GRACE NOTES
August 24 - 31, 2021
Reminder for This Sunday, August 29:
Come Meet One of Our Grant Partners!

This Sunday, we welcome Jason Davenport as he comes to share the mission of Pilgrims' Inn with us.

Jason will speak during the worship service (remember, one service at 10 am this week!) and he will be available in the Fellowship Hall afterwards to talk more about what Pilgrims' Inn does and how we can take part in serving the community with them.

Jason will have signups for various projects available so we can jump right into our partnership with Pilgrims' Inn!
Returning with Grace Update

The Council has voted to return to requiring masks for everyone who comes into the Grace building, regardless of vaccination status. Council also voted to refrain from indoor Sunday School for children under 12 for the time being.

It is our hope that this will allow us to continue moving forward with programming while continuing to keep one another safe.

To read a letter from Pastor Gregg regarding these updates, and to see the current protocols in their entirety, click HERE.
Council Comments - Sharing Good News!

This week, Bob Corbett shares about
Our 100th Anniversary and our Mortgage

The year 2023 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Grace Lutheran, a church that was organized as a home away from home for Lutheran students attending Winthrop University. But over the years Grace has expanded this calling and created outreach opportunities to include internal member programming, local and state outreach and even support to national and global initiatives.

With our 100th Anniversary fast approaching, we can make an even greater impact on future internal programming and community outreach funding by continuing to pay down and eliminate the mortgage we hold. We have hopes we can accomplish this goal by late 2023. 

Click HERE to read Bob's full Council Comments.
Are you a college or grad school student? We want to send you fun mail!

Do you have a college or grad school student in your household? We want to send them fun mail!

Please click HERE to share your/their current mailing address with Pr. Rachel.
Children's Choir is starting fresh!

On Sunday, September 19th, parents of kindergarten through 5th graders are invited to meet with Irene Pointon to discuss this year's new Children's Choir program. Come learn about the goals we have, the music we'll be learning, and the opportunities for growth in faith and music skills!

This meeting will be at 10 am in the Fellowship Hall.

If you have questions before the meeting, please contact Irene Pointon (number below).
The Children's Choir is in need of a keyboard. If you have a keyboard to donate to the church, please text Irene Pointon at 704.517.5403.
From the Director of Music
I am excited to start Grace ensembles again! If you are musically minded, I invite you to sing in one of our ensembles. Grace Alone meets on Monday evenings at 7:20pm; this group leads every week in the 8:30am service. Parish Choir meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm; this ensemble sings in the 11:00am service. If you enjoy singing, I hope you will consider joining us!
WELCM Gathering Dinners 
On Tuesday evenings during the school year, our campus ministry, WELCM, offers free, home-cooked dinners for students at the White House behind Grace Lutheran.
Please join us in creating community for and with Winthrop students and demonstrating the warm hospitality of Grace by providing dinner! Sign up in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Olga-Maria with any questions. 
Our partner, HOPE, has changing needs each week based on what is and isn't delivered to their food pantry. If you'd like to help with food donations, you can check this list each week to see what they need most!
Needs for this week:

+ Toilet paper
+ Paper towels
+ Cleaning supplies
+ Feminine products
+ Shampoo - men & women
+ Conditioner - men & women
+ Deodorant - men & women
Please take your donations to HOPE. Click HERE for drop-off times.

Click the video image for the
worship service for The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost,
Sunday, August 22.


Click HERE for the worship guide.
Click the video image for the
Children's sermon from
Sunday, August 22.
Worship Assistants at Grace

If you are interested in leading us with a reading,
creed, prayers, serving as a Communion assistant, greeter, or usher, please click HERE to signup. All slots refer to in-person worship services at Grace.

Thank you for being a part of our worship experiences at Grace!
LIFT - Ladies In Faith Together
All women and friends are invited to join us for our next meeting on:
Saturday, September 18 - 11:00am
(bring side dishes to share for lunch)
at the Stockley residence.
Contact Karen Harris at [email protected] for more information.
FALL ADULT BIBLE STUDY
This fall the Adult’s Bible Study will focus on the Book of Galatians. This was one of Martin Luther’s favorite books of the Bible. The bible study comes from a company called Kerygma. To find more information about this study click HERE.
Contact Bob Wasserman at 803.415.4449 or [email protected] about your decision to join this class. There will not be a charge for the book unless you desire to purchase your own copy and write notes in the book. We will discuss this in our first class. - Regards, Bob Wasserman
In their reports to Council each month, Pastor Gregg and Pastor Rachel conclude with some personal remarks that summarize the most recent period of their leadership here at Grace. Click HERE to read their August remarks.
UPDATE: Good Samaritan Fund

Are you in need? How about someone you know? At the June meeting, Council voted to allocate the undesignated memorial funds from 2020 to the Good Samaritan Fund, with the intention that the funds might offer help to members of Grace who could use a little financial assistance. As one member of Council put it, "We need to help the helpers and not try to pour from an empty cup. Hopefully these resources can help with that."

To request assistance from this fund, please contact either of the pastors. All assistance is confidential.
Blood Drive - September 13

We are partnering with Oakland Avenue Presbyterian (our neighbors across the street) to host a Blood Drive on September 13.

If you'd like to give blood, please register by clicking HERE, searching for the zip code 29730, and scrolling down to September 13.

If you'd like to help host the drive, please email Pr. Rachel HERE.

Thank you to those who are helping with the Drive and to those who are giving blood!

WELCM Benefit Concert
Join us on Friday, September 17 at 7pm for a WELCM Benefit Concert featuring Dr. Olga-Maria Cruz, Dr. Jeremy Mims, and Rev. Jesse Canniff-Kuhn with WELCM students.

Click HERE for more information.

Donate in person or online at www.welcm.org.

Please note Mary Wicker's new address:

745 Dilworth Lane
Apt. 103
Rock Hill, SC 29732
Congregation Connections
Click the image for
our current
Grace Prayer List
Click the image for
our August Birthdays
Click the image for
our September Birthdays
We extend Christian love and sympathy to Cindy and Neal Barber and family at the death of Cindy's mother, Betty Keisler. Click HERE for a link to the obituary.
The Sanctuary Candle for the month of August is given by
Nancy and Gus Koegler in loving memory of our grandson,
Grant Michael Bodle.

The Altar Flowers for Sunday, August 29 are given by Stephanie and Brian Beer in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary.

One vase available to sponsor for Sunday, August 29.

If you would like to sponsor Altar Flowers please click 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 Aug. 22
Click HERE for the week of Aug. 29
Offering Our Gifts to God

Part of our worship is offering our gifts to God. You can give in several ways:

  • Give via the offering plate in the Sanctuary

  • Give online by clicking HERE (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!
July Giving and Expenses
July Received $34,214
July Expenses $48,700
Budgeted to Spend $57,902
YTD Received $340,450
YTD Expenses $334,539
YTD Budgeted to Spend $405,314
Can We Help?

If you are in need of help (of any kind), or simply want to connect, please reach out to the pastors. 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 beginning again. All in-person activities need to be scheduled in advance at this time.

Please contact the church office if you need to schedule an activity.

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