Grace's Congregation Council met again this past Sunday, May 24th, and continued the discussion surrounding when and how we might begin to resume some in-person activities.
Council will continue
weekly
check-in meetings in order to discuss the situation in real time as new information becomes available each week. In this discernment, Council continues to consider input from the CDC, SC DHEC, SC Synod, ELCA, Grace's Health & Wellness Committee, and other experts. As of today,
we do not yet have an in-person return date
. However, we continue to move closer to that point.
Details of a multi-stage plan will be shared with the congregation next week, that way everyone can know what to expect. Our 'normal' in-person activities are still a long way off, but we hope to offer new ways of being together soon.
In order to make this happen, Grace's
Re-opening Task Force
needs your help! If you are interested in assisting this task force, please let Pr. Gregg know by clicking on the sign-up button in the next section.
As we continue getting things ready, know that we are deeply grateful for the many ways that you, Grace members, have continued to be the church while we are apart. Our church has never been closed in this time, just deployed. The Holy Spirit continues to work in and among us, and we continue to share God's grace with the world.
We will share more updates as they are available. In the meantime, please continue praying for all those affected by the pandemic. If you have any questions, please contact the pastors.
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Feeding Our Neighbors
- During the school year, Grace members help feed our neighbors through the Hunger Outreach Program. Over the last several months, the usual process of cooking and distributing food together has been interrupted, leaving Grace with several hundred meals' worth of food undistributed. Rather than let that food sit, the Outreach Committee decided to
donate this food to the Rock Hill Children's Attention Home
.
Last week, the pastors met CAH staff members Tammy and Dick in the Grace parking lot and loaded hams, hot dogs, spinach, green beans, corn, baked beans, and peaches into their van. They shared that there are currently 21 children at the home, and their budget has been significantly impacted by this pandemic - they are operating on about 1/3 of their usual funding. Tammy and Dick shared that they were trusting in God to provide in the midst of this uncertainty, and they felt that
Grace's generous gift was part of God's provision
. If you'd like to learn more about the CAH, click
here
.
Thank you, Grace members, for continuing to feed the hungry!
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Coffee Hour on Facebook Live
Many of you have joined in the Sunday morning Facebook Live Coffee Hours, sharing your thoughts on the worship service, sermon & Scripture, favorite food combinations, local restaurants and more. Thanks for taking part!
Our pastors will continue to host these online
Coffee Hours
on
Sunday mornings at 11am
. If you've never been, we invite you to join us on Facebook this week! If you've joined before, we hope you'll keep coming. Bring your coffee and your comments to take part in this community gathering!
We'll also continue to launch our
worship service
on
Facebook Premiere
at
10am
on Sundays, so that those who wish can worship at the same time and even say hello. We'll continue to post the worship service on YouTube and the website at
7:30am
for those who prefer to access it that way.
We invite you to share the links to our services and coffee hours; though we are apart, we can still share the Good News of God through worship and fellowship.
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Click on the video link for the latest message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, who shares with us a word about all of creation giving praise to God and invites us to delight in creation, too!
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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.
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WORSHIP
Click the video image for the
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Worship Service Video
from May 24th.
Click
here
for the worship guide.
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Click the video image for
the Children's Sermon from
the Seventh Sunday of Easter,
May 24th.
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We invite you to "like", comment on, and share these videos!
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Each Sunday we continue to worship together online.
We will also send an email to invite you to participate.
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Offering Our Gifts to God
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Bird sculpture courtesy of Coby Johnson
Gifts & Talents Pictures
Share your work and activities with us! During this time, many of us are busy with projects, using our gifts. Sharing your projects, large or small, is one way to present offerings to God at this time & we want to see what God is doing through you!
If you'd like to share what you're doing, please send pictures to
Pr. Gregg
so we can include them in our worship videos. We may also use these on social media & at church when we return.
NOTE: If you can, add a signature to your visual offering!
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Monetary Offering
When we worship together, 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
-You are also still welcome to mail your offering to the church office.
Thank you for giving!
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Updates for Children and Youth Programming at Grace
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Young Youth and Grace Youth Ministry (GYM)
- Young Youth & GYM are going to meet via Zoom every-other week during the summer beginning May 31st. While we remain apart physically, we will continue to enjoy each other's company & grow in our faith online. Keep an eye out for further details to be sent in a direct email to YY & GYM families, & email Pr. Rachel with any questions.
We give thanks that we can still meet in this way!
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Vacation Bible School
- We have made the decision that we must cancel Vacation Bible School for the summer of 2020. This is disappointing to us, as we know it will be disappointing for many others. We are looking forward to the day when we can gather safely in person again for Learning activities. In the meantime, we invite and encourage Young Youth and Youth-aged members to continue to participate in their online get-togethers this summer.
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FAITH FORMATION RESOURCES
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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 May 24
Click
here
for the week of May 31
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Pentecost Coloring Page
Illustrated Ministry has shared a fun coloring page for Pentecost! Click
here
to download this page to color yourself!
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Click
here
for previously featured (and still available!) resources.
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Click the image for our
May & June Birthdays
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Click the image for our current Grace Prayer List
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Click the image for
Memorials and Gifts
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An Update From Our NovusWay Camps
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On Friday, NovusWay shared the following:
"To honor our commitment to providing the healthiest and safest environment possible for our campers, counselors, staff, and guests, and after prayerful and informed consideration, our executive team and the NovusWay Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to suspend all scheduled camp programming for summer 2020 at
Lutheridge
,
Lutherock
,
Luther Springs
and
Lutheranch
. With campers, parents, counselors, and congregations, we share the disappointment and loss this painful news brings."
Click
here
to read the full announcement and find answers to questions you may have about the summer and fall at camp, as well as ways to support NovusWay.
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Are You
Passionate about RECYCLING?
Click
here
for a message from Dan Polito about the future of recycling in Rock Hill and how you can influence this city's care of creation.
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April Giving and Expenses
April Received $52,731
April Expenses $52,864
Budgeted to Spend $50,852
YTD Received $214,001
YTD Expenses $186,242
YTD Budgeted to Spend $203,408
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Committee Meetings can be held on Zoom! If your Committee hasn't met recently and would like to, the pastors can help. If your Committee doesn't currently have business to discuss, this could still be an opportunity to check in with each other and share in fellowship. Please click
here
to email the pastors if you'd like to set up a Zoom.
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Stay connected.
Click on the links below.
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All 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.
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GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
426 Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC 29730
(740) 312-5774
(Pastor Gregg’s cell)
(864) 230-3816
(Pastor Rachel’s cell)
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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