We believe in loving our neighbors as ourselves and that an aspect of Christian discipleship is to respond compassionately to suffering in the world as well as among our brothers and sisters within the parish. Our parishioners are active in giving of their time and talents to share God’s grace with others. Some of our compassion ministries are on-going and others episodic. We invite you to learn more and discern how the Spirit of Christ is encouraging you to embody compassion, the love of Christ, both in our parish community, the wider Gainesville area and the broader world.
Serving as a key ministry of Grace Episcopal Church, the mission of our Outreach effort is to provide effective support to those in need in partnership with a number of worthy organizations in the Gainesville community and beyond.
Learn MoreCaring for others, especially in times of need, is an important part of embodying Christ’s love in the world around us. Our team of trained laypeople share a gift of presence, love and support and assist the clergy in providing a wide range of support and resources to those in need.
Learn MoreAll persons in a teaching, mentoring, or other leadership position at Grace are required to participate in a training program to learn standards of appropriate physical and sexual conduct between persons in our congregation. We use two programs sponsored by the Episcopal Church. For those persons working with anyone ages eighteen or younger, Safeguarding God’s Children is the program. For those working with adults or persons who are considered vulnerable, such as the aged or infirm, Safeguarding God’s People is the required program.
These programs are regularly updated to include recent legislation governing such conduct, as well as teaching appropriate language and practices for working with persons who identify as transgender or homosexual.
All of this training is designed to ensure that all persons feel safe and are treated with love and dignity. We believe that our capacity to act compassionately toward others requires clear and consistent boundaries that protect all persons from exploitation or other harm.