The Dynamic Duos Sermon Series continues this weekend with Rahab and Boaz. Our Scripture text is Joshua 2:8-13. This exciting series is rich with history and interesting insight into the life and times of these biblical characters.
Capital Campaign Update
As of Wednesday, February 20th the total amount pledged was $250,640.
Cash received so far was $94,300.
Stock gifts amount to $57,400. (Some stock has been sold)
Total cash and stock receipts are $151,700
Thank you for your continuing interest in this project. The progress so far is amazing.
Engaging Women’s Hearts to Pray: The Women of Grace Prayer Breakfast is Saturday, March 02, 9:00 – 10:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. Sign up in the Welcome Center for delectable food, delightful conversation, and dazzling insights into prayer! Natalie Glaser and Claudia Curry will talk about prayer. Childcare will be provided. There is NO CHARGE for this event, and it’s open to women of all ages at Grace. The last day to sign up is February 22. Sign up in the Welcome Center or call the church office at 724-463-8535.
New GEMs Group forming – Ladies, if you are looking for support to lose weight using Scripture and Christian songs, a new GEMs group began on Thursday, February 21 at 5:15 pm in room 102. Please contact Julie Bracken at bracken.family@comcast.net or 724-599-4232 for more information.
New Member Classes will be held for anyone interested in joining Grace Church. Classes will be held each Sunday in March from 10:10 am – 11:00 am. Those completing the classes will be received into full membership on Sunday, March 31 (the last class day) during worship services. Please call the church office if you wish to attend the classes and join the church on March 31.
SIX-WEEK SEMINAR: “Let’s Think It Through: Pizza and God and Reasoning”. This course is designed for those with spiritual doubts, and believers who have somebody in their life who has expressed doubts. This is not a Bible Study. Instead, we will discuss a variety of topics using reasoning to see that we can arrive at the same conclusions you get from the Bible. Thursdays, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm in the G.I.M. building beginning February 21 and ending March 28. Free Pizza will be provided to participants. Non-church members are welcome and encouraged. Maybe you can bring that skeptical person that you know. Sign up in the Welcome Center. Contact Kenny Schramko at 724-584-6920 or steelersfan345@gmail.com for more information.
WINTER BLUES UPDATE: Join us for a fun morning of Snow Tubing at Hidden Valley on March 2nd from 10am – 12pm. No skill required – just grab your winter gear and get ready for a fun day of tubing down slippery chutes. The cost for this event is $16 per person and is open to all ages, but children must be at least 4 years old. Children ages 4-9 must be accompanied by an adult. Each person must ride in their own tube. Sign up in the welcome center, and plan to bring your whole family.
Pastor Bill has written a dynamic Easter play titled, “The Unexpected Ways of the Shepherd” that will be presented during Holy Week, April 18 and 19. This is an all church play. Anyone who would like to participate in this powerful Easter event should come to a general meeting today, Sunday, February 24 at 12:30 pm in the Sanctuary. Auditions for the speaking parts will be done at this time.
Calling all singers! Choir rehearsals for the Holy Week Cantata and Play are this week on Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 pm in the Choir Room (203). All singers are welcome. For more information call 724-463-8535, ext. 25 – or speak to our choir director, Debra Moore.
Fabric donations are needed for the Easter play. Anyone who would like to donate a minimum of two yards or more of any color solid fabric or striped fabric, should bring it to the Parlor Room 102. Seamstresses needed: Anyone who would like to sew costumes for the Easter play, please contact the church office or Leslie Swentosky, 724-388-6084.
Ash Wednesday Service: Our Ash Wednesday worship service will be held in the church sanctuary on March 6 at 7 pm. The service will include the imposition of ashes. There will be no Wednesday Dinner, small groups or classes on Ash Wednesday so that everyone will have the opportunity to attend the worship service.
Midnight Mission: Friday, March 22 from 9:30 pm – 2:00 am in the Church Courtyard – We need smiling volunteers to interact with college students. Donations of bottled water, soda, cookies, baked goods and other sweet treats would be greatly appreciated. Sign up in the Welcome Center. Please drop donations off in the Parlors by Thursday, March 21. Email Phil Floyd at phil.floyd@cru.org For more information.
The following letter was sent to the congregation of Grace Church this week:
Dear Family and Friends of Grace Church,
We greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. In the coming days, you may hear news about a special General Conference of the United Methodist Church convening in St. Louis, Missouri, during February 23-26. The conference will include 864 elected lay persons and clergy who will consider our denomination’s positions on human sexuality. They will represent 12 million United Methodists from all over the world.
As they meet, we celebrate that Christ’s love and teachings are at the center of Grace’s ministry. We will always be a church that celebrates His undying love as we learn to live out our faith on earth. We, like you, love our church and look forward to many more years of living and working together in the light of our Lord.
Local churches regularly discuss matters such as capital projects, missions, doctrine and day-to-day operations. These discussions in churches often involve difficulty and discomfort, yet the church persists–and always will! As a denomination, we continue to seek common agreement on as many matters as possible. Obviously, some issues are harder than others.
The United Methodist Church is a very large denomination, so we are not surprised that it is hard to find agreement at the denominational level on such a passionate issue as human sexuality. Even married couples struggle to agree on things all the time. The reality is, we agree on many matters here at Grace and as United Methodists.
Throughout this decision, we intend to maintain our current standards of love and integrity here at Grace. We will live together in love, and celebrate those common core beliefs while respecting those with other opinions. We maintain our conviction in the authority of scripture and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We will continue as always to welcome all people as valued creations of God to come to Christ and become like our Lord. We will continue to hold up faithfulness in marriage and celibacy in singleness as the ideal. We will also continue to trust the Holy Spirit to sanctify our hearts on all matters including, but not limited to, those concerning human sexuality. We will all strive to be more like our Savior who welcomed all, and encouraged all to live as God would have us live.
We invite you to join us on this journey of investigation of the deep mysteries of God, faithfulness to the known laws of God, and patience with one another as we live out this faith as brothers and sisters in Christ. We also invite you to pray in earnest for God to guide these representatives of the different areas of the world that they might be the conduits of God’s great truth and love.
Your Staff-Parish Relations Committee and Your Church Council
