News for September 20: Parish Feast Day, and more

Date Posted: September 18, 2026

Parish Feast Day

We will celebrate our annual parish feast day: the Feast of the Holy Cross on Sunday, September 20. There will be one combined service, a Choral Eucharist, at 10:00 AM followed by a pasta lunch and fellowship in the parish hall. Parish feast days give a community a focus point in the year to pay closer attention to a key facet and teaching from Jesus’s own life.

As usual, we will offer the opportunity for folks to walk onto the chancel and view the stone embedded in our altar. The stone, carved in the shape of the cross, is from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in Jerusalem, a site that for over 1,500 years has been the focus of veneration for Christ’s crucifixion and burial. This relic embedded in our altar helps us have a physical grounding for our prayers. It is a sacramental experience for us to come forward and offer a prayer and remember.

For lunch following the service, Grace will provide a pasta station which includes 2 pastas (a gluten free choice will also be available), 3 sauces: alfredo, meat sauce (beef and sausage), or marinara, and 3 toppings: chicken, meatballs, or italian sausage. Salad and breadsticks will also be provided. Please bring a dessert, side dish, or beverage to share according to the assignment below based on the first letter of your last name so we have a nice variety of items to enjoy!

A-J beverage
K-R dessert
S-Z fruit or vegetable side

We hope you plan to be here Sunday, September 20 to celebrate our parish feast day and spend time together as we step more fully into the fall season at Grace.

Don’t Miss the Fall Retreat Registration Deadline!

This Sunday, September 20 is the final day to register for the Fall Retreat, A Human Being Fully Alive!

In uncertain times, it is easy to yield to despair and give up hope that life can be transformed. Yet, we are called to nurture a practice that helps us become people who are fully alive! Come share a special retreat with us from 8:30 – 4:30 on Saturday, September 26.

Through sound, storytelling, contemplative practice, and creative expression, an extraordinary circle of facilitators and guides will lead us in a day designed for renewal, reflection, and connection. Together, we’ll move beyond stress and anxiety to cultivate imagination, unleash creativity, and make space for genuine presence. Whether you are seeking quiet rest, spiritual depth, or creative inspiration, this one day retreat offers space to ground your mind, heart, and spirit.

Workshops are woven together through:

Sound & Rhythm Experience the grounding power of sacred soundscapes with master percussionist River Guerguerian and multi instrumentalist and bandmate Chris Rosser. Together they are the ensemble Free Planet Radio.
Imaginative Ministry, Contemplative Ecology & Creativity Be inspired by insights from Bobbi Patterson, Aimee Bostwick, Rebecca Parker, Courtney Cowart.
Poetry, Words & Meaning Tap into narrative healing with poets Michael Heffernan and Emily Leithauser.
Creative Integration thru Ceremony Explore practical pathways for everyday grounding and resilience with Samantha Krezinski.

Learn more and register by September 20 at the link below.

A Human Being Fully Alive

Next Outdoor Eucharist: September 27

Our next Outdoor Eucharist service at Grace will be at Linwood Nature Preserve at 8:15 AM on Sunday morning, September 27, linking this Eucharist with the Autumnal Equinox. All are welcome to come share in this liturgy that explicitly honors how we can integrate our prayers within creation.

Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to park and walk to the gathering spot at Linwood Nature Preserve (415 Linwood Drive, Gainesville). Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather, as the service will be held entirely outdoors. Feel free to bring a portable chair or blanket to sit on. The service will be simple and reflective, lasting no longer than 45 minutes, and suitable for all ages.

Our regular Rite I Holy Eucharist will be offered at 8:15 AM in the nave at Grace for those who feel most at home in the familiar rhythm of traditional worship. By holding both services concurrently, we aren’t adding anything extra to the schedule—we’re simply creating more space for imagination, connection, and the movement of the Spirit.

Men’s Retreat: Arete, Faith, and a Rule of Life for Connection Among Men

In a time of disconnection and polarization, how do men pursue a life of purpose, virtue, and deep connection? Drawing on the Greek idea of Arete (excellence), Christian faith, and the Benedictine Rule of Life, this retreat invites us to explore a disciplined, life-giving path rooted in wisdom, practice, and community.

Together we’ll look at how excellence, faith, and intentional living shape practical wisdom for everyday life—moving beyond personal achievement toward love, humility, service, and authentic relationships with God and one another. Guided by John 10:10—“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”—we’ll spend the day together learning, reflecting, building a personal Rule of Life, and enjoying meaningful fellowship, worship, and recreation. Come away, reconnect, and be renewed alongside other men seeking a richer, more grounded life.

Blessing of Animals

Grace Episcopal Church invites you and your pets to a Blessing of Animals on Sunday, October 4 from 4:00-5:00 PM.

Held each year in observance of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, the service provides not only an opportunity for our pets to be blessed, but also for us to give thanks for the many blessings we receive through our pets and other animals.

Weather permitting, we will gather on the Brenau lawn. Animals of all shapes and sizes are welcome, please provide the appropriate restraint for any animal you bring. Owners are responsible for pet waste. In the event of rain, simply drive through the Grace Church covered driveway along Boulevard to receive a blessing!

Donations for the Humane Society are welcome. (not required) In addition to monetary donations, in-kind items on HSNEGA’s “Wish List” and gift cards to local grocery stores, office supply stores, pet stores or Amazon, Walmart, Sam’s Club, or Target are always welcome, as well, to purchase needed supplies.

We look forward to seeing you and your beloved pets on Sunday, October 4.