News for our Parish Community
eNews
September 2, 2020
Take Note: New Highlights
Grace-St. Luke’s Vestry Nominations for 2021 - 2023 Term Now Open. Read details below under Community Life. Wellness and Recovery Sunday Recordings Available. GSL was blessed to have two wonderful guests for Wellness and Recovery Sunday. If you missed hearing what these two had to say about this very important topic, follow these links. A Conversation with Dr. Monty Burks and the Rev. Ollie Rencher and the homily by the Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke. GSL's Online Safety Precautions. In an attempt to protect parishioners against whaling attacks (previously known as phishing), GSL does not include parishioner emails as searchable clickable links in our eNews, on our website, or any of our publications available online. Please note that the @ sign is replaced with at, so just copy and paste the email, remove the spaces, and replace "at" with "@". Ongoing events, less-recent news, and more, explore below: Worship and Music, Christian Formation, Community Life, Outreach , Social Justice, Stay Informed, and Virtual Offerings.
Virtual Offerings
Thursday, September 3, 8 until 8:15 p.m. Compline (Night Prayers) via Facebook Live.
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 6, 10:30 a.m. Livestream Service of Morning Prayer including sermon and music via the GSL website and Facebook Live.
Tuesday, September 8, 12-12:45 & 6-6:45 Wonder Zoom Discussion.
Tuesday, September 8, 8 until 8:15 p.m. Compline (Night Prayers) via Facebook Live.
Wednesday, September 9, 12-12:45 & 6-6:45 The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World Zoom Discussion. Thursday, September 10, Men’s Morning Fellowship, 7 until 7:45 a.m. via ZOOM. Hosted by Doug Duncan and the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, all men may join at any time. Follow this link for what to expect and ZOOM access information.
To sign up to receive the GSL eNews, go to www.gracestlukes.org/news/weekly-enews/.
Event Details. For important details about each of these and more, follow this link to Virtual Offerings and watch for the Friday Looking Ahead eNews.
Worship and Music
Worship: Online and In Person. Join us this Sunday mornings at 10:30 for livestream and in-person worship. Limited space is available for in-person worship in order to maintain social distancing requirements. Online reservations are required on this and every Sunday for the limitedcapacity seating by ushers. For safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate those who have not signed up in advance. Click here to sign up for Sunday, September 6. Compline (Night Prayers) is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. via Facebook Live. Visit www.gracestlukes.org/worship for more about worship, and to explore past and upcoming services, follow this link. Contemplative Prerecorded Worship & Music Events, Sunday 5:30–6 p.m. Beginning September 13, virtual meditative services will be offered by the clergy for those watching in a more contemplative setting, enhanced by candles, icons, intentional moments for silence, and instrumental music. Offerings scheduled at this time also include occasional recitals, concerts and choral services. For the fall schedule, follow this link.
Christian Formation
Adults.
GSL Reading Together: Zoom Discussions for August Books & September Book Announcement. Join in the discussions of Wonder on September 8 and The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World on Wednesday, September 9. GSL Reading Together is one of many ways to connect to life at GSL around a common subject. The GSL Reading Together book for September is Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus by the Most Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. For sign-up details and the book list thru December, visit www.gracestlukes.org/gslreadingtogether. From Lament to Hope: Preparing for a Time “When Life is Good Again”, facilitated by Dr. Dan Pigg. Sitting with lament, contemplating the mystery of divine providence, realizing our limitations along with our hopes, dreams, and fears connect us in 2020 to an important period in the history of Israel/Judah which is also our history. Life will be “good again,” but we have to trust the process of time. Lament is important to living into God’s future and ours. Class participants will explore that movement over our four weeks of meetings via Zoom. For more information and to sign up, visit www.gracestlukes.org/midweek-formation. Visit www.gracestlukes.org/adult-formation for the exciting fall lineup of Sunday morning formation offerings, Wednesday evening offerings, and more.
