GRACE CHURCH OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Commemoration of Richard Baxter[1]
 
 
Greetings to Everyone at Grace Church!
 
Stewardship:  Tomorrow is Ingathering Sunday!  Many thanks to everyone who has sent their pledge in already – with your help, we are a little over halfway to our targeted goal of $120,000 in pledges for next year!   If you haven’t sent in your pledge form for 2024, please bring it with you to Church tomorrow or go online here to make your pledge.  We’re confident that with everyone’s help, we will reach our financial goal, having reached it, turn our focus to developing Grace Church’s ability to serve others through our ministries.

 
Red Stocking:  If you making a gift or gifts through the Red Stocking program, please bring your Red Stocking gifts to Church this Sunday or drop them off by Sunday afternoon, as your gifts will be brought to the pickup point on Monday morning.  Thank you for your generosity and willingness to provide a gift to a child you don’t know.
 
Calling all children of the Parish:  There will be a brief meeting after the 10:00 service this Sunday to go over this year’s Christmas Pageant.  Children of all ages and their parents/grandparents are invited to attend.  We will have a Pageant rehearsal on Saturday, December 16th at 12:00noon, with the Pageant itself serving as the Sermon for the 10:00 service on the 17th.  Please join us and email the Rector at [email protected] if you are interested but can’t make the meeting this Sunday.
 
Also, anyone interested in helping to teach Sunday School, please let me know at the above address.  We have tremendous young people in our Parish who are eager to learn about our faith, and we have a wonderful curriculum in place – many thanks in advance for your interest and your help!
 
Diocesan Bishop search:  With Grace Church’s own Kim Garrison as a member, the Search Committee for a Bishop has posted the Diocesan Profile and the opening of Nominations and Applications for those interested in applying.  You can go to the Diocesan link here.  Members of the Diocese are also invited to attend two informational sessions on Zoom:

• Thursday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m.: Diocesan Profile Overview
• Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.: What is the Role of a Bishop?

Registration is required to receive the Zoom links.  Please register here.

Finally, as you can see from the above photo, the scaffolding is down and the walkway between the two sets of stairs was poured today. Next week should see the railings for the steps in place and the  installation of protective glazing over our stained glass windows.
 
God bless you all,
Stephen+
 
The Reverend Stephen Harding
Rector
 


[1] http://satucket.com/lectionary/richard_baxter.htm

To the Parish of Grace Church –
 
Once the clocks changed, it got darker fast.  Morning light and afternoon light are shorter and with greater clarity and then it’s dark. Again.  To some, this may be an invitation to read, drink tea, cook, be cozy and enjoy the dark.  To others, the dark may be a metaphor for the state of the world:  war between Hamas and Israel; war between Russia and Ukraine; the looming Presidential election; political instability in the world; climate crisis…. You get the idea.
 
Into all this comes the Season of Advent:  A season of light in the darkness.  A time of hope; a time of preparation, and ultimately the Season that culminates with the birth of God’s Son.  Right here.  On earth.  With us.  Still miraculous, and still so unexpected that it catches me up short every time I think about it.
 
At this time of year, I try to tune out the noise of consumerism and focus on the coming birth:  the Incarnation of God on earth.  It’s a time of wonder and of great beauty.  This year, Advent feels similar to a runway at night – a path lighted forward in the dark; a place to land in safety, and a way through the dark.
 
This past year has been one of blessings – we have accomplished much; and loss, in that we have lost several long-term and beloved parishioners.  If there is someone you would like to remember in our corporate prayers at Christmas, please email or return the attached form to the Parish office at [email protected], drop the form off, or mail it so that we have your information by December 18.
 
A flyer that lists all the services and events for Advent and Christmas is posted on the Welcome Page of this website  Please invite your friends to join us for any and all services and events!
 
I wish you a blessed Advent.  May it be a time to slow down (I mean it); to make room for silence and wonder; to make time to connect with God, God’s infant Son, or with Mary, His mother.
 
God bless you,
 
Stephen+

Commemoration of Nicholas Ferrar and Charles de Foucauld[1]

To Everyone at Grace Church, Greetings:
 
Advent starts on Sunday!  It’s a time of wonder, hope, and a way forward in the darkness.
 
Our Bishops have issued a letter to the Diocese on the war between Israel and Hamas.  It’s a very thoughtful letter and provides us with actions we can take as a Parish and individually in response.  It is well worth reading, and we are called to pray, provide financial support to the Diocesan Jerusalem Christmas Offering, Advocate, and Learn.  A list of sources and resources is provided in their letter, which can be found here.
 
Stewardship:  A postcard went out late this week as a gentle reminder that your Pledge for 2024 will be welcome.  If you have already sent in your Pledge Form for next year, thank you!  If you haven’t yet, Ingathering Sunday is December 1.  Your generosity for next year will help us build
on this year’s success!
 
Healing and the Laying on of Hands:  This being the first Sunday of the month, Carolyn Eddy and Gloria Wong will offer the Laying on of Hands and Healing Prayers after Communion at the 10:00am service.  This is one of the oldest practices of the Christian Church and comes with the intent of healing in the sense of making whole.  Thank you Carolyn and Gloria for your ministry.
 
The Christmas Pageant is coming!  It will take the place of the Sermon at the 10:00 services on December 17th.  If you know a child or grandchild who would like to be in it, please let me or Heather know. 
 
Community Suppers have started up again!  Thank you to all who are volunteering and helping to provide a warm meal to those who are hungry.  If you would like to volunteer, come to the Parish Hall on Friday at 3:30.  If you would like a meal, call the Parish Office at 508 693-0332 before 4pm on Thursdays and let us know how many meals you would like or use the Grace Church App to order your meals.
 
The Reverend Dr. Storm Swain will be presiding and preaching at both services this weekend, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
 
God bless you all,
 
Stephen+
 
The Reverend Stephen Harding


[1] http://satucket.com/lectionary/charles_foucauld.htm

​The Wednesday before Thanksgiving
 
To Everyone at Grace church, Greetings!
 
I can report that having covid the second time is not much better that the first:  please stay up to date with your vaccinations and boosters!  Wear your masks in public.
 
These past two weeks have been overshadowed by the deaths of Waylon Sauer and Trudy Russell, and I know that our communities are still grieving.  Please be gentle with yourselves and with each other in the days to come.
 
Many thanks to the Right Reverend Ian Douglas and to Abby Bates, who stepped in at the last moment to take the 8:00 and 10:00 services last Sunday; to Wes Nagy, Karen Huff, and Ribbons Harris for all their technical support; to the Rev’d Dr. Storm Swain for all her help and support on Sunday and afterward; and to all of you for your patience and flexibility in adapting to changed circumstances.
 
I paraphrased the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, the Very Reverend David Monteath’s sermon on November 12th.  I have since posted the link to it as part of a blog in the newsletters section of our website – click here to go to that page.
 
Congratulations to Teri Culletto for her book and for the article about her in the Gazette!  If you haven’t yet read it, here’s the link.
 
Construction:  We are aiming for December 8th as the completion date for the exterior work on the Church that is included in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s grant.  This includes finishing the concrete steps, including the railings (the plan is to reuse the current ones), re-attaching the lamp over the main church entrance, finishing the shingling of the Bell Tower and the South Wall; and replacing the protective glazing over our stained glass windows.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed or pledged to make this work possible.
 
Work continues on the lower concrete stairs.  Weather permitting and Inspector consenting, the steps will be poured on Friday or Monday.
 
The Rectory solar panels have been installed and approved by the local Inspector.  If you haven’t yet seen them, they are very impressive.
 
Sunday School continues to meet; thank you to everyone on the Hospitality Committee for your generosity and hard work; and thank you to the Reverend Dr. Storm Swain, who will be taking the services this coming Sunday; and thank you for your prayers for me and our family.
 
