Don’t you just love this time of year? I do. The frost is on Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin and the great harvest festival approaches. The leaves turn different colors and God paints a gloriously majestic landscape. And there is nowhere in the world more beautiful than the mountains of Virginia in the fall. God is good! In so many ways! And I for one am grateful for how good God really is. I try and live with that “attitude of gratitude” I preached about recently and I hope you will also. As difficult as times have been financially for us at Grace, I still believe, as I did when I arrived, that being at Grace Church is a gift to me and I am grateful for the gift. It is hard for me to believe that it has been 7 years since I began serving at Grace Church. How time flies!

When I arrived, we were having the most low key “stewardship campaign” I have ever seen. The reason had to do with the timing of Jim Chipps’ medical leave taking and the vestry being so pre-occupied with all of what was going on then that a “stewardship campaign” was more or less non-existent. I have done so this year as well, not because stewardship is unimportant but because there is so much pressure about money that no one really needs any more. Nevertheless, making a pledge is an important part of our budget planning so I hope you will make yours soon. Our Ingathering Sunday will be November 21^st, the Sunday just before Thanksgiving so plan to be in church that day to offer your pledge for 2011.

When we think of stewardship, we usually think of money because that’s most of what gets focused on at this time of year. Then we hear also about the importance of time, talent and treasure and how we need to give all of these to God for His use. Stewardship, however, is really about the management of something on behalf of another. In our case, it is about how we manage, on God’s behalf, everything which God has given us, which is everything we have. One of the things I like about preaching at Thanksgiving is looking at the Thanksgiving Day text in Deuteronomy 8. Verses 17 and 18 are especially appropriate regarding all that we have. Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth¼” So whatever we have, we ultimately have because God has given it to us, whether directly or indirectly. And all that God has given to us is what God wants us to manage well on His behalf.

Managing all that we have is far more than simply giving a little back to God. It is that! It is about managing our resources so that we can give back to God at least 10% of our financial resources, but it is really about using all that we have to serve His kingdom. Stewardship is about living our whole life in such a way that we are continually serving, bearing witness to, and walking with God whether anyone is watching or not. It’s not something we do. Stewardship is a way of life! As we come to Ingathering Sunday and receive pledges to help us plan financially for year 2011, I am asking you to consider and decide not just what you will give in year 2011 but how you will live as God’s steward of all you have in 2011.

Blessings,

Jim+

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Norman M^acEwan

Clean Up Day

Our Fall clean up day will be held on Saturday November 13 from 9 till noon at the Church. Please bring rakes and other appropriate tools as well as cleaning gear for windows etc inside the buildings. Rain date will be Sunday Nov 14 after church but we will have to work around St. Andrew’s worship service.

Pledge Ingathering Sunday

Our annual pledge ingathering Sunday will be held on Sunday November 21 at our regular 9 am worship. Please bring your pledges to worship that Sunday and offer them to God as a special offering after the sermon. If you will be unable to attend that day, please send them to the Treasurer at Grace Church Treasurer PO Box 18 Casanova, VA 20139. It is of utmost importance to receive pledges for the sake of planning for the upcoming year so please bring them on that Sunday or send them in before that date.

Annual Thanksgiving Worship Service

Our Annual Thanksgiving Worship Service will be held at 7:30 pm Wednesday November 24 at the church. Please come for a special time of thanksgiving to God as we worship Him together.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund

The loose plate offering (cash) collected on the first Sunday of every month is designated to be used for the Rector’s discretionary fund. Donations may be made at any time by check made out to the church and designated for the Rector’s discretionary fund. It will then be recorded as extra giving and passed on to the rector. At this time the fund is very low so any giving would be much appreciated.

Vestry Highlights from

October 11, 2010 meeting

Most of the meeting was spent discussing the dilemma that we at Grace Church are facing with decreased membership and finances.. It was agreed that we would meet again in two weeks to review a proposed budget for 2011 and how to address this problem. Please pray for your Vestry and Rector.

The audit for 2009 was completed and the recommendations of the audit committee were discussed.

There will be a cleanup day at the church on Saturday Nov 13 from 9:00 till noon.

