News from Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst June 2016

A REASONABLE PROPOSITION

Sometimes I think the Town of Amherst or the greater Amherst region is perhaps the most difficult place to be a person of faith. Why? Because being amongst Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts, we are not so much surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses as we are encircled by an enormous brain trust. We are in an area that is one of the intellectual powerhouses of our nation and the world, which is terrific but sadly may also come at a price – a sacrifice of faith.

Too often great minds would have us believe that intellectual pursuits and religion somehow are antithetical, that once we begin to use our minds for serious thought, we have no choice but to abandon our religious convictions. Conversely, they may imply that if we maintain religious beliefs, then we cannot be serious and vigorous critically thinking people.

In the very early life of the Church, a common accusation was that Christianity was irrational and that it was a belief system that was anti-intellectual. Sound familiar? I believe we who proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ today have a lot in common with our Christian sisters and brothers from the 1st and 2nd centuries, particularly concerning this societal misunderstanding of who we are and what we believe.

We humans are sometimes called thinking animals. If our ability to ponder realities beyond that which we can experience through our senses sets us apart from the rest of God’s creation (a premise I’m not claiming with any certainty, just ask my dog Lucy), then not only can we use our minds for intellectual ponderings, but we even have an obligation to do so. To do anything less is to reject the gift of reason. As Christians, when we search for truth or knowledge, we are to do so boldly, because we must have the confidence that what we discover will not destroy our faith. Knowledge and faith are not either/or, they are both/and.

The pursuit of knowledge and the questioning of what one believes will never be an insult to God. God gave us inquisitive minds that we are meant to use. Being a critical thinker should not and does not exclude one from the Body of Christ, nor is one’s intellect meant to be checked at the front door of the church.

Where do we find God? Where is God ever-ready to meet us?

In our questions.

May you have an inquiring and discerning summer.

Grace and peace,

The Rev. Tom Synan+

www.gracechurchamherst.org Youth Sunday and Campus Ministry

Youth Sunday Thank you to the youth of Grace Church for putting together a fabulous Youth Sunday on May 22nd. The service came together beautifully with the youth putting together a dramatic interpretation of the Gospel, writing and preaching the homily, arranging the offertory anthem, and writing the prayers of the people. We are so blessed to have such amazing and talented young people amongst us. They coordinated a thoughtful liturgy with an emphasis on the Trinity and who God is to each and everyone one of us. Youth Sunday is evolving into an annual tradition at Grace Church.

Campus Ministry Our campus ministry initiatives have truly taken off this program year. With the help of Lawrence Corps intern, Rachael Essing, we were able to provide support to the university students of Amherst. One amazing new ministry is the formation of "Simmering with the Spirit," a young adult group that comes together on Thursday evenings during the academic year for food and fellowship. It is an opportunity for students to create authentic community and to converse about both spiritual and personal life. An especial shout out to all of our chefs who have provided meals for this group this year! Your abundant generosity has made this ministry possible. Thank you! We have also been reaching out to students off campus this academic year. Over the last two semesters we have handed out over 1,000 finals care packages to Amherst College students. That means we are reaching roughly 25% of the student body each semester. Students were extremely grateful for the love and support we showed them through the creation of these care packages. Thank you to all who donated food, wrote notes of encouragement, packed the food, and distributed the packages on campus. We especially love that two little helpers showed up to greet the students (Henry and Amory Maxey)! This was a fantastic and fun-filled year for campus ministry with. And it looks like this energy and enthusiasm will spill over into the next academic year as well.

www.gracechurchamherst.org We are a community striving to be fully alive in the glory of God — in our life together, in our participation in the sacraments, and in our efforts to respect the dignity of every human being. Come worship with us, join our Music Ministry or the Altar Guild, help out with Sunday School, or join us in service at the Interfaith Cot Shelter, Craig’s Doors, or Not Bread Alone. Try knitting a prayer shawl, or grab a shovel and help us to plant our new gardens in the spring! We hope that you will join us and find a home where you can discover the life of Christ that dwells within you and that needs community to find its full expression. We look forward to seeing you in Church, at gatherings in the Parish Hall, or at coffee hour after services, in the Connector. If you are new here, please fill out a blue “Welcome card” (found in the pews). Just place it in the collection plate, and indicate if you would like to speak with a member of the clergy.

Graduations and Commencements! Are you or someone you know graduating this season? On Sunday, June 12th, we would like to recognize all who have graduated in the last academic year, from Pre-school to Post-Doctorate. Send us the names of graduates, so we can include them in the service. If you or someone you know is going off to pursue further studies, please let us know that too. Please contact the Parish Administrator, Angela Battle, at 413.256.6754 or [email protected] to request recognition.

PLANT SALE: Many thanks for all who donated plants and worked on the Garden Ministry's plant sale last weekend. A special thank you to all the buyers who braved the difficult parking situation to support our efforts. Our final count was $1,335, a record. We gave some of the remaining plants to the Sunderland Congregational Church for their sale this weekend and the rest were placed on the lawn with a sign "Free Plants." We will be planting some roses and butterfly bushed in the Garth with some of the money raised. Garden Ministry.

COMPOSTING at GRACE CHURCH! We have compost bins behind the Parke House on Spring St. Please consider bringing your kitchen food waste to add to them. Fruit, vegetables, tea leaves, coffee grounds, grass cuttings, flowers and any plant material (NO WOODY STEMS or WEEDS) are all welcome. PLEASE NO FATS, MEAT or PLASTIC BAGS! The worms are already doing their wonderful thing, so it would help them if all contributions could be put under the pieces of carpet. Thank you so much. Instructions are on the bins. Questions Mary Hocken 549-8773 or [email protected] for the Garden Committee.

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives The Founders There was a church before the crenellated tower... before the high stone walls... before the deep foundation... before the gifts...before the fundraising campaign. Before there was even a building plan or a creative spark in the mind of an architect. There was a church when Amherst families worshiped together in a sanctuary that was not their own... when they began to care for one another... and when they pledged to be God's hands on earth. These people were the church. They were people just like us... with complex lives and dreams... strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures. Who were these people? They were, literally, the butcher (Warren D. Smith,) the baker (Henry Oliver Pease,) and the candlestick maker (Rodolphus Turner.) It is time to look at a group of neighbors, acquaintances, and even a few strangers who became the Grace Church we commemorate in our sesquicentennial. Six months before General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, sixteen Amherst men, plus the Rev. Frederic Dan Huntington, met at the home of Mary Jones to discuss the organization of a new church association in Amherst. Ten of the 16 men were under the age of 40. Most of them were energetic businessmen who had met with some degree of success in the growing town of Amherst. Many of them, in various permutations and combinations, had served, or would serve, on numerous committees and associations organized to improve the town... to bring a railroad to Amherst, to provide safe running water, to make and distribute gas for public street lighting and for private homes, to beautify the public ways and the Common, and ultimately to bring electricity and the telephone to town. Some of them had been born in Amherst; some had moved to Amherst from surrounding towns; and some had come as students to Amherst College and decided to stay. They had heard about the Sunday evening meetings at the Baptist Church and had come to hear the Rev. Frederic Dan Huntington and a few of his friends deliver the sermons. None of them, excepting Mary Jones, were communicants of St. John's Episcopal Church in Northampton, just 7 miles away. Most of them experienced their first Episcopal Eucharist on 4 Sep 1864. They had come to this meeting on September 20th, 1864, to discuss whether there were sufficient interest and resources in Amherst to support a new Episcopal church. There appeared to be no dissention; fifteen of them, plus Mary Jones, can be found on the first parish list, dated 9 Feb 1865, as heads-of-families. The only name not of the list was John Milton Emerson, Alma's brother, who lived in New York City. After the Rev. Huntington explained the governance of a parish to the group, an election was held. George Burnham was elected as Senior Warden and John Emerson was elected Junior Warden. (Perhaps he was elected to honor his sister's earlier involvement. He was not a current resident of Amherst.) The nine vestrymen included: I. F. Conkey, H. C. Nash, Horace Ward, Charles Deuel, Luther D. Sheppard, John C. White, M. M. Marsh, M.N. Spear, and R. W. Stratton. O. G. Couch was chosen as clerk and treasurer. Two days later the new officers and vestry met to establish committees: (1) to secure a place for religious services, (2) to prepare by- laws for the governance of the parish, (3) to form a choir, and (4) to recommend a location whereon to construct a new church. George Burnham, Founder and Warden George was born 28 Jan 1817 in East Hartford, CT. He received a common school education in East Hartford, then served an apprenticeship in bench plane making in New Hartford. He moved to Amherst 10 Apr 1841 taking a position as journeyman plane maker in the workshop of Luther Fox located near the Fort River in the eastern part of the town. Within one year, George, along with Hiram Fox, Benoni Thayer, and Aaron Ferry bought the business and carried it on for about two years. Then George bought-out his partners and carried on the business for several year before selling to a Middletown, CT, firm. George then switched his business by buying presses for forming straw hats. He pressed hats for L. M. Hills and other hat-makers in the Valley. Later, he formed a partnership with Steven W. Gilbert for making ax handles, but the partnership lasted less than a year and he continued the business with ten employees. In 1855, his business had an income of $30,000. On the 22nd of July, 1858, one of the buildings was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm, setting a fire which destroyed the entire plant. Burnham immediately rebuilt, bigger and better. At the 1864 organizational meeting of Grace Church, George Burnham was elected senior warden of the temporary vestry. At the 1985 meeting to form the corporation, Mr. Burnham served as moderator and was again elected senior warden of the newly-elected vestry.

