January 31: Traveler's Notebook + Connections - Grace

JOURNALING: I was married in Ohio in 1969 in an Episcopal Church, the faith of my husband, John. We moved to Utica NY where he had family and both began teaching. John's Aunt Nan was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Utica, so that is where we went every Sunday. She was a member of the choir and very active in Altar Guild. Eventually we moved to California, divorced, and I married Jim, also an Episcopalian. His family was in Florida. During my first visit with his mother she was showing me some old family photo albums. One picture was of a church with "Grace Episcopal" written next to it. When I asked about the photo, she told me the church was in upstate New York, Utica, where she lived for about a year before moving to Georgia. Oh my gosh! That was the same church I attended in Utica! Turns out she knew of John's Aunt Nan, the lady who returned all the missals and hymnals to the pew racks after services! Yes, that was Aunt Nan performing one of her duties for Altar Guild.
What are the odds? It sure is a small world.
Under "Grace" label near bottom: My mother-in-law's name was "Grace" - another coincidence.
Next to Both Photos: Grace Episcopal Church, Utica NY

CREDITS - PHOTOS & EPISCOPAL FLAG - from Wikimedia, CC0; KITS - "Faithful", Kristin Aagard; "iScrapbook", Little Butterfly Wings; "Puppy Love", Pink Reptile Designs; "Make Art & Journal #2", Rachel Jefferies; (rubber bands only) "EIEIO", Bubbles Bits; FONT - Mariah