CHOCOLATE.
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The Rite of Reconciliation
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Dear Grace,
If sin weighs heavily on your conscience; if you want to grow in grace and the love of God and your neighbor; if you seek spiritual counsel for an issue or sin that you can't seem to shake; if you want to enter Easter season with a pure conscience, confident in God's mercy and pardon, then Mother Suzanne encourages you to avail yourself of the Rite of Reconciliation. Confess your sins openly without fear of judgement, and hear God's good word of pardon and absolution. Please email rev.suzanne@gracechurchalvin.org to schedule an appointment
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In the Episcopal Church, the passing of the peace is a significant liturgical act that conveys a sense of community, reconciliation, and fellowship among the congregation. During Lent, this practice continues, but its meaning may take on additional nuances.
Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation for Easter. As such, the passing of the peace during this time can serve as a reminder of the peace that comes from Jesus Christ and the importance of seeking reconciliation both with God and one another. It may also emphasize the call to live in peace as a reflection of Christ’s love and sacrifice.
In Matthew 5:24 Jesus says, “When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there, before the altar, and go: first be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”
In summary, while the passing of the peace remains a vital part of worship, its connection to the themes of Lent can enhance its deeper spiritual significance.
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Lent Madness: The Faithful Four Is Set
So, the Faithful Four is Set. On Monday, Zechariah faces Elizabeth of Hungary; on Tuesday, Sundar Singh squares off against the winner of today's matchup. And then all will be set for Spy Wednesday's Championship Round.
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Taize Prayer
Join Us On Wednesday
5:30 - 6 PM
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In lieu of a Lenten Book Study, this year all are encouraged to attend Wednesday Taize Prayer
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Also on Wednesday 6-7 PM
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Our last Wednesday Lenten Soup Supper is just around the corner - if you still haven't experienced this wonderful fellowship time with your Grace Family, now is the time to come. Many thanks to our Super Soup Supper hosts, the DeLeon Family and 24 Soup Chefs!
Brooks Short's artisanal home baked breads have been delicious. will be back again this upcoming week with his delicious artisanal breads. Here is your Lenten Soup line up for coming Wednesday:
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Join us on Friday at Noon for
Stations of the Cross
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Next Opportunity for Baptisms -
Easter Sunday, April 20
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E. S. Atkinson was licensed as the first lay reader of Grace Church in 1896. Friends of Mr. Atkinson’s parents in Brooklyn, New York, sent the baptismal font in memory of Mr. Atkinson’s parents John Paxton Atkinson and Mary Brown Atkinson. It is the marble font we still have, located in the rear right corner of our Nave.
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Next Bishops Visitation Sunday, May 11
Mother's Day
Next Confirmation Class: April 13
After Service
| | Time To Start Thinking About Vacation Bible School! | |
Very Big Saturdays, June 14th and July 12th
Compassion heals and restores. It makes things whole and it makes things new. Join us as we learn how to live into our calling as Jesus people to show compassion to our neighbor! Open to ages 4-11. Registration info coming soon.
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Palm Sunday and the Passion Narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
St. Luke - No Sermon
April 13, 2025
8:45 AM - Procession of the Palms Begins Under the Pavilion
- Click Here For The Church Calendar
- Click Here For The Server Schedule
- Click Here For The A/V Guild Schedule
- Click Here For The Parish Directory - please download and check for accuracy
- The Prayer list is now merged with the Worship Bulletin linked below
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Hope
The hope we have in God is not a naïve wish that tomorrow will be better; it braces itself and prepares to cope even if tomorrow isn’t better. Christian hope is centered on God, and on what God has promised. It's the conviction that God is able to do what God has promised, even if the evidence isn’t clear or obvious.
Br. David Vryhof, Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Click Here To Read More
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ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SERVE AT GRACE: Looking for ways to plug in at Grace, meet new people, and contribute to the beauty of our worship? Sign up for one of our ministry teams: Ushers, Lectors, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Acolytes, Altar Guild, Audio & Video, Hospitality, or Coffee Hour. Click here to let Mother Suzanne know.
