Ministry Leaders     Kelly Hamilton

Welcoming
As the name suggests, Welcoming welcomes visitors and newcomers and encourages membership in our parish. In the welcoming area in the church, information about our parish community is available, and those interested in joining the community at Grace are invited to fill out welcome cards which begins the process of membership. The Welcoming ministry also facillates the Bread Ministry: the baking of and delivering of bread to our guests as a sign of our hospitality; and coordinates other important functions such as, parish name tags and newcomer luncheons.

Parish Life
Annual and ongoing events provide opportunities for fellowship and service. These include a Senior harvest dinner; meals and other special celebrations throughout the year. Parish life meets on a TBA monthly basis.

Greeters
Greeters arrive at weekend liturgies 15 to 20 minutes early and stand at the entrance to welcome everyone. At the conclusion of worship, they again stand at the entrance and engage newcomers in conversation and assist with any questions they might have about our ministries at Grace. Greeters may choose between our two Sunday morning liturgies. Schedules are prepared monthly.

Foyers
Foyers is a collection of small groups of adults who get together in one another's homes for dinner. The philosophy of Foyers is that we do not really know each other until we have broken bread together. In becoming a part of Foyers, we make new acquaintances and know our present ones better. Names are randomly drawn and put into small groups of 6-8 people. We encourage newcomers to sign up! Each member of a group hosts the other members for dinner is his/her own home. The dinners are supposed to be very simple and served simply, so the emphasis is on conversation rather than on the host's wealth, possessions or culinary ability. Foyers are a great opportunity for fellowship.

Hospitality
These outgoing and dedicated individuals are Grace Church's front line in our ministry of hospitality,welcoming visitors and offering assistance and information. At Coffee Hour the greeters staff the table, providing newcomers with ways to be incorporated into the community. Volunteers usually serve on a monthly rotation at each of the main Sunday services and are available for special events.

Ministry Leaders     Rosemary Coyne     Tom LaMere

Collection counters
Collection counters count and deposit the weekend and any special church collections. There are teams of two people who meet usually Sunday morning from 11-12. Teams rotate each week.

Finance
Parishioners with expertise in areas of finance serve in various capacities from capital development, stewardship, to building and maintenance planning. The committee makes recommendations to the vestry concerning all aspects of financial and budget matters. It assists the Vestry in preparing the budget, prepares the annual financial report to the parish. Typically meetings are held once a month.

Memorial Garden
Parishioners interested in gardening, work with our landscape design in the ongoing development and upkeep of the grounds at Grace Church.

Properties
People with experience in architecture, carpentry, construction, drywall, painting, plumbing and other related skills help plan for the future of our buildings and maintain Grace's present buildings.

Stewardship
All that we have is a gift from God. Stewardship is our spontaneous response to grace, affirming our communion with God and each other through concrete acts of generosity. From our experience of compassion, love, gratitude, and concern, the desire to nourish what we value arises in us. An important aspect of our membership in the church is our financial support for its mission, but the vision of Stewardship does not end there. Besides money, we support the church with our time, our skills, our presence at Sunday worship, the Chicken barbecue, and other events. Teaching Sunday School, volunteering on the fix-it-team otherwise known as the Properties Commision, taking part in welcoming newcomers, singing in the choir, and serving in the liturgy are all forms of stewardship. Finally, all the charitable acts we perform in our homes, workplaces, and lives away from church are gifts to God. This ministry seeks to raise awareness of the wonders that God has done for us, and calls us to responsible use of our time, our talents, and our material resources. We meet the fourth Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm.

Ministry Leaders     Blythe Fawcett

Outreach
Our various parish outreach ministries discern the needs of persons in the parish and wider community, ESPECIALLY THE POOR, and identify resources and programming to meet these needs enlisting the active cooperation of parishioners. These ministries strive to fulfill the justice dimension of scripture and our church tradition acknowledging that every Christian is called to service and to work for justice. While the majority of these ministries are organized under the leadership of our Outreach ministry, some of the following are independent entities supported by the parish:

Caring Ministry
Caring ministers are people of prayer called to share in Christ's healing mission by providing for care of the sick, elderly, or shut-ins. This care takes the form of writing notes and cards and when needed, providing meals.

Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry equips lay persons for effective and lasting caregiving, and ensures that quality follow-up care is available for as long as it is needed.Through this ministry, our church is able to: provide quality care to more members; mobilize lay persons to be partners in caring ministry; enable the entire congregation to own responsibility for Christian caregiving instead of considering it solely the priest's job; build healthy and healing relationships among church members; and care for those in the community who are not yet members but who look to the congregation for pastoral care. Training is offered on an ongoing basis at Grace church.

Lay Eucharistic Visitors
Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) are chalice bearers who are called to the special ministry of carrying the consecrated bread and wine from the Eucharist to the ill and homebound parishioners. There is required training for LEVs.

Worship is the foundation of our commitment to Jesus Christ and the center of life at Grace Church. We celebrate Eucharist (Holy Communion) twice on Sundays. Morning prayer takes place in the chapel on Wednesday and Friday. Special services are offered during Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Advent, and Christmas, and at various other times during the year.

Ministry Leaders     Brad Pettit Sr.    

Altar Guild
Altar Guild Directress : Diane K. Bowes
The Altar is the center of the Church's life and is the major concern of the Altar Guild. The Altar Guild is a group of very dedicated people who make it their loving commitment to ensure that the Altar, vessels, linens, and candles are ready for each service. It is a very satisfying and comforting ministry. They generally work in pairs for each weekend. For major services, weddings, holidays and funerals they usually have three or more working together. They have a complete guide covering all information needed to perform this service and training is provided by Altar Guild.

Altar Flowers
Altar Flowers are given by parishioners as an expression of gratitude to God for special events in their lives such as births, marriages or anniversaries, in general thanksgiving or in memory of persons who have died. After Sunday worship, the flowers are taken to parish shut-ins and hospital patients. Those wishing to give flowers may sign up in the welcoming area or call the parish office.

Acolytes
Acolytes assist in the Liturgy by leading the procession into the church and the recessional at the close of the liturgy. They also assist the priest at the altar with the setting of the table and preparation of the gifts. The ministry of acolyte is open to grades 8 and up.

Torchbearers
Torchbearers assist in the Liturgy by carrying torches to escort the procession into the church, and the recessional at the close of the Liturgy. The ministry of torchbearer is open to grades 4 to 7.

Ushers
Ushers assist during our worship welcoming and seating people. They are responsible for taking up the collection. They are scheduled once a month according to the number of active ushers.

Lectors
Lectors proclaim the Word of God at weekend and special liturgies. Lectors are responsible for the Old Testament and Epistle readings at Sunday services. They also participate in special services at Christmas and during Holy Week, including the reading of the Passion Gospel and the readings at the Great Vigil. A strong, articulate voice is required. A training session is required as well as attendance at bi-annual lector meetings. Lectors are scheduled once every four to six weeks at the liturgy of your choice.

Lay Eucharistic Ministers [LEMs]
The purpose of Eucharistic ministers is to assist in distributing Holy Communion. Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) are chalice bearers who assist in this ministry. There is a required training session. Eucharistic ministers are scheduled about once each month according to the number of active LEMs.

Oblation Bearers
Parishioners are encouraged to present the elements of bread and wine on behalf of the congregation at the 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Sunday services. Ushers ask different parishioners to serve as oblation bearers each week.