This Sunday morning’s message will be The Anchor of our Priest with scripture reference from Hebrews 9:11-15; 24-28.  We hope you can join us in the sanctuary now that more and more people have been vaccinated, our bi-polar ionization units are purifying the air, and we are still observing safe-distance seating.  At the 11 a.m. service, masks may be removed during the sermon.  We ask that those who wish to remove their masks would sit in the front half of the sanctuary.  (Our online streaming is still available for those who are not yet comfortable with coming into the sanctuary.)

Coffee and other hot drinks will be available between services this week.  We have placed picnic tables in the courtyard for those who would like to grab a hot drink and enjoy it with friends in the courtyard.

As always, Children’s Church is available for both services and the nursery will be open all morning for our littlest ones.  As a reminder…our childcare staff members are trained in child/infant CPR and first aid.  The  Kid’s Village wing is secure, and the drop-off/pick-up process ensures absolute safety for your child.

Speaking of kids…The Easter Egg Hunt for toddler through 5th grade is next Saturday, March 27th from 9-11 a.m.  There will be donkeys and the Easter Bunny in the courtyard and crafts in the Children’s wing. Please wear masks.  Thank you to everyone who dropped off Easter eggs and candy. We could use help with crafts and giving out Love Boxes the day of the event.

The white carnation on the altar table last Sunday was in loving memory of Joan Baird who died on March 6 at St. Andrews.  For many years, Joan was our lay leader here at Grace.  She served on many committees and was active in the Indiana community.  Our sympathy is extended to her children, Robert Baird and Melissa Kittleman and her grandson, Max Kittleman.

Another Way to Connect:  If you are joining our services online and would like to connect with Grace Church, please visit our website indianagrace.org and click on the CONNECT tab.

Prayer Walk
Meditating on the events of Jesus’ final days and His resurrection can be profound. The challenge for most of us is shutting out the noise and distractions of everyday life long enough to quiet our souls and listen to the Spirit of God.

Explore the Easter story during Holy Week with a spiritual journey that moves participants through a self-guided “Prayer Walk” to various stations of reflection, prayer and worship. Participants can take a few moments to experience with all their senses a reflective encounter with Jesus.

The journey should take about 30 minutes, but you set the pace; spend as much, or as little time meditating as you choose.  Children are welcome. Handicapped accessible.  It will take place on the second floor of the church on Palm Sunday, March 28 10 am – 2pm; Maundy Thursday April 1, 11-2pm and 5-8pm; and Friday April 2nd 11-6:30pm.

We have made every attempt to keep everyone’s health and safety in mind. We request that you please wear a mask and maintain social distancing throughout your journey. We will have hand sanitizer and air purifiers throughout the stations.

Easter Sunrise Service will be held at 6:30 a.m. at Blue Spruce Park at the large lakeside pavilion.  You may bring a lawn chair or sit at one of the picnic tables.  This service is always very meaningful and led by Pastor Kathy.   Blankets or warm coats are suggested as it is often quite chilly by the lake.

Easter Worship Services in the sanctuary at 8 a.m. (Traditional); 9:30 a.m. (Blended); and 11:00 a.m. (Contemporary).  So that we may offer safe-distance seating, please register for your preferred service online at indianagrace.org.

It’s not too late to order Easter Flowers or make donations to camperships in memoryor in honor of loved ones using the forms which are available in the welcome center and church office.   (You may copy and print the form that is found at the end of this email.)   The deadline for ordering is Monday, March 29th. If you choose to purchase a plant, you may pick it up after the 11 a.m. service on Easter or on Tuesday, April 6th.

A Special Message From Your Food Bank Committee:  Easter Love Basket Project
Since Grace could not give out Love Baskets at Christmas, the food bank committee decided to do so for Easter. The decision did necessitate a few changes, however, as we try to keep everyone involved healthy.

Because of COVID only a small team of workers will be packing and distributing the boxes March 25. All will be wearing masks and social distancing. On the day of distribution, we will be checking off those who registered for a basket in the parking lot beside the church and distributing boxes out the church windows along Gompers Avenue.  We expect to distribute boxes to about 230 families.

Please pray for this mission, both that the people who receive Love Baskets and those who distribute them will feel God’s blessings during this most Holy season and that our workers will remain safe.

