From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk: April 2018

Dear Grace Community,

As a pastor in the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), I am not a member of a church and instead am a member of a presbytery.  This means that in addition to serving at Grace, I also serve the PCUSA in different ways.  I realize that you don’t often see or hear about this, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some of this with you.

Grace is part of the Presbytery of Southern Kansas. The presbytery is made up of churches in the southern part of the state as far east as Coffeyville and as far west as Colorado. Our presbytery meets quarterly and meets at Grace on May 8, 2018. This gathering of pastors and elders is designed to strengthen our ministry networks.

In addition to attending presbytery meetings, I serve on the Presbytery Governance Team. This team functions as the finance and human resources team for the presbytery. It’s been an interesting six months on this team as we’ve worked to separate funds between the presbytery and the Westminster Woods Camp.

I also serve the PCUSA at the synod level. Each geographical region of presbyteries is part of a synod. We are part of the Synod of Mid America which includes all of Kansas and Missouri. This year I began a three-year term as a synod commissioner. I’m still not entirely sure what this will consist of. My first meeting was a conference call, and in October I go to the Kansas City area for a daylong meeting.

The idea of denominational structures is to create more opportunities for ministry and collaboration. The PCUSA is as imperfect as any system designed by humans, but it also provides many opportunities for us to serve Jesus as individuals and as a church. If you are interested in serving the church outside of Grace through our presbytery, synod, or at the national level, please let me know, and I will help connect you.

In Christ,
Catherine

graduate

Graduate Recognition: May 6

We recognize our high school and college graduates in worship on Sunday, May 6. If you would like your graduate recognized, please email the following information to kirk@mygpc.org by April 27 or just drop off at his office. Please send picture (head shot preferably), school, awards, short bio with family, activities and future plans.

mission spotlight

Refugee Team: Welcoming a New Family to Wichita

Grace Member Fran Belden shares about her experience preparing an apartment for a new refugee family.  Fran is part of the Grace Refugee Team.

I had a new and delightful experience earlier this month I’d like to share:  helping arrange furnishings in the home for a refugee family due to arrive later in the day. I knew not a soul when I arrived, but the first to introduce herself was Anne Burris, a relatively new Grace member whom I had never met. What a treat! There were also several International Refugee Committee staff, mission workers from the LDS Church, and several strong and limber college-age volunteers (what a blessing that was).

The apartment contained only a minimum of furnishings, scattered everywhere in packing crates. Our task was to unpack, assemble, put in the proper drawer, room, etc.  There were three futons, two lamps, beds for eight people, sheets, towels, kitchen supplies, and kitchen table/chairs. This was accomplished more quickly than one might think, and “kitchen supplies” was defined as one plate, fork, knife, etc. for each person. Everyone was busy and worked hard; there was no question my place was in the kitchen with a few others putting away tableware and plates, etc. Beds, tables, and other big items were left for those who could handle them.

The first night for that new family showed each of them a place to rest, to sleep.  Much work and confusion lay ahead in the coming days, but that night they had shelter. And so did I. Thank you, God.

~Fran Belden

tutoring

Tutoring

The Grace Presbyterian Tutoring Program completed its 20th year on April 12, 2018.  For 20 years this ministry has partnered adults with students from Hyde Elementary to work on reading skills.  A staff member from Hyde walks the children over on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Here they are greeted with a snack and friendly faces. Then each child spends 45 minutes to an hour reading with an adult. The results are incredible. Year after year students make amazing strides in their reading.

We are grateful to Lib Hooper for serving as the director this year and to Carolyn Benefiel (first semester) and Jan Horner (second semester) for serving as the assistant directors. Don Allison has served as a tutor for all 20 years of the program, and he retired this spring.