Sunday, November 19, 2023

The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Worship Service

with Holy Eucharist

in person at

8 am, 9:15 am, & 11 am

online at

11 am

Vimeo Link 

Online services can be viewed on our live Vimeo feed.

Service Bulletin

175th Anniversary Commemorative Service

Please mark your calendar for this special service, which will be held on Sunday, December 10th at 10 am, exactly 175 years after the first Sunday worship service held in Grace Church. This Rite I Morning Prayer service will reflect a Sunday service held in 1848. A reception in the Guild Hall will follow.

Let’s Go All In for Grace’s 2024 Annual Giving Campaign

Are you All In for Grace? 

Allen and the Wardens are thrilled to announce the kickoff of Grace’s Annual Giving Campaign for 2024. This year’s theme is “All In for Grace”—and we’d love everyone in our community to get involved and show their support!

You have already received an email from Allen announcing the launch of the campaign and will also get a letter in the mail.

We all want to see Grace grow and thrive—now and in the future. Our Vestry has taken the lead with their pledges, and we have already received generous leadership commitments from many members of the congregation.

So far, the All In for Grace campaign has raised $190,000 from 28 households!

We are striving for 100% participation from everyone in the Grace community!

If you contributed last year (thank you!), please consider increasing your support by 5%.

Once you are ready to make your All In for Grace commitment, go to https://onrealm.org/gracebrooklyn/AddPledge/2024pledge and make your pledge online.  

We would love to gather all pledges by December 1st so that we can properly budget for 2024.

Let’s go All In for Grace!

North Room Chats

North Room Chats are back! Join us on Sunday, December 3, from 10:15–10:45 am in the North Room, where Kate Hill (they/them) will present information about gender and pronouns as related to daily life. Learning about diverse gender identities can help us connect with ourselves and others and allows us to offer each person care for who they are and how they identify. There’s no need to prepare for Chats in advance; just be open to learning something new, sharing your own experiences, and, most importantly, growing in the Christian faith. Contact Brianna McCarty at mccarty.brianna@gmail.com or Anne Silver at annesilver2746@gmail.com with questions of if you’d like to lead a future chat.

An Advent Day of Reflection

Saturday, December 2, 2023

10 am – 2 pm

“Fear Not”: The Annunciation to Joseph

Would you like to enjoy a break from your usual responsibilities for a few hours? This day of reflection, led by Anne Silver, will focus on the experience of Joseph in Matthew’s gospel. It will include talks by the leader, discussion, opportunities for silence, and suggestions for Advent spiritual practices. Lunch will be included; the cost per person for lunch will be $15. To attend, please notify parishoffice@gracebrooklyn.org no later than Wednesday, November 29th in order to have a tally for lunches.

(left to right): Kelly Stinnett, Elder Maxwell, Mark McIntyre, William Fuchsman, Allison Roninson (not pictured, Denise Farrell)

RED HOOK FARMS: IT’S A WRAP 

Saturday, November 11 was a picture-perfect farming day at Columbia Street/Red Hook Farms. The weather was clear and sunny. 

It was the last Grace Church farm day of the season. Some volunteers pulled down polls and netting and pulled weeds, while others did composting. 

At the closing circle, we celebrated that between the two farms, Columbia Street and Wolcott Street, over 29,000 pounds of food was harvested for families, food pantries and the farm stand. It was an incredible farming season!

Grace Volunteers: You are invited to attend the Volunteer Appreciation Party this Saturday, November 18, 12:30 - 2:30 pm at Columbia Street Farm, 560 Columbia Street. There will be food, drinks and special gifts, including Red Hook Farm t-shirts.

Diocesan Convention

The 157th Diocesan Convention took place this past weekend. In attendance to represent Grace Church were Rev. Allen, Rev. Leandra, Rev. Erika, Marilyn Grant, Theresa Seabaugh, and Randall Thomas. There was a full agenda for both Friday and Saturday covering a variety of topics which included the Bishop’s mission and vision for 2024 , the selection of nominees for Diocesan positions, and the passing of propositions. We also participated in liturgical services.

Mille Grazie, Muchas Gracias, Merci Beaucoup

Many thanks to our Sous Chefs and Decorators who helped to make the Retirees, Seniors, and Opinionated Elders Luncheon a success!

Harriet De Ceunynck and friend, Patricia Giovenco, Emily Horcher, Elder Maxwell,

Shelia O'Neill, Susan Roos, and Theresa Seabaugh

Jr. Sous Chefs - Amelia Headley and friend Penelope

and our Sextons Felipe Guerra and Juan Bobadilla

Without your help and support, this event could not take place!

Sincerely, 

The Wardens- Marilyn & Barbara 

See more photos from the Luncheon on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GraceChurchBrooklynHeights

Grace Church Christmas Pageant

 It's time! This year's pageant is coming up - Sunday, December 17th at the 11am service. Please read the Pageant flyer if you are in any way interested in this annual tradition!  

