The Wednesday before thanksgiving

​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