We thank all of you who submitted pledge cards last weekend during our services.  There is still time to submit your pledge - even into early January!  Just drop it by the office or mail it to Grace.  We appreciate your faithfulness in helping us plan our budget for 2019.




Christmas at Grace

Dec. 24
3:30pm - Caroling

4pm - Family Service with Eucharist and Grace Harmony musicians

8pm - Festival Holy Eucharist with Chancel Choir and guest musicians

Dec. 25
10 am - Holy Eucharist with carols


NO SERVICES ON SUNDAY, DEC 30



Unity service Sat., Dec 29 5pm
with potluck to follow
We will have a shared unity service and evening meal with Christmas carols to celebrate our shared life together at Grace as the year ends! To help with the planning and cooking please do the following:

1.  List your family name and number of people attending on the sheet in the Commons.

2.  Sign up to bring a green salad or dessert.

3.  Contact Kate Wood (231-941-5785 or katew40@charter.net ) if you are willing to help in the kitchen.  This will be mostly serving and light clean up!!!

4.  Wear your blue Grace tee-shirt or sweatshirt if you purchased one from the youth group, otherwise something else that is dark blue for a fun show of unity!

As the Christmas carols says "O come all ye faithful"



Office and Ministry Closures during the Holidays

Dec. 24
Office closes at noon
Pantry CLOSED
Jubilee House open

Dec. 25
Office and Jubilee House CLOSED

Dec. 26
Office CLOSED
Jubilee House open

Dec. 31
Office and Pantry CLOSED
Jubilee House open

Jan. 1
Office and Jubilee House CLOSED



Year-end contributions
For tax purposes year end donations can only be included as received for 2018 if they are: 
  • placed in the offering plate on 12-29
  • postmarked by 12-31
  • received in the office by 12-31 (note the office is closed Dec. 31)
  • received electronically by 12-31 via the donate button on the Grace Church website.
Offerings received after 12-31 will be appear on 2019 statements.
 





CHARITABLE DONATIONS STILL POSSIBLE
Charitable donations are still deductible, so long as you itemize your deductions, which fewer taxpayers are expected to do because the standard deduction has increased from $6,350 to $12,000 for a single filer and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. There remain ways to preserve the itemize benefit if you're near the threshold for itemized deductions. One approach is to concentrate your giving into a single year by paying forward your pledge amount or donations for 2019 in the 2018 tax year. Remember, all prepaid donations need to be accounted for by December 31, 2018. You still have the standard deductions up to $24,000 in 2019, and by looking at this as an whole, it can reduce your federal tax obligation for 2018 while supporting Grace Episcopal Church for the coming year.




2018 IRA Charitable Rollover
Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) yet for 2018? If you are 70 ½ or older, you can make a contribution to Grace Episcopal Church directly from your Traditional IRA simply by instructing the plan administrator to make the transfer directly to us as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). You are allowed to transfer up to $100,000 a year to the charities of your choice. Your gift will be transferred directly to Grace, will not be reported as taxable income and will count toward your minimal distribution requirements for 2018. And, most important, your generous support will help sustain our work within the congregation and in our various outreach ministries. All donations for 2018, no matter the type, need to be received in the office by Dec. 31, 2018.





LOVE, INC. announces name and affiliation change to Love Thy Neighbor
We have been a partner in ministry with LOVE, INC for years, supporting their various ministries and Life Skills classes. Now in the New Year we celebrate their change to a locally controlled 501c3 charity that will continue to provide unique services to our neighbors in need. The name will change to Love Thy Neighbor, and while the name has changed the telephone number 941-5683 remains the same as well as the caring connection they provide to those calling with specific needs. Connections to community resources, Bridge Ministries and building Life Skills for positive life changes remain the core of their ministry work. You are encouraged to visit their website 
www.lovethyneighborgt.org to learn more about their ministry programs and volunteer opportunities to serve as the hands of Christ to our neighbors in need.




Jubilee House thanks Youth Group
A very large THANK YOU to our Youth Group, Jill and Sue for taking their valuable time to help decorate the Jubilee House Christmas tree and house on Sunday December 9. The boot drive was a great success and the boots that were donated were put around the tree. After the decorating was done, all enjoyed pizza and had great discussion on what Jubilee House is and does. Submitted by Glenda Andrews, Coordinator, December 15, 2018.

 




Worship Participants this weekend

Sat. 5pm
Nancy Brannan, Eucharistic Minister
Pete Clapp, Lector
Kate Wood, Usher

Sun. 8am
Marcia Lee, Eucharistic Minister

Sun 10am
Connie Riopelle, Dixie Stephen, Eddie Grim,  Eucharistic Ministers
Catherine Turnbull, Ellen Schrader, Lectors
Penny Campo-Pierce, Intercessor
The Wade Family, Ushers
Sandy Seppala Gyr, Welcomer



Service attendance last weekend
Dec. 15 & 16 2018
Sat. 5pm      36
Sun. 8am     9
Sun. 10am   129



For the month ending Nov. 30, 2018
Total Operating Income:  $27,424
Total Operating Expenses:  $56,466
Mortgage Balance:  $296,091
  


 



Grace will host Safe Harbor January 5 - 12
Contact Donna Olendorf for more information and to receive the needed training for Safe Harbor volunteers.  click here  to read Donna's full article on our website.




Women's Book Club plans for 2019
First meeting is Monday, Jan. 14 at 6pm

If you enjoy reading, join a group of women from Grace for fellowship, conversation and FUN! We meet the second Monday of the month at Jubilee House. Contact Kate Wood for more information about joining the group at katew40@charter.net or 231-941-5785.
 


Jan. 14   The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Feb. 11    Promise Me Dad by Joe Biden
Mar. 11    Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler
Apr. 8      Little Fires Burning Everywhere by Celeste Ng
May 13    A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant
June 10    Someone by Alice McDermott
 


  
Weekly Worship Schedule

Wednesday 
Men's Prayer Group 7:30 am
Centering Prayer 11:00 am
Saturday
Holy Eucharist 5 pm
Sunday
No services Dec. 30


Lectionary Readings
& Daily Prayer


  
    This Weekend's Readings
The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Micah 5:2-5a
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-55
Canticle 15
open bible  
Next Weekend's Readings
The First Sunday After Christmas
Lessons & Carols

Genesis 3:1-15
Isaiah 35:1-10
Luke 1:26-58
Luke 2:1-20
Luke 2:21-33
John 1:1-18

      
  The Lectionary Readings

The Daily Office


Birthdays
 Mike Farrell
Courtney Ignace
Archer Vanderbush
John Harding
Rick Taylor
Lucy Crandell
Brenda Quick
Mike Hanson
Olivia Kroupa
Nancy Mistele

Anniversaries
wedding-rings.jpg


 
Prayer Lists
Did you know Grace has 2 prayer lists?  
* To be added to the prayer list found in the bulletin contact

** If you would like to be added to the Daughters of the King (DOK) prayer list and be prayed for daily,contact Penny Campo-Pierce at 231-946-1224 or  pcampopierce@charter.net

                   Contact Us 
341 Washington St.,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone 947-2330;  Fax 947-3011
Website www.gracetc.org

For Pastoral Emergencies
The Rev. Kathryn Costas
828-273-2296

   Staff Contact Information

What's Happening at Grace?



What's Happening in our Diocese?


Diocesan website


What's Happening in the National Church?



National Church website


Turn in your Oleson's receipts to benefit the Grace Food Pantry!



Oleson's Community Share Program

Here's how it works:
  1. You shop at Oleson's for groceries (liquor sales do not qualify for points)
  2. Turn in your receipts to the church.  Look for the envelope on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall, and place your receipts inside it.
  3. We submit receipts back to Oleson's
  4. We are granted cash rewards for the food pantry ($1 spent on groceries = 1 cent in Community Share points)

For every $5000 in receipts we submit, we receive $50 in cash for our food pantry.  Every little bit helps!

 

Thank you for participating!

 

Click here to learn more... 

 



Buy from Amazon?  
Help Grace Church!

Did you know Grace Church is part of the Amazon Smile program? We ask you to consider supporting Grace Church through this program. It doesn't take more than a minute to register, then eligible purchases will benefit Grace Church.  Follow this link to learn more...