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September 2020

The Hope that is all

around us….

“I lift my eyes to the hills, from where is my help to come. My help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth” . . . (Psalm 121).

Next to the ever popular and widely known Psalm 23, I would argue that Psalm 121 is a close second in popularity and familiarity. Indeed, this short yet deeply profound psalm is one of my favorites, as I believe it speaks to and captures our relationship with God amidst the back drop of suffering, longing, questioning, waiting, despairing, and ultimately hoping and trusting in that relationship with a God who is “the maker of heaven and earth,” who “will not let your foot be moved, who “watches over” us and “will not fall asleep.”

Indeed, amidst the backdrop of a world in turmoil and crisis, caused in part by a world-wide pandemic and racial reckoning , I have not only thought about that psalm, but I have also recited it as part of my daily prayers. Like many, if not all of you, I have felt suffocated, overwhelmed, and exhausted by the daily headlines of fear, division, racism, righteous-protestations, counter protests, violence, illness, and death (the new norm!?), as well as by the social media chatter/drivel that further exacerbates and fuels them. I have literally found myself at times looking up at the sky in lamentation, wanting to escape from under the oppressive weight of a fallen humanity, wondering both silently and aloud, “Is this it? Is this all there is? From where is our help to come?”

Indeed, it is easy to feel and become overwhelmed by the whirling dervish of events facing our nation and the larger world, and like the Israelites of old we lament, worry, doubt and fear. And as such it is easy to lose sight of the God that journeys with us along the way(s). And this is why reading and praying the

psalms (and scripture as a whole) is such a wonderful and grounding exercise/experience. The Psalms remind us that God is not a distanced, detached, indifferent deity, but rather is a God who is present both to and with us, and knows and loves us deeply and intimately. From the creation story when God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, from God’s appearing to Moses in the burning bush, where God said, “I have seen the suffering of my people and have heard their cries” (Exodus 3), to God’s journey in the wilderness in a cloud, to God speaking through the prophets, to Jesus our Emmanuel and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, God has shown us how close at hand God is (even when we don’t feel it or fail to realize it), and how much God loves us; meeting us in our raw humanity, in our suffering, satiating our hunger and longing, giving us of God’s self in Jesus Christ. Through it all God is with and within us.

Thanks be to God, I was reminded of this blessed-fact this past week through a small group of members of Grace Church. A few weeks ago, I went to our dearly departed Evelyn and Jeanette’s home to pick up a freezer for the church. When I arrived, I saw a house in disarray. Both Evelyn and Jeannette’s family members live aways off, and due in part to the pandemic have not been able to empty out their home, which has been unattended for several months to a year, and you can imagine the amount of memories and “stuff” that the two of them have accumulated over a lifetime together. I must say upon entering their home, I was overcome by sadness as I thought about these two loving, compassionate, and faithful servants of God, whom I had the privilege of journeying with these past several years. The thought of their home and possessions rotting troubled me deeply.

The pall of sadness that was cast over me was pierced by rays of hope as I saw members of our parish-family show up to help close this final chapter on Jeanette and Evelyn’s earthly pilgrimage. My hope turned to joy in the subsequent weeks since my initial visit to their home, when I learned that even more members

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had come out to help, and together emptied the home, tenderly sorting through accumulated memories, assuring that items would be donated and the like. Now, on the surface this may appear a simple ordinary act, but this you see is where and how God often operates and is made manifest (i.e. Jesus became known to them in the breaking of bread, Lk 24:35). The selfless actions of these individuals (and you know who you are!) were, I believe, an outpouring of God’s love, made manifest in and through these individuals. And as I have been looking for those signs, those reminders of God’s presence amidst the noise, chaos, and fear, I haven’t had to look to the hills or heavens, all I had to do is look in the faces of my neighbors and members of my parish. And I just want to thank them and give God thanks for them and for the blessed and much needed reminder of the goodness and love the exists in this world; goodness and love that is all around us to see, know, and experience if we take the time to look for it, respond to it, and ourselves embody it.

