GRACE NOTES
August 25 - September 1, 2020

We continue to be church together, deployed in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit continues to be at work in us and through us, and we continue to share God's grace with the world.

Stay up-to-date with the latest information by visiting our COVID-19 page:
While we are physically apart in the coming weeks, there are still many ways for us to be church together. We invite you to connect with one another by phone and make use of the resources in this publication, too!
Sundays with Grace

Our Sunday morning worship and fellowship opportunities are going strong!

We have been enjoying worshiping together via Facebook Premiere at 10am (and we know many others are also worshiping with us on Facebook and YouTube throughout the day). Our Facebook Live Coffee Hours at 11am continue to provide thought-provoking conversation as well as fun insights and connections with one another. Many friends, family members, and visitors also join us, and we are so glad to have these opportunities to be together while apart!

We look forward to being with you online again this Sunday!
Click the video image for the
12th Sunday after Pentecost
Worship Service Video
from August 23rd.

Click here for the worship guide.
Click the video image for the
Children's Sermon.
We invite you to "like", comment on, and share these videos!
Each Sunday we continue to worship together online.
These services are posted on the Grace Facebook page and on our website.
Watch last week's event - Click the video image link above to take part in the singing for yourself. This video will remain active on our YouTube and Facebook pages, so that the hymns, anthems, and prayers can continue to be a source of inspiration and spiritual nourishment as we continue in this time of distancing. Enjoy!
We know everybody misses singing hymns in a group - we are Lutherans, after all!

Since we are still unable to sing corporately in our worship, the music team put together our first virtual hymn sing program. This program highlighted some of the work we have done this summer in our music program with virtual choir anthems interspersed with several of the singers' favorite hymns.

We want YOU to participate in the next one! Young or old, if you can carry a tune and love hymns as much as we do, send us an email ([email protected]) so we can send you more information about how to rehearse with us and add your voice to our sound for the next one!
WORSHIP ASSISTANT VIDEOS CONTINUE

We have been blessed to see one another in worship through our online worship assistants!

If you are interested in providing a worship assistant video, please click here to sign up for this Sunday, August 30, and Pr. Gregg will contact you with the details you'll need.

Thanks to all who have helped lead us in worship so far and all those who will be leading us in the weeks to come!
In "Caught You Caring", the Stewardship Committee highlights some of the great stewardship of gifts they've noticed recently
and says THANKS!

We're giving a big "Thank you!" to:
-The Health & Wellness Committee
-The Grace Congregation Council
-The Property Committee
-The Outreach Committee
-Jeremy Mims & Craig Allen

Click here to see all the ways these folks have been caring!
Help our Kids & Families with School!

Were/are you a teacher? Do you love a certain school subject? Are you passionate about education? You could help our Grace families thrive in hybrid/virtual school this year!

In talking to parents about the upcoming school year, the current number-one support Grace can offer is HOMEWORK and TUTORING HELP. Parents are going to be doing their best to help their kids learn and thrive in this environment, but we can all use a little help, especially for those subjects outside of our everyday fields.

If you'd like to offer your expertise to our families, please click HERE.
Thank you for supporting our families!
This Sunday during worship, we will bless everyone headed back to school in our Backpack Blessing Milestone. We will be praying for a healthy, safe, fun, and learning-filled school year for our students, teachers, school staff, and families. Have your backpacks handy when you worship with us online this Sunday to take part!
Are you a teacher?
Do you work with a school?
Let us know!

Grace wants to support our teachers and school staff, especially in this unusual year! Click here to make sure you're on our list.
Are you in college?
Is your kid in college?

We are updating our college student list so we can stay connected with and support our Grace members. Click here to share your info with Pr. Rachel.
Parents and Caregivers - we want your feedback! If you were not able to join us last week for our Parent Connection Zooms, please click HERE to access a feedback form. You'll be able to share with the pastors the kinds of support and resources that would be helpful to you and your family as the school year gets started. Thanks in advance for sharing!
Young Youth and GYM are taking a break during August and the first part of September, while everyone finishes off vacation time and gets ready to start school.

We will start our new program year mid-September. This will include welcoming our rising Kindergartners to Young Youth and our rising 6th graders to GYM!

More information about this upcoming year will be available next week. Please email Pr. Rachel with any questions.
Equipping Ourselves for Hospitality
Hospitality - welcoming all who come through the doors - is one of Grace's strongest values.

This month, we resume work on our 2020 goal of "Equipping Ourselves for Hospitality." We have several projects designed to increase the warm welcome we share at Grace, by upgrading spaces throughout our building. We will work in socially-distant ways to accomplish these projects. Then, once we are all able to be back in the building together, these freshened and improved spaces will provide even more excitement!

We invite you to join us in accomplishing these projects! If you have a passion for conference room chairs, expertise in painting, or are simply excited about expanding the hospitality at Grace, please click here to let Pr. Rachel know. Some of these projects would be great for families! More specifics will be coming soon.
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Click here to read the pastors' remarks for the month of August.
Click on the video image to see a short video about some transformative ministry that is taking place in Detroit during this pandemic - these cooperative ELCA ministries came together to make a difference!
Offering Our Gifts to God - Monetary Offering

Part of our worship is offering our gifts to God. While we are apart, it is still faithful to offer our gifts. You can give in several ways:
  • Give online by clicking here (and you have the option to offset the cost of giving online)
  • Set up giving though your bank
  • Mail your offering to the church office.

Thank you for continued faithful giving!
Gifts & Talents Pictures
Our worship has been enhanced by your photos of projects, experiences, and joys these last few months - thank you for sharing! We would love to see more of what you're doing - please send photos to our Video Editor, Craig Allen by clicking here.
Taking Faith Home carries the previous Sunday's themes throughout the week. These devotions include daily Scripture readings, prayers, hymn suggestions, milestones, conversation starters, service opportunities, and at-home rituals.

Click here for the week of August 23
Click here for the week of August 30
Congregation Connections
Click the image for
our current
Grace Prayer List
Click the image for
Memorials and Gifts
Click the image for our
August Birthdays
Click the image for our
September Birthdays
Grace's Congregational Directory
Stay connected with each other. If you are a member of Grace or know a member who would like a printed copy of our Congregational Directory, please contact the church office.
Billy needs a new home!

Donna Wylie has shared a need: her dog, Billy, finds himself in need of a new home with a fence, where he can go on walks, share lots of love, and make some new friends. If you know of someone who might have a good home for Billy, please contact Donna Wylie directly, or call the Church Office.

Committee Meetings can be held on Zoom! If your Committee would like to use Zoom, the pastors can help. Please click here to email the pastors if you'd like to set up a Zoom meeting.
July Giving and Expenses

July Received $64,569
July Expenses $44,254
Budgeted to Spend $50,852

YTD Received $396,664
YTD Expenses $320,550
YTD Budgeted to Spend $355,964
Can We Help?
This pandemic has affected each of us, but may have affected us in different ways.
If you are in need of help (of any kind), please reach out to the pastors.
We can find connections to resources and/or support together.
We want to walk with you. Please call or email us.
Stay connected! Click on the links below!
In-person activities at
Grace Lutheran Church are suspended until further notice.
At this time, please do not come
to the church building.
We are praying for the health and well-being of our community and world.
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
426 Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC 29730
803.324.5295 www.gracerockhill.com

(740) 312-5774 (Pastor Gregg’s cell)
(864) 230-3816 (Pastor Rachel’s cell)

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm