Grace Merchandise
If you were in church the last few Sundays you may have noticed there is Grace merch available for purchase! The next couple of Sundays a team will be selling short sleeve shirts for $15, long sleeve “Pride shirts” for $25, and a crewneck sweatshirt for $35! If you want one be sure to bring cash or a check on Sunday morning. We also accept PayPal! And for those who got merch on at Novemberfest, if you haven’t paid yet, please make sure you bring your payment to the team on the next couple of Sundays that they are there!

Advent Grace Reads 2023, Wednesdays at 10:30am
Light from Afar, An Advent Devotional from Around the World 

Advent is celebrated differently throughout the world. Some cultures barely observe the waiting and focus on the Christmas celebration. Others feel deeply the contrast between present circumstances and God’s promise of a better future, making for a season of fasting and prayer. All of them focus on Christ as the Light of the world.
 
Light from Afar is a daily Advent devotional that illuminates the season through the unforgettable stories and reflections of four writers from around the world. Authors Nadiyka Gerbish (Ukraine), Joel Bengbeng (Philippines), Cláudio Carvalhaes (Brazil), and Sidwell Mokgothu (South Africa) share cultural and religious traditions of the Advent season in their daily reflections. Each day’s meditation includes a scripture reading, a prayer, an opportunity for reflection, and a link to a song from the author’s home country.
The light of the star of Bethlehem has spread around the world. The people who have heard the good news have stories to tell and traditions to share. By joining with Christians from different cultures and countries in prayer, we can experience the hope, love, joy, and peace of Advent, leading ultimately to Immanuel–God with us–on Christmas day. Books are available in the commons. 
 
Meeting and Reading Schedule:
December 6, Having read the First Week of Advent – ‘Light from Brazil’
December 13, Having read the Second Week of Advent – ‘Light from the Philippines’
December 20, Having read the Third Week of Advent – ‘Light from Ukraine’
Week four we will do on our own continuing to use the ‘Guide for Small Groups’ at the end of the book.  
Please e-mail Mary Huisman at maryhuisman47@gmail.com to register!

December Creation Care 
Click here for more info!

On-Going Events & Ministries: 

Annual Pledge Drive As we enter into this year’s pledge drive, the heart of the message is a big, broad, and heartfelt, “Thank You!”  Thank you to God, for the holiness that flows among us offering healing and hope. Thank you, previous generations of Grace whose gifts continue to sustain us in the beauty and traditions of this place. And thank you everyone who is Grace now. Your presence, your prayers, and the gifts you offer are the life of this congregation today.   To look around Grace Church is to see a community of faith that is not only surviving but thriving. We’ve unfolded out of pandemic mode well and into a phase of growth. Gratitude is our response. In 2023 at Grace: Youth members and their leaders traveled to Ft Worth. They worked and prayed with “Be the Neighbor,” harvesting food, filling back-packs with school supplies, and restoring youth service trips after a long pandemic pause.  Compassion Camp, our week-long onsite VBS set a Grace set a record with twenty-five Grace and neighborhood kids gathered down in the undercroft and out in the side yard learning stories from Scripture, singing, creating, praying, and playing together. We sustained a staff whose gifts continue to grow and impact life at Grace in life-giving ways.  We welcomed a large group of folks who had been searching for a church home through Grace’s “This Episcopal Life” class and the sacrament of confirmation and reception.  Over fifty Grace volunteers, the “Blue Shirts,” collectively contributed over seven hundred and fifty hours at Community Action House’s Food Club ensuring thousands of hungry people in this community were given access to food. Creation Care offered Grace’s first celebration of the world-wide ecumenical Season of Creation  Our Outreach and Social Justice team hosted a Grace table at the annual Holland Pride festival and sent contributions from Grace to I Am Academy, Community Action House, Out on the Lakeshore, Episcopal Relief and Development, the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and others. We welcomed over thirty newcomers at a celebratory All Saints Day brunch. Our congregational care companions and visitors offered the support and sacrament of Grace with those who are struggling or simply unable to be present on Sundays.  We added chairs to the choir area to accommodate growth.  We welcomed the Deng Jakot family who had been refugees in Egypt for over ten years, originally from South Sudan. Josephine, Ester, Grace, Jennifer, Victor, and Hope still have a road ahead but are thriving here. As such gifts of God tend to play out, we are receiving from this family as much as we give. So, this year, we say THANK YOU! And keep it up, people of Grace!  Our pledge goal for 2024 is $458,000, a three percent increase over the pledge total for 2023, enough to allow us to maintain our current ministries and facilities. Pledges make up seventy percent of the operating budget for 2024 with other income coming from our annual endowment draw, non-pledge and plate giving, contributions for the Parish House. Every gift makes a difference!   This year we are also able to include funds from the very generous Heiberg Bequest which we received over the course of 2023 in our plans for 2024. Some funding from the Heiberg Bequest will go toward maintenance projects and some will go toward special projects in each of Grace’s ministry areas. Over ninety percent of the Bequest will remain in the Benefactors’ fund to grow over time. Grace will annually draw a small percentage to integrate into the mission and ministries of Grace.  In 2024, the first annual draw will be taken from the Heiberg Bequest and used to strengthen our staff and programming in order to sustain the growth we are experiencing while also shoring up some areas that need strengthening. The combination of generous and consistent pledge offerings combined with this new infusion of income from the Heiberg Bequest will allow Grace to re-establish an Assistant Rector position, providing more staff hours dedicated to newcomer support and integration, outreach and social justice efforts, and adult formation. Mid-year, Grace will increase the Music Director position’s hours to expand our musical offerings at Grace and enhance budding partnerships in the greater community. To read more about the Heiberg Bequest and the way in which it is being allocated, click this link for an explanatory brochure. Whit gift will benefit Grace Church, in the near future and in generations yet to come. There is so much for which to give thanks. Thank you, people of Grace, for participating in and inspiring faithful acts of generosity and gratitude among us. We realize that for some, an increase in giving will not be possible. Others will be able to do more and if you have never submitted a pledge to Grace, now’s the time!  EVERY gift makes a difference.  Pledge cards can be submitted electronically at any time or by submitting the pledge card linked below. Hard copies were mailed to some Grace households and are available in the Commons or Church Office. Just ask if you would like one sent to you! We ask that pledges be submitted as soon as possible to help Vestry continue to plan for the new year. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions if you have them.   With many thanks, Rev. Jen  The Rev. Jennifer Adams, Rector

 

Pledge Card

Different Ways to Give

Heiberg Bequest Brochure

We will be sending out a Weekly Newsletter that is called Grace to You. If you do not receive this, please email the church office at gechurch@graceepiscopalholland.org to get your email added! After we send out, we will be posting it here as well. 

Grace to You – October
10/29/2023
10/22/2023
10/15/2023
10/8/2023
10/1/2023

Grace to You – September 
9/24/2023
9/17/2023
9/10/2023
9/3/2023

Vestry

Rev. Jen Adams, Rector

Jeff Erickson, Sr. Warden

Krista Babbitt, Jr. Warden & Communications

Holly Anderson, Clerk

DuAnne Masselink, Treasurer

Pam Brown, Buildings & Grounds and Creation Care

Ned Goodman, Endowment and Buildings & Grounds

David Hawley-Lowry, Fellowship

Kris Pierce, Hispanic/Latino Ministry

Matt Schmidt, Worship & Digital Ministry

Robbie Schorle, Outreach and Social Justice & Anti-Racism

Joan Smith, Congregational Care

Laurie Van Ark, Fellowship

Kelli Van Dyke, Worship

Chris Wennersten, Worship

Support for Ukraine through Episcopal Relief and Development

Episcopal Relief & Development continues to provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine, working with our Anglican partners in Europe and ACT Alliance (a global coalition of over 140 faith-based organizations). Follow the link below to contribute knowing that your gift will help provide cash, blankets,  hygiene supplies and other needed assistance. You can follow this link to get to ER&D’s contribution page.  You may also make a contribution to Grace with “Ukraine” in the memo and we will make the contribution to ER&D.   

Grace Refugee Co-sponsorship
This fall we are looking to co-sponsor a refugee family with St. Francis and All Saints churches.  At this time, we have been blessed with all the furniture and lamps and kitchen items we could have hoped for – a big thank you to so many who kept this ministry in mind!  We are now shifting our focus to gift cards from Meijer and Target for the purchase of towels and linens and a new set of queen size mattresses, to be purchased once we are paired with a family. Please drop off any gift card donations at the office during the week, or leave them in the offering plate during services.  Thank you!

Communities across West Michigan (including Ottawa, Kent, and Muskegon Counties) are beginning to welcome more than 280 adults and many children who are newly arrived from Afghanistan.  We’re finding ways to help now – read on and also stay tuned for more!

Contact the Church Office if you would like to be part of a “Refugee Ministry Leadership  Team.”  This is the group that will meet regularly with leads from the other congregations to coordinate efforts with each other, Bethany and Lighthouse.  We need a few more folks to help out with coordination and planning.

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (LIA) has a new legal clinic to serve the legal needs of the influx of newcomers to achieve safety and stability. LIA is the only nonprofit law office in Ottawa County serving immigrants and refugees regardless of income.  Financial support is needed as soon as possible for this clinic to offset significant legal fees, translation and interpreter costs, and hospitality expenses. LIA will provide over half a million dollars of legal services at no cost to refugees. The Clinic designed by the LIA Legal Team will provide every refugee with the appropriate legal services to transition from temporary humanitarian parole status into full asylum status. Applications must be made for asylum for refugees who would face persecution, torture, or worse, if they returned to their home countries. Refugees have 1 year from the date of entry into the United States to apply for asylum.  Learn more about the program by visiting the Refugee Program page on LIA’s website at https://lia-michigan.org/legal-services/refugees/ or by emailing admin@lia-michigan.org
You can make a contribution through Grace’s Beyond Grace Fund or directly to LIA.

Bethany Christian Services – Refugee Resettlement Program
Refugee resettlement is the work we have done and hope to continue with St Francis and now All Saints, Saugatuck too as we Co-Sponsor a family.  This is a six-month to one year commitment that does NOT involve providing housing.  It is a way for us to offer support before the Parish House is again available.  Bethany secures housing and a team of people (folks from each church) collectively supports a refugee family. We’ll prepare their apartment with necessities, welcome them at the airport, and provide other services such as English tutoring or cultural assistance. Follow the link above to learn more.  If you are interested in serving on a Resettlement Team contact the Church Office as we explore the possibilities.

Thank you, Grace for helping people who have lost so much, find welcome and home again.

Food Club with Community Action House
Grace has partnered with Community Action House and we are proud to say that we make up a large part of the volunteers of Food Club. They are still always looking for help and it is a great way to get connected with Grace folks & the greater Holland community. THANK YOU, Grace for feeding hungry people!  If you are already signed up to serve, Thank You!  If you’d like to serve (generally once a month) but haven’t yet signed up, contact the Church Office. 

If you’d like to learn more about Food Club and Opportunity Hub, look here.