PARTICIPANTS: Currently, all roles are open, so please discuss with your kids (ages 3 to 14) whom they'd like to portray. Clear your calendars for Saturday morning rehearsals on December 2nd, December 9th, and December 16th. All rehearsals will begin promptly at 9 am and end by 11 am. All participant sign ups will be via this link.  

VOLUNTEERS: Adults, please read the flyer and contact Brianna McCarty if you are able to assist. Teens ages 15+ are also welcome as Junior Directors or in other volunteer capacities!

Everyone interested in this annual tradition (not just Pageant Parents!) should read our Pageant flyer to find out more and how to get involved. Contact Brianna McCarty (mccarty.brianna@gmail.com) with any questions or if you would like to volunteer. 

Don't miss this opportunity to share in a very special tradition here at Grace!

Gingerbuild 2023

Save the date! 

This year’s Gingerbuild will be held Saturday, December 16th at 11 am.

Sign ups will open the week after Thanksgiving. In the meantime we are recruiting volunteers to help us make this year’s build a success! If you’re interested in getting involved please email shannoncmcdonald@gmail.com.

Jenny & Shannon

East Brooklyn Congregations

On Saturday, December 9, Anna London, a leader from East Brooklyn Congregations, will train Grace parishioners in the North Room on how to conduct one-on-one meetings with fellow parishioners.

The aim is to train a small group of Grace parishioners who, in the new year, will meet one-on-one with all those who regularly attend Sunday services to learn what they want the world to look like outside of Grace's doors.

Any parishioner is invited to the training, and attendance does not imply a commitment to conduct subsequent individual meetings. Participants in the training will learn how EBC can work with Grace to advance its goals in the outside world.

The training will be from 10 am to noon on December 9th. For further information, please contact Mark McIntyre at markmcint@gmail.com. 

Parish Wide Justice Read

Gender Queer: A Memoir

Our text is Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer and is available for purchase here. According to the American Library Association, which tracks banned books in American public schools and libraries, Kobabe’s memoir was the most challenged book of 2022, the second consecutive year it topped the list. In the form of a graphic memoir, Kobabe uses the illustrations to chronicle the journey of coming out, and address questions about gender identity – what it means and how to think about it. You’re invited to read at your leisure. In January, we’ll gather in the North Room for lunch and conversation, facilitated by Flourish Klink, friend of the author, a seminarian at Union Theological Seminary, candidate for the priesthood, and the first non-binary transgender person who will be ordained in the Diocese of New York. For more information, please email Rev. Leandra Lambert at LLambert@gracebrooklyn.org.

Rector's Bible Study

The Rector’s Bible Study meets each week in the McKittrick Choir Room on Tuesdays from 10-11:30 am. As a class, we will read Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love. If you cannot make it in person, participants can also join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7186241850. 

Should you have any questions, please reach out directly to the Rector at arobinson@gracebrooklyn.org.

Thanksgiving Table Share

If you have room at your table this Thanksgiving and would like to host a Grace parishioner who is on their own, let us know if we can match you up. Contact Rev. Erika at emeyer@gracebrooklyn.org.

From Grace parishioner, Karen King:

I am a retired nurse looking for a room to rent in downtown Brooklyn or surrounding neighborhoods. I am single and have no kids or pets. I need a place by December 1. If you have any leads, please contact me at 718-812-1427 or kk1713266@gmail.com.

Thank you, Karen. 

Yoga at Grace Church

Join certified yoga instructor Robbyn McCauley at 1pm on the first Sunday of each month for a yoga class in the gym at Grace Church. Our next class will be held Sunday, December 3rd.

Robbyn began her yoga practice in 1998, and has been practicing off and on since then. In 2020, she earned her 95 hour certification in youth, children's and trauma-informed teens' yoga. Most recently, another opportunity came to light and Robbyn immersed herself in a weekend long retreat and earned a certification in restorative yoga. Robbyn has a love of Iyengar's teaching and always focuses on alignment, safe sequencing, and trauma-informed language during all of her classes.

Email graceyoga2023@gmail.com to register and please tell us the following: 1. Do you have any yoga experience? and 2. Do you need a mat?

Sunday School & Fall Calendar

Children in grades K*-5 are invited to participate in Sunday School. Classes meet from 10:15–10:45 am in Classroom 2 (on Sundays with one 10 am service only, Sunday School meets from 9:15-9:45 am). Volunteers lead children in 30-minute sessions focusing on Bible stories, using the Storymakers curriculum.

Please note: Snacks will be served upstairs in the Guild Hall at the end of Sunday School. Please eat in the Guild Hall and not in the classroom.

Please click here for the fall Sunday School calendar.

*If your child is not yet a reader but would like to attend Sunday School, they can attend with a parent to help with the activities.

Grace Church and St. Paul’s, Atlanta are pleased to announce a 2024 Pilgrimage to highlight racial equity and social justice. In partnership with Faith Journeys, we’ll travel June 30-July 7, 2024 through four states visiting select sights along the United States Civil Rights Trail. By visiting museums and meeting with local leaders, members of Grace Church and St. Paul’s will leave with deeper relationships with one another and a renewed commitment to individual and collective action to dismantle oppressive systems and rebuild a just and equitable church and world. For more information, please email Rev. Leandra Lambert at llambert@gracebrooklyn.org.

