Placemat by Kennedy Garrison

Welcome to grace church

Sunday Service
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.
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​Statement of Grace Church's Theological Position in these times:

new diomass Core Values, Mission statement, & strategic priorities:

Welcome  +  Courage  +  
​Justice   +   Joy   +  Love
  1. God is the ultimate power and authority.
  2. We as human beings are in relationship with God and with all of God’s creation.
  3. Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God, the Messiah, and it is through Him (in part) that we know God.
  4. We believe that everyone, of whatever faith or none, is created in the image of God and deserves the respect that this dignity confers.
  5. The foundation of our relationship with God and each other is the gift of God’s unconditional love and grace for us, for all people, and for all creation.
  6. The steadfast love of God for us never ceases[i].  God’s love and God’s presence are the unwavering constants in our lives.
  7. We, as Episcopalians through our Baptismal Covenant[ii], have covenanted with God and are mandated[iii] to be faithful in prayer and worship; to resist evil and seek forgiveness and repentance when we fall short; to proclaim the Gospel; to seek and serve Christ in all people, loving our neighbor as our selves; and to strive for peace and justice for all people, respecting the dignity of every human being.
  8. Just as we, as the Body of Christ on earth known as the Church, are citizens of heaven[iv] with responsibilities toward God, Jesus Christ, and the world, so are the leaders and congregations of our Church simultaneously citizens of our nation.  As such, we have the civic privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in our country, including the obligation to defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States.
 


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[i] Lamentations 3:22-23a
[ii] BCP, pp. 304-305.
[iii] “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”  John 13:34, KJV.
[iv] Philippians 3:20a
Diocesan Mission Statement:
Guided by our core values and trusting in the Holy Spirit, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
  • Provides a generous and abundant welcome to life in Christ,
  • Forms creative disciples for missional lives,
  • Fosters inclusive, diverse, and sustainable worshipping communities, and
  • Proclaims the justice of God to a broken and hurting world
​As we become the church of the future together.
Strategic Priorities
  • ​Strengthening Worshipping Communities
  • Reframing Communication, Evangelism and Prophetic Witness 
  • Advancing Formation, Discipleship, and Leadership • Offer lifelong Christian formation and discipleship opportunities grounded in scripture, tradition, and justice 
  • Improving Diocesan Stewardship and Asset Management 
Organizational Capacities
  • Hospitality
  • Transparency & Accountability
  • Responsiveness in Communication
  • Diversity & Belonging
  • Collaboration & Strategy
  • A Sense of Joy
Congratulations to our sisters and brothers at St. John's Church,
​Tisbury, England!
They are dedicating their new East Window tomorrow at 3:00pm their time, which is 10:00am our time.  Click the photo of part of their window for the link to the dedication service.
The link to the East Window website is here.
To get a sense of St. John's setting, and to hear their celebratory peal from their bells, click here.
Many thanks to Ros Russell for providing the links and for keeping us up to date.
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We came across this booklet from the Surgeon-General as part of their efforts to combat loneliness in our country.  The idea is to come together to share (a) meal(s) together.  With our own Community Suppers program starting in December, our Stewardship Campaign centered around food and small groups, and the apocalyptic readings at the end of the lectionary year, it seemed a timely resource.  It's a quick read, and its message is to connect with others through food.  Bon appetit!
It's Pledge time at Grace Church... for those of you wanting to make your pledges online, click on the tile to go to the online pledge portal.
Tell us how we did!
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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.
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
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
We invite you to sign up for our mailing list by clicking here.

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Our office hours are 9:00am - 3:00pm, Monday through Friday.
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.
Follow us on Facebook:  Grace Church MV AND Grace Church Lobster Rolls
Follow us on Instagram:   gracechurchmarthasvineyard
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.
   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