Grace Notes Weekly Update

GRACE NOTES

May 10 - 17, 2022

For Worship services please visit our YouTube channel.

Youth Sunday was this past Sunday;

it was a very special morning!

We were glad to be led in worship by our children and youth. We had the opportunity to hear from two of our high school seniors, who shared their faith testimony, and we blessed them in their upcoming graduation. Other youth tried out new worship leadership roles, including playing special music, reading, praying, assisting with communion, and more. We were also blessed with a special canticle shared by our children's choir! The children and youth were a great witness to all of us in how we can serve God and each other in worship. We give thanks for each of them!

If you missed it, or you'd like to see it again, click HERE for the 8:30 service and HERE for the 11:00 service.

Speaking of things to see -

Have you seen the Youth Room lately?

Our refurbishment work has made a big difference!

Please click HERE for a Show-And-Tell to see how your support has allowed us to create a space just for our kids.

CHILDREN'S CHOIR

This has been an absolutely stellar year with our Children’s Choir. Thank you!

Carter Anderson, Allis Edwards, Thomas Edwards, Harper Guffey, Caroline Ingram, Emmerson Ingram, Nayeli Kirby, Aiden Stegall, Ava Stegall, and Olivia Wasserman filled the roster of the ensemble. Each and every one of these children brought great love and enthusiasm for learning to praise God through song.

Their music skills increased through the help of our Winthrop Interns, Deja King and Josiah Johnson. Other folks who were key to the Children’s Choir success are Justin and Robyn Anderson, Stefanie Charles, Elsa Edwards, Adele Evans, Hope Guffey, Pam Kirby, Winston Mills, Rachel Wasserman, and Ruth Wasserman. Many thanks to these parents and grandparents in ensuring attendance to our rehearsals and worship singing.

A special shout out to Brenda Mills whose skills helped in smoothly run rehearsals, Dr. Jeremy Mims and Craig Allen in supporting me in trying my hand at teaching this fine young age, and of course, our Pastors. And, thank you, the members of Grace, for your support but especially your sweet comments on seeing the children back singing in worship. Again, many thanks for a fantastic year and I look forward starting back next September. - Miss Irene

Please feel free to join, all children ages 5-10 are welcome. Questions, call or text Miss Irene, 704-517-5403.

Mark your calendars and RSVP - Grace is going to a Charlotte Knights baseball game!!

Parish Life invites you to join us on June 5th for an afternoon of peanuts and crackerjacks watching the Knights run the bases. The game starts at 1 pm, and even if you go to 11am service you should be able to make first pitch!

Tickets at our group rate are $21 each (a steal!) and come with your church friends sitting with you!

If you plan to join us, we need to know ASAP so we can buy tickets. Please click HERE to let us know you're coming! We need your RSVP by next Tuesday, May 17! We will request your payment once we've purchased our ticket block.

We hope you'll join us!

Questions? Contact Pr. Rachel here.

SENIORS @ GRACE

Seniors@Grace will gather on May 19, 2022 to meet Rev Emily Sutton from Bethel United Methodist Church who will share the inside story of the Bethel Shelters that are the latest partnership program with Grace Lutheran. The Bethel Shelters "provides a safe place to sleep, a hot meal to eat and pathways to self-sufficiency for homeless individuals year around." The program also has a daytime shelter available for anyone in need of their services. We will gather at 11:30 AM with lunch at noon. Monty Bennett will also join us again to provide a musical sing along. Lunch will be $6.00 and will include a salad and sandwich buffet with the usual yummy desserts. If you can make it please reserve your spot by May 17. Please call or text Annie-Laurie Wheat at (803) 517-0626 (cell phone) or send an email to wheatannielaurie@gmail.com OR call the home phone at (803) 980-1834. The lunch and presentation is open to anyone (of any age) with an interest in learning about this important new partnership.

Grace will be hosting Family Promise guests June 12-19!

After a two-year COVID pause, we will re-start hosting guests from York County’s Family Promise program, helping homeless parents and children resume and maintain self-sufficiency.

Family Promise is a 30-year-old national program with over 200 affiliates in 42 states.

Grace, along with more than a dozen other local congregations, has been a part of the ministry for over 20 years.

We are thrilled to be welcoming Family Promise back into our building, and we need YOUR help to make this a success.

Your time and effort given to host Family Promise make a concrete difference in the lives of our guests. Creating a safe and welcoming home for a week is a blessing, and we are grateful for your participation!