Therefore, as we journey through this wilderness

experience, as we struggle, as we worry, as we

doubt and despair, as we feel overwhelmed, and

look to those hills, let us not forget the God that is

not far off, but rather is very near and whose love is

made manifest in and through ordinary people, like

you and me, who are made in the imago dei (image

of God). As members of this beloved community,

Grace Church, as we gather in worship and

fellowship both online and in person, I pray that we

may find shelter amidst the storms in the presence

of each other. I pray that we will continue to love,

comfort, support, nourish, inspire, and sustain each

other, with the knowledge and blessed assurance

that God is with us all the way.

Fr. Owen+

Dear Friends,

September finds us in fair financial shape and revving up to

open up a bit more. We want to keep safety, ministry, connection, worship, and relationships foremost in mind as we take our next steps. Our 10:00am service will open to congregants on Sunday the 13th as well as continuing to live stream. If you’re coming in person, please note the signs indicating which pews are closed to seating, and respect any directions from the ushers. Our ministries continue! Grace’s Kitchen, Bible Study, Senior Youth Group, Grace’s Thrift Shop, and Adult Spiritual Formation (ASF) continue to provide opportunities for service and study. Please join as you are able. Thank you so much for continuing to support Grace Church with your time, talent and money as you can! We wouldn’t be able to support our ministries and employees without you! All things to the Glory of God, Kickie Fulmor, Finance Warden

A HUGE Thank You!

Thanks to the generosity of two parishioners, a new sound amplification system is about to be installed in the sanctuary. It will be a huge improvement!

Molly MacQueen, Property Warden

PLEASE GIVE AS YOU CAN

We know these are difficult and uncertain times, and circumstances have changed for many of us. To help ensure continuity for the church and our outreach programs to the community, please keep your pledge current if you are able, or make one-time donations as you would on Sunday. You can mail a check to us at 130 First Av-

enue, Nyack, NY 10960 or use our Virtual Offering Plate to make an online gift. (available on the homepage of our website: www.gracechurchnyack.org or at gecnyack.givingfire.com.) Use the drop down menu under

"FUND" to choose "Other Gifts" or "Pledge 2020.” We are so grateful for your support.

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SEPTEMBER SERVICES

SUNDAYS 8:00am Holy Eucharist (Rite I)

In Memorial Garden as weather allows Attendance limited to 30 people

10:00am Holy Eucharist In the church

Attendance limited to 50 People This service will continue to be available via livestream

On our website and Facebook page

Masks are required for in person worship opportunities Attendance is limited to provide for adequate social distancing

We ask that when possible you register in advance so that we can properly prepare the space and have the necessary information on

record if the need for contact tracing arises.

Registration links are sent weekly via our Weekly Update and are available on the homepage of our website (www.gracechurchnyack.org)

You can also register by leaving a message on the office machine 845-358-1297

GO TO OUR WEBSITE HOMEPAGE FOR A VIDEO FROM FR. OWEN+ : Our Safe Return: What You Need to Know

Wednesdays In the Garden…

Grace Church Healing Prayer for Covid-tide Wednesdays at 4:00pm

Join us under the tent in the Memorial Garden for a service of healing prayer, holy readings and soothing music. On Wednesday afternoons beginning Septem-ber 23 at 4:00pm There will be a 10-person limit, masks will be required, and you must register through the church office. Please use this link: https://tinyurl.com/y23d7u6j or call the office to register.

In case of rain, we will be inside in a place to be deter-mined. We are looking for suggestions about the 4:00pm time. Please share your thoughts. Thank you.

Jan Valentine

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WATCH FOR WEEKLY MESSAGES FROM BR. DUNNIES AND HIS FRIEND DOMINIC

You’ll find his Gospel-inspired messages on his website page here: https://www.gracechurchnyack.org/br-dunnies-page.html

BROWN BAG AND A BIBLE Join us via Zoom on Thursdays and Sundays

Brown Bag and a Bible continues Thursdays at noon and Sundays at 2:00pm in its virtual format via ZOOM and led by Pat Reynolds. ALL ARE WELCOME. As always the sessions focus on the readings for the week. If you'd like to join, contact Pat (reynolcw@gmail.com) for the ZOOM link.

