December 2019

Grace Episcopal Church Lexington, North The GraceVine

Grace Episcopal Church 419 S. Main Street Lexington, NC 27292-3234 336.249.7211 phone 336.249.8711 fax gracechurch@lexcominc.net

www.gracechurchlexington.org or http://grace-lexington.dionc.org/ Sunday Services Rite 1 - 9:00 a.m., in the Chapel Rite 2 - 11:00 a.m., in the Church 9:45 a.m., Sunday School Summer - 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel

Grace Church Christmas Party

Friday, December 6 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

at the home of

Dan & Laurie Briggs 205 W. 2nd Avenue

In years past this has been an adults-only party. This year

we are going to try something different to allow more

people the chance to attend. The Briggs children, Sidney,

Lyndon, Hadley, and Jack, will be opening their part of the

house for children. The older girls, as well as some other

members of J2A and Rite-13, are kindly providing childcare

free of charge upstairs while the adults are downstairs. If

you are bringing children to their home, we ask you to

bring a snack for them and to remind them that they are to

stay upstairs during the party. We will provide a movie as

well as games and crafts for the children so that adults can

enjoy their time together downstairs.

Parishioners are asked to bring:

*An Appetizer or Dessert

*BYOB

Parish Life will provide paper products,

non-alcoholic drinks, and ice

Christmastide Schedule

Christmas Eve 5:00 PM in the Church

F

Christmas Day 10:00 AM in the Chapel

F

Sunday, January 5 in the Church

Epiphany Eve 6:00 PM Dinner 5:00 PM

Page 2 The GraceVine—December 2019

Season of Thanks and Joy

The season of Thanks and Joy draws near and I continue reflecting how lucky I am and how very good God has been to me. I’m so thankful for God's enduring love and generosity, my Grace Church Family and the Lexington Community as I continue battling this horrific disease. There are so many that have been there and continue being there for me and my

family. Thank you, thank you to the many listeners, cooks, letter and card writers, hand-holders, encouragers, prayer warriors, visitors, callers, huggers, as you continue surrounding me with your never ending love. And though the test results of my latest Pet Scan isn’t what we wanted to hear, I continue in the fight. I may have cancer, but I’m not going to live in the cancer! I

live a wonderful life with family, full of great friends and joy, but I still have a lot of dreams to fulfill so I’m determined to make them come true with Gods love and help in the midst of my loving community. Wishing everyone a joyous season and thank you for being there for us.

~Lynn Mack

Advent Giving and Mission 2019

For the past several years for Advent, we as a church, have done gift bags filled with toiletries and treats which we delivered to Crisis Ministry and the Shelter her in Lexington. This year we’re doing something new, to support our own Grace Food Ministry’s “Sunday Lunch Program.”

On Sunday, December 1st, 2019, the Children of Grace will be decorating Christmas ornaments that will decorate a Christmas tree to be set up in the undercroft for the Christmas season. Each ornament will represent a “gift” offered in memory of, or in honor of someone chosen by its donor.

Donors may provide ornaments through three levels of giving:

One Ornament: $10 will feed 1 person at Sunday Lunch for a month Two Ornaments: $15 will feed 2 persons Three Ornaments: $25 will feed 3 Persons Please, make checks payable to Grace Church, marked “GFM Christmas” in the memo line.

The Christmas Tree will be set up and decorated the Week of Christmas and remain up through Epiphany. Donors may then collect their “gift” ornament to use on their own tree the following year, or to pass on.

Get your orders in early and help support our own Grace Food Ministry’s Sunday Lunch Program and let’s provide a beautiful, fully decorated Christmas tree for our Sunday Lunch Guests this year!

Christmas Presents

We have the fortunate experience of providing Christmas presents for two local foster children, ages 9 and 15, this year. In order to provide the things on their wish list, we need to collect $150 (they designate $100 to teenagers and $50 to younger children). We need to collect money by Dec. 6th so that presents can be bought on December 7th and wrapped at Sunday School in December 8th. Please turn in any money you would like to donate to Carrie Ingram or the church office. Checks should be written to Grace Church and have “foster child” in the memo.

From the Treasurer

Members of Grace Church:

With only one month left in the calendar year, I would like to remind you that if you have not paid your 2019 pledge to Grace Church, there is “no time like the present.”

