2026 Weekly News

Date Posted: July 17, 2026

A Note from Fr. Stuart

Dear People of Grace,

My sabbatical has been filled with family time, gardening, reading, writing, some traveling, and much rest. As Brandon said in his prayers the Sunday before I stepped into this sabbatical space, these times remind us that God’s presence continues to guide as we learn to rest. 

I have learned much during these weeks, especially about my tendency to want to please and over-produce. I have learned much about my tendency to yield to anxiety rather than trusting that uncomfortable or unfamiliar spaces are actually places where our souls grow. 

I have also learned much about God’s goodness and how I can rest in that presence that saturates all of life. I am thankful, and I intend to honor the lessons that have been given.

I want to especially thank the team who has held everything as they always do: with grace, dedication, creativity, and deep prayer. Brandon and I, and Cynthia, have always said that we do not know how solo priests without teammates are able to do this soul work. It takes a team who is willing to share their gifts and constantly discern, and these weeks have renewed my trust in the Spirit’s guidance. Thank you deeply to everyone. 

I will return to the office on Monday, July 27, but my heart says I will not merely return to pick up things where they were left off. I will ease in and listen deeply to where my particular support is needed so that I can encourage the gifts that are being shared. 

My intent is to keep the ear of my heart tuned to the deep rhythm of life that I know to be possible, and to trust in the creative power of the Spirit who calls us to resist simple comfort and entertainment. We have soul work to continue to do. 

Looking at these three months, I am especially thankful for the work that has been done around St. Brigid’s School for Imagination, Creativity, and Practice. While I have not read the newsletter or watched services, to give my heart space to breathe, I have heard stories of the creative ways that so many connections have been made. I had a long lunch with the bishop early in May, and we both were saying how thankful we are for imaginative spaces such as Grace and St. Brigid’s that embody this healing potential within spiritual practice. 

I have met with friends throughout this time and made new connections in Ireland and elsewhere, and our shared work is connected with a deep movement of the Spirit that offers hope in these uncertain days.

Specifically, I look forward to the Park Lecture on Saturday, August 8, and the retreat on September 25 and 26. These are wonderful opportunities to share in the deep soul work we are called to do. 

For those who may be interested, I will lead a special Sunday Forum on August 9 at 9:30 AM to share particular insights from my pilgrimage to Ireland. There is much to explore there, and of course we are planning a pilgrimage alongside the parish choir’s residency to Wells Cathedral in Somerset, England, July of 2027. In addition, we have also built a partnership with St. Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare, Ireland and will look to nurturing our connection with them and exploring that the rich Celtic imagination. I look forward to hearing ideas that others may have for how to continue this conversation and work.  

I have kept you in my prayers, and I thank you for yours during this rich time. It is a privilege to be with you, and I look forward to seeing you all very soon. Now, go walk barefoot outside and eat a bit of chocolate.

Blessings, always,
Stuart

Compline

Compline is taking a break for the rest of July! The service will resume on August 4.

Wells Residency & Parish Pilgrimage

As part of Grace’s Bicentennial Celebration, the parish choir has been invited to a weeklong residency at the Wells Cathedral in England, July 18 – 26, 2027. There are a limited number of openings for non-singing parishioners to be part of this nine-day tour filled with Evensongs and a Sung Eucharist at the 850-year-old Cathedral in the heart of Somerset.

The base tour includes ground transportation from/to Heathrow International Airport to Wells, eight nights at the historic Swan Hotel, breakfast every morning, six daytime tours, and three group dinners. It does not include airfare, lunches and some dinners.

To learn more about this unique opportunity to experience England’s rich heritage while enjoying inspiring sacred music in one of the world’s great cathedrals, click here for additional information and to register your interest. Registering your interest is not a commitment to participate; it simply helps us gauge the level of interest within the parish. If demand exceeds the number of available spaces, reservations may be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Wells Choir Residency & Parish Pilgrimage

Backpack Blessing

As the new school year approaches, we’re excited to offer a special blessing for our students, teachers, and school staff! Bring your backpack, satchel, or tote to our 10:45 AM service on Sunday, July 26, and receive a blessing for the year ahead.

Prayer Yoga This Fall

Answering the call of St. Brigid’s School for Imagination, Creativity, and Practice, Grace will offer in-person chair yoga and flow yoga classes in the parish hall on Wednesday afternoons beginning September 9.

Come join us for an “embodied”/spiritual practice as we pray and move with our bodies. The gatherings will honor the four annual seasons and our Episcopal Liturgical seasons. We will work on balance, strength, flexibility, grounding, and breathwork as we pray with our bodies and deepen our inner peace and calm.

Learn More & Register

2026 Park Lecture

Grace Church instituted the Park Lecture as a space to honor the work and presence of Cynthia Park and Jack Park during their decade at our parish. To give thanks for them, this annual lecture will invite a speaker to lead a retreat and conversation space that intentionally explores the power of story, the Biblical narrative, and our practice of faith. It is a wonderful way to honor Cynthia and Jack’s presence and their deep concern for well-being and spiritual growth.

Ancestral Lineage Healing

This year’s offering, Ancestral Lineage Healing: A Path to Multigenerational and Cultural Repair, will be led by Banta Whitner, MSW, from 9 AM – 3 PM on Saturday, August 8. Whitner is an integrative psychotherapist, ritualist, circle keeper and grandmother, and brings her own elder wisdom to the practice of Ancestral Lineage Healing.

Over the next few weeks, we will share contemplative questions from Banta’s work in preparation for our time together on August 8. This week we consider: IS ANCESTRAL HEALING RIGHT FOR ME?

If you’ve done psychotherapy or other personal development work, but still carry burdens from earlier generations, you will benefit from ancestral healing. If you want to come home to yourself, find a deeper sense of purpose, experience both a sense of belonging and healthy boundaries in your relationships, this work will be right for you.

A lack of family genealogy information, or being adopted, need not impede your ancestral lineage healing in any way. Because this is heart-centered intuitive work that begins with the well ones who lived long before remembered names, you can still make connections with your wise and loving ancestors even without information about your biological family ties.

Registration Open

• What Ancestral Lineage Healing: A Path to Multigenerational and Cultural Repair
• When Saturday, August 8, 2026; 9 AM—3 PM
• Where Grace Church
• Cost $10/$20/$30, includes lunch
• Register online by Sunday, August 2

Learn More and Register

Community of Hope International

Community of Hope International is a unique ministry open to Grace parishioners. Following the Benedictine Rule of Life, the COHI community commits to spiritual formation and ministering to others through pastoral care initiatives. Our uniqueness stems from our to serving each other as the foundation for our ministries in the community. We meet monthly to provide pastoral care to each other, trusting that this will sustain our outreach.

Grace COHI is currently planning the next training course for those who want to know more. We invite you to join us. Contact Susan Longley or Gail Sargent for more information.

School Supply Drive

We will wrap up our annual school supply drive on July 26! Please bring your filled backpack to church on Sunday or drop it off at the church office Monday – Thursday from 10 AM – 4 PM. (There are still empty backpacks at church if you want to pick one up this Sunday.) Items such as paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, colored pencils, pocket folders, large glue sticks, erasers, crayons, facial tissue, wet wipes, and sanitizer may be brought to the parish office or dropped off at church on Sunday.

Contribute a monetary donation by sending a check made payable to Grace Episcopal Church, with “school supplies” noted in the memo line, to the office at 422 Brenau Avenue, Gainesville, GA 30501. You may also place a check in the offering plate on Sundays. Online contributions can be made here.

Parish Choir

This fall, the Grace Parish Choir will welcome new members for our 2026-27 season. The season will begin with a workshop on Saturday, August 15 in preparation for our choir residency at Wells Cathedral, England July 18-26, 2027. Our weekly schedule will not begin until Wednesday, September 2 with rehearsals from 7 – 9 PM. We sing each Sunday beginning September 13- May 23 for the 10:45 AM service. We will also offer several Evensongs next season. The parish choir has openings in all voice parts.

If you are interested to learn more please email Music Director Lynn Swanson. 

Dates for Your Calendar

Look ahead to upcoming opportunities for prayer, worship, and community!

• July 26 Backpack Blessing
• August 8 Park Lecture
• August 9 CE Classes begin
• August 15 Choir Workshop
• September 9 Charis Circles
• September 20 Parish Feast Day
• September 25 & 26 Fall Retreat

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!