April 6 – 4th Sunday in Lent
Hope – God Can Remake You
Throughout our books of the Bible, many of our ancestors in faith who served as our strongest leaders turned their backs on God, and followed their own will instead. During these times they failed not only God, but humanity as well. And yet, when they came face to face with their sinful natures, repented of those ways, and followed God’s Dream for his children, they were remade into new persons. Many of them received new names when this occurred – Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Simon became Peter, and Saul became Paul – just to name a few. God is always calling us back home, and God can remake us. All we need to do is stop, turn, and change direction. We are never beyond God’s reach, and that is the foundation for our Christian Hope.
“There is no journey gone so far, So far we cannot stop, and change direction, No doom is written in the stars,” (In the Beginning from the musical, Children of Eden)
March 30 – 3rd Sunday in Lent
Hope – God Made You
“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.” (Nicene Creed)
Each time that we affirm our faith in the Nicene Creed, we acknowledge that God is the Creator – that means that God made you and me. We say this often. In repeating this, we also acknowledge that when God made everything, God saw that it was good. God loves all that God made – including you and me. Trusting God the Creator who loves us gives us great Hope!
“God made you, God knows you by name and loves you. God will never lose you.” (Bishop Russell Kendrick, Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast)
March 23 – 3rd Sunday in Lent
Hope – God Will Not Lose You
“How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…” (Luke 13:34b).
During the season of Lent, we are called to examine our individual and collective conscience, to recognize where we wander from the God we love, and decide to re-pent (that is, to walk in a different direction – to turn toward God) to align our lives with God’s Dream for creation. In this period of examination and penitence we become acutely aware that God has never left nor lost us – that, instead, it is we who have turned to follow our own way. God loves us so much, though, that no matter how far we roam away, God does not lose us. God is always waiting and hoping for our return. God’s love is never forced, and never used to manipulate, but always there as an unearned gift for us to accept. That, friends, is Christian Hope!
March 16 – 2nd Sunday in Lent
Hope – God Loves You
There is a thread, a theme, that runs from the first words in Genesis to the end of the Book of Revelation. This thread proclaims that God loves you – the individual YOU. And that God loves everyone God has created – which is all people everywhere in all times. And this theme proclaims that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, or to make God love you less. Trusting this steadfast biblical theme is the foundation for the Hope that we possess as Christians. As it says in our Catechism (BCP page 861): “The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God’s purpose for the world.” Hope sprouts from our confidence and trust in a loving God to bring his creation to the fullness of love and wholeness.
“If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.” – The Most Rev. Michael Curry.
DID YOU KNOW?
March 2 – The Future of Grace, Woodlawn
As we approach the sacred season of Lent, Grace Episcopal Church stands at a crossroads of tradition and transformation, steadfast in its mission to serve God and neighbor in the heart of Woodlawn. Over the past few years, we have sought to align our ministries with the evolving needs of our community, embracing opportunities for renewal while honoring our rich heritage. This has included a thoughtful evaluation of our programs, ensuring that we prioritize initiatives that offer hope, healing, and tangible support to those we serve.
Looking to the future, we envision Grace as a sanctuary of radical hospitality—a place where individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances can encounter the living Christ. This vision calls us to address pressing issues such as food insecurity, mental health, senior support, and spiritual formation through innovative partnerships and sustainable ministries. Our conversations about meeting the needs of the community to support seniors and their caregivers reflect our commitment to providing rest and restoration for caregivers and families, exemplifying our call to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
At Grace, the future is not a distant horizon but a journey we walk together, guided by prayer, discernment, and love. As we prepare for Lent and beyond, let us continue to dream boldly, serve humbly, and trust deeply in God’s unfolding plan for our church and community.
February 16 – 6th Sunday After the Epiphany
A Brief History of Grace, Woodlawn Part 2: 1934 -1988
Grace Church experienced the ups and downs of the Great Depression, WWII, and the Korean Conflict, and yet continued on. During this era, they were without permanent clergy leadership from 1933-1936, after which they were led by a series of 10 different rectors. It was also during this time that Racial Equality and Civil Rights actions were focused on Birmingham, and white flight began. The church congregation began to slowly shrink. As you can tell, change has always been a part of the life of Grace Church.
