MINISTRY GROUPS

Ministry Groups at Grace are where our Vision Statement comes to life. In these groups, we seek to foster fellowship within the parish and inspire justice in our surrounding community. From Hunger and Refugee ministries to social networking, Grace Ministries are where we gather to be the body of Christ alive in the world today.

JUSTICE MINISTRIES

Justice Ministries at Grace seek to discern the needs of the world around us and respond in kind. Whether it is addressing equity within our own walls or being in relationship with those outside the parish, Grace Church aims to be a force for God’s transforming love in the world today.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE HUNGER JUSTICE RACIAL JUSTICE REFUGEE AND MIGRANT JUSTICE PENNYWORTH SHOP

Creation Care

Building on the Episcopal Church’s Covenant for the Care of Creation our Grace Church Creation Care team seeks to explore ways for us to live out our faith in a way that allows us to be loving stewards of the resources we have and reconciles us to God’s creation around us.

Grace Little Pantry

Grace Little Food Pantry is located on Georgia Avenue where nonperishable food is available for our neighbors in need. The pantry was built originally as part of an Eagle Scout project, and is stocked by a dedicated group of volunteers. Each volunteer is assigned a Sunday, and on that day the volunteer fills the food pantry with canned goods and non-perishables purchased by the volunteer. The volunteer then comes by once during that week to refill as needed. We get donations from the parish, and from the Men’s Group food drives as well.

Shepherd’s Table

Shepherd’s Table is working towards preventing and ending homelessness for all residents, one person at a time. We provide 3 meals a day during the week, and 2 meals a day on weekends.
Our Resource Center provides information/referrals, mailing address, telephone, prescription assistance, and more. There is a weekly clothes closet. An eye clinic provides eye exams and prescription eyeglasses. There are also bilingual counselor services available.

Parish History of Race and Racism

Mission: To reconsider the history of Grace Church by identifying and centering the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans in the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a parish.

Since 2021, our team has:

Researched Grace’s early history of race and racism and shared our findings
Identified over 60 women, men, and children enslaved by Grace’s founders and early parishioners
Developed and celebrated a Way of the Cross worship service that incorporates our findings into each station
Contributed stories from our past for of our 2025 Service Towards Repentance.

For details, including the list of enslaved, see History of Grace.

Wade in the Water

Wade in the Water seeks to follow Christ’s example in challenging racism; building a community of faith that demands racial justice. We are cultivating a new generation of Christians to dismantle the racial hierarchies that pervade our society so that we may become Beloved Community. We humbly seek to model that community through leadership at Grace Church, in Montgomery County, and within the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Refugee Ministry

Grace Church’s Refugee Ministry was founded in 2018 by a group of parishioners committed to sponsoring a refugee family. In 2019, Grace Church was matched with the Faridullahs, a refugee family of seven from Afghanistan resettled in our region. For five years, Grace Church had the honor and privilege of walking beside the Faridullah family as they acclimated to the US. The Faridullahs, now thriving and self-sufficient, will always be a part of the Grace Church community.

In May 2023, the Refugee Ministry launched a new initiative to combat food insecurity, especially among immigrants and refugees, by providing support to San Mateo Episcopal Church’s long-standing food distribution program. (San Mateo Church, located in Hyattsville, is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.) Once a month, Grace Church purchases 300 pounds of rice and 300 pounds of beans; parishioners of all ages then come together to package the rice and beans into individual servings. We deliver this food to San Mateo, which San Mateo then distributes to people experiencing food insecurity. By December 2025, Grace Church parishioners will have bagged and delivered 12,000 pounds of rice and beans to San Mateo. Thank you to Grace Church parishioners for your ongoing support of this ministry!

