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745 Little Neck Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
(757) 340-2840
info@kgpc.org kgpc.org
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Weeping Lingers in the Night…Joy Comes in the Morning
There is much to grieve. We look at the headlines and see war, death, destruction, violence, hate, division, and injustice. Our friends and families struggle, hurt, suffer, and make poor choices. We experience pain, hardship, and despair. Today is Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus’ death. The anguish, pain, and grief Jesus and his followers endured that day is overwhelming. We have much to grieve in our world, our families, our lives, and in this church season. Weeping lingers in the night.
But we do not grieve as those without hope, to paraphrase I Thessalonians 4:13. We are an Easter people. We are a people of hope. God uses and transforms pain and grief in light of Jesus’ resurrection. Once again we have the joyous privilege of proclaiming to the world, “He Is Risen!” And that makes all the difference in how we walk through grief and pain.
I hope you will join us for one or more of our three Easter celebrations. At 7:00am we will worship the risen Christ outside, in the garden, just like Mary Magdelene. Join us at the outside chapel area in the crisp morning air to pray, sing, hear God’s Word, and share in communion together. If it rains we will celebrate in the Fellowship Hall. After worship, stay for a light breakfast afterward.
At 8:45 we will worship Jesus in an upbeat, fully contemporary service. Our praise team has been working hard to share the best news of all in a high energy, inspirational way. Our traditional worship service with added orchestra instruments will be spectacular as we join together at 11:00. Communion will be celebrated at both services and a small gift will be distributed to everyone as a reminder that through the cross and empty tomb God is victorious over the powers of evil.
We may not always feel like joy filled people, but Easter reminds us that when we are weeping through the night, joy comes in the morning. The first rays of dawn mean a new day has begun and God’s plan of salvation is complete. God is victorious. Jesus is alive. We are not alone. All things are being worked out for good. We may grieve but we are not without hope. I can’t wait to worship with you this Easter Sunday. We will praise and glorify our risen Lord together as we proclaim, “He is risen! He is risen, indeed!”
Abide Nearer, Grow Stronger, Shine Brighter, Love Deeper, Transform Your World,
Pastor Chris
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KGPC God Winks
It's amazing how God reminds us of His presence even in the midst of yard work! In all the years I have lived here I never noticed a Dogwood flower is shaped like a cross. All it takes is a pause to look up and notice God's "Cathedral of Creation". What a wonderful "God wink" just in time to celebrate all that Christ did for us on the cross!
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“God winks” are those coincidences we know aren’t coincidences. They are celebrations for what God is doing in us and through us.
If you’ve seen God at work in this church or in your life, write a short paragraph and send it to the church office (office@kgpc.org). Anonymous stories are accepted as well as those who don’t mind their name being known
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Sunday, April 5
EASTER SUNDAY
7:00 AM - Easter Sunrise Worship Service
8:45 AM - Easter Contemporary Worship Service
11:00 AM - Easter Traditional Worship Service
11:00 AM - King's Kids
No Youth Donuts and Discussion This Week
No Gather Dinner Church This Week
No Youth Group This Week
Monday, April 6
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
7:00 PM - Eve Circle
Tuesday, April 7
6:30 PM - Grace Notes (Tuesday Bells)
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Wednesday, April 8
7:00 AM - Prayer Breakfast
1:00 PM - Faith Walkers LIFE Group
5:30 PM - Best LIFE Group
5:45 PM - Praise Team Rehearsal
7:00 PM - Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, April 9
2:00 PM - Caregivers Support Group
7:00 PM - Chancel Bells
Friday, April 10
No Contemplative Prayer Group This Week
Saturday, April 11
| | Upcoming Special Events! | | |
Many Thanks from JCOC
One hundred fifty participants in the JCOC nightly meal program enjoyed a Sloppy Joe with baked beans, chips and cookies thanks to the many volunteers from this congregation. Hats off to those who purchased, baked, packed and delivered the meals on Wednesday...each contribution was truly a blessing to those in need.