The most significant times in the life of Grace in this era start with the selection of Rev. Joseph Hollifield in 1948 and who served through 1960. There was growth, and a period of financial difficulty – but the church completed many improvements to the building, and broke ground for the parish hall in 1959. The Rev. John Harrison served as rector from 1961-1967. During this time the church celebrated its 75th birthday and was finally consecrated by the Bishop in May, 1964 – no one knows why it had not been consecrated earlier! It helps to see that, even in the life of the church, it is never too late to make things right!
The Rev. Charles Horn, who led the parish from 1977-1987 led the development of Interfaith Hospitality House (a shelter for families that occupied the Stubbs House – Now St. Benedict’s), a daily soup kitchen (that later became the non-profit Community Kitchens), and started the annual bazaar and garage sale that became the nonprofit 55th Place Thrift Store (now on 55th Place in Woodlawn). It was in this period that the call to serve others began to serve as a guidepost at Grace.
February 9 – 5th Sunday After the Epiphany
A Brief History of Grace, Woodlawn Part 1: 1889 – 1933
In 1889, before the incorporation of the Woodlawn neighborhood, Rev. Lysander Rose and Deacon James Van Hoose met with residents of the area to propose starting a mission church in Woodlawn. They voted to call the mission Calvary Church. This mission met and built a worship space led by lay persons most of the time. In 1902 Calvary Church was admitted by the Diocesan Convention as a parish, they renamed themselves Grace Church, and selected their first rector, The Rev. Daniel Hoke.
During this early period, the church was led by 5 different rectors, however between 1910 – and early 1911, and then again from late 1911-1914 the church was led by laity. Despite WWI and the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918, the fledgling church continued to operate and grow.
The most significant period in the church’s development during this first era was from 1918-1933 when Grace was led by the rector Rev. Carl Henkell (for whom the church education building is named.) It was under his leadership that a new worship space began construction, and it is in that space that we worship today
February 2 – 4th Sunday After the Epiphany
The Presentation of our Lord
The feast of the Presentation of our Lord is not what we consider a “principal feast” of the Church. It is a “fixed date” feast and always recognized on February 2nd – 40 days after the birth of Jesus on December 25th . When February 2nd falls on a Sunday, the readings for this feast take precedence over the appointed readings for that Sunday.
The Presentation represents the Jewish tradition of the time of purification for the mother following the birth of a child so that she may return to the Temple, and it is a time of dedicating a first born son to God. In the Jewish faith tradition, the birth of a child is extremely important. New birth, basically, recognizes the presence of God and God’s love and creativity in the world. The new child, and the child’s mother, receive special blessings and social consideration in several ways on this day. In the readings today, we recall this special day in the life of Mary and her son, Jesus, and the stories that surround this day. Of particular note are two items: first, Mary brings offerings that represent those of the poorest of the community which indicates that access to God is for all people. Secondly, recognition of this particular child and his extraordinary spiritual gifts are emphasized by the words of Simeon and Anna – holy people of the Temple.
January 26 – 3rdSunday After the Epiphany
Sharing the Faith with others
The celebration and season of Epiphany reminds us of three important truths: the revelation that Jesus is the son of God, the ways God reveals his truth to us, and how we are to respond to this revelation. Each of us experiences God in unique ways, and those experiences are called “epiphanies” – a moment of insight that changes us and the way we see God and see life. These are our own stories, and it is in sharing those stories with others that we respond God’s revealing of his truth and love to us. In other words, the emphasis in this season is on growing the Kingdom of God by sharing our life of faith with others. In the Cursillo Movement, the phrase “Make a friend. Be a friend. Bring a friend to Christ” is a good example of a simple way to live this out in our daily life. It is a one-to-one, word of mouth, marketing season. Marketing is sharing the good news of something that others may want and need – why would you not want to share this wonderful gift of a loving God?
