Dear Friends,
This Sunday we read from Jesus' prayer on the night before his passion. He prays three things for his disciples - that we may be one, protected from the evil one who wants to disrupt our unity, and for our sanctification in truth.
Truth is the mind of God, what Jesus calls God's word, or logos. Jesus himself is the logos, the mind and truth of God. And he has shared himself, the living logos of God, completely with us. The truth of the logos of God is not merely a proposition, it is all encompassing, a way of life, a gestalt -reality.
The seventh Sunday of Easter affords a time for reflecting on the difference between Jesus physical presence among us and the presence of the Spirit who comes to us after Jesus ascends. The Spirit is the one who protects our unity and keeps us in our right minds, in the mind of Christ, once Jesus leaves.
We celebrate the seventh Sunday of Easter on Mother's Day this year. The mother and child relationship is close to the relationship Jesus wants for us with God. Our mother's are our reality, our world and we are theirs for a period of time. Over time that relationship develops into a friendship, often of mutual admiration and respect. If we live long enough, we may become a caregiver for our mothers, but they always remain the ones who first cared for us. And in all cases the meaning of the relationship is love.
The earth itself is one of our mothers. God is our mother. The church is our mother. May we deepen in the meaning of our relationship with mother God, mother earth, mother Church and with the mother, living or dead, who brought us into and nurtured us by laying down her life for us, and taking it up again. May we be sanctified in truth.
With Gratitude,
Tuck Bowerfind (he/him)
Rector | Grace Episcopal Church
Worship Services | Seventh Sunday of Easter | Sunday, May 12
Holy Eucharist Rt I | 8 a.m.
In-Person and Youtube
Christianity and Culture | 9:15 a.m.
In-Person and Zoom
May 12th: Even though it is Mother's Day, Joanne Robblee hopes that parishioners will drop by Christianity and Culture at 9:15 for her class - Bible 101. Joanne will share what she learned about the Bible during her research and her quest of incorporating the Bible more into her daily life.
Upcoming Christianity and Culture Sessions
May 19th: Elaine Nelson and her husband traveled to Oberammergau, Germany to watch the performance of the Passion Play that is only performed every ten years. You are invited to come and learn about the history of the city and this unique play as well as the experience of watching this seven hour performance.
Sunday, May 26th: During Christianity and Culture we will learn about some of our war heroes who are memorialized in our stained glass windows.
We invite members to come to this session to share remembrances about family members, friends, and comrades in arms who died serving our country.
Holy Eucharist Rt II | 10:30 a.m.
In-Person and Youtube
Taizé Eucharist | 5 p.m.
In-Person | A Celebration of Holy Eucharist in the Taizé tradition
of Contemplative Song and Prayer, 5 p.m.
Stamp Out Hunger
Stamp Out Hunger, the nation's largest food drive, is back on May 11th! Postal workers from ten post offices throughout Rockbridge County will collect donated canned and dry food items from city and county residents and deliver them to RARA, as well as food pantries in Buena Vista and Glasgow. Stamp Out Hunger is sponsored by members of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, and the U.S. Postal Service. The last year's drive brought in almost 4,000 pounds of non-perishable food to Rockbridge County.
RARA needs your help on May 11th between 12-5pm to process thousands of pounds of Stamp Out Hunger donations. Shifts are two and a half hours long and are a great opportunity for community groups, coworkers, teams, and families to volunteer together!
If you cannot volunteer, please consider participating by leaving your donations by your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 11th. We greatly appreciate any and all donations. Please see our list of our most needed items (no glass please):
Marinades, sauces, & spices
Health & hygiene items
Canned meat
Soup
Canned fruit
Diced tomatoes
Dried fruit or nuts
Cereal
Baby food & diapers
Morning Prayer | Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.
In-Person & Zoom
Paws to Connect
Join us next week for Paws to Connect!
Backyard Compost Challenge with Boxerwood
Our Big Question: How much food waste could we keep out of the landfill if more of us used backyard composters instead? To answer that question we are enrolling 80 local households in a 10-week “citizen science” project, March 9 – May 18, 2024.
Each selected household will weigh and share data about its total food diversion weekly. Boxerwood will post this data anonymously on its project webpage. We will use this information to better understand the impact of diverting food waste with backyard composting. Your new compost kit (and our weekly tips) will also give you a way to start protecting the Earth right here at home.
Update on the Trex Challenge
Please note that the plastic film collected is not only plastic bags but includes other plastic films that stretch; bread bags, bubble wrap, drycleaning bags, plastic shipping envelopes, Ziploc food storage bags, shrink wrap, salt bags, wood pellet bags, produce bags, etc... everything just must be clean before going into recycling. There is a blue collection bin for plastic film under the bridge between the Church and Parish Hall for your deposit of plastic films. Thanks again for your participation in this challenge.
A Racial Equity Coalition Event
MAY 18, 2024
A CELEBRATORY SAMPLING OF ROANOKE’S DIVERSITY
Like all locales in Virginia, Roanoke has a complicated and tragic history of
institutional racism that is critical to explore as we forge new paths to racial equity.
