What's Happening After Worship?
In the coming weeks there will be a variety of opportunities to gather after worship.
We hope you will join us!

Adult Forum meets Sunday at 9 a.m.  Children's Sunday School meets  at 9:15.


Lent at Grace
Formation for the season of Lent meets each Sunday morning at 9:00 am
We will explore Richard Rohr's newest book Jesus' Alternative Plan Please join us as we journey through Lent together.  We will continue our study every Sunday at 9:00 am in the Parish Hall with our last class on March 26th.

I hope you will find it engaging and inspiring during this Holy season of Lent.
You can order the book on-line or you can purchase the book at Malaprops Bookstore downtown Asheville.

Virtual Sit Meditations for Lent Beginning February 24, 2023  

 

Are you looking for a centering practice during Lent? Join the CAC online contemplative community for a free series of Virtual Sit Meditations to cultivate greater awareness during this Lenten season. Live streamed on YouTube, these virtual meditations will take place each Friday at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET; 6 p.m. GMT), from February 24 until April 7.

Virtual Sit Meditations for Lent
Every Friday from February 24 – April 7, 2023 
Featuring CAC Faculty and Staff
Presented by the Center for Action and Contemplation 
LEARN MORE
 

Episcopal Church Women
The ECW ( Episcopal Church Women) is sponsoring a Kitchen Cleanup Day on Thursday, March 9th, from 9:00AM until 4:00PM.  Please join us for a few hours or the whole day!  Bring your lunch and we will provide the drinks.  It will be work but also fun as we visit while we are cleaning.  Old timers as well as newcomers are welcome —— it’s a great way to get to know each other!  Please sign up by emailing Cheryl Aull at ckaull@charter.net so we can plan accordingly.  If you are a user of the kitchen for whatever purpose:  preparing flowers, meals for group events or pastoral care, outreach, Taize, etcetera, please be aware that your assistance would be helpful as we plan to purge, clean, and organize.  Thanks so much for your assistance and we look forward to seeing you on the 9th! 

Save the date! 
The ECW will hold its Spring Potluck Luncheon on Saturday, April 22nd, at noon in the parish hall.  We will have a business meeting to discuss our goals for the upcoming year.  We would love to encourage newcomers to join us! 

New ways to get involved with the Grace Backpackers. Throughout the pandemic, the Grace Backpackers have found ways to assist students and their families struggling with food insecurity. Now, with changing needs and new opportunities to help, the Backpackers’ mission and relationship with our Jones Elementary School neighbors is evolving! In addition to the weekly delivery of Manna packs, there’s more!
 
Right now, here is what you can do to help! Three boxes will be placed in the church foyer this week to receive the following much-needed donations:
 
Priority #1 – Food items (canned fruits, canned vegetables, tuna and other canned meat, mac ‘n’ cheese, canned/box soup, boxed non-perishable milk, flour, peanut butter) are needed immediately to supplement a major food delivery to 50 families on Saturday, March 25. Your deadline for bringing donations to church is March 22! This food, along with the remainder of the food in our pantry, will be delivered directly to homes just in time for spring break. Note: A volunteer team is needed for packing on Thursday, March 23, at 10 a.m. Please let Kim Hayes know if you can help (kimhys53@gmail.com).
 
Priority #2 – An important need at Jones that will be ongoing through the end of the school year is emergency clothing. The clothes closet can always use boys and girls sweat shirts, sweat pants, t-shirts and underwear, sizes 5T-16.  These clothes can be new or gently used.
 
Priority #3 – Another ongoing need is after-school snacks. Your donations of meat sticks (non-perishable), Goldfish (individual packs), cheese or peanut butter crackers (individual 6-packs) and chips (individual packs) will be a great help.
 
Thank you, people of Grace! Your generosity is always amazing. 

