November 24, 2024

Click below to access bulletins, Livestream and Zoom links, and make an offering.

This Sunday, November 24, after the 9:30 a.m. service

Bring greens and make an Advent wreath!

Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
KIAC Christmas Party

Tuesday, December 10, 6 – 8:15 p.m.
Family-Friendly Advent Evening
Potluck dinner followed by Stories, Song, & Compline

December 10 – 12
Caroling

Sunday, December 15, 9:30 a.m.
Advent Pageant

Tuesday, December 17, 6 – 8:15 p.m.
Family-Friendly Advent Evening
Potluck dinner followed by Stories, Song, & Compline

Saturday, December 22, 10:30 a.m.
Youth White Elephant & Christingles Party

Tuesday, December 24, 5:00 & 9:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Services (livestream at 9 p.m.)

Wednesday, December 25, 9:30 a.m.
Christmas Day Service (in person only)

The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

As the darkness deepens, we need light. We long for hope. Join us for food, conversation, story, and prayer as we experience God in our midst. 

Come and go as you need: Dinner 6:00 – 7:00; Program 7:00 – 8:15. Families are very welcome! We will be telling stories and experiencing art together. Childcare is available during the program. Bring a dish to share. Please invite friends, family, and neighbors.

Grace’s Stewardship Campaign, “Hope for the Future,” officially concluded this past Sunday on a strong note with a powerful testimonial from Krista Webb in which she shared the thoughtful way in which she first became a pledger and how that act of personal stewardship underscored Grace’s core principle of Inclusion.

The chart below reflects our progress as of this past Tuesday, November 19. We are grateful for the 129 households that have responded to date and look forward to receiving pledges from as many as 79 additional pledges, 36 of which would be from current Grace pledging households and another 43 would be from new pledging households. With your participation, we remain optimistic that we will come close to raising the $750,000 needed to fund Grace’s ministry operations and beautiful church building and grounds in the coming year.

Campaign Goal: $750,000

Progress to date    

Households Pledging: 129
Total Amount Pledged: $641,508
Total Match Earned: $22,000
Grand Total To Date: $663,508
Balance Still Needed: $86,492

Pledge cards continue to be available in the narthex and pledges can be submitted online or by returning a pledge card by mail or in the Sunday collection baskets. If you have questions, please contact Tootie Kuhn, Trustee for Stewardship.

Each year during Advent and the Christmas season, we remember and celebrate those we love with gifts of floral arrangements to decorate Grace.

You may contribute to our Seasonal Greens & Flowers Fund by doing any of the following:

• Return a signup form to the office with a check payable to Grace Church and “Seasonal Flowers” in the memo line. Forms are available in the narthex and in this Sunday’s bulletin.
• Email your info to office@gracehere.org. Lindsay will follow up for payment info.
• Sign up and pay online at gracehere.org/flowers.

Any donation amount is welcome. Dedications will be listed in our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day bulletins.

Deadline to submit names is Sunday, December 15.

Thank you!

Envelopes with instructions are on the large table in the narthex. $25 gift cards may be purchased from local stores including Ace Hardware, Safeway, Town & Country Market, Starbucks, Eagle Harbor Books, or from Amazon.

Please return the gift cards to Grace by Sunday, December 8. They will be distributed by Helpline the following week.

Thank you for participating in our Annual Advent Giving, which is very much appreciated by our Island Seniors.

Last year, Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center hosted a holiday event for our community members. 200 families and nearly 100 volunteers participated, and we're gearing up to do it again!

On Saturday, December 7, KIAC families will gather at the Bremerton Community Gym for some holiday cheer. There will be activities for kids like face painting, holiday crafts, balloon animals, pictures with Santa, a book corner and lots of delicious food! 

Here's how to get involved!

All families will go home with a goody bag filled with a gift card to a grocery store or gas station, hygiene supplies, and holiday treats. Each child will get to select their own new book in Spanish (or bilingual) to take home as well! Plus, every family will be signed up to receive toys from one of our local partners (listed below).

