News for June 21: Park Lecture, and more

Date Posted: June 19, 2026

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’ll consider: WHO ARE THE ANCESTORS? For the purposes of this work, the ancestors are the human dead from whom you are directly descended, your lineages of blood and bone. However, you don’t need to know anything at all about your ancestors or your genealogy or biological family in order to do this work.

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

A New Piano for the Nave

Last Sunday we celebrated the gift of a Baldwin 6’4″ grand piano, graciously donated by the Rev. David B. Powell and the Rev. Dr. Betsy Powell. As vital members of the Grace community, they are strong supporters of our music ministry and faithfully assist with Sunday services, as well as other worship and prayer opportunities. We are deeply grateful for this generous gift, which will enhance and strengthen our music ministry in the nave for years to come.

To help us welcome and experience our new piano, we invited recent high school graduate Aidan Voyles to introduce it to us. He played All Creatures of our God and King at the prelude and Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Mvt. III from Suite bergamasque during Communion.

VBS Mission Project: Share the Warmth

Even though we’re celebrating snow and chilly adventures, we’re also thinking ahead to the real winter months—especially for those in need. As part of VBS, we’re collecting gently used coats (all sizes welcome—kids and adults!) to support local organizations. These coats will help keep our neighbors warm when the temperatures drop later this year. This is a great way for the entire parish to participate in VBS! Bring your donations to church beginning Sunday, June 14 through Sunday, June 28. Let’s fill our collection with warmth, love, and generosity.

School Supply Drive

It’s that time of year again! From now until July 26 we will be collecting backpacks stuffed with school supplies for students attending Lula, Myers, and Tadmore Elementary Schools in Hall County. Our goal is to provide at least 75 backpacks for these children!

Please consider helping in any of the following ways:

Beginning this Sunday, June 7, we will have a backpack volunteer available in the parish hall ready to supply you with a backpack and a list of required elementary school supplies. We’re asking for these packs to be filled with the supplies and returned to the church the following Sunday or dropped off at the church office. There will be a volunteer at Grace each Sunday until July 26.

Pick up school supplies and drop them off at church. 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.