The Rev. Elizabeth A. Belasco, Deacon

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Belasco has returned to Grace Church as Deacon after a long absence spent serving other parishes within the Diocese.

Ordained in1984, Deacon Betty served at Grace from 1984 to 1998, with a brief hiatus as assistant to the vicar at St. Paul's Church in Roosevelt. In 1998 she was transferred to the Church of the Ascension in Rockville Centre.  Her most recent assignment has been at St. Stephen's Church in Port Washington. 

A graduate of Queens College, New York University, the Mercer School and the Center for Christian Spirituality at the General Seminary, Deacon Betty has also served in many capacities at the Diocesan level.  Most recently, the Search Committee for Bishop of Long Island occupied much of her time.  Currently, she is on the Mercer School Board of Trustees and is a six-time Deputy to General Convention.  She also teaches at the Mercer School in the areas of Scripture and diaconal formation.

In the year following the tragic events of 9/11/2001 Deacon Betty acted as chaplain at Ground Zero, ministering to the workers there.  When that closed, she continued to serve as chaplian at Memorial Park, where the unidentified remains of those still missing are stored.  Families come to visit and bring flowers, photos, letters, and other remembrances, and the chaplains are there for them. 

Following the tsunamis in Sri Lanka, she joined two others as Compassionate Responders and spent time listening to the stories of their losses.  Trained as a bereavement counselor, she and another deacon act as facilitators to bereavement groups throughout the Diocese.  Deacon Betty is also Spritual Director to both lay and clergy.

Deacon Betty sees her ministry at Grace Church as pastoral care, bereavement counseling, teaching, and "anything else where I am needed."    She is happy to be "at home" again, and is looking forward to her ministry at Grace  Church.