Ecumenical After School Atrium  for Children Ages 3-12  
Beginning March 6 through the end of May, children will gather in the Atrium, which is:  

• A calming place where children can focus on their inner lives 
• A special room which offers images of a loving God and Christ the Good Shepherd using wooden figures, art, and other hands-on activities 
• A space which invites children to interact with stories and images in their own way
• Gentle and open
• An approach which shows older children that they are partners in creating a better world, a world of love and justice Led by trained adults
• Welcoming to parents (Come observe anytime!)
• Also called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd  

For more information, and to register, call or drop by St. Mary’s Church Office (828.254.5836) 

Vestry Update
The January Vestry minutes may be found here.
 

PubSing

Come join us for our PubSing, an informal gathering on the second Sunday of each month to sing hymns, old-time gospel, folk music, and Americana inspirationals. We’ll meet on March 12 at Cork & Keg Bar, 86 Patton Ave., Asheville from 3:00-5:00 p.m. For directions go tohttp://www.weinhaus.com/cork-keg-bar/. For further information, contact Monty Wooten at montywooten@bellsouth.net.

Women's History Month

The year 2023 marks the 103rd anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which allowed women the right to vote. While some American women were granted the right to vote under this Amendment, there were still many inequalities that women were fighting to change. In Asheville, on Friday, September 12, 1919, an organization was created by several of these ground-breaking women in order to combat some of these inequalities and provide women with opportunities previously only afforded to men.

The Asheville Business and Professional Women’s Association began with 36 members, with Dr. Elizabeth Smith elected as the first President. According to an article in the Asheville Citizen-Times, “… the association is non-political, non-sectarian, and in no wise [sic] a union.” The Association was also self-supporting, with a primary goal of promoting better social and recreational opportunities for business and professional women.

One such professional woman who was also an organizing member and Vice President of the Association was Lillian Exum Clement. Clement was born near Black Mountain, and raised in Buncombe County. She studied law while working for the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and was admitted to the bar and began practicing as an attorney in 1917. Clement was widely known among law circles as “Brother Exum.” She represented Buncombe County as the Democratic candidate in 1920, nominated before women were even enfranchised. She was elected by a landslide (some 10,000 votes to around 40) and became North Carolina’s first female legislator, as well as the first female lawyer to practice without male partners in North Carolina. Clement’s victories helped continue the drive for women’s suffrage during this monumental time.

For further information on Lillian Exum Clement, please visit the Buncombe County Library website. 

 

Have you considered joining the Altar Guild?

Members of the Altar Guild carry out the meaningful ministry of preparing our church for worship, especially setting the altar each Sunday, as well as preparing for baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and making sure the linens, silver, and brass are in tip-top shape. We need to add two more people  to each of our four groups that serve one Sunday a month. Would you serve with us? Please connect with Shannon Townsend or just walk into the sacristy and speak to the member serving. 
 

Praying Together
Rev. Milly holds open spiritual direction sessions for individuals or couples weekly by appointment Wednesdays 1-3 pm in the sanctuary. Please email Rev. Milly to schedule your time with her: Milly@graceavl.com

Weekly Taizé Tuesday evenings at 6pm

What if .  .  .  as part of a Lenten practice this year we set aside one hour of time just to listen for God — just be available to listen?

Why not take a short break on the way home from the pressures of the office or a few moments away from the hustle and bustle of the demands of home?

The weekly Taizé service offers just such a respite. Please consider the Tuesday evenings of Lent at 6pm as an opportunity to experience a brief slice of peace .  .  .   And as Milly has reminded us — to Slow Down.

For more information on Taizé at Grace visit: 
www.graceavl.com/taize-grace

Women Walking the Way
Thursday at 8:00 am meet at the Bird Sanctuary parking lot. Women of Grace, please consider joining Rev. Milly for a weekly walk at Beaver Lake. This time together is devoted to deep listening to how we as women walk the way of Jesus, in the world and in our community of Grace. No need to register or even email her, just show up! 


Monday Morning Bible Study
Bible Study will continue to meet via Zoom on Mondays until further notice, at 10:30 AM, as we study the scriptures for the upcoming Sunday service. Please join us virtually or by clicking on the button at graceavl.com/.

