Greetings Friends!
Don’t forget the Cabin Fever event at College Lodge this evening. Check your email later this afternoon for up-to-the-minute report on whether or not there is sufficient snow on the hillside to use your plastic sleds!
We hope you were able to join the 245 folks who gathered for the Ash Wednesday service. It was a very meaningful service, and the perfect way to begin the Lenten Season. It’s a busy season in our church, so watch the bulletin, our website and future e-blasts so you don’t miss anything!
Pastor Bill’s message this Sunday morning is Victory: Satan’s First Whipping. The scripture text is taken from Matthew 4:1-11. We will observe Holy Communion at both morning services. The Youth Worship Team will be featured at the 11 a.m. Contemporary Service. These young people have worked hard, and their leadership in worship is inspiring.
We ask that you keep our Mission Team in prayer as they journey to Bethel Bible Village in Tennessee. Thirty-three folks are on the team led by Larry Catlos. If you would like to know more about Bethel Bible Village, please check out their website: https://www.bethelbiblevillage.org/about/
Andrew Manzek
You won’t want to miss Spirit Alive at 6:45 this week when 12-year old Andrew Manzek will be giving his testimony. If you haven’t had an opportunity to hear Andrew’s story, you will certainly want to join us. Andrew is a true inspiration to others who are fighting cancer or other life-altering illnesses.
ATTENTION YOUTH & PARENTS
Join us on Sunday, March 8th during the regular Youth Group time (6:30 – 8:00 in the Youth Center to meet our new Youth Director, Bethany Gearhart.
We’re headed once again to Winter Jam on Saturday, March 28. The cost is $25 per student. For additional details and to reserve a ticket, you must sign up by March 8th. You can sign up in the Youth Room or the Welcome Center. Becky McAnulty can answer any question you may have about Winter Jam at 724-422-0682.
In honor of Pi (π) Day on March 14, your Outreach Committee is sponsoring Pie and a Pen Day. You can easily join in the fun and treat a friend or neighbor. Just take a pie or other baked good with one of our custom Grace pens to a neighbor, sharing the love of Jesus. To encourage this outreach event, our Pastors have volunteered to be pied in the face. If the congregation shares a pie (or other baked good) with 50 neighbors, our Contemporary Worship Leader, Will Pinos, will take the pie to his face. If we reach 75 neighbors, both Will and Pastor Kathy get pied. And if we manage to reach 100, Pastor Bill gets pied along with Will and Pastor Kathy! There is a BIG bonus for reaching 200 pies: Our District Superintendent, Jim Pond will also get pied!!
Let’s make it happen folks! Outreach Committee members will be in the Welcome Center this Sunday to pass out papers with instructions. Pick up you pens with the instruction, and have fun with this great outreach opportunity. Share a Pie, Share a Pen, Share Jesus!
Grace Church will be hosting the Love Indiana Community Prayer Gathering on March 8th from 5 – 6 p.m. in our Fellowship Hall. Please join other community church members for worship and prayer for our community. Everyone is welcome. (Please note that the Whisper Bible Study Class will not meet on March 8 so that all may attend the Prayer Gathering.)
KINGDOM ASSIGNMENT NEWS:
Abby and Brock Sleppy present $500.00 check to Family Promise.
During the busy weeks before Christmas, Abby and Brock Sleppy and their parents, Jennifer and Andy spent many hours making hard candy lollipops and molded candies. After receiving a $50.00 check from Grace Church along with the challenge to ‘grow’ the funds to do God’s work, the family sold the home-made candy to raise money for Indiana County Family Promise, a shelter for families who find themselves without housing. On a recent evening, the Sleppy Family delivered a $500.00 check to Carole Reed, Family Promise Director. Carole invited the family to stay for dinner and to meet the families currently in the program.
Senior Adults: Enjoy a delicious lunch and learn how to make beautiful Pysanky Easter Eggs on Thursday, March 19, beginning at 10 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Sign up in the Welcome Center and pay the $5 registration fee to the church office by March 9. The fee covers decorating supplies and lunch.
This year’s exciting original Easter Play, Why Can’t They See, will be held on April 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to be a part of this event. We need actors, singers and people behind the scenes. Also needed are people who could help with sewing and altering costumes. We are seeking a costumes director. Please contact the church office or Leslie Swentosky at lswentosky@yahoo.com if you can help.
Cookie Decorating Event: Learn how to make professionally decorated cookies with Grammy Pammy on March 21, from 1 – 3 pm in Fellowship Hall. Cost of registration is $45 which includes cookies and decorating supplies. Registrations along with the $45 must be received by March 12.
Book Sale Fundraiser for Camp Scholarships: Start gathering your donations! We are accepting books, CDs and DVDs for our book sale on March 20-21. All money raised will go directly to youth campers’ scholarships! You may drop you donations off in the first floor of the GIM building at 728 Church Street during the following times: Wednesday, March 11 from 5 – 8 p.m.; Thursday, March 12 from 5 – 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Wednesday, march 18 from 5 – 8 p.m. PLEASE: Do not drop off at the church or the church office. No textbooks, magazines, cassettes, VHS Tapes or games can be accepted.
Summer Church Camps:
Even though it’s a bit blustery today, it’s not too early to be planning your child’s Church Camp experience for this Summer. All of our Conference Camps have financial help available. Additionally, Grace Church will pay 1/2 tuition up to $250 for Grace kids to attend one of the camps. Applications are available in the church office or Welcome Center.
Thanks to a recent endowment from the McCullough Estate, funding is available for programs aiding those seeking recovery from drug and alcohol dependency. Applications are available in the church office and in the Welcome Center. Deadline for 2020 grant applications is April 30.
It’s time to begin bringing in wrapped candy for the Great Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast planned for April 4 at 9 a.m. Drop off candy donations in the box at the Kid’s Check-In.
The Collective, a ministry made up of various local ministries that are coming together to reach the IUP community are holding an event for college students this Sunday evening at the KCAC. Please keep the Collective, students and this event in your prayers.
Continuing the Langham Class Journal: (Part I may be accessed on our website news)
After the war ended…the Golden Rule Class again became interested in building a new church. In addition to holding many socials, the class held money suppers where tickets sold for 25 cents and 35 cents a plate (although food value was much greater). Receptions, food sales, rummage sales, style shows and entertainments also proved successful as money-raising ventures. One of the more popular entertainments was the KDKA team of Sassafras and Honeyboy.
By now, the class was so large that it was divided into circles which met monthly in members’ homes. The teacher, Mrs. Langham, entertained the entire class of about one hundred on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the class.
It was decided that when the Corner Stone fund raising reached its goal of $5,000, the goal would be moved ahead to $10,00. In November 1928, when our beloved Mrs. Lanham was called to her heavenly home, the fund had reached $8,000. Shortly after her death, the class name was changed from the Golden Rule Class to the Langham Class. Mrs. Frank Beck assumed leadership of the class.
Check back next week to continue the Langham Class history.
Stay warm and have a great day.