Thank you for helping support Grace! ~Miles Cleckley

Grace Episcopal Church Lexington, North Carolina Page 3

Christian Formation

Children’s Education

During the month of December, the children will be crafting, singing, and baking during Sunday School. We will be painting ornaments to help with a fundraising project for the Grace Food Ministries, baking cookies for shut-ins, creating God's Eyes, and learning music for our Lessons and Carols service on December 22.

On Monday, December 2, at 5:30 the Growing Episcopalians will meet in the Undercroft for pizza before watching the Christmas parade. Parents are asked to stay to help supervise children during the parade which starts at 6.

Adult Forum

Dive deep into the history of the birth of Christ.

In Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent, author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explores the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus. Join her as she traces the Christmas narrative through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the

visit from the Magi. These stories open conversations around connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in first-century Jewish culture, the importance of Mary’s visitation and the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, the census and the stable, and the star of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt.

Youth

J2A and Rite 13 spent a Sunday morning grocery shopping to stock the shelves at Pastor’s Pantry. The youth engaged in some friendly competition learning about budgeting and nutrition as they loaded their grocery carts.

Pastor’s Pantry was thrilled to receive over 470 food items! This is an annual tradition eagerly anticipated by the teens.

Sundays in December children need to meet

at 9:45 in the sanctuary with Mrs. Joan and Ms.

Carrie to rehearse

music for Lessons and

Carols. Please be

prompt so that we can

r e h e a r s e b e f o r e

heading downstairs

each week for painting,

baking, or crafting. All

children and youth are

welcome to sing and

participate in the

Dec 1 Martha Ellen Smith

Dec 1 Jason Hayes

Dec 5 Mary Matthews

Dec 8 Shannon Jones

Dec 12 Marcus McCall

Dec 14 Ruby Ingram

Dec 18 Carol May

Dec 20 Owen Miller

Dec 23 Carol Jordan

Dec 25 Sam Harris

Dec 25 Louie Cox

Dec 27 Martha Johnson

Dec 29 Barry Wardle

Dec 29 Tori Johnson

Dec 29 Fisher Welborn

Dec 30 Patrick Miller

Dec 31 Claudia Russell

December Birthdays Adkins, Mark Parishioner Alexander, Chris Friend Alexander, Cora Friend Amon, Amanda Rick Mack’s sister Asebes, Ella B & W MacKinstry’s granddaughter Beck Barbara Parishioner Bralkowski, Mike & Rhonda Parishioners Brown, Baylee Parishioner Burkhart, Art Parishioner Carter, Ned Friend Cleckley, Lynne Parishioner Clifford, Anna Friend Curia, Morgan Former Parishioner Dixon, Barbara Friend Dresser, Johanna Friend Egan, Mike Parishioner Everhart, Katherine Parishioner Gallen, Aubrie Friend Garland, Shana Friend Gaskins, Marlon Friend Grimes, Jane Parishioner Hanna, George K. Everhart’s brother Hare, Rob Penny Taylor’s brother Harris, Kristen Friend Herring, Barbara Sue Friend Hodges, Chris & Mike Parishioner Holmes, Will M. Parker’s great nephew Johnson, Brinkley Friend Keaton, Jonah Friend King, Anne Former Parishioner Lang, Sally Parishioner Layfield, Lindsay Fruebd Mack, Lynn Parishioner May, Carol Parishioner Michael, Molly Talmadge’s cousin Miller, Seth Parishioner Onorato, Page Parishioner Orren, Frank Friend Parsley, Lynn Friend Payne, Greg Friend Plott, Gabby Friend Reynolds, Bob Friend Rich, Benny & Joanne Friends Rojas, Jacklynn M&L Cleckley’s granddaughter Sheets, Suzy Parishioner Silversides, Talmadge Parishioner Smith, Amy Burkhart Art’s daughter Smith, Martha Ellen Parishioner Taylor, Jack John Taylor’s father Taylor, Jeff John Taylor’s brother Terrell, Susan Parishioner Tilley, Robin Frances Garner’s niece Touchton, Jackie B. MacKinstry’s sister Underwood, Toni Friend Welch, Frances Suzy Sheets’ mother Weller, Courtney Friend Whitehurst, Bill Friend Young, Charlotte Carolyn Wolfe’s sister

Prayer List

Page 4 The GraceVine—December 2019

December Ministries Schedule

Dec 1 Dec 8 Dec 15 Dec 22 Lessons & Carols

Dec 29 Dec 24 Christmas Eve

Lector 9:00 11:00

Mary Matthews Pam Harvey

Sally Dodd Ed Huneycutt

B. McKinstry Kathie Goodman

Walter Beeker Russ Johnson

Philip Matthews Barbara Presnell

Jim Nance

LEM Pat Plummer NEEDED

Kathie G. Miles Cleckley

Pat Plummer NEEDED

n/a Kathie Goodman NEEDED

Karl Bolstad Pat Plummer

Intercessor Belvie Gilleland Penny Taylor Kathy Johnson Joe Wallace Belvie Gilleland Robin Petruzzi

Acolytes Lyndon Briggs Hadley Briggs Jack Briggs

Will Burke Anderson Carter Fisher Welborn

Rachel Ingram Ford Ingram Ruby Ingram

Erik Petruzzi V. McDonald W. McDonald

Sidney Briggs Hadley Briggs Jack Briggs

Owen Miller K. Inabinett W. Inabinett

Ushers Doug Hartzog Sims Riggan

John Burke Ed Huneycutt

Joe Wallace Richard Wolfe

Tommy Black Barry Wardle

Doug Hartzog Joe Wallace

Bill Gilleland Art Burkhart

Greeters Rite-13 Barbara Presnell Penny Taylor Sandra Husted Barbara Presnell Rite-13

Nursery Penny Taylor Krista Manning Kristi Allred Robin Petruzzi Cameron Miller n/a

Social Hour Mary Bolstad Robin Petruzzi

Frances Garner Penny Taylor

Sheets & Bowers families

Cathy & Sims Riggan

Bob & Sandra Husted

n/a

Flowers Staley & Jim Nance

OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN n/a

Altar Guild: Mary Williams, Julie Dayvault, Sally Dodd, Kathie Goodman, Lynn Meeks, Patricia Wardle

Volunteers will be needed for the Christmas Day service in the chapel. Please contact the church office if you will be attending the 10:00 service and will be able to lector, usher, etc.

Crisis Ministry Meal — December—J2A / Rite-13 January—John & Beth Burke, Penny & John Taylor (Emily & Heather Shaw) February—Sandra & Bob Husted, Belvie & Bill Gilleland, Patricia & Barry Wardle

Vestry Person of the Month: Glenn Sheets

Pastor’s Pantry Food of the Month: December—Canned Meat (chicken, ham, beef) Paper Towels January—Macaroni & Cheese/Ramen Bar Soap February—Cans of Soup Toilet Tissue January—Macaroni & Cheese Bar Soap February—Cans of Soup Toilet Tissue March—Boxes of Individually packaged oatmeal Toothbrush/Toothpaste

*If you are unable to serve on the assigned Sunday, please secure a substitute and notify the church office by Wednesday noon prior to the Sunday you are assigned.

Grace Episcopal Church Lexington, North Carolina Page 5

CR = Commons Room CL1 = Classroom 1, 1st floor CL4 = Classroom 4, 2nd floor Chr = Choir Room UC = Undercroft CL2 = Classroom 2, 1st floor CL5 = Classroom 5, 2nd floor Nsy = Nursery Room CS = Children’s School CL3 = Classroom 3, 2nd floor CL6 = Classroom 6, 2nd floor CH = Church CP = Chapel

December 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

28 29 30

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7:00 pm UC Dav. Cty. Dem. Women

8:00 pm UC: Al-Anon

Pastor’s Pantry food Item of the Month: Canned Meat (Chicken, Ham, Beef)

Non-Food Item: Paper Towels

5:30 pm CR AAG Board Mtg

8:00 pm UC: Al-Anon

8:00 pm UC: Al-Anon

6:00 pm UC Food Ministries

Meeting 7:15 Choir Practice

10:00—12:00 UC G.L.A.M.A.

Meeting

Undercroft Activities

Commons Room Activities

3:00 pm CH Arts Academy Piano Recital

Reception in UC following

8:00 pm UC: Al-Anon

6:30 pm CH Arts Academy Violin Recital

Reception in UC following

7:15 Choir Practice

7:15 Choir Practice

Church Office Closed

6:00 pm Vestry Dinner at the home of Pam & Steve Harvey

10:00 am Altar Guild

“Greening the Church / Chapel”

meet in the Church Sanctuary

5:30 pm—UC Growing

Episcopalians Pizza & Parade

12:00 pm Senior Ladies

Luncheon

Advent

Weekday

Service

6:00 pm—Chapel

Advent

Weekday

Service

6:00 pm—Chapel

Advent

Weekday

Service

6:00 pm—Chapel

5:00 PM Family Service in the Church

10:00 AM Rite 2 service in the chapel

11:00 am Lessons & Carols