GRACE
Episcopal Church
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COVID19 Virus Updates and Info:
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Stay tuned for periodic updates!
We will be posting additional links here, as needed.
Information and links below are posted in reverse historical order,
with most recent information listed at top.
Stay safe & well.
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11/26/20 - New WORSHIP SERVICE UPDATE:
** NOTICE to ALL **
Due to prevailing conditions surrounding the COV!D19 pandemic,
we're making the most prudent plans possible to protect our parishioners.
Pastor Charlie has assembled a new 2-page schedule.
Please read thoroughly about our 2020 post-Thanksgiving and Holiday Worship,
which differs from prior years!
For details on our post-Thanksgiving and Christmas worship services please click here
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Watch Livestream Worship
SUNDAYS at 10:00 AM:
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Click here to watch on FaceBook
Click here to watch on YouTube
For 11/29 Worship Bulletin click here
Thank you to all of you who are joining us!
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11/18/20 COVID19 Winter Update Letter from Pastor Charlie:
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Click here for Pastor Charlie's letter regarding Winter COVID19 practices
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10/25/20 - New WORSHIP SERVICE UPDATE:
Please note:
** NOTICE to ALL **
SATURDAY EVENING
OUTDOOR WORSHIP
SERVICE has MOVED INSIDE
TIME has switched to 4 PM.
Evening Prayer
(Holy Communion only on the
1st Sunday of the month)
Book of Common Prayer
(If there is a warm Saturday we will meet outside)
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10/11/20 - Update on the Grace Church Harvest / Holiday Fair 2020:
Pastor Charlie and staff discussed various alternatives for this year's Holiday Fair and concluded that the parish and community would best be served by cancelling the event, and beginning our planning for next year's fair, after the current environment with Corona virus passes by.
As a small concession, we've reached a consensus to provide some festive handmade holiday crafts for people to peruse at their leisure following Sunday worship services in the Grace Church foyer area. Consider it a Christmas shopping opportunity! We plan to provide a safe environment for browsing and brief socially-distanced fellowship, including provision of hand sanitizer, and also possibly some supplies of sterile gloves, and such. We ask that you please remember to continue wearing your masks.
Please feel free to come and shop, as we near the holidays, and ask Pastor Charlie if you have any questions, ideas or contributions.
Thank you so much for your understanding, as we improvise during these unusual times!
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REOPENING UPDATE:
Following the directives of the Governor of Connecticut,
and exercising an abundance of caution for our parishioners:
GRACE CHURCH's
REGULAR SERVICES
have
RESUMED
(with COVID19 precautions
including Social Distancing)
Regular Sunday Services:
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite I
10:00 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Saturday Evening Service:
4:00 PM
Evening Prayer
(Holy Communion only on the
1st Sunday of the month)
Book of Common Prayer
NOTE: Wednesday Healing Services
are suspended
through the end of 2020.
We will reevaluate in 2021.
We will continue to offer a
LiveStream service
at 10:00am on Sundays
(excluding Sunday 9/27/20)
(see below, or Home Page
for Livestream links).
We will continue to reassess our status week by week, as before.
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Grace Church ReOpening Protocols
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Click to see Grace Church ReOpening Protocols
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The Men's Bible Study group
Charley Bates and the Men's Bible Study are switching their former outdoor meeting
to a Zoom meeting on Fridays at 12:00 noon.
Zoom ID: 214 515 9090
PW: 7pmsXS.
This decision was made because of the weather: it is no longer practical to meet outside at Luigi’s and some of our members didn't want to meet indoors at Luigi’s, due to Covid-19 still circulating.
Hope to meet again again virtually,
every Friday at noon!.
Come and join in!
Women of Grace (WOG)
The Women of Grace began a new study on Friday October 23rd, using Life Change publications to study Philippians until Advent. At that time they will move on to an Advent lesson called “All Earth is Waiting” by Katie Dawson
The group will meet outside on Fridays at 10am on the porch at Grace Church. while the weather is nice. When the weather no longer allows this, the meeting will move to Zoom online.
For more information contact Kathy Bartus by email or Christina Burnham at . Or you can contact the church office for more info at 860-388-0895.
