Grace Notes
All Saints’ Sunday
November 2, 2025
Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
THIS WEEK’S READINGS
Daniel 7:1-3,15-18, Psalm 149, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31
THIS WEEK’S WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Sunday
10 AM The Holy Eucharist and Sunday School - All Saints' Sunday (bulletin)
Wednesday Eucharists will resume on November 12.
ABOUT ALL SAINTS' DAY . . . Many scholars believe that the Feast of All Saints on November 1st originated in Ireland, spread from there to England, and then to Europe; documentary evidence attests to its celebration as early as the ninth century. However, the desire of Christian people to express the inter-communion of the living and the dead in the Body of Christ, and to commemorate especially the heroic martyrs of the faith, stretches back to the earliest days of the Church.
All Saints’ Day is classed, in the Prayer Book of 1979, as a Principal Feast, taking precedence of any other day or observance. It is one of the four days recommended in the Prayer Book for the administration of Holy Baptism. All Saints' Day may always be observed on the Sunday following November 1, in addition to its observance on the fixed date.
OUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR . . . . the sick and those in need, especially Adam Strauss, Jennifer Wright, Francis Royer, Mariam Kamal, Kathy Nathan, Ann Hopper, The Rev. James Warnke, priest, Dave D'Orazio, Mitch Mann, Thomas Petrullo, Daniela Parisi, Michael Shumway, Chris Spilker, Suzanne Morris, Lauren Rosenthal, Charlotte Wilson, John Whitlock, and Gaylord Hitchcock, priest.
For those celebrating birthdays especially especially William Vogt (11/5), John Paul Spiro-Colwell (11/6), and Gifford Roache (11/8) and those celebrating anniversaries especially James & Nicole Gibson (11/5) and Thomas & Lynn Glynn (11/6).
For those who have died especially especially Richard Ebel (11/2), Virginia Knutsen (11/2), Emily E. McCloy (11/3), Walter Johnson, Sr. (11/5), Italo Gemmato (Chick) (11/6), John Thomas (11/6), and Emily Muller (11/6).
PRAYER LIST REQUESTS . . . To add any names to the parish prayer list, please send an email to kmaccourt@gmail.com with the name of the person to be prayed for, your name and a brief description of the person’s health or other situation (note if long-term or chronic). Names are listed for four weeks and then rotate off, but they can be added again as needed. If you have questions, please speak with the wardens or Father Anthony.
Thank you to our volunteers for this Sunday
Leslie Bisdale, crucifer
Larry Toppin and Kate Hoffman, acolytes
Antonio Brugnoli, usher
Evans Roache, Sunday School
Liza Martin, reader
Leslie Bisdale, altar guild
John and Lorie Menniti, coffee hour
Larry Sunden and Aelicia Yeates, counters
UPCOMING SUNDAY SERVICE SCHEDULE
November 9
9 AM The Children's Service
10 AM The Holy Eucharist and Sunday School
November 16
10 AM The Holy Eucharist and Sunday School
November 23
10 AM The Holy Eucharist - Family Service - Christ the King
CONTACT INFORMATION . . .
The Rev. Father Anthony Puca, Jr.
Rector
gecrector@gmail.com
201-664-0407
Kathryn MacCourt
Parish administrator, Organist and Choirmaster
kmaccourt@gmail.com
201-417-1653
The Reverend Deacon Len Roberts
leonard_roberts@rocketmail.com
973-901-8822
Grace Church Wardens
Akinola Okunlola - aokunlola@gmail.com, 201-926-3677
Larry Sunden - larry@sunden.com, 201-960-1433
THE NECROLOGY . . . will be read during the All Saints' Day service on Sunday, November 3. Please submit names for the list no later than Tuesday, October 28. You can either email this list to kmaccourt@gmail.com or leave a written list in the church office.
Singing Gratitude
"Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high."
- Hymn “Tell out, my soul”
Music is breath. It is heartbeat. It is the voice that rises from within, unfiltered, raw, and real. Sometimes joyful. Sometimes aching.
Always true.
The Xhosa melody Ndisondela Kuwe walks with me. It is more than a song—it is a doorway, an invitation into sacred spaces. The words mean I draw near to You. A hymn, yes, but more than that. A prayer. A surrender. A call not to seek answers, but to seek God. To move toward the divine, not from a place of strength, but from exhaustion, from the longing that lives in every human soul.
When this song is sung, something happens. The air changes. A quiet wind moves through the room. Voices tremble, crack, and finally break open. Long-held burdens slip through the cracks. In that moment— vulnerable, stripped bare—the Holy Spirit meets us. Guides us. Pulls us closer to God, and closer to one another.
This is stewardship. To step forward with what we have, trusting that it is enough. Gratitude gives us the courage to give without fear,
to pour ourselves out while still holding onto the song that makes us who we are. We do not shrink when we give. We do not lose ourselves. We grow.
Gratitude makes it possible to sing. To share. To let go.
And when we sing together, each voice rising with its own story, we find something greater than ourselves. Uxolo!
The Reverend Lester V. Mackenzie, AHC serves as the Chief of Mission Program in the office of The Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe. He is fed by desert spirituality, a musician, capoeirista and an Associate of Holy Cross (AHC), drawn always to the ocean.
WESTWOOD CARES FOOD PANTRY . . . Grace Church is trying to increase our donations to the Westwood Cares Food Pantry. Please try to bring 1 item per week and we will ensure that the Food Pantry receives your items. The following items are in need: Coffee, tea, juice, pancakes, pancake syrup, chicken in a can, potatoes, rice, detergent, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, paper towels, toilet paper, oil, snacks, cookies, cereal (hot and cold), mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. The Pantry does "not " need any canned vegetables or beans since they have enough currently. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Len.
Mark your calendar . . . Stewardship Ingathering November 9, 2025
If you would like to submit your pledge card digitally please fill out the form by clicking here.
If you prefer, you can find printed pledge cards in the narthex.
REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FROM BEN AND LIZA MARTIN . . . Ben and Liza will be part of Team FORCE at the RunDisney 10k this February. Team FORCE specifically works to improve the lives of the millions of individuals and families facing hereditary cancers. This is done through education, support, advocacy and research efforts.
They have requested support FORCE from anyone in the Grace Episcopal family who would be interested in helping them in their fight by making a donation through the links below.
https://teamforce.facingourrisk.org/fundraiser/6537930
https://teamforce.facingourrisk.org/fundraiser/6537929
Thank you for any support you can give!
Please be sure to visit and like our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/gracewestwood.org/
You can help Grace attract new members by simply sharing our posts on your own page. Please help us grow and share a post.
Pastoral Emergencies
please contact Fr. Anthony Puca at 267-980-3480
FROM THE BISHOP . . . Sharing the gift of unity. Bishop Hughes reminds us that as we prepare for the season of giving, the best gift we can share during this time of division is our unity – our oneness with God and with one another through Christ.
WEEKLY JUSTICE ACTION NEWSLETTER . . . The Justice, Peace and Racial Reconciliation Commission weekly action newsletter summarizes upcoming events and activities for involvement. There are actions every day to support a moral budget, immigration rights, voter registration, economic and environmental justice and more.
INFORMATION FROM THE DIOCESE OF NEWARK . . . To subscribe and receive The VOICE Online by email please go to https://dioceseofnewark.org/subscribe
At the very top of the page, you’ll see a box to type in your email address. Click on the “Sign me up” button and you will be taken to a page where you can subscribe to receive The VOICE Online as well as other e-newsletters.
RESOURCES FROM THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH . . . For news and official statements from the national church, a few key websites are listed below.
Episcopal Church Leaders on immigration executive orders - https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/letter-from-episcopal-church-leaders-on-trump-administration-immigration-executive-orders/
Episcopal News Network. The most up-to-date news in the Episcopal Church - https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/
Office of Government Relations and Episcopal Public Policy Network. News and official statements from the Episcopal Church concerning political and public policy issues - https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/
Official website of the Episcopal Church - https://www.episcopalchurch.org
Grace Episcopal Church
9 Harrington Avenue, Five Corners
Westwood, NJ 07675
201 664-0407
www.gracewestwood.org
“Called to re-member and share God’s love and grace”