eNews for April 26, 2019

eNews NEWS FOR OUR PARISH COMMUNITY April 26, 2019

Forward this email to a friend View this email in your browser

Inside this Issue (Download pdf here) Take Note

MTAM Service Opportunities

Enriching Our Worship

Youth Formation Director Called

Children & Youth

Vacation Bible School

Episcopal Youth Community

Choirs

This Sunday's Schedule

Adult Formation

Contemplative Prayer Group

Surprised by Hope

Preparing for Sunday

Upcoming Events

Public Theology Easter Book Study

Consecration of 4th WTN Bishop

Adult Formation

Monthly Contemplative Prayer Group Join a small group of committed contemplatives as they meet each month for a time of intentional prayer and silence. This group is self-led and participates in a variety of prayer practices: Lectio Divina, Mindfulness, Centering Prayer, and Ignatian Spirituality. Meetings are from 9-9:30 a.m. on the last Sunday of each month in the Chapel. Mark your calendars. All are welcome!

Surprised by Hope: Parish Hall Forum & Midweek Book Study Parish Hall Forum April 28, 9:30 a.m.

Easter: Surprised by Hope with the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the manifestation of hope in God. From The Hymnal 1982, the body of Christ sings, “All my hope on God is founded.� The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher will

share stories, images, and facilitate a conversation about hope, a foundational aspect of the faith within us, and provide a brief overview of Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, The Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (N. T. Wright).

Join us in Trezevant Hall for breakfast at 8:45 a.m. followed by the Parish Hall Forum from 9:3010:20.

To listen to past Parish Hall Forum classes, visit www.gracestlukes.org/forum-videos.

To view this Sunday's full schedule: see below.

Midweek Evenings May 1, 8 & 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Book Study: “Surprised by Hope” by N. T. Wright facilitated by the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher Advanced sign-up required; limited to 30 people.

Sign-up here: tinyurl.com/SurprisedByHope2019

Books will be provided. In his book, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, The Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, retired Anglican bishop and New Testament scholar N. T. Wright argues that the voice of the early Christians has not been heard in our modern thinking about matters of death and what comes after. Join the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher for a three-week probe and lively conversation about Wright’s discourse concerning the call for modern Christians to place all our hope in Jesus and to engage the kingdom-building work foundational to the Baptismal Covenant.

Preparing for Sunday This week's readings: Acts 5:27-32 · Revelation 1:4-8 · John 20:19-31 · Psalm 118:14-29 (Psalm 150 at 10:30) www.gracestlukes.org/discover/this-sundays-texts/

Take Note

Director of Youth Formation Called to GSL Mr. Amzie Williams of Oxford, Mississippi will join the clergy-staff team in late May as the full-time Director of Youth Formation following the interim ministry of Youth Formation Associates, Addison Combs and Jess Steenbergen, and Youth Formation Intern, Zeke Smith. Stay tuned for details about a celebration of their ministry. More information about Amzie is available in the public spaces at GSL and online at www.gracestlukes.org/news/director-of-youth-formation/.

Upcoming Spring MTAM Service Opportunities Please join members of your vestry to help cook and serve at More Than A Meal. We are looking for some additional volunteers to help with these two dates: Sunday, May 19, & Sunday, June 16, from 3-5 p.m. If you are available, please contact me or sign up using the following link: tinyurl.com/MTAM2019. —Kurt Patton, Senior Warden

The Use of “Enriching Our Worship” during Eastertide The General Convention of the Episcopal Church (1997) authorized Enriching Our Worship as one of the Supplemental Liturgical Materials to the Book of Common Prayer, in keeping with our Church’s continual seeking of an authorized language of Common Prayer capable of expressing what we believe about God, as well as reflecting on our own corporate and individual relationship to the Godhead. This supplement is not intended to supplant the Book of Common Prayer, but rather to provide additional resources to assist worshiping communities wishing to expand the language, images and metaphors used in worship. Enriching Our Worship liturgies will be used occasionally during certain seasons in life at GSL.

