News for July 6: Inaugural Park Lecture, and more
Inaugural Park Lecture
A Voice for the Voiceless: The Spiritual Practice of Discovering Our Whole Story
We are grateful to welcome the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Park back to Grace on Saturday, August 9 to lead the School for Prayer and Spiritual Practice’s inaugural Park Lecture!
Have you ever wondered why our Sunday lectionary readings omit certain biblical passages, stories that are disturbingly violent or which raise more questions about the nature of God than they answer? What about in our own lives, which also include selected stories, constantly rehearsing key words and ideas that present a certain “edited” picture of who we are and why we do the things we do?
A verse from one of the proverbs describes the duties of a wise king, including maintaining a temperate disposition, in order to be present to those persons in the kingdom whose voices have been silenced and their needs ignored. In the same manner, our well-tempered self awareness can help us be mindful of all the persons in our own “kingdoms” whose presence and voices have been ignored, leaving us the worse for it.
Spend some time exploring the spiritual practice of giving voice to the silenced or hidden parts of your own story. This therapeutic practice can bring healing not only for us, but for our ancestors, and the blessing of a healthier legacy for our descendants.
What Park Lecture: A Voice for the Voiceless
When Saturday, August 9, 2025; 9 AM—3 PM
Where Grace Church
Cost $10/$20/$30, includes lunch
Register at the link below by Sunday, August 3
Communion
We are enjoying fresh baked bread for Communion this summer! The bread on July 6 is lovingly made by Karen Klas. The wine is a favorite of Josh Higgins, son of Richard and Connie Higgins, who lives in the Napa area.
If you’d like to contribute three bottles of your favorite red wine (Georgia/local winery preferred), please contact Fr. Stuart!
A Summer with the Psalms
Each week’s sermon in June and July focuses on the psalm appointed for the day. This is a wonderful opportunity to delve more deeply into this rich resource in our practice of faith.
School Supply Drive
Our school supply drive continues until July 25, with a goal to pack at least 50 backpacks!
Supplies 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 Monday – Thursday from 10 AM – 4 PM or to church on Sunday. full supply list
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 contribution can be made by clicking this link: Make a Contribution Select “Outreach” as the contribution type and note “school supplies” in the memo line.
Please contact Karen Takada from Grace Church Outreach Ministry with questions.
Help Stuff Backpacks
We’ll gather in the parish hall at 10 AM on Saturday, July 26 to stuff backpacks full of donated supplies. All are invited to come and help!
The backpacks will be blessed on Sunday and then taken to Lula, Myers, and Tadmore Elementary Schools prior to the first day of school.
Baseball Night
A group from Grace will be at Coolray Field to watch the Gwinnett Stripers take on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp! If you missed the June 29 sign up deadline, email Brandon to inquire about extra seats.
Is the Education for Ministry (EfM) Program for you?
WHAT IF…you want to deepen your understanding of scripture, church history, and theology, both intellectually and spiritually?
WHAT IF…you want to discern your personal spiritual gifts in everyday life and how they fit into the world and your community?
WHAT IF…you want to explore real world ethical questions and cultural issues, and how our scriptures have shaped your beliefs and actions?
WHAT IF…you are searching for a small group who offers all the above in a safe setting of fellowship and shared wisdom.
Then EfM might just be for you! For more information, click here. If you would like more information about Grace’s EfM group, please contact one of the EfM mentors, Donna Yaughn and/or Carl Ferguson.
Dates for Your Calendar
Look ahead to upcoming opportunities for prayer, worship, and community!
- July 17 Women’s Book Study
- July 18 Gwinnett Stripers v. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- July 26 Stuff Backpacks
- July 27 Backpack Blessing
- August 9 Inaugural Park Lecture
- September 7 CE begins
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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