What’s essential for a church? What’s essential for our church? Beyond Jesus Christ being essential, we all answer this question a little differently. As we settle into a new way of life as a church, post-pandemic, it’s a good time to reflect on our identity and values as a church.
Join members of the session for questions and conversations on the last three Sundays of August. We’ll meet in the Great Room at 10 am. Questions? Contact Catherine Neelly Burton.
On Sundays, August 1 and 8, we have one worship service at Grace at 10 am. On Sunday, August 1, our Mission Trip Team leads worship in the Great Room. On August 8, some of us worship in the sanctuary while others of us worship at Micro Churches around the city.
Grace hosts the Presbytery of Southern Kansas on Saturday, August 14. We need volunteers to help with greeting, ushering, making sure the snack table stays full, and general hospitality. Volunteer opportunities begin at 8:30 am and go until 12:30 pm. You may take an hour shift or more. Please contact Catherine Neelly Burton catherine@mygpc.org or 316-684-5215 to volunteer.
We’re in the midst of a worship series called, “I’ve been Meaning to Ask…” Each week we look at a different question and how it connects to scripture and our lives.
You have the opportunity to continue the conversation through a short-term small group. You are invited to sign up for a two-week group where you look at some of the questions from worship (Where are you from? What do you need? Where do we go from here?) and share thoughts.
You must sign up for a group by contacting the office, 316-684-5215, or signing up on the bulletin board in the building.
The group locations and times are:
Childcare is available upon request.
Dear Grace Community,
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Montreat, North Carolina, for the Presbyterian Association of Musicians “Worship and Music” Conference. The good news for me is that you don’t have to be a musician to attend, though musicians do outnumber pastors in attendance. I last attended the conference in 2018 and was glad to return.
Some of you know that Montreat is an important place for me, so it’s a double treat to attend an enriching conference there. Alice got to go with me and participate in “clubs,” which is day camp, and my parents and sister (and her family) were there to help me juggle things. In addition, I got to see cousins, ministry friends, and some of my seminary professors.
I took three classes. The first was a lecture on the joy and value of singing together The lecturer, Tom Trenney, was wonderful, and the time was holy.
The second class was on copyright. My answer for the last 15 months when it comes to questions about streaming and copyright has been, “ask Martin,” so when I saw this offered, I thought I should take advantage of it. While not loads of fun, the instructors (two musicians, one of whom is also a lawyer) were great.
The final class I took was Bible Study with Dr. Margaret Aymer who teaches New Testament at Austin Seminary. She previously served at Johnson C. Smith Seminary and worshiped at the church where I served in Atlanta. The entire week focused on Matthew 18, with us looking at a different section each day. You get to experience some of what I learned when I preach from this book in August.
Then we worshiped. We worshiped together six times, each worship service focusing on a different holy day: Pentecost, Baptism of the Lord, Ash Wednesday, Christ the King Sunday, All Saints, and World Communion. When passionate people spend two years planning worship, it’s pretty incredible, and I loved the worship experience.
The Presbyterian News Service wrote multiple articles about the conference, including this one>
I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend this conference.
In Christ,
Catherine