Pennyworth is located in Grace House, on the grounds of Grace Episcopal Church The mission of the Pennyworth Shop, a ministry of Grace Episcopal Church, is to actively serve the Silver Spring community and surrounding area by selling clothing and other items at a reasonable cost; to provide an outlet for the community to dispose of useable items through reuse and recycling; and to afford volunteers the opportunity to contribute their time and labor to the benefit of our community. Money generated from sales provides financial support to other Grace Episcopal Church ministries and for local and national community organizations.

COMMUNITY LIFE GROUPS

Fellowship is a cardinal principle when walking in Jesus’s footsteps. At Grace, we aim to be in intentional, thoughtful, and caring relationship with one another, ensuring that no matter what season of life you are in you have a community to rely upon.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR CRAFT GUILD DAUGHTERS OF THE KING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN FOOD FOR THE SOUL MEN’S GROUP YOUNG ADULTS STROLLING SENIORS

This is not your Grandma’s Christmas Bazaar! This annual event engages many of the Parish ministries and members of Grace who come together in fun and fellowship to support our largest single-day annual fundraiser. Grace members donate their time, talents and treasures to help kick off the Christmas season. Hundreds of folks from Grace and the surrounding community attend this opportunity to socialize and shop. Proceeds from the bazaar support all ministries within the church.

The Craft Guild supports the ministries of Grace through the creation of handmade treasures for sale at the Bazaar while seeking to create fellowship opportunities within the parish and community. The offer of handcrafted gifts at all price points in turn supports the inclusive and intergenerational fellowship of the Bazaar, where shoppers of all means and ages can find great Christmas gifts.

NEEMA CHAPTER – THE ORDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE KING

Here at Grace Church, we are blessed to have an active Daughters of the King (DOK) chapter. Members of Neema Chapter, which means “grace” in Swahili, provides many services:

Pray daily for the church, parish, clergy, and the needs of parishioners.
Offer healing prayers every third Sunday of the month.
Provide learning sessions focused on prayer and evangelism.

The Daughters of the King (DOK) is an order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church. Our membership currently includes women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA), and Roman Catholic.churches.

The Mission of the Order: The Mission of the Order is the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through Prayer, Service, and Evangelism.

Prayer, Service and Evangelism: Reaffirming the promises made at Baptism and Confirmation, a Daughter pledges herself to a life-long program of prayer, service and evangelism. She receives support in this commitment from a worldwide community of like-minded women

In solidarity with one another, all Daughters everywhere make the same promises upon their admission to The Order

To obey the two Rules of The Order: the Rule of Prayer and the Rule of Service.
To offer at all times loyal aid to our clergy and parish to spread Christ’s kingdom.
To wear faithfully the cross of The Order.
To work for the purposes of The Order as God may give us the opportunity.

Grace has a vibrant group of families with young children who gather, both at church during worship and also out in the community, roughly once a month. Parents have found it extremely fulfilling to build relationships with one another while their children wear each other out at a local park.

Food for the Soul aims to be a source of support and hospitality withing the life of Grace. Whenever there is a family in Grace in crisis or simply in need of a little extra help, Food for the Soul is there to offer a warm meal in order to ease the load.

We are an informal fellowship open to any man in the parish. All are welcome. What began in 2007 as a quest for fellowship and connection has grown into a group with a clear mission that focuses on 3 goals. First, through our activities we seek to strengthen the bonds of community here at Grace. Whether working on our own or in concert with other ministries we strive to create ties that reach beyond our time in the sanctuary. Second, we want to spread the word about Grace Church to the larger community. Through events like the Pig Roast we invite our neighbors to come and meet the people of Grace Church. Finally, in our activities we strive to keep our youth connected to the church. Sometimes that means assisting the Youth Group with their own events, while at other times it means involving youth in Men’s Group activities. We meet for breakfast on the first Saturday of each month in the Undercroft.

Grace Church Young Adults are a group of people in their 20s and 30s who have found a spiritual home at Grace. Our young adults are singled and coupled and share a commitment to build deeper relationships within Grace Church. They gather roughly once a month for social connection, spiritual exploration, service or simply to have fun, depending on the month.