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives His next ventures were a stone mill for grinding corn constructed on the river, a steam plant, and a saw-mill. In the fall of 1868, he formed a partnership with E. B. Fitts for the manufacture of pumps, but this venture was eventually sold-off to Mr. Fitts. In the spring of 1871, George moved to Worcester where he continued various business interests until his death 11 Jul 1893. . He was buried in West Cemetery, plot 82-A.

John Milton Emerson, Founder and Warden He was the elder brother of Alma Emerson, born 29 Jun 1826 in Heath, MA, the son of Joseph and Sarah (Cheney) Emerson. His preparatory schooling was at Williston Seminary in Easthampton. He graduated from Amherst College in 1849 and served for one year as a tutor at Monson Academy; then he returned to Amherst College and received his M.A. in 1852. He was a tutor at Amherst from 1851 to 1853 while studying law with Ithamar Conkey in Amherst and with A. B. Ely in Boston. In 1854 he was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. He practiced law in Amherst for two years and served as Amherst Town Clerk for one year until, in 1856, he moved to New York. When Grace Church was looking for a place to build a stone church, he offered to sell the Emerson property on North Prospect Street, but the committee decided to build near the Common instead. In 1869, he died in Westchester, NY from "hemorrhage of the lungs," probably tuberculosis. Andrew Mackie, the second rector, and Frederic Dan Huntington presided at his funeral. He was buried in the family plot in the Center Cemetery, Heath, MA. In "History of Amherst College During Its First Half Century 1821-1871," the following paragraph about John Emerson is included: "John M. Emerson lived to middle life, and lived to good purpose; for he had demonstrated to the conviction of all who knew him, that an honest, cultivated Christian lawyer can live and succeed in New York; when in the very prime of his life and promise, the bar of that city was robbed of so rare an ornament, and at the same time a widowed mother in Amherst bereft of her only son."

Ithamar Francis Conkey, Founder and Vestryman, Chairman of the Building Committee Ithamar Francis Conkey was born in Amherst on March 23, 1823, the son of Judge Ithamar Conkey and his wife Elizabeth Clapp. He was called Francis or Frank by his friends and most of the town to distinguish him from his illustrious father. Francis attended schools local to Amherst and went on to study at Amherst College in 1843, but left before completing his studies. [Twenty years earlier, his father had voted against the petition for a charter for the college... and then, ironically, became a trustee.] Francis eventually decided upon a career in law and, after some study, was admitted to the bar and began a practice in Amherst in 1844. He was married in Amherst on June 15, 1847 to Luthera Cutler (1826-1885), with whom he would have the following children: Jane Cutler (1848-1905), Edward (1850- 1919), Lizzie (1853-1855) and Samuel (1856-1857). In the succeeding years Francis built up a successful law practice, and with it a reputation as one of Amherst's leading men of affairs. In the year of his marriage he was named as a justice of the peace and in 1852 was elected to the Massachusetts State House of Representatives from Hampshire County. He later served in the legislative session of 1854 and in 1856 was elected as District Attorney of the Northern District of Massachusetts. He was the moderator of the annual town meeting for 26 years, still the longest span in the town's history. In 1860, the Conkey Family was living in a house located off Main Street close to the current location of the First Congregational Church parking lot. He later moved further east on Main Street to the mansion adjacent to the Amherst Dental Group. In 1864-1866, Francis was the chairman of the Building Committee of Grace Church. He acted as Clerk-of-the-works, making sure that work was done properly and safely. One of the memorial windows installed before the consecration of Grace Church was a memorial for two of Ithamar's and Luthera's children who died in infancy, Lizzie and Samuel. In 1872, Conkey, in partnership with E. F. Cook, purchased the Amherst House, and operated it, with landlords, until it burned in 1879. There is an interesting story about Ithmar Francis Conkey involving the Dickinson family. Francis was a friend of Austin Dickinson, Emily's brother. Their friendship, however, was troubling to Edward Dickinson, Austin's father. Although he and Francis served

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives together in a multitude of town functions and on honorary committees, there was a real political rivalry in their relationship. Edward Dickinson was a "straight" Whig in a period when "republican" Whigs considered "straight" Whigs out-of-date. Edward Dickinson was disturbed that his son was becoming "touched" by the new republican brand through his association with Francis. After Edward wrote a chiding note to his son, Emily wrote a tongue-in-cheek poem about the incident, also warning her brother to keep his distance from Republican Conkey. A Burdock - clawed my Gown - Not Burdock's - blame - But mine - Who went too near The Burdock's Den - A Bog - affronts my shoe - What else have Bogs - to do - The only Trade they know - The splashing Men! Ah, pity - then! 'Tis Minnows can despise! The Elephant's - calm eyes Look further on! In addition to his political service, Conkey was active in local organizations such as the Hampshire Agricultural Society, secretary of the Amherst Lyceum, the Masonic Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and was a vestryman of Grace Church, Amherst. He assisted in the organization of the Amherst Savings Bank and was a member of its board of trustees. He was clerk of the Cataract Engine company. Ithamar F. Conkey died in Amherst on August 8, 1875 at age 52; cause of death, neuralgia of the heart; and was survived by his wife Luthera, who died in 1885. Both were interred at the West Cemetery in Amherst. Plot 30-D. His obituary described him as "prominent in every enterprise and every question in which the town or any portion of it was interested, expressing his opinion on all subjects promptly and emphatically, and though often opposed to some of our citizens on public matters, his honesty was never questioned, and he was almost uniformly in the right." Edward Dickinson, take note!

Henry Clark Nash, Founder and Vestryman Henry Clark Nash was born in Amherst 21 Feb 1829. He graduated from Amherst College in the class of 1851, but even before that, he was helping as an instructor at the Mount Pleasant Boarding School for Boys, which had been founded by his father, the Rev. John A. Nash. In 1854, he succeeded his father as proprietor of the school and he changed the name to the Mount Pleasant Institute. The school was located on Mount Pleasant, the elevated land in the "V" between North Pleasant Street and East Pleasant Street. The main building and outbuildings sat on roughly 20 acres of land, including a front court of about 10 acres and a grove of forest trees of about ten acres more in which gymnastic apparatus was constructed for the amusement and health of the pupils. The school's reputation was known nationwide. The number of pupils was limited to sixteen and the course of study included a thorough preparation for college, school of technology, or business. Pupils had access, without extra charge, to the valuable courses of lectures at Amherst College. The cost of board tuition, washing, mending, fuel, and lights was $333 per year in 1898. He was President pro tem. of the Amherst Ornamental Tree Association at its inception in 1853, and later was one of its vice- presidents. When a question arose about paying for the re-grading around the pond on the Common, Henry Nash suggested that all of the gentlemen at the meeting empty their pockets to pay the expense. A collection was made and they raised the necessary $40. When Grace Church was consecrated in 1868, the northeast window of the nave was donated by Henry Nash in memory of his younger brother, William Adams Nash, who died in 1864. Henry and his wife, Emeline Kellogg, lived at 67 North Pleasant Street near the site of the current fire station. He died in December of 1900 and was buried in the "new" Wildwood Cemetery.

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives Horace Ward, Founder and Vestryman Horace Ward was born 3 Sep 1819 in Enfield, the 8th generation descendant of William Ward who settled in Sudbury in 1639. He married Mary Relief Robinson of Pelham in 1844. In the 1860 Census, he is listed as a "marketman"; a dealer in wool, meat, hides & fertilizer in the lower story of the Gunn Hotel, on the northwest corner of North Pleasant Street at Amity across the street from the Amherst House. He constantly complained to town officials about the smell from Henry Paige's Fish & Oyster Market. In 1870, he was living on the west side of North Pleasant Street close to the location of the existing Henion Bakery.

On 24 Apr 1865, Horace Ward was the first person to be confirmed by the new parish in a service held at the Amherst Academy. He served Grace Church as Junior and Senior Warden or vestryman for over 30 years and served one term as Representative to the General Court in Boston. He died 2 Sep 1898 and was buried in West Cemetery, plot 44-c. Charles Deuel, Founder and Vestryman Charles Deuel was born in 1823 in Cambridge, NY and was educated in that town. As a young man, he married Zeruah Utley of Peru, MA, but she died, probably in childbirth. Next, he moved to Williamsburg where he married Ternah S. Ley, the mother of his three sons, Charles Frederick, James Edward, and Frank D. In 1857, Charles bought the pharmacy business of Mr. Fitch, Amherst's first druggist, in the Phoenix Row. Circa 1865, he moved his place of business to the Amherst House Block, where the business continued beyond his death in the hands of his son Charles. The family's home was on North Prospect Street facing down Maple Street. [Currently, there is no Maple Street in Amherst. Was this the earlier name for Cowles Lane?] In 1870, Amherst had five pharmacies, so the competition was fierce. All of the druggists in the 19th and early 20th century mixed their own drugs using formulae that were derived from the standard texts of the day and chemicals and compounds that were commercially available. The bottles they used, too, were sold to them through commercial routes. Deuel's drug store was the site of one of Amherst's first telephones, installed in December, 1882 by the Western Massachusetts Telephone Company... the only phone available for public use. An advertisement from the 1880s says that Deuel's sold tooth, hair & nail brushes, toilet and fancy articles, perfumery and sponges, cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco, with a fine assortment of fresh candies. But the store also sold alcohol as a medicinal remedy. Barrels of it were stored in the cellar. And there was no other place to buy alcohol for home consumption because Amherst was a "dry" town. In 1884, when temperance activities were high and alcohol availability was low, Deuel's Drug Story was the target of a raid by a "liquor spotter" named George Wood who was sent from Boston to expose illegal liquor sales. Deuel's son Frank had allegedly been seen selling rum from a bottle at the rear door of the store. With the assistance of Sheriff Wright from Northampton, Sheriff George Gallond of Amherst, and five additional men, Wood prepared in Northampton for a night-raid of Deuel's store. But Deuel had been warned by a 19th-century anonymous "Paul Revere" who raced to Amherst on the Old Hadley Road. The Temperance folks found plenty of alcohol in Deuel's cellar, but no evidence of inappropriate use. The Amherst Record published a 186-line ballad about the raid which included the lines " Say, Mr. Druggist, we're feeling sick; Give us Jamaica ginger, quick!" Charles Deuel died 26 Aug 1897 from "stricture of the stomach" and was buried in West Cemetery, plot 403-A.

Luther Dimmick Shepard, Founder and Vestryman Luther D. Shepard only lived in Amherst for a total of five years before going to Boston to achieve his fame and glory, but he was involved during the crucial formative years of Grace Church. He was born in Windham, ME in 1837 and was educated in the Nashua, NH public schools and Phillips Exeter Academy. He graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1860, then went to the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery for his D.D.S. degree. He returned to Amherst to set up his dental practice in 1862, and in 1864, at the age of 27, he was the youngest man elected to the first vestry of Grace Church.

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives His dental practice in Amherst lasted only a few years. In 1865 he opened a second practice in Salem, MA while still maintaining office hours in Amherst. Then he moved to Boston where he was associated with several influential dental practices. His career was filled with many earned and honorary degrees and is too long and to be included here... but a few highlights: - Adjunct Professor of Operative Dentistry, Harvard Dental School (1868-1879) - Professor of Operative Dentistry, Harvard Dental School (1879-1882) - President of the American Dental Association, 1879 - President of the International Dental Congress at its meeting in Chicago in 1892 - President of the Boston Yacht Club For many years he lived at 100 Boylston Street, Boston, in a home overlooking the Boston Common which is now the Colonial Building, a dormitory for Emerson College. He died of a heart attack 26 Jan 1911 at the Wadsworth Hotel. He was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Jamaica Plain.

John Calvin White, Founder and Vestryman Calvin White was born 3 Jun 1831, the son of the Rev. Calvin White and Mary L. Dickinson. In the 1855 Census, John was regis- tered as a 23-year-old farmer living in Amherst with John & Olive Dickinson (relatives on his mother's side of the family). He was a founding member of the Amherst Rod & Gun Club. He owned extensive property to the east of the town center, including the sewer outlet. He is mentioned often in the history of Amherst because his home and extensive properties served as markers for other point of interest. He was involved during the 1860s and 70s in the activities of the Hampshire Agricultural Society. In 1860, he lived on the west side of East Pleasant Street near the site of Pokeberry Ridge and in 1865, his home was the second house south of Amherst College on the east side of South Pleasant Street. In 1866, he was mentioned as a cattle judge for the Hampshire Agricultur- al Society. In the 1880s, he continued to farm on South Pleasant. At the time of the founding of Grace Church, John White was the recipient of the warrant from Justice Marsh in reply to the petition of incorporation, requiring him to notify and "warn" the members of the Protestant Episcopal Society Church to meet in the Hall of the Amherst Academy, April 17, to act on the articles set forth in their petition. John died 17 Apr 1901 and was buried in Wildwood Cemetery.

Merrick Munson Marsh, Founder and Vestryman Merrick Marsh was born 14 Jan 1822 in Greenfield (or Erving,) the son of Rufus and Camilla (Church) Marsh who lived in Leverett. In 1822, Marsh married Louisa Bartlett, also of Leverett, and together they raised two sons, Edwin and Charles. For many years the family lived at 34 North Prospect Street. Merrick Marsh came to Amherst at the age of sixteen to learn the trade of a cabinet-maker with the firm of McKinney & Bangs. Several years later, about 1844, he went to Brattleboro, VT, for a brief time, and thence to Enfield, MA. After a short interval spent in other places he finally returned to Amherst in 1846. The shop in which he had apprenticed, after passing through several ownerships in the past eight years, was then owned by Hiram Fox. Marsh bought the business and engaged in business for himself as a cabinetmaker. Marsh, and later his son, Edwin Dwight Marsh, ran the business for over 50 years. Some historical records of Amherst describe Marsh as a "cabinet-maker," but it is unclear whether he made all of the furni- ture he sold. The Marsh Furniture and Carpet Rooms was the largest store of its kind in Western Massachusetts outside of Spring- field. It faced the common on Main Street. Edwin, Merrick's son, had a double career; in addition to selling furniture, he sold caskets as Amherst's most prominent undertaker. He was the undertaker at Emily Dickinson's funeral. He was a life-long Democrat, just like his parents. Merrick Marsh died 12 July 1905 and was buried in Wildwood Cemetery.

Mirick Nathan Spear, Founder and Vestryman Mirick (Myric) Spear was born in Shutesbury Jul 1824 , the son of Eliphalet & Martha (Paull) Spear. Little is known of his early life. On 27 May 1847, in Amherst, he married Sarah Ann Mary Whitney (b. c1826); his profession was listed as "Mechanic."

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives In 1849, Marsh opened a store in the Phoenix Row on Main Street which sold books, newspapers, stationary, and "paper hangings." He was the proprietor there for fifty years until his death. In 1853, he was an organizer of the Amherst Ornamental Tree Association. The organizational meeting was held in his store. In 1857, he became a justice of the peace, and in 1858, he was secretary of the meeting to establish an agricultural library in Am- herst. The 1860 Census shows him living at the corner of Amity and North Prospect Street where the Drake Hotel was eventually built. He was living there with his wife, Sarah Ann, and 3 sons, Edward, William, & Henry, plus a female servant. He was a neighbor of Horace Ward. In 1865, he was secretary and treasurer of the Hampshire Agricultural Society. In 1875, he was in charge of one of the hook and ladder companies. And in the same year, he was a member of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Massachusetts and was a member of a 3-person committee charged with writing the Masonic obituary of Ithamar Conkey. His wife died circa 1879, and in the 1880 Census, Spear was living alone in the Gunn Hotel, but in August of that year, he married Randella Olive (Hale) Washburn of Stowe, VT, (b. 28 Mar 1848, d. 24 Mar 1920.) She was 24 years his junior. Randella Spear was a business woman and maintained her own millinery and fancy goods store in Phoenix Row. By 1895, she and Mirick had moved to a more fashionable home on Lincoln Ave near Amity. Mirick Spear died 30 Jul 1899 of gastric carcinoma and was buried in West Cemetery, Plot 159-A2.

Rufus William Stratton, Founder and Vestryman He was born 23 Jan 1827 in Northfield, the son of Rufus and Henrietta Stratton. On 5 Dec 1850 he married Jane Eliza Clapp of Montague in Ware, MA. They had four daughters, all born in Amherst. He owned a boot and shoe shop in the Williams Block, Merchants Row. The family home was at 48 North Prospect. As a member of the Amherst Ornamental Tree Association, Stratton was given the job, along with H.D. Fearing, of grading and improving the Common according to the plan suggested by Frederick Law Olmsted, the distinguished landscape architect. He was noted as a staunch Republican, casting his first vote for Freemont in 1856. Later in life he was in the insurance business for 12 years. In the 1900 Census, Stratton's occupation is listed as "Insurance agent", and he is living with his wife, Jane, and Gertrude, his 28-year-old daughter who is a private secretary. Rufus Stratton died 20 Jan 1914, the last surviving member of the original vestry. He was buried in West Cemetery, plot 47.5-A.