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Summer Ladies’ Bible Study for 2026:
Ladies, join us for a 5-week study of “Jonah: The Call of Compassion” by Sue LeBoutillier. There will be a morning group on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00, beginning on July 1st. We will skip the week of VBS and will finish our study on August 5th. We will also offer this study on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Pat Bowling will lead the morning group, and Pam Ponce will lead the evening group. The study guide will be printed out in the office and will be available at no cost. Contact Pat Bowling (pgbowling3728@gmail.com) to register for this study and to get more information.
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Thank you!
We want to give an EGGstra big thank you to everyone who helped make our Eggstravaganza event this past Saturday such a success! We welcomed over 400 members of our community onto our campus to hunt for over 3500 easter eggs and got to witness a countless number of smiles as we anticipated the resurrection celebration together. We couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you for making KGPC a place for our community to come and experience the joy of Easter.
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The partnership between the Presbyterian Church U.S.A and the Presbyterian Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo dates back to 1891, when William H. Sheppard from Hampton Institute along with Samuel Lapsley founded the Congo Mission at Luebo in Belgian Congo. In 1990, The Presbyterian Church Community of Kinshasa (CPK) and the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia (PEVA) formed a partnership. Today, 29 PEVA churches partner with 32 CPK churches. King's Grant Presbyterian Church partners with CPK Salembao and CPK Anunga. CPK Anunga originally partnered with Thalia Trinty Presbyterian Church.
King's Grant Presbyterian Church sends both churches in Kinshasa $1000 each annually to be used on a project for the church. Past projects have been to build a house for the minister, a building for the women of the church to meet, a modern restroom with a commode and sink with running water. Outhouses are still very common. Usual project include buying materials in bulk for the widows to sell. When I visited the DRC, CPK Anunga had a very large widow group.
CPK also has feeding stations for poor children. Although the Government recently agreed to fund all primary education, there is a need to provide scholarships for secondary education and college. From Wikipedia, an estimated 73.5% of people in the DRC lived below the international poverty line of US$2.15 per day as of 2024, making the it among the five poorest countries in the world.
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One Great Hour of Sharing Answers the Call to Do Justice
Through One Great Hour of Sharing, we are responding to Christ’s call to ministries of compassion for the world’s most vulnerable. Together, we answer the prophet Micah’s call to do justice by working to address hunger, disaster, oppression, climate change and immigration/migration and refugees.
To Donate to One Great Our of Sharing: There are envelopes are available outside each Sanctuary entrance, or using the button below:
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CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!
Youth Sunday and Graduate Recognition is just around the corner on May 3rd! If you want to be involved, please let Pastor Kailey or the Church Office know!
| | We hope you will join us on Sunday, May 3rd, where the middle school and high school youth will plan and lead the service of worship. We will also recognize those who have completed the confirmation process this year as they re-affirm their baptismal vows and we receive them as active members of KGPC! | | |
An Easter Season Discussion Group
Chris Carrasco
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For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional
By Hanna Reichel, professor of theology at Princeton Theological Seminary
I have been asked by several church members if we can create a safe place to talk about some similar questions being raised: How do Christians maintain their integrity in times of political polarization? How do we keep on living faithfully in a time of rapid social change? How does our faith inform our response in such a time as this? This resource offers 4 weeks of daily devotions as we pray about and begin to formulate our own answers to these questions. Join us starting April 19 on Sundays from 11:30-1:00 as we share insights, reflections, and thoughts based on the daily devotions in this book. Bring a lunch if you’d like.
An excerpt from Amazon’s book description: “Drawing upon both scholarship and pastoral wisdom, theologian Hanna Reichel offers a timely resource for believers seeking spiritual grounding amid societal upheaval. For Such a Time as This provides a thoughtful framework for discernment rooted in scripture, historical wisdom, and the core commitments of Christian faith. Through meditations on scripture, Reichel guides readers toward their own Christian response to the present moment. Readers will come away with practical wisdom for navigating our uncertain times, a deeper understanding of Christianity’s resources for resistance, and renewed energy for the urgent tasks that faithful discipleship demands today.”
