Grace Episcopal Church
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Grace Church Mission Statement
We are a diverse community of faith that seeks to follow the way of Jesus Christ
by serving and worshiping God.
Grace Church Stewardship Statement
Stewardship, as described in the bible, is the pledging and giving of our time, talent, and treasure to the church in order to honor our Lord for all that he gives us. Who will commit to sing in the choir, serve as an acolyte, usher, work the Wednesday food pantry, or staff the Thrift shop? Our list of ministries is impressive. Prayerfully consider to which ministry God is calling you, and
see where you can honor Him through “Thanks-Living: Having an Attitude of Gratitude”.
Worship times
https://www.facebook.com/GraceChurchMerchantville/
no Facebook account needed
Volunteer opportunities
Ministries
Acolytes
Our Acolyte program is open to anyone interested beginning from grade 2 - college.
Alexandra Hopkins
Choir
Our all- ages choir currently meets on Thursdays, 7 p.m. and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Anyone is welcome to join – you do not have to be able to read music. The children of the parish sing on the first Sunday of every month during the 10 a.m. Rite II Service, which is our Children’s Service.
Altar Guild
Meetings of the Grace Church Altar Guild are held the first Sunday of each month, except in January, July, August and September at 12:15 p.m. in the Bride’s Room.
Our work is a “Labor of Love” that is to assist the clergy care for the linens, silver, brass and crystal; prepare for all services in the church and chapel, including holiday services, baptisms, marriages, and burials; care for the vestments of the clergy; and order, arrange and place flowers on the altar. We also care for and order candles for the altars. We work in teams. Financial support for the Altar Guild comes from Flower Memorials, Wine & Wafer Memorials, St. Clare’s Thrift Shoppe sales, burial fees and wedding fees. Altar flowers, for the most part, are donated.
Kelly Sneddon
Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
St. Clare's Thrift Shoppe
St. Clare's Thrift Shoppe is connected to and part of Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville, NJ. It is open to the public from 10am to 2pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Tuesdays are work days in which volunteers straighten displayed merchandise and sort, price and display newly donated items. Merchandise sold is clothing for all ages, household goods, small furniture, art, holiday decorations, books, audio visuals and vintage collectable items.
The Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville Altar Guild founded the St. Clare's Thrift Shoppe. Items that are not sold were being donated to various organizations to benefit the homeless and others in need.
Eva Hartshaw
Men's Club
The Men of Grace: The Men’s Club keeps busy socializing, building fellowship and brotherhood, and cooking delicious food in the church kitchen for various events and outreaches.
Stanley McGraw IV
St. Paul's Breakfast Program
A very dedicated group of Grace Church parishioners served breakfast to the homeless on a weekly or monthly basis. We typically serve upwards of 100 needy people at our sister location, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Camden, NJ.
Along with the donation of funds and volunteering, churches have each selected items to send to St. Paul's, and Grace Episcopal, Merchantville supplies all of the complete pancake mix.
We also supply gently-used, seasonally appropriate clothes that are greatly appreciated. Socks, coats, sweaters, pants, gloves, and hats are always in need. Some of these items are donated from St. Clare’s Thrift Shoppe.
Denise Brouse
Prayer Group
The Prayer Group is made up of thirty-seven individuals, congregants and friends of Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville, NJ, who have consented to pray daily in their homes for the sick, the shut-in, and any who are in need of our prayers.
Each month, a copy of the Prayer List is sent to all members. The Prayer List is updated weekly, and it is read in Church and in the Chapel. Copies of prayers are available to everyone. Anyone is welcome to join.
If you would like a Prayer Card sent to anyone who is ill, or to have anyone added to the prayer list, please contact Phyllis Mroz.
Phyllis Mroz
Adult Formation/Bible Study
The bible study group meets throughout the year on Friday evenings for a light supper, fellowship and a bible study. In 2019, we completed a dynamic bible study of the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians; The Letter of Paul to the Galatians; and, the Letter of James.
If you want to explore the scriptures more deeply, then this Bible Study is the place for you. In particular, if you want to dig deeper into the scriptures that are read on Sunday, then this is the place for you.
In 2020, in the Epiphany season as a build up to Lent, we will start with the dynamic Gospel of St. John on Friday evenings from January 24 through February 21. Ash Wednesday begins Lent on February 26, 2020.
We have exciting plans to study the Letter of Paul to the Romans during Lent since Romans will be read on most Sundays in Lent 2020.
When you explore the scriptures, one learns how we have been applying God’s word to our lives in the past, and how we can be better about that in the future. Why be confused about it. Be bold. Discover who you really are and what you should be doing as a disciple of Christ.
Louis Cavaliere and Joshua Seib
Christian Education
Our Christian Education program focuses on sharing God’s love with the children of Grace Church. We do this during weekly classes, youth group gatherings, Sunday School Choir rehearsals, pageant practices, and community activities.
Our weekly lessons are taken from the weekly gospel reading. Several highlights include: monthly “Children’s Church” sermons and music performances at our 10 a.m. service under the direction of Fr. Bob and Grete Ingalls, participation in the Fall Fair, and a traditional Christmas pageant.
Youth Group
Youth Group meets the 1st Saturday of every month from 6 – 8 p.m. Any and all children from grades 6 – 12 are welcome. We have been blessed by our young people’s involvement in our services, our Christian Education Program, St. Clare’s Thrift Shoppe, and other aspects of our parish mission. We are thankful for adult mentors within the congregation and community who offer their faith and talents to help nurture our youth.
Ministry Committee
The Ministry committee continues to work on the growing the number of families attending Grace Church. We want to give parishioners time to enjoy fellowship outside of church on Sunday morning. The Ministry Committee hold many events and outreach programs. We meet at 9:00 am on the first Saturday of each month. Please join us whenever possible. The more voices we have the more activities we can offer.
Marian Daly
Dolores F. Clark Food Pantry, Jubilee Ministry
In 2019, the Dolores F. Clark Food Pantry continued to operate as a Jubilee Ministry as designated by the Diocese of New Jersey, every Wednesday from 12 noon to 2P.M. Our valiant volunteers have continued to come to the aid of the most vulnerable in our community.
Our pantry served over 1,345 families, 329 clients per month. A client can equate to a single individual or a full household of up to a family of 6, assisting approximately 3,949 people. This does not include the distribution of 101 Turkeys with all the trimmings at Thanksgiving. Even though the needs of our community continue to increase, we have been able to meet them. We would not be able to do the things we do, without the help of our parish family and the Food Bank of South Jersey.
Norma Bush, Jerry Ash, Linda Purves, Suzanne McKenna, and Peg Stephens
International Relationships
Love Restoration
Love Restoration (LR) is a non-profit community-based organization in Kisoro South Western Uganda, committed to doing acts of charity to the less privileged children. Love Restoration’s philosophy centers on the final words of 1 Corinthians 13:13, “the greatest of these [values]” is love and expands love by empowering the community to care for its children. LR provides social services for children, as well as business opportunities for community empowerment rooted in the cause of children.
Gilbert Mfitundinda, founder, had opportunities as a formerly sponsored child through Compassion International to overcome poverty and obtain a university IT degree. Gilbert began attending Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville as his home church in 2017 and 2018, while he completed his Masters Degree at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. His motivation is giving back to his community by helping LR’s primary customers, the children who cannot be enrolled in any other sponsorship program for some reason. These children’s parents cannot afford to pay for school fees, uniforms, textbooks required by Uganda’s government schools. Mfitundinda and his brother, a teacher, began paying teacher’s salaries and rented a building for a two-roomed, private Christian school that provides education to community children. The initial enrollment of twenty has grown to 215 children presently attending the school. Along with education, LR provides food, clean water, and medicine for the children. Love Restoration moved from the rental facility to their newly built facility in September 2017 and continues to improve on its study environment. The end of year stakeholder meeting and party brought together over 300 members in 2017. LR is currently seeking collaborative partnerships with individuals, businesses, churches and community leaders to fulfill its vision.
Mercy Rains Africa
Mercy Rains Africa was formed by a small group of friends and family that share a desire to make a difference in the Kisoro district of Africa. Most of our team have been involved over the years with Compassion International, a child sponsorship program. Through Compassion International, a wonderful relationship emerged with a formerly sponsored child, Gilbert Mfitundinda. Gilbert felt blessed by his opportunity as a sponsored child and chose to dedicate his life to building up his community. He founded Love Restoration to provide education, health, and nutrition to children in his home village. Mercy Rains Africa works with Love Restoration to make a difference in Kisoro, Uganda. Gilbert began attending Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville as his home church in 2017 and 2018, while he completed his Masters Degree at Eastern University in Pennsylvania.
Our goals over the next couple of years are to:
- Build a nutrition program that provides a balanced breakfast and lunch at school.
- Set up a medical fund to ensure the students receive necessary medical attention.
- Support the educational program by obtaining school supplies, build new classrooms for additional grade levels and aid the teachers and staff.
Our long term goal is a trade school that includes instruction in small engine repair, welding, and sewing at a minimum.
The Mercy Rains team builds relationships within the community and with the local church, to bring meaningful change together.
Yamba Childcare - Uganda
About
Keneth Ndyamuhaki, Founder/Executive Director of Yamba Childcare - Uganda, began attending Grace Episcopal Church, Merchantville as his home church in 2017 and 2018, while he completed his Masters Degree at Eastern University in Pennsylvania.
Yamba envisions: Empowered Children and Youth ending the vicious cycle of poverty in their families and communities.
Impressum
WHAT WE DO: We provide school supplies, sanitation, and hygiene materials, after-school and summer camps, mentoring, counseling and guidance, care-group classes, games and sports, Bible study classes, discipleship classes, church visits, home visits and school visits as we minister to the lives of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC's).
Yamba Child Ministry started in 2014 with one orphan named Faith. She was enrolled in school and all of her basic needs were being taken care of. Faith is now in primary three and her grades are promising. 20 orphans and other vulnerable children like Faith are being supported in Yamba child-help programs.
General Information
Take this child and nurse him for me, I will pay you"
(Exodus 2:9)
"Whoever gives to the poor, lends to the Lord and He will repay him for his deeds"
(Proverbs 19:17).
7 E. Maple Avenue
Merchantville, NJ 08109-5096
United States
