Grace Notes Weekly Update

GRACE NOTES

September 5 - 11, 2023

We have returned to our 2 service Sunday schedule, with worship at 8:30 and 11am.

For Worship services please visit our YouTube channel.

What's Going On At Grace

+Sept 17 - Sunday School resumes, 100th Anniversary Celebration Dinner

+Oct 8 - Choral Concert at Grace - 4pm

+Oct 8-15 - Family Promise Host Week

+Oct 22 - Beer & Hymns at ELKs - 4pm

Many of these events have more details in other sections. This section is updated each week, so keep checking in. You can also see the full church calendar HERE.

This Sunday is our 100th Anniversary Celebration Dinner!

We look forward to celebrating with you, starting at 4pm, at Southern Charm (34 Waterford Glen Way, Rock Hill, SC 29730)!

As a reminder, there will be beer & wine available for a suggested cash donation of $5 and $6, respectively.

If you have not yet submitted your dinner payment, please do so ASAP, using Realm or bringing your payment to the church office.

Our New Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plan

This Sunday, we celebrated the launch of our new Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic plan! Between worship services, Pr. Gregg led us through the process of the last 9 months, talking about the congregational survey, the work of the Strategic Planning Team, the workshops with congregational leaders, and the approval by Council. All of this work has culminated in new Mission and Vision Statements, defined Values of Grace, and 3 strategic initiatives that will guide our ministry for the next 3 years!

To see these new things in full, click the image below!

Sunday School returns at 10am this Sunday!

We had a great time enjoying sundaes for Sunday School this past Sunday! Check out the flyer below to learn about our Sunday School classes for Fall 2023 (click the image for a larger view).

It's time to get tickets for

Peter Mayer: Stars & Promises Christmas 2023

Our final 100th Anniversary Event in 2023 will be the Peter Mayer: Stars & Promises concert!

Peter Mayer, singer, songwriter and guitarist is set to embark on the 24th anniversary of his widely acclaimed Christmas tour “Stars and Promises.”

Mayer has released 25 of his own albums, toured internationally with his own band, and has been lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer band for three decades.

In 1999, Peter and his brother, Jim Mayer, began work on their first Christmas album, “Stars and Promises.” They recorded their favorite traditional carols along with their own original Christmas songs that, over the years, have become favorites of their audiences across the country.

This concert will be at Grace on Friday, December 22nd, and it is open to the public - we expect to see many community members and we're excited to welcome them to Grace!

Tickets are now on sale, and they could go quickly - Click HERE to purchase your tickets for the show!

NOTE: These tickets are only available through the above link - we will not be selling them through Grace.

Click the video to see a compilation featuring footage from a number of Peter Mayer's Christmas shows!

Winthrop Ecumenical Lutheran Campus Ministry

Our WELCM students are back and getting into the rhythm of Tuesday Gatherings once again!

An important part of WELCM is the opportunity for food and fellowship - each Tuesday, volunteers serve the students a great meal, free of charge, and join them for dinner! The last two Tuesdays have been a lot of fun, with the students sharing what happened over the summer and upcoming fall plans over good dinners.

Would you like to be part of this time of food, fellowship, and faith formation with our college students? If so, please sign up to host a meal, either on the signup in the Fellowship Hall or by contacting Bob Stonebraker. We can provide info on dietary needs and even offer meal suggestions if you'd like!

Hosting opportunities are currently open most weeks from September 26 onward!

Thank you for supporting this ministry and the students of WELCM!

One of our Outreach Partners, Bethel Shelters, is hosting their annual community fundraiser beginning next week!

"Love Our Neighbor" is an opportunity to support critical shelter ministry in our community. This weeklong event includes daily restaurant fundraisers from Saturday, Saturday 23 - Saturday, September 30, and their annual BBQ sale on Saturday, September 30. Click HERE to learn about the BBQ sale, and click HERE to see the restaurant partner schedule. What better way to support a partner than by eating a delicious meal?

Seniors @ Grace

Plan to join Seniors at Grace on Thursday September 28th at 11:30 AM for our next event.

We are hosting Amber West who is the Partner Relations Manager for Hospice and Community Care in Rock Hill. She will share information about the many ways Hospice and Community Car can help families. "Hospice and Community Care provides medical, emotional and spiritual support for individuals and families who are coping with life limiting illnesses." Our very own Francis Stockley will also join us for this program.

We had so much fun cooking lunch from the 75th anniversary cookbook that we are traveling further back in time to a Grace cookbook compiled in 1980. Come prepared for this walk down a culinary memory lane.

Please RSVP to Annie Laurie Wheat at 803 517-0626 or by email to wheatannielaurie@gmail.com by Tuesday September 26. Remember we start to gather at 11:30, lunch at noon, followed by the program. Lunch is still $6.00.

Other upcoming events include: October 26 (Oktoberfest!) November 9 (Luigi and Sons), and December 14 (Christmas gift exchange and potluck lunch)

Dr. Cynthia Roddey and the AARP will be offering Driver Safety Classes at Grace on September 18th and November 20th.

For more information and how to register, click HERE.

Save the Dates for our special

100th Anniversary Events!

Sept 17 - 100^th Anniversary Celebration Dinner at Southern Charm Events Center

Oct 8 - Winthrop Choral Concert at Grace

Oct 22 - Beer and Hymns at Elks Lodge

Oct 29 - Fall Fest after 10am service

Dec 17 - Cookies, Carols, Choral Music, and Cocoa Party

Dec 22 - Peter Mayer Christmas Concert

More information about these events will be shared closer to their dates!

100 Connections

We have 40/100!

We are constantly making connections in our lives - as part of our 100th anniversary, we are making at least 100 new connections as a congregation! To share a connection you've made, please click HERE!

Centennial Temple Talks

As a part of Grace's 100th Anniversary Celebration, we will share a Temple Talk highlighting Grace's history through the decades on the first Sunday of each month, from March through December.

Click on the links below to read our Temple Talks, about Grace in the 1920s - 80s.

Grace Member / Friend Memories

One of the ways we will be celebrating the rich history of Grace this year is to hear about its impact on the lives of its members.

These do not need to be very long - even a single paragraph would be fine. Simply share with us your perspective, the way your story and Grace's story came together, and we will publish these remembrances in these Grace Notes publications throughout the year.

Email your memories to 100years@gracerockhill.com

OUTREACH UPDATES

Biggest needs this week at HOPE:

Diapers and Pull-ups size 4, 5, and 6!

Mustard, Mayo, Ketchup, Salad Dressing, PB & J, Baked Goods, Cereal, and Soup!

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

Congregation Connections

Click here for our current Prayer List

Click here to submit your prayer requests

Click here for our Memorials & Honor Gifts

Click here for our September Birthdays

The Sanctuary Candle for the month of September is given by Lynne Watkins in memory of Dick Watkins.

The Altar Flowers for September 10th are given by Pam Kirby and by Brian & Stephanie Beer in honor of Glen Beer's 15th birthday.

Click HERE for the Current Worship Assistant Schedule.

Click HERE to sign up to sponsor Altar Flowers.

Offering Our Gifts to God

Your gifts to Grace allow our ministry to happen! You can give in several ways:

Give via the offering plate in worship
Give online by clicking HERE (you have the option to offset the cost of giving online)
Set up giving though your bank
Mail your offering to the church office.

Thank you for continued faithful giving!