Welcome to Grace Church!
sunday morning service
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You are invited to join us in person at 8:00am on Sunday, or in person or online at 10:00am for our Sunday service or click on the link to the bulletin and say the service at a time convenient with your schedule.
Tell us how we did!
Give us feedback on your Sunday morning experience!
We've developed an initial evaluation to learn how we can make Church better. Click here or scan the QR code to complete our brief evaluation, and thank you for letting us know what we're doing well and where we need to do better.
We've developed an initial evaluation to learn how we can make Church better. Click here or scan the QR code to complete our brief evaluation, and thank you for letting us know what we're doing well and where we need to do better.
Sept. 24, 2024
Beloved of God in the Diocese of Massachusetts!
As many, but not all, of you know, today marks three weeks since I arrived in the offices at 138 Tremont Street to begin the in-person transition period as your bishop-elect.
I’m so glad to be here at last.
I wanted to drop you a note to let you know what I have been up to since arriving in the Commonwealth.
My son Gregory and I have moved into our temporary home in Brookline, where we will be for the year until identifying our more permanent residence for my whole family, hopefully in a strategic way for the diocese (more on that forthcoming). Blessedly, he has settled into his new school very well. We miss Ray, Grace, Liam, but we feel confident everyone is where they are supposed to be this year.
Here are some highlights of my time in the diocese so far:
Consecration Planning
The Consecration Committee and members of diocesan staff have been working very hard to create an extraordinary celebration of our next chapter together as a diocese. Clergy, please be sure to register by Oct. 1 for lunch on Friday, Oct. 18 with the Presiding Bishop (and me) and to process on Saturday, Oct. 19. There remain a small handful of hotel rooms available for out-of-town guests, and about 75 seats for general seating at the Consecration service itself. For more info, including sign-up for regional watch parties, please see the Consecration webpage: https://www.diomass.org/consecration.
New ELCA Bishop
My first weekend, Bishop Alan and I attended the installation of Bishop Nathan Pipho, the new bishop of the New England Synod, ELCA. It was a great opportunity to meet many new Episcopal and Lutheran colleagues in the region. I look forward to working with Bishop Nathan, who will also be among my co-consecrators next month.
Meetings
I have been blessed to “ride along” with Bishops Alan and Carol on meetings with the Executive Committee of Diocesan Council, who also gathered for a day-long retreat my second weekend. I have been grateful to attend Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry meetings and lots of other Zooms with diocesan staff and leaders to begin wrapping my head and arms around this amazing diocese. Many of you know that we are not working in 138 Tremont Street right now, on account of some reapplication of faulty carpet tiles. I am very much looking forward to getting back to in-person work to begin deepening relationships with the staff and learning more basics – like where the printers are.
Blessings
This past weekend I was blessed to attend the rededication of the Allston Abbey on Saturday night and to share dinner and fellowship with the African Clergy Caucus and their spouses on Sunday. Both were wonderful ways to begin connecting and knowing you, and to celebrate how the Spirit is moving in the Episcopal Church in eastern Massachusetts.
Coming Up!
I am so excited for tomorrow’s Clergy Day at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and online at 9:30 a.m. Many thanks to the Clergy Professional Development Committee and the Rev. Dan Bell for organizing our guest speaker, the Rev. Karen Hering, on “Trusting Change.” I am glad that we will have some extended time for conversation, about the past and the future of the diocese.
And please don’t forget: this week the Healthy Congregations Survey launched. This is an amazing opportunity to gather a lot of input about our work together from throughout the diocese. Please fill it out, and share it with your parishioners and stakeholders.
I’m not so far away from being a parish priest and college professor to have forgotten what a busy time of year this is for you all. God bless you with energy, imagination, and joy in all that you are juggling and leading, to the glory of God and in service to God’s people!
See you soon.
Faithfully,
Julia+
The Rev. Julia Whitworth, Bishop-elect
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Beloved of God in the Diocese of Massachusetts!
As many, but not all, of you know, today marks three weeks since I arrived in the offices at 138 Tremont Street to begin the in-person transition period as your bishop-elect.
I’m so glad to be here at last.
I wanted to drop you a note to let you know what I have been up to since arriving in the Commonwealth.
My son Gregory and I have moved into our temporary home in Brookline, where we will be for the year until identifying our more permanent residence for my whole family, hopefully in a strategic way for the diocese (more on that forthcoming). Blessedly, he has settled into his new school very well. We miss Ray, Grace, Liam, but we feel confident everyone is where they are supposed to be this year.
Here are some highlights of my time in the diocese so far:
Consecration Planning
The Consecration Committee and members of diocesan staff have been working very hard to create an extraordinary celebration of our next chapter together as a diocese. Clergy, please be sure to register by Oct. 1 for lunch on Friday, Oct. 18 with the Presiding Bishop (and me) and to process on Saturday, Oct. 19. There remain a small handful of hotel rooms available for out-of-town guests, and about 75 seats for general seating at the Consecration service itself. For more info, including sign-up for regional watch parties, please see the Consecration webpage: https://www.diomass.org/consecration.
New ELCA Bishop
My first weekend, Bishop Alan and I attended the installation of Bishop Nathan Pipho, the new bishop of the New England Synod, ELCA. It was a great opportunity to meet many new Episcopal and Lutheran colleagues in the region. I look forward to working with Bishop Nathan, who will also be among my co-consecrators next month.
Meetings
I have been blessed to “ride along” with Bishops Alan and Carol on meetings with the Executive Committee of Diocesan Council, who also gathered for a day-long retreat my second weekend. I have been grateful to attend Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry meetings and lots of other Zooms with diocesan staff and leaders to begin wrapping my head and arms around this amazing diocese. Many of you know that we are not working in 138 Tremont Street right now, on account of some reapplication of faulty carpet tiles. I am very much looking forward to getting back to in-person work to begin deepening relationships with the staff and learning more basics – like where the printers are.
Blessings
This past weekend I was blessed to attend the rededication of the Allston Abbey on Saturday night and to share dinner and fellowship with the African Clergy Caucus and their spouses on Sunday. Both were wonderful ways to begin connecting and knowing you, and to celebrate how the Spirit is moving in the Episcopal Church in eastern Massachusetts.
Coming Up!
I am so excited for tomorrow’s Clergy Day at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and online at 9:30 a.m. Many thanks to the Clergy Professional Development Committee and the Rev. Dan Bell for organizing our guest speaker, the Rev. Karen Hering, on “Trusting Change.” I am glad that we will have some extended time for conversation, about the past and the future of the diocese.
And please don’t forget: this week the Healthy Congregations Survey launched. This is an amazing opportunity to gather a lot of input about our work together from throughout the diocese. Please fill it out, and share it with your parishioners and stakeholders.
I’m not so far away from being a parish priest and college professor to have forgotten what a busy time of year this is for you all. God bless you with energy, imagination, and joy in all that you are juggling and leading, to the glory of God and in service to God’s people!
See you soon.
Faithfully,
Julia+
The Rev. Julia Whitworth, Bishop-elect
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Lord Jesus, walk with us through all that happens this day.
In the silence, we lift to you the tasks of this day
And ask you to bless our endeavors.
Amen.
Church of England Daily Prayer App, Morning Prayer, August 21, 2024
In the silence, we lift to you the tasks of this day
And ask you to bless our endeavors.
Amen.
Church of England Daily Prayer App, Morning Prayer, August 21, 2024
Check out our construction video below! We've done a lot of work on the Church to make ourselves sustainable. We converted to solar energy, installed heat pumps, repaired and restored the exterior walls of our Church and Bell Tower, upgraded our electrical service, all so that we would have a sound space in order to ensure we can continue to serve our community. The last piece is installing a lift to make us fully ADA compliant.
We welcome all who would like to experience
Grace Church as a living faith community.
Based on our core values, expressed in our baptismal Covenant, “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as our selves” and “to strive for justice and peace among all peoples, respecting the dignity of every human being”, Grace Church is to serve residents and visitors of Martha’s Vineyard in a way that is nourishing in worship and spirituality, ample in food and social programs, integral to Martha’s Vineyard, with a perspective and a voice in the world.
We invite you to join us for any and all of our programs, events, and services.
Thank you for visiting our website, and God bless you.
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
For the Congregation, Wardens, and Vestry of Grace Church
Grace Church as a living faith community.
Based on our core values, expressed in our baptismal Covenant, “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as our selves” and “to strive for justice and peace among all peoples, respecting the dignity of every human being”, Grace Church is to serve residents and visitors of Martha’s Vineyard in a way that is nourishing in worship and spirituality, ample in food and social programs, integral to Martha’s Vineyard, with a perspective and a voice in the world.
We invite you to join us for any and all of our programs, events, and services.
Thank you for visiting our website, and God bless you.
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
For the Congregation, Wardens, and Vestry of Grace Church
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Our office hours are 9:00am - 3:00pm, Monday through Thursday.
Messages on our office phone will be checked regularly.
For further information or to learn more about the Parish,
please call the office at 508-693-0332; or click below to email us.
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Grace Church is located on the corner of Woodlawn and William Street in Vineyard Haven. Parking is located along both streets and behind the rectory on Franklin Street. Handicapped parking space is at the (Woodlawn Avenue) side entrance.
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Grace Episcopal Church of Martha's Vineyard Mailing Address:
P O Box 1197 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone: (508) 693-0332 |
Click here to contact us by email: www.graceepiscopalmv.org/email-us.html