Children’s Bibles and Jacob’s Learning Ladder

Children’s Bibles and Jacob’s Learning Ladder

This fall we received a special financial gift and were charged with how to share it. We shared this with the congregation in November >

One way we used the gift was to give Children’s Bibles to the preschool children at Jacob’s Learning Ladder (JLL).  JLL families are reflective of society which means some go to church and some don’t.  The number who do not participate in a church continues to grow.  No matter how much we invite them to church, they aren’t interested in church, period.  Still, we have an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with them.

Jennifer Snook and I each lead Bible story time once a month with older JLL students.  This means that some 50 children get to hear two Bible stories a month.  That’s far more children than we have here on Sunday morning.  Jennifer has also worked closely with JLL to support family events.  Other initiatives from the past have been hampered by Covid and may or may not come back.

Jennifer is passionate about supporting families, and we realized that getting a children’s Bible into every home was a great way to support them.  There are lots of good children’s Bibles, and we went with the one my family uses because I can share how much we enjoy reading it together.

During the JLL Thanksgiving program Jennifer and I presented each child with a Bible from Grace while their parents watched. They were able to hear us talk about the joy and value of reading these stories at home, and we hope they are doing so.

~Catherine Neelly Burton

food packing event

Food Packing Event: Thank You!

We started 2022 with service! On January 2, over 100 people gathered in the Great Room for worship, but it wasn’t worship like a normal Sunday. Instead, we packaged 22,000 meals, bags of beans and rice.  We worked with the Outreach Program to make this happen.

The mission of the Outreach Program is to provide safe water, food, medical care and education to children and those in need at home and abroad. One way they fulfill their mission is with food packing events.

The food we packaged was delivered to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Wichita to share with refugees in the Wichita community. Our church has partnered with the IRC for many years.

This truly was a congregational event. We are grateful for the special financial gift that made this event possible, for the volunteers who prepared in advance, the volunteers who served that morning, those who cleaned up, and those who delivered the food to the IRC.

Coat Drive

coatDid you clean out your closets over Christmas?  If so, drop off your old coats at Grace. KAKE is hosting a coat drive this January to benefit The Salvation Army, and we have a box in our building.  All new and gently used (clean) coats are welcome.
Session Minute Summaries

Session Summary: November 2021

  • The Grace Session met on November 15, 2021, in the Grace Alcove.
  • The meeting was opened and closed with prayer.
  • We welcomed Lilian Mayer into membership. Lilian joins Grace by reaffirmation of faith.
  • Plans for the upcoming Hanging of the Greens service were discussed.
  • Covid protocols were revisited. It was voted on to no longer keep exterior doors open on Sundays.  Windows in the sanctuary will be closed.  The question was raised about what metric we use to make changes to our policy.  No metric was set
  • Financial reports were given and received. Other reports were given including an update on stewardship pledges for 2022.
  • Presbytery met the next day (November 16, 2021) and it was reported that on the docket was the dismissal of the New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hutchinson from the PCUSA to the EPC.