From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk: January 27

Dear Grace Community,

Are you wondering ‘What to Expect When Your Pastor is Expecting?’ My February 21 due date is fast approaching, and while it’s exciting, it does raise some questions. You’ve asked me a wide range of questions, and I’ll try to cover some of the most common ones.

  • Will I take a maternity leave?
    • The Grace personnel policy allows for an eight-week maternity leave, and it is my plan to take eight weeks. If the baby isn’t early, my last day in the office is Thursday, February 18, and I’ll return sometime around Thursday, April 14. If the baby comes early, this all gets moved up. I am grateful for a policy that allows for this time off, both for my body to recover from childbirth and for time to bond with our new daughter.
  • Who will preach while I’m gone?
    • We have wonderful preachers lined up, all of whom know our community. They are: Amy Baumgartner, Joyce and Danny Daniel, and Geoff and Jennifer Snook.
  • What about the other things you do? Who will do those?
    • Amy Baumgartner and Geoff Snook will cover funerals and emergency pastoral care issues. Deacons and hospital callers will visit hospitals. Staff and teams will cover a lot (probably more than I can imagine at this point), and I’m doing what I can to leave things as ready as possible. There’s a chance things will get missed while I am gone. If something you expect to happen doesn’t, please ask someone on staff for help or an explanation. We have an incredible staff here. I am grateful for their servant-hood and ask that you offer them extra support while I am gone.
  • So, you won’t do funerals?
    • My plan is not to do any funerals during my maternity leave. While I will of course want to walk with you and your family through the death and funeral process, I do not know what kind of shape I’ll be in after having a baby. I know that some women bounce right back while others do not. It is best for me to plan not to be involved.
  • Will I come to worship while I’m on maternity leave?
    • While John and I are excited to introduce our daughter to you, we do not plan to worship here during my maternity leave.
  • Who should visit me in the hospital or at home?
    • When a baby is born in our congregation, Jennifer Snook and I visit the hospital, and whoever the hospital callers are for those days visit as well. I would like to limit hospital visitors to these people (our Director of Children’s Ministries and hospital callers) and hope you will understand. As far as home visits go, I don’t know that I’ll be the best hostess for a while, but in time I’m sure we’ll be glad for short visits. Just call before coming by.

Please let me know if you have questions about any of this, and please keep me, John, and our baby in your prayers.

In Christ,
Catherine

Thank You

Thank you, Elders, Deacons, and Trustees! Welcome New Officers!

In January we ordain and install new officers, which means we say goodbye to men and women who have served faithfully. From the Session we bid farewell to Fred Heismeyer, Maggie McIntire, Betsy Ross, and Bill Vavra. Leaving the deacons are Bert Barrett, Hugh Ekengren, Bruce Gealy, and Lois Hubbard. Completing terms on the Board of Trustees are Joyce Heismeyer, Laurie Mulford, and Randy Routsong.

We say thank you to Bob Ross who completes a year serving as our church treasurer.

Our congregation is grateful for the time and dedication of these people. Please express thanks to them when you see them.

The new officers who begin serving in January are:

Session/Ruling Elders: Tom Bloxham, Steve Hooper, Cheryl Lyda, and Hal Pluenneke

Deacons: Elizabeth Feemseter, Jan Melton, Amy Woolf, and Capri Zimmerman

Board of Trustees: Donna Dilsaver, Bob Ross, and Norman Tice

Laundry Love - College Town Laundry

Laundry Love: January 10

It’s time for our monthly Laundry Love!

This is when we go to College Town Laundry at 3223 E 17th St, by the WSU Campus, and pay for laundry for people. This is a mission of our evangelism team, and we’d love for you to join us. We’ll be there from 2:30 – 5:30 pm on Sunday, January 10. Want to know more? Contact Catherine Neelly Burton, email or 684-5215.

Yellow Bag Sundays

Yellow Bag Sundays: January 2016

Each month on the first Sunday, you’re encouraged to take home a re-usable yellow grocery bag, put some non-perishable items in it, and bring it back the next week, or soon thereafter. This month our contributions go to the food pantry at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. Consider bringing proteins such as peanut butter, beans, chili, etc.

Grace Presbyterian Church

Sunday Morning Schedule: January 2016

9 am      

Worship in the Great Room

10 am        

Education and Fellowship

11 am   

Worship in the Sanctuary

Worship at 9 am is in the Great Room and is led musically by our band. The style is less formal than the 11 am service. The 11 am service is in the Sanctuary and is led musically by our choirs. The style is more traditional.

There is NO Sunday School on January 3. Instead we gather at 10 am in the Great Room for breakfast. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children 11 and under, with a family cap of $20.

Here’s where you will find education and fellowship opportunities at 10 am for the final four Sundays of January.

Children ages 0-Pre-K

A nursery is available all morning from 8:50am – 12:15 pm. From 10 – 10:45 Colissa Fry leads a Sunday School lesson for these children. They use the Feasting on the Word curriculum.

Kindergarten – 2nd grade

Meet in room B10 (in the basement). Merodee Grannis and Kendall Drake teach using the Feasting on the Word curriculum.

3rd grade – 5th grade

Meet in the Tower Room (on the 2nd floor). Geoff Snook and Sherry Camargo teach using the Feasting on the Word curriculum.

Youth

  • 6-8th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)
  • 9-12th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)

 Adults

All adults are invited to Sunday School in the Great Room on Sundays, January 10, 17, 24, and 31. Our teacher for these weeks is Matthew Umbarger. Matthew is a theology professor at Newman University. His topic for our class is, “Jewish Origins of Christianity.”.