Spring Forward on Sunday
This weekend is when we change our clocks. We will be springing forward in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Don’t forget to change your clock before you go to bed.
Handbell Choir Perform on Sunday
The Handbell Choir rings this Sunday’s prelude with a meditation on “What Wondrous Love” starting at8:55. The next time Handbells play is for the Feast of the Ascension.
Christian Formation Hour
Adult Forum: Report on 222nd Diocese of Virginia Annual Convention – St. John Room
On January 26-28, Father Malm, Mother Steffensen, Char Rusnak, June Huber (President of Region IV), and Barry Joyner and Jean Reed (delegates to Convention) joined more than 600 attendees at the Diocese of Virginia’s 222nd Annual Convention. Join Barry and Jean at the Adult Forum for their report.
Inquirers Class: This week’s topic is the Oxford Movement. It will be led by Father Malm. It will meet in the Library. See the schedule and handouts.
J2A Parents: The J2A Parents will be meeting in the St. Mark Room during the Christian Formation hour.
Easter Flowers
Help decorate the church with beautiful Easter flowers. Forms and payment must be received by the office by the end of the day on Sunday, April 2nd. Checks must be made out to Grace Episcopal Church and have “Easter Flowers” in the memo line. Forms will be available in the Narthex and the Commons. It is also possible to donate online. Easter Flowers are $40.00. If you have questions, please contact Lisa Dolep.
Easter Cards
Grace Pastoral Care and the Card Ministry are preparing to sign Easter cards on Palm Sunday for college students, parishioners in the military and serving abroad, those preparing for Confirmation at the Easter Vigil, and parishioners on the prayer list. Please send any updates in status — graduation dates, address changes, change of duty station — to pastoral.care@gracealex.org or nancy.robinson@gracealex.org. We also welcome any volunteers to help us set up on April 8.
Email Newsletter and Upcoming Directory
Please contact the office if you are not receiving your email newsletter so we can check what we have on file. We are also working on the new directory so if you have new information or want do not wish to be included, please let us know so we can note it in our records.
Marcel Dupré’s Le Chemin de la Croix
Join us on Friday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. for Le Chemin de la Croix by French organist-composer Marcel Dupré. The Stations of the Cross has been a devotional tool for centuries, its beauty inspiring poets and musicians alike. Marcel Dupré’s celebrated musical commentaries on the stations were first improvised in concert in alternation with stanzas of French poet Paul Claudel’s “Le Chemin de la Croix,” and later Dupré notated his improvisations, creating one of the masterpieces of music for the pipe organ. The entire cycle will be played by organists Josh Boyd, Aaron Tan, Richard Newman, and Jeremy David Tarrant, with Claudel’s poems interspersed and read by Wendy Wilmer. Suggested donation at the door: $10 (adults), $5 (students and seniors)
Your Support is Needed! Affordable Housing Hearing, Alexandria City Council Budget Hearing, Monday, March 13
The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance is coordinating a coalition of non-profit organizations, the faith community and businesses to advocate before Alexandria City Council for adequate funding for affordable housing and specifically funding for the Church of the Resurrection’s redevelopment project.
They are asking members of Grace and our local community to attend the Monday, March 13 City Council Budget Hearing at City Hall at 4:00 p.m. There are two speakers scheduled – former Grace Church member, The Reverend Jo Belser from the Church of the Resurrection and Michelle Krocker, Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance. Housing is first on the agenda. HOUSING ADVOCATES NEED TO BE VISIBLE. For more than a year the City has committed $7.9 million to Church of the Resurrection’s project. However, in the draft budget just released about half that money ($4.3 million) is in the supplemental. We want the $4.3 million for the Church of the Resurrection project – 113 units – in the proposed budget. The City Manager has made this a lower priority and we need your support to encourage the City to fund the project and make this a priority. Without the $4.3 million from the City this project will not go forward and we are concerned that the 2-3 development projects in the pipeline will halt with the prospect of no city funding. Come out and show your support for this important project!