Grace Notes Weekly Update

GRACE NOTES

August 13 - 19, 2024

For Worship services please visit our YouTube channel.

What's Going On At Grace

August 18 - ELCA Youth Gathering Thank-You Presentation

August 18-25 - Family Promise Host Week

Sept 8 - God's Work, Our Hands project

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.

2024 ELCA YOUTH GATHERING

Our Gathering Group had an amazing, faith-filled time in New Orleans! We can't wait to share our experience with you this Sunday, August 18th!

Join us at 9:45, between worship services, when our Gathering Group will share a Thank-You Presentation, with photos, stories, and more!

Thank you for your support for these youth and their trip!

Hosting Family Promise

Next Week, August 18-25

Family Promise is getting back on track! While the Family Center continues receiving much-needed repairs, Oakland Baptist has volunteered to be the temporary Family Center, allowing Family Promise to welcome clients back into the program!

We are especially in need of DINNER HOSTS for this week!

There are dinner openings on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

We also have openings for evening hosts each day except Tuesday.

If you're interested in trying out Family Promise for the first time, evening host is a great place to start! You can see how things work, meet our guests, and join for dinner!

Please click HERE to be part of this valuable week of ministry!

We welcome Mike Laflin to our Grace family!

Michael joins his wife, Karen Witker and son, Alex (3), who are Grace members. A native of Coshocton, Ohio, Mike attended Muskingum University for Music Education.

Although voice was his primary focus, he played tuba in the concert band (where he met Karen, a tuba player as well). In addition to tuba, he can play most all other brass instruments, as well as the flute. Despite the fact Karen beat him out for first chair in the tuba section, Mike and Karen later married. Ask Mike sometime why he learned to play the flute.

Mike pursued positions in the musical field, including auditioning at the Metropolitan Opera for a role in La Boheme, but ultimately decided it was wise to pursue other employment options to support Karen while she was in graduate school.

About 10 years ago, Karen and Mike moved to Rock Hill to live near Karen’s sister, and a few years ago made Grace their church home. Mike currently works in sales with Eerie Home, a roofing company in their Charlotte office. He enjoys his work but finds it ironic that he’s the “old guy” in the crew! When asked what he enjoys doing in his spare time, he admits, for now, he works and enjoys spending any other time with Alex and Karen.

One “fun fact” is that Mike is a good cook! One of his favorite meals to prepare is Steak Penne, steak with gorgonzola sauce, sun dried tomatoes and oven roasted peppers, served with garlic bread. Yum!

We are grateful that Mike is sharing his musical talents with Grace by singing in the 8:30 choir and 10 am summer choir. Please introduce yourself to Mike and welcome him to our church family!

Thank you to the 8 people who donated blood on Sunday! We collected 6 units, which will help up to 18 people!

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Speaking of hearts -

Dr. Rick Richter has written an article on AFIB for us!

Are you familiar with AFib?

AFib is a common form of an arrythmia that has some serious health implications. AFib is very prevalent in our population, affecting over 2.2 million people in the US alone. Chances are that several of our fellow parishioners have AFib and may be suffering from some of the complications arising from AFib.

To learn more about AFib, including detection, diagnosis, and possible treatment options, click HERE.

Rachel's Ring (card ministry) is restarting on Wednesday, August 14.

We will meet in rm.105 at 11:00 am. We will begin making cards that day. All who are interested are welcome.

For more information contact Hilary Mullins - 803-448-3193 or Louise Schmidt - 839-232-9553

Share a Meal with WELCM

You are invited to support Campus Ministry by providing a meal for one of our weekly gatherings!

A sign-up sheet is in the Fellowship Hall. The meals (and the leftovers students can take home) mean a lot to the WELCM participants.

For more information, please see Pr. Hahn.

Seniors @ Grace

Seniors @ Grace will be hosting Monty Bennett for another hymn sing on Thursday August 22. We did this event last summer and had such a good time we decided to have a repeat event. Come equipped with requests to have him play your favorite hymn. We will have a summer cookout menu of hotdogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings including ice cream for dessert. We will gather at 11:30 as usual with lunch at noon.

Let Annie Laurie Wheat know by August 20 if you can come. (cell: 803-517-0626 or wheatannielaurie@gmail.com)

OUTREACH UPDATES

We were so glad to welcome Summersby Okey from our Outreach Partner, Habitat for Humanity of York Co, on Aug 4th!

Summersby shared about Habitat's mission - "Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of York County brings people together to build homes, communities and hope." and vision - "A world where everyone has a decent place to live."

She discussed the many ways Habitat works to lift up whole communities as part of the individual home projects.

She also talked about the Better Together Build, which is being done in memory of Earl Gatlin, which our partnership grant supported. This project will be completed in the next month or so.

When asked what a good first volunteer experience with Habitat would be, Summersby recommended helping in the Habitat ReStore!

To see the presentation Summersby shared, click HERE.

To learn more about Habitat and how you can volunteer, click HERE.

Biggest needs this week at HOPE:

soup, pasta, mac & cheese, breakfast items, peanut butter, jelly, condiments, cereal, canned fruit, canned veggies, canned meats, snacks, cookies, chips, sodas, water, diapers 3,4,5,6,7,8, and wipes

Please make sure to check expiration dates!

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 August Birthdays

The Sanctuary Candle for the month of August is given by

Gus and Nancy Koegler in loving memory of our grandson, Grant and our son, Scott.

The Altar Flowers for Sunday, August 18th are given by Don and Linda Horst to the Glory of God and in honor of our grandsons, Taylor & Christian Horst and Michael Echegaray.

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!

Click HERE for the June Treasurer's Report