Come join!
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07/10/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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07/03/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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07/01/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops with Protocols Manual
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter with Protocols Manual
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06/26/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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06/12/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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06/05/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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05/15/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter
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Pastor Charlie's recommended Study-Materials:
Click here for spiritual resources to sustain you now
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Donations/Pledges
You may have guessed that even during a pandemic closure, we still have many bills to pay for upkeep of the buildings. That being said, we humbly ask that you please continue to give/pledge AS YOU ARE ABLE during this time. Please feel free to send checks to the church address: 336 Main St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475. Or, you can drop them off in the mailbox on the patio...make sure they are marked "Attn: Grace Church" on them so the mailman doesn't get confused! Click here to access our online giving feature (which we expect will primarily be used by international friends; but which is available to all, with a small fee deducted for each digital donation submitted). Thank you for your faithful and giving hearts during these strange times. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Pastor Charlie and the Vestry of Grace Church
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Grace Church
Prayers of the People
As we maintain social distancing, it is more important than ever to find extra time to pray for your own needs and the needs of others in our community, the nation and the world. Below is the ongoing prayer list at Grace Church. It will be updated continuously. If you know someone who needs to be added to the list, please contact Pastor Charlie via email at: gracechurchrector@gmail.com
Let us pray without ceasing in the days and weeks to come!
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our presiding Bishop; Ian and Laura, our Bishops; Charlie and Judy, our priests; and for: Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, Common Good Gardens, Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services, the AA and DBSA groups that meet at Grace Church, the Early Head Start Program, Boy Scout Troop 51, Alex Treser and Cru Ministry, The Rev. Stacey Kohl and Christ Church Norwich, Patrick Dominguez and his church planting effort and Kateri Medical Services in Nigeria. Pray for this gathering; and for all ministers and people.. In our Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for: Christ Church, Ansonia; St. Paul’s, Bantam. Postulants and candidates for Holy Orders; the Commission on Ministry.
For peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. For the leaders of the nations, for those in the service of our country: Travis Board, J.C. Glick, Dornn Harris, Christopher Parham, Joshua Rinier, Nathaniel Burnham, Daniel Martin, Christian White, Todd Buroff, Tami Morgan, Adam Randal, Daniel Kronz, Tom Cote, Branden Peace and John Christensen and crew. I ask your prayers for all the first responders, medical professionals and scientists who are battling this pandemic. I ask your prayers for an end to the oppression of racism and for God to touch the hearts of those who hate others created in His image.
I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, We pray for: Kate, Kent, Chad, Myra, Mark, Jennifer, Lisa, Janice, Nancy, Cassidy, Andrea, Lucinda, Hilda, Bryan, Barbara and Jon Zakhar, Laura & Tommy Urban, Dee Labelle, Lennart Nicholson, Thomas Burnham, Earlene Bell, Fran Tarrio, Aurelia Knox, Sarah Craig, Joyce, Marjorie, Sophie, Len Pass, Jon-Scott, Eugene Williams, James, Marguerite, Marla, Kay Hall, Mike Trask, Meredith, Frank Roman, Penny, Jane, Marsha, Justin Iondo, Margie, Jordan Forest, Tom, Bjorn, Laura, AJ, Tony, Michelle, Nathaniel and Tanya Burnham, Erin, Jim Donahue, Brian, Bernie, Sandee, Sue, Veronica, Dianne Hunt-Mason, Ronnie Sundheimer, Beth, Billy, Rosalie Isele, Emily, Patrick Roderick, Ray, Bob Antoniac, Cam, Nina, Reina, Shaine, Peggy Schaumburg, Jessica and Ed Courtney. Pray for those in any need or trouble.
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03/18/20 Updated Letter from Pastor Charlie:
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Most Current Diocesan Updates
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For the most current Diocesan updates click here
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COVID19 Virus Information on CDC Website
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Click to visit CDC's website for info
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03/14/20 Letter from Pastor Charlie:
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Click here for Pastor Charlie's letter regarding church services & activities at Grace Church
during the Corona Virus pandemic
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03/13/20 Letter from Diocesan Bishops
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Click to see Diocesan Bishops Update Letter