A Note from Sarah

Useful

Dear friends,

The photo above is not how our lovely cloister usually looks! This past Sunday after the morning service, several parishioners lugged old metal items up from the basement – a lawnmower, a fan, an air conditioner, file drawers, a lampstand, wire racks, etc. etc. Many thanks to all who made the trip from basement to cloister, and to Melissa Barnes, who has arranged for a scrap metal dealer to pick up these items this week. And there’s more to come as the basement cleanout continues.

These items now piled in the cloister were useful at one point – they mowed the lawn, kept an office cool, organized files, lighted a dark space. They’re no longer useful to us, but as scrap metal they’ll be recycled and find new uses over time.

From can openers to computers, we tend to think of objects in terms of their usefulness to us. When it comes to people, though, there are two sides to usefulness. Of course, we all want to be useful – to have useful work to do, to make a difference in the world. It’s part of human nature to want to be of use.

But there is also in human nature the temptation to see others solely in terms of their usefulness to us. When taken to an extreme, the consequences are dire. We are witnessing right now the outcome of policies that deem some people useless, and a threat; those so designated are rounded up and discarded like pieces of scrap metal, sometimes literally in other countries. Many in the Episcopal Church, and in our own Diocese of Massachusetts, have been vocal in speaking and acting for justice for our immigrant neighbors whose rights are being ignored and infringed. Many of us engage in civic action and offer financial support to organizations on the front lines of this tragedy.

In the gospel readings these past few Sundays, Jesus has been teaching us about what the kingdom of God is like. Especially in these times, we should remember that in the kingdom of God, power is to be used and not loved, and people are to be loved and not used – or deemed useless. So many people are desperate for the kingdom of God to come; they need to know that they are worthy of love and not merely useful, or useless, to others.

May you know God’s peace today.

~Sarah

P. S. As you know from last week’s parish letter, I have been called to another interim position; my last Sunday at Grace will be August 9th . This is vacation season, but I hope to be able to say goodbye to those of you who are around over these next two Sundays.

Grace Church is now accepting gifts via Realm!

Realm is an online tool to help us keep more accurate and up to date stewardship records. This will be an alternative to the PayPal button on our website and automated bill pay options. If you pledged for 2026, you will soon receive an email invitation to login to your personal Realm account and create a password (if you don't see it please check your spam folder)

Should you choose to log in, we need your help to ensure our records are up to date. We did our best, but please double-check that your contact information looks correct. Additionally, please review your pledge information and giving history for accuracy. If you notice any discrepancies or have questions, please reach out to me at treasurer@gracechurchsalem.org

While we encourage you to try this new way of giving, don't worry all the old ways still work too! Thank you in advance for your patience as we learn this new tool together! 

~ Katie Scott, Treasurer

Use the QR code below or click here to give through Realm!

Upcoming Services

Parish Prayer List

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Mary Brown, Robert Borden, Linda Abbene, Deven Manthorne, Margarette Connor, Barbara Dwyer, Lilyann, John Gilbo, Vance Gilbert, Reny Sparapani, Laurel, Gary Young, Amy, Paul, Heather and Prescott, Ariana, Sheridan, Javy, Faith Aroko and Family, Jesse Hurst and Family, Maureen Joyce, Arthur, Deb Young, Cindy Rhodes, Ron, Allison Mascolo, Melissa Glassman, Max Joyce, Marc Britt, those battling cancer, Mel, Corey MacNeil, Dianne, Jenny, Loretta and Kris, Priscilla Lemons, Deb Papps, Derek Fuller and Family, for the peaceful repose of the soul of Smadar and all victims of war the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and their ministries; the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, the Salem Public Schools and for an end to racism, war, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, gun violence and oppression. In thanksgiving, we pray for the ministry of The Reverend Debbie Phillips and her husband, Eric Wagner, this community of faith, for God’s grace and forgiveness, for those with the courage to stand up to tyranny, for creation, for the diversity of people, and for all the blessings of this life.



If you have additions or deletions to the prayer list, please email prayerlist@gracechurchsalem.org by Tuesday at noon for publication in that week's e-news. 

The Parish Prayer List is read aloud each Wednesday at Morning Prayer.