Volunteers are needed during the week to ready the church for guests, prepare evening meals, visit with families (up to 15 people) and spend the night at the church. You can sign up to help by clicking HERE.

Volunteer opportunities include:

-Sunday, June 12, 11 am - four volunteers are needed for about an hour to transform Sunday School rooms into bedrooms for families for the week; tasks include moving tables & chairs, inflating mattresses, making beds, putting down rugs, etc.

-At 6 pm every night (except Tuesday) a meal is needed for up to 15 people and Grace guests; two or three people are asked to plan, prepare and serve the meal, cooking offsite or in Grace’s kitchen. Volunteers and their families are encouraged to be present and eat with our guests. Beverages and ice cream along with serving/eating utensils, plates, cups, napkins, etc. are furnished by the church.

-From 6-8 pm each night (except Tuesday) one or two volunteers are needed as evening hosts to eat dinner with the families and stay to visit, play games, walk around the block, watch TV, etc.

-Beginning at 8 pm Sunday through Saturday, two volunteers (one female and one male) are needed to be a presence at the church until 7 a.m. the next morning. Air mattresses are supplied and volunteers are housed in separate classrooms.

-Sunday the 19 at 7:30 am, three people are needed to prepare classrooms for Sunday School.

-Following June 19 one or two volunteers are needed to launder church-owned bed linens for use the next time we host Family Promise.

Thank you for your support of this ministry!

Questions about Grace hosting Family Promise? Contact Sig Huitt 704/576-0407 or email him HERE.

Cub Scout Troop 31 meets at Grace every week. If you would like more information contact Walker Stockley by clicking HERE.

-from Michael, Wolf Cub Pack 31

OUTREACH UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES

York County Free Clinic is now Palmetto Community Health Care.

On May 29th, we are invited to a Grace Partners Open House, and we will hear more about what PCHC does in our community! More details will come soon.

Volunteer opportunities at Life House include: adding new mulch in the back of the house, interior trim painting, kitchen cabinet painting, and pressure washing the driveway and sidewalks.

Ongoing volunteer opportunities: assist with transportation, visit with the women, serve a meal (click HERE for meal sign up).

If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity or for further information, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Amy Lane at acombslane@gmail.com or 803.659.9885.

Bethel Men's Shelter has volunteer positions available for you to sign up for now! If you'd like to learn more about these positions, and/or would like to sign up, please click HERE.

Going to Camp? Thinking about it?

We have scholarships available!

ELCA Summer Camp is an awesome way to spend a week forming faith, meeting friends, and spending time in creation! We have scholarship funds available to help you go to an ELCA camp!

If you'd like to apply for a scholarship, click here for the application form, and then submit it to Pr. Rachel.

If you'd like to explore local camp opportunities, click here to visit the NovusWay website. Pr. Rachel would also be glad to help.

As the war against Ukraine continues, many of us are asking "What can we do?" Lutheran Disaster Response, an ELCA organization which coordinates with other crisis response groups, invites us to consider some options. Click HERE to read more and to give to the Eastern Europe Crisis Response.

Volunteer at HOPE

Volunteers needed Monday through Thursday mornings

(or Tuesdays at 6:00 pm). Call Rachel Bell, Volunteer Coordinator at (803) 493-5840 or Grace’s HOPE liaison, Ron Hartman, at (330) 620-4711 for more information.

Needs for this week:

+ CEREAL (biggest need) + Pop Tarts + Grits & Oatmeal + Canned Beans, Baked Beans, Canned Corn + Jelly + Pancake Mix & Syrup

+ Spaghetti Sauce + Individual snack packs + Condiments + Coffee (Instant & Ground) + Dog food & Cat food + Body wash & Shampoo

+ Toothpaste & Toothbrushes + Feminine Hygiene Products + Toilet paper

You can drop items off in the bin located outside the church offices when you're in the building, and a volunteer will take them over to HOPE. Please only place non-perishable items in the bin!

Worship Assistant Schedule

Click HERE for the May & June Worship Assistant Schedule.

Don't see your name? Want to join the rotation? Email the church office today!

2022 Altar Flower Sign-Up

There are many open dates to sponsor Altar Flowers.The cost is $45.00 for one (1) or $90.00 for both (2) vases. Click HERE to sign up. Contact the Church office with any questions.