Greetings Friends!
We hope you have all accepted the challenge to read through the Bible this year. As promised, I’m including one more reason to read your Bible daily:
Do you struggle with important and difficult decisions? The Bible helps us to make decisions according to his will so that he will bless us.
Are you seeking God’s will in choosing a spouse? Read Proverbs 19:14; 21:19; 31 and 1 Timothy 3:1–13.
Are you having conflict with your supervisor or are you a supervisor having conflict with your employees? Read Ephesians 6:5–9.
Are you having difficulty finding good friends? Read Proverbs 14:7; Proverbs 22:24; and 1 Corinthians 15:33.
There are so many passages in the Bible that help us with the difficult decisions of our lives. Have your highlighter handy when reading! Certain passages may speak to you, and you’ll want to find them easily.
Pastor Bill will continue his Bible In a Year Sermon Series as follows:
February 25 – Weekly Reading: Matthew 28 through Mark 4: 25 and Leviticus 13-25 Sermon: “Stretch Forth Your Hand” from Mark 3:1-6
March 3 – The Weekly Readings are Mark 4:25—7:23 and Leviticus 26—Numbers 7. Sermon: “Your Faith Has Made You Well.” From Mark 5:21-34
March 10 – Weekly Reading: Mark 7:24–Mark 10 and Numbers 8-20 Sermon: “Not Merely A Human Point of View” from Mark 8:31-38
After hearing Pastor Bill’s wonderful sermon on the Holy Spirit, the Journey Sunday School Class would like to invite you to join us for a 6-week series about the Holy Spirit. Based on the book, “The God I Never Knew” by Robert Morris, the series will begin on March 10. There’s so much to know about the amazing third Person of the Trinity!
Wednesday Night Dinner Menu – February 28
Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich, French Fries, Cole Slaw and Dessert
Please make your reservation in the Welcome Center or call the church office by 2 p.m. on Tuesday. You may also reach Becky at bmcanulty@indianagrace.org to make a reservation.
The new Adulting for Beginners Group met for the first time on February 21 at 7 p.m. in Room 207. Abbey Sleppy will lead a group of single adults between the ages of 18 and 30. It’s not too late to join the group which is studying just how to ‘adult’ in a world full of non-believers and how to navigate the changes that happen during your 20s.
The Senior Adult Ministry will get together for lunch and an afternoon of board or card games on Monday, March 18. Come to Fellowship Hall at noon to enjoy another of Becky’s awesome lunches. Bring your favorite game to play with friends. The cost is just $5. Please make checks payable to Grace Church and write Senior Lunch on the memo line.
Holy Week services will include:
March 24th Palm Sunday Worship at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
March 28th Maundy Thursday Worship at 7 p.m.
March 29th Good Friday Worship at 7 p.m.
March 31st Easter Sunrise Service at Blue Spruce Park at 6:30 a.m.
Easter Worship in the sanctuary at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Spring Mission Trip
WE NEED YOU! Join the team as we embark on another mission trip to Bethel Bible Village in Hixson, Tennessee. We will be departing on March 16th and returning on March 23rd. Contact Larry Catlos at 724-463-7788 for details. There’s still space for volunteers, and first-timers are more than welcome! Consider adding this meaningful experience to your Lenten journey this year.
On March 10, as Daylight Savings Time commences, we invite you to Spring Ahead with the Sparks. Greg and Rebecca Sparks, seasoned musicians, songwriters, recording artists, and devoted missionaries, embody a fervent commitment to following Jesus and spreading the gentle teachings of Christ to receptive hearts. With 45 years of ministry behind them, their enthusiasm remains undimmed, steadfast in the belief that prayer and fellowship within the body of Christ illuminate the path to knowing Jesus.
Their original music effortlessly blends acoustic Folk-Rock melodies with sincere praise for our God and Savior. Their concerts exude an intimate atmosphere, fostering dialogue and inviting the audience to join in singing praises to God. Greg serves as the pastor of Jonah’s Call, an Anglican church located in Pittsburgh, while Rebecca co-founded and serves as the executive director of Sparks House, Inc., a nonprofit organization in the city dedicated to the fusion of art and the Gospel. Their greatest joys include following Jesus, cherishing their four adult children and three grandchildren, caring for their two dogs and a cat, sharing hearty meals with their community, prioritizing health, and indulging in the pleasures of reading and creating music.