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Parish Finances
Regular giving towards your pledge to our ministry budget empowers our mission and ministry. Thank you.
You can give via online giving, bank ACH, mailed checks, or checks deposited in the offering plate or church mailbox. We encourage all regular givers to consider setting up automated online giving via your bank or on our website here.
Click Here To Give Online
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Collect for Sunday of Passion: Palm Sunday
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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- Procession of the Palms followed by Holy Eucharist Rite II with the Passion Narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ - Led by Mother Suzanne, there will be no sermon.
- The service will also be live-streamed via YouTube - a musical prelude will begin at 8:50 a.m.
- Click the button below to give today. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the church office at 112 W. Lang, Alvin TX 77511
| | The coffee hour hosts sign up sheet will be available in the parish hall kitchen every Sunday. You can also contact Anna Arendell at anamerican1@yahoo.com. | | Or you can find The Preaching Moment on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. | | Mother Suzanne teaches an interactive and engaging class. We continuing a study of the book of Revelation. All are welcome, regardless of your knowledge of the Bible. | | 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.
| | Wednesday Sanctuary Choir Practice | | |
The Grace Sanctuary Choir rehearses Wednesdays 7:00–8:00 pm and sings each Sunday at the 9:00 am Sunday Worship Service and on some Holy Days (the choir meets 30 minutes before each of these services).
This group is open. Contact our Organist and Music Director, Paul Humphrey to meet and learn more about our choir - gphumphrey@yahoo.com
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Celebrating Five Years
Next Church in the Streets
Mobile Food Pantry
Thursday, April 17, 2025
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Click on the arrow above to watch our
Thursday Mobile Food Pantry story
| | Please consider volunteering, even if just for an hour - we could use your help. We begin setting up at 7:00 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. | | |
Your Food Ministry Statistics
From Harriet Sturgeon
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Weekly Update Will Return Next Friday
Monthly Update -
February
For February, we distributed 89,486 pounds of food to 1,145 families, including 234 homebound deliveries, totaling 3,231 people. We welcomed 65 new families. This was all made possible by the 226 volunteers (including drivers) who showed up to make it happen.
Year-To-Date
Through the end of February, we distributed 249,662 pounds of food from the Houston Food Bank to 2,314 families, with 105 new families coming to us for food. We made a total of 473 deliveries. The total number of individuals served is 6,574. It required 514 volunteers to pull this off!
2024
As of the end of December 2024, we distributed 837,473 pounds of food from the Houston Food Bank to 13,036 families, with 632 new families coming to us for food. We made a total of 3,046 deliveries. The total number of individuals served is 37,344. It required 2,968 volunteers to pull this off!
For the eighteen-month period between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024 the Total Food Pounds distributed were the equivalent of 1,053,538 Meals.
The Catholic Daughters of
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Fill The Bowl Ministry
Over 40 deliveries were made in March by 15 members, events, and friends of the Court for a total of 756 meals. This represents a 13% increase over March of 2024.
First quarter 2025 = 2708
Plus 92 so far this month(April1 thru Apr5) for a grand total of 2800 YTD
Total Meals Delivered To Grace in 2024
10,317
| | Volunteers Needed From 9 AM - 1 PM | |
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.
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MISSION & OUTREACH AT GRACE
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP - Prayers and Thanksgivings #35
Grace is committed to helping those in need, including vulnerable children, the unhoused, and those experiencing food insecurity. To learn how you can get involved, check our website or send us an email edcarrette@gracechurchalvin.org
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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.
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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.
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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)
| | Matching your gift is a great way to make a bigger impact. Many companies match cash gifts from employees to qualified non-profits. Some even match gifts from retirees or spouses. To find out if your company will match gifts to Grace, visit your Human Resources Department. The Parish Office can provide you with a copy of our IRS Letter of Determination and W9 should you need it. | |
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| | In case you hadn't noticed, we've expanded our social media presence to Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube | | | | |
