News for February 1: Weather Update, Annual Meeting Moved, and more
Update on Weekend Services & Events
We are again keeping a close eye on the weather forecast.
A decision about Saturday’s funeral and Sunday’s worship services will be communicated by email on Saturday morning.
The Annual Meeting has been moved to February 8.
Annual Meeting Moved to February 8
Given the uncertainty of the weekend weather forecast, the Annual Meeting has been moved to February 8. Join us in the parish hall from 9:30 – 10:30 AM to hear key reports of parish business. A continental breakfast will be available.
Nursery and Godly Play will be offered for children. Youth are encouraged to attend the meeting.
Outdoor Eucharist
Our next outdoor Eucharist is February 8 at 8:15 AM. We are trading the wooded pathways of Linwood Nature Preserve for a more manicured location this time, meeting at The Quinlan Garden behind the Quinlan Visual Arts Center (514 Green Street).
The service will focus our attention on St. Brigid, a key figure in the broader Celtic Christian tradition. St. Brigid of Kildare, in Ireland, believed to be a rough contemporary with St. Patrick, continues to invite a deep focus on the presence of the Spirit in creation, imagined as a burning flame. For a thousand years, the sisters who lived at the shrine in Kildare tended a living flame which symbolized the presence of the Spirit in all life. St. Brigid, as a figure and saint, continues to challenge us to reflect on how we discern the Spirit’s call within all created life.
Our regular Rite I Holy Eucharist will be offered in the nave at Grace for those who feel most at home in the familiar rhythm of traditional worship. Whether you join us in the Quinlan Garden or in the nave, we hope you’ll hear the invitation: to worship deeply, to listen closely, and to wonder at the ways God continues to meet us—in every place and moment.
Franciscan Creation Care Ecology Group Forming
Our parish is exploring the formation of a Franciscan Creation Care Ecology Group to discern potential ecology-based projects that could be supported by interested parishioners. This group will be grounded in Franciscan Creation Care principles, emphasizing reverence for all of God’s creation and responsible stewardship of the earth. The goal of this group is to help our parish respond faithfully to the call to care for our common home. If you are interested in participating, please contact Charles Helmer at: crewecharlesbackup@hotmail.com
Ash Wednesday
The imposition of ashes, a reminder that we are from dust and to dust we return, begins the penitential season of Lent.
Join us for Ash Wednesday services on February 18 at 12:00 PM in the nave and 7:00 PM in the nave and online. The service will feature music (7 PM), prayers, a sermon, the Litany of Penitence, and the Imposition of Ashes. Let us focus our prayers in these days as we remember that God’s presence surrounds us.
UNG Faculty Recital
The University of North Georgia Faculty Recital was rescheduled for Sunday, February 22 at 4 PM. This recital is open to the public and there is no admission fee. Come meet the artists at a reception following the concert.
Benjamin Schoening, baritone
Philip Snyder, guitar
Joanna Kim-Doyle, piano
Pancake Supper
The youth of Grace cordially invite all to the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper in the parish hall on Tuesday, February 17 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. And we’ll be playing BINGO again!
The youth will be setting up, welcoming, serving, and cleaning up afterwards and a team of adults has volunteered to do the cooking. This annual fundraiser helps support our youth program and pilgrimage, so tips will be welcomed and much appreciated!
Reservations are required. Cost is: free for children age 5 and under, $5 for children and youth age 6-18, and $10 for adults. Sign up online, at the link below, no later than Thursday, February 12 to reserve your place (and so we have a count prior to purchasing supplies).
There is no nursery offered during the pancake supper – the whole family is invited!
So, join us for this party with plenty of butter and fat and sugar before you put it all away on Wednesday morning to begin your Lenten devotion.
Reserve Your SpotLenten Day of Silence
As we prepare to step into Season of Lent, I invite you to an intentional time of silence and deep listening at Cherokee Bluffs Park on Saturday, February 21. So much is happening in our world, and our souls need time and spaces that can hold us and let our hearts listen for the presence of the Spirit.
Morning Prayer will begin at 9 AM, followed by three hours of silence in nature. You can walk, sit, lie down, journal, dance—above all listen. The park has five miles of trails that you can meander through, with creeks and plenty of rocks and wonderful spaces to explore. park map
At noon, all are invited to our house for soup and cornbread or crackers. We’ll share a simple meal, taking time to catch up with one another. Then, after lunch, the afternoon is yours. You may want to return to the forest or go home and take a nap.
Maybe this will be a great space for you to recharge and have some intentional time as we begin the Season of Lent—which we hope, in many ways, can be a season of healing this year.
Please sign up online so I have a count for lunch.
Blessings,
Stuart
In the event of bad weather, we’ll shift the location to the parish hall and chapel spaces at Grace, so either way you’ll have time for silence.
Dates for Your Calendar
Look ahead to upcoming opportunities for prayer, worship, and community!
- February 8 Annual Parish Meeting
- February 8 Outdoor Eucharist
- February 11 Charis Circles
- February 17 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
- February 18 Ash Wednesday
- February 21 Lenten Day of Silence
- February 22 FOM: UNG Faculty Recital
The Glimpses of Grace Podcast
We invite you to explore the podcast on Spotify (or your podcast app of choice) or here on this website!
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