Friends,

Last Sunday, I preached about grief, loss, and resurrection. You can listen to the sermon here.

In his poem Four Quartets, T. S. Eliot wrote, "In my end is my beginning." His poem was about the spiritual journey, but it applies too to the work of grief. In all the ways we find ourselves lost after the death of a loved one, God holds out a promise of resurrection that offers new life. I believe that new life does not erase the pain and wounds we carry, but lets us move forward, healed, forgiving and forgiven, with the hard-won wisdom of all those chapters of our lives. Whole and free, with our wounds and our scars.

Eliot's words point us, too, to the cyclical nature of the church year. In just a few weeks we'll celebrate Christ the King Sunday -- the 'end' of the liturgical calendar, when we proclaim Jesus as God's final word of restoration and hope. And then, the following Sunday, we begin again with Advent, the yearning for salvation. Our lives echo this movement, from end to beginning, in ways that are practical and mystical, too.

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, I wonder what vision keeps you going? What is the 'end' of the journey you hope to reach, with God's help?

With love,
Susan+

Tags: Rev Susan, grief, Death

[In a world that seems increasingly chaotic and broken, many of us feel helpless and afraid. We may question what we can do to make a difference. To build collective courage, in this space we will share examples of how individual members of GEC are practicing the way of Jesus, in private action or in the public arena. How might you find inspiration and hope in the small steps others are taking?]

"Between December 2024 and November 2025, I felt called by God to write seven Bible commentaries (Genesis, Luke (x3), Acts, Romans, and Revelation) to explore what a Liberated Life looks like. This is grounded in an open and inclusive reading of God's Word. I know, from personal experience, that the Bible can be misused to judge and shame others, weaponizing texts into what are known as 'clobber passages'. I wanted to challenge people to read the Bible lovingly, counter divisive interpretations, and support those struggling with their faith."

"When people declare, 'The Bible says,' it is often not to use it with grace, but to shame people into changing their ways. My journey in writing these commentaries has shown me that Christians are called to a higher standard of grace and mercy, exemplified by loving God and loving your neighbor. I have also learned that the Bible speaks directly into the story of our lives, transforming us by connecting our experiences to those within its pages. Messages become distorted when we allow guilt, shame, and judgement to dictate our reading of God's Word, which is intended to unite us, not divide us. Its transformative power comes as we let the Holy Spirit heal our relationships and follow Jesus in discovering the way to the truth about life. This is lived unapologetically in the Unconditionally Loving presence of God."

You can find out more and buy Liberated Life Bible Commentaries here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWT9GLQJ?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi

This is my website: www.divineinfinity.org

Submitted by Steve R

Tags: Faith in action, shame, guilt

Friends,
What a fabulous celebration of the feast of All Saints on Sunday! All Saints celebrates the Saints who have gone before us -- those whose lives show us what it looks like to practice the way of Jesus in their time, so that we can creative and courageous in ours. From a fabulous litany and procession representing many saints, to music by our Parish and Youth choirs, to a celebration of our Pledge Campaign for 2026, the day was full of defiant joy. If you missed it, catch the video here.

My sermon shared about the Rev. Pauli Murray, an American icon and one of the saints we look to on the Episcopal calendar of saints. The way of Jesus that we see in Pauli Murray’s life is a way of creative, resilient, nonviolent work for justice. I hope you'll take a moment to learn more about Murray's life!

As you exercise the right to vote today, I encourage you also to bring non-perishable food to Grace for us to share. You can find more information about that below.

With love,
Susan+

Food Box Update
With SNAP benefits ending in November, now is a wonderful time to keep our Food Box full! We’re inviting everyone to take part in a November Food Box Drive to help stock our outdoor pantry. Throughout the month, we’ll collect non-perishable, winter-safe food items to create a reserve for the colder months ahead.

We’re mindful and grateful that Grace is already deeply engaged in feeding ministries with the Minnehaha Food Shelf, First Nations Kitchen, and Casa Maria. Making sure our Food Box is fully stocked is another great way to show our support for the neighborhood and our ability to lead with compassion in the face of this new crisis.

Suggested items include:
Boxed meals (mac and cheese, pasta, rice packets)
Granola bars and snack packs
Peanut butter and jelly (in plastic jars)
Cereal, oatmeal, or instant soup packets
Dried fruit and nuts
**Please note that canned goods are not winter safe as they can crack when frozen.

Even a few extra items each week can make a meaningful difference for neighbors facing food insecurity this winter. Let’s come together to keep our Food Box full and our hearts open.
Donations can be dropped off in the hallway by the Commons during the month of November.

Tags: saints, Pauli Murray, Food

[In a world that seems increasingly chaotic and broken, many of us feel helpless and afraid. We may question what we can do to make a difference. To build collective courage, in this space we will share examples of how individual members of GEC are practicing the way of Jesus, in private action or in the public arena. How might you find inspiration and hope in the small steps others are taking?]

"As I write this on the morning of Tuesday, November 4th, I'm looking forward to exercising my right to vote for elected officials in the city of Minneapolis. Why do I consider voting an essential way of putting my faith in action? The National Council of Churches offers an answer which resonates with me strongly. It is found on their webpage: 'As a part of our stewardship in a democracy, Christians have an obligation to make the most educated decision possible about who will represent our concerns on the local, state, and national levels. The voting booth is how we can participate in making sure there are leaders who will enact laws for the common good that do justice and love mercy; care for the most vulnerable in our society; ensure, to the extent possible, that our government lives up to this nation’s ideals by the people and for all the people; and, perhaps most significantly, hold leaders accountable.'" Submitted by Joe L.

Tags: Faith in action, Voting

[In a world that seems increasingly chaotic and broken, many of us feel helpless and afraid. We may question what we can do to make a difference. To build collective courage, in this space we will share examples of how individual members of GEC are practicing the way of Jesus, in private action or in the public arena. How might you find inspiration and hope in the small steps others are taking?]

"I attended the Seven Day gatherings beginning on October Eighth on the steps of the State Capitol building.  Five hundred clergy had signed a letter asking that Minnesota pass a ban on Assault Weapons and High Capacity Magazines.  Before the prayers, seventy of us proceeded into the building to present this letter to Governor Waltz’s representative.  The letter was read and handed over.  Then a statement from our own Bishop Craig Loya was read, which said in part 'Any refusal to enact simple and sensible gun control now is accepting the murder of innocent children as a normal part of our society. Such an acceptance would be a moral failure of the greatest magnitude.' By this morning our 500 signatures on this letter had increased to 935 clergy from 70 counties across the State.

Most of the gatherings included a period of silent prayer for 120 seconds, the amount of time the shooting at Annunciation School lasted.  As I prayed the Silence I tried to imagine how long it must have felt for those inside the worship who were sheltering and terrified, hoping it would stop. 

We realize that many other things must happen in terms of equity and inclusion and care for the least able to care for themselves before we find a solution.  And isn’t that what the Way of Jesus asks of us.  To care, and care, and care with prayer and with action that joins God in the project of healing the world with resilient, embodied, and joyful love!"
—Gretchen P

Tags: Faith in action, gun control, Rev Gretchen