Grace A to Z
Below is a glossory of information as it relates to Grace Episcopal Church. For more information on any topic or to get involved at Grace Memorial Church please send an email to our Rector, Father Stephen Schneider rector@grace-memorial.org
Acolytes
The Guild of Acolytes assist with worship services, assisting the celebrant at the altar and as torchbearers. Acolytes may also serve as crucifers.
Advent & St. Nicholas Party
The Advent & St. Nicholas Party helps children and their families to have fun together as they explore the meaning of Advent and the true meaning Christmas seasons.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild members serve on teams to help prepare the church, the sacred vessels, the linens and the vestments for worship services. This can be a meditative, spiritual discipline of the hands and heart.
Art Faire & Holiday Bazaar
The Art Faire & Holiday Bazaar is a multi-faceted event that combines a contemporary arts boutique featuring many of our talented Grace Parish extended-family artists with a traditional holiday bazaar with its hospitality, hand-crafted gift items and holiday foods. Proceeds fund special needs at Grace and outreach projects. .
Auction
The Grace Memorial Community Center Auction as it is officially known, is a fun gala dinner and the main fundraiser for the outreach and community ministries of Grace Memorial Community Center.
Bell Choir
The Bell Choir has the benefit of Grace Memorial’s Petit and Fritsen Dutch handbells, on which they prepare bell peals, learn anthems and liturgical accompaniments under the direction of music director Susan Jensen.
Bible Workbench
The Bible Workbench is an in-depth study of our weekly lectionary takes place every Sunday morning at 9:00. Discussion can be sacred, safe, serious and spirited with particular attention given to the influence and power of scripture in our everyday lives.
The Benedictine Way
The study of the Rule of Benedict continues at Grace every 1st and 3rd Wednesday evening preceded by Evening Prayer at 5:30pm and a light supper. The Rule is over 1,500 years old and yet is applicable to a wide variety issues we face today. Benedictine spirituality offers possibilities for a balanced view and approach to living and walking the Christian life.
Bishops’ Blend Coffee
Bishop’s Blend coffee is a Fair Trade coffee which benefits coffee growers, Episcopal Relief and Development and the Friday Community Dinners at Grace. It is available at the Sunday Coffee Hour and during the week through the parish Resource Center. Purchasing Bishop’s Blend provides a simple way to help change the world through a shopping practice.
Buildings and Grounds Committee
The Buildings and Grounds Committee is responsible for the good stewardship and care of the buildings and grounds of Grace Memorial..
Catechumenate
Catechumenate encourages deep engagement with the Gospel, our baptismal covenant, discipleship, and ministry. From Advent through the Day of Pentecost, catechumens and their sponsors laugh, eat and pray together. The Catechumenate is an important step in an individual journey of faith and discernment of ministry; it is necessary as preparation for adult baptism or confirmation.
Christmas Pageant
The Christmas Pageant involves chiis an opportunity for children and youth to tell the nativity story to the congregation at the 4:00 pm Christmas Eve service. The pageant serves as Gospel and Homily at this service. Creative and dedicated adults are needed as a Coordinator and other roles. Guidance and support are provided.
Church School
Children’s Church School, for children in Preschool through Grade 5, meets every Sunday, year round, for the first half of the 10:00 am service. Using the Godly Play (PreK through 1st Grade) and Seasons of the Spirit (2nd Grade through 5th Grade) curriculum, this ministry relies on an active and large set of volunteers:
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour might be termed a “second sacrament” of Sunday morning. The Coffee Hour follows the 10:00 am Eucharist and is an opportunity for parish members, friends and visitors to share a time of refreshment and informal conversation.
Companion Parish
Companion Parish is a partnership relationship between Grace Memorial and Trinity Cathedral in Monrovia, Liberia. The Cathedral has been a beacon of hope in a country recovering from civil war. It also allows Grace Parish members to forge direct connections to another part of the Anglican Communion.
Coventry Choir
Coventry Choir under the direction of Susan Jensen, leads the congregation in liturgical music for the season from September to June.
Daughters of the King
Daughters of the King is an order for women (lay and ordained) in the Episcopal Church, who pledge themselves to a life-long program of prayer, service and evangelism, dedicated to the spread of Christ’s Kingdom and the strengthening of the spiritual life of her parish. With an active group at Grace the Daughters periodically sponsors discernment classes and engage in service projects.
Discernment Committee
The Discernment Committee assists parishioners who feel God may be calling them to a major change in their life’s work.
Episcopal Public Policy Network
The Episcopal Public Policy Network is a vehicle for making a difference in the world through faith-formed political action.
First Sundays
First Sunday is a day for children of all ages – Pre-K through the 5th grade. First Sunday builds upon our highly successful Grace Art Camp by introducing children to a Biblical story as part of a 9:00 am Eucharist. Following this family-friendly service, children will have an opportunity to explore and discover for themselves new meanings and understandings of the Christian story through a variety of art studio experiences.
