Welcome to the new Grace Happenings weekly e-news!
We are excited to share this new format with you. This format allows us to
-share more information each week
-provide up to date information more often
-share photos and links more easily
-highlight ministries in new ways
This tool is new to Grace, and as we use it we'll be able to do more with it.
In the meantime, we ask for your support as we give the new format our best effort. If you didn't receive this as an email, please be sure to check your spam or junk folder - if you find this message there, mark the sender as 'not junk/spam'
We hope you will enjoy all the new opportunities this e-news brings.
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Thank You For Your Faithful Generosity!
The past month has been uncertain in many ways, but you did not waiver in generosity. You continued to give toward the mission we share, to
welcome,
nurture
,
equip
, and
send
in the name of Jesus Christ. We are incredibly grateful to each of you for supporting Grace and the work we are called to do in this community.
Click
HERE
to read a letter from
Pr. Gregg and Pr. Rachel which shares how your offering
is making a difference right now!
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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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HOLY WEEK
This Holy Week we will have worship services online on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. We will also have a devotion on the evening of Holy Saturday.
Each of these services will remain online after they are 'launched,'
in the same way as the Sunday services.
Even though we are worshiping from afar, these services will still be interactive.
There will be hymns, prayers, and call and response portions which we invite you to participate in just as fully as if we were gathered in the sanctuary.
As part of Maundy Thursday, you are invited to take part in an Agape Meal in your home. This may require some preparation, so we are sharing the Maundy Thursday Agape Meal guide
here
. There are suggested foods to include in your meal, but know that any meal you prepare and eat together (in person, on the phone, or in spirit) will be an Agape Meal.
Worship services and their accompanying worship guides will be posted on our
website
and
facebook
page. We will also send an email to invite you to participate.
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While we are physically apart in the coming weeks, there are still many ways for us to be church together. Here are resources available for us to connect:
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WORSHIP
Click the video image for the
Palm Sunday Worship Service
from April 5th.
Click
here
for the Palm Sunday worship guide.
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Click the video image for
the Children's Sermon
from Palm Sunday, April 5th.
Each Sunday we will worship together digitally. We will post these services on the Grace
Facebook
page and on our
website
.
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YOUNG YOUTH & GYM
Young Youth and GYM
will continue meeting on
Zoom for the time being.
Pr. Rachel is emailing
YY & GYM families directly
with updates and links
to the meetings.
Please let her know if you
have any questions.
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FAITH FORMATION
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
.
Click
here
for a daily Pandemic Hope Devotional created by several ELCA rostered ministers, which uses the FAITH5 format. This can be used by
those who are physically together in homes, or you could do this over the phone with others!
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
here
to see an article regarding Christian responses to pandemics throughout history.
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Make an Artful Contribution!
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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 sent 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!
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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 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!
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Easter Baskets of Blessings
- Many of you took an egg to sponsor an Easter Basket of Blessing for seniors in our area. The York County Council on Aging has asked everyone to
keep these baskets at your home
for now. Once social distancing precautions are lifted, we will be able to share these baskets with our neighbors. Thank you for supporting this ministry!
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Mayor of Rock Hill, John Gettys, has a special request to help us lift our spirits by making a joyful noise at noon on Sunday, April 12. Sing a song, play an instrument, clap your hands, listen for church bells ringing and know we're
#AloneTogether
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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 (704-858-1851).
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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. As Pr. Gregg shared in his
letter
last week, the pastors and Congregation Council are monitoring 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.
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PASTORAL CARE
Your pastors are here for you! If you are in need of pastoral care,
or know someone who is, please reach out.
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A Note From Our NovusWay Camps
In this time of uncertainty we know children and youth will need camp! N
ovusWay Ministries
is dedicated to giving all campers and their families a sense of peace as they decide on their summer plans. To partner with parents and congregations in this mission we are offering
Risk-Free Registration
.
You can register for summer camp with certainty that if your camper’s school system is still in session or summer camp programs are not held due to continued health concerns in our wider community, your paid registration fees can be applied to any future NovusWay program or be fully refunded. Visit the NovusWay website to
register now
and learn more.
Remember, Grace has scholarships available for NovusWay camps -
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COVID-19 Response from ELCA
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
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Stay connected.
Click on the links below.
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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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