I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and stay safe.
 
God bless you,
 
Stephen+
 
The Reverend Stephen Harding
Rector

Yesterday, I prepared a technical church sermon, based on the readings for the day, 1 Thessalonians 4:15ff in particular.  It was a fine sermon, but it was a little  too much 'in-house'.  

As I generally try to, I watched the service from Canterbury Cathedral and tuned into their Remembrance Sunday service, in which they remember and honor their war dead.  Saturday was Veterans' Day for us, and I listened to the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, the Very Reverend David Monteath's sermon.   I was so moved by it that I had wanted simply to play it from YouTube for us at Grace Church; technical issues with Youtube prevented me from doing that, so, giving Dean David full credit, I retold his sermon at both of our services.

The issues with Youtube seem to have ben resolved, and the link to Dean David's sermon is provided below.  I encourage you to listen to his wisdom and his words.

Commemoration of Richard Hooker[1]
 
To Everyone at Grace Church –
 
This past Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of our shared ministry at Grace Church.  Much has happened in those years:  deaths of long-term Parishioners, new Members of the Parish, Covid-19, online and hybrid worship, the creation of the Spear Playground, construction on our buildings, and over all, growth.  That so much has taken place so quickly is a tribute to your faith and to you, the Parishioners and to the Parish of Grace Church.  Thank you for all we have accomplished and thank you for the privilege of being your Rector.
 
Five years has gone quickly.  Despite a few difficult moments, they have been a good five years, and I am looking forward to continuing our shared ministry with each of you. 
 
As we begin to turn our focus to deepening our ministries, the world needs us to remain faithful to our Baptismal Covenant:  to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves; and to strive for justice and peace among all peoples, respecting the dignity of every human being.  Part of the work of the Gospel n this time of dehumanization and divisiveness is providing a model and a space that is genuinely welcoming to all.
 
 
A reminder that the clocks change this Sunday morning!  At 2:00am, November 5, daylight saving time is out and standard time is in, and will last until March 10.  Please remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night.
 
Stewardship:  The Stewardship letters for 2024 were mailed out last Friday and we are already receiving pledges for next year!  Thank you!  Next year our focus will be on what happens inside our buildings and on deepening our ministries to our Vineyard Community and beyond.  Thank you for your generosity and for being part of Grace Church!
 
Speaking of Stewardship and of being good stewards, we have a question about pledge envelopes.  The minimum order for the printed envelopes we’ve been using is 100 differently numbered envelopes.  We’d like to move to a different system of envelopes:  if you’d like to use this new system next year, please email Heather Raveling, our Parish Administrator, at [email protected]
 
Speaking of programs that feed and nourish us, Terri Culletto is holding a bread-making workshop and book signing tomorrow morning, Saturday, November 4, at 9:00am in the parish Hall.  All are welcome.  If you’ve ben at Coffee Hour, you know how good Terri’s bread is – come learn how to do it and/or improve your bread-making skills.
 
The Vestry is on Retreat tomorrow from 11:00am – 2:00pm.
 
In order to ease the parking congestion on Sunday mornings, we have asked the Town of Tisbury for Parking signs for Sunday that will say something similar to “Sunday Parking for Grace Church only 7:30am – 12:30pm”.   Stay tuned….
 
For at least the last four years, Grace Church has had a digital Advent Calendar on our app.  This is an update on the paper Advent Calendars, and they’ve been fun.  Each day has a photo, poem, video clip, or a link to something within the theme of Advent.  If you have an Advent photo, song, poem, or recipe that you’d like to share with the Parish, please send them to me at [email protected].
 
Also, our Advent Party will be on Saturday, December 10 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the Parish Hall.  Please save the date for a little Cheer, some Carols, and good Company.
 
Construction:  The concrete has been poured for the steps leading up to the main Church entrance.  The lower steps are next and the final piece is the concrete slab between them.  Jeffrey from the Lyn Hovey Studio was here on Tuesday to look, measure and plan for the protective glazing for our stained glass windows.  He/they will be back with the glazing.  The work on the side (slanting) bell tower roofs is being finished as I write, and the Cross on the bell tower is scheduled to be painted gold next week.
 
God bless you all,
 
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector


[1] http://satucket.com/lectionary/RHooker.htm
​

Commemoration of Alfred, King of the Saxons[i]
 
 
Greetings To Everyone at Grace Church on this beautiful day –
 
Please continue to keep both the Palestinians and the Israelis in your prayers, together with the leaders of the nations, that there be an end to this conflict and a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
 
 
There seems to be quite a lot going on, starting with this afternoon’s 5:00 Poetry Reading and Book Signing by Justin Ahren, the Poet Laureate for the Vineyard.  The Reading will be in the Parish Hall later this afternoon and all are welcome.  Light refreshments will be offered as well.
 
As you can see in the above photo, Cotuit Solar installed solar panels on the roof of the Parish Hall earlier this week.  This is huge!  The next step is for Eversource to review their work, install a new meter, give us Permission to Operate (PTO), and turn our new system on.  The timing is expected to take two to three weeks before our new system is operational.  This means that, once it is on, our Church, Parish Hall, and Offices will be primarily powered by the sun.  We’ll still be attached to the grid, but our use and expense should be less than it is now.
 
Speaking of energy efficiency, there is a way you can become more energy efficient at home as well:  Thanks to Abby Bates and the work of the Interfaith Climate Action Group, representatives of Vineyard Power came to the Group’s meeting this week.  The takeaway is that if you request an energy audit of your home (which is free) through Mass Save, you may be eligible for

• 75-100% off approved insulation upgrades;
• No-cost air sealing;
• Discounts on high-efficiency heating & cooling equipment AND appliances;
• No-cost energy-saving products.

 
To sign up for a no-cost Home Energy Assessment, call 508 504-9508 or visit www.masssave.com/vineyard.  The advantage of going through Vineyard Power is that they use Vineyard Contractors to do the work.  Stay local!
 
Diocesan Convention is Tomorrow and Saturday – stay tuned for a report on Sunday.  If you want to watch the proceedings, including the Diocesan Eucharist, you can join the livestream of the Saturday sessions via the diocesan YouTube channel ("Live" tab) at:
 
https://www.youtube.com/@ediomass/streams
Click here for the Holy Eucharist service booklet.
 
If there is something you would like to include in the weekly email, let me know and send it to me at [email protected]!
 
Sunday School will meet again this Sunday, starting with a 9:45 drop off…
 
Thank you to everyone who helped make last Sunday’s Homecoming Alumni Reunion such a success!  Thank you to everyone who brought food to share – it was delicious!  Thank you to the unsung heroes:  all who set up and those who cleaned up – the essentials that get overlooked.
 
Last time of asking for Halloween candy!  We have six full bags of Halloween candy – thank you!  Seven bags would be even better, and you can drop it off at Church or at the Parish Hall.  We will distribute candy in front of the Church (on William Street) from approximately 4:30 until 8:30 or until we run out of candy.  Anyone who would like to help, please meet us there; some level of costume is preferred…
 
Looking into November: 
 
Teri Culletto will offer a bread-making workshop and book signing at 9:00am on Saturday, November 4 in the Parish Kitchen; please email Heather Raveling at [email protected] to register.
 
On the same day, November 4, the Vestry will be at a retreat from 11am-2pm.
 
Sunday, November 5, is the Sunday after All Saints’.  This is the Sunday we pay particular attention to the Intercommunion between the living and the dead, and we will read the names of those who have died over the past year at both services.  Also, it being the first Sunday of the month, Carolyn Eddy and Gloria Wong will offer prayers for healing immediately after Communion as part of the service.  All are welcome to join us.
 
