News for April 26: Lanier Chamber Singers Concert, Lord of the Rings Summer Study, and more

Date Posted: April 24, 2026

News for April 26: Lanier Chamber Singers Concert, Lord of the Rings Summer Study, and more

Lanier Chamber Singers Concert

Grace Church Friends of Music is pleased to host the Lanier Chamber Singers 35th Anniversary Concert on Sunday, April 26 at 4 PM.

The 35th Anniversary Concert: A retrospective of 35 years of LCS

The 2025-2026 season concludes with the 35th Anniversary concert, celebrating our first 35 years in existence. LCS will select repertoire from its catalogue of performances, harkening back to the early days of the ensemble and drawing from its tradition of singing a cappella literature. Many composers from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras will be represented in the concert lineup, as well as some of the most beloved spirituals in the African American tradition. We will also honor those who provided creative leadership to LCS over its 35-year history.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased on the Lanier Chamber Singers website.

Special Sunday Forum on April 26

This coming Sunday, April 26, I will lead a special Sunday Forum to recap our rich work this winter and spring around creativity and imagination–what it means to be human in the world today. I invite you all to come to a time of “show and tell,” where people can reflect together on all the ways the Spirit has stirred up reflections and growth in our lives.

As well, I hope to lay out a few key markers or focus points for my hopes for the sabbatical time. In particular, I hope to share some insights around St. Brigid and how I continue to learn from her particular charism. She has become a guiding point in my own practice, and her life and the tradition around her invite us all to deeper experiences of creativity, reflection, and inspiration.

I am deeply thankful for all those who shared from their heart during this Sunday Forum season. I look back on the presentations and conversations, and it is remarkable to see the rich threads that connect us all.

Blessings, always,
Stuart

Vacation Bible School Registration Now Open

Vacation Bible School is returning to Grace Church this summer! Kids 4 years old – rising 6th grade are invited to join the Snowball Mountain Challenge, June 22-26 from 9 AM to 12 PM.

With a unique winter games theme filled with snowboards and ski lifts and solid theology at its core, this VBS delivers joy and meaning in equal measure, teaching kids that “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NRSV).

Cost is $25 for the first child, $20 each additional child. Registration now open.

VBS at Grace

LOTR Summer Study

Sr. Genevieve Lynn and Father Brandon will offer an intergenerational study of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring during the CE hour this summer!

Recommended for readers age 11 and up, this study is designed for folks regardless of age to engage in conversation around Christian themes, symbolism and the work of fantasy. We will meet in the parish hall Sunday, June 7 and will run through Sunday, July 26,excluding July 5. Please sign up using the following link if you are interested in participating.

LOTR Summer Study

Graduate Recognition

Grace Church will honor graduates during the 10:45 AM service on Sunday, May 17!

If you (or your child) graduated from high school or college in the fall/winter of 2025 or will graduate spring/summer 2026, please submit the online information form before 9 AM on Monday, May 11 to be included in the recognition slideshow.

Graduate Information Form

Volunteers Needed

The Community Food Pantry is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization run by volunteers established for the purpose of assisting local families and individuals who are in need of food. The pantry has provided groceries for the hungry since 1973, serving an average of 2,400 families a year.

We are currently looking for people that are welcoming and friendly to help with the registration of new members. Grace rotates with four other churches therefore we only participate every 10 weeks. It’s a total of two days a week for two weeks on a 10 week rotation. Please contact Joan Leyton if you have questions or are interested in volunteering.

COHI Supports H.E.L.P.

The Grace chapter of Community of Hope International has supported the Hall County H.E.L.P. program for several years, participating in monthly “Walk and Talk” sessions and lunches to provide a support network for individuals navigating mental health challenges within the justice system.

The program takes a minimum of two years to complete, and requires that participants meet strict standards of accountability. It is critical for them to have support from friends and family.

Last month, several members of Grace COHI were honored to be invited to the graduation program for Mike, one of the participants who had been regularly attending our “Walk and Talk.”

Mike was invited into the H.E.L.P. program by Judge Kathy Gosselin. He was in jail when his wife Gwen and his sister Mary reached out to her about getting Mike into the program. Despite many failed attempts at rehab in the past, he committed to the program. He explained that he had a spiritual awakening and started reading the Bible while he was in jail. He knew that this could be his last chance. He feels that he and God reached out for each other.

He didn’t have a car, so he took WeGo rain or shine to his required employment and all program meetings and classes. He regularly attended Walk and Talk for two years. He also became active in an AA program, eventually becoming a sponsor.

During the last few months of the program, Mike began volunteering at a nursing home, and found that he enjoyed working with older people. His plans include becoming certified in senior care and making this his retirement career.

He has promised to continue to attend Walk and Talk as a mentor to other participants, and also because he considers Grace COHI his “peeps.”

COHI Q&A Sessions May 3 or June 7

The goal of Community of Hope International (COHI) is to provide training and support to equip its lay chaplains to serve Christ in the Other—safeguarding love wherever we find ourselves. If you are interested in learning more, please stop by the parlor after the 10:45 AM service on May 3 or June 7. Current members will be happy to answer questions.