Orson G. Couch, Founder, Clerk of the Vestry, and Treasurer There seems to be some confusion concerning his middle name. In various documents it is listed as "Goodale," "Goodell," and "Goodall." Orson Couch was born 6 Dec 1831 in Meriden/Plainfield NH, the son of John Morton and Fanny (Goodale) Couch. His family seemed to move a lot. In the 1850 Census, they were living in Cornish, NH. In the 1855 Massachusetts Census, Orson his living with his parents and siblings in Holyoke. Circa 1856, Orson married Emily Haywood and in the 1860 Census he was liv- ing with his wife and 4-year-old daughter Emma in South Hadley. Before 1860, Orson and his family moved to Amherst. In 1862, his profession was listed as "merchant" selling groceries, crockery, and glassware in the Amherst House Block, Merchants Row. In September, 1864, Mr. Couch was elected clerk and treasurer of the temporary vestry at the meeting at the home of Mary Hubbard Jones. He was also clerk of the meeting held in April, 1865, to form the parish corporation, and at that meeting, was elected clerk and treasurer of the newly elected vestry. [He had excellent, beautiful penmanship and wrote clear, concise records and ledgers... for which this author is very grateful.]

www.gracechurchamherst.org Archives He served two separate terms as Amherst's postmaster, the first in the early 1880s and the second in the mid 1980s. In December of 1873, Mr. Couch served as the secretary of the Amherst Library Association with the purpose of establishing a public library. Any person might become a member by paying $5 or donating the equivalent value in books. Annual dues were $1. The library was located in the second story of the Adams Block. In 1895, he was co-warden of Grace Church with Horace Ward. Orson Couch died 4 August 1907 in Springfield and was buried in West Cemetery, plot 175-B.

These men did their jobs as vestrymen. They found a place for worship services in the recently closed Amherst Academy. They began to consider bylaws which were further developed by the subsequent vestry. They tried to hire a "singing master" or choir director... without much luck, initially. And they found a location to build a church building... three places, in fact... but that story comes later.

www.gracechurchamherst.org Outreach

Outreach! Our May Outreach Offerings brought in $741.02 to be sent to Not Bread Alone.

Not Bread Alone is a community meal program that The fellowship meets at noon on the second Sunday offers FREE homemade, hot meals and groceries to of each month to pray, discuss, and plan responses anyone in need. Meals are provided three days a week to social and economic injustices locally, nationally, and on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas in and in the world. We welcome everyone to our the lower level dining room of the First Congregational monthly meetings. Church in Amherst, 165 Main St. Grace Church members volunteer on the second Saturday of each month from 10:30-2:30. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Chris Hoffman ([email protected])

Ongoing Interfaith Vigil against Drone Warfare: Tuesday, June 7th and June 21st at noon in the Parker Room. Silent meditation, prayers, discussion. Pray for peace in our time. All are welcome.

www.gracechurchamherst.org

Upcoming Events at Grace

Tea and Titles will take place on Thursday, June 2nd at 3:55pm in the Connector. All are welcome!

“Palestinian olive oil will be available for sale by the Episcopal Peace Fellowship at coffee hour following both services on Sunday, June 5th. It is first cold press, organic and fair trade. Olive oil is sold on the first Sunday of each month. The proceeds from the sale enable Grace to provide a scholarship for Rimon Musallam, who is a Christian youth studying computer technology at the Episcopal Technological and Vocational Training Center in Ramallah.”

Diamond Approach The Diamond Approach is both an understanding of our deepest human nature and a path to realizing and developing our fullest potential. It provides a precise method for inner work. Students of the Diamond Approach practice open-ended inquiry, a moment-to-moment investigation into the truth of their experience. In addition, meditation and ancient body sensing practices of presence provide guidance for the soul's transformation. The work is done in large group format, small groups settings, and in private sessions with Diamond Approach teachers. Saturday. June 18th from 10-5pm in the Connector.

Save the Date for News of St. Matthieu—Join the Haiti Ministry for Haitian coffee after the 9:30 service on Sunday, June 19, for a report of the visit by Tom Synan, Patty Appelbaum and the Muspratts to Haiti in April. Hear the latest news of progress on the school building, already under way thanks to your generosity.

Saturdays, June 11th and 25th “Over 60s Gathering at Grace” 2-3:30 in the Connector A group of over-60s for exploring the myths, magic, and challenges of this phase of our lives. Please join us for friendly conversation as we connect around common interests . We typically meet bi-weekly, usually on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. For more information contact Adrian Stair, 230-3868, [email protected].

www.gracechurchamherst.org “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” -Mother T eresa

seeks to further the healing ministry of We coordinate parishioners eager to help Jesus Christ in our parish family by Grace Church members or their families offering prayer and support to members of during an illness or family crisis. Short-term Grace Church who are sick, injured, help includes offering rides to church or to disabled, aged, and those who find medical appointments; bringing meals to the themselves in crisis or in challenging door, shopping for groceries, picking up transitions. For more information or to prescriptions, and visiting. Quarterly request assistance, please contact facilitators accept referrals from clergy, Jeannette Stebbins ([email protected]). family or friends. Please contact Jeannette Stebbins([email protected]) for more information.