Thank you for your help in making Grace Church a vibrant community and for the gift of your life in ours.
 
God bless you, and God keep you safe,
 
Stephen+
 
The Reverend Stephen Harding
Rector


[i] http://satucket.com/lectionary/Alfred.htm

​October 20, 2023
 
To Everyone at Grace Church –
 
Last Friday night several Members of Grace Church attended the Community Shabbat service at the Hebrew Center to support our neighbors.  The service was simple, beautiful, and a sign of how human beings can gather together and support each other in the face of trauma, atrocities, and the worst of what humans can do to each other and our planet.  The focus was not on politics, but prayers for the ordinary people on both sides who had been caught up in horror.
 
Last Tuesday night, we hosted an Interfaith service of Prayers for Peace in the Middle East at Grace Church.  The focus again was on remembering the innocents, our shared values, support for each other, and prayer.
 
Our role is to pray for everyone involved.   As the leaders of the world work for a just end to this war, I ask your prayers for the people of Israel, for the Palestinians, for the hostages and their families, for our neighbors, and for a peace that will last.
 
 
A Reminder about Homecoming, and a Request
 
This Sunday, October 22nd, is Homecoming Sunday!  All current and former Members of Grace Church are invited and welcome to join us as we celebrate our 2nd Annual Alumni Open House!  Please invite a friend to join you this Sunday.
 
Services will be held at 8:00 and 10:00am, as usual; all are invited to Coffee Hour, beginning at approximately 11:15.  We will remain open until 4:00 to welcome anyone interested in Grace Church or our programs, and the day will conclude with Evening Prayer at 4pm in the Church.
 
As food is an essential ministry for Grace Church, our Hospitality Committee is asking for your help in providing food for the day.  They are particularly requesting that we bring salads, vegetable side dishes, and (some) desserts to make sure we will have enough to offer throughout the day.  Your contribution will be greatly appreciated.
 
TAKE THE SURVEY: 
YOUR VOICE IN THE SEARCH FOR OUR NEXT BISHOP
As Members of Grace Church and the Diocese of Massachusetts, we are invited and welcome to participate in the Survey organized by the Search Committee for a Bishop.  Click here to take the survey , and know that your voice will be heard in the search process.
 
Sunday School will meet again this Sunday!  All children are welcome and invited to join us, beginning with a 9:45 drop-off time in the Chapel.  Any parent or parishioner interested in helping teach our children please see Susan Hoehn or Fr. Stephen.
 
MV Poet Laureate poetry reading and book signing at Grace Church October 26th:  Justen Ahren, the MV Poet Laureate, will be at Grace Church for a poetry reading and book signing on Thursday, October 26th from 5-6pm.  All are welcome – Please post this on your social media platforms.  Refreshments will be served.
 
Fourth time of asking for Halloween Candy:  Every Halloween, Grace Church is visited by between 700 and 1,000 ghosts, vampires, dinosaurs, clowns, princesses; ghouls, goblins, and other creatures too terrifying to mention.  If you would like to donate a bag or two of Halloween candy (bring it to church or drop it off during the week), that would be great – thank you!  And thank you to everyone who has brought candy!!
 
Thank you to everyone who participated in last Sunday’s CROP WALK!  (See photo below).  A special thank you to the Rev’d Sharon Eckhardt and Betsy Holcomb for organizing our participation!  With your help, we raised $650 to help fight hunger on the Vineyard and beyond.  The overall amount raised on Sunday was $25,199.25!!!
 
Construction:  The concrete for the side walls of the new steps was poured yesterday!  You can see a video of this on our website’s welcome page.  You will also notice that the Cross on top of the bell tower is back and vertical for the first time in years. 
 
I am also letting you know that Cotuit Solar is scheduled to come next week to install the solar panels on the roof of the Parish Hall!  This is fabulous, and in conjunction with our new heat pumps being ready to go, means that we will be ready for an oil-free winter in the Church!  Cotuit is currently scheduled to install a groundmount array of solar panels for the Rectory the week of November 13th!
 
