Meet The Pastor
Rev. Canon Ellendale Hoffman
Dear Friends:
We want to extend a warm welcome to you, to come visit Grace Episcopal Church in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. We hope you will be encouraged to join us for a time of worship. If you are a member of our parish, we hope you will continue to find new opportunities to grow and serve our Lord by participating in the many programs and ministries of Grace Church.
We also welcome those who are seekers and who want to learn more about God. Come to Grace Church with your questions and your dreams. Let us meet God together in a time of sharing through worship and ministry.
Grace Church is a friendly congregation whose mission is to share the healing love of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through our ministries and programs, we believe God’s love can redeem, restore and transform our lives. We are saved by God through His redeeming love in Jesus Christ. We are then invited to be a blessing to those around us, including our families, church, community and the world.
Forming the basis of all we do as a Christian community are the two Great Commandments:
- “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind...You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22: 34 - 40
- The Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples...” - Matthew 28:16 – 20
In these passages, Jesus reminds us that we are called to love God and each other, reaching out into the world in His name.
Our congregation welcomes people of every age. On Sunday mornings, we provide Christian Education classes for young children up through high school age. Worship is a blend of music, both traditional and contemporary. As we gather together in Christian community, our principal service of worship is the Holy Eucharist. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at Grace Church.
Visitors and parish members also are invited to our Wednesday morning Service of Public Healing which meets from September to June. A luncheon, which immediately follows the service, is sponsored by the Shoreline Soup Kitchens.
Grace Episcopal Church is situated on the beautiful shoreline of Connecticut, in the historic town of Old Saybrook. Our central location on Main Street reminds us we are in the heart of a local community and are called by God to make a difference in our town. We are active in numerous local and international outreach activities. Parishioners come from many locations in Connecticut, finding Grace Church their spiritual home.
Grace Church is a wonderful place to grow. Come and join us!
Faithfully yours,
The Rev. Canon Ellendale Hoffman, D. Min., LMFT