Youth. Please Note: There are no youth activities this weekend due to the Labor Day holiday. Celebration Sunday, September 13: Look forward to our first socially distanced EYC of the year! We are excited to share with you what we have in the works in the very near future! Look out for an email from Amzie Williams (awilliams@gracestlukes.org) on Friday, September 4, to see what surprises we have in store to kick off the year! Children. This fall’s offerings for children and families will be spiritually rich, varied, and so much fun! To SIGN UP and read about all we have in store for your children — Traveling Model Altar, Prayer Table Kit, Sunday Prayer Table (via Zoom), Children’s Activity Bags, and Outdoor, In-Person Gatherings for Families — follow this link: www.gracestlukes.org/childrens-formation. Save the Date! To meet the needs of parents and children to be together in a safe way, we will offer outdoor, in-person, socially distanced gatherings, as local conditions allow. Our first gathering is planned for Sunday, September 27, 2-4 p.m. on Anchor Hill (the grassy area adjacent to the Anchor Center at Peabody & Lemaster). Watch for sign-up details in future eNews. All Ages. Celebration Sunday: Are you Ready??! Formation, Stewardship, & Connections. On September 13, 9:15-9:45 a.m. online, the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, Rector, will introduce an exciting season of events. The clergy and lay leaders will reflect and invite members to a connective, creative, and spiritually rich life this year at GSL through a lively and engaging video to lift a tired heart, thrill an eager mind, and center a beautiful soul. Plan on seeing familiar faces, laughing a bit, and becoming encouraged that COVID has only made us even more conscientious about remaining connected and resilient as a faith community.
Community Life
Grace-St. Luke’s Vestry Nominations for 2021 - 2023 Term Now Open. The GSL Vestry is the elected lay leadership team of fifteen people who collaborate with the Wardens and the Rector to support the mission, administration, and ministries essential for operating as a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee. Nominations for five open Vestry positions for the threeyear term 2021-2023 may be submitted by candidates for election (or by nominators). These must be received no later than Sunday, October 4, and must be followed by a Nominee Information Form no later than Noon on Friday, October 9. The Vestry election will take place by submission of a confidential vote of members of the Parish in a process to be decided by the Vestry, and announced at or shortly after the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Parish. The Nominee Recommendation and Nominee Information forms may be directed to the Vestry Nominating Committee by filling out the form online or via email to Nominating Committee Chair, Simon Wadsworth (srcw at icloud.com). Forms are available online at (www.gracestlukes.org/news/vestry21-23).
A Message from our Senior Warden. Read Sr. Warden Simon Wadsworth's August message tothe parish by following this link. GSL Fall 2020 Parish Intern, Mrs. Jessica Abell. In early September, GSL will have the privilege of hosting Mrs. Jessica Abell to serve as Parish Intern for three months. Appointed to GSL by Bishop Phoebe Roaf, Jessica is in the process to be ordained a vocational deacon. Time among us will include a variety of observing, training, and serving in worship, pastoral and formation roles as organized and supervised by the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher, Rector. Follow this link to learn more about Jessica and expect an update once she begins limited-hours ministry at GSL. Pastoral Care Ministry Invitation. The clergy and several lay pastoral care ministers proactively reach out weekly to parishioners in various meaningful ways. The scope of this vital ministry to our more than 500 households include phone calls, cards, notes, meals, and companionship to households expecting a child. If you are interested in serving others in any of these ways, email Lay Pastoral Care Coordinator Jocelyn Busby (jocelynbusby at gmail.com) or contact the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher (901-252-6320, orencher@gracestlukes.org). Pastoral Care. To alert the clergy of a pastoral matter concerning yourself or a parishioner, including any medical procedures, contact the clergy confidentially via 901-252-6320 or pastoralcare@gracestlukes.org. For hospitalizations or emergencies concerning a member, contact the 24/7 Clergy-on-Call phone line at 901-252-6334. Keeping GSL Strong and Sustainable. Your sacred gifts of time, talent, and treasure are keeping GSL strong and sustainable. While parishioners are striving to practice self-care and care for one another during the COVID-19 pandemic, individual and household financial gifts also are supporting administration and operations, worship offerings, personnel, and much more. For ways to serve and connect at GSL in any season, contact Stewardship Associate Chapman Morrow (901-252-6328, cmorrow@gracestlukes.org) and visit gracestlukes.org/onlinegiving. Prayer List and Prayer Requests. To submit a prayer request for the Prayer List, you may contact Parish House Receptionist & Ministry Associate Abby Huber (ahuber@gracestlukes.org, 901-2526336) or complete the online Prayer Request Form (www.gracestlukes.org/prayerrequest).
Stay Informed
The Messenger Magazine. The August-September issue is available for download by following this link . Included in this issue is a copy of Life at GSL—Fall 2020 Guide, a comprehensive publication of Christian formation offerings for all ages through December, a schedule of contemplative prerecorded worship and music events through December, and more. eNews. Visit gracestlukes.org to subscribe to the parish eNews to receive weekly, seasonal, and emergency pastoral notices from the clergy or other leaders. Visit episwtn.org to subscribe to the West Tennessee Diocesan Communicator, and for access to beyond-local news from The Episcopal Church, visit episcopalnewsservice.org. Spread the word about these key communication platforms.