Grace/La Gracia Episcopal Church February 11, 2024 E-News Letter 😁 🙏💙

Grace La Gracia Church

33 Church Street White Plains, NY 10601

www.gracewhiteplains.org

Grace Church is a diverse congregation committed to a common life sustained by Worship. We bear witness to God’s love in Christ through our life together and our Service to the wider community. All are welcome!

February 11, 2024

Announcements

The Gospel

According to Mark 9:2-9

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Sunday Worship

Grace Church Family,

This Sunday's Worship can be viewed at 10:00 AM on

Face Book (link sent).

On Thursdays there is a noon service in English and at 7:30 PM in Spanish.

2024 STEWARDSHIP THEME

“God has given us two hands therefore, giving back to God all that is his."

How to Pledge to Grace/La Gracia

The church is flexible in receiving your generosity. Blessings.

Option 1: The standard way of staying current with your pledge still applies.

Feel free to put a check in the mail and send it to the address below (Attention: Office Administrator). Bundling for a few weeks is fine.

Grace/La Gracia Episcopal Church

33 Church Street - 2nd Floor

White Plains NY 10601

Option 2: There is a secure drop box on the red door at the front of Grace. The box will be checked regularly for financial contributions, including cash (which will be recorded). Kindly put our pledge in an envelope with your contact info written clearly.

Option 3: Visit us on the web at: www.gracewhiteplains.org

Look for the “Pledging” tab across the top and click on it. Then, you’ll see a yellow "Donate" button; clicking on that will take you to another site for electronic giving (either by using a credit card or with a PayPal account). For more details on PayPal, feel free to visit: (www.paypal.com).

Please note – PayPal charges a fee to the church for these transactions (which is why a check in the drop box or sent by mail is preferable.)

Thank you for contributing!!

Pledge Forms 2024

Please click on the words below to access the pledge forms

Pledge Form English

Pledge Form Spanish

Ushers Needed - Grace Episcopal Church

Good morning church family,

I am Camille Worrell, Head Usher. I am reaching out because I have been having significant difficulties with the schedule. I currently have a very small number of available ushers and this group is being overworked. If you are available to be an usher, please reach out. It is not a difficult job. It only entails taking a count of those present and ensuring that people sign in, the passing of the offertory baskets (we now use socially distant baskets on long poles), ringing the bells at the correct times, and guiding fellow parishioners to communion. All of this can be done while keeping safe distances from each other. If you are able to be put on the schedule, please reach out to me Camille_worrell@hotmail.com. I'm hoping to return to the four team rotation, and I am hoping that each team will have at least 3 members. Thank you so much for considering this.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In honor of Black History Month, join the Book Club by Zoom at 7 pm on Tuesday, Feb 13, in discussing Higher is Waiting by Tyler Perry that details the life events that brought him to a closer relationship with God. Meeting ID: 939 766 0533 Passcode: xQ3dsA

Altar Guild Needs Volunteers

The Altar guild is responsible for preparing for all worship services, all sacramental rites and of course the Sunday Eucharist. Other responsibilities of the Altar guild include cleaning vessels, laundering linen, scrubbing, polishing, decorating, setting the table and any special preparation for all celebrations in the Church.

Our Altar Guild needs volunteers both women and men that would like to be part of this important ministry. Volunteers for this ministry work in teams of two individuals. We have four teams that are responsible for preparing the Church for Sunday Service one weekend per month.

If you are interested please contact Brinda Bradley at brinbradley@optonline.net or our Parish Administrator, Suzan Ortega – Collado at sortega@gracechurchwhiteplains.or or (914) 949 – 2874 option 1.

Down Town Music

Dedicate a Downtown Music Concert or Make a Memorial Donation

Would you like to honor the memory of a loved one while supporting our community’s premier venue for free, live music? Downtown Music at Grace offers the transformative experience of great music, free of charge, most Wednesdays at noon. Whether you sponsor a concert or make a memorial donation, your contribution makes a difference. We will proudly record your generosity and your words of dedication in our printed programs, our weekly e-newsletter, and on our website. Visit https://www.dtmusic.org/volunteer/#donate and scroll down for donation formation. Example: This concert is made possible, in part, by a generous gift from Mary Jane Smith in memory of John Brown. "Forever in our hearts."

La Bocca Ristorante

8 Church Street

White Plains

http://www.laboccaristorante.com/

Grace/La Gracia Parishioners-Order a meal to enjoy at home!

