Grace Church

For the past several months I have served as long-term supply priest at Grace Episcopal Church in Long Rapids.  This is a rural community on M-65 south of Posen, about 15 miles west of Alpena, and a 40 minute drive from Presque Isle.  My position became a bit more formal last week when parishioners installed a new sign — with my name on it!

Grace Church, on Long Rapids Road.

A new sign was installed last week.

Grace has gone through many ups and downs over the decades.  Now they are an older but relatively stable congregation which shows no signs of cashing in its chips.  Attendance runs 20-35 per Sunday, and during the past decade they have had as many as 17 children in church school at one time — although the student population now is much lower.  About five years ago the congregation built a new parish hall, which has freed up the old hall for church school classroom space.  The latter project should be finished late this summer.

Sundays at Grace Church always include an excellent selection of foods during coffee hour.  Yesterday's menu featured a fantastic rhubarb crisp.  For me, rhubarb is as much a sign of spring as daffodils.

No one leaves coffee hour feeling hungry!

Grace's new hall accommodates parish activities, as well as
community events, meetings, etc.  Here Donna digs into
the excellent rhubarb crisp.

Grace has a very active women's group, and a men's group
which meets monthly for breakfast and planning projects.

A couple days ago I was working at the kitchen sink and a deer wandered past my window.  I'd seen this deer earlier out by the road.  Apparently it's on its own; no others were in sight.  By the time I could get out my camera, the animal was grazing its way into the woods south of the house.  It soon noticed my movements in the window and stood still, staring at me, for 3-4 minutes, until I gave up and went back to the kitchen.

The deer walks into the woods on Lot 5.

As deer go, this one looked small and undernourished, especially compared to the deer around my apartment in Grand Haven.  The winter food supply in Presque Isle's cedar forests is slim.  Or this deer may have recently delivered a fawn and is now regaining its strength.

Speaking of deer eating habits, I'm going to a program in Rogers City tomorrow which will discuss use of native Michigan plant materials for landscaping.  I'll be curious to know what deer don't like to eat! •••