The Blessing of the Animals is a favorite event for children.
Throughout the year special events are an important part of the life of the parish. Below is a partial list:
Advent Wreath Making The First Sunday of Advent, adults and children meet together in Hanahan Hall to make Advent wreaths for their home tables.
Lessons and Carols We begin the Advent season of preparation with a traditional service of Advent Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. on the first Sunday in Advent. On the Third Sunday, we move into the season of celebration with Christmas Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. Both services feature music sung by the Grace Church Choir and the St. Nicholas Choir.
Christmas Our joyous celebration of Christmas begins with the children's traditional Christmas Pageant during the 9:00 service the Sunday before Christmas. Every child is urged to participate as a shepherd or angel and come to worship the Christ Child at the manger. Three Christmas Eve Eucharist services are offered: a 5:00 p.m. Family Service with the St. Augustine Choir and the St. Cecilia Choir; a Festal Eucharist at 8:00 p.m. with the St. Nicholas Choir; and a Festal Choral Eucharist at 11:00 p.m. with the Grace Church Choir.
Annual Parish Meeting Carrying on a tradition that goes back over 150 years, we gather as a parish family on the second or third Sunday in January to conduct the business of the parish, and to acknowledge those who have made extraordinary contributions to our life as a church. New vestry members and a new warden are elected during this meeting.
Kirkin' o' the Tartan In January, Grace recalls the Scottish heritage of the Episcopal Church in a service of Morning Prayer with special music and bagpipers from The Citadel.
Holy Week Easily the most important period in the church year, this week is set aside for special services of Holy Eucharist, prayer, and preaching. Palm Sunday includes the Reading of the Passion at all three services, as well as a Procession of Palms for children at 9:00 a.m. Holy Week services include the Commemoration of the Institution of the Lord's Supper and Stripping of the Altar on Maundy Thursday and special liturgies on Good Friday afternoon and evening. Children are invited to learn about Christ's death and resurrection in a "Walk Through Holy Week" event. This all provides a fitting preparation for Easter Day celebrations.
Easter Day Four celebrations of the Festal Eucharist, with bells, flowers and songs of "Alleluia," usher in this High Holy Day. The chiming bells in the columbarium peal once more. The glorious "Resurrection Garden" in the Garden of Remembrance echoes the message of triumph.
Grace Church Tea Room The Grace Church Tea Room offers wonderful homemade lunches and desserts during the Spoleto Festival, which takes place in Charleston durning late May and early June.
The Feast of Pentecost We celebrate the birthday of the church by worshiping together with our neighbors at Mt. Zion AME Church, alternating years as host parish.
Parish Picnic For more than 100 years, a Sunday in late May or early June has been set aside for the entire Grace Church family to gather at the beach (in recent years at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island) for an afternoon of fellowship and fun.
Parish Weekend at Kanuga A fall weekend retreat at the Kanuga Conference Center near Hendersonville, N.C., offers a chance to build relationships among individuals and within families in a setting which is truly touched by the divine hand. CLICK HERE to read about the 2007 Kanuga weekend, August 31-September 2.
Ministries Faire Ministries Faire begins the start of a new year of ministry, showcasing opportunities to learn, serve and grow. The bright booths of the Ministries Faire provide information on our various ministries, and we spend the Church School hour meeting and greeting the friends (new and old) whom we may not have seen over the summer.
Ministries Faire begins the start of a new year of ministry, showcasing opportunities to learn, serve and grow. The bright booths of the Ministries Faire provide information on our various ministries, and we spend the Church School hour meeting and greeting the friends (new and old) whom we may not have seen over the summer.
Ministries Faire begins the start of a new year of ministry, showcasing opportunities to learn, serve and grow. The bright booths of the Ministries Faire provide information on our various ministries, and we spend the Church School hour meeting and greeting the friends (new and old) whom we may not have seen over the summer. Ministries Faire begins the start of a new year of ministry, showcasing opportunities to learn, serve and grow. The bright booths of the Ministries Faire provide information on our various ministries, and we spend the Church School hour meeting and greeting the friends (new and old) whom we may not have seen over the summer.
Blessing of the Animals On the Sunday afternoon closest to the Feast of St. Francis (October 4), pet owners bring their pets into the church for a blessing and somewhat noisy service of worship that centers on our responsibility to care for all living things. In addition to a splendid array of cats and dogs, Grace clergy have blessed ferrets, a hedgehog, and even a horse.
Thanksgiving We begin our day of thanksgiving by giving thanks at the Lord's Table at 10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist