The Octave of All Saints 2009
Dear Friend(s) of Grace Church:
Some
say we are dying, but, look!, we are alive.
This paraphrase of 2 Corinthians
6: 8 sums up where we are at Grace Church in our 119th year. I can point to signs that our congregation is dying, but there
is far more evidence that we are very much alive!
We have a core of parishioners
who pray, worship, and work with great dedication to the glory of God and for the benefit of Grace Church.
Our priest is skilled at preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. We love her, and she loves us.
Our worship in enhanced by excellent music: choir, organ, and hand bells.
We hold services for the public each month: a healing service in the church and an outdoor service to which people
without homes are especially invited.
Our kitchen has received high marks from the
Norwalk Health Department.
Our buildings, including two houses on Berkeley Street
(one of which now houses our priest), are in good repair; our church is handicapped-accessible.
We have a labyrinth for prayer and meditation.
We continue to support
the FAWE girls’ school in Sierra Leone—and three of us have visited it.
We
collect food and Christmas gifts and distribute them to those in need. We collect supplies for the children at Malta House;
one of us tutors a young mother at Malta House.
We serve our community by opening
our building to a variety of local organizations.
We are exploring the possible merger
of our parish with the congregation of Iglesia Betania, and we have worshiped and socialized together.
Our new ministries were the subject of a full-page article with pictures in GOOD NEWS, the newspaper
of the Diocese of Connecticut.
We all should be excited by and proud of the ministry
and mission, which, with God’s help, our congregation is involved in. To accomplish all that we are doing we need the
time, talent, and treasure of all of us. As a congregation we are blessed by God. As individuals and families we are blessed
by God. A pledge card for 2010 is enclosed. In consideration of all that God has done for us and for you, please make your
generous financial commitment to God by filling out and returning the card by November 22nd. Note that nine
members of the Vestry have already made their pledges, totaling $$29,380, an average of $3164. A fine example
for us all.
Your brother in Christ.
John
Sutton, Senior Warden and Pledge Chairman
