As I've mentioned before, I was asked to be a part of a team to consider ways we can formally address racial injustice in the Diocese of Massachusetts. We had five 3-hour meetings that bore much fruit. At our last meeting on Saturday, we were asked to share our experience.
I said that during this time of not being able to physically receive communion, I felt that this work was real communion. Because the group was so racially diverse, I saw the face of God in ways I never had even when receiving the Blessed Sacrament. My heart was stirred in ways never before as God was revealed in these important conversations. The compassion and grace prevalent during these very difficult discussions renewed in me a sense of hope and love.
This Sunday, we will hear of an exchange between Jesus and others about the image of God. Please join me as we give thanks for the beautiful and expansive glimpses we have of the face of the One who loves us so.
In the Way of Love,
Debbie
This Sunday
This Sunday, Jesus is confronted by others who try to trick him by asking him about paying taxes to the Emperor.
At 10:00 am, the Stewardship epistle is given by Cliff Cutler and Allison Mascolo is assisting. Please join us via Zoom or on Facebook Live.
At 4:00 pm, Joanna Troy is sharing a reflection during Celtic Evensong. Ryan Patten, Eric Wagner, and Debbie Phillips will be playing music from the Celtic and Episcopal traditions. This service will be livestreamed on Facebook Live.
If you would like to offer a 2-3 minute reflection for upcoming services, either on for the stewardship epistle or the Celtic Evensong, please email [email protected].
Please join us wherever you are
in your search for meaning.
Everyone is welcome at any and all services at Grace Episcopal Church
Upcoming Service Leaders
October 25:
The Ross Family assisting, Brian Fizer, Stewardship Epistle
Manny Faria, Celtic Evensong Reflection
November 1:
Laura Beasley-Topliffe, Lisa Duffy, Lisa Duffy Stewardship Epistle
Nancy Brown, Celtic Evensong Reflection
November 8:
Tony Boisvert, Gavin Watson-Bertrand, Larry Kamp, Stewardship Epistle
The Vestry invites you to join us in deepening our commitment to racial
justice. We have a series of virtual cottage meetings planned for this week with the intent of sharing our stories and experiences around racial identity and our experiences of living in a culture of white supremacy. These meetings
will be lead by a vestry member and will be a sacred time of sharing and listening as we discern communally where the Holy Spirit is leading us next. Please sign up for a time slot. Faithfully, Brian Fizer
Faith-filled Generosity
Taking care of and sharing our blessings is a lifelong practice. As with all spiritual practices, the Church sets aside time for communal and intentional reflection and formation. From October 4 through November 15, we will be taking time to consider the gift of generosity, for it is a spiritual gift instilled in us all. During this time, we will hear reflections and sermons on this theme. You will also be receiving a letter from the Stewardship Chair, Tom Gaither (who is also our Senior Warden). Enclosed in this letter will be
a “pledge card,” our commitment of sharing our financial resources with Grace Church during 2021. This card is also a declaration of the faith and trust we have in God’s own generosity. Here is this week’s reflection:
Give to God the things that are God’s
By The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce
Once again in today’s gospel the Pharisees are trying to trip up Jesus. If Jesus supports the paying of the tax, his Jewish siblings
who are rebelling against the Roman occupation will shun him. If Jesus says it’s unlawful to pay the tax, he’ll be in trouble
with the Roman authorities. What does Jesus do? He asks them to look at the coin. It is a Roman coin. Pay the tax –meaning give the Emperor back his own coin! Then Jesus adds that wonderful line— give to God the things that are God’s. What exactly IS God’s? Well, we are! Our Christian faith in God points us always to live a life of gratitude and generosity. God showed us how we are to live and how to give to God the things that are God’s:
God gave us God’s son, God’s first fruit, and we are asked to do the same, remembering that everything we have, everything
we do, everything we are is a gift from God — and it is a gift that is meant to be shared. When we share from our first fruits, as God shared God’s first fruit with us, we are modeling the same generosity God has shown us.
Remember, we have two sets of three legged-stools in our Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement: scripture, reason and tradition, and time, talent and treasure. The first shapes our faith; the second is how we use the gifts we have been given to live out our faith.
The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce is the Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Her ministry focuses heavily on stewardship, financial sustainability and New Community development.
All Saints Celebration
Although not everyone might feel safe going out trick-or-treating, that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see you in your Halloween costume and to give you a blessing for Halloween and All Saints. On All Saints Sunday, November 1st, at this our 10:00 am morning service, we ask that you wear either your Halloween costume or dress as one of the saints so that we can see you on Zoom, and then as we renew our baptismal covenant, receive a saintly blessing.
Rector Away for Two Weeks
Debbie will be away from October 19th through November 2. There will Evening Prayer and Bible Study on October 21, but not on the 28th. The Reverend Manny Faria will officiate at Celtic Evensong on October 25 and November 1. Debbie will officiate and preach at the 10 am service on the 25th and the Reverend Cliff Cutler will officiate and preach on All Saints’ Day.
Click the picture above to see a video of our prayer rocks.
