Grace/La Gracia Episcopal Church September 17, 2023 E-News Letter 😁 🙏💙

Grace La Gracia Church

33 Church Street White Plains, NY 10601

www.gracewhiteplains.org

Grace Church is a diverse congregation committed to a common life sustained by Worship. We bear witness to God’s love in Christ through our life together and our Service to the wider community. All are welcome!

September 17, 2023

Announcements

The Gospel

According to Matthew 18:21-35

Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.

’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Sunday Worship

Grace Church Family,

There is an 8:00 AM & 10 AM Service in English.

This Sunday's Worship can be viewed at 11:00 AM on

Face Book (link sent).

On Thursdays there is a noon service in English and at 7:30 PM in Spanish.

****This Sunday, 9/17/23 there will be one service at 11:00 AM. This is a bilingual Service.*****

PLEDGE SUNDAY OCTOBER 15TH

2024 STEWARDSHIP THEME

“God has given us two hands therefore, giving back to God all that is his."

How to Pledge to Grace/La Gracia

The church is flexible in receiving your generosity. Blessings.

Option 1: The standard way of staying current with your pledge still applies.

Feel free to put a check in the mail and send it to the address below (Attention: Office Administrator). Bundling for a few weeks is fine.

Grace/La Gracia Episcopal Church

33 Church Street - 2nd Floor

White Plains NY 10601

Option 2: There is a secure drop box on the red door at the front of Grace. The box will be checked regularly for financial contributions, including cash (which will be recorded). Kindly put our pledge in an envelope with your contact info written clearly.

Option 3: Visit us on the web at: www.gracewhiteplains.org

Look for the “Pledging” tab across the top and click on it. Then, you’ll see a yellow "Donate" button; clicking on that will take you to another site for electronic giving (either by using a credit card or with a PayPal account). For more details on PayPal, feel free to visit: (www.paypal.com).

Please note – PayPal charges a fee to the church for these transactions (which is why a check in the drop box or sent by mail is preferable.)

Thank you for contributing!!

Pledge Forms 2023

Please click on the words below to access the pledge forms

Pledge Form English

Pledge Form Spanish

Ushers Needed - Grace Episcopal Church

Good morning church family,

I am Camille Worrell, Head Usher. I am reaching out because I have been having significant difficulties with the schedule. I currently have a very small number of available ushers and this group is being overworked. If you are available to be an usher, please reach out. It is not a difficult job. It only entails taking a count of those present and ensuring that people sign in, the passing of the offertory baskets (we now use socially distant baskets on long poles), ringing the bells at the correct times, and guiding fellow parishioners to communion. All of this can be done while keeping safe distances from each other. If you are able to be put on the schedule, please reach out to me Camille_worrell@hotmail.com. I'm hoping to return to the four team rotation, and I am hoping that each team will have at least 3 members. Thank you so much for considering this.

Altar Guild Needs Volunteers

The Altar guild is responsible for preparing for all worship services, all sacramental rites and of course the Sunday Eucharist. Other responsibilities of the Altar guild include cleaning vessels, laundering linen, scrubbing, polishing, decorating, setting the table and any special preparation for all celebrations in the Church.

Our Altar Guild needs volunteers both women and men that would like to be part of this important ministry. Volunteers for this ministry work in teams of two individuals. We have four teams that are responsible for preparing the Church for Sunday Service one weekend per month.

If you are interested please contact Brinda Bradley at brinbradley@optonline.net or our Parish Administrator, Suzan Ortega – Collado at sortega@gracechurchwhiteplains.or or (914) 949 – 2874 option 1.

HOMECOMING BARBECUE

Grace/La Gracia Church will have a barbecue on September 17th after the 11:00 AM Service in the rectory located at 535 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605. Parking is across the Street at White Plains, High School. Come and enjoy good company and good food.

Down Town Music

Dedicate a Downtown Music Concert or Make a Memorial Donation

Would you like to honor the memory of a loved one while supporting our community’s premier venue for free, live music? Downtown Music at Grace offers the transformative experience of great music, free of charge, most Wednesdays at noon. Whether you sponsor a concert or make a memorial donation, your contribution makes a difference. We will proudly record your generosity and your words of dedication in our printed programs, our weekly e-newsletter, and on our website. Visit https://www.dtmusic.org/volunteer/#donate and scroll down for donation formation. Example: This concert is made possible, in part, by a generous gift from Mary Jane Smith in memory of John Brown. "Forever in our hearts."

La Bocca Ristorante

8 Church Street

White Plains

http://www.laboccaristorante.com/

Grace/La Gracia Parishioners-Order a meal to enjoy at home!

Please give a thought to our local businesses. Tony Spiritoso has been an angel to Grace since he opened his restaurant in 1997. La Bocca is open for take-out. Enjoy a great meal at home. Thank you, Michael Heffner

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

Join a Committee or become Greeter or Office Volunteer

Grace La Gracia is always looking for more volunteers to serve on our various committees. We rely on our parishioners to help keep our parish going. For more information or to join, contact the parish office or just stop by one of our meetings!

If any of these roles interest you, please contact the parish office.

Acolytes

The Grace La Gracia Acolyte Ministry is always in search of new members to aid and assist the Clergy and Congregation in prayer, praise and worship. We welcome adults and youth aged 7 and up. Please contact Lauren Reid at Lrrmink@gmail.com if you would like to join this vital ministry.

Pastoral Care

We are inviting members who have a passion for serving others to join our Pastoral Care team. This ministry means so much to our members and it just might change your life. Please contact Fr. Adolfo Moronta at amoronta@gracechurchwhiteplains.org or adolfomoronta@hotmail.com for more information.

Interested in volunteering with our Sunday School?

We have a vacant Assistant Teacher position in the up coming school year. If you are interested in committing a few Sundays a month to our youth, pray about it & feel free to talk to one of our Priest-In-Charge Fr. Adolfo Moronta, amoronta@gracechurchwhiteplains.org. Thank you.

Altar Flowers Signup sheet is on the bulletin board near the library. Remember those you love by signing up for flowers to adore the altar. Contribution: $100.00

Lectors Are Needed

Volunteers are needed for all services including the Family service, every third Sunday of the month. If you are available for one or both of these services, please provide your contact information to: sortega@gracechurchwhiteplains.org

Volunteer to be an Usher

Ushers are needed for all services. Please contact Camille Worrell at: camille_worrell@hotmail.com if you would like to join.

Names on Prayer List

If you have a family member or loved one on our prayer list, please provide our office with emergency contact information.

Mother Teresa once said to “Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.”

Any person or group of parishioners interested in underwriting a worship service at Grace Church for more information.

SEPTEMBER

Thursday, September 14^th

200^th Anniversary Committee Meeting in Library 6:00 Pm

Sunday, September 17^th

Home Coming Barbecue At Rectory – 11:00 AM Bilingual Eucharist

Saturday, September 23^rd

Wedding of Daysi Sánchez & Daniel Robles

Sunday, September 24^th

La Gracia Committee Meeting

Tuesday, September 26^th

Vestry Meeting

OCTOBER

Wednesday, October 4^th