Do you know someone who can’t get to church? Lay Eucharistic Visitors or LEV’s are trained ministers who are given Communion from the altar, and take it out to share with parishioners who cannot get to church. LEV’s offer home-bound and nursing home residents a chance to share Holy Communion with the rest of the gathered parish. Please think about who would welcome having a LEV bring Communion. Please call the Parish Administrator Angela Battle at 256-6754, speak to any clergy member, or email Mary McCarthy at [email protected] to make arrangements.

Prayer Circle is ready to pray for the needs of those in crisis who want a degree of anonymity. Names will be held in confidence by members of the Circle and will not be published outside Circle members. Names will remain on the list for a month, unless otherwise requested. If you would like to be prayed for in this way, or would like to make a request for a loved one, please contact: MJ Fowler ([email protected])

www.gracechurchamherst.org ~ June 2016 ~ For additional information please visit www.gracechurchamherst.org

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 11:00 Staff Meeting 2 3:55 Tea and Titles 3 7:00 Men’s Group 4 12:10 Holy Eucharist, 7:30 Choir Rehearsal 5:30 Evensong Rite I with Healing Prayer 4:00 Al-Anon

5 8:00 Holy Eucharist 6 5:00 Haiti Ministry 7 12:00 Drone Prayer Vigil 8 11:00 Staff Meeting 9 5:30 Executive Committee 10 7:00 Men’s Group 11 11:00 Commission and 9:00 Coffee Hour 5:15 UA 5:15 AA 12:10 Holy Eucharist, 7:30 Choir Rehearsal 5:30 Evensong Committee Leader Meeting 9:15 Sunday School 7:00 AA Rite I with Healing Prayer 10:30 Not Bread Alone 4:00 Al-Anon 9:15 Bible Study 2:00 “Over 60’s Gathering” 4:00 Piano Recital 10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:00 Coffee Hour 12:00 Sesquicentennial Meeting

12 8:00 Holy Eucharist 13 5:15 UA 14 5:15 AA 15 11:00 Staff Meeting 16 17 7:00 Men’s Group 18 10:00 Diamond Approach 9:00 Coffee Hour 5:30 Contemplative 12:10 Holy Eucharist, 5:30 Evensong 9:15 Sunday School Bible Reflection Rite I with Healing Prayer 4:00 Al-Anon 9:15 Bible Study 6:00 Valley Discernment Group 9:45 Liturgy in the Chapel 7:00 AA 10:30 Holy Eucharist 12:00 Coffee Hour 12:15 Vestry 12:30 Iconography 2:00 Balcom’s 70th Wedding Anniversary Celebration

19 8:15 Bible Study 20 8:00 Iconography 21 8:00 Iconography 22 8:00 Iconography 23 8:00 Iconography 24 7:00 Men’s Group 25 8:00 Iconography 9:30 Holy Eucharist Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop 8:00 Iconography Workshop 11:00 Coffee Hour 5:15 UA 12:00 Drone Prayer Vigil 11:00 Staff Meeting Workshop 2:00 “Over 60’s Gathering” 5:15 AA 5:30 Evensong 11:00 Haiti Ministry Report 5:30 Contemplative 12:10 Holy Eucharist, Bible Reflection Rite I with Healing Prayer 7:00 AA 4:00 Al-Anon

26 8:15 Bible Study 27 5:15 UA 28 5:15 AA 29 30 9:30 Holy Eucharist 5:30 Contemplative 11:00 Coffee Hour Bible Reflection 12:30 Iconography 7:00 AA

Grace Notes June 2016

Return Service Requested

“Grace is nothing else but a certain Beginning of glory in us.” --Thomas Aquinas

Grace Episcopal Church • On the Common •14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002-2301

Phone: (413) 256-6754 • Fax: (413) 256-3518 • [email protected] • www.gracechurchamherst.org

Friday 5:30 pm Evensong pm 5:30 Friday

Wednesday 12:10 pm Rite I Holy Eucharist and Healing Prayer Healing and Eucharist Holy I Rite pm 12:10 Wednesday

Sunday 8:00 am and 10:30 am Holy Eucharist Holy am 10:30 and am 8:00 Sunday

Service Schedule Service

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