GRACE NOTES

Dec 12 - 18, 2023

What's Going On At Grace

+Dec 17 - Cookies, Cocoa, and Carols

+Dec 22 - Peter Mayer Concert

+Dec 24 - Advent 4 worship at 10am, Christmas Eve worship at 5, 7, & 11pm

+Dec 31 - One service at 10am

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.

Thank you to everyone who took part in hosting Family Promise this past week!

We provided dinners and a safe place to stay for 2 families this week. We could not do this without you!

Advent Evening Prayer Services

Wednesday, December 13 & 20

Join us at 7pm on the Wednesdays of Advent

for a brief worship service consisting of songs, 

prayers, and reflections.

HAPPENING THIS SUNDAY:

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday afternoon!

We still have spots open for people to bring cookies

and to help with cocoa.

If you're able to do either of those things to support this event, please click the button below!

Welcome to our new Parish Administrator, Katherine Romero!

Katherine has been working with us for the last 3 months through a staffing agency, and as of yesterday, she's officially on our staff! We are thrilled to have her as part of the Grace team.

Katherine is originally from California, grew up in El Salvador, and has been back in the US for 5 years.

She and her husband, Diego, and children Antonella and Diego, live in Fort Mill with their 2 cats, Gemini and Aries.

When she's not at Grace, Katherine enjoys reading, eating, and spending time with her family.

If you're in the building during office hours, be sure to stop by and introduce yourself to Katherine and welcome her to Grace!

Angel Tree and Giving Tree Gifts

Thank you to everyone who signed up for Angel Tree and Giving Tree this year!

Please remember that your gifts, with their Angel/Tree tags attached, need to be in the Fellowship Hall by this Sunday, December 17th.

Seniors @ Grace

It is that time of year again for our Annual Jubilee Christmas Party on Thursday December 14th.

Come dressed in your best holiday outfit, bring a gift for our wild gift exchange and something yummy to eat and share with the group. We will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 11:30am. Lunch at noon as usual followed by much laughter and good nature gift stealing. We also usually do a collection to help a local charity.

Please let Annie Laurie Wheat know if you can make it and what dish you are bringing by December 12. (803 517-0626 or wheatannielaurie@gmail.com)

Remember there can never be too many desserts!  

A letter from the Council President

Click HERE for a letter from Council President Lori Brown

Christmas Eve Worship Assistant Roles are open!

We invite you to be part of leading our services to welcome Christ, the Newborn King!

Click on the service times below to add your name to the worship assistant schedules for Christmas Eve.

Christmas Poinsettias

Poinsettias will be placed in the Sanctuary for Christmas Eve services. You have an opportunity to purchase one or more poinsettias. Please click HERE to sign up. The price per plant is $13.00. Please order your poinsettia by THIS Sunday, Dec. 17.

Please call the church office for more information and payment details.

100th Anniversary Final Event

It's time to get tickets for

Peter Mayer

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

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 learn more and purchase your tickets for the show!

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

End of year giving

We are deeply grateful for all the financial support you've given to Grace this year! Your gifts have made it possible for ministry to happen and the gospel to be shared! Our ministry doesn't stop once we cover our expenses, and we have made a plan for the gifts that we receive over and above the cost of planned ministry for 2023.

This year, our surplus dollars will be directed to two funds:

75% of our surplus will be given to the Capital Expense Fund, in anticipation of a new Fellowship Hall roof being needed soon.

25% of our surplus will be given to the ELCA Youth Gathering Fund, to support the 8 Youth and 4 Adults who will be traveling to New Orleans in July!



Thank you for your continued generosity and for being part of the ministry of Grace this year!

Please remember that for gifts to be tax-deductible for 2023,

they must be received in 2023.

A message from the Financial Secretary

Offering envelopes for 2024 are available in the Fellowship Hall. We have not prepared envelope sets for those of you that only give online and/or have not been using envelopes this year. However, there are extra sets, so if you do not find a set with your name and would like to use giving envelopes, please let the office know and we will get a set for you.

100 Connections

We have 87/100!

Over the course of our 100th year, our congregation is making 100 new connections in the community.

We know that we've definitely made 100 new connections at this point - we just haven't shared them with each other yet! We have only 13 to go to meet our goal, and we'd be excited to exceed it, too.

These connections are simple - where have you met someone new, learned their name, and felt connected, even for just a few moments? You don't have to have talked about church - we ARE the church, we take it with us wherever we go!

To share a connection you've made, please click HERE and help us meet our goal. Thank you for being the church in the world, sharing God's love with the community!

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 button to read our Temple Talks written by Anne Cline Johnson.

100th Anniversary Apparel is available for order!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! The last day to order your shirts is December 15th!

Click HERE to order your 100th Anniversary Apparel!

Grace Outreach Partnerships

Click on the buttons below to learn more about our 2023 partners and how you can offer support through volunteering and donations

Biggest needs this week at HOPE:

Diapers 3,4,5, cleaning products, laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, snacks, and drinks.

The Sanctuary Candle for the month of December is given by

Mary and Eddie Hinson to the Glory of God

and the birth of our Lord Jesus

The Altar Flowers for December 17th are given by

Rick and Pam Kirby

2024 Altar Flower and Sanctuary Candle Signups are now open

Grace keeps our Sanctuary Candle burning every week, a sign of the continuing presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. Members are able to sponsor the candle in memory or honor of someone. The cost of the candle is $25.

Please click HERE to sign up.

It has been a long-standing tradition at Grace for members to sponsor the weekly altar flowers. The cost is $45.00 for one (1) or $90.00 for both (2) vases. Each date on the sign-up form has two (2) spaces, check the number of vases you wish to sponsor, please check both if you are signing up for both vases.

Please click HERE to sign up.

Can we get a ride?

We have several members of Grace who would love to come to worship on Sunday mornings, but can't drive themselves.



We are creating a list of those who would be willing to give someone a ride to and from church, so that those members can be in touch and be with us in person! If you'd be willing to give a member a ride, please let the church office know HERE.