This Week at Grace

GRACE NOTES

April 28 - May 5, 2020

Something new is brewing!

On Sunday we had our first Facebook Live Coffee Hour and it was a lot of fun. So, we're going to try it again this week!

Our worship video will still be active on YouTube at 7:30am Sunday morning, with a link on our website - the video will be accessible from that time, so there is no change at this time for YouTube users.

Facebook gives us the opportunity to have a 'Premiere' of the worship video, which is a handy way for many of us to worship together in real time. Once again this week, we will post the Facebook worship video at 10am , making it a 'Premiere' event. This format allows many people to be worshiping at the same time. In events like these, you are invited to click 'like' and even comment during the worship experience. It is intended to be interactive , particularly during the sermon. The worship video will still be available on Facebook after the event, too, so don't worry if you oversleep and miss the 'Premiere' at 10am.

Then, following the worship service, the pastors will 'go live' on the Grace Facebook page at 11am , sharing additional thoughts and interacting with people who are commenting. If you have a question, or a thought, we invite you to share! Share questions about the worship service, note what you thought was interesting or powerful - things like that. Think of this Sunday at 11am as a kind of 'virtual coffee hour'. The pastors will offer some questions, too, so come with your thoughts, an open mind, and probably a cup of coffee and join us as we continue to explore together the kind of community God is calling us to experience in this time!

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!

Join us for some conversation!

This picture is actually a screen shot from the last Congregation Council meeting, but soon, it could be YOU!

We know it is difficult to spend so much time being isolated from others, and your Council wants to help.

This week, on Tuesday and Thursday at noon and 6pm , we are inviting you to join us for a little virtual community and Spirit-led conversation. Using the link below, we invite you to sign-up to participate in one of the events. The events will be held on Zoom. We will send the meeting information you need once you have signed up for a time slot. If these are popular, we can always add more, so do not worry if the slots fill up quickly!

Once again, the dates for this week are April 28 , and April 30 .

Click Here to sign up for one of these dates!

WORSHIP

Click the video image for the

Third Sunday of Easter

Worship Service Video

from April 26th.

Click here for the worship guide.

Click the video image for

the Children's Sermon

from the Third Sunday of Easter, April 26th.

Children's Sermon for Easter 3A - Grace Lutheran Church

This past Sunday we were led in worship by several familiar faces. Each person added so much to our our worship experience! YOU are invited to help us out, too! If you would like to send us a video for this Sunday, May 3rd, click here to volunteer and Pr. Gregg will contact you.

Each Sunday we will worship together digitally. We will post these services

on the Grace Facebook page and on our website .

We will also send an email to invite you to participate.

We invite you to like, comment on, and share these videos!

Make an Artful Contribution!

Can you draw? Paint? Garden? Woodwork? Not really, but you're trying to improve? Share your work with us! During this time, many of us are busy with projects. If you'd like to share photos of your work, please send them 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. 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!

NOTE: If you can, add a signature to your visual offering!

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 online by clicking here ( and you have the option to offset the cost of giving online), or you are welcome to mail your offering to the church office. Thank you for giving!

In this time of being apart, we are still finding ways to support our community and share God’s love with our neighbors. Knowing the significant needs this pandemic is causing, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors, the Grace Outreach Committee acted quickly to help.

Last week, the Outreach committee sent our $2,500 budgeted commitment to Family Promise and used the Outreach grant funds to send $1,000 grants to six local community agencies.

Click here to read about the impact of your giving.

From the Pastors

Remarks From Our Pastors

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 for yourself!

Phishing Texts and Emails

Some members have received "phishing" emails and texts, which say they are from Pr. Gregg, requesting money or gift cards to be sent to him.

Please know that your pastors will never ask for money or gift cards to be sent directly to them. If you receive an email or text like this please feel free to be in touch with the pastors through the church office to let us know.

PASTORAL CARE

Your pastors are here for you! If you are in need of pastoral care,

or know someone who is, please reach out.

Guidance on Communion during a time of pandemic

Click here to read an article posted by the South Carolina Synod to help address the issue of Holy Communion during this time when we are practicing social distancing.

FAITH FORMATION RESOURCES

Sparkhouse, our Sunday School publisher, has created a "Sunday School at Home" curriculum. You can access a video, discussion activities, and coloring pages for the coming Sunday here .

At 10 am each weekday, a member of the SC Synod staff will do a devotional moment via the SC Synod Facebook page, found here .

Pastor Matt C-K and Pastor Jesse C-K (of the Lutheridge C-Ks) are leading Morning Watch for children and for adults each weekday on Facebook here .

Click the image for our

April and May Birthdays

Click the image for our current Grace Prayer List

Click the image for

Memorials and Gifts

WELCM Campus Ministry

click here to visit the WELCM website

March Giving and Expenses

March Received $54,159

March Expenses $48,940

Budgeted to Spend $50,852

YTD Received $161,645

TYD Expenses $133,378

YTD Budgeted to Spend $152,556

In-Person Ministry Events that were scheduled for the foreseeable future have been cancelled or postponed. Some events will not have decisions until closer to those dates, and as we know more, we will share that news. The pastors and Congregation Council are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 orders and precautions coming from the CDC and local government to make the best and safest decisions for all of us at this time. If you have a question about a specific event, please contact the church office or one of the pastors.

Fabric Face Masks

are available from Sabrina Blanks, who is sewing them at home. She is making two kinds: one with a pocket that can contain a removable filter (which are available elsewhere), and one without. Sabrina shares that these masks are mainly to be used to keep us from touching our faces in public, and we should all continue to follow the advice of our healthcare providers and CDC recommendations in regards to best practices regarding viral transmission. If you would like a fabric face mask for yourself or someone else, please email Sabrina or call her directly, using your directory.

An Update From Our NovusWay Camps

In pursuit of our mission to provide a safe and healthy community and in response to the continued need for physical distancing, NovusWay Ministries is delaying the start of onsite summer camp programs at Lutheridge , Lutherock , Luther Springs, and

Lutheranch until Sunday, June 21st. In addition, select programs scheduled for the later part of the summer are affected. This includes our Outdoor Adventure Programs which, out of an abundance of caution for campers and due to external limitations, will remain largely onsite & use the outdoor adventure activities located on all of our sites.

All campers, parents, and guests affected by the changes will receive email communication from NovusWay with updated or alternative registration options.

Registration for the remainder of NovusWay summer camp programs at all sites remains open. To provide you with a greater sense of ease in making your summer camp decision we continue to offer Risk Free Registration . We look forward to gathering again in these sacred spaces where we know that camp changes everything.

Remember, Grace has scholarships available for NovusWay camps -

email Pr. Rachel for an application!