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.”
By Jennifer Snook
Tis the season for everything it seems. Our calendars are full because our lives are full, and we celebrate with school concerts, parties, ballgames and let us not forget, food.
This is a season of giving, and one of my favorite stories about giving is a reflection from a teaching missionary who had a student give her a giant sea shell. The shell was gathered from a beach many miles away from the village and school. When the teacher told her student that he did not need to go to so much trouble for her gift, his reply was profound. He said, “long walk, part of gift.” The long walk was as much a gift as the shell itself.
As adults this Christmas, we may open imperfectly wrapped gifts that were made by little hands with big hearts, and we will know that it is the effort that matters. Our effort matters as well.
Though often unnoticed, our efforts to go to work, put gas in the car and food on the table matters. The spontaneous note in a lunch box or a special breakfast in bed matters. The gifts of Christmas, big or small, all point to a God who loves us and entered our fallen and broken world to bring about a new thing: a redeemed life in us all.
Remember that our children will be filmed this coming Sunday, December 13, at 9 am in the Chapel. They are saying their Luke 2 passages, and they may wear whatever you decide works well for them. Filming could go long so if you plan on attending the 11 am worship service, please let us know, and we will try to film your child early.
Christmas Eve this year falls on Thursday, and as always, we are looking forward to this special night. Christmas Eve is one of the best times to bring a guest to church with you. People who don’t have a church but might consider going to a church are much more likely to attend a Christmas Eve service than a regular Sunday service. Christmas Eve is a night of beauty and mystery. We have services at 5 pm in the Great Room and at 8 pm and 11 pm in the Sanctuary.
Of our three services, the 8 pm service is the most full, so if you come then, please sit at the front of the sanctuary so that our guests may sit more comfortably in the middle and back. As Catherine often reminds our church officers, it is preferable that you, a member, be a little uncomfortable by sitting on the front row than a visitor feel uncomfortable.
Each month Grace distributes bus tickets to people in our community. This happens on the 15th of the month (or the Friday before the 15th if it falls on a weekend.) Volunteers and those receiving tickets begin to gather around 7 am in the Grace alcove. Guests are greeted with smiles, coffee, water, and a place to sit. Tickets are distributed at 8:30 am, and a brief worship service follows. Everyone is invited to stay for worship, which includes communion. The worship service lasts about 15 minutes.
We can always use volunteers to help with set-up, clean-up, and ticket distribution. Want to help? Contact Kirk Anderson, or 684-5215.
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, December 13. Want to know more? Contact Catherine Neelly Burton, catherine@mygpc.org or 684-5215.