Parish News For the week of November 7, 2021

Daylight Savings Time Ends on Sunday, November 7 at 2:00 am.

November 7 First Sunday Lunch after the 10:30 service.

Menu - Pot Roast, Rice, Mac and Cheese, fried apples, and veggies.

Helpers needed for set-up and clean-up!

Christianity and Culture

Parish Hall, 9:15

November 7 The Relevance of the Old Testament Prophets 

This series explores the Old Testament prophets and their messages within an historical context and examine their significance for today’s world. Abraham Heschel’s seminal work, The Prophets will serve as the primary reference for our discussion. In In the final session, Tuck Bowerfind will focus will be the unity and continuity of the history of salvation between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  

November 14 Christian Values and Climate Change: 

Reflections on COP 26

With Glenn Shive, PhD , Visiting Professor in International Studies at VMI   

Over 30,000 people have gathered in Glasgow Scotland for two weeks to work out a common global response to climate change. Government delegates have negotiated new commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, and corporations and NGOs have held a grand jamboree of seminars and advocacy activities to promote solutions to the dramatic heating of our planet. All the tensions of our world - rich and poor, young and old, urban and rural - have converged on one place and time to map out a united approach to keeping our world from ecological disaster later this century.

Called to be good stewards of God's creation, Christians of all kinds have come to Glasgow to participate in its proceedings and to pray for a united, positive outcome. Climate scientists are new prophets calling our attention to the dangers ahead for our children and their children. How can we sustain our ways of life while also respecting the natural world that God has entrusted into our care for the next generation?  

Almost 200 clergy, parishioners, friends and musicians joined us for the joyful Celebration of New Ministry for The Rev. Ellis Tucker Bowerfind, 20th rector of Grace Episcopal Church on Wednesday, November 3. A lovely reception was held in the Parish Hall afterwards. To view the service click here.

Prayers of the People

Grace often uses Prayers of the People from a resource called Planning for Rites and Rituals from the Episcopal Church. This resource closely aligns with the readings, Holy days and Holidays. During the month of October choir members read prayers individually during the Prayers of the People. Starting in November for the 10:30 service we will assign parishioners to read the prayers from their seats each Sunday. Eventually the Holy Spirit will take over and we will not need to assign the prayers – the congregation will offer the prayers as they feel lead to do so. In adopting this practice the Prayers of the People truly become the Prayers of the People.  

Stewardship Campaign

Eighty-eight parish households have pledged $397,297 to the Every Perfect Gift Stewardship Campaign towards a goal of $550,000. The amount pledged increased $9,103 this week. The campaign is scheduled to conclude on November 7. The Finance Committee will plan the 2022 budget based on the success and pledge totals of the Stewardship Campaign. Last year, 132 households supported the Stewardship Campaign, a number consistent during the past several years.

Every pledge is very important, gratefully received, and faithfully used. We appreciate the prayerful consideration of parishioners who have not yet pledged. You make a difference individually and collectively.

With gratitude,

Members of the Stewardship Committee – Dennis Cross, Susan Cross, Carol Dent, Carole Elmore, Dave Hansen, Rob Minor, John Milford

Music Notes

Our first Organ Recital on Casavant Opus 3941 is offered by William McCorkle on Sunday, November 21 at 4 pm. "Go, Bill! Go, Bill! Go, Bill!" You won't want to miss this exciting recital!

Thank you to all of the musicians who came together and lifted music for the Celebration of New Ministry! That means *all of us* as we sang and clapped and hummed and listened. Thank you, especially to all who rehearsed and led and conducted and played. 



Stay tuned for dates for "Organ Openhouse," little tours of the organ. Probably after church on Sundays.

Confirmation and Reaffirmation

Bishop Bourlakas is coming for his annual visit to Grace on Sunday, December 12. We will present several members for confirmation that day. If you are interested in confirmation or reception we are offering a class on Sunday’s after the 10:30 service starting November 17. Please contact Fr. Tuck ([email protected]) or Sharon White ([email protected]) for more details.

Bishop Bourlakas’ upcoming visit provides us an opportunity to reflect on our spiritual life and present ourselves for reaffirmation of faith. For the next 30 days Sharon White will be sharing a resource that encourages reflection. Please let Fr. Tuck or Sharon know if you are interested in presenting yourself for reaffirmation.

Day 1 Think about the last 24 hours. What has given you joy? Name it, and give thanks. 

Acolytes, Chalice Ministers, Greeters, Readers, and Ushers Needed!

Please contact Lisa ([email protected]) or Sharon ([email protected]) if you are able to acolyte, chalice, greet, read or usher once or twice a month. The pay is low but the benefits are everlasting!

RARA believes that everyone deserves a great meal for Thanksgiving, so we are distributing turkeys through the local school districts and the RARA/Campus Kitchen Mobile Food Pantries again this year! Due to pandemic shortages, we are finding it harder to source turkey breasts though, so we need your help. If you are interested in contributing, we are asking that people bring 1 or more turkey breasts to the RARA Food Pantry in the coming weeks.