Gardening Guild
Parishioners who love to dig around in the dirt, love to prune, plant, grow and watch flowers flourish bring their creative ministry to the Grace Gardening Guild. Members can take on as little or much of the care of our Grace grounds as they like, working together or alone. The Guild meets every 4th Thursday evening at 6:00 pm with the exception of December.
Emergency Food Ministry
Hungry people know they can come to Grace and receive a generous sack lunch or family grocery bag. The Emergency Food Ministry is made possible by donations of food by members and friends of the Grace community.
Episcopal Church Women
Episcopal Church Women is the sponsor of the Art Faire & Holiday Bazaar, which funds parish and outreach projects large and small. The “Women of Grace” also assist with other projects in the church, including St. Mary’s Guild and hospitality.
Findlay Library
The Findlay Library serves as an educational resource to the parish. The library includes religious classics, reference works and more recent books for those exploring questions of faith.
Friday Community Dinner
The Friday Community Dinner is an outreach of the parish, serving home-cooked meals to the hungry of our community, in an atmosphere of gracious hospitality.
Grace Foundation
The Grace Memorial Episcopal Church Foundation solicits, manages and distributes gifts of money to Grace Memorial Episcopal Church and Grace Institute. The Foundation also provides edicational resources to assist members and friends of Grace with planned giving and the stewardship of money.
Godly Play
Godly Play teaches children the art of using religious language – parable, sacred story, silence and liturgical action – helping them become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives.
Global Grace
Global Grace is the name for the Global outreach ministry of the parish. It offers educational forums, special projects (such as the Grace Global Marketplace) and mission service opportunities.
Grace Institute
Grace Institute is a non-profit corporation affiliated with Grace Memorial Episcopal Church that conducts Grace Art Camp, Arts for Peace Camp, year-round art classes, and other programs to creatively engage with the issues of urban Portland.
Guild of St. Mary
In the Guild of St. Mary prayerful intentions and sewing or knitting skills become instruments of grace and connection to others through this group ministry that makes quilts and blankets for those who need them.
Habitat for Humanity
Grace supports Habitat for Humanity by both fundraising and work parties.
The Healing Ministry
Prayer teams from the Healing Ministry offer individual healing prayers at the 10:00 am Sunday Eucharist, the monthly Service of Healing & Wholeness, and in home, hospital or care facility settings.
High School Youth
High School youth participate in the Our Own Church program as both learners and leaders. High school youth are offered many opportunities for service. These include serving as acolytes and lectors at the 10:00 am Eucharist, assisting with the First Sunday program, as well as participating in service projects at Grace and in the wider Portland community. High school youth will also seek out and embrace a summer service project. Service leadership certificates will be awarded for an outstanding record of service on Youth Sunday on May 17, 2009.
Intercessors
Intercessors lead the Prayers of the People at worship services.
Labyrinth Guild
The Labyrinth Guild makes available to Grace and the wider community this popular and ancient Christian tool of meditative prayer, including a monthly walk held on fourth Sunday evenings from September through May and a special New Years Day Walk for Peace.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Lay Eucharistic Ministers offer the chalice during Communion, and bring the Eucharist to homebound parishioners.
Lectors
Lectors read the lessons from Scripture at worship services. Schedules are prepared approximately every three months, and training is provided.
Middle School Youth
Middle School students at Grace will be involved in an exciting new curriculum—Our Own Church—and will meet at 10:00 am each Sunday, except for the first Sunday of the month. On First Sunday middle schoolers are invited to serve as acolytes in the First Sunday Eucharist (at 9:00 am) and/or serve as Counselors in Training (CITs) in the First Sunday art studios for children (at 10:00am). Additional service opportunities and activities for middle schoolers (including Rite 13) will be planned throughout the year.
Nursery
During the 10:00 am Sunday morning service, a Grace staff member or parent volunteer provides nursery care for infants up to age three.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer Chain is a group of parishioners who pray daily for individuals who request prayers.
Prayer Shawls
Prayer shawls are knit (or crocheted) with intentional prayers. Most are given to individuals who are seriously ill, in transition, or grieving, to those who are out of work and seeking employment, and also to people who just need a reminder that they are being prayed for by their faith community.
Rahab’s Sisters
This nationally-recognized ministry to sex workers is a joint ministry of several Episcopal parishes on the East side of Portland, and is physically located at Sts. Peter & Paul Church on 82nd Avenue. Various skills are needed, and training is provided. An extensive description of the ministry is available through the Grace website at www.grace-memorial.org.
Raising Grace
Raising Grace is a parent group which welcomes parents with children of all ages. Raising Grace meets during First Sunday at 10:00 am.
Stairwell Gallery
The Stairwell Gallery offers artists an opportunity to exhibit recent works in the parish house for a one or two-month showing.
Ushers
Ushers are Ministries of Hospitality who represent the “welcoming Jesus” to guests, visitors and long-time parishioners alike.
via media
via media is a small-group experience that explores Christianity through an Episcopal/Anglican lens. It is a primary introductory vehicle for faith formation at Grace. via media sessions explore
Water Initiative
The Water Initiative at Grace links our baptism by water to the global stewardship of water resources.