|
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
December 22, 2024
And Christmas Eve
December 24, 2024
- Click Here For The Church Calendar
- Click Here For The Server Schedule
- Click Here For The A/V Guild Schedule
- Click Here For Parish Directory
- The Prayer list is now merged with the Worship Bulletin linked below
| |
|
Financial Recap From
Treasurer Donna Tate
Hello Grace.
I want to give a quick update and context to the pledging numbers Mother Suzanne+ shared last week. Our current pledges for 2025 total $186,270.00 from 52 families. By contrast, at this point last year we had $130,300.00 pledged for 2024 from 41 families. That is an increase of 11 pledging families. The average pledge in 2024 was $3,341.03 and for 2025 it stands at $3,582.12.
On behalf of Mother Suzanne+ and the vestry, I thank you for your commitment to Grace and our work for in the community!!
If you want to see charts on our November giving and expenses, they are linked here. Please notice that the income charts are on top, and the expenses are on the bottom.
Our largest income category in November is Designated Gifts, which holds the quarterly reimbursement from the Diocese for our Strategic Mission Grant that covers about 85% of Community Missioner's salary and benefits for the prior quarter, and the rectory rent now that the property has been refreshed and is rented.
For expenses, our largest expense category in November is Outreach/Community, which encompasses the portion of the sales from the Pumpkin Patch that go to the Navajo Indian Reservation and the November Community Missioner salary and benefits.
I will be out of town for Christmas Eve and Day proper, so feel free to find me afterwards if you have any questions.
May the Creator of the Universe, of light and darkness, send the Holy Spirit to give us holy quiet and peace this Advent and upcoming Christmas season.
Donna Tate - Treasurer
__________________
Pointsettia Dedications
Thank you to all who submitted pointsettia dedications! The sanctuary will be beautiful on Christmas Eve. The Altar Guild thanks you for your support. You can view the dedications below. They will also be included with the bulletins through January 5th.
Click Here to View This Year's Pointsettia Dedications
__________________
Love
God loved Mary enough to make a home in her womb and in her heart. God loves us enough to make a home in our hearts as well. In the craziness of our lives, our families and our world today, there is one story worth remembering, and that is the story of God’s love for us.
Br. James Koester, Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Click Here To Read More
__________________
YES! We Are Still Collecting Blankets
With colder days and nights already starting, our neighbors experiencing homelessness are in immediate need of coats and blankets. We also need help with our supply of snacks. Snack items needed:
· Cheese/Peanut Butter Crackers
· Granola/Protein Bar
· Nuts/ Trail Mix
· Fruit or Apple Sauce Cups
· Fruit Snacks
· Cookies
· Small Cakes
· Candy Bar
· Pudding / Jell-o Cup
Please bring your donations to the church on Sundays.
__________________
Join Mother Suzanne’s Last Advent Book Study For The Year
Sunday After Church During Coffee Hour
__________________
Christmas Eve, And Christmastide Happenings
Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve 6 and 9 PM Services
Sunday, December 29 - Sanctuary Choir Program
__________________
Sunday's Altar Flowers
Given To The Glory of God
In Thanksgiving For Makayla’s Birthday
Frances and Charlie Lamb
| |
Please help us conserve resources by downloading to your mobile device or printing ahead of time and bringing it along with you to church | |
- The services will also be live-streamed via YouTube - 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
| |
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. | |
Rector's Bible Study Will Resume Tuesday, January 7 | |
Mother Suzanne teaches an interactive and engaging class. We have just begun a study of the book of Revelation. All are welcome, regardless of your knowledge of the Bible. | |
Noonday Prayer Around the World Will Resume January 8 | |
|
On Wednesday, January 8, 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
| |
|
Celebrating Five Years
Next Church in the Streets
Mobile Food Pantry
January 2, 2025
| |
|
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
| |
|
Weekly Update
The week of December 12, 2024, we distributed 13,384 pounds (over 6 tons) of food to 318 families, including 83 homebound deliveries, totaling 850 people. We welcomed 14 new families. This was all made possible by the 62 volunteers (including drivers) who showed up to make it happen.
Monthly Update - November
For the entire month of November, we distributed 60,381 pounds of food to 886 families, including 177 homebound deliveries, totaling 2,541 people. We welcomed 44 new families. This was all made possible by the 401 volunteers (including drivers) who showed up to make it happen.
Year-To-Date
As of the end of October, in 2024, we have distributed 780,108 pounds of food from the Houston Food Bank to 12,151 families, with 588 new families coming to us for food. We have made a total of 2,860 deliveries. The total number of individuals served is 34,802. It required 2,723 volunteers to pull this off!
| |
|
Catholic Daughters of St. John The Baptist Catholic Church
Fill-A-Bowl Ministry
On Track To 10,000 Delicious Meals!
| |
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.
| |
|
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
| |
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)
| |
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. | |
If you are not receiving text messages with important updates from Grace please click here for instructions.
| |
In case you hadn't noticed, we've expanded our social media presence to Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube | | | | |
