Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 7pm Finance

Meeting

7pm Theology Pub

in St. Clair

3

10am Holy Eucharist

10:30am Book Study

5pm Outreach

4

10am Loose Knit

6pm DV/SA

Support Group

5

1pm Community

Enterprise

6pm NA

6 10am AA

10am Advent Quiet Day

@ All Saints Church

5:30pm Holy Eucharist

6:45pm Smith Wedding

Rehearsal

7

8am Holy Eucharist

9am Building &

Grounds

9:15am Jr. Choir

10am Holy Eucharist

11:15am Coffee Hour

11:30am Adult Choir

1”30pm Smith Wedding

8 9

11am Hanging of

the Greens

6pm DV/SA

Art Therapy

10 10am Holy Eucharist

10:30am Book Study

11

6pm DV/SA

Support Group

12

1pm Community

Enterprise

6pm NA

13

10am AA

11am Kozlof Wedding

5:30pm Holy Eucharist

14 8am Holy Eucharist

9:15am Jr. Choir

10am Holy Eucharist/

Lessons & Carols

11:15am Coffee Hour:

Outreach

11:30am Adult Choir

15 16 12pm Finance

6pm DV/SA

Art Therapy

17 10am Holy Eucharist

10:30am Book Study

6pm Vestry

18

6pm DV/SA

Support Group

19

1pm Community

Enterprise

6pm NA

20

10am AA

5:30pm Blue

Christmas

21 8am Holy Eucharist

9:15am Jr. Choir

10am Holy Eucharist /

Pageant

11:15am Coffee Hour:

Christian Ed

11:30am Adult Choir

22 23

24Christmas Eve

Office open until 12

noon.

6pm Festive Eucharist

9pm Festive Eucharist

25Christmas Day

Office Closed

10am Holy Eucharist

in Goulden Chapel

26 Office Closed

27

10am AA

5:30pm Holy Eucharist

28 8am Holy Eucharist

9:15am Jr. Choir

10am Holy Eucharist/

Lessons & Carols for

Christmas

11:15am Coffee Hour

29 30 31 Office open until 12

noon.

December 2014

Sacristans for December: Chairperson: Sue Smith Ann Brown Dorothy Hickman Judy Moore

Remember you can access the

calendar by going to the church web-

site at graceporthuron.org and click on

calendar!! Don’t see your event?

Please email Maureen at

maureen.porada@graceporthuron.net

or call the church office @ 985-9539

and she’ll update the calendar!

Volume 62, Issue 7

December 2014

G R A C E E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H , P O R T H U R O N , M I C H I G A N

T h e T o w e r

December Calendar 1

Altar Flowers 3

Carry Grace 3

Christian Education 4

Christmas Worship 4

Parish Register 6

Outreach 7

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Page 2

Our mission, as a passionate Christ—

centered church is to share the loving heart of God,

to spread the Good News, to serve the community through

outreach, and to welcome all.

THOUGHTS FROM THE INTERIM: It is tempting to think of Christmas as a comfortable, nostalgic time. We remember happy Christmases in our past; gatherings of family, beloved carols, gifts that make wishes come true, times that often seem in memory like better times. And we all need to treasure those memories. But the themes of Advent and Christmas in our weekly worship are anything but comfortable: The themes of Advent are the coming of God’s Kingdom, the coming of God’s chosen and beloved (Messiah), whom Christians believe is Jesus, and the theme of God’s judgment. These are themes of anxiety and waiting, themes of what is to come, beyond the coming of Jesus. Advent is a time when we focus on the disconnect between the kingdom of God and our present reality. Here at Grace, the sudden resignation of our Music Director and Organist just weeks before Christmas may make many feel that Grace’s best days are over. It is tempting to assign blame, to seek scapegoats, to react by withholding support for our church or even by seeking another church or none. That first Christmas was an unsettling time: people were asked to leave their familiar home towns and to go to other places for the census -- Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem which was not their home but the home of their ancestors; they were ef-fectively repatriated and had nowhere to stay but a stable when the baby arrived. And yet the story of the birth of Jesus that we hear is an assurance that even in unsettled times, even in the darkest night, God is with us, Emmanuel. Grace is in a time of transition in the midst of a culture in transition. In any congregational transition, there are changes. No one likes change -- it pushes people outside our comfort zones, it diverts us from our familiar routines, it causes us to en-counter experiences and sometimes unpleasant truths and we feel powerless to resist, to regain our equilibrium. And yet God is with us, Emmanuel, calling us not to be afraid. Plans are already almost complete for our Christmas worship services. Our children will tell the story in the pageant, our youth will supplement our carols with their instruments, our choir will sing. God will be praised, the Christ child will be in our midst and the angels will sing peace, do not be afraid. Will it be the same as last year? Will it be what we expected at the beginning of November? No. Will it be joyful and prayerful and worshipful? Yes. We enter Advent and look towards Christmas with hopes and fears, confident that the God who has been with us in other times of upheaval and anxiety will be with us now. This year, no more or less than in other years, Advent and Christmas offer us an opportunity to engage the message of Christ and of God’s kingdom in unexpected ways.

Grace is in a time of transition in the midst of a culture in transition. In any congregational transition, there are changes. No one likes change -- it pushes people outside our comfort zones, it diverts us from our familiar routines, it causes us to encounter experiences and sometimes unpleasant truths and we feel powerless to resist, to regain our equilibrium. And yet God is with us, Emmanuel, calling us not to be afraid.

Carry Grace

November 2, In Thanksgiving for our granddaughter

Morgan Johnson’s adjustment to High School given

by Charles & Carolyn Winters.

November 23, In Thanksgiving for family and

friends given by Jo Boddy.

November 23, In Thanksgiving for our newest

grandchild, Coen Earl Selepack, and Tova Sophia

Selepack, Keegan Riley McPharlin, and Connor

Partick McPharlin.

November 26, In Thanksgiving for Aidyn Michael

Munro’s 1st birthday given by Susan Myron.

ALTAR FLOWERS For December

Given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of…

DECEMBER 7TH , IN CELEBRATION OF THE MARRIAGE OF LAWREN SMITH AND NATHAN RUIZ, the gift of Lawren & Nathan.

DECEMBER 7TH, KATHRYN & HARLOW MENO, JOHN & BETTE MCPHARLIN, GWENDOLYN & MILTON BEEBE, the gift of the McPharlin Family.

DECEMBER 14TH, CLIFFORD & BEATRICE BARNBY, the gift of Mr. & Mrs. Denny LePla & family.

DECEMBER 21ST, EDITH W. HENRY, ELVA S. WILCOX, the gift of Ann, Jo, Ginny & Sue.

DECEMBER 21ST, CLIFFORD HERBERT, the gift of the family.

Page 3

DATES TO REMEMBER

THE DECEMBER EVENTS—

DECEMBER 6 ST NICHOLAS’ DAY Quiet Day from 10 TO 3. All Saints’ Marysville. Clergy and Lay leaders of our Blue Water Convocations churches are planning St Nicholas Day retreat, with opportunities for everyone to set aside our pre-Christmas busy-ness to spend some time in reflection and prayer.

December 11th Prayer Vigil against Gun Violence @ the Raven 6:00 –7:30pm

December 14th Lessons & Carols for Advent. 10am. Come join and sing as we prepare ours selves for the coming of Christ.

December 20th “Blue Christmas service” For many people the relentless round of parties and family gatherings and the expectation that we should be jolly and merry at this time of year feel like an impossible burden. Christmas can be full of reminders of grief and loss, divorce, illness, unemployment, and other situations, may make Christmas painful. This quiet service allows us to discover the mystery of God WIth Us while acknowledging pain and sadness.

December 21st Christmas Pageant 10am Join us as we tell the story of Christ’s birth with the help of our youngsters as well as those from St. Paul’s. It will prove to be a joyous occasion.

December 24th Christmas Eve Service 6pm Christmas Eve Service 9pm Carol sing 30 minutes before both services. Call the office with your request of hymns. Festive Eucharist with Instrumentalists at both services.

December 25th Christmas Day Service 10am in the Goulden Chapel with no music.

December 28th Lessons & Carols for Christmas 10am Join us in celebrating the birth of Christ with Hymns and Lessons.

FESTIVAL OF TREES

December 6 & 7 The Festival of Trees needs

volunteers and participants . If

you are interested in design- ing

a tree or helping in other ca-

pacities, please call McLar- en Port Huron Foundation at

810-989-3776.