The Pastoral Care Team at Grace
Our pastoral care team invites you to reach out to us with any pastoral care needs you, or your family, may have, by emailing the team at pastoralcare@graceavl.com.You can also email, text or call Fr. Mike at 860-771-1656 or Rev. Milly at 828.772.1429, Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., unless it’s a pastoral emergency.
 

 

Our Prayer List

For Parishioners: Rusty Herman; Daniel and Hannah Johnston; Shari Lane; Joan Mahon; Laura and Tsz-yan (GN) Snyder; Kelly and Sydnor Thompson; Barbara Wilcox; Tim Wrinn.

 For Homebound Parishioners and Those in Healthcare Facilities: Bill Coward; Bobbie Eblen; Eunice Ferguson;  Dorothy Engel; Ed Denison, Marion Mayfield-Johnson; Deb Pegel; Rita Spragg; Cys (Sis) Hayes; Shirley Turner.         

 For Others: (Names will remain on the list for 6 weeks unless we hear otherwise.) Linda Adams (neighbor of Cliff and Anne);  Angela (sister of Steve Booth); Wes Auret (godson of Elaine Potter); Gene Bowen (brother of Larry Bowen); Gabriel and Lara Brongel and family (grandson and daughter of Jackie Schauer);Cathy (friend of Elaine Potter);  Porter Claxton (friend of Ginny Moser); Jimmy Cole (lifelong friend of Sonny Rawls); Ann Derwort (sister of Jeanne Sims); Cody Ervin (friend of Hannah Pennell);  Dan Ferree (son of Gary Coffey’s friend); Woody Geizentanner (friend of Pat & George Davis; ) Robert Giles (brother of Pat Mahon); Patricia Grace (friend of Gael Paschal); Jackie Haines (sister of Carol Booth); Angela High (friend of Vicki Vest); Cherry Howe (friend of Rusty Herman & Janice Orson) Laury Keen (friend of James Cannon's sister); Candy Kelly ( friend of Dodie King); Molly B (friend of Gary Coffey and family); Pam (neighbor of Mike Reardon); Matthew Pennell (son  of Hannah Pennell); Sharon Prater (friend of Lorie Tola); Bob Noble (brother of Walt Noble);  Sarah and Bo (friends of Amy and Phillip Trees); Wilma Wilson (mother of Debbie Jones). 

We grieve and pray with the family of Wade O'Neil; and the many thousands of earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey.

 For Those in Service to Our Country: Tommy & Danny Brown (grandsons of Ed & Marla Woeckener); Martha and Matt Cardenas (daughter & son-in-law of Hannah Pennell); Matthew George (son of Zoe Davis); Jason Marino (son of Lynda McCredie); Sarah Jane Wilkey (daughter of Diane & Tony Wilkey).

For those who have birthdays:  Joseph Aull; Jim Cassarino; Carol Booth…and for those celebrating anniversaries this week: Jenny and Art Moser.

If you are not a member of Grace Church and are interested in joining, please reply with your interest, or let Rev. Milly know by calling or texting her at 828.772.1429. Once you're a member, you'll have access to our directory.

Information About Your SimpleChurch App!  Not only do you have access to the parish directory, but you can also easily change your profile picture, confidentially check the status of your pledge, and give to your favorite ministry through online giving. Sign on to find ways to reach out to and connect with other members of the church. And if you don’t know your log in information or need more instructions, contact Jill at the office. A link will be sent to you that will make it easy for you to get into SimpleChurch.

Look for the green tree symbol to download the SimpleChurch app from your app store onto your computer or phone. The domain name when requested in the app is graceepiscopalasheville. For your computer you put in the domain name.  https://graceepiscopalasheville.simplechurchcrm.com.
 

Look Grace Church receives electronic giving via our website at www.graceavl.com. There is a "Give to Grace" button on the top blue banner of our home page, in the upper right-hand corner. Additional ways to give to our "virtual collection plate" and various fundraising efforts are through the Simple Church app. 

 

Jill Stevenson | Office Manager
Grace Episcopal Church | 871 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, NC 28804
graceavl.com | 828-254-1086 | facebook.com/grace.church.718689/
Youtube Channel

Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00am-3:00pm, and Wednesday 9:00am-12:00pm.