Please join us for an evening of great music, fellowship and a cookie…Yes, a COOKIE reception. Be here by 6:24 and you may win a door prize!!!
Altar Flowers
There are numerous dates available to have flowers placed on the altar in memory or in honor of a loved one. Just sign up in the Welcome Center and submit $30 to the church office prior to the date you choose. You may place checks in the offering plate/box, drop them off, or send them to the church office.
Grace Youth
G3 Youth will meet on Sunday evening at 6:45. Doors open at 6:30. Encourage your youth to join us. Their friends are always welcome to come with them!
Men’s Fellowship Breakfast
All men are invited to join us for a pancake breakfast at our next Men’s Fellowship on Saturday, March 9th from 9 – 10:30 in Fellowship Hall. Bring your sons and invite friends to join us. Men of all ages are welcome. Wes Tomer will talk with the group about courage and integrity, and we will have some good conversations while enjoying breakfast.
GriefShare
Pastor Kathy will start a new GriefShare Group on Sundays at 1 p.m. beginning this Sunday, February 18, 2024. If you or someone you know has lost a loved one and are experiencing grief and loneliness, we hope you will consider joining our support group as we walk this journey together. Folks who have previously taken the class are quick to encourage others to join.
Phil Floyd began a new Bible Study for Men on Tuesdays at noon in Room 102. If you’re working in the area, stop by on your lunch break. You are welcome to bring your lunch with you. Sign up in the Welcome Center or contact Phil at Phil.Floyd@uscm.cog
Daniel at Sight & Sound
Join us for a delightful trip to Sight & Sound Theater on Tuesday, May 14th! For only $174, you’ll enjoy bus transportation, a theater ticket, and a scrumptious lunch at Hershey Farm. Hurry, as we have limited seating for 45 people. Secure your spot by submitting payment by Sunday, March 1st. Make checks payable to Grace Church, noting “Sight & Sound” in the memo line.
We’ll convene at Mack Park’s upper lot, boarding the bus at 6 a.m. sharp, and departing promptly at 6:30. Feel free to bring a packed brunch or purchase something to eat during our brief stop on the turnpike. The show starts at 11 a.m., followed by a late lunch at 2 p.m. We anticipate returning to Mack Park around 8 p.m.
Your checks must be received promptly. All seats are currently sold, but many are not yet paid. If you would like to sign up on the waiting list, please do so in the Welcome Center. If seats become available, the office staff will contact you.
Mission Thursdays
We will work on our Global Mission project on Thursday, February 15 in the Grace in Ministries (GIM) Building. Sign up in the Welcome Center to volunteer for an hour or more. (Choose a time that works best for you!) If you have sharp scissors for cutting flannel, please bring them with you.
New Member Class
If you would like to become a member of Grace Church, please fill out a Connect Card or call Jeannette at the church office – at 724-463-8535. A four-week membership class will be held between the worship services at 10:10 a.m. in Room 101 from February 18 through March 10 with participants being received into full membership during worship on Sunday, March 17. We’ve added an identical class to be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons for those who are unable to be with us on Sunday mornings.
Just for Laughs
A well-known photographer was contracted to illustrate a book on church architecture. So, he flew to San Francisco to begin taking pictures, with plans to work his way eastward.
In a large, ornate church, he spotted a golden telephone hung on the wall, with a sign beside it that read $10,000 a Minute. Seeking out the pastor, the photographer asked for more information and was told that the golden phone was actually a direct phone line to God.
Continuing on his way, the photographer saw similar golden telephones and the $10,000-a-Minute signs in churches in Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland.
Continuing east, the photographer ended up at Grace Church in Indiana, PA. There he saw the same golden telephone, but this time the sign read, Calls: 25 Cents. Fascinated, he asked to talk to the Pastor.
“Pastor, I’ve been in cities all across America and, in each church, I found similar direct lines to heaven costing $10,000 a minute. Your sign says it’s only a quarter to call. What’s the difference?
“Son, you’re in God’s country now,” the pastor replied. “It’s a local call!”
See you in church!!!
