Grace Notes Weekly Update

GRACE NOTES

July 5 - 12, 2022

For Worship services please visit our YouTube channel.

This Sunday, we launched our "Striking a Match for Burning the Mortgage" drive!

We are excited about what this Match will mean for God's work at Grace.

Below, you'll find Sunday's bulletin insert, as well as a place to share your discernment answers if you have not yet had the chance.

We look forward to seeing how the Spirit moves us with this Match!

Click here to share your answers to our discernment questions - please share by Thursday!

Click here to see the "Details, Questions, and Answers" page for the Match

THIS SATURDAY, July 9, Inspirar will present a concert at Grace Lutheran Church. This choir, conducted by Dr. Mims, consists of professional singers from around the Carolinas. We are excited to share this music with our community!

This concert will be presented twice:

at 4:00 pm and

at 7:30 pm

Purchase your tickets today, clicking HERE.

Our Office Hours Have Changed (Just a little!)

The church office will now close at 1pm on Fridays.

Going forward, standard office hours are:

Monday through Thursday - 9am to 5pm

Friday - 9am to 1pm

My Experience at SC Synod Assembly

by: Dr. Olga-Maria Cruz

I was honored to represent Grace at our annual SC Synod Assembly last month in Charleston. It was my first assembly, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I met and reconnected with dozens of pastors, deacons and lay leaders, as well as synod staff. I got to do a little tabling with my favorite campus ministry colleagues, Pr. Josh Kestner of Clemson and Pr. Jesse Canniff-Kuhn of USC, and Pr. Jesse and I made a brief presentation to the assembly highlighting the work of campus ministry and its significance for both young people and the church.

The theme of this year’s Assembly was “I Love to Tell the Story,” and it featured a constant stream of stories of the work of God throughout the synod’s ministries. One story that inspired me most was about how Reformation Lutheran (a predominantly white congregation) and Christ Mission (a predominantly black congregation) in Columbia have partnered and are worshiping together while maintaining their unique identities. I am excited to visit them with some of our Columbia-based WELCM students! Click here to see more ministry stories like this one.

Some stories were offered by video, including one where Sig Huitt, Pr. Gregg, and Pr. Rachel talked about God’s work at Grace and our partnership with HOPE of Rock Hill. Another highlight for me was meeting Pr. Jesse’s mother, Pr. Mary Canniff-Kuhn, who offered stirring storytelling to the assembly each day. I don’t know if the videos can capture the experience of hearing her in person, but I hope you’ll check out some of the recordings from this year’s assembly on the synod website. You might find yourself newly energized and inspired for ministry, too!

Click here for this year's keynote addresses, given by Deacon Mitzie Schafer

Click here to see photos from Synod Assembly, and see if you can spot Pr. Rachel

Seniors@Grace

Thursday, July 21 at 11:30 AM

Seniors at Grace get ready to play Bingo! Mark that calendar now for Thursday July 21st as we are back in the Grace Fellowship Hall for a fun afternoon of friends, food, laughter and old fashioned fun. WE will meet at 11:30 AM, have a taco bar and ice cream sundae dessert bar followed by a few rounds of BINGO. Lunch will be $6.00 and bingo is free. Just wrap up some fun treasure that you want to re-home for a bingo prize. We will play until all of the prizes have been won. This is open to anyone one of any age who wants to come and have some fun with the Seniors at Grace. If you have any questions or want to reserve your space for these fun activities give Annie-Laurie Wheat a call at (803) 517-0626 (cell) or (803) 980-1834 (home) or email wheatannielaurie@gmail.com Come for cool treats and hot bingo!

Celebration of Life Service for Jim Alfors

A Celebration of Life service was held on Friday, June 24 for Jim Alfors. To watch the recording of the worship service celebrating his life, click here.

Click HERE to read the obituary.

THANK YOU!

Many of you have collected the aluminum can tabs over the last eight months. These have been sent to the Ronald McDonald House. The funds received for these recycled aluminum assist the parents at the Ronald McDonald House while their children receive care at Shriner's Children's Hospital.

Thank you for being good stewards of recycled items!

Our participation with this project has ended. We appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness of others.

-Stewardship Committee

OUTREACH UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES

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.

Mark your calendar to be with us on July 24th at 10am, when Life House Executive Director Courtney Denton will be with us to share more about this ministry!

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.

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!

School Supply Drive

Grace will again be participating this year with Flint Hill Baptist Church in their annual School Supplies Giveaway. Grace has been requested to provide the following items this year:

30 spiral notebooks

30 pencils

30 pens

30 pocket folders

30 glue bottles or sticks

30 boxes of crayons

30 packs of markers

10 packs of notebook paper

A sign up list will be placed in the Fellowship Hall. Donations will be collected through Sunday, July 17th. The Outreach Committee appreciates everyone’s support of this effort for the youth of our community!

Altar Flower Sponsors Needed

There are many open dates to sponsor flowers. The cost is $45.00 for one (1) or $90.00 for both (2) vases. Click HERE to sign up or contact the church office.