On these lovely Spring mornings with Easter only a few days away, the words of this song just keep coming to me:
As I wake up with the morning of each day that passes by
And I listen to the sounds upon my ears
I can’t help but keep a watch toward the Eastern sky
And I wonder if the trumpet will be the next sound that I hear
And I listen to the sounds upon my ears
I can’t help but keep a watch toward the Eastern sky
And I wonder if the trumpet will be the next sound that I hear
What a beautiful day for Him to take His children home
How I long to see His face and to touch His nail-scarred hands
What a beautiful day for the Lord to come again.
How I long to see His face and to touch His nail-scarred hands
What a beautiful day for the Lord to come again.
From the song What a Beautiful Day by Brian Free
This Sunday is Palm Sunday—the first day of Holy Week. Palms adorn the altar table and chancel area of the sanctuary, and we will each receive a palm branch as we remember Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The morning message will be The Anchor of our King. We hope you can join us.
You can still order Easter Flowers or make donations to our Campership Fund in memory of or in honor of loved ones. Order forms are available in the Welcome Center and church office. The deadline for ordering Monday, March 29th. The beautiful spring flowers will be placed in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning. If you ordered a potted flower, you may pick it up after the 11 a.m. service on Easter, or on Tuesday, April 6. (The church and church office will be closed on Easter Monday.)
Holy Week begins this Sunday. The Prayer Team has prepared a Journey to the Cross Prayer Walk. Explore the Easter story during Holy Week with a spiritual journey through a self-guided Prayer Walk to various stations of reflection, prayer, and worship. You can take a few moments at your own pace to experience–with all your senses–a reflective encounter with Jesus. The Prayer Walk takes place on the second floor of the church (elevator is available) during the following times and dates:
10:00am – 2:00pm Palm Sunday, March 28
11:00am – 2:00pm Maunday Thursday, April 1
5:00pm – 8:00pm Maunday Thursday, April 1
11:00am – 2:00pm Maunday Thursday, April 1
5:00pm – 8:00pm Maunday Thursday, April 1
11:00am – 6:30pm Good Friday, April 2
The Good Friday Service will be held at 7:00pm in the sanctuary with blended worship styles. Pastor Bill and Pastor Kathy will offer the sermon together.
The Easter Sunday Sunrise Service at the large lake-side pavilion in Blue Spruce Park begins at 6:30am—just in time to watch the sun rise over the park. It’s typically quite chilly near the lake, so blankets and coats are recommended!
There will be three Easter worship services in the sanctuary as follows: 8:00 Traditional Service; 9:30 Blended Service; and 11:00 Contemporary Service. So that we may offer safe seating, please register for your preferred service online at indianagrace.org or call the church office. Pennsylvania has eased the pandemic restrictions, and we have the bi-polar ionizer units and ultra-violet air purifiers cleansing the air in the sanctuary.
The next Community Prayer Gathering sponsored by the Pastors’ Network will be on April 11 at 5:00 PM at St Bernard’s parking lot. All are welcome. If it should rain, we will move inside. Plan to join this ecumenical prayer group as we come together to pray for our community and beyond.
Another original play written by Pastor Bill Blair will be presented for Pentecost in May. There are small to medium-sized acting parts available. If you may be interested in being part of the cast, please contact the church office or come to the read-through on April 11th following the 11 o’clock service. (Pssst….I’ve read the script, and this presentation is going to be awesome!!!)
Our pastors are once again permitted to visit in the local hospital. If you or a loved one should be admitted to IRMC, please contact the church office with the patient’s name and room number. Currently, there are no volunteers at the desk to provide room numbers, so your help is greatly appreciated.
As you worship in the sanctuary, please note the Connect Cards in the pew racks. Use them to submit your prayer requests or to get connected to a pastor or ministry. Additionally, if your contact information (address, phone number or email address) should change, use the card to let us know so we can update our data base and keep you informed about our services and events.
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. We would love to hear from you!
Have a wonderful day.