You may order the book on Amazon, purchase one from the church starting 2 weeks ahead of time, or come to listen and share insights without using this book.
I hope you’ll join us in this discussion navigating our Christian faith in challenging times.
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MARCH 2026 SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
1. Session gathered to contemplatively read the scripture Luke 24:28-35. Jesus revealed Himself to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. We need to invite Jesus deeper into our lives, ultimately leading to recognizing His true identity. We shared prayer concerns and prayed for one another.
2. The Session retreat was held last Saturday where we spent 6 hours discussing our church’s mission and vision, spiritual renewal and discerning goals for the year.
3. A Leadership Summit has been scheduled for June 5th and 6th with all ministry team leaders, Elders and staff.
4. We elected Presbytery Commissioners for the upcoming PEVA meeting on April 28th. Al Mayo and Wayne Shank were elected to represent KGPC.
5. A Congregational Meeting was set in April to present the Nominating Committee’s candidates for the Class of 2029 Elders and Youth Delegates.
6. The Property Ministry Team came to our meeting to discuss the parking lot needs. They recommended a full replacement of the parking lot. Session voted to table this decision until next month allowing time to pray and discern God’s will.
| | 10 AM Worship Information | |
On the Road to Emmaus
Easter Season Worship Series
An empty tomb was not good news to the first disciples. As two of them walk back home overwhelmed with disappointment, grief, and confusion, they encounter a stranger. By the end of that encounter, they are running back to the eleven proclaiming, “The Lord has risen indeed!” Breaking hearts turned into burning ones. Despair gave way to hope. Confusion transformed into understanding. This Easter season we will walk with these two disciples on the road to Emmaus in the midst of our disappointment, grief, and confusion. Perhaps we, too, will encounter a stranger who will transform us and send us out to tell the world, “Jesus is alive!”
April 12 Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Wilbur Douglass, a retired Navy Chaplin and former pastor of Community Presbyterian Church of Portsmouth.
April 19 Rev. Kailey Stephens Preaching
April 26 Breaking Hearts: When It All Falls Apart Luke 24:13-19
The disciples are crushed. Jesus was dead. Even worse, his body was missing. As two disciples head back home to “life as usual” they commiserate with one another. In the midst of despair, a stranger starts to walk alongside them on the road to Emmaus. The first section of this story reminds us of our own Emmaus journeys of heartache and sadness. When it all falls apart, we find both friends and strangers walking with us in our disappointment. When your heart is breaking, “you’ll never walk alone” on the road to Emmaus.
Reflection Question: Describe an Emmaus journey of your own. Who walked with you? As you look back on it, how was Jesus present?
May 3 Youth Sunday
May 10 Breaking Assumptions: We Had Hoped… Luke 24:20-29
When the stranger asked two disciples what they were talking about, they shared the whole sob story. They recounted not only the facts, but their assumptions, hopes, and dashed dreams. The stranger then interpreted the Hebrew scriptures in a way that provided a whole new outlook, a better understanding, and a fresh perspective. As we walk on the road to Emmaus, we too have assumptions that keep us from understanding how God is at work. We had also hoped that things would be different. When we turn to scripture, we hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us in new and fresh ways, breaking assumptions and offering guidance and comfort for the journey.
Reflection Question: When have you turned to scripture to find guidance and comfort in your life? Describe a time when you had an assumption that blinded you to other possibilities or explanations. Finish this sentence for yourself, “I had hoped…”
May 17 Breaking Bread: Open Eyes and Burning Hearts Luke 24:30-35
Once the disciples invited the stranger into their home, they sat down to eat together. At their “Communion Table” they realized who they had been with all along. Their eyes are opened to the risen Christ, their hope is renewed, and their hearts are set on fire to go out and tell others. As we conclude our walk to Emmaus, we too recognize Jesus has been with us the whole time. We shift from knowledge to encounter as our hearts are set on fire. May we too run out into the world, excited to tell others about who Jesus is and how he has transformed our lives.
