Grace Notes Weekly Update

GRACE NOTES

May 11 - 18, 2021

Last day for Returning with Grace survey!

RETURNING WITH GRACE

As Council continues to discern the best way back to a more robust in-person ministry, we are asking for feedback from all members of Grace. Please click on the link below to complete a brief survey and share your thoughts with our leadership.

Here's the link for the Google Form survey

Thanks to those who have already responded! This survey will be active through midnight tonight (12 am on May 12) and a summary of the responses will be available on May 18.

Can you help on Friday?

This Friday, May 14, at 10am, Pr. Rachel needs help rearranging the classrooms that are now painted!

To accomplish our Hospitality painting goal, we moved furniture into different rooms, hallways, etc, and now it's time to put everything back. Many hands make light work, and even 30 minutes of your time would make a difference! If you can help, please contact Pr. Rachel HERE.

Your Gifts in Action!

Recently, Donna Richter and Pr. Rachel were able to go to Bethel Men's Shelter to deliver a surplus grant check for $3,391. They met with the Rev. Emily Sutton, who is the pastor at Bethel UMC and now the official Executive Director of the shelter.

Rev. Emily gave Donna and Pr. Rachel a tour of the shelter, including the newly renovated bathroom, which is now fully accessible and has 6 showers instead of just 2! During the spring, summer, and fall, Bethel Men's Shelter houses 36 men each night. In the colder months, Bethel utilizes overflow shelters to house any man in need - in 2020, the highest number of clients in a night was 75. The need is great!

Rev. Emily shared about the impact this grant will make on the shelter's ministry. They are dedicated to deep and thorough cleaning each day to ensure their clients' health and safety [they have been open through the entire pandemic, and in that time, only two people involved with the shelter have gotten COVID.] This costs $663 a month for 4 days of cleaning per week - board members clean on the other 3 days. This grant equals cleaning costs for about 6 months. Alternatively, this grant could cover security costs for just under 2 weeks - security is the shelter's biggest cost, and is vital for the safety of the clients and volunteers.

Your gifts made this gift possible! Thank you for your support of Grace and housing ministries in our area. If you'd like to learn more about Bethel Men's Shelter and find ways to connect, click here. If you'd like to view their Amazon wish list - their biggest in-kind need is currently underwear - you can click here.

Next week, we'll share about your impact on Safe Passages.

Building Improvements Continue!

This past week, the sound panels in the Fellowship Hall were refurbished! This project was made possible by your extraordinary giving in 2020.

This refurbishment included the new fabric you can see, as well as bulletin-board core installed on the wall used for displays and information. This means the new fabric will hold up even better, because the backing is now more sturdy! This fresh look enhances the welcome Grace offers to everyone who comes into our building.

Thank you for your generous support!

The 'before' photos below show some of the significant wear and age our panels had sustained over the years.

The "during" photo shows the big job to be done.

The "after" photo shows how fresh, clean, and light the space looks now!

Before

During

After

We will offer in-person worship this week, Sunday, May 16. In order to attend worship with us, we ask that you sign up ahead of time.

Click here to sign up for 8:30 worship

Click here to sign up for 11:00 worship

Click the video image for the

worship service for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 9.

Click here for the worship guide.

Click the video image for the Children's Sermon

Grace Children's Sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter + 5-9-21

We invite you to "like", comment on, and share these videos!

Each Sunday we continue to worship together online. These services are posted on the Grace Facebook page and on our website.

Sundays with Grace

Our Sunday morning worship and fellowship opportunities are going strong!

Facebook Premiere worship begins at 11am

Facebook Live Coffee Hour starts at noon

WORSHIP ASSISTANT VIDEOS CONTINUE

For the past year, we've been asking for videos from home, but now we are also welcoming videos recorded at Grace during the week.

If you have been waiting because you are not quite sure about the recording process yourself, why not sign up, and simply schedule a time to come lead from the pulpit? We will make it easy!