Ways to Give:

• Donate Spanish language children’s books at Ballast Book Co., Liberty Bay Book, Eagle Harbor Book Co. , Salmonberry, or Saltwater
• Donate hygiene items like dishsoap, shampoo and laundry detergent
• Donate funds to KIAC to purchase items for the event (be sure to select "Holiday Celebration" in the donation drop-down
• Donate toys to Salvation Army Angel Tree, Toys for Tots, or KidVantage (all KIAC families will be registered to receive gifts from one of these places)

Donations can be dropped off at KIAC Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at our Bremerton office before December 2nd — 3627 Wheaton Way Suite 106 (lower entrance).

Ordering online? Deliver donations to Attn. KIAC 337 Yew St. Bremerton, WA 98310.

You’re invited to go caroling
to the Grace families in our Home Groups.

Wednesday, December 10th, Thursday the 11th, and/or Friday the 12th, from 11 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

You can be one of the carolers, or you can enjoy being caroled to. If interested, please contact Wendy Tyner at tynerassociates@aol.com or 206.669.3931.

When you arrive for the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service, please bring your children with you into the sanctuary; and feel free to sit by the altar near the Children’s Rug so your children can engage with others in quiet activities. After the Children’s Moment, they will be guided by their teachers to two learning spaces: one for younger children with more tactile storytelling and activities, and one for older children. Together, we build community through story, ritual, and fun activities before your children join you again for communion in the sanctuary. Youth are always welcome to join us as helpers for the younger children!

We will gather at the home of Proctor and Deborah Schenk. A festive main dish of salmon will be provided by Proctor and will be served with your supporting appetizers/side dishes/desserts AND/OR beverages. A donation to the Phinney Fund is encouraged.

Please sign up here by Tuesday, December 10th. If you have questions or want to sign up by phone or email, contact Eric Matthews at eric@ericEmatthews.com or 206.718.2254.

Volunteers are needed to help run the sound system during the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service. No previous experience with sound systems is necessary, and training will be provided. The commitment is once a month. Contact Kim Thompson for more information.

Grace is hosting a cohort of 10 to 12 individuals in The Episcopal Church’s new program “Love God, Love God’s World,” which was developed by the Creation Care Ministry. “Love God, Love God’s World” is a nine-session course, each lasting 60 to 75 minutes, patterned upon “Sacred Ground.” The first session to be held at Grace on Tuesday, January 14, from 6:30-8:00 pm. The following sessions will be held via Zoom every two weeks. The sessions will be held in the evening, at a time most convenient to the members of the cohort. As was the case for “Sacred Ground” there will be about 1.5 to 2 hours of material to be reviewed prior to each session. This will include both written and video material.

We invite you to review the curriculum at this link.

Our facilitators for the program are:

Marcy Lagerloef, John Kydd, and Scott Deasy

Please feel free to reach out to Scott at: jscottdeasy@gmail.com or 928.606.2098

April 28 – May 2, 2025

Experience the ancient art of “writing” the Gospel with paint and prayer. Join this five-day, all-inclusive day retreat, led by renowned iconographer, Theresa Harrison. Using JoSonja acrylic paints and 23 carat gold leaf, paint an icon of your choice together in sacred community at Grace Church. 

Sunday, Nov 24, 2:00 PM

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1187 Wyatt Way NW

Sheila Bristow, St. Barnabas’ Music Director & Organist, performs music of Bach, Mendelssohn, and Planyavsky on the Bond organ. She will be joined by soprano Emily Neer and mezzo soprano Rae Hyra for vocal duets by Cozzolani and Purcell. Freewill donation to support the music program. Click here to reserve a seat.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 7:00 pm. Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church

Everyone is welcome. Click here for more information.

December 1 at Island Center Hall, 8395 Fletcher Bay Rd NE