Please give a thought to our local businesses. Tony Spiritoso has been an angel to Grace since he opened his restaurant in 1997. La Bocca is open for take-out. Enjoy a great meal at home. Thank you, Michael Heffner

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

Join a Committee or become Greeter or Office Volunteer

Grace La Gracia is always looking for more volunteers to serve on our various committees. We rely on our parishioners to help keep our parish going. For more information or to join, contact the parish office or just stop by one of our meetings!

If any of these roles interest you, please contact the parish office.

Acolytes

The Grace La Gracia Acolyte Ministry is always in search of new members to aid and assist the Clergy and Congregation in prayer, praise and worship. We welcome adults and youth aged 7 and up. Please contact Lauren Reid at Lrrmink@gmail.com if you would like to join this vital ministry.

Pastoral Care

We are inviting members who have a passion for serving others to join our Pastoral Care team. This ministry means so much to our members and it just might change your life. Please contact Fr. Adolfo Moronta at amoronta@gracechurchwhiteplains.org or adolfomoronta@hotmail.com for more information.

Interested in volunteering with our Sunday School?

We have a vacant Assistant Teacher position in the up coming school year. If you are interested in committing a few Sundays a month to our youth, pray about it & feel free to talk to one of our Priest-In-Charge Fr. Adolfo Moronta, a moronta@gracechurchwhiteplains.org. Thank you.

Altar Flowers Signup sheet is on the bulletin board near the library. Remember those you love by signing up for flowers to adore the altar. Contribution: $100.00

Lectors Are Needed

Volunteers are needed for all services including the Family service, every third Sunday of the month. If you are available for one or both of these services, please provide your contact information to: sortega@gracechurchwhiteplains.org

Volunteer to be an Usher

Ushers are needed for all services. Please contact Camille Worrell at: camille_worrell@hotmail.com if you would like to join.

Names on Prayer List

If you have a family member or loved one on our prayer list, please provide our office with emergency contact information.

Mother Teresa once said to “Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.”

Any person or group of parishioners interested in underwriting a worship service at Grace Church for more information.

FEBRUARY

· February 10 Installation of Matthew Heyd as Bishop of New York

· February 14 Ash Wednesday (Beginning of Lent) & Valentine’s Day

Ash Wednesday Services

7:30 AM & 12:00 PM Grace Service

7:30 PM Bilingual Service

· Every Tuesday of Lent Stations of the cross at 7:00 PM

· February 17 Lent Retreat

Lent Retreat – Rest, Reflect & Renew

This retreat is done in conjunction with St. Andrew’s, St. Barnabas, & St. Joseph – Cost

Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Location: 2172 Saw Mill River Rd, White Plains, NY 10607

$15.00 per person

· February 19 Presidents' Day - Office Closed

· February 25 Annual Meeting - Bilingual Service

Details about Bishop Heyd’s Installation as the 17th Bishop of New York on February 10th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.The service will begin at 11 am and the Diocese is asking for folks to plan to be seated by 10:30 am.

The Diocese will be providing bus transportation from Rockland County, New Rochelle, Staten Island, Poughkeepsie, and Middletown, NY to the service with plans for all of these buses to arrive at the Cathedral by 10 am. More details will be sent to the diocesan list reservation as soon as they are finalized.

The Diocese is also inviting the choir members/singers of all congregations to sign up to participate in the diocesan choir which will be rehearsing in the Cathedral on Saturday February 3rd in the afternoon (following the Absalom Jones service taking place in the morning).

The Diocese will be providing childcare for children (ages 3-10) of clergy and service participants (including choir members and others processing). You can sign up here: https://dioceseny.org/ednyevent/bishop-installation-2024/

Buses to and from the Cathedral - arrive by 10 a.m., leave at 2 p.m.

We are delighted to be able to offer buses to the Installation from the regions of our diocese. Buses are open to anyone attending the service. Upon signing up for each bus, you will receive more specific details regarding location, departure time, etc.

Poughkeepsie

Hosted by Christ Church, Poughkeepsie.

To sign up, fill out this form.

Middletown

Hosted by the Rev. Victor Sarrazin and Grace Church, Middletown.

To sign up, fill out this form.

Rockland County

Hosted by the Rev. Dustin Trowbridge and Grace Church, Nyack.

Departing from a centrally located "park & ride."

To sign up, fill out this form.

New Rochelle

Hosted by the Rev. Deacon Hyacinth Lee and Trinity-St. Paul’s, New Rochelle.