And if you prefer to help us out by sending a video from right where you are, we are just as grateful for those, too.

Please click here to view the sign up for the next several weeks. Pr. Gregg will contact you with the details you'll need.

Thanks to all who have helped lead us in worship so far and all those who will be leading us in the weeks to come!

Are you having trouble getting a COVID Vaccine appointment? Contact the church office, we may be able to help!

Chalk/Bulletin Board Combos Available

As part of our classroom refresh, we replaced the bulletin/chalk boards with magnetic dry erase boards. We now have 10 of these boards in good condition available to be re-homed. They are 8 feet by 4 feet and could be used as-is or perhaps as part of a crafting project of some sort.

If you're interested in taking one home, please contact Pr. Rachel THIS WEEK! You'll need to be able to transport it yourself; we aren't able to deliver them. They will be available to be claimed for one week, and then we will dispose of them in another way. You can email Pr. Rachel here. Thanks!

Grace Time & Talent Survey 2021

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who filled out their Time and Talent survey for 2021! We will be sending your info to the committee chairs and they'll be in touch to connect you to that ministry.

If you missed the survey and want to connect, send Pr. Rachel an email.

We are so grateful for your gifts of time and talent, and we are glad to be working together for God's mission here at Grace!

The Stewardship Committee appreciates and recognizes people and groups that are Growing Grace and Planting Seeds in Faith!

Click on the image to read the recognitions from the Stewardship Committee.

Wanted: Finance Chairperson

Grace is blessed with several strong financial officers and a dedicated committee, too. All we need now is someone to be the chair. The Finance Committee chairperson calls regular meetings and passes the committee's recommendations on to Council. No financial expertise is even required (just a willing spirit). If you think you might be the right person for the job, please contact the Church Office today!

2021 Altar Flower Sign-Up

It has been a long-standing tradition at Grace for members to sponsor the weekly flowers to honor or in memory of family and friends.

Click here to signup.

Instructions and information about the flowers are on the signup page.

If you are uncomfortable using the on-line sign-up or do not have access, please contact the Church office (803-324-5295 or parishadmin@gracerockhill.com ).

Taking Faith Home carries the previous Sunday's themes throughout the week. These devotions include daily Scripture readings, prayers, hymn suggestions, milestones, conversation starters, service opportunities, and at-home rituals.

Click here for the week of May 9

Click here for the week of May 16

Men's Bible Study

Join us for conversation about one of the more fascinating books of Scripture: Revelation.

Using an overview written by Max Lucado, we will be talking about some of the themes present in Revelation and how they impact our lives. The group meets Sundays at 9:30 for about an hour. Contact Pr. Gregg to be added to our group.

Offering Our Gifts to God

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 in several ways:

Give online by clicking here (and 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!

Gifts & Talents Pictures

Our worship has been enhanced by your photos of projects, experiences, and joys - thank you for sharing!

We would love to see more of what you're doing - please send photos to our Video Editor, Craig Allen by clicking here.

Congregation Connections

Click the image for

our current

Grace Prayer List

Click the image for

our current

Memorials & Honor Gifts

Click the image

for our

May Birthdays

The Sanctuary Candle for the month of May is given by

Lynne and John Siegel in memory of William J Sliney.

The Altar Flowers for Sunday, May 16 are given by

Norma and Frank Surratt in celebration of their

63rd wedding anniversary.

If you would like to sponsor the Altar Flowers please click here.

Covid-19 Information and Updates

Click here for information regarding local sources for the Covid-19 vaccines.

Can We Help?

If you are in need of help (of any kind), please reach out to the pastors. We can find connections to resources and/or support together. We want to walk with you. Please call or email us.

March Giving and Expenses

March Received $45,477

March Expenses $69,864

Budgeted to Spend $57,902

YTD Received $148,178

YTD Expenses $154,682

YTD Budgeted to Spend $173,706