Historic Gainsboro, the first neighborhood that comprised what would become
Roanoke, and once an incredibly vital Black community, is at the heart of the
nationwide story of how urban renewal was used to destroy communities of color.
Residents are coming together today with the dream that Gainsboro will one day be
an example of revitalization, reconciliation, and reparation. The Racial Equity
Coalition plans several trips to Roanoke to learn about both this history and hope.
The first will take place Saturday, May 18, and because the trip coincides with
Roanoke’s annual Local Colors Festival AND the Gainsboro Block Party, will focus on
how Roanoke celebrates its diversity today with cultural events, community arts, and
collective growth and understanding through interpretive markers. We hope to have
several vehicles going, for flexibility in mobility and schedules. Please join us!!
Contact Susan Mead at 540-267-5678 for more info & to RSVP (by May 11, if possible!)
8:30
~Leave Lexington (Courthouse Parking Lot on Randolph Street)
10:00-10:45
~Harrison Museum of African American Culture to view The David Ramey Exhibit
https://harrisonmuseum.com/david-ramey-exhibit-free-admission-extended/?amp=1
https://gainsborohistoryproject.org/
11:00-12:45
~Local Colors Festival parade, entertainment, international booths, and lunch
https://localcolors.org/events/2024-local-colors-festival
1:00-2:00
~Gainsboro Block Party, in the heart of the Historic district, hosted by GNO, Inc.
https://www.roanokeva.gov/1223/Gainsboro-Neighborhood-Organization-Inc
2:00-3:30
~Visit Henry Street and Wells Ave in HIstoric Gainsboro to view interpretive panels
and see the Martin Luther King statue and newly dedicated David Ramey mural
https://roanokepreservation.org/historic-gainsboro-history-walk/
3:30-??
~Enjoy more of the Local Colors Festival, if desired
Departure time is up to the group!
Prayers for Peace in the Holy Land
A Note from Tuck:
I am writing to ask for your prayers for a de-escalation of violence between Israeli and Palestinian people and for return to the challenging work of building a sustainable and lasting peace.
I have reached out to the current student director of Hillel House, the Chaplain at VMI, and the director of Student Services at W&L to express our support of Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish and Muslim students.
I encourage you to reach out to your Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish and Muslim friends in recognition that this crisis creates the conditions for increased anti-semitic and anti-muslim behavior, as well the strong likelihood that they or someone close to them has been impacted by this crisis.
Finally, please read the following statement by the Episcopal Church and the accompanying statement by Churches for Middle East Peace.
Pray for peace.
Boys Home of Virginia Wish List
Please help us support the Boys Home of Virginia by supplying any of items on their wishlist. There is a basket on the stair landing to the Parish Office for the Boys Home donations. Please drop off at church. Thank you!
Wanted: Sunday School Teachers
Grace is looking for youth, college students and adults willing to help provide Sunday School for a few children each Sunday from about 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. We are willing to pay a stipend. Please contact Tuck to find out more.
Prayer List
Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our Congregants: Prayers for continued healing for Presiding Bishop Curry. Pray for the candidates for Presiding Bishop: The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker, The Rt. Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez, The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, The Rt. Rev. Robert Wright. Pray for Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and our Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas. Pray for the people of St. John’s, Roanoke and their Rector, The Rev. Eric Long. Pray for Brendon, Michael Murphy, Timmy, Rick Alexander, Bradley Fairchild and Karen Junkin, John & Gloria June Perry, Glen Jones, Patricia Brown Boyer, Jack Hershbell, Laura Stearns, Worth & Katie Burnes & Family, Amelia Dull, Stephen deMaria, Polly Lawrence, Betty Cadden, Jeff Mason, Joe Irby, Kent Wilson, Don Ellis, Diana Kenney, Patrick Bowes, Ann Nay, Paula Cooper, Penny & Ned Henneman, Barbara Bova, Daniel Diener, Shelby, Clay Sadler, Sharon Humphreys, Eloise Adams, Nancy Mastin, Elizabeth Klein, Cullen Bahr (friend of Drusie Milford), Mary Etta Randolph, Amaree Cluff, Jeff Patnaude, Blake, Liz & Cameron (friends of Chris Young), Carl & Rachel Pattison, Wayne Fitzgerald (husband of Anna-Lisa Nay Fitzgerald), Brian Powers, Jane Drewry (sister-in-law of Ruth Smith), Barb Ostrander (cousin of John Milford), Carolyn Williams, Jennifer Humphrey, Linda Lanford, Elizabeth Jones (Martha’s mom), Mary Stuart Gilliam, and those we name aloud or in our hearts. Pray for those who have died.
In Thanksgiving for May Birthdays
5/12 Anne Hershbell
5/15 Jenny Mastin
5/16 Ren Price, Elaine Price
5/17 John Dickerson, Cynthia Robertson
5/20 Joan Crawford
5/22 Garrett Frascati
5/26 Raeanna Simcoe
5/30 Lyle McClung
5/31 Anne Tyler McCabe, Ellie Mastin
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