                                                                                         Happy Easter. He is Risen!

                                  IT IS TIME TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CHURCH CAMPS!!!

S’mores, singalongs, swimming, and canoeing are all summer camp staples that play a role in some of our most cherished memories of summer.  Nowadays, your child can go to summer camp and specialize in just about any of his or her favorite activities.  Our three Conference Camps—Jumonville, Camp Allegheny and Wesley Woods–offer an amazing number of options such as:

           Fly Fishing Camp                        Music Camp                                    Dance Camp
Soccer Camp                                H2O Camp                                       Horse or Pony Camp
Cross Country Camp                 Ultimate Games Camp                 Special Needs Camp
Adventure Camp                        High Adventure Camp                 Sports camps
Lego Camp                                  Robotics Camp                               Performing Arts Camp

Mini camps are available for young children who may not yet be comfortable away from home for more than three days.  There are Family Camps, Mommy & Me Camps and even camps for grandparents and grandkids.  New this year at Jumonville is Circus Camp which sound very interesting! For adults and students age 15 and older, there is the Algonquin Experience—wilderness canoeing and camping in the north woods of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.

With so many different types of camps from which to choose, it’s important to consider what kind of experiences you want to give your child during his or her summertime getaway, and to bear in mind the advantages of a faith-based camp curriculum.

Each camp offers tuition assistance and camps fill up quickly, so apply early if you need financial assistance!  Additionally, our Church Council voted to increase the campership amounts we pay for our children and youth to attend one of the camps.  It was unanimously approved that NO CHILD WILL BE DENIED the opportunity to attend church camp because of the cost.  Details are available by contacting Doris in the church office.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!    Special Easter Offering envelopes will be placed in the pews.  All money received in those envelopes will be directed to Camperships.  Also, you may choose to make a donation in honor or memory of a loved one on the Easter Remembrance form.  SPONSOR A CAMPER!  If you wish, you may anonymously sponsor a camper by paying for all or part of the cost of camp.

In our own conference, 80 percent of the pastors have shared that they first accepted Christ at Church Camp.  Their lives were forever changed.  The impact of church camp reaches wide and spiritually deep. In the decades since the birth of our Conference camping program, thousands of lives have been changed; thousands of young people have chosen to walk as a disciple of Christ because of their experience at church camp.   Let your child have that opportunity this summer.

Visit these websites to choose your camp and to register your child with a deposit:
jumonville.org/summer-camp
wesleywoods.com/summer-camp
campallegheny.org/summer camp

Thanks to the generous gifts from the late Dr. Alberta Dorsey and others, we are able to grant partial camperships to the children of Grace and will pay two-thirds of the cost of camp—up to $300.  For families with more than one child attending camp, we will pay an additional $50 per child.  Once you register your child, please alert Doris in the church office so that our portion can be paid promptly.

NOTE:   If you missed this week’s Table Talk, please take time to find it on our Facebook page.
Ryan, Alaina and Julia Fabin talked with Pastor Bill about their church camping experiences.

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You may choose to memorialize or honor a loved one at Easter with a flowering spring plant for a minimum donation of $10, and/or by making a monetary donation to the Campership Fund.  Please provide the information requested below before Noon on Monday, March 22, 2021.  All names will appear in the weekly email blast on April 2nd.

$_______ Donation to the Campership Fund

$_______ Spring Flower (Minimum donation of $10 for each name or couple honored or memorialized.)

I would like my donation given IN MEMORY OF: _____________________________________________________________________________

GIVEN BY:   ______________________________________________________________________________

I would like my donation given IN HONOR OF: __________________________________________________________________________

GIVEN BY:   __________________________________________________________________________

In keeping with tradition, spring flowers will be on display in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday.  If you are purchasing a flowering plant, please pick up your plant(s) following the 11:00 AM worship service on Easter Sunday, April 4th.  Thank you.

Please return this form and donation before Noon on Monday, March 22, 2021.  You may place completed forms and donations in the offering box, place them in the mail slot located to the left of the main entrance of the church, drop them off at the church office (712 Church Street), or mail them to Grace United Methodist Church, PO Box 6, Indiana, PA  15701.  If you have any questions, please call Jeannette Lemmon at 724-463-8535, or send an email to jlemmon@indianagrace.org