eNews NEWS FOR OUR PARISH COMMUNITY March 29, 2019
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Inside this Issue (Download pdf here) April Messenger
Choral Evensong
Adult Formation
Contemplative Prayer
Parish Hall Forum
Parents Connect
Preparing for Sunday
Upcoming Events
Night of Jazz
Public Theology
Called to Grow
Take Note
Easter Flower Deadline
Support for Bishop-Elect
Your Help is Needed
Outreach Ministry
Food Pantry Sunday Children & Youth
Episcopal Youth Community
Choirs
This Sunday's Schedule
The April Messenger
Follow this link to the April 2019 issue of the Messenger.
Issuu version ~ Full-size PDF ~ Small-size PDF Inside this issue: 39ers, Altar Gifts, Athletics, Book Group, Calendar Highlights, Called to Grow, Christian Formation, Easter Card Offering, Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Flower Deadline, Egg Filling Day, EYC, Food Pantry Facts, Holy Baptism, Holy Week & Easter, Looking Towards Sunday, Memorials/Honoraria, Message from the Rector, Outreach Ministry, Palm Sunday for Children, Public Theology, School News, Third Thursday, Welcoming Bishop Phoebe
Please note: For those of you who also get the paper edition of the Messenger, it has been mailed. If you are NOT getting the paper copy and would like to have it mailed to you, please let Lucy know. If you are unable to open the pdf file, updating Adobe Reader will most likely fix the problem. Contact Lucy with any question.
Choral Evensong
All parishioners and friends are invited to GSL this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. to experience one of the richest services of our Anglican/Episcopal heritage: Choral Evensong. Evensong is The Book of Common Prayer’s service of Evening Prayer (from the Daily Office) led by a choir with assistance from other lay ministers and a member of the clergy. The 30 to 45 minute service is an intentional time to come away from the busy-ness of life to meditate on scripture and to spend time in quiet prayer, while listening to and participating in music. The music selected for choir and congregation seeks to bring worshippers into deeper understand of the mysteries of faith. The Grace-St. Luke’s Chancel Choir will lead evensong, singing the music of English composers, Richard Ayleward and Thomas Morley. If you are an evensong fan, plan to attend, spread the word, and bring others.
Adult Formation
Monthly Contemplative Prayer Group Join a small group of committed contemplatives as they meet each month for a time of intentional prayer and silence. This group is self-led and participates in a variety of prayer practices: Lectio Divina, Mindfulness, Centering Prayer, and Ignatian Spirituality. Meetings are from 9:00-9:30 a.m. on the last Sunday of each month in the Chapel. Mark your calendars for Mar. 31, Apr. 28... All are welcome!
Parish Hall Forum: Lenten Art Series—Visual Art with Jimpsie Ayres & Robbie McQuiston Join GSL Parishioners Jimpsie Ayres and Robbie McQuiston as they take a closer look into the beauty and depth gleaned from visual art. Jimpsie will speak about her personal process of creating art as a means of selfexploration, while Robbie will share about the ancient practice of iconography. Join us in Trezevant Hall for breakfast at 8:45 a.m. followed by the Parish Hall Forum from 9:3010:20.
To listen to past Parish Hall Forum classes, visit www.gracestlukes.org/forum-videos. To view this Sunday's full schedule: see below.
Parents Connect Parents Connect is a group for all parents of children and teens who gather at GSL approximately twice a month on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. to make connections, foster community, and learn through special formation offerings and guest speakers. Occasional off-campus events are offered, too. Join Parents Connect this Sunday in the Lounge. Contacts: Allison King, allisonhking at gmail.com, or Steven King, sking at ducks.org, or Sharon Campbell, 901-2526321, scampbell@gracestlukes.org.
Preparing for Sunday This week's readings: Joshua 5:9-12 · 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 · Luke 15:1-3,11b-32 ·Psalm 32 www.gracestlukes.org/discover/this-sundays-texts/
Upcoming Events
GSL Night of Jazz & Social Time at Crosstown Course (Mar. 30) If you like jazz or remember the Steve Lee Quartet from this year’s GSL Shrove Tuesday Festival, make plans now to experience Steve Lee and the Memphis Jazz Workshop community initiative: www.memphisjazzworkshop.org. Our rector, the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, plans to attend and invites parishioners to join him on Saturday, March 30, 7 p.m. for GSL Night at Crosstown Concourse for an evening of impressive music and social time. Tickets are available here: www.tinyurl.com/GSLNightofJazz.
Public Theology (Apr. 4) Join us Thursday evening April 4 from 5:30-7 p.m. for our next Public Theology event at Celtic Crossing in the Cooper Young neighborhood. Join Father Ollie V. Rencher, the Rev. Meredith Jane Day, and the Rev. Amy M. George to discuss a very Lenten topic: Sin. What exactly is sin? And why are Episcopalians so often afraid to talk about it? Public Theology is a time of laid-back fellowship and open conversation facilitated at a public restaurant by a member of the clergy. Monthly topics focus on relevant issues of faith, spirituality, and current events. Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic refreshments will be available for purchase. All adults are invited to these drop-in gatherings, so bring a friend! Watch the parish news and notices for upcoming topics on May 2 and June 6. For more information, contact the Rev. Meredith Jane Day: mday@gracestlukes.org.
Called to Grow, St. Columba Presentation (Apr. 7) On April 7 during Coffee Hour (immediately following the 10:30 service), all are invited to the parish hall for refreshments and a 15-minute presentation by St. Columba’s Called to Grow campaign leaders and staff. St. Columba, our diocesan retreat center, is a place that welcomes, refreshes, equips, and transforms over 7,000 guests and campers each year. Grace-St. Luke’s parishioners and others around the diocese and beyond have enjoyed the benefits of this beautiful space for retreats, camps, Happenings, picnics, and more. Through the Called to Grow capital campaign, the facilities will be enhanced and expanded so that for years to come we will be able to continue participating in all that St. Columba has to offer. Please join us in Trezevant Hall to hear more about this exciting time in the life of our diocesan retreat center.
Outreach Ministry
Food Pantry Sunday While you're out shopping this weekend, we could use dried milk, tooth paste, peanut butter, cereal, and hygiene products. Choose one or all of these items. Please bring your offering of food items and place them in the basket as you approach the altar for communion this Sunday, March 31. Monetary donations are also welcome. Let's give generously and fill the basket!
Take Note
Easter Flower Deadline If you would like to make a donation in honor of or in memory of a loved one for Easter flowers, you may send a check to the church office (ATTN: LUCY) listing the names of those you would like remembered. These names will be listed in the Easter leaflets if received before April 12. For your convenience, you may also pay online at www.gracestlukes.org/onlinegiving/. Select the "Make a donation for altar flowers" link under "Memorials and Honoraria."
Support for the Bishop Elect Phoebe Roaf As the consecration of the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of West Tennessee draws closer, the Transition Committee has asked that we help welcome Bishop Elect Phoebe Roaf by sharing our favorite things in West Tennessee with her. To that end, we are asking the people of the diocese to submit recommendations for your favorite people, places, and things…from your favorite Italian restaurant…to helpful tips about which roads to avoid at 5 p.m. From an upcoming exhibit you’re excited about…to the dates for this year’s Strawberry Festival in Humboldt (May 5–May 11 if you’re asking). From the dry cleaners you couldn’t live without…to the best plumbers, painters and electricians that keep your home humming. We want to share with her all the things you would want to know if you were new around here. We will compile all the information you send into a binder and present this to her upon her arrival in a lovely basket with gift cards, notes, and some fun local products she might enjoy. Follow this link for more information: www.gracestlukes.org/news/support-for-the-bishopelect.
Your Help is Needed Grace-St. Luke’s will soon change our decades-old membership software to a newer version. We want to transfer current membership records, not your old outdated records! The information we keep in our records are adult and childrens’ names and birthdates, home and cell numbers, addresses (physical and email). We are asking that all GSL households fill out the following form to insure we have correct information. To do so, visit www.gracestlukes.org/update-your-contact-information.
Children & Youth
Sunday Morning Classes To view this Sunday's class schedule, see below.
Episcopal Youth Community EYC, Mar. 31: (HS) 4–5:30 p.m. in the Red Room and (MS) 5–6:30 p.m. Escape Room EYC (MS) in the Red Room. Biscuits and Bible: Middle Schoolers are invited to join us in the Red Room Wednesday mornings at 6:45 a.m. for Bible study, prayer, and Chick-fil-A breakfast! For more information, email Addison Combs (acombs@gracestlukes.org).
Children's Choirs GSL’s two youth choirs, St. Cecilia Choir and Canterbury Choir, rehearse on Wednesdays. Rehearsal times are 4:30–5 p.m. for St. Cecilia Choir (for boys and girls in SK–2nd grade) and 5–6 p.m. for Canterbury Choir (for boys and girls in grades 3–6). Both choirs meet in the choir room at GSL and are under the direction of Music Associate Debbie Smith. For more information, contact Debbie at 901-299-9313 or email her at dsmith@gracestlukes.org.
This Sunday at GSL
Join us for worship, formation, and fellowship March 31. 8 a.m. – Holy Eucharist 8:45 a.m. – Delicious home-cooked breakfast. 9 a.m. – Contemplative Prayer Group (details above) 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for adults (details above) 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for children Nursery
Infant Room (Newborn–Walking) Toddler Room (Walking–Potty Training) Little Lambs Room (Potty Training–Atrium Ready) Location: Church Nursery with the Nursery Staff Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Atrium I 3–6 year olds: Pre–K, JK and SK Location: Atrium I (Green Room) Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Atrium II 6–9 year olds: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Location: Atrium II (Purple Room) Project Purpose 4th–5th Grade Location: Yellow Room 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for youth Rite 13 6th–8th Grade
Location: Red Room J2A 9th–12th Grade Location: Red Room 10:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist Following the 10:30 service – Coffee Hour Nursery – The nursery is available from 7:30 a.m. through the end of the 10:30 service 5:30 p.m. – Holy Eucharist Episcopal Youth Community (details above). More about Christian Formation at GSL
Children: www.gracestlukes.org/sunday-school
Youth: www.gracestlukes.org/youth-formation
Adults: www.gracestlukes.org/sunday-morning/
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