The mission of Strolling Seniors is to promote community by providing small group interaction among church members. The focus is to provide seniors who cannot drive an outing where they can socialize and enjoy a trip.

PARISH MINISTRIES

ALTAR GUILD ACOLYTE GROUP COFFEE HOUR & HOSPITALITY FLOWER GUILD LECTORS/LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS USHERS

At Grace, the Altar Guild is a ministry — a ministry of service. The members (women and men) of the Altar Guild serve the Church under the direction of the clergy and are responsible for setting up and caring for the furnishings in the nave, sanctuary, and sacristy, as well as any other area of the church where special worship will take place.

The Altar Guild is responsible for tasks such as:
Preparing the altar
Laying out the vestments and vessels for worship
Setting the credence table with the elements (bread and wine) to be administered during communion
Laundering and ironing altar and worship linens, polishing brass and silver, filling candles and various other tasks.
Ensuring the altar is dressed in the proper color of the day (frontal hanging, burse, etc.)
Cleaning up after services and either preparing for another service or “closing down” for the day

The Altar Guild is a ministry of “quiet service.” It’s behind the scenes, but a most critical act of service to the church. The objective is the same for any weekly or special service: to make each service as perfect as possible.

We encourage participation in this important ministry and we welcome men and women to join our “teams” who take pride in preparing all areas of our church for worship. All are welcome.

The mission of the Acolytes Guild is to assist the clergy as needed in the ministration of the worship services at Grace Episcopal Church. This concept goes back to the time of the Old Testament. The goals of the Acolytes Guild are to serve those worshiping at Grace Church and to assist in forming the faith of the youth who serve in the Acolytes Guild.

Approximately 30 youth and young adults are members of the Acolytes Guild. They serve on a rotating basis (generally once a month) throughout the year. Acolytes begin serving in the fifth grade and serve on a regular basis until they graduate from high school. Acolytes often continue to serve while they attend college and serve at special services over Christmas and Easter and otherwise as needed.The Acolytes Guild includes five (5) adult supervisors, each assigned to one of the five teams.

When acolytes join the Guild, they begin by carrying candles in processions and during the recessional, and in lighting and extinguishing the candles. As they become more experienced, acolytes assist in carrying banners, distributing alms basons and collecting the offering from the ushers, carrying the Gospel Book in procession, assisting in the preparation of the preparation of the Table, and assisting during the ministration of Communion as needed. The senior acolyte on each team coordinates acolyte assignments for the team once the service begins and provides guidance to younger acolytes during the service.

Grace Church has long been known for its love of fellowship, fun, and food! We are a community that eagerly engages in a wide range of fellowship events, always with food. Through these events, we catch up with parish friends, while welcoming the newcomer in our midst. We enjoy breaking bread together, we care deeply, laugh easily, and rejoice in our time together. The Hospitality Ministry helps to create these special fellowship opportunities, as well as support other ministries in planning their events. Most months at Grace, the Hospitality Ministry hosts an event, ranging from Ministry Sunday September to our annual Parish Picnic in June. It also hosts Fellowship Brunches and special events like our annual Christmas Cookie Share.

The Flower Guild’s mission is to order and design altar flower arrangements to the glory of God to celebrate worship during the Sunday services as well as for Christmas, Palm Sunday, Easter, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other special services. The Flower Guild will provide training, workshops, and mentorship. We welcome new members

Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) serve at Sunday worship services and other special services where there is communion. They lead the congregation in the Prayers of the People, and administer the cup at communion. In addition, at the 8 a.m. service, they read the lessons, and they serve as acolytes, at the credence table, and by receiving the offering plates.

Lectors read the lessons at the 10:30 a.m. service, and absent a choir, also lead the congregation in the psalm.

The Ushers are responsible for welcoming parishioners and guests, seating guests and maintaining the order and security of services. Ushers hand out bulletins, take up the offering, direct people for communion, deliver flowers after the service. All are welcome to usher, as well as families with children.