Details:

·   Turkey breasts are typically 3 – 7 pounds and can be found at local grocery stores.

·   You may drop off turkeys at the Food Pantry Monday – Thursday from 8:30am – 4:30pm and Saturdays from 9:30am – 12pm.

·   We are distributing turkeys throughout the month, so you can start bringing them now!

Information about Giveaways

Since we will be providing turkeys at several locations, we are asking families to only come to ONE event.

Mobile Food Pantries (with Campus Kitchen):

·   Anyone who already attends these pantries will automatically receive a turkey at their distribution in November.

School Systems:

·   Families who need a turkey and have a child in the school district may register through their school.

·   Buena Vista City Schools – Parry McCluer Middle School, November 18th, 9am – 4pm

·   Lexington City Schools – Lylburn Downing Middle School, November 15th, 5 – 6pm

·   Rockbridge County Schools:

·   Rockbridge County High School, November 16th, 4 – 5:30pm

·   Mountain View Elementary, November 17th, 3:30 – 5pm

·   Fairfield Elementary School, November 18th, 3:30 – 5pm

·   Natural Bridge Elementary School, November 18th, 3:30 – 5pm

RARA Food Pantry:

·   We will not distribute turkeys at RARA this year due to sourcing shortages, but we will provide Thanksgiving sides throughout the month.

Learn more about RARA at www.raralex.org

Angel Tree 2021

Since 2007 the parish Outreach Committee has partnered with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas ministry. Angel Tree seeks to restore those affected by crime and incarceration by introducing prisoners, victims, and their families to a new hope available through Jesus Christ.  

This year our church will receive the names of 50 children to serve in this important ministry. Children being served virtually reside in areas where there is not sufficient local support and we need your help.

Beginning in mid-November you will be provided with a unique code for Grace Church, enabling you to access the virtual Angel Tree site. Each tag corresponds to one child and the sponsorship amount for each is $25.  



Thank you for joining with Angel Tree to be the hands and feet of Jesus as they seek to restore relationships between children and their incarcerated parents.  

A message from Richard Jones (Part 1 & 2)

(reprinted from October 10 and 31 issues of Parish News)

Hello, my name is Richard William Jones Senior. I was born in Charlottesville, VA on November 10, 1960. My mother's name was Elizabeth Jones and father's name Gordon Jones. Both are deceased. I spent 34 years in prison and was released in August this year. Upon being released I was in a program called STEPS. My lead mentor was David Gates, now Anna Crockett. The STEP program has brought me a long way. I'm the man who I am today because that program gave me a second chance in society. Upon being released I had two choices...either go live with my brother Dan and going to be around Oscars in Charlottesville. I chose the STEPS program to go in the right direction. I've been here or the last two and a half months and the STEPS program has benefited me a whole lot. They are giving me a two-bedroom apartment, food, shelter, clothes and love. They give me sports, moral support, mentors and a life. They gave me a second chance to live and survive in this world. Without STEPS I probably wouldn't have made it. I thank the STEPS program for all it has done for me, with many people being in my life and giving me great ideas and purpose, God has been the main factor in my life. I've gone to the church called Grace Church and have met many people. Thee is so much love in Grace Church and so much love in the community. I met a great famous person named Chief Angela Greene. She has supported me even in the police department to help me out. There's so much love in Lexington VA that I can cut it with a butter knife. People actually let you cross the road and actually wave to you.

I thank the STEPS program for giving me a second chance. It's not the STEPS program it's the beautiful people in the STEPS program who have reached out and given me a helping hand, who have gone along with me on this journey, who have helped me supporting me. My job at the Lee Hi truck stop has given me a chance to plug into different people.. I encourage other people to enter into the program because it has a lot of love. I think of all that you've done for me . I'm a better person today because the STEPS program and God have given me a second chance. I'm just the happiest person on the planet upon entering this program. I'm blessed and highly favored. I didn't question it, just relied on the presence of Almighty God and I thank God that I'm here today, so my advice to anybody coming out of prison is to ask God to wreck the past once again. I thank God that I'm a changed man coming to a society and Grace Church in Lexington with beautiful souls all around me. I feel like I died and went to heaven.

God has given me a second chance. I'm blessed and highly favored. God put loving people in my heart once again. This is my home town, Lexington, Virginia. I'm not going anywhere.  My greatest mentor will be Miss Anna Crockett, who provides me with wisdom and knowledge, a window of integrity, a window of wisdom and knowledge and brilliant woman who sits down and listens to me and understands that people hurt. I thank God for introducing me to her daughter and son and the grandkids and her husband Roger. I'm thankful that I had a chance to go to their house and eat and for many others in the STEPS program. I went to the house of David and Miss Bonnie Gates...beautiful souls. I thank God for Steve. At 80 years old he tried to walk me down. I thank God for that and that God reaches out to people. I just want to tell God that I love him for the STEPS program and that he knew exactly what he was doing by placing me in the STEPS program coming out of prison after 34 years living in a cell with another man, coming out of prison after being around so much disaster. People die and people are suffering and don't know which way to go. 