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE

The county’s largest food bank is busier than ever, and your donations make a difference! With in-person worship opportunities expanding, you can once again bring your non-perishable food do-nations to the basket in the church entryway. Your generosity is much appreciated.

THANK YOU To our Grace’s Kitchen volunteers who continue to serve weekly. As fall schedules get into place we’ve lost a few stalwart volunteers and team leaders. If you’re interested in joining a team, please be in touch with the office.

NEWS FROM THE CHURCH SCHOOL

We hope that everyone had a safe and healthy summer. I truly miss seeing our amazing kids at church school each week and over the summer but am happy that we hope to see everyone soon in one way or another.

As some of you may know I have decided to stay on as church school director while the church is in flux as to how to handle church school during this time. With that said, we have a flexible plan of what we are hoping to do for church school over the next several months.

Starting September 27th we will be doing in-person outdoor “under the tents” classes for 16 church school students in Memorial Garden. We know that kids

are in “virtual class” overload these days so we thought we could offer an outdoor in person class that will also be on Zoom for anyone who won’t be there in person.

These outdoor classes will be broken up in to two groups each consisting of eight kids who will sit in chairs six feet apart from each other. These two groups will be broken up by ages PK-3rd grade & 4th Grade - Middle School (we will be flexible when assigning the 4th graders since some of them may want to be with the younger kids). The tent normally holds 30 people and we are also requiring that everyone wear a mask. The classes would go from 9:15-9:45 since the services are now at 8 & 10am and they will be by reservation only. We are in the process of creating an on-line sign-up sheet as well as a protocol one-sheet so that the parents are clear on what to expect.

Each week we will also be creating sanitized “Offering Bags” for all of the Grace Church School kids. These “Offering Bags” will be brown paper bags filled with goodies, lessons and activities that I will hand deliver to the homes of each student at the end of every week. Students will be asked to wait to open them up on Sunday either at home or at church school. We will be setting up a weekly sign-up sheet for “Offering Bags” on the web-site. Note: We will send notifications out but these website elements should be live on the site by Sunday, Sep-tember 20th.

Please continue to stay healthy, kind and connected. Peace. ~Annie

PS: We are looking for Church School teachers for next year. If you are interested, please reach out to Annie at anniehekker@me.com.

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FROM THE ADULT SPIRITUAL FORMATION COMMISSION

BONUS POINTS

You KNOW that under more normal circumstances those attending Jeff’s Camino presentation would be well fed! Jeff and Pat have offered up a recipe for the tradi-tional Tarta de Santiago that is ubiquitous along the final stages of the Camino. Why not bake one up for the 16th and enjoy it in good company as you hear about Jeff’s experiences and see pictures from his pilgrimage? We’ll send you the recipe and template for St. James’ sword when you register (or even if you can’t attend!). Just call or email the office. (845-358-1297 or parishoffice@gracechurchnyack.org)

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A MESSAGE ABOUT GraceMusic

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” ― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

I’ve always loved this quote. What Mozart captures is the essence of sound - the vibrations, resonance and air that fills a space. Some of the most powerful moments in music are when the music stops or pauses. I think immediately of those two very long (and dangerous!) quarter-note rests at the end of Han-del’s Hallelujah. Anton Bruckner, in his choral motets, uses rests and pauses in a way that magically links phrases together. Of course, the most “famous” piece that utilizes silence is John Cage’s 4’33’’ — either infuri-ating or ingenious, depending on personal tastes.

In any other year, I would be writing to share news of the upcoming season and to thank you for your contin-ued support of GraceMusic. This is not that year. In March, I foolishly thought that the difficult decision of cancelling our remaining 50th anniversary season would be resurrected this coming fall. As music halls and concert houses from Broadway to Main Street struggle not only with what the next season will bring but also their very existence and survival, we are fortunate that we don’t have to consider the possibility of GraceMusic coming to an end. The board and I, however, have decided that this is time for a pause.

We have made the decision not to offer in-person concerts for the remainder of 2020. As our state and the Episcopal Diocese of New York craft guidance and policies to ensure the health and safety of all, we respect the voices of reason and science to guide us through a time of great uncertainty and fear. We are considering ways to bring music to you in a virtual space that is meaningful and well-received, and will be sharing any de-velopments as those take shape this fall.

Music feeds my soul. I know that most of you share in that sentiment and share in the disillusionment and sadness I have felt over the past four months. Indeed, music, as Mozart reminds us, is more than notes. Music is found in the breath and movement of the performers. Music is found in the rustling of a concert pro-gram. Music is found in the spaces where we come together to elevate our spirits in community. Recordings and virtual performances can never replicate or replace that. They can, however, remind us of why music is so integral to our communities, our spirits and our humanity.

Until we meet again, find music “in the silence between.”

Sincerely, Brandon Beachamp, Artistic Director

GraceMusic Board: James Gilbert, Suzanne Hope Graham, Amy Lehman, Mia Leo, Jacob Nevill, Bobbe Wanamaker

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August 30, 2020

My Brothers and Sisters,

It is the end of August, and the fall is upon us. It is my hope for all of you that you have had some opportunity, even as we con-

tinue to live mostly in isolation from one another, to find rest and recuperation. Margaret and I spent most of August at our rus-

tic cottage in the Catskills, where the highlights were: a brief visit from our granddaughters (they and we quarantined for weeks

to make that possible); fireflies; the daily appearance of bright, red, beautiful Mars in the inky darkness of the night sky; and

lunch one day with Bishop Mark and Karen Sisk. That was the first time we had eaten in public since March 9, and it was won-

derful to see Mark and Karen again and to find them so well. Someone might say these were small things, but they were some-

thing, and they were reminders that a world which seems to have come undone still has things in it that I love and which move

me so deeply and which make me a better person. We have a lot of work ahead of us - much to do - and I hope that you also

have had some respite, and a reminder of those things which move you and enlarge you too.

Next week is Labor Day weekend, and the traditional time of fall start-up for our parishes. And that represents a new chapter of

our life with COVID-19. Through the spring and into the summer, you received a series of emails from me regarding the pan-

demic and the choices and decisions which every church was invited to make about the movement back into some form of in-

person worship. As well, on the last day of May, in the week following the killing of George Floyd, you also received my letter,

in which I was joined by Bishops Allen and Mary, called “White Supremacy Meets the Beloved Community,” with a reflection

on the imperatives for all people and for the church in the escalating crisis around social justice and our continuing urgent claim

that Black Lives Matter, and in the new civil rights movement which was exploding across America. I want to say a little about

both of these subjects, and where we are at the end of a long, hot summer. And what it means for us in overlapping crises to still

be the Church.

Worship in a Continuing Pandemic

Since the beginning of July, a number of our churches have begun holding some form of in-person worship. This has usually

been with a smaller-than-usual congregation, and scrupulous adherence to rules regarding masks, disinfectant, and rigorous so-

cial distancing. The good news is that these first steps back toward in-person worship have mostly succeeded. However, at least

an equally large number of our churches chose not to come back together during the summer, but to wait until after Labor Day,

or even until after the turn of the year. This is the “new chapter” of COVID which I referenced. Over these next weeks and

months I expect to see the move toward in-person worship expand, with all of our churches coming back together in some form,

however limited or modest, by the end of 2020 or soon after. I also assume that our churches will continue the remote and re-

markable live-streaming or zoom practices of worship, fellowship and study which have sustained us as a diocese all along the

way so far.

It would be very helpful if every church could let me know if you have begun in-person worship and when you did, or if you

have not yet, your expectations and plans for coming back together in person. And especially, if there is anything you need, or

questions you need answered, please call on me or any member of my staff. COVID infection rates have continued

(surprisingly, I think) at a low level in New York throughout the summer. This bodes well for our careful return to something

like normal life in our congregations. But if we should see a surge in infections in the fall or winter, we may have some setbacks

and a return to remote worship.

All of that is to say that earlier in the year we thought that by the fall we might be largely past all this, but we are not. We are

clearly in a time of transition, with an active pandemic virus still among us, and that continues to carry risks. For that reason my

colleague bishops and I have decided not to resume the cycle of Sunday parish visitations until after the turn of the year, on the

Feast of the Epiphany. Some parishes feel ready for visitations and have told us so, or have asked about holding confirmation

services with few, if any, members of the congregation present. But some parish priests, significantly, have said that they would

like us to wait, until Advent or Epiphany. They are just not ready. Their churches are not ready, to say nothing of the congrega-

tions which are not even meeting in person yet. We have found these voices, and these concerns, compelling.

So we will not be making Sunday visitations to our churches just yet. Please do not ask us to. Let us work on our stability in

public worship a little longer. However, all three of us are ready at any time to record videos of sermons or homilies, Bible stud-

ies or teachings, or zoom conversations with young people, vestries, and parish groups. We are also preparing for some in-

person parish happenings, including small-size institutions of new rectors, and funerals of those who have died during the pan-

demic months. We also expect to be working this fall on offering some small kind of in-person modest regional services of con-

firmation around the diocese.

In the scheduling of visitations for 2021, our first priority will be covering those very many 2020 visitations which had to be

cancelled. We bishops will also be re-convening the regional zoom conversations with clergy across our diocese, and in some

form the Wednesday video meditations as well.

I said back at the beginning that my decisions would be at every turn careful and cautious. That may have been frustrating for

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some of you. But I ask you also to go slowly, be careful, take small steps first. I think this is how we live with COVID. I think

it is how we beat it.

Black Lives Matter There is a litany of names, victims of institutional violence against Black people in America, that we carry with us all the

time. Certain names, of those who have in some way so fully captured the hearts and imaginations and grief of people that

their memories have been lifted above the unending background of racist killing and lives lost to become for us icons of violat-

ed innocence, powerful reminders across time of the high cost of American racism. In his day, Emmett Till was one of those

names, whose lynching lit the spark that ignited the Civil Rights movement. The martyrs of Alabama and Mississippi and all

who fell in the struggle for equal rights. Martin Luther King of course. Our own days have provided more names than we can

bear, to shine among them in that constellation: Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Deborah Dan-

ner. And more.

And over the last six months, the Martyrs of 2020. The front page of today’s New York Times features a lengthy and reward-

ing portrait of Breonna Taylor, shot in her bed in Kentucky back in March. Her killing and that of Ahmaud Arbery while jog-

ging through a white neighborhood three weeks earlier, and most especially the murder of George Floyd under the knee of a

brutal police officer, became the catalyst for what have been continuing nightly protests across America which have signaled

for three months that we have reached and passed a tipping point, beyond which there is no going back. These people

have been taken, but their names now occupy a hallowed place in the minds and hearts of America.

On the last day of May, in the week following the death of George Floyd, Bishops Allen and Mary joined me in a

letter to the diocese entitled “White Supremacy Meets the Beloved Community.” We joined our voices to the out-

rage felt by all of you in our churches and communities. And that outrage, and the protests, have continued to char-

acterize the three months which have followed. During that time America lost in a single day the gentle, powerful, prophetic Civil Rights leaders Congressman John Lewis and the Reverend C.T. Vivian. When John Lewis died, it felt that our

country, and maybe the world, paused, stopped, took a breath, and marked together the passing of one of the greatest among

us. We may perhaps not see a saint of his grace and stature among us again in our lives. As a bold public witness, the words

“Black Lives Matter” are painted now in giant yellow letters on some of the most significant streets of American cities. And

the insistence over these months, never stilled, that Black Lives Matter, and the strident backlash against that claim have given

us a season in which to reflect more deeply what those words mean, and what they mean in an America far from fully re-

deemed.

As a white American, the Black Lives Matter movement, now six years old, has been for me an opportunity, and invitation, to

listen, to learn, and to go more deeply into an understanding of what it has meant and still means to be a black person in Amer-

ica. It has been an opportunity to grow in understanding of the ways in which we all participate in the systemic racism that

characterizes our culture, our institutions, our public life, and even the church. I have been profoundly grateful for the witness

and teaching and stories of black people in this movement. And I have been moved and shamed to discover how much I have

taken for granted, and how much my black friends never told me - things which were perhaps too personal, too vulnerable to

say - and the possibilities which were now being laid before us by a new era of honest declaration and the opening of eyes. I

have been moved to receive the unfolding of human hearts which have carried so much pain. And I have been shown the

poignancy of simply “mattering,” and what that modest claim says about the value and worth of African Americans in Ameri-

ca. I believed that these learnings and discoveries were widely received, and that we were in an historic moment of transfor-

mation in America. I imagined that we were entering a new chapter in our hope to become a better people.