The Rector's Discretionary Fund

Even the most meticulously crafted budget can’t always cover an unexpected emergency, e.g. a child’s trip to the ER; a car vandalized and needing an expensive part; an elderly parent in another city requiring help.

Since it was established in 2004, the Rector’s Discretionary Fund has given to parishioners in circumstances like these. The need is great, especially after the pandemic, with more on the horizon, and the sole source of funding for this important fund is the generous contributions of our congregation, helping members of our Grace community when they are facing temporary financial hardship.

Contributing to this important fund fulfills our parish goal of Serving with Compassion. If you would like to participate, you can do so by using our online payment system, Realm. If you prefer to pay by check, please make it out to Grace Church Brooklyn Heights with Rector’s Discretionary Fund on the memo line.

Thank you for your faithful generosity.

Evening Prayer

Grace Church offers Evening Worship every Tuesday - Friday at 5pm online.

To attend Evening Prayer online, please use the following Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7186241850 .

Parish Prayer Concerns & Thanksgivings

We pray, in this time when peace and security are uncertain for so many, and the coming of God’s Kingdom seems farther away than ever, that we may remain children of the light—faithful, watchful, hopeful and ready to answer God’s call. May we be especially attentive to those in any kind of need or despair and be moved to reach out to them; may we love one another, encourage one another and build each other up. That God will inspire the Church with new visions of how to use our gifts to meet the greatest needs of the world around us in the service of God and our neighbors. That the people of Grace may trust in God’s faithfulness and live in love each day. That God will guide Joe, our President; Kathy, our governor; Eric, our mayor; and all elected officials, sustain them, and strengthen their wisdom, courage and honesty in this time of great challenges. That peace, reconciliation, justice, and hope may come to be the only way forward for all people in the Holy Land, Ukraine, Sudan and all other places of warfare. That those who live or work in places of danger; those who face, or are recovering from, natural disasters; and all victims of violence may be strong in the face of adversity and be kept safe in the refuge of God’s hands. That all those in our nation who are deeply divided one from another may see each other as God’s beloved children, regardless of different opinions or experiences. May God enable us to listen deeply with our ears and our hearts, and speak honestly in love and compassion. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we pray that we will reflect at some length on the many blessings that God has bestowed on us, and take the time to thank God for God’s goodness. May we use God’s bounty—in our own lives and in the world—in ways that are pleasing to God. That God will watch over all who will be travelling during the coming week, and will bring them safely home. For those who are far from home, those who are estranged from their families, those who are homebound, and those who are alone. For prisoners and captives, and their families who long for their return. For those commended to our prayers, remembering especially, Murray; Paul & family; Irene & family; John; Lally; Andy & family; Vivian H.; Roger; Bill; Mary; Jane O.; Dolores; David; Ron & Betsy; Karl S.; Sohee; Jane K.; Richard & Linda; Rosemarie; Andrew; Katie Lynn; Stephen; and Kathy P. For those who endure chronic or incurable illnesses; and those who care for sick or aging loved ones. For those whose names and needs are known only to God. For all who have died, and especially David Leibenhaut, father of Ashley Cox; and may God hold close all who mourn.  Merciful God, Hear our prayer.

Sunday Services at Grace

Grace Church holds in-person services at 8 am, 9:15 am, and 11 am each Sunday unless otherwise noted. All are welcome.We have child care available for those who need it during the 9:15 am and 11 am services. 

Join us for coffee hour! Please join us for coffee and snacks after each service. 

The 11 am service will be live-streamed for anyone unable to attend in person.

If you have any questions about our worship schedule, please contact Melissa Kelly, Parish Administrator, at parishoffice@gracebrooklyn.org or (718) 624-1850 x 10.

The Common Cup

Holy Eucharist will again be offered in both kinds, bread and wine.The wine will be offered each Sunday at the 11 am service. The wine is offered from the common cup (drinking directly from the chalice). Intinction is not permitted.  At communion time, after receiving the bread, one may proceed to the eucharistic minister to receive the wine by drinking directly from the chalice. Those not wishing to drink from the chalice may cross their arms and reverence the cup.

Giving to Grace

We are happy to let you know that you can make a pledge or general offering donations by text! 

Please send a text to 73256 with the message "GraceBrooklyn". The first time, you will be prompted to provide your name and address, including your card number. If you save that information for future use, the second offering by text will be immediate. You can also make one-time pledge payments and general offering donations online here.

If you would like to set up a recurring pledge payment on Realm, please contact Melissa Kelly, parish administrator, for an invitation to join. 

In Remembrance or Gratitude...

Altar flowers are a wonderful way to express gratitude for life's blessings or to memorialize a loved one.

If you would like to contribute Altar flowers, please contact Marilyn Grant. An acknowledgment will be included in the service bulletin.

Weekday Visits to Grace

When you visit, please use the Clergy Door, which is the first door on your right in the Hicks Street courtyard. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.