Mark your calendars…

The Hanging of the Greens will be on

Tuesday, December 9th at 11:00am. Please join us if you can.

Page 4

Christian Education

December Sunday Schedule:

December: Shepherds & Angels

December

12/07 Sunday school

12/14 Sunday school

12/21 Christmas Pageant

12/28 Jesus’ Birthday Party – Main Dining Area

Heifer International Our outreach project for Advent is Heifer International. Heifer In-

ternational helps impoverished families worldwide become self-reliant through the gift of

livestock and training in their care. Each family who receives an animal agrees to give

the animal’s first female offspring to another family in need.

Please join us as we collect offerings outside of the Children’s Chapel from November

30th through December 21st. We will culminate our Heifer Project with a

“NOISY OFFERING”. Please bring your change, make noise as we offer i

Heifer International is the gift that keeps on giving. What can we give? Ducks/Geese,

Chicks, Honey Bees, Rabbits, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Llamas, Buffalo, Fish, Heifers.

Animals range in price from $20.00 to $500.00

Honor cards will be available for those who would like to make a donation in honor of an

individual. What a great Christmas gift!

Christmas Pageant Sign-up Sign-up sheet is located outside of the Christian education office.

All children in preschool through 5th grade are welcome to participate in the

pageant that will be held during the 10:00am service on December 21st.

Costumes: Sunday, December 14th, before and after the 10:00am service.

Rehearsal: Saturday, December 20th, 9:00am in the church.

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Dec. 14th—Advent 3 8 am Holy Eucharist 10 a.m. Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols

Dec. 21st—Advent 4 8 am Holy Eucharist 10 a.m. The Christmas Pageant Holy Eucharist

Dec. 24th—Christmas Eve 6:00 pm Festive Eucharist 9:00 pm Festive Eucharist

Dec. 25th—Christmas Day 10:00 am Holy Eucharist in Chapel Dec. 28th– 8am. Holy Eucharist 10am—Lessons and Carols for Christmas

Join us for a prayer vigil for the victims on gun violence on December 11, 2014, a day marked in our memories for the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary just two years ago. There will be a number of prayer leaders and speakers from the Church and community nonprofits from Flint to Port Huron. These will include the Rt. Rev. Todd Ousley, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan; Bob Lotz of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship; Haley Genaw of Blue Water Safe Horizons; the Ven. Anna Leigh Kubbe of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan; the Rev. Kevin Totty of Christ Centered Community Church; and Danielle Brown of the Christ Enrichment Center. More speakers may be added as the date nears. The short film, “Living for 32”, will also be shown. The film follows Colin Goddard, a survivor of the tragic massacre at Virginia Tech as he remembers April 16, 2007 and continues on with his life in the aftermath of the shooting that left 32 dead and17 injured.

Page 5

Prayer Vigil for the Victims of Gun Violence

On the anniversary of the massacre at

Sandy Hook Elementary

December 11, 2014 from 6:00-7:30pm

The loft of the Raven Cafe

932 Military Street

Port Huron, MI 48060

This event is one of 125 vigils being held concurrently

across the United States.

Questions? Call Bob Lotz at 810-488-6458.

Do you love Grace Episcopal Church? Is it an important part of your life and the lives of your family? Do you care about Grace’s future? If so, please, please, please consider putting your name forward as a candidate for vestry.

Here are some great reasons to run: The church needs you. Our congregation is not so much defined by the number of attendees at a given service, but by the members’ level of commitment and involvement. If we have lots of people willing to serve, it strengthens our church and congregation. An important decision awaits us. The work that we do during this transitional time will help to position Grace to call a rector in 3 to 5 years from now. We need hard workers, visionary leaders and people who are not afraid to express their opinions and share the concerns of parishioners. The more you invest, the more you receive. Serving on the vestry means that you will meet with and interact with more people. It means you will have a reason for being involved. It means (and I

really believe this) you will have a lot more fun at Grace, and Grace will become a bigger part of your life. Elections are good. If we do not get enough nomi-nees to require elections, then our vestry will not be a true representation of the wishes of our congrega-tion. All are urged to consider this important minis-try of the church. Stewardship. As you consider your pledge for this year, remember that your pledge is a commitment of time and talent, in addition to treasure. Vestry members need to attend church regularly, be willing to be part of a committee and be able to communi-cate electronically.

Together, we can journey to the mountain top.

Together, we can take Grace Episcopal Church to the Promised Land. Vestry 2015: Be there!

We have 4 openings that need to be filled.

Vestry Nominations

Page 6

COFFEE HOUR

December 7th Volunteer needed

December 14th Outreach/Mary Gail McPharlin

December 21st Christian Ed

December 28th Tom & Becky Reilly

Please consider volunteering as a coffee hour host. The sign up sheets for this valuable ministry can be found in the Gathering Place.

Thank you for Volunteering!

PARISH REGISTER

The loving sympathy of the

congregation is

extended to the families of …

George Moore

Marysville

Annette McIntosh

Port Huron

“May the souls of the faithful

departed rest in peace, O Lord, and let light

perpetual shine upon them.”

We welcome into the household of faith through

the Sacrament of

Baptism…

Coen Earl Selepack

Son of Matthew & Betsy Selepack

Grandson of Patrick & Mary Gale McPharlin

Nathaniel Charles Zygmunt Daulphinais

Son of Nathan & Alyssa Daulphinais

Grandson of Zyg & Maureen Porada

Alice Maren Selepack

Daughter of Angela Vokes & Michael Selepack

Nephew of Matthew & Betsy Selspack

“Sealed by the Holy Spirit in

Baptism and marked as Christ’s own

Please be reminded that Grace Church has a group of wom-en who are able to provide transportation for any-one who needs a ride but cannot or does not drive! Call Elaine Backman at 810 982 3946 to arrange a ride to Church, the Doctor, the grocery store, pharmacy, etc.

Don’t forget “Loose Knit Company” meets every 1st Thursday of the month in the Gathering Place at 10:00am. Everyone is welcome ….knitters or not. December 4th is our next meeting. Bring a friend. Sometimes we go out to lunch. Thank you for all the recent donations, which are being put to good use.

ALTAR FLOWERS

The new method of placing flowers on the altar is going very well. We have decided to return to the tradition of having flowers on the altar during Advent, because the

larger church does not see Advent as penitential as Lent. Since in the past we have used only evergreens during Advent, we have 4 weeks available for flowers. If you are interested in having flowers as a memorial, please call the office and we will make sure it happens.

Page 7

To The Glory of God and in Loving Memory of ..[or] Thanksgiving for...

Name___________________________________________________________________________________

The gift of _______________________________________________________________________________

_______ For the altar _______Carry Grace _______Where needed

Deadline for Poinsettia Memorials - Dec. 16th All Memorials will be in the January Tower. Thank you.

OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Angel project

Thank you so very much to everyone who has already taken an angel. We only have a couple angels left, but if you did not get a chance to get an angel, there are still opportunities to help our community chil-dren and families for Christmas. The shelters for our children/families that are homeless or victims of domestic violence are looking for children/adult books, socks, and underwear. Below you will see the list of food for Christmas dinner for our Woodrow children and then a list of items to provide special food items for our seniors. Again, thank you for your ongoing generosity for the less fortunate in our community.

For our Woodrow families: Instant potatoes Canned fruit Canned corn and green beans Applesauce Cereal Cereal bars Peanut butter Jelly Macaroni & cheese Cookies Fruit snacks Juice boxes Hot chocolate mix

For our Seniors:

Tea Coffee Werthers Candy Chocolate Granola Bars Seedless Jam Crackers Squirt cans of cheese (no refridgerator necessary) Oranges Apples

OUTREACH

MORE ON MUSIC AT GRACE

From now until January 2015, we are working with a patchwork of fill-in musicians at 10:00 and will not have music at the 8 a.m. service after Nov. 30, Angel Gippert’s last Sunday. In early December, the interim will meet with the choir, with church school parents and others, to define the role of music in the mission of Grace and to develop a job description and seek an interim or permanent musician or musicians. In the meanwhile, lift your voices in praising God and try to be patient and have a sense of humor. Our music will be lively and joyous but undoubtedly different, just as our music changed when Barton Meech retired and John O’Brien left and as clergy have come and gone. If you have advice to offer or musicians to nominate please let the office know.

Sponsor Space Available

Call the church office

985-9539

Grace Episcopal Church

1213 Sixth Street

Port Huron, MI. 48060

December 2014

Current Occupant or