But one week ago today Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisconsin. We see again how readily the

death penalty is imposed against black people for any offense or often enough no offense. But what was astonishing was to see

this shooting happen at a time when the whole world was watching. To happen so shamelessly. To happen without apolo-

gy. And this week nothing could be clearer than that for far too many people in this country black lives do not matter. That the

human lives of black people do not matter, and that they may be taken away with impunity.

In a time of such crisis, of divisions drawn so boldly, of the fundamental truths of human life and human dignity and of the

holiness of lives lived in God becoming lines of battle, it falls to people of faith to recommit to our most deeply held convic-

tions, and to remember who we are and the demands that are placed on us by God. John Lewis, who offered himself for the

costs and sacrifices of this movement, and carried the scars of it for the rest of his life, said that “You never become bit-

ter. You never become hostile. You never try to demean your opponents.” These are the words of a Christian man who has

taken the Gospel fully into himself. But in these days, nothing could be more counter-cultural.

This diocese, through our Reparations Committee and Anti-Racism Committee, are offering opportunities for people in our

churches and communities to rediscover and recommit to our Christian faith, and to become witnesses to the deeper and truer

life which we believe is our call. The Apology Retreat this summer was wildly over-subscribed, as people flocked to engage

together the learnings and listenings of this movement. And this fall we are about to embark on a diocesan-wide book study of

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Grace Episcopal Church Vestry Minutes: June 18, 2020 Zoom Teleconference

Present: K. Fulmor, M. McQueen, O Thompson+; K. Faherty, E. Nevill, K. Olsen, J. O’Toole, T. Perry, E. Starling, M. Winslow; Ex-cused: Liz Johnson, C. Pullen

The meeting opened with prayer and Sacred Space. There was a quick check-in with all members re how they and their families are coping with current situation; pastoral concerns within parish were reviewed. Efforts continue to maintain contact with those who are not connected electronically to services, messages, etc.

SCOF Report & Action Items – K. Fulmor Financial statements were reviewed. All about as ex-

pected; income down but so are expenses. We have been approved to receive money through dioce-

san grant program, amount not be known until July. John Quigley has resigned as treasurer. He will be here

to help with transition and with shepherding us through the PPP loan forgiveness process. Suggestions for possi-ble successors were requested and the duties of the treasurer were reviewed briefly.

SCOP – Molly MacQueen Rectory fence/porch – Mike Brennan is helping plan &

execute repairs/improvement to the fence between rec-tory porch and garden. When planting in garden is com-pleted, T. Perry has offered to lead a painting crew.

A number of leaks active in the building will be investigat-ed promptly to address before our water bill is affected.

Tenant situation at 137 First Avenue is mostly resolved, with former roommate out and remaining tenant & boy-friend in place, along with rent prepayment through No-vember. They have requested a lease extension of 6 months rather than 4, which was met with approval.

SYG will do cleanup work in the basements at Grace next week as part of their local service week that replaces the mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Other work sites include the Nyack Center, the Nyack High School Garden, and several local community members’ properties.

Rector’s Report – Owen Thompson+ There general discussion about future plans in light of the new diocesan guidelines re post July 1 opening. We will begin by having small services outdoors, in garden following all di-ocesan protocols. Will start with morning prayer. Not look-ing to open up services in the church for some time. War-dens & music director will be meeting with Owen+ in coming

week to formalize plans further; vestry members were invit-ed to be part of that meeting if possible. There followed gen-eral discussion about service plans going forward, complexi-ties of trying to plan protocols, liabilities, and desire for more guidance from the diocese. 12 step groups are also wrestling with protocols to safely begin holding in person meetings, and some have begun asking when space may be available.

