Greeting Friends,
The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon!
The Advent Sermon Series begins this weekend with Pastor Bill’s message “Flawless Love.” The sermon text is Psalm 89:1-8. Our first Advent Candle will be lit as we prepare our hearts and minds for the Christmas season. Special music for the traditional service will be presented by the Master’s Jazz Ensemble.
Thanks to all who helped decorate Christmas trees, sanctuary, hallways, fellowship hall, Growth Center and the courtyard. Your hard work and creative talents sure make a difference! You are appreciated!!!
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Special Charge Conference: There will be a special Charge Conference on Sunday, December 09 at 10:15 am in the Fellowship Hall. The purpose of the charge conference is to share information, and to vote on the renovation project, in the children’s wing and improvement to handicap accessibility, to our church building. All full Grace Church members who have taken membership vows at Grace Church are eligible to vote at the charge conference.
A Christmas Tree has been placed in the Narthex with tags for the Angels’ Wings program. Each tag on the tree represents a needy person in our community. After selecting a tag from the tree, place an unwrapped gift (gift bags are fine) with the tag securely attached to the gift bag, under the tree by Tuesday, December 11.
Attention Grace Men! There will be a Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, December 15th from 8:30 -10:00 am in Fellowship Hall. This is a great opportunity to enjoy a hearty breakfast and a time of fellowship with other men in your church family. Please sign up in the Welcome Center or call the church office so we are properly prepared. All men–6th Grade through 106 (youth to accompany an adult) are encouraged to come out and enjoy a hearty breakfast and a great time of fellowship.
IUP Men’s Basketball and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes present Guys Night Out with Clint Hurdle on Thursday, December 6th at 7 pm at the KCAC. General admission tickets are $15 each and may be purchased at the church office or the KCAC Box Office. Enjoy great ballpark food while the Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle shares his life experiences and the impact baseball and faith have had on him.
Music is such an integral part of the Christmas season. We offer many opportunities to enjoy the children, teens and adults of Grace Church share their gifts:
This Saturday, December 8, members of our Contemporary Worship Team will be featured on the IRMC Park stage, from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. Come out and enjoy the great music as you support our worship team. Last year, we had such a great time with the team and other church friends who turned out. (Even a friendly snowball battle was included in the fun!!!)
Please join us (and our narrator, Luke, the apostle) on Music Sunday, December 9, at 9:00 as the Chancel Christmas Choir and Agape Bells bring the ultimate story of love to you in song and music. “May you rediscover the miracle that happened… ONCE UPON A NIGHT.”
The Children of Grace Church will present the musical, The Drowsy Shepherd on Sunday, December 16, at 6 p.m. in our sanctuary. Plan now to attend this adorable and very meaningful presentation.
For everyone: Even if you don’t sing with the worship teams or choirs, you can take part in the second annual “Carols and Cookies” event sponsored by Women’s Evening Fellowship on Tuesday, December 11 at 7 pm in the church parlor. There will be fun, food and fellowship for all!
Your church staff comes together every Tuesday morning for planning and prayer. We send cards to those who have requested prayer, and for others we may be aware of who may need our prayerful support. As we think of those grieving, our thoughts came back to the members of the synagogue in Squirrel Hill. We sent a card–with the promise to keep them in prayer–to the synagogue. Please keep them, and all who are mourning in your prayers. The holiday season is especially hard for those experiencing loss.
A Longest Night Service, held on or around the eve of the winter solstice, is a modern Christian religious service designed to temper the struggle with darkness and grief faced by those living with loss. Loss may include the death of a loved one, divorce or separation, separation due to military service, the loss of a job, or living with serious illness. To acknowledge that God’s Word comes to shine light into our darkness, a service of prayer, scripture, and music will be held in our Sanctuary at 7:00 pm on December 21. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing grief or loss at this time of year, please share this information with them. All are welcome.
The menu for Wednesday dinner on December 5th is Sesame Chicken, Fried Rice, Wonton Soup, Egg Roll and Dessert. To properly plan reservations are required. Please call the church office by 4 pm on Tuesday or sign up in the Welcome Center.
Kenny Schramko is offering a new six-week discussion series entitled Let’s Think It Through: Pizza and God and Reasoning. The course is designed for two groups of people–those with spiritual doubts, and believers who have someone in their life who has expressed doubts. This is not a typical Bible study, but rather an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics using reasoning to see that we can arrive at the same conclusions you can find in the Bible. Discussion will be held every Thursday from 6 – 7:30 pm in the GIM building from January 10 through February 21 (with no meeting on February 14). Free pizza will be provided to participants. Non-church members are also encouraged to attend. Questions? Contact Kenny at 724-584-6920 or steelersfan345@gmail.com
Family Promise Volunteer Opportunities at Grace Church
Beginning on December 23rd, 2018 through January 6th, 2019 Grace Church will once again be hosting families through the Family Promise Program. Currently there are 2 mothers and 2 children. Sign-ups will begin December 1st following the Saturday evening service in Fellowship Hall, and on Sunday, December 2nd in the Welcome Center before and after each service. They will continue on December 8th, 9th and 15th, 16th. We are looking for individuals or groups that would like to prepare a dinner for the families to be delivered to the church each evening by 5:00 pm. We are in need of van drivers that can transport the families to and from the day center. Also needed are overnight hosts. Overnight hosts are asked to be at the church by 7:30 pm and stay until 7:30 am.
There will be a committee member in Fellowship Hall and in the Welcome Center to answer any questions you might have or you can contact Arlene Miller at: arlenelmiller@comcast.net.
Please consider volunteering for this important ministry at this very blessed time of year. This approach to fighting homelessness works. Through Family Promise of Indiana County, eighty-seven percent of families maintain their permanent housing. Since December 2011, Family Promise has served 55 families for a total of 185 people. With the help of Grace Church volunteers, we are helping by providing shelter and related resources to homeless families in the county.
The Christmas Remembrance Request Form is attached for your convenience. If you wish to order a poinsettia plant in honor or memory of a loved one, you may submit the form, along with a minimum donation of $10 per plant to the church office, or drop it in the offering plate at worship service.
Just for Laughs (or groans)
What do you call an old snowman?
A puddle
What do you get if you cross a Christmas tree with an iPad?
A pineapple
Why is a broken drum an excellent Christmas gift?
You can’t beat it.
Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?
A mince spy
Why is it getting harder to buy an Advent calendar?
Their days are numbered.
See you in church!