Reflection Question: In what ways have you unexpectedly recognized Jesus in your midst? How have you experienced a heart on fire after an encounter with Jesus? Who will you tell about Jesus this week?
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Easter Season Gather Dinner Church Series
“Encounters with the Risen Christ”
After Jesus’ resurrection, many people encountered the risen Christ. Each one had a different reaction. Each one has a lesson to teach us. This Easter season series focuses on four different encounters Jesus had with four different people: Thomas, Peter, Cleopas, and the group of disciples. Come, hear, and learn from the different encounters with the risen Christ. You might just have an encounter of your own.
April 5 NO GATHER CHURCH
April 12 John 20:19-31“Thomas’ Encounter with Jesus” COMMUNION
April 19 John 21: 15-17 Guest Speaker: Bob Larose
April 26 John 21:1-14 “Peter’s Encounter with Jesus”
May 3 YOUTH SUNDAY
May 10 Luke 24:13-35 “Cleopas’ Encounter with Jesus” COMMUNION
May 17 Luke 24:36-49 “Disciples’ Encounter with Jesus”
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This Week's Menu:
NO GATHER CHURCH THIS WEEK
HAPPY EASTER!
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Eve Circle will meet on Monday, April 6th at 7:00 pm in the Parlor. Contact Pam Ponce (pnp.virginia@gmail.com) for information.
Lydia Circle will meet on Tuesday, April 14th at 10:30 am in the Connection Point. For more information, please Contact Claudia Hudgens (claudiakhudgens@gmail.com).
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BOOK CLUB
The Lion Women of Tehran
by Marjan Kamali
April 28th 7:00 pm
Theo of Golden
by Allen Levi
May 26th 7:00 pm
As always, ALL are welcome!
For more info contact Julie Seipel at jseipel57@gmail.com
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Our Book Club meets on the last Tuesday of the month
at 7:00 p.m. in the Parlor.
Need a book, contact Julie Seipel for information.
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KGPC FINANCIAL REPORT
PERIOD ENDING: February 2026
MONTH OF FEBRUARY
Cash Income--------- $44,808
Cash Expenses -------($51,056)
Surplus(Deficit)------- ($6,248)
YEAR-TO-DATE COMPARISON
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ACTUAL INCOME:-------
ACTUAL EXPENSES:--
DIFFERENCE:----------- -
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2025
$107,277
($92,447)
$14,830
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2026
$88,531
($103,882)
($15,351)
| | Our Livestream is available Sundays on YouTube and also on Facebook! Use the links below. The links will also be in the Sunday Morning Worship email. | |
Those Serving our Church This Sunday:
Head Usher: Roy Phelps
Greeter: Jeff Hammaker
Liturgists: Alex Carrasco, Larry Leonard
Faith Formation Teachers: Gwen Bushnell
Nursery Workers: Jennine Cabrera and Crystal Humphrey
Tech Team: Cameras - David Scholefield, Bob Larose ; Slides - Jenn Baden;
Soundboard -Jay Kerr; Livestream - Mara Montoya
Communion Servers: Miriam Callahan, Mel Allmond, Claudia Hudgens, Bill Hudgens, Wayne Shank, Anne Shank, Brenda Stone
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Time and Talents
Here is all our current lists looking for volunteers!
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Faith Formation Information!
The adult faith formation class is doing a study of First and Second Samuel which will continue through June 21st.
All are welcome! No preparation is required and Bibles are provided. We meet Sundays at 8:45 in room 115 (Parlor).
April 5 (Easter Sunday) NO CLASS
April 12 Introduction to 2 Samuel and Ch. 1 &2 Pat Bowling
April 19 2 Samuel Ch. 3 & 4 Claudia Hudgens
April 26 2 Samuel Ch. 5 & 6 Pat Bowling
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Sabbath Life Sunday Morning Group
The Sabbath Life Group meets Sunday mornings at 8:45 in the Connection Point. We are studying the book of Matthew and would love to have you join us!
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Youth Faith Formation
Youth Donuts & Discussion will be in room 102. Join us at 9:00 am in room 102 for lively, faith-filled discussions... and donuts! Over the next several weeks, we will be working on our Youth Sunday Theme!
NO YOUTH DONUTS AND DISCUSSION THIS WEEK!
HAVE A HAPPY EASTER!
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King's Kids
King's Kids (children's faith formation classes) meets Sunday at 10:00. Kindergarten through grade 5 meet in room 104 and preschool meets in room 117. Please register your children on our website or at the classroom
FOR EASTER:
King's Kids will be held during the 11 AM Worship Service, which will include a Lesson and an Easter Egg Hunt.
During the 8:45 AM Service there will be activities in the Grace Space (The alcove near the stained glass) which you are welcome to take into the pews during service.
| No Youth Group This Week!
Happy Easter! | | |
Spring ‘26 “LIFE” Groups
(“LIFE” L=Love God, I=Impact Others, F=Find time together, E=Engage authentically)
Join a LIFE group this Spring!
Prayerfully consider where you might spend “LIFE“ at KGPC!
There is a place for you in this small group experience. And there is always room for more… more members & more groups.
For more information, contact Julie Seipel (jseipel57@gmail.com).
Please contact the LIFE facilitator for details on the LIFE group you would like to be a part of.
Sunday:
Sabbath LIFE, 8:45-9:45 a.m. @ church, Suzy Farley (suzyfarley@yahoo.com)
Monday:
Lunch Bunch LIFE, 12:30-2pm @ church Connection Point, bring a lunch, Julie Seipel (jseipel57@gmail.com)
Tuesday:
Porch LIFE, 6:30 p.m., every other Tuesday @ Chuck & Pam Sandford’s home (chuck_sandford@yahoo.com)
Wednesday:
Prayer Breakfast LIFE, 7 a.m. @ church Fellowship Hall, Don Bradway (bradway.don@gmail.com)
Faith Walkers LIFE, 1 p.m., @ church in the Parlor, Sue Mooney (susannemooney@gmail.com)
Best LIFE group, 5:30 p.m., various restaurants, Jenn Baden (jennifer.baden@gmail.com)
Thursday:
Biscuit Bunch LIFE group, 8:30 a.m., 3rd Thursday of the month, @ church, Daryl Mitchell (darylwmitch@gmail.com)
Zoom LIFE Group, 7 p.m., every other week, online, in the comfort of your home, Karen Pleas (pleask.2@verizon.net)
Monthly LIFE groups:
Book Club, 7 p.m., last Tuesday of each month @ church, Julie Seipel (jseipel57@gmail.com
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Home Communion
Are you unable to make it to worship on a regular basis? Would you like to still participate in the sacrament of Communion? Every Communion Sunday, we have several elders willing to bring Communion to you in your home.
If you would like to receive home Communion, please notify Miriam Callahan or the Church Office. (757-340-2840)
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We would like to remind everyone that from Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:45 AM and 12:30 PM, the doors by Trinity Preschool are designated for preschool use only.
This measure is in place to ensure the safety and security of our wonderful students. Thank you for being an integral part of our efforts to maintain a secure and supportive atmosphere for all.
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Session Members
The Members of Session are always open to have conversations about what is happening in the church. Let's Talk!
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Class of 2026
- Jeff Hammaker
- Audrey Malagon
- Pam Sandford, Clerk of Session
- Joe Simmons
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Class of 2027
- Jenn Baden
- Shannon Bronaugh
- Suzanne Long
- Wayne Shank
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Class of 2028
- Lizzie Chidester
- Bob Larose
- Al Mayo
- Brian Miller
| | Youth Delegate Class of 2026: Alex Carrasco, Alex Long, Michael Long | | |
King's Grant Presbyterian Church
745 Little Neck Road
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
(757) 340-2840
info@kgpc.org
Office Hours: 9:00 - 3:00 M-F
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10:00 AM - Worship
---------- Service
5:00 PM - Gather
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