Grace Church
in New York

This Week at Grace

This Week’s Services

 

Wednesday, December 12
6 p.m. Holy Eucharist, in the Chantry
  Sermon: The Rev. J. Donald Waring

 

Sunday, December 16
The Third Sunday of Advent

9 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Sermon: The Rev. J. Donald Waring
Music: The Parish Choir

11 a.m. Morning Prayer
Sermon: The Rev. J. Donald Waring
Music: The Girls’ Choir, High School Singers and Adults

6 p.m. Holy Eucharist
Sermon: The Rev. Mary Cat Young
Music: Hymns with Instrumentalists

December 16- 20’s/30’s Brunch

Young adult parishioners and guests are invited to brunch after the 11 am service and coffee hour on Sunday, Dec 16. We’ll meet at 12:45 pm in Tuttle Hall during coffee hour following the 11 am service and walk to a nearby restaurant. Plan to bring $10-20 in cash. RSVP to the Rev. Chase Danford at cdanford@gracechurchnyc.org.

December 12, 19- Advent Bible Study: Journeying The Way of Love

At this summer’s General Convention, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry called on Episcopalians to take up spiritual practices as a way of deepening our faith. He articulated this as the “Way of Love.” This Advent, the Rev. Chase Danford and the Rev. Julia Macy Offinger invite you to explore the stories of the Virgin Mary, her cousin Elizabeth, and the births of John the Baptist and Jesus as we try on spiritual practices recommended by the “Way of Love” curriculum. Meeting Wednesdays, Dec. 5, 12, and 19, from 7-8 pm in the Reception Room. RSVP to the Rev. Chase Danford at cdanford@gracechurchnyc.org.

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News from The Rector

December 9, 2018

 

Dear Friends,

 

If you come by Grace Church starting next Monday morning, you will see a very large (and expensive) truck parked out front of the Broadway door. The truck is actually a boom lift capable of reaching 230 feet above the street – which happens to be the height of the cross atop our spire. The reason for the lift is that we are overdue for a hands-on inspection of the ornamental stonework on the tower façade, and we want to get up there before the freeze-thaw cycle of another winter begins. We are hoping, of course, that the inspectors find nothing loose, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. The lift should be a sight to see. The sidewalk will be open throughout the procedure, so if you happen to snap some good pictures, be sure to send them to us and we’ll share them in next week’s Epistle.
As a Christian community, we spend an enormous amount of time and resources on our building. Some would say it’s too much. We should concern ourselves more with the spiritual realm and less with the material. But consider this: God always chooses to express the Spirit in material terms. In fact, we have no access whatsoever to the spiritual unless it comes to us through the ordinary, material stuff of the earth. Flesh and blood, stone and mortar, wood and nails, bread and wine, paper and ink are all necessary conduits that convey the Spirit of God to us. The tower and spire of Grace Church are just stone and mortar, yes. But they are things of beauty that for 170 years have inspired people to lift up their eyes and seek first the kingdom of God. So it is our duty and delight to assure that this sacrament in stone reaches heavenward for generations to come.
The work on the spire is not unconnected to the theme of this week’s Sunday Forum. We will have Bob Owens with us, who, until his recent retirement, was the beloved professor of Old Testament at General Seminary (and also a Grace Church parishioner). Bob will be using the Book of Proverbs to explore the hypothesis that divine truth can be discovered through the ordinary events and “stuff” of your life. I am looking forward to an excellent session this Sunday at 10 am in the Reception Room. Do join us. Coffee and goodies are served.

See you in church.

 

The Rev. J. Donald Waring

Rector

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802 Broadway

New York, NY 10003

212.254.2000

www.gracechurchnyc.org

An Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New York