OTHER REPORTS Youth Ministry - T. Perry As per Owen’s+ info in SCOP report, SYG: Local “Service Trip” June 27-July 4 in place of trip to DR. Will consist of outdoor projects and group dinners, with social distancing.

Thrift Shop – K. Faherty The Shop got necessary rent guarantors and has reopened with limited hours and new protocols for accepting donations etc. Things are going well; there have been a few busy days.

New Business It was agreed that going forward Zoom vestry meetings

will continue on third Thursday of the month at 5pm. Fr. Owen+ was commended for faithful leadership during

this time, and particularly for his outreach and leadership in the community with regard to issues of justice, making note of the powerful recent Black Lives Matter protest chaired by the teen council of the Nyack Center. The meeting was adjourned.

Grace Episcopal Church Vestry Minutes: July 23, 2020 Zoom Teleconference Present: K. Fulmor, M. McQueen, O Thompson+, K. Faherty, E. Nevill, K. Olsen, J. O’Toole Excused: Liz Johnson T. Perry, C. Pullen, E. Starling, M. Winslow

The meeting opened with prayer and Sacred Space. There is a virtual diocesan stewardship conference coming up do-ingstewardship in our current situation; Kickie will attend.

SCOF Report & Action Items – K. Fulmor Financial statements were reviewed. Plate & income con-

tinue down, and while expenses are down, we are run-

ning at a deficit. That is, not unusual for the summer.

J. Quigley has resigned, and Karin Baere has been recom-

mended by SCOF to be new treasurer. A motion was

made to appoint Karin Baere as treasurer of Grace Epis-

copal Church. Seconded and approved with one absten-

tion. John Quigley was commended and thanked for his

faithful service, and thanks offered to Karin Baere for

her willingness to serve.

Ibram Kendi’s “How to be an Antiracist.” It is a tremendous book, and everyone who reads it will see their country, and

more importantly themselves, with new eyes. If your church has not yet planned to participate in the book study, please

make those preparations now. These are the things we can do right now, all together, to transform and strengthen our own

church, community and witness. That we may be part of the change, and citizens of that Beloved Community which, de-

spite all, I still believe is being born. With every good wish, I remain

Yours The Right Reverend Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York

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Per SCOF is was recommended that Pat Cose, Debbie

McGuinness, and Homer Wanamaker be removed from

the list of check signers on the church account and Karin

Baere be added. So moved and approved ALL AYES.

J. Quigley has made a very generous donation of $10,000

to be used toward improvements to the sound system,

and Alan Chisholm has offered support for increased ac-

cess for those with hearing impairments. It is hoped that

work can begin mid-August. As our equipment is upgrad-

ed it will become increasingly important to look at im-

proving our WIFI access within the church.

There may be options for a grant from Key Bank; looking

into possibility of support for upgrading our thermostats

to be more efficient and eco-friendly.

DIT reports were late coming in this month and will be

reported on at a later date. It was suggested that we

should be planning for the reality of major losses to the

funds due to continuing economic deterioration.

SCOP – Molly MacQueen

Bradley Chapel roof project is complete (after 10 years!)

and warranty in hand. Permission was asked to write

letters of thanks to Pat Cose and Russ Watsky (diocesan

consultant) from the church for seeing the process

through. Approved, ALL AYES.

Has been following up on tent purchase vs tent rental for

use at outdoor service. Rental choices/availability are

limited. It was noted that proper storage and liability

issues are a concern with use of our own tent, as well as

the need for appropriately trained people to erect/

breakdown our own tents. Garden committee was con-

sulted and is open to having tent there, in part because

the grass is already in bad shape. As interim measure it

was suggested we get a few more pop-up smaller tents

to offer additional sun-protection for congregants with-

out some of the safety/logistics concern of a larger tent.

Women’s rest room has been somewhat abused and will

be declared “off limits” for the public for the time being.

Rudy Knight was offered thanks for his heroic efforts to

snake the toilet recently, thus saving us a plumbing bill.

Owen+ had conversation with potential sexton recently and he hopes to get him on board soon.

