GRACE
Episcopal Church
Rector Installation
Grace Church's ministry leaders carry signs made by our youth, to represent each of our ministries during the Installation procession.
We celebrated the formal Installation of our Rector, the Reverend Charlie Hamill, on Thursday evening, April 12th, 2018, with a rousing processional, worship service with Eucharist, & a reception buffet, attended by many clergy as well as our own parishioners.
Ministry leaders lined up, holding signs which were fashioned by our Youth Ministry, for the processional into the chapel to represent each of their ministries at Grace Church prior to the beginning of the Installation ceremony.
Clergy followed ministry leaders in the grand processional, with churches in Westbrook, Hartford, Pittsburgh and as far away as Tanzania, Africa represented!
The worship service proceeded with the sermon delivered by The Rev. Canon James Shoucair, Rector at Christ Episcopal Church, North Hills, Pittsburgh, PA, where our rector Charlie Hamill previously served.
Our resident filmmaker, Kyle, records the service, as Bishop Ian Douglas assists Charlie on the altar
During the course of the service, many of our parishioners, as well as the clergy in attendance, participated in special traditions to commemorate our rector's Installation. Gifts were offered to memorialize The Rev. Charlie Hamill's formal ceremony, and Holy Water was sprayed throughout the crowd on evergreen boughs. Pastor Charlie had plenty of support from attending clergy, including Bishop Mpango and his daughter Rose Mpango from Tanzania.
The Rev. Rachel Thomas of the Episcopal Southeast Region of CT lines up to offer a gift to The Rev. Charlie Hamill, as The Rev. Geoff Sinibaldo, from St Paul's Lutheran Church, performs a reading for the congregation.
Bishop Ian Douglas helps Pastor Charlie to bless our congregation with Holy Water,
broadcast from evergreen boughs.
Pastor Charlie engages the congregation with an explanation of the symbolism underlying special worship items.
The Rev. Ellen Kennedy and attending clergy are in a jovial mood.
Our Pastor Charlie Hamill celebrates with Pastor Geoff Sinibaldo, from St Paul's Lutheran Church.