During this season of Epiphany, make a deliberate effort to share your faith with your neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family. Be someone’s experience of an epiphany in a way that brings them closer to the Kingdom. Share your Good News!
January 19 – 2nd Sunday After the Epiphany
The Magi and their gifts
According to Matthew’s gospel, the wise men offered three gifts to the infant Jesus. Since there is no record of how many wise men there actually were, tradition has associated the three gifts with three wise men. Those gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Have you wondered why they offered these specific items as gifts?
Gold represented kingship, particularly Godly kingship. This represents Jesus as King and as God. Frankincense was used in worship to designate purity and was used to represent the earthly life of a priest – a holy one of God. Lastly, myrrh was the spice used for the anointing of prophets and for the anointing of the dead. It represents the humanity of Jesus.
These were costly gifts, and have you wondered what happened to those valuable gifts? Perhaps they were used to support the holy family in Egypt, or to help establish their carpentry business, or were given as offerings at the Temple, or even used to support the later ministry of Jesus. No one knows what happened to those expensive gifts, but thanks be to God for them and for whatever way they were used, as the wise men provided for Jesus in ways, both instructional and practical, that allowed him to grow to adulthood and be our Savior.
January 12 – 1st Sunday After the Epiphany
Season Meaning, Color(s), Symbols
Every January 6th Christianity celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany. It is symbolized by the arrival of the sages (Wise Men) from the East who come to visit Jesus. This story is found only in the gospel of Matthew in chapter 2. Read it aloud at home with your household, and talk about what is in the story, and what is missing that you thought was there. The vestment color for Epiphany is green and represents the growth of the Christian faith throughout the world. The symbols include either three crowns or a single crown, various portrayals of the Magi or Wise Men, three gifts, a five pointed star, or a combination of a star and crown. A more modern symbol of Epiphany is a globe or a stylized portrayal of the world. The season of Epiphany varies in length, and ends on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent.
January 5 – 2nd Sunday After Christmas
Incarnation – enfleshment – becoming human: these concepts are floated around at this time of the year, without much regard for the deep meaning behind them. Perhaps this story will be helpful to us.
An old farmer in the upper Midwest, on a bitterly cold winter night, heard a continuous tapping and banging at his back door. He discovered that sparrows were trying to get in the window to escape the cold – sparrows will freeze to death quickly if in such cold conditions. As a farmer and animal husbandry man, his compassion for their care overcame him. He opened the door to let them in, but they quickly dispersed out of fear of him. In his next attempt to help them, he went out into the cold to open the barn door for them, but they fled from him in fear. Not willing to leave the birds in the cold, he made a trail of cracker crumbs into the barn, and still they would not approach. Sadly, he made his way back inside his home, realizing that unless he could become a sparrow just like them, they would never trust his love and care for them.
This is what God did for us – God became one of us, human just like we are, to show the deep love and compassion that has always been there. God became human in the form of a vulnerable child, grew into youth, and led the life that shows us what we can trust and follow. Jesus was God with skin. Thanks be to God!
December 29 – 1st Sunday After Christmas
Season Meaning, color(s), and symbols
Christmas is one of the two most festive seasons of the church year. The color for the season of Christmas is white – that same color as is used in Easter. It represents new life, purity, and holiness. Symbols often used in this season are those of the creche or the Madonna and Baby Jesus.
The season of Christmas is 12 days in length and is followed by the Epiphany on January 6 each year. Christmas Day (December 25th) and Epiphany (January 6th) are what we call “Fixed Date Holidays” because they always fall of that specific date on the Gregorian calendar. Most of our other church holidays are calculated following the lunar calendar, and are referred to as “Movable Holidays”.
December 22
Waiting and Preparing for Celebration at Church
For weeks prior to Advent and during this season, the Choir, the Altar Guild, Clergy, and others prepare for the celebration of Christmas, one of the major feast days of Christians everywhere. Special music is carefully rehearsed, special linens are freshened up, silver and brass are lovingly polished, greenery and decorations are purchased or brought out of storage, candles refreshed. All of this is accomplished largely unnoticed by many parishioners. With commitment and dedication, these servants of the church attend to these details without fanfare or clamor and with great love for God and the parish.
This thoughtful, careful, prayerful preparation is brought to full fruition after the four weeks of Advent when we enter the church and are awed by the beauty, fragrance, and the glorious sounds of the celebration of the birth of Jesus into our world and our individual hearts. Give thanks for the gifts of others and consider how you might bring joy, love, and service to our faith community at Grace Episcopal Church.
December 15
Waiting and Preparing To Bring Joy to Others
One of the clear behavior markers to indicate a young child’s ability to pursue healthy achievements is developing the trust, self-control, and patience needed for delayed gratification. This was demonstrated by early experiments in whether the child could refrain from a sweet treat for a period of time in order to receive two treats later. In the church, we recognize that our faith rewards are not always what we think they might be, and do not always arrive within the time we want. We recognize our need to develop skills for delayed gratification.
One of the benefits of our reflective/penitential seasons (Advent and Lent) is that we are to use them to learn to practice delayed gratification. The excitement leading up to Christmas easily falls into the category of rushing to celebrate before the appointed time. It is a temptation that we readily witness in the secular world during this season. The “waiting with purpose” of this church season helps us practice trust and patience and provides the opportunity to continue to develop the ability to delay gratification.
One way that we do this is to use this time to prepare to bring joy to others. This is a wonderful time to find ways to make gifts for others, to create beautiful surroundings for our celebrations with family and friends, and to plan for hosting gatherings and joyful times with loved ones. Making room in our lives and homes to welcome others is another way to recognize the Christ in every human being. In this way, your preparations are prayerful, with an excitement that is without chaos and anxiety, filled with faith and joy!
December 8
Waiting and Preparing Room for Christ
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
We all are familiar with this verse from Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus. There is no actual historical information of the birth of Jesus, but Luke’s telling of the story as he knew it, was a story of ourselves. So much of our life is focused on our daily lives of family, work, friends, and activities. The church has set aside in its calendar this special season of Advent for us to reflect on this very reality of our lives being so full of busy-ness that we have no room to welcome Jesus into it. As we prepare for more activities, events and celebrations for Christmas, Advent is the season that invites us to let go of some things, to put life in the perspective of faith, to make room for God in our lives in a real way. This week, consider what adds stress, uses time, and does not significantly add to your life, and find a way to remove it. And we do this thoughtfully, as we spend this time gradually preparing to receive Jesus fully into our lives. Purposeful, thoughtful, calm preparation is what we practice in Advent.
December 1
Season Meaning and Color
ADVENT is the first season of our Christian calendar – the start of a new year. Today is the first of four Sundays in the season of ADVENT, which ends on Christmas Eve. This is an important season for us, because it is when we prepare ourselves to receive Jesus the Christ into our world in human form (when he becomes “incarnate” –which means ‘of the flesh’). Advent is from the Latin word, adventus, which means coming, or arrival. It is both a reflective and a joyful season of purposeful waiting and preparation.
The COLORS on the altar and vestments change at Advent to either purple or blue. Purple is royal. It’s elaborate and was traditionally an expensive dye. It’s half-blue, half-red, and our understanding of purple lies somewhere in between the serenity of blue and the passion of red. Blue, also was a very expensive dye is often thought of as a color of calm reflection, peace, and the healing power of water, also symbolizes in the church the senses of expectation of the birth of Jesus, and the virtue of his mother, Mary. In the Episcopal Church, either color may be used for Advent, and at Grace we use the color blue.
Today you will notice the addition of the traditional Advent Wreath to our Chancel. We use this wreath and candles to mark the weeks of Advent and the faith focus of each week with the lighting of candles and prayer. The blue candles represent Hope, Love, and Peace (Weeks 1,2, and 4 in that order). The pink candle (3rd Sunday of Advent) represents Joy. The white candle in the middle represents Jesus – the Light to the world – which is lit on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.