Rector’s Report – Owen Thompson+ Pastoral needs/concerns of the parish were reviewed. In person services have resumed at 8am. About 30 in

attendance at most recent service. Some have regis-

tered online in advance, others just showed up and

signed in. No problem with adherence to masks proto-

cols. Jan Valentine and David Starling are rotating musi-

cal offerings – others are welcome to join in the rotation.

Will move indoors if necessary. Those attending are very

grateful for opportunity. 8am outdoors will continue

through summer, and expanded options will be explored

as we move into the fall. In all situations live streaming

will continue. Expanded options for music are being dis-

cussed; the loss of choir/congregation singing is missed.

Owen+ had conversation with potential sexton recently

and he hopes to get him on board soon.

Owen+ and V. Kosloff will plan meeting with the 12-step groups to come up with plan for fall and meeting space. It was noted in-person meetings are considered among the most dangerous scenario for virus transmission.

Grace’s Kitchen meals continue, and have moved out-doors for limited seating. Numbers continue to be low, as was the case last summer at this time. In light of the pandemic and imminent end of several support pro-grams, we need to expect and plan for increased need from community in terms of food and housing support.

Owen+ continues to be closely involved in community justice efforts; noted coming protest regarding Sheriff Louis Falco and his recent racist remarks on Facebook. He is conscious of working to build bridges and relation-ships, and to represent Grace Church as a place or recon-ciliation, while holding those in power accountable.

OTHER REPORTS

Thrift Shop – K. Faherty reported the Shop is open and

doing well. Regular customers are happy to be back.

Volunteers beginning to come back, but more needed.

Boy Scouts – Kevin Sestak is on path for Eagle Scout. Au-

gust 1 is Boy Scout Sunday – request that they be recog-

nized in some way. Owen+ to talk with scoutmaster Ian

Graham re some form of recognition during service.

ASF – Event last month was very well received, with

about 20 folks attending. Bible study with P. Reynolds

and Men’s Prayer Group continues Monday evenings.

Worship Ministry – most folks willing to serve outside,

but there is resistance to returning to indoor service yet.

Grace’s Kitchen – Owen+ offered thanks to Bunberry

kitchen in Piermont, which has been donating baked

goods weekly.

New Business It was requested that virtual coffee hours be more fre-

quent. Kickie has been recruited to help with hosting. Owen+ suggested that we need to be prepared as a

church and as Christians for the ugliness that seems to be inevitable during the coming months leading up to the election. Pray for the church and for each other and hold strong, so that we emerge stronger than ever, with in-creased awareness and appreciation for this community.

The meeting was adjourned.

11

12

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH NYACK 130 First Avenue, Nyack, NY 10960

The Rev. Owen C. Thompson, Rector (9/15/13)

SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE

8:00am Holy Eucharist

In the Garden

10:00am Holy Eucharist

In the church

And via livestream

on Facebook

(Grace Episcopal Church, Nyack, NY)

and our website

Gracechurchnyack.org/covid-19 response

SEPTEMBER 2020

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Parish Office: (845) 358-1297

The Rev. Owen C. Thompson, Rector - ext. 11

Brandon Beachamp, Organist/Choirmaster – ext. 13

Annie Hekker Weiss, Church School Coordinator – 917-331-7166

Thayer Woodcock, Parish Administrator – ext. 10

Virginia Kosloff, Facilities Administrator- ext. 14

GraceMusic – ext. 16

Grace’s Thrift Shop: (845) 358-7488

Grace Church Website: www.gracechurchnyack.org

Grace Church E-mail: par ishoffice@gracechurchnyack.org

Newsletter Submissions: twoodcock@gracechurchnyack.org

Wardens

Kickie Fulmor

Molly MacQueen

Treasurer

Karin Baere

Assistant Treasurer

Sally Ann Mock

VESTRY

Retiring Class of 2021

Keith Olsen

Caran Pullen

Elizabeth Starling

Retiring Class of 2022

Liz Johnson

Tom Perry

Elizabeth Starling

Retiring Class of 2023

Kevin Faherty

Emily Nevill

Margaret Winslow