E-News

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Sunday, October 6th

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor: Dave Brooks / Organist: Erin Hodge

Scheduled to Serve

Worship Folder for October 6th

8:30 AM - "The Lord Went Down to Egypt" - A Study of Exodus, led by Pastor Brooks resumes Sunday

9:00 AM - Sunday Discussion Group - Video - “Christianity, the Second Thousand Years”

9:30 AM - Fellowship Time

10:10 AM - Worship

11:30 AM - Education Hour

5:30 PM - Duke Lutherans Evening Prayer

-Featured News-

Hurricane Helene Response | There is an urgent need for flood clean-up kits and personal hygiene kits in western North Carolina. The damage caused by the hurricane and flooding has greatly disrupted western North Carolina.

The most important need is an immediate request for 18,000 personal hygiene kits and 15,000 flood clean-up kits. You can find the supplies list to make these kits here. We will start gathering these supplies immediately at Grace. More information will be coming soon.

Notes from the Town Hall Last Sunday |

Approximately 30 folks attended the Town Hall on Sunday. Pastor opened with prayer and reviewed the Grace Advisory Board meetings with Rev. Dr. Travis Guse of the SED over the first 5 months of 2024. He also presented Clifton Strengths. Bev Hudgins presented Vision Framing. Barbara Silvernail presented three ministry priorities. You may see the slides that were used in the meeting here. Town Halls will take place on the last Sunday of months that have five Sundays.

Three Four Five Six Things You Should Know About Small Groups (PALS Groups)

#1: They are the best place to connect and fellowship with others.

#2: They provide encouragement, accountability, and a sense of belonging.

#3: They remind us that we are stronger together

#4: They can be service based (i.e.. Habitat for Humanity); interest (or topic) based (i.e., Quilters); or life groups (Families with Young Children).

#5: Next week you will learn about a new PALS group (in the life group category).

#6: SAM

Red Cross Blood Drive

Need for Blood Critical | The Red Cross has cancelled 60 blood drives since last Thursday due to Helene! And in western NC but there is no telling when blood drives will resume. To donate blood now,

visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter your zip code to find the nearest blood drive. If you can't give now, save the date for December 23 for the Grace Blood Drive in Fellowship Hall.

Director of Christian Outreach Call Committee | The call committee has conducted a few interviews for the DCO position. We are currently reaching out to several more potential candidates to set up additional interviews. If you have any questions regarding the DCO position or the call process, feel free to ask any of the call committee members: Pastor Brooks, Kent Silvernail, Joe Wethman, John Kolba, Jacob Robinson, or Marie Snyder.

LWML Sunday is on October 20 | LWML Quilts will be displayed in the sanctuary and there will be an opportunity to enter a drawing for a special quilt (shown here and on display in the entry). More than 90 quilts will be sent to Lutheran World Relief for distribution around the world. To make a donation and enter the drawing (100% of donations go to missions), use the envelope that will be in the bulletin on the 13^th and 20^th. Make checks payable to Grace with "LWML" in memo line. Cash also accepted! Entry deadline: October 27^th. Drawing: October 30th.

Please also bring large boxes to Grace over the month of October for packing and shipping the quilts!

Do you have favorite hymns that you would like us to sing during worship? | If so, you have an opportunity to suggest hymns to the Hymn Selection Committee! Click here for a simple Google form where you can suggest your favorites!

-Recurring News-

Small Groups at Grace |

Your community for:

Prayer
Activity
Learning
Service

Next BOLT event is October 13th

(Location to be determined)

Contact: Chris Wethman

October Zoom Meeting TBD

October - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Contact: Donna Gesell

Next Meeting on 10/17 at 4:30 PM;

Learn more about the H-C PALS Group here.

Contact: Barb Tippin

Next Meeting: Thursday, October 3, at 7 PM at Duke Lutherans Center

Contact: Geoff Heintzelman

Stephen Ministry meets first or second Monday of the month. October meeting is Monday, October 14 at 6 PM. Learn more about Stephen Ministry here.

Contact: Joyce Rea or Joe Wethman

Growing Thru Grief | Offers year-round support for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Meets at St. Paul's Lutheran Church (1200 W. Cornwallis, Durham).

Next Meeting:

October 8th at 4 PM - Fall Series: "Surrendering to Grief, Part 1"

Presenter - Mandy Murphy

Growing thru Grief is sponsored by a coalition of religious and civic organizations; there is no charge to attend. Grace is a proud Coalition Member of Growing Thru Grief. "Conscious Grieving, a Transformative Approach" is the theme of Growing thru Grief's Fall Six Week Series with Mandy Murphy. Mandy Murphy is a facilitator who also works with those navigating loss and transition in her private practice, Mandy Murphy Co. She holds workshops on shame, self-trust, and vulnerability and helps people with financial management. To view the schedule for the Fall Series, click here.

-Events 10/3 thru 10/9-

10/3- 7 PM - Games Group at Duke Lutherans Center

10/4 - 5 - No Events Scheduled

10/6 - See Sunday listing above

10/7 - 11:30 AM - Pastor's Brown Bag Bible Study

10/8 - 4 - 6 PM - Growing thru Grief

10/9 - 10 AM - LWML Quilters

12 PM - Noon Prayer Service with Holy Communion

7 PM - Choir Rehearsal

Click here for the church calendar.

-Important Dates October and Beyond-

10/12- 1-4 PM - Grace Community Farmers Market

10/13- after Worship - BOLT (Breakfast Or Lunch Together) - Location TBD

10/20- 10:10 AM - LWML Sunday (Note: Also Bull City Race Fest with traffic disruptions)

12:30 PM - GAB Meeting - In Person

11/02- 9 AM - Circuit Pastors' Meeting at Grace

11/09- 10 AM - 1 PM - Grace welcomes the Rev. Dr. Yared Halche of the SE District on Saturday morning, November 9th for a presentation on how campus ministry can help international students grow rooted in Christ as they live, study and work in their new educational setting. Additional details will be posted soon.

11/17- 11:30 AM - Congregational Voters' Assembly Meeting after Worship

11/19- 6:30 PM - GAB Zoom Meeting

Click here for the church calendar.

-Serving Opportunities-

Walltown Neighborhood Food Ministries - Sign up to shop, bag, distribute food.

-From the Church Office-

Barb Tippin will be on vacation October 5-12.

Coverage in the office will be intermittant during this week.

All articles for the weekly e-news should be sent to the church office no later than the Tuesday prior to the Thursday mailing. If your group meeting time on Sunday has changed with the new Worship schedule, please let the office know. This form may also be used to submit articles.