Upcoming Events

Public Theology (May 2) Mark your calendar for the next GSL Public Theology, Thursday, May 2, 5:30-7 p.m. at Celtic Crossing in the Cooper Young neighborhood. Join Father Ollie Rencher to discuss “Practicing Resurrection: How To Live With Hope.” Public Theology is a time of laid-back fellowship and open conversation facilitated at a public restaurant by a member of the clergy. Topics will focus on relevant issues of faith, spirituality, and current events. Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic refreshments will be available for purchase. All adults are invited to these drop-in gatherings, so bring a friend! Watch the parish news and notices for the upcoming topic for June 6. For more information, contact the Rev. Ollie V. Rencher (901-252-6320, orencher@gracestlukes.org)

The Consecration of the Fourth Bishop of West Tennessee (May 4) God willing and the People consenting, the Reverend Phoebe Alison Roaf will be ordained and consecrated a Bishop in the One, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church and Fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee Saturday, May 4, at 11 a.m. at Hope Church, 8500 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis. Chief Consecrator: The Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church. The Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee request your prayers and presence. A reception will follow.

Easter Book Study (Apr. 29 and May 6) Divine Therapy & Addiction: Centering Prayer and the Twelve Steps

by Thomas Keating The study will be held Mondays, April 29 and May 6, from 6-7:30 at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the Lounge). In this major work, Father Thomas Keating reflects on the wisdom and legacy of the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve-Step Method and its connections to, and similarities with, the Christian mystical traditions of centering prayer and Lectio Divina. Hosted by the Addiction and Recovery Commission for the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee.

Children & Youth

Register Today for VBS 2019 Wednesday Evenings 5:30-8 p.m.

June 5, 12, 26, July 10, and 17 Crafts, Games, Songs, Stories, and Dinner for Rising JK to 5th grade!

Attend any or all! $10 per night, $25 family max * Sign up online at www.gracestlukes.org/VBS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Interested in helping? Please contact Sharon Campbell, Director of Children’s Education, scampbell@gracestlukes.org

*Children of volunteers attend FREE! Nursery also available for volunteers’ children ages 3 and younger

Sunday Morning Classes To view this Sunday's class schedule, see below.

Episcopal Youth Community EYC, Apr. 28: (HS) 12-1 p.m. Brunch & Bible in the Red Room and (MS) 3 p.m.

Jumping World.

Burgers with the Bishops, May 3: A special event for youth in the Diocese of West Tennessee to meet Bishop-Elect Phoebe Roaf and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. May 3, 5-7:30 p.m. St. Columba's Gates Pavilion. Come play games, have a burger, meet the bishops, and ask them anything!

Biscuits and Bible: Middle Schoolers are invited to join us in the Red Room Wednesday mornings at 6:45 a.m. for Bible study, prayer, and Chick-fil-A breakfast!

For more information, email Addison Combs at acombs@gracestlukes.org.

Children's Choirs GSL’s two youth choirs, St. Cecilia Choir and Canterbury Choir, rehearse on Wednesdays. Rehearsal times are 4:30–5 p.m. for St. Cecilia Choir (for boys and girls in SK–2nd grade) and 5–6 p.m. for Canterbury Choir (for boys and girls in grades 3–6). Both choirs meet in the choir room at GSL and are under the direction of Music Associate Debbie Smith. For more information, contact Debbie at 901-299-9313 or email her at dsmith@gracestlukes.org.

This Sunday at GSL

Join us for worship, formation, and fellowship April 28.

8 a.m. – Holy Eucharist 8:45 a.m. – Delicious home-cooked breakfast.

9 a.m. – Contemplative Prayer Group (details above) 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for adults (details above) 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for children Nursery

Infant Room (Newborn–Walking) Toddler Room (Walking–Potty Training) Little Lambs Room (Potty Training–Atrium Ready) Location: Church Nursery with the Nursery Staff Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Atrium I 3–6 year olds: Pre–K, JK and SK Location: Atrium I (Green Room) Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Atrium II 6–9 year olds: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Location: Atrium II (Purple Room) Project Purpose 4th–5th Grade Location: Yellow Room 9:30 a.m. – Christian Formation classes for youth Rite 13 6th–8th Grade Location: Red Room J2A 9th–12th Grade Location: Red Room

10:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist Following the 10:30 service – Coffee Hour Nursery – The nursery is available from 7:30 a.m. through the end of the 10:30 service 5:30 p.m. – Holy Eucharist Episcopal Youth Community (details above).

More about Christian Formation at GSL

Children: www.gracestlukes.org/sunday-school

Youth: www.gracestlukes.org/youth-formation

Adults: www.gracestlukes.org/sunday-morning/

Our Vision is to be a thriving community of hope, belonging, and healing through worship, parish life, and service, and who rejoices in the love of Jesus to transform the world.

To sign up to receive the GSL eNews, go to www.gracestlukes.org/news/weekly-enews/.