Thank you all for your generosity and for your prayers for the Middle East.
 
Stay safe, and
 
God bless you,
 
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector
 

​Friday, October 13th, 2023
 
 
Greetings to Everyone at Grace Church –
 
The focus this week has been the conflict between Hamas and Israel and the rising potential of a humanitarian crisis.  The situation is one of horror and devastation, and it is difficult to see what the outcome will be.  Regardless of the outcome, our faith as Episcopalians requires us to ‘seek and serve Christ in all people and to respect the dignity of every human being’.  That is, to acknowledge and see value in every human life and to work against the dehumanization of the Other.
 
Our Bishops have issued a Statement on Israel and Palestine that can be found here, and I, with others from Grace Church, plan to attend the Hebrew Center’s 5:30pm Community Service later this afternoon.  Please feel free to join us.
 
Thank you to the Right Reverend Ian T. Douglas for providing information from the Office of Government Relations (which provides a vehicle to email our elected representatives) and access to The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.  Please visit any or all of these websites and/or the ones included at the end of our Bishops’ Statement to stay informed of the Episcopal Church’s response.
 
 
 
Covid-19:  Please be aware that cases of covid are increasing.  We encourage you to take appropriate safety precautions.  Please note that masks are now encouraged at all our indoor services.  Masks will be available for all services and meetings at Grace Church until further notice. 
 
Sunday School will meet again this Sunday!  All children are welcome and invited to join us, beginning with a 9:45 drop-off time in the Chapel.  Any parent or parishioner interested in helping teach our children please see Susan Hoehn or Fr. Stephen.
 
Newsletter in a new format:  The weekly newsletter is now also available on our website https://www.graceepiscopalmv.org/newsletters – please visit and share the weekly newsletter on your social media platforms!
 
MV CROP Hunger walk is this Sunday, October 15th:  the CROP Hunger Walk is an annual tradition for Grace Church and a fundraiser to raise money for the needs of hungry people around the world and on Martha’s Vineyard.  The idea is to walk the three miles from St. Augustine’s Church to the drawbridge and back, and invite others to sponsor your walk with a donation to “Crop Walk”.  To register to walk and/or make a donation, either go online to https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2023/teams?event=marthasvineyard, scroll to the bottom of the page, find “Browse Existing Teams”, and click on Grace Church’s name; OR sign up at the Board in the Parish Hall.
 
Grace Church’s Alumni Homecoming Sunday is October 22nd!   Please save the date to join us.  If you haven’t been to Grace Church in a while, used to come to church here, were married here, had parents who got married here, went to Grace Church Pre-School, came here for a lobster roll, or have any other connection, we invite you back for an open house so that we can show you what we’re doing.  If you’re a parishioner (= anyone within the parish boundaries:  i.e., on Martha’s Vineyard or, thanks to our online services, anywhere in the world), and know someone who used to go here and now doesn’t, invite them to join you on the 22nd! 
 
The schedule for the 22nd is as follows:
8:00am Said Eucharist
10:00am Choral Eucharist
11:30am-3:30pm Open House
4:00pm Evening Prayer
 
MV Poet Laureate book signing at Grace Church October 26th:  Justen Ahren, the MV Poet Laureate, will be at Grace Church for a book signing on Thursday, October 26th from 5-6pm.  All are welcome – Please post this on your social media platforms.  Refreshments will be served.
 
Third time of asking for Halloween Candy:  Every Halloween, Grace Church is visited by between 700 and 1,000 ghosts, vampires, dinosaurs, clowns, princesses; ghouls, goblins, and other creatures too terrifying to mention.  If you would like to donate a bag or two of Halloween candy (bring it to church or drop it off during the week), that would be great – thank you!
 
Thank you all for your generosity and for your prayers for the Middle East.
 
Stay safe, and
 
God bless you,
 
Stephen+
The Reverend Stephen Harding, Rector