It's all those programs that want to make a difference in the community. RARA is one that fed me....wow, so much food...wow, refrigerator is full. Brother Lynn gave me a bicycle. Another person gave me weights. Miss Virginia gave me this in love. But I'll tell you this, all the stuff that people give me and do for me is from the heart. Every woman and every man is not hung up on material things. I just want to say thank you Jesus. I didn't ever see a country life, so I met Miss Anna Crockett. She gave me a tour of the country. It was just so beautiful outside after being in lockdown so many years. God has set me in the right direction and I will tell anyone in prison, come to the STEPS program. So many people didn't even know me here, but they treated me good even on my job. One man put a $100 bill in my hand and told me to do some good with it. His name is Tony.  Employees who work with me accept me for who I am and don't treat me like a monster.  I think God will put me in the right path for all those who listen to just remember that God will bless you if you ask.  

I've met beautiful people like David Gates and Anna Crockett and Roger Crockett and Tuck and Miss Lisa, Miss Susan, and Miss Melissa, Brother Lynn and Brother Steve. So many people accept me just for who I am. I'm nobody special. I'm just some dust, I'm just a baby on a mission for God to be making a difference. Angela Green has blessed me in the police department. When I walk by they always wave at me and talk to me and I'm so grateful.

In closing, I want to tell anybody listening to come to Lexington, Virginia. I'm blessed and highly favored. I thank God for Miss Angela Chief Green, David Gates, Miss LIsa, Lynn, Miss Susan, Miss Melissa  and many others. Behind all those people is a beautiful heart. I went up the path to a big green park right up from Domino's PIzza and they had a Latin Festival going on. I won first prize in a dancing contest. I'm 61 years old and I was just having so much fun like a kid. I thank God for my brother Daniel still behind bars who wrote me do the best I can, to do the right thing and I told him that STEPS allowed me to do all those things. I'm blessed and feel like I'm living in a palace. I'm doing good, got a good job and got family here. 

Father God, thank you for blessing me to come to the STEPS program and meet all the beautiful people. I thank God for them and for David Gates who orchestrated up and then passed the baton to Miss Anna Crockett and she's doing a fantastic job. I thank God for the people who listen to whose who know me and I thank God for the love in my heart. I'm a changed man because of that program, because of the community here, and because I have these beautiful associates. God bless you, God keep you in Jesus name. God is so good and good all the time. God love you and bless y'all.

Richard

Rosa Harris Memorial Clothing Closet to Re-Open

First Baptist Church located 103 North Main Street in Downtown Lexington, VA has

re-opened the Rosa Harris Memorial Clothing Closet on Saturdays from 9 am until 12 pm and each 3rd Saturday in the month and Tuesdays through Fridays from

10 am - 5 pm. Donations are also accepted during these hours. The clothes are free of charge. For more information call the church (540) 463.4854

Rose Watts, Coordinator and Rev. McKinley Williams, Pastor

WOMAN'S DAY 2021 First Baptist Church of Lexington, VA

Join First Baptist Church located 103 North Main Street in Downtown Lexington for our Annual Woman's Day Celebration Service. The Guest Preacher: Reverend Dr. Valerie Carter Smith, Executive Director, Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia. The service will begin @ 11AM on Sunday, November 14, 2021. There will also be our Woman's Day Raffle at the conclusion of service.

For more information call the church: (540) 463.4854, Rev. McKinley Williams, Pastor.

Happy Birthday

Margaret Branner (11/1), Bettie Cadden (11/1), Peggy Riethmiller (11/4), Pam Adams (11/7), Owen Gertz (11/7), Melanie Griffis-Hooper (11/7), Evan Atkins (11/8), Grace Simcoe (11/8), Richard Jones (11/10), Brooks McCabe (11/11), Doug Ayer (11/13), Julie Grover (11/13), Jim Farrar (11/14), Tim Price (11/15), René Glidden (11/15), Amy Holston (11/15), Samson Mamour (11/15), Sis Harcus (11/18), Hank Humphries (11/19), Steve Lawrence (11/19), Tim Gaylard (11/21) Ryan Holston (11/21), Liam Murphy (11/21), Will McClung (11/22), Jeanette McKeever (11/22), Bill Kozak (11/23), Kristi Finnell (11/23), Michael McCabe (11/26), Jack Hershbell (11/27), Anne Blanken (11/27), Avery Hess (11/27), Bob Glidden (11/29), Henry Warner (11/30), Brant Hellwig (11/30)