Unison Prayer
Lord God, we claim the truth of Psalm 24, verse one, which says “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” We believe that you call us to be good stewards and managers of everything that we have been given; we now ask for guidance and direction to do just that. Help us to make the necessary changes in our lives so that we can do what you need us to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Call to Worship
L: What have you done with the gifts God has given you?
P: We have brought our gifts to the house of the Lord.
L: Praise God for the gifts and for opportunities for service that they represent.
P: We praise God for all the ways in which our lives have been blessed.
L: Generous God, accept our gifts and our lives this day.
P: Loving God, please accept our praise and gratitude.
AMEN.
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The Scriptures for next week are:
Isaiah 62:8-12
Psalm 62
Colossians 3:23-24
Matthew 10:40-42
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Volunteer Opportunity
The Food Shelf will be handing out turkeys to our neighbors as they do their regular shopping onsite. There is a need for some extra hands to pass these out. This will take place during the following shopping times:
Thursday, 11/16--9am-12pm
Tuesday, 11/21--9am-12pm
Wednesday, 11/22--3pm-6pm
If you are available to help, please contact Pastor Jen.
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Mission Giving for November
Our missional giving for November will go to the Lakes Area Food Shelf to help keep the shelves stocked for the holiday season. We will also be sending a portion of our mission offering to the Conference to aid their work with the people of Ukraine.
Please make a note on your gift if you want it designated to the monthly missions, thank you!
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November--Pre-Advent, 738 Prayer, for a season of generosity.
Please join with other Grace UMC members in praying these words together at 7:38am and 7:38pm.
There is a bookmark sized handout of this available to tuck into your Bible for devotion times.
"Lord, teach our hearts to give freely without counting the cost. Let nothing in this world keep us from reflecting your generosity. Let us trust that when we are generous, you will ensure that our needs are taken care of, for you are our good shepherd. Amen."
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"Hanging of the Greens"
On the 29th of November, we will be decorating the church for Christmas. Following a brief time of fellowship after worship, we will begin changing over the front of the Sanctuary and putting out the decorations in the Narthex. When we are finished, there will be a light lunch of soup and sweet treats to celebrate a job well done!
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There are so many ways to get involved and volunteer within the church!
We are in need of help in the tech booth, this is NOT as difficult or technical as you might think! The camera moves with a joystick, and slides advance with the touch of a button. Huge thank-you to Marsha and Gary for their continued work with this critical ministry. Thank you also to Lauris for learning to run the cameras.
It would be VERY helpful for someone else to take care of advancing the slides during the worship service, so that those at the front can fully focus on their roles. Speak to Marsha or Jen, if you can help with this.
While we do have two people who help with youth group, we are very open to having other adults that want to hang out and eat pizza with us! Speak with Pastor Jen if you are interested (a "Safe Gatherings" sign-off is required to regularly help with this group).
We are always looking for people willing to help serve communion, usher, and read scripture. If you have other gifts that don't seem to match with the needs mentioned here, take some time to meet with Pastor Jen to find your niche.
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Christmas will be here before you know it!
If you are interested in helping with this year's "Children's Shop Day", mark your calendars to help on December 2nd.
Now we need stuff! Gifts of all kinds for men, women, and children--new or slightly used. Bring to the church during open hours and place in the first classroom on the right. This is a big effort of love for our community, and it takes many hands to make it work!
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Sharing a few more pics from our "Trunk or Treat" event. Thanks again to everyone who brought candy and/or participated in this fun day!
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College Students (and families), we have a special gift for students that may be home for Thanksgiving weekend and attend worship on the 29th of November. We hope to see you at church.
--Outreach Team (and youth group)
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How do I watch the Grace UMC livestream for worship?
1-go to our website at www.graceumcpequotlakes.org
2-Along the top of the page, you will see a tab of options.
--on the right is a tab that says "Sundays"
--choose the "Grace Church Livestream" option
--this will take you to a collection of our services by date, where you can choose the most recent service, or others that you may have missed; when you have clicked the one that you want to view, you should see an arrow to click to make it play. It may be necessary to adjust your volume, based on your own computer system.
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Youth Group has begun. We meet every other Wednesday evening at 6pm. We begin with dinner, followed by games. Next Youth Group is November29th.
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Park UMC will be holding their annual Cookie and Craft Sale on Saturday November 18th from 9-1. Cookies will be sold by the lb., and a Chicken Croissant lunch will be available for $5. |
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee has developed 2 new job descriptions for a Media Technician and a Music Leader. We are seeking people to fill these roles and need to do so as soon as possible.
The Media Technician will be responsible for all the technology needs and will recruit, train, equip and oversee volunteers to assist with Tech Room duties during services and events.
The Music Leader will plan, coordinate and implement music for all worship services throughout the year, as well as recruit, train, and equip volunteers/musicians within this ministry for both choir and Praise Team.
If you know of anyone who might be looking for such a part-time position, please let us know. Thank you for your continued “grace” as we navigate these changes.
---Grace SPRC Team.
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The church office is open Monday through Thursday, 9am until noon. The building and office are closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
Church office phone: 218-568-5755
· Church office (for all general inquiries and administrative/clerical duties)
graceumcpequotlakes@gmail.com
· Pastor Jen Matthees – jenmatt20@gmail.com
· Ann Hutchings-Congregational Care Assistant- graceumccare@gmail.com
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The weather is changing, and some of you are already heading south!
If you will be leaving, we would love to be able to stay in touch with you over the winter months. As you make your final arrangements to be gone, please drop Ann a note at graceumccare@gmail.com or call the office so we can make a note of how best to stay in touch.
Safe Travels!
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If you have something that should be added to this newsletter from your group or mission, please speak with Pastor Jen or email the details to her at jenmatt20@gmail.com. The E-Grace is generally completed by noon on Thursdays, so articles need to be received by Thursday 10am at the very latest.
If you wish to connect with me directly and it is not an emergency, please know that I will respond as needed during pretty regular office hours. I am generally in the church on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from at least 10-1, call the office to be sure, as my weeks may vary. I check my emails frequently throughout the day, and this is the best way to contact me. Friday is my day off as needs allow.
-Pastor Jen
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Important note
If you are mailing something to the church, you must use our P.O. Box for the address. We do not receive mail at the church, and if you use the physical church address it will get returned and could delay your notices to us or offerings.
P.O. Box 276
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
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Grace United Methodist Church
29318 Patriot Ave - P.O. Box 276
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
Phone: 218-568-5755
Email: graceumcpequotlakes@gmail.com
Website: www.graceumcpequotlakes.org
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