Rejoice • Pray • Give Thanks

 See that none of you repays evil for evil, 
     but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances;
     for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

From the Desk of Father Ted

Dear People of Grace,

This past Monday, I woke up in the middle of the night, and I heard-felt the words, “Pray for the Church.” I understood that I was to pray specifically for Grace. I didn't sense that this was urgent call, that God was waking me up to pray for Grace at that very moment, so I drifted off back asleep. I was grateful that, when I awoke in the morning, the call to pray was still in my awareness.

But what to pray? And how to pray? I wasn't sure, and not knowing makes me a bit frustrated.  After all, I have been in the church my whole life; I have been trained and equipped as a priest; I am nearly 54 years old; and I would think that by this time in my life and vocation, I would have a lot more clarity about such things. Instead, I feel like I am starting from scratch all of the time. Not least when it comes to praying. 

But today, I am feeling grateful because I sense within my spirit and my body a renewed desire and energy to pray... to pray for Grace. I still don't know what  or how I am to pray for Grace; I still don't know what or how we are to pray for Grace, but I am grateful for the longing to pray—which to be honest is not always a reality for me. As I was reading yesterday in Walter Wink’s book, The Powers That Be, “We are not easily reduced to prayer. Many of us who grope toward praying today are like a city gutted by fire. Exhausted, overcommitted, burned out, we scarcely have the time or energy to pray” (180).

So again, I thank Jesus for this renewed desire to pray for the Church. And while I think that it will be important to come to a place where I (and we) gain greater clarity on what and how to pray, for now I think it sufficient that we jump into praying for Grace on a regular basis... right where we are... and then see where God leads us in our pray. 

010.  Dr. Brooklyn Walker

COMING SOON.  Recent events in Israel and Palestine have gripped the attention of the world. Sometimes it can feel hard to understand—so much history, so many wars, so many political actors, so many strong feelings. Brooklyn has specialized in Middle Eastern politics and has taught college courses on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 

In this special edition of StorySharing, Brooklyn will offer some historical and political context so we can better follow the news. She will also talk about how her faith has influenced her work and perspectives. This two-part episode will take place on November 5th and 12th from 9:15 to 10:00 am in Parish Hall, and it will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page starting at 9:05 am.

To read summaries of Brooklyn's recent research click below.

Visit Our Homepage Weekly

In our efforts to convey the life and mission of Grace Episcopal Church, both to the people of Grace and the larger community, we update our homepage every week with news of what's coming next or updates on what has been going on. So plan to visit the homepage weekly to stay informed and inspired.