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Serving at Grace
There are many ways to contribute to the work of Grace Church. Singing in the choirs or helping with the children’s programs are two that quickly come to mind. Grace parishioners participate in many important areas of the church’s work, including the Altar Guild, Finance Committee, Buildings and Grounds committee and the Layweeders who taking care of the gardens.
Acolytes
Adults and Youth enjoy serving as acolytes in the Sunday services offered at Grace. Grace is always looking for new volunteers to serve in this important area of ministry. See Father Michel if you are interested in participating in this way.
Altar, Flower and Wedding Guilds
Regular duties of the Altar Guild include care for all sacred vessels, linens, garments, brass and silverware used as part of our services. We monitor and order supplies such as wine, wafers and candles, as well as clean and maintain the area surrounding the high altar, chapel, baptistry and children’s chapel. Would you like to help out, but cannot fit regular Altar Guild work into your schedule? There are some very important related tasks that are necessary, with which we can always use additional help. Linens care – A necessary function of conducting Holy Eucharist, we cannot do without our very able linens care team. Supply monitor – Ordering supplies and monitoring stock of service-related inventory such as wafers, wine and candles is another necessary part of Altar Guild duties.
Flower Guild sees that the high altar, baptistry and children’s chapel are decorated weekly with fresh flowers, arranged by a resident member. New flower arrangers are always welcome, and no experience is required – please see Judy Honohan. We encourage participation of occasional floral arrangers at holiday and festival time.
Weddings at Grace may be simple or elaborate, but there are certain tasks that need to be carried out before, during and after the wedding. Attending the rehearsal, 'gate keeping' before the procession begins, and generally assisting the clergy with chancel setup are the duties of the Wedding Guild. Interested parties may contact Melissa Honohan.
Buildings and Grounds Committee
The Buildings and Grounds Committee meets once a month on a Sunday morning to review the past month’s activities and prepare a plan for the upcoming month. We are responsible for the day to day maintenance of the Church, parish house, old rectory (office wing), rectory, Hayes House (Grace Counseling Center) and the Curate’s residence on Surrey Lane. Our budget is the second largest item in the parish budget after salaries, so we always have a lot to do.
Fundraising
Grace holds fundraisers every year to supplement church ministries funded by the annual budget. Our fundraisers are designed to support our wider community, promote community as well as raise money for the Church, and participating in Grace fundraisers is a wonderful way to get to know many different members of the Parish. We customarily host a major fundraiser in the fall, with an additional one or two events or drives during the rest of the year. Recent fundraisers have included an Auction, a Shopping Night with guest vendors, a Rummage Sale, Clothing Sale and a “Sweet Summer Night” Cabaret. New ideas for fundraising at Grace are always welcome! Please speak to the Rector about your interest in Grace fundraising, and please volunteer when the call goes out for help.
Hospitality
Grace Church strives to provide a welcoming atmosphere for parishioners and visitors, and we host many functions during the year that invite fellowship. The Grace Church kitchen and our adjacent Grace and Nieman Halls and Annex are happy gathering centers in the Church. Sunday Coffee Hour is a popular social time after all morning services. Special events take place all through the year for sharing food, drink, and fun together, including, for example, celebrations for baptisms and confirmations, the church seasons of Eastertide and Christmastime, and many occasions in between. Importantly, Grace also provides receptions following Parish funerals. Volunteers are always needed in this important Grace ministry, and everyone is cordially invited to share in it.
Layweeders
The Layweeders is a devoted group of parishioners who tend the gardens and grounds at Grace. They plant flowers, mulch flower beds and bushes in the Spring, beautify our outdoor altar and keep up with the weeding! This group meets many Saturday mornings in the Spring and Summer. To find out more about joining this group, contact Judy Jurgensen.
Ushers
The mission of the ushers is to greet members of the congregation and visitors every
Sunday and make them feel welcomed. In addition, ushers assist with funerals and
other special events during the church year. It is a great opportunity for those who
don’t have a lot of time but would still like to give something back to the church.
Please contact the office if you are interested.
Worship Leaders
Worship Leaders are lay parishioners licensed by the bishop to read the Bible lessons, lead the psalms, and offer the Prayers of the People at Sunday Services, as well as conduct the daily offices during the week. Grace has at least one public worship service every day of the year.
As Eucharistic Visitors, Grace Worship Leaders carry Holy Communion, consecrated by a priest to residents of several area nursing homes, hospitals and private homes. If you are interested in joining, or would like additional information, please contact Kit Cone.