Post cards will be sent to members asking for at least five items worth $5.00 or more for the Cornucopia on Nov 6.

The Rt. Rev. E. “Ted” Gulick will be the bishop for the visitation in 2011. The date for his visit will be Sunday Feb. 13, 2011.

The “Stop Hunger Now” project is planned for March 12, 2011. More info about this project later.

Barbara A. Gouldthorpe

Sr. Warden

ALZHEIMER’S STUDY

QUILT PROJECT

In memory of Fr. Jim Chipps ten of our lap-top quilts have been donated to the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study. The quilts will be distributed to volunteers participating in research studies to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Funded by the National Institute on Aging, ADCS coordinates clinical trials at about 70 sites nationwide. Over 3,000 people participate in the studies and receive treatment with experimental drugs.

The Alzheimer’s Study Quilt Project aims to express appreciation to the volunteers, all of whom have mild to moderate cognitive impairment. “What do any of us do when we don’t feel well?” asks ADCS communications specialist Jeffree Itrich. “You curl up with a quilt, because it soothes the body and the soul.”

Our quilts are being shipped to Mr. Itrich, who will distribute them to their research study sites located throughout the U.S. when they are notified of a newly enrolled participant.

ALZHEIMER’S STUDY

QUILT PROJECT

Our quilts are being shipped to Mr. Itrich, who will distribute them to their research study sites located throughout the U.S. when they are notified of a newly enrolled participant.

Grace Church November 2010

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

3 *

11:00 AM Senior Center

*Paul Dawson

Christmas Bazaar

9 am - 2 pm

Worship 9:00

United Thank Offering

*Bryan Jacobs

7:00 PM Vestry Meeting

10 *

11:00 AM Senior Center

Ruritan Dinner

7:00 PM

Grounds clean-up

8-noon

*Sue Payne

Worship 9:00

Dec. Grace Notes deadline

*Matthew Cirillo

*Peter Cirillo

17 *

11:00 AM Senior Center

*Fr. Jim Cirillo

*Jason Woodward

Worship 9:00

Pledge Ingathering

24 *

11:00 AM

Senior Center

Thanksgiving Service 7:30 pm

#Ralph & Doris Pearson

Worship 9:00

* = Birthday #Anniversary * = Holy Communion in Parish Hall at 10:30 AM

Grace Church Serving Schedule -- November 2010

Date

Svc

Day

Lessons

Lector

Acolyte

Altar

Coffee Hosts

Nov 7

9 AM

Pent

Psalm 145:1-5, 18-22

Haggai 1:15b—2:9

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

Luke 20:27-38

Linda

Swann

Jack Perry

Carol

Goshorn

Judy Ball & Barbara Whitbred

Nov 14

9 QM

Pent

Canticle 9

Isaiah 65:17-25

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Luke 21:5-19

Pam

Ruffner

Doris Pearson

Barbara

Jacobs

Judy Shipe & Sharon

Woodward

Nov 21

9 AM

Pent

Last

Canticle 4

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Colossians 1:11-20

Luke 23:33-43

Dee

Garrett

Carol Goshorn

Charlotte

Perry

Doris & Ralph Pearson

Nov 25

7:30p

Thank

giving

Psalm 100

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Philippians 4:4-9

John 6:25-35

B. Gould-thorpe

Jack Perry

Doris

Pearson

Sue Ballentine

Nov 28

9 AM

Advnt

Psalm 122

Isaiah 2:1-5

Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 24:36-44

Ron Fahy

Madell Day

Mignonne

Spellmeyer

Mary Neal & Diane

Fahy

Dec 5

9 AM

Advnt

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Isaiah 11:1-10

Romans 15:4-13

Matthew 3:1-12

Betsy

Anderson

Doris Pearson

Pam

Ruffner

Charlotte & Jack

Perry

Non Profit Organization

U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

Casanova, VA 20139

Permit No. 1

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Rev. James Cirillo, Rector

P.O. Box 18

Casanova, VA 20139

(540) 788-4419

Website: gracechurchcasanova.org

Services every Sunday at Grace Church on Route 602 in Casanova at 9:00 AM, followed by a coffee